The Dark Knight of GLU

Chapter 19
Who’s Your Daddy?

pi-rate (as defined by Encarta Dictionary)

3. somebody who duplicates or uses copyrighted or patented material illegally or without authorization.

After Shanks guided a shell shocked Frank out to the car, he drove them to his and his wife’s bar. The Oro Jackson had been burned down several years ago due to faulty wiring in the kitchen, but not long after that the Red Force had been built. They had just finished remodeling it a few weeks before Zoro and Sanji christened the kitchen. The establishment acted as the main source of income, but old habits die hard, and there were still questionable activities that occurred in the back during dark hours. If the Chief of Police knew what was going on, which he probably did, he chose to turn a blind eye as long as no innocent bystanders were injured. There was also the fact that the Chief’s own son was known to be a good friend of the redheaded pirate.

Makino was standing behind the bar chatting with one of the regulars when they walked through the saloon doors. She stopped mid sentence and just stared at them as her husband shuffled his feet under her angry glare. She returned to her conversation without giving him another glance. Shanks laughed uneasily and rubbed the back of his head.

“I guess I should have mentioned that she happens to be mad at me for some reason.” Shanks’ gave him an innocent grin in hopes that it would ease some of the embarrassment.

“You think?” Frank shook his head and sat down at an empty table in one of the corners.

Haruka had been Makino’s best friend for years and when she died a piece of the woman behind the bar died as well. It was then that she and Shanks got together. Makino loved Haruka who loved Frank who loved Shanks. Granted, Makino and Haruka’s love was nothing like what the two men shared, but it was strong and deep. It seemed only natural to Makino that when the two middle people were pulled out of the equation, the two left should be together. Shanks only gave in when Frank failed to return after Haruka’s death. Both brokenhearted souls took comfort in each other, knowing that this would be the closest they could get to happiness. They rarely slept together, and Shanks was sure that she had someone on the side. A marriage of convenience, that’s all it was.

Two bottles of cold beer appeared before them; the one in front of Frank was the only one open. Shifting his view away from the bottle Frank looked up to Makino’s bright eyes.

“It’s good to see you, Frank.” Makino bent down and hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek noisily. “Everyone missed you at the funeral. I know getting away from the Navy is hard, but I really wish you had stayed so we could visit. You’re not going to run off so quick this time are you?”

Behind her back, Shanks was scowling at his unopened bottle. She was doing it on purpose again. He placed the cold bottle between his legs and twisted of the metal cap. He wasn’t even sure what he had done this time, but apparently, she was going to torment him until he remembered. He shot Frank a dirty look when the man began snickering at his plight.

“No, Maki, I’ll be here for a little while. I just came to check up on my son and see how he’s adjusting to American life again.” Frank squeezed her gently before allowing her to stand upright again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make the wedding.”

“I’m glad you didn’t come. If you were here, it wouldn’t have happened.” Makino looked down at him with a piercing glare. “Make sure if you two get together while you’re here that Luffy doesn’t find out. I don’t want him following his brother. Someone has to give me some kids to spoil.”

“Ace?” Frank choked out as she walked away. “You mean Ace is gay? Holy shit, what does the old dog think of that?”

It took Shanks a moment to control his laughter before he could answer. “Dragon’s boys have been pretty much disowned by him, or at least in the public eye. He knows that the boy is a troublemaker, but I don’t know if he realizes how much. I’d love to be there for that conversation.”

“Yah, me too.” Frank’s eyes drifted out of focus as he thought about all the people he would be seeing tonight. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten properly in over a day. “Hey, is my bike around here? I have some loose ends to tie up before tonight.”

Shanks nodded and led him out back to the alley. The redhead unlocked a bay door and together they lifted it up. There sat Frank’s Vulcan in pristine condition, looking even better than he remembered. Every piece of chrome reflected the sun blindingly. Every inch of black was like looking in a mirror. The leather seat was as soft as the day it was made. His helmet hung off the handlebars just like it was waiting for him to grab it and put it on.

“Without all that hair, I don’t know if it will fit anymore.” Shanks said teasingly as he handed the half-shell over. He watched the man slide his leg over and bring the bike up steady. He longed for the days when he could just jump on behind him and they would take off into the night. Shanks pulled out his cell phone and slipped it into Frank’s pocket. At least this way he’d be able to contact him if something came up. “Promise me that when you leave this time it won’t be for good.”

Frank looked up at him and smiled. He reached out and pulled the redhead in for a soft kiss. “Promise.”

Shanks grabbed the back of his head and crushed their mouths together in a hungry kiss. Frank pulled him into his lap so he was sitting on the tank of the bike and nipped at his lips, practically begging for entrance. Shanks opened immediately and moaned in pleasure as Frank reacquainted himself with his lover’s taste. Their tongues lapped eagerly against each other, giving and taking as their bodies molded together. They broke for air, and sat there panting, trying to get their hearts to slow down so they didn’t beat out of their chests. A few soft kisses more and Frank was helping Shanks back to his feet.

“We’ll get caught again if we continue this here,” he said in apology, “and believe me this will continue.”

Shanks nodded in understanding and leaned in for one last kiss before the motor roared to life. “I love you.”

Frank’s eyes widened as he realized this was the first time the words had been spoken aloud between them. He smiled and whispered back. “I never stopped loving you.”

With that, he pulled hard on the throttle, and shot off down the alley, leaving a goofily grinning man in his dust.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Frank smiled as he pulled into the parking lot behind the building. It was nice to see that some things hadn’t changed. He watched one of the employees finish his cigarette and adjust his headband before going back inside. The door was left propped open, giving Frank the perfect opportunity to sneak in. On silent feet, he crept into the noisy room and spotted his victim. He was standing almost in the center of the room, barking out orders just like the old days. Sadly, he was the only familiar face he could see. A deep breath and…

“Hey! Who’s the shitty cook who runs this sorry excuse of a restaurant?! Tell him his blowfish sucks!”

Twelve pair of murderous eyes fell on him as he stood there grinning. Two of the burliest men picked up the largest knives in reach and prepared for battle. A strange chuckling began in the center of the cooks and soon erupted into full-blown laughter. Everyone hesitated in their attacks as Zeff doubled over in fits and ended up coughing and gasping for air. As soon as he caught his breath, he proceeded to wipe the cocky smirk off Frank’s face with his feet.

Frank flew across the room with the force of the blow and laid there for only a second trying to refocus his vision before Zeff was upon him again. The angry chef continued his assault on the poor man while he lectured him on what was considered proper etiquette.

“I’ll teach you, Leek, to come in here telling me my cooking is shit!”

….a kick to the chest

“If you ever want to eat my food again, you’ll change your tune.”

….another roundhouse to the jaw

“You come in here after all these years and you don’t even bring me any sake?”

….a low sweep to the feet that lays him flat on his back

“Get your ass up off the floor and clean up!”

….a lighter kick, but still painful, to the kidneys

“I’ll not serve you dinner until you work for it.”

With that, Zeff turned back to the dish he was preparing and resumed work. It was just like Frank had never left. His heart lifted, relieved that he had been silently, if not brutally, forgiven. He didn’t know what he would do if his almost-uncle had turned his back on him.

“Yes, sir.” was wheezed out by the battered man surrounded by childishly curious cooks. “A hand?”

Patty laughed and reached out, grabbing Frank’s hand roughly to pull him up on his feet. “I take it ya know the Boss?”

“You could say that.” Frank winced at the pain that he was feeling. It was a good thing he still worked out on a daily basis. Zeff’s kicks hadn’t gotten any softer over the years. “What’s on the menu for the night?”

Patty and Carne filled him in on what they were working on as Frank washed up. He donned a spare white chef’s jacket and toque (traditional hat) and sat to work on dicing vegetables. As he worked, he thought about the reason for being there. If he were to meet with everyone beforehand, he wanted to try to talk to them one-on-one first. Each one of them deserved an apology and some serious ass kissing so that they didn’t go and tell his son exactly what his younger days were like. He wanted to confess to his son first. If he had stayed with Shanks, the only ass kissing that would have happen would be in preparation for sex. With a silly grin, Frank dove back into his work, not knowing the chaos his presence was about to cause.

DK*DK*DK*DK

“That fucking, moronic, shit-for-brains, pain in the ass, Marimo BASTARD! I swear if he puts a fucking scratch on my car, I’ll fillet his ass and feed it to Luffy!” The kitchen doors were thrown open and a young man in a stylish black suit came barging in with a murderous aura about him.

Frank noticed that the others just mumbled a greeting and kept their noses in their work, ignoring the outburst. Whoever the kid was, this must be a normal occurrence. However, there was one word in there that caught him off guard. It was the same nickname his wife had called him when they first started dating. She told him it was because he was a rare treasure, but this was definitely not spoken out of love. Curious, he wiped his hands off on his apron and walked over to where the blonde was talking with Zeff.

“Hey, Leek, I want you to meet Baratie’s sous-chef.” Zeff motioned Frank over to them. “This here is my son, Sanji Black. Sanji this is an old friend of mine, Frank Roronoa.”

Sanji had just taken Frank’s hand in his own in greetings when the name clicked. His entire body stiffened as he felt the grip on his hand tighten. His face betrayed none of his unease though. When the man let go, Sanji found his voice again. “Mr. Roronoa, It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Baratie.”

Frank only grinned at the nervous blonde and nodded. So this was the young man his son was enamored with. Maybe he should see just how good of a man he really was. He needed to make sure Zoro would be safe even after the obvious threat was taken care of.

Sanji squirmed under Frank’s intense gaze. The man may be smiling, but the dangerous hint in his eyes told him that this encounter would be far from humorous. Another look in his eyes and realizations hit him.

Holy shit, this was Zoro’s father! Sanji could have figured that out even if it weren’t for the same last name. They had the exact same piercing eyes and strong facial features. Granted this man’s jaw was more square, but the nose was the same, as were the cheekbones, and even the scowl lines could not be mistaken. What was he supposed to do now? Zoro had warned him that his father was a stickler for the rules, but that was all he knew about the man. How was he expected to go into this without a little more information? He was planning to talk to the man with Zoro, damn it! And he still had yet to know if Roronoa Sr. even knew anything about him and Zoro’s relationship. If he didn’t, then why was he here? This thought brought him to the matter that Zoro’s dad was an old friend of his own father. Did Zoro know this? Did Zeff know that Zoro was this man’s son? If so, then why didn’t either of them say something sooner? He shook himself out of his thoughts when he realized Zeff was talking to him again.

“…so the Eggplant here will take care of you and make sure you’re fed proper.” Zeff turned to his son and narrowed his eyes. “See that he gets whatever he needs.”

“Of course.” Sanji nodded to the stern man and started walking away, motioning for Frank to follow. “I’ll show you where you can sit down.”

Frank could see the tension in the blonde’s shoulders and figured that he was pretty pissed. He had to stifle a giggle at the torturous plans he had in mind for this unsuspecting prey. Oh, how he loved making men squirm, and he’d had many years to practice on his subordinates to perfect the technique. He seated himself comfortably at a small table in the break room and watched the young cook leave to prepare his food. Time to play… As soon as Sanji brought his dinner, he began with his interrogation.

“So, Sanji… Tell me a little about yourself.” Frank spoke low and even between bites. He had to control himself from moaning in bliss as the exquisite food touched his tongue. He tried to hide his grin as he stuffed more food into his mouth. Did Zeff cook this, or was the blonde responsible for his meal? He’d definitely have to come visit more often if he was going to be fed like this each time.

“I’m in my third year of studies at Grand Line University towards my degree in business management. I’ll take over for Zeff when the time comes for the old man to retire. I still plan to cook of course. That will always come first.” Sanji pulled out a cigarette and lit it, blowing smoke to the side, away from the table. “I also write for the college paper. It’s more of a hobby than anything.”

“I see. You must be pretty damn smart to be able to keep up with all of that.” Frank tried to make sure he swallowed before speaking, but was beginning to not care. Zoro’s friends were right about this boy’s cooking skills.

“I’m not at the top of my class, but I’m pleased with my grades.”

“You seem to be in pretty good shape too. Has Zeff been training you?” Frank eyed the lean frame and wondered how Zoro didn’t break him when they hugged. He shook his head to clear the thoughts of his son being intimate in any way. That was NOT an image he needed. Still… Sanji wasn’t bad looking. At least Zoro had good taste.

“How did you know? Just what is your relationship with my father?” The beginning signs of anger were showing in the blonde’s voice.

“How many men can you take out at once?” Frank sat his knife and fork down next to his empty plate and looked Sanji square in the eyes… eye… What the hell was up with the hair!?

“I... I haven’t tested it. What does that have to do with anything?”

“I doubt you can move nearly as fast as he can.” Frank mused. “If you had only ten minutes, could you get from here to the campus with traffic and a red light at the corner?”

“Wha-?”

“Are you even in good health? Smoking isn’t good for you, you know. I bet you can’t even hold your breath for a full sixty seconds… pity.” The last word was mumbled as Frank thought about how a diminished lung supply would affect certain aspects of his lifestyle. If the boy was out of shape other than outwards physical appearance, then he could easily have a heart attack. “What is your average heart rate?”

“Huh?”

“Oh, never mind. I guess I shouldn’t expect that much from you. You’re still just a kid. Probably haven’t even killed anyone yet.” Frank shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and mentally patted himself on the back for his improvising. He wanted the boy flustered, and Sanji was definitely that.

“Have you met my son? He attends the same college as you. His name is Zoro.”

“Um… Yah… we see each other all the time.” You could tell by the creases in Sanji’s forehead and the prominent frown that he was still trying to get a grasp on the situation.

Frank wanted to clap his hands together and giggle maniacally as Sanji left himself open for the next phase. “Oh? In what way? Just how much of my son are you seeing?”

“I… I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Of course you do. What is it, upper quadrant? Lower right? Solar plexus? Or was it sick-bay procedure view?" Frank leaned in, bracing his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. His tone changed to that of a concerned parent. “Should I be worried about him skipping his last physical? You didn’t notice anything did you? What about his front? The doctor was concerned last time that everything might have... sagged or something like that due to a fight. I could barely process it myself."

Sanji’s look went from confused to horrified in seconds.

Frank shook his head as if he was disappointed in something. “I just hope it doesn’t affect his sex life in the future. So tell me, does he have anyone special? I was hoping that he was keeping more company than just his grandfather. He’s not still masturbating all the time is he?”

Sanji’s mouth opened and closed several times with nothing coming out. His face was beet red and a slight sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

“Ah well… Promise me that if he gets too stressed with life you’ll make sure he gets laid, alright? At the very least give him a hand once in a while.”

By this time, Sanji was about to explode from a combination of embarrassment and confusion. He looked at the strange man across from him and caught a glimpse of mischievousness in his eyes. That was all it took for him to come unglued.

“You fucking son of a bitch! You’re just messing with me!” Sanji jumped up, leaned across the table, and shoved his finger in Frank’s face.

In the blink of an eye, the finger was snatched up in one of Frank’s large hands and Sanji found his wrist twisted in a way that should not be humanly possible. Pain shot through his arm forcing him to still in fear of damaging his hand. Gone was the crazy man with the fucked up questions and in his place was a very powerful, scary, commanding figure with a murderous glint in his eyes.

“Now I’m going to ask you the question again, but in a different way. You said you’re seeing my son… How serious is it?”

Sanji gulped and wondered if he called out to his father if the old man could get there before he was brutally killed. More pressure was placed on his fingers and he choked on a cry of pain. He had to make a decision and quick.

‘Sorry, Zoro,’ he thought.

Sanji grabbed Frank’s arm with his free hand to steady it, hoping that he could prevent any damage from being inflicted. He placed his shoulder on the table and pulled so that his hips were up on the flat surface. With a grunt, he swung his legs around and kicked Frank in the shoulder with one foot followed by another foot to his head. The blows knocked the older man away, forcing Frank to release his grip. As soon as Sanji pulled his hand free, he spun around and jumped off the table to face his aggressor.

Frank was on his knees, head bent down with his back towards Sanji. A low chuckle erupted from him making Sanji change his stance, ready for a second attack.

“He taught you well. Fuck, too well… I think it’s time I leave. I can only hope I receive a better welcome when I go meet everyone else.” Frank wiped the blood from his mouth and turned to sit on his ass. “You sure had me fooled. I thought you were just some pansy assed, skinny little shit… I should have known.”

“What?” Sanji didn’t let down his guard as he rounded the table to get a better look at the man.

“Do me a favor. If you see Zoro before I do, don’t tell him I came here today. I want to talk to him before he knows I met you.” Frank grinned up at Sanji, an all too familiar little quirk of the lips that belonged on someone else’s face. “You’re alright, kid. But if you hurt him, I’ll have to kill you.”

Sanji continued to eye him wearily, unsure of what that message meant. Did Frank know about them or was he just saying that in a general sense? If he did know, was this his way of giving his blessing and allowing them to continue seeing each other?

“Exactly why are you here?”

Frank laughed uneasily, snatched the toque off his head, and ran a hand over his short green high & tight . The annoying hat was making his head itch. It was bad enough that he had to wear headgear in his everyday uniform, he’d be damned if he had to wear some silly looking hat if he didn’t have to. His attention was turned by a sharp intake of breath.

“What the fuck! You dye your hair green too?” Sanji couldn’t take his eyes off the offending hair. He was glad that Zoro at least let his grow just a little. It gave him something to card his fingers through as they kissed and hopefully something to hold onto as he was repaid for this morning’s activities. A blush appeared on Sanji’s face as he realized the effects of his thoughts on his body in Frank’s presence. He hoped the older man hadn’t noticed. He should really be more focused on the present moment than on what he had planned for tonight.

Fortunately, Frank was trying to contain his own blush as he remembered when Shanks had first seen how natural his hair color really was. “Oh, he he, um… Actually, it’s a genetic trait that is passed from father to son. On occasion, it’s been known for a daughter to pass it on, but it’s never a true green. The best show on that would be Zoro’s cousin Logan. His mother is my distant cousin, and her father had the green hair. He always dyed it black though. My sister never knew until after she married Logan’s dad. Not that it mattered to her…”

Sanji stopped listening about halfway through the explanation… Well, more like he stopped listening after the words ‘genetic trait’ was spoken. The only thought in his mind was ‘oh fuck’. “Excuse me… I have some… um… there’s something…”

Sanji stumbled over his words as he walked blindly out of the break room, leaving a slightly confused yet very amused man in his wake. His hands shook as he lit up, whether from shock or fury he wasn’t sure. The answer he had been searching for, for the last few months was right before him the entire time. He knew who the Dark Knight was now, and he was going to die as soon as Sanji got home tonight.

DK*DK*DK*DK

After watching Sanji almost run out of the room, Frank gathered his dishes and washed them properly, knowing he’d catch hell if he let them sit. Patty and Carne were watching him suspiciously as he chatted with Zeff for a few minutes before he had to leave. He waved to them all, promising to come back and visit again soon. Frank turned at the door and his eyes met with Zeff’s. Their gaze held for a moment before Zeff nodded and Frank stepped out the door, his footsteps a little lighter than when he had entered and his mind focused on his next stop.

Frank knew it was insane to pull into the police station parking lot with expired tags, no insurance, a non-DOT helmet and even worse, no license, but this was the best chance he had to speak with Garp before tonight. Back then, Detective Monkey had been there to cover his ass and prevent any particular evidence from being found at the crime scenes. Now he had risen to Chief of Police for this great city. Frank wondered who was handling the damage control now.

An attractive young woman sat behind the desk as he entered the precinct. She had silky raven hair, seductive almond shaped eyes, ruby red lips, and flawless porcelain skin. Never a man to pass at admiring beauty, Frank gave her an appreciative once over before approaching the counter. He wondered how most of the men there could concentrate on their work with a goddess like her in their presence. Maybe that was why she had been placed out front; to ward off and confuse those who really didn’t need to be here.

“Can I help you?” Her voice was seductively smooth.

“Could you tell me where to find Garp?” Frank wondered why her voice kept tugging at his mind. Did he know her?

“I’m sorry, but Chief Garp has already left for the day. Would you like me to leave him a message for you?” Her smile was sickeningly sweet.

“No, I’ll return another time. Thank you.” Frank felt shivers down his spine as she licked her lips and flashed another brilliant smile.

As soon as the tall man was out of the doors, the dark haired woman picked up the phone. “Darling, you wouldn’t believe who just stopped in.”

DK*DK*DK*DK

Frank took his time heading over to Yuu’s house. The moderate size, ranch style house sat looking very similar to when he had last seen it. The tree out front was much bigger and there were new flowers planted along the house, but everything was still a natural wood color with black shutters and trim. There was however, one slightly shocking addition to the landscaping. A beautiful new Audi was sitting where the old wagon used to be. It definitely wasn’t Yuu’s taste, and Zoro didn’t have the money, so who did it belong to? On the street in front of the house sat an old Bronco that had seen better days. That familiar piece of machinery was almost enough to make him turn and leave again. He had sat for a moment in the driveway contemplating his decision when the front door opened and a tall, thin old woman stepped on the porch and glared at him.

“Shut that death trap off and get your ungrateful ass inside.”

Frank sighed. It was time to kill two birds with one stone. Or was it that two old birds were going to kill him with a stone? He straightened his shoulders and turned off the bike. No matter what, he would survive. He hoped. Kureha disappeared inside and left the front door open. Frank ran his hand over the sleek black lines of the sports car as he walked by and noticed half-empty pack of cigarettes laying on the dash. They were the same brand the blonde was smoking back at the restaurant. Frank frowned when he realized that he really didn’t get an answer to how serious his relationship with Zoro was. He’d find out from Zoro soon enough.

Looking in through the open door, he could see his father-in-law sitting at a low table in the family room, a traditional tea set laid out before him. Frank walked in and removed his jump boots , exchanging them for the house slippers waiting for him. He smiled sadly as he realized they were the ones he had left here all those years ago. With a little more confidence, he silently walked into the main room and knelt before his former sensei. Frank’s forehead touched the mat as he bowed in respect. He remained that way until Yuu spoke.

“It broke my heart to turn my back on you before.” Yuu’s voice was heavy with emotion.

“I have spent every day since then trying to atone for my actions. I stayed away only because she deserved better.” Frank sat back on his heels, but refused to look up.

“Well at least we agree on something.” Yuu’s tone was unreadable.

Frank’s heart tightened in his chest as he thought about the woman he had married. Just as he sat up there was a blinding pain to the back of his head and Frank went sprawling across the floor. When the stars disappeared, he chanced a look up to see Kureha standing over him with another book at the ready. He rolled to the side and the book crashed into the floor where his head had just been.

“Holy shit, you old hag! I’m trying to apologize here!” Frank yelled at her.

“I’m not old you brat, and if you think you can come back here after all this time and expect all of us to welcome you with open arms then you’ve lost your marbles.” Kureha threw another book at her victim.

“All I can do is say ‘I’m sorry’. I really am Auntie! I swear. Please, at least give me the chance to prove it to you.” Frank continued to dodge the projectiles as he attempted to placate the old woman.

Kureha paused in her attack and scowled at him. “Give me one good reason why.”

“You think I’m cute?” The man looked up at her innocently and gave her a cockeyed grin.

Yuu fell over in a fit of giggles when he saw the exasperated look on his beloved’s face. “Oh, Frank-kun how I’ve missed you.”

Yuu managed to pull himself up on all fours and crawl over to where Frank lay. He grabbed his son-in-law in a bone-crushing hug, laughing the entire time. Kureha threw her final book at the two of them, only to have it knocked away by an almost invisible punch from the old man. When Yuu pulled away, he looked affectionately at Frank.

“Eighteen years of self induced punishment is more than enough. I’m glad you are here, my son.” Yuu patted him on the shoulder and stood up. “If we learn from our past then our mistakes are not in vain.”

Frank returned to his knees and eyed a few of the books that had stuck in the wall. Yuu might have forgiven him, but his Auntie Kureha sure hadn’t. He wondered what was causing her to hold onto the anger. He knew it wasn’t because he called her old, because she had thrown a book before that even happened. Of course, calling her Auntie probably hadn’t helped, but it was an old habit. It had been a twisted form of training to him in the past. Dodging her attacks had been just as much of a workout as the harsh regiment that Yuu would put him through. So, what was setting her off?

“Your child is more trouble than you ever were. If he hurts my Chopper, I’ll change my mind about that shot you wanted.”

Frank frowned, his brow creasing in frustration as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. “Um… Chopper? You have a bike?”

Kureha rolled her eyes and smacked him across the side of his head. “Chopper is my understudy.”

“Ooohhhh… I guess all of us are being replaced.” Frank winced at the pain in his head and his shoulders slumped as the realization hit him.

“You could say that. But I honestly think that this group is quite a bit stronger than the last. I’d be willing to bet that Zoro could easily defeat you now.” Yuu frowned at Frank and hit him on the other side of his already aching head. “Especially if you’ve completely stopped training.”

Frank blushed in embarrassment and began to mumble his excuse. “I probably could have done a little more…”

“Then I suggest you do that ‘more’ right now.” Yuu walked over to the table and picked up a wooden box. He handed the heavy object to the kneeling man and gave him a patronizing pat to his head. “My best student is over at the dojo right now cleaning up with his favorites. I would think that they are in need of a break about now. There are a few hours until the meeting. I suggest you make as much use of them as possible.”

Frank opened up the box hesitantly, already knowing what lay inside. His kama were in the same condition as he left them. All the nicks and scrapes stood out proudly, making his heart ache for days of old. In addition, there was a set of practice wooden kama to use in safe sparing and teaching. He wondered if his opponent had ever faced anyone proficient in this weapon before. Today was turning out to be a good day indeed. He looked up to his old sensei and nodded in acceptance before rising from the floor. He bowed deeply at the waist, clutching the box to his chest.

“He’ll be favoring a wound on his right.” Kureha warned. “If you make him rip out the stitches before they’re ready I’ll let Chopper use you as a cadaver.”

Frank nodded, ashamed of himself for how cowardly he was acting. He was a full-grown man for crying out loud. He shouldn’t be shaking in his slippers at two very old and fragile people. A chill ran down his spine. Those fragile people were able to kill a person in seconds and not leave a trace of evidence. He’d be a fool to ignore that fact. He was bowing to their instructions out of respect… yah, right! He was practically pissing his pants with worry! Frank had a strong urge to bang his head against the wall.

DK*DK*DK*DK

Zoro was attacked with questions the instance he appeared at the dojo. The boys followed him into the locker room and continued to bug him the entire time he changed into his keikogi. Their topics ranged from asking if Yuu was alright to whether or not Zoro was going to search out the bad guys and kick their ass. The last part made the young sensei grin and assure his Horsemen he would do just that. When the boys were changed as well, they headed out to begin cleaning.

All the doors in the place were opened to ventilate the fumes of the cleaners used to remove the graffiti. Zoro was showing Chad how to replace the rice paper on some of the walls when they started in on questions again.

Sam paused in his mopping and looked off to the side as if distracted by something. “Sensei, you don’t look like Master Yuu. Are you sure he’s your grandpa?”

“Seriously, Sensei, he’s like almost our size and you’re like 7 foot.” Brian said, agreeing with his friend.

“Hai, I’m sure. He is my mother’s father.” Zoro frowned at him and pointed to the wall where he was supposed to be painting.

“Does anyone else in your family have green hair?” Chad had a scrub brush and was working on getting as much of the paint off of one of the tatami mats as possible.

“Yah, that old guy that comes here sometimes to talk to you has kind of green hair.” Mark looked up from the section of screen they were working on.

“You mean Logan? He’s my cousin and he’s really not that old. I think my father is the only other one that has the green hair now though. It’s actually pretty rare.” Zoro helped hold the paper still while the boy cut it to the right length.

“Mr. Sanji is always calling you ‘Marimo’. Is that green in Japanese?” Brian was painting different designs on the wall before covering his art with a long pass of the brush.

“No, green is midori.” Zoro had decided to tune them out for now. Their questions were just a means of distraction and it was irritating him greatly. Another time he would teach them the Japanese words for the different colors.

“So does that mean Mr. Sanji is calling you names? Why would you let him do that?” Chad frowned, both at the unrelenting stain and the idea of his sensei being messed with.

“I’d kick his ass if he called me bad names.” Mark grumbled.

“Twenty-five pushups for language.” the punishment was given out automatically out of habit.

“Damn it!”

“Fifty.” Zoro knew he should have expected to at least be doubling it. He sighed and tried to focus back on work.

Mark mumbled under his breath about mean teachers, but did as told.

“Hey, Sensei, when will Mr. Sanji be coming back to watch movies with us? Do you think he can join us for another kung fu marathon?” Sam pushed the mop bucket to the opposite side of the room and leaned the handle against the wall.

“Maybe… I’ll ask him tonight when I see him.” Zoro thought that it might not be a bad idea. He sure could use the relaxation. His mind began to drift as he planned out things silently.

“Is he coming here?” Brian finished the section he had been painting and stepped back to admire his work.

“Nn… I’m going to his place.” They’d probably have to do it over at the blonde’s house if his father was in town at that time. He’d have to get permission from the Horsemen’s parents to take them over there.

“Are you and Mr. Sanji dating?” Sam sat on the floor next to Mark and watched him finish his presses.

“Mmhmm.” Maybe he could even get away with cuddling up with Sanji on the couch while the boys piled on the floor. He’d obviously have to sleep in the bedroom since there was nowhere else to sleep, never mind that he had already slept on the floor once there.

“Are you two going to get married?” Chad tossed his brush back into the pan of cleaner and crossed his arms.

“Huh?” Zoro seemed to shake himself out of his zoning and realized that he might have possibly said something he shouldn’t have.

“If Mr. Sanji is the girl, does this mean I should call him Mrs. Sanji now?” Brian scratched his head in confusion.

“Eh?” Zoro paled. Just what had he said?

“What do you mean girl? They’re both guys, stupid.” Mark scoffed at him and then began to panic when he realized he had lost count. Sam held up his hands to show him he was at 32 and Mark mouthed thank you quickly before continuing.

“Well one of them has to be a girl. They can’t both be on top.” Brian shrugged his shoulders, acting like everything was fine and this was a very normal conversation to be having with their appalled teacher.

Zoro fell back onto his ass and just stared wide eyed at them. They shouldn’t even know about sex, let alone gay sex at this age.

“On top of what?” Sam asked innocently.

“I don’t know. I heard my sister and Jeff talking the other day and he said that he wanted to be on bottom and act like the girl for once with his boyfriend.” Brian plopped down next to Sam.

“ENOUGH!” Zoro was at his limit. He wasn’t supposed to be hearing these things from his kids. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and could swear he heard fate laughing at him. The laughing increased and he turned to see a shadowy figure just outside the doorway. He jumped to his feet with a mixture of a scowl and a smirk, angry at being laughed at and happy to have someone to take it out on.

“Hi Mr. Roronoa,” Sam called out.

Zoro paused mid step.

“Hey there boys. I was told that you might need a break.” Frank held up a bag of juice boxes and snack cakes.

Cheers erupted from the children as they bombarded him, relieving him of his package. He looked to Zoro’s panicked face and gave him a soft smile. “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”

Zoro stood tall and proud. There was no sense in backing down now. It was obvious that his father had heard the boy’s questions, and his answers… whatever they were. All he could do was answer honestly and hope for the best. The sadness in his father’s eyes was stronger today and it bothered him.

“Gomen, Sanji,” he whispered.