Okay, okay, this chapter is even later then the last! Ha-ah... oops, sorry about that. It slipped my mind because I became consumed by a a video game. But, I want to say thanks for all these wonderful reviews I've been getting lately! Here's chapter eight for you all!

Day 8, Tuesday

"Hey Usopp! Down here!"

Sanji watched with a smile as the long-nosed student froze on the sidewalk in confusion, looking around before finally spotting him. He stepped off the street, eyeing the walls around him uneasily as if he expected something to jump out and attack him. "What are you doing here?" He asked once he'd stopped in front of the blonde.

Sanji raised his hand to show what he held in it. "Smoking."

"In an alley?!" He cried.

"I always come out here to smoke." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Usopp sighed giving him an almost scolding look that wasn't nearly as fierce as it was adorable. "That habit of yours is going to kill you in more ways than one. It's really not doing you any favors you know."

"Ladies think smoking is very sophisticated." Sanji refuted, "Especially when the guy can do this." He took a drag and turned his head, blowing out what appeared to be a smoke ring. But as it twisted in the air, it took a different shape, two bends of the circle turning downwards and transforming the ring into a heart.

"W-Whoa that was-!" Usopp started to say, turning awed eyes towards him – but maybe because of the triumphant smile on his face, the younger quickly changed his tune by turning away, clearing his throat. "I-I mean, I guess it's cool."

He didn't answer, just blew out another few coils of smoke that turned into hearts.

"Really, really cool- didn't you have somewhere to take me?!" Sanji chuckled and nodded, putting out the cigarette and leading Usopp back out onto the sidewalk. But he was surprised when the artist persisted, "So, why did you learn to make heart rings anyways?" He added cheekily, "Or should I say rather, who were you trying to impress?"

Wondering just how intuitive the other was, Sanji stuffed his hands into his pockets, heading towards the nearest crosswalk. "Nami-swan." His lips upturned in a smile at the memory. "Back in high school I crushed on her pretty hard and I decided I was going to ask her out. But I wanted to do something romantic, you know? And I had heard from the cooks from my dad's restaurant who, well, smoked a lot that you could make heart rings so I thought that was perfect and started trying to figure out how to do it." He grimaced at a particularly unpleasant memory. "One time I smoked until I was sick and had my head in the toilet for the rest of the night. Eventually I got it though. And yet…"

The walk light came on and they started crossing, Usopp supplying for him, "She turned you down."

"Yeah. Said she didn't feel the same and didn't want to ruin our friendship. I was pretty heartbroken." Once they made it across, he started heading down Whiskey Avenue, towards the south side of town. "But she was probably right anyways."

"Oh?"

"We got pretty close after I got over my crush and now she's the first person I tend to confide stuff too – if she hasn't already guessed it herself. Nami-san was the first person I told about being bi." Sanji admitted.

Usopp rubbed his arm some, looking nervous as he asked, "Ah, and… how did that go for you? I-I mean, if you want to tell me that is."

He reached out, almost stopping when the other flinched, but decided not to worry about it as he shoved his shoulder gently. "Cut that timid shit out already. I'm not going to fillet you for wanting to get to know me, idiot." He answered once the long-nosed visibly relaxed some. "And it went fine. Well… after I stopped be a retard about it I guess."

It was probably the most inane time to notice just how wonderfully long the other's eyelashes were as he blinked curiously at him. "What do you mean?"

"Heh… I kind of, maybe, uh… acted like my world was ending. Not that it was entirely my fault!" He hurriedly defended. "I mean, the only gay guys I even knew about in school were the real flamboyant ones. You know, the ones who wore make-up and talked in really high voices and shaved their legs and stuff. Some of them even wore girl clothes! What would you of done if you thought that was your future?"

Usopp started to laugh. "Oh I get it. So you thought… you thought being gay meant you had to be a drag queen?"

"S-Shut up! I told you I was being stupid about it!" Sanji could feel the warmth on his cheeks, looking away irritably as he fingered the lighter in his pocket.

The younger shot him a teasing grin. "So Nami was the one to tell you it doesn't change who you are."

"Yeah. She was. Nami darling is magnificently blunt. She was also the one to encourage me into telling the rest of our friends and my dad too."

"What about-" Usopp started to ask then bit his lip and said instead, "I mean, uh, how did you figure it out?"

He gave the other a pointed look for a few moments, but the other just avoided his eyes so he said, "I started getting weird feelings for one of Luffy's friends. He was kind of dorky and pretty shy but he had a really cute smile and before I knew it, I started having all these… rather perverted thoughts about him. After that I started noticing a lot of other guys too and well that was pretty much that."

"Ah, I see." He nodded and there was a slight lull in their conversation that Sanji let last until they turned onto the next street.

"And my mother died when I was four."

Brown eyes went wide and Usopp's jaw practically hit the sidewalk as he looked towards him in complete shock.

"Well, you wanted to know didn't you?" He said casually.

"What? No! I-I didn't – I mean you didn't have to-" The darker male nearly tripped on his own feet.

He sighed, drawing out his pack of cigarettes, continuing on calmly as if the other wasn't even speaking. Not that it mattered since his next words quieted him instantly. "She died in labor. They found out when my mom dilated that my sister was turned around inside of her and couldn't be naturally birthed so mom needed to deliver right away, but she ended up hemorrhaging during the C-section and they lost her."

"Do you remember anything about her?" Usopp whispered softly, idly twisting at the metal pierced in his ear. Sanji noted it was an interesting little bull's-eye mark today instead of the typical silver hoop.

"Not really." The lighter clicked and flared, Sanji breathing deeply on the first drag. "Just a few little things like how she only wore her pearl necklace on special occasions and after she took a shower she'd always smell like lavender." He rolled the cigarette on his fingers, watching the smoke twist. "And this one memory when she must have been really far along because I remember how big her belly was. I was sitting on the floor while she was sitting in her favorite chair and I still remember what she said to me: 'Now Sanji, since you're going to have a sister, you can't play with her like you do with boys. Girls are delicate and beautiful, just like butterfly wings.'"

"Butterfly wings?" Usopp asked in befuddlement.

"Mmmhmm." He nodded, clarifying, "We used to go to the park all the time and there would always be a lot of butterflies there but I was taught never to chase them or try to capture them. When I asked why, I sort of remember mom telling me I could hurt their wings and make it so they couldn't fly anymore and then the butterfly would die."

"Oh... So that's why you're so chivalrous." The younger murmured softly, before rubbing at the back of his neck, looking like he expected more bad news when he inquired further, "And… your sister?"

Sanji chuckled. "Kaya is living down east studying medicine. She wants to be a doctor." He flicked off some ashes and added, "You should meet her someday; then you two can tag team me with ways to stop my smoking."

"Well, if it's for a good cause…" Usopp said with a teasing grin growing on his face before the both of them laughed.

Their conversation wheedled down to less serious topics, making the normally dull and long twenty-minute trek much more enjoyable, even if it all ended up being about Sanji. Not that he minded sharing little tidbits about his life with the other – especially considering how much he had pried into the other's life.

So he told him about how France was like, dispelling a lot of the common myths about the country most of the world believed – like how French people did indeed take showers and shave and no, sadly the women were not all topless at the beach. He also told him how he moved to here when he was seven and how Luffy had spent the better part of a week following after him on the playground, trying to get him to be his friend (because, Sanji explained, he thought his eyebrows were 'too cool').

By the time he was finishing up telling the other about his first big cooking disaster, they had arrived at their destination. "-And batter went everywhere! The cabinets, between the burner grates on the stove, the ceiling – everywhere."

The artist was laughing, arms crossed over his midsection. "Oh man, how mad was your dad?"

"Tch, shitty old man was going to ground me but then he decided cleaning up my mess was a better idea. It took hours." He wrinkled his nose some in distaste while the other continued to giggle at him. He opened his mouth, about to remind the other he had been only ten, when he noticed the gleam of a metal tower at the end of the street. "Oh, we're almost there."

"We are? Where? There's nothing out here." The other said looking around with renewed interested. But they had left the city somewhat behind them and now there was nothing but a slightly grassy field on either side of them. And what was up ahead of course. So Sanji pointed at it and Usopp looked, eyebrows drawing together in confusion. "The scrap yard?"

"Yeah. There's someone I want you to meet."

It took him almost five feet to realize Usopp had stopped walking beside him. He paused and glanced around, seeing the other just standing there, playing with his earring again and looking nervous. "What? Don't tell me you're afraid of meeting people now too."

"I- well…" He seemed to want to say something, but then he stood up a little straighter, puffing out his chest some. "Of course not! I just needed to retie my shoes."

"You're wearing boots." Sanji said plainly.

Despite what he said though, Usopp still bent over to mess with the tops of his shoes, the whole thing looking ridiculous. "Yeah well I understand why you would say that. They're very special boots. They come with chameleon laces." Chameleon laces, really? "They blend in so well they're practically invisible!"

The curly-haired man pulled one last time on his invisible knot then came marching down the trail and right past him, as if what he had done was completely normal. "Yosh I'm ready! Let's meet this friend of yours!"

Too busy wondering just what the hell that had been, this time it took Sanji almost five feet to remember to move and carry himself after Usopp he'd have to lift his legs.

Maybe he's a stress liar? He thought as he looked the other over peculiarly, seeing how his chest was still puffed out with false bravado since he could also detect the slight shake in his knees that gave away the ruse. He already picked up from his reluctance to accept his phone number and friendship qualms that Usopp had some major self-esteem issues. But this was definitely the first time he'd seen him try to play it off as nothing.

It had already been eight days and it felt like Sanji still didn't know him at all.

Unsure what to do he decided not to comment on it and merely said, "Good, because Franky can't wait to meet you."

Bzzzt.

Sanji had to face it: between lovely Nami-san, who had every right to open her mouth to utter any secret that came to mind as long as it spread her beautiful voice even further across the land, and that shitty straw hat, who when not stuffing his unusually stretchable cheeks to full capacity with meat was flapping his gums with inane chatter, there really was no keeping secrets for long among his friends. So everyone knew about Usopp and his own personal feelings for the already taken male and how he wanted to try the whole 'just being friends' gig.

Thankfully, all of his friends were supportive in their own ways to this honestly crazy arrangement. Vivi-chan and Nami-san were always willing to offer little nudges of encouragement when he was feeling conflicted. Luffy was constantly prodding and begging to meet this new love interest (probably for selfish getting-into-the-fridge reasons); in contrast, Robin-chan was a gloriously silent and patient presence with a stunning smile for him whenever it was needed. Brook and him shared an increasingly strange text conversation that ended with the rock star trying to encourage him into finding out Usopp's favorite brand of underwear. Even the shitty Marimo didn't bother to hassle him at all about it in their near daily quarrels.

Bzzzt.

As for Franky, the man was best known for his fairly fraternal qualities, always eager to make a new 'bro'. But the minute he found out the kid also had a similar fondness for building and fixing things well… 'Can't wait to meet you' was probably an understatement for the large-framed man's newfound feelings if the spine-crushing bear hug the younger received had anything to say about it. Sanji swore Usopp could be a serial killer that turned children into mittens and the minute the words 'mechanic fanatic' were uttered, Franky would immediately forget all debaucheries and welcome his new follower like Satan welcomed atheists.

It was that similarity though that had sparked the idea in Sanji's head to arrange the meeting. He nearly immediately regretted it because at first all Usopp could do was shuffle about timidly and barely speak, voice nothing more than a quivering squeak. But Franky was hardly deterred, prattling the younger's ear off about knobs and tubes and cleats and looms and other things until Sanji felt entirely lost.

Bzzzt.

But it had an extraordinary effect on Usopp. His wide-eyed terror slowly turned into wide-eyed wonder and admiration and, just like that day at the park, he watched the other man come alive with excitement and enthusiasm. And then he was talking fixtures and boxes and tie wires and bushings and other things until Sanji was even more lost. But none of that mattered as long as he got to see the way those brown eyes lit up at each new contraption Franky had built or how he smiled as he was shown how they worked or even hearing the delighted squeal he let out when offered to help with one of the works-in-progress.

And so there they were, Franky and Usopp, together a few feet away at the workbench with gears and tools spread around them, and Sanji sitting on some tossed aside tire, smoking, while bad American musical film songs played on the battery-powered stereo set aside in the corner. All of them were chugging cold bottles of cola and laughing and sharing jokes and stories. And Usopp had smears of WD-40 on his nose and cheek and a band-aid around his finger where he had laughed off the skin he accidentally pinched away in the curve of some pliers and his bandana had come somewhat loose, leaving his hair a bit frazzled around his face.

Damn did he look beautiful.

Bzzzt.

Sanji really didn't want it to end.

Bzzzt.

But he knew if he kept ignoring the annoying buzzing of Usopp's phone vibrating along the surface of some broken plywood that was no doubt the sound of a certain unwanted boyfriend looking for his missing better half, he'd probably get his ass burned for it later.

"Hey, Usopp?" Sanji called, cutting into the two's terrible rendition of "Greased Lightnin'". "Your phone keeps going off."

The other practically dropped everything in his hands as he leapt across the workshop in one bound. "What?!"

"Yeah it's gone off like five-" Bzzzt. "Six times."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

To avoid giving the obvious 'Because-I'm-a-jealous-son-of-a-bitch' answer, Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette and just shrugged. Luckily Usopp wasn't paying attention anyways because the top flap was already open, busily reading the texts. And with each one he scrolled through, the grasp he had on the little device grew increasingly tighter until his knuckles were practically white.

"I…I got to go." Usopp said at last, shoving the phone into his front pocket and turning away from them to stare at his reflection in a piece of sheet metal, swiping back his messy hair and retying the checkered cloth with practiced ease.

"What, now?" Franky asked unhappily. "What about all of our suuuper work?"

The younger nodded, shifting on his feet agitatedly. "Sorry, Kuro's uhh… a little ticked off. We had plans today and it totally slipped my mind." Sanji took another drag from his cigarette, this time to hide a smug smile.

"Ow! Let me give you a lift then." Franky offered, flipping down his triangular sunglasses to let them rest over his eyes.

"No, no uh!" A hand pressed over the pocket that was buzzing once again, biting on his lower lip. "I mean thanks for the offer but uh he'll cool down better this way is all."

A blue eyebrow arched but the taller nodded. "You know him best. But I'm leaving all this," He waved at the incomplete contraption, "untouched. So you better come back to help me finish it soon longnose-bro!"

The grin Usopp gave at that moment was comparable to Luffy's when they went to that all-meat buffet he loved. "Yeah, you got it! It was great meeting you. This was really awesome."

Sanji twisted his cigarette in the rusty jar lid he had been using as an ashtray before unfolding his legs and getting to his feet. "I'll walk you back then."

"Oh-"

"Actually curly, I got a favor I need to be asking for." Franky interrupted. "I think something in my fridge has gone super bad."

Sometimes, he swore his friends thought he was their housemaid as he grumbled under his breath. "Probably the milk. Again." He looked up at Usopp who was snickering away at that. "You know the way back?"

"Yeah, I got it. I'll see you 'round!" The other said before hurrying out the door with a backwards wave.

He watched him from the dirt-dusted window, sighing as the other sprinted out of the scrapyard and out of sight, before turning around to head to the kitchen only to pause when he noticed Franky hadn't moved. Instead, he was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his bare chest, sunglasses pushed back up along his head so he could level him with a serious stare. Something uneasy stirred in Sanji's gut as he snapped, "What?"

"I saw that smirk bro."

He frowned, busying himself with pulling out another cigarette. It wasn't until he had it lit and sucked in the first drag that he finally spoke; though, for all the time he had allowed himself, the only response he had was an extremely immature: "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Saw the way you glanced at his phone too."

"So?" Sanji fumed, heading back to his tire seat. "It's not my responsibility to tell him."

The architect major frowned tightly. "It is when your reason is to cause some unsuper things to happen as a result."

He rolled his shoulders uncaringly as an answer, trying to ignore the barbell weighing down his lungs and meshing his intestines together. His voice sounded weak to his ears. "You're making it seem like I had this grand master scheme. I didn't know about the date."

The chair scraped as Franky pushed it back, crossing the room. "Since I've known you Sanji you've always been a super kind of guy. A real good guy. You've never been the type to play dirty. But if you keep acting like this, you'll start toeing that line." A hand clapped down on his shoulder. "And you'll not only hurt someone you really care about but you also won't like the look of yourself either."

The barbell had turned into an anchor and he couldn't find the air to breathe let alone speak. The silence didn't last long before Sanji almost toppled out of his seat when Franky slapped him on the back and said, "Now come on. You still need to check out my fridge."