Chapter Text
It started with the captain.
Sanji was the final straw hat to collapse into a bunk, eyes straining. Perhaps he did go a tad overboard with their feast- but how could he not? They were at last sailing successfully in the New World, they finally got off that island with all the bear wasps, and Brook caught an impressive monster of a trout.
The crew was finally together again, and Sanji would be ashamed if he didn’t try to show off all the newest recipes he collected. So he got to work, creating appetizers and side items throughout the afternoon, and presented the trout in a variety of ways in the evening. The crew left nothing but crumbs, which Sanji had prepared for, and he took the plates and silverware and dumped them into the sink. Leaving them there to soak, he talked with the crew around the table until it was dark.
Slowly, the crew left one by one to their bunks, and Sanji can confidently blame the trout for their sudden lethargic behavior.
Before he knew it, it was only him alone in the galley. Yawning himself, the cook stood up and trudged towards the dishes, silently picking up a sponge and plate before getting to work.
— — —
Wiping the suds off his bare arms, Sanji arches his back and pulls out the drain in the sink. The final dish sat dryly on the stack he just put away. His fingers curl and relax, shoulders slumping as he walks his way down to the men’s cabin.
Before he leaves the deck, he hears a slow, haunting melody prick his ears. He breaks into a soft smile as he sees Brook staring down at him with his lack of eyes.
“Goodnight, Sanji! Shall I play you out?” The skeleton looms over from the side of the crows nest.
“Thank you, Brook!” He lazily waves at the musician. “Have a relaxing night.”
“Of course, you as well!” He ends his reply with his hollow laugh, before twirling and raising the call of his violins song ever so slightly.
Now he was in his bunk, his arm looped around his extra pillow while he turned his back against the wall, sighing in contempt…
…Until he hears a soft groan.
His eyes slowly blink awake, ears turning towards Luffy's hammock. Waiting a moment, Sanji shrugs and shuffles back into position.
“…no…”
Sanji’s head shot up now. Was Luffy talking in sleep again? Sanji has heard him call out in his sleep previously, but that was only when he was calling out for some sort of dinner, usually involving meat. Those times sound nothing like this.
“No..!” The captain groggily called again, his scratchy voice even more so ridden with sleep.
Sanji’s feet thumped against the floor, sidestepping towards his captain.
“Luffy.” He murmured, reaching the bunk.
Luffy didn’t respond, his eyebrows knit and mouth contorted to a grimace.
“Luffy.” Sanji repeated, slightly louder. His hand brushes a finger against the rubber forehead.
His eyelids squeezed, mumbling something incoherent.
Sanji found himself leaning over.
“Luffy, wake up.”
His eyes shot open and gave a startled gasp at the closeness of the cooks face.
“Luffy, you were dreaming.”
The blown dark eyes stare at the cook, glossy.
Sanji’s yelp was cut short as Luffy wrapped his arms around his torso, pulling him in the hammock as well.
“Luffy-!”
Luffy didn’t respond, tucking his head into Sanji’s shoulder, sniffling, shutting the cook up.
Sanji’s body tried to jerk a few times away, but after Luffy's hose-like legs wrapped around his, he sighed and gave in, resting his forehead against his captain.
“Hey… you okay?” Sanji eventually asked once Luffy's sniffles grew quiet.
“I…I just,” Luffy started, tightening his grip for a moment. “I miss...”
Sanji's stomach plummeted. ‘Ah. I should’ve guessed.’
Though only meeting Ace once years ago, Sanji knew he was an incredible brother. (However, he can’t deny his original misplaced unease once learning the two were apparently related,)
Ace was sweet towards the strawhats, and just looking in his carefree appearing eyes, anyone could tell how proud he was of his little brother. It made Sanji's heart warm whenever his mind thought of Alabasta, and of Ace's soft smile whenever Luffy showed off his rubber moves.
“Your brother?” Sanji whispered, body relaxed as Luffy clung to him.
His shoulders felt the taut nod as Luffy buried his face further.
The guilt of not being there for Luffy after Ace died is still heavy in his stomach. He wanted to find Luffy and hold him and comfort him desperately- he knows the rest of the crew feels the same. But it was Luffy's decision to wait two years in the end.
But now, with Luffy clinging onto the chef, Sanji has his chance.
“Luffy, I-“
“You would’ve liked him, I think.”
Sanji blinked at being cut off. “Would’ve..?”
Luffy drew his face away, face completely wet. “Yeah. He’s dead.”
Sanji gives Luffy a sad smile, nodding. Luffy is still pretty tired, he might have forgotten for a moment his crew has met his brother already. Instead of voicing this, he just sighs a little and gives his most ‘I don’t know what else to say to a grieving person’ response he could muster.
“I’m so sorry.”
Luffy gives a half hearted shrug, not meeting his gaze.
Chewing the inside of his bottom lip, Sanji slowly removes an arm from Luffy's grasp, before setting it over the younger man’s back, rubbing small circles.
“You kinda look like him.”
This causes the blond to pause. What? Well, he is tall enough, and does have a bit of a fire ability, so he can see that. But other than that…
“You think so?” Sanji speaks up, humoring the man. ‘Our hair couldn’t have been anything alike. Our faces have completely different shapes. Did you see his torso? I grew in our years apart but…’
“Mmhm. Your hair is longer, though.”
“What?” It is? His hair did grow a tad longer, but he doesn’t think it compares to his late brothers messy mullet.
“...Yeah… and not to mention, blond.” Sanji adds.
Luffy paused, shaking his head, “Mm-mm.”
“No? But Ace-“
“Not Ace.”
Luffy went deathly still after announcing that. It was hushed, firm.
Sanji, on the other hand, resumed rubbing the captain’s back- his mouth suddenly unable to form words.
‘He never mentioned another brother- how the hell do I even respond?’
“You,” Luffy mumbled after a moment, “you wear fancy junk all the time. And- and sometimes when I see you walking around in a blue outfit…” he trails off, a sudden unsure expression resting upon the part of his face that Sanji could see.
Deciding to help him out, Sanji prompts “My blue suits? What’s up with them?” And shakes the captain's shoulders ever so slightly.
“It’s dumb.”
“This whole crew is a little dumb. Besides Robin and Nami of course- and maybe Usopp on a good day. Just say whatever you got, I swear I won’t be stupid about it.”
Luffy snickered a bit at this and sighed.
“Sometimes I forget he died. And then I see you walking, and get a big explosion of feelings in my stomach… and it’s not hunger, I know it! Actually, it makes me less hungry when the feelings go away.”
Sanji's hair clung to his forehead from the sweat that gathered there.
“Oh.”
“I told ya, I’m being dumb. It’s not your fault you look so much like what I always imagined my big brother to look like if he grew up.”
A piercing of guilt went through his chest at that. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go, was it? He was prepared to comfort Luffy about Ace, not reopen old wounds from the Captain.
“Luffy- look. Hey, Luffy?” Sanji moved his hand from the others back to his face, wiping the wet eyes.
Luffy's eyes closed and made an almost comically loud snort to rid of the snot dribbling his nose.
“Do you want me to stop wearing blue outfits?” He states quietly. “If you… if you feel that much pain seeing me in my blue clothing…”
Of course he would miss his clothes. He even had some tailor made. But the chef was all too familiar with the phantom images of mind creations of older brothers haunting him.
“Sanji… Sanji doesn’t mean that.” Luffy mutters
“Moron,” Sanji huffs,” I don’t just talk to hear the sound of my voice. I swear I mean it.”
Luffy opens his eyelids, the dark eyes stare glaring into steady blue ones.
“..you sure?”
“Sure.”
“Okay.”
And that was that. Come next morning Sanji promises himself he will go through his clothes and put away his blue clothing somewhere safe. He’s sure he can just go through some secondhand store and dump them there, as well as grabbing a few new outfits of his own, all of a different color of course.
Nodding, Sanji moved his hand from the captain’s head and tried to turn himself over, pausing when the looped arms around his torso weren't budging.
“Luff,” he struggles. “Come off.”
Luffy doesn’t budge.
“Luffy, can I sleep now.”
“‘Kay.”
“You- oh.”
Rolling his eyes, Sanji lowers himself back to the bunk. “Fine.” He grumbles, wrapping his free hand around one of Luffy's rings of arm around his torso. “Speak of this to anyone and I’ll shove another devil fruit down your throat.”
He feels Luffy's laughter as his face drops against the chef's shoulder once more.
Still, Sanji can’t stop the dreadful feeling Luffy's reveal gave him.
Another brother, dead. From what he said, died when Luffy was just a kid.
Wonder what Ace thought of this mysterious brother. Were they close? Is this brother actually blood relatives of Luffy, or is it a situation thats similar to Ace?
Sanji isn’t sure which is worse, a blood brother dying or someone you choose as a brother dying. It’s all speculation, as the only experience in family death being a parent- which he’s pretty sure the whole crew has some experience with.
“Luffy.” He mumbles, quieter than before.
“Mmm…’eah?”
“We’re here, y’know. If you wanna talk about… whatever.” His speech comes out garbled and fast, slightly embarrassed. “Like, you could… like me of course, but also-“
“I knowwww, I gotcha.” Luffy says, saving Sanji from rambling the obvious.
“…cool. Okay. Well.”
“Night, Snaj.” Luffy sighs before instantly falling asleep and snoring at a comical speed.
Sanji's eyes close, slightly shifting his body in the warm grip of the captain. It wasn’t particularly comfortable , but seeing the finally at peace expression of Luffy, he couldn't care less.