The strange courtship continues.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 2

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Leaning against the starboard railing, cigarette held to his pale lips, Sanji was watching a world of blue pass him by. He had just finished cleaning up after another chaotic meal, and now he was getting a moment to himself to breathe. Relaxing for a moment and letting his mind wander as he stared out at the horizon. Not a cloud in the sky above. The water below clear as crystal. A cool breeze made everything feel so comfortable he had left his jacket in the boy's cabin. Going a bit more casual in a loose white t-shirt.

He felt good. The sights around him and the peaceful moment made him feel at home. Content.

"You lied to me."

Pausing mid drag, Sanji glance back over his shoulder. On seeing the grey eyed glare from a certain Captain Doctor, Sanji gave a smoky grin. "Le Gasp~! A pirate lied to you? Say it ain't so, Doc. I'm shocked and appalled. Truly I am."

Law's bland stare was fixed on the cook as he continued his approach. "Cute." he grunted.

"I try." Sanji chuckled and turned to lean back against the railing. "So what exactly did this mean old pirate lie about?" he asked casually, tapping his ashes off over the rail.

"Your threats on using that powdered seastone in my food." Law folded his arms over his chest and fixed the blond with a critical look. "A few questions to your crew told me that you'd never tamper with food like that."

When his ruse had been discovered, Sanji smiled and gave a shrug. "Alright. You caught me bluffing my ass off. No harm done."

"I was picking apart my food for a day trying figure out if you did." Law replied dryly.

"Heh… I know. It was kinda funny." Sanji admitted with a cheeky grin.

Law stared for a long moment. Trying to keep the smirk away that wanted to twitch over his lips "… You're warped and sadistic."

The cook lifted his left hand to show his thumb and forefinger a fraction apart. "Just a little bit."

That response pulled a disbelieving snort from Law. Still, he moved forward to lean against the rail as well, facing the water. "I asked some other questions and learned a few more things."

"Hm? Such as?" Sanji asked lightly, continuing his smoke. He wasn't all that concerned with Law being a threat. Somehow he felt they had come to an understanding.

"Yes." Law laced his fingers together over the rail and thought over what he had discovered. "I was under the impression that half your crew were from the East Blue and the rest here from the grand line.." Grey eyes shifted from the water to the cook. "Your doctor informed me that you were from the North Blue."

Sanji easily nodded. "Born there. Left when I was 9."

"So I was told." Law shifted to look directly at the blond. His sharp eyes taking in specific details. "Thing is.. Blond hair is very rare in North Blue. In fact only one island chain has that particular genetic trait."

"Hmm… Aren't you the smart one…" Sanji mused as he blew smoke rings into the air.

"… I don't know why I didn't notice it before. Of that island chain, only one native tribe has pale complexions and golden hair. Only one had the trait of curled brows." Law's eyes narrowed as he looked seriously at the cook. "You're a pure blood of the Nordic Nomad tribe. That race is extinct… At least that is what I was led to believe."

"You're looking at the last." Sanji admitted surprisingly easily. "The bloodline was either watered down ages ago, or wiped out. My parents were victims of a pandemic that spread through the island chain. Well.. Rather the sickness eventually got them after the world government denied the medicine shipments that were needed. I was left to a family friend and raised aboard a luxury cruise ship."

"The orbit. I remember seeing that ship as a child." Law's brow furrowed. "Yet none of your crew knows this about you. I would think you would have at least told your archaeologist. The Nordic Nomads were said to be one of the few races of the void century that kept their history."

"Which is more than likely why the world government stopped all the medicine shipments." Sanji let out a low hum and shook his head. "No. What I know of those legends amounts to very little. Fragments of stories from my childhood that had been retold so many times. If she figures it out for herself and asks me, I'll tell her what I know, but now.. Now she has a direction she's following. I don't want to be a distraction."

"No sense in dividing her attention with anything that aren't facts." Law replied, understanding that logic.

"Exactly." Sanji nodded as he finished off his cigarette.

As he watched the blond breathe the smoke in deep, Law spoke what was on his mind. "It's fascinating that you have the lung capacity you do despite being a chain smoker."

An amused hum left Sanji with the smoke. "You have to have a good set of lungs when you live on the water."

"I heard that the nomad tribe were genetically inclined for life at sea." Law shifted a bit closer. "As a doctor… What's always intrigued me were natural mutations. Not like the devil's fruit. There's no science to explain them… Evolution however… Changing due to eons of selective reproduction and survival… I find that the most educational and stimulating research."

Sanji's brow rose on the closer proximity, but the words piqued his interest. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I mean that I find humans.. Ordinary humans that are able to grow strong enough and gain the abilities to face off against powerful fruit users… I find them the most fascinating."

Noticing the lower tone of the doctor's voice, Sanji found himself feeling wary. Yet curious. "Do you now? That's interesting… That mean the marimo interests you too?"

"To an extent… But I don't think I'd find him as… enjoyable to examine." Law admitted with a slight smirk.

Blue eyes blinked. "Examine?"

Law's smirk grew. "Yes… I'd.. Love.. To be able to examine you. Thoroughly." He didn't pres any further. Gauging the cook's reaction to his thinly veiled request.

For a moment, Sanji only stared. Waiting for the joke, but all that met him were those intense grey eyes. "… You can't be serious."

"I am. I'm not really one for jokes." Law readily answered.

"So I'm quickly learning.." Sanji flicked his spent filter over the rail and scrubbed at his face. "Okay.. This is weird…"

"I'm not hearing a definite no."

Eye twitching, Sanji let out a sigh and met that steady grey gaze. "… If I said no..?"

"Then you'll have taken the only thing I was looking forward to on this floating psych ward."

"Looking forward to?" Sanji repeated. "I can't be that interesting."

"I've given my reasons. I want to see what evolution has done for you."

Feeling his curiosity getting the better of him, Sanji gripped lightly at the railing. "… What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Nothing too invasive. Sort of like a physical, only.. More explorative." Law replied, his deep voice dipping into a near purr.

That sound was doing something weird to Sanji. His hair felt like it was standing on end as tingles shot through him. "… You start taking me apart and I'll make you swallow that entire bottle…" he eventually stated.

Smirk curling wide, Law easily nodded. "I swear.. No taking you apart."

Sanji gave a bland stare. ".. Why do I feel like a mouse walking into a cat's mouth?"

"Good instincts." Law chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not wanting anything soon. I want some sense of privacy so I can focus on my research."

Rolling his eyes, the cook pushed away from the rail. "Great. I've been reduced to source material." Sanji retorted blandly.

"You said it yourself, Sanji. You're the last of your race. How can I not be eager to learn what I can?" Law countered as he pushed away from the rail as well.

"Yeah yeah. I'll think about it. It won't be until the next island before the others will be busy somewhere else anyway."

"I can be patient."

Sanji glanced back at the doctor for a moment. Trying to figure this man out.

Law met his gaze fully. Hiding nothing.

After a silent moment, Sanji couldn't help the chuckle that left him. "I'm sure you can." he mused as he turned to head for the galley. Focused on getting the next meal prepped rather than this strange tingling feeling that wouldn't go away.

Law watched the cook go with a thinly disguised look of accomplishment on his dark face. He was suddenly excited.

"He'll do it."

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TBC

Must be a North Blue thing.

Later~