24


After his counseling appointment Thursday afternoon, Law sat in Smoker's office, frowning at the paper bag Smoker once again set out on his desk. Smoker shook it a couple of times before setting it near him, and while it didn't make much noise, it signaled that whatever it was, was heavy and soft. Sitting in his desk chair, Smoker looked through his file, looking over last week's report with Law's appointed counselor.

"This says she feels confident that you're not a flight risk," Smoker said lightly, eyebrows lifted. "That's good to hear."

Law shrugged, picking at his slacks.

"Have you given thought to what you want to do?" Smoker asked, setting his file aside, folding his hands over his stomach as he leaned back in his chair.

After all the recent things that had happened so far, Law had to admit that his anxiety over staying with his parents wasn't as bad as it had been. He felt he had a backup plan with Doflamingo, and even if parts of himself felt jumpy at the thought of being the focus of his father's wrath – no matter if Lorenzo had not been the same man since that time – he acknowledged feeling a little braver facing it. After all, he had grown strong enough to help out those kids, withstand Sanji's rage fits, encounters with the Vinsmokes, and Doflamingo's temper; he was starting to see that he was able to withstand the storm. He wasn't that shaky little animal that automatically cringed at the thought of interaction, but someone that could lift his head to face it.

It still made him nervous to be around his parents, knowing that they'd be disappointed in him, in that he still couldn't speak much around them, but they were trying. Wasn't that the point of it? They'd heard him speak, they knew he was angry at them, they were willing to let him go if only to be able to talk to him from time to time. So things weren't as he'd imagined them to be months earlier; they were shifting because he was changing.

He shoved his hands into his sweater pocket – where a note from Sanji this morning told him that 'You are braver than you think – go for it!' – and slouched low in his seat.

When he didn't answer, Smoker said, "They want to take you out for dinner on your birthday. Would you want that? Without a third wheel present, of course."

The thought of being alone with them made him nervous, still. He reasoned that making the choice of going with them for a couple of hours was much different than living with them. But perhaps it would help with his decision.

"That's fine," he said tightly, finding it difficult to believe that he was actually going to do this. Even after it left his mouth, his anxiety started to rise up. What if they kept pushing him to talk? What if his mind went blank? What if he couldn't say the appropriate thing? What if they kept trying to make him repeat himself when he was trying to say something – what if he couldn't say anything at all?

Smoker looked pleased. "Your choice, then. You can pick the place, I'm sure they'll be cool with it, even if it's fast food – "

"Baratie's."

Smoker frowned at him. "You can't let that kid talk for you."

Law shrugged.

"Besides, I think that place traumatized them – "

"Not like they hadn't done to me."

Smoker sighed, shifting his file from one spot to another. "Touché. But maybe you can talk to them a little, tell them what you're thinking. You going to stay, or go? You feel this, you feel that. Lay down some conditions, they want to hear everything. Good or negative. I feel that you've done amazing, so far. The fact that you haven't run away is just…well, it speaks volumes, kid."

"Nothing's been accomplished just yet," Law muttered. "They only know bits and pieces."

"Give 'em a little more, then, huh? Tell them about your likes and dislikes. Your favorite class, food. Why you refuse to eat bread – "

"Because Mrs. Higley only fed the three of us bread slices while her regular family ate like kings for nearly six months."

Smoker remembered that incident. He rustled through his papers with a clearing of his throat. "Sometimes, we don't always catch them, kid."

"And Mr Higley liked us boys better with our ribs showing, so – "

"Okay, stop – "

"You said to tell them stuff! This is 'stuff'," Law snapped at him. "This is the stuff I went through because of them, so they can fucking know it!"

Smoker sighed heavily, drawing out the exhale as he leaned back in his chair. Law glared at the paper bag, fingers forming fists in his sweater pockets. Once aware of the note, he clasped that within one sweaty hand, and thought about how angry Sanji was for him that day against Fullbody and Jango. How angry would he be if he learned just what exactly Law had been through? Or would Sanji turn away, having never understood that these things were real? Rich, sheltered kids like him wouldn't understand…but then again, they probably didn't understand that they were trapped in a cage themselves. After seeing what Sanji was going through – steadfastly denying it every bit of the way – Law's way of thinking that Sanji wouldn't 'get' him became a less clearer thought.

"This is what they want back, they're going to have to accept it all," Law muttered.

"They love you, kid, they just – "

"Don't fucking tell me they love me!"

Smoker held his hands up in a surrendering gesture after Law grew red in the face, his shout seemingly eating up the silence in the office. Hina showed up to look in at them, eyebrows lifted.

"Hina senses displeasure," she said suspiciously. "Smoker, what fuckery are you up to?"

"Saying all the wrong things," Smoker explained while Law stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest, note still clasped in one hand. "I'm sorry, kid. You're absolutely right."

Hina gave him a thumbs up before moving on, and Smoker shifted in his seat. "Are you still fine with dinner?"

His quick explosion of anger fading away, Law considered the offer. He mumbled, "Only under those conditions I'd stated."

"It's fine that you're taking these small steps forward," Smoker told him. "At least they're steps. Even if you decide you don't want to reconnect with them, that's okay. You at least tried, and you can feel good about that as we set you up with other living situations. But speaking to them will help things along. So, once there, please try and talk a little. Right now, spilling out the negative experiences of your foster care is already something they're aware of. They were assured that the perpetrators you and the other kids named off have been penalized, and I'd given them the name of your advocate for any questions they might have in the process. Your CASA won't go into detail with them, but it's important to know what happened, so they know. It's only up to you if you want to ever talk about it."

Thinking about those experiences made him think that it was just another mark against him. He was not that innocent young boy anymore. If his parents knew what these cases were about – out of his hands, now, the advocate speaking on his behalf – he was sure they'd treat him differently.

"It doesn't make you a bad or unfit person because of it. Don't ever think that – "

"I don't want to hear it from you, right now."

Smoker gestured with his chin. "What's in your hand? Phone number?"

"No." Law straightened up in his chair, unfolding it to look it over. The ink was smeared because he had been clutching it so tightly, his sweat permeating the paper, but it was still legible. "My friend gives me positive notes to read."

"Your 'friend'?" Smoker repeated incredulously.

"I don't care, I like them."

Smoker was happy to hear that. "Not the kind that's going to talk you into doing something stupid, right? A good friend will motivate you to do better and do great things. A bad friend wants only to satisfy himself with easy riches. I'm sure you've learned that, by now."

"I'm not in jail, yet, right?"

"'Yet'," Smoker repeated, reaching out and touching the bag. "Let's hope you don't do anything to get there, because it'll be harder this time around for you to leave it at this age. You're almost an adult, kid."

Law frowned at the bag, closing up his note. He stuffed that into his pocket, then shook his head in regards to the gesture.

Smoker put the bag away, rising up from his chair. As he rose, he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Off we go, then. Back to school? No, home, looks like. I'll let your parents know your conditions, just let me know what night will work for you."

Friday morning, when everyone was involved with a new packet set to be due next week, Law turned in his seat. Sanji was busy growling at Niji for Niji's comments on something that had happened at home, so when he felt Law touch him to get his attention, he turned to him with a scowl.

"You work on Wednesdays?"

"Yeah," Sanji answered, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. When he caught sight of Law wincing at the action, he chuckled. "Stop judging me. I wash my hands constantly at work. Look, my hands are fucking chapped because of it."

"Um, so…I'll be there, then," Law said with some discomfort, looking at the near cracked dryness of Sanji's knuckles to indicate his multiple washings. "Next week."

"Oh? What time? I have this – " Sanji cut himself off to glare at Niji, who was currently complaining over an essay question, Zoro scowling at the volume of his voice. He and Koala ended up trading seats at Mr Hansen's direction, and it was impossible for him to get any sleep with Niji's loud voice, Sanji's complaints and Yonji yelling back at both of them. He wore a grumpy expression.

Sanji whispered, "Are you allergic to anything?"

"Maybe not pasta…"

"Chicken again?"

Since Sanji was offering, despite his discomfort to choose, Law shrugged. "Fish...?"

"I have this great fish and vegetable dish you have to try, then!" Sanji said cheerily, perking up with the topic. "Are you familiar with harissa?"

"No."

"It'll be great! Are you having dinner with your parents again? I swear I'll be better behaved, this time," Sanji said hastily, looking nervous.

"Yes." Law wondered if he should tell him this was for his birthday coming up soon, then figured it didn't matter. It would come up eventually.

Sanji studied him for a few seconds, then reached out and squeezed his shoulder. He smiled at him brilliantly, choosing to keep his comments about the event to himself. It still bothered him that he had no idea what Law would decide, but since this event didn't seem as if it was destroying him from the inside, Sanji had to think positive.

"Smoker will be there?"

"…No."

Sanji looked at him with concern, trying to read his expression. But he nodded firmly. "If you feel like you need to get away, I'll be there."

"That's why I picked it," Law told him nervously, unsure if admitting that sort of thing was proper. But the reaction Sanji gave reassured him that it was okay – the kid beamed at him again, like he was given riches beyond his dreams.

"Ugh, Mr Hansen! These two assholes are flirting with each other in public! If it ain't straights making kissy faces, it's fags!" Niji complained loudly, Yonji turning in his chair to give Sanji a shocked expression. Sanji scowled at them both, reddening once attention was forced their way because of it. "I demand rights as an asexual!"

Yonji bellowed out a loud laugh. "Yeah, right! That's not what you were saying about Miss Nico!"

Sanji turned his scowl to his desk, filling in a line on the packet before he dropped his pen to focus on Law. "So…this is a good thing, right? You're…going to consider staying with them?"

"I don't know," Law told him, fiddling with the scars on the desktop.

"I hope that means you'll stay here, though," Sanji added nervously. "Like we talked about. Make them move here. You need to stay here, you need to tell them why."

"They said they would be willing, to, even I chose not to live with them."

"But that would mean you'd stay at Doflamingo's…?"

"He would be cool with it."

With the ambiance of the classroom, everyone either focused on their friends or the packet, with Niji occasionally complaining about his workload or Yonji's loud comments to those around him, he felt comfortable enough to not be heard by those closest to them. He picked at a scar that fell in line with the grain of the wood.

"I don't know, that guy scares me," Sanji admitted, leaning on his palm.

"As long as he needs someone for Rosinante, I don't mind."

"Yeah, but…what's going to happen when you're legal? Like, is he going to expect you to contribute to the house, somehow?" Sanji asked, thinking with worry of their kitchen, their bare cupboards.

"He can provide me with a job, but…I think it'll be…sketchy."

Sanji wasn't sure what 'sketchy' meant – on television, it was drug dealing, murder, chit-chats with dangerous persons in dark alleys. With his quiet, shadowish-nature, Sanji could picture Law as a drug dealer that could evade cops with ease. He reached over with his left hand to lightly scratch his fingertips over the length of Law's fingers. "And your parents? If they can provide better, it might be better if you just wound up with them for awhile."

"I don't know…it just depends on how long they'd want me," Law told him, opening his fingers to curl over his, enjoying the feel of them in his grasp.

"They do! It's not like you're a fucking demanding kid, like me, who wants everything! They're probably never going to know you're even there, because you'll skulk around the house like a mouse, and – just think of this! At least you'll have a roof, constant meals, and access to a goddamn nail clipper," Sanji added, grabbing his fingers and examining his nails with a critical eye. Law snatched his hand back.

"You're not cutting them again," he muttered.

"I just want you to be happy," Sanji then told him anxiously, fiddling with his pen while looking down at his packet. "You are important, and it's important for you to know that."

Law had a hard time accepting that, but he was starting to accept that he was to Sanji. With how persistent and sincere he was, it was hard not to; the teen was wearing a troubled frown as he avoided Law's expression, which made Law wonder if he had something else on his mind. Maybe he was just as nervous as Law about the entire thing, maybe he was just abashed to continue his support in front of others, including his ever watchful brothers. Niji was still scowling at them from time to time, but he wasn't as bad as he was before. And Law looked at Sanji very closely every morning, to see if he were hiding injury of some type, sure that this lie the brothers were presenting was only a set-up. It was just too easy of them to be this way after fighting Sanji's choices from the very start.

"I don't know what I want," he mumbled, then.

"You want to stay here at this school, that's what you want," Sanji told him, but it was obvious that was what he wanted. Law wanted to give him some assurance that both choices would mean that he would stay at Grandline, but he didn't want to lie. He didn't feel that Sanji deserved that. So he said nothing at all. Watching him, Sanji pushed his foot out to his, nudging his heel. It felt natural for Law to reach over and touch his knee, to clasp onto something that would keep from forming tense fists.

Things could work out, Law told himself. All he had to do was make the right choice.

: :

While their last period was clustered in the library for an upcoming project, Law seated himself at a table. He found a fresh piece of paper and stared at the lines there, half an ear on the teacher's lecture. While aware that this project was a large part of this semester's grade, he figured he'd look online for the assignment during a break and print it out. When his thoughts wandered towards the upcoming dinner with his parents, with Rosinante's recent moods over new medication, Law wanted to think of something positive, so he started thinking of Sanji, instead.

He liked the boy. He liked the support Sanji gave him, he liked his stubbornness, and he liked how ridiculous he could get. He didn't care if everyone knew about them, or if it were wrong. Sanji made him feel valued, and whatever it was that they had right now, he wanted it. But regarding how far it would go, or however long it lasted, that wasn't certain. All he knew was that every day was easier because of Sanji, and while they still met during lunch and sporadically between classes, it felt good to be in his presence.

He looked up as someone sat down next to him, shuffling papers. He froze once he saw that it was Ichiji, who held what looked like childish drawings in both hands. Law wasn't sure what this was about, looking at the papers with distrust before looking at the eldest Vinsmoke brother.

"I noticed that both of you don't spend much time together," Ichiji said quietly. "And that's partly our fault – as quadruplets, we were born into this world together, and while we don't always get along, it's…unfathomable to be separated for too long of a time. We're so used to Sanji being there that when he started disappearing, it…made us a little anxious, so we became clingy. Now that we've come to peace with this – "

"Bullshit," Law growled, looking to pull away when Ichiji said forcefully, "I brought these because I thought you'd be interested in it. After all, you guys like to exchange notes. These are Sanji's…when he was a kid, he had to sit on the sidelines while we were engrossed with our athletic practices, so he would fill notebook after notebook up with various things. Drawings, poems…goals."

Why they were being given to Law made no sense.

"Your birthday is coming up, right?" Ichiji asked, laying them down over his notebook. "I figured you'd want something to remember him by before you left him."

Law wondered what business Ichiji had in his student file, and what was in there. He supposed it was the usual record of schools he'd attended, the change of addresses, the different guardians, Smoker's presence. Ichiji expected him to leave. But now that he had a vague idea of what Ichiji was implying, he felt a little more sturdy standing up to him.

"With your speech impediment, it would make more sense if you'd applied for a general education degree and immediately found work in an area that doesn't require higher education to survive. If it would help, I have a list of warehouses and shops that don't require – "

"I don't need your fucking help."

Ichiji sighed. "Look, as it is, my brother's place in life has already been decided. Father has the four of us set for an education in justice, and without father's support, Sanji will not be able to go very far. He is counting on father's support to get him through life, and if you could see that – "

"We're high schoolers," Law interrupted him, "not adults planning for a future together."

"So, you acknowledge that this relationship will not survive for very long? Then why embark into it?" Ichiji asked, examining his nails. "You exposed something of him that he'd tried to hide from the rest of us, and you choose to abandon him with your 'fuck off' attitude. Of course this concerns me."

Law felt that sliver of pain hit him from inside, recalling his actions with Sanji's cellphone. Weeks ago, he had planned on running away without a look back; now he was stepping into waters he hadn't thought he would have if it hadn't been for Sanji. Troubled, Law felt his fingers curling into fists.

Observing his expression, Ichiji continued, "If he is only temporary in your world, then perhaps it's best to break it off sooner, than later."

It was sound advice; but Law wasn't going to do that. With how little he had, he wasn't about to let go of the things that made him feel positive when he had them; the only way he'd do so was when he was forced to leave them.

"No," he told Ichiji firmly, looking at his notebook.

Ichiji exhaled firmly, looking over to the cluster of kids that were going over the project's objectives with their teacher. After a few moments, he said, "Sanji has a kind heart. He hides it well. Once, when we were eight, we came across this rabbit in the road. It had been hit by a car. It was lying there, twitching, uttering panicked grunts, fitting of a dying rodent. We walked on, thinking nothing more of it, but later on that night, dad sent me to the garage to get something from the car. I heard that rabbit's grunts, and found that Sanji had stashed it in a box with towels, having bandaged what he could of it. The animal was going to die, that was given, but for him to try and save it? I knew dad would throw a fit if he found the thing there. So I took a shovel to it, then placed it under one of our rose bushes. Sanji must've buried it the next day, because it wasn't there when I checked on it, but the point of the story? I will cover up my brother's mistakes, no matter how stupid they are."

Ichiji then rose from his chair and walked off, leaving those papers behind. With that story lingering, Law looked upset. He had no doubt Ichiji would do whatever it took to keep his family appearance pristine.

Law picked up the papers, noting that Sanji's handwriting hadn't changed that much. Childishly drawn guys in three piece suits and briefcases was his goal in fifth grade – 'to succeed like dad.' A poem detailed how he yearned for a trip to the ocean, and how a good job would allow him that. The last paper was written recently, a track plan for his future; graduate high school, attend college, succeed at his job to live comfortably. All it involved was hard work and dedication, and he'd added bullet points as to what 'dedication' meant to him.

Law was sure this was Ichiji's way of telling him that Sanji had a future, and he shouldn't interfere. But he wondered if big brother truly knew what Sanji wanted – the way he spoke about cooking, the way his expression lit up just talking about his job, it wasn't the future that Ichiji thought Sanji desired. Surely, Ichiji was aware that Sanji didn't want to be roped into what their father expected of him.

He folded these papers together, slipped them into his notebook. After school, he headed over to Sanji's locker, standing to the side while Sanji hastily exchanged his texts. Once he noticed Law, though, he slowed down and grinned brightly.

"I have a note," he said, retrieving it from his bag and passing it over. Then pushed both hands over Law's, adding quickly, "Read it later."

Law noted his nervousness. He couldn't help but ask, "Is it a dirty note?"

Sanji exclaimed, "NO!"

Amused by his reaction, Law gave a slight smile. But he handed the papers Ichiji had given to him to Sanji, who took them with a bewildered look, recognizing them. He snatched them from Law's grasp, shoving them into his bag hurriedly.

"Your brother gave me those."

"Why would he do that?" Sanji asked, bewildered.

"He just wants to make sure you're…still on the right path, I guess."

Sanji frowned at the hall, which was still busy with students preparing to leave the building. "Don't listen to anything he says," he mumbled with discomfort, fiddling with his bag. "They're up to something."

"He expects that once the day comes, I'm gone," Law said, back against the lockers next to his.

"Is that day soon?" Sanji asked cautiously, looking at him with a frown.

"Hmm hmm. But…everything you said, it made me stop and think," Law admitted. "And that's why… I feel I can do this dinner."

Sanji shut his locker. "You'll still complete school through, right?"

"It wasn't in my plans at first, but now that I have options…"

"There's a lot of options for you!" Sanji declared, reaching for his hand and pulling him away from the lockers, leading the way outside. "Completing this will give you another step ahead! Plus, how am I supposed to measure up to your brain if you're not here to challenge me? I told you, I need your influence, your work is truly the stuff I need to do better without having to adjust to Ichiji's alien measures."

"Just my brain?" Law asked once they were outside, the brilliance of the afternoon sun causing him to squint, the street busy with bus activity, with the sound of those leaving the student parking lot. Kids' voices rang out, filling the air, car horns emitting occasional blasts of sound. He had to get home to Rosinante, but since this situation felt more pressing, he retrieved his cigarettes and lit one, giving it to Sanji. Sanji inhaled nicotine with relief, Law sitting down against the wall as various students made their way from the school yard.

He wanted to ask how many animals Sanji had saved.

"So, what…like, can I ask what happened?" Sanji then asked, lowering the cigarette. "What made you run away in the first place?"

Law thought about answering that question; it had come up numerous times, but he never thought he'd actually talk about it with him. Sanji crouched in front of him, dashing ashes to the side. "You don't have to talk about it, I was just wondering. I can't imagine being in your position, and I'm just pushing for you to help repair these things, but I don't even know what happened in the first place…I could be pushing you to doing something that might be…well, like you said, unsafe."

Law studied him for a bit, then reached out with a foot to lightly push him off balance. "Don't you think about yourself, sometimes?" he asked.

"No, why? I swear my blood pressure stabilized once I stopped thinking so much of myself. The threat of having a heart attack this early isn't so bad," Sanji admitted lightly. He then looked the other boy over with a shy smile. "You're always on my mind, so…"

"Creepy kid."

Sanji chuckled, cigarette to his lips again as he straightened to stand. Law fiddled with his lighter before putting it back into his cigarette box, tucking that into his slacks pocket. Sanji then gave him the rest of the cigarette, moving around his legs to sit next to him.

"When is your birthday?" he asked, squinting against the sun as it managed to push through the leaves of trees nearby.

"Next week," Law answered vaguely. Cigarette at his lips, he mumbled, "Saturday."

With a troubled look, Sanji said, "Come to school. Come back to school, don't think about taking off."

"I have options. I can finish school. It's just a matter of…whether or not things work out," Law said slowly, flicking ashes to the side. "Even if it doesn't work out with Doflamingo or my parents, there's a program used for mature minors that will help me get out on my own, and allow me to be independent, or whatever, at the cost of their rules."

"Then do it. But don't drop out."

Law reflected on the view in front of them for a bit, before saying, "You really think that things will work out?"

"Well, not to get unrealistic, but it takes work," Sanji said, fiddling with his cast.

"If I don't mess it up. I keep doing that, so – "

"Stop thinking so negatively! Not everything you touch can be ruined. I mean, check me out! I'm practically fixed!" Sanji said cheerily, waving a hand over his head. Law looked at him doubtfully, because he was wearing a cast over a broken arm, a bruise from where he'd hit him, with a bad haircut. Sanji hit him with his elbow, grumbling as he rubbed his cast with that hand. "I know I became a different person after meeting you, so….so for that I'm happy about. I could still be the prick that was hounding you for corrections and such, so…but I now see that things are different, and they can be different, and what I wasn't able to have, I want it very much, now. I mean, it took a lot of work to get there, but…at least for you, right, it went in a good direction. You didn't have these options. You changed, too."

"Yeah, I guess…"

"You went from someone who refused to make eye contact or avoided interaction, to someone who willingly stepped up for some nerds, so don't say 'I guess'…"

"I suppose you had a hand in it," Law admitted quietly, pulling at the cigarette.

"I want all the credit!" Sanji told him, making it a demand. He then leaned over and kissed him on the temple, brushing his hair aside to do so. As he did, he blew a raspberry against Law's head, causing the older kid to jerk away with a light laugh, pushing him away. "Cut your damn hair. I got it tangled up in my mouth."

"I got all your spit on me," Law complained, wiping his temple and cheek. As he pulled his hand away, he was aware that Sanji's face was still close to his, and he pulled the cigarette from his lips to respond to the prompt Sanji made with his mouth. Kissing him made him feel so much warmer inside, tingles of sensation curling at his stomach. Overexcited as he was, Sanji kissed him aggressively, and made it so that Law had to reach up and push him back a little just to ease up on the pressure of teeth against teeth. He cupped his face between his hands and demonstrated how it should be. Easing up on the pressure, Sanji followed his example, Law ending up chuckling again as it turned pleasant, simple, wonderful.

He didn't have the familiar feeling of unease, uncertainty or the feeling of being pressured into something he wasn't sure of. It felt natural and easy, and while he had the most experience between both of them, he didn't feel like it was a bad thing. Smoker was right, he thought vaguely.

"I like you so much, smelly as you are," Sanji murmured, kissing him once more before pulling away. He then stood and walked away, and Law just sat there, feeling a little dizzy by what had just happened. He looked at his cigarette, finished it, then headed home.


A to the Z: It would make for interesting fiction, wouldn't it? Just imagine having them on 'your' side when it comes down to it. ; ) The outside influence of their peers are still in the dark – they only see the surface of things, and not the inner, because neither guy will be open and talkative to them. (Sanji still thinking Luffy is weird for trying to be nice to him, and Law still ignoring those trying to talk to him)

RR: I try! Lol I do try…now, if only Sanji's brothers were a little more supportive than faking it, and it'd be a good ending! But with high school dramatics, there's always going to be a little more than usual. Sanji ends up forgetting he's limited to only one arm, but that's not going to stop him. :D

DedicatedFan: Law is starved, but now it might be a case of 'lovesickness' that helps him cope XD Well, that and other pressing issues. That fanart sounds scary if Disney's involved D:

Snowflake97: Ichiji is making sure the entire school knows that they 'support' their brother- the show is very important. Sabo told him to do something, so he'll listen to Sabo rather than Ace XD Ace is still trying to keep himself out of it because it's none of his business, yet his nose is right in it, sometimes haha!

12tailedninja-demon: Welcome! And thank you for your kind words! I remember getting bullied a lot in elementary school, but I ended up being friends with these same bullies years later; weird. Sanji's reasons for being an ass are hopefully clear, but as these two boys stick together, they learn together, to motivate each other (d'awwww!) Thanks for finding and commenting!

Sarge1130: Sanji struggles to keep Luffy at a distance, but you really can't ditch the guy once his mind's made up! XD Just what Sanji needs, considering how no one really jumps in for his part, other than Law at key moments. He lacks support and friendship so he's basically learning how to let people in at the same time Law is. Law's changes are definitely noticeable – he would've walked away earlier, had he seen that scene, but he chose to step up because he's learning to have more confidence in himself. Both of them will have to keep their guard up with Ichiji's intentions – he's definitely showing parts of it here in this chapter.