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blacklegsanjiii · 10 months ago

Text

Golden Ch. 4

Sanji doesn't complain as Mihawk sets the bones.

When Sanji told Mihawk he knew how to sword fight, had training in it, Mihawk had been excited about it. Sanji did well with katas and took Mihawk’s training to heart. He did well with a sword. Sanji didn’t like the blisters or the calluses growing on his hands but as long as he can cook Sanji is happy. Which makes it upsetting because Sanji knows how to use a sword, he does, but he's currently cradling his hand to his chest and his fingers are purple. Mihawk may have shattered several bones in the boy's hand and he quickly drops his sword and checks Sanji's hand over. Mihawk is not a soft man and yet-

-Yet Sanji has turned his world around as he curses and ushers the boy inside and to the kitchen. He gets the boy situated at the sink to run his hand under cold water to try to bring down the swelling as Mihawk grabs the bandages. Sanji doesn't complain as Mihawk sets the bones, he winces, but he doesn't cry and Mihawk knows that's not from training with him.

Mihawk holds back, of course he does, Sanji is a child and Mihawk is an adult and they're training. He's not going to kill him because maybe Zeff had a point and he and Sanji get along better than Mihawk thought. He's wrapping his hand and of course it's the kid's dominant hand. The one that excels with a knife in the kitchen and can write barely legible chicken scratch.

"Can I still cook?" Sanji's voice is whisper quiet and the man furrows his brow because it's just so him.

"You won't be able to hold a knife, or much of anything until the swelling goes down more." Mihawk admits.

"Okay." Sanji sounds broken at that and Mihawk finishes quickly after that.

"We'll talk to Redleg about his fighting style, he didn't use his hands very much so he could cook." Mihawk placates. "It'll have to wait until you're healed but we can work on your palate in the meantime."

"Okay." Sanji nods but his voice is still weak.

"You know," Mihawk starts making Sanji look at him with blue eyes that are watering, "most children, even those raised in dojos, would be crying at an injury like this. Your pain threshold is remarkably high which stands better for a more physical combat style like Redleg or Jinbei."

"I- yeah. I don't want to use swords. A cook needs his hands." Sanji agrees and Mihawk nods.

"I want you to still be able to protect yourself with one, but we'll change your training. I say we are finished training for today and should focus on your academics for now." Mihawk says. Sanji is still completely aware of his surroundings and not dissociating or anything like he had expected. "Sanji, why didn't you cry when I broke your hand?"

Blue eyes meet yellow and suddenly Sanji is curling in on himself. He's still small and Mihawk knows it's from years of malnourishment. He knows Sanji was not properly cared for for several years if not most of his life. He struggles to put on weight and the clothes that should fit him hang off him to the point he's wearing clothes in layers even during the summer to stay warm. "Sanji, I want to understand."

"My family did it, I haven't seen them since I was eight." Sanji admits quietly and Mihawk can feel the anger and loathing pooling in his gut.

"What did they do?" Mihawk knows the answer.

"Almost everything they could. My dad couldn't kill me so he locked me up after giving up on finishing the job." Sanji whispers.

"If I find them Yoru will surely enjoy herself." Mihawk promises and Sanji winces. "Come along, let's start with reading."

Sanji follows and they sit at the desk in the library reading books. Sanji reads slowly and stumbles on his pronunciation. Mihawk corrects him if he can't sound it out correctly. Mihawk cards his hand gently through the blond hair of the boy as he finishes the book. They move onto arithmetic and Sanji can't write with his left and can't grip with his right so Mihawk keeps the pencil in hand as they work through the problems in a maths book Mihawk had found.

A couple weeks later, which is too fast for a hand to heal, Sanji's hand is declared healed by a doctor much to Mihawk's puzzlement. They're in the town that is unofficially under Mihawk's control on a supply run and everyone knows better than to talk about Mihawk after several people died for making comments about the boy that were crude and unfit to be spoken about a child.

"It could be haki if he doesn't have a devil fruit. I'm not entirely sure. Hawkeye, he's still under most metrics for his age. He looks like a nine year old if I'm being generous." The doctor sighs. "Sanji, you've been eating all your meals right?"

"Yessir." Sanji answers robotically.

"Snacks?" The doctor asks.

"Sometimes." Robotic.

"Okay, you did good kid." The doctor hands Sanji a red lollipop which Mihawk nods at the boy to eat. "My recommendation would be more snacks and rest days to get his weight up. He's been with you for a year and half now, it might just be genetics, he might just be growing. There are the rarities of this world who are gifted without a devil fruit."

"Really?" Sanji asks and the doctor nods.

"Vice Admiral Garp doesn't have a devil fruit and he pisses your dad off constantly." The doctor explains and Sanji giggles. They thank the doctor and leave for the inn they always stay at. Mihawk looks at the boy who still hides behind his coat with a sucker in his mouth. It's not the first time someone has called him Sanji's dad and it makes something tick inside him and not in a bad way.

"I want you to pick something out while we're here." Mihawk says abruptly and that makes Sanji look at him in confusion.

"I don't need anything and you let me pick several ingredients out." Sanji doesn't quite argue.

"For yourself." Mihawk clarifies.

"Like what?" Sanji asks.

"Something a child would like. A toy or such." Sanji looks at him, confusion growing.

"I don't know what kids do." Sanji says, and yeah. He has a point, Mihawk can't argue with it. If someone could see the way Mihawk and this child are staring at each other, both with confusion on their faces about children's activities of all things they would be dead. "What do dads do with their kids normally?" Sanji asks.

"I'm an orphan and have been since I was two." Mihawk answers. They're both clearly out of their depth before Mihawk blinks. "Did you just say I was your father as well?"

"Everyone else says it." Sanji shrugs. "I get it if you don't want to be, Zeff said he'll take me back-"

"Zeff's an idiot who thinks every woman is a goddess, your birth family is going to die by Yoru if I ever find them." Mihawk cuts him off. "Do you want me to be your father?" Sanji nods in response. "Then that's that."

"Okay, but we still don't know what kids do or what people do with their kids." Sanji points out.

"Shame." Mihawk hums. Sanji nods but the quiet that surrounds them is comforting. Sanji is still unbearably shy about his past. However, being given the title of father is nice. It feels right. "Your hair is getting long."

"Can you cut it when we get home?" Sanji asks and Mihawk nods. They still have a long way to go and if Mihawk picks up a few parenting books before they leave Sanji doesn't mention if he saw them.

Mihawk calls Newgate and asks for him to send Marco for a second opinion and some advice on what to do with Sanji.

“If he's happy,” White Beard laughs, “then you're doing great, Son.”

Marco's arrival on Kuraigana is met with Sanji in Hawk-eyes’ hat bolting away from the man with a considerable lead. Hawk-eyes, who may be the greatest swordsman in the world, is nowhere near as fast, nimble, or flexible as Sanji. He flies over head gaining speed and manages to catch the kid in his flaming talons. He feels excitement from the kid who squeals in delight as he's hoisted off the ground for a few hundred feet of flight.

Marco manages to set Sanji down and then land next to him as Mihawk curses them from a great length away.

“Practicing hiding your soul voice?” Marco asks. Sanji nods as his hands clasp the brim of the hat. “Great job letting me fly you like that. I'm sure it was kind of scary to be picked up randomly again.”

“It was fun.” Sanji smiles at him.

“Why the hell would you fly him further away?” Mihawk growls as he catches up, winded and flushed.

“If he can steal from you he deserves a treat, don't worry he's fine.” Marco assures him as Mihawk still checks the boy over before taking his hat back. “His stamina is fantastic, why am I here?”

“I broke his hand about three weeks ago,” Mihawk admits, “last week the doctor in town said it was completely healed.”

Marco tilts his head and rubs his chin, his glasses reflecting the sun slightly. “That wouldn't be out of the question, if his body is healing wounds instead of nourishing itself.”

“Has that happened before?” Mihawk asks.

“Rarely, but yes. The will of D is often used as an example for this.” Marco replies. “Garp and Dragon, Roger, Portgas. Perhaps Vegapunk could modify someone?” Marco suggests.

“Let's head inside to continue this conversation.” Mihawk sighs and Sanji bolts off ahead. Marco laughs as he adjusts his bag and follows the warlord to the castle. “I should warn you, Sanji dreads doctors. I haven't asked why but he doesn't mention his birth family that much. He’ll be better than when you and Newgate visited but not by much.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Marco asks, he has experience with kids who hate doctors, hate needles and prodding and reflex checks. “Or get a brief rundown?”

“You've seen him, he's eleven and looks like a nine year old, he's littered in scars from his family.” Mihawk says and Marco pauses causing Mihawk to stop a few paces ahead and turn.

“How badly?” Marco asks carefully.

“There's not much on the boy that isn't scar tissue, I'm afraid.” Mihawk answers. “He told me he wanted the clear-clear fruit to hide.” Marco nods at the information, they continue onto the castle and the dread is present and Sanji tries to smile at them as they enter but it doesn't reach his eyes. Marco pats the kid's head.

“Your dad tells me you don't like doctors, but I'm going to try to make this fun, okay? I'll tell you everything I'm going to do and if you feel uncomfortable at any time we'll stop.” Marco meets Sanji's eyes and the kid's emotions vanish instead of an agreement.

Mihawk takes them to the dining room where Marco sets Sanji on the table. He walks Sanji through every step, heart rate, breathing, reflexes. He lets Sanji use the stethoscope on him and the boy is wide eyed with amazement.

“I'm going to roll your sleeve up and check from tips of your fingers to about halfway to your elbow alright?” Marco asks and Sanji nods. Mihawk warned him and still his breath hitches as the sleeve rolls up and suddenly there's pale skin with even paler lines, circles, he's pretty sure there's at least two burns on Sanji's arm.

“It was a long time ago.” Sanji says immediately.

“How long ago for these ones?” Marco asks, out lining the burns.

“I was six.” Sanji says with a flinch as Mihawk pulls his emotions out of the room.

“Do you remember if you saw a doctor about them?” Marco asks, rubbing the boy's arm in a comforting way.

“I saw a doctor every day for a long time.” That wasn't the answer the men were thinking Sanji would give.

“Were you sick?” Mihawk asks. Sanji shrugs in reply and Marco takes a deep breath.

“Sanji, you can tell us anything. We won't tell anyone and whoever did this to you was wrong, okay?” Marco pleads for the kid to understand. Sanji nods and Marco takes another deep breath. “Can I check your arm?” Another nod.

Marco checks the bones, they're all in position and there's no swelling bruising and he doesn't even feel remnants of scar tissue that should be there. His confusion is clear as Sanji curls in on himself and Mihawk looks between them.

“There’s not even a hint of scar tissue, Hawkeye.” Marco says in awe. “Holy shit, that's amazing.”

“What happens now?” Sanji asks, trying to keep the fear from his voice.

“Well, we're done here so you should eat something and then in a little bit I can fly you around some more, alright?” Marco suggests and Sanji nods, rushing to the kitchen.

“Are we thinking Vegapunk?” Mihawk asks once Sanji is busy in the kitchen. “It's not like them to send an experiment out like this and Sanji had a family.”

“No, it's definitely not.” Marco sighs. “I think it's something else, what it could be I don't know.”

“I'm so fucked.” Mihawk sighs and Marco laughs.

“That's not the warlord I know. Then again, the warlord I know wouldn't have a kid running around his castle or let me or Pops anywhere near the place.” Marco agrees. Mihawk doesn't answer, simply goes to the kitchen and Marco follows. Sanji is shaping onigiri and there was a bento box out for what Marco presumed were the leftovers.

Marco convinces Sanji to eat four. Mihawk watches with the barest hint of a smile. Marco, as promised, flies Sanji around Kuraigana. They're both laughing and having a great time as they soar and rile up the humandrills. The blonds in the air seemingly uncaring for the world around them.

Later, when Marco's tired and Sanji's hair is wind whipped and tangled they land. Mihawk is waiting at the castle door for them to come back, leaning against it with one leg crossed in front of the other. Mihawk and Sanji don't play, not really, the theft of Mihawk's hat is as close as they get. Sanji is smiling brightly though as he runs to his dad and Marco follows at a more leisurely rate.

“Have fun?” Mihawk asks, looking down at the boy.

“I want to fly too!” Sanji exclaims.

Mihawk puts a hand on Sanji's shoulder. “Well, we'd have a problem then because I can't.”

“You know, it'd be worth it to see what else he can do if he can heal like that. Who knows, maybe he can.” Marco says and Mihawk, already so pale, goes paler at Marco's words making the two laugh.

Marco watches them train later and swears he thinks there's smoke mixed with the dust from Sanji's kicks. When he arrives on the Moby Dick after parting Kuraigana, he heads to his desk in the infirmary and begins researching.

#black leg sanji #vinsmoke sanji #dracule mihawk #hawkeye mihawk #marco the phoenix #marco one piece #golden #my writing

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