The new head chef

A lot changed when Sanji turned eight. It was sudden, but nice for Sanji surprise.

The kitchen staff were replaced by some odd people that wouldn't stop yelling and cursing in the kitchen. Sanji got very curious about the new people and their language, so he sneaked up to the kitchen one day to see what they looked like. Everyone seemed different, with the same uniform of the kitchen staff – a boring white uniform with buttons and hats. The weirdest looking one was the one that gave them orders and screamed at them when he cooked. He was tall and had a weird, wide mustache that continued down both sides of his face in the form of braids, as well as a beard on his chain. Sanji tried to stop himself from giggling at his weird, funny mustache but it was very hard.

That chef had the tallest hat in the room, it was so funny and interesting for Sanji to see. He had never seen a hat like that before, and the child inside of him got very excited. He wanted to play with that hat, but when he come to make a move, Sanji hesitated. He wasn't sure why, but this old guy with his blond hair, just like Sanji, and wrinkles, frowned and screamed all the time.

Sanji was a little scared of him, scared of what was new to him. He had never been scared by anyone before now, not even his scary father, but this new chef scared him. There was something about him, something that screamed danger and strength.

Sanji was annoyed at himself, what was he so afraid of?! Why was he afraid of some old man with weird mustache? He wasn't that intimating, just some old man that cooked for them. He was the prince, there was nothing to be afraid of, Sanji told himself. Especially not some old guy with an apron. Come on, it was just ridiculous, his brain keep telling him, and Sanji shook his head.

No, he wasn't afraid of him, and he never will be. Sanji had more power over him, and besides, he worked for him and his family so…Sanji tried to be logical, but the fear didn't go away. It bothered Sanji, and he hurried to run away from the kitchen. He wasn't sure why, but his instincts told him to run. Before he managed to slip away from the exit door, however, he felt himself get lifted up by a big, strong hand.

"Noo! Let go of me! Noo!" Sanji screamed and span his head backwards. His eyes grew wide with shock. It was the old man that was holding him and he examined Sanji from head to toe.

"What the hell are you doing in my kitchen, little brat?!" the chef huffed and frowned at him.

Sanji froze and swallowed hard. No he wasn't going to let this old man scar him. He was strong and noble, and he was the prince!

"Shut up old man, you work for me and this kitchen belong to me, not to you! I'm not a little brat, you weird mustache man!" Damn, his mouth was going to get him in trouble again, he just knew it.

All the staff laughed at Sanji's remark, but stopped immediately when the old man sent them a deadly look.

"Get back to work you scum!" he screamed, and every man went back to his position, not daring to say a word in return. Sanji didn't know what to do and the old man turned to him again, with a pissed off look that could kill.

"What did you say about my mustache, you weird eyebrow punk?! Who works for you?!" the old man yelled and glared at him with full power, challenging him to answer the insult. Sanji frowned at him. It was the first time someone had angered him so much, and the first time someone actually looked at him seriously.

A feeling he had never had before bubbled in his chest. He liked the challenge and was going to answer it fully. Damn this old man, Sanji's fear had disappeared entirely.

"My eyebrows are not weird! You're stupid old man, and you heard me! You work for me." Sanji raised his voice and puffed out his chest to look more intimidating. The old man only chuckled at him with mocking eyes, like he'd just made the more stupid joke.

"I'm working for a spoiled brat like you? Don't make me laugh kid. You're a thousand years too young to give me orders, punk. Speaking of it, you can work for me little eggplant. Since you have nothing to do with your time but wonder around my kitchen, at least be useful and clean those dishes." he said and shoved Sanji to the sink full of dirty dishes. Sanji frowned deeply

How dare he talk to me like this! He is so going to pay for this!

That was his first thought, and he refused to touch those disgusting dishes. Why should he listen to this stupid old man?! He was the prince after all, and he crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Don't tell me what to do: I'm Sanji the prince! No one tells me what to do!" Sanji yelled and sent him the most killer glare he could ever make. The old man looked straight into his eyes, and his mocking smiled grew wider. He chuckled again. Sanji hated this old man!

"So the eggplant is a little spoiled prince, eh? How cute. Well tough luck, kid, you're no better then anyone in this room. Actually you're worse, since you're such a lazy and spoiled little brat. I heard about your little pranks, and you're nothing more than a little shitty brat that cries to his mommy!"

Sanji clenched his fists: he really wanted to hit this annoying old guy, but since he was a prince, he wasn't allowed to be violent. He knew very well the punishment for been violent, and he really didn't wanted to get punished for this. Damn this shitty old man! He ground his teeth together tightly, holding himself and his anger from exploding and hitting this annoying old stupid chef. He won't let this old man win this! He would not!

"I'm not spoiled, and I'm not a brat! I never cry to my mommy: my mom never cares about me anyway! She's too busy playing with all her stupid men to care about me! I'm better than you, you shitty old man!" Sanji screamed with all his might until he didn't have any air left to breathe.

He couldn't believe himself, he just released something that he swear to himself to never talk about or think about or be hurt by it. but it just came out of his mouth in one moment, just like that, in front of this old man that he didn't even know and all the staff in the kitchen.

He wanted to bury himself deeply in the ground: he felt so ashamed. It was his secret that he promised to himself to never talk about with anyone! His head fell to his chest, and he could not look anyone in the eye.

It was his second time he wanted to disappear from this world, his first time being when his father rejected his existence.

The sadness and hurt feelings raised again in his bully. He really wanted to cry, but he never would give the annoying old man the pleasure of seeing him cry. No, never! He'd rather die right here then to let that happen! He held back his tears with all the willpower that he could muster.

The silence reverberated around the kitchen, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. He didn't say anything more or move from his position. He hated himself in that moment and his stupid mouth, which said things he didn't wanted to say.

Suddenly, Sanji heard the old man sigh deeply and he stood closer to him. He could feel his eyes on him, and, slowly, he raised his head to look back.

He didn't see pity in the old man's eyes, like he was afraid to see or attempt to comfort him. What he did see in those eyes was a challenge, like the old man wanted to test him and give him a chance.

A chance to do what though, he wondered, but he didn't have any clue. What was the old man testing him about and for what?

Sanji was glad, though, and he felt a big relief in chest. The old man was the only one that didn't pity him like he was some kind of poor child as the maids and his tutors did. He didn't try to comfort him either, which was what Sanji didn't wanted from him!

He liked challenges more than any comforting looks or words he could get from anyone else he know, so Sanji decided to accept the job and see what would happen. He wanted to test himself against this shitty old man.

Sanji give him the same challenging look. He would show him! He wasn't a brat or spoil prince, he was strong and he had a dream! Their eyes locked with each other for a long moment, until the old man gave in and looked away with a big smile on his face.

"Prove it little eggplant. Show me what you can do without your shitty status. That is, if you can even do anything…you little, fragile prince." The old man sneered with his gruff voice.

Turning away from Sanji and to the other staff that were sending him pitying looks, the old man began yelling orders again.

"I'm not fragile you shitty old man!" Sanji said in return , and started washing the dishes. He folding the silk sleeves of his silver silk shirt and hoped that he wouldn't get the shirt dirty, since he liked this shirt.

I'll show you, you stupid old man, just wait and see!

After the sun had set, Sanji finally finished cleaning all the dishes. Every time he had finished one pile of dishes, the other cooks had filled the sink again with a new, dirty ones. It had been a stressful day. When it was finally over, Sanji only wanted to go to his big, soft bed and sleep for a week. He felt so tired. His head was heavy and his hands felt cold from the water and wrinkled skin.

The old man didn't say anything after Sanji finished cleaning all the dishes and place them in order, but Sanji noticed a little pride in the old man's eyes. Or maybe he was just imagining it, he didn't know and couldn't tell what the old man was thinking. Sanji was too tired to examine him and didn't say goodbye either, he just left the kitchen with silence and sleepy eyes, yawning occasionally.

He wondered if anyone had searched for him when he was in the kitchen or if anyone had cared enough to ask him about his day, about what he was doing in the kitchen, about why he was cleaning dishes. No one came and asked him or searched for him, everyone seemed too engrossed in their own tasks. Sanji could have been depressed about it, but honestly, he wasn't. He was too used it by now, so he was only glad that no one suspected what he'd been doing today.

When Sanji reached his room, he immediately fell onto the bed on his stomach. He didn't even care if he was still wearing the blue, shiny clothed that felt uncomfortable on his skin, and his royal shoes. Sanji was so damn tired that he didn't care much for anything around him anymore and wanted to fall asleep right away. Something stopped him, although his tired mind wanted it and needed it.

From his sleep-deprived state, Sanji wasn't sure if he could think properly anymore with his mind, or if his mind was right or wrong. His mind felt so heavy and full of doubts, and these doubts were odd to Sanji, since he really wasn't sure what was it all about. The spark of a thought crossed his mind without him even wanting to know about it. Most of them he forget, since he couldn't focus or could tell what he was thinking anymore. One or two of them, though, were strong enough in his tired mind to make him take notice. He wasn't sure where this spark had come from. Was it from his mind or was it deep down from his heart?

Two things were clear to him that day. The first one was that he liked to work in the kitchen with the staff, and enjoyed feeling tired at the end of the day. He liked having something to do, something simple and clear, even if it was only cleaning dishes. It was very satisfying for him, even if it was with the annoying, grumpy, old man who like to scream and curse all the time.

The second one was that the old man's presence bothered him to no end! He wasn't sure why now, when he in his sleep-deprived state in his own room, all alone. Why did it bother him now? There was something very odd and dangerous about the old man. He knew that from the moment he saw him, and now the feeling of uneasiness was overflowing inside of Sanji.

His mind screamed that he should never get too close to him again, that he should tell someone about him, but he didn't have anyone to tell. He didn't know who the old man was, but he also didn't care! Not right now anyway, he was tired, and only wanted to sleep and forget about all of it.

So Sanji ignored the annoying alarm that decided to send away the images in his mind. He didn't really care, so he shut his eyes tightly and cleared his mind from any annoying thoughts, until sweet sleep came to take him away from everything.

TBC