Sanji was up and around late the next day.

But Chopper only allowed this if he took it easy.

"You're only aloud to cook!" ordered Chopper. "And when you aren't cooking I want you resting in bed!"

"Hai, hai." Says Sanji lighting up.

"And you should quit smoking while your at it!" continued the frantic reindeer "It's not healthy!"

"Hai, hai."

"Hey are you even listening to me!"

"Hai, Hai."

"Listen to what I'm" Chopper transforms into his big intimidating human form. "TELLING YOU DAMNIT!"

Sanji shrinks with fear and surprise. "Hai. Whatever you feel is best honorable Doctor."

"Hahaha!" Zoro laughs

"Just who do you think you're laughing at Marimo head?" Sanji now pissed and up in Zoro's face. Sparks flying between them.

I go over and poke Sanji's wound. "Down boy."

Sanji winces and melts to the floor. "Hai. Nami…"

Zoro has big smirk on his face.

I Death stare it off him.

I jab a finger into Zoro's chest and walk him backwards out of the room.

"YOU, are not to be in the same room as Sanji until he's fully recovered. I'm not going to have you aggravating him and getting himself hurt so soon after he's recovered."

Zoro looks like he's going to say some smart ass taunting remark but my death stare intensifies and I raise my clenched quaking fist.

"F-fine. Whatever. " He turns and walks off.

…….

We set sail again a few days later.

Luffy demands we find good adventure right away to make up for lost time.

With in the next week Sanji seemed to be back to his full strength.

Back to fighting with Zoro and fending Luffy away from the refrigerator.

Sprits where back up.

We deiced to have a party. Just because.

Luffy and Chopper dance around with chopsticks up their noses while Ussop sings "Captain Ussop's tale of Bravery #849".

Zoro sits back drinking while Robin is now ticking Luffy and Chopper with her flower ability.

I'm sitting back watching the whole thing.

I smile.

Things are back to normal.

"Here Nami san." Sanji comes up next to me with a tray of drinks.

He still hasn't gotten out of the habit of calling me Nami San.

He picks a drink off the tray.

"Haaai. My special 'Fruit Ice Tea blend of Reverence and Admiration' 3."

I take it and smile. "Thanks." I've put in more of and effort to thank Sanji for things now.

He gives me my drink with a smile and dashes over to Robin.

"Robin -Swan! Fruit ice tea of reverence for you!"

I laugh.

He still has his flirting habit.

"Oooh ice tea!" Luffy stretching to grab a glass.

Sanji brings his heel down onto Luffy's head. "Ladies first dumb ass!"

"Thank you, Cook san." Robin takes the glass Sanji hands her.

"Don't mention it dear Robin Swan 3."

I laugh again. What a dork.

I take a drink.

It's good and refreshing. "Oishii."

I take another sip.

This time I notice something about the drink.

It has a hint of Tangerine Liqueur.

Sanji made it himself a while ago.

Bottles of it are hidden and I'm the only one that's allowed to have any.

Sanji kun.

Things are back to normal…

But things will never be the same.

They'll never be the same between Sanji and I…

How could I let this happen?

………………

Things were different now.

There's this tension between Sanji and I now.

I try my best to ignore it.

But it's always there poking me in the back of the head.

We didn't talk about the things we felt that night in my room.

Sanji won't bring up anything even though I know he wants to.

He doesn't cross the line that had been set up long ago when he first joined us.

He was a gentleman.

No mater how much of a flirting player Sanji was, he is first and for most a gentleman.

Well, ever since the line had been established, he would peek over the line, test the boundary of the line, stand directly on the line, lean against the line and say "um you know, I'm over here… on this side of the line, soo… you know if you ever… kinda sorta wanted me to come over there… some time… just, let me know okaay "

But he'd never cross it.

He would never.

Not unless I said it was ok.

Not for fear of the consequence as one may think.

He was simply that polite.

Something taught to him by his parents I'm sure.

You don't crash a party, you wait for an invitation.

He kept his respectful distance.

Waiting for me to invite him over.

But now it was much different from how it was before.

Before he liked me but he didn't know how I felt about him.

He didn't want to screw up any chance of winning me over by crossing that line.

But now everything had changed.

My secret was out.

I could hide my feelings anymore.

Now when I saw him standing on his side of the line there was no longer that feeling of someone patiently waiting for an invitation to a party.

Now it had the air of a child watching the neighbor kids play.

Too shy to go and ask to play, but desperately wishing they'd ask him to come and join.

I couldn't keep ignoring him.

Mou! Things where fine the way they were!

He worshiped me!

He was my happy little lap dog and all I had to do was pat him on the head every once in a while!

I was perfectly fine with that!

Now it's all…

Gaaah!

Why'd things have to go and change!

That stupid idiot!

This is all his fault!

I can't just ignore him anymore and blow him off anymore.

I have to do something.

I have to do something before it gets any deeper that it already is.

He's gotten in too far.