A bit late but here we go for the 7th prompt! I'd like to thank everyone that left a review for the last chapter, I'm glad that it was appreciated!
Big thanks to Neko-Tiara who's really supportive of me even though we had a similar idea and a really wonderful human being, this one is dedicated to you girl~
Rating: T
Genre: Hurt/comfort
Word count: 7,617
Warnings: spoilers for the most recent chapters, amputation
If there was something you should know about the Straw Hats, it is that they were highly protective of each other. Perhaps it was because of this common feeling they all shared, thinking that each of their crew mates were all they had in this cruel world, like a ray of sunlight amidst a storm. Anyone threatening what they treasured wouldn't be treated kindly, it was all or nothing. So when the harm came from the inside, they were at a loss.
Whole Cake Island was a goddamn battlefield right now, Usopp thought. Big Mom's sons and daughters were trying to defend their home in a way, against the Germa 66 soldiers, he could give them that, and the sniper could at least find comfort in that, thinking that maybe that meant that the wedding didn't go as planned. Most political marriages were fragile and could either result in a perfect alliance or complete chaos. It was apparently the latter. However, Usopp couldn't help but shudders watching those demon-like soldiers. It's like they were soulless, fighting like machines and what if one of them had been Sanji if the cook was still part of his crazy family? He didn't want to imagine such a thing, Sanji was so kind, one of the most generous men he had ever met, with a burning and passionate soul... Not like them. Usopp shook his head, this wasn't the right time to think about that. He kept running.
He had to find Sanji. No one knew where he was. The last people that had seen him were Nami, Brook and Chopper back in Capone's body, then his retrieval team thought they had found him in those strange woods, but Nami claimed it must have been an illusion of some kind as they met Luffy's evil twin (now this is a terrifying thing to think of). The other part of the crew, including the sniper, finally made it to the island and damn, that had been tedious enough, considering the fact that the freaking Navy was here as well, gladly participating in the whole clusterfuck that was happening. Like, what the hell? What were they doing here? But they weren't the main enemies here, it was the Vinsmokes and Usopp was pretty sure Luffy and Zoro were actively searching for them in order to make them understand that no one was allowed to take the cook from them. The Germa 66 soldiers had probably got a memo or something because they attacked the Straw Hats on sight, though it was nothing they couldn't handle. Before running (or flying, depends on how you see things) further ahead, Luffy had ordered him to find Sanji. So he did.
It wasn't an easy thing, because the cook was nowhere to be found. Usopp was avoiding fighting as much as possible because he couldn't allow himself to lose more time. He got to Big Mom's palace in the middle of the island and managed to sneak around unnoticed, getting inside the sugary structure. He ran, ran, ran, looking everywhere until he couldn't run anymore and finally stopped in a quiet aisle where he could only hear echoes of the battlefield. He was starting to panic, where was Sanji? He wasn't amidst of the fight, otherwise he would have seen fire and people flying from his deadly kicks. He had to keep searching.
He started to run again, checking every – empty – rooms and in the middle of a random corridor, there was a familiar silhouette hidden by a long coat of someone walking with great difficulty, like he was trying to stand by supporting his weight with the wall with his right shoulder. Usopp swallowed, left with an uneasy feeling.
"... Sanji?"
Sanji slowly turned around. Sweat was dripping from his face, he was breathing with difficulty, his legs were shaking and Usopp had never seen him so pale. He looked dead.
"Usopp... took you a long time to find me."
"What happened to you?... What's happening? I'll take you back home, c'mon..."
"Home... I had forgotten about that..."
Usopp got closer. Now he was sure Sanji was going to collapse at any moment, but he was still standing strong. He always did. However, he surely seemed out of it, barely acknowledging his crew mate's questions. Usopp got a hold of his shoulders, more concerned than before.
"Hey, stay with me! What happened?!"
"I... Took a decision. I... Didn't want to be used... As a leverage against you all... I'm a terrible person, I'm so sorry, I did everything I could, but I wasn't strong enough, I've never been, but they would have used it against you... Please forgive me..."
Now he just didn't make any sense. But for a dazed-looking guy, Sanji seemed really serious all of the sudden, because he was crying, frantic and staring directly at Usopp, like he was trying to make him understand, but understand what? He tried to take a look at Sanji's physical state, looking down and... Oh dear god.
Sanji's arms were gone. Cut up to the elbow, both of them. Someone, probably Sanji himself, had tried to put some bandages around them, but it was sloppy work, of course it was, because Sanji's hand were fucking gone, they were gone, Sanji's most treasured possessions, his hands were his whole life and they were gone, gone, gone...
Usopp resisted the urge to throw up from the sight but also the implications of the act, because he was sure Sanji did this to himself. Sanji, the best cook in the entire world, who fought with his legs and never punched anyone, who took great care of his hands and Usopp suddenly remembered the time he went batshit crazy when a random pirate did a tiny little cut on his palm, that Sanji, had decided to cut off both of his hands instead of... Instead of what?
The cook finally collapsed against Usopp's shoulder and the latter did everything he could to support his best friend (because that's who Sanji was, the one who always supported and protected him no matter what, his late-night confident, who made little snacks for him while pretending that he only liked his two ladies and the men of the crew weren't worthy enough of his cooking). He was crying, Usopp was sure he wanted to do so as well, but he needed to be strong for Sanji. He had to. Sanji was endlessly muttering apologies against his shoulders, his voice weak and cracking, definitely delirious with pain.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I tried so hard, I did, I swear, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
The sniper put a hand on the blond head. He was at a loss, what could he do? What would Luffy said? Had they all failed in retrieving one of their own? He shook his head. No, it wasn't the right time to think about that. He needed to get Sanji out there, find Chopper, Franky, Robin, anyone, anyone that could protect him. He put Sanji's arms on his shoulders, trying not to pay attention at the bandaged ends of the limbs red with blood and lifted him on his back, putting his own hands under the cook's legs. He was heavy, but Usopp was going to carry him to the world's end no matter what.
"It's okay, I know you did. Let's bring you back home."
"Home... Sounds lovely."
Sanji smiled at him. It was the most hopeless smile Usopp had ever seen, but he took it.
Sanji didn't stop moaning endless apologies in his ears after that, even though Usopp was trying to calm him down and reassure him, but he could only do so much: the priority was to bring him back to the ship as soon as possible considering the state of his crew mate. The thing is, Usopp needed to reassure both of them, because he was literally freaking out as well, because what could he do? What if he made a wrong move and it would cost him Sanji's life? How could he live with that? At some point, the cook just passed out and although it was probably for the best, Usopp stopped running for a few minutes trying not to panic and wake him up, please don't die Sanji, we need you. That's when Chopper found them.
Thankfully, it was the doctor who was the first to witness Sanji's state because Usopp had no idea what he was supposed to do. The reindeer started shouting when he saw Sanji's unconscious form on Usopp's back, screaming so someone should get a doctor, but he went quiet as soon as he noticed the missing limbs with horrified eyes.
"Who did this, who dared-"
"He did this to himself."
Chopper suddenly wanted to cry because that didn't make sense and he had thousands of things in his mind at the moment and he could only do so much with the limited supplies available in his little bag and they needed to find Luffy and-
Stop. Sanji's life was on the line. He was his doctor and his only hope. He frowned, serious, ready to do anything for his patient and his friend. He ordered Usopp to lower him to the ground so he could give him minimal care before carrying him back to the ship. He undid the bloodstained bandages and it was obvious that Sanji had put them there himself. He tended to the terrible looking stumps, ignoring Usopp's stare. Ignoring his own desire to just look away and wish for this terrible day to be over. Then he said that he was done, helped Usopp to lift him and they ran as fast as they could. He did what he could, but he needed the infirmary to make sure that they wouldn't lose a brother again.
They found their fellow crew mates on the way, one by one, even Luffy when he was done with Big Mom, each one not believing what they saw at first. Tears in their eyes or in their hearts when they preferred to hide it, they got back to their ship, destroying everything that stood in their way. No one was stopping the Straw Hats, the smarter ones understanding and reading the rage in their eyes, a wrath directed to everyone and no one at the same time because their ennemies all had pushed Sanji in the wrong direction, it was their fault, but he did this to himself in the end. And they weren't even there to prevent it.
Chopper requested Robin's and Franky's help, locking the sick bay's door behind him. The next few hours were going to be long. Robin was a great help thanks to her devil fruit's ability and Franky despite his huge frame was able to do very precise work when asked. They worked in silence, Chopper occasionally breaking the cold atmosphere to ask them to do what was needed. They finally finished the surgery and got out of the infirmary once the wounds were cleaned and their cook safe in a bed but they didn't feel any better. The galley was silent as well, the whole crew sitting at the table, waiting. Chopper just shook his head. Sanji wasn't in immediate danger. But it was all they could be happy about.
For the next few days, Chopper spent most of his time taking care of the cook in the infirmary, never resting. Sanji was sometimes sobbing in his drugged slumber and Chopper felt even more guilty for it because there was nothing else he could do, but trying to soothe him, hoping that he would wake up soon but also fearing that moment because what were they supposed to say?
After two weeks of deliriousness and fever and cries of pain, Sanji woke up. No one knew how to react, not even the cook himself. Nodding at his crew mates' questions, he was just staring at the empty space where something should have been. Luffy was the one who broke the awkward quietness, putting his precious hat on the blond strands of hair. Then, with hugs, soft pats on his back or his thighs and whispers, they left the room, assuring him he wasn't alone to deal with this, that they understood and that no one was mad at him.
Chopper stayed. The most difficult part of his job was over, but Sanji's mental state was the next step and he didn't know where to start. What he had lost was the worst thing he could lose and yet, he did. Sitting at his desk, Chopper discreetly turned around. The cook was staring at his lost hands with empty eyes, as if he could just fix it, bring them back by staring. The reindeer got up, a cup of tea of his own making in his hooves and jumped on the white bed. He waited for Sanji to look up, and he did silently after a few minutes. He presented him the cup and Sanji weakly nodded, allowing him to pour the drink down his throat. Putting the cup on the nightstand, Chopper almost choked on a sob.
"Sanji... I'm so sorry, I swore that I would cure anything but I can't! I can't! I even called Law to try to figure something out but he said that there's nothing we can do because we couldn't retrieve your hands in the chaos! Because we weren't fast enough to get to you, you lost your treasure, we failed you and-"
"Chopper."
The doctor looked up with teary eyes and messy fur from exhaustion. It was the first time he heard Sanji's raspy and still weak voice since the last time, that time when he said with a genuine smile that he would come back. It had been a promise.
"It's okay. It... It was my own doing. You did what you could. You did a great job."
Sanji smiled at him. It was the less sincere smile Chopper had even seen, but he took it.
Chopper allowed Sanji to get out of his bed only after another week. He had to learn a bit of balance again, he was still too weak from the blood loss and well, his mental state was terrible. Especially since he couldn't do everything on his own, including eating and more intimate things and even though the doctor insisted that it was no trouble and that it was his own job, he could see that it wasn't a good thing for him. Sanji had always been a bit more independent, probably due to the way he had grown up. However, it was necessary.
When Sanji stepped out on the deck, sunlight almost blinded him, but not as much as his crew's warm welcoming. He was hiding his lost limbs with an open jacket, timidly answering to Franky's, Usopp's, Brook's and Luffy's antics in order to cheer him up. They knew his heart wasn't really there with them (yet) but he was here, alive, and that was already something.
However, Nami stepped out a bit, walking away from the small and quiet celebration. She felt so angry at everything, everyone, herself and most of all at that stupid Sanji that she preferred not to glare at him when he was trying so hard.
Because that was the whole problem she had with Sanji, a problem she always had since their meeting actually. Surprisingly, it wasn't his attitude towards women, not at all (although it could be a bit annoying, but she knew he meant well and he wasn't disrespectful because he meant every word). No, it went deeper than that, it was Sanji's whole personality that was a problem. He was an idiot. Well, everybody knew that. But a real idiot, too kind, too generous, he was an idiot because he gave, he gave, he gave so much of his own person to everyone because he had nothing else to give, he did so without thinking, even towards strangers. For someone raised by a pirate, Sanji despite his general demeanor was probably the less fitted of all of them to be one. A pirate didn't give his whole self like he did. Sanji was an idiot because he didn't realize he was destroying himself in the process and because of that the worst had happened.
She hated him. Him and his stupid smile, his stupid cuisine, his stupid eyebrows, his stupid face, his stupid gifts, his stupid legs, his stupid strength, his stupid strategic skills, everything. Above all, she hated herself for hating such a good man.
She avoided him, only glaring at him from afar, ignoring Robin's knowing looks and Luffy's pleads to go see Sanji and talk to him because the man wanted to see his ladies, of course he did. So that's what he wanted to do, right? Act as nothing happened, just like before? Great. Keep destroying yourself, Sanji, until there's nothing left, see if she cares.
She did care. A bit too much maybe.
So after two or three days of fuming in her own corner of the ship, she decided to act and cornered the cook during the morning. He was still sleeping in the sick bay because Chopper needed him to be there to take care of him daily. Sanji was already awake and in the process of standing up, bare torso covered up by bandages. He was staring at his clothes lying on Chopper's desk, courtesy of the doctor. He turned around with a surprised look on his face.
"Ah, my dear Nami, what are you doing already up at this-"
"Shut up."
"... I don't understand, I-"
"I said shut up. But you don't care about that, right? Because you're so stubborn and you don't listen, you never do, you do your own thing and you don't care about the consequences. Or you do care about what's going to happen to us, but not to you."
He stayed silent, staring at her with a closed look on his face. Waiting. And he'd better wait, because she wasn't finished, not yet. She took a few steps towards him, tears of rage threatening to fall
"You're a freaking disaster, right? Why couldn't just wait for us before deciding to... To do that?! See, I can't even say it! You did that to yourself! You're terrible, you know that?! You fucking promised to come back, and you did, but no one wanted you to come back like that! Luffy was going to do his thing and kick Big Mom's ass, but you had to do your thing! Because you're fucking Sanji and you just don't care about your well-being! We were so close to finding you, bringing you back like nothing happened!"
She forcefully pulled him into a hug, hiding her face from him. Her voice cracked.
"... Have some faith in us. When had we ever let one of us down? We're in this together."
"... Can I cry a bit on your shoulder?"
She hummed and nodded, already feeling the salty water from his eyes falling on her skin, his body shaking with silent sobs.
"My hands, Nami... They're gone, they're really gone, they're gone forever..." He was whispering.
"I'm sorry, Sanji. I'm really sorry."
They stayed like that for a bit, her gently rubbing circles on his back and on the back of his neck. When he was finally silent, she stepped back, putting her hands on her hips, staring at him with fierce eyes that made him step back as well.
"You are going to learn how to depend on your family, because that's what we are. And if I hear a protest of some kind, I swear call your father on the Baratie and I'll make him tell the most embarrassing stories about you. Or I could do worse, and I can find worse, I promise you."
He looked stunned for a moment
"I have no doubts about that, my dear Nami."
"So don't doubt me ever again. Or us."
She grabbed the shirt from the desk, forcing him to bend a bit so she could put it around his shoulders, helping him putting his bandaged stumps in it. She helped him dress up as well, ruffled his hair a bit and pushed him to the bed, ordering him to sit there. As a final touch, she grabbed the straw hat and forcibly put it on his head. He wasn't allowed to take it off, Luffy's orders. She left the infirmary, coming back with a Chopper-approved meal and started to feed him, daring him to even protest.
Sanji smiled at her. It wasn't the most genuine smile Nami had ever seen, but she took it.
For the next few days, no one mentioned the fact that Nami was always there to assist the cook in trivial things that he couldn't do without hands, always there at his sides and refusing that someone else replaced her. Hell, they weren't crazy, they all feared her fury.
Even Robin herself didn't dare try as she was amused enough watching her navigator trying to get Sanji out of his shell, because Nami's forceful intervention had had its effects on him. He was no longer trying so hard to hide his pain with small and trembling smiles that didn't fool anyone – they could see the hollow look in his eyes – and he was quiet. He didn't speak, even when someone asked him about his well-being, just shook his head. The rare times he did speak, his voice was raspy, cracking. But they weren't rushing him or even mentioning the issue. Time could only heal those wounds.
He also slept a lot more and Chopper assured them it was normal and even for the best. He seemed to want to spend a lot of time alone, either sitting next to the railing, watching the ocean when no one would look for him or in the aquarium room. Well, no one tried to bother him as they knew that Robin was keeping a constant eye or two on him. Literally. Overprotective or paranoid, maybe, she didn't mind. She had seen a lot of things in her life and she understood the kind of desperation he was experiencing, she only wanted to make sure he didn't do anything harmful. However, neither of them were fools and he probably knew that he was being watched all the time.
On the other hand, this constant observation didn't make her feel better. Past the guilt of not having been able to do anything to prevent this disaster, it was now a different kind of guilt because what could she do to ease his suffering? She was a skillful assassin, knew manipulation like no one on this ship and yet, she was unable to reach out to him. Thinking about the fact that they all did it back in Water 7 for her made it worse somehow.
Instead, she settled for soft pats of a disembodied arm to wake him up when Luffy started to shout his name looking for him, putting a blanket on his distressed form when he unexpectedly fell asleep. It was only small gestures but she felt like it was the only thing she could do. And a few days later, nearly two weeks after Sanji's awakening, she found the answer.
Today was her turn to make breakfast. It was a task no one wanted to be assigned to, as they felt they were stealing a part of Sanji's dream and soul but they didn't have a choice here. She got up fairly early this morning, spent the minimal time needed in the bathroom and entered the galley.
Sanji was already up and Robin was about to gently scold him to go back to bed when she noticed his expression. He still had that blank look on his face, standing in front of the counter, looking right at his utensils. So that's what it was.
Robin hesitated. She wanted to help as much as she could, but she feared his reaction. Ah, the cruel irony: she had countless limbs and he who needed only two had lost them. Sighing, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, concentrating. Two of her delicate arms sprouted from Sanji's own limbs, just above the cut elbows. He jumped, surprised by the sight since he didn't notice her entering the room. She patiently waited, ready to make them disappear at any moment. She was taking a huge risk with his mental stability. He seemed horrified, then scared, then puzzled, then he looked up at her, like he didn't believe what he saw. She titled her head to the side, gentle.
"Would you like some help preparing breakfast?"
She was the one assigned to such duty, but she was no cook, he was. He was the one deserving the help, not her. He swallowed, then hesitantly nodded.
It was awkward during the first few minutes. Robin didn't have his knowledge and his ease in the kitchen, but she followed him and his instructions. When he reached out for a utensil or an ingredient, it took her a few seconds to think about opening her fingers and grabbing said object. Then Sanji would move what was left of his arms, telling her what to do with her own artificial ones. The more and more they cooked, the more they fell slowly in sync like a well-oiled machine as he didn't need to tell her what to do when he tried to grab something – or more accurately, when he approached for her to grab something. The sight of their mismatched skins was something she wasn't used to and those hands were made for killing and strangling, not such a generous thing as cooking. But they managed.
The rest of the crew woke up one by one, entering the galley and they were welcomed with a gratifying sight. A regal-like meal just like before, and the two cooks, the professional and the amateur, waiting for them. For a moment, no one said anything but of course, Luffy had to tell the entire world of his love for meat in the morning by shouting (right in Usopp's ears by the way, would you please be kind enough not to scream that much at this ungodly hour, thank you) and they all sat down. Sanji was nervously waiting on the side, biting his lip.
Breakfast was hectic as usual and it rapidly got out of hands, but there was still a solemn atmosphere in the air. Luffy wasn't stealing someone else's food for once, because he surely knew Sanji wasn't strong enough to kick him. After minutes and minutes of degustation, the captain patted his stomach.
"That's what the future Pirate King's cook is capable of! Oh, please, please, Sanji, please make me that meat thing I like for lunch today!"
"That just doesn't make sense, 'meat thing', you like anything with meat in it..."
"Sanji knows which one I'm talking about! You do, right, Sanji?"
"We'll see about that, he'll cook when I allow him to! He's been out of bed for way too long already!"
Chopper got up with a scolding look on his face, pushing Sanji into the sick bay. Someone needed to help him eat as well and it was his job, but Chopper had never been really good at hiding his feelings and they could see the pride and happiness in his eyes. They all were feeling the same. Just before leaving the galley, Sanji turned around and mouthed a 'Thank you' at Robin.
Sanji smiled at her. It wasn't the most confident smile Robin had even seen, but she took it.
It was like a heavy weight that they all shared was lifted from their shoulders after that. Sanji was still acting the same, if less quiet. He was slowly learning how to be dependant on them and they all noticed the difference. Before, they didn't know anything about his childhood and now that he didn't have anything to hide, he probably felt a bit closer to them. It wasn't like he was distant like Robin used to be before the Enies Lobby disaster, but he didn't change the subject when someone mentioned his natal North Blue. He even shared a few snippets of his past, the rare happy moments he had there, especially with Usopp as they spent a lot of time together, just talking (and testing things in his workshop for the sniper).
Hearing about those stories, Brook realized that he should have guessed Sanji's past identity. Not that his path crossed the Vinsmokes', but he knew enough songs from the North to understand that sometimes, lyrics weren't just lyrics. He had heard of tales of a family acting from the shadows, and during those two years apart, he had had time to learn about what he had missed during his decades in his own. There were a few rumors about a missing child, but he had nothing to actually make a link with Sanji at the time.
For that, Brook was chosen as the second confident (not that there was an actual title) as Sanji sometimes talked about his siblings and father and his own assassin training in a small voice when they were left alone. It was something that Brook wouldn't judge him or be afraid about. He considered himself too old to actually do so and well, he had lived enough adventures and met enough pirates to know how dark this world could be.
Other than that, the whole crew didn't push Sanji into telling his whole life story. They didn't for Robin, Franky, Zoro and everyone else. If he wanted to share something, he would be listened to, otherwise no one was going to ask. It was obvious that thinking about it was painful enough. So that was why Brook was quite surprised when Sanji requested North Blue songs. The cook was having some trouble sleeping lately and honestly, no one would blame him, so Brook would always pay him a visit in the infirmary to play him something. Sanji suddenly hummed a soft tune.
"... Do you know this one? My... My mother used to sing it to me... I think. I was too young to remember. But I feel like I've always known this melody."
"I do, actually. A story about a prince who was torn apart by his duty and his desire of an adventure. A bittersweet one, but with a hopeful note."
"Sounds familiar."
"Would you like me to play it for you?"
"Please."
They got back to the sick bay and Sanji struggled with taking off his light jacket.
"Brook, I need a hand here. Or two, maybe."
Brook froze. Despite being empty, his eye sockets conveyed his feelings well and he was unusually still. Sanji just looked distant, or at least he tried to look like it. He was probably embarrassed, horrified, looking at every single thing in the room except his crew mate.
"I believe you just made a skull joke, my friend."
"I did not."
"I am clearly not mistaken, you did."
"I did no such thing, now shut up and help me!"
Sanji kicked him. It seems like he had recovered a bit of strength after all. And well, Brook guessed he kind of deserved it. The cook sat on his bed while Brook was standing up. He was already worn out. Always the gentleman, the skeleton put his hat back on his head.
"Jokes aside, I wish I could help you like our Robin is helping you. My own ability is useless for you."
"It's alright. You're already helping."
"It's a good thing to hear then, Sanji. It's also a good thing to see that you can finally joke about what happened. We might not say it out loud, but everyone is proud of you."
"Shut up."
"..."
"..."
"Oh, I know! Maybe I could detach my arm and give it to you!"
"No offense Brook, but your body is fucking creepy." Sanji mumbled, already almost sleeping.
So Brook played the soft tune on his good old violin and the cook finally fell asleep, trusting his comrade to protect him. Maybe they were going to be okay after all. They just needed a bit more time. The cook would never be totally comfortable with his loss, but making jokes meant he was getting better. He was trying.
Sanji smiled at him. It wasn't the most relaxed smile Brook had ever seen, but he took it.
Most of them didn't see Franky much these days as he was constantly working in his workshop. They didn't need to be a genius to guess why. So that's why, one morning, when Nami was helping Sanji dressing up, Franky smashed the sick bay's door open brandishing a pair of metal forearms, Sanji wasn't really surprised.
"And it's dooone! Look at those beauties! They're pretty much everything-proof, meaning that you can go and do whatever the hell you dangerous people like you and Zoro do in your spare time, you can cook, you can swim with it, just like the real deal! I even put some suuuuuper sensors in it so you can actually feel what you touch and everything. Also, I'll need to make sure they're doing their job well for the first few months and be prepared to hours of maintenance buddy. Now you just need to wait a bit before I put some skin on it and then—"
"Don't bother."
"Uh?"
"I... I want to see them as they are. As a reminder. If that's okay with you."
"... No problem bro! You want to look like me, right?"
"Don't start to twist my words, who the hell wants to look like you?!"
The next day, they started surgery with the help of Chopper. Only Franky was allowed inside the infirmary and a very loyal and diligent Usopp was guarding the door under the doctor's instructions. He didn't want anyone to disturb them, no matter how nervous they were, all sitting in the galley waiting in silence, fidgeting their legs, biting their lips, sighing every so often. The surgery itself was painful enough as they couldn't afford to drug Sanji too much when they were connecting the nerves when the metal. The man himself was drenched in sweat from the pain and the effort he was making not to scream out loud, but Franky was too focused on his precise work to apologize for it. He had experienced that kind of agony himself after all.
It lasted for a few hours, almost the whole day. At some point, Sanji had passed out, only waking nearly at the end when they were finally putting on the actual metal limbs, and when Chopper slightly opened the door, the rest of the crew barged in, almost destroying it in the process ("Damnit Zoro and your strength, pay more attention to my ship, it's my baby you monster!" "You did the same yesterday morning you idiot!" "That's not the same you dumbass!"). The cook was still in pain, it was obvious enough with his intense breathing and sweat, but he lifted a clenched fist, grinning with all his teeth.
"So, how does it look?"
Chopper allowed them to stay for the finishing work. Luffy was bouncing on the bed, cheerfully clapping and congratulating Franky's wonders. At some point Sanji cried out, surprised when Franky adjusted an inner cable and the rest of them jumped, distraught and asking questions all at once until Chopper told them to shut up, and at that Zoro was the one who promptly responded with "He's in pain."
"Nothing I can do about that really, it's the normal process, now quit staring at me like I'm not doing my own job the right way guys." Franky reproached them and deciding that enough was enough, Chopper just kicked them out because "You're all disrupting my patient!".
After a few more minutes, Franky closed the last panel and proudly patted what he considered his masterpiece.
"I wanna say 'Please take good care of them' but I don't think I need it, right?"
"No. They're hands. I promise I'll treat them as if they were the real ones. You won't have the build new ones again, I will never fight with them and... could you please stop crying?"
And no, Franky couldn't stop crying, loudly wailing about how sorry he was (they all were), how proud he was (they all were) and how many tearful songs he was going to write in Sanji's honor (well, uh, only he wanted that). But Sanji's feet were quite persuasive, so he just settled down with a forced hug. Sanji was still pale in his embrace and looked like shit, but his new hands revived the flame in his eyes and you know what, maybe they were going to be okay.
Sanji smiled at him. It wasn't the most convincing smile Franky had even seen, but he took it.
Time went by. It was already almost three months since Whole Cake Island and Nami made sure to take a calmer course. One of their most powerful fighters was down for the moment, it wasn't the right time to look for trouble. As for the other two members of the unofficial Monster Trio, well, they were starting to get restless.
All of them had had their alone time with Sanji, the latter being a little bit bolder in confessing what was on his mind. However, Zoro didn't. Talks weren't not really his thing, he didn't need words to convey his will. It was actually more Sanji's thing and that was how things worked here: Zoro was here to protect the crew from external harm and making sure that Luffy didn't lose sight of his objectives, Sanji was here to protect them from internal dangers, paying attention to each member of the crew so they remained united. That way, with the two of them, Luffy knew he didn't have to worry.
As much as Zoro was concerned for the cook's well-being (despite their usual quarrels, they did care for each other and completed each other's weaknesses), not having his sparring partner was becoming a problem. He was strong enough to protect the crew in case of an attack, but he would have to work for two and Zoro wasn't that arrogant. So, with all the delicacy he was able to show, he cornered the cook one week after his surgery.
"You, me, we spar. Now."
"... Your speech proficiency is getting worse, seaweed. Bring it on."
It was their first time getting into a physical fight in three months (it wasn't the case for verbal fights, but because Nami was always watching them, they never got out of hand) and although he would never admit it out loud, Zoro did miss them. They both landed satisfying kicks and slashes, until Zoro managed to make Sanji fall on his back. Standing above him, a sword under his chin, Zoro glared.
"And you're not doing such a great job. You know why? You're not doing handstands anymore."
At that, Sanji looked physically struck and pushed the sword on the side, looking away.
"Does it really matter?"
"Yeah, it does. Imagine what could happen if you can't be at full power. We gave you time so you could get back on your feet, but you can't allow yourself to slack off."
Sanji sighed, putting a cigarette in his mouth and ruffling his hair.
"I know that, who do you think I am?! It's just... I can still feel them sometimes, you know? Chopper said it was normal, it was called 'Phantom Limb' or something and... I don't know, I guess I'm just scared of losing it all again."
Zoro stayed silent, sheathing his swords then crossing his arms in front of his scarred chest. He finally sat down as well next to his crew mate (but still putting a safe distance between them because, duh, they were still Zoro and Sanji).
"I'm not going to give you a lecture about trusting us or having faith in us or whatever bullshit because the witch already did that."
"It still sounds like you're giving me one, but okay."
"Shut your damn mouth and let me finish. It's because you're still doubting. Not us, I know you trust Franky's hands to support you, but you don't have enough confidence in yourself and that's what's keeping you from improving and getting stronger. We'll be here in case you fall once again so quit being such a moron."
"... Wow, the seaweed can actually talk with complex sentences for more than one minute, it's a god damn miracle, people, and wow okay, I'm just joking, algae plant, just chill out."
"Get up. Show me your handstands."
"Aaaaand we're back to barking orders."
They fought for hours again, jumping around on the entire deck with Luffy cheering in the background. Sanji was still hesitant but the more they fought, the more confident he got. Some of them were watching with a smile (Robin, Brook – let's just say he smiled internally because otherwise it raised too many questions), some others were just complaining about the state of the ship (Franky, Usopp) and Nami and Chopper were ready to punch them at any time because Sanji wasn't fully healed yet. They finally sat back down on the lawn, panting with the effort.
"So tell me. How did you cut both of your arms at the same time?"
"Well, you're the swordsman here, I'm sure you can think of several ways of doing it."
Sanji smiled. It wasn't the kind of smile Zoro was used to receive from him, but he took it.
Sanji stepped out on the deck, calling them for dinner. Robin was no longer helping him, but even when she wasn't present in the room, she still gave him a little help with a disembodied arm, grabbing a plate or a frying pan and giving him a thumbs up sign when he thanked her. Old habits never died after all and she didn't forget his own cooking methods. They all sat down one by one, but Sanji was more concerned about the fact that Luffy didn't come in flying with those endless arms of his, trying to steal everyone else's share. That was not a good sign, right? Sharing a look with the rest of the crew, Sanji went off, only to find the rubber boy sitting on the Sunny's head.
"Dinner's ready, captain."
"I can see you staring at nothing, you know, when you think no one is watching."
"Uh, okay... Sorry 'bout that?"
"Nah, it's okay. I do that sometimes when I think about Ace."
"Look, I don't think we can really compare those two things, Luffy."
"Yes, it's the same, we both lost something really important to us and nothing will be the same. But look, I'm no longer sad when I think about Ace. I miss him sure, but I know he doesn't regret the way he died. Do you regret what you did?"
"... No, I don't. I used to before, because I was selfish to think that my hands had more worth than your lives. But I knew none of you wouldn't have fought knowing that I had those cuffs, so, no matter how much you all think that I was an idiot for not waiting for you, I don't regret it."
"Your hands were your treasure so they were ours as well, they were worth everything in our eyes. We failed you, Sanji, but it won't happen again. I promise."
Sanji didn't respond, but he put back the precious straw hat back on its rightful owner's disheveled hair, the precious hat the captain gave him three months ago. Luffy got a hold of the metal hand, squeezing the cold fingers shining under the moon's light.
"So you're okay now?"
"Not really. But I will be."
There was still a distant look in his eyes, an empty spot in his heart and soul. When he was alone in agony back in that cursed island, he thought he was going to die of desperation because they were gone, they were gone, you did this to yourself, you deserve the pain. Yet, the constant presence of his family at his sides gave him courage, when he thought he could never smile again. Usopp brought him back home, Chopper saved his dying body, Nami got him out of his selfish and depressed state, Robin helped him reconnect with what he loved, Brook chased the nightmares away in order to cope with everything, Franky helped him stand up strong again, Zoro gave him back his confidence.
Sanji smiled. Although it wasn't the passionate smile he had when talking about All Blue, it reminded Luffy of Ace's smirk, Sabo's gentle and confident grin, the ones that gave him the strength to defy the entire world, so he took it.
"You're smiling again. For real this time."
"Am I?"
"Yeah! Your smile is our treasure too!"
"... Don't say things like that, it's embarrassing. Go eat your dinner."
Luffy gave him an enthusiastic hug, thanked him and ran, already starting with argument at Usopp for stealing his meat. Sanji sighed, taking in a puff of his cigarette stick before throwing it into the sea. No, nothing would be like before. His silver hands were a reminder that he couldn't forget, but he was smiling, and that was already something.
Back in the warm light of the galley, they all thought about Sanji's smile and how much they worked to retrieve it. It was their treasure and no one was allowed to steal it from them.
I wrote way too much for a single word prompt but oh well, chapter 833 and 834 were terrible for my mental health like what the fuck are you doing to my baby Sanji, Oda?
Now I realize that amputating Sanji isn't a really original idea but it's one that I wanted to write about for years now, so here we go. At first I only had the idea of the snippet with Robin, but why not write something with each member of the crew? The idea here was to have them work to bring a smile to Sanji's lips~
Feedback is appreciated! Thanks to everyone that left reviews, we're almost there people!