I have no clue what happened here... My muse took the better of me I guess.
And I've been reading Reiki-Piratical's fictions again, so I guess I felt that I need to produce some decent writing again.

She's brilliant..! If you haven't read her fictions you really need to go there and do it now.

I had a hard time keeping this one from becoming the final chapter. But I couldn't solve everything in one day. And I may have broken the whole one-chapter-one-day cycle with the Interlude, but I was not going to finish this story by squeezing a few days into one chapter.

After this I have one more chapter planned plus an epilogue.

Tiny Warning: All curses and small-minded opinions voiced in this chapter are not my own. Sadly enough, these opinions still exists, so please consider them a reflection of how our real world is.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Oda.

Enjoy!

When the alarm went of that Monday, Law felt the strong urge to just call in sick again. But he had promised Kid that he would bring him homework and he fully intended to do so.

Also, he couldn't chicken out of this one. He was just going to face a classroom full of idiots, why should he care what they thought? He had never been hated by any of them but some always disliked him.

Groaning he made his way over to the bathroom and got ready for school. The first day after the holidays was always the worst. Had to have something to do with Mondays, really. His mother had prepared him breakfast and surprisingly enough he still had time to actually sit down and enjoy his coffee.

"You'll be ok, right?" Her sudden words surprised him. Why the fuck was everyone worried about him? He was just going to school. Nothing special. Same boring place as always. "Sure mum. Why not." She shrugged and gave his shoulder a short squeeze when she passed him to get to the counter.

"I know you'll want to head straight to the hospital after school today, but would you mind buying bread at some point? I have a full schedule today and the afternoon shift." He murmured his agreement and took the money she handed him. Emptying his cup he got up and grabbed his schoolbag.

Before he left the flat he turned back to his mother. "Will you be ok?" Law wasn't sure how much of the event in the Moby Dick had leaked into public and he couldn't know if anyone at his mother's workplace knew that he had been involved. As if reading his thoughts, she replied: "A few of my colleagues gathered by my worried look, but your name has never been mentioned in context. At least not at our place."

The air was freezing cold and Law shivered after he made only a few small steps out of the safety of the building. Stuffing his hands in the coat pockets he made his way to the bus stop. It was to damn cold to walk and he was curious if anyone on the bus would recognize him as the boy from the Moby Dick.

To his relieve not a single strange glare was made in his direction and he arrived at school almost daring to hope that everything would be fine. Once in the classroom he quickly realized that this was not going to be the case. The whispers and questioning glances followed him to his standard place in the back of the classroom. He dumped his bag on the empty chair beside him and faced the class.

A few people gave him a nod, and he gathered that they didn't mind his relationship or just didn't care. A few of the girls smiled and started giggling. Law frowned. He hoped that this behaviour could be ignored and wouldn't lead to any trouble. His eyes landed on two girls and he swallowed. Oh right, he had almost forgotten these two existed.

Nami and Vivi shot dagger across the classroom and he gave them a cocky grin. He never particularly cared about the blue haired girl. That she had had an interest in him was about as important to him as the colour of his pencils was. Well, grinning at them had probably not been his best idea.

Vivi stalked through the classroom, a furious expression on her face. He raised an eyebrow and awaited his destiny. What else was he supposed to do? She was just a girl and he had been through a lot worse than a few icy stares. "So that's why you never dated any of us. Your fucking Eustass Kid! That's just so.. ewww." The look of disgust on her face hurt, but not in the way she had probably intended. He didn't care if they found him disgusting… But the comment was also directed against Kid, and somehow that was not so easy to overlook.

"The reason why I never dated any of you lot is because not a single one of you stupid bitches have anything remotely close to a brain. And about fucking Kid… What if? You jealous?" She raised a hand to slap him but was held back by Nami. The orange haired girl had a look of worry and apology on her face. "That was not particularly nice, Law." She said calmly while trying to turn the snarling Vivi away from him.

He just shrugged but gave her a grateful smile when she finally managed to push the blue haired woman back to the front of the room. The lesson started and Law found that he was surprisingly relieved. So far (almost) everything was going smoothly. Maybe Shaki and Kid had worried about nothing.

The day was half over when the first really nasty remark came flying across the room. Law had just made his way through a crowd in front of the classroom doors when a blond boy spoke up. "You better keep away from us, you disgusting little fag. Wouldn't want your mental disease spreading."

Law barely managed to keep his temper in check but somehow he didn't turn and punch the kid square on his oversized nose. He knew the guy. The blond had always been a prick. He was fortunate with a hell load of money but lack any kind of manners. Usually his remarks were headed against people with less money or anyone who he considered to be a freak.

"Fucking this poor redheaded freak.. That's disgusting and I though it would be even below your low standard." Law grit his teeth but still didn't turn. "You know, I always thought that you would sell that bonny little ass once you decided to become less frigid. But the Eustass boy can't even afford proper clothes, so I guess you go…"

Law didn't listen anymore. Red-hot anger had taken control over his body and he was shaking with rage. Taking a deep breath he turned around and gave the blond a sweet seductive smile. "Well you see… If you're so damn interested in my bonny little ass, you should name me a prize." The other male froze and then smirked, clearly thinking he'd won.

"As if I'd pay to fuck some dirty little slut like you." Law's grin widened. "Your bad. Kid's not sharing me in any way, so…" And with that he walked away. He knew it wasn't the best option he could have gone for, but everything else would have got him into big trouble. Getting entangled into another fight was just not what he was up for at the moment.

The rumour that he was sleeping with Eustass Kid had apparently spread fast and was high on everybody's gossip list. Law thought that this was a lot better than what he could have hoped for. As long as they busied themselves with the trivial part of the story he was fine. Once they remembered about the fight in the Moby Dick and that someone was dead…

After the last lesson, he grabbed his stuff and made his way to the door. He was almost the last in the room, as he had had to take notes for Eustass as well. "Law..?" He turned an looked at Nami who stood at her desk, watching him a little unsure. "I'm sorry about what Vivi said this morning." He raised an eyebrow. That came unexpected. "She's just hurt…" He nodded. Not his problem…

"Look. I just wanted you to know that I don't mind you being with Eustass. If that's what you want, you should do it." It was the first time that anyone in the school had openly said they didn't mind him being gay. Also, it was the first time someone had referred to him and Kid as an item. "Thanks… It means a lot, really." Nami gave him a bright smile and swung her bag over her shoulder, in the end beating him to the door. "See you tomorrow, Law!" And off she was.

Law smiled a little when he walked out of the building and off the school grounds. He had originally planned to go straight to the hospital, but as he had to go buy bread, he decided to quickly drop by the Louge Town Café as well.

He had to wait outside for a few seconds when two tall men came out the moment he wanted to get in. One had blood red hair and smile like an idiot, the other had a prominent scar on his temple and rolled the eyes at his companion. Before Law could look at them more closely, they were around the corner and out if his sight.

Shaki greeted him warmly and immediately started questioning him about school. Law tried to explain that he didn't have much time as he wanted to get to the hospital, but she wouldn't have any of it. "Tell me how they were. You won't get out of here before I know I don't need to send the boys over to your school and beat a few people into bloody pulps." Law raised an eyebrow. Did he really want to know who the boys were? Probably not.

"It was fine. There was one idiot who was making a few comments, but he's always been a jerk. And one girl got a bit nasty, but I think she's into me, so that should be ok as well." Shaki nodded. "Did they talk about the events in the Moby Dick?" Law shook his head. "Not a word. Their main topics are Kid and I. It's fine really…" She gave him another nod and took out a brown paper bag from under the counter.

"I had hoped you'd drop by. Would you mind bringing this to Whitebeard and the gang? There's also a piece for Kid, of course." The dark haired male opened the bag and looked inside. Four neatly wrapped pieces of Shaki's best cake. "They'll better be grateful! I never got your best for free, no matter how bad my day has been." Shaki was still smiling when Law left.

As the doors closed, Rayleigh stepped from the shadows. "I told you they'd be fine." Shaki nodded and nudged him in the side. "You should be in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes. You know you still owe me the rent for this week!" The silver haired man smiled and headed to do as he was told. They both knew that she would never kick him out. He just helped her out to make her smile and she was well aware of that. As Law had said: The two of them knew how to live together without getting at each other's throat.

Marco and Smoker were arguing with Whitebeard when Law arrived at the hospital. As Rayleigh had predicted, the bar owner was not planning to stay in the hospital for even one more minute and insisted that he was just fine – bit of sake and all would be good again. Law silently shook his head at that and handed Kid his cake before turning to the arguing men.

"Hey there. Stop that fighting. I guess all three of you will have to stay here for a bit longer, so I don't see the point in one leaving early." That, surprisingly, shut them all up on the spot. Marco grinned up at Whitebeard, who just smirked. "You remind me of another reckless little kid I once knew." Law raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Shaki gave me this. Guess we're all worried that hospital food is not to anyone's liking." He handed over the paper bag to Whitebeard, as if apologizing for being a reckless little kid. The three men happily devoured the cake. Silence fell.

"Do you happen to have my homework?" Kid said after a while. Law laughed. "I told you you'd be bored to death within no time." Taking out the papers from his bag, he handed the homework to Kid. "Do you want to go over it now, or should we wait until we have a bigger pile?"

"Let's wait for tomorrow. I'll try some of the reading and when you come back we'll work on it…" Kid trailed off, looking at Law a little unsure. "You usually work on Tuesdays, right?" Law nodded and gave his boyfriend a small smile. "I'll drop by, but later. That ok?"

Kid raised his wounded arm, wincing slightly with pain, and pulled Law close. Pressing his forehead against the raven haired's he murmured. "You don't have to come if you don't have time." "'Course he has to come here!" Marco shouted and the boys looked up puzzled. "Someone needs to keep the food supply up!" They all laughed.

Soon it was time for Law to go home. Whitebeard, despite his best efforts to not show it, was tired. "Bring sake tomorrow." The old man said when Law was on his way out. The young man just waved over his shoulder and made his way out.

It had stated snowing in the afternoon and the night seemed a little less dark. Law smiled and caught a big flake in his hands.

Any suggestions who the blond idot at the school was?

I guess you guys see what I meant with the early ending. But I just have too many lose strands at the moment to finish it of in this chapter. I managed to close the Shaki-Rayleigh topic, which I'm really proud of. I was a bit worried they would end up falling behind.

Read and Review please...? I love hearing from you guys! (And I'm always happy to answer questions. I'm pretty talkative if you give me the chance...)