44. Perfect

The end of July, the 28th to be exactly, was one of those summer days that was warm, but not too hot. Though the date was in the middle of the season, then when it supposed to be warm all the way through the hours, the morning started rather mild. Birds' tweeting sounded already around four while the sun went up around five.

Sabo's alarm pulled him out of his sleep. He opened his heavy eyes and turned the beeping off that chimed from his cellphone. Though he loved to sleep, he was kind of a morning person regardless the zombie gait he would have then. Maybe that was the reason why he held so many naps during the day.

He slipped out of his bed and scratched his chest under his pajama, which buttons were only closed half the way up. Sabo yawned.

It was one of his casual morning routine. Getting up; washing; getting dress; having breakfast. When he was in town at home, the whole bunch were normally here. Luffy, Dadan and the not blood related uncles. Well, who in this house were blood related anyway?

But today no one was there except for Ace. Sitting in front of the TV only in shorts and tank top, he turned his face to the blonde guy as he came downstairs. "Morning."

"Oh you awake already?" asked Sabo and passed him into the kitchen.

Ace turned off the TV and went in there as well. "Yo, I totally destroyed my sleep pattern. Watched two seasons straight of 'Wanted!' last night."

"Told you, you will like it," Sabo said, getting his breakfast out. "I saw western, I knew it's your thing."

Ace sat down on one of the chair, nestled laid-back. "You don't know how rarely I watch TV when I travel. You have luck you got internet when you're around."

Sabo sat down at the table and prepared a simple peanut butter jelly sandwich. "Nah, I rarely watch any shows. Just saw that when Luffy was watching."

"I see." Ace looked over to the Calendar hanging on the wall next to the door. "Talking about Luffy, you know when they are back?"

"Uhh..." Sabo pondered. "I think they said they'll be on holidays for two weeks?"

"So, one more week left, I see," Ace concluded himself.

"Whatcha doing today? Stay here in your underwear?"

Ace looked up to the ceiling, thinking about it. "I think so. I mean, I was awake all night long, so I probably will sleep. And you?"

Sabo chewed his sandwich calmly, letting the other guy wait for an answer. He was watching him eating it, first patiently, but get annoyed fast when he noticed that Sabo was eating slow on purpose. "...really?"

Sabo swallowed and took another bite.

"What the hell?!"

Finished that bite, he laughed at Ace. "Just kidding. Uhm, I gonna meat Quinn today."

"Oh I see, a rendezvous," said Ace with a teasing undertone.

"Since the kidnapping, I've seen her so rarely. I guess it were only five days this month."

"Wow, that's over three weeks ago," Ace noted with a brow rose.

"I know..." Sabo said. "You don't know how often Koala had scolded me for that already. I mean, I can understand she's worried about Quinn, but the first two weeks I had no time because of her flue."

"Yeah, your schedule was basically, work and Koala."

"Yop, I-" He stopped as he watched at Ace who was staring at him with eyes so uninspired like a student being disinterested about anything his teacher was telling him. "What?"

"You really need to reset your priorities."

Sabo sighed out loud after finishing his sandwich. "I know. That's why I've planned to set the perfect date today."

"Oh, tell me about it," Ace said with a grin, leaning forward.

"It's gonna be cheesy. Quinn loves cheesy."

"Like roses and all the kitsch?"

"Yo. I even had them ordered for today since they are artificially made. Blue's her favorite color."

Ace glared at him quietly, but broke the silence with a snort. "Romantic, dude; very romantic."

"You can't make fun of me," Sabo told him nonchalant.

With a smile, his brother rolled his eyes and leaned back into the chair again, knowing that he had to bring the big guns. "Well, my usual date was pizza, coke and the sunset."

"Yeah, every date of yours. Maybe that's why you're single now."

"Don't act like you know about dates," Ace said. "Believe me, it's always satisfying. And it's also the perfect moment."

Silence.

Sabo half-lidded his eyes and shifted his view into his mischievous face.

"What's that stupid face?" Ace asked, grinning. "I mean, if you want I can sleep in the tree house. The place is free for today."

Sabo stayed silent with the same expression, unimpressed about his idea.

"Come one," said Ace to justify his idea, "great and pretty girl, and how long have you been dating now? Three months? Four?"

Sabo still stayed quiet and unenthused while nothing had changed on his face. Except, this time a pink haze developed on his cheeks.

The other guy burst out in laughter. "There I got cha!"

Sabo got up and put the empty dishes into the dishwasher before heading back into their room.

"Hey, I'm serious!" Ace shouted after him, still with a cheeky grin.


"Quinn?! You finish?!" Judy shouted and knocked against the bathroom door. It's been over an hour now since she had checked it last and Quinn was inside that morning even before Judy was awake. She heard the water rinsing non-stop, but this time not an answer, thus Judy looked annoyed up and knocked again. "Quinn, I have to get ready too! QUINN!"

Opening her eyes inside the shower, Quinn noticed the water was running from the showerhead all over her legs. She got up immediately and turned the water off that already had run cold. "I-I'm sorry! I fell asleep!"

Judy narrowed her eyes. "You fell asleep in the shower?"

"Y-Y-yeah!" Quinn responded and shifted the curtain aside to get out. Her neck hurt from that unhealthy bearing when she had sat in the corner the whole time.

"Next time, make sure you have your full eight hours before showering! I thought you were dead!"

She rubbed her body dry and wrapped it into her towel. "Yes, Ma'am!"

Quinn opened the door, facing her friend's annoyance first. "Geez girl, didn't you sleep last night?"

"I did," said Quinn. "But I guess, I didn't sleep well."

Judy left it with no comment and only shook her head, passing her to get inside the bathroom. And when Quinn went to the refrigerator, getting out her smoothie and drank it, a scream shrilled out of the bathroom and she looked in appall to the door.

"GOD QUINN! YOU USED ALL THE HOT WATER!"

"Oopsie. Sorry."

It was an unusual start in the morning. She didn't know what had made her so tired compared to the other mornings. Even when she sat there at the dining table with her smoothie and bread that kept her morning sweet every day, she didn't feel like consuming any of those at the moment. Or at least not with the same pleasure as she knew breakfast was the most important meal of the day.

After finishing everything, she went back into her room to get dress. In the mirror she could eye her face more properly with the daylight that shone inside. Her face was on its best way to look normal again; most of the bruises were gone and also the deeper scratches were easily to cover with makeup now.

She put on her underwear and walked back to the living room to get her cellphone, which she had forgotten on the couch table as she had gone for a shower. When she picked it up, Judy opened the bathroom door again and got outside with a bathrobe, dabbing her wet hair with a towel.

"Ah Quinn, today- oh, sweet lingerie." Judy eyed her half-naked friend up and down. "Is that for your date with Sabo today?"

"What? No," Quinn said with half-lidded eyes. "This is my normal underwear."

Judy grinned slyly and walked past her to get a glass of water. "You're planning anything special today?"

She blushed annoyed and looked down to her triangle bra. "No? I like the lace and the polka dots, they are cute!"

"Yeah, bet Sabo would like that too," said Judy and drank from her glass.

"We've been dating only three months something."

"Uh-huh." Judy leaned against her kitchen counter, surveying Quinn's body with half-lidded eyes. "How long did you wait again for your first time with your ex?"

Smiling sarcastically at her, Quinn responded, "only enough to consider it a mistake. I dunno what kind of person you are, but I learn from mine. Maybe I shouldn't have sex, not until I get married?"

"Sure," she commented, her sarcasm clearly pronounced. "Letting poor Sabo wait."

Quinn's look dropped aside. "I never said, I'd marry him..."

Surprised, Judy raised a brow. "Haven't you said, you go into a relationship with the intention to marry?"

"Yeah, but not in that short time..."

"Whaaat?" Judy dragged, her intonation flat. "Not even Sabobobo?"

Lifting her eyes back at her, Quinn didn't feel like laughing at all. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Fun?" she repeated and let out a little snort. "I'd never make fun of you."

"Judy, I don't feel your sarcasm now."

She stopped and eyed Quinn's face a little more only to see how serious she was right then. Even when Judy stated Quinn's quirky side was annoying sometimes, she preferred it to this one. "Hey, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, sorry. I just- you know, I'm tired. Or I'm just nervous for the date, I dunno, could be anything."

Oh Judy hated it when she was in such suspense. With her index finger, the only one that didn't hold the glass, she motioned up and down Quinn's body. "If I had this body, I would've no worries and laid Sabo long time ago, every night."

"Judy...!" Quinn's face turned red and she covered her butt cheeks. "My body isn't that great, I have stretch marks on my butt and my hips and my thighs... This is so embarrassing. Your body's much nicer."

"What stretch marks?"

"Don't act blind."

"Oh Quinn." Judy sighed, quirking her brows. "I gonna head to Shachi's shop after work, helping a little out with the cleaning; you and Sabo get to the bar tonight?"

"Uhm, I dunno, maybe."

"Alright." She rinsed the empty glass and put it aside to get dry before passing her friend and vanished into her room.

As Judy was behind walls, Quinn's face grumpily pointed at her door, she turned her head to check out her butt herself. "Just because you don't have them..." she mumbled and kept quiet for a second before furrowing her brows at herself. "Oh man Quinn, you really got problems."


Sabo was sure that today's day was going to be a good day as he stood in front of the mirror in Dadan's room to check if he looked okay. Though most of the guys dressed up for a date, he knew today he had to dress down for it. Not that Quinn disliked his button up shirts and knitwear, but he remembered she had mentioned something about casual style. And to made no mistake he wore the outfit she had bought for him. His basic gray jeans with a low cut white tee and a denim shirt, worn open.

It didn't look bad at all but was actually something he would wear in his free time. As he put on his watch, Koala entered the room.

"Knock knock," said she with a smile.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Koala." She walked behind him, looking from the mirror at him.

"Koala who?"

"What 'who'?"

Sabo turned to her. "Oh, that wasn't a joke?"

Blankly, her eyes stared at him until she understood and laughed. "Oh, you mean a knock knock joke. Geez, why should I do those?"

"Ah, I'm sorry," said he and scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I'm just used to Quinn making jokes. Though... she doesn't like knock knock jokes that much."

Koala slaps both her hands against his upper arms, startling him. "But great to see you're all-in today!"

As she let go and walked to the window, Sabo rubbed his arms, mumbling, "ouch, that hurt..."

Letting out a big breath, Koala leaned a little outside. "Today's a perfect day for a date! Quinn would be so happy to see you." She turned back to him and smiled, supporting herself with her arms on the sill. "I saw the roses in the hallway, those are for Quinn too, right?"

"Who even let you in?" Sabo asked with a brow rose, wondering if she just hadn't burgled in. She was quite good at that (though she shouldn't be).

"Ace," said she.

"What, he's still here?" asked he surprised, but it was more of a rhetoric question.

Koala watched how he walked out of the room and she paddled after him. "Uhm, I find it great that you're taking so much effort today."

"I just hope it doesn't come up as too much," said he, walking downstairs.

"Ah, I think she'll love it. I would too."

Sabo halted one step before he was on the main floor. He turned to her and she suddenly looked at him with big shocked eyes, trying to smile as if everything was normal.

"...Because what girl does not like romantic stuff?"

He furrowed her brows with a genuine smile and continued his path to the living-room. "Yeah. I think you're even the same age; if you like those, she most probably will too."

"Eh?" Koala placed her hands around her waist, shaking her head slightly. "That's not how women work, idiot."

He apologized with a chuckle. "I mean, you two are very much alike."

"Oh, you mean this," she responded. "Then you might be right. Though I have to say, if a guy does too much and-"

"And acts alpha, that's your total turn off - I know, I know."

Sabo walked behind the couch and leaned over the backrest to look at Ace who was lying on it. "Yo, I'm leaving. See you tonight."

Ace tilted his head up to the clock on the wall. "I thought your bus is coming in half an hour?"

"I'll take one earlier, Quinn's also always over punctual."

"Alright, I gonna be in the tree house tonight."

Sabo pushed Ace's head a little with a snicker and head to the door. "Just shut up."

Ace laughed. "Don't you mean, 'be quiet'?"

"Frack you."

"Amen!"

When Sabo passed Koala and got out, she glanced swiftly at Ace and back after the blonde, shaking her head then. "How civil."

Since Koala had to head into the same direction too, she took the same bus. Actually, the headquarters of the Revolutionary was of the other side of the center, but she didn't bother to pay him a visit when she got time. Among the two, she was the one to commute anyway, so the time she spent on the bus was not new. 40 minutes were okay, she had had worse routes up to two hours.

"You looking forward to today?" asked Koala when the bus got close to Sabo's destination. He was looking out of the window and it seemed like he hadn't heard her. "Sabo? Are you there?" Snapping back when her voice reached him, he looked at her with questioning eyes. It were always sighs she made at least once a day when she was with him. "Oh man, you should really work on your attention span."

"Koala, do you think Quinn's mad at me?" Taken aback by his question, she didn't answer right away, thus he just continued to tell what was on his mind. "She hadn't texted me once today except for this morning to confirm the date. That's unusual for her."

"Hm... What if she's mad at you?"

He turned his head down, looking to his feet while the skin between his brows wrinkled. "I don't know, but I feel bad about it..."

"If she's mad, you of course apologize," said Koala. The bus halted at his station and she made a swift scan to the surrounding to ensure it was his. "Oh, you gotta get out here."

Making space for him, he got outside the seats to get off.

"Good luck," wished she him and watched how he hit the road with the blue bouquet. In front of her, she laid her folded arms over the backrest and rested her head on it, still staring out of the window to see him getting smaller as the bus departed. "Ah, Sabo..."

...

Sabo had told her they would meet up at the corner of a pizzeria Quinn always meant to try, but never did. She always asked him to go since she considered him her favorite partner to go out for eating, especially new places, but Sabo never had much time to do. Most of the time they met up in the evening when he was done with work and when they were hungry they grabbed the discounted food that were left or never picked up at a small imbiss down the street. It was her idea, which she always enjoyed; though, he thought he would try that pizzeria this time when they decided to spend the whole day with each other.

Normally, Sabo was the type to arrive late or just in time, but for now he was even 15 minutes earlier at the meet point. Standing lonely in front of a building close to the restaurant, he made a quick glance on his watch. It was the time she would normally be there too, but as he looked around she wasn't. No, Quinn was even late as he had waited additional 15 minutes from the actual time they had agreed on.

"Sabo!" then her voice called from across the street, five minutes later, and she went over to him as no car was driving through. "I'm so sorry I'm late; I forgot the time."

"Ah, it's totally fine," said he. "I was worried something had happened."

Quinn looked down to his hand, spotting the bouquet. As he saw her remaining silence to it, probably too shy to ask, he lifted his hand and held it in front of the girl. "This is for you."

"Huh?" Her eyes stared at him perplexed. "Me?"

He nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah, whom else?"

Quinn grabbed it with both hands and her eyes fixed it in disbelief. "Uhm, uhh, what? How come?"

"I thought you would like them," said he. "Don't you?"

"I do!" she told, looking back at him. "I just didn't expect it. They are so pretty! Thank you."

"Hey, didn't you forget something?" He leaned down to her and kissed her forehead, making her blush a little.

She nodded with a smile, surprised about that move. "I didn't forget that, I was just taken off-guard by the roses... hey, those are artificial right?"

"Tell me where you can get natural blue roses," he joked.

Quinn laughed. "I had been working with artificially colored plants in art school once, very cool topic."

"Sounds... artistic."

"What do we do first?"

"Ah, you always wanted to try that one pizzeria here, right?" Sabo said then, turning his face to the building. "Let's have lunch first!"

Quinn looked at it and hesitated to make a comment . "Uhm, I've already eaten..."

"What? No way!"

"I'm sorry... I was hungry and I thought you had too already. And, uhm... I've already tried the pizza here last time with Penguin. It was okay, but for the price not worth it."

"What?" Now this had really surprised him and he didn't know what to say next.

She took his hand and her brows curled to guilt. "I'm sorry, I know I've asked you first, but that was the only pizzeria on a Sunday that had open around the time I was with him, and he was craving for pizza. If you're hungry, we still can eat somewhere else...!"

"No-no," said he, shaking his head. "That's fine, it's not like you're not allowed to eat with others at unfamiliar restaurants. I passed; let me just grab a big slice somewhere else and we can move on to the next thing."

"Oh, okay?" she responded, nodding and curious about their next stop that he seemed to had planned. "Then let's go."

And that was how it was. Sabo had planned out the whole day. Maybe the lunch at that pizzeria was a fail, but he knew she liked funny things and art so that he had looked up for something related to the niches they could do in that town. There was an exhibition that combined both aspects together only for that months. Reviews said it was a fun place for people all ages, so he didn't hesitate to buy the tickets.

After that he thought they could go into the arcade center. She had been there with Shachi and Penguin a few times and always talked so much about it and how she would love to go there with him.

As for summer, he knew there needed to be something refreshing and ice cream was not in his mind. He hadn't chosen that day randomly, but knew on the open market was a booth, selling fruits and smoothie. When he had been there a week ago, the seller told that a new sort of watermelon would get in that day and so he planned to buy one and spoon it up with her.

Quinn was taking care of the bouquet like it was her child. Whenever it got crowded, she protected it or raised it into sky where no one could reach it. Sabo was glad to see that she liked it. Honestly, he hadn't made her so many presents yet and always surprised her in a rather unromantic way, so he had been scared that she would sort of rejected his little gift.

During the whole day, Quinn gave him smiles that were unbelievable tender to usual. She was also quieter; for example when the vendor at the ice cream shop (yes, they still ended up with ice cream after the watermelon) had given her a scoop extra. Quinn would normally display very much gratefulness and joy half over the day for that, especially free food, but today she dealt with it rather sober in comparison. A friendly and modest thank and she had taken it, repeated once more her thankfulness and ate it up without anymore words about it.

Sabo was unsure if that was something good and if she wanted to talk about it. But it didn't seem like she was aiming a conversation like she had done the evening at the funfair. Her hand was linked into his and she walked by his side without glares and those embarrassed flinches she always did when he caught her glaring.

Was her mind somewhere else? Where exactly? Why wasn't she talking?

"Quinn."

She looked up at him. "Hm?"

"You alright?"

"Sure!" she claimed. "Why?"

They stopped in front of a park and moved to the side to get out the way. Sabo turned to her, studying her face a little with uncertainty. "You're mad at me, am I right?"

Quinn paused for a moment and only offered him silence as she hadn't expected that question. She then shook her head. "No, I'm not mad. Does it seem like I am?! I'm really not! Quite the contrary, I'm happy right now!"

He furrowed his brows, still unsure if he could believe her. "We haven't seen each other this month that much. Maybe you're mad because of that."

"No, that's okay," she responded. "You were busy, but now you planned that whole day and it's fantastic!" She smiled and moved the bouquet to her face, looking at the petals more thoroughly. "I never had received a bouquet before and I've never been to such a thought-through date. The day was basically perfect."

Sabo couldn't believe that someone like her had never received flowers from a guy, if he wouldn't know the back story with her first relationship. It made him even more happy that he had decided to get her some with the certainty that she would treat them very well. "Quinn, I'm really sorry; I should've taken more time to see and call you."

Her face sank to ground and thus became unreadable, making Sabo gulp. That apology was definitely too weak, he probably had triggered her after not letting it be with the 'okay' from her side. "Marshma-"

"Alright, I take it!" she said with a swing up, smiling brightly. "Apology accepted!"

Sabo's breath had stuck in his throat for a moment as he was sure this degenerated into something ugly. "Geez, why did you scare me like that?"

"Huh, scare you? Like what?" said she and added "like that?" She looked grumpily to ground and it was indeed the way he sort of had imagined it. Maybe less ridiculous. Quinn loosened the tension with a smooth laughter. "When do you need to get home again?"

"Doesn't matter," said he, "I'm free the whole day for you."

"Really?" Quinn asked, not believing it. "You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not. Really."

"Sabobobo," she said and tapped with the backside of her fingers lightly against his chest, rolling her eyes as if saying he shouldn't joke around.

"Hey, I said that and I meant that," he claimed, "we can even stay up the whole night!"

"Come on."

Sabo looked into her face, which smile asked him to stop saying that.

"No I'm-"

"Come on."

The second time she did it was the moment when he realized he had screwed things. Since they dated each other, there had never been a day she did not leave before it was too late. He always told her he had to wake up early or had other things to do after their meet. Of course, when she was at his place, he told her she could stay, but there was no chance of having a good night or so; and she knew that so that in order not to disturb him, she always decided to go home.

"Listen Marshmallow," said he and cupped one of her cheek with his hand. "This time, I'm here for you more than those... ten hours. You can trust me."

Quinn couldn't keep her mouth still, hence pursed it and stretched her lips in all directions while unfocusing him.

"Hey, what are the others up to tonight?"

"They're in the bar."

"Should we catch up too? You always want me to go, or not?"

Quinn tilted her head to her shoulder, looking up to the blue sky. "Naaaah, actually I don't want to." Surprised about that dismissal, both his brows raised in wonder. That was the first time for him to hear her turning down her friends. She invited him to come over so much, it was almost scary to hear that from her. But the explanation was quite simple. "We only have seen each other five times this month now, I want to spend the time alone with you."

"Oh, I see..." He slightly puffed his cheek to think about her statement and what to do instead. And as he was pondering, she leaned onto him and hugged him quietly. "Hey, what about my place then?"

"Hm?"

"Dadan and co are still away for a week and Ace isn't home as well," said he and mumbled with a wry smile to the side, "he voluntarily spent it in the tree house."

Quinn looked up at him, positively surprised about his offer. "That's really okay?"

"More than okay," he ensured.

"Sabo?"

"Hm?"

"It's not because we haven't taken the next step yet that made us not seeing each other, right?"

Overtaken by her question, he tensed his brows, treating it as something absurd. "What? Why do you think that?"

Quinn shrugged. "I dunno, maybe this annoys you... we're dating each other for three and half a month now and maybe you're impatient because it would be your first time, and for a guy it's kind of a status, and I heard guys get laugh at if they haven't slept with their girlfriends after such a long time, and maybe you're moody because of that, and maybe-"

"Marshmallow!" He grabbed her upper arms to made her facing him sharply. "I would never act like that for something so stupid. Really! And if a guy really wants to sleep with a girl, he would do everything to see her, making her feeling comfortable around him and so."

"Like inviting them to their place?"

"Yeah, like-" Sabo's cheeks turned red. "I really didn't go with that intention...!"

"Does that mean you don't wanna sleep with me?"

"What?"

"Am I not attractive to you? Don't you think I'm pretty?"

"What? No! I didn't say that...!" Swamped by her questions, he tried to put things clear. "You are attractive! You're gorgeous! I would be surprise if anyone would think different!"

Hearing that, she smiled and clung onto his arm. "Alright, then I'm glad."

Sabo hadn't forgotten about Quinn and her sex issue. Sure now and then a thought of it slipped into his mind, that was normal when feeling attracted to someone, but he would never lay hand on her ever since the day when she had that panic attack in his room - not before they would have a talk about it. Back then, it had been an impulsive move that he regretted to this day.


Law got to the booth in the corner of the bar, holding a beer bottle in his hand. Before he could even settle down, he heard the loud murmur of the group, when in the same time Shachi and Penguin darted their eyes at him in split seconds. Unaffected about their conspicuous behavior, which annoyed Judy as she shot them warning death glares to stop, Law remained quite and showed his disinterest distinctly. He sat down next to Judy, drinking nonchalant from his bottle while the others were watching him, except for her as she was trying not to be that obtrusive.

"So Law, how are you?" Shachi was first to break the silence. Receiving no answer then, he looked at Penguin, murmuring, "oh no, he's not good."

"You idiot, he's always acting reticent," Penguin whispered loudly back.

With a full eye roll, Judy told them, "he can hear you. The whole bar can hear you."

The two inhaled, the sound of the intensity sounding through their nostrils, and they straightened, sitting properly turned to him. Law looked at them with his lazy eyes, staying quiet and didn't even consider questioning their behavior. He was used to weird friends.

"How was your day?" Penguin made the second attempt of getting into a casual conversation with him. "A good one? Could you save lives?"

"What is this?" Law finally asked, his tone sounding like an order.

The guts of the two flinched by his words and they dropped their jaws, trying to gather words for a reasonable response. What happened were big mess of words and half spoken excuses, explanations and apologies.

Judy hung with her face in one of her hands and her eyes moved up. "They're worried that the kidnapping still has effects on you."

"Y-yeah...!" Shachi finally confessed. "After, you seemed so quiet and pissed, thus we were worried you felt depressive or lonely...!"

His mate next to him didn't say a word, but nodded stiffly in agreement.

Law's eyes wandered over to Judy and she shrugged her shoulders with no interest herself in commenting anything about the situation. She already had an idea about his privateness (twice as much as usual) after the kidnapping anyway.

Slightly irritated, he decided to ignore them as well. It was well-meant, but not needed; and the way they were trying to comfort someone was simply miserable.

"How far did you come with Shachi's shop today?" asked he Judy instead.

She straightened from the table. "Well, it was okay. I think that place will be ready in a month."

Maybe it was better to take the initiative to talk when his two companions were with their minds only somewhere he didn't want to be. Getting updated about casual things in life was a good transition without making it too awkward or try hard.

Making use of his 'conversableness' though, Shachi asked, "hey Law! I've planned on celebrating the opening by inviting you all to dinner! How about 'Sushi exclamation mark'? Quinn said they got great grilled fish!"

"Yeah, you like grilled fish, right?" Penguin joined his attempt of making him feeling better and nodded to his mate's suggestion.

"Oh geez guys!" Judy snarled. "He's fine!"

"Hey, only because he says it, it doesn't mean it!" Shachi stated.

"And he hasn't even said it," Penguin added.

"I'm fine."

Hearing his flat words, they wanted to negate. It was basically unbelievable to them that anyone who had gone through such a rough night would be okay so fast. Papers and magazines proved that in many cases, people would go and look for a therapist. They were sure they were interpreting his quiet behavior right and opened there mouths to exhibit it.

Only a cold death stare glanced back at them before they could even talk.

"Ooookay, he's alright," they accepted all of the sudden, walling themselves with open hands in order to be protected by it.

When Judy and Law looked away from them after giving them uninspired glances, Penguin leaned a little closer to the redhead to whisper, "I'm not sure if that was a death stare or his normal."

"Leave it by normal."

Judy emptied her glass and put it down with a tired sigh. "So... no wonder where 'Peanut' is?" asked she as if mocking him.

A little twitch in his brows told his displeasure to her question.

"Oh, Quinn's on a date with Sabo," Shachi said, oblivious about either her or his behavior.

Judy stared at her empty glass while her hand span it idly. "Sabo, huh?"

"I don't know why I should care," said Law and kept his mouth shut for the rest.

"Yeah, I'd be happy if he would ever asked for me and we're friends for who knows how long," Penguin commented with a little laugh, taking his disinterest easy. As his face wandered through the round, the amusement got less and he stopped his laugh and only stared at them with a froze smile. "Had he ever...? Had you, Law?"

Law looked at him and gave no words. His face was answer enough as it was neither packed with humor nor the need to respond.

"Dude," Shachi said annoyed, "he had stayed up the whole night to treat your injuries!"

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry!" he told Law then, "you're the best!"

"Pumquinn, Pumquinn, I wonder what she's doin'," Penguin sang, leaning relaxed back to the seat. Focusing nothing particular as he looked up, he imagined how her date with Sabo had been during the day and what they were doing right at the moment. "I hope he can make her a little more happy again. Ever since that kidnapping, she's so calm."

"Yeah, that poor thing had gone through a lot," Shachi added, the thought of it flooded him with compassion. "I'm kinda glad Sabo told his friend, otherwise she wouldn't have come in time."

As Penguin and Judy agreed to his statement, Law scoffed under his breath. It might had been quiet, but not quiet enough and so he gained attention from everyone. Also the little flicker of his right mouth corner revealed him.

"What was that?" Shachi asked, smiling confused at him. "Don't tell me you're not agreeing."

Law frowned slightly and tried to dissemble anything subjective. "I do appreciate her help, but if he had carried out the plan properly, nothing of that would have happened."

"Hey, you don't know that," Penguin replied, smirking and holding his finger up like a smart aleck. "Everything could have happened, he was just too impatient to not get her out. All in all it was his girl AND his little brother."

"He was just cocky."

"Nah, worried," Shachi said with an eye-wink. "You'll know when you meet someone too. And don't forget he's a family person."

When Law narrowed his brows and looked unconvinced away, Penguin leaned forward, bending over the table to stare into his face across. "Hey, are you jealous?"

Appalled about his guess, he glanced at him somewhat flabbergasted.

As the reaction came, Penguin's eyes grew bigger and he questioned in big doubt. "Do you LIKE Quinn?"

Silence flitted between them and Shachi's jaw dropped while Judy, as her eyes shifted aside, inhaled a big chunk of air, making no sound.

Unpleased about that sudden and random question, Law strained his jaw and tried to keep calm. "No, I'm not."

Shachi and Penguin moved their faces to each other, very unsure about the situation they had brought themselves into. They slowly turned their faces back to Law, who was still staring coldly at them as if trying to convince.

"I-I mean, Quinn's a very nice girl," Shachi started like he wanted to warrant Law's feelings.

"Y-yeah." Penguin nodded, putting a determined face on. "She's really cute and pretty, a good friend."

"But you gotta respect her relationship with Sabo...!"

"R-right, even we totally understand your feelings...!"

Law suddenly straightened for a moment before his elbows settled down to the table, fingers folded and resting in front of his mouth. The stare he was giving the two was sinister. "Listen. I. Do. Not."

The two stiffed and zipped their mouths as a shiver ran down their spines. Gulping and nodding, they amended their previous statements. "You do not, we're sorry..."

Watching this, Judy lifted a brow and rolled her eyes away with a head-shaking. It was so obvious and the two probably still think it was just some meaningless flirt. Their naivety was annoying. Why did she have to be the only one to tell him to stop.


"You want something else?" Sabo asked Quinn as they sat together in the living-room of his home. They were on the couch in front of the TV and had been watching a show already for two hours.

"No, I'm good," she replied, "thank you."

"Alright," he let out in relief and took a deep breath as he gave everything a last glance. "Okay, you still got enough to snack and to drink; good, good."

Sabo then sat down again as well. His face turned to the girl as she was focused on the TV while shoving the popcorn one after each into her mouth. It really looked like she was actually interested in that soap-opera, that much she didn't pay him attention. Normally, she would notice immediately and blushed, asking embarrassed if anything was wrong with her face. But this time, she didn't.

The back door in the hall to the garden opened and Ace walked in, passing the living room with a casual, "what's up, Quinn?"

"Oh, Ace!" Quinn reacted right away, "I thought you're in the tree house?"

"The tree house has no toilet," he exclaimed before he disappeared inside the bathroom.

"Ace is such a sweet and funny guy."

"More than me?" Sabo asked jokingly.

She looked at him with a little sly smile. "Maybe?"

Not liking it as she shifted her attention back to the soap-opera, Sabo was thinking what he could do next to made it less awkward. He wondered if she even felt that way as it was unusual that the two stood that much in silence when being with each other. Maybe he wasn't the one to talk a lot but her; it didn't change the fact though that it was pretty different

"H-how did you find today?" he attempted another conversation. "Rate the date!"

Quinn chewed the popcorn in her mouth while humming as she pondered. Her eyes were still ahead, but focused nothing particular. "I think it's a date any girl wish to have," she answered then and looked at him, "a 10/10?"

"This sounds pretty objective," he responded with mock doubt, his eyes turning small and narrow. "Hm... what do you think?"

"What I'm thinking?" she said, pointing with her finger to her chest.

Sabo smiled and nodded. "Of course, be honest."

He was sure he had done everything right this time, he had been planning it from the beginning to the end and built stuff in that she liked or ever had considered doing.

"What I'm thinking..." she mumbled, staring back to before. "I think it was... great; romantic; sweet. I like the parts where it's seen you put effort into this and where you actually cared."

"So, the base of a date?" said he with a wry smile, already had expected some sort of witty irony or joke. Thinking about jokes, he couldn't remember that she had told one today or any in this month. His eyes moved up as he thought about it; if he just hadn't understood when she told one.

"Can I ask you something?" suddenly Quinn said and he looked back into her face right before she put the popcorn bowl down and moved closer to him.

"Hey, what's the matter, Marshmallow?" asked he as she snugged into his arms.

Her head leaned against his chest and she wasn't really holding tight onto him but only lay there with her arms smoothly around his torso. Sabo didn't know what that random move was supposed to mean in combo with her question. She stayed calm for a moment, saying nothing but tightened his shirt slowly into her hands.

"Where am I standing in your life?"

Sabo said nothing for a moment because he wasn't quite sure what the question was exactly about. He was surprised as it came out of the blue. Her voice had become calmer, but had this typical 'cute girlfriend pitch' in it, thus he felt like putting one hand gently on her head. "What do you-"

"I'm not first, I'm not second, neither I am third, right?" she spoke into his shirt as she hid her face, muzzling half of the content.

He understood it though acoustically, but in some kind of way wished he hadn't. The silence that roamed between them wasn't the same to only a few seconds ago. It was quieter. Much quieter.

"Hey, Quinn," said he then and grabbed her shoulders to push her up in order to face each other. He couldn't hear it nor did he see it, but he felt that something bothered her mind so much that she wanted to hide her face from him. Quinn didn't fight back as her body straightened again and he furrowed his brows, laying his hand around her cheek to stare into her wet eyes. "Don't."

"Is this relationship fun to you?" asked she.

"What?" he returned, confused about the next sudden question.

She slugged her shoulders and looked to her lap while her arms motioned between and around them "This here. Do you like this all?"

"Of course I do," he answered as if it was a matter of fact.

"You're lying..."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you do!"

He paused. Yes, he had expected her to be mad, but in his imagination this was lighter.

"Sabo," said she and glared back at him. It were only seconds again, he had no clue the look in someone eyes could change so much. They were redder; they glimmered as the TV light shone in; they made her talk like she was resisting tears. "I dunno in which aspect I failed as a girlfriend that you don't want me. What was that today? Every time my hope's dying, you do something like that, I don't understand you."

He should had known why she was so reversed the whole day. Her reactions to anything he had introduced her to, they were so underwhelmed, it hadn't been 'Quinn'.

"I did that because I had disregarded you these days," he explained, "I seriously feel bad for this. Believe me."

"And because you'd realized that a week ago, you made this date and thought everything was gonna be fine. Because I'm so much into you anyway, I won't struggle to forgive." Her voice was unsteady, it was trembling and trying to grasp a hold. He didn't like it. "I never expected anything of you but a little care and interest from your side. I just wanted you to come and ask me if I was alright; and you didn't come. You rarely came. Everyone and every thing that was before me stands above me"

Sabo knew he had done something stupid, and he knew he had no excuse. Somehow, it felt like he wouldn't even know what to answer if he had known they would have this right then.

"Why did you even ask me out back then? Why a second date? Why this all?" She breathed in shortly through her nose while her lips struggled to open, but switched to her mouth as the breath couldn't come through her nostrils anymore. Sabo had seen her weak a few times now, but this was something completely different. Why did it feel like someone was tugging on him? Putting the burden on his back when she was clearly the one that fought. "You don't like me that much-"

"I do!"

"But not in that way!" She got up, pressing her fingers against her closed eyes. He shouldn't see it, so she tried to hide and withstand what wanted to flow. "You were busy, but if I'm important to you, it would've been only days, a week, maybe one and a half; but not three!"

Sabo got up too. "You know, the first couple of weeks I was busy taking care of Koala after work."

What was he saying? No, why had he spoken out that lame excuse?

"Yeah, I know. She's your best friend. You went to see her. Every day."

Sabo had planned the day from the beginning to the end. After the bouquet arrived, he understood that detailed plans for dates were a time waste. Not everything could go according to his plans nor every conversation or word thought about before or be prepared of. So he couldn't come up with excuses to anything she criticized; but he wouldn't want to excuse himself anyway. Quinn was hurt, he had hurt her and he still did.

When he didn't respond, she stepped up to him and glared into his face with a smile on her lips. Only her lips. "I am just a girl that happens to be in the right place at the right time, isn't it? Because something wasn't working right in your head."

His mouth moved as he wanted to correct her, but Quinn knew and didn't let him. "Sabo, I know how it feels to be liked by someone shallowly. I've been through that whole 'dating because the type's matching my needs' thing before. You don't like me the way I like you, you never did. We're just another pair of friends with kisses and cuddles inbetween." Her hand stroke softly over his cheek, up to the strand of his hair, which she shifted away from his face as he couldn't look anywhere but in her eyes. "And the worst thing is, I can't even be mad at you like I want, because you were confused yourself."

Was he confused? Yes, he was. Maybe just as confused as she had been all the time. Sabo knew he liked Quinn in some kind of way, but it was clearly never the same amount like she did. Ever since they had been dating, Sabo was questioning her feelings because he didn't understand where they were coming from. Quinn had fallen for him. Just as Koala did.

He remembered that one night when Koala had approached him and confessed her feelings. He remembered the exact wording; the face she made; the tone she used. Even when she had claimed it was all an act due to being drunk, Sabo was never certain if he should believe her.

He knew Koala for so long, she was the girl he grew up with. No matter how ignorant he behaved, she was always there to support him. She knew him best. And he knew her.

But still, he hadn't returned her feelings.

Because he had no feelings? Because he was unsure? Because he was scared to risk their bond?

Maybe it was a bit of everything; maybe a lot of everything.

He never had questioned how happy he felt when he was with her, he had never even considered it to be something deeper than simply getting-along well. Having romantic feelings for someone was new to him yet it had always been present. But up to then not enough to made him aware of them, to made him return those feelings. And it should stay like that; he was fine without them and wanted to stay away from that world.

And then Quinn happened. Cheerful and bubbly; just as Koala was.

Sabo never had told Koala about her. Quinn was a secret, a secret he had been holding onto in order to compensate his inner chaos. But the moment when he saw them together, actually knowing each other, it had overwhelmed him and he didn't know what he was even doing. Where he was standing. And what Quinn meant to him.

Though, no matter what he did, she was still on his side. Her kindness might have blinded him, it made her so likable. Hence, up to this very moment, he had no clue that he had been just using her all the time. That she was just a replacement.

"Sabo?" Quinn said quietly, "say something... please..."

He looked at her and even though she was saying all those things, drawing the line; he knew she was still hoping that everything she had said was wrong.

But it wasn't.

"I'm so sorry, Quinn..."


"I don't know why you're still making a big thing out of it," Judy told Law, the two sitting in her apartment. "Your feelings to Quinn are patently obvious, even those two had figured it out."

"They haven't."

"Because you're very intimidating. Not that I think it's not hot, but it's fact that you're manipulative and intimidating."

On the chair laid-back, Law narrowed his brows a little at her. "Geez, I haven't taken you home to annoy me."

"No, you did because Quinn would be devastated if anything bad would happen to me around this time alone on the street," Judy replied, smiling somewhat sarcastically.

He sighed and looked away in annoyance. "I don't know why you want me to get over her so badly. You may be her best friend, but this has nothing to do with you."

"I'm just making sure that you're not getting between her and Sabo."

"As if I've got the need to."

"Oh Law. I know what this is about," she stated with an eye roll. "Unreturned feelings; jealousy; confusion. Yes, I'm just her best friend that got nothing to do with this, and still I'm the person you talk to."

He frowned and Judy got up, moving to the cupboard. "How about a drink? I received that as a present from work and never had the opportunity to open it." She took the Vodka bottle in her hand and gasped out a laugh of self-irony. "Let's drink on life being shitty."

He watched how she added two shot glasses to her hand and placed them on the kitchen counter.

"What the fuck?" Judy said as she was about to open the bottle only to see it already had been opened. "Who the hell laid hand on my bottle?"

"Your friend."

Appalled, she looked at him. "Quinn?! But why should she? She doesn't drink."

Recalling that night and what she had said, Law didn't feel like exposing too much of it. "It seemed like she had had a bad day."

"What?"

"Something with Sabo, whatever, I don't know."

"No, how DO you know?" asked Judy, shooting him trustless looks. "Did you just get by again and she told you?"

"Yeah."

"And you wonder why you still have feelings for her?" she asked rhetorically and moved her attention back to the bottle, opening it. "It doesn't look like she drank much."

"She actually spat the first gulp out," Law said, his eyes fixing the bottle when he actually minded his memories. "Thought she could drink it like orange juice."

"Let me guess, she said something like 'this must be super good stuff!'"

"She did."

"Oh this gurl," Judy said a little amused, "she's so stupid..."

From the hallway, keys rattled behind the main door and surprised Judy. It was already after midnight and the only one with access to this apartment was her and Quinn, whom she thought to be at Sabo's. "Huh? That must be her."

Judy walked up to hallway, Law's eyes following her. He hadn't expected to see her today either, hence the only reason he got up inside as well. It was better that way; Judy was right about his random attendance. If he did so, he would never get over her.

"Hey Quinn, why are you back already?" asked Judy when the door opened, "I hope Sabo took you home around thi- Quinn?"

Law heard no response from where he was sitting and frowned a little into the direction when Judy's voice softened into worry. "Hey, what's wrong? Quinn, tell me what happened."

Quinn closed the door behind her and couldn't keep her eyes locked with Judy's. They shifted up and down and even in the little light that only shone from the living-room into the hall, they could be seen wet with tears. Her makeup was off, smudged under her swollen eyes. And her chin trembled as she was not able to bring out a word.

"No..." Judy whispered as her forehead wrinkled.

Quinn squeezed her eyes together before she walked straight into her arms. Her torso vibrated as she was trying to keep silent, but it was too hard not to make any sound. And so she burst out crying. Judy understood, and so did Law.


A/N: I noticed I had put the Vodka bottle in the refrigerator in the previous chapter. Sorry, I meant cupboard lol!

shippoman - Hey, thank you so much for those compliments! I, too, don't like it so much when people turn him into a blood-lusting creep, so I'm very happy to hear you like my interpretation of his personality (especially since it's a modern AU). I don't know, but for me when I stop posting a story, reviews are the thing that keeps me up because they show me that there are people genuinely interested in the story. But also, I can understand people who do not review. It feels like a waste of time and energy when nothing ensues. Anyway, long reviews like yours always made my day, so thanks again!

Nightmare22 - Ah, I was worried that my writing was too flat and corny, so I'm very happy I could make you feel this way! Your last sentence in the first review killed me LOL; 'mini Laws and mini Quinns running around' - this is so funny and freaking cute worded. To the drinking thing: yeah, I wouldn't say she drank, more like she was trying haha. As always: thanks for reviewing :)

Guest - Thank you so much, relieved and glad to hear that! I love to see readers interpreting characters feelings right and I also think he would have stayed if she just told him ;)