A/N: After much debate, I just started writing this because inspiration found me. It won't go the way I'd written these chapters out as I'd left them on my broken laptop (which still isn't fixed ugh) so I'm taking the slow and careful route. Rewriting the end just in case.

Lucy Kirkland: Thank you! Uufortunately, they can't always be there, especially when food's in front of them D:

RR: I lost the few chapters I had ready to go, so it looks like I can try and rewrite them. Hoping the flow feels the same as the rest of the story! DX

Guest: Sorry for making you wait months for the next chapter! Hopefully I can keep this going!

12tailedninja-demon: Ah ha! Addictions are hard to manage! My twelve is rather consuming D:

Sarge1130: His parents are determined! But they're stronger now – maybe things will look up with new changes abound. But it'll be quite the journey. Ichiji's attitude and jerkiness are his own shadows – as first son, he has a lot of ground to cover with his brothers, and that's hard work. Especially when one keeps rebelling against the perfection that he thought they all had. Law's journey is still in progress!

Tired: omg, thank you for your time and dedication! I had to take breaks reacquainting myself with my own fic on Sunday! I'm updating again, but tentatively, considering how intense this story could be.

Iamleemii: Thank you!

Fireofshandora: Yonji is quite a character – all of them are. I am obsessed with the Vinsmokes, haha! If only there was more of them in latest chapters! D: They need a storyline of their own.

29


Ichiji clutched the steering wheel with both hands as his temper raced through him like fire. He was upset over seeing the confrontation, upset that Sanji couldn't do this one thing correctly; upset that he'd reacted hotly rather than standing back to watch and absorb like he normally did. But seeing the fuss had made him react faster than he could think, and he knew he was out of his boundary with this. How could that family be so selfish? Giving every thought to their matters and nothing to theirs; couldn't they see what they were doing to the Vinsmokes?

At a stoplight, he glanced into the rearview mirror to see Sanji rubbing his fingers with a distressed expression, head lowered. Ichiji wondered if he were still thinking of the two that they'd left behind, and could not fathom how people so different from them could be worth so much risk. Couldn't Sanji see how dramatic this episode had been? What made him think that he was in charge of someone else's happiness?

But the more distance gained from Baratie's, the more Ichiji's head cooled. He'd messed up, deviated from his plan. It was clear these two would only get stronger the harder people pulled at them, and Ichiji's actions would ensure this. He settled in his seat with a quiet exhale, glaring at the street ahead of them. When they finally arrived home, he said nothing as he unlocked the back doors for Sanji to get out. Sanji was fuming quietly but Ichiji could tell that he was loading up all his defenses to spew upon Ichiji's own telling.

They both walked into the house, Ichiji hearing Sanji's breathing hasten just slightly as they spotted Judge sitting with Niji at the couch, watching television. Ichiji hung the keys up while Judge looked at his watch.

"You're early," he said with a puzzled frown.

"He got off early," Ichiji said, pausing in the hall while Sanji looked at him, waiting for him to spew the rest of it. "So…I'm going to finish reading, call it a night."

He could feel Sanji waiting for him to say the rest of it, but Ichiji studiously ignored the weight of that look. He turned and took the staircase to his room while Sanji gave a heave of breath.

"What's wrong with you?" Niji asked Sanji, licking his fingers clean of Cheeto dust. "Are you bastards fighting without me? You know how I hate being left out."

"I would hope he wouldn't have the energy, tonight," Judge muttered, turning up the volume. "You may as well as go to bed yourself, Sanji."

Sanji looked at him for a few moments, considering his indifference. Niji stuck his tongue out at him before cramming in more chips. Utterly confused by Ichiji's lack of accusation, he headed upstairs to his room without saying anything at all. Unusual enough to have Niji craning his neck to peer after him with bewilderment.

Once there, Sanji shut the door and listened to his heart race wildly. Ichiji had said nothing about the parking lot confrontation, or even explained why they were home early. He glanced at the time, knowing Zeff was going to be pissed that he'd gone missing when he was desperately needed with the D boys there. He felt bad for that, and he felt bad that he could not remain there for Law when Law needed him. He couldn't imagine how the other teen was faring at the moment, having such a distressing time with his estranged parents. He wiped his nose with his sleeve then ripped off his apron, the work shirt.

There was no way to get ahold of Law if he hadn't a cellphone, and Sanji couldn't bring himself to be brave enough to call their house. If Doflamingo answered, Sanji was sure he'd be a stuttering mess, and plus, what if he'd put him into trouble with just calling him?

Fretting, Sanji sat at his desk, unsure of what to think. Ichiji's actions confused him – he'd thought for sure that he'd tell Judge immediately of what Sanji had been doing. Ichiji enjoyed things like that; but for his older brother to say nothing at all – it aroused suspicion. He furrowed his brow, struggling to put his thoughts in order. Ichiji had backed off for a reason – his actions and his words given at Baratie's were very indicative of his thoughts on the matter, but for him to suddenly back away without following through…

Sanji narrowed his eyes.

Icihij wasn't an impulsive person – his actions were always well thought out. So he was either keeping this as ammunition for later, or he was up to something bigger.

He'd known his brothers were up to something when they 'accepted' this thing he had with Law so Sanji figured Ichiji's silence on this was a part of that. Ichiji would not keep this to himself out of the kindness of his heart because he lacked that sort of thing. Sanji exhaled shakily. He just could not think of why Ichiji would do this. He jerked out of his chair and barged into Ichiji's room, slamming the door shut behind him. His older brother looked at him with a frown, lowering his mechanical pencil to his desk.

"What are you doing?" Sanji asked him low.

"Homework," Ichiji replied nonchalantly. "Do you need help with yours?"

"Cut the bullshit, Ichi. You didn't say anything to dad about what happened, so what are you doing?"

"Do I have to say anything?" Ichiji asked, tilting his head. "Would you like me to say anything to dad about what you've been up to? Because I can – "

"You're up to something – what are you going to do, use this for later? Hold it over my head? Threaten to tell? Because I'll tell on my damn self if it comes to that!"

"I have no doubt that you would, Sanji," Ichiji said. "I was hoping you'd be truthful to us and yourself about your clandestine activities, so it's up to your conscience to get it out there before anyone else does."

Sanji fiddled with his cast before saying, "I have nothing wrong on my conscience. I was doing the right thing."

"Is this why you took the job? So you'd have more time with your boyfriend?"

"NO! This wasn't an everyday thing! It was a special day, it was - ! And you ruined it! Zeff's going to be mad at me!"

"A 'special day'?" Ichiji repeated, frowning at him. "Why?"

Sanji gulped. "I didn't even tell Zeff – he's probably going to be so pissed at me. You need to call him and explain what you did!"

"I don't need to. I'm not employed by him. That's your responsibility as an employee to get the air cleared with your boss. If you really didn't want to come with me, you didn't have to. You had a choice."

"Fuck you! I did not! You threatened to break my arm! Right in front of them!"

"You were out of control and I was only controlling the situation," Ichiji said sternly. He picked up his pencil. "Why don't you call your boss and explain to him why you left early? Maybe he'll allow you to come back."

"Is this what this is all about? You don't want me working? Are you going to sabotage everything I do in the future just for your own sick satisfaction?"

Ichiji put his pencil down again, frowning at him. "You were attacked by an adult woman. A hysterical woman does not think about her actions, she only reacts blindly. You could've rebroken your arm with what she did to you, and that pussy was only standing there. I only removed you from a potentially dangerous situation."

"Shut up, Ichiji, you robot! You did this with something else in mind! I'll just tell dad myself the fucking details so you don't have anything to hold over me!"

"Oh, go ahead, be my guest. Don't ever say I never covered for you, either," Ichiji said. "And I don't want to hear you bitching about losing the only thing that you ever looked forward to, either. Dad gave you this chance for a reason, and for you to squander it for your own idiotic reasons is your own damn fault. Maybe this'll teach you a lesson in the future – falling out of line with us and our plans has done nothing for you."

Sanji tightened his lips. Putting it that way, he could see Judge withholding any other future chances with something of his own choice and joy based off this one incident. He could see their father tracking down Lainy and Lorenzo to administer a type of warning or threat for that push. Judge would see to it that those two suffered financially to appease himself, and what if that damaged the delicate web that was being created with them and Law in the future? This was Law's only chance to have something safe and it would be ruined because of Sanji's involvement.

Ichiji smirked, understanding that he had the advantage. It looked like his mistake would work in his favor. "Go to bed, Sanji. Fix it in the morning if you're so inclined on keeping that job."

"What's in this for you?" Sanji asked, almost desperately.

Ichiji sat back in his chair, giving a wounded frown. "How could you think there's anything in this for me? There's nothing to my advantage. I'm your brother, not your enemy."

Sanji glowered at him. The door rattled with force before Niji popped in, mouth full of chips.

"What's going on in here?" he demanded, his bag rattling as he grabbed another handful. "What you girls talking about in here? Why are you threatening each other without me?"

"Nothing," Sanji muttered, pushing past him and stomping to his room.

Niji looked at Ichiji with frustration, crunching noisily on the orange treats. "What's going on?"

"He's only mad because I brought him home early. I have a lot of studying to do," Ichiji answered, indicating his open book.

Niji scoffed, debris leaving his mouth in a messy shower. "Whatever, you alien! You probably have that entire thing memorized! You're only putting on a show of some type, and I demand to be let in on the joke."

"It's no joke. Besides, sitting there had grown boring, and I didn't want to wait any longer."

Crunching noisily, Niji stared at him with suspicion before reaching out and closing the door behind him, making sure he left a handprint behind. Once he was alone, Ichiji stared into space for a few moments, wondering how tomorrow would go.

The next day, Sanji waited for Garp to be distracted by his class's activities – something involving wild flailing over a ball on the football grounds – and caught sight of Law standing off to the side. Occasionally he'd lift an arm to reach out to catch the ball, then drop it with a disinterested look once the group veered in his direction like a school of fish. Sanji had no idea what sort of physical activity this was rated as, but the other student was too far away for him to call out to or to even catch his attention. Frustrated, he returned to the main building but slipped a note into Law's locker before returning to class.

At lunch he raced from class to go find him at their usual spot. Law's face was tired, but he revealed nothing as Sanji hurried up to him.

"Everything okay?" he asked immediately, swinging his bag off his shoulder and tossing it to the side, eyes scanning over him for any sign of trouble.

Law studied him for a bit, then shook his head incredulously. "I should be asking you that."

"Well? How did it go? Did it go – did everything – were you able to decide?" Worried, Sanji then said, "It shouldn't matter. What matters is that you come back to school after this weekend! You really need to finish, you can't just let it go because there's nothing out there for you if - !"

"I told them I'd go," Law interrupted him. Sanji paused in mid-breath, processing that for a moment before blurting out, "You'll go with them? You'll stay? They'll move here? When will this happen? Are you sure? This is something you want to do, right? It's not like – well, you should because - !"

"Honestly, breathe, Sanji," Law told him with some concern, seeing how red built up in the other boy's features. He reached out for his hands, examining the one Ichiji had twisted so viciously the night before. "It…did…is everything - ?"

"He didn't say anything!" Sanji snapped out, feeling off-kilter with the way Law took his hand so gently, causing him immense fluster. He lost his earlier train of thought, watching as his hand was examined intently. His face flushed for a different reason, and he took it back just to settle his racing heart, feeling light headed. He rubbed his hand not to erase the sensation of Law's touch, but to feel more of it.

"He didn't say anything," he repeatedly dumbly. "And I couldn't say anything because - ! But that's great! That's great, I'm so happy for you!"

Law watched him awkwardly for a few moments before he reached for his cigarettes. He lit two before passing one to Sanji, Sanji sucking in nicotine with a hard inhale that made him cough heartedly for a couple of minutes. Together the pair just stood there, each with their own thoughts on the matter, hearing the sounds of voices behind them. Sanji could tell Law was unsettled – he could feel the weight of the other teen's heavy decision still whirling like a tornado through his thoughts, and he wasn't sure what to say. It felt like both of them were standing at the edge of some precipice, without any hope of moving back or forward to save either.

Glancing at him from the side of his eye, Sanji finished his cigarette and put it out on the dirt before rising. Law drew in a shaky breath as he mirrored the action. He said, "It won't be easy. Leaving Rosinante."

Sanji felt for him, but another part of his mind was determined to prove that getting away from Doflamingo was the best Law could do for himself. The man that Law cared for would just have to understand this. He was sure Rosinante did – he could not forget the way the disabled man cared for Law.

"I'm sure he understands," he mumbled, fiddling with his cast. "This is something you have to give your all, to. Something stable."

Law looked at him, his hands falling into the pockets of his slacks. He kicked at the dirt at the feet with the toe of his shoes before saying, "Maybe. But at least I have a backup in case something doesn't work out."

"You have to try," Sanji repeated, a little too insistently. "Just…you can do it."

"And what about you?" Law asked him, turning to face him. "With your dad and all?"

Sanji shrugged. "Ichi's holding this over my head, I know it's for something; he didn't tell on me last night, so I need to talk to Zeff, see if I can still have my job, but I have no doubt he's holding it back to use against me. I think what…what matters, for me, is that…you're okay."

Law exhaled shakily. He worked his jaw from side to side, feeling overwhelmed for a moment. Incredulous that this crazy kid, despite his own dangers, could still find it within himself to hope for him. Someone like him, who had done nothing to inspire any sort of strength or hope or want in anyone.

After a few moments he said, "You'd be better off at your mom's, than staying here with him. After last night – "

"I don't feel that way – "

"After seeing that last night, it only proves me right! Sanji, you keep saying it won't progress from this, but last night – Lainy was…she told Zeff that you'd gone home because of your brother. She was…really upset."

Sanji figured she would be. The woman wouldn't be used to 'boys that were boys' and he supposed it could be frightening to someone else that had never walked in those kinds of shoes, before. He thought it was rash of her to be distraught, and a little upset himself for even thinking lightly of it. All that mattered to him was his job and Law's future. That was all that mattered.

"So the old man knows? I hope he doesn't fire me for this…"

Law's lips thinned for a few moments before he mumbled, "She was going to make an anonymous report to child services – "

"Don't let her do that!" Sanji exclaimed with a horrified expression. He grabbed his arm with both hands, saying fast, "My dad will destroy them! He's got contacts, he has friends, he'll suck them dry of everything they're worth! Financially, their reputation – don't let them do this, please, you have to talk them out of it!"

"I know the system's not perfect," Law said, jerking his arm out of his grasp, "and something like this is something that won't work. I told them you were moving, anyway."

Sanji chewed on the inside of his cheek with a heavy frown. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, but his feelings were intense and heavy, swirling around inside of him. Law looked at him, then reached out to wrap his arms around his shoulders and head, pulling him close. He could feel Sanji's heart racing against his chest, how his skin flushed with building anxiety. He could tell the other teen was upset about a number of things, but Law didn't have any power at all to fix them. He knew what uselessness and hopelessness felt like, and it seemed Sanji was feeling all these things.

"I just want you safe," he told him, unable to say anything more than that.

Sanji could hear his feelings in his voice, feel the want in Law's hug. It felt so unfamiliar to know that someone felt these things for him, for someone that had made an enemy of most of his peers and didn't have a kind hand within his own family. So he melted into the touch, not wanting to let go of it.

: :

Dramatic, Ichiji thought with a bitter frown, watching them from a window near the staircase. Whatever it was they spoke of, the pair of them looked desperate to hold onto each other. Weren't they aware that teenage romances were only made more intense by the cause of burgeoning hormones? That this memory would fade as interests shifted and time proved that these things they were going through was nothing but a stepping stone?

It was irresponsible of Sanji to keep himself fluttering in the wake of whatever personal problems Law was going through; there was nothing either could do for each other. They were kids. Stupid high school kids brought together by convenience and circumstance; but this tarnish would not fade with time like their romance. It would follow Sanji through life, be behind him with every step he took with Judge's guidance. A tarnish on their name and everything they stood for. Why did Sanji have to go out and be different?

He clenched his fists, feeling upheaval within himself. All because of this boy, Sanji had to ruin what he had going for him, venture out of their designated goal zones, and challenge their father into threatening Sanji with living with his mother. Who wasn't successful, who lived with their daughter in a one bedroom apartment – who found surgery necessary for her confidence – with the world set out in front of him, Sanji had to ruin it because of this boy.

It made Ichiji seethe as he forced himself to draw away, not liking the sight of his younger brother being manipulated by a boy who had years of experience to draw in innocent victims. He was well aware of Law's birthday on Saturday; if he returned to school on Monday, there were laws that worked against him if he continued this relationship with Sanji. Ichiji wondered if any of them were aware of this.

Maybe he would have to include that in his plan.

He walked away, adjusting his glasses. Sanji made a mess of himself, but Ichiji would clean it up. Just as he did many times before this. For the family.

: :

After school, Sanji took the phone into his room and dialed up Baratie's to talk to Zeff. His heart thundered noisily as he hoped the old man would understand his position. Whatever Ichiji had in mind, Sanji couldn't let this opportunity slip away from him – he needed his job; to get away from his family, to feel needed, to be able to participate in something only he felt confident doing.

When Zeff answered gruffly, Sanji said, "I'm not fired, am I? I'm really sorry, my brother just threw a fit last night, I didn't have a choice! He caught me when I was taking out the trash, and I really want to work, I just - !"

"That's not the truth I heard, brat. Come clean with it, and I'll reconsider this pink slip," Zeff replied, interrupting him with a couple of coughs.

Rolling his eyes, Sanji said, "Well, the truth of it is that my brother's an asshole, and he shouldn't have been there in the first place, also - !"

"You went outside to play with your boyfriend – "

"Oh my god, he's not my boyfriend!"

"Shut up when adults are speaking! That customer was very upset over what she witnessed, and if you're not here by six, I'm going to go over there and have a talk with your father about how horrible of a worker you are."

With that, Zeff hung up and Sanji sighed with relief, pulling the phone from his ear. He said a few silent 'thank yous' to whomever was listening and hung up. He finished his homework in record time – without the usual double checking of any possible mistakes – and dressed for work. After, he headed downstairs to see who was around to give him a ride. Yonji, Niji and Ichiji were sitting in the living room, two of them taking their time in getting ready for their own respective practices.

"Work?" Ichiji questioned with a lift of his brow. "They're letting you come back?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Yonji asked curiously. "He's a good slaveboy."

"Neehhhh 'slave'!" Niji repeated with a sneer. "You can do that sort of thing for free around here! Get to work, Cinderella!"

"I can't because dad said it made me gay!" Sanji snapped at him.

"HAH he admits it!"

"It's dad's fault, too!"

"Dad didn't have any part of this!"

"Dad!" Yonji bellowed. "Sanji says you're responsible for making him gay!"

"Wow, that sounded like a bad porno plot," Niji commented with a lift of his brows.

"Ugh, what have you been abusing your Pornhub privileges for? Incest pervert," Sanji retorted.

After a few moments, Yonji gasped. "Dad! I take it back! You didn't!"

"DAD! Sanji's accusing me of bad things!" Niji hollered, throwing a pillow at his brother for good measure. "I don't do that bad stuff, I follow the rules in this house! I'm a fucking angel compared to you jokes!"

"DAD! Niji's throwing stuff!" Sanji yelled, throwing the pillow right back.

"Dad's not even home, you retards!" Ichiji snapped at all of them, rising from the chair.

"Dad didn't make me gay, anyway," Sanji scoffed, tying on his apron while Niji complained from the couch about not having anything to do. "It was my own damn decision."

"So, are you?" Yonji asked curiously. "Is this a direct confirmation?"

"Oh my god!"

"Yonji! Enough with the dumb comments!" Niji snapped. "We need to be serious, here. For one, he has a boyfriend. Our…family…"

"No, no, no, that's not how it works," Yonji interrupted over Niji's dramatic retching noises. "Yeah, we like, said it was okay but it's really not okay. I'm still having trouble accepting this! I don't mind stepping in like we've been doing, but I'm not really okay with this. It's still unfair! Why does he get to bend the rules?"

"I'll cover for you if you find a girl," Sanji told him. "It'll be our secret."

Yonji looked at him hopefully. "Really?"

"He can't find a chick!" Niji said with a roll of his eyes. "Everyone hates him because he's loud and dumb. No chick wants a loud and dumb guy."

"I'm not dumb. I've got straight A's across the board!"

"Because everyone's afraid of you and dad!"

"Power should be respected, not feared," Yonji mumbled, looking at his hands. "Besides, I'm a total catch! I'm over six feet tall, I've got loads of muscle that I know what to do with, if you know what I mean…"

"Fucking virgin…"

"Shut up, Niji! You are, too!"

"I plan on losing mine to an older lady, with sophistication and class," Niji said. "Someone like Miss Nico. Female teacher and student relationships are in, lately. Haven't you been reading the news? What a great way to get caught! It's like having sex with a celebrity!"

"You're so gross," Sanji commented as Ichiji left them with a shake of his head. "Like that's something to brag about."

"Like you have anything to brag about! What's so special about an extra dick? You already got one!"

"I take care of myself, I groom, I smell good, I can buy food whenever she wants," Yonji continued over them. "Memes these days – girls want food, not companionship! I can buy my chubby lady some food! Hell, that's hot! A girl that can eat like me - !"

"Why do you want a fatty? You'd have to pay for her healthcare."

"Obama does!"

"I hate you both," Sanji said with a shake of his head.

"Shut up! You think you're so much better than us because you got a job and a boyfriend!" Niji snapped at him. "You thought the same way as us awhile back, so don't act like your shit don't stink!"

"It does! I make sure it does! Especially if you're going in there after me!"

"Ugh, so nasty! I knew you were doing it on purpose!"

"I'd make a good boyfriend," Yonji sighed. "Girls have to not be so afraid. I'm afraid. I show vulnerability when it's needed. I can be nurturing and nice. Look at these hands! These hands are made for handholding, not for violence."

Sanji had to laugh as Niji looked at his brother with disgust.

"Are you sure you're not gay, either?" Niji asked, finding the remote to the tv.

"I'm quite positive. I'm surrounded by dicks. Why would I want another one? Sanji, you're mental."

"It's because I'm surrounded by dicks that I find myself comfortable around dicks," Sanji muttered bitterly. He hollered, "Hurry up, Ichi! I'm going to be late!"

"Besides, if you ever found a girl that doesn't mind your rotten protein smell, I'd die of shock," Sanji added, looking at his watch. "Ichiji! There's no need to fix your hair if you're just going to practice, anyway! Hey, you guys ever think about what he does for fun? Hugging on sweaty guys in pjs? He's basically hugging guys to sleep – why don't you ever give him shit?"

"And Yonji mounts dudes in singlets for giggles," Niji snickered while Yonji frowned down at Sanji.

"And you prance around in your underwear and call it 'swimming'!" Yonji pointed out. "If you think about it, we're all goddamn gay! We're the gayest bunch at Grandline!"

Niji made to retort until he thought about it, and his mouth dropped open with horror. Sanji was tired of this conversation already, and snatched the keys from the hanger nearby.

"I'm driving!"

"No you're not! You can't drive! I'm driving! ICHIJI! WE'RE LEAVING YOU!" Yonji bellowed, ensnaring his older brother within one arm and easily snatching the keys from his grasp while Sanji struggled. Niji was still shocked by earlier comments and slumped against the couch cushions with a groan.

When they left, Niji saw Ichiji making his way downstairs, shrugging on a sweater. Ichiji had heard everything while he was in his room, and he shook his head at his brother.

"I've got a headache in dad's place just from hearing all that stupid shit," he muttered, grabbing his phone and leaving through the front door.

In the silence left behind, Niji glared at the television screen. Without much to do and without his brothers around, Niji had to think about what had just transpired. He drew up his phone and found his browser, typing in a few questions to a popular question and answer board to find some much needed answers.