#kuma has to be sent by garp or dragon even. like they would have been dead if not. and its like a mercy

[hauntingblue]

Luffy screaming for zoro I can't do this

[yunohawkeye]

Okay so... this is not betaread. I’ve never done this before and yeah. Here’s my OC. It might be a little messy but hopefully you’ll like her :)

This is all also pretty vague because I just wrote my thoughts down, so if you have any more questions about her, my askbox is always open ^^

Name: Anika

Gender: female

Species: Dragonkin-human hybrid

Origin: hidden village on a little island

Age: 18/20 pre/post timeskip

Powers: 

dragonskin - hardening the skin with scales; similar to Armor-haki

fire dragon - vivify the dragon markings on her skin; gaining control of her dragon

haki - all forms

Physical:

Most Common Outfit: black tank top, jeans-colored hot pants, black and white sneakers and bandages covering up her whole right arm

Accessoires/Items: her Tantō

Personal:

Family: father - unknown, mother - deceased, sister - deceased

Friends: The Strawhats

Best Friend: Luffy

Love interest: None (yet) (I kinda wanna see who you ship her with)

Personality:

Likes/Dislikes:

Favorite…

Food: Bread

Flower: Dragon’s Breath

Color: Black/Red

Place: On top of a mountain/high places in general

Least Favorite:

Food: Porridge

Flower: Dandelion

Color: Grey

Place: The Dungeons

History:

(I’m gonna keep this one short, otherwise this would be a whole-ass story. If you wanna know more you can always ask me though.)

Her village was attacked by masked men at the age of 5. She saw her mother got murdered and ran away with her baby sister in her arms. One of the men stopped her but let her run, not being able to kill children.

It was winter season and the snow was knee-high for her, but she kept on going, trying to bring her sister to safety.

Days later she arrived at a marine base and asked soldiers for help. Her sister was cold. They did take her in, gave her food and warm clothes. Although her little sister was dead, not able to withstand the freezing atmosphere at that age but the soldiers told Anika they brought her sister to a doctor. Then she was taken to the captain in charge of the island who immediately noticed the tattoo on her arm.

She was told to be taken to a foster home, to be taken care of, but instead found herself in another facility and her room was a cell deep down in the dungeons.

Her race, the dragonkin, were supposed to be eradicated a long time ago, together with the history of the void century, her village has been the last remnant of it. Now, she was the only dragonkin left and the world government decided not to execute her but to experiment on her.

Until the age of 10 she was tortured every day, trying to get information out of her. How did her reaction differ to one of a normal human or fishman? How long could she survive without food or water without showing symptoms of weakness? What was the trigger to unlock their powers? All those experiments had taken a toll on her and the light in her eyes was gone. While doing them, she often hoped they would make a mistake and she’d die.

But then, one day one of the guards didn’t pay enough attention, not seeing the little 10 year old girl as threat and for a moment, she felt the spark of life again, adrenaline shooting through her veins and releasing an unconscious pulse of Emperor’s Haki. She was able to run away from the guards and the facility, some kind of power taking over her body. She doesn’t remember much from that day, it were too many impressions at once. Nothing more than shreds come to mind. She only knew that she woke up in a little fishing boat, stranded on an island. A man above her, obviously worried before she fell unconscious again.

Later on that man turned out to be Garp. He saw the markings on her arm and could piece together what happened, the scars and wounds on her skin being indicator enough. He brought her to Dadan, where she got to know Luffy and Ace. Sabo was already considered dead.

In the beginning she was very shy and jumped at every fast movement, not letting anyone touch her. Her beaten and honestly miserable appearance even struck a soft nerve in Ace. He and Luffy tried to coax her out of her shell more and more.

She started trusting them and let herself heal, even telling them her past. As they heard what happened to Anika’s sister, they both felt a connection to her. It didn’t take long until they decided they’d accept her as sister.

At the age of 17, one year before Luffy, she set to sail, but keeping her promise in mind. As soon as he’d have his first bounty she’d come to him and join his crew.

She met a lot of people, made some friends along the way but in the end kept to herself, relishing in the freedom she finally had. Not only physically but also mentally. And while she wasn’t fully healed yet, she felt free. And nothing else mattered to her at the moment.

At the age of 18 she joined the Strawhat crew while they were in Enies Lobby. At first they were a little sceptical but after they got told that Anika was Luffy’s big sister, their worries flew out the window.

As the crew was scattered around the world by Kuma, she landed on a secluded island. She roamed through the forests alone for some days, hunting and searching for berries and other food to survive. It didn’t take long for the news of Ace’s death to reach even her and she was devastated as she read it, breaking down and leaving a wake of destruction in her way.

Later on, she met an old man who seemed to live alone. This old man turned out to be another dragonkin. He said he’d teach her the hidden art of their power and sent her into the cave in the massive mountain in the middle of the island with the words: “Don’t lose.”

Anika went into the cave, swallowing hard. These cold grey walls and the echo of her footsteps brought back bad memories. Low grumbles shook her surroundings as she swallowed her fear and kept on going. The path was spiked with loose stones which would make her fall to certain death if she wasn’t careful. But she needed to do this.

She took a deep breath before continuing her steady pace, the sounds echoing from the walls sending shivers down her spine. The farther she went, the louder they got.

After some time she saw a little opening, leading to another, rather spacious part of the cave. She walked through it and was immediately met with a massive gust of wind, making her stumble backwards lightly. As she opened her eyes she couldn’t believe her eyes.

There was a massive dragon like the one depicted with the markings on her arm flying around in circles. But her moment of awe was short-lived as it prepared a dive attack.

Anika sprinted to the middle of the room, where a Tantō, a short sword, was on display. She grabbed onto the hilt but before she was able to fully unsheath it she paused, sheathed it again and turned around, the dragon coming at her at what seemed like full speed. 

Without breaking eye contact, she let the Tantō fall and just a few inches before her the dragon came to a halt, the only thing touching her the wind. She held out her hand and the dragon leaned into her touch as she started to smile. Nobody said she had to win, she was only supposed not to lose.

Without warning the dragon disintegrated before her and the ashes that remained set itself onto her markings, bringing it to life as it started to move around her arm.

After unlocking her powers she went back to the old man, only to see a pile of still glowing ashes where he once sat, next to a new pile of newspaper with the photo of Luffy on it. She buried the ashes and planted local flowers, Dragon’s Breath on the grave before starting her training.

She taught herself how to control the dragon inside her and also haki usage with the help of scrolls in a weird language she found in the old man’s hut. She didn’t know why but she was able to decipher it without problems. It also contained knowledge about her kin and what happened to them during the void century. (not the whole thing, only about her people)

Anika is still dealing with a lot of emotional baggage but gained a lot more confidence and meets up with the crew 2 years later.

[whirlybirdwhat]

Happy

Prompt answer for anon who requested

“may I ask for a Gin/Sanji that's happy? I loved how super sad it was in the au but I would really like Gin meeting the crew/Luffy without it being so horribly sad. (also sanji going "hey so this is my bf" amuses me)” 

SO ENJOY THE SANGIN I wrote this in a possessed haze last night.

Also @junemel this has elements from that one conversation that we had about gin meeting Duval its not close to it but I was this close to putting gin smacking the ever living shit out of Duval in it - this close

Anyway, enjoy! Sorry it took so long anon! Its a lil angsty but its very happy after that lol

Also on Ao3!

-

Six months after Gin’s life was changed by a hot meal and cigarette smoke on the Baratie of all places, he’s out on the Grand Line, chasing his dream – to escape from the life Krieg built, and create one better, one that is a true pirate’s life.

And six months after Gin last saw him, he sees Sanji’s grey blue eyes again… in the most hideous wanted poster he’s ever seen.

He promptly spits out his coffee when his first mate gives the paper with it to him at breakfast.

“What the fuck-“

Kinzo has the patience of a saint as he speaks while washing the coffee from his face (how the hell is the man not screaming from the hot liquid?)

“Straw Hat Luffy and crew razed Ennies Lobby to the ground eight days ago while seizing Devil Child Nico Robin from custody. All crew members received bounties and escaped Vice Admiral Garp on their way out of Water Seven, and are currently at large. Isn’t…” And here, a small smile breaks out on Kinzo’s face. “Sanji on that crew? It appears he has a bounty higher than yours’s now captain. 77,000,000 Belli?”

“That’s not Sanji.”

It can’t be.

The wanted poster is hand drawn, but the artist must be blind because there is no way Sanji’s nose looks like that, or his lips, and his eyes are sea blue not whatever that is.

The only thing they got right even slightly is his eyebrow, but even that could take some criticism.

“You sure captain?” Hashi asks from his corner of the galley. “Seems like he fits the description – blue eyes, blond hair, smoker, weird eye brow.”

“That’s NOT Sanji! It’s – its- “ Gin can’t even finish his sentence. It’s only been six months, surely Sanji hasn’t changed that much? Getting stronger he can picture (The paper is vague, doesn’t tell a lot, damn marine supporters, but isn’t Ennies Lobby the supposed home of CP9?) but this? No.

“It’s a stranger? Doesn’t have heaven made food?”

“Smile sent from heaven?”

“Eyes like the sea?”

“Super soft hands?”

“The kindest voice on earth?”

“SHUT UP! How do you even know all that?” His face is red. Man Demon Gin has never been so humiliated.

“You talk about him a lot when you’re… inebriated.” Kinzo states, taking a sip of his own coffee (is it boiling? Its boiling. Does his first mate have secret devil fruit powers or does he have no pain receptors?) to avoid continuing.

“CAPTAIN HAS A CRUSH!~” He is going to toss Hashi overboard, devil fruit or not.

“OOOOOH!”

“LIKE IT WAS A SECRET!”

“EVERYONE SHUT UP!” Gin slaps a hand to his head. “Breakfast is over, I do not have a crush, and that is not what Sanji looks like – and do you really want to insult a man who is worth twice all of your bounties and just smacked CP9 into the ground?”

Finally, his crew shuts up.

“Like I thought. Get to your stations – weather looks dark outside, might be a storm.”

And the Silver Horn Pirates rush to do as their captain orders – but not without a few passing remarks.

“Captain and Sanji Kissing in a tree – K – I – S – S –“

Splash.

“SHUT UP!”

-

Another two months go by, full of teasing and laughter from his crew about Sanji, but it’s been quiet for the most part. The Straw hats haven’t made any big news officially, but there are rumors that Moira’s been kicked out of his position, and there’s only one crew crazy enough to do that unintentionally, so Gin’s sure that their doing all right.

Then the newspaper flops in his lap. It’s Kinzo again, and Sanji half expects it to be another Sanji poster – he likes to give him them, as if whoever on that poster can take the place of Sanji, but something in his face tells Gin otherwise.

He sets his cup down, and opens the paper.

STRAW-HAT LUFFY ATTACKS CELESTIAL DRAGON – CREW DISAPPEARS AFTER RESPONSE FROM WARLORD KUMA

Oh no – Sanji. Luffy. The rest of them – oh no.

There’s an odd note in his voice as he looks up at Kinzo. “Tell the crew to prepare to set sail. We head for Sabaody in three hours.”

Kinzo only nods – they’re five islands away, possible more because this is the Grand Line of all places, but half the crew is from Don Krieg’s armada.

They were at the Baratie when Luffy saved them, when Sanji gave them food. They know what’s at stake – they have to help the Straw Hats.

And so they will.

-

Three weeks later, Fire Fist Ace and Whitebeard are dead, and Straw Hat has reappeared at Marineford to ring in a new era.

Gin has tears in his eyes when he learns that Straw Hat is okay, because if he knows anyone, he knows that Straw Hat will never leave his nakama behind, and Sanji is nakama.

Sanji is alive.

(And the other straw hats, but forgive Gin for being biases, alright?)

Now he just has to find him.

-

On Sabaody, he does not meet Sanji – instead, he finds the face on the wanted poster, protecting Sanji’s ship.

“Duval?” Gin asks dubiously, as the man before him grins and attempts to wink, showing off his new face with the old wanted poster as comparison.

“In the handsome flesh! Are you friends of the Straw hats?”

“Yeah… One moment please?”

“Certainly!”

Gin turns to his crew with the most shit-eating grin.

“I told you it wasn’t Sanji.”

He turns back to Duval, not without catching a glimpse of resignation from his crew. He was right.

“So Duval –“

“Yes?”

“You know when the Straw Hats are going to meet back up?” Gin wasn’t stupid. He’s seen the face of a king, and Sanji was on that King’s crew. There was no way they would be down for long.

Duval looks sad, or at least as sad as he can get with that face. “No, we do not… We don’t even know if they are coming back all.”

Again, Gin’s not stupid. Or maybe he is, he just has unwavering faith in a captain that isn’t his and a cook he’d only met once.

“But we will protect their beloved ship! Whatever it takes!”  There’s a fire in Duval’s eyes, one Gin’s sure is matched on his own face.

“Of course – but do you have any idea where they are now?”

“Well…”

-

Duval doesn’t have an answer, but he does have a rumor, and that rumor is that the Straw Hats were scattered to the winds with a swipe of a paw, more literal than the papers stated.

Gin figured it would go like this. The Straw Hats went at their own pace (their own world-toppling, war declaring, impossible pace that no one else could keep up with-) and it was unlikely that they would be seen before they wanted to be seen.

Likely in an international incident.

That doesn’t mean Gin won’t stop searching and training for the day he meets Sanji again.

He doesn’t know what the other is doing, but it has something to do with Straw Hat’s message – and Gin doesn’t think Sanji would take the death of his captain’s brother lying down.

Sanji’s getting stronger out there somewhere on the grand line, and like hell if Gin is falling behind.

-

It takes two and a half years to find him, but at least by then he can show his crew an actual picture of Sanji’s face – if in that stupid caricature he gets around girls.

Kinzo smiles at it, hands deep in boiling water as he washes the plates after dinner, and asks genteelly “That your man Captain?”

Gin blushes very, very hard before changing the topic entirely. “Yeah – but I’m wondering about the Only Alive bit – what do you think it means?”

“No clue – but its no surprise the bounty went up – Sabaody’s a wreck from what I here, and Fish Man Island’s got a new protectorate.”

“Rumors say Straw Hat ticked off Big Mom.”

“Only one Island in in the New World and this is what they do? Damn.”

“We better catch up then, aye Kinzo?” Gin grins.

“Aye Captain.”

“MEN! SET SAIL FOR THE NEW WORLD!”

“AYE!”

-

Vinsmoke Sanji, the papers say, and Gin thinks back to the flowing restaurant in the East Blue and crosses it out. In its place is Black Leg, stark and true, and it’s a much better fit.

Black Leg Sanji’s Captain better get him back or Gin’s going to have to fight an Emperor and he and his crew are all going to die because Sanji went to go get married.

-

A week later, and Luffy had apparently plotted to assassinate Big Mom and ended up defeated two of her Sweet Commanders.

Sanji has a new bounty, and Gin doesn’t know why he even bothered to worry.

When he pictured meeting Sanji again, he imagined it in battle, showing off his new skills and he and Sanji fighting back to back.

He did not picture it in the back alley of some bar in the New World, where he was taking a break from the commotion inside.

Apparently, someone had died in the middle of eating and then rose again. Gin doesn’t want to know, so he goes out to smoke a bit.

“Damnit” he mutters, realizing he doesn’t have his lighter on him.

“Need a light?”

“Yea actually, Tha-” Gin stops dead, and stares at the face in front of him that’s gently smiling beneath a mop of blond hair.

The eyebrows are as distinct as ever, if on a different side, and the blue of his eyes stands out even now. (Privately, Gin thinks they might be the color of the All Blue that mythic ocean that Sanji plans to find – he has no doubt he will.) There’s a goatee beneath his lips, quirked up in a smile while biting on an unlit cigarette. The suit and tie is a fashion statement few wear so well on the Grand Line and that just means the person standing in front of him is none other than –

“Sanji,” Gin breathes and feels his heart swell.

“Hey Gin – long time no see.” A hand reaches out to light the cigarette between Gin’s teeth and then his own, and Sanji is almost as tall as him now, and smiling, and strong and –

-

A giant dork.

They found a cafe two streets over from the bar where they are now currently sitting, eating something other than greasy bar food and probably poisoned drinks.

According to Sanji, it was his Captain who had collapsed in his food and caused the commotion.

“He’s fine,” Sanji tells Gin carelessly, a smile on his face still – he hasn’t stopped smiling since he met Gin again, something Gin is not so secretly proud of – “Shitty rubber captain just does that sometimes. You get used to it. Chopper’s trying to work something out though –“

“Chopper? Isn’t he your pet?”

Sanji laughs, bright and bold, and he’s so much more than he ever was on the Baratie. “I forgot! You haven’t seen us since the Baratie have you? We have a lot more people on our crew –“

“Are they anything like their wanted posters? I’ve been trying to find you by them and it hasn’t been working out so well…”

Heck. He just admitted he had been trying to find Sanji. Way to go you dumb shit.

But Sanji just dusts the ashes off his cigarette and nods to him. “I knew you’d find us. You promised, didn’t you?”

I’ll grow stronger, without Don Krieg, and meet you all on the Grand Line!

He had, hadn’t he? And the Straw Hats put a lot of faith in promises.

“I guess I did – I definitely grew stronger too. And I have my own crew – though they aren’t as weird as yours.”

“Gin. We have a walking, talking, shitting skeleton pop star on our crew and our doctor is a reindeer. Nothing’s weirder than our crew.”

“You have a what for your doctor?” Oh god, he’s missed so much. He hates the newspaper.

-

Eventually, Sanji convinces Gin to introduce him to his crew after learning that Gin became his own pirate captain.

“No one can order you around, now, right?” There’s an innuendo in there somewhere, but frankly, Gin’s too nervous to care.

His crew always takes great joy in embarrassing him, and introducing him to Sanji, where most of the teasing stems from, is going to be hell.

Whatever. He’ll have proved them wrong at least. – and the rest of the crew who had only gotten glimpses of Sanji at the Baratie when he was smacking down the rest of the crew, will get the chance to meet him.

He entertains the thought of reaching for Sanji’s hand, but settles for brushing his knuckles and shoulders with him instead.

At the Baratie, he hadn’t known this man long – not long enough – and now, he’s endlessly curious to know more.

(What’s his favorite food? His favorite color? Memory? Place? What does he think of me? He thinks, casting glances at the man beside him as they talk about anything and everything down the streets, fitting like two puzzle pieces with frayed ends – perfectly matching but too old to quite click perfectly immediately.

He wonders, too, what Sanji will think of the crew.)

Eventually, they reach the Silver Serpent (sue him – he like’s the silver motif, its better than the demon one at any rate. (There are too many demons on this wretched sea anyway.)), its masts. Reaching high into the sky with the skull waving in the breeze. Sanji smiles at the engravings on the side (waves with metal inlays – Gin wanted this ship to carry them for years, and its grand enough to do so.)

“Nice ship,” He compliments and Gin grins in return.

“Wait till you see the crew.” He cups his mouth and prepares to shout. “MEN! THERE’S SOMEONE YOU NEED TO MEET!”

Heads pop up all over the ship, peering at Gin before wild expressions cross their faces.

“Holy Shit-“

“Is that who I think it is?”

“Captains brought a guy home!”

“Is that him?”

“Black-leg?”

“Kinzo – Kinzo wake up you need to see this” Hashi nudges the first mate awake before pointing at the plank that Sanji and Gin are climbing up. “It’s him.”

Sanji looks positively bewildered, more so when Gin offers a meager explanation. “I, uh, may have talked about you. A lot, actually. Maybe?”

Sanji snickers, and goes to introduce himself to the crew, leaving Gin to contemplate his life decisions.

“Hello everyone, the name’s Sanji – though I hear you already know that?”

“Damn right we do – Captain won’t shut up about you.” Kinzo answers for the entirety of the crew. “I’m Kinzo, the Silver Horn Pirate’s first mate.”

“Nice to meet you then.”

“And I’m Hashi! Cook aboard this ship! Tell me your secrets!”

“Wha-“

“Hashi, stop, damn it you can get cooking lessons later.”

“Actually,” Sanji interjects, before Gin can direct his crew to bring out food and such, “You can have them now. Luffy will want to meet all of you, and that means a party.”

In true pirate fashion, the deck explodes with joy.

“PARTY! AYE!”

“On the Sunny of course – I’ve been wanting to show you it.” And doesn’t that send butterflies down Gin’s spine. “Follow me!”

And the crew charges after the man who saved Gin’s life, leaving him to catch up.

-

Gin’s seen the Sunny before, not that Sanji knows, but seeing her with her crew aboard is something entirely different. The Soul King’s providing music, and there is a reindeer with chopsticks up his nose while a cyborg with two extra arms cheers him on. The owner of those arms is chuckling as she watches Sanji and a green haired swordsman – still wrapped in as many bandages as he had been at the Baratie – fight with fire and steel.

That’s nothing on the captain of the crew, whose downing ten-times his body weight in meat alone who. Laughs hysterically with the story telling sniper as the navigator punches Zoro and Sanji on the head to get them to stop.

The effect is instantaneous as Zoro. Immediately grumbles about witches and Sanji becomes pliant to her demands.

Thousand Sunny is so much more livelier now, with her crew filling up the empty space on deck and lanterns strung about the rigging. There’s platters of food and music and life and joy, things Gin had experienced before but never quite to this magnitude.

And according to Usopp, this is a small-scale party.

Bonfires on Sky Islands, parties at the Ryugu Palace, dancing with former zombies on a floating island ship in the middle of the Floridian triangle-

This crew has been everywhere.

(And, Gin knows, they are going to the end – to Raftel – and if he knows anything, they will find a way to go beyond that as well.)

“So,” Sanji startles him, now broken away from the mosshead, “What do you think?” And there’s something in his eyes that says I want you to like them but also They are mine and I won’t care if don’t. Gin understands the feeling.

“They’re wild.” Gin grins – he’s been doing that a lot today, hasn’t he? More than usual? “I like them.”

“Good!” They are close enough that Gin can smell the alcohol on Sanji’s breath, and he can see the droplets that have spattered on his impeccable suit and tie – loose now, that the party is in full swing, but still giving him an air of I know what the fuck I’m doing.

Sanji’s just like that, he guesses.

Suddenly, Sanji blinks around, noticing the crew and how Luffy has been distracted from the food by now by the swordsman’s cheering of ‘Sogeking’s theme’.

“Come on,” He says, hauling Gin to his feet, “I want to show you something.”

Gin thinks about making a dick joke, but decides to follow Sanji instead.

-

They go to the back of the Sunny, where the party’s music is only a mute faded sound, and the water lapping on the edge of the boat in their harmony.  The sun has just set, so there’s still pink in the sky, but the moon is already casting light upon the quiet waves of this tropical port town cove.

It’s nice as they lean arms crossed over the railing.

(It’s a good place for a confession.)

Sanji offers Gin a smoke and when he declines, shrugs and lights one for himself.

“Your crew tells me you were talking about me?”

Sanji’s trying to be suave again. Its working. Gin is so screwed.

“Maybe. What about it?” He deflects.

Sanji flicks some ashes out to the water. “Just wanted to know if it was true. If you really thought I was all that.”

“Why?” Sanji’s quiet after this.

Gin doesn’t speak up to offer an explanation, to say yes I do think you’re the most amazing cook I ever met, and that time where we held hands on the Baratie was the best in my life, and every other island we go to I hear about how kind you were, and who couldn’t think you were all that?

Because Gin doesn’t really speak in waxing poetry unless he’s had a few to many drinks, and he’s only had two tonight, shoved into his hands by the man next to him himself.

He does, however, hope Sanji understands all that.

By the look that he’s giving Gin, he does. And finally, he speaks. “Cause it depends if I want to do this or not.”

As he says that enunciated this, he reaches over and grabs Gin’s hand where its gripping the railing.

-

Here’s the thing. Sanji and Gin knew each other for five days before Don Krieg was defeated. In that time, Sanji cooked Gin the best meal he had ever had in his life, and shared a room with him as Giin washed dishes to work off the debt.

(Someone had to, as the new chore boy kept dropping them instead of washing them.)

On the last day, Gin had left and brought his former captain on to the Baratie, feeling so sick about what he was doing, and then left the Baratie freed and ready to create his own crew.

Before that, Gin and Sanji talked, and held hands, and it felt like a cheesy teen romance but somehow Gin had found his other half, in a way.

It’s a small history, and history that has not gone away despite the many ports they’ve visited.

Gin’s thankful for that, because it means he can smile as he grabs Sanji’s hands back, and say “Yeah. I meant it.”

And Sanji’s smile as he leans in for a kiss means everything to him.

He tastes like smoke and alcohol and the aftermath of a Straw Hat party, and something explodes in Gin’s chests.

Hell, he’s happy.

-

Of course, that isn’t the end of it. After a couple more heated kisses and quiet moments, Sanji jumps up and drags Gin back to the party.

“HEY!” He shouts, loud and clear from the upper deck. “HEY EVERYONE! LOOK!”

Everyone looks.

“THIS IS MY BOYFRIEND NOW!” And he holds Gin’s hand up in the air, because maybe they snuck into the kitchen before coming out here and stole drinks from Zoro’s stash, because he doesn’t think Sanji would want to raise Gin’s hand like it was a wrestling champion winner.

There’s a moment of silence after the announcement, before the deck explodes into motion and raucous cheering.

“ABOUT TIME SHITTY COOK!”

“FINALLY!”

“HELL YEAH CAPTAIN!”

“WOOHOO! YAY! SANJI!” Gin doesn’t care though, not now, and not next morning when he has the worst headache of his life and the most handsome man in the world at his side.

Sanji smiles at him, and he smiles back.

Happy, with the man he searched for at last.