Chapter Text
Sanji stares into the ocean, the cigarette in between his fingers slowly burnt away. He knows there must be a mess in the front yard of Sunny, judging by the noise and the fact that there also are two more large ships flowing closely. One of them is overly colourful, decorating with thousand kinds of sweets, the other is in fact, a giant snail. Further away, Sanji can see more ships under the command of the Big Mom pirate and the fucking Germa 66 army. He knows this all things and whatever happening in the front deck requires and relates significantly to him, who is undeniable, a Vinsmoke and nearly become a Charlotte. Not that he wants either of the names on him. Sometimes he wonders what is Zeff surname, and whether he can have it one day, but he has always thinking Blackleg is already the biggest sign for the whole world to know his mentor is indeed Redleg Zeff.
Take a final look at the cigarette, Sanji puts it in the nearby ashtray nearby. There are ashtrays in nearly any corners of Sunny, thanks to Franky. The shipwright of Strawhat truly pays attention to each and every of their habits. Usopp pops our from the nearby storage house, stepping into Sanji's eyesight with hesitance. Sanji signs dramatically so that the other guy knows Sanji is not minding the company. Usopp grins largely and approaches him with more confidence:
- So do you want a conclusion on the things happened there?
- Spit out, fucking moron, I got a massive dinner to prepare. - Sanji answers dryly, thinking what should he makes for the main crew of the Charlotte family that can combine their over likeness to sweet taste with his distinctively variable reference of his crew.
- The big guy erm like the very big one with scarf... - Usopp starts
- Katakuri - Sanji helps.
- Yes, Katakuri, said that he is now the new captain of the Big Mom pirate, and their crew gonna head back to Tottoland soon. He gonna releases the rest of the Germa 66 under our care, as long as Luffy swears to not let them inside the Tottoland area one more time.
- Just that? - Sanji raises an eyebrow.
- Ye, and he wants to meet you. - Usopp adds, his face and voice clearly shows that there are more that he doesn't know he should tell Sanji or not.
- He wants to meet me now ? and what the hell or you not saying, just say already before I really get mad.- Sanji nudges at him, knowing the friendly threaten no longer scares Usopp but more likely to encourage the sniper.
- He doesn't state a specific time, but he looks like he really wants to see you now. And the other things.... Sanji, Katakuri said Niji and Yonji are dead. - Usopp touches Sanji shoulder, as if to pass some empathy.
Sanji does not answer him. The cook just turns around carefully not to let his big wings accidentally injure Usoop. He walks toward the frond deck, and quick quiet nods to Usopp to indicate that he is alright. Sanji steps down to the front deck, quickly eyeing all of his crew. Luffy is standing in the front, talking with the huge Mochi man Katakuri in a friendly manner. Jinbei is still holding the helm, Nami and Usopp who followed him back also standing near Jinbei. Robin and Franky in the further side, looking relaxed but in fact with his haki, Sanji their guards all up for an intrusion. Brook is in the crow nest, looking out for any dangers. As Sanji getting into the main deck, the whole crew seems to be even more guarded, absentmindedly looking at the Big Mom pirate ships and the German snails. Zoro, with Chopper on his shoulder, moves slightly so he is directly behind Sanji. A protective gesture, indead from his moss-for-brain partner. Sanji now can see two people standing on the bulwark. His sister and final brother, Reiju and Ichiji. Both of them look a bit tattered and defeated, with some kind of weights on their shoulders, the ever pride and superiority are nowhere to be found.
- Sanji....- Their eyes widen at the sight of their long lost brother, as if cannot believe in their eyes. Before they can step any further onto the Sunny and say something else, Sanji can hear Law, the last person on the deck saying:
- Choose your words carefully, or your raidsuit might not even safe you than they have already done.
Sanji nods thankfully at the doctor. Since the incidents with Polar Tang happened, they have taken Law and Bepo on deck. Bepo, as a mink and a doctor, quickly becomes Chopper best friend, while Law, hysterically, is quite closed to Sanji, in a way that once get Zoro a bit uneasy. But it has been a story about nearly 3 months ago, longs after Egghead encouters. Ever since the hellish marriage of Sanji and Pudding, and the Strawhat escape, Sanji has been fighting with his trauma and depression that once again haunting him. The wakening of his genes, the exoskeleton and so on, are not exactly helping, if not deteriorating him more. Sanji received the call for help from Reiju about a week ago, and even through it did not send him to panic attack or trauma induce behaviors as badly as it could be, Sanji still feels stressed stirring up inside him with the sight of Germa army and his siblings.
- Katakuri Charlotte, my sincere appreciation for your agreement Did you want to see me? - NOt knowing what to say, Sanji ignores them and turns his attention to the formed Big Mom commander. The big man is staring at Sanji, all the time when Sanji started appearing. This must have been the first time Sanji appears with his wings in front of outsiders, if they are not counting Law and Bepo as outsiders. After the awaken in Wano, Sanji's body has been changing, first the exokeleton, then invisibility, healing speed, and about one week before they picked up Law, Sanji stated to grows out wings. Unlike the dark, mysteriously beautiful feather like King, Sanji wings are more related to the seraphim white, angelic traits. With a smaller body frame, his wings are also much smaller comparing to King's, but indeed a fully growth pair of smooth white wings, a little bit taller than his height when folded. When Sanji started to accept himself and his wings a parts of him, he also wears more white items to mix match with it, making his whole appearance somewhat much brighter than before. He has heard some of the younger ones of the crew, like Chopper and Bepo and Luffy to say its behind his back that he is getting more pretty. He did scream at them, but he knows they mean what they said, as he can sometimes see the feeling of beauty admiration flash in Zoro's eyes when they kiss, and not to mention Law stares. Even other members who seems to be immune to this kind of things also have their eyes linger on him a bit longer than usual every time he serves food to them. The kind of eyesight that people have when they see a breath-taking sunset or a natural scenery.
So yes, Katakuri can be shocked. After some moment, when Luffy slightly tiles his head to him, the captain finally speaks:
- Blackleg, I hereby release your family to your crew' watches, as long as they do not come close to Tottoland forever. And I have a request for you, specifically.
- First, they are not my family. - Sanji glares at Reiju and Ichiji standing further away, knowing if the put one more step in, Zoro will lash. The feeling of the golden explosive cuff ghostly hovering his wrist, making its itching for his rash. - What is your request? As long as you don't ask for any ridiculous fucking thing like becoming part of your crew, I am open to suggestion.
- I request for the same cake you make for mama, but this time, to feed my crew, and if possible, the recipe of its. - Katakuri says, voice a bit lower than normal, and a small tint on his cheek indicating his shyness. - all of the people in Tottoland has been going crazy for your cake's crumb, especially my siblings.
Which, Sanji knows, he refers to Brulee. Sanji smiles, feeling part of the stress relieving.:
- Sure, if you provide me a big ship to create it and transport, with ingredients, of course, and some help from your chefs if possible. I will send the recipe directly to you later. I can even make smaller one with more variety if you have enough storages on your fleet.
Katakuri, once again, frozen for a brief moment. And then, he moves past Sanji to get back to his ship, eyes glimmering with so many unsaid words. All come out of his scarf are just simply:
- My honour. I will prepare everything you need.
Luffy asks right before Katakuri gets off Sunny:
- Do you want to join us for dinner?
Katakuri stops, his eyes one again set back on the Strawhat cook. He mumbles something they cannot hear and finally asks Sanji:
- If you don't mind, Blackleg.
Sanji lights a cigarette, blows a smoke and grins at him:
- My fucking pleasure, Mr. Mochi.