A/N: Pii, Krtio1389, Moony-F, thank you for the reviews! :D

7: Tea

The next morning, Law noticed that Sanji was tense, mouth held tightly as he walked into the veranda just within the castle's quad; the small area was overgrown, gardens gone to waste, overruled by wildflowers and shrubbery, but it also was a nice place to go out and enjoy the weather, safe from the hunters that prowled the area. It was overcast, thunder rumbling lightly in the distance, with the smell of rain in the air. When Vergo left Sanji to go to Law on his own, Sanji sat down gingerly on one of the stone benches nearest him.

"What would you like to do today?" he asked forcefully, as if it took effort to speak.

Law gave him a puzzled look, but he was nervous, too. He'd spent most of the night studying the novels Jora and Baby coveted, and absolutely knew he'd fail at everything they told him he needed to do in order to win Sanji's love. He swallowed tightly, mind going blank as Sanji waited. The teen looked as if he'd spent the night awake as well, and there was something different about his composure that Law asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"

Sanji swallowed tightly before answering, "Nothing. Would you like to try conversations, again?"

"No."

Sanji stared at him, not offering anything else. Around them, the wildflowers rustled lightly, and an owl called from one of the towers. There was faint laughter from one of the windows, and someone cursed loudly as something dropped down a stairway. Someone screamed, but Law knew it was Baby, fighting with Buffalo again. Sanji looked unsettled, drawing his knees together with the cloak hem being held tightly in both hands as he glanced around.

Law furrowed his brow, sitting awkwardly in the overgrown grass, struggling to think of something suitable to start with. He ended up just sitting there looking at Sanji, trying to figure out what the teen was thinking as he stared sightlessly at some morning glories nearby, their vines crawling up some fallen branches and nearby shrubbery. His head raced with all sorts of conversation starters, and he grew frustrated because he knew he was thinking too much.

So he said carefully, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Sanji looked at him, and gave a faint nod. "Yes. How about you? It was cold, last night, so I assumed the occupants of this castle suffered from the nip of it."

"Not entirely. It doesn't bother anybody," Law said, gesturing at his fur. "My temperature runs hot, so summer is more uncomfortable."

Sanji looked him over, fiddling with the cloak hem once more. "Which one of the boys in the hall was you?"

Law wrinkled his nose, but he answered, "The last one."

Sanji thought of the gangly limbed boy with a sullen frown, scowling at the painter. He ended up not saying anything, and Law just looked at him again, unable to understand this tense, stubborn silence. It was almost as if it were impossible for the guy to say anything – and those eyes kept coursing over the clouds in the sky, moving slowly, the smell of rain growing stronger.

Sanji swallowed again. "So, I said 'no', last night. It didn't work for me as well as it did for you."

"To the wedding?"

Sanji found interest in one of the sunflowers standing nearby, a stalk with multiple heads. He said, "But I see what you're saying. When you had freedom, it was probably very nice, wasn't it?"

"Doffy let us wander as we pleased," Law said with a shrug. "We didn't stay inside the castle that much. And there was always a family member close to us, but just to…watch over us. For example, if someone had a complaint over our behavior, or felt offensed with our childish shenanigans."

"What kind of 'shenanigans'?" Sanji asked tonelessly. "I don't have much memory of doing these things as a child."

"Well, uh…competitions. Exploring. Teasing the locals. Such ninnies."

Sanji looked thoughtful for those moments. "Hmm."

"It was a lot more fun back then than what I'm describing it," Law said, giving another shrug. "Perhaps to say, we were spoiled rotten back then, and got away with everything. And why not?"

"What about your parents? Where were they?"

"I don't know," Law muttered, shoulders slumping lightly. "My entire town burned down. We were separated. I don't know if they're still alive."

"That's terrible," Sanji murmured with sympathy. "Siblings?"

"One. A sister. Father, mother."

"I'm sure they miss you," Sanji said with a vague smile. "If you could, would you go to them?"

"In an instant," Law said truthfully, perking up. He studied Sanji's body language, adjusting himself minutely to it. So that his shoulders were slightly hunched, head down, fingers fiddling loosely with something that required little to no thought. "Yours?"

Sanji shrugged, and closed up again, looking down at his hands. He said nothing, and Law looked at him with extreme frustration. With Sanji's head bent as it was, he did not see Law rising up with irritated hands to the sky, a silent curse before he quickly resettled back into position as Sanji's head lifted again.

"Tell me about them," Sanji said, exhaling shortly. He had returned to looking stiff again, paling for an unknown reason.

Law looked at him with narrowed eyes, "Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're holding something inside."

Sanji tightened his lips, exhaling once more through his nose. After some moments of complete silence, he muttered, "Ussop's missing. That stupid hunter, Zoro, took off with him. No one's seen them since. Zoro had come in after I'd left one day, and…he had something to show, so Ussop went with him, and…I don't understand why he would when we'd had so much conflict with him."

"I'm sure he's fine," Law said.

"All I can think that it must've been…pretty big for Ussop to run off with him," Sanji murmured. "Like I said yesterday, he's my friend, and I trust him. So what did Zoro find that he needed to show me?"

"You think it's related to you?"

"Zoro isn't shy about his affections," Sanji said drolly. "He's tried very hard to win my favor."

Law frowned, then scowled. But he stiffened up, saying, "He hasn't been successful because you're with Rayleigh."

"It doesn't stop him."

Law scowled harder. "Is this guy handsome?"

"Are you interested?" Sanji asked, smiling slightly.

"NO!" Law exclaimed, wondering if this was going to be harder than he thought. Especially if he didn't know this enemy well.

Sanji chuckled slightly, but the smile died just as soon as it appeared. "He's only after your head, anyway."

As he looked down once more, Law struggled to come up with something appropriate for his goal, all the words caught in his throat. There was too much, there was too little, nothing seemed right. Finally, with a growl, he said, "You look nice today!"

Sanji looked at him with surprise, then doubt, and Law felt himself flush. But he doubted any sort of blushing could happen – almost every part of him was covered in fur. Then Sanji looked embarrassed for himself, flushing.

"Oh! Oh, um, thank you, sir," he said hastily, utterly red. Law stared him with fascination, unsure of what just happened, but that this teen was rocked off that boat he'd been standing so firmly in, and he was flailing. "That's – that's a good touch. Caught me off guard, there."

Pleased, Law bared his teeth in a grin. Sanji gave them a skeptical look, drawing back slightly.

"Keep up those compliments, you're sure to be successful!" he said, amused by Law's expression.

"It feels good to be complimented on looks, or talent, or…?"

"On everything. Even if it's something little, like…" Sanji furrowed his brow, searching the ground for an example, and just said, "maybe a thoughtful habit for someone else, or for recommending good information, or…"

"What would you like to hear?" Law asked curiously, looking at him intently.

Sanji gave him a startled look, then looked back up at the sky. "Mmm, well, I like being complimented on my cooking. It makes me feel good to know that people enjoy my creations. Food is a good way to the heart, Zeff said."

"Does Rayleigh compliment you on these things?"

Sanji shut down again, and Law exhaled with impatience. Picking at his fingers, Sanji mumbled, "I don't want to talk about him, anymore."

"If you feel nothing for this person, then run away!" Law said with exasperation. "No one's making you marry him! In fact, all you need is a pack for travel and a destination. Do you have one in mind?"

"…No."

"It's not like you have anything holding you here, right?"

"…Ussop. Ussop, he's…"

"If he's a good friend, he'd encourage you to run, too, right?"

Sanji nodded after a few moments, making eye contact with him. For the first time in awhile, he felt something different in him at the concept. It showed on his face. "Yes."

"You could move here," Law suggested, remembering that he wasn't supposed to be encouraging Sanji to run away. "I like your cooking."

"Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of 'running away'?"

"It's only for a year, Sanji. Depending on the outcome of this nonsense, you'd either be looking upon our corpses or…seeing us in human form, again."

Sanji looked him over, then said, "But that'd generate interest in the town, seeing activity up here. Rayleigh would think that…"

"Unless we stage an accident," Law said quickly. "I've caused a couple of mud slides in the mountains while I was out hunting – it's fairly easy to do."

Sanji looked at him with interest, tilting his head. "How easy?"

"Come. You can walk about."

"There's hunters outside those walls – "

"Meet me there, as fast as you can," Law said, pointing beyond the east wall, Sanji looking in that direction. He was unable to see over the walls, but he stood up from the bench, feeling a sliver of excitement in the possibility of freedom. "There, about five miles away, is a quarry. The footpath is located just above it. Because of the wildfires a year ago, the ground is very slippery and muddy, and I've caused landslides that have traveled miles because of the incline."

"How?" Sanji asked, bewildered.

"Because I have to stay out of sight, I take a route that takes me on the wall there, and I've slipped – but it's fairly unsturdy, so it's easy to cause a mudslide over the pit. All you'd have to do is stage your clothing in that area, - the force of the movement is so intense that it's swept away my prey and buried them underneath tons of mud and rock."

Sanji considered the possibilities. "Okay. I'll meet you there. I just need…it shouldn't take that long."

"Really? And then you'll live here?" Law asked hopefully, unable to believe it was that easy.

"Until Ussop returns. Meanwhile…you don't have to look for Zeff, anymore," Sanji said heavily. When he looked away again, his expression was grim. "He made his decision."

"Yes!" Law exclaimed cheerfully with an armpump, then retracted it quickly, thinking he just gave his intentions away. Sanji furrowed his brow, facing him. "I mean…It's a step."

"Why are you helping me?" Sanji asked curiously.

"Because you're helping me. And, uh…so you can cook for me. Because I like your cooking. It is very delicious."

Sanji snorted at the stiff way Law delivered the compliment, hearing the effort put into it that made him doubt it was a truth. But he was flattered for the other efforts. He then looked up at the clouds above. "Well, I better get a move on. To the quarry…?"

"Correct."

Sanji nodded, then headed towards the veranda to see his way out of the castle, and Law looked around himself with excitement. Once he spied Corazon, Doflamingo and Vergo spying on them from one of the tower windows, he extended a thumbs up in their direction. Their bodies danced around with glee.

: :

Later that afternoon, Sanji came up to the quarry that Law had mentioned. The entire area looked unsettling. The hills were sparse of vegetation, thanks to the wildfire that had cleared this side of the area, burning down trees and years of undergrowth. He could see that the hillside was comprised of mud and loose rock – slanted at such a sharp incline that he could see how it could be easy to start a slide. From the looks of it, the area had already been glossed over – there was mud and rocks spilled thickly over the path and into the quarry below, where it looked like a river. The hillside had shifted what was left of trees so that they were already halfway down to the footpath. There were signs warning travelers to take extra caution during rain, along with a skull and crossbones.

With his hood on, Sanji scanned the hillside again, wondering how Law had done it. He then heard movement in the trees above his head, and ventured off the path to somehow meet him. It was a steep climb – he was on his hands and knees to do it. By the time he got up there, he was breathing heavily as Law remained safely in the trees, surveying the quarry.

"You don't get out much, do you?" Law asked him, Sanji struggling for breath. He leaned over and sniffed him. "Plus, you smoke?"

"One a day," Sanji huffed, holding his chest as he straightened up. "Half here, half there. Until my wedding day."

He looked down at the vulnerable areas of the incline, then looked at Law. The Beast stood there, ominously large and tall, looking like some forest monster. He had brambles on his mane, leaves in his hair. Seeing him in the dark in the woods would give anybody a heart attack, Sanji supposed. But he pictured the boy's portrait in the Great Hall, trying to see him in place of this ghastly thing.

"So, can you do it?"

"Yes. See those trees there?"

Sanji saw the few trees that had shifted from their original position halfway up the hill to just below – slanted at a dangerous angle.

"Their roots are still attached, that's why it's leaning so precariously. I snap the roots while it rains and bam! Down it goes."

Sanji chewed on his bottom lip, then inhaled deeply, lowering his hand to his side. It looked possible…the landslide would flow over the pit, collect there before running off through the narrow walls for some distance. His heart raced with hope at the thought of escaping Rayleigh's intentions.

"I can push your clothes into the slide, make sure something of yours is identified. It'll carry down into the pit. They'd just assumed you were killed and buried."

"But I'd need a good excuse to come out this way."

"We can pretend that Zeff called you up here," Law said hastily.

Sanji exhaled again. He felt such excitement in the possibility that hope became a huge weight in him. He smiled up at him. "And you're confident it'll work?"

"Yes."

Sanji looked over the quarry once more, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Why not just tell him you don't want to get married?" Law asked.

Sanji exhaled low. "I can't tell him 'no'. Somehow, I just agree to whatever he said. Anything he suggests. I thought it was my duty not to disobey, but after talking to you yesterday, I realized that it had to be something more than that. It's wrong…"

"Like a sort of magic?" Law asked curiously, sitting on his haunches. "People somehow can't disobey Doffy, either."

Sanji shrugged. "I don't know."

"Even being away from him?"

"He only has to give a command, and I follow."

"Then, listen. Tomorrow, the ground will be wet and easy for me to rupture. I will send a message to your door – if Ussop hasn't returned, it will be from him, or if he shows up, then it'll be from Zeff, and he needs you to meet him here at the quarry for assistance," Law said, Sanji nodding. "Bring an extra set of clothes, tightly folded and loaded into a small food pack, so you can change into those after. Then, we will stage it. There will be others from the castle watching out for Ussop, and they will warn him that you are safe, and include an accompanying story to go with it."

Sanji stared up at him wondrously, processing this plan and finding it acceptable. "You're pretty devious."

Law looked proud of himself at that moment, sitting up straight. "We got in trouble a lot, as children, so Baby and Buffalo and I would come up with many crafty things as to why we did the things that we did."

Sanji thought of cook's words, how the Donquixote kids lied to get people in trouble. "That's not something to be proud of. That sounds like a good plan. Shitty, but good."

Law studied him for a few moments, noticing how much sunnier Sanji seemed at this moment. That earlier tension had melted away, and he looked a little hopeful. It made him feel weird, a tickle in his stomach as he realized he was the cause of this change.

"You'd better go home, for the day, if he notices that much of you," he said gruffly.

"I'll be ready," Sanji assured him.

"Then you'll stay with us?"

"Yes. Until Ussop can be found."

Law figured they would deal with that when it happened, and nodded. Thunder boomed over head, rain falling softly. With careful action, Sanji made his way down the hill. Law watched him go, then looked back at the hillside. He was positive he could pull it off.

: :

By the time Sanji made it back to town, he was soaked. He saw that the house was empty, and quickly selected some clothes, rolling them tightly and packing them into a small bag that he then threw into a cupboard below the pantry, where a mess of them sat. He hung his cloak up near the fireplace to dry off, then changed into clean clothes. He looked around the house, trying to think of any valuables that he'd take, but he and Zeff never kept much. Saddened that things had happened in this way, he sat at one of the chairs belonging to a small oak table, staring at the various pieces of furniture around him. He was startled when Rayleigh came in, looking at him sharply.

Sanji wondered what it was that made feel so wrong about the man. Not only was it the very concept of getting married to the guy, but there was also a sense of wrongness to every moment he spent in his company. He truly felt unable to say 'no' or determine his own judgment, make his own decision.

"Where were you?" Rayleigh asked him, removing his wet cloak and setting that near the fireplace to dry it.

"Looking for Ussop, sir," Sanji replied. He could feel himself tensing up, and slid his hands into his pockets, feeling his shoulders hunching under that sharp gaze. "He's still missing. Unless you've heard anything – "

"Just that some boneheaded hunter took him through town, twice," Rayleigh said, removing his glasses to clean them. "Cook had no answer as to what this Zoro needed to show him, so intently."

"It doesn't make sense for Ussop to go with him. That's what puzzles me."

"Meanwhile, the tavern is closed, losing business. With all this rain, it's pointless searching. You're going to fall ill, or get hurt in some mudslide."

Sanji felt it – it was a slip of feeling, like someone drawing a cover over his thoughts and feelings. Somehow, Ussop's plight didn't matter – he was grown, he knew what he was doing when he went with Zoro. The tavern's inactivity was also more concerning, the thought of Zeff's hard work going to waste coming to mind.

He nodded, feeling that wrongness in his chest, again. "He'll come back when he's ready," he said monotonously.

"You don't want to disappoint Zeff, do you? Running off like this, forcing cook out of pay, starving those hungry guys storming the castle walls?"

"No. But it shouldn't matter to Zeff, sir, if he's gone," Sanji muttered.

"But the memory will live on, and you're a good boy, you don't want that going to waste," Rayleigh said, removing his weapons belt and setting that aside. He walked over to Sanji, and cupped his face between his hands. "Stop worrying. I'm sure that boy and his friend are fine. He did know you're going to be married Saturday, right?"

"Yes."

"He'll be back before then, I promise. He's a very good friend," Rayleigh said to him, before ruffling his hair. "He wouldn't let you down. So keep working, okay? How is cook handling without you?"

"I'm not sure. I…"

"Sanji, I need to ask you something, and I need you to be very truthful with me," Rayleigh then said, crouching in front of him, placing his hands on his knees. He rubbed Sanji's legs that way, and Sanji felt his skin crawl, but he couldn't seem to make himself look away from the older man. "Are you unhappy with this marriage?"

"Yes," Sanji answered, feeling his brow furrow.

With a frown, Rayleigh said, "I understand that there is a large age difference between us, but it doesn't matter to me. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were something special. And you are – you're a good boy, you listen and follow with instruction, you tend to your duties quite well, and you're not caught up in this nonsense that most your age is. You're very mature for your age, and you're capable of many things. Zeff had very high hopes for you, and wanted to see you continue. I assured him that I would lead you down this path myself, and take very good care of you."

For a few moments, he said nothing, but then he asked Sanji, "What has changed your mind about our marriage? You were fine with it just a day ago."

Sanji felt so odd. Every part of him wanted to answer this truthfully, but he couldn't do it. His fists balled tightly with the effort to keep himself from blurting out his answer.

Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. "Why is your heart racing so fast? You're questioning yourself. That's unusual."

Sanji felt a sliver of fear in him. He felt slightly dizzy, sound muffled, but he only thought that it was identifying his own sensation of newly discovered rebelliousness.

"I just feel…unsure,sir," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Because…I'm having trouble accepting that, at your age, you saw differently for me when Zeff and I came into your life. I can't help but wonder why you chose to pay attention to me in such a way I wasn't prepared, for."

"Because you were such a good boy. Obedient, loyal, hard working. You did everything and then some, that Zeff asked of you. I admired that. That sort of duty is very valuable, and for me to find it in you – I knew I had to have you."

"But I'm not ready for this."

"No one truly is, but you'll do fine if you just follow my instructions," Rayleigh said with confidence. "Which I am positive that you will. There is no one else for you but me, Sanji. Zeff entrusted you to my hands."

"But in this manner?" Sanji asked uncomfortably, as one of Rayleigh's hands moved up the inside of his thigh. He reached down to place a hand atop of his and stopped its ascent.

"This is the second time you've told me 'no'," Rayleigh pointed out, withdrawing his hand. "I understand that it's all new for you, but this is my right as your husband – "

"You're not my husband," Sanji said firmly. Then added in a quiet voice, "Not yet, sir."

Rising to stand, perplexed that Sanji actually spoke up against him, Rayleigh frowned. He took in the sight of his bowed head, the teen's hunched shoulders and defiant expression. "When you are out searching for Ussop, are you really doing so? Or are you running off with someone else?"

Sanji shook his head, looking away. He felt compelled to answer truthfully, words building up in his throat. He exhaled slow, watching as Rayleigh looked away from him. He saw Sanji's cloak hanging up near the fireplace, and walked over to it, saying nothing. Sanji watched nervously while Rayleigh looked at it, then scraped something off the material with his fingers before examining it. unsure of what he was doing, Sanji tightened his fingers on his trousers before Rayleigh returned to him, examining what he had.

"This isn't horse hair," Rayleigh muttered, crouching in front of him to show him what he'd found. It was a small tuft of fur, and Sanji couldn't think of what he'd done to pick it up when he had no contact – then he thought about the morning before, when he was seated on the couch. "Where were you walking that caused you to gather these odd clumps of hair? It's not a llama's, or a pig's…"

"In the woods, of course," Sanji answered sullenly. "Where Ussop was last seen. I don't know where I ran into that."

"Look at me when you answer. Don't talk to the floor."

"I'm sorry, sir."

Rayleigh examined the tuft once more, then let it drop. Saying nothing, he crossed the floor to the kitchen, looking calm and relaxed. Sanji watched him cautiously, unsure of what to expect. But as Rayleigh placed a teapot with water near the fire, setting out a couple of cups near them, Sanji felt himself tensing as the quiet extended.

It wasn't until Rayleigh served him a hot cup of tea, minutes later, that the man smiled gently at him.

"I apologize for the entirety of this," he said, blowing on his cup as Sanji held his within both hands, allowing it to warm them. "In retrospect, it was rather rushed that this happened. I pushed things too far. Of course you're frightened, nervous. But my intentions are good. Zeff took care of you until now, and it's my turn. Tell me, Sanji, did you lay with him as you do with me?"

"No, sir," Sanji answered, aghast at the mention of the subject.

"Then, of course it's going to seem frightening, sharing your body with another person. It's yours. Only you know what to do with it. But once we're married, it's not going to be yours, anymore. It'll belong to me. All I'm doing is preparing you for what will happen on a weekly basis. It's my right."

"I shouldn't be considered property – "

"If Zeff thought anything more of you, he wouldn't have traded you for a horse," Rayleigh stated flatly. "Maybe he didn't refer to you as his property, but you did his work. You worked for meals, for a warm place to stay. You weren't allowed to be a child, weren't you? When was the last time you played with kids your own age? Skinned a knee playing tag?"

Sanji said nothing because most of his life with Zeff consisted of helping the man move from place to place, cooking. So it felt like Rayleigh was right. He sipped at his tea, feeling a weight in his chest. The brew was a pleasant warmth on his tongue – not hot, but warm enough to appreciate. He took another drink, sure he tasted lavender, rosehips and citrus. The tartness of the mixture made his tongue tingle, and he liked the smell of it. The bloodred water caught the vague light from the outside, the warmth of the fire nearby.

Rayleigh reached over and ruffled his hair lightly, smiling at him. "Maybe after this, you'll be allowed to play. I've been thinking of returning home, to the south. There, you won't have to work so hard, but you will be kept busy. That way, you'll become accustomed to a better life."

Sanji wasn't sure what that meant, but he finished his tea, and Rayleigh took the cup, and gave him his. He held it within both hands as the man rose away from him, and refilled the cup.

"I'm sure it's difficult to accept now, but you'll learn," Rayleigh said, Sanji sipping at the tea cautiously, watching him. "This is your life, now. It's only scary at first because you've yet to experience anything else. But I assure you, it's well worth it in the end. Tell me, Sanji, what were you expecting of me?"

"Understanding," Sanji replied, lowering the cup to his side.

"Did you eat today?"

"Just…a piece of bread."

Rayleigh nodded. "I'll make us something to eat. I'm sure you're starving."

Sanji realized that, after the events of last night, he hadn't eaten too much, so maybe that explained the heavy feeling in the pit of his being. He felt tired, but he only assumed it was because of the hike he'd taken, today. He lifted the cup up to his lips, focused on separating the tastes that slipped over his tongue. The citrus really stood out, and it made him salivate, the warmth of the brew settling in his empty stomach, and he made to set the cup down when he missed the floor, somehow, the cup falling from his grasp and splashing over the wood.

"Oh, shit, sorry, sir, just really clumsy," he muttered, standing up to reach for his apron, and missing that as well. Once he stumbled over the chair, he heard Rayleigh chuckling.

"Today must've taken too much out of you," he said lightly, closing up a small box, setting that aside as Sanji squinted at him, wondering what was wrong with him. He caught onto the chair, stumbled over it instead, and hit the floor on his knees.

"C'mon, to bed with you," Rayleigh said, appearing suddenly at his back and hauling him to his feet. Sanji wanted to fight him, to curse him, but nothing moved right. it was easy for the bigger man to pull him to bed, laying him over the blankets. He removed his trousers and socks, then laid a blanket from the foot of the bed over him. "I think you were worrying yourself unnecessarily. This is to calm your nerves, help you stop being so anxious. Ussop will be fine. You will be fine. There's no need for these hysterical fits. I'll take care of you. Is this in any way unclear?"

Sanji couldn't answer, trying hard to form a coherent sound, but the man just leaned over and kissed his forehead with affection, brushing his hair back from his face. All Sanji thought about at that moment was that he wasn't going to make it in time for Law's plan to happen.