A/N: Time for more Aliens in Logueton, but this time with a LawSan twist! The first two installments, Thousand Arc Reactor Derived Intertemporal Starship and Drashig Steaks and Shortstack Pancakes, are much more tame than this, but hey, sometimes them's the breaks.
11642 words; definitely hotter and sexier than the prior two installments (so, about 50% less funny and 75% more horny); since all of these things are very self-contained in their own way, I'll say that although this takes place in the same setting/AU premise as the rest of Aliens in Logueton, it's not wholly part of the same continuity; contains copious amounts of nonlinear storytelling, naughty times, Sanji and Gender, relationship issues, idkbffs NaSan, Zeff just trying to be a good dad (like always), as well as Law rolling with many, many punches; I swear I didn't mean to make them this horny it bears repeating
Laying Low in the North Blue
The North Blue.
That's what the Noraant Quadrant was often called locally. A holdover from when some of the native civilizations were reliant on water-based travel and such, it ended up being that when space-faring peoples made contact with those who decidedly weren't, the descriptor of the vastness of space had been a convenient—if not over-simplistic—way to describe their position within the known universe. The "north" designation was purely arbitrary, given the fact there was no such thing as gravity or cardinal directions, but one had to work with what they had available.
Had they taken some risks to get them to this current situation? Yes, technically; risks were just that, however, until they turned into mistakes. A lot of mistakes happened, but nothing really changed the fact that now the Surgeon was laying on the floor of a cold jail cell, chained to someone who wasn't even a member of his own crew. With the other man out cold and the cuffs around his wrists sapping his abilities, there wasn't much hope for the near future.
Eventually, his cellmate groaned and attempted to sit up, though it turned into more of a rolling motion instead. He swore lowly, heavy eyelids blinking at the ceiling.
"Fuck… where am I?"
"North Blue," the Surgeon stated. His temporary companion and only practical ally let his head loll to the side so he could look at him, one eye hidden by his blond fringe.
"…and you're still here, why, exactly…?"
"I promised Strawhat-ya that I wouldn't let you out of my sight—something I'm regretting with each passing minute."
"Yeah, yeah, you and me both." Blackleg-ya tugged at the chains. "Nebula-stone."
The Surgeon could only grunt in the affirmative.
"Well, that explains a lot—they're used to dealing with Time Lords. You know, after this, we were supposed to be headed to Metebilis to snag some crystals and let Luffy fight giant spiders. What about you?"
"Drifting in the meantime, but we were in the middle of plotting a course to Karabraxos—unfinished business with the higher-ups and their relations to… others on my agenda."
"Is there a place where your idiots might be waiting for you? Possibly with my idiots?"
"Yeah, but we'd have to break out of here first." The Surgeon saw a flash of light and Blackleg-ya's heel whip through the air. Their shackles broke and clattered to the floor, the sudden lack of their ability-draining properties making the Surgeon sick as his body did not know what to do. He tried to make it to the corner to vomit, yet was barely able to roll over.
"I was out for that long…?" Blackleg-ya noted. The Surgeon felt something softer in his voice than normal, something almost kind, confirmed when the other man hefted him out of his own sick and shoved a packet of disposable tissues in his hands. "Here—I'd rather not be breaking out of here with someone who looks like they can't hold their own on a rollercoaster."
"Let's see how long we're on this planet and we might get to test that," the Surgeon deadpanned. He watched as an expression flickered across Blackleg-ya's face that he couldn't quite make out.
"Is this you asking me on a date?"
"Zoro-ya might have something to say if it was."
"That braindead lump of sea-moss doesn't control me or my life, so I'll ask again."
The words went unsaid, but the question was still there, hanging heavily in the air. The Surgeon finished wiping off his face and tossed the other man the remainder of the tissue packet. As the other man caught it, everything shifted.
"Get me out of here, Blackleg-ya, and I'll definitely show you a good time."
Okay, rewind. Back up. Pause the thrusters. Let's get a bit of context in here.
"Get the fuck out of my kitchen!"
Sure… this'll probably do for the time being.
"I just want some booze!"
"Doesn't matter! Get going before I end you, marimo!"
"You don't even have the balls to do that, I bet!"
Sanji angrily threw a wooden spoon at Zoro, the utensil connecting with the other man's forehead with a crack. The green-haired man snapped something in livid Japanese and then stormed into the Sunny, leaving Sanji in his flat with Nami and Robin at the island seating.
"That sounded rather serious," Nami marveled. "Sunny didn't even begin to run that through the translator."
"I'd rather not understand a word that idiot says ever again," Sanji growled. He placed fancy drinks in front of the two women and softened his expression for them. "Don't worry about me, my dears. You are the ones that matter."
"What are you and Zoro fighting about, anyhow?" Nami wondered.
"It's nothing…"
"It is a lover's tiff," Robin stated plainly. Nami arched her eyebrows, while Sanji's heart sank.
"Please, Robin, I said to not worry about it."
"I do worry about it," she said, "because you are my friends and this could very well impact our adventures together. The two of you should come to some sort of truce, whether it means you're on a break or become amicable exes or something else entirely."
"Robin, I don't think that those two even know the meaning of the word amicable," Nami pointed out. "Even when they're two minutes from going to the bedroom it's like they're trying to kill each other. The morons are a lost cause."
"Soon as someone apologizes for being a tit, I might consider it," Sanji frowned, his line of vision trained on the Sunny. "He should consider my feelings next time he ends up with some floozy hanging off him like he's the only one in the entire galaxy for her."
"That wasn't just some floozy… that was the High Princess of the Wano System," Nami reminded him.
"Someone who I believe was reading too much into our involvement of their internal affairs," Robin agreed. She took a sip of her drink and watched the cook carefully. "I don't think it's as complicated as you make it seem."
"Robin-chan, I watched them suck face for, like, twenty minutes. My brain shut off for its own safety and before I realized it, they were going at each other like a pair of desperate teenagers. I caught him cheating. I don't know how uncomplicated that is."
"You still need to talk to him," Robin stated. "All couples have their troubles, and refusing to talk about them is precisely the way to doom a relationship."
"You and Franky haven't fought a moment."
"Shows what you know." Sanji raised a curled brow—Franky and Robin were so in love they were nasty freaks, and she wanted him to believe that they had troubles? What could they possibly fight about? How big of a strap-on to use? "The point is, Sanji, that whether he really was cheating or not, you need to talk to him about it eventually. If not, then you might never get closure on the situation."
"As much as I appreciate and value your advice on a normal basis, I think this time I have to let things go as-is," Sanji said, giving Robin a small bow. "He's a fucking child and a cheat and I'm not going to stand for it."
"It's your loss," Nami sighed. She twirled the straw in her drink to make the ice cubes clink against the glass. "Don't blame us if Carne tattles on Zeff that you're suddenly not being loud enough to effect his sleeping habits, and therefore your dad tries to give you relationship advice as well."
"The geezer hasn't dated in a couple decades—why would he feel he's a prime candidate to give dating advice?"
"…because he's your dad, who wants you to slay as much cock-and-or-pussy as you so desire…"
"…I… don't need that thought in my brain…"
"…and not to mention that you and Zoro are having trouble. You know how he worries."
"Nami-san, please, I think I can take care of this myself."
Judging by the look on her face, she didn't believe him for a moment.
Notice was a pleasure planet, when all was said and done. There were different zones in a similar way to Sabaody, but there was plenty that differentiated it from the spaceport collection. Its security forces was one of them, with the Surgeon and Sanji able to break out of the prison they'd found themselves in rather easily, only to be chased down by an annoyingly large number of cops.
"This is honestly one of the worst ways this could have gone," the Time Lord hissed. He and his companion had ducked inside of a store, waiting for the heat to die down. "I thought you lot were actually good with stealth?"
"That's more Usopp's thing," Sanji shrugged. He glanced around and saw that they were in a department store of sorts—perfect. "I can, but it's a bit of a pain to keep the rest of the crew to it most times, so I don't really do it unless Usopp's running point."
"Now that you mention it, Strawhat-ya doesn't exactly seem like someone who knows what stealth is."
"Him and others; subtlety isn't always their strong suits." He proceeded to pretend to shop, grabbing some clothes off the racks. It felt weird, being in a department store with the Surgeon Trafalgar Law of all people, but he felt as though he was taking it in stride. "What size trousers are you?"
"I don't have that much money."
"…and…? Never mind; I think I figured it out." Sanji seemed to brush by the cosmetics section and somehow finished passing it with some weird palettes and paints Law had no idea the use for, until he realized they were now passing lingerie and the blond had stealthily procured a bra and panty set.
"What are you doing?"
"They're looking for two men," Sanji said plainly. "Unless you think you'd do better."
"How do you even know that this stuff will fit? This isn't a size—it's an arbitrary number. You won't be able to pull it off."
"Just remember where I'm stuffing all this so you can shamble it out, alright?" Reluctantly, Law did, seeing where Sanji packed everything inside of a purse, then putting said purse within a staff-use cupboard. They then left the store, looking as though they hadn't found what they needed, and once they were ten steps from the entrance…
"Room… shambles."
A pop and the purse was in Sanji's hands, which he hefted over his shoulder as they continued to casually walk down the street. The pair ducked down an alley and the Surgeon acted lookout while Sanji got into his disguise.
"I swear to whatever Powers That Be, if we're caught like this by either of our crews, I am murdering something," Law grumbled.
"Think of it this way—we won't look weird at least because you're so tall," Sanji retorted. "Tall men also tend to like tall women so they don't need to bend as much, which is kind of the look I'm going for here."
"What if someone recognizes me? Then the whole thing is ruined anyhow."
"Hence why I grabbed some stuff for you as well. There's a slight pocket dimension in this purse, which makes there enough for our normal clothes, plus whatever I need to keep pulling this thing off for a few days. Being a woman is work."
"How would you know? Something you need to tell me?"
"Nothing I need to tell you, but it's also nothing I won't stop you from finding out." Sanji's heeled shoes clicked on the pavement as he approached Law, shoving clothes in his arms. "Get your stuff in order, or we're gonna have a time."
Without even looking at Sanji, Law took the clothes and went further into the alley to change. It was just a long-sleeved button-up and dark-wash bootcut jeans, but it was enough of a change to make him less noticeable. He shoved his other clothes and hat into the purse and checked his hair in a window that had been frosted only on the inside—not too horrid then.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Nearly—the light here fucking sucks. I better not look like a clown when I'm done."
Law went to bring the purse to Sanji, only to stop dead in his tracks and stare. Sanji was in a tea-length dress, with a cardigan on his top half and a pair of leggings presumably to cover up the fact he'd not shaved his legs. He had shaved his chin, however, and was currently applying makeup with lightning speed and precision that the Surgeon was sure his one crewmate would have killed to possess. Product was already in his hair so the blond strands were covering both his eyebrows, making it look somewhere fashionably between curly and wavy.
Sanji made a fantastic woman.
Oh… fuck.
"If you can bother to pick your jaw up off the ground, we can get our story straight," Sanji said nonchalantly. The Surgeon realized that his mouth was open and subsequently closed it. "I guess we're posing as a vacationing couple, right?"
"It's a plan that works about as well as any," Law shrugged. He watched as Sanji applied lipstick, the burnt orange color bringing out the blue in the other man's eyes. "You've done this before."
"Circumstances are funny, fluid things sometimes," Sanji replied. He then pitched his voice into something not a falsetto, but still too light to be widely considered fully-masculine. "What's your name, Surgeon?"
"Oh… uh… Rosi…?"
The blond considered that and nodded. "Hi Rosi, I'm Sora." He capped the lipstick and gathered the rest of the cosmetics, dumping them in the purse before taking the bag and slinging it across his shoulders. "Buy me a drink?"
Law's brain threatened to explode right then and there.
"I'd love to."
How they ended up helping to save the Wano System was a very long story. So long, in fact, that it is truly a story for another time. Instead, we pop in on a visit, where the Straw Hat Crew went to have fun and check in on their friends who they had not seen in quite some time.
"So I got these two bandits, one under each arm, right," Yamato grinned, "and then suddenly, who pops up but the little kunoichi on an errand." They pointed their mug of ale towards Toko, the child helping to make sure that all the drinks were full. She went beet red as everyone around her cheered. "She stuffs a jutsu-dango in each of their mouths and, wouldn't you know? They're working with Tengu-san as we speak."
"It was nothing, really," Tama blushed. "Yamato-sama was the one who subdued the villains. I merely bewitched them."
"That was still very brave of you," Sanji insisted. He gave her a wink, which she squeaked at as she ran off.
"Stop freaking out the kids, curls," Zoro scoffed. "People will start to think you're a fucking pedo."
"If I were a pedo, why the fuck would I 'freak out kids' in front of their adults?" Sanji posed. "Besides, everyone knows you keep me busy enough that my eyes don't have a chance to wander to savory places, let alone unsavory, creepy ones."
"Tell that to the Surgeon's crew—I'll wait," Usopp smirked. Sanji glared daggers at him, though the damage had been done.
"The Surgeon…?" Zoro frowned. "What about him?"
"Nothing to worry your mossy head over," Sanji scoffed, trying to wave off the notion. "Honestly, I'm surprised you don't see it yourself."
"See what?"
"Zoro," Usopp said gravely, "you would not catch me going after anyone but Kaya, and if she turns me down then maybe another woman, yet even I know that Trafalgar Law is a good-looking man who can have his pick of whomever he should well choose. Shit, he makes Nami's head turn on occasion, and that's not something just anyone can do."
"He looks like a thug," Zoro grumbled into his sake.
"Technically speaking, we're all thugs," Sanji replied. "I know I usually don't like all that ink myself, but there's a certain sort of swagger I think is necessary to pull it off. He's got it."
"Does he now?"
"Does who what now?" Luffy asked, stretching his neck down to their end of the table. "What are you guys talking about?"
"How the most heterosexual man in the entire galaxy can see that the Surgeon Trafalgar Law is good-looking, but somehow moss-head is blind to it," Sanji replied. Luffy's expression fell.
"Oh, so boring stuff," he pouted. "You should talk about more fun stuff, like our friendship with Torao, or meat."
"Talking about hot guys is talking about Torao and meat," Sanji reminded him. Luffy made a grossed-out face and let his neck go back to his shoulders—they were no fun.
"You had to tell the captain that?" Zoro grumbled.
"What do you want him to do? Lie?" Usopp shrugged noncommittally and ate some fish. "You try lying to Luffy and see where that gets you." He shifted on his cushion, a studious look on his face. "Since we're talking about it anyhow: mind sharing some insight on anyone else you enjoy staring at that I'm oblivious to?"
"Someone who I don't mind you knowing about…?" Sanji pondered that, oblivious to Zoro's glare. "Well, let's start with Luffy's brothers, because holy fucking shit."
Usopp had been prepared to learn quite a bit that dinner, though how much knowledge he gained actually surprised him. And scared him. And, frankly, worried him.
The inn they had found to lie low in had actually been perfect, if Sora did say so. She had pulled Rosi in and they ordered both dinner and a room for the night, figuring that they could spend the late hours trying to get into contact with their respective crews. The proprietor had bought the lie of them being a Lvneelish couple—a hairdresser and a doctor recently come into ownership of a family practice—and that they were there to celebrate the one's promotion. They had been hands-on and clinging all night in order to sell the story, both hoping it wasn't entirely a part to play on the other's end.
"One more beer for the man," the server said, placing down a glass mug in front of Rosi before snatching the other drink off the tray for Sora, "and another Notice Nectar for the lady. Is there anything else I can get you folks?"
"Not now, thank you," Rosi nodded. He kept his right arm resting on the bit of booth behind Sora while he reached for his beer—he hadn't had a strong North Blue beer in a while and it made him warily nostalgic. Despite the fact they'd also eaten, both he and Sora had consumed far more alcohol than either normally did, making their minds fuzzy as they kept knocking them back. Law was not so drunk, however, for his eyes to flick over to the doors as they opened, watching a couple of the cops that had been chasing them walk in. The server noticed and sighed in exasperation.
"I'm sorry," the server said. "This will only take a minute."
"They're allowed to be hungry too," Sora replied in her false voice. The server frowned.
"No—they've been looking all day for some criminals that seem to be resisting arrest, but I haven't seen them."
"Isn't that frightening?"
"You'd be surprised, ma'am. Now if you excuse me." Sora sipped her drink and took notes on not only the interaction between their server and the cops, but also on what was in the drink because damn it was good.
"I think if we keep this up, we'll have a clear shot after a while," Rosi said behind his mug. He then rested his head on Sora's shoulder, looking as though he was gazing lovingly at his girlfriend. "How long do you think until they suspect we might have made it off-world?"
"Thirty-six hours at the least, so we still have a bit of time," Sora replied. She shifted in her seat and took another sip of the drink, feeling hot and flushed. "We might technically be MIA for the entire weekend."
"Could be worse." Rosi straightened and took another few gulps of beer, watching the cops and their server chatting. "You know, Sora's the name of a comic book superhero out in these parts."
"It was my mother's name."
Rosi glanced over at Sora, not entirely certain his fellow fugitive was holding all of her alcohol despite the fact she outwardly seemed the same. Those long lashes—she didn't even need mascara, fuck—shaded her eyes, seemingly hiding something.
"Well, some people theorize they named the titular male hero after a woman, so at least there's that."
"Did they now?"
"Yeah, the former Queen of Germa—she was rumored to be trapped in an abusive relationship with the King, and that had she been the ruler, Germa would be a force of peace and prosperity."
"Germa… what are they in the comic?"
"The bad guys, naturally." The cops left and Rosi downed the rest of his mug. "Sora, Warrior of Space is about an intergalactic crime fighter who resists the will of the supervillains Germa 66 with varying amounts of success. Mostly it's considered a children's story, or at least something they can read."
"…but you seem to think otherwise…?"
"I've heard lots of whispers while traveling, and something tells me that there's a lot more that we don't know… that the real Sora has a legacy much more complicated than that, with plenty of potential for good."
"You don't say," Sora crooned. She placed her hand on Rosi's thigh and squeezed gently. "What is Germa? In real life?"
"A fleet of assassins and mercenaries, powerful enough to be considered like their own planet," Rosi explained. "There is truth in the comic, and I'm sure a lot of it involves how much evil is on those ships."
"This makes you sound halfway between a history nerd and a pop culture fanboy," Sora chuckled. "Who knew?" She inhaled sharply as Rosi pressed a lingering kiss behind her ear. "Oh…? Did I hit a nerve?"
"Can't let you know my secret without being punished," Rosi purred. "Come on, Sora… let's call this a night and head up to our room. We can finish this there."
"Sounds like a plan."
Sora watched as Rosi slid out of the booth and went to go pay for their meal and drinks and acquire the key to their room. She finished off the Notice Nectar while staring at Rosi, proud of herself for grabbing such a flattering change of clothes for the man on the fly. If she was going to be on the lamb, then the least she could do was make the guy she was running with look damn good.
Except, instead of coming back and collecting Sora, Rosi decided to stand by the staircase and wait for her. After a few moments of staring in the hopes he'd change his mind, Sora slid out of the booth and made the walk over to the bottom of the staircase, feeling more than just Rosi's eyes on her. She knew she looked incredible, and that if any of the dirty bastards ogling her at that moment knew that she wasn't who they thought she was, a riot would break out.
Way to exist under the radar, Time Lord asswipe.
"Rosi, you're mean," Sora whined, increasingly difficult to keep the persona in play. "Everyone was staring at me."
"Don't worry, darling; they know better," Rosi said. He leaned down and kissed Sora gently on the lips, using the contact to—rather openly, mind—get in a grab at her rear. Pulling back, his eyes were hazy yet predatory, seemingly no less dangerous with lipstick now smeared across his own mouth. "I just want to show off how lucky I am."
"Pervert." Sora leaned into Rosi as his hand moved to her waist and they went up the stairs. Once they were out of sight from the dining room, he pressed her into the wall, ducking down the few inches it took to nibble at the back of her jaw while one hand held her close and the other held a leg up to massage a thigh.
"I'd be a fool to not show you off," he murmured. "You have legs for days that look great in heels, and the rest of you ain't bad either."
"Nm… Rosi…"
"We came here to have a good time, so let's."
At that, Sora wrapped her arms around Rosi's shoulders and hopped into his arms, holding onto his hips with her legs as they kissed. Rosi used the moment to get them away from the wall and down towards their room, able to dig the key out of his pocket without having to worry about keeping Sora upright.
"Make me see stars?" she teased as he fumbled with the lock.
"I'm gonna make you see the whole damn galaxy," he grinned. He finally got the lock open and he wasted no time getting them both in and the lock reengaged so that he could press his girlfriend down into the mattress.
"Shouldn't we call…?" Sora breathed, question smothered by Rosi's lips. They ground their hips together, equally needy, and they moaned into each other's mouth. Their lungs eventually required air, however, both gasping as they broke the kiss.
"They'll still be there," he reasoned between breaths. He unfastened the buttons of her dress as he went down her neck, then collarbone, then chest, not caring that the contents of the bra underneath was mostly padding. "If I know our friends, then they're just waiting to hear from us, and what's a couple hours more? When there's probably a planet-wide comms-lockdown going on?"
"Horny bastard."
"I can't help that you look so good." He felt her fingers run through his hair as he peppered kisses across her abdomen and allowed his fingers to travel up and down her leggings. "Can I ask a favor?"
"Possibly."
He flushed, embarrassed. "Can you leave the makeup and bra on?"
The corner of Sora's mouth twitched upwards, twisting her lips into a smirk. "Of course, Rosi. And if I like it, there might be more in the future."
He really, really liked the sound of that.
"Well, one more shitshow down," Sanji announced once the last dish was put away. With the only dishwashers that had bothered to show up that night being teenagers on work permits, it was down to him and Zeff to finish the nightly cleanup. It was early in the morning, well past the kids' bedtimes, and it had actually been rather peaceful as the pair cleaned together. To be frank, it was nostalgic, as when the Baratie first opened, they were the only two on staff.
"We haven't had a night like this in a while," Zeff noted. "I feel like if we'd've let them, the kids would still be here."
"They need to learn what a work-life balance before they turn into us," Sanji chuckled. He turned around when he didn't hear Zeff respond and saw his dad sitting at the break table, staring into his glass of wine. "Uh… are you okay…?"
"Funny… I was about to ask you the same thing."
The conversation with Nami and Robin came rushing back to Sanji; he had never wanted to flee a talk with the geezer so much in his entire life.
"What do you mean?" Sanji asked, trying to keep his cool. He sat down across from the old man, hoping he could get this over with painlessly as possible. "Did someone say anything about me being off my game?"
"No… it's just…" Zeff looked intensely uncomfortable, as though he wasn't entirely certain how to broach the subject. "Carne tells me it's been pretty quiet in your flat lately."
Ah, fuck.
"I would think he'd enjoy that," Sanji quipped. "Asshole's always complaining."
"Yeah, but… that lad you're with is treating you right, isn't he? You're treating him good in return?"
"What the fuck are you going on about?"
"Just… it's been quiet at the flat because you're getting your goes in while off with that rubber freak, right…? Or should I be worried?"
Sanji sank in his chair and honestly wished he could turn invisible for a reason other than peeping for the first time in years.
"Dad… you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."
"I know you can, but that doesn't stop me from worrying. You can tell me what happened."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Listen: I know we're into different things, but that doesn't mean you can't use me as a sounding board." Sanji made a loud, mortified noise. "Oh, come on… we've had worse conversations…"
"…you mean the one where you had to explain sex to me, or the one where you told me you knew my sexual preferences the day you found me?"
"Either or; both were pretty bad."
"We had both of those conversations when I was twelve."
"Twelve's a shit year for a lot of kids."
"Yeah… and usually their adoptive dads don't out them… to themselves…"
"We've always been a not-so-regular case." Zeff sighed as he watched his son—that was his boy, genetics be damned—shrank even further into the chair and he decided to take pity on him. "You also look like you need some of this stuff. Help me finish the bottle?"
"Thought you'd never ask, shitty geezer."
Sanji stood naked in the small ensuite bathroom, scrubbing at his face to rid himself of the cosmetics he had oh-so-generously kept on for much longer than he'd wanted, hoping he could get most of it off before it was his turn for the shower. While he didn't regret the decisions made that night, for the most part, there was still the unequivocal fact that he should at least try to keep cosmetics out of the bedsheets.
"I don't know why you can't wash that off in here," Law said from behind the shower curtain. Sanji tried not to think about the water spray hitting the Surgeon's body, keeping his own cock at a mild twitch.
"I can see better with the mirror, at least until you get it all fogged up," Sanji bristled. He saw as the final corner of said mirror blur as water vapor coated it. "Don't you know what hot water's like back on your planet? Fuck."
"I'm from the North Blue—hot water for showers is both essential and a luxury."
"I'm from the North too, you know."
"Lots of planets have a North; whatever."
Sanji rolled his eyes and left the bathroom, going around the room and picking up their clothes from earlier. The small room was simple—a double bed, nightstand, two chairs, and a table—and still smelled of sex. He checked the purse that he had stored the rest of their things in; good, there was still clothes for a few more days, should they need to play their cards as such. He heard the shower turn off and a little bit of shuffling around before the Surgeon emerged in a cloud of steam. His skin was boiled red and his hair still damp from being towel-dried, with said towel currently wrapped around his lower half.
"Okay, your turn," he conceded. Sanji wrinkled his nose in annoyance.
"I've been in less-humid rainforests," he scowled.
"You going to shower or are you going to gripe all night?" Law asked. Sanji stared at him flatly—how dare he insinuate that he'd be anything less than clean before heading to bed. "I'll try to get a hold of our respective crews while you're in—hopefully they lifted any comms-lock they put up earlier."
"Uh-huh… you do that." Too tired to even argue at this point, Sanji trudged into the bathroom and went into the shower, the spray turning hot quickly thanks to the heat and length of the Surgeon's.
Letting the spray wash over him, Sanji let the water calm him as he attempted to clear his mind. There he was, absolutely balls-deep in shit that could potentially get him and Law killed if they weren't careful. Not only them, but potentially their crews as well, if a rescue went awry.
Plus… there was the whole deal about Germa.
Sanji had gone through great lengths to never speak that word again. He had sworn that the word would never defile his voice as long as he lived, that he would go to his grave ignoring the fact it even existed. Now, instead, he not only knew that Trafalgar Law, the Time Lord known as the Surgeon, was extremely aware of what it was, but was also a fanboy of the comic strip. Fucking hell… this excursion could barely get any worse.
After getting the last of the styling product out of his hair, Sanji did his best to take a quick shower so that he could be there in case Law made contact with one of the crews. He made it out of the bathroom only to find Law passed out in bed, the transponder comm sitting on the nightstand. A check of the shell-like device showed that the lockdown was indeed still active, which meant that all they could really do for the time being was sit.
Then again, he was pretty good at waiting.
Sanji sighed heavily and placed the transponder back before allowing himself to fall into the mattress, brain barely able to register the fact he should probably get under the blankets as well. He began to settle in when Law rolled over and draped an arm around him, snugged up close. The other man was intensely warm, and it was a different sort of feeling than he'd become accustomed to… well… in recent times.
Yeah, this felt good, he thought, and let himself drift off to sleep.
Groaning, Sanji let his phone drop to the empty side of his bed, dating app still open, as he lamented the fact it was so damn difficult to put himself out there again. He glanced at his alarm clock and scowled—there was still an hour until sunrise and he was undoubtedly going to miss out on sleep this go-around.
There wasn't really a box to check to say that he was often being pulled away throughout time and space by his psychopathic best friends, nor was there a field where he could detail the delicate balance between his work and personal life. Shit, there wasn't even something as normal as an option to say whether or not he still had to be around his most recent ex. He would think, with all the disasters that were workplace relationships, there'd be something about that.
Except, no, things were not going to come easily for him. It never really had been easy, had it? He glared at the ceiling and tried to not scream in frustration. It wasn't as though there was a simpler time back whenever, so why bother lamenting?
He hated it, he hated it, sweet fuck he hated it.
He hated how he still wished the marimo was by his side.
Light filtered in through the closed blinds and sheers, waking up Sanji from a dead sleep. He tried to move and the arms around him clung tighter, reminding him he was not alone in the bed. A pair of legs wrapped around his own and lips began to press light kisses to the back of his neck.
"Morning," Law murmured. "Sleep well?"
"Well enough for having your dick wanting to shamble itself up my ass all night," Sanji retorted. Law's… endowment was anything but sparse, though it did not change the fact it was like sleeping with a metal rod making itself at home between his legs the entire time. "Did you want to take care of that, or…?"
"We should probably figure out what we're going to do for the day, get something to eat, find out what looks like the best options for getting out of here."
"The best option is likely going to be Luffy crashing the Sunny into the Notice Grand Tower and screaming at the top of his lungs."
"If we can avoid Strawhat-ya doing that, then that would be great." Law let go and propped himself up on an elbow, giving Sanji the freedom to lay down on his back to look at him. "Company could be worse."
"…that it could." He tried to read the expression on Law's face, completely unable to do so. "What…?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I… uh… guess…?"
"I thought you and Zoro-ya were exclusive; what changed?"
Sanji made an annoyed noise and broke eye contact, trying to look at a bit of the wall instead. "I dunno—ask him."
The Surgeon exhaled in exasperation and gently placed a finger on Sanji's chin, turning it towards him so he could gently kiss him. "I don't know what you two are possibly pissing on about, but it won't get solved by ignoring it."
"Says the man who had me bent over just about every piece of furniture in this little room last night," Sanji mentioned.
"I admit: I don't mind being a rebound in this particular instance, but I feel like what is happening on Notice is going to have to stay on Notice, making this an extremely temporary arrangement." He brushed the hair out of Sanji's eyes and looked at both of them, letting himself get lost in the intense blueness of them. His eyes flit for a moment to the other man's swirled eyebrows before his gaze refocused, taking in his whole face. "What do you say, Sora? Get something to eat downstairs, then plan the day ahead?"
"Sounds like an idea, Rosi."
"The question is: how badly do we want these funds?"
The entire room stared at Nami as she had blueprints spread out on the table before her. Layers upon layers of schematics revealed a multilevel security system, complete with anti-Time Lord technology and a firewall that could impress all from the most inept to the highly skilled amongst them.
"This could keep us going for a long time," Penguin mused. He looked at the bit of blueprint closest to him and frowned. "How do we know you won't double-cross us?"
"…or vice versa?" Robin mused. "We should probably split up into pairs that use one member from each crew—that way, there's no getting out without the other."
"I said that this is an alliance!" the Straw Hat insisted. "Alliances don't do that to one another!"
"Forgive us for thinking that way, but it is how one survives out there," the Surgeon replied.
"Then I'm going with Torao!"
"Didn't you just listen to a word that Nami-swan said?" Sanji groaned. Fuck, he needed a smoke. "We can't pair two Time Lords together in case of the traps. I'll go with Law."
"That's meeaaannnn…"
"He's right, Strawhat-ya—we can't go in pairs of two Time Lords."
"…but we're super-best-allies!"
"Someone has to make certain Blackleg-ya stays out of trouble," the Surgeon said. He threw Sanji what appeared to be a thankful and appreciative look—Luffy's energy was simply too much for the guy.
"Then I call Bear-guy!" Luffy decided. Sanji could almost feel Bepo's soul leave his body. He watched as Nami attempted to quell the chaos that was Luffy, all while exchanging a quick look with the Surgeon.
The sooner they could get this plan in action, the sooner Luffy would calm the fuck down.
It was honestly a perfect day to wander around and get lost, as Rosi and Sora found out. They went and secured their room at the inn for another couple nights and then went wandering. Though it seemed like they were merely taking a romantic stroll around the district, it was more to make sure they weren't in the same place for very long, scoping out the lay of the land in case of the need for a quick getaway.
"This park reminds me of a place in the Paradise Rim," Rosi mentioned. He and Sora were walking arm-in-arm, meandering down the pathway with seemingly little care. Adjusting his sunglasses (because if Sanji was able to snag sunglasses, Law was going to use them), he glanced around, taking in the idyllic park with caution.
"Lots of places remind you of the Paradise Rim," Sora replied.
Rosi shrugged at that and moved his arm so that it went around Sora's shoulders as some police walked on the opposite side of the path. He brought her in closer as they passed, pressing their bodies together protectively as they walked.
Please don't talk to us, please don't talk to us, please don't talk to us…
"Hey, you, with the sunglasses; can we bother you for a minute?"
Fuck.
"What's the problem?" Rosi asked, turning to face the pair of cops next to them.
"Just want to ask you a couple of questions," the taller officer said. He looked carefully at Rosi and Sora before clicking a pen open. "Name please?"
"Rosi Rosa; this is my girlfriend, Sora Black. We're just here on vacation."
"…and where do you normally reside?"
"Lvneel," Sora replied. She clung closer to Rosi's arm, not wanting to let go. "Why does that matter?"
"We're looking for someone, ma'am, and we're currently looking for and questioning people who match the same general description." He saw the woman's mood completely change, from mild confusion to something deeply akin to irritation.
"…and what did these people do to make them so important that you're questioning random people?"
"They tried to clean out the First Notice Bank."
Sora's face fell flat. "So you think my boyfriend and I are bank robbers?"
"No accusations, ma'am; just standard procedure."
"Mmm. I see." She regarded the two police officers, noticing that they looked only slightly cowed. "Darling, let's go back to the hotel."
"Sora…"
"If this is how they treat visitors, I'd hate to see how they treat those criminals once they got a hold of them," she replied icily. She turned on her heel to leave, only for Rosi to grab hold of her elbow and hold her gently in place.
"You'll have to excuse her; she's a bit proud," he apologized. Rosi reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin wallet that held a blank piece of paper. "I'm a doctor, just came into the lead of a family practice. She makes a bigger deal out of it than it really is."
"It is a big deal," Sora insisted, "and these people want to accuse you of being anything less of what you really are. It's insulting."
"…like I said, ma'am, it's just standard procedure."
"Well, I hope you're happy just intruding into an innocent vacation like this," she scowled. The shorter police officer finished writing what he saw on the blank paper and nodded.
"…and what do you do for a living, ma'am," he asked, "or do you not need to work?"
"I am one of the best hairdressers in the Mont Blanc District," she replied. "You won't find me in the ads—word-of-mouth only."
"Impressive," the taller cop frowned. He looked at the pair before him and appeared to be calculating something, likely how much worth he placed on continuing the conversation. "We'll be in touch."
"I hope not," Sora frowned.
"Meaning: we hope you find your culprits soon," Rosi translated. "Now good day, officers." He pulled his girlfriend along, leading her first around a corner, then down into a shallow alleyway, where he pressed her against the wall of a building and began to kiss her neck and jaw.
"I take it I did good?" she laughed. His knee spread her thighs apart and rubbed between her legs, threatening at making her conspicuously hard.
Yes. That she did.
Zoro and Sanji glared at one another from the roof of his flat, both men irritated with one another. Nami had banished them up there until they could figure out what the fuck they were going to do with themselves, which was honestly pretty low on the list of things both men would rather be doing.
"So…" Sanji started. "Don't you have anything to say?"
"What do you mean? I think that should be my line." Zoro folded his arms across his chest and glowered, his menace undercut by the simple fact Sanji had seen him entertaining some of the building's small children before. "I've been waiting for an apology this entire time."
"Apologize? Me? For what? You were the one who was caught cheating, red-handed, I might add."
"To teach you a lesson."
"What sort of fucking lesson can you teach me by making out with Hiyori-chan?"
"How it feels."
"How what feels?"
"How it feels to have you talking about guys in front of my face."
Sanji stopped and stared at Zoro, not entirely certain he was hearing the moss-brain correctly. "You could have chimed in any time you wanted."
"It was weird and awkward."
"I was just telling Usopp about good-looking men in general since he's wired to miss the vast majority of them. It wasn't a list of men I'd cheat on you with."
"It felt like it."
"So, your idea of getting back at me was literally to trade spit with Hiyori-chan?"
"She wanted to anyhow; admitted as much afterwards it wasn't what she hoped it was."
"You know, Zoro, I think we need to… just take a break." He watched as the samurai raised an eyebrow. "Do they even have that concept when you're from?"
"Stop dating, but maybe get back together later," Zoro explained. Ah, good. "It would mean we could see others without further damaging what we currently have."
"Yeah," Sanji nodded. At least he wasn't going to need to explain shit like he'd feared. "I think we need to be on a break."
Notice was still in a comms lockdown that evening—it was all anyone could really talk about. Nothing came in, nothing went out, and anything that was lucky enough to get into the queue was listened in-on by a third party. The entire planet was irritated beyond belief by the extra security that was being levied, especially since the only reason they knew was because there were fugitives on the loose.
"If they can't figure out how to track down a couple of escaped thugs, then I don't know what we're paying the police for," the inn's server grumbled, putting down food in front of Rosi and Sora. "I've got no reason to contact anyone off-world, let alone go off-world, but all I hear is complaining from other people and it's really getting on my nerves."
"Good thing it's just comms," Rosi shrugged. The server scowled.
"I hear the spaceports have beefed-up security too. Whoever these two guys are, they're dangerous."
"I wonder if they're even still here," Sora frowned. She took a drink as their server raised an eyebrow at her. "You know—if they're this dangerous, then wouldn't they be good enough to find their way off-world already?"
"That is a possibility." The server shrugged. "No matter—enjoy your meal, folks."
"That was dangerous," Rosi muttered, soon as the server was out of earshot. "Those cops are in here all the time looking for us."
"Doesn't hurt to plant a bug in someone's ear," Sora replied. "It very well possibly could be that next time those cops do decide to snoop around, they get an earful about how we might not even be around, which can turn into what gets reported to superiors, and eventually, everything gets called off."
"Doesn't mean it's not risky."
"We took risks and got here—why go back now?"
Rosi looked at his girlfriend, trying to to revert into his usual scowl. She was way too cheery about this, way too casual, and he wasn't sure about it.
"You're in a good mood," he noted instead.
"That's because I know what I'm going to do to you tonight."
He paused, staring at her with wide eyes. Carefully, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his temple before whispering in his ear.
"Within an hour, I will have you on your back, begging for mercy, while I fuck you senseless, not a hair out of place."
Silently, he took a sip of his drink, trying to look terribly nonchalant about it. She knew, however, that his face changed just enough to signal the fact he was terribly interested.
"We're making a whole thing of this, aren't we?" Rosi asked. Sora shrugged.
"Might as well. Do I wish it was under better circumstances? Yeah. You deserve that." She finished off the rest of her Notice Nectar, which was definitely something that she was good at putting away. "The question is: are we going to get another chance like this? I doubt you're letting off steam with the assortment you normally travel with."
"What happens on Notice stays on Notice?"
"Unless you really want to admit to wanting my dick while I look like this."
"Your dick," he said, leaning in, "has enough to worry about." He kissed her, slipping his tongue past her lips and over her teeth, tasting the mixed drink that had been her poison of choice lately. "If you weren't Sora, would we still…?"
"Little too late for that question, now isn't it?"
"I think it's one worth entertaining still," he replied lowly. "You do wear the hell out of a suit."
"Flatterer."
"Would you rather I argue with you like… your ex?"
"No." Her eyes flicked down to their plates and saw they were empty. "If you know what's good for you, you'll pay for our meal and bring me upstairs."
"Yes, ma'am." He pressed another kiss to her lips and slid out of the booth, pausing to offer her a hand. She took it and followed him up to the bar, where he paid and bid the server a good evening, calmly leading his girlfriend up the stairs and to their room. He slid the lock into place, it settling with a dull thud.
Sora gently held him from behind, her hands finding their way under the hem of his shirt and to his chest. Her fingers made slow work of dragging over his skin, nails scratching lightly at the surface. Rosi could feel her erection pressed against his rear—it was maddening what this was doing to him, though he wouldn't change it one bit.
"Bed," she said breathily, and he complied. He gently moved from her grasp and sat down at the edge of the mattress. He spread his knees as she approached, his hands finding her hips as he gazed up at her expectantly.
Carding a hand through his hair absentmindedly, Sora quietly observed Rosi as she thought about what to do. She let her other hand go to his shoulder and she squeezed gently.
"Leggings," she said. Her voice was so low that she almost broke character.
Without a word, Rosi let his hands drop until they were able to slip underneath her dress, not breaking eye contact as he went up her legs to the band of the leggings, pulling them down gently. He got them to her ankles and helped her step out of the fabric, taking one foot out of her heeled shoe, slipping the garment off, replacing the shoe dutifully. Then the other.
"Panties."
Hands once again slowly traveled up legs, finding the soft cotton holding everything in place. He slid them down and Sora's cock, now unconstrained, shifted the fabric of her dress towards him. She stepped out of her panties on her own, watching his gaze run down her body until it came to the bulge in front of his face, pausing there.
"You look like a man who wants to do some prepwork," she crooned.
"Please."
She hummed lowly in response—it was definitely something she was willing to entertain.
The small blond tween hummed quietly as he kicked his legs and did his homework. It was a Tuesday, and the Baratie was not open on Tuesdays, making it so he and Zeff could work in peace. They shared one of the larger booths in the dining room, bookkeeping and Grade Six spread out amongst the remnants of snacks and dinner.
"You sure do have a lot of homework there, kid," Zeff noticed. He watched as Sanji put a finished worksheet in a folder. "It's a lot more than last year, isn't it?"
"It is, but I'm getting stuff done early so I don't have to worry this weekend," Sanji explained. "I don't want capoeira to get in the way of school."
"Bullshit—you've been smarter than your teachers since I enrolled you." Zeff paused, trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "Sanji… are you sure you don't want to see if we could just home-school you? Let you go at a faster pace?"
"Then I wouldn't be able to sit with Nami-san at lunch every day!" the boy gasped.
"That girl who skipped a grade?"
"Yeah, her! She's very pretty and smart and my best friend! I love her!"
Zeff burst into laughter, making his foster son quirk an eyebrow in wonder.
"That's a funny way of putting it, eggplant," he replied. "You've got more options than most—don't tie yourself down in middle school."
The boy stared at him. "What do you mean?"
"What the fuck are they teaching you in health class?" Zeff snorted. "Can't usually tell with kids, but I've had you figured out the moment I first brought you in here."
"I don't get it."
"Don't use the word love when it comes to classmates, eggplant, at least not loosely. While I'm sure Nami's a nice girl and I want you to have friends, there's a lot of other girls out there… a lot of boys too."
"Oh…" Sanji wrinkled his nose as he realized what conversation they were having. "I love Nami-san, but I love her because she's my best friend. I wouldn't love her any other way."
"Good—just remember that not everyone understands that kind of love. Friendship and love are two entirely different things to them, when they're really one and the same, just in different shades. You have a lot of love to give, eggplant, and it would be a shame if you didn't let yourself give it properly."
"…but, boys…? They're not as wonderful and delicate as girls are."
"What about Kurou? And Adwoa? That's a delicate boy and a strong girl, and they're just in your class."
"Well, yeah, but…" Sanji went quiet, knowing he couldn't claim an exception just for those two classmates.
"I've also seen you watch others during your sports events, eggplant. You blush at almost every competitor, boy or girl."
"You're mean," Sanji huffed.
"Maybe, but I'm your dad now and it's what dads do." He offered the tween a grin, knowing Sanji only wanted to disappear from this conversation. "I don't care who you like looking at or who you bring home, as long as you remember to love and have them love you in return."
"You just say that because I'll get a date before you at this rate," Sanji teased. Zeff's mustache bristled, trying to contain his irritation.
"Here I am trying to have a heartfelt conversation and you decide it's reason to get in jabs at me?! For what?! Being busy putting a roof over your head?!"
"You could ask any number of ladies out! You say I stare during competitions, when you stare at hot lady-patrons! You miss opportunities weekly with women who stare at you right back!"
"You're a little shit—my shitty eggplant child."
"Shitty geezer."
They didn't any anything else for nearly half an hour. Sanji finished his homework and then slid out of the booth, heading over to Zeff's side and giving him a hug.
"I love you, Dad. Want some tea?"
"Sure. I love you too, son."
At that, the boy scurried off, disappearing into the kitchen. Zeff shook his head and wondered what in the hell he did to deserve a kid like Sanji, and later in life at that. All he knew was that he'd made the decision to take the boy in again and again, sass and all, regretting nothing.
"Maybe, what you two need is to take a break."
Sanji looked at Nami and sighed heavily. She looked gorgeous sitting there next to him on the roof of their flat, soft light from the sunset accentuating her hair, a bottle of beer in her hand. She turned towards him and offered a smile.
"Seeing other people for a bit might put some things into perspective for the both of you, you know?"
"I don't even know if he understands the concept," he mentioned, taking a sip of his own beer. It was just the two of them that evening, with the Sunny off making a round of the solar system, leaving the pair in Logueton as a homing beacon of sorts should they go off-track. "Even so… what happens if he does?"
"You take a break, date some others, maybe let out some of this frustration you've got pent-up inside, and either you come back with a newfound appreciation for… whatever it is you see in him, or you move on."
"What if one of us moves on and the other doesn't?"
"That's a subject for another day," she decided. "Even Luffy's starting to notice, and you know how he is with the reality of some of us needing a leg up now and then."
"He might look like us, but I think he must reproduce by budding," he joked. She laughed at that—their captain was truly an enigma, beyond their comprehension.
"Still," she said as she regained her composure, "you never know. It could be one of the best things you could do for one another. Do it before your dad notices."
"Oh, the geezer and I have already talked," he shuddered. "I'm a lightweight and splitting a bottle of wine just wasn't enough for that conversation."
"He tries, like any good dad."
"I know, but you and Robin-chan were right. Now the only question is really how to go about this."
"You'll figure out something." Nami gave him an encouraging pat on the knee before standing. "You're a clever guy, Sanji-kun. A real catch. You won't need long to figure out where you're going, or how you're going to do it."
"At least one of us thinks that," he frowned. He looked out at the Logueton skyline, pensive. "I don't know what I've done to deserve you, Nami-san."
"Friendship isn't about who deserves what, you know that," she teased. She then stood and kissed him on the cheek before heading towards the fire escape. "I'm gonna get the popcorn ready. You pick the movie this time?"
"But of course—it's almost like old times, isn't it?"
"You mean LBL: Life Before Luffy? Yeah, it kinda is. Don't take too long up here, alright?"
"Okay, I know." He watched her go down the fire escape towards their flat and, soon as she was gone, let out a long breath. Leaning back in his chair, he took the cigarette packet from his pocket and lit one, relishing in the solitude for once.
Hey… maybe it was that simple after all. A break wouldn't be bad… it could show the marimo what a fool he'd been, what he was throwing away. Yeah… a break.
All pretense gone, Law and Sanji laid facing each other atop the bedding, letting themselves breathe since they had both come. While the Surgeon was left in only his open shirt, Sanji still had his dress on, it soaked with sweat and other fluids. He reached out and touched the other man's hand, his thumb rubbing circles across the tattoos.
"It always amazes me how many species across the galaxies are so similar," he said quietly. "We might have our different quirks and all, but it's… assuring, in a way."
"I guess so," the Surgeon replied. He considered Sanji and frowned. "I know you've sworn an oath to Strawhat-ya, but if you're ever looking for a change…"
"Our crews are a lot alike, but they're not interchangeable," Sanji chuckled. "Maybe I'll just volunteer to go with you again if we team up in the future."
"Can't blame me for trying." The Surgeon sat up and peeled off his shirt, depositing it on the floor. The act exposed his chest, arms, and back fully, letting Sanji get a look at his entire body. "Like what you see?"
"Never said your offer wasn't tempting." He raised his hand to touch Law's thigh when something happened that didn't just burst their bubble, but shattered it:
The transponder rang.
Scrambling, the Surgeon went to the table and picked up the device. His hands were trembling as he swiped through and held the device up to his ear.
"Who is this?"
"Listen: we only have sixty seconds before this line is compromised." It was Penguin. "Is the Straw Hat cook with you?"
"Yeah."
"Are you both safe?"
"For now."
"Are you laying low?"
"Thanks to Blackleg-ya, yes." He glanced over at Sanji, who was in the middle of kicking off his shoes and pulling off his dress and bra. "How long do you think until backup arrives?"
"We've been tapping official calls and we think maybe another day or two—they're starting to think you might've escaped off-world before they shut down the spaceports. Once they officially move to that theory, they'll have no choice but to call off the search. Think you can keep at it until then?"
"Worth a shot. How's everyone?"
"Worried, but fine otherwise."
"The Straw Hats as well?"
"Same, though a bit more willing to commit murder. Not that we wouldn't, but you know."
"Yeah, I do." He paused. "Tell Strawhat-ya I haven't broken my promise."
"Will do—keep your comm on, okay? Don't have too much fun."
"Was about to tell you the same."
The call ended and the Surgeon looked over at Sanji, his expression serious as the other man scrubbed makeup off his face with a wet washcloth.
"That was my crew—yours is fine, but it won't be another day or two until they can come and get us—depends on when the police decide catching us is a lost cause or not."
"How very… tactical of them."
"They probably are having the absolute worst time trying to control Strawhat-ya."
"It's a sucker-bet." Sanji looked at he washcloth in his hands and cringed. "I think we can handle another day or two."
"As long as people don't ask too many questions."
"Notice is a vacation planet—there's too many comings and goings for there to be questions."
"…though how long that will stay the case is the main question at the moment." The Surgeon went to the blond and wrapped his arms around him, pressing their bodies close together. "I'm wandering around with such a beauty that people's head have no choice but to turn."
"Don't think you're the only one who gets to say that," Sanji chuckled. He reached up and pulled Law into a kiss, the pair relishing in the moment of them and not Rosi and Sora. "What do you say? Want to get another round in now as ourselves, or should we at least wait until later when we're in character?" Law smiled against his mouth.
"You know what? Now sounds good."
Later that afternoon, Sora and Rosi made sure that everything was packed inside her purse before going out. It was just a precaution, they reasoned, as they had every intention of returning to the inn that evening for one last night of excess before needing to go their separate ways. They tidied everything up and quietly left the inn, slipping by without being noticed.
Sure enough, their low profile lasted for only a little while, as not even a half an hour later, the two cops from the day prior stepped into their path.
"Sanji Jambenoire and the Time Lord known as the Surgeon," the taller man growled sternly. "You two are coming with us."
The crowd around them gasped—there was no faking enraged entitlement out of this one.
"Under what pretenses?" Sanji asked in his normal voice. "We've had to go through a lot to stay away from you and your goons."
"Clearly," the short cop said. "You have been accused of attempted robbery of the First Notice Bank, resisting arrest, impersonating a member of the medical profession…"
"My medical degrees are legitimate, thank you," the Surgeon interjected.
"…impersonating a member of the medical profession with falsified credential sources, using the impersonation of the opposite gender for reasons related to law evasion…"
"You can't tell me when I can and can't wear a skirt," Sanji added. The cop looked increasingly frustrated.
"…retail theft, lying to officers of the law…" The police officer raised his eyebrow, seeing that the criminals before him seemed completely nonrepentant. In fact, they seemed nearly amused. "What are those looks for?"
"Stealth mission's out the window," Sanji said, "which means that there's no reason for our respective crews to be subtle when they come back for us."
"Have fun with that," the Surgeon chuckled. He held out his hand, palm facing the sky. "Room."
He grinned widely, a blue dome spreading far off, edges out of sight.
"Shambles."
Sanji and the Surgeon were suddenly replaced with random people, both of whom looked very shocked and confused as to where they were. The police stared at one another for a moment before realizing they'd been had.
The hunt was now on.
"So, we can just come on in and not care about wrecking anything?" The young Time Lord on the other end of the transponder sounded as though he was vibrating in joy. The Surgeon, however, chuckled.
"Strawhat-ya, I don't care if you level all of New Notice in the process—they had their chance." He glanced over to the other side of the alley, where his companion was changing into a tropical-print shirt, shorts, and a pair of boots much more durable than the heeled shoes from before. "Just come and get your cook before he decides he likes being with me better."
"Oh, hell no! Sanji! We're coming for you!" the Straw Hat yelled into the transponder. The call dropped and the Surgeon pocketed the device.
"Well, it looks like our asses are getting out of here," he said. Sanji finished stuffing the remainder of their disguise clothes in the purse before slinging it across his shoulders. "You're taking that with you?"
"It all needs to be washed first, at the very least, considering what we were up to," Sanji reasoned. "Besides, I did look good in those dresses. They might come in handy one day."
"Suit yourself." The Surgeon looked at Sanji and exhaled heavily. "You sure you don't want a vacation from Strawhat-ya?"
"Any more vacationing from him and he would probably end up murdering something," Sanji joked. He approached Law and put a hand on his chest, steadying himself so he could share one last kiss with him…
…or they would have, if a nearby building didn't explode, catching their attention.
"I think that's our ride," Law observed. Sanji winked at him and began running towards the commotion.
Maybe another time.
Sure enough, that was Luffy crashing into a building, rupturing something or other and creating an explosion. He didn't know how, all he knew was that he was good at it. Said explosion was enough of a distraction to allow both Sanji and Law to make their way into the fray undetected, which certainly came in handy when they showed up to help their respective crews wiggle their way out of yet another potential rescue situation (which Nami and Penguin decided to use to rob the First Notice Bank anyhow, succeeding this time).
With the Polar Tang off into the vortex and the Straw Hat crew all together again, Luffy decided that it was going to be a great time to throw a party. They were safely off Notice and adrift amongst the ebb and flow of time and space, with their captain's lust for adventure only temporarily derailed by his desire to eat until he felt ready to explode. It was just as things should be, and they were glad for it.
"Oi, cook."
Sanji felt a hand tap him on the shoulders as he was readying to head towards the galley to start working. There was the moss-head, looking something akin to a green, hurt puppy than one of the most formidable swordsmen in centuries. Suddenly, Zoro clung to him in a hug, taking him by surprise by the sudden and public display of affection.
"Please," the swordsman whispered hoarsely, "let's never fight that bad again."
"No more trying to make me jealous?"
"Not on-purpose, anyhow."
"Close enough." Sanji held Zoro's face and kissed him deeply. "I take it we're no longer on a break?"
"Longest, loneliest month of my life; I was so worried." He then noticed the purse, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"Nothing to worry your mossy head over. Now come on; let's get cleaned up so I can cook and you can help serve."