One Piece Fic: From Here On Out, 3/?
Title: From Here On Out
Author: AoiTsukikage
Rating: R-ish
Characters/Pairing: ZoSan, other secondary pairings
Chapters: 3/?
Word Count: 3163
Summary: Sequel to 'This Is Your Life.' Sanji had thought that balancing real life and working to take down a new crime boss would be easier the second time around. He was wrong. Modern!AU, ZoSan primarily, other secondary pairings.
Chapter Three
"First order of business…I think we all know each other, at least by name…"
"No you don't," Ace piped up. "Sorry, Vivi, but before anybody else asks, this is Marco, and you have my word that he's trustworthy," he rather dramatically placed his hand over his heart and she nodded at him.
"I trust you, Ace. But right, now that that's sorted…Robin, the floor is yours," she gestured and the older woman nodded gracefully to her, stepping out to the center of the room.
"Robin?" Zoro hissed to Sanji, who realized that it was probably a good thing.
"Yeah, can you imagine Lucci explaining this? He'd terrify everybody," he whispered back, and Zoro snickered because that much was true.
"I'm speaking on behalf of CP9 but you all know why you're here and what we're doing, and because the consensus is that the more people we have on our side the better, it was decided we'd explain it to everybody at once. Basically, when it comes to actually fighting, we can only attack in self-defence. We're trying to operate within the law here and while we might have a little leeway since the mayor is on our side," she nodded to Iceburg, who smiled back at her. "It would still be better to not do anything illegal. Of course this doesn't apply to…certain people in this room, but they know who they are," she finished, seating herself primly on the piano stool.
"Wait, we can't beat people up? That's lame," Luffy was pouting and Nami soundly elbowed him.
"Were you even listening? Yes, you can beat people up, but you can't do it for no reason!"
"Oh. Okay," Luffy blinked a couple of times and seemed satisfied with this answer.
"And don't go looking for trouble," Kaku added, not standing but everybody turned to him regardless. "This isn't your job, you're not obligated to help with this, and while you can rest assured we will call on your for assistance if we need to, don't try to take matters into your own hands. And Ace," he looked over at the man, who blinked innocently. "Try to, um, not burn things down."
"Hey, fire is a very effective way of convincing people not to mess with me," he grinned and Kaku rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else.
"And whatever any of you do, do not try to bring attention to yourselves. You all know what it was like last time when Sanji was targeted directly, and if you all can remain just a large network of anonymous helpers for our organization that would be preferable to Enel or his men knowing who you are, because that puts you in danger," Lucci spoke up, and as Sanji had predicted, every word he spoke sounded like a death knell. "Lay low, trust us, and hopefully this mission can be cleaned up with minimal bloodshed and no loss of life," he looked almost disappointed at that last part.
"But speaking of that, if anybody does get hurt, it would probably be in the best interest of all of us to not go a hospital for treatment if at all possible," Kalifa added. "We have enough people with medical expertise here that they should be able to cover things quite well."
"Yeah, Kaya and I might still be students but my mom won't say no to helping anybody if we go to her," Chopper piped in.
"And if something happens and you can't get to help from there immediately, I'm more than capable of handling things," Law was tapping his fingers idly on his knee and Sanji saw a few surprised glances because, just like he hadn't known, he had a feeling the fact that Law possessed a good deal of medical knowledge wasn't something a lot of people realized.
"Well, looks like we're well-prepared, in any case," Robin stood up and moved to sit beside Franky, her husband giving her a thumbs-up as she smiled at him and then looked back at the rest of the room. "Is that everything?"
"I think so," Vivi nodded. "And I know the real reason you all come over here is because…"
"Food!" Luffy shrieked, barrelling toward the kitchen with Nami hot on his heels trying to ward him off, and Vivi sighed and rubbed her temples because really they should all just expect this by now.
000
"So what's the deal with Marco?"
"You're double-teaming me, which is unfair, and I don't think I have to answer any of your questions if you're going to bully me into it," Kaku perched himself on the edge of the fountain, one knee drawn up to his chest, and the look he gave Sanji and Zoro was completely impassive. "Besides, who says I have any information on Marco?"
"Kalifa, when she told us that he'd already be dead if you didn't trust him. So, why should we trust him?" Zoro had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot idly on the ground, a habit that Sanji realized with a start he must have picked up from him because he sure couldn't remember Zoro doing that before.
"Of course she did," Kaku looked skyward and then lay back on the concrete, pillowing his hands behind his head and staring up at the clouds. "He's part of the reason that Smoker and Ace went out East in the first place. A long time ago, certainly before any of us were around, there was a man known as Whitebeard who was rather well-known in the Toronto area. There were rumors of mafia ties and whatnot but nothing was ever proven, and while he became notorious they never found anything that proved he was engaging in criminal activity.
"A couple of years ago, he reappeared out East, and this only added to the whole mafia theory, but he's got…'sons', he calls them, although they're not related. Nobody's quite sure if they're orphans or just wayward souls that he's taken under his wing, but we've been watching him for a while now and, like I said, nothing suspicious is going on at all," he frowned then and turned his head sideways so he could look at the other two men.
"So Marco…"
"Is one of his 'sons', yes. The leader of them, from what I've heard, and he does…well, he does what Kid and Law do, essentially, a sort of justice vigilante, but as long as he's not overstepping we're not going to interfere with what they're doing. If it keeps people safe, that's all we really want," he sounded thoughtful now. "Anyway, that's what I know about him. I know you're worried about him getting close to Ace and hurting him," he directed this to Sanji, who couldn't even deny it because, well, he was. "But it doesn't look like you'll have anything to fear."
"Right. Thanks," Sanji pursed his lips and debated pulling out another cigarette, but he knew he should really lay off and he'd been smoking more than normal lately because, well, stress. Stress he'd asked for and that he enjoyed, but still.
"Next time bother Kalifa if you want information. I'm not your personal encyclopedia," Kaku sounded half-asleep and Sanji exchanged a grin with Zoro because they both knew the other man had no problems with it at all.
"C'mon, Marimo," Sanji lightly touched Zoro's shoulder and steered him to another area of the large patio, leaning on the rail and watching the boats in the distant channel zip back and forth. "What's on your mind?"
"Not much. Just kinda itching for some action. It's been too long," Zoro's fingers were twitching like he was ready to draw the katana that weren't there, but Sanji could tell that he'd been getting antsy lately.
"You'll get it, I'm sure. I just hope we don't get more than we're bargaining for," he sighed and Zoro wrapped his arms around him from behind, his chin resting on Sanji's shoulder.
"Hey, stop worrying. I think we've all proven that we're way tougher than people think and no shitty wannabe-god is gonna take us down," he moved enough that the force of it caused his earrings to jingle, the chimes ringing through the still air, and Sanji nodded because of course Zoro was right. "We've got a lot of freakishly strong people on our side, and a lot of freakishly smart people, and nobody's gonna come close to matching all of us there."
"I know," Sanji assured him, because that much at least was true. They were an incredibly unconventional group of people that under normal circumstances probably all wouldn't be acquainted or, well, maybe not have ever met, but for whatever reason what they had was working and he could only hope it kept on that way. "I guess I just can't help feeling that one of these days our luck's gonna run out."
"Yeah, maybe, but that's what makes it fun," he could tell Zoro was grinning and he reached back to lightly smack the other man's hip. "Hey, you know I'd never do anything stupid. I've got too much to live for," he was quiet, then, and while Sanji had a feeling he was probably talking more about beating Mihawk and avenging Kuina's memory, there was a part of him that believed that maybe he was included, too.
000
"Ace, Luffy said…shit!" Sanji slammed the door and turned around, back pressed against the wall as he slumped against it. "I should have known. Fuck, why didn't I know? Of course I knew, it's so fucking obvious, why…" he knew he was muttering to himself and probably sounded insane, but it was better than thinking about the alternative. Not, of course that the alternative was so horrible, of course not,, but it wasn't something he wanted to fixate on at the moment.
"Sanji, crap, sorry!" Ace rushed out, still half-dressed and scratching the back of his neck as he laughed nervously. "Luffy told me you weren't coming over until later."
"Yeah, um, I didn't expect…" Sanji gestured vaguely to the bedroom. "So is this part of the reason he came along with you?"
"No!" Ace said, too quickly, and then blushed. "I mean, not really? He's an amazing fighter and he's got a reputation, that's why he's here. This is...look, don't tell anybody, okay?" he urged and Sanji raised his eyebrow.
"Why not? It's not like anybody's going to judge you," he was a little confused at the request, but it wasn't as if he was going to go blabbing it out to everybody.
"You should know."
Sanji looked toward the bedroom door and met Marco's eyes, and the other blond was still disheveled but at least fully-clothed now.
"I keep telling you, it doesn't matter," Ace pouted and sank into the chair next to Sanji, resting his chin on his hand. "I mean, Sanji and Zoro are together and everybody knows about it."
"I just think it's dangerous to be involved when you're trying to take down a criminal organization. It's dangerous to have a lover working in the same field," Marco was giving them both a look like this should be The Most Obvious Thing Ever and seemed a little put-out when Sanji started to snicker. "What's so funny?"
"Tell that to Lucci and `Kaku. Or Law and Kid," he added and Marco for once looked completely awake as he turned to him in obvious shock.
"You're serious?"
"Yeah. I mean, no, they don't broadcast it, but it's not a secret with any of them," he explained quickly. "And besides, everybody will be happy that Ace has found somebody. Although I thought you and Smoker…"
"No," Ace said with a rueful shake of his head. "I mean, I'd considered it, but we're much better off as friends. Frenemies. Whatever we are," he grinned. "Besides, maybe you were right when you told me he was a little too old for me."
Sanji cleared his throat and looked over at Marco because he wasn't quite sure how Ace could say that when none of them had any idea whatsoever how old Marco was, but Ace didn't seem concerned about that.
"And, I mean, I should have guessed. I really should have, but maybe I was ignoring the signs," Sanji pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, passing it to Ace when he held out his hand.
"I still don't know why you were so traumatized, I mean it's not like you've never seen me naked before," Ace looked entirely too smug now and Sanji kicked his shin under the table. "Hey!"
"It was surprising, that's all. You know we were…" he turned to Marco, who nodded. "Okay. Ace likes to bring it up a little too often."
"Because, despite the fact that you're smoking hot, I claim the honor of the being the first and still one of the only people to have ever had sex with you, and I take that very seriously," he passed the smoke back and Sanji inhaled gratefully, not really wanting to have this conversation with somebody he still didn't know very well in the room.
"It's fine, Sanji," Marco assured him, coming over and resting a hand on his shoulder. "And I know you're protective of Ace, but you can trust me."
"I do," Sanji told him truthfully. "I don't exactly know why, but I do."
"Not that it's a good thing, but I've got the feeling you've had to learn to read people almost instantly," Marco finally relaxed enough that he took a seat, perching backward on the chair and bracing his arms on the back of it. "I know you know about me."
"Just what CP9 told me," Sanji replied slowly. "If they know more they're not revealing it, and I haven't seen Kaku enough lately to corner him and drag it out of him," he smirked and Marco laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around the chair.
"I didn't think CP9 listened to anybody," he looked moderately impressed.
"That's just Lucci. The rest of them aren't nearly as terrifying on a regular basis. At least, the ones I've met," he amended, because he was fairly sure there were a few he hadn't ever been introduced to personally (although from what Kalifa had told him, Fukurou and Kumadori were perhaps even stranger than all the others, and their real 'boss' was, in her own words, 'a pervert who one day I am going to charge and successfully convict of sexual harassment,' so Sanji let the subject go after that one).
"Yeah, we've heard a lot of stories about Rob Lucci. Even Whitebeard seems to think he's a force to be reckoned with, and ol' Pops isn't scared of anybody," he had a fond look in his eyes that told Sanji just how much he cared about this 'Whitebeard'.
"I've been learning over the past couple of days that reputation can be a powerful weapon," Sanji noted, and Marco nodded in agreement. Ace had been silent for a while now and Sanji looked to him, getting a half-hearted smile in return. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing major, just…we've gotta tell everybody to cool it down starting next week. The Admirals are in town and I dunno if they know anything about what's going on, but…" he crossed his arms and leaned back.
"Wait, Garp's a Vice-Admiral, right? So these are…"
"Technically his commanding officers, but since Gramps is always in charge of the base here he doesn't have much to do with them," the dark-haired man replied. Sanji sometimes wondered why Ace still bothered to call Garp 'Gramps' when they weren't actually related, but it was probably habit.
Well, that, or Marco didn't know who Ace actually was, which might be a possibility, too.
"So what's the problem?"
"I've met them before and…Aokiji and Kizaru are fine enough, I guess. They've got their quirks and they do their job but they're not…you know, they're fair people. Akainu…I don't like him," Ace looked strangely haunted and Sanji leaned forward instinctively to grab his hand. "He just…he's ruthless to anybody he thinks is opposing him, and I don't know why he scares me but he does. And since none of us are really…abiding by the laws anyway here I don't want them to have any reason to come after us," he was rarely this earnest and Sanji nodded, squeezing his hand lightly.
"Okay. I'll get word out to Lucci somehow and we'll let them know to lay low. And if I can find Law I'll tell him, but that man can disappear without a trace and sometimes I can't get a hold of him at all," Sanji hoped that Law knew enough to stay out of trouble, but there were times he still couldn't help but wonder.
"Yeah. That'd be great," Ace looked marginally happier now. "I'd just rather not run into him if I can help it."
"We'll make sure you don't," Marco put in firmly, and Ace smiled at him. "But speaking of…Sanji, how much do you actually trust Trafalgar?" he looked alert and concerned and Sanji kind of wondered what exactly Marco had against Law but he obviously couldn't guess at that.
"I trust him with my life," he said firmly, and it was true. "I've…he's given me no reason not to trust him and he's helped me out a lot. Besides, I thought we were done believing rumors," he couldn't help but add and Marco smiled grimly and shook his head.
"It's not a rumor. Your CP9 friends are the ones that took out Doflamingo, right?" he leaned forward and Sanji nodded, because that was what they had been doing in Calgary when they'd literally disappeared from his life for about ten months. "It's…well, it's a fact that Law used to work for him."
"No shit," Sanji leaned back, crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side because that wasn't expected. "But he doesn't anymore…"
"Well, presumably not," Marco admitted. "Still…"
"Yeah. I mean, I don't think he'd ever do anything to hurt me, but I guess it might not hurt to look into it a little more," Sanji admittedly grudgingly. As much as he did like Law, it was probably better to be safe and Marco at least had enough people vouching for him that Sanji had no reason to distrust him at all. Law was…well, he'd always been kind of an enigma, showing up at the right places at the exact right times, but that didn't mean he was playing both sides of the fence. "I know Mihawk knows Doflamingo, so maybe he'd know more."
"I guess it can't hurt to ask," Ace was looking marginally happier after everything and Sanji glanced from one man to the other before standing up.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone to get back to…you know…" he winked and saluted before leaving the apartment, and he could hear Ace laughing behind him as he went.
Chapter Two
Notes:
1. I've got…five or six chapter of this written so far, so hopefully I can update a little more frequently after this! Also, I know I'm behind because I was out of the fandom for a few years, but having somebody to pair Ace up with is making me happy so yes, that's happening ;)
2. I don't know if anybody's reading this because I'm getting very little feedback, and I realize that most people who followed the first story in this series are probably out of the fandom by now but I'd still like to know what you think, and if there are plot questions or anything you need clarification on hit me up over on tumblr and I'll answer them!