#even though zeff is not judge

[blacklegsanjienthusiast]

wanted to give my two cents on the take that sanji’s refusal to fight women is because of misogyny or stems from a belief that women are inherently weaker etc because it popped up in my reblogs and i have a lot of thoughts on it, the most prominent being i don’t agree with it at all. we know that zeff is the one who drilled the (definitely old fashioned) values of men not hurting women and a gentlemen’s role being to protect women into sanji and we know that sanji very much took that on board but his rigidness in not deferring from those values has a lot more reason to it. during whole cake island sanji tells judge that the reason he helped the vinsmokes is because zeff would be disappointed if he stooped to their level by watching them die and that “if i can’t stand tall and look my father in the eye then i’ve failed him”. as a child sanji never knew what he did wrong, never knew why his brothers hated him so much or why he was such a disappointment to his father; all he knew was that he was a failure to judge and it lead to him being locked away. it’s very hard for a child to not internalise that feeling and so it makes sense that as an adult sanji is incredibly serious about following the rules that zeff taught him. he won’t hit a women because zeff would be disappointed in him and the last thing he’s ever going to do is disappoint zeff. he’s not going to fail his father, not again, by doing something he would disapprove of. this is basically a really long winded way of saying that sanji’s respect for women and his refusal to fight or hurt them isn’t because he believes they can’t fight or because they’re weak (he knows damn well how strong women can be, he lives with robin and nami who are formidable more often than not) but simply because he’s following what his father taught him. quite literally everything he believes in regards to men not hurting women and protecting them was taught to him by zeff.

[syrupfog]

Maybe in another world the poison Sanji’s mum took didn’t work on Sanji, or at least not in the same way. 

A child with black hair and dull eyes, and like his brothers he’s made to be a solider who follows orders. 

The difference is that he follows his mum’s instead of Judge’s. 

She’s distraught that the poison wasn’t enough, but she raises Sanji as best she can to be someone free, even if he can’t really be. 

He learns to cook because she asks him to (she wonders if she’s fooling herself when she sees just a glimmer of excitement in his dull eyes).

He guards her like a dog as she grows sick, this six year old who can’t even see over the counters. But he’s strong and can fight and all he knows is that what his mum says is what he does. 

And when she’s dying, she tells him to run. Says whatever happens, get away from Judge.

And when she dies, that’s what he does. Because he’s an emotionless machine, but he’s following her orders. She told him to be free from Germa, and to seek friends. He doesn’t understand the second part (“friends are a weakness” Judge had said) so he ignores it, but he goes.

He finds the Orbit at age seven and he already has cooking skills (and he’s super powered— he’s good at what he does). They’re creeped out by him, most of the cooks just try to ignore him or slink around him, this terrifying little kid who can dice hundreds of onions in an hour.

He doesn’t interact with them either— his mum said to be free, and he assumes this is “free”. He assumes these aren’t “friends”, at least they’re not like in the books she read him. No one has fought for him or offered to share their things with him, so these must not be them.

And then, of course, the Orbit is hit by pirates, and then hits a storm. Sanji ends up stranded with Zeff on that cliff. Why’d Zeff save him? Maybe it was the way he stood emotionless in front of him with those dead eyes. Said he had to get back to cooking like nothing mattered.

Maybe it was the way everyone else looked at him like they were scared of him, this little ten year old unaware of his effect. 

Maybe it was the almost imperceptible way he flinched when another cook came near him, like he was waiting for the next attack. 

It doesn’t matter now.

What matters is that Sanji’s on the island with Zeff and they’re starving, but Zeff gives him food. Zeff loses his leg for Sanji. These things are adding up, Sanji thinks this might be what his mum wanted him to find. 

He’s not sure. 

Uncertainty doesn’t fit well with him.

But his mum said to find a friend and Zeff fits what he knows, so he devotes himself like a soldier. When they get off the island, Zeff can’t get rid of him no matter what he tries (he doesn’t try too hard). 

They get a restaurant. 

Sanji works like a machine in the kitchens.

Zeff puts him on food prep for years and Sanji does it without complaint. No one is as good as him at finely dicing, at weighing and measuring to the letter. He even does the dishes when they’re behind, and only breaks one before he figures out not to grip with all his strength.

Zeff makes him a full fledged chef at fifteen. 

He always feels a little… conflicted about making Sanji work. The boy doesn’t have friends and doesn’t seem to desire them. He doesn’t have emotions. It feels wrong to make him work when he doesn't have the fight to object.

But Sanji’s his responsibility for some reason, and he’s accepted that. 

And once, just once, when Sanji is seventeen, Judge comes down in the middle of the night to find a full five course meal prepared. It’s nothing the Baratie makes. It smells of unfamiliar lands.

He doesn’t mention it to Sanji, and there’s no trace of it the next day. 

He wonders, though. 

When Sanji is nineteen, Luffy arrives with a cannonball through the wall. 

Zeff’s not too happy about that, but Sanji’s on red alert. He goes after Luffy with a vengeance.

Because that’s ZEFF, and if Sanji knows one thing it’s that he has to PROTECT ZEFF. 

Luffy’s enamoured with him immediately. He wants Sanji. He wants this man who cooks and fights with his feet (Zeff taught him that, Sanji added it to the rules— no hands, be free, find friends).

Sanji’s dull eyes barely blink as he tells Luffy no, that he’s here for Zeff. 

But then Luffy says the magic words. 

He introduces Sanji (who stopped fighting at Zeff’s directive) to his crew and says, “this is my new friend Sanji! He’s going to be our cook!”

It’s confusing in a way few things are. Sanji lives in black and white— but Luffy says they’re *friends*. His mum told him to find friends. But he can’t leave Zeff, who is also a friend. 

Sanji stumbles a little. 

And then the green haired swordsman mocks him for it. The smallest flame of anger lights in his belly, a single momentary spark. 

But that doesn’t matter because right now in this moment Sanji is processing having TWO friends. 

That processing comes to a halt when Zeff yells at him to leave. 

It’s simple again. 

He follows orders.

He joins the Straw Hats. 

He cooks. 

He fights. 

Luffy talks all the time about being free, and Sanji doesn’t get it but he figures Luffy will tell him when they manage to become “the most free”, something he has no metric of.

Also, Zoro is there. 

Zoro is a complication. Sanji’s not sure if he’s friends with everyone or just with Luffy. He THINKS it’s everyone. He doesn’t like living in greys. 

And Zoro likes to fight. 

He tries to rile Sanji up, every time. Makes comments about his food or eyebrows.

Sometimes it… well it doesn’t *work* but it makes that little spark hit deep inside of him again, and for a split second the world is brighter. And then it’s gone. 

Then Zoro pulls out his swords, which means they’re sparring, and Sanji is good at sparring.

They add more crew members. They go from island to island. Sanji protects his friends because that’s what he’s supposed to do, and he cooks, because he’s supposed to. 

And then some time around Water 7 he starts to dream. 

He’s never dreamed before.

He dreams of his mum and her warm smile. He dreams of his sister and her complicated expressions that he could never understand. 

He dreams of Zoro and the grin that stretches over his face and the way his earrings dance. 

He doesn’t get it. There’s no point to dreams.

What does it, what finally lights the spark inside of him, is Thriller Bark. It’s “nothing happened”. Zoro pushes him out of the way, stops him from doing the one thing he’s MADE to do, and then Sanji wakes up and realises what’s happened. 

And a whirlwind alights inside of him.

The world has colors and depth it didn’t before, as he’s flooded with ANGER, that Zoro would do that, WORRY, that Zoro won’t make it, PAIN and HEARTBREAK for his mum, and a new sort of loyalty, deep and unending, for his crew. 

He watches Zoro sleep as he processes.

And when Zoro finally wakes, when that worry abates a little, he YELLS at him. SCREAMS that he was a SELFISH ASSHOLE and HOW DARE HE and he’s IMPORTANT. 

And through it all, Zoro stares at him, wide eyed and probably high on pain meds.

And then, when Sanji finally exhausts himself, Zoro grins. That same grin from Sanji’s dreams, and he says, “I knew you’d make it.” 

Which is DUMB and makes Sanji EVEN MORE MAD because what does that fucking MEAN and he YELLS SOME MORE and by that time all the Straw Hats have gathered in shock outside the infirmary door. 

“Welcome to the crew, Curls,” Zoro says and Sanji wants to KICK HIM but he’s on death’s door already and Sanji knows how strong he is. 

So instead he collapses onto him and weeps, his emotions a confusing mess inside of him.

And eventually the door creaks open and Chopper slips in because he HAS to check Zoro’s vitals and then Luffy BOUNDS in and wraps his arms around Sanji and says “SANJI, MAKE ME MEAT” and Sanji SNAPS that he’s BUSY and Luffy LAUGHS and says “Okay but AFTER YOU’RE BUSY, MEAT.”

And later that night, after he’s made a MISTAKE in the kitchen because he got EMOTIONAL chopping vegetables, he sits in the infirmary again, forcing Zoro to drink broth. And he says, “I don’t know what happened. It’s like there’s too much of me inside me now.”

And Zoro says yeah. “That’s what living feels like,” he says. 

“I don’t like it,” says Sanji. 

“You ever disliked something before?” 

“No.” 

“Then congratulations.” 

Then Zoro reaches out and grabs his hand. His grip is weak still, shaking.

He says, “this is the point. You have to find things to live for, now.” 

And Sanji thinks. “I’m supposed to live for friends,” he says. “And freedom.” 

“The you’re on the right ship,” Zoro says. “What else?” 

And Sanji remembers a book his mum used to read. A long time ago.

“Have you heard of the All Blue?”

[rollinouttahere-writes]

Fun concept I've been thinking about is Yan or even just canon sanji with a monster girl gf. But not like. Cutesy. Like straight vampire, scary ass woman that has never been pursued because she's a literal man eating monster and meets sanjis love and just completely floored by his flirting

I'm obsessed with this idea. It's like a gender swapped version on Dracula and Lisa from Castlevania.

Sanji is this ray of sunshine who just wants to feed people and make them happy, and then there is his obscenely powerful vampire wife who will reduce the entire world to ash if anything happens to her beloved golden retriever husband.

Rip to Judge, she WILL eviscerate him for trying to take Sanji away. She won't drink his blood though, she refuses to let anything so vile enter her body like that. Pudding also better back the fuck up because this woman is already on a war path and does not need to be given a reason.

She's happy to have her dear Sanji back when everything is over, but she is also so annoyed and lowkey insulted that he thought she wouldn't be able to help him. Like she already has legions watching over the Baratie to ensure Zeff's wellness. The people Judge sent were already dead. Like be so fucking for real the Vinsmoke's aren't shit against an ancient vampire with a list of connections that makes even the gorosei enviable. But it's okay. Sanji is fortunate that she finds his naivete cute.

[pooks]

thought about One Piece post-canon, like after they all achieved their dreams. Luffy is the Pirate King, Zoro is the world's greatest swordsman, Sanji found the All Blue, etc.

Zoro settled down in All Blue with Sanji, they got married, they got a child

this kid is Zoro's mini-me. mossy green hair, chubby cheeks and a cute little pout. Sanji loves his little "marimo chibi" so much.

but here's the thing; he's a brat. he's the brattiest brat ever, he always yells that no one can tell him what to do, he'll fight them and bite them. but the kicker is that he's a total "mama's boy". he loves his "mama" (it's Sanji), he always hugs his legs, asks for hugs and cuddles. always says he loves him and he's the best chef in the whole world. Sanji almost spoils him rotten (tbh can anyone blame him? it's his baby boy)

and this little brat sticks out his tongue at Nami and blows a raspberry when Sanji's not looking. Zoro finds that hilarious af (and he's obviously very proud that he got a mini-me) and also payback for everytime Nami has raised the interest on his debts

his name is Ryuma, btw

all the straw hats loves him, even if he's kind of a brat. he tries to ambush Zoro with a wooden sword every time he's napping, hoping to usurp his title. it never works.

the straw hats loves the little boy but Luffy loves Ryuma the most, they always play around and Ryuma is hardly afraid of anything.

endnote 1: Ryuma really likes whenever Sanji's siblings are visiting, they always brings gifts. he usually gets dinosaurs or robots from Yonji. Niji always overfeeds him with sweets and snacks. Ichiji brings books (which Ryuma nags him to read to him). Ryuma's favorite is Reiju, though.

endnote 2: for the context why Ryuma knows Sanji's siblings (and Sanji doesn't fear him being taken to Germa), he has no knowledge of Judge at all and he never will. to his knowledge, he only has Grandpa Zeff and Grandma Sora who is in heaven. (and since Judge is dead, Ichiji said there's no reason to ever mention him. they're all working to make sure Judge's memory becomes forgotten)

endnote 3: Ryuma gets a baby sister later. her name is Kairi, her blonde hair has light green tips and she has Sanji's blue eyes. he calls her "hime-chan". she's spoiled rotten by Nami and Robin.

endnote 4 (last one i promise): Zoro wants a third child and Sanji is so tired of calling Iva-san whenever they want to try for a kid. he also says this is the last time because suffering for nine months isn't fun. but he's not complaining when he holds the baby in his arms. XD

[zosanniz]

(I was told they accidentally didn’t send it anonymously so) sorry I was like so tired writing this take a shot everytime I mention man, masculine, masculinity, etc

I think masculinity is VERY important to Luffy and being seen as manly as the future pirate king (I mean he didn’t even like the idea of wearing a shirt with flowers on it) but I think his perspective on manliness is surface level kinda like a child. he has no problem with other men being feminine but it’s not something I see Luffy himself being comfortable with. (It’s less related to toxic masculinity and more-so he just doesn’t like wearing feminine things or what he may deem as feminine). Luffy doesn’t really have a complex about being taken care of and welcomes it, and he definitely doesn’t care much for traditional roles.

Zoro has a huge complex however. Toxic masculinity is his game, but it’s never towards other men (unless it’s insulting Sanji but even then he might just make a joke or two). Zoro is supposed to be a tough, muscular man, the man that will become the strongest swordsman. Suppressing his emotions, rejecting feminine traits, textbook toxic masculinity for this man. The more time he’s in a relationship with you, the more he gets used to the idea of being vulnerable and soft, the more he’ll start to be okay with the idea of being taken care of and all that shit. You make it easy for him to become comfortable and clingy even if it’s not always aware of it. Sometimes he’ll catch himself and try to stop it but with time and patience it’s something he can learn to accept.

As for Sanji any toxic masculinity he had as a boy was destroyed after Zeff started to raise him. I think he’s pretty open minded, though obviously perhaps had a bit of a complex about wearing a dress on Kama land, I actually think nowadays Sanji is more open to that idea, but he’s still embarrassed by it so it’s a thought he doesn’t act on. So yes I do think some internalized shit is still there, his idea of what a man “should” be like would be towards himself and would be because of judge and his brothers. Behind closed doors he’s comfortable enough he’d gladly wear a dress or something. And beyond that honestly he doesn’t really have a complex related to his manhood. During whole cake island it’s a bit different because his trauma is resurfacing, and associates being a man with how strong he is, but he also is constantly reminding himself that he hates his family and is nothing like them. None of them are real men at all. He reminds himself after all is said and done, being human means having emotions and empathy, and there is a strength in vulnerability and emotions. That being said Sanji doesn’t cry much, I think he still has problems with crying in front of people unless he really trusts them and even then it’s rare.

Usopp doesn’t really have this issue. He’s not afraid of being himself, he’s openly a coward and I can honestly see him rocking a skirt happily. Usopp was mainly around his mother growing up so she instilled good morals into him as a child and giving him a good sense of self. He has no problems with being emotional, he doesn’t seek power or control and he certainly has no problems with femininity either. Yes while sometimes he might feel bad about himself for being a coward, this is more related to his self worth rather than feeling like less of a man.

Franky is the dude on masculinity. He associates strength and bravery with manliness, but he also doesn’t see Usopp or any other men any less if they’re more fearful and on the cowardly side. He believes a man is somebody that’s stands for what they believe in though, rather than abiding by somebody else in order to be accepted or liked. While any strawhats can get behind on this sentiment, Franky feels especially strongly about men that prey on women, children, or men that are weaker generally speaking, taking advantage of other people, or being a coward that hides behind his men like spandam (but still has the audacity to talk shit) he doesn’t consider people like this manly at all. Franky has a strong sense of self when it comes to him and being a man and is very confident in who he is. Strength and courage is what he thinks a man truly is, but he also believes there’s strength and courage in being vulnerable and admitting when you’re afraid and need help! So that’s why he doesn’t think people like Usopp aren’t any less! And honestly, being feminine in his eyes can be manly too. He doesn’t mind wearing a dress so long as he can keep his Speedo.

Brook doesn’t have any complex thoughts on this topic, as he’s never really cared and certainly wouldn’t now. He’s lived far too long and considers such things trivial to himself (but doesn’t consider the topic itself trivial, as he sees how important it is to folks like Franky). Brook believes a real man keeps his promise no matter what, but beyond this Brook doesn’t think too much about complicated things like that. He’s open minded to being feminine and I can see Brook totally rocking dresses and punk skirts.

Jinbe has lived a longer life as well and has had a lot of time to think about this. He notices arlong’s more toxic traits so he’s very self aware of toxic masculinity and how that can easily lead to violence and a sense of entitlement. Because of this he’s extremely open minded and while he does prefer not wearing or doing feminine things (as it just doesn’t interest him) he’d probably just lets you put makeup on him or something. While he is typically serious, he does not suppress his emotions when it’s just you two. I think he has a strong sense of fighting toxic masculinity given his past with arlong.

[possessionisamyth]

Look, listen to me, come closer. Nope, too close, take one step back. Okay, thank you. Now open your ears and hear what I'm saying.

Whole Cake but sanuso, BUT Sanji has fully transitioned via Ivankov and her poster has not been changed from the bad drawing yet. This means when they go to pick up Sanji, the disowned son, they are meeting Sanji the trans woman who cannot marry another woman ala Pudding. Not because of the gay thing, but because Charlotte Linlin expects babies from all her married kids.

Hold on, I'm not done. There's more, but it's below the cut cause I'm nice.

Okay so clown 1 and clown 2 arrive with their convincing arguments or alternative threats ready to go only to see Sanji and immediately call Judge so they can check. Is this the right person? Judge said a son didn't he?

Vito: "You have two daughters?"

Judge: "No. One daughter."

Vito: "There is a woman here calling herself Sanji."

Judge: "Sanji is my bastard son. He has the same eyebrows as the others, and he's blonde."

Both of the retrievers look at Sanji who fits the bill except for being a pissed off looking woman.

Vito: "Uh, you know what. We'll just bring 'Sanji' to you and you can make your best judgement."

Judge: "You'd better."

Sanji arrives. Reiju is doing her absolute best to remain appearing emotionless, but the giggles are being held at bay by a thread because this was the best possible way to get out of this marriage. Sanji the escape artist wins again in her eyes. The tri color brothers? They immediately start laying on the mockery and sexist comments of which Sanji is Not A Fan, but they threatened Zeff, and she needs to see how this is going to play out before doing anything. Judge? Absolutely pissed. He cannot give any of his other sons to Charlotte Linlin because they have actual value in his eyes. He was supposed to be giving the trash away, and the one thing Linlin needs out of any marriage deal is grandchildren. Grandchildren Sanji cannot provide with the one kid Linlin planned to give up ala Pudding.

Judge will either have to figure out a magical de-transition method that is instant (not possible in the time they have left). Give up one of his valuable sons (extremely not wanted). Or lie about Sanji's gender and go through the deal hoping they can get out unscathed until this is "fixed".

They opt to lie. Sanji who kept her hair short, only because longer hair was too much of a hassle in the kitchen, doesn't even have the option to be dysphoric due to the lengths the Vinsmokes are going through to pass her off as a man. Like. It's extremely pathetic. It's sad. It's one of Usopp's "I can't do X disease" level of awful and bad except Usopp's little lies were at least coming from someone cute.

They put a fake beard on her. Reiju is responsible for her make up. Clothes are tailored to hide the obvious curves. Sanji is making every step of this process as difficult as possible. There's nothing no one can do about her voice, though it's only slightly pitched up from before her transition. They tell her not to talk and slap the exploding handcuffs on her to make sure she doesn't. They say she's half mute or something, and Linlin says something like husbands are best seen and not heard. They buy it. They fucking buy it. Sanji isn't sure who's more stupid, the Vinsmokes for putting her through this fluke, or the Charlottes because they fall for it hook line and sinker. Her beard starts to fall off halfway through a meal and they rush her back to her room.

There are multiple mishaps where she's almost "caught", and her brothers are annoyed because they have to put in effort to cover for her unless they want to be auctioned off. Reiju is putting in a lot less effort to cover for her. But Sanji is tired. She is angry. She wants to go home. The fake beard is itchy. The clothes aren't her style. She misses her cute stilettos that Usopp lovingly sharpened the heels on. She is getting some entertainment from making trouble by nearly exposing her 'secret', but it does nothing to ease her worry of the ticking time clock to this farce of a wedding.

Pudding is nice at least. A little touchy, but nice. Sanji is so tempted to compliment the young girl, but the bracelets around her wrists are a very cold reminder not to.

Usually I have more to write where I go over the whole arc with this kind of headcanon, but I don't. Have some snippet ideas.

Usopp yelling out, "What did they do to my babygirl!" in earshot and Sanji giving him the wettest most pathetic sad cat eyes because she loves when Usopp calls her that and she wants TO LEAVE.

Sanji revealing her gender at the altar, and Pudding having a lesbian awakening.

Sanji actually taunting her brothers with a reversal of the sexist commentary they were throwing at her and then saving them.

Hearing multiple Charlotte kids question why Judge lied about having another son, and that they would've accepted a daughter to marry into the family. Some even say a daughter offering might've even prevented the whole assassination attempt thing.

Usopp gently putting Sanji's spiky stilettos on her feet like Cinderella and her prince, and she gets a horrible nosebleed. This happens moments before she's being dragged off to remake the wedding cake.

Pudding is still having the split genuine thirst and fake angry reactions to Sanji where she's just like (thumbs up emoji) in response.

Multiple cut scene styled flashbacks where random Charlotte kids realize Sanji was very obviously a woman, and they'd been too stupid in the moment to pay real attention to her slip ups.

Injured Sanji giving the double middle finger to the Vinsmokes as they part ways.

Luffy seriously asking Sanji why they didn't put her in a wedding dress. Were they too stupid to see she's a girl? He could tell it was really obvious so why didn't they?

Sanji in an irritated voice explaining to Luffy what they put her through, and then placing her hands on her blushing cheeks as she explains she only wants to wear a wedding dress once. She pointedly looks at Usopp and flutters her lashes. Usopp gets all bashful and smiley and starts a whole spiel about how if they got married it'd be way grander than what the Charlottes could come up with. Sanji is swooning. Nami is moments from throwing them both overboard for being way too mushy.

You got that right? Okay, good. Have a nice evening!

[skatingbi]

So hear me out on my headcanon guys:

Sanji with heterochromia (i cant spell that fuckin word man..) where one eye is blue and another is brown. He always hides the blue eye.

The first one to notice is Zoro, who is immediantly like "holy shit youre eyes are pretty" and sanji is like "what the FUCK"

Actually fuck it im gonna write about this nobody can stop me.

Sometimes, on lonley nights in the gallery, when Sanji is busy prepping, he looks in the reflection of his knife. Underneath the frizzy mess of a fringe that is part of his hair reveals the blue eye he struggles looking at. He stares, scrutinizing that light blue in the gleam of his knife gripped tightly in his hand. He looks away to force his attention back on prep work. His hands are always slightly unsteady after those moments. He always ends up with a cut on his hand one way or another on those nights.

When Sanji was a kid, his brothers would use his heterochromia as a weapon against him. He was the freak with two colored eyes. They would say his blue eye was creepy, too. Not only was he weak but also too different to be called their brother.

When you're a kid, you take these insults to heart. Eventually, when you're barely into adulthood, they'll still plague you. They become a part of you, just like how Zeff's teachings became a part of Sanji.

Judge looked at his eyes with disgust masked by indifference. It was another reason for Sanji to assume why he was the failure. The outcast. The runt of the litter.

His mother had blue eyes. She always claimed Sanji got his blue eye from her because her father had heterochromia, too. That was the only time little Sanji felt normal. When she died, Sanji started to grow out his hair to hide the only thing he had left of her: her eyes.

Now, Sanji still hides her eyes from view. Realistically, Sanji is fully aware that none of the crew would give a rats ass what he looked like. Regardless, old habits die hard. He feels safe under the mask he made for himself. As he goes about preparing lunch, perhaps grilled sea king again with how luffy is always eager to fight those things, he lets his mind wander to his eyes more. While hands expertly move through his knife like an extension of his body, he thinks about the mess of blond hair that's always in the way. He'd never admit it out loud, but his hair actually bothers him. Since it started growing out, it gets everywhere; his mouth, in his eyes, and tangled in the buttons of his shirt. Is sanji happy with his longer hair? Absolutely. It's a nusiance to leave it down constantly, though.

As he's thinking this, he's blowing the fringe of hair covering his face out of the way every so often so it stops tickling his nose. He continues to evenly slice through a portion of sea king meat until somebody, Nami he realizes immediantly, speaks up.

"Do you need a hair tie, sanji?" Nami asks sweetly. Her smile is radiant, as always, while she looks up from the map shes been studying. Sanji didnt even realize Nami came in and made the kitchen table into a study until now, but he doesnt dwell on it. Nami is welcome in his kitchen, after all.

"Oh no, thank you, Nami-swan! I think I just need a haircut soon," Sanji lies as he's moving through the kitchen. He gives Nami a quick smile before turning back to the meat on the cutting board and avoids Nami's gaze under the disguise of being busy. His lie wasn't as believable as he wanted it to be, especially when he's stumbling over his words while he is usually eloquent with them towards Nami and Robin.

"But until then, you should take one! I probably have hundreds lying around my room anyways," She says. It's a peace offering designed to be in Sanji's language of communication. It secretly says he's getting that hairtie whether he wants it or not, and Sanji is weak enough to accept the offering. He takes the hair tie with a grateful smile, wrapping it around his wrist and going back to his current task. Nami and Sanji work in comfortable silence after that, but the hair tie weighs on his wrist like a weighted bracelet.

A few days pass by. Through every single one, he stares at the hair tie in the morning. He really should tie his hair back. It reaches his shoulders for gods sake, and it keeps getting in his mouth - but that small part of him that clings onto grief like its all that he knows refuses to. He doesn't think he can bring himself to share the only part of himself that he truly loves deep down. What if the crew really thinks it's weird? What if his brothers are right?

These what if's roam in the back of his mind. They lurk just beneath the surface like an unknown predator hidden in murky water. He ignores it along with the anxiety that crawls up his throat every time he looks at his wrist.

Then, a week passes by. Now he's in his kitchen making a simple breakfast for his nakama. Franky, in particular, will enjoy this since his tastes lie within American style food most of the time. He focuses on seasoning the eggs, some of them cooked differently to cater to everyone's tastes. While he goes through the familiar and therapeutic motions of cooking, the door opens to reveal an annoying head of mossy hair and the steady noise of three swords bumping each other at the hip.

" Oi, go to sleep in your own bunk. I dont need you stinkin' up my kitchen while im trying to work." He utters without looking up from the stove.

"Why can't I just sleep here shit cook?" Zoro grunts. Sanji hears him shuffle around on the gallery's couch behind him. He's probably lying down, or maybe he'll sleep sitting up again, or maybe he'll watch Sanji cook. That's the most irritating one, which usually ends up with them fighting out on the deck one way or another.

"Because youre fuckin' annoying, get out."

"The hell I am, I'm taking a nap here."

"Oh my - You know what?" Sanji whips around to glare at Zoro, making sure the knife he was using is now in his hand to point at the source of his ire, "Fine, but if I hear a single snore out of you I'm kicking you into the ocean!" He threatens and turns around to finish up with breakfast. By now, all he has left is pancakes. The batter was prepped earlier, so now it's just focusing on pouring evenly. It's task that's menial but still important to him regardless.

His hair is covering his face too much. He tries to shake his head to flip it to the side. It falls back to where it was before he can pick the bowl of batter back up. He brushes it over his shoulder, and it simply flows back over it. He blows his hair out of the way, a classic move, but not even that works and he's slamming the bowl down on the counter before he can even stop himself and walks away from his work to grab the hairtie from around his wrist. In a few fluid motions, he ties his hair back haphazardly into a poor attempt at a low bun, but it's out of his face, and now he can focus.

He's too deep in concentration to even remember that he has heterochromia in the first place. Cooking lowers his guard unlike anything else in the world. The gallery acts like a safe space and cooking is his comfort. He still forgets, too, while calling for Zoro to get his lazy ass up to help since he's decided to loiter in his kitchen.

"Hey moss, if you're gonna laze around my kitchen, set the table for me." His request demand is met with a middle finger, which Sanji gladly returns as he walks over to the couch to kick Zoro on the stomach. The half asleep annoyance is now suddenly alert and glares at Sanji for a moment before it's quickly replaced with a look Sanji has yet to add to his mental notes he likes to call "Marimo Dictionary". Zoro's eyebrows are slightly raised, and his eyes glitter with something Sanji rarely sees. He's never been able to place a name on that look. Now he's confused. "What? Dont give me that youre tired crap youre not fuckin 10." He says.

Zoro is still looking at him, though, and now Sanji looks back with confusion because what the fuck is he-

Oh. His eyes.

Shit.

Sanji rips the hairtie out of his hair at light speed, probably pulling a few strands out by accident in the process but he could honestly care less when theres something more important. Like whatever the fuck just happened.

Before he can turn away and go set the table himself to distance himself from the marimo, Zoro's hand moves suddenly to grab his wrist, stopping him from running away.

"Wait, wait, hold on," Zoro pleads. And what the fuck. Zoro has never said anything like that and its fucking with Sanji's head because what the fuck. "You...uh." He continues in his signature graceless way. "Your eyes..." He pauses after that, sitting up and looking at Sanji, but not just looking, he's looking.

"Marimo," Sanji's own voice is riddled with anxiety with how shaky it is now. "Let me go dumbass," He demands but it could have been mistaken for him begging with how much he's struggling to keep himself together.

He's anticipating the worst. He knows what he's expecting. Sanji has experienced it countless times before, and he's aware he will again right now while a pancake is probably burning on the pan for all he knows.

It doesnt.

Zoro is looking at him still, maintaining eye contact but also darting between both eyes. He's looking at him like those golden eyes are looking into his soul and its too much.

It's too much because Zoro's response is uncharacteristically soft in so many ways. Zoro speaks to him like he's speaking with reverence, "Your eyes are beautiful."

Sanji shatters on the gallery floor there. His soul is bare for Zoro to see suddenly and that terrifies Sanji. Nobody has ever told him he's beautiful. Especially his eyes. He yanks his wrist from Zoro's grasp and speed walks to the stove to turn it off and remove the burnt pancake from the pan. He doesnt respond. He cant, not when his heart flutters when it should have been anchored down by rejection.

Then, Sanji walks up to Zoro, grabs onto both his shoulders, pushes him out the gallery door with surprisingly little resistance, and slams it shut. He leans against the door, sliding down until he's sitting on the floor with his head tucked between his knees. His face is burning and his face is probably red like a tomato right now. He stares at the ground with wide eyes and a weirdly giddy feeling in his chest and stomach nearly akin to happiness but also dangerously close to feeling freaked the hell out.

"What the fuck."

[cherry-mash]

Just something I'm working on but won't post for a while and still wanted to share some ^^

"It was announced at a press conference this morning in Vienna Austria by head of the Vinsmoke Corporation himself, Judge Vinsmoke, that the weapons empire would be negotiating an arms agreement with the-" Sora quickly changed the radio station in her car. She liked to keep up with current events when she could, but there were some she refused to even tolerate a mention of. And she certainly did not tolerate any mention of her ex husband unless it was matters in regards to her boys. Sadly, that was often and had been for years. 'Almost a decade by now,' she mournfully reflected. As she took a turn slightly too sharp, Sora reached over to the passenger seat to stop the strawberries inside from rolling out of her grocery bag. It was warmer that week than normal and she had a hankering for some berry parfaits. They were always fun to make, Zeff and Sanji especially enjoying all kinds of flavor combinations and decorative techniques while Sora and Reiju jokingly did their best to simply have the layers visible. But as she glanced over to double check quickly that everything was still in the bag, Sora got an idea. Turning on her blinker, the mother made a possibly illegal u-turn, but was already fine taking the ticket if need be.

/-/-/-/-/

"Mama?!" Yonji yelled in delightful shock. "Surprise!" Sora greeted. Making sure to hold the bag of ingredients away, the woman happily accepted her technically youngest but still largest son into her arms. Both tried to squeeze the life out of one another, though Sora was certain Yonji was taking it easy on her. Placing his mother down after a few spins, Yonji excitedly asked, "What are you doing here?! I thought your visit wasn't for another two whole weeks!" "It's not," Sora sang as she sauntered into the massive foyer. "But I was in the neighborhood and just so happened to hear that Judge is NOT in the neighborhood. So I thought I'd drop by and all of us could make parfaits and watch some old cozy mysteries. Sound like a plan?" "YES!" Yonji cutely added a flex as a punctuation. "Think Niji and Ichiji would like to join?" "No, I'll take their parfaits, and no we don't need to ask!" Sora laughed at the expected response, never tiring of hearing such silliness from her boys, but still giving Yonji a shooing motion to go get his brothers.

[blacklegsanjiii]

Aahh your addition to actually girl sanji was amazing ✨ thank you

Its so funny to have them realising all the way to WCI/Wano, theyre all so silly. ALSO CHOPPER- He's new to the crew and giving them all a check up to get up to date with their physicals and he's all like 'dont worry Sanji your secret is save with me!! I wont tell anybody!!' And sanji thinks he's actually talking about the nr 3 burnmark (hc of mine that judge labeled all his children) so she's very thankful to him

Omg and the ship options... To many possibilities to choose from... Luffy going 'HES NOT A PRETTY BUT SHES A PRETTY GIRL?!!' Literally no fucks given nothing changes but he looveess the clothes and makeup nami gives sanji to wear (the liploss tastes like fruit and the dress fabric is so softt!!!)

Or sanami... Nami feeling attracted to sanji even though she's a lesbian and heaving a sexuality crisis cause is she bisexual??? But no she's still a major lesbian (or even funnier no attraction until its 'stupid guy -> stupid girl??!!!'

Honestly east blue poly would be funny as hell, so many possibilities

Also (sorry im rambling) SHES ZEFFS LITTLE GIRL 💥💥when she left with luffy, zeff 100% threatened the shit out of him (he also did this in canon but with his mind UvU) idk i fucking adore zeff and sanji protective of each other

And lastly??? All the regulars knowing??? Amazing, show stopping, ground breaking. Theyre coming to the baratie not seeing the cute waitress and when asked the staff says she has become a pirate cook of the strawhats

But whenever there's news its always talking about a guy and the wanted pictures are not so helpfull... So many possibility...

Have a nice day! Hope you had/have fun at your con :D

I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Fem!Sanji is fun to write, especially when no one knows she's a girl because how can you not know? She is Zeff's little girl! The dumb brat he gave up a leg for on a rock! She is his pride and joy, and everyone knows this!! Also, I love the idea of the burn mark and the confusion therein for Sanji because Chopper thinks she's trans masc when she's not, she's just waiting for her mom's genes to kick in more. Also the shipping, I agree with East Blue Polycule because you can fit all that in together in one go and no one is going ask questions. But I'm getting ahead of myself and skipping to the regulars first so that I can get some funny scenarios out of my head first.

First, Mihawk has watched this girl grow up and probably saw the fall out after shortly after Zeff butchered her hair. When he asked about it, he gave Zeff the most unimpressed look Zeff has ever received because good fuck he could have just braided it until they got into town? That's all he says about that because Sanji is still upset her hair is gone. Then some years later he's calling Zeff and asking when Sanji changed her gender and Zeff is confused because she hasn't but anyone and everyone are calling her a boy, even that crew she set off with. Mihawk is staring out of his office with the denden with an empty gaze as the greenhaired moron he almost slaughtered on the deck of Baratie is in his castle with one of his fellow warlords first mates and he's having a time but at least that hasn't changed.

Buggy is also probably really confused about 'Black Leg Sanji' and "his feats" and when Garp is arresting him they're debating whether or not Sanji would be a good marine until Garp calls her a boy and Buggy corrects him. Garp is staring down at the clown who looks back and is like 'wait, wait. Zeff's called her "princess" and you never questioned why he would call his son that?' to Garp's non-committal shrug of 'He's Zeff.' which, okay yeah, sure. It's Zeff but Zeff never used it in a derogatory manor. Sanji is quite literally his princess. She is the princess of the Baratie that Buggy used to do card tricks for because Zeff had no idea what the hell to do with kids.

Now onto the hilarity because East Blue Poly would be exceptionally hilarious. They all start dating and Sanji thinks Nami is going through a sexuality crisis because she's a girl where as Nami thinks Sanji's a boy and it's never cleared up. Sanji looks particularly butch because it made her life easier at Baratie, and she doesn't want to ruin dresses and skirts and blouses with cooking or blood. She also just never really wore make up unless Baratie was closed for some celebration or something, when she had a reason to doll up because she was so busy. Also she wakes up and goes to bed before and after everyone else so no one catches she's a girl. I think the hilarious exception of Ace clocking it in Alabasta and telling Luffy he's got the prettiest girl and the best cook wrapped in one is an amazing thing and Luffy goes with it but still asks why Ace called Sanji a girl and Ace is confused now. They never clear it up.

When Sanji is training and everyone is talking about forcing her into dresses Sanji is like 'I don't need to be forced, I love dresses! I just don't like ruining them with blood.' and coming back to Sabaody with a few dresses, skirts, blouses, more fem clothing and everyone is like 'you don't have to wear those if they make you uncomfortable' is sending some weird messages to her so she just doesn't wear them still. For the wrong reasons and everyone is confused. Like WCI when Sanji's in her wedding dress and fighting and mourning the blood on the dress and Luffy and Nami are asking her why she's in one because she doesn't wear that stuff and Sanji says she thought they didn't like them on her and the very quick explanation of 'we thought you were a boy!' is Sanji going 'How?' as Nami complains she had a sexuality crisis for nothing until Luffy asks about him, Zoro, and Usopp; Nami concedes that the crisis wasn't for nothing then.

Nami makes sure she's in a kimono like she and Robin are as an apology because they didn't realize that Sanji was a girl and was just dressing for convenience, she's not a boy and was a princess and she is loved.

Also my con was lovely but I'm so glad it's over.

[slowcatsisland]

Blackleg Sanji; Baratie Headcanons

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sanji spends a good deal of his free time in the kitchen even if he isn’t preparing meals or snacks. Sometimes he’ll take inventory over his food supplies thrice over in one sitting just to make sure he has everything the crew needs.

Sanji doesn’t smoke in the kitchen. He feels as though it is unprofessional, contaminates his materials and workspace, and hurts the atmosphere of the kitchen. Zeff taught him this because when he started to smoke the first time he did so in the kitchen Zeff caught him and smacked him red in front of the customers.

He started smoking because he wanted to seem like a man and impress Zeff (we know this) but it more so stems from him not wanting to be a helpless child and wanted control over himself which he was stripped of during his time at germa.

Sanji absolutely despised the taste of his cigarettes. He still does to some extent. But he when the nicotine filled his lungs it began to bring a sense of calm over him which helped him not have to deal with his trauma and anxiety.

Has smoked over two packs in a day multiple times before. It gets like this around his birthday. Zeff used to have to hide all cigarettes in the Baratie from Sanji.

Zeff gave Sanji his lighter because he wanted Sanji to look more professional and told him, ‘if you’re gonna smoke like a man, you need a man’s lighter.’

Tried cigars, it affected him much more than cigarettes and Zeff banned him from using them.

Wasn’t taught by any of the other cooks how to flirt, it came very natural for him. He absolutely crashes and burns if he gets flirted with back.

Has swooned a total of 4 girls in his years at the Baratie:

The first girl had only gone to chaste kisses and light caresses before the cooks found them in the bathroom.

The second was a little too tipsy and Sanji stopped anything from happening when she tried pressing herself all over him and grabbing him in the dining room.

The third one looked old enough to go to be his mother and gave him a blowjob before he freaked out and ran away from her before things escalated (he wasn’t ready and gets nightmares about it still).

The fourth girl was the first time he had ever properly touched a female but it was only some fingering and heavy making out before she pushed him off of her, thanked him for passing time with her, and walked out.

Is well acquainted with the Baratie regulars. Has spoken to Mihawk a good amount of times, knows the type of wine he requests. Gets freaked out by his sharp stare when he turns his back to him though. (Mihawk IS a regular.)

Has gotten into multiple cook offs with the other chefs, but always loses according to Zeff (Zeff’s the final judge).

The curl of his eyebrow forms a little heart inside of the big swirl. Tried shaving off the curl of his eyebrow but it grows back that way. Patty told him to stop trying to get rid of it so he did.

Zeff has added some of Sanji’s dishes to the regular menu, Sanji cries each time he sees the newest addition. Zeff never acknowledges it.

When he was being taught how to fight by Zeff, his perfect practice often became troublesome customers. Zeff encouraged it so much which is why up till he left Sanji was the most likely to get into a fight with customers.

Has scammed a good amount of berri from some of the marines that visit if we’re being honest. If he doesn’t like their attitude, he will up their bill significantly. Has gotten called out on this multiple times. Denies it every time.

Zeff bought him his first suit and taught him how to tie a tie. Wore the suit more than a chef’s uniform and apron, never bought him another suit. (Sanji’s obsession with suits got even worse).

Called Zeff dad a handful of times. Each time he would stop and look away for a long second before walking off. He usually went to a spot to cry. It stunned Zeff at first, but then the last couple of times it happened Zeff followed and sat with Sanji until he stopped crying.

Sanji hasn’t told Zeff about his past. The most he mentioned was his mother. Zeff often wonders what happened for a kid to be so traumatized.

Sanji would have nightmares and wake up either screaming or crying when the Baratie first opened up. Zeff would always have to sit by his bedding until he calmed down. Sanji would cry more if any of the other chefs came in.

Has spent so much time on sea that he walks diagonally for a hot minute when he gets on land. Would stumble a lot more on land if his legs weren’t so strong. Has very good sea legs, practically born with them.

French is his mother tongue and it’s the native language of Germa. He was taught English because it’s the most common language among the four blue seas but he had a thick accent when he was young. Zeff couldn’t understand him sometimes when he spoke.

Sanji often refers to food by their French name.

Sanji almost got completely rid of his accent because he felt as though it tied him to Germa. It comes out when’s he aroused or angry though. One time a girl said his French sounded sexy, but he’s on the fence when he’s flirting or trying to dirty talk to let his natural voice and accent come out, sometimes speaking full sentences in French. Regardless, it annoys the shit out of Zeff.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Mwah 😽

[strawhatmay]

Here’s another piece in the same universe as “A friend in the house.” I love the idea of the Vinsmoke brothers actually being brothers, in a modern au. So yeah, If you like this one, check out the other one I have and also consider following me cause I’m gonna keep posting stuff from this universe ☺️ I’m currently working on an Amnesia au (Zosan/Sanzo, always) as well.

Anyways, this one is about Zoro struggling to find Sanji’s bedroom in the Vinsmoke household, I hope you like it! I’m pretty satisfied with how it turned out.

Meet the Vinsmokes

Red opens the door in a fancy suit.

“Hey Zoro, come on in,” he says while adjusting his tie. Zoro nods at him with a smile and enters.

Ichiji is easily the least annoying of the bunch, still annoying sometimes but not even half as much as his siblings. With both quiet but strong personalities, they get along just fine.

Even Reiju gets on his nerves more often than not. She’s too much like Sanji.

“Date night?” Zoro asks him.

“Actually yeah, but don’t tell the others, I told them it was just some work dinner,” he half whispers.

That makes sense, given how much they tease each other, but Red specifically could not live this down.

From a very young age, he was known as the one “without feelings” the most. It was Red, Blue, and Green, but as they grew up, Blue and Green transitioned and showed emotion. Not Red. Not really. Sure, he loves his mom and his siblings, but he rarely shows it. And it’s clear he loves Zeff, just like the rest of them, but that love he shows even less. He’s always been the kind of guy who focuses on his career and making money.

So, Ichiji going on a DATE? A ROMANTIC date? He LIKES likes someone? It’s embarrassing. And Zoro can’t blame him for not wanting his family to find out yet. Hell, it was embarrassing for him once he realized that basically everybody knew he was crushing on his current boyfriend back then.

“Hey I’m just here to wait for the Cook, not to speak to the rest of the Power Rangers,” Zoro tells him.

“Good luck with that,” Ichiji says, takes his car keys, and leaves through the main door.

Now…the house is practically a mansion, not hard for a regular person to get lost, “so what’s left for poor Zoro?” one might ask.

The thing is, he’s been here a good number of times to know his way around. Or so Sanji assures him. But every time he comes in without the blonde it feels like a brand new house.

So he goes through one hall expecting to find the stairs to the bedrooms, but finds the big living room instead.

“ZORO HEY, YOU WANNA PLAY MORTAL KOMBAT WITH ME?” Green screams from the couch in front of the huge TV. He waves a joystick at Zoro.

“No, thanks,” he answers. Zoro knows Yonji looks up to him like an idol. He’s not sure why though, he’s barely an example of anything, and Sanji keeps him in line most of the time anyway.

“Come ONN, I’ll let you be Scorpion this time.” It’s not his fault really, that he’s used to getting what he wants, being the baby of the clan. Zoro doesn’t know how Judge (ugh) and Sora treated him when he was an actual baby, but his siblings basically let him do whatever he wants, even when he’s only younger by a few minutes.

“We never play anymore! What happened to the fun, single, Zoro who never missed an opportunity to play with the coolest Vinsmoke?”

(He finally got with your brother, that’s what) Zoro thinks but doesn’t say. If he told Yonji the truth, that he was only really being friendly with him to get on Sanji’s good side back when they weren’t together yet, it would break his heart. Make Yonji cry and whatever good relationship Zoro has with the family turns into trash pretty quickly.

“Sorry buddy, I’m on the clock”

That´s a lie, the movie starts in no less than two hours, and Sanji is still at the restaurant. But Green doesn´t need to know.

Zoro looks around for a different door. Why are they all the exact same door, though?

“Sure sure, ok some other time then, yeah? How about tomorrow? You’re staying the night, right?” Yonji insists.

“Yeah yeah, we can play tomorrow.”

“Ok! Cool! Can’t wait! But you can’t be Scorpion, that was a one-time offer,” Yonji says as he grabs a handful of chips.

“Sure buddy, bye bye now.” Zoro heads to the door far left, passing the fancy tall flower pots.

With his mouth full, Green keeps talking. “The best I can do is Sub Zero, but I guess you can also be Johnny Cage if you really really want, although he’s usually Niji’s pick. You also got Jax, Sonya Blade…oooh Liu Kang is pretty cool, he seems like your style…”

Zoro closes the door and takes a look at the room. Another big space with some fancy chairs and a couch. Great.

He decides to just go right every time there’s more than one option. So he goes through a couple of bathrooms (mind you, one was the size of his apartment), a studio, a room with just a big piano in it, and then finally the stairs.

Zoro reaches the second floor and goes left. Cause Sanji’s bedroom was to the left, right?

He walks for a bit, just looking around, trying to spot Sanji´s big black door. He contemplates whether to just call out to his boyfriend, but he must be so close, he can´t give up now.

Suddenly, the most annoying voice speaks from behind him.

“Oh ho ho…don’t tell me you’re lost.” A teasing edge to his tone.

Zoro doesn’t turn around. He closes his eyes to prepare himself for this interaction.

Blue.

“You know, for someone who's been in my house a LOT in the past year, you sure don’t act like it.”

“Niji, piss off.” Zoro doesn’t want to deal with his bullshit. Not now and not ever, to be honest.

“Oh don’t be like that, Mossy~” Zoro turns around with a scowl, annoyed at the nickname (only one person can call him that and get away with it). “I can help you, let me see your collar, I’ll call your owner.” The bastard smiles. He’s dressed in his tennis player outfit, holding the racket like an asshole.

Why? Why is he here? Why couldn’t he just be out somewhere else for the day? And why is he here? In this hall? Out of the many many halls in this house?

“Tell me that at least you know these walls,” he gestures at the wall to his left, “are not the walls you usually see during your normal walk.”

“I don’t want your assistance, Number Two.”

“Oh but you do need it, badly, don’t you?” Smug. “I'm sure you don't even know where you are right now, poor little ugly thing.”

He’s as condescending as they come. The typical rich jerk who acts like he's better than anyone else and gets on your nerves. He always manages to find new ways to annoy the hell outta Zoro.

“There is nothing I need less than your clown hair near me.”

“And look who's talking.” Niji might act like the comment didn’t bother him, but his tone change says otherwise. “Maybe all that hair dye is finally getting in your brain, huh?”

“I told you, it’s natural.”

“Sure sure, mine too.” But the sarcasm is evident.

It’s not like natural blue hair doesn’t exist, like Vivi’s, but he’s seen old pictures of Niji, of all of them, and they were all blond when they were kids. Zoro’s hair has always been green.

“I’ve always BEEN like this.” He’s getting irritated.

“You’ve always been directionless? Or as stubborn as a mule? Either way, I bet it’s true.” Niji´s smile is wide and annoying. Zoro wants to punch it.

“Listen, you little-“

“What’s going on here?” A voice interrupts them.

Nightmare is over.

“I was just offering my help to this ungrateful patch of grass.” Niji looks at his brother annoyed, like he was not bothering Zoro just now.

“Help with what, exactly?” Sanji crosses his arms.

“I was just-“ Zoro starts. “He’s been roaming around the house for a good half hour before I ran into him,” Niji interrupts him. “I saw him through the security cameras.”

“Oh yeah?” his boyfriend looks at Zoro with a smile. Very different from Blue, Sanji’s face shows adoration. Doesn’t make the whole thing less embarrassing for Zoro, though.

“How about you mind your business, Sonic?” Zoro says while Sanji grabs his arm and drags him in the opposite direction. “Don’t have anything better to do than watch the camera pointing at the main door?”

“I was trying to spy on my brother, dumbass.” Damn, Ichiji is not gonna like that. “For the record, you think ‘Sonic’ is an insult? I WISH people called me that.”

Sanji stops Zoro before he can say anything else. “Let it go, Moss.” When Niji is out of earshot, Zoro relaxes. Sanji lets go of his arm and interlocks their hands.“I just need to change my jacket and we´ll be on our way.”

“You gotta let me punch him one of these days, you know he’s asking for it,” Zoro pleads, still being dragged by Sanji. (Oh right, these walls do look familiar now) he realizes. These have flowers, while the others had stripes.

“We’ve talked about this, you can’t put your hands on my siblings,” Blondie says patiently.

Zoro protests under his breath.

“Speaking of…”

They reach Sanji’s bedroom. Sanji puts down the code and opens the door. Zoro heads to the desk and sits down, facing Sanji, who stands still in front of him.

“Is there something you wanna tell me?”

Zoro rests his elbows on his legs and looks up at Sanji, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You know how you were…fighting with Niji back there…” Sanji looks at the floor, hesitant.

“If it bothers you so much, I can try to be civil, but he-”

“No, that's…not what I meant- I just…” Sanji struggles and Zoro keeps staring, waiting.

Sanji signs.“He gets on your nerves pretty easily, like I used to. You guys fight a lot, like we used to…and I'm just wondering if maybe that's a…thing, for you,” Sanji won't look at him.

Zoro laughs loudly. “Are you out of your mind?” He gets up and makes Sanji look him in the eye.

“He's not the ‘annoying but hot’ type, not even the ‘annoying but cute’ guy, he's just annoying, plain and simple,” he puts his arms under Sanji´s forearms and smiles. “You're both.”

Sanji grabs a handful of Zoro´s hair and yanks until the latter complains. Then, he lets go and gives him a peck. “Alright, just making sure.”

“I argue with Nami all the time, do you think I want her in my bed?” Zoro says while Sanji goes to his closet to change into a warmer jacket. “Seriously, what were you thinking?” he says almost laughing again.

“I hate you,” Sanji answers with a smile on his face. When he gets close to Zoro again, he points at his face. “You better not tell anyone about this,” he says, suddenly serious.

“That's gonna be difficult, I don't know Curly…” Zoro says teasing him as he heads to the door and opens it.

“Mosshead, I swear-”

They close the door.

[moldychefboyardeecan]

Happy Birthday, Little Eggplant

I'm late, i know. I posted this on time on AO3 so go support it there too!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63518863

wc: 2,082

Tags: Comfort, Panic Attacks, Birthday

A little blonde boy, washing dishes, looked up on his calendar. Today is March 2nd, his birthday. It had been a year since Zeff had rescued him, and they created Baratie. Today was his 11th birthday, and he was excited to share the moment with the man who saved his life.

The little blonde boy wiped his hands on his apron, the soapy water from the dish basin dripping onto the floor. He knew that fateful day on the Orbit led up to him being where he felt he belonged. Even though he was now running a restaurant with pirates, what was so bad? He had already left for a better life, and this found him. A gruff man with a sour attitude saved his life.There was nothing more, but a warm feeling of happiness in that little heart of his.

He’d saved him from loneliness, from despair. He’d given him a home, a purpose, and something he hadn’t had in a long time: family.

Sanji looked down at his hands, still small and slightly trembling from the cold dishwater. He was eleven years old now. It felt like a milestone, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe because it was the first birthday he’d celebrate with someone who actually cared.

Usually, he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the old man’s office, but the silence and emptiness in and around only meant one thing; and that was always a meeting. Sanji slowly stepped away from the kitchen sink and opened the door quietly, hoping the old man wouldn’t notice.

His office was always full of old maps and pictures with his old pirate crew, still keeping the love and passion he had for the seas up on his walls.

The boy saw the picture on his desk: a small frame of the two of them when they opened Baratie. Zeff’s hands holding the little boy's body close to his side, a big, joyous smile on both their faces.

He smiled softly, and he skittered around to find what he wanted: Zeff’s spare apron, hanging next to the pictures. The little boy picked it up, as well as the needle and thread that Zeff used to embroider the name of the restaurant , alongside his employees. After all, the apron the little boy was wearing has his name on it too: Sanji. The boy usually forgot he even had a name, considering everything his past life brought him. It was even a miracle he was able to answer his name to people when they asked, since he was never called by his name before Zeff came along. 

With everything in his hand, he skittered out, as quietly as a clumsy boy could.

Sanji didn’t have the best childhood. He was born into the Vinsmoke family, a name that carried weight and fear across the North Blue. The Vinsmokes were not just any family—they were rulers, warriors, and mercenaries, feared for their strength and ruthlessness. But for Sanji, being a Vinsmoke was not a source of pride. It was a curse.

From the moment he could walk, Sanji was different. While his siblings—Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji—excelled in combat and embraced their father’s brutal teachings, Sanji struggled. He didn’t have the same strength or aggression as his brothers. He didn’t want to fight or dominate. Instead, he found solace in the kitchen, watching the castle’s chefs prepare meals with care and precision. There was something magical about the way ingredients came together to create something delicious, something that could bring people joy. But in the Vinsmoke household, such things were seen as weaknesses.

His father, Judge Vinsmoke, was a towering figure of authority and cruelty. He had no patience for Sanji’s “softness.” To Judge, a Vinsmoke was meant to be a weapon, a tool of war. Sanji’s love for cooking and his refusal to conform to the family’s ideals made him an outcast. His brothers mocked him relentlessly, calling him “failure” and “weakling.” Even his mother, Sora, who once tried to protect him, grew distant as her health declined.

The worst memory of all was the day Judge locked him away. Sanji was just a child, no older than six or seven, when his father decided he was no longer fit to be called a Vinsmoke. He was thrown into a dark, damp dungeon, an iron mask clamped over his face to hide his identity. “You are no son of mine,” Judge had said, his voice cold and final. “You are a disgrace to the Vinsmoke name.”

For what felt like an eternity, Sanji was trapped in that dungeon, alone and forgotten. The only light came from a small, barred window high above, where he could see the sky. He would stare at it for hours, dreaming of freedom, of a world beyond the cold stone walls. He dreamed of the sea, of adventure, of a place where he could be himself without fear of judgment or punishment.

He dreamed of a sea where he would see every fish, and every ocean. The All Blue.

But even in the darkness, Sanji held onto one thing: his love for cooking. He would close his eyes and imagine the smells and flavors of the dishes he had seen the chefs prepare. He would pretend he was in the kitchen, creating something beautiful, something that could make people happy. It was this dream that kept him going, even when hope seemed lost.

One day, the opportunity for escape came. His older sister, Reiju, feeling pity for him, secretly unlocked the dungeon door and freed him. Sanji didn’t hesitate. He ran as fast as his weak legs could carry him, through the castle halls and out into the night. He didn’t look back. He couldn’t. He knew that if he stopped, even for a moment, he would be caught and thrown back into the darkness.

Reiju didn’t just free him; she led him to the Orbit, a cruise ship where he found work as a kitchen assistant. It was there that he met Zeff, the gruff and eccentric chef who would change his life forever. Though their meeting was far from peaceful—ending in a shipwreck and a fight for survival on a barren rock—it was the beginning of something new. For the first time, Sanji found someone who saw value in him, not for his strength or his name, but for his passion and determination.

And so, as Sanji scurried into his small room for his 11th birthday, he couldn’t help but reflect on how far he had come. The scars of his childhood still lingered, but they no longer defined him. He had found a new family, a new purpose, and a new dream. And for that, he was grateful.

Sanji’s fingers worked clumsily, but with determination. He wasn’t as skilled as Zeff with a needle and thread, but he was learning. He stitched carefully, his tongue sticking out in concentration as he embroidered a small, crooked fish with Zeff’s name onto the apron. It wasn’t perfect, but it was his way of saying thank you—thank you for the home, the family, the small dumb arguments, and the chance to start over.

As he worked, memories of the past year flickered through his mind. The long hours in the kitchen, the burns and cuts from learning to cook, the gruff but patient voice of Zeff guiding him through each mistake. He remembered the first time he successfully cooked a dish without burning it, the pride in Zeff’s eyes when he tasted it and gave a rare nod of approval. 

When he finally finished, he held up the apron to inspect his work. The fish was lopsided, and the stitching was uneven, but it was his. A gift from the heart. A heart that has been mended by a shared love for cooking.

As Sanji took a deep breath and tried tucking the newly embroidered apron away in the room, hoping to surprise the sour old man soon, Zeff opens the door.

Zeff entered, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Sanji. “Oi, eggplant,” he grunted, using the nickname that had somehow stuck. “Why are you just standing there? There’s work to be done.” Before Sanji could say anything, Zeff noticed the apron in Sanji’s hands.

Zeff almost turned red, while Sanji almost looked white. 

“Is that..my..”

Zeff’s voice trailed off, his sharp eyes narrowing as he recognized the apron in Sanji’s hands. The color drained from Sanji’s face, his small hands trembling as he clutched the fabric tightly. He hadn’t meant for Zeff to find out like this. He had wanted to surprise him, to show his gratitude in a quiet, meaningful way. But now, standing there under Zeff’s piercing gaze, he felt like he had made a terrible mistake.

“You little brat,” Zeff growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you have any idea what that apron means to me?!”

Sanji’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as Zeff’s anger filled the room. He opened his mouth to explain, to apologize, but no words came out. His throat felt like it was closing up, and his vision blurred as panic began to claw its way up his spine. He dropped the apron, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he took a step back, his small frame trembling.

“I-I’m sorry,” Sanji stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to—I just wanted to—”

But Zeff wasn’t listening. He stormed forward, his face red with fury as he snatched the apron off the floor. “This isn’t just some spare apron, you idiot! This is from my old crew! It’s all I have left of them! And you thought it was okay to just take it and—?”

Zeff’s voice cut off abruptly as he noticed the small, crooked fish embroidered onto the apron, his name stitched carefully beneath it. His anger faltered for a moment, replaced by confusion as he stared at the imperfect but heartfelt design. He turned his gaze back to Sanji, who was now curled in on himself, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest as he struggled to breathe.

Sanji’s knees buckled, and he sank to the floor, his breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. His mind was spiraling, the weight of Zeff’s anger crushing him. He couldn’t think, couldn’t speak. All he could feel was the overwhelming fear that he had ruined everything—that he had lost the one person who had ever cared about him.

“I’m sorry,” Sanji choked out, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

Zeff’s anger evaporated in an instant, replaced by a pang of guilt as he realized what was happening. He had seen this before—the way Sanji’s body locked up, the way his breathing became erratic, the way he apologized over and over as if he expected to be punished. It was a reaction born from years of abuse, from a childhood filled with fear and pain. He just triggered it.

“Hey,” Zeff said, his voice softer now as he knelt down in front of Sanji. “Kid, look at me.”

Sanji shook his head, his face buried in his hands as he continued to mutter apologies. Zeff sighed, running a hand through his beard as he tried to figure out what to do. He wasn’t good at this—comforting people, dealing with emotions. But he couldn’t just leave the kid like this.

“Sanji,” Zeff said firmly, his tone gentle but commanding. “Listen to me. Breathe. In and out. Follow me, alright?”

Zeff took a deep breath, exaggerating the motion so Sanji could see. Slowly, hesitantly, Sanji tried to mimic him, his breaths shaky and uneven at first but gradually becoming more steady. Zeff kept breathing with him, his presence a grounding force as Sanji’s panic began to subside.

When Sanji finally looked up, his eyes red and puffy, Zeff held up the apron, his expression unreadable. “You did this?” he asked, his voice quieter now.

Sanji nodded, his lower lip trembling. “I… I wanted to say thank you,” he whispered. “For everything. I didn’t know it was special. I’m sorry.”

Zeff stared at the apron for a long moment, his thumb brushing over the stitched fish. It was messy, clearly the work of a child, but there was something undeniably touching about it. This kid, who had been through so much, had poured his heart into this small gesture. And Zeff had yelled at him for it.

“You’re a damn idiot,” Zeff muttered, but there was no bite in his words. He set the apron aside and reached out, pulling Sanji into a rough but comforting hug. Sanji froze for a moment, his body stiff with surprise, before he slowly relaxed, his small hands clutching at Zeff’s shirt.

“You don’t have to thank me, brat,” Zeff said gruffly, his voice muffled as he rested his chin on top of Sanji’s head. “You’re my kid now. That’s all there is to it.”

Sanji’s breath hitched, and he buried his face in Zeff’s chest, his shoulders shaking as he cried silently. For the first time in his life, he felt safe. He felt loved. And as Zeff held him, the old man couldn’t help but feel a surge of protectiveness for the boy who had somehow become his family.

When Sanji finally pulled away, his face was red and tear-streaked, but there was a small, tentative smile on his lips. Zeff ruffled his hair roughly, his usual gruff demeanor returning.

“Now, stop crying and get back to work,” Zeff said, standing up and tossing the apron at Sanji. “And don’t think this gets you out of dish duty.”

Sanji caught the apron, his smile widening as he nodded. “Yes, Chef Zeff.”

As Zeff turned to leave, he paused at the door, glancing back at Sanji. “And, uh… good job, kid. With the apron.”

But just as Sanji was about to start on the dishes, Zeff reappeared in the doorway, holding a small, slightly lopsided cake. It was clearly homemade, with uneven frosting and a single candle stuck haphazardly in the center.

“What’s that?” Sanji asked, his eyes widening.

Zeff grunted, avoiding Sanji’s gaze as he set the cake on the counter. “What does it look like, brat? It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”

Sanji blinked, stunned. “You… you made me a cake?”

“Don’t get used to it,” Zeff muttered, crossing his arms. “I’m not running a bakery here.”

Sanji stared at the cake, his chest tightening with emotion. It wasn’t perfect, but it was his. A gift from the man who had saved him, who had given him a home, a purpose, and a family. Tears welled up in his eyes again, but this time, they were tears of joy.

Zeff paused for a second, making sure the damn kid wasn’t going to spiral again.

“Thank you, Chef Zeff,” Sanji said, his voice trembling. “This… this means a lot to me.”

Zeff rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, yeah. Just blow out the damn candle before it burns the place down.”

Sanji laughed, a genuine, heartfelt sound that filled the kitchen. He closed his eyes, made a wish, and blew out the candle. As the smoke curled into the air, he felt a sense of peace he hadn’t known in years. 

This was his life now—his family, his dream, his future. And for the first time, he couldn’t wait to see what it held.

Zeff handed him a knife to cut the cake, and as they sat together in the quiet kitchen, sharing the slightly lopsided dessert, Sanji couldn’t help but feel that this was the best birthday he had ever had.

When they finished, Zeff stood up and stretched, his usual gruff demeanor returning. “Alright, brat. Dishes aren’t gonna do themselves. Get to it.”

Sanji nodded, a small smile still on his face as he began clearing the plates. But as he turned to carry them to the sink, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Zeff standing there, his expression unreadable.

“Kid,” Zeff said, his voice softer than usual. “You did good today. With the apron, with the dishes, with… all of it. You’re a damn good kid, you know that?”

Sanji’s eyes widened, his heart swelling with emotion. Before he could respond, Zeff pulled him into a rough but warm hug. Sanji froze for a moment, his hands still clutching the plates, before he slowly set them down and wrapped his arms around Zeff, burying his face in the old man’s chest.

Zeff’s hand rested on the back of Sanji’s head, his grip firm but gentle. “You’re my kid, Sanji. Don’t ever forget that. Happy birthday.”

[icaberries]

Just Sibling Things - Vinsmoke Edition (side of ZeffSora and ZoSan)

Just some headcanons in a Modern AU where the Vinsmokes are a regular family trying to live together under one roof. Most of these are drawn from my experience as the eldest sister with three younger siblings lol

Some important notes:

Judge and Sora are divorced, and Sora won custody over the kids. Later on, Sanji would work part time at the Baratie and introduce Sora to Zeff, and the two of them fall in love. Zeff becomes their new dad :3

All the kids sans Yonji are working. They wanted to give their mom a good life so she wouldn't have to work a day in her life. Here are my headcanon jobs for them:

Reiju works as a chemist with a specialization in poison. Ichiji is upper management in some tech company and Niji works as a sort of electrical engineer for them. Sanji is still a sous chef at the Baratie. Yonji is bouncing between part time hustles, he's still figuring himself out.

On to the headcanons!

Sanji is the early bird of the family and often cooks breakfast for the rest of them. Ichiji is the chronic workaholic night owl. They scare each other from time to time, when Sanji is going downstairs to cook, and Ichiji is heading up to sleep. Sanji worries about Ichiji a lot, so Ichiji allows himself to be fussed over and fed breakfast before sleeping.

Reiju is known as the pretty, levelheaded sister compared to her hotheaded brothers. She prefers avoiding conflict while her brothers often start them. The only exception is when her brothers are put in any danger. One time, she came to pick up Niji from the bar and found him on the losing end of a bar fight. Reiju picked up a chair and started swinging. Nobody hurts her little brothers 😤

Sanji bakes his brothers a cake for practice, but instead of eating it right away, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji fight about splitting it evenly three ways. Ichiji busts out a ruler to slice the cake perfectly in three, but Niji wants to rock paper scissors, and Yonji wants to fistfight over it. In the end, Sanji slices it for them perfectly and receives zero complaints.

But then he serves drinks. "yonji has more juice than me" "oh for fuck's sake"

Yonji is the type of brother who'd barge into your room, stand at your door, and stare at you before suddenly bodyslamming you on your bed. Reiju is the frequent victim. It gets worse when he picks up judo and decides to use the rest of them as training dummies. Sanji is the only one who's figured out how to counter him, but even then Yonji can pick him up cleanly.

Sanji is Zeff's favorite child. Don't tell the others.

One time, Niji dropped by the Baratie for lunch and kept bothering Sanji. He ended up accidentally smacking Sanji too hard, and Sanji started crying. Niji panicked and begged Sanji to shut up. "I'll let you hit me back! Just shut up!" He resorted to bribery too, but it's too late. Zeff heard Sanji crying and is on a warpath.

Speaking of parents on a warpath, Reiju has never been more terrified of Sora than when she accidentally said 'shit' and a toddler!Ichiji repeated what she said.

They generally don't give a shit about each other's romantic lives until Sanji started dating Zoro, and suddenly they have very strong opinions over Sanji's standards in men. (Zeff and Ichiji bond over their mutual dislike of Zoro and they can be seen glaring daggers at him whenever he visits Sanji.)

If they ask nicely, Reiju is always more than willing to spoil her little brothers. They often have to pay her back in favors, though (minus Sanji, who is her secret favorites).

Yonji often feels insecure about his career compared to his successful sublings, but they’re all very supportive of him. A traditional 9-5 isn't suited for their baby brother, and they’re not going to force him into it.

Ichiji is very protective of his sister and baby brothers. He used to stand in front of them to shield them from Judge when things got bad. He doesn't do it as often nowadays since they left, but sometimes Sanji would unconsciously grab Ichiji's hand when he's nervous, and Ichiji would just squeeze Sanji's hand.

They work very well together! It's mostly seen during Mothers Day and Father's Day. Sanji cooks breakfast in bed, Niji makes coffee, Reiju buys flowers, Ichiji, and Yonji plan a day out for the family.

The quadruplet's have two birthday parties. One that's celebrated with their respective friend groups, and one with the family at the Baratie. Zeff has perfected the art of combining four preferences into one menu. (Also, Sanji has to be held back from helping cook his own birthday meal.)

Sometimes, when Ichiji's insomnia is bad, the rest of the siblings take the next day off and just stay up with him. They just talk and eat snacks, waiting for Ichiji's eyes to droop so Yonji can carry him to bed.

[commander-spaceboy]

aaa please tell me all about your sanji and yonji au? is yonji still super strong and durable? can he even starve? also did he try to protect little sanji from their other brothers or was he more like reiju and stayed out of it? what does he think of zeff like does yonji trust him around sanji? i love this au!!!

yaaaay i love getting to talk about my aus n stuff im super happy people want to hear about this one it means so much!! I think Yonji at his base level in this au would still have his super strength, and eventually he would develop his durability but he wouldn't have it immediately. smthn smthn it's his personal strawhat powerup. but for the most part he's human just like Sanji, just with insane strength! (which means i think he would be able to starve along side Sanji and Zeff) Yonji would have probably started out bullying Sanji like his older brothers to fit in, but very quickly he would have stopped cause it just made him feel. bad. yk? I don't know if he would stand up for him exactly but I think he would probably redirect them when he can and when he can't he's the first one to find Reiju so that she can clean him up while Yonji awkwardly stands off to the side pretending like he doesn't care. I think the more time that he spent around Sanji and Reiju rather than Ichiji and Niji the more he would act like an actual kid rather than just a solider. He would absolutely not have trusted Zeff at first, smthn about having a deep mistrust of older male figures after getting away from Judge. On the island where its just him Sanji and Zeff, Yonji would have been watching Sanji's back cause he doesn't know what to expect. After finding out that Zeff gave them all of the food and had to eat his own leg Yonji would realize that this guy is much different than what he though, and it changes his perspective of people in general, being used to people turning their backs on the weaker links. He doesn't trust him entierly after they get off the island but he respects him and trust him enough to leave Sanji alone with him if it should come down to it. (eventually, Yonji would come to call Zeff his dad like Sanji does but that is only after years of them all living together)

[crocodilenjoyer]

op fic recs 3

personal favorites bolded!!

G

what's another night on mars? by genesis_frog | post-canon | | gen, straw hats-centric | 5.1k | complete

“Marriage, to many, is a sacred, romantic vow. A promise between lovers to live together and die together. Whoever said that that love had to be romantic? There are so many kinds of love that exist, and surely, can’t the bond between friends be celebrated eternally?”

Luffy has An Idea, or: Five Times the Straw Hats Discussed Getting Married and the One Time They Actually Did

In the Belly of the Junkyard by alpha_hydra | pre-canon | gen, kid & killer | 2.5k | complete

Kid isn't very good at making friends. He's been told by adults and children alike that he's rude, or else that he's too hot-headed, or that if he keeps holding grudges like he does, no one is going to stick around for long. Until one day, he meets a boy with a mean right hook, and everything changes.

Somewhere I Have (Never) Travelled by alpha_hydra | marineford | gen, ace-centric | 7.2k | complete

Now: the sun rises, and Ace lives.

AKA, Ace lives, but it takes a while to get us there.

and yet we keep walking by freckledshoulderblades | post-marineford, some information from luffy's flashback | gen, deuce-centric | 4.2k | complete

Three years after Marineford, Deuce arrives on Dawn Island to ask after Dadan and learn more about the man Ace was.

Like Ink Through Her Veins by grainjew | during timeskip | vivi-centric, background namivivi | 5.6k | complete

Vivi manages, away from her crew. Usually, managing means ruling a country, reading the newspaper, and checking up on her father.

Sometimes, though, it means sneaking out of the palace at midnight and getting drunk with passing pirates.

across ocean tides and snow-covered hills by nevermordor | post-canon | gen, ace & luffy | 3.6k | complete

After two whole years, after everything that’s happened, he wants Luffy to look different. But he still has the same scrawny arms and narrow shoulders, still wears the same ratty old flip flops and hat. The only real change is the scar across his chest, to match Ace’s own.

“Everyone’s been saying you beat me here by like a whole day or something,” Ace remarks. Luffy starts in surprise, his head swiveling around, eyes wide. “I say, so what. Try beating me at something that actually matters, like wrestling, see if I don’t still win.”

--

Ace and Luffy come home for the winter.

all's fair in love and war by guiltylights | ambiguous setting, post-timeskip | gen, hancock-centric | 3.7k | complete

This far from the lights and sounds of the party the only thing Hancock can hear is the crashing of the waves, close to their feet—and the calming sound of Luffy, snoring loudly and contently, his chest rising and receding with each breath, just slightly out of sync with the sea. There’s just a little light, reflecting from the moon over the silvery dark waters, to see by, but enough to see clearly. And maybe it’s the combination of all these factors at once, of both safety and ambiguity, that makes Hancock even deign to consider answering the sniper seriously.

‘You love him,’ she says, staring out to the sea. She has one long leg crossed elegantly over the other, is reclining back with one arm draped over a knee, ‘and thus, I will compete with you for his affections.’

The sniper frowns. ‘When I said I loved him, I meant that as a friend, or a crew-member does. Like—a brother?’

For the first time in her life, Hancock confronts what it all really means—to love, and be loved, with her beauty.

nothing to do (with you) by guiltylights | post-wano | gen, zeff-centric | 4.3k | complete

The man who just entered moves, slowly and purposefully, as though demanding everybody’s attention be on him, until he stops right in the middle of the restaurant, in front of where Zeff is.

Zeff eyes him over his food. ‘To what do I owe this visit,’ Zeff says mildly, ‘Vinsmoke Judge?’

Across from him, the militant monarch of the Germa Kingdom takes a seat.

Judge thinks that Sanji is a failure of a son. Zeff doesn't think that much of Judge at all.

children of the damned by guiltylights | during alabasta | gen | 2k | complete

A finger traces almost carelessly around the rim of the wine glass, but Ace watches from the corner of his eye how that finger never wavers from its steady trajectory, the line of the glass always pressed exactly in the middle of that finger, and knows this woman is anything but relaxed. Confident, perhaps, but not relaxed; the bow of her spine is stiff and unyielding, taut like a too-tight string under the loose soft layers of her fur coat, and Ace wonders briefly whether that’s why she wears it in this fucking sauna-like desert country – to hide the stiffness of her back, her smile – before pushing the thought away to the recesses of his brain. It’s absolutely none of his goddamn business.

Devil child, Ace remembers.

T

how could oceans come between us by merikai | post-wano | gen, monster trio-centric | 4.2k | complete

Zoro really has no idea how they ended up here in the first place.

or: monster trio in a marine base what will they do

all summer on bloody knees by ghostwit | pre-canon | kidkiller | 3.1k | complete

"Kiss me, asshole," he says.

(Partially based on SBS87. They're maybe mid-late teens here.)

Gold-Tinted Days by needchocolatenow | ambiguous setting, post-timeskip | zolu | 4.3k | complete

Luffy had Zoro—always.

there is thunder in our hearts by taizi | marineford, information from dressrosa | gen, asl brothers | 6.7k | complete

He’s not close enough. He’s not going to make it. Even if he managed to shake off the soldiers in front of him and just threw his whole body at full-speed between Luffy and Akainu to take the blow, he wouldn’t get there fast enough. He doesn’t have enough time. He’s going to lose another brother, only this time it’s going to happen right in front of his eyes, from seven—five—three feet away.

He’s ten years old again and learning what grief is. He’s ten years old and all that’s left of Sabo is the letter in his hand and a shared dream and the promise that Ace will look after their silly baby brother while he’s gone. 

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!” Ace screams. It’s pure desperation. It’s the last human thing he’ll ever say if Luffy dies here. 

A Different Father by LPSunnyBunny | marineford | gen, buggy-centric | 1.2k | complete

Before they get to Marineford, Buggy finds out about Ace's parentage- and fuck, he can't just let his captain's son die. Time to improvise.

toragara by Origamidragons | pre-canon, information from luffy's flashback | gen, zoro & luffy | 5.1k | complete

There's a tiger on Mount Colubo.

(Luffy makes a friend.)

it burns a hole through everyone by taizi | post-dressrosa | gen, luffy & sabo | 3.4k | complete

“I bet that some people, who fought in that war for Ace, who loved him and didn’t even know me, wish that it had happened differently.” Luffy still doesn’t look up, expression unreadable when he adds, “Sabo loves us both, but he loved Ace longer.”

If Sabo had been stabbed with sea stone, it would have hurt less. If he had burned with the Grey Terminal, or drowned at sea in front of the Celestial Dragons, it would have hurt less than this.

He’s on his feet before he’s aware of moving, seat tipping over and rolling away behind him. He can feel the steam start to lift off his super-heated skin as Ace’s fire inside him reacts to the way his heart is racing.

“Don’t say that,” he says, too loud, almost a shout.

to cut your teeth on love by freckledshoulderblades | shells town through post-timeskip | zolu | 10.6k | complete

Zoro meets Luffy and gives himself over wholeheartedly the instant Wadō is placed between his teeth again. Luffy meets Zoro and decides in a heartbeat that Zoro is his.

waters of the wild by LadyCrimsonAndBlack | post-whiskey peak through post-punk hazard | gen, straw hats-centric | 4k | complete

Even to his nakama, Luffy sometimes appears just a little bit too odd.

(Or: Five times a Straw Hat notices something strange about Luffy, and the one time someone knows what's going on.)

Singing, When You Don't Know How to Pray by ghostwriterofthemachine | pre-canon through post-timeskip | gen, straw hats-centric | 12.7k | complete

So why was Luffy so determined to get a musician for his crew?

Or: Song, singing, and shanties on the high seas.

Before the Storm by orphan account | post-timeskip, pre-wano | kidkiller | 2.3k | complete

"Under the light of the sun, so similar to that of the South Blue, and the silhouettes of dying men, they dig a big fire pit into the sand and gather around it. The only order Kid gives that day is to celebrate their victory over the Marine vessels now littering the ocean floor. It had been an easy fight, looking back, but it keeps the crew happy and Kid isn’t one to dismiss a chance for drinking."

triskelion by razbliuto | pre-canon | boa sisters-centric | 5k | complete

Sink your fangs in, sister, and don't let go. — The Boa Sisters, still breathing despite all odds.

M

Squash and Stretch by LPSunnyBunny | marineford, information from wano | gen, ace & luffy | 3.3k | complete | TEMPORARY MCD

In one world, Ace takes the blow for Luffy and dies in his arms.

In this one, Luffy reacts just fast enough to push Ace aside and save him, taking the blow himself.

and its companion,

Kiki and Boba by LPSunnyBunny | marineford, information from wano | gen, ace & luffy | 5.3k | complete | TEMPORARY MCD

Ace's perspective of Squash and Stretch in which he is terrified for his little brother because what the FUCK IS THAT.

life's yard full of rakes by ghostwit | pre-canon | gen, crocodile-centric | 3k | complete

It's crude work, cudgel and bolt and human flesh; Crocodile can feel the bone splintering, the little shards embedding in the tissue around the shattering when they drive the great, rusted stake through his hand.

day 24: self induced injuries to escape

E

Axiomatic by KBstories | post-wano | kidkiller | 5.3k | complete

ax·i·om·at·ic (adj.) Self-evident; unquestionable.

*

The best part of battle is the afterparty.

[inoreuct]

ZOSAN POLICEMAN/CYBORG SIDEKICK AU

inspired by me talking to reg after work and thinking about sanji fighting after a full shift at the baratie and then saying he must have heels of steel. lesgo.

zoro’s a police officer because of course he is. his lifestyle’s insanely militaristic and according to luffy, insanely mundane; he goes to bed at eight every night and has been wearing the same three white t-shirts for the past ten years. don’t even start about his socks— most of them are more hole than fabric. he has more emotional attachment to those things that a ballerina to her toe pads.

he has a pretty high position in the police force and his underlings are constantly trying to get him out to dinner or the bar, and he always says NO. he has to hit the gym. or go for a run. or go to kendo practice. that 1st dan rank of his doesn’t maintain itself.

anyway something big goes down that has the whole department up in a frenzy and zoro’s put in charge of it; he’s fully ready to take on the case and the investigations. chasing down crooks and pulling corrupt happenings into the light is his specialty. he gets the job done because he never changes his methods and he works just fine alone.

enter stage right: blackleg sanji.

blond. brilliant. beautiful. he’s a disarming smile and luscious golden hair wrapped up in a pretty silvery bow before you realise he could actually. like. strangle you with the ribbon. he could literally break more than half the bones in your body without breaking a sweat and then meet his friends for dinner after.

he got his namesake from the parts of him that aren’t quite human; everything below mid-thigh is reinforced carbon-fibre, sleek and dark gray. his veins are wires, his muscles pistons— there are knives hidden in his heels and there’s a gun in his right kneecap with a flamethrower in the other. he’s proficient in muay thai, savate, and kickboxing. he’s a badass. end of story.

judge, his biological father, is a high-ranking government official/scientist in charge of a military project called GERMA66. he mechanically engineered his children into the perfect supersoldiers by quite literally brainwashing and rebuilding them. think bucky barnes in the winter soldier, but more fucked up because these are his KIDS.

in any case. sora makes fucking sure that she plays a big enough part in sanji’s upbringing that he fights the mental conditioning and manages to get away before judge does everything he had planned. zeff takes him in, raises this snot-nosed little kid in the back of his restaurant for eleven years, and every part of sanji that counts takes after zeff and his mother.

(zeff’s also friends with garp, who happens to be luffy’s grandfather, and luffy happens to be zoro’s best friend and routine patrol buddy. small world.)

judge managed to make it so the mechanical enhancements would grow with the kids, so sanji doesn’t really need any adjustments. that doesn’t mean he didn’t get a little squeaky here and there, though, and zeff’s touch-ups with engine oil in the middle of the night can really only help so much.

and then he meets usopp, and then franky. they’re mechanics (technically) and mad geniuses (definitely) and they fix him right up. usopp’s the one who makes sure all his fuel and stuff is chemically optimal, and franky reinforces his hip with titanium to help his body withstand the sheer torque of his kicks. the grandma jokes are ENDLESS.

in any case, judge finds him. yeah. and sanji gets assigned to (read: forced to help) zoro and the mutual dislike/disdain/animosity is IMMEDIATE.

zoro thinks sanji’s a contrary asshole who starts fights for the sake of fighting. sanji thinks zoro’s just another law enforcer prick in cahoots with judge. they go on their first stakeout and almost get busted because they can’t stop biting and snipping at each other, but zoro gets grazed by a bullet in a shootout and that night they both sit a little quieter than they’re used to.

their bond forms slowly. they resist it at first but it’s just so easy to fall into step with one another, taking turns with offence and defence, trusting the other to fill whatever gaps in their attacks one of them alone can’t handle. they don’t bicker to intentionally hurt anymore— it’s more quips and harmless snark than anything. sanji cooks for the both of them and makes sure they don’t get malnourished while they’re off chasing baddies, and zoro helps him realign all the finicky little parts in his legs that aren’t big enough of a problem to warrant paying franky a visit. they’re good together, and it’s comfortable. they’re comfortable.

and then they realise that there’s something much bigger going on.

zoro’s feeling more and more uneasy as they unspool the thread of lies and motives because it’s starting to feel like the people they catch and bring in are being… targeted. like someone wants them out of the way.

he brings it up to sanji and the blond freezes. brushes it off like he hadn’t since the beginning and goes right on to talking about the next suspect on their list. a tiny voice at the back of zoro’s head tells him that something’s not right, but he brushes it aside for the time being and focuses on planning with sanji.

the feeling gets worse.

it all blows up one night when they’re having dinner in sanji’s apartment, and zoro’s staring at the plate of spinach pesto linguine in front of him with his fist clenched around his fork.

“what?” sanji laughs, scrubbing at the frying pan in the sink. “looking a bit too much like your hair?”

zoro swallows. “what’s going on?”

the air thickens, and zoro’s breath is shallow as sanji turns around. “what do you mean?”

“you know what i mean.” the blond’s been bitter lately, too much like how he’d been when they'd first met. it brings out something fiercely protective in zoro, underneath that initial glaze of anger, because he knows sanji well enough at this point to know when the other man’s being avoidant and not just secretive. sanji’s afraid of something and he’s running from it. there’s resentment in the way his spine curls, and it’s sour on zoro’s tongue because he knows it’s most likely directed at sanji himself.

sanji’s throat bobs as he turns away again, turning the tap on, but zoro doesn’t let up. “they’re innocent,” he continues, voice low. “they’re innocent and you know it. these people are being framed—”

“we don’t know that,” sanji interrupts.

“—we know,” zoro says fiercely. “you know it, curls, so what are you getting up to?”

the other man stays turned away, washing and drying calmly. the gears in his legs whirr as he shifts his weight.

“sanji.” zoro stands up and rounds the island, fingertips dragging over the countertop. “you know these people aren’t doing anything wrong and you’re still taking them in. tell me what’s going on.”

sanji takes a measured breath and tilts his head, before pushing out a short, “can’t.”

zoro can feel himself getting angry. it’s heat at the base of his skull, the back of his neck, the itch to grab his partner (they’re partners, now. what a thought.) by the shoulders and shake until he comes to his senses. sanji is kind. if zoro is sure of anything at all he’s sure of that. sanji is kind and he will fight to the fucking death to make sure justice is served with fairness, and this is how zoro knows that something is wrong.

WE NEED A PART 2 I HIT THE CHARACTER LIMIT

(part 2)