Hey guys, I just wanted to say thanks for all the favorites and watches, I'm really glad you guys like the story so far :) Now here's chapter 2, Sanji's perspective. Next one will be smut, so stay tuned, kay? :P I hope you'll enjoy it! (and review if you have the time? Pretty please?)

Into Faith And Thought

02 – Sanji

They were running, he and the shitty marimo, in a unison they only ever managed where Luffy was involved.

"All that noise... It's gotta be him", moss head pointed out the obvious in that obnoxious way of his – and damn, Sanji had not missed that, not at all –, but the almost giddy undertone in the swordsman's voice made it impossible for the cook to give a scathe remark. Mostly because he could feel that same stupid grin forming on his own face.

Luffy.

Just thinking that name made his nerves flutter with excitement. Yes, Black Leg Sanji was happy, truly happy, to see his shitty captain again. Even though his stack of food supplies would probably not live to see tomorrow and Sanji would have to make six instead of three meals a day again – he secretly loved it anyway – he could not remember the last time he had felt this excited. After all the uncertainty and doubt of the last two years (What if they didn't make it? What if something happened? What if, what if, what if-) he needed to see, he just needed to make sure.

Because that picture still haunted him.

That look on Luffy's face as he held his hat to his chest. Staged as it may have been the pain was still real. It had filled Sanji with regret so deep that he couldn't even breathe as he took in the silent grief etched into his captain's features. It had pulled at his heart in a way that had made his eyes water and his chest hurt. It had also made him seek out the Okama Queen for the first and only time during his 'visit' in hell.

Sanji had stood across from Ivankov, panting heavily from his run to the queen's mansion. As expected the okama had looked surprised to see him there.

"You here? Are you done running away already, candy-boy?"

"I have a question", Sanji had changed the subject brusquely, clutching the newspaper he'd still held between his fingers. Iva's eyes had followed the movement and widened subtly in understanding. He'd still had to ask though, just to piss Sanji off.

"And what might that be?"

Sanji had sneered, seeing right through the bullshit but still playing along. He'd wanted answers after all. "You told me that you met him there. At Impel Down."

"Ah", Iva had sighed as he leaned back in his chair, acting surprised. "You mean Mugiwara-boy..."

"Yeah, him", Sanji had snapped, waving an arm in Iva's direction. "What happened back then? I need to know!"

The okama queen had dramatically hidden his ginormous face in one hand, shaking his head in regret. "Oh my. Trust me, he would not want you to hear this."

"I know", Sanji had huffed angrily. "That's why I'm asking you to tell me!"

The look Ivankov gave him after that was pure ice. "And that's exactly why I can't tell you! Listen, Sanji-kun. I don't know why he survived after all the damage he took, but I know that his will to live is extraordinary. So stop worrying about him! He's the son of Dragon after all! Yeehaww!"

Sanji hadn't even looked up when the okama struck his customary pose, his dark expression hidden behind his fringe. "He almost died, didn't he?"

Iva had looked at him for a while, assessing his seriousness and deciding to honor him by not sugar-coating things. "Yes."

He remembered the trembling of his fists as he had turned away to leave until Iva had called him back.

"Sanji-boy!"

He had stopped, still facing the door.

"I want you to listen well to what I am about to say right now", the okama had spoken up, an unusual graveness to his tone. "You couldn't have prevented anything. Not. One. Thing. Not the war and most definitely not his brother's death. It was his own decision to take part in it all and he doesn't blame any of-"

"I know."

Iva had stopped and looked on in surprise as Sanji had turned to face him again, smiling. "He'd never blame any of us, that's not his thing. Still, there's no time for me to waste! I'll have to get a lot stronger!"

His smile had dropped as he'd left the queen to his own thoughts, crumpling the newspaper in his fists as he went. And with each tear he swallowed back a new resolution had formed in his mind.

'Never again', he'd told himself. 'I never want to see him like that... ever again.'

"OOOOOIIII!"

Sanji's head whipped up as the familiar voice pulled him from the dark memories, drawing a huge smile onto his face. Apparently Luffy hadn't wanted to wait for them to catch up with his chaos and decided to meet them halfway. And he looked good. Nothing at all like the picture from two years ago.

Thank God.

Sanji closed his eyes against the happy tears threatening to well up – What would the marimo think? – but couldn't keep his relieved laughter from escaping.

'Back then we weren't there', he thought as he greeted his enthusiastic captain, unaware that Zoro was echoing his sentiments at the exact same moment. 'But when the time comes, we'll make it up to you.'

TBC