On the deck of Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hats pirate has spotted another pirate frigate on the horizon. Luffy and Zoro came out to ready themselves to battle.
"Yoush!" Luffy yelled. "Another fight! Haha! The fifth ship today!" Stretching his arms in a exercise routine.
Zoro took out two swords. "A good workout, better than doing nothing." He smirked, as he placed his third on his mouth.
"Lets do this! Franky! Onward to that pirate ship! WE GO TO BATTLE!" Luffy yelled.
"Hai, Captain!" Franky shouted in reply.
The ship was already going on a course towards the enemy ship, the passengers on the latter also hungry for battle, drawing swords and battle cries were heard from the distance. It had been a very active week for the Straw Hats, and despite the cold, they still manage to keep themselves in a hoot by beating other pirates and grabbing their treasure.
All the straw hats seem very happy, New Year has passed, and all they had was a very merry and swell time together, even with Takono, the Pink Menace, who was travelling with them for many months now. However, there is one straw hat pirate who didn't feel too happy.
As the two combating ships are already neck and neck, before Luffy could land a punch, or Zoro swing his sword, a figure came rushing in the enemy ship, and swiftly blew them off their starboard, knocking them all off, the others, beaten face down.
He adjusted his tie, and two cigarettes were stuck to his mouth, a large amount of smoke coming out his figure.
"OI! SANJI! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?"
"Psh, Ero-cook stole the prey."
Sanji looked back at the two, who were still on the figurehead of Thousand Sunny. "Shut it. I needed some exercise." He puffed his cigars angrily, then leaped back on the deck, and in no more than 5 minutes, he had enclosed himself again in his kitchen.
"Whats with him?" Luffy asked.
"Lung Cancer." Zoro Chuckled. "Well, lets wait for another ship, then…"
Just then, Takono came out of the quarters, and caught the sight of a quite empty pirate vessel the Thousand Sunny just passed. "Hey guys…" Takono looked at Luffy and Zoro. "What's up?"
"Your Blondie had taken our prey today, and he did that twice, including now." Zoro replied flatly. "Talk to him will you? Im not getting any workouts because of him."
"YES! TALK TO HIM!" Luffy yelled angrily. "IM GETTING BORED."
Takono noticed Sanji's stressful acts since two days ago. She tried talking to him the day before, but he smiled and said he was okay. But it already seemed recurrent, so she decided to try again. "Okay, I'll see what I can do…"
As she walked towards the kitchen, she saw Robin coming out, who just looked at Takono, and smiled. "Hello, Pink-san." She said, then walked away.
Takono nodded in reply, but called Robin. "Robin-san, is Sanji okay?"
"He's a little jumpy but he's fine." Robin smiled reassuringly. "You can talk to him." She said.
Takono suddenly wondered why she came from the Kitchen, but brushed that aside, and continued on to the Kitchen. As she opened the door, she called out, "Sanji-kun?"
Sanji yelled in surprise, and nealy dropped a whole bunch of plates he was supposed to wash. "Guh!" Sanji caught them all. "Ehe, Takono-swan! Welcome! Ah… What are you doing here?" Sanji asked, nervously placing the plates aside then walked over to Takono. He reeked of cooking and smoke.
"Are you alright? Seriously." She asked.
Sanji smiled. "I'm fine, really." He replied. "Anything you wanted?"
"Well, for you to stop smoking! What are you all jumpy about anyway?" Takono said, in annoyance now.
Sanji looked at her, seeing this had already become serious. "Nothing really, Takono-swan! I was just…" Sanji looked behind him. "Looking for an important ingredient."
Takono raised a brow. "THAT important? That led you to smoking all that?" She said. "Sanji, please, don't kill yourself, just relax, and tell me, I wont get mad…"
Sanji just sat back on the counter. "Nothing, honestly."
Takono was ticked off this time. "You're hiding something." She expected Sanji to look nervous, but it didn't work.
"Look around all you like, Takono-swan, I told you nothing, Im just missing an ingredient for my important cooking for tonight." He said, Takono just turned around, and shut the door on his face.
"That idiot… Not telling me what is on his mind… He is hiding something.. but what?" Her thoughts were stopped when she bumped onto Robin. "Oh, Robin-san! Im sorry!"
"You seem to be annoyed, Pink-san, is it about Sanji?" Robin asked.
"Maybe… I just feel… He's hiding something from me, and he is not telling me what…" Takono looked away. "Why doesn't he trust me?"
Robin smiled. "What if he really isn't hiding something, what if he is mad about something?" Robin said.
"Mad? What for? Mosshead? Well, sure, but Im not sure if Sanji-kun can take his anger THAT far to him." She said.
Robin turned around. "I feel that is the reason behind Sanji's stress. He is mad about something. Something he forgot…"
"…The ingredient?" She said, blurting out what Sanji said to her earlier.
"Maybe." Robin walked away.
"…Something he forgot…" Takono walked away, and set her thoughts deep to what Sanji forgot, which she still thinks it is that ingredient.
The day passes on quietly, The Straw-Hats have made landfall on a small island. Not too big, but just right for the 11 of them to fit in… It was around dinnertime already, And the Strawhats have made a small camp where they are all going to eat dinner.
"Sanji! Sanji! IM HUNGREEEEYY!" Luffy and Chopper yelled in unison.
"Hush, Luffy! BE PATIENT!" Nami yelled.
"I shall strum a song for you!" Brook sat on one side of the encampment and played songs with his violin.
Zoro sat napping, Usopp got the beers ready, and Franky busy getting stuff into the ship, readying for departure tomorrow.
Sanji came down and served food, and the strawhats began chowing down their food. Takono walked towards the encampment, but was stopped by Robin. "Pink-san, Navigator-san was asking for Tangerine Dip for her barbeque, but she can't find Cook-san. Can you look around for him? I'll search the ship." Robin said.
"What? I'm hungry!" Takono looked around. "Why could he be gone at dinnertime? Usually he hangs around with the crew."
"I don't know either, but he might be smoking out the island, like what he usually does every night." Robin said.
"Hm…" Takono sighed, she was already worried about Sanji and what was he doing. "Okay, I'll be looking around, this Island aint too big o him to hide anyway…" She said
"Okay, good, I shall search the ship." Robin left, leaving Takono by the light blue sands reflecting the night.
"Sanji-kun, where could you have gone?" Takono looked around, and walked by the sea shore, where the waves gently caress the sands. "Sanji! Sanji-kun!" She yelled. "Tsk… Where IS he.." She suddenly saw a pack of King Ground, the brand of cigarettes Sanji smoked, and pieces of cigarettes scattered nearby.
"What? Don't tell me… HE'S PLANNING TO COMMIT SUICIDE!" Takono ducked to pick it up, and inside the box, she saw a small sheaf of paper, and something written on it, It read: "Just go further into the thicket. I'll tell you why." Signed Sanji. "Tell me why, huh? This better be good." She said, and followed the exact instructions.
It wasn't too thick, the beach can still be seen in a distance. Takono made her way through, until she saw a candle lit, and filled with food, table, with two chairs, and Sanji sitting on one of them. "Takono-swan. Welcome." He smiled, not smoking.
"Okay, Im used to your candle lit dinners. What is this, a confession or some sort? Proposal maybe?" She said, her annoyance tone coming in again. "How about telling me what was your problem this morning, huh?" She said, hands on waist.
"Please… don't be mad, Takono-swan…" Sanji said, as he stood to come closer to Takono.
"Then TELL ME." She said, half-yelling now.
Sanji bowed his head down. "Okay…" He murmured, and walked to a nearby bush, Takono's eyes followed him, but she stayed put, Sanji then came out with a cake, a two layered birthday cake, glowing white and pink under its candles. Sanji placed the cake on the table, and looked at Takono.
"I didn't forget." He said, his left eye tearing up now. "Happy… Birthday, Takono-swan." He said smiling.
Takono looked at Sanji in surprise.
Her birthday was two days ago. And during her birthday, Sanji had completely avoided her. The whole crew celebrated her birthday without a hitch, having games and eating great food made by Sanji, but he never greeted her that day, nor did he give her a present. Sanji thought Takono will be mad at him for good, for forgetting to greet her in her birthday. They both have been going smoothly for the past months, and he felt bad he had nothing to give to Takono, just food, food, and food.
"You… This…" Takono stammered, she didn't know what to say.
"I didn't forget." Sanji echoed, wiping his eyes. "I never did, during your birthday. I just felt I had nothing to give you… I thought of all the best cakes and delicacies I could give you, but I wanted it more extravagant, something more different than what I give you. Ever since your birthday passed, I still tried to think of what to give you, but I felt bad for not giving you anything that day…" He said, looking at Takono. "Please don't be mad at me, I didn't forget… I just… wanted to give you something else than what I usually give you…"
Takono looked teary eyed too. "Sanji… Listen. You really didn't have to get it all over your head and think of something else…" Now she knew why that day, Sanji had avoided her during her birthday. "And I was not mad at you… I was waiting. For I know you will give me something." She wiped her tears. "You didn't have to stress yourself to think about some other 'extravagant' thing you could give me. I love the way you cook for me, I love just the way you do it for me, and I just… Love the way you are..." She said, she ran to Sanji and hugged her. "I don't need anything different… and the one thing that was always different you always gave me…" Takono looked up at him. "..Was your love…" She leaned closer, and kissed him.
It took for a minute, then Sanji said, "Happy Birthday, Takono-swan." He said. "I'm sorry…"
Takono smiled, and walked towards the table and swiped the cake's icing with her finger, and tasted it. "See? I could feel your love you put in this." She smiled at him.
Sanji scratched his head. "There might be also another reason why I didn't get you a cake on your birthday." Sanji smiled sheepishly. "I was mad that day, since Usopp used up all my flour for his gadgets. Thus I had no cake for you…" Sanji said.
Takono smirked. "Then lets kick his ass later, okay? Lets just enjoy my bleated birthday party…" Takono took his hand. "…with you, Sanji-kun." She smiled.
Sanji smiled back. "Lets…"
And they began celebrating Takono's belated birthday party quietly. But nearby, Robin overheard the whole thing, she just smiled and walked away…
So, yes, a birthday fic for my friend, Sorry if this is really… Belated, networks screwed this up, but its here now. Happy birthday! :D