Okay, so I know that I'm a day late, but the people following Proper Etiquette will know that I got ill and it kind of delayed the writing of everything, so sorry about that.

GUYS! The story has 100 faves! Thank you so much!

So this chapter is linked to the chapter 3 Are you sure I don't have to pay for the cake? And I wanted to go with the same theme, but take it in the opposite direction... It'll make sense when you've read it.

I also managed to incorporate a request for LonelyMuffin. I know I said it would take a few months, but it just fit so well into the story so here you go. Full request will be included in end notes.

Story set: Timeless


Only exception

People want to be celebrated differently. Some people don't like to be celebrated at all, and then some really really like to be celebrated. The strawhats had all kinds.

Sanji belonged to the category that didn't really like to be celebrated. He always felt kind of awkward when he got a lot of praise, and the attention was on him for a long period of time. He was used to going silently about on the Sunny with trays of snacks and drinks. He moved smoothly, softly, quietly, never allowing the attention to turn to him. And it wasn't that Sanji didn't like being recognized for what he did, and he liked compliments too, but that was all he wanted. A quick thank you, and a comment on how good the food was, he didn't need more than that.

Then there was Luffy. Always the centre of everything that happened. And though Luffy liked getting attention, he wasn't too fond of being celebrated either. He liked attention, he liked parties and everything that came with it, but just like Sanji, he'd rather party for someone else's sake. Which was why when someone's birthday came up, Luffy was sure to go all out.

And for the people who liked being the centre of attention, and liked being celebrated, there was no better place for them to be than the strawhat crew. And Nami knew this. It was no secret that Nami always allowed Sanji to spoil her rotten, so when her birthday came around, the chef had to figure out a way to make it as special as possible.

Sanji was up extra early for Nami's birthday, and it seemed that he wasn't the only one. Sat in the kitchen, working on something that was probably for Nami, were Robin and Brook.

"Good morning, Sanji-san~" Brook sang, and went back to his work. It seemed that he was writing something.

"Morning," Sanji yawned, it really was very early, "Would you care for some tea?" Sanji offered, he could use a cup himself, "or would you prefer coffee, Robin-chan?"

They both accepted the offer and Sanji got in the kitchen to make the morning drinks.

For some time, the kitchen was silent with the exception of Brook's humming which no one opposed to. It was very soothing after all.

"Done!" Brook suddenly exclaimed and Sanji almost dropped the knife he was holding. Sanji then looked at the skeleton, expecting to find out what he was done with, but Brook never gave an answer and just walked out of the kitchen. Sanji then turned to Robin, but she just chuckled and went back to working on some white cloth.

Sanji turned his attention back to the task before him. Breakfast. A birthday breakfast for Nami. The obvious answer would be to make something with tangerines, but Sanji wanted to do something more. In the end he made something simple. Sanji thought back to the banquet they'd had in Nami's home town, and drew on those flavours. He wanted to make something that would take her back to the people she loved, but had left behind in the favour of adventure with the strawhats. Sanji knew she never regretted leaving, but that doesn't stop a person from missing home every once in a while.

At some point Sanji heard people running around on deck, but he decided to ignore it. If they did anything wrong, at least it wouldn't mess up the kitchen.

When Sanji was almost done Franky came to inform him that they had decided to have breakfast outside, and Sanji had a few people help him bring all the food out. The crew had really gone to town with the decorations. Everywhere Sanji looked there were brightly coloured flags and lights. The grass which usually made the surface of the Sunny's deck, suddenly looked more like a flower field. There was a big banner, most likely made by Usopp, that said Happy Birthday Nami!, so now all they needed was Nami herself.

When everything was set to perfection, Robin went to get Nami, who had probably just been waiting for the celebrations to start, and so it began. Everyone was in high spirits and though they had yet to just completely lose themselves in the mood, they were just on the brink of it. As Robin sensed that a proper strawhat celebration was just about to arise, she suggested that Nami get her gifts. The strawhats rarely did birthday presents. Sometimes they'd give one big thing, or they'd just party all day long, but Nami loved gifts so why not? Her gifts ranged from everything between clothes, cartography supplies and books. Luffy offered her meat because this was Luffy and what else would he do? Zoro gave her booze, because she had forced him to buy it for her not long ago.

Robin gave her a dress she had made. It was white and knee length, and Nami quickly changed to wear it as soon as she had gotten it. Sanji was very quick to compliment both the girls on how good it looked. Brook gave her a song. At first the song was very sweet, but at some point it had turned into a praise for her wide range of panties. Sanji wasn't too sure what to feel about it, but Nami had been quick to stop the singing when it had become too much.

Sanji himself had told Nami that he would give her whatever she desired, and he was waiting for answer. And here was the kicker. Sanji knew that Nami was a sadist. He knew that she liked to make the crew suffer (not too much of course), but he liked to think that with everything he did for her, she'd spare him the pain. He was wrong.

"Sanji-kun," Nami smiled sweetly, and he was immediately by her side, but one look in her eyes told Sanji that she was scheming something.

"Yes, Nami-swan?"

"I have decided on my present," she said and she suddenly had this very weird glint in her eyes. It was a little similar to how she'd look when there was an opportunity to get filthy rich, "I want you to sing me a song."

Sanji could immediately feel his ears go red and tried to hide his face in his shirt, "Are you sure you don't want something else?"

Nami made an exaggerated gasp, "I thought you said that you would do anything I asked?"

Sanji felt his heart fall, "I will!" He said still flustered, "I will, but..." I don't want to sing, was left unsaid.

"Then sing me song," she said, still smiling like a little devil. Sanji, still trying to hide himself in his own clothes, took a step backwards. What he hadn't noticed was that during his and Nami's little 'argument' everyone had moved a little closer and he walked directly into Usopp. Caught off guard Usopp fell to the ground, and the food beneath him was only just saved by Robin. But just as Robin had moved to save the food, so had Luffy. He just happened to have been standing the furthest away from Sanji and Usopp, and had charged directly into Franky, who had then fallen and trapped both Chopper and Brook beneath him.

Sanji looked at the mess before him, "Sorry," he muttered and Zoro burst out in laughter.

"Shut up!" Sanji yelled at him and threw an empty cup after him. Zoro dodged effortlessly and continued laughing. Sanji was sure that his face was completely red by now.

"Look, now you have to sing me a song," Nami said and joined Zoro in his laughter. She was really having a good time torturing him.

Before Sanji could protest, Brook, who had escaped from underneath Franky, was suddenly playing the tune to a song which both he and Nami loved. Sanji could feel himself cracking under all the peer pressure.

And so Sanji sang. He sang and tried to pretend that no was watching or listening, when in reality everyone had moved a little closer. And when he was done they all clapped and asked for more to which his response was just going to the kitchen. Sanji didn't like focused attention, and he didn't like it when people heard him sing. Combining the two wasn't good for him.

The door to the kitchen suddenly crept open, and Nami strolled in. The redness was starting to come back to his ears and cheeks.

"I won't do it again," she chuckled, "I promise."

Sanji was about to thank her, when... "But I can't say anything for the others though. Luffy really like singing after all." She smiled brightly and went back to her celebration.

One way or the other, this crew would kill him. Sanji was sure of that.


Request by LonelyMuffin: Chapter focused on Nami wanting to hear Sanji sing. I don't know if it was focused on it, but you know that I will incorporate it into a seperate story, so yeah. Here you go.

Also, I feel like I've used this kind of ending before, but I'm so sleepy right now, so I'll check it later...

Anyways, if you enjoyed reading then please fave, follow for more and leave a review with your thoughts.