Author's Note #1: I know I said I was back and I haven't updated, but to be fair, I haven't updated like ANYTHING while I was gone. Um... Don't own One Piece. Got to Punk Hazard ... Law is awesome.


one, two, three
by: Setkia


prompt #7: eternity

length: 465 words


Two years. It had only been 730 days since he had last seen his captain. Perhaps had it been a normal two years, he wouldn't be as relieved as he was but those 104 weeks away had been absolute hell.

The captain had changed. Everyone had changed, but the one standing in front of him was the biggest by far.

"Where the fuck is your eye?"

"The fuck is up with your eyebrows?"

It was like two years of arguments had built up to this moment. So much so that Sanji felt like he was on fire. The marimo had only his hair and his scowl in common with his former self.

Sanji didn't like to exaggerate, but clearly, he had changed drastically. He wasn't sure if he'd call it a negative thing, but he supposed environments caused such a large difference.

One thing remained the same though.

"You're paler!"

"You're harrier!"

"Your forehead got bigger!"

"Your eyebrow is swirly-er!"

"How the hell did you get here first?"

"Why is your nose bleeding?"

Sanji backed up a moment and gently touched his nose. Pulling his fingers away from himself, he saw red on the tips of his hands. His eyes widened in surprise.

It felt like forever since Sanji had seen a woman, but more importantly, seen a man who dressed like a man and acted like a man. Zoro was manly. That was a fact. Sanji was pretty sure he didn't lose anything in saying that.

He had missed many things while he was away. Nami-chan, Robin-san, of course, but also the way the idiot's forehead throbbed when he got pissed. The way he'd lash out and his voice would raise a bit higher when he got more unreasonable and started yelling at him. The way he'd claim the ground had moved and it wasn't his fault the port changed location.

In all honesty, Sanji had missed Zoro.

Though they butted heads, Sanji was pretty sure Zoro was his best friend on the crew. They were closest in age and had each shared their own personal, traumatizing stories with one another. Though not all knew of Sanji's dreaded time on that island, Zoro did. And Sanji was pretty sure Zoro had never spoken a word about Kuina before to anyone other than him, if not perhaps Luffy.

Perhaps Sanji had even missed Zoro most of all.

His best friend, his rival, and his equal.

But he'd die before he told him that.

"We gotta find the captain, Shit-Cook."

"I'll lead, you'll probably get us lost."

"OI!"

Sanji chuckled.

"The hell, Curlicue?!"

"Nothing," Sanji said, lighting up a new cigarette and tasting it on his tongue. The first cigarette of many in the presence of friends once again. "Let's go."

It's good to be back.


Author's Note #2: The thank-yous!

Pinapples: Yeah, I've just gotten into the habit of asking questions. Hope you've checked out Beautiful Disaster then.

Ashlielle: Um ... dun dun dun?

HokkyouNoOkami (x2): Luffy drinks. Occasionally. Yup, I'm working on updating.

Okay, question ... question ...okay imagine real life situation, there's a fight amongst the Straw Hats, but like, real life. So no Devil Fruits, and I'll say Franky's like ... part robot, but not to like the extent he usually is. Also, consider that Nami's ClimaTact would've been able to do much, it'd be more like a giant staff that occasionally makes wind by moving it quickly. So real world application onto the Straw Hats, who would win in a fight?