You stared up at the sky laid back and relaxed the wood of the upper most deck warm on your back. You smiled eyes closed as the warm rays caressed your skin. It was one of the few quiet moments you had on the Baratie crowded and noisy as it usually was. Especially with your brother Sanji and Patti, and Carne always making some kind of ruckus, And if it wasn't them it was someone new like that boy with the straw hat who had, just an hour or two ago sent a cannon ball straight into chef Zeff's rooms.
You rolled your eyes aggravated. You couldn't believe the trouble you were going through just to pay off a debt to the old man. You rolled over so the sun was on your back and braced your chin on your hands looking out over the edge of the deck towards the sea. Quietly you wondered what mischief Patti and the others were getting into now.
Right on cue a door opened below you. "COME AGAIN YESTERDAY!" said Patti satisfied tossing something on the ground that thumped loudly. You sighed and opened your eyes wondering what was going on now.
Your eyes met the most pitiful sight you'd ever seen. A dark skinned man wearing a light grey and purple jacket with two red snakes on it with a green t-shirt beneath that. He had a sweatband wrapped around his forehead and his eyes were closed.
He looked incredibly beat up. Bruises covered his face and blood dripped from splits in his cheekbones and eyebrows. You winced in sympathy. Patti had probably thrown him out because he couldn't afford a meal. 'Heartless Brute!' you though angrily.
"Hey you okay down there?" asked the straw hat boy who'd demolished Zeff's rooms. He was standing on the railing in front of the roof you were laying on. "Of course I'm fine why wouldn't I be?" the man responded attempting to get to his feet then collapsing from exhaustion. "I'm just resting," he explained feebly. His voice was hoarse and rough like someone who hadn't had a thing to drink in ages, "Never felt better," he finished.
You hopped down behind the boy silently, "What?" said the boy, "You look a little bit hungry to me!" He was right, you noted not only was the man beaten, but he was skinny, painfully so.
"Put a cork in it," the man told him attempting to roll over and failing, "I'm not the least bit hungry whatever gave you that idea," he continued just as his stomach rumbled denying his previous statement.
Nearby a door opened and you looked over as your brother walked out a plate of food in hand. He set it near the starved man and sat his back against the railing. You smiled unsurprised; of course he would feed the man. He knew what it was like to be starved.
"If you wanna feel better," Sanji said nonchalantly staring at the sky, "then eat." The man gulped staring at the food his mouth watering visibly. "Fresh shrimp, tender calamari, sautéed together with garlic, onions and a nice oyster sauce," Sanji explained trying to tempt the man.
"Stop it," the man replied turning his face away, "I don't need no charity." His stomach rumbled in protest, "I may have hit hard times, but I don't want your pity or your help." You sighed, "Men," you said annoyed shaking your head.
All three looked up at you in shock, "Sandra?" asked Sanji surprised as the kid in the hat let out a startled yelp. On reflex you smacked him hard in the back of the head. "Who the hell are you?" asked the man roughly as you jumped down landing lightly on your feet in front of him.
"Oh you mean me?" you asked coyly sitting in front of him gracefully and crossing your long legs. "My name is Sandra, Sanji's my twin," you said with a shrug. "REALLY?!?" shouted the straw hat boy who you ignored.
"So you're too proud to eat my brother's cooking even though you're starving to death and you look like death warmed over?" you asked not unkindly. He just humphed and turned his face away.
You sighed, and gently reached running your fingers along his jaw line and turning his face to you. He glared too weak to pull away. "How about we put it like this then, sometimes it's better to swallow your pride, and live to fight another day then die choking on it," you told him gently.
"If it'll make you feel better you can owe Sanji for the meal. You're a pirate right?" you asked still staring into the man's eyes. He nodded speechless, "then pay him back for it someday and if it helps sooth your pride you can even pay him back with interest," you said smiling.
He nodded and unable to hold back anymore launched himself at the food. You smiled happily. "You always did have a way with words sis," said Sanji smiling. "Yeah well," you shrugged.
The man continued to eat shoveling the food into his mouth hungrily, "Better than I deserve," he said rubbing furiously at his face as tears streamed from his eyes, "Certain it is." Thought I was a goner done in by starvation!" he choked out then went back to attacking his food.
"Never tasted something so delicious," he said rubbing his eyes again, 'Thanks!" Sanji grinned proudly just like he always did when someone complimented his cooking, "Made it myself!" he said. You grinned and reached out ruffling his hair fondly, "That's my little bro the master chef," you said teasingly.
"Looks like I've found him!" called the straw hat boy. You stared at him like he was crazy until he elaborated, "I've found my new head cook!" 'aw geez,' you thought shaking your head. "Good luck with that straw hat," you said with a shrug.
He just grinned and continued, "That food must be good!" he said, well more like shouted, "Because you said you weren't even hungry!" You sweat-dropped, 'wow this kid is dense!' you thought shaking your head pityingly.
"Hey Mr. Cook!" he continued directing his gaze at Sanji who was staring dumbfounded, "Join up with my crew come on! Become the cook for my pirate ship!" he shouted enthusiastically. You sighed as Sanji and the man continued to gape.
"Well I'll leave you two to that little discussion," you said standing noting the man was done eating. "What do you mean two?" asked the straw hat boy confused. "Well," you said as if you were explaining to a small child, "You and Sanji equal two people," you explained.
With that you reached down and grabbed the unsuspecting man by the shoulder and gently pulled him to his feet. "He," you said pointing to the startled man, "is coming with me," gently you pulled his arm over your shoulders supporting some of his weight then dragged him off.
Behind you Sanji started to laugh hysterically, "Poor man he's in Sandra's clutches now!" You flipped him the bird and continued pulling the bewildered man along. You reached your room and pulled open the door, then entered locking it behind you.
"What are you going to do with me?" asked the man confused. You sighed dropping the key to the door down your shirt. "You were going to leave after you ate right?" you responded raising your eyebrows. He nodded confused.
You shrugged, "I couldn't let you do that, not until you let me patch you up at least," you amended seeing the strange look on his face. You walked into the bathroom gesturing for him to sit on the bed. You grabbed the first aid box from over the sink and brought it out to see him staring at you strangely.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked confused. "Because I want to," you said with a shrug gently setting the kit onto the bed next to him. "By the way," you began casually, walking back into the bathroom to grab a warm bowl of water and some rags, "You never did tell me your name…"
You reentered again to see him staring at you confused still, "I'm Ghin," he said quietly. "Alright then," you said extending your hand, "It's nice to meet you Ghin. I'm Sandra." He shook it tentatively. "Now I'm going to need you to take off your jacket and shirt," you told him not beating around the bush. "HUH?!?"
GHIN'S POV right after entering your cabin.
"What are you going to do with me?" you asked confused. She had just grabbed you without any warning though she had been careful to not disturb any of your injuries. She sighed dropping the key to the door down her shirt, making you blush profusely. Why had she done that? She'd definitely attracted your attention. "You were going to leave after you ate right?" she said raising her eyebrows. You nodded confused, why would that matter to her?
She shrugged, "I couldn't let you do that," you stared eyes wide, "not until you let me patch you up at least," she elaborated obviously seeing your bewilderment. She walked into another connecting room that you assumed was the bathroom gesturing for you to sit on the bed.
You stared after the girl who'd convinced you to eat a free meal. Kindness radiated from her very being. She smiled warmly and beautifully. You had noticed the moment she had looked you in the eyes that she was beautiful. Actually the word didn't really do her justice.
She was stunning, radiant, awe-inspiring. You just couldn't seem to put words to it. She had shoulder length blond hair that gleamed in the sunlight and large blue eyes that you felt you could drown in, blue as the sea that was your one love. And when she'd dropped the key down her shirt you couldn't deny you'd been unable to stop yourself from taking in every bit of her curvy figure.
You stared waiting for her to reappear. When she did she caught your gaze, eyes confused so you blurted the first thing that came to mind "Why are you helping me?" "Because I want to," she said with a shrug gently setting a medical kit onto the bed next to you. "By the way," she called walking back into the bathroom to grab a warm bowl of water and some rags, "You never did tell me your name…"
"I'm Ghin," you told her quietly, as she reentered. "Alright then," she said extending her hand, "It's nice to meet you Ghin. I'm Sandra." You shook it tentatively feeling electricity shoot through you at her touch. "Now I'm going to need you to take off your jacket and shirt," she said abruptly.
"HUH?!?" you sputtered nonplussed. "You have a broken rib or two do you not?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. You nodded, and reluctantly pulled of the jacket then reached for the bottom of your shirt, wincing at the feel of your ribs poking into places they shouldn't.
She grabbed your hand stopping you and gently placed it at your side. You stared at her eyes wondering, as she gently reached for the hem of your shirt tugging it off gently for you. Her fingers gently grazing your skin as she pulled sending shivers up your spine.
'STOP THIS!' you told yourself harshly, 'You're Don Crieg's Armada Commander and LOOK at how weak you're acting. You couldn't believe yourself going weak at the sight of this stranger. This girl you'd only met half an hour ago.