Here we go, another chapter for you! I'm glad the last one was so well received - I hope this will be as well, though again, I'm not entirely happy with it.For people hoping to see Ace and Sanji get together, this chapter throws a spanner into the works - a Nami-shaped spanner! Aren't I cruel? Also, the idea of NaVi is mentioned, but those of you who've read my profile will know I think of this as an established fact.
Read on...
The lull in the Strawhat's adventures after Alabasta was all too brief but, to Sanji, very welcome. Not that he was a coward, of course, there was no one who would dispute that; except perhaps Zoro, and he wouldn't really have meant it. Still, fighting was dangerous, not to mention exhausting, and it was good to have time to just kick back and relax for a while. And also, while he missed Vivi-chan as much as he would have missed any of his nakama, her decision to stay in Alabasta renewed his hope of winning over his darling Nami-san. He had been sure, absolutely sure, that he had been on the brink of getting somewhere with her before Vivi had appeared and she had – quite understandably – fallen for the sweet-natured, doll-like young Princess. If Sanji hadn't been such a gentleman he might have been jealous when Vivi reciprocated her feelings. As it was, he had just tried his best to be unselfishly happy for his Nami-san, though he didn't leave off flirting with either of the girls; it was too deeply ingrained in his nature. He was only human after all. And now, with Vivi safely ensconced in the royal palace, there to stay, why should Nami-san not fall for him? Plenty of people were bisexual, after all, and he was certain she had given him the odd sign that she felt something more for him than she felt for her other nakama – there had to be something in that "Sanji-kun". Therefore, while Nami tried hard to reconcile herself to the loss of her first love, Sanji re-doubled his efforts to capture her heart. Sanji was nothing if not optimistic. Only the closest of observers would have noticed that, while he appeared to be just as besotted with Robin, with her he was really just going through the motions from force of habit. In actual fact the older woman's air of sophistication and mystery quite frightened Sanji; it made him feel very young and inexperienced, which he didn't much like. On top of this, though many people would have laughed in scornful disbelief to hear it, Sanji really believed that he loved his Nami-san.
Sanji barely spared a thought for Ace after he left them until one very rainy day when they were all sitting in the galley – which always seemed far too small at times like these. Sanji was preparing that evening's dinner and Luffy was Dying of Boredom, and had been all day. He was driving his nakama insane. He had irritated Zoro almost to the point of justifiable homicide (in Zoro's opinion), broken whatever it was Usopp was building, pestered Robin to read her book to him then protested that it was boring after three sentences and repeatedly attempted to steal Chopper's freshly-made Rumble-balls, labouring under the delusion that they were good to eat. Now it was Sanji he was driving up the wall, by trying to steal food. Sanji managed to put up with it for twenty minutes until, trying to prevent Luffy from dislodging the slices of fruit he was arranging on top of a cake for Nami-san and Robin-chan, he slipped with his knife and cut his finger.
There shortly followed a resounding crash as Luffy was kicked against the opposite wall, offset by Usopp jumping up and down like a hyperactive rabbit, shouting that he was not a shipwright.
"Oh, why can't you be more like your brother?" Nami burst out suddenly. She had thus far escaped being directly involved in Luffy's quest for amusement; he still had a sore spot from where she had hit him the last time he had been Dying of Boredom and had drawn goldfish all over one of her maps.
"What's Nii-chan got to do with it?" Luffy asked plaintively, rubbing the part of his rear that Sanji had kicked.
Nami sighed. "Well, if he were here, he'd probably be laying the table or washing up, or doing something to make himself useful, instead of just being a nuisance."
"But all that stuff is boring," said Luffy, while picking his nose.
"Ace didn't seem to mind, while he was here," Nami pointed out.
Zoro chuckled. "He wouldn't think it was boring though, would he? Not when it's for San-" he was silenced by a dig in the ribs and a glare from Usopp.
Sanji was about to inquire as to what the Hell shitty Marimo was talking about, when Chopper, who had finished seeing to his cut finger, asked: "When is Ace-nii-san coming to see us again, Luffy?"
"Dunno," said Luffy, as he finally stopped investigating the contents of his nose. "All I got from him is that piece of paper."
"I expect he'll come again soon, Doctor-san," Robin smiled at the little reindeer. "He probably misses his little brother."
Zoro chuckled again. "More like he misses San-"
"Zoro!" hissed Usopp, warningly.
Sanji looked at them both with narrowed eyes. "Just what are you guys getting at?"
"Nothing," they both said, rather too quickly.
Fortunately for them, Luffy created a diversion by finally achieving his earlier goal of swallowing a Rumble-ball. Thankfully he didn't ingest it – it went down the wrong way – and by the time Chopper had Heimlich-ed it back out again the moment had passed for Sanji to find out what Usopp and Zoro had been looking so shifty about.
Later that night, Sanji was sitting up in the crow's nest on night watch. The rain had died away to an unpleasant drizzle and a chill wind was blowing, but he had an umbrella against the rain, a blanket against the wind, a thermos of tea, cigarettes, and everyone else was asleep in their cabins. Sanji liked these watches, they gave him time to think. Something he had precious little of on the Going Merry. He liked his privacy. On the Baratie, as assistant head chef, he had had a cabin to himself but here on the Going Merry he hardly ever seemed to get any time alone – even when he chose to sleep in the galley instead of in the men's quarters, there always seemed to be someone creeping in for a midnight snack or a glass of water. And during the day there was never any peace, especially when the weather was like this and Luffy was Dying of Boredom. Casting his mind back over that earlier scene in the kitchen, Sanji was reminded of Zoro's peculiar, half-finished comments. What had he been getting at? About Ace missing him… Sanji would just have dismissed it as Marimo talking bollocks, if it hadn't looked like Usopp knew something about it as well. But what cause would Ace have to miss him in particular? Sometimes Sanji didn't understand his nakama… As he puzzled over their remarks, he realised, with mild surprise, that he actually quite missed Ace. Funny that, to miss someone he'd known such a short time… Forgetting how morose and silent Ace had been at times, Sanji found himself wishing that they could have enjoyed a little more of Ace's quiet, courteous company and his intelligent conversation, which made such a welcome change from his brother, or Marimo. And as Nami-san had reminded them earlier, it had been nice to have someone around who was willing to do the washing up. He had noticed she didn't offer to do it herself… Not, of course, that he would ever expect his Nami-san to lift a finger in the kitchen. Still, it had made a nice change having Ace washing up and laying the table without being asked. Sanji laughed to himself; Ace would make a great husband. He wondered if there was a special girl in Ace's life. He hadn't mentioned one – but it just seemed wrong to Sanji that Ace could be single. He was such a catch; second in command to the most powerful pirate captain on Grand Line – which, apart from anything else, meant he must be loaded. A formidable and intelligent warrior, but also polite, good-natured, kind to small children… and bloody good-looking! He ought to be beating girls off with a stick. Still he was only twenty. Sanji did wonder for a moment whether Ace was gay, but dismissed the thought. Lots of pirates were gay, Sanji had known a few on the Baratie. Ace didn't look the type to him. Sanji yawned, stretched, stubbed out his cigarette butt; it was none of his business why Ace was single anyway. The sun was beginning to rise. Good. Marimo's turn on watch. Sanji smiled as he climbed down the ladder, trying to decide what would be the most unpleasant way to rouse the swordsman from his slumbers.