"You two are jerks," Niji said when he, Yonji and Sora came into the kitchen.

"What are you talking about? We didn't do anything," Sanji said with a grin.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Oh come on, we were just joking, Niji," Ichiji said.

"You gotta admit. It was funny," Yonji laughed.

"Were both of you eavesdropping?" Sanji asked.

"No, just Niji. But he told Mom what you guys said. Sad thing is, that would be exactly what would happen."

"Oi, Cook, Luffy's winning about food," Zoro said walking through the door.

"I'M NOT THAT BAD WITH CHOCOLATE!"

"You know full well I can't cook right now, Marino," Sanji said holding up a chocolate bar that he had hidden under the table.

Niji's eye widened just barely enough for his three brothers to notice.

"You want it, Niji." Sanji asked waving it slightly.

"N-no," he said turning away and crossing his arms.

"You're a bad liar," Sanji said. "If you want it all you gotta do is ask for it."

Niji glanced to the chocolate but looked away quickly.

"What are you doing, Ero Cook?"

"Proving Niji has a chocolate obsession."

"I DO NOT!"

"Alright then I guess you won't mind if I call Luffy in here to eat it."

"Huh...?"

"Hey Luffy!" Sanji called through the open door.

"Food?!" Luffy asked jumping up and handing from the railing in front of the door.

"Catch," Sanji said ignoring the question and throwing the chocolate at him.

"NO!" Niji growled, stealthing (is that even a word? Well its underlined red so I guess not... Whatever, I'm going with it) after it and caught it before Luffy could, and jumping over the railing to the main deck.

"And I rest my case."

Ichiji and Yonji laughed.

"Sanji! That's not fair! I want food too!"

"I can't cook right now, Luffy!"

"You can cook with one hand!"

"No I can't! I can do a few things with one hand but I can't do the main stuff like chopping vegetables."

"But Law's crew is here too and everyone wants your cooking!"

"I'll be happy to cook for them," Cosette said walking up the steps to the kitchen.

"COSETTE-CHAN!" Niji said running up the stairs. "Would you like help? Or some chocolate?" He added when he was in front of her and broke the chocolate bar in half.

"Oh... s-sure. Thank you, Niji-sama," she said taking the chocolate.

"D-did he just...?" Ichiji began.

"... Share his chocolate...?" Yonji finished.

Sanji rubbed his eyes with his good hand. He was sure he imagined it but sure enough, when he looked again both Niji and Cosette had a piece of the chocolate bar. "I knew he liked her but I didn't think it was enough to giver her his chocolate," he said just loud enough for Ichiji and Yonji to hear, or at least he thought he did.

Niji's face went as red as Ichiji's hair and he was across the kitchen tackling Sanji to the floor, taking the chair with them.

"Ow, ow, ow! Niji! Leg! Ribs! Dam~"

"I don't care!" Niji said covering Sanji's mouth. "I'm gonna kick your ass for that!"

"Niji. Get off your brother. He's injured. And please don't suffocate him."

Niji stood up, glaring at Sanji the whole time.

Sanji moved to get up before Sora stopped him.

"Don't, Sanji. Niji, it's your fault his on the floor. Help him up."

"But he!"

"Niji."

"Fine," he said, turning to take Sanji's good hand, squeezing a bit to hard and pulling him to his feet.

"Ow. Don't break this hand too."

"You're lucky I even helped you up. First you and Ichiji make fun of me and now you go and say that."

"Sorry. I didn't realize I said it out loud. I was shocked, even when we were kids, you'd never let anyone so much as touch your chocolate, yet, you just gave Cosette literally half of it."

"N-Niji-sama...?" Cosette finally spoke after watching Niji the whole time in complete shock. "D-do... you... r-really...?"

Niji spun around to face her, "huh?"

"I-I-I mean... is it... what Sanji-same... what he said... Is it... true?"

Niji's face got even redder, if that was possible.

"So that's why Nami-San and Robin-San laughed when I asked Reiju-sama if she knew why you were acting differently towards me...," Cosette said quietly to herself, her eyes to the floor. She didn't know what to think or say as a single tear ran down her cheek.

Niji let out a quiet gasp and the color completely drained from his face.

Cosette turned around and ran out the door.

Niji was frozen where he stood. He wanted to know why she was so up set but his body had gone numb.

"Rule number two: if she runs off, angry, mad, sad, or for any and all other reasons... always run after her." Sanji said sipping some tea.

"The hell are you talking about?" Yonji asked and Sanji slowly shook his head, Niji knew, that's all that mattered.

"Rule number one, never assume! There is no way of knowing without asking her directly."

"She's terrified of me! You said so yourself!"

"That's because you never gave her a reason to not be afraid of you."

The memory played back in Niji's mind and next thing he knew he was out the door and before Cosette knew what was going on, he had her in his arms.

"Whatever stupid thing I did this time, I'm sorry," he said into her hair.

"You didn't do anything," she said once the initial shock wore off.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I-it's nothing."

He took her chin gently in his hand and lifted her head so they were looking eye to eye, "Please tell me."

It was Cosette's turn to turn red.

"Cosette?"

"Stay," Sanji said to Yonji, who was trying to go to the deck to listen in on Niji and Cosette's conversation.

She turned away and tried to explain herself, her voice getting quieter as she spoke, "I-it's just... I... I've always... liked... you..."

Niji's visible eye widened. He couldn't of possibly heard her right, could he?

"Even when we were kids... But you were always so cruel... especially to Sanji-sama... And you always complained about my food... you were arrogant and didn't care about anyone or anything... I could never understand why I am felt the way I did... Then Sanji-same came back... and you threw that plate at me... When he caught the plate... I couldn't believe a Vinsmoke would go out of his way to help a commoner... let alone a servant... and then he ate the food even after it was on the floor and said it was made to perfection... He was sweet when we were young... and while he lost some of that now that he's older... Some how he's even sweeter and kinder then he was then... Almost like whatever bits of royal way thanking you three and Judges-same had engraved into his mind had been some how washed away... And now you three... you so different now... just over night... you three became completely different people... What if you wake up tomorrow or the next or even the next and you're all back to how you were before? I... I just can't do that... It will hurt to much... Not to mention you are a Prince... And Judge-sama would never allo~"

Niji held her tighter, pulling her as close to him as he could without hurting her, "I don't give a damn about what or what not Dad will allow. I don't give a damn about social status or whatever."

"Judge-same will murder us both..."

"If he try's, I'll just kick his ass." He looked up to Chopper who was now standing in the door way of the kitchen. "Besides... I get the feeling that at least one of those things we won't have to worry about."

Chopper walked farther into the kitchen and Niji was able to see Sanji giving him an "I told you so" grin.

Niji glared at him before mouthing a 'think you'.

Sanji gave him a single node and for a second he could have sworn Niji added a 'maybe you're not so useless after all'.

I really liked how this chapter turned out... Truth be told I never know were each chapter is going to go until after it goes there. I don't do much planning normally. I get a basic idea of what's going to happen and I write... That's probably part of the reason I get so many writers blocks and for so long... But apparently it's working because you guys are enjoying. (And now that I said it I feel like I said it before... whatever I'll say it again.

As always, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to here your thoughts! Sayonara!