If there was one thing Luffy was convinced of, it was that he had the best crew in the history of pirates. Sure, every pirate captain would think that, all convinced they were the best until the end, but this time it was different.

Luffy knew they were the best.

When he'd first started recruiting, he was sure he'd find the best people and recruit them. His goal consisted of the famous people, people he'd long since forgotten about. Being a child when he'd started had lead to crazy ideas, completely bonkers ones at times, but he'd always thought he'd miraculously have all of the best pirates on his crew and they'd all work together, flowing like a gentle river.

He realizes now that not only did that not happen, but it also was a good thing.

Because the perfect crew, his crew, consisted of people who hated each other. Would do anything for each other. Were the underdogs of everything.

Were just perfect.

Luffy smiled from where he sat on the Thousand Sunny's head, watching his crew as they played on the beach. They hadn't relaxed properly like this in ages, and despite being the 'mature' one out of them, Robin had even agreed with Luffy that playing on the beach for a bit might be okay.

So play they did, and Luffy smiled as he looked at them all.

Usopp was reciting tales to a captivated Chopper, his hands making huge gestures as Chopper believed everything that fell from his friends mouth. Luffy shook his head at the sight, he admitted that even he got sucked in Usopp's stories sometimes, but Chopper was always the more innocent of the two of them.

Robin was relaxing on a chair beside Nami, both girls smiling as they talked. Luffy always found the two of them fascinating to watch. He remembered a few of the others mentioning that maybe they were together together but he was convinced they were just good friends. Close friends. One could never really tell with woman all that much, but the two were closer than close.

Franky was doing something with the coconuts hanging off a nearby tree, muttering to himself as he cut them out and placed them in front of him with a hand on his chin. Luffy smiled as he saw the occasional way he would glance over at Robin, a look of confused fondness on his face and by the blush on the woman's as Nami nudged her with a giggle made it obvious that Luffy wasn't the only one picking up on it. He shook his head lightly, thinking that it was good for the crew to have something to be apprehensive about that wasn't when their next brush with death would be.

Brook wasn't too far away, sitting on a tree branch as he strung a tune on his guitar. His empty eyes were trained on the setting sun, looking far away and distant as his mouth moved quietly, singing songs. He was an odd contrast to Franky really, the cyborg who mumbled science and maths and the skeleton who whispered songs and arts. The two were close though, Luffy knew that much, despite how different they were.

And then there was the last two, the two standing down by the shoreline. Luffy's smile wasn't proud or happy, but more soft and gentle as he watched them. Zoro and Sanji were never ones to get along, they were the reason the crew were always on their toes because no one could even know when Zoro would come flying into the room with a footprint on his face or when Sanji would slink in covered in cuts and scrapes. But Luffy knew, the whole crew knew, everyone knew that they cared more for each other than anyone else.

Luffy liked to compare them to oil and water, unable to mix and thrive, but able to coexist peacefully together. But then he would compare them to sugar and water, mixing together so beautifully in such a sweet way.

He'd then laugh and grin as Robin would smile at the thought and Nami would pretend to throw up.

But it was true, really it was, he thought as he watched the two together. Sanji was just staring out at the sunset like Brook, hands in his pockets and for once not smoking. Zoro was a stoic shadow beside him, arms crossed as he would alternate between looking at the sun and Sanji. Luffy could see the gentle fondness in those eyes, the curl of his lips, the stance he held. It didn't surprise him at all when Zoro shuffled that little bit closer to the cook, subtlety of course, but Sanji still managed to pick up on it.

Luffy cocked his head to the side as he watched them both, Sanji's lips moving slowly and Zoro looking slightly embarrassed. If there was anything that Luffy would consider adorable, it would be this moment, especially when Sanji cupped Zoro's cheek before kissing the other one.

The captain decided he liked his cook and first mate like this. Together.

"Hey Captain! What ya looking at?" Franky called out from below, and Luffy tore his eyes away from the couple to look down at the engineer, grinning when he saw him standing with the girls, Robin awfully close.

He glanced up, watching as Zoro smiled and wrapped an arm around Sanji before beginning to walk with him back towards the rest of the crew.

Luffy just shook his head and shimmed down to stand with them, waiting for the others to join them.

"Nothing. Just waiting for some meat!"

The others laughed, shaking their heads as they dispersed to begin setting up the barbecue. Luffy smiled softly, watching them all go, Nami scooping up Chopper and slinging him onto her hip as she went, Franky linking arms with Robin and already neck deep in a conversation no one would be able to keep up with, Usopp attempting to make Brook listen to a story despite the other trying to stop him by drowning out his voice with a new song, Zoro and Sanji grinning like idiots as Zoro kissed his cheek before going to save Brook from a fate worse than death, Sanji blushing slightly before wandering towards his captain.

He may not be the smartest person in the book, he really wasn't. But there were a few things he knew.

"You picked us good Captain."

Luffy smiled at Sanji who ruffled his hair lightly.

"I know."

I love Luffy, I always thought he was adorable.