#treasure 6 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

the-real-treasure · 4 months ago

Text

Treasure Treasure!

An OPLA Sanji x Reader

Master List Here

Previous Chapter: Let Sleeping Cats Die

Chapter Seven: Returning Tides of Home

Summary: A captain learns that prices must be paid and punishments will be dished out accordingly. A duel challenge is issued, and it leaves wounds on more than just the competitors.

Trigger Warnings: Violence, threats and descriptions of violence, swearing, trauma responses, mentions of death, self-harm, branding, scarring, mention of alcohol, duel to the death, Reader's Devil Fruit power is overwhelming and overstimulating Word Count: 9,730 **Edited: 16/09/24**

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

"Did you just call that guy Grandpa?" Zoro asked from beside his captain

"Luffy," you scolded from beside Nami, "Seriously?" Luffy looks at you,

"What?"

"He takes his steaks medium rare!"

"So?!" The call comes not just from Luffy but the rest of your crewmates as well.

"So! That's so incredibly," you coil you neck in, having to physically pit out the word "boring."

"Really." Nami sounds incredibly done with you, and you're not sure why. "That's where the concern comes from."

"Where else would it come from?"

"Maybe the fact that HE'S A MARINE AND IS CURRENTLY ATTACKING US!" Her unimpressed voice turns to a yell as another cannon ball rocks the ship. Everyone stumbles at the shock wave and you end up clinging to Nami.

"YOU MAKE A FAIR POINT, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT." As another cannonball rockets through the air, Usopp screams,

"HIT THE DECK!" Luffy and Zoro fall from the force of the blast as woodchips shower down on them, the blast taking out several spindles of the railing. As they climb to their feet, Luffy calls out,

"Everybody ok?"

"I think so," Nami replies as she pries your clawed hands from her arms, sharp nails leaving indents in the skin, but not scratches thankfully.

"No. Not okay, not even close to okay." Usopp shouts down from behind you both.

"Usopp! Fire back at them!"

"Or," the sharp shooter suggests, "how about we sail away as fast as we can?"

"I like that plan, second Usopp's plan!" You shoot your hand into the air as a vote, only to stagger and grab a desperate hold of the rigging as everything around you shakes. "Reminder Luffy, we can not swim! I do not want to try drowning out for a third time in my life, thank you!!" Luffy stares at you both in disbelief.

"Run from the Marines? No. Never! Nami, trim the-the sail thing. Let's sink their ship." You calmly ignore your captain's insane plan and barely legible request, instead checking the ropes of the sail at their base, before clambering on to the rigging up towards the crow's nest as Nami begins to argue.

"We don't have time. They're stealing our wind. If they pull up alongside us, we're finished." As he and Usopp start manoeuvring the cannon the face the Marine ship, you scamper nimbly across the head of the sail, ducking under the tack of the cross tree.

"You're the navigator. Do something." She sighs at him and begins yelling to you and the green haired swordsman.

"Zoro, sheet in and hard to port!" Leaning back, she blocks the sun from her eyes as she yells up to you, grabbing the rudder control, "Y/n, make sure the clew lines are loose! And when you've done that, get down here and secure the kicker."

"AYE!" You call back over the winds, checking that the lines running down the sail aren't jammed in the clewgarnets, as Zoro queries,

"Which ways port?"

"The left!" She yells, and you slide easily back to the deck, the years of clambering about the Orbit and Baratie's masts and rigging leaving it as a near thoughtless exercise. You couldn't cook, but you had a sharp eye and a good ear for instructions, so you were often directed to work amongst the lines and tack. The bandages around your hands, leather gloves abandoned back in Syrup Village, stank and burned slightly from the friction, but it had never stopped you before. "Usopp!" Nami yelled as you skittered past to secure the control lines, "Load the cannon in the barrel, light the fuse, then get the HELL OUT OF THE WAY!"

You look up from checking the ropes, as cannon balls bounce merrily down the stairs, perfectly happy to not be loaded up and shot at high speeds. Eyeing the mess of ropes Zoro had abandoned, you pick your way through the rolling carnage and start on the gordian knot that your crew mate had left.

"Oh man." Luffy sighed at the butchering a simple attempt at a counterattack had left the ship in already. From the Marine ship you hear a loud voice transmit across the sea to you.

"Pirate vessel, by order of the Marines, lower your sails and submit to my authority." You were getting really sick of being ordered by Marines. Luffy didn't seem to care for his grandfather's commands either as he screams in reply.

"NEVER!" You watch stunned as the man lifted a cannon ball, and chucked it towards your ship. Open mouthed, you gaped as it sailed through the air towards you, only for Luffy to begin to inflate like a balloon, catching it in his chest and sending it flying back and striking the mast of the enemy ship.

"That was," Usopp gasped, "amazing! You saved us!" He cheered excitedly. Nami gawked at him.

"You didn't tell me you could do that."

"I didn't know I could." Luffy replied, eyes never leaving the Marine vessel as Usopp bounced down the stairs to him, the pair laughing and cheering together. "Nami! Get us out of here!"

"On it!" Steering the Going Merry into a thick bank of fog, she muttered, "Let's disappear."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

"How's the ship look?" Zoro walked up alongside you and Nami as she steered and you peered over the edge, staring into the fog to keep an eye out for rocks or other dangers that might appear suddenly.

"Broken railing, minor damage. Could've been a lot worse."

"Could've been better." She shot down.

"Can't see the Marines anywhere." Usopp called over his shoulder.

"You can't see anything, this fog is too damn thick." You answer, barely able to make out his figure through the soup.

"What we need is a place to lay low, wait out any reinforcements they send after us." Nami figured.

"I know the perfect place, it's just trying to find it from here. Wherever here is."

"Let me guess," Nami smirked at you, "the best restaurant in the whole of the East Blue."

"With the best cooks, the best staff." Usopp chimed with a grin at you,

"And a sardine shaped boat called the Guppy." Zoro and Nami grinned at each other,

"Yeah, what's it called? Pure Ratty or something?" The pair sniggered as you whirled on them.

"You know its name, don't make fun of me!"

"I'm honestly starting to doubt this place's existence." Nami said, head shaking. You mouth the words at the back of her head, wiggling your head at her mocking. "It doesn't matter either way, my charts are useless in this fog."

"What did Luffy say?" Zoro asked

"He's up on the bow. He hasn't said anything since we hightailed it." Usopp answered, still staring out into the fog.

"Well, somebody needs to talk to him. About this and that other thing." Zoro swayed slightly with the ship and looked at her.

"What other thing?"

"Oh gee, I wonder. The vice-admiral-of-the-Marines-is-my-grandfather thing."

"Oooh, that." Usopp pursed his lips. "Yeah, I don't really know the guy that well."

"Doesn't seem like a big deal." Zoro shrugged. Nami glared at him.

"You're his first mate. Kind of seems like that falls under your job description, hmm?" He looked at the pair, before glancing over at you in your perch in the rigging.

"Y/n's known him longer than me, Y/n you go talk to him." You shake your head.

"Nope. That's veering into guy talk territory and I don't do guy talks, I've had enough of that for six lifetimes. I do offer a guy talk clean up service, so if it doesn't go well, I can sort it out after, but that's it. Besides," You shooed him away, "I'm just the magic compass. It's not in my job description. Off you go, First Mate."

He rolled his eyes and turned away, disappearing into the fog.

"Fine."

You, Nami and Usopp follow shortly behind, meeting Zoro halfway as he returns to your group.

"Seems fine to me."

"Did you even ask him?" Nami asked incredulously.

"Hey!" Luffy barks, standing and sniffing at the fog. "You guys smell that."

"Smell what?" You crossed your arms,

"Please don't say smoke," Nami side eyes you, "I haven't been down to the galley, don't look at me!" Luffy takes in another long sniff.

"No, no. There's something on the breeze. Smells like butter," he continues sniffing and moves further along the boat, "Soy sauce." Another long hard sniff. "And meat!"

Usopp moves onto the bow.

"I can't smell anything."

"Think he has brain damage?"

"I think that everyday."

You push past your crewmates and move up beside Luffy as he leans against the sheep figurehead.

"Look Luffy, playing follow the smell is fun and all, but we really gotta get out of this fog."

"I know, but I smell food, which means, there's someone somewhere cooking!"

You grab Luffy by the shoulders, turning him towards you.

"The butter, was it just butter, or infused with something," his mouth pulls and he give you a shrug,

"Maybe?"

"Thyme? Garlic maybe?" He takes another sniff and nods, "The soy sauce? Dark? More for colour than for flavour?" The nodding continues as you describe the food more and more, "The meat, a full boar, cooked medium to well done, in a red wine and rosemary marinade?"

The others were looking at you weirdly now as a grin spreads across your face. You turn to look at Nami.

"I told you it was real. That is one of Zeff's signatures." You grab your captain's shoulder and give them an excited shake. "Can you lead us to the smell? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?!" Screaming in his face was a bit weird but you were nearly home and could hardly contain it. He smiled at you confused.

"Yea, why?" You release him with a smirk and peer into the fog ahead of you.

"Well, we can hadrly miss our dinner plans, can we!"

"Five degrees starboard!" Luffy was perched on the figurehead of the Merry, sniffing at the air wildly, your own excitement rubbing off on him. "No! No! Three degrees back to port." Nami's words don't register to you at all as you peer into the fog.

"Add food to the equation and suddenly he knows how to navigate." A beaming smile grows across your face as familiar lights shine through the thinning fog. You hear Zoro move behind you as he asks,

"What is that? Is that land?"

"Can't be. There aren't any islands anywhere near here." You turn back to your navigator, skipping across the deck as you move closer to the railing. You hear Usopp.

"What's a... baratie?" You spin to face Nami, a smug grin meeting her bewildered face through the fog.

She stares ahead as you emerge from the fog, the dipping light of the sun sending warm oranges and pinks dancing across the calm waters surrounding Baratie.

"You said it was a restaurant," she begins, steering the ship into dock along side the fish head bar. "You never mentioned it was a floating restaurant." You shrugged at her.

"Does it matter?"

"Well, yeah, I thought it was on an island. You know? Land? Not bobbing around in the middle of the ocean with nothing to mark it's location." You smile at her.

"I've never needed to look for it on a map, it's never been hard to make my way back here." You shrug, "It's home."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

You all crowd the railings as you look over the dock.

"Everyone's going to that fish ship." Nami leans on the rail beside you with a small smile.

"That smell. I can't believe it, it's actually a restaurant."

"Then I know what we're gonna do next."

"Disguise the ship so the Marines can't find us?"

"Sail back to Syrup Village where it's safe?" You snorted, your and Luffy's first conversation coming to mind.

"Nope." He whacks you on the shoulder and hops off the rail.

"Let's eat!" Zoro squints against the setting sun.

"That fish better have a bar."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

As the group filled in ahead of you, you scanned the docks for any sign of your baby, but it doesn't look to be out the front. That isn't unusual, more often then not you docked her out the back instead, so Patty may have left her back there.

Deciding to get your crew at least seated before you go galivanting off, you head in to find Luffy and Usopp trying to sweet talk the fish-man maître d'.

"Monkey D. Luffy? Perhaps you've heard of him?" Usopp shmooshes. He sighs.

"Well, in that case, we'll find a table." They both cheer and rush to peer over the railing into the main dining room. "In three weeks."

"Sorry about them, Akito." You slip past Nami and Zoro as they stand unimpressed with their captain's shenanigans. "They're with me. All of 'em."

His eyes brighten.

"Ah, Y/n, you're finally back." As you approach the host desk, he grabs your wrist and pulls you in, "Next time you leave for such an extended period, would you mind letting someone know? I don't think any of us can stand Zeff and Sanji's attitudes for a second more." He whispered. "And maybe don't get involved with pirates!"

You raise your eyebrows at him and smile.

"Akito, Zeff was a pirate. And I haven't been gone that much longer than planned, five days, a week at most. You can all survive without my dishwashing services that long." He glared at you.

"Still five days too long." You smile innocently and bat your eyelashes at him.

"Can I please have a table for my crew, my bestest most wonderful excellent glorious phenomenal fishy friend?" You clutch your hands together and drop your chin on to them, blinking up at him. He gives a beleaguered sigh. "With his lovely top fin and sparkly scales?"

"Flattery will not work on everyone, you know." He still slides out from behind the desk, waving for you all to move down the stairs. "Come along, we'll get your," he eyes the others, "crew seated." You clap your hands excitedly.

"You're the best Aki, I wanna go and check out the state of my loveliest baby, if you could please let me know where Patty deserted her?" He rolled his eyes.

"At the tail, where else?" You give his arm a squeeze in thanks and move to rush out the door again, "He says he won't be fetching her again, you know!"

"He always says that!"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

"Get a move on. You're slowing the line." The blue haired chef passes the blonde one staring at the dish he's creating.

"Gotta wait for the sauce to cool."

"I didn't see this on tonight's menu."

"It's called imagination, Patty, I wouldn't expect you to understand." Patty rounds on him.

"You wanna take this outside?"

"Are you asking me to dance? 'Cause I kinda had my eye on that blonde at table eight." The blue haired man huffs at him.

"It won't be staying there long, not if what Akito said is right."

"Oh?"

"Oh yeah, cute little thing just came traipsing in with a whole crew of pirates, 'parently." Sanji pouts his lips, waiting for him to get to the point.

"So?"

"So, apparently this little sweetheart has long h/c hair, aqua and gold eyes and a very fancy embroidered jacket to match." Sanji whirls on him immediately, nearly dropping the plate in his rush to tug the dish cloth off his shoulder and pull the tie on his collar loose.

"Y/n? They're back?" Patty nods.

"Sounds like it. But hey, hey hey hey!" He calls as Sanji shucks off his apron and fumbles with the chefs' white's buttons. "Don't go leaving the line just yet, we're in the middle of service!"

"And they've been missing for days!"

"So a few more hours won't hurt, they're not going anywhere. Just keep your eye on the menu, whatever the hell that is, boss man ain't gonna like it." Sanji passes him with a scoff, putting the plate at the pass.

"Order up!" His call draws the head chef out of the pantry.

"Aye, aye, aye, aye. What the hell is this?"

"I call it a True Bluefin Sauté. It's elephant tuna, seared asparagus in a sweet soy reduction." Zeff chuckles

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Well I call it crap." Sanji drops his hand back to the pass and rolls his eyes. "The day Baratie serves a dish like that, little eggplant, is the day that hell freezes over."

"If I gotta sling one more prime rib medium-well, I am going to drop dead of boredom, you OLD SHITBAG!" Zeff drops the plate on a pile of dishes to be washed.

"It's what we serve."

"It's an insult to the meat."

"You don't like cooking our menu? Fine. 'Cause I'll be more than delighted to give you other work elsewhere. Maybe you can reduce Y/n's workload for when they get back, take over dishwashing for a while."

"They're already back, so if you're that desperate to get rid of the meal, let me give it to them! They'd eat it happily!"

"You so excited to get out of the kitchen for five seconds, congratulations you've got your wish! You are off the line! Now get out there and wait tables. Move!"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

You prance across the dock that loops the Baratie, pressing yourself close to the bobbing restaurant as you turn the tight corner - the one that isn't meant to be a corner, but you've always used it, ignoring the continuous warnings that Zeff wouldn't save you (Sanji would)- to head for the back, passing the kitchen's back door as you go. The smells wash over you and you can hear yelling as you go, but it doesn't bother you as spot your most prized possession.

The Guppy wasn't very impressive in comparison to some of the giants you had seen while sailing her, but she was perfect for you. Smaller than Nami's schooner, she could probably fit four people if you wanted to push. She lacked a figurehead, instead her bow comes up and cups the space around the deck, making a small hideaway of a bowcastle in the shadow of an intricately carved sardine head, large bulbous portholes acting as eyes as the mouth gaped and allowed the fish tackle shaped bowsprit to protrude out, the shape mimicking Baratie's bar. The railing around the edge and the deck of the ship were sitting barren of the messy ropes and stock boxes that usually travelled with you, her triangular sail lowered and droppable mast leaning on the low stern cabin.

A grin stretched across your mouth as you hopped on board. No, you thought, Patty won't be having to go and fetch her again if you can help it.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Being outside, you don't see Sanji leaving the kitchen in a huff, or take down the squabbling pirates right outside the doors.

You're not at the table as Sanji drops the dish of complimentary rolls and begins his spiel.

"Hi, welcome to our shitty restaurant, where the only thing worse than the ambience is the food. My name is Sanji. What can I get for you?" Luffy stuffs one of the rolls into his mouth and orders,

"One of everything, please."

"Any drinks? One of our signature cocktails to help choke down your meal?" Nami lounges back in the booth, watching him.

"Giving us the hard sell, huh? Too bad, our friend raved about this place." Sanji's eyebrows rose and he smirked.

"Apologies, madam, I didn't see you there. What was it your friend said about us?"

"Only that this is the best restaurant in the East Blue." And Zoro tacked on,

"With the best chefs and staff."

"And a friend of theirs who's gonna find this thing called the All Blue!" Luffy talked through his mouth full of bread. Sanji's smirk falls as Nami's rises, realisation and hope hitting him, but before he can speak again, a yell rings out from behind them as a customer gets bowled over by a blur in an aqua coat.

"NAMI! I FOUND THE GUPPY AND SHE'S COMING WITH US TO THE GRAND LINE IF IT KILLS ME!" Sanji hops out of the way before you send him flying as your hands slam down on the table so hard all the glasses rattle. You're out of breath from rushing down the stairs and knocking over the patrons, trousers and bandaged hands wet with sea spray before you glance up at your server. "Sanji! Hi, I missed you!"

You don't give the man a chance to speak before you leap up to hug him, arms wrapping around his middle as you tug him into you, and you lift him clean off his feet for a moment. A smile splits his face, his cheeks burning as he drops back to the floor, and he hugs you back tightly, hands gripping the back of your coat hard.

"Where," he starts as he pulls back, "have you been? We've all been going out of our minds, the harbour master in Shells Town sprouted some nonsense to Patty about you raiding a Marine base and Akito said you came in with a load of pirates."

"Yeah!" You replied cheerfully, "'Cause I did!" You gesture at your crew sat around the table staring at you two. He glances at them. "Sanji, this is my crew, Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Luffy, guys this is my Sanji!" Sniggering erupted around the table as they watched his face redden.

"Right.. Makes complete sense for you to hitch a ride home with 'pirates.'" Luffy finally looks up from the now demolished bread basket and 'ooohs' at the pair of you.

"This," he points to Sanji, "this is your friend, the cook! The one who's coming with us." You nod happily as Sanji looks between you and the captain.

"I," Sanji replies, "am not going anywhere except to take your orders to the kitchen, and you," he grabs a hold of your arm, pulling you tight against him, "are coming with me. Are there any drink orders before we go?" Zoro clears his throat.

"Can I get a beer, and something for my friends?" Sanji's eye twitches as Zoro's sweep over the rest of the table.

"Two beers. I usually have three, but-" Luffy interrupts before Usopp can begin a tangent.

"And a milk."

"Three beers and a milk. And, uh, for madam?" You look up at Sanji as he teasingly looks to Nami.

"Water."

"That all? We have lots of options."

"Yeah, still, sparkling, mineral? With ice or without? Cubed or crushed?"

Nami's wide eyes look to you for help and your own roll back.

"Normal water will do fine, let's go. I've missed you guys, I want to see Zeff!" As you pull a chuckling Sanji along with you, you hear the boys teasing Nami about being called 'madam' and feel bad for leaving her for a moment.

It passes quickly though, as Sanji slips his arm through yours to guide you into the kitchen.

The usual chattering between the chefs quiets down for a moment and silence rings. Sanji completely ignores it besides a small smirk, calling out the order of "one of literally everything on the menu, 3 beers, a milk and a water, thanks" as the moustachioed head chef comes out to see why everyone's gone quiet.

"Y/n." Zeff calls across the kitchen and you duck around the pass to look at him.

"Hi Zeff! I'm home!" You smile cheerily as he approaches, peg leg forcing an awkward gait as he crosses the kitchen. Sanji steps away from you as you stretch your arms out in a hug, not really expecting one, but you can hope. You don't expect him to whip out a rolled up newspaper and smack it down on your head with a loud 'thwack!'

"Where have you been, you little donkey? What did you do?!" You rub your head and back into Sanji, pushing your arms back to shield him.

"Nowhere! Nothing! Well not nowhere, I've been a few places but-"

"Nothing?!" Zeff yells, flattening out the paper to reveal your face, blood on your cheek and eyes wide and unfocused, staring back at you from a wanted poster listed with a bounty of twelve million Berries. "NOTHING?!"

You look at the poster, bewildered for a second before you grimace, turning your head away and peeking at Sanji over your shoulder. He's staring, aghast, at the paper.

"Ok, maybe not nothing." The edge of the paper creases under Zeff's grip.

"My office." He barks. "Now."

You hunch your shoulders and start moving. Zeff has an incredible ability to make you feel like a child caught causing trouble at any given moment. Normally, it's just the feeling but, for once, you know you messed up.

"Not you." He puts a firm hand on Sanji's chest pushing him back to the doors. "There are still tables needing served, hop to."

"They just got back," Sanji argues, "and I'm not going to leave them alone to get yelled at by you, you curmudgeonly old sack of rank cabbage!"

"That was a good one." Sanji shoots you a smile,

"Thanks."

"MOVE, NAKAYOSHI!"

"I'M MOVING!" You roar back in equal volume and march ahead into his office, slamming the door closed behind you.

You drop into the stool next to the desk, the one that's too small for you now, the one reserved primarily for you because the big chair was for Zeff, and Sanji is more likely to perch moodily -on the desk as a child, putting himself between you and the older man, now, as an adult, against the wall, like some kind of long, blonde poser.

You look over the papers scattered across the desk, inventory and stock, receipts and changes to be implemented to the menu. In the corner, partially hidden by the dry brown plant you bought him as a birthday present a year ago and just in sight below the map of the East Blue, is where two pictures are tacked, one of the three of you at the grand opening of the Baratie, and the other from your 13th birthday, five years ago now, a 14-year-old Sanji's arm draped across your shoulders. Your nose itches and your eyes start to burn.

The door behind you slams open and shut, but your eyes don't drift from the photographs as Zeff collapses into the chair with a huff. He takes a heaving breath and leans forward on his knees, pulling the chef's hat from his head and dropping it on the desk, and moves into your eyeline of the photos.

"What did you do, little donkey?"

If Sanji could hear him, he wouldn't believe the softness in Zeff's voice. The gruff man always was a bit gentler around you. As a child you barely spoke, following Sanji like a sentient shadow, only moving away because you sensed anger or danger being directed at him, and even then it was only to bite or claw at the cause, the scars littering his skin acting as proof. You had always been viciously protective of him, of your Sanji, and though he never asked, Zeff always wondered why. So, while he kept up the facade of tough love with Sanji, pushing him to fulfil his dream and achieve bigger and better things than hanging about the restaurant, in private with you, he softened. His rougher behaviour had only distanced you at the beginning, even after the display of your Devil Fruit power revealed his own dream about the All Blue. It took months of gentle prodding and tales of his adventures in search of it before you began to open up.

To him, you were still a bit too achey, too broken to be treated roughly, a unknown but violent history obvious in the stark brands of '66' and a crossed out '3' on your hands that he had only discovered after hearing a clatter of falling objects in the kitchen at night, where he found you, not even a teenager yet, wielding a large sharp knife and scoring at them with thick deep slices in complete silence, to his horror. They had scarred over, too deep to properly heal and had left a fierce shaking in their wake. Sanji had never seen them, as you kept them wrapped tightly in bandages or otherwise covered, even now when they'd long since healed. You hadn't cried that night, sitting completely soundless as he had sewn up and wrapped them best he could. You weren't crying now, but the tears were gathering in your water line.

"I messed up."

"I noticed."

"No, I-" your voice cracked and the humour from Zeff's couldn't do much to combat it. "I meet this boy, he's a pirate," Zeff sits up eyeing you dangerously. "Not like that, you old shitbag. His dream knocked me off my feet. He wants to be King of the Pirates, to find the One Piece, and its on the Grand Line and I thought," your lips trembled, "I thought I could help, that I could be useful for once with this stupid, stupid power, and I thought Sanji could come and we could finally look for the All Blue, the two of us, like we said we would, but everything just-"

The tears were coming now thick and fast and you gasped for breath as you rubbed at them, Zeff's eyes burning into your head as you worked your fists over you face, rubbing it raw.

"-everything just kept getting worse. We had to sneak into a Marine base and steal a map," His eyebrows rocked up, "and there were the Marines at Dye Town, they sucked, and then there was the stupid fucking clown who nearly drowned me, and the Black Cats in Syrup Village trying to kill a girl and there was this man-" you sucked in another breath and squeezed your eyes shut as Roku's face, first vengeful and enraged, and then empty and lifeless flashed through your mind, "-he was going to kill me. He was going to kill me, and he said I wasn't from the North Blue, and I didn't understand, and I wasn't going to get to see Sanji again or you or Patty or anybody, and I didn't mean to, I thought I was gonna die, it wasn't me you have to believe me, I didn't want to-"

You collapsed into Zeff chest, sobs ripping your entire body and he dropped the half crumpled wanted poster on to the desk, wrapping you up and pulling you into his lap like you were still that achy broken little kid that left scars on his cheeks to try and save the one thing that still held some meaning. He rocked you, slow and gentle, not shushing you, just petting your head and rocking, like he had wanted to so badly, like he would have if you had cried that day as a child.

He let you cry yourself out in his lap, face red and runny from tears, and he didn't let you go until you finally pulled back yourself. You settled back into the stool, knees bent awkwardly, and you looked at each other. You cleared your throat.

"Also Luffy's grandfather," you look at Zeff's raised eyebrow, "the pirate boy, his name's Luffy." He oh'd, "his grandfather is a vice-admiral in the Marines, the tall scary one that eats, like, twelve steaks in one go." He ignores your "all medium-rare too" and snorts.

"Yeah. I know the one." He looks you over again, sitting with your arms crossed like you were only barely holding yourself together. "Guessing that's what the bounty's for then?" You look at him. "The first man?" Your lips thin out and you nod.

"He was one of the Black Cat Pirates. He was nasty."

"Still doesn't feel good that you've killed him though, aye?" You shake your head, eyes to the ground. "Good. You don't want it to. Hold on to that feeling. Winning a fight to the death because you want to live is one thing, winning it because you want to kill..." His eyes go distant, memories fogging over his mind for a second before he shakes them away. "Just," he sighs, "don't let yourself enjoy killing. That feeling in your gut, the one making you sick of yourself, that keeps you human. Don't you loose that." You only nod in response as you both sit, quiet once again. He flattens the poster again, smoothing out the creases as he looks it over. "Not bad for a first bounty. Not the worst picture of you either." You snort at him as he chuckles, lifting it clear of his desk.

"I look deranged. Terrifying."

"You look," he takes a tack and pins it to the wall alongside the other pictures and the map, "like a pirate. Definitely one that could take on the Grand Line."

You give him a watery smile, the man who has stood with you for most of your life at this point, and his eyes soften and watch you warmly.

There's a knock at the door. You cough and wipe your face again as Zeff pulls it open, revealing a chuckling Sanji holding a bill. His smile drops when he sees your red face, the swirling aqua and gold more watery then usual and he glares hotly at Zeff for a moment. You both ignore him as Zeff snatches the bill from him to read.

"I'll say Y/n," he flicks his hair from his face, "I didn't know what to make of that 'crew' of yours, but they're turning out to be absolutely hysterical." You watch as Zeff's face slowly turns red, and peer over his shoulder. On the bill is signed 'IOU' and the name 'MONKEY D. LUFFY'.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes!"

"Where they sat?" Zeff is quiet, that's never a good sign.

"Zeff-" You try but Zeff is already heading for the doors to the dining hall.

"Table 11." Your head snaps to Sanji, glaring at the grin he was sporting. "What? He asked!" You ignore him,

"Shit. Zeff!" He busts through the doors calling

"Who the hell is Monkey D. Luffy?" You see his head, straw hat and all, pop out from the booth.

"Here!"

"You seem to be confused about the rules of the house," The entire kitchen staff had poured out behind you, but you ignored them as you grabbed Zeff's arm, tugging it desperately for his attention,

"Zeff, no! I'll cover it, take it from my pay, my money! I can cover it, just leave him be!" He shushed you and you fell off his arm, shuffling back into Sanji who stood, smiling like a merry fool at the show.

"Baratie doesn't offer credit. You eat, you pay."

You could roll up into a ball and die as you hear your captain begin to speak.

"I think you're confused. The meal has already been paid for. I just haven't given you the money yet." Sanji looks down at you chuckling gently.

"You ok, mon Cœur?"

"I think I'm going to cry again, this is awful."

Zeff sneered at the boy.

"Yeah, and how's that?"

"You can add it to my treasure tab." You had sunk to the floor at this point, your desperate grip on Sanji's leg the only thing keeping you partially upright.

"Please make him stop."

"And what, pray tell, is that?"

"I may not look like a big deal yet, but you're talking with the future King of the Pirates. And as soon as I find the One Piece, I'm gonna come back here, pay this bill in full and with interest."

"Ha, I got a better idea." And Zeff grabs Luffy by the shirt, pulling him with him, past your prone form and the still laughing Sanji, into the kitchen. "What're you chuckling about?" Sanji sobers immediately, helping pull you to your feet as Zeff watches him, "Back to work."

Pushing through the doors behind your captain and your head chef, you listen to him rant.

"You, Mr Future-King-of-the-Pirates, are gonna be my new chore boy. You're gonna pay off your debt washing dishes." With a yelp, Luffy is pushed forward, barely avoiding the tall pile of dishes left by all the patrons.

"All of these?"

"For starters. You gotta remember something, the meal you had with your friends? That's one year's worth of dishes. I'd get a move on if I was you. Second service is in one hour." Behind him the door opens as Sanji re-enters the kitchen, and Zeff turns to him pulling off the suit jacket. "Oy, oy, oy, oy, oy, oy, oy! What you think you're doing?"

"Come on, old man. Enough's enough."

"Put the jacket back on, little eggplant. You're not done with your shift yet."

"Let me back on the line or I walk." Your head snaps round to him, eyes wide while he avoids looking at you, focusing squarely on Zeff.

"You can walk right back into the ocean for all I care. You cook another meal like that in my kitchen, it's going right where the last one did." You look away from the argument, one you heard variations of for years, and followed Luffy's line of sight. Sat precariously on the piles of dishes, is one meal that you don't recognise, still perfectly plated. Two cuts of tuna, seared asparagus resting in a sauce or reduction of some kind.

"You can kick me out of the kitchen all you like. I'll never be a waiter." You join Luffy in tasting the sauce, sweeping a touch up on your pinkie like Sanji and Zeff always did.

"Well that's fine by me. You sure as hell are never gonna be a cook in my restaurant. Have you got it?"

The sweetened sauce makes you smile gently, throwing a wild guess out that this was Sanji's dish. Zeff snarls after him as he walks out the back door, leaving the cooks to their job and you and Luffy to yours. He turns to look at you both as you slip an apron over your head as well, the dark navy matching the one donned by your captain.

"Don't you do his work for him." You ignore him, pulling your long hair from the loop and twirling it from a curly mess of a pony tail into a crooked bun.

"I'm not, I'm a crewmember helping their captain." Zeff's eyes flash to the beaming Luffy as you grab two scrubbers and pull a pair of yellow dish washing gloves up your arms.

"Well," he mutters, "let him do most of the work then, if he's gonna call himself a captain."

"Heard, chef." Zeff snorts and walks out.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Luffy puffs as he rolls another trolley of dishes into the kitchen, pulling to a stop alongside where you were working, at a much slower pace than normal, with Sanji perched on the counter beside you, handing you dishes.

"Hey choreboy," he snickers, "how's that dish pile coming along?" You don't wait for Luffy to answer.

"It would've been better if somebody had kept up with the pile while I was away, don't you think?" You give him a stink eye as he shies away from you, mouth pulled into a tight apologetic smile. Luffy sighed.

"It never seems to get any smaller."

"You get used to it," you mumble, "It's better at night when service is done. And hey," you nudged him with your elbow, your hands still soapy, "at least this water won't catch fire as easy."

"Yeah, the old man's a real piece of work."

"He's not that bad Sanji."

"Mon cœur, he made you cry."

"That wasn't him, it was..." You sigh. "Other stuff that happened, don't worry about."

"Well now I'm worried. Bet your captain regrets that IOU."

"I don't really do regret. No point in looking back,"

"Lucky you. Sometimes, when I try to look ahead, all I see is back." Luffy lifts another pile of dishes into the water.

"So how long you been a waiter?"

"Oh please don't start." Sanji's finger covers your mouth and he leans forward to correct him.

"I'm not a waiter, I'm a cook. Best one in the East Blue."

"Oh! I knew that already, Y/n told me!" He scoffed, a slight smile on his face as he looked down at you, continuing your scrubbing.

"Not that it matters. As long as the old man's in charge, I'm banned from the line."

"But that meal you cooked was incredible." Your eyes widened and you groan in agreement.

"Soooo good."

"The True Bluefin Sauté?"

"Yeah."

"You both tried it?"

"Yeah, of course we did! I couldn't help myself." You nudged his knee with a smile.

"Knew it was yours, was too good to be anyone else's'."

"I didn't think the food here could get any better. You know," Luffy spoke thoughtfully, "you're a really good cook. Why is Zeff making you wait tables?" Your eyes roll back at this topic again and mouth along with Sanji as he replies,

"'Cause he's jealous. I should be running this place, but the old man's so stubborn, it'll never happen."

"Is that your dream? To be head chef of the Baratie?" He looks down at you, it was different from what you had said. Sanji laughed and disagreed.

"Nah."

"So you love to cook. You just don't want to cook here?" Sanji flicks his lighter open and lights a cigarette.

"There's, um, this place, Y/n might have told you about it, where you can find ingredients from all four seas. East Blue, West Blue, North and South. They call it the All Blue." Luffy's eye zip to you in recognition, but you're smiling up at Sanji, the familiar thrumming warmth of his dream washing over you in waves. "Nobody knows where it is, but there's fish there that have never been seen. Ya know, rare seaweeds, spices that have never been tasted. It is a cook's paradise, and," his eyes drop from Luffy to you and the small smile on his face grew bigger, "we're gonna find it one day. That's my dream."

"If you want to cook, you should cook. Don't let some stubborn old man get in the way of your dream. Stand up to him, tell him what you want." Sanji's lips press together and you both look at Luffy.

"It's more complicated, than that."

"I don't really do complicated either."

"We noticed, Luf." A small smile twists up your lips.

You're disturbed by a banging against the back door as a voice calls out.

"Help me. Help." Sanji snuffs out his cigarette as the man lets himself in, dirty white tracksuit emblazoned with snakes, and he stumbles, falling to the floor, "Please, help me." He begs as Sanji helps him to sit at the small table.

"You okay?" Sanji mumbles to him as they sit him down.

"I'm so hungry, please." Sanji claps him on the shoulder, moving around the kitchen to grab up ingredients as you set out clean dishes for him to use.

"Okay, you got it, man. How does some corned-beef friend rice sound?" As Sanji paces through the kitchen, Patty comes through wiping his hands.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"At Baratie, everyone eats."

"And who's gonna pay for that? This is a business. We can't be giving handouts to every down-on-his-luck pirate that washes up." You left the opened bag of rice onto the counter and push it towards him, and he fills his pot, shaking out the excess and topping it with water to cook.

"If a man is hungry, I feed him." Sanji moves past the blue haired chef, grabbing the wrapped pack of corned beef.

"Zeff kicked you off the line."

"I don't see the old man here. Do you?"

"Just drop it Patty, come on." He throws his hands up at the pair of you.

"Your funerals." You and Luffy look at each other as Sanji begins to cook.

As the older pirate scarfs down the bowl of rice he breathes heavily.

"I was drifting out there for a week. You saved my life tonight." Sanji smiles up from where he's cleaning his station, you further behind him, trying to finish the still huge pile of dishes Luffy had abandoned.

"You're not only a good cook, you're a good guy." Your captain was perched beside the older man as he ate. "If Zeff doesn't appreciate you, you should join my crew." You shake your head with a smile, you're sure it will take more than that to convince your Sanji to leave the old man. "I'm serious. For real."

You call over your shoulder,

"That doesn't happen often Sanji!"

"Sorry chore boy. I've already got a job." Knew it.

"But you're not happy here. Neither of you are, and Y/n's already agreed to join!" You don't see Sanji's smile drop. "Their family lives on the Grand Line, we can look for them too! And we're gonna need a great cook if we're gonna find the One Piece." You don't notice that Sanji had completely stilled as the pirates spoon clatters into the bowl.

"The One Piece?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna find it and become King of the Pirates."

"We're were searching for it too. I was part of a mighty pirate armada. Our captain was hell-bent on finding Gold Roger's treasure, but the Grand Line was his undoing. We lost 50 ships and 5,000 men. I was the only survivor." The man looks pleadingly at Luffy. "Save yourself. Forget you ever heard of the One Piece."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Sanji had long since left the kitchen, and you let him. His fury at you was never loud, even when stranded together or raged at by customers and co-workers alike, if he had anger towards you, it always sat, simmering silently. He never yelled, not like he did with Zeff. He and the old man were alike like that, always softening for you to avoid hurting you further. He would stand on the docks or up on the small outcrop outside your shared window and would smoke and fume and fume and smoke, before coming to talk to you.

You knew he wasn't pleased about Luffy saying you were leaving, so you left him to think and smoke and fume. You would find him later, or he would find you. You always did.

You had finally given up doing the dishes. Leaving the rest to Luffy, you were sitting off to the side stretching your shaking hands, now devoid of washing gloves. Being tired always made the shaking and stiffness worse, and scrubbing for hours on end always left them aching, so you dug your curled and stiff knuckles into the palms to relieve the aching.

"Right, we done yet?" You turn to Zeff as he walks up and wince as Luffy sends plates crashing to the ground to shatter. You drop your forehead on to your hands. Zeff snorts at him. "You're lousier at it then Y/n, but at least you do as you're told in this kitchen."

"If you think Sanji's gonna give up on his dream because of you, then forget it." Zeff peered down at you and you shook your head defeated. Luffy wasn't going to give up on this tirade until he was given the full story, and that wasn't up to you alone. You would let one of the two men share it with him.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Luffy advanced on to Zeff, standing nearly toe-to-toe with the man. "You may have banned him from the line, but you can't stop him from cooking."

"Oh really?

"Luffy-" you tried to cut in but he was on a roll.

"Yeah, really. This starving pirate washed up earlier, and you know what Sanji did? He cooked for him! Right here in your kitchen, because your rules matter less to him than making sure a hungry man got fed." You release a long sigh and prop your head on your hand, watching as Zeff lets out a quiet laugh.

"He did that, did he? What a good kid."

Before he could continue, Usopp barges through the doors swaying dangerously. You stand to right him as he gestures back behind him.

"Luffy, we've got a problem."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

"Maybe you can convince him to call it off." Nami's voice sounded from the galley as you Luffy and Usopp walked in.

"I won't do that."

"Did you see the size of that guy's sword? He will slice you into sashimi."

"What's going on?"

"Yeah, who are we talking about here?"

"I'll tell you what's going on." Nami rounded on Luffy, "Your big, bad Marine grandpa sent a Warlord of the Sea to bring you in, and instead of getting the hell out of here when he had the chance, Zoro challenged him to a duel."

"Which he accepted."

"Oh." The noise fell from your mouth before you could stop it. "Mihawk then."

Nami and Zoro's eyes snap to you.

"You knew?"

"I saw him when I saw your dream. He's..." you hesitated looking for the right word. "...good. The best, really." You wring your hands together and squeeze, "I don't know if this is the right time for you to fight him though."

"So you're a magical alarm clock now too?" Zoro sneered. Nami turned her arguments to him again.

"You are a fly to him. Something to be swatted and forgotten."

"Not if I win."

"You're not going to win."

"Guys, guys, maybe we need more drinks." You stare at him as he waves his hat.

"Usopp, you smell like one of the fish bowl cocktails we serve, you don't need anymore alcohol." You look around the table, "None of us do, not at the moment." Nami looks to Luffy.

"Tell your first mate he's going to get himself killed." Zoro interrupted her sentence before she was done.

"Tell your navigator and your compass to butt out." Luffy shrugged.

"Maybe this isn't such a great idea Zoro."

"When you met me tied up on that cross, what did I say?" You and Luffy begin to answer.

"'Get lost.'."

"'What makes you think I wanna play pirates with you?'."

Zoro rolled his eyes at you both.

"No the other thing."

"'You don't know anything about me.'?"

"'I kill your kind for a living.'?"

"No! Come-" he groans but looks up at you. You realise what he's saying and turn away, looking at the floor as Luffy 'oh's beside you.

"That you made a promise to someone a long time ago to be the world's greatest swordsman."

"The only way to do that is to beat Mihawk in a duel and take his title. I intend to do just that."

"But," you stutter out, "you don't have to do it now." You glance at Nami and Usopp who are nodding in agreement, "You can take a bit longer, there isn't a time limit on these things-"

"SHUT-" You flinch as he slams his fist down on the table and growls to himself, "You have no idea what you're talking about. All this spouting of wanting to help people achieve their dreams and whatever and you're sitting here completely aimless, following around whoever decides to give you the time of day. You have," he spits out at you, "no idea."

You stand frozen as the argument continues around you. Nami tells off Zoro and Luffy, yelling that he's her friend before he snubs her too. As she pushes back from the table, she walks out and you follow her, returning to Baratie for the night.

Walking down the stairs to the staff quarters above the restaurant and dining room, you pass Zeff and a few of the other cooks, including Patty, eating quietly in the small kitchen/dining area that you all use. The large pot of fried rice with egg and whatever meats that could be chucked in sat on the stove pot.

Your stomach turned at the smell, appetite none existent after the argument. You don't see them turn to watch you, or Zeff stopping them from calling out to you as you wander up the stairs to your room.

You push open the door to see the window wide open and Sanji's back is to you, already dressed for bed as he leaned against the railing, looking over the water with a cigarette in his hand. You don't bother turning on the lamp. When he didn't turn to greet you, you left him be, instead shuffling behind the changing screen to slip on some of random strewn-about clothes to sleep in. You hang up your coat on the coat hook on the back of the door and move to your bed, the blankets and pillows littering the single mattress. It was messier than you left it, but you assume at some point Sanji had decided to swap, his own crisply pressed sheets tucked in tight and untouched, the only spot of colour being the fluffy blue cushion you always left there when he makes his bed. He did so sometimes, if you were away longer than intended, commandeering your space until your return.

You drop face down on to the bed, and lay there, arm hanging off the side, crossing the halfway point of the tiny box room you and Sanji have shared since forever. Your calves are bare in the sleep shorts you donned, the scratches littering them from the gravel at Kaya's mansion and the bruising from the fall down the hill are left to the open air, and scruffy old t-shirt leaving your chains uncovered too, the spot where they meet your wrists still red raw. You hear Sanji shuffle, snuffing out his cigarette and clambering back inside, pulling the window closed behind him. You hear the sheets rustle as he pulls them down and slips into them, probably shoving your cushion into the wall so he didn't lie on it.

Then you both lie, in silence, the only sound being each others breathing.

A beat.

"I think," you break the silence, quiet voice louder than you meant in the stillness, "my friend is going to die."

Sanji doesn't reply.

But in the darkness, you feel as his hand drops into your palm, fingers interweaving with yours.

And you fall into the most comfortable sleep you'd had in days, eased by the smell of home and the warmth of his hand in yours.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

As the sun rises in the morning, you walk on to the Going Merry and go down into the galley, where Zoro stood arming himself.

He stands with his back to you, and doesn't turn except to slide the trio of sheaths into his belt loops. You pull and squeeze at your fingers, twining them together and cracking your knuckles, the pain shooting across them a welcome distraction, if only for a second.

"I don't think you'll listen to me," you begin, voice soft but your words desperate to escape, "I'm not surprised. I felt your dream, I felt the pain it brings you, and the determination." He turns his ear closer to you, black bandana obscuring his hair. "I don't know her name, but I could feel how important she was to you, how important she still is to you. And me asking you this isn't to lessen her importance, or to make you give up on your dream all together. I just think," you stumble for the words, tongue growing heavy as he stands completely rigid, "would it not be better, to train, and to know you can beat him easily, rather than just saying 'screw it he's here now' and dying in the process?"

His hand rests on the hilt of his sword. You purse your lips and hesitate, but the words come out anyway.

"Would she want you dead too?"

It was the worst thing to say.

You know that as soon as it comes out of your mouth, but you don't have time to regret it, as Zoro pulls the sword, the one with the white hilt she had wielded, free of its holding, and swipes at you. You drop to the ground, rolling away from his next swing and back out the door. He follows, stopping in the door frame and filling it completely.

"Don't you ever ask me something like that-" he growled out,

"I'm sorry, it wasn't-"

"-you know nothing about me," he marches on you again, and you move back further, scrambling up the stairs backwards as your hands hit them,

"-I know, I'm sorry-"

"You know nothing about her, about my history, my promises-"

"-I just-"

"-don't you dare show your face at this duel, or I will-"

"-I JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!" You cut him off completely, and you both stop, panting as he glared down at you. You swallow harshly, your eyes beginning to water in frustration. "Winning a fight to the death because you want to live is one thing, doing it, fighting him like this just because you want to the title..." You shake your head of the thoat, "No matter what promises you made Zoro, you're just as scared as we are, you just can't let yourself admit."

His face darkens with anger again.

"Don't-" You cut him off.

"Don't try and tell me you're not. I've seen this plenty of times, I was raised on it." You take a deep breath and stand, putting yourself toe-to-toe and face-to-face with him. "You can't fulfil your dream if you're dead Roronoa Zoro. I respect that you want to win," your voice cracks, "but you cannot become the greatest swordsman dead." You blink and pull back, turning to walk up the stairs and leave him to his preparations.

"Nakayoshi." You stop at his voice and turn to look down at him, face blank. "Don't come down to the duel this morning. Stay with your waiter. I'm sure they'll have some use for you, scrubbing dishes or something." His words leave him with bite, but your face doesn't shift.

You're so tired.

"Please don't die Zoro." You reply with no emotion, "for her sake, and your own." You turned.

And you left.

Next Chapter: Mon Cœur Est Un Petit Âne

40 notes · View notes