Note: Just a simple idea I thought. Could've went to more ways than one, and SO VERY MUCH BETTER BUT this is it. Enjoy.
Sanji, as any other man, always keeps track of his things. His food, meat, clothes, magazines, photographs and even his damn cigarettes.
So when he realizes that his cigarette box is short of one, he is nothing but confused. Had he miscounted? Had he dropped one during the fight? There were so many possibilities. Well, there's always a first time for everything, he tells himself. Nevertheless, his mind isn't put at rest. The rest of the day, he spends it going over countless scenarios where his cigarette could have fell out. Countless possibilities and so much doubt. He couldn't have been that careless.
He sleeps, his mind still mulling over the thought of his own carelessness. He doesn't tell anyone when he finds himself awake in the wee hours, having dreamt of that damn marimo laughing at him for losing just that one cigarette. Frustration fills his body to the core till he finds himself unable to lull himself to sleep.
He looks around, having slept on the top bunk beds, and remarks how unusual that everyone was accounted for. Is Law on the lookout? As he thinks so, he then stares at the empty bunk bed in the centre. Comically, a dotted outline of a straw-hat captain appeared in his head. Always prepared for anything as a Straw Hat member, 'unusual' was a word of little rarity. Law can't be trying to double-cross them, can he?
Sanji washes away the thought of Law pushing his captain off the railing laughing maniacally and drinking all their booze in triumph. That's impossible. Luffy isn't that weak, he tells himself as he reaches to grab his cigarette box.
His hand grabs thin air, and he looks at the spot where his trusty little box lay every night.
His eye twitches at the disappearance of his cigarette box and the mystery of why a f-ing leaf, of all things, was there. He grabs it like a dead fish ready to be cut into millions of pieces and glared at it. There was only one explanation.
Law.
Of course, he thinks to himself. Law looked as if he was stoned 24/7, killed people for a living and was an addict of all the things the devil loved. Who else would it be?
Silently, he moves himself to leave the men's quarters to deal with a certain fellow.
No one was in sight. Well, except Kin'emon, who was on night watch duty with… Luffy?
"Yo, Kin'emon. Don't tell me that rubber idiot is off napping while you're doing all the work," he says, letting his hands automatically reach into his pants pocket for a quick light but he feels nothing.
Damn it.
He feels like an idiot as he tries to kick away the thoughts of a dumbass marimo laughing at the back of his head.
"Oh yes, good morning, Sanji-dono!" Kin'emon greets, and Sanji duly notes to himself that it isn't exactly morning yet. He looked back at the swordsman. "Luffy-dono is conversing with Law-dono right not!"
Sanji quirks his eyebrow. Now, that was something Sanji would like to see.
"I see."
What can those two possibly talk about? Sanji finds himself unable to comprehend, much less imagine how their interaction would be. All that was coming to mind was nothing more than Luffy bugging Law or shoving meat in his face and ignoring whatever Law could possibly be trying to say.
"Shishishishishishi!"
Luffy's faint laughter resounds through the quiet ship, and Sanji looks up.
The crow's nest?! That's where Nami-swan's important mappings are!
His anger boils at the thought of Luffy and possibly Law messing Nami-swans documents and he rushes to the crow's nest.
The journey is short and his shoes tapping against the wooden steps are close to silent, and as he opens the entrance roughly and opens his mouth ready to get his captain in line, he recoils.
No one's here.
Sanji then looks at the ceiling. Of course.
"You're so funny, Torao!"
Sanji hears his captain's laugh, clicks his tongue and decides to leave until –
Law sighs heavily. "Even so, I didn't peg you as a smoker, Mugiwara-ya."
Sanji looks up with shock and anger. Luffy smokes?! AND stole my cigarettes?! Sanji can already imagine the look on Luffy's face when he tells him no meat for lunch because he stole his cigarettes!
"Well, it's only once in a while. Only when I'm stressed."
Sanji's face changes to one of curiosity and surprise. Why is Luffy stressed? Is his cooking not enough to give his body enough nutrients and energy?
"Ah, I understand. Puts you at ease, doesn't it?"
Sanji fights the urge to burst out and kick his idiotic captain and his ally for stealing his cigarettes and chooses to instead, relax himself. He ignores how these two captains seem to have an understanding of each other, jealous that Luffy had to confide in someone else other than his crew. His nakama.
"Yeah." He hears Luffy answer him, with such content and calm voice that Sanji blinked his eyes hard. Moments of Luffy like this, were moments he like to remember. Luffy isn't always a fan of being a leadership figure, at least in the norm ways, and those precious moments, were among his treasured memories. One to always remind himself and others how strong his captain is.
What's with the 'I understand' that Law's talking about? Luffy barely stresses, if anything, he stresses everyone out more than necessary! Sanji can't help himself disagreeing, but to be honest, he knows that Luffy is a human being as well. Not even Luffy is as strong as iron and titanium bars inside. Maybe he's giving himself an excuse to stay, for his cigarettes' justice, or his captain, or something. He understands, but he wants to stay. Even if that means eavesdropping.
"This," he hears Law say and pause, "This helps you stay strong, doesn't it?"
"Well, I'm always strong." Sanji smirks at himself. That's my captain. "I guess it helps me from breaking down."
The smirk loosens up and Sanji realises that he's got quite a similar use of his ciggies during his time in need. Stress and anxiety, it helps when he takes a puff from his first cigarette, a taste of heaven, and he's reminded of the many times he emptied his box in dire situations.
He thinks he understands.
"I see." Law sounds understanding, Sanji notes. He knows Law is a good guy, with the word of his captain, and he prides himself at finding out this side of him that he has yet to discover. In his mind, he laughs back at the marimo.
"What do you do?"
"I cut up organs and push them around in their body."
What in the f-
"Shishishishsishi! That must calm you down then!"
"In a way."
Of course Luffy would be the only person to actually find that understandable within seconds finding out. Sanji stares at the wooden floors, and if the floors could talk, they wouldn't be talking because Sanji would just shut them up with the stomp of his foot. Does he always think through his 'adventures'? It sure doesn't seem like it, Luffy always seemed to be of spontaneity. But then again, everyone has different ways of 'planning'. Maybe Luffy just has a way with it?
"Mugiwara-ya. You do know what's going to happen once Doflamingo is defeated, don't you?"
"Hmm.. I've got a rough idea." He hears Luffy hum in a frustrated manner. "But we'll be okay!"
Sanji then mentally knocks himself over his head. See! He doesn't actually think it through!
"We'll be targets of the Four Emperors, and everyone around the world. It'll be chaos."
He really wishes he has his cigarettes. Chaos…
Sanji hears his captain laugh, telling himself how the laugh doesn't sound any different from the usual shishsishi whatever shit and notices Law sigh.
"Everyone will be hot on our tails."
"Tough job we have." Sanji hears Law say, and maybe it's just his imagination but he hears a tinge of happiness? Maybe Law was more alike to Luffy than he thought.
"Not when you have nakama around." That confidence makes Sanji smile. "Like mine!"
That's right, Law! He pulls himself back from the small victory against what, he doesn't know as well but it is still a victory, he tells himself.
"Your nakama won't be forever, mugiwara-ya."
"I'll make it so." Luffy pauses. "Until they reach their dreams."
It is that moment that Sanji pauses his thoughts. His thoughts pause and then he goes on a rollercoaster ride of feelings and stuff like –
He stops. He stops himself from thinking more and proceeds to leave. Privacy is something important to him, and he will not breach it upon his captain.
Luffy is my captain.
And he'll stick by his rubbery side no matter what.
A/N: Whatchu guys think? Stay tuned for the next!