« You know I thought a lot about you »
« ...Yes? »
« Like a lot lot. 'Cause I don't wanna take you with me with all the things that'll happen. Or at least I wanted to give you the choice, as I will do the the others. 'Cause if you come you'll have to fight and you might be hurt, really hurt. On the other hand you will discover so many places and so many recipees and so many recipes and anyway you would leave one day and while you can take care of yourself - I know that- you'll still be in danger. And you might actually be hurt for real without- you know- none of us ! »
« ...yes ? » A confused and a bit wary query.
« But then I met you again -or for the first time for you- and no can do. It is inevitable. » The strawhat brat looked at Sanji dead in the eye and inconsciously made him stand straighter. It seemed all of his nonesense disappeared and let out a serious Luffy. Sanji didn't dare to swallow as he waited for Luffy point.
« I can't live without your food »
Sanji watched the menace as he served the custumers. The shitty strawhat really didn't change, neither in apparence nor in mind. He actually greeted sanji as if two years hadn't separated them, with his trademark smile that could burn planets.
Yo Sanji, it's been a while he said with so much joy and Sanji denied ever having blushed.
Then he got cornered by the old man about damages and reemployement. Sanji wasn't the only one who paled at the idea of luffy working in the restaurant again, as he wasn't the only one listening shamelessly through the door to know how long the man would stay.
One week. He didn't know how to feel about that.
And so he watched from a resonable distance the strawhat interacting with what he supposed was his crewmates : a boy with a long nose, a man with irritating green hair and two others who were currently looking after their boat. Not exactly what he expected but then again he couldn't nearly imagine what Luffy's crewmates could be.
The menace happily laughed to something the long nose boy said and Sanji saw two other waiters flinch. So when Luffy called his name across the room he didn't feel any less of a man despite the shiver that ran through him. He was beaming and waving Sanji to come while his companions were looking at him akin to interest.
He gulped and made his way to their table.
(if his heart beat faster and his eyes were brighter than usual-
Sanji would never admit it)
A few days later...
The menace was smiling at Sanji with just too much hapiness. It made his skin crawl.
« What ? » He defensivly inquired. Gin just finished eating-and crying- when he felt something prickling his mind. He looked up and saw Luffy watching them from above. He shoved his embarassement down and scowled at the meace. Luffy softened his smile.
« You're such a good cook Sanji. » He replied so honestly, his eyes so warm.
…!
He turned his back to him and scowled even more, trying to smother his creeping blush.
That's why he hated dealing with the shitty strawhat.
«...I heard a rumor you had an accident while sailing...»
Ha. An accident, as if.
« ...For you losing a leg means you can no longer fight.» Krieg smirked at the shitty old man. Sanji gritted his teeth, because only he knew. And now Krieg was here and it was his fault, again.
« You must have kept a journal of that voyage... Hand it over- »
« Rrrrrrfffh »
Everybody stilled in the restaurant then slowly turned toward the noise. The strawhat was snoring on a chair.
« Is he...sleeping ? Serously ? » One of the stunned cooks whispered.
Sanji calmly walked to the strawhat and kicked his face.
« Read the mood you shitty, shitty strawhat- »
Yes, he hated dealing with him.
« Ah, Hawkey arrived. » Luffy stated. Zoro sent him an incredulous look.
« You know him ? » Zoro voice rose. Luffy shrugged in response.
« He's Shanks's buddy. » Which didn't answer Zoro anything. Not that he expected anything else. The strawhat turned to Hawkeye.
« Oi ! Hawkey ! » Hawkeye actually faced Luffy and Zoro tensed. This was the man he searched for years, the one he must defeat.
The strongest swordman in the wold. Who now spoke to Luffy.
« Strawhat. It has been a long time. » Came the monotous reply, though Zoro sensed something almost feral. The shibukai was itching for a fight and seemed particulary interested into his...friend ? Rival ? Zoro had no clue in what the strawhat could ever be.
« Yeah, I'm visiting stuff ! It's fun ! » He laughed and Zoro had the irritating feeling he was talking about them. « I need to warn you though, since I know you like to show you awsomeness around... »
Suddenly the air felt cold, the light seemed turning black and an enormous weight was crushing Zoro's mind. He had trouble standing let alone breathing. From the corner of his eye he saw the cooks and pirates falling.
And Strawhat was standing straight facing Hawkeye with a expression so blank, Zoro would have never thought it possible on such face.
« If you kill Zoro I will end you. »
As Hawkeye slowly noded -what the hell ?- and Zoro didn't have more strength than bristling at Luffy, he considered his- his friend.
He can be scary.
Zoro was falling in the sea.
This hurts. He didn't know if it was completly from the injury though.
I lost
As he imagined feeling the water swallowing him strong arms caught him. He forced himself to see and made out Luffy smile.
« You fought well. You can sleep now »
And Zoro cried.
.
.
.
.
He promised he would not ever lose ever again.
He might have called Luffy something else in his delirium.
« Now that Dracule Mihawk left I can take over the baratie- »
« Shut up. » Don Krieg stopped his ranting at the order. The flat voice of Luffy put Sanji on edge. Actually everything about Luffy since Hawkeye's arrival put Sanji on edge. As if he was reading his mind Luffy turned his gaze on him and he tried not to show his discomfort. Luffy smiled.
« Sorry, I am a little upset today. Can you handle Gin ? I'll take care of Krieg. » At Sanji's nod Luffy walked toward the king of east blue.
« Isn't he going to get killed ? » One of the remaining cooks asked.
« No he's... » Sanji couldn't finish his sentence. He didn't know what to say. Further Krieg was throwing insults at Luffy.
Hey Sanji, won't you sail with me ?
« ...What a scawny brat like you, you are nothing ! I will kill you- »
« Shut up. » Luffy simply said. « Even if I was weaker than you, I still wouldn't be afraid. »
« -take that ! » Krieg roared while throwing bombs. It projected the sea in the air and hid Luffy. Krieg raised his shield and shot pikes where the strawhat was. The Baratie crew gasped and screamed at Strawhat. Sanji watched.
Luffy was intact and still walking.
Krieg was stunned like the rest for a moment then pulled a gun from his sleeve. He filled the air with fire until Strawhat could not be seen again. He smirked.
And when the smoke was swept Luffy was still there, inact and walking. The cooks and the pirates were dazed alike.
« Who- who are you ? » Krieg asked with only a slight tremor. « You must be using tricks, no one that strong would be there ! »
Moron, it's not possible. I've got a duty here.
Strawhat kept walking. Krieg pulled out a sprear -and where did that come from?- and tried to slash him on his deck. His adversary merely rose and arm. The spear broke in two and exploded on the side.
Krieg took a step back. Then he pulled an armor covered in spikes.
« See if you dare attack me now- »
« Are you afraid of death ? » Strawhat interrupted him again. Krieg snarled back.
« I am not going to die in such pathetic place ! »
« And if you lose ? »
I know, but if you decide to leave one day ? Would you ?
« Then I will fight again ! As long as I live I can win ! » The giant pirate retorted with a maniac smirk. Luffy grinned back.
« That's a good answer. »
Then he punched him right in the armor and Krieg crashed into the mast. A moment later he dropped on the wooden floor, unconscious.
And Sanji just breathed.
...Yeah, I'd like to come with you.