27
When Wednesday evening came around, Law's stomach was in knots. He had been quiet most of the day, thinking over the things he'd say and do, rehearsing sentences with silent mouthing, and finding himself pulled into try-out conversations with Sanji, as he'd done his best to help him prepare. While he couldn't agree to staying through the entire meal, couldn't agree that it would all work out, the fact that he was steeling himself up to even go through with it said enough.
Through it all, he couldn't help but think of that rabbit Ichiji had mentioned in his story, lying in a box with towels, quaking with fear and pain in a garage.
He'd left a sullen Rosinante with and equally pensive Doflamingo, and walked the few blocks necessary to the grocery store he'd told Smoker of. He glanced at the rows of cars in the parking lot, sure he'd catch sight of his worker in the area. But while he didn't know the vehicle that Smoker owned personally, he had a feeling the man was watching and waiting to see if he'd actually show up.
The Redbox was located towards the ice machine, and Law waited there, leaning against the wall, listening to people come and go. He kept his attention focused on the scarred and dirty sidewalk, finding it difficult to look up and make eye contact with anyone walking nearby. His stomach gurgled noisily, anticipating dinner – he hadn't been able to eat much leading up to this evening, and the more Sanji talked about the dish he'd planned for Law, the more resolved Law was to eating it, no matter what happened. He struggled to settle himself, drawing out a cigarette as he stood there. His hand was shaking, but he told himself he would not be alone in this – Sanji was waiting for him. Even if the dinner proved difficult, Sanji would be there to make it better in that demanding way of his. He'd promised Law that he'd be on his best behavior.
The evening hours were cooling slightly, and he'd changed into a simple tee and jeans without holes in them. He stared at his worn shoes, fisting one hand into one pocket and fiddling with the cigarette with the other. He was halfway through it when he heard the approach of a vehicle nearby, and saw the sedan that he'd seen his parents use the first meeting. Both of them looked visibly strained to see him smoking, but he carefully put out the ember and re-inserted the cigarette back into the box, shoving it into his sock before taking a few moments to gather some courage to get into the car.
Exhaling, thinking about the rabbit again, he took the steps necessary to get to the car, climbing into the back seat. It struck him with some nostalgia how the smell of the vehicle reminded him of the Ford Escape they'd owned before Lamie passed away.
"Hi, Law," Lainy said with a careful smile, turning in her seat to look back at him. Her expression struggled to remain upbeat, but was lingering with worry. "Thank you for allowing us to take you out, tonight. We'd been looking forward to it."
Law wasn't sure how to answer her, so he focused out the window instead. That familiar pressure began with the weight of his tongue, and panic caused his veins to seize. For a moment, he thought about leaving the vehicle before Lorenzo could pull away. He could taste the lingering smoke of his cigarette against his teeth, feeling the effects of it in his chest. Before he could think to reach for the handle, Lorenzo was pulling the vehicle away from the sidewalk, and the movement of the car seemed to resign him in that he was going to do this. But he pictured all the traffic lights in between the grocery store and Baratie's, and felt better knowing he could still leave if he wanted, to.
Until he looked forward at the dash, and with the setup of the vehicle's dash, he could see the yellow light that indicated that the Child Locks had been activated. Vaguely, he wondered if this was done under Smoker's suggestion. Despite his rising panic, Law found himself amused by this. That killed the possibility of him leaving the vehicle once they were stopped.
The dead silence in the vehicle between humans was too strong. It seemed fitting for his stomach to once again remind him how hungry he was, interrupting the quiet. Lorenzo cleared his throat.
"Ah, we want to apologize for Sunday," he said slowly, with immense discomfort. "It wasn't our place to…to ask…about those types of things."
"We're sorry," Lainy parroted weakly, having faced forward, her hands on her lap.
"That…that will come with time," Lorenzo finished faintly.
"How was school?" Lainy then asked, her voice unnaturally loud. "Smoker mentioned that you're attending a very active high school, and said that you've been very busy."
School was easier, Law had to admit, thinking about how things had changed considerably since he started attending. But that would require too much talking, and he had yet to pull his tongue away from his teeth. His jaw was tightly clenched, and when he realized it, his hands were fisted atop of his lap. He held himself so tightly, so coiled, that when Lorenzo hit the brakes suddenly to make a stoplight, he was nearly rattled right out of the seat.
Law considered the seatbelt he'd neglected to pull on, despite it being just another tether, Lainy looking at Lorenzo sharply.
"What are you doing?" she asked him, Lorenzo sputtering.
"I didn't notice!"
"How could you not know the light was coming up? It's right there!"
"I know it was there, I just wasn't thinking about it."
"Do you want me to drive?"
"No, no…"
Hearing them speak to each other with the familiarity of impatience and given embarrassment of a slight traffic problem made Law remember these same sort of things back when he and Lamie were seated in the back. Lorenzo had a heavy foot, and often stopped suddenly if startled, causing Lainy to snap at him with irritation.
'Gosh, dad, are you trying to kill us?' Lamie had often complained, righting herself in her seat.
'Yeah, dad, go back to driving school,' Law would say, struggling to unlock his seatbelt.
Those memories didn't feel much like his, because it had been so long since he'd seen them. They had a dreamlike quality to them, given with the sensation of a movie he'd once seen, but couldn't quite remember all the way through. He couldn't help but look over to the side that Lamie always took – behind the driver's seat, so she had a full view of Lainy in the passenger seat. Panic started to rise up in him again, and he could feel his entire body stiffening up with reaction. Shifting in his seat, he reached into his pocket and found the note Sanji had left for him after school. Opening it, he re-read it quickly, vaguely registering Lorenzo saying something to him.
'They can't hurt you,' it said, underlined three times.
It was true, he told himself, quite aware of his size compared to the view he had as a child. He took up a considerable amount of the seat, his legs stretched to the back of Lainy's. He was pretty sure he was near height of Lorenzo, if not taller. He refolded the paper and slipped it back into his pocket.
Once he realized there was an air of expectation in the vehicle, he tried to remember what it was that was being said.
"No," he then answered, recalling that Lorenzo had asked him if he were experiencing any problems at school. Not that he would go into any detail at this moment, but he said it because the word was easy to give.
"Will…will your friend be there tonight?" Lainy asked tentatively.
"Yes." Law once again looked out the window. It took some effort to add, "He said he'd be good."
"After the last time, I did a little research on who Judge Vinsmoke is," Lorenzo said, a little hastily. "He's, uh…a very…successful divorce attorney."
"His ex-wife, Sola, was a lovely woman," Lainy added. "I remember her. She was often at the center over there on Worthington, the one across from the dental offices? She used to work there as an advocate until she had her boys. With so many children at once, it made sense that she left her job."
Since Sanji never spoke much of his mother, Law wasn't sure what to think.
"They're fraternal, right, Law?" Lorenzo then asked, looking in the rearview mirror at him. "I remember one being absurdly larger than the others, and one with a very smarty attitude. Like I'd mentioned before, I wasn't familiar with your friend. He doesn't participate in any sports?"
Law shook his head in response.
"Sola no longer lives in the city?" Lainy asked Law, once again turning in her seat to address him.
Law remembered Sanji said that she lived out of state, so he shook his head again.
"She was nice," Lainy said, almost wistfully as she repositioned herself on her seat.
"All of them are very…vocal," Lorenzo added with an uncertain tone, unsure of how not to offend Law with his wording. "I guess it would make sense that she would have to leave the city, considering his position."
"You even think about speaking with Mr Vinsmoke personally, and I will make sure no one finds your body," Lainy told him cheerfully.
Once Baratie's was in sight, Lorenzo replied with a vague, "Ah…right, right…"
Law felt like a stranger, listening to them. He felt out of place. Though he was seated in a familiar place in a moving car with his parents, there were too many years lost between them, and too many changes made for him to feel comfortable. Sanji was right – it was almost as if he were placed into yet another foster family, and the foster parents were doing their best to make him comfortable to fall into their orbit.
The restaurant was busy with the evening rush, but Sanji had made sure to reserve a table for them – situated catty corner to the rest of the dining room, with a conveniently placed Exit door in sight. Law took the chair closest to it, Lorenzo looking at him with apprehension, aware of the escape route, but unable to do a thing about it without being obvious. Zeff stood nearby, watching them take their seats.
"You're back again," he said gruffly, reaching out to grab Sanji by the apron as the teen made to fiddle unnecessarily with the table settings. "Just the three of you?"
"Just us," Lainy said nervously, looking up at the imposing man.
"Are we needing a kids' menu? Crayons? Coloring books?"
"Old man, does any one of them look like a kid?" Sanji snapped at him impatiently. Then he cleared his throat, distributing menus. "Anyway, any quick requests for drinks? The soda machine was fixed. Or, uh, just…pick from the menu."
"I'll have the same as last time, thank you," Lainy said, opening up the menu, noticing that Law wasn't looking at his. She could hear his stomach growling again, and it killed her inside just how hungry he was.
"The specials tonight are accompanied with a choice of soup, or chips and your choice of dip," Zeff said, seeing Sanji approach Law, with something he pulled out of his apron pocket. Seeing that it was a couple of thick strips of meat tucked into a napkin, from a meal he'd made and served just moments earlier made Zeff redden with displeasure. But he watched as the hungry kid took one, and chewed with an amazed expression that made Sanji light up with delight. The other one Law chewed on much slowly, clearly appreciating the flavors that stood out.
"Appetizers?" Sanji then asked the pair, holding his cup tray at his side, reaching out and adjusting the centerpiece a little to the left, then snatching it up, Zeff frowning at him for doing so. "They made some sampler dishes that are pretty good."
"That won't be necessary. The servings here are quite large to allow for extra," Lorenzo commented, intensely focused on his options.
"Okay, well…I'll be back in a bit," Sanji said, giving another look in Law's direction before he and Zeff walked off, the older man snatching the centerpiece from him and resetting it onto another table, the diners there startled at the introduction of the object.
"You're not going to look for a meal, Law?" Lainy asked with concern, noting that Sanji hadn't even given him one.
It would be a simple thing to say that Sanji had already arranged to make his, but Law couldn't quite get the words out. Once the younger boy left, Law had felt that steady rise of pressure building in his throat, and all those things he'd practiced to say throughout the day were suddenly whirling together into a confusing jumble of useless noise.
Frustration mounted in him, so he looked out at the dining area in an effort to stave this panic, to somehow clear his thoughts to present a clearer picture.
Lainy put her menu down, having made a decision. She stared sadly at the boy across the table from her, unable to picture the child he'd been when everything fell apart. She was now faced with the troubling presentation of someone that had lived too hard, with such thin edges that he was a stranger. Though he carried many physical similarities of his father, malnourishment and stress took away the imitations of Lorenzo's features. She did not miss seeing the band-aid on his arm, the slight crook of his nose, the obvious stand-outs of a person that did not allow themselves any sort of self-care. It intensely troubled her that, in the hands of strangers, no one had taken care of her child while they were away.
She blamed herself, but she also blamed the foster care system for not providing enough.
Lorenzo lowered his menu, set it aside, and caught her staring. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Law," he said slowly, reaching out to pull the folded napkin from his place settings, to clutch it tightly underneath the table. "Please…talk to us. I know you have…so much going on inside of you, and that this must have been difficult for you to agree to, but…no matter what it is, we'd like to hear it."
Law felt his brow furrow, and intense frustration and anger warmed up inside of him. Of course he did, but he knew he would screw it up – verbalizing himself to these two people was so much more different than expressing himself to Sanji. Because of all the pressure and hurt he'd experienced at their impatience years ago, these remembered feelings made it impossible to just open up and speak.
'Put everything out front so that they know what they're dealing with,' Sanji had told him, looking at a list he'd constructed during first period. Law had been amused that it was so detailed. 'Make them feel shame and guilt for their failures. Makes it easier when you hit 'em in the balls, first. Then, if they react appropriately, or don't care, then that's what makes your next decision.'
'What happens if they don't?' Law had asked, digging for his red pen, and crossing out several lines to veto those options, much to Sanji's dismay.
'Then it'll be easier for you because you already know what that feels to – like, not have a foster parent care about you. You already know how that feels, so it'll be easier to be indifferent,' Sanji had told him, jerking his pen out of his grasp. 'Then you won't feel so hurt.'
That made sense to Law. 'And if they do…?'
'The easier to manipulate, because then they'll feel so guilty that they'll kiss your ass from here to Tuesday trying to please you,' Sanji said cheerfully, looking for his white-out roller.
"You - asked Sunday about Mr and Mrs Kingsley?" Law said, looking at Lorenzo with an unblinking expression. "About…how I feel about them - in jail?"
Lorenzo looked discomforted, adjusting his glasses. "I just know that their crimes were – "
"Mr Kingsley liked fffondling young boys, and I was his type because I couldn't say 'no'. And Mrs Kingsley liked us - begging…fffor food, so it doesn't quite - make me feel the sssatisfaction that you - might think," Law told him, Lainy's face paling significantly as some of her worst fears were answered. Speaking of these things was incredibly distressing, and it caused him to stutter with difficulty as he struggled to speak clearly, quite aware that his emotions made it difficult to enunciate everything he tried to say. But he pushed through it, because it was important that they know. "As for the others? I chose to consent for needed material items, because I needed them, and – maybe I thought it felt good. My tally count … is s-ssix men, 7 guys my age, four girls, and - probably my favorite experience was th- a middle aged man who let me – "
"Stop!" Lainy cried, Lorenzo so rigid that he jumped noticeably when she hit the table, rattling the table's contents.
"No! Listen to what I have to say!" Law shouted back at her, diners looking over with concern. Once Lainy struggled to compose herself, visibly struggling not to cry, Law continued. "Not all - were like that, though. Some liked to m-make fun of the way I – my s-sspeech, which made it – couldn't, clearly, speak up – ssssoooo, it made it - easier for those – when, t-that liked the quiet ones. So when I fell - found into a crowd sim-like me, it was easy to agree on an elderly couple whose house had too many electronics, and a small, legal mmmarijuana crop for her cancer. Unfffortunate things hap–pend, and so juvie prov-was…interesting, as well."
"Law," Lorenzo attempted to interject when Law forcefully spoke over him, nearly red-faced with the effort to speak. "Because - there's m-more predators groomed there than you would think. S-sseeing kids commit crimes-to - on kids showed me that there really isn't a sssafe place - outside of a - home. I had always thought…? That night, and everything else leading up to Lamie's death was fffri-scary, and – it wasn't. So if you feel - comfortable having sssomeone like me in your home, then, by all means, keep 'trying'."
After a few moments, considerably traumatized, Lorenzo looked at Lainy. Despite his expression, he said sharply, "Honey, remember your mantra."
"Because that - always works," Law commented. "Taking the word – of some counselor over – the – presentation before you, makes it less painful fffor you."
Sanji returned with their drinks, and the tension there made him cringe a little. But he set the tray down and distributed them carefully onto the table. Before he could ask if they were ready to order, he heard a loud shout from across the restaurant. All of them looked over to see Luffy waving at them wildly.
"Oh, fuck me," Sanji complained, reddening as he watched the host lead the D boys and their grandfather to a table in his section.
"Hi, Sanji! Hi, Law!" Luffy said, nearly stumbling over a diner's chair on the way over, Sabo grabbing him quickly with apologies to the startled woman. "Hey, was Ace right about that discount?"
"Shit, everything looks good, here!" Ace exclaimed, looking at the plates from all the tables he'd passed, visibly drooling.
Garp reached over and knocked him upside the head with embarrassment, Zeff on his way over. "If those brats are like you, you old bastard, I'm going to be pissed!"
"Zeff! Ha ha! Did you remove yourself from your grave yourself, or did the archaeologists?" Garp exclaimed noisily, herding Luffy and Ace towards the table indicated. "They should've left you there, with that face!"
Sanji returned his attention to the table, visibly flustered. "Food? Want?"
Lainy and Lorenzo were trying to recover to speak, and because their reaction was so noticeably troubled, more focused on the question with fumbled reaches for the menu to remember what it was they intended on ordering, Sanji then looked to Law. Seeing his extremely uncomfortable state gave Sanji nervous relief. He'd heard him shout earlier, and after he wrote hastily on his pad of paper, Law looked at him once he felt Sanji kick him to get his attention.
After he read, 'I'm proud of you', Law found it easier to put his thoughts back together. Getting those troubling things out of him had been extremely difficult, but he found it satisfying seeing his parents' reaction. He wanted them to hurt, he wanted them shocked, because their actions had put him into this situation. As far as he was concerned, both of them were the catalyst to what he was, today, so they should feel these things in response.
After Lorenzo ended up ordering for both of them, Lainy visibly struggling to keep herself together, Sanji glanced at Law again, hesitating on leaving right away. Seeing his concern to his well-being gave Law some strength to stay and continue his assault. His hand trembled slightly as he lifted his fingers to show that he was okay. Sanji gave an encouraging smile and nod.
"I'll get this to the kitchen, and your food will be right out," Sanji then said, looking over their drinks, seeing that they were untouched. As he walked off, Garp shouted after him, "Hey Vinsmoke, why the hell didn't you say anything about this place?"
"I don't have any of your classes!"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Luffy whined, looking after Sanji with betrayal. Zeff kicked Garp's chair, snapping at him to 'be a good example', Garp having to catch himself quickly. "Why tell Ace? We're supposed to be friends!"
"Stop yelling at my workers and sit down!" Zeff roared over their voices, diners cringing all around them. "Garp! Their bad manners are definitely all your responsibility!"
"How dare you question my parenting?" Garp complained, leaning over and looking at a diner's plate as a server brought it out. "Where's the menu, you old fart? We're starving, we brought our appetites! To start, bring out all the appetizers you have, and don't be stingy."
Sabo looked mortified at the attention his table was bringing as the result of all these shouts, apologizing to those closest to him.
The brief respite from speaking had given Law the break he needed to start over. He swallowed tightly, centering his gaze onto the table, to concentrate on speaking slowly and clearly. "I find it absurd that you think coming into my life after you both ruined it would fix anything."
Lorenzo was rigid as he continued clutching the napkin he held under the table. Lainy closed her eyes as she bowed her head.
"Our mistakes will never be forgiven, we understand that, Law," Lorenzo said quietly. "This is something we will carry for the rest of our lives. To know that…our reaction to Lamie's death, the stress and grief we experienced as the result of the – entire six months it took to take her away…took you out of our hands…destroyed our family…none of it is something we can ever forget, or forgive. But…we were hopeful to…fix what we could so we could, at least, have somewhat of a relationship with you. At first, we were dreaming of a time where we could reunite and work past that horrible time…but as you kept avoiding us, it was apparent that we would no longer have that. So we resolved ourselves to only fixing the bridge enough to at least…be there, if…and when you need us."
Law's upper lip curled. "So, you resigned yourself to fixing the walkway, but not the house? That'll be someone else's job?"
"No – !" Lainy managed to whisper before Lorenzo interjected with, "It's understandable that you can't see it this way, Law. What you spoke of…it would be fitting that we could not reach you. Punishment, purgatory, whichever it should be named, it would be fitting for the both of us. But, we lost one child – we refuse to give up on the other -"
"You gave up long before that night even happened!"
Lorenzo exhaled heavily as Law's voice raised again. He reached up and removed his glasses, to clean them with the napkin he held. He swallowed tightly before replacing them back over his face. Lainy looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before she straightened in her chair, looking at Law with a composed expression.
"We did," she said quietly. "We failed. We failed to save Lamie, we failed to keep you. Nothing will ever excuse or forgive our actions, just as Lorenzo stressed, Law, but…even if you cannot allow yourself to find fit in our company again, both of us refuse to give up, now. We can't smooth this over with anything easy, because it's not that easy…each of us has spent long hours hating ourselves, each other -"
"Not that I'll ever stop hating both of you, too – "
" – but with all this hate, despite it all, both of us love you so much!" Lainy finished over Law's statement, speaking tightly. "Even if we've failed at first, we will persevere and stand behind you, and when you allow it, we will both pick you up when you need us to."
"That's the thing, I learned to live without you," Law snapped at her. "I know I don't need either of you, anymore."
"You can say that to us all you want," Lainy said, eyebrows furrowing together, "but we will still be there, anyway."
"Even if I agreed to your impulse to make up what you've done – "
"This wasn't an 'impulse'," Lorenzo cut in. "This was years of therapy and planning, and waiting - !"
" – I will never be the s-ssame person to you again! You've approached a complete stranger for your fffucking efforts!"
"A stranger, yes, a product of our own hands," Lainy agreed quietly. "But you're still our son. Law Water D. You're still our son."
Law furrowed his brow, a little confused at the extra letter in his name. Lainy pointed towards Garp bellowing with laughter over Zeff's complaints, the boys that talked animatedly amongst each other over the menu.
"It wasn't included in your original paperwork, and was, for some reason, never added back on throughout the years," Lainy said with a heavy sigh. "I had spoken to Smoker about it, but I suppose something small like that would escape the notice of those necessary."
Law didn't find this relevant in any way. He was not interested in that aspect. He was still simmering with anger, discomfort and a feeling of exhaustion. He could feel himself start to shut down, earlier strength deflating after having expressed enough of himself to hurt them. He started to suspect that they'd been emotionally and mentally equipped to take his anger, having a counselor's guidance to navigate all the blame, hurt and rage a child like him would have for his parents after being re-introduced to them. It made him feel frustrated that they were prepared, and he felt he never would be. His counselor had worked with him, but he hadn't the same level of grounding he felt he should have to deal with a meeting like this one, because he'd often tuned out the advice and prompting thrown his way. So it felt, to him, that his parents were ganging up on him again.
Sanji returned to the table, carrying a pitcher of water. He saw that they still hadn't had their drinks, and noticed Law's posture. He was immediately worried, but interrupting was something he couldn't do, right now. They'd worked out a signal, but Law hadn't given him it, so he had to stay on task. Still, he stood very close to Law to fill his already full water to the brim of the glass, using his right hand to subtly touch the older kid's arm.
He then straightened from the table, deliberately bumping his knee against Law's leg underneath the table. Using any subtle way he could to let the older kid know he was supported. He struggled to find a more reasonable voice to speak with, cutting through the heavy tension.
"Your shitty food will be ready in a few more minutes," he said, wincing because he hadn't meant to say 'shitty'. "Look, one of the cooks back there got into an argument with the prep guy because prep guy failed to tenderize the meats properly, so they ended up knocking each other around in the alley. It's okay, though, none of them were bleeding when they came back."
Startled, Lainy and Lorenzo looked at him.
Hastily, as to not discourage their service, Sanji added, "Zeff taught them to kick each other so that they couldn't hurt their hands, because if any of them did, that would make it difficult to work in the kitchen, anyway. And you can't see them limping or anything, so they're totally fine."
"Er…okay," Lorenzo said lamely, unsure of what to say.
"Oh! And a fascinating little tidbit about your dishes," Sanji said as Lainy looked puzzled, "the guy making them? It's rumored he used to cook for that El Chapo in Mexico, before the first escape. So, I assure you, he's amazing with authentic Mexican cuisine!"
Lorenzo and Lainy looked at each other with troubled expressions. "But neither of us ordered any Mexican," Lorenzo said.
"Oh, I know, I'm just saying, in the event that you do, you've got a definite pro that knows what he's doing! For dessert today, I'm going to recommend the chocolate triple layer cake – fun fact: it's not all chocolate! There is a hint of strawberries in it, so it's like biting into chocolate covered strawberries! The huge ones that you buy at Costco in February!"
"EGGPLANT! I don't pay you to yap, I pay you to work!"
Sanji bumped Law with his knee again, snatched up the pitcher and hurried off as Zeff hollered at him from the register. "You don't pay me at all!"
"Sanji!" Luffy bellowed. "I'm thirsty!"
"Ask your own goddamn waiter!"
"Why can't I ask you?"
"STOP YELLING IN MY RESTAURANT!" Zeff bellowed at the both of them, causing the young couple in front of him to jump. "GARP!"
"What?" Garp asked, chewing on a couple of sliders while Sabo covertly stole Ace's as Ace snored into his plate.
"All these things, we will take responsibility for," Lainy said firmly, looking back at Law. "All of it. You will not be judged or thought of differently because of what you've endured – you're still our – "
"Stop saying that!" Law snapped at her.
"I will never stop saying it!" Lainy shouted at him, just under the resulting shouts between Zeff and Garp, diners all around them either entranced by the males seated at the large table nearest the window, or theirs. "No matter what you've been through, everything you've endured, it's because of our actions, but that does not mean you're not our son! It does not mean that we don't love you any less, any differently - ! You're still our boy!"
"That'll change," Law told her. "Just like it did when Lamie died. This half ass effort means nothing. Both of you are just as dead to me as ssshe is."
"You're allowed to say these things," Lorenzo told him firmly as Lainy drew her napkin to her face, wiping her eyes. "You're allowed to be angry, hateful…all these things that happened were fault of our own. But that doesn't discourage us from insisting that we're here, now, to pick up and fix the pieces that we've damaged. It might be too late, but that's not going to stop us."
Law pinned Lorenzo with a near unblinking stare. "Did you spend all this time thinking of that all by yourself?"
Before Lorenzo could reply, Sanji and another server came by with their plates. The server, a stout man with thinning hair, scars, and tattoos covering his neck and arms, set down the hot plates in front of Lorenzo and Lainy while Sanji set his down in front of Law.
Despite the distress he felt, Law looked down at the food in front of him, hearing his stomach rumble noisily.
Quite aware of the tension, Sanji put his hand down companionably on Law's shoulder, pointing out their individual plates and naming off their key ingredients.
"Enjoy every bite!" the other server said gleefully, revealing dull gold teeth, while one of his neck tattoos asked a viewer if they wanted a boot up their ass. Lainy looked at him with a near terrified expression. As Lorenzo and Lainy were distracted by the server's spiel on how fresh their meat was, Law lowered a hand from the table to clasp the back of Sanji's thigh, giving a slight squeeze. Then he started eating, Sanji feeling better at the reassurance given.
After the pair left the table, the trio fell silent. Lorenzo and Lainy were too upset to eat, miserably watching their son decimate his food without looking up. A moment later, Luffy popped up next to him, crouching off to the side to startle Law in mid-bite.
"Wow, that sure looks great!" Luffy exclaimed, examining Law's dish with visible delight. He then stood up to look over Lorenzo's and Lainy's plates as well, Law struggling to calm his wildly racing heart because Luffy's arrival had been completely unexpected.
Sabo and Ace were arguing with each other over Ace's missing sliders, while Garp was taking an unexpected nap, completely unaware young diners were taking pictures of him with his head leaning so far back. Sanji and the server were pulling back on Zeff, the owner with a jar of mints in one hand that he intended on throwing at Garp, the pair of them arguing about the profit the family was going to bring them.
Luffy whistled low, fingers tapping together with immense restraint as he held himself back from stealing anyone's food at this table. He was incredibly oblivious to the tension that lingered there, the upset expressions on the adults' faces. All he was focused on was their food.
"Damn, look at that! You think Sanji cooked all of this by himself? Wow, that roast beef looks so good! I should've ordered that instead! Oh, boy, how lucky for you, you got a boyfriend that can cook for you all the time, Law!"
The three of them paused in mid-action. All of them wore varying expressions of alarm as Luffy bit his lower lip and looked longingly at Lainy's steak, untouched by her utensils.
Because Law had not intended on revealing his relationship to Sanji to them, he was thrown off the ledge he'd braced himself on, aware that he was stuck between telling himself he didn't care about their opinion, and caring for it, for the very weight for their judgment. It looked like they were caught unprepared for this type of revelation, wearing expressions that detailed their struggle to hold back on saying anything.
"Oh, but that steak looks good, too! Look how juicy it is!" Luffy said, looking over Lorenzo's plate before drifting back to Law's. "Man, that fish sure looks tasty! Oh lordy, this looks even better than that buffet that kicked us out last week! I'm so excited! Eat up, Law! God, you're so lucky!"
"I apologize," Sabo said hastily, reaching out and grabbing Luffy, pulling him from the table. "I'm so sorry! My brothers were literally raised in a barn, they're just - ! They get so excited at places like these, please don't mind them. All those rude things he might've said should be brought to the attention of that man, over there!"
"I was just saying that Law was lucky to have a boyfriend like Sanji, because he works in a place like this," Luffy complained, Sabo's scarred face dropping with horror as he judged Lorenzo and Lainy's faces. Both of them looked so startled that they hadn't even completed the bite they'd yet to take of their dinner. Law looked rigid as the tension racketed.
A strange sound left Sabo at that moment, Luffy exhaling heavily, patting Law's shoulder as he then wandered back to his table, commenting excitedly over everything he saw on other diner's tables.
"I am…so…sorry," Sabo stressed to the center of the table. He fretted, hands wringing upon another. "Ah, I'm so sorry! My brother just says anything, and misinterprets everything! He didn't mean that in the way you think - !"
"It's, uh…" Lorenzo lowered his fork, looking at Law once again, wondering about the relationship between him and these boys. They spoke so familiarly with him, so he assumed that they were friends, despite Law's obvious indication of distance from them. It made him feel good that Law had friends. "It's okay. There is…there is nothing wrong with that."
Lainy looked as if she'd been slapped, visibly trying to repress saying anything at the moment.
"Though, it would've been preferable if we were informed by him, considering the…sensitivity of the…the subject."
Sabo inhaled strangely, sweating profusely. Lorenzo looked at him with concern, wondering if he should react in some way.
Lainy looked at Law, her fingers clenched over her utensils. "It's not that it's wrong in any way, but is it healthy?"
Law looked at her, automatically defensive. "Define."
"I had only meant, is this for all the…the right reasons? And it's not…something produced as the result of…"
"Lainy," Lorenzo interrupted, Sabo looking at Law with intense apology, "I understand where you're trying to go with this, but that's not the right thing to say."
"Then, let me explain!" Lainy looked back at Law after snapping at him. "This isn't one of those relationships you spoke to us about, earlier?"
It was a fair question, Law supposed, but it didn't allow him to relax in any way. But he refused to speak of it while Sabo was still there.
"Fuck off," he told the older kid, who hurriedly did that. Once Sabo reached the table, he proceeded to choke Luffy, Ace reacting with a startled curse, Garp waking up with a snort once he heard the noises of horrified diners around them.
"GARP! WHAT THE FUCK?" Zeff screamed from across the restaurant, causing a small family to scurry back through the front doors before the host could say anything.
Amidst the noises caused by the D boys in the distance, Law told Lainy, "Not that your approval matters to any answer I give."
Lainy tightened her hands atop of the table, her expression steely. "Like father, like son?"
The idea was ludicrous, but Law was aware that the last name spoke volumes, considering their earlier subject matter. He didn't want to give them any ammunition to use against Sanji, but he didn't want to hear them badmouthing him, either. He took another bite, flavor exploding over his dry tongue as fish and a forkful of vegetables followed. He concentrated on the effort to chew thoroughly, just amazed at Sanji's ability to create a pleasurable meal. How could Judge not want him to do this for his family?
"If you talk any shit about him, I'll leave," he said through a mouthful of potatoes.
Lainy looked frustrated. "I just don't want that type of person taking any advantage of you – "
"If anyone is taking any sort of advantage over anyone, it'd be me," Law snapped at her.
"Lainy," Lorenzo interrupted, touching her arm. "I see where you're coming from. But it's apparent Sanji is a good kid. Law, please understand why your mother would react this way – that last name causes an immense amount of caution."
It did, and that was the only reason why Law continued eating without giving Lainy anything more. Lainy watched him with worry, then exhaled heavily, looking down at her meal once more. She looked over at the sound of Sanji trying to keep Luffy from jumping on him as he and the other server brought out their plates – followed by three other servers with full trays of food. The other diners around them were amazed by the amount of food being brought to the group, some taking out cellphones to take pictures.
She looked back at her son. She wasn't sure if they were reaching him in any way, considering how high the wall was in front of him, but she felt determined. She was going to get through to him, no matter what. They were not going to give up on him again.
A/N: Ha ha, you guys are guessing everything! I hope to get one more chapter out before I disappear next week, as I will not have time to write anything. I've been pretty busy writing the other fic, and getting fed up with various things around me in real life, so this might come along slowly…I hope to come back more inspired than ever after a trip out of state!
Guest: Aw, thank you! And you're definitely welcome!
RR: I haven't decided if the note will reappear – they still pass notes to each other, but maybe it might…here, or later in the future ;) As for the content of it, it wasn't dirty, but it was definitely Sanji's feelings on paper. Now, as you've read, dinner *is chaotic. But it isn't over with D:
DedicatedFan: Yonji is more connective with Niji or Sanji, being unable to truly connect with that alien older brother. So if he loses one companion, he has another to rely on, but his relationship with Niji is different from Sanji. So, of course he'd feel it if Sanji was gone. (So would the other two in their own ways) Judge is an asshole, and I felt I needed to display that more – and his attitude is where Niji gets it. It took a lot of courage for Sola to actually do so, considering his position and knowing she'd be screwed over, but she did it. That's an entirely different story, through. As for your questions, yes, the substitutions are there – stress and anxiety tends to cause him immense trouble with speaking properly because he's aware of the viewpoint towards him in reaction, so when he's really stressed out – like in this chapter – his stuttering gets more intense. It's barely noticeable when he's fine and can open up to those he's comfortable around (Rosinante, Sanji, Doflamingo – who mocks him anyway, but since Law knows where he stands with Doffy, he just goes ahead with it) but on the spot – it's impossible to escape. As you read, yep, those boys showed up and made a mess of things!
Sarge1130: Ah, to answer the first review: yes, this is Judge, this is what he's like, and where Niji gets it. DX Yonji was brave enough to point out Judge's faults in that, and Sanji doesn't care – he's going to say whatever he wants in response to Judge's actions, or lack of. And Law is realistic – he knows he's not in a good position to help Sanji, no matter what, but that doesn't mean he won't stop being there for him if Sanji needs him. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much of a change to show that, because Sanji puts him first with all of this happening. But you can definitely count on Law being there if Sanji happens to fall into trouble.
You're right! This happens when he's under pressure to speak or open up, and it took some time for him to speak 'properly' with Sanji. He had a very tough childhood, which is why he is the way he is, but he's still got a future ahead of him. (hopefully) While Law respects Smoker, Sanji's viewpoint is more relatable for him, allowing him to think that he can do this if he's allowed to think that way. Smoker tries, but he just lacks that viewpoint. Whatever Law decides to do when it comes to his parents will definitely depend on what happens next chapter. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
