Chapter Text
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Chapter 01: Déploie tes ailes
XXX
When he’s older, much older, Sanji will wonder if he was in fact a lucky man. Sure things weren’t great for him, growing up, and there were too many moments when life was, in fact, terrible and Sanji was pretty sure any god out there (Enel? The bastard.) had abandoned them a long time ago before Sanji ever existed. But very far in the future, after experiencing horrors that would have anyone else running he would wonder if he had, in fact, been lucky; that the boat that had been on Cozia island when Germa invaded had been the Orbit.
Maybe it said something about the natural naivety of children that even ones born in evil war mongering kingdoms would assume that adults would help them as long as they weren’t from Germa. The boat could have been full of terrible people that would have sooner killed him or sold him to slavery than to help.
So in a quiet moment far in future. Sanji will wonder, if he had possibly been quite lucky as a child.
The problem with growing up in Germa - no scratch that. One thing on the long long list of things that were problems that came from growing up in Germa - was that while Sanji had empathy he had been taught that that was one of his many failures. So when he finds himself on a boat full of adults who had dropped worrying about their own status of escaping the island, to take care of this blubbering mess of a child. Sanji had been confused.
It had been chaotic as the crew of the ship tried their best to help this poor assumed orphan of war that they had picked up while Sanji struggled to prove to them that he would be useful, that if they let him stay then he would prove that he could spend his whole life paying them back for taking him away from Germa (not that they knew he was from the invaders, Sanji knew better than to share that). Eventually the kitchen staff gave in and started teaching him to cook, a luxury Sanji never thought he would have in his life.
Another problem with growing up in an environment full of assassin clones, evil scientists, emotionally stunted siblings and a narcissistic king - Sanji didn’t know how people not from Germa would act. He knew the adults around him talked about him when they thought he wasn’t around, some thought he was creepy, others were worried about if he would be able to grow up “normal” from whatever situation he’d been in. Sanji was pretty sure they had good intentions in their worries. But the longer he spent with them the more his differences started to stand out.
“How old is he? How does he not know that?” When Sanji didn’t know something that was apparently common knowledge in the East.
“Why doesn’t he act like a normal kid?” Sadly Sanji hadn’t run into many children his age, even when they stopped at port. He didn’t know what to do about this one.
“He’s kind of creepy.”
Sanji had overheard that from one the chefs that was about to finish his tour on the ship. It had been after the ships doctor discovered that Sanji’s cuts and bruises healed much quicker than other people. Sanji clenched his fists, if he wanted to survive he had to make sure people didn’t keep discovering things about him. He started hiding his injuries when he could, learning how to clean and seal his own wounds.
Someone commented that it was weird Sanji didn’t smile so he smiled more. That taught him that even if he smiled when he didn’t feel like it, other people seemed less wary of him.
We watched the people around him and he listened.
They didn’t find it weird when he fed animals but some people found it weird when he talked to them.
Some adults liked it when he asked questions, some got annoyed when he did.
He watched.
He listened.
He talked about the All-Blue and while the other chef’s teased him, it wasn’t like getting beaten so Sanji found he enjoyed it. They didn’t have to believe it was real, he would prove them wrong in the future. The thing that shocked him was their willingness to eat off other people’s plates. Eating other peoples leftovers seemed so gross.
The nightmares weren’t new. They had been endless at Germa, nightly in that dungeon. Sanji learned quickly that it was better to be quiet because while some people would be sympathetic to a kid having a bad dream, some were less so. And the more you caused someone to lose sleep the crabbier and angrier they got. Sanji found ways to sleep that kept him from waking others, trying to make sure he kept his face smothered into a pillow just in case. Keeping himself as small as possible and sleeping with blankets and clothes on top of him just in case the pillow wasn’t muffling him.
It wasn’t perfect but it was better than being the annoying kid that disturbed everyone’s sleep.
On days where the nightmares kept him awake he would try to get started on chores early. But after a couple of the crew voiced concerns a few times, Sanji had to give that up and learned to stay in his bed and work on memorizing recipes or even possibly creating new ones in his head.
Sanji was pretty sure he had it in control … until he didn’t.
“Hey Sanji, where you from again?”
Sanji froze from where he was peeling potatoes. “Huh?” He had been humming one of the shanties he had heard some of the men singing the other night. He frowned. “You know where I’m from.” It was Pepper asking and Pepper had been on the Orbit since they had picked up Sanji.
“But you were speaking another language last night, you were dreaming and saying something.” Pepper looked thoughtful. “We picked you up on Cozia but I haven’t heard the language you were speaking last night.”
Sanji frowned. He’d been happy enough to learn that he already knew Common and Eastern when he’d come on the Orbit. Had he been speaking Northern? Was it some other language? He didn’t know how he did it but Sanji had a feeling he knew more languages than he was aware of. He couldn’t remember learning them in Germa and his memory was pretty good, he also didn’t remember them talking about it as an experiment with his father but then again … they had stopped explaining anything to him when they figured out he wasn’t like his siblings.
Sanji forced his hands to stop shaking and smiled at Pepper. “Oh that, I had a friend who was from somewhere far away. I don’t know where but they taught me some of their language and we used it like a code.”
“Oh that’s pretty cool, you two had your own language?” Pepper ruffled Sanji’s hair. “Were you dreaming about your friend last night?”
He had not been dreaming about friends or anything friendly the night before. Sanji kept the smile on his face as he went back to peeling, “Yeah.”
Sanji pretended not to notice or hear the other chef’s give Pepper a hard time.
“Of course he misses his friend why’d you bring it up, we don’t know if they made it off Cozia.”
“He’s stopped having nightmares, we should be happy with that. Don’t make the kid sad you bastard.”
“Geez.” Pepper held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, I won’t bring it up again.”
Sanji smiled to himself, a real one. It was nice with the other chefs defended him. He couldn’t help but wonder if one day he would be able to tell them the truth. Tell them everything.
XXX
He listened.
He observed.
He survived.
But even all of the tactics or drills he learned in Germa could have prepared him for what happened next.
He was lucky to survive on that large rock with Zeff.
Luck again. This was another moment where he wouldn’t fully understand the luck until the future but that was for future Sanji to worry about. But maybe his luck hadn’t started with the Orbit and had started with meeting Zeff.
Who else would have seen a gremlin of a boy yelling at pirates and been charmed by that little boy’s dreams?
Who else would have hopped off after that boy when a wave washed him off the ship?
Who else would have given all their food to that boy when they got stranded on a rock in the middle of the unforgiving ocean?
Who else would have eaten their own leg to make sure he would survive for his new dream of opening a restaurant? Giving up on his life as a pirate…
Sanji owed Zeff his life.
It was all he had to give.
He didn’t owe the damned crew of that fucking cruise ship anything, the one Sanji had seen in the rain on one of the earlier nights on the rock before it reached 85 days. When it had stopped by the rock and saved them Sanji had overheard the crew mentioning they had heard yelling before but thought it was just the storm. Apparently Sanji’s haunted staring at them (he refused to smile after learning about this) convinced the crew to take ownership and when they made it to an island the Captain paid for their doctor fees and gave Zeff enough money that they could stay at a hotel for a long while.
The crew had assumed they were father and son and when Zeff didn’t correct it, Sanji didn’t either. Part of him worried, Zeff had all of their money now, if the old man wanted to he could leave Sanji there and go off. In fact Sanji expected it and every time he woke to see the old man was still there, he tried to hide his surprise.
He would never admit it but he had been thankful when Zeff had demanded they shared a room. “Something about having you in my line of sight calms my nerves.” The old man huffed at Sanji’s questioning look. “So put up with this man’s request for now.”
He wanted to warn the man that that he had nightmares, but he knew Zeff had heard him wake up screaming more than once on that blasted rock. On the Orbit he had gotten used to waking up worried he was actually still in Germa, on the rock Sanji almost wished he was.
So instead he nodded. “Alright, if you want to.”
Sanji was thankful that his body had waited until he was healthy again before the nightmares started again. It had been a couple of months, he had been enjoying feeling rested and healthy and safe for once in his life.
He woke with a loud yell, sitting up in the bed in the hotel room.
It took him a moment to realize it had been a dream, he hadn’t been on that rock with his brothers nearby laughing instead of helping. Sanji let out a sob before covering his mouth and looking over at where Zeff should have been sleeping. Hope that he hadn’t woken up the old man died immediately when he saw Zeff had been moving to sit on the edge of Sanji’s bed.
“It was just a dream Eggplant.” The man’s voice was thick with sleep and Sanji kept his hands over his mouth so the sob that wanted to escape couldn’t. He couldn’t stop the tears in his eyes. Was this when Zeff was finally going to abandon him?
“Hey, shhhhh.” Zeff’s voice was gentle in a way Sanji hadn’t heard before. Sanji hiccuped as Zeff’s large hands pulled his away from his mouth. “It’s okay.”
“I’m s-sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” Sanji cried, he didn’t want to cry but he still felt so raw from the dream. “I’m sorry.”
“None of that. Nightmares come whether we want them to or not.” Zeff pushed Sanji back until he was laying down again. “Take some deep breaths, its way too early for you to be waking up.”
“I’m sorry.” Sanji tried again but Zeff just pulled the blanket up and took Sanji’s hand in his own. Sanji couldn’t look away at the large hands hold his. They were so warm.
“Go back to sleep. I’ll stay here until you fall asleep again.” Zeff huffed, he looked at Sanji’s eyes for a long time. “I’m gonna hold your hand and you won’t have any bad dreams. Trust me on this.”
Sanji didn’t know how the man had done it but his eyes already felt heavy as he nodded his head. He let himself be pulled into a dreamless sleep.
Zeff was still there when he woke up.
The old man was looking at a catalog for shipwrights and drinking coffee. “You still want to help me with my dream for a restaurant?”
Sanji nodded, “Yes.” He hesitated. “I was working in the kitchens on the Orbit, I really like cooking! But I can do other things too like cleaning or peeling potatoes.”
“Well any chef needs to be able to do those things, so that makes sense.” Zeff nodded and Sanji smiled. “What about the All-Blue?”
“I’ll find it when I’m older, after you open your restaurant.” Sanji thought about it. “I can start my own restaurant and I’ll send you fish! From all the oceans!”
“I like that.” Zeff took a drink of his coffee. “So, if you don’t mind me asking. How many languages do you know? That might be handy on the seas.”
Sanji looked down at the bed to try and hid the fact he had stopped smiling.
He gently touched his hair with his hands.
He opened his mouth. “Wh-why?”
“Oi. Eggplant,” Zeff growled, surprising Sanji. “You’re not in trouble; I was just curious.”
Sanji opened his mouth and closed it.
“You were speaking different languages. Last night but also back on the rock.” Zeff spoke gently, Sanji didn’t know what his expression was, he couldn’t look at him yet. “I only knew one or two of them myself, but anyone can tell when someone is asking for help no matter what language they speak.”
Sanji closed his eyes.
“I-I don’t know.” He kept his hands in his hair. “I don’t know how many languages I know. I just know them. I can’t explain why.”
There was a long pause.
Sanji started feeling sick as his heart thudded against his chest.
“Can you swim?” The question catches him off guard and he frowns looking at the old man.
“Yeah, I mean I’m not-“ Not as good as his siblings but - “I can swim.” Sanji tries to hold back from revealing too much.
“So its not a devil fruit. Have you heard of those?” Zeff hummed when Sanji nodded his head. He remembered reading the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia in his cell, he still wanted the Suke Suke no Mi. It would make things a lot easier for Sanji if people couldn’t see him. He didn’t know if he should share that with the old man but Zeff continued after a beat. “Well no matter. While you work for me you probably won’t have to use too many languages.”
Sanji nodded again. “It’s okay if I still come with you?”
“Where else would you go you brat?” Zeff huffed standing up. “I’m going to make us some breakfast, if you got any better offers out there let me know but I doubt it.”
Sanji watched the man hobble to the kitchen, his eye went to the new peg leg.
“Can I help?”
“Sure.” Zeff looked at him with a smile and Sanji got out of the bed. Zeff ruffled his hair when Sanji got into the kitchen. “Show me what you got kid.”
XXX
8 Years in Germa
2 Years on the Orbit
85 days on that damned rock.
1 year on the island of Frauce.
And then they had the Baratie.
Sanji laughed at the fish design Zeff had commissioned but stopped when the old man smacked his head. Zeff had gotten good moving around with his peg leg, too good. Sanji’s head was getting hit more often.
It was rocky at the start, they got attacked by pirates more than once before they could start building up their staff. Sanji hated fighting, he’d hoped that leaving Germa would mean he would be allowed to give up the life of fighting. But after the first attack with Zeff doing all the fighting on his own Sanji realized he couldn’t do that.
He owed this man his life.
It took a few days of begging to convince Zeff to teach him out to fight before the old man gave in. He didn’t comment when Sanji asked to be taught his kicking style.
And then there were the other things Sanji learned from the old man.
How to take care of his hands, how to wrap bandages, do stitches and what medicines were better for head aches and which were better for muscle pains. How different foods could affect your body. The best place to find ingredients. The ones that were easy to grow yourself and the ones that were worth spending extra to get from a good vendor.
How to curse (tho Zeff blames the other chefs, they all know the truth).
Sarcasm, Zeff admitted to.
Smoking was because of Patty and Zeff will never forgive that man but Sanji felt more adult than ever after he bought his first pack.
Zeff taught him how to treat others, how to read a room and other people’s moods. When to have a heavy hand and when it was important to be gentle.
The nightmares still happened and Sanji would wake up with Zeff’s hand holding his own and he’d be able to fall right back to sleep. Sometimes the old man would sit on his bed and hold his hand before the nightmares could even come knocking.
And when they weren’t training other chefs or waiters. Or fixing up damage to the restaurant. In those quiet moments when there weren’t any customers and the adults passed around drinks and tried out new recipes together. After Sanji exhausted himself from swimming out in the sun. The chefs would bully Zeff into telling stories about his time with his crew. His nakama.
Sanji closed his eyes and wondered what it would be like if he had been on those adventures too.
He could imagine finding the All Blue with Zeff and how happy the old man would be.
XXX
7 years later.
XXX
“Do you think everything happens for a reason?”
All the chefs in the kitchen groaned at Carne. Sanji kicked Patty who started digging for a cigarette.
“Do that outside.” He warned.
“I need one if I’m going to have to listen to Carne talk fate shit again.” Patty whined.
“Or is it all luck?” Carne ignored everyone’s antics as he cut the meet for today’s menu. Carne already hated quiet on a normal day but he had become even more talkative since he survived the errand boat capsizing in a storm the other day. Talkative and existential.
“I feel like bad things keep happening.” Carne sighed. “But I haven’t done anything to deserve it.”
“You used the last of my toothpaste without asking last week!”
“You clogged the employee bathroom!”
“You burnt a steak the other day when you were busy arguing with Patty!”
“That’s not what I’m talking about!” Carne crossed his arms and glared at everyone in the kitchen. “I mean life should be fair! There should be a balance, you get as much good as you get bad.”
“Life’s a bitch.” Patty offered smugly. “And then you die.”
This earned several snickers around the kitchen. Carne waved his hands in the air giving up on them.
“Carne, I have a question.” Sanji finished his prep and started looking over everyone’s work. Zeff was due in the kitchen soon the the old bastard would always find something to complain about and blame Sanji for it. He walked over to Carne who looked at him curious.
“What’s that?”
“Who ever said life should be fair?” Sanji asked, “Wondering where you got that pansy ass idea.”
“Ugh Sanji you’re too young to understand.” Carne rolled his eyes. “You’ve been sheltered your whole life and sheltered here with Zeff. You’re still going through puberty. Maybe once you get some hair on that chest, you’ll understand what I’m saying.” Some of the other chefs chuckled.
Sanji rolled his eyes before continuing to check everyone else’s work. No one here but Zeff would understand why Sanji felt that way and no one here but Zeff had earned that right. He stopped at the new guy mixing the stew for the day. He sniffed the air -
“Brat!”
Zeff came into the kitchen but unlike his usual walk about, he went straight toward Sanji. The blond raised an eyebrow and straightened up, that usually meant they had something to talk about. Zeff nodded at Sanji to follow him but stopped looking at the stew. He wacked the man with his peg leg, “There’s other spices than pepper you dumb-ass! You trying to chase our customers away? Someone fix this slop, you’re on potato duty for the next two weeks!”
“Yes chef!”
“Sorry chef!”
“Don’t be sorry, just do it right!” Zeff looked up at the heavens as if it would free him from this mortal plane but since it didn’t he looked at Sanji before walking out into the dining room.
“What’s up geezer?” Sanji asked just above a whisper. Zeff was obviously on edge about something.
Zeff sighed before handing Sanji a piece of paper. “What does this say?”
Sanji blinked surprised, in all these years Zeff had only asked Sanji to use his language skills a handful of times. A couple of times because of foreign pirates causing an issue. A few times because of half starved fishermen or mountain bandits. And then a handful of times when things like this would happen, people using the Baratie as a place to hide messages, usually for nefarious illegal purposes. Sanji unfolded the note.
“Where did you find this?” He asked looking down it. It was in Mountain Bandit code.
“Was drinking coffee, watching the sun come up.” Romantic bastard, Sanji thought to himself. Zeff continued, “Some asshole was messing with the siding. Waited for him to leave and found this.”
“Looks like they might be trying to hide something in our next supply shipment.” Sanji handed the letter back. “It doesn’t say what though.”
“Tsk.” Zeff crossed his arms thinking. “Just keep an eye out for anything. Also our wait-staff just quit. All of them.”
Sanji closed his eyes. “Well shit. I’ll stand in until we can hire some people.”
“You’re shit with customers.” Zeff argued.
“I learned it from you.” Sanji pointed out unkindly.
“Don’t let Carne get to you.” Zeff smirked. “You always get that dumbass expression on your face when you try to use your brain Eggplant.”
“He should join a church.” Sanji scoffed but smiled when Zeff let out an amused huff. It was always a win to get the old man to smile.
“I should have sent you away instead of keeping you here.” Zeff muttered with no real malice. “You shouldn’t be here playing waiter.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easy.” Sanji sighed, they’d been over this before. Zeff wanted him to leave and Sanji refused. What was the point of going out to see the world when the old man’s dream was here at the Baratie. Sanji knew what Zeff wanted for him even if he didn’t understand. He didn’t understand why the old man wouldn’t expect him to give his life to protect the restaurant. A small voice told Sanji that his life wasn’t worth that much. His life was worth less than the restaurant, definitely worth less than the leg which was now gone forever. He might not be worth keeping around at all but Sanji did his best to ignore it. He knew Zeff cared about him just as much as he cared about the old man.
Maybe this would be the one lesson Zeff couldn’t teach him because the teen couldn’t understand and the old man wouldn’t explain. So Sanji focused on the restaurant. He focused on keeping the chef’s in line even tho most of them seem to hate him. He focused on keeping the wait-staff trained even though they turned out to be a bunch of cowards.
It wasn’t until a rag-tag group of teens shot a cannonball into the restaurant that Sanji’s life took a drastic turn. Too much happened at once, the restaurant picked up the most useless errand-boy in the entire world. Sanji had to fight with the other chefs to feed the starving Gin. The stupid errand-boy wouldn’t stop trying to get him to join their pirate crew. Then it turned out one of the errand-boy friends had been THE Roranoa Zoro, the pirate-hunter that had become famous in the newspapers. Sanji had expected a grown man, three times the size and somehow less swords (who knew three was an option?).
This guy - his same age - was talking so big about his dreams and being prepared to die but Sanji couldn’t follow his way of thinking at all. And then he was cut up and yelling that he would never lose again and Sanji’s whole body felt like he’d drank too much coffee. He could feel every fiber of his being and didn’t know where to spend this energy. He didn’t know what he just witnessed but it had to be BIG -
<“You’re far from home.”>
And suddenly instead of wired he felt ice cold.
He could feel the sharp stabbing of the northern cold winds in his fingertips, hauntingly reminding him of his one fear that he was still in that dungeon. That he’d never left.
Sanji looked over at the man with the large sword who had just sliced up Roranoa Zoro - Mihawk. Apparently the current Greatest Swordsman in the World who chased a pirate crew from the Grand Line because he was BORED. That man was currently staring at him or possibly through him? Sanji wasn’t even sure he physically existed at the moment, but Mihawk’s strange yellow eyes are focused on him. He’s being hunted. The man narrowed his eyes before turning his gaze to Zeff.
“Red-Leg.”
“Hawk-eyes.” Zeff replied back, sounding bored.
“That was entertaining.” Mihawk offered one last glance at the small boat ferrying the now probably split-in-half and dying green-haired swordsman. Then his eyes came back to Sanji. “Interesting company included. <You can understand what I’m saying, correct?>”
Sanji did understand him but he wasn’t going to say that. He didn’t know what language that was even though his brain helpfully supplied ‘Paradisian’. Sanji found it hard to swallow.
“I’ve alway known how to throw a party. Even with unexpected guests.” Zeff’s back was suddenly blocking Sanji’s view. The man had stepped in between Sanji and Mihawk. “Unless you’re going to help with all these pirates about to attack my restaurant, then you can get out of here.”
Sanji couldn’t see Mihawk through Zeff’s back but he could hear the man mumble, <”Time to return to my nap anyway.”> But then Krieg is yelling at Mihawk, there was a huge burst of power and the swordsman was gone. Done with the chaos he has sewn and not one to pick up after himself apparently.
Bastard.
Sanji hadn’t even realized he had been holding his breath until suddenly he could breath again. He took it in shakily. A hand touched his elbow and Sanji glanced at Zeff who gave him a look. Sanji smiled, hoping it looked better than he actually felt. “I’m fine. I was just surprised.”
“No shit. That man gives me the heebie-jeebies on a good day.” Zeff scoffed.
“Hey old-man!” They both turned to look at the errand-boy who was apparently made of rubber or some shit. The teen was grinning at them as he landed on the side railing of the Baratie. Sanji didn’t know why he was smiling so big, even with Mihawk gone they were still surrounded by Kriegs crew who were all coming out of their holes to prepare to attack.
Luffy grinned. “If I chance them away for you, will you let me off the hook?”
Zeff didn’t smile but could feel his amusement. “Fine, do as you wish.”
And then they were fighting and holy crap that useless errand-boy was seriously strong! But then Gin, the bastard, broke Zeff’s peg-leg and Sanji’s hands shook. He offered his life instead of Zeff’s, it wasn’t equal but maybe just maybe Sanji could convince them otherwise.
Getting smacked around by the tacky pearl guy hurt. He could hear the other chef’s yelling at him to fight but how was he supposed to do that with a gun to Zeff’s head? This restaurant was Zeff’s treasure dammit.
“He’s the geezer who gave up everything for the sake of a little brat. If I can’t even put my life at risk to save him. Then I can never repay my debt to him!” Sanji yelled, he couldn’t believe he’d just revealed everything out of the blue like that but maybe it was something that needed to be said.
So the other chefs would stop thinking he hated Zeff.
So Zeff would realize what he meant to Sanji.
And then that damned errand-boy started breaking the damned ship! Sanji was furious as he grabbed Luffy’s vest. “Are you out of your mind?!”
“But if the ship’s destroyed, their plans will be ruined.” The other teen seemed confused on why Sanji was mad.
“You have no idea what this restaurant means to me. Nor the gravity of my debt!” Sanji’s hands were shaking in rage. How did he not understand, especially after knowing the whole story.
“So you’re planning to die for this restaurant?” The errand-boy was staring at him directly in the eyes. “WHAT ARE YOU STUPID!?”
“WHAT!?” Sanji was surprised when Luffy slapped his hand away and grabbed Sanji’s jacket and pulled him close.
“YOU WONT BE REPAYING ANY DEBT BY DYING!” Luffy yelled in his face, then his tone shifted. “That’s not what he saved you for!”
There was something in the other boy’s tone, Sanji felt like the he was slapped in the face.
“To throw away your life and die like this after being saved… That’s what a weakling does!” Luffy argued and Sanji couldn’t allow that.
He wasn’t weak.
Not anymore.
“Well, its not like you know of a better way out of this mess!” He argued back.
Of course things went to hell after that. Sanji hadn’t really had time to process anything before he was fighting Gin. Again, the bastard. And then was crying and yelling and Sanji kind of felt like he wanted to do that too but didn’t have the time while trying to save this damn restaurant. The fighting went on.
The errand-boy won.
Sanji was surprised that Luffy had woken up so fast after that fight. And while he wasn’t going to join them on their ship, after hearing about Luffy’s dream … Sanji couldn’t help by smile.
“Hey, do you know about the All Blue?”
And Luffy didn’t make fun of him. They talked for a long time and Sanji felt a turning in his chest. Is this what it would be like if he had friends? He’d never been able to hang out with other teenagers and this … this was nice. He wondered if he could convince Luffy to come back and visit with his friends, specially that gorgeous Nami. Of course his mood had to be completely be ruined by the chef’s wasting food with their shitty ass acting but then-
Zeff had punched him.
That had hurt.
It hurt more than any of the wasted food on the ground. Any of their shitty acting. Zeff had used his hands, that were made for cooking, to punch Sanji. Sanji had debating running to his room but after pulling out a cigarette to smoke he was glad he stayed to hear the bastards all talk about how much they liked that soup.
Couldn’t have a normal conversation like normal people but Sanji knew part of that was his own damn fault. He was a stubborn asshole that was raised by a stubborn asshole. He wiped his face, thankful that he didn’t have any tears in his eyes. It kind of felt weird to be listening in on Luffy and Zeff talking about him but Sanji couldn’t help but appreciate that Luffy would only want Sanji to come if Sanji wanted to.
He took a long drag of his cigarette.
He knew this is what Zeff wanted.
And if for a second, he let himself think about what he wanted himself. If he didn’t think about Zeff or the restaurant. If he didn’t think about any of the worries anchoring him down.
Sanji knew he wanted to go too.
The All-Blue was definitely out there.
He thought again about Zeff’s stories about his crew as a pirate and how amazing they sounded. Zeff’s small smile when he told the stories.
Maybe Sanji could have that too.
And then he was hit by a panda-shark with a man in his mouth.
XXX
TBC