"So, what exactly is this?" he crossed his legs and pulled out his lighter.

"I don't see why it's any of your business!" the blonde returned cheerfully.

Sanji eyed the fake smile with suspicion. He didn't like the picture this was painting. He'd kind of known that Ivankov was involved in something shady, but he hadn't looked into much more of it. If this fucker was involved in child trafficking, they would certainly be having words.

Ivankov had claimed to be acquaintances with Luffy. He had certainly been protective enough to try to vet Sanji when he'd originally blurted out that he was one of his crew members. But Luffy wasn't the type to associate with people like that, especially since he valued freedom over nearly anything else. It was possible his captain simply didn't know, but that would only make things worse.

He didn't want to be the one to break the news to his Captain.

"It's nothing bad, I assure you."

As if he'd listen to the object of his suspicion on his own innocence. He wasn't as gullible as his Captain.

"Sanji-dear, did you come here just to yell at me or was there something else?" Iva smirked devilishly.

He was starting to truly despise that expression. It never boded well for him. So far, when that look made an appearance, he'd be hounded and chased down so they could force him into a dress again.

Sanji shuddered. Never again.

"Tch," he shoved his hands into his pockets as he leaned back on the chair, chewing on his still unlit cigarette as he fiddled with the smooth metal in his hands.

Despite his hatred of this damn island and the people on it, the small contraption had been a gift. Because they'd been taken by surprise back on Sabaody, he'd not had his own on hand. He'd arrived here with nothing but the clothes on his back and a half-empty pack of smokes. Putting aside their absolute disregard for boundaries and respect, he was essentially living off of their kindness and goodwill alone. It probably helped that his captain apparently befriended the Ivankov doing who knew what, but even before then, he'd been treated hospitably as a complete stranger upon his suspicious arrival.

So he let out a sigh and shrugged. He had somewhat been considering leaving this island when he initially stormed up to Ivankov's door, but that had been more of a spur of the moment thought than any concrete plan. Sanji was impulsive, but after his single-minded determination to get away from this hell was interrupted by the kid—Deku—and this suspicious guy, the urge quietly ebbed away. He had been training and learning a lot here, after all. He had a promise to keep to his captain and his crew.

But much to his chagrin, Ivankov only laughed at his nonplussed response.

"I'm sure you fit right in with Straw-boy, Sanji," he teased, throwing his head back as he continued to howl boisterously in laughter.

Despite Iva's good nature, however, the other guy simply stared at him with a frown as though he was some kind of puzzle to solve. Sanji didn't like feeling scrutinized under such an intense gaze, and certainly not by someone who could likely be either a friend or foe depending on the way the wind blew and the cards fell.

"Of course I do. He's my Captain after all."

"Strawhat Luffy…" Sabo murmured.

His eyebrows were furrowed, complimenting the frown that curled his lips downward. This oddity of a man in front of him was setting Sanji on edge.

"Yeah, you got a problem with my Captain?" he sneered, narrowly avoiding losing his cigarette in the process.

"I don't… think so…?"

Sanji's shoulder relaxed at the questioning tone. Whatever was up with this guy, at least it wasn't hostility towards his Captain or crew. Though for a moment, he had been a bit surprised at the possibility that someone held a grudge towards Luffy. He was the friendliest man on the planet, no doubt about it. He'd even made friends who were a part of the Marines—not including his own grandfather.

If anyone held a grudge against him, it would probably only be those who Luffy defeated despite all odds. Perhaps Crocodile or the members of CP9. But they wouldn't stand a chance without some tricks up their sleeves.

This whole thing could be some kind of trick, but given how willing Ivankov has been to help—if one could call the harassment he had endured for days now help—he doubted it was the case that a friend of Iva's would be part of some scheme.

That only left one thing for him to worry about.

"I have to ask, who was that kid and why is he here of all places?"

Sanji knew it wasn't his place to pry, but something fishy was going on here besides whatever was going on between the cross-dresser and the nobleman-looking asshole.

"We happened to run into each other and traveling together, that's all," the Sabo guy admitted.

He seemed relaxed as he admitted it, but it didn't take much of a brain to realize that there was more to the story. What could possibly have made them travel together, much less why to here of all places?

"Don't think too hard about it, Sanji, dear," Iva purred, "You'll worry yourself to death and get wrinkles on that lovely face of yours."

Although he was cognizant of the fact that this was meant to be a reassurance, lack of knowledge left him ill at ease. Granted his entire life had been one chaotic and/or disastrous event after another, especially once he'd become a Strawhat Pirate. So it wasn't as if he hadn't been used to it. But compared to now, most of those other times, he'd known what he had been getting himself into. He was almost certain that that wasn't the case here. Not to mention that this kid likely hadn't signed up for this kind of life.

"You still didn't answer my first question."

Cooperative he may have been initially, Sabo seemed assiduous in his quest to keep the full truth elusive. At least it was largely in regard for the kid's personal information. Luckily, Sanji like to believe he was good at riling people up until they let something slip.

He snorted, "Don't tell me you don't know."

"Perhaps I simply don't trust you to know," Sabo retorted, his face impassive despite the tension in his shoulders.

In all honesty, Sanji had no idea what that was supposed to mean. Whether the guy knew or not, he decided it didn't matter. There was little he could do, and if Ivankov deemed it so, the people on this island could easily defeat him at his current strength. He had no idea how far their goodwill would go, even if his captain had befriended this freak.

"You've done plenty, Sanji, dear. You don't need to help this boy as well. If anything, you should save your goodwill for the little Devil that saved your Captain's brother."

Sanji frowned. He had seen in the newspapers that someone had shown up out of nowhere and disrupted the battle at Marineford. The one responsible had been given an insane bounty, but considering the speculations that he was able to keep up with a Marine Admiral, the number was rather an underestimation. Just remembering the utter terror invoked and strength displayed the last two times their crew had run into an Admiral (one of which bore little to no ill will towards them, no less), left him speechless.

However, while he'd learned of this new criminal and his bounty, this was the first he'd heard about him bearing responsibility for saving Ace's life.

"Wait a minute," Sanji sat up straight, staring incredulously at Ivankov, "Don't tell me you were there at Marineford?"

"Oh, was that not clear? Where else would I have met him? I see that you are not the brains of your little crew."

The man—utterly annoyed—chewed angrily on his cigarette before smiling dopily, "Obviously not! My beloved Robin is the smart one, of course! She's so beautiful and-"

He continued to swoon over all of their cute Robin's best qualities, of which she had many. He realized that they had stopped listening, but he didn't let that stop him. His wonderful Robin deserved nothing less than true praise, even if it is resigned to be espoused as a soliloquy.

"Robin… as in Nico Robin?" Sabo muttered, even as Sanji continued rambling on, "Any chance we could-?"

Ivankov shook his head and spoke, "No, I'm afraid she's quite spoken for already. Besides, I doubt Dragon would want to poach a member from his own son."

Sanji froze mid-rant, "Wait, Dragon?"

"Dragon's… wait, Strawhat Luffy is Dragon's son?" Sabo blurted out, nearly falling out of his own seat.

Iva paused for a moment, their own words taking a minute to catch up to them.

But moments later, they shed any hesitation and simply reveled in their reactions, launching themself up out of their chair and slamming a foot up onto the table dramatically, "Indeed! Our beloved leader has a son! He's quite the troublemaker, I could see the resemblance immediately."

They all stared at each other for a minute, the silence pervading the room as Iva remained in the outlandishly theatrical pose.

"Wait, why is this news to you? Did you not read the report before you went on this mission?" Ivankov questioned incredulously.

"I was busy, okay!" Sabo grimaced, though his guilty expression was comical.

If anything, it reminded Sanji of the look Luffy gave him when he was caught red-handed stealing food from the fridge.

"Sometimes I wonder how you rose up the ranks," Iva shook their head, still keeping up the over-the-top facade.

Though Sanji was beginning to think that Iva was just like that.

"But then Fire Fist Ace…" he froze for a moment wincing, "I could have sworn I overheard someone say that they were brothers…? Dragon has two sons and never said anything? But I thought that when I skimmed the report, it also said Fire Fist was the son of the Pirate King…"

"Ah, they're not related, Sabo-boy!" Iva exclaimed, "They're sworn brothers, so precious. The lengths Strawboy went to rescue his brother was truly-"

"Are you sure you don't need medical attention?" Sanji blurted out, interrupting the drama queen and ignoring the offended gasp his disrespect elicited.

He couldn't just stand by and watch this guy—even if he was a suspicious bastard—wince and squeeze his eyes shut in obvious agony for the third time without doing something about it. Even if his vague answers left Sanji with the urge to punch the guy, he'd never been a fan of watching other people suffer.

Sabo all but growled at him, "I'm fine."

"Fine then, if you insist," Sanji let his lips curl downwards, as he wanted them to know of his mistrust and disapproval, "Then I'll ask this instead; The hell do you mean by 'report' and 'mission'? There's no way you are Marines, so who the hell are you?"

Although Sabo pursed his lips and mirrored his frown, Iva was apparently adamant to subvert any and all expectations.

"Why, we're part of the Revolutionary Army, Sanji, dear."

His jaw went slack and his hands slid out of his pockets, though he only noticed when his cigarette slipped out of his mouth and landed on the floor. It took him a moment to react and crush it under his heel, but he wasn't the only one taken by surprise. Just moments after he put out the small flame, Sabo stood up and glared at Iva.

It was safe to say Ivankov had looser lips than someone from the Revolutionary army should have. He wasn't going to complain, though. It was just that he was utterly flabbergasted.

"It seems your time in Impel Down has made you lose your touch, Ivankov," Sabo admonished.

The man looked utterly unprepared for that kind of behavior, though it felt incredibly in character in Sanji's opinion. But perhaps that's because he'd met them more recently. Either way, the two of them were just dropping bombshell after bombshell in off-handed remarks without a second thought. He'd have never suspected that Ivankov had been imprisoned in the most fortified prison in the world, much less managed to escape.

It felt unreal to be in the presence of two members of the Revolutionary Army, if only because his captain had a tenuous connection with the secretive, dangerous organization.

But that brought up another query of which he just had to obtain the answer.

"Does the kid know about your… job?" Sanji couldn't help but ask, though his timing made the inquiry too ungainly for his liking.

He wanted answers, but the maladroit manner in which he had gone about probing them for information left him more than a bit abashed. He was doing this kid no favors if the boy was truly in a dangerous situation and in need of rescue.

Luckily, despite his gauche approach, Sabo shook his head. He even began to elaborate; Sanji noted that he was oddly cooperative for someone with a job that required secrecy and discretion.

"Knowing any more could put him in more danger. It's best if he doesn't get mixed up in this."

"Unless he joins the cause, right Sabo-boy?" Iva crooned, lips twisting upward into a devilish smile at Sabo's unimpressed stare, "Yes yes, you said otherwise earlier, but you had that look on your face when I brought it up. I'm not blind, you know."

"If he happens to find out and wants to join, he's more than welcome to," he acquiesced, "But I sure as hell won't be the one to tell him. Neither will you, understand?"

Well, Sanji supposed he could get along with this creep if only because they shared a common goal of wanting to keep this kid out of trouble. Given how open he'd become when it came to Deku's well-being, he could put two and two together. While Ivankov was a wily bastard with intentions Sanji could trust as far as he could kick the asshole, he could form a temporary truce with the other blonde man.

Iva sighed dramatically, "You drive a hard bargain, though I suppose I surrendered my say in the matter earlier."

Whatever the hell that was supposed to mean, Sanji didn't know. Obviously some kind of Revolutionary business to which he wasn't privy. Instead of pressing, however, he simply took a deep breath of smoke, puffing it out away from the men in front of him.

"So if you aren't going to have him join you, what do you plan to do with him?"

The secretive bastards exchanged an unreadable look for an uncomfortably long time. It was the type of look that belied a non-verbal conversation. It was something only possible between people who either had known each other for a long time or had such a close, trusting relationship that words were unnecessary.

It was the type of relationship that made him miss his crewmates, including the annoying Marimo. They all shared that trust and care and he missed it more than anything. It tore him up inside. He could only imagine what it was like for this kid. Did he even have a home? Or was he on his own?

Deku seemed like the runaway type, but that could just be Sanji reading too much into things.

"I'll find him a place to stay where he's safe."

"And if the Marines happen to find him by himself?" he pushed back.

Iva interjected, "Of course we could give him someone to contact in case he's ever in danger. We do have connections all over, Sanji, dear. So enough of the squabbling, as entertaining as it is to watch."

"Now run along," Iva shooed him away with a dismissive wave, "We have some classified matters to discuss."

Sanji reluctantly stood, letting out a 'tch' to make his displeasure known. At the very least, it was a consolation to see the look of annoyance overtake Sabo's features. Given how many times he'd seen that look on his lovely Nami's face, he had a feeling that a harsh scolding was about to take place. Although normally he'd like to see someone who irritated him get taken down a peg, he'd settle with the knowledge that it would occur as he obnoxiously stomped out of the room and back outside to train.

After all, now it seemed he had a kid to protect.

Midoriya wishes he could say he was out the moment his head hit the pillow, but his mind was still going a mile a minute.

He hadn't been sure how he felt about Sanji, but he hadn't had the energy to spare for a conversation to get to know the guy a bit better, so he'd let himself collapse face-first onto the bed as soon as they had arrived at what was going to be his room for the night.

The room itself was a comfortable size, a bit larger than his room back at UA, which had already been a bit bigger than his room at home. There was a dresser and a desk as well as a small nightstand beside the bed, but he didn't spare more than a glance at them before dismissing them. They looked a bit dusty, but at least the linens on the mattress seemed fresh and clean.

Despite bee-lining it to and flopping onto the bed the minute the door swung open, the blonde guy seemed keen to hover for a moment longer. His stomach churned with anxiety even as he actively tried to put his thoughts to rest. So the boy let his breathing even out as best as possible, even letting out a few snores to make his performance extra convincing. That seemed to have been enough for the man to gently shut the door and leave him to his own devices.

Of course, if Midoriya had his way, "his own devices" would have been him going the hell to sleep.

Fake it until you make it was a popular phrase he'd heard—and lived by—for most of his life. All Might's philosophy of smiling through the fear and the pain was the same kind of principle, even if it was more for other people than yourself. So he tried to lay there, still and breathing steady, in hopes of eventually drifting off to sleep.

However, despite the exhaustion weighing him down and practically pressing his limbs into the mattress, sleep evaded him.

With a heavy sigh—and a whole lot of effort—Midoriya rolled over onto his back and stared up blankly at the ceiling. His stomach protested at how empty it was, but the idea of getting back up and awkwardly interrupting the conversation of which he had just been kicked out was far more unappealing. Even though there was probably something small he could snack on his his backpack that he'd abandoned beside the bed frame, even that much felt like too much work to be worth it.

Even though he now had some time to spare to keep his energy up (and he'd promised himself he wouldn't make this foolish mistake again), Midoriya gave in and continued staring up at the stone pattern above him.

Tomorrow morning, he would have to leave this island. He felt tired and the bed was welcoming and comfortable despite his own sweaty clothes that smelled of sea-spray. The mattress was a bit hard and the bed itself a bit lopsided, but it had nothing on sleeping in alleyways or crevices on tall buildings.

There was no telling how fast Shigaraki or All for One would be able to get around in this world. It was certainly a wake-up call to see just how vast the open oceans were between islands. Although he logically knew that the distance between the east coast of Japan and the west coast of the United States was astronomical compared to the size of Japan, it was still humbling to see just how minuscule some of the islands of this world could be and the great distances of water that separated them.

Midoriya hoped that the large bodies of water would slow them down at the very least, though he wasn't holding his breath for such a pitiful wish. It would be safer to simply act on the assumption that they could move around at equivalent—or even greater, though he didn't want to consider that possibility just yet—speeds.

No matter what, he would be at a disadvantage because his enemies knew his location but he was utterly ignorant of theirs.

At the moment, however, he didn't have a particularly reliable method of transportation. He could close large distances on his own at much faster speeds than typical sea-faring vessels, but without knowing where to go, he could end up stranded in the middle of the ocean. Or if he simply followed the Log Pose, he'd follow a predictable path at best and potentially end up on another island with a Marine base and risk capture again.

He sighed, fiddling with his broken gauntlets in an attempt to relieve the pressure they placed on his sore wrists. As uncomfortable as they were, he didn't feel safe enough to take them off again. Hell, if it wouldn't give away his identity, he would have put his Hero Costume back on a long time ago.

But for the moment, he had to take advantage of Sabo's good will despite the way he felt like throwing up at the thought of how he'd accidentally manipulated the man into helping him.

Perhaps once Midoriya secured a good route—or better yet, a solid plan—he could confess to the man and make him hate him. Then he could leave and never come back. It would hurt Sabo, but at least he would know the truth and keep his distance. It was better this way. Even in another world, he still put others in danger simply with his existence.

Midoriya ran his teeth along his bottom lip, doing his best to keep from tearing the dry skin even as he anxiously fiddled with it.

It logically followed that it would be best not to spend any time around Sanji either. While he didn't know their intentions, he couldn't allow himself to accidentally endear himself to them. They were cordial enough that he could gather supplies and regroup for a bit before leaving, and that would have to do.

And if his heart ached at the thought of being truly alone once more, then nobody else had to know. This was what it meant to accept One for All and make it his. He would protect them all with his life or die trying. He would defeat All for One and save Shigaraki even if it cost him everything. Nobody could stop him, he wouldn't allow them to stand in his way, regardless of who this them could be.

But at this point, his thoughts—though filled with conviction and determination as they were—were nearly incoherent and a jumbled, fuzzy mess. The room spun around him, stuttering and returning back to its place as his body realized nothing was actually moving, the sensation repeated every second, leaving him dizzy and breathless.

Eventually, an invisible, heavy weight tugged his eyelids shut against his will, dragging them closed as he forced himself to stagger them back upwards: an act of futility.

One moment his eyes slipped shut and they next the flung back open again to the sound of obnoxious chirping.

Midoriya squeezed his eyes for a moment, wincing at the headache that pulsed behind his eyes. As he sat himself upright he slowly let the burning light filter in through his eyelashes until his pupils adjusted to the brightness of the room.

With a groan, he made an honest effort to sit upright. It took a good few tries before he managed to scoot his back against the headboard to remain in that position; he let it slide, even as frustration welled up inside him. For a moment, he wondered if he had even slept at all, but soreness in his neck informed him otherwise. It was nowhere near as bad as it had been back when he'd slept in alleyways or on rooftops, yet it was aggravating nonetheless.

Most likely, he'd slept through the entire day and night. While it was good that got the chance to rest after another two days straight of consciousness and maintaining focus, he hadn't expected to be out for well over twelve hours. The last time he'd slept so long had been… back when he'd first arrived in this world. He'd all but crashed and burned and wound up with people he'd nearly put in danger.

This happening again felt like a warning that something was about to go horribly, terribly wrong.

With a sigh, he tugged the covers off of his legs and staggered to his feet. At the very least, he should try to find Sabo to prepare to leave. There was a good chance he'd have to argue his case for departing sooner rather than later, but the man had been lenient towards his decisiveness up to this point and he doubted that would change without cause.

Midoriya grimaced at the feel of his wrinkled clothes rubbing against his skin. He hadn't been able to change, given his lack of alternative outfits, however he was awfully fed up with these loose articles of clothing that smelled of the sea and sweat. An unfavorable combination.

Even so, he stumbled out of the room and forewent any thoughts about correcting the issue. As he wandered down the empty hallway, he couldn't stop his mind from doing the same. If he smelled too poorly for their liking, then he wouldn't mind being directed to a shower or bath. But he wasn't going to request such a thing and impose. He was done taking advantage of people's good will only to give them tragedy and misfortune in return. Since he hadn't done enough to prevent his classmates from chasing after him, he knew there was more to be done.

The real question was whether or not he had the guts to follow through with it.

"Oh, kid, there you are."

Midoriya ground to a halt mid-step and turned to face Sabo, whom he hadn't noticed approach. In fact, he had no idea where he had wound up, having zoned out and been utterly inattentive to his surroundings.

"Good morning," he greeted blandly, feeling more than a little unrested and unwilling to socialize. But for all the trouble he'd inadvertently caused the man, he figured he should spare a few moments at least to exchange pleasantries.

"I would say I hope you slept well, but you honestly look like death warmed over," Sabo laughed before closing the distance between them.

Before he knew it, the blonde gently pressed a steaming mug of tea in his hands and took a few steps back. The man gave no explanation, only a small closed-lip smile and a nod of encouragement.

Midoriya saw no reason to protest and simply took a sip. The familiar taste was soothing but left him aching with homesickness, longing for one of Yaoyorozu's expensive blends that she was always so enthusiastic to share with their class. Although the gentle warmth relaxed his shoulders as it slid down his esophagus, his chest tightened from the emotions that squeezed his heart. It felt as though it was ready to burst from the pressure. It was such a foolish thing to long for. He felt like a lost child, waiting for a parent to come and save him.

But there was no one here to save him but himself.

Perhaps if he hadn't wound up in an entirely different world, his desire to return to UA—to his classmates—wouldn't feel like a pathetic pipe-dream; they wouldn't feel like a nightmare. If only, if only if only.

Midoriya quickly tossed those thoughts aside. The moment he gave up hope—no matter how unrealistic his desired outcome might have been—was the moment he lost. It was what All for One was hoping for. He might have played into the supervillain's plans, however so long as he held onto One for All, he knew he still held leverage against them.

At worst, he would lose this impromptu game of cat and mouse, but at best he could take them by surprise and defeat them once and for all.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Midoriya flinched at the hand that suddenly nudged against his shoulder, his chin shooting up despite him having no recollection of lowering it. Sabo's expression was soft and filled with concern; it reminded him of his mother and his heart rebelled once more.

"You zoned out a bit there, are you sure you don't want to rest some more?" he inquired, sounding earnest in his suggestion despite the fact that they were currently on the run, "Iva won't mind, I promise. You look like you need it."

The boy looked away to keep from meeting the man's eyes, "No, I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep if I tried. Besides, I slept all day and night, I'm pretty sure that's plenty."

"Then maybe you should get something to eat instead."

The tone made it sound more like a statement than a suggestion and Midoriya had a feeling that he had little choice in the matter. It certainly didn't help that his stomach rumbled on cue, as though in agreement with the man.

"Sounds like someone is hungry," a new voice chimed in.

Midoriya spun around on his heel to face the newcomer, failing to keep his lips from forming a pout at the teasing. After all the backlash and terrible interactions he'd had with civilians on the streets, it was an odd feeling to be teased by strangers again.

"Are you offering?" Sabo replied, a lilt of amusement coloring his tone.

Sanji—with his hands still in his pockets as he strode towards them—simply grinned, "Of course, what kind of chef would I be if I didn't feed anyone who is hungry?"

"One that makes money, of course."

Midoriya shifted in place awkwardly. Although Sabo's expression was pleasant, his tone was biting, almost dripping with poison. He clearly agreed with Sanji's attitude, but his obvious opinion towards those that believed the latter left the boy frozen in place. It was a bit surreal to see such a side of the man after the gentle care he'd been shown the entire time they'd known each other. Of which, Midoriya had to remind himself numbered only in the days.

Without any further preamble, Sanji firmly clasped his hands on Midoriya's shoulders and gently steered him down the hallway. It took the boy by enough surprise that he simply walked with the minimal force, exchanging perplexed blinking with Sabo until they turned around a corner and the man was out of sight.

"Um, you don't have to make anything for me if it's too much trouble. I'm alright," Midoriya offered the man an out, just in case Sabo had somehow pressured him into it.

While he appreciated and sympathized with the man's willingness to help others, he didn't want to be the reason someone else was coerced into doing something they didn't want to do. There was a tension between the two blonde men and—while he didn't know what exactly it was about—he instinctively put himself between the two to play mediator.

But Sanji simply laughed at him, "Nah, kid, I'm a chef. It's my pleasure to make something for you. It would be a mark against my pride as a chef to not serve someone who is hungry."

Despite himself, Midoriya was starting to like this man. He respected such a dedication to helping people. If only it hadn't been directed towards him at a time when doing so was dangerous.

However Midoriya realized he wasn't in a position to argue, so he acquiesced and allowed the man to continue to direct him to a dining room in a different part of the large estate than he'd been led to the day prior. The man sat him down at the table and pestered him about food preferences and allergies, to which the boy struggled to give an adequate response before the whirlwind of a man whisked himself away to whip up something he would enjoy.

He felt as stunned and flustered as the first time he had met Hawks during his internship with Endeavor. The interaction itself was positive, but it left him utterly drained, speechless, and scrambling to get himself back together.

Before he knew it, the blonde returned from whatever kitchen he had occupied. It was almost absurd how quickly Sanji had prepared a full course meal, but Midoriya wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, even though his mind began considering the possible quirks this man had. It took a moment to switch quirk with Devil Fruit power, but even then he came up blank.

Not that he could think for very long, considering the absolutely tantalizing spread in front of him.

"Bon appetite!" Sanji flourished his grand gesture of setting down the plates with a bow.

Shyly, the boy considered his options. It wasn't too difficult of a decision, though it took more than a moment to gather his courage.

"Why don't you eat... with me?"

The man blinked at him, clearly surprised, but the soft smile from before returned and the man sat down on his left and waited for Midoriya to take the first bite. It only took that first bite for the rest of the world to fall away. The journey that was in that first bite was incredible. Not even his mother's katsudon could begin to compare to the incredible experience that was this dish, which was only one of many laid out before him.

But he paid no mind to the chef joining him in consuming the practically gourmet meal, far too busy shoveling more food into his mouth to satisfy not only his stomach but his taste buds.

By the time his stomach began to protest against eating even another bite, Midoriya had only eaten about two plates, though he'd taken quick tastes of the many options. It felt like a waste to leave so much uneaten, but he knew he'd reached his limit.

"Thank you so much for the food!" he squeaked out, utterly mortified by the realization that he hadn't given his thanks before digging in.

"Yes! My compliments to the chef," Sabo exclaimed cheerily, taking Midoriya by surprise for the second time that morning.

He had been so wrapped up in the food that he hadn't even noticed the man's arrival. In all honesty, Midoriya felt off-kilter over the past few days. Ever since he'd been hit by that drugged dart, his mind still felt awfully foggy. He was determined to push through it, but the little voice in the back of his head was worried that it had some kind of long-term effect on him.

Sanji playfully scowled, "I didn't say you could have any."

"And after that heartfelt line about feeding the hungry, for shame."

Midoriya slid down in his seat. Though the words were different, their banter was reminiscent of how Kaminari liked to tease Bakugou. He really needed to stop comparing everything to his friends back home. At this rate, he felt as though he might drive himself crazy with homesickness.

So he decided to shut the conversation down rather than join or observe it, "The food was really good."

"Though it seems you went a bit overboard, there's far too much leftover. Perhaps we should invite the whole island to help us finish this spread off," Sabo grinned.

...not that Midoriya was ever any good at manipulating social situations in his favor.

Sanji grimaced at the jab, looking away. He seemed to take something serious away from that teasing comment rather than receiving it as the joke it was intended to be. The boy simply shrugged it off. He was far too bone-weary to ponder it any further. He had always been much too honest for that. Although All Might had always reassured him that his kind nature was a good thing, given the circumstances, he couldn't help but feel it held him back.

However he refused to waver now and disappoint All Might, even if he never saw the man again…

"I think I should leave by tomorrow morning at the latest," Midoriya blurted out in a forlorn attempt to distract his ever-wandering mind from another soul-crushing thought spiral.

Of course, neither of the men next to him looked pleased by the sudden topic change. That or, they were vexed by the topic itself. He anxiously rubbed his fingers together at the hardened expressions now directed his way. He didn't like it one bit, so he opted to explain his reasoning, if only to get them off his back. He wasn't some child of which they had to take care. He was trying to protect them from him.

"We aren't sure if they were able to follow us, so it's best if I keep on the move for now. While there isn't any Marine presence on this island, I wouldn't want to lead them here. So if they are tailing me, I could at least lead them elsewhere and-"

"Hold on, kid," Sanji blurted out, looking more than a bit confused, "The Marines are after you? I thought they were after this guy."

Despite the playful back and forth before, Sabo had no reaction to such an informal reference, nor the disrespectful thumb jerked in his general direction. He too looked concerned, which was the exact opposite of what he'd wanted.

Though Sabo looked surprised by Sanji's deduction as well. It seemed Midoriya's guess the day prior had been correct. The man had honestly thought that Midoriya hadn't been a target. Well, if he ever found it, he'd certainly be in for a surprise. Of course, letting him in on that little tidbit was the last thing the boy wanted to do. He doubted they would let him out of their sight if they knew the truth.

"Oh, no," Midoriya kept his face blank, eyes wide and projecting innocence to the best of his ability, "I just assumed they would think I was your accomplice and assume I could lead them to you if they caught me. I'm just a kid, so they probably think I'm an easier target…"

He clamped his mouth shut, teeth aching as they slammed against each other in his haste to shut himself up. Now was not the time for his mumbling habit to get in the way.

But Midoriya knew that the damage had already been done. What he had said was logical and he honestly believed some—if not most—of it was the truth, but by explaining how he could be a target without being the original target did nothing to convince them that he wasn't in danger. In fact, he'd practically held their hand and walked them through the logic to validate their desire to overcompensate and protect him.

Now he'd really gone and done it.

"I don't like it, but you're right.," Sabo sighed, scratching the back of his head.

Sanji looked more than a bit upset by this, "So you're going to leave? Just like that?"

"It likely isn't safe here. This is for the best."

Midoriya did his best to convey his resolve through his expression. Although it would be best if they allowed him to leave on amicable terms, it wasn't as though they could ultimately prevent him from doing so. A Marine Base couldn't hold him: neither could they.

"Well, I suppose we will leave first thing two days from now," Sabo rose from his seat, gathering the empty plates into a stack and sparing Midoriya only a firm glance.

"Two days? I thought I said tomorrow...?"

And then it hit him exactly what the man was suggesting. Sanji followed suit and began gathering the dishes to bring them to wherever the kitchen was. Despite the debacle the day prior, it seemed the two had set aside their differences for a common goal. It was something he'd been able to witness so few times, the boy couldn't help but be proud of such a compromise. Except that it was unfortunate for him that their shared objective was the exact opposite of his own.

"That sounds like a plan," Sanji agreed, pulling a cigarette from a pack in his pocket and sticking it between his teeth.

Midoriya stared at the man who didn't move to light the wretched vice. His blood felt frozen in his veins as the two men talked about preparations and accommodations for him to further relax before their departure. Only then did it hit him that Sabo had said 'we' even though Midoriya had deliberately initiated with 'I'.

"I'll be sure to pack some delicious for the journey. Make sure you tell Sabo here how it tastes so he can call Ivankov to relay the message to me. I'll figure out your favorite food so you can have it on your trip if it's the last thing I do! Just you wait!" Sanji vowed, a bright grin belying his genuine kindness.

So that was how it had to be. He had to ruin this man's happiness to protect him, how cruel. (It made him want to scream and cry and shout and rage against the unfairness of it all. He only ever wanted to help people yet now he was doomed to do the opposite.)

With a blank face, he stood from his seat and excused himself with a halfhearted explanation. At the very least, it was a good thing that Sabo had already made his intentions clear. Now Midoriya knew to plan around it.

He would leave first thing tomorrow morning. So he strolled back to where he thought his temporary room was to give himself time to make plans such as how best to gather supplies and chart out an escape route without getting caught. His ability to fly could help with that, but only if he left early enough.

And if a tear slipped past his eyelashes once he finally stumbled his way back to the guest room he was occupying, that was no one's business but his own.