AN: Grr, last chapter was so angsty, I considered changing a catagory to angst.

But, the big theme is how Sanji's friends(eventually) help him deal with difficult issues. (so far, they ain't been too helpful, but it's still the major theme.)

Oh noes! If I give up humor, then I will die! dies Noooo!

Sanji's Troubles

Chapter Nine

Sanji stared at his ceiling, freaked out beyond belief.

It was dark, and peaceful, a warm, summery night. But he still couldn't sleep, and everything made him feel nervous.

If they don't trust me...

How can I trust them?

They aren't above hurting me. I know it. They'll come for me. Sanji sat up, and bit his nails- wait! They were all nibbled down. He sighed and bent down, to bite his toenails. He was afraid. So afraid and lonely.

And so dang tired he could hardly see straight.

He banged his head hard on the bed frame. Crap!

Again he thought about what had happened. If he had a chance to do it all over, would he have been able to resist picking up the stub? Even if he knew it would light him on fire and make his whole crew distrust him?

Probably not.

It was sad but true. Sanji would not have been able to change his past. Even if time machines were real.

Dang it. If he ever survived all these physical and mental assaults on his person, he would seriously make an effort to smoke less. Ok, a little less. Like, maybe only one pack a day, instead of the usual five. No, one was too few-

Grrr.

Sanji stared up at the ceiling, eyes wide and vacant. If he was in charge of his life, right now, a gorgeus girl(Nami perhaps, or maybe that customer Roxxanne) would be bringing him a huge pack of tobacco.

But he wasn't in charge. He couldn't even control his own actions, apparently.

Sanji stared up at the ceiling, face pale and lonely, bright in the dark room.

A knock on the door startled him, and he decided not to answer. Must be Them. Come for me, I expect...

The door opened and Luffy strode in, acting like he owned the place. "Sanji! Sanji!"

"The hell?!"

"I'm scared! My room is really really dark and I hear freaky noises from downstairs!"

"Freaky noises? Probably stupid marimo getting himself drunk. Go to sleep."

"B-b-but Sanji! It's too freaky!"

Sanji banged his head on air.

He wasn't in the mood to drag Luffy to the kitchen and show him the idiot swordsman drinking over eight hundred barrels of grog. Or in the mood to take Luffy back to his room and "tuck him in." Gawd, Luffy was seventeen, wasn't he?

That left one option. Crap!

"Luffy, if it's really all that scary, you can sleep in my room for a little bit."

"YAAAY! SLUMBER PARTY!"

"Shut up! A LITTLE BIT only!"

Luffy hugged Sanji and said, grinning, "Move over!"

"..."

"What?"

"..."

"Did I say something?"

"..."

Sanji was about to explain that certain members of the crew would be most shocked that the captain ran around sleeping in random people's rooms, let alone in their actual beds, when he sighed. He was tired. Too tired to do anything about Luffy, who hummed a hyperactive song that jumped around on the scale insanely, and lay down next to Sanji, squishing him into the wall, giving him no room whatsoever.

But not too tired to apologize.

"Luffy? I'm sorry I... I found it on the deck. Really! Really truly... please believe me!"

"Of course I believe you! You'te my favorite chef on the whole ocean! Well, good night!" Luffy yawned and squished Sanji even closer on to the wall, and started snoring louder than Sanji would have believed humanly possible.

No wonder Zoro, who slept across the hall from Luffy, went and got drunk all night.

"Good night, captain." Sanji tried to get out from the wall, and curled up.

Maybe there are some easy answers.

END.

AN: How is this one? Poor Sanji. My brother has done that to me, and at two in the mornin' you just ain't in the mood to tell them to get the hell away from your room.

Remember, no matter how much all you slashy lovers beg, I'm keeping this a FRIENDSHIP fanfic.

:D

Reviewers get to squish Sanji against a wall until he's the desired flatness.