Author's note: It's been almost three years since I last wrote a fanfic. I started when I was eleven. I'm twenty-one now and (in my eyes) a relatively accomplished indie author. I was reading through all my old stuff and it almost brought tears to my eyes, remembering how much fun I had and still have writing! Okay, enough sentimental crap. On with the fic!

Disclaimer: Alas, even after all these years, I am no closer to owning One Piece. Luffy can have it. I just really want to own Sanji!


Angels and pirates

As Sanji looked at his crew, the bunch of misfits that they were-I mean, really, who else had a talking skeleton, a cyborg, a reindeer, and a moss-brained idiot on their crew, much less the same crew-and smiled to himself. A few years ago the only thing he thought pirates were good for was fighting. After everything the old geezer had done for him, he'd quickly excluded Zeff from this line of thinking. He loved the old man and was learning to love his crew the same way.

Nami and Robin were angels and Sanji often wondered how they managed to live with them. Men were crass by nature. Sanji, however, tried to live up to the expectation he was beyond that, but it was hard since the rest of them were such idiots, constantly making stupid jokes Sanji seriously wanted to laugh at.

Luffy was a man Sanji had come to, at times grudgingly, respect. He respected his optimistic view of the world and the single-minded determination that drove him. Luffy had saved his life more than once. But for all of Luffy's good qualities, the respect was momentarily forgotten whenever his stupidity chose to arise, which was as often as the sun rising and setting.

The idiot first mate was a foe, a friend, a protector, and a brother all rolled into one. He was equal parts irritating and equally a good person to fight alongside. It wasn't often, but when they did fight together, it was like an extension of the other. A worried glance said as much as any plea for help. They understood each other the most when they fought. Fighting was a language both of them spoke and a connection they shared deeper than blood.

Usopp, the outrageous liar and master sharpshooter, used to annoy him even more than Zoro did. The guy had serious food issues. Who refuses to eat mushrooms as an adult because of one bad experience as a kid? Sanji would never poison anything he made and, for a while, tried to sneak mushrooms into everything the sharpshooter ate. Finally, after throwing plates of mushrooms away, Sanji gave up and accommodated his crewmate's weird disdain for the harmless vegetable.

Meeting the ship's doctor was one of the weirdest experiences Sanji had ever had. A blue-nosed reindeer that could heal and try to smash him? Although, Sanji had to admit, maybe trying to eat Chopper hadn't been the best way to introduce himself. But at least Sanji had had the decency to want to cook him first. Luffy had flat-out wanted to eat him. Nonetheless, he'd grown quite fond of the little furball and his fondness for all things sweet.

Sanji had hated Franky at first for what he had done to Usopp. He hadn't trusted him as far as he could kick his big metal, speedo-wearing ass. After seeing how far he'd gone to protect Robin and building them the Sunny, Sanji forgave Franky and always made sure to have an emergency stash of cola in the freezer.

Like Chopper, meeting Brook was a shock to the system. Even on the Grand Line, a talking skeleton was bizarre. The chef had hated his disgusting table manners and requests for panties, but warmed up to him like everyone else. Keeping fresh milk onboard longer voyages was a pain, but Sanji tried. He'd lost his temper more than once trying to get Brook to stop drinking spoiled milk.

"Sanji! I'm hungry! Gimme food now! I want a big pile of meat!" The whining of his captain snapped Sanji out of his trance-like state.

"Me too, Sanji!" The voices of his six other equally annoying crewmates rang out above the crash of the waves.

A hand appeared on his back holding a piece of paper. Sanji smiled as it disappeared in a flash of flowers when he took the paper. It read, Sanji-kun, we could use a light snack, maybe a plate of fruit or a small piece of pie? Thanks, you're the best. He practically floated to the kitchen. Nami had such elegant handwriting!

An hour later, as the shouts of "Thank you!" echoed inside the kitchen, Sanji wondered to himself why he hadn't instantly accepted Luffy's offer. Friends like them were too good to pass up and he was forever grateful to his captain for declining his refusal.


Author's note: I'm rusty, but I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!