#spoiler: whole cake island

[onepiece-oc-archives]

A Condensed History of the Roger Pirates

I'm only about... three months late? Either way, I promised I would do it, didn't I? So, here you go @starcrossedjedis

Obviously, this history of the travels of the Pirate King and his crew is going to involve some spoilers, so be prepared.

First of all, some quick info on the crew's most important members:

Gol D. Roger, also known as Gold Roger, the Pirate King: Roger was the crew's captain and namesake, as well as a former owner of Luffy's straw hat as he was the one to pass it down to Shanks. He was known to be fearless, prideful and quick to anger, but also humble and kind to civilians and children. His public execution in Loguetown 22 years ago was supposed to end piracy but brought on the Great Age of Pirates instead.

Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King: Rayleigh was the crew's first mate and has now retired to Sabaody Archipelago, where he lives with his wife Shakky. He is a light-hearted and casual man, but he does take his position as the crew's disciplinarian seriously, especially towards the younger members. Generally, he is a strategist and can remain calm and collected even in the most dire of situations.

Crocus, the current lighthouse keeper of the Twin Cape Lighthouse, which guides ships into the Grand Line.

Kozuki Oden, the heir to the shogun of Wano Country, and Kozuki Toki, his wife: Oden, originally a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, was a confident and carefree man. One could even describe him as violent and selfish. But truly, his badly planned attempts at helping people always meant well, despite often having the opposite effect. He became more responsible and mature after sailing with the Roger Pirates but could still be considered naive. Still, he returned to Wano Country to take his father's place as shogun but was then executed by usurpers in an event called the Legendary Hour. His wife, Toki, was a very kind woman and also very humble and caring. She met Oden during his time on Whitebeard's crew and the two of them had two children. Later during their journey, when they were already part of the Roger Pirates, Toki became ill and had to stay behind in Wano. Toki was murdered shortly after Oden's execution.

Red-Haired Shanks: Yes, this is the Shanks, the one we all know and love. He was found in a treasure chest by Roger and was with the crew as an apprentice from at least when he was nine years old until the crew disbanded a year before Roger's execution. He got the straw hat from Roger at the very latest when he was nine years old.

Buggy the Clown: Buggy was an apprentice of the Roger Pirates at the same time that Shanks was and they became more or less friendly rivals during this time. Shanks is directly or indirectly responsible for Buggy accidentally eating his devil fruit at least 25 years ago.

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi: Dogstorm Inuarashi and Cat Viper Nekomamushi are the current rulers of the mink tribe. They originally became shipwrecked at Wano Country and then followed Oden first to the Whitebeard Pirates, then to the Roger Pirates.

Now, time for the actual topic of this post:

The History of the Roger Pirates

The Roger Pirates were formed 50 years ago when Roger met Rayleigh. Though Rayleigh initially laughed at Roger's request to join him, he did end up sailing with him either way. They gathered many friends and crewmates on their voyage and Roger developed a personal rivalry with Monkey D. Garp.

37 years ago, the Roger Pirates reached Lodestar Island, the last island on the Grand Line that can be reached by regular methods via a Log Pose. They are the first crew to make it there in 800 years and become aware of the existence of a final island in the Grand Line that cannot be reached without the information on the Road Poneglyphs. Roger had previously stolen the information on the Road Poneglyph owned by Big Mom, meaning they already owned one Road Poneglyph out of four.

36 years ago, the Roger Pirates were involved in an event called the God Valley Incident, taking place on the island of God Valley in the West Blue. The existence of a manhunt against the native population there was leaked to the outside world, which prompted the legendary and legendarily vicious Rocks Pirates to travel to the island. The Roger Pirates and Monkey D. Garp went in pursuit, and a large, chaotic battle ensued with long-reaching consequences for the entire world. Nonetheless, knowledge of these events is restricted and the island was mysteriously erased from existence and from the maps of the world. The Rocks Pirates were defeated at the hands of an alliance between the Roger Pirates and Monkey D. Garp, leading the Rocks Pirates' former members to form powerful crews of their own that still have a big impact on the world, though not many people acknowledge their connection through the Rocks Pirates nowadways. The Roger Pirates found Shanks during or after this very incident.

26 years ago, Roger discovered that he had a fatal and incurable disease. He then recruited the doctor Crocus from Reverse Mountain who was supposed to keep him alive as long as possible as he led his crew on a final voyage across the Grand Line.

At about this time, the Roger Pirates raided another ship at sea and found a treasure map and a devil fruit, the Bara Bara no Mi or Chop Chop Fruit. Buggy kept the treasure map for himself as it led to a treasure at the bottom of the sea. When he found out about the devil fruit, he was initially put off by it as eating it would make him unable to swim and thus unable to get the treasure. However, when Shanks told him that it was worth 100,000,000 Berry if sold, he became very interested in it and planned to steal it, so he made a fake devil fruit and ate it in front of the crew. He then planned to sneak off the ship with the real fruit and the map, get rich, and form his own crew, but Shanks startled him and he hid it in his mouth. Shanks then startled him a second time and Buggy accidentally swallowed the devil fruit. As he shouted at Shanks over this, the treasure map fell into the water. Without thinking, Buggy jumped after it but, due to the effects of the devil fruit, was unable to swim. He would have drowned, had Shanks not saved him.

25 years ago, the Roger Pirates fought the Golden Lion Pirates in the Battle of Edd War. The captain of the Golden Lion Pirates was Shiki the Golden Lion, a former Rocks member. He had asked Roger to join him so they could rule the world together, but Roger had turned him down as he had no interest in world domination. What ensued next was a fierce sea battle fought on the sea called Edd War, a part of the New World, the second half of the Grand Line. Initially, it looked as if the Roger Pirates were bound to lose because they were vastly outnumbered by Shiki's armada, but then, a storm hit Edd War and half of Shiki's armada sank. As such, the battle was broken off and declared a draw. Shiki got a piece of a steering wheel permanently lodged into his brain during the chaos caused by the storm.

24 years ago, the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates met on an island in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line, and Whitebeard reluctantly agreed to allow Oden (who, as a member of the Kozuki Family, could read Poneglyphs) to join the Roger Pirates after both Roger and Oden himself had asked him for permission. Toki came aboard with her husband, along with their two children, and Inuarashi and Nekomamushi snuck on as stowaways. The crew celebrated Oden's induction into their ranks with a party.

Within the same year, the Roger Pirates ventured to Skypeia and Fishman Island, where they found their second Road Poneglyph. Oden, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi then revealed that the final two Road Poneglyphs were in their home countries, Wano and Zou respectively, and the Roger Pirates successfully found them there. Kozuki Toki fell ill and was left behind on the island of Wano, along with her and Oden's two children. Oden wanted to give up his dream and stay behind with her, but she threatened him with a divorce if he gave up because of her. As such, Oden continued with the Roger Pirates as they travelled to the final island.

23 years ago, the Roger Pirates charted the location of the final island using the four Road Poneglyphs. Buggy fell ill and, as such, he and Shanks stayed behind on another island. The rest of the Roger Pirates made it to the final island and decided to name it Laugh Tale. After returning from Laugh Tale, Roger disbanded the crew and sailed off on his own. The now former crew brought Oden to Wano before everyone started going their own ways. Buggy and Shanks presumably stayed together until Roger's execution.

Notes:

22 years ago, Roger turned himself in to the Marines and was publicly executed in Loguetown, his birth town on the Polestar Islands in the East Blue, giving it the epithet The Town of the Beginning and End. Shanks and Buggy were both in attendance and most likely split up after this event, forming their own crews, the Red Hair Pirates and the Buggy Pirates respectively. Gol D. Roger's final words set off the Great Age of Pirates with thousands of pirates taking to the seas to find the Pirate King's legendary treasure, the One Piece.

So, that's it! I hope this helped, even if it’s a little late. Have a nice day!

"Dogstorm" and "Cat Viper" are not the actual epithets of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi but rather the translations of their names that they are referred to as in some translations. Still, I decided to treat them as epithets because they seemed the most expressive.

Some translations refer to the final island as "Raftel" instead of "Laugh Tale". This is wrong and stems from bad transliteration. BUT you can use it for fic purposes as the World Government has a habit of changing the names of people or things to hide the truth about them. For example, referring to Gol D. Roger as Gold Roger. Because of the nature of the things to be found on Laugh Tale, it's very possible that the World Government would want to change to island's name. Thank you to the people on the Discord server for sharing their brilliant thoughts on this with me :)

[mightbebobbie]

after wci… i like to think zoro respects sanji a lot for doing everything he could to protect the crew in the way he thought was best :’)

[clare-875]

I Don't Want to Move On (Sanji x Reader)

_____ Pairing: Sanji x Female Reader Summary: When Sanji leaves you to marry Pudding, he shuts you out, and you don't know how to forgive him when he returns. Warnings: SPOILERS for Wholecake Island Arc, Angst to Fluff A/N: (h/c) = your hair colour [One Piece Masterlist] _____

You stop and look up, the quiet of the space between you and him bringing forth an awkwardness you were not used to. You were on the Sunny, in the doorway of the kitchen and your boyfriend was facing you with deep remorse reflecting his eyes. Or was he your ex now? You didn't know; you didn't even want to think anymore.

He had left you for her. He had hurt you. And no matter if his reasoning was credible, in the end, he had shut you out and left you to pick up the pieces. You know now that Sanji's family - if he could even call them family - were nothing of the affectionate and caring sort. No, they were emotionless and unkind, arrogant and vain; nothing like the man you loved.

You know that this whole scenario probably brought more agony to Sanji than it did to anybody else. But it didn't change the fact that you didn't know how to face him anymore, or how to talk to him. The words he spoke to you when you had finally caught up to him were raging in the back of your mind. Words that though perhaps false in that moment, still brought pain to ever hear from his lips.

"It was all an act... I could never love a low-life like you."

Was it really? Was it really all an act?

Then what were the nights spent buried in his arms, warm and safe and adored? What were the days spent laughing in the kitchen, the generous caresses and murmured words of devotion? What were the quiet moments spent together, where you thought you needed nothing more than him and his love? What were all the promises and bold whispers?

How many times have you heard him say "I love you" and how many times have you returned the sentiment? Hundreds and thousands of kisses were exchanged and a million times your hands held his. So many times, he pledged his loyalty, looked only to you, caressed only you. How many times had you seen that spark of joy and light reach his eyes, because they reflected the tenderness in yours?

Was that all an act too?

Now you found yourself avoiding him, and his faint calls of your name. You and your crew may have escaped Big Mom, and your friends may have found forgiveness for Sanji's actions. But you didn't know if you could do the same so easily. How could you when his words were spat like fire to your heart? How could you when he left you to marry another woman?

How could you when he shut you out so easily?

"Lov-" Sanji freezes, cold sweat on his face as he looks at you. He had never seen you look to him so devoid of the emotions he was so used to seeing. "[y/n]..." his words are a murmur, hesitant and ashamed. You fight the tears that want to travel down your face at the sight of him. He seemed lost, even when he had retaken his solace back on the Sunny and Luffy's crew. He looked pale and worried and regretful. But was that all an act too?

"Please, can we talk?"

Your heart tugs low at his words.

"I- I don't know, Sanji." His eyes spark just for a moment at the sound of your voice directed at him, after days on the sea without even an utterance. "You hurt me, you left me, I-" You swallow harshly as you watch the way his brows furrow in what seems like genuine pain. "I don't know how to move on from that."

You turn away swiftly, trying to get out of the doorway and out of his presence but Sanji is quick to his senses. He reacts desperately, holding your arm in his hand, causing your movements to halt. You look up at him, the tears now rolling down your face mirroring the ones brimming in his eyes.

"Please love, I don't want to move on from you..."

.....

When you arrived at Zou along with Luffy's group after the exhausting events at Dressora, you never thought you would find your boyfriend missing. Never did you dream.

And yet that was your reality.

Nami had rushed to you alongside Chopper, her bright facade faltering once she saw you and her Captain. She had flung herself into Luffy's arms, but her tearful eyes looked only to you.

"I'm sorry...Sanji's..."

Her words and actions already caused the rhythm of your heart to stutter but when she showed you the letter you felt it slip from your chest.

'I've gotta go see a woman. I'll be back.'

The words on the blank sheet of paper were plain and simple. He would be back. But who was this woman, and why was she of such importance he leaves without a trace or word to you?

It is Luffy who breaks the silence.

"Does, 'gotta go see a woman' mean... he's gonna get married?"

Your heart tugs fiercer at your Captain's words, and Nami is quick to strike his head in vexation. "Luffy!" She scolds, before offering a hand to your shoulder in comfort. "That's not necessarily the case..." You look up, and Nami avoids your gaze in regret, you know that there is something else she wants to say. "... but it seemed like he was determined."

"But he's with [y/n]! That's not allowed!"

Nami chastises Luffy again for his insensitivity but you quickly cut her off. "Nami," she looks at you in surprise at the calmness of your voice. "It's fine. He said he'll be back, didn't he?" She nods hesitantly at your words as your crew looks at you in concern.

"Then, he'll be back."

Your friends all stare, unsure of what to say, but as Brook speaks up, you feel your hopes wither slightly. "But, [y/n]-san, the bride is the Emperor's daughter. Of course, Sanji refused the marriage immediately. But that's what troubles me." The apprehension inside of you churns more and more. "It won't be easy to decline such an invitation. What do you think Sanji would do in a situation where he cannot escape the marriage?"

You think of your boyfriend. He was kind, generous and caring. But you had seen instances of him with traces of sadness in his gaze, only for him to brush you off when you asked if something was wrong. He never really knew how to accept the love that you so willingly offered him, and only time made him better at it. But this: this marriage with the daughter of an emperor too powerful for you to even fathom to defeat. You knew the answer to Brook's question quicker than Chopper had replied.

"He's the kind of guy who'll try not to cause us any trouble so he'd try to separate himself from us."

Nami nods slowly, and the ache in your chest builds the franticity within you. "When he tossed us outside, he could've gotten away too. When he wrote the note, I think he'd already made up his mind to go by himself." She meets your regard and you see the discomfort in her irises. She can see your concern, but it soon turns into a fierce resolve.

You had to at least try to get him to open up to you; to talk to you.

You would do anything for Sanji. You had to go see him and stop him. Surely, he was not doing this of his own free will, surely there were layers to this marriage and he obviously had his reasons why he must concede to them. So, when Luffy had shouted that he would go meet with Sanji and talk to him, you had agreed instantly despite the anxious murmurs of the crew.

"You're facing an emperor!"

Their concerns were valid but your worry for your boyfriend was more significant. He would never hurt you, or that's what you thought when you had joined Luffy, Nami, Brook and Chopper on your journey to Whole Cake Island. Surely he would open up to you as you had done to him so many times before. Surely he would come to his senses the moment he laid eyes on you. You could not fathom anything otherwise.

How wrong you were.

.....

When Sanji saw you, Luffy and Nami, for a moment his heart was overcome with hope, but it diverted immediately to utter fear and despair. His heart rate raged against his chest and in the presence of his brothers and father, his trepidation only grew.

Why were you here? Why were you here where he could not protect you?

When Luffy had flung himself onto his carriage with his wide smile and optimistic words, his mind could only pitch what was on the line. His hands were set to detonate if he even desired to leave, those on the Baratie were in jeopardy and you; the crew. He could not let you live a life under the rein of an emperor he knew would show little mercy.

He loved you; God did he love you.

But you just couldn't be here.

When Sanji had kicked Luffy from the carriage, you had watched, heart in your throat and completely stunned. You could hear Nami shouting at Sanji, "Hey! What are you doing Sanji-kun!" But when Sanji met eyes with you, he knew the only way to get you to leave; the only way to protect you was with words that would make you despise him.

"Get packing, you low-class pirates!"

You are voiceless at the way his eyes could contort to a way that shone with such disdain.

"My name is Vinsmoke Sanji. I'm a prince of the Germa Kingdom! I'm sorry for keeping it a secret. I thought that it'd make you miserable. The difference between our standings couldn't be clearer. If I stay here, I can spend money and use soldiers and servants as I like. Going back to that crappy ship with you... or staying here, marrying Big Mom's beautiful daughter."

Your heart falters as you hear the words slip his lips.

"It's pretty obvious which is a happier life. Don't take the note seriously. I won't go back with you! I can't believe you've come all the way here."

There is a silence that lingers on your behalf, and the way Sanji looks to you - to all of you - makes you want to wither and perish. You can hear Luffy shouting to Sanji in complete denial of his words, anger morphing on his face. Sanji approaches slowly as Luffy refuses to go away, and even as he leaves the carriage his expression does nothing to falter.

"I don't know what made you come, but I appreciate that you took the trouble. Having said that, if you really think about me, you should've done the opposite. Rather than being with you guys who are poor and weak, it'd be better to be part of the rich and powerful Big Mom Pirates. I'll be happier-"

"SHUT UP!"

Your words reach the air, interrupting your boyfriend's words before you can stop yourself. Sanji's heart lurches at your anger-tainted words, and yet he finds himself silently begging that you would leave quietly. However, you are too hurt to answer his prayers. You rush forward, past Luffy and Nami who calls your name hesitantly. You move until you're in front of Sanji, hands balled into fists by your side.

"Shut up! You can't mean that! Sanji-" Your words start to wilt the more you see his unbending stare remain on you, piercing and urging you to hate him, but you wouldn't. "How can you say that, Sanji? I know you; I know this can't be what you want. Just tell me the truth, we won't run, we'll fight whatever it is that you are fighting. You don't have to protect me from anything... I just want to be with you. Please Sanji, I love you, I know you love me too-"

"You actually believe that?"

You freeze when Sanji speaks to you, eyes unwavering, shaded expression, persuasive words. "What? Sanji stop, what are you-" But when you look up he is looking at you in a way you could not fathom to be true. Such contempt and hostility, and a hint of mockery. "You actually think, I care about you? That I want to protect you?" You shake your head slowly as aversion starts to build up within you.

"You're a liability, [y/n]."

"I was bored and miserable with you. The emperor is giving me a chance with her daughter, a woman who could actually make me happy. Who are you to deny me that?" You grit your teeth, anger taking hold of you, as you step forward and grasp the collar of his shirt in your hold. Sanji's eyes flicker with a moment's surprise before returning to the deadpan stare that you begin to despise.

"You're lying," you say, but Sanji does not falter. Your tears start to pour down your face as you look at your boyfriend devoid of his love. "Come back to the Sunny with us, Sanji. Let me in Sanji. Where's the man I fell in love with?" Sanji doesn't think that he loathed himself more than he did the moment he stared back at you, desperately trying to keep his own tears at bay. How could this be the way he says goodbye to the love of his life?

"It was all an act. Of course, I could never love a low-life like you."

At his words, you think you feel something break deep within you. Your hold goes limp on his collar and your eyes are wide in shock. Tears pour down your face, but suddenly you feel numb and you think you can actually hear your heart break. You hear Luffy's rage from behind you along with Nami's shouts of outrage. You can hear the muffled laughter of Sanji’s brothers beyond the carriage at your crestfallen expression.

Nami drags you back to her. Sanji fights Luffy so that he would make him leave too. But you feel so hollow you hardly even register the events that take place around you. When Luffy falls limp to the ground you still look numbly to the man in front of you.

Nami's slap was sharp against Sanji's cheek, but what twisted his insides more was the fact that you did nothing. Instead, you looked at him with the most barren expression he had ever seen from you. An expression he fought to keep from touching your face was placed in front of him because of him. Sanji almost broke, but he could say nothing. "Goodbye. Sorry- we should've never done this." Nami's words are harrowing to his ears, but again he could say nothing. She instantly went to your side uttering comforts but he no longer saw your face.

In his mind, he screamed at you to stay. He screamed that he wanted to be with you for eternity. That he loved you like nothing else in this world. He never wanted to leave you, he never wanted to marry anyone but you. The days spent chasing women were left behind in the past like specs of dust. You were all that had encompassed him. You were all that made him feel worthy of love and life and warmth.

His shock when he learnt that you, actually felt the same was like the feeling of his heart retching free and soaring through the sky. He never thought a day would come when a woman he loved as much as he loved you, could return that same devotion. He was in heaven. Every day with you was heaven. He never even dreamt that a goodbye would come, because he would rather perish than let it become reality.

He had made his worst nightmare come true.

All because he couldn't let you in. He couldn't hurt you. He wouldn't let the burdens on his back be the burden on yours. He doesn't want to cause you misery because of a choice he made or a past that he runs from. You were his angel, and he felt as though reaching out would taint your heart and your outlook on him.

And so, he left.

His brothers laughed and shouted absurdities, but he didn't look back.

"Damn Sanji, you sure had some tasteful women on your crew."

"Yeah call back the chick with the [h/c] hair! If you don't want her I might entertain her for a night or-"

"Shut up!"

Such fury fills him at his brother's words that he loathed their beings almost as much as he loathed himself.

Luffy's words that he would stay unmoving until his return echo through the distance placed between you both, and that is when he lets his tears slip. But his tears aren't for his Captain, they're for you. You and the life he thought he was so blessed to share with you. He had thought so stupidly that maybe all the turmoil he had faced in his early life was because you would be waiting in the future, and be a hundred times worth the despair he had felt.

But of course, it would all be stripped away. You wouldn't forgive him. He wouldn't forgive himself. He would have to live with the fact that the love of his life was gone for good, and along with you, any ounce of love he felt in his heart.

.....

"Stop Dreaming! Will I Marry that low life? No way!"

"That idiot played right into my hands. And fell for me."

Isn't it funny, how you don't realise the damage your words can do until they are thrown back at you?

Was this how you felt when he had thrown your love away?

No, it must've been worse because these were the words of a woman he couldn't love, but you; he had loved you and you had loved him. The words from his fiancé sounded shrill and sharp against his ears, but he could not even compare how he would've felt if those words were from you.

Sanji felt the energy leave him as suddenly as his hopes to move on from you and the crew had come. What was wrong with him? Leant heavily on a wall he listens as this woman berates him for his stupidity. But he deserved it. That's what he thought.

He had left the days of chasing women long ago, but he found himself forcing himself back into the rhythm just to push the thoughts of you from his head.

Yes, I'll cook for pudding-chan.

Yes, I'll just revert to Sanji. The Sanji who loves women.

Yes, I'll forget, I'll move on.

But the dish he made for Pudding was the abundance of favourite foods of his crew. The one in larger quantity was yours. '[y/n]...' Sanji retched himself free of your image for only a moment but his heart jolted laboriously against his chest. He missed you. But then, he'd remember the flash of your downcast eyes shining in utter despondency and in the absence of the love he usually saw in them.

He didn't deserve you.

But when he hears Pudding's words mock him of his love and being. He did nothing but miss you. Miss your kind words and gentle touch. Miss your honest love and your silent comforts. Miss your joy and laughter and the glimmer in your eyes when he cooked something for you.

Fuck, he missed you.

Sanji crumbles, flowers lost from his grip and food long forgotten. He reaches for a cigarette; he was on his last few having gone through them like nothing these past few days. But as he reaches the lighter and flicks and flicks and flicks again, there is no light. When finally, a glimmer of hope prevails and he sees his cigarette catch fire, it is out in an instant by the pouring rain.

The vision of your smiling face is lost along with it.

One tear slips past his face, followed by another. His heartache was almost unbearable as he felt himself move away. Anywhere was better than listening to the words of the woman he was betrothed to. But the place he wanted to be in most was the embrace of the woman he loved.

.....

Now you are standing there, in his grasp and in front of him, but your eyes were filled with a pain he feared he couldn't ever undo.

"Please love, I don't want to move on from you..."

Your eyes meet his and he sees an emotion he had never seen in your gaze: hesitation. You were usually so sure with him, so usually knowing that he was your safe space and your comfort and all you could need. Sanji hates that he had stripped that all away.

You begin to speak but he is quick to cut off your sparing words.

"Sanji-"

"I never loved her."

Your eyes shoot open as his words tumble like boulders from his mouth.

"I- I only love you. Those words I said to you, I didn't mean a single thing. I don't hate you, I wasn't miserable with you, I was the happiest I had ever been and I was stupid to give it up so quickly. I was a coward. I-"

A tear slips lonely down your cheek, but you are surprised when you feel slight anger ignite in your system rather than resistance.

"That's what you think I'm angry about Sanji?"

The man in front of you freezes mid-sentence, his anxious eyes giving way to utter confusion.

“I-“

"That's what you think hurt me?"

You let out a soft, emotionless laugh as you look to the ceiling and back to him, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"I wanted you to let me in, I wanted you to let me help you. I told you not to protect me, I told you to let me fight with you but you didn't."

There is a silence that unveils the sentiment of truth in your pain. Your own boyfriend had left you with bitter words, but what had torn your heart to shreds was the fact that you thought he did not trust you to carry his burdens as he did yours. You thought that a relationship with him would concur to you being his person as much as he was yours and yet he had shut you out and walked away.

"You pushed me away."

Your last words to him are quiet, and the pain exceeds what you can hold back so tears start to cascade quickly down your face.

"Sanji-"

He moves before you even have the chance to continue, your broken words causing his own chest to squeeze painfully. He pulls you close to him and in an instant, you are engulfed in his arms and your senses are filled with his familiar scent and warmth. You tremble slightly as you push your face deeper into his chest, and his face buries itself into your skin.

Sanji feels his heart contort painfully as it goes from warmth to agony.

How can a woman such as you exist?

Your kindness he didn't deserve? Your love and consideration he had hid himself from? Your devotion to him? All this time he had thought the words he spoke to you were what caused the distance between the two of you. But you were hurting because he had not trusted that you would accept him and comfort him and carry his hardships as yours.

"I'm so sorry love. I- I just didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to see how pathetic I was in my earlier life. I didn't want you to see me differently. I didn't want to burden you or cause you hurt."

Your tears start to slow and your heart rate steadies as you find solace in the chasms of his arms. "I know that I just-" Your words stumble into your soft cries.

"I just wanted to help you."

When Sanji pulls away and looks into your eyes, he finds in them a glimmer of hope. Could he dare to ask for your forgiveness? When he moves next it is out of all the love he has for you in his heart, all of his regret and sorrow and devotion. His breath is hot against your lips before they connect, deep and soft and passionate. He brings your form closer to him, his touch like fire on your skin.

You finally respond.

A hand carves its way into the depths of his blond hair as you pull him impossibly closer. You move desperately against him and pour all the fondness and misery you held onto into the kiss. It lasted for long moments, the pressing of your mouth to his, the warmth and the love. When you pulled apart his head rested on yours, his affection still lingering on your skin. Your breaths were uneven.

"My love, forgive me."

When his gaze meets yours, it is filled with his pure, honest intention. Yes, the division cast between you may take more than a kiss to heal. Yes, the trust shared between you may have to be built from a hundred conversations and reassurances. But the love that the both of you had was true, and you knew that neither one of you would be moving on from the other. So, you smile tenderly and sadly at him as you tug his face to yours and connect your lips softly and deliberately.

In your mind was one thought.

You'll both be just fine.

[atomikats]

stills

[koalas-koalas-everywhere]

Jimbei and Luffy's relationship is so special to me. Like, Jimbei only knew him as Ace's little brother and he already established that that only went so far with him, but then Luffy freed him and they fought together and by the end of it Jimbei decided that he'd protect him with his life. He rescued him physically, but also mentally and emotionally. He saw Luffy bleeding his heart out and said, "I'll cradle your innards until you're ready to shove them back in through sheer force of will," and Luffy did. When they parted ways, they already planned to see each other again and, when it looked like they might miss each other, Jimbei sent a message so Luffy would still be able to find him. Literally shared blood, an act whose significance is exponentially increased by the fact that they're a human and a fish-man. Right in front of a kingdom watching them spit in the face of lifetimes of prejudice, Luffy asked Jimbei to join his crew, then went nuts when he asked him to wait until he wrapped up his business. He was immediately like, "I gotta live up to their expectations, earn my place in the crew, live by the straw hat, die by the straw hat". Huggies and piggyback rides. In the middle of all this, he apparently gushed so much about Luffy to his crew that they expected their own captain to leave them. When Luffy talked about the end of his dream, even though Jimbei thought it was ridiculous at first, he ended up taking it seriously because it was his captain's dream.

Jimbei's like, "I believe this man and his crew will achieve what the greater powers in the four seas have been attempting and failing to do for the last 40 years and more. He's the key to ending the oppression of our race and leading the world to the light. While he hasn't achieved his full potential yet, what he is now is enough for me to swear my undying loyalty to him. His cause is my cause. His name is Luffy-kun~."

[dogzoro]

[livelaughloveluffy]

i genuinely lost sleep over these parallels 😭💀

how no matter what sora and luffy will ALWAYS love what sanji cooked because HE made it for them 😭😭😭😭

[sanjiafterhours]

Why I think Luffy saved sanji in whole cake, not just physically but in every sense of the word :

Firstly, this parallel between Luffy and Sora was extremely significant for sanji

sanji knew that food is one of the most important thing in the captain's life but Luffy was willing to forego that, jeopardize his own life and eat spoiled food for him, even when sanji was at his worst during this period. Luffy gave him the grace and consideration that sanji always gave to others but rarely got it reciprocated throughout his life. Sanji who always thought he was undeserving of love, was showed that he deserved it even when he was being difficult, and even when he wasn't seeing eye to eye with his friend. Luffy is generally not a perceptive person but he understood sanji in a time when he was at the rock bottom and everything in the world was going against him.

Again, this difference between how Luffy and Judge sees sanji : where in Judge's eyes, sanji was worthless because of his soft heart, Luffy accepted and valued him for everything he was : kindhearted and easily moved by people's pain.

Luffy loves and accepts sanji on such a genuine level that when judge was pointing out the reasons of sanji being weak, Luffy couldn't even grasp it. To Luffy, sanji being weak/a burden is so beyond comprehension that he simply didnt get it. And it's so funny to see the startle in sanji's face when Luffy verbalizes his stance on sanji's supposed weakness.

reiju helped him escape the prison but Luffy is the one who broke down the iron bars of the mind-prison sanji was in and mended his wounds left by the vinsmokes and the absence of sora. Maybe that's why when they make up and the first rays of the sun shines upon Lusan, it felt like a metaphor that the stormy days were finally over for sanji

[kookoofufu]

Oda is a good writer with good ideas. But sometimes he's a good writer with bad ideas, and I hate/love it because he'll introduce a concept like "sanji is a secret crime prince" which I think is objectively Lame As Hell but then he'll explore sanji's abusive childhood and feelings of worthlessness and have sanji list all the reasons he thinks he's terrible and unimportant and undeserving of love which luffy genuinely can't comprehend because sanji that's what makes you you and i love you and you're wonderful and i'm just sitting there tears in my eyes like

[asirxrowena]

Luffy on episode 871 (if I remember correctly)

[p1nqu3]

A light in the dark 🌑

[sailing-ever-west]

The Vinsmoke men are misogynistic and it's so narratively important even though it's mostly subtext and never outright stated. None of them ever say anything against women specifically, and they don't seem to discriminate as far as who can be warriors, but their actions reek of it nonetheless and I can't stop thinking about it.

On the surface it seems like Sanji gives thought to treating women differently and the Vinsmokes don't, but it's clear through their actions that the only "equality" they're really upholding is that no gender is exempt from abuse and exploitation.

It's like when people say "well if you want equality, women should get drafted into the military too!" When the problem is that no one should be forced to join the military. That's basically exactly what Germa is doing.

Sanji's view of women is frequently flawed and a bit myopic, but he seeks to treat them with kindness and love and respect, whereas the Vinsmokes make no attempt at philosophy about women and just treat them horribly.

The most glaring example is probably Cosette, who they berated for making food they didn't like and then proceeded to beat unconscious solely to shatter her confidence and upset Sanji. And when Sanji is understandably enraged at their horrible abuse, they assume the reason is that he was physically attracted to her and didn't want the object of his attraction damaged (saying they didn't know he Liked her, and if the busted up face wasn't a dealbreaker they could make her Sanji's personal attendant, which also reaaally sounds like code for something else).

Another aspect is that despite having no emotions, the Vinsmoke brothers still seem to experience attraction to women. But it's not love in any sense of the word, just purely physical. They find Nami attractive, even wanting to arrange to keep her around when the Strawhats are captured by Big Mom (ew), and there's that scene of them and Judge in their private room surrounded by mostly drunken unconscious (and rather scantily dressed if I remember correctly) barmaids that were sent to them. Granted, nothing Happens in that scene, but the undertones are gross and we're only shown a small portion of the night. Whatever the case, it's clear that these women were not sent in to be equal, respectable company, but an objectified distraction to pair with alcohol, and were treated as such.

And then there are the internal family dynamics, which I think are the biggest and most important part.

To start, there's Reiju. On the surface she seems like she has the same status as her brothers, a modified Germa weapon capable of performing as her father wants. But whenever Judge talks about being proud of his children, he always emphasizes the triplets. Often he doesn't even mention Reiju, and his attention to the boys' training seems to be much closer than to hers. Her raid suit is also more sexualized, as though that's expected to be part of her arsenal. And of course, there's her name meaning "zero" while the boys are all numbered. She is the eldest, but she survives by being ignored, and it's clear that her father prefers her emotionless brothers. This feels symbolic as well since being emotional is often seen as a feminine trait, portrayed as a weakness. Judge hates weakness. And so he hates emotion, hates women.

But at the root of it all, really, is Sora. Sora who's choices and body and children were stolen from her for an abusive man's ideals about war and domination. We don't really get to know how much choice she had in her marriage, but given Judge's royal status and the fact that they obviously share zero values I think it would have to be a strategic political arrangement at best, and something she got no say in at worst.

The kids are all named in a numbering system, which also reeks of Judge not letting her into the decisions. And, of course, there is the absolutely horrific experience of being forced into prenatal surgery to genetically modify her children against her will, to the point that the only way she could exercise any agency was to poison herself in an attempt to save even one of them. She was literally just a baby-producing machine to Judge and it couldn't be more blatant.

The violent, self-centered, and misogynistic Vinsmoke brothers are born directly from a woman's choice being taken away from her. Kind, selfless, and loving Sanji is born directly from her one act of defiance, and then later saved by his sister's one act of defiance as well (after which, she was programmed to be obedient).

Basically, the Vinsmoke family is built and preserved on the abuse and exploitation of women, and Sanji is the black sheep for many reasons, but I suspect a rather large one is that he's the ultimate antithesis to that.

[tinukis]

who am i now in this world without him?

[bevinbrand]

No one should be punished for the choices of their parents or their bloodlines. One of my favorite running themes in One Piece and an excuse to experiment with more lighting.

The compression makes it blurry, click to see it in better resolution.

As always, do not copy, steal, edit, re-post, plagiarize, or otherwise use without permission. NO AI.

[atomikats]

lifeblood

[themardlonk]