Chapter 1

Among his people

As he hurried back into his galley, Sanji glanced at the clock before frowning. The crew's lunch would be in a little less than two and a half hours now, and yet he still had more than half of the food to prepare.

The blond shook his head before setting his now empty tray on the worktop, quickly heading to the fridge to pull out his ingredients. Despite getting ahead this morning because he got up at dawn, he would need to be efficient if he wanted the meal to be ready on time. He simply hoped that the snack he had just left for his friends would allow them to wait without too much inconvenience…

Immediately grabbing the seafood he had collected earlier, Sanji noticed that it would still be necessary to fish in the next few days. Indeed, although the inhabitants wanted to be more than generous towards their liberators, the fact remained that none of the Straw Hat pirates wanted to see them restrict themselves with the food they could finally eat. As a result, the blond had made it his duty to cook the victory feast in addition to a hearty breakfast for all those who had come to say goodbye to them that morning.

Sanji had given special importance to his preparations and the radiant faces of his guests had rewarded him for the exhausting hours he had been spending in the galley for three days. Tama and Toko's tears had particularly touched him and he had made large bentos for the two girls before their departure. They had widened their eyes in wonder upon discovering the perfectly ordered sophisticated delicacies in their box and the new ruler of Wano at their side had been almost jealous.

As he arranged his now cleaned shellfish on a large platter, Sanji suddenly froze in annoyance. A single platter of seafood as a main course was a somewhat simplistic preparation despite its size and the undeniable quality of the products he had selected. There were a thousand and one ways to sublimate them and showcase their finesse. Sanji quickly reviewed his possibilities. He could turn it into a bouillabaisse by adding the crayfish and prawns he had reserved for dinner. He could also gratinate seafood by coating it with fresh vegetable sauce, a delight for the taste buds as much as for stomachs still heavy from previous meals. He also had the time to make some roasted lobsters for the greediest among them…

Sanji looked up to check the time again, and his decision was made. He didn't have a second to lose.

On the sunny deck of their ship where she was enjoying her still warm herb blinis, Nami looked up at the railing, annoyed. "Where's Luffy? He made a scene to go back to sea and as soon as we weighed anchor he wanted to stop again! If he finds another way to cause trouble when we have just pacified this country, I'll personally take care of tying him to the mast until we leave!"

The young woman turned dryly a new page of her magazine from the deckchair where she had settled. Like most of the other members of the crew, she would have liked to enjoy the company of her new friends on Wano more, but their captain had been intractable, arguing that they needed to continue their journey. After heartbreaking farewells, the Sunny had therefore sailed away from the coast towards the falls that Luffy absolutely wanted to take again despite their dangerousness and Jinbei had settled behind the helm to guide them carefully. However, even before they reached them, the captain had shouted to stop, spotting the Kidds and Heart Pirates boats moored a little further.

The two captains hadn't shared the festivities and had moved away quickly with their crews, uncomfortable amid the expressions of joy and appreciation of the inhabitants. Everyone had assumed they had already left and no one had cared to know what had become of them, not even Luffy. Yet as soon as they had been in sight, the straw hat boy had propelled himself to charge in their direction while his crew took their troubles patiently on the Sunny. Fortunately, the climate on this side of the island was rather mild and allowed them to enjoy the pleasant air to heal their still largely visible wounds.

Not far from the navigator and focusing on fixing his kabuto against the railing, Usopp soon turned his head towards the coast while adjusting the bandages that partially covered his chest. "He's still with Law and Kid near the forest. They're… talking, I guess."

"It seems lively," Franky confirmed, leaning beside him.

"Is our captain looking to extend their alliance?" Brook inquired, approaching in turn with a cup in hand.

"Regarding the Kidds pirates, we can't say that there was ever an alliance," Chopper pointed out to them, checking Zoro's still raw wounds while the fencer was sitting against the mast.

"And since Law achieved his goal by bringing down Kaïdo, I don't see why he'd continue to follow us," Usopp sighed, grabbing the cigars of cheese and dill pancakes that Sanji had given him. "Too bad, he has a rather reassuring strategic side compared to Luffy…"

"Not that he ever managed to hold him back," The redhead muttered, looking at her maps now.

"Law-bro was super stressed most of the time!" The cyborg nodded.

"Everything will depend on his next objective and it seems that in this regard, our captain is no stranger to it," Robin chimed in, pouring herself another cup of tea from the small table set up on the deck.

"What do you mean?" The little reindeer wondered.

Satisfied with the state of the swordsman's wounds - who had resumed polishing his swords - Chopper hoisted himself up onto a chair beside the archaeologist to grab his own snack, crispy goat cheese and honey lollipops.

"Trafalgar Law is interested in the fate of the D," She told them.

"Oh. It makes sense since he is one himself," Nami admitted.

"How do you know he cares?" Usopp asked, frowning.

"A few days ago, the captain of the Heart pirates asked me if the mention of these people appears in the poneglyphs."

"Are they?" Jinbei asked her, sitting on the Sunny's grass in order to meditate.

"People with extraordinary destiny are mentioned without more precision," The young woman answered.

"Roger was a D and Luffy is too. Let's hope that he'll stay around then!" Usopp deduced with satisfaction.

"Beyond their name, this dear Trafalgar Law may have an additional reason to stay close to our captain," Brook said suddenly.

When his friends turned to him with curiosity, the skeleton delicately pointed out the beach on which the three captains were still chatting. Following his gaze, the Straw Hat pirates could see the first of them wrap around the surgeon of death and kiss him full on the mouth, threatening to make Law fall under the impact of his kiss.

The jaws of his crew members dropped in surprise and most of them rushed for the railing when a second later, Luffy burst out laughing. He was still clinging to the doctor who seemed petrified in shock. Not far from them, Kid abruptly took a step back, visibly frightened at the idea of suffering the same fate as the captain of the Heart pirates.

Nami sighed. She didn't hate the former Warlord. The man had proved to be a useful and loyal ally in crucial moments, but his almost permanent cold stone attitude didn't make him that likable either. "Now, for sure, we'll see him again…"

"I didn't know Luffy could feel this kind of thing," Usopp noticed, flabbergasted.

"Our captain has always been full of surprises," Brook marveled.

"This is super!" Franky got enthused.

"I don't know if his interest is mutual," Chopper noted with concern when he saw the Heart's captain dismember the elastic boy thanks to his room, looking furious.

"Trafalgar Law appreciates discretion as much as subtlety and unfortunately for him, our captain isn't the most gifted in these two fields," Robin agreed, still seated at the table where she was sipping her tea with a smile on her face.

"Shouldn't we intervene?" Jinbei chimed in. He cast a concerned glance in the direction of Zoro who hadn't moved from the mast.

"It's all right; it's not a rejection like that that's gonna stop Luffy," Nami wanted to reassure him, shrugging as she turned away to go back to her deckchair.

"No, I mean… Shouldn't we defend our captain when he gets attacked?" The fish man clarified.

"Don't worry, bro, Luffy's super tough!"

"He fights his own battles," The archaeologist added.

"I wonder if Law isn't the most to be pitied." The little reindeer sighed while Luffy's cut legs tried to escape the edge of the sword that was pursuing him.

"Our captain is a particularly relentless man who has the gift of convincing even the most obstinate of them," Brook approved quietly while bringing his cup to his lips to better enjoy the show.

"Anyway, that's Law's problem now," Usopp summed up as he resumed his task.

Around him, the rest of his friends nodded.

Lunchtime had barely passed ten minutes when a totally unusual silence came over the crew in the galley after the cook had invited them in. No noisy conversation or even a single word exchanged as they crossed the threshold, not even a shout from the captain, although Sanji was sure he had recognized his footsteps despite his back turned in order to prepare his last plates. An unexpected lull that was all the more puzzling given its rarity and that the blond immediately worried about, forgetting his decorative herbs to turn to his crewmates.

"What's going on?"

His friends seemed lost in the contemplation of the room, yet they knew it by heart, and the cook felt nervousness squeeze him in front of their thoughtful or feverish faces. Even Zoro seemed absorbed in the intensity of the moment if he judged by his pensive gaze on the galley walls and Sanji searched Jinbei's face who was as surprised as him. Sanji then cast a glance around him to try to understand what he could have done to trigger such a reaction but he didn't detect anything. Apart from the dishes he had just made, he hadn't touched anything since their return. He himself had simply taken off his kimono to put on his usual clothes, like his friends, and he examined himself to check his appearance.

Finally, Brook broke the silence. "There's nothing like coming home after a long absence…" His crewmates nodded around him and Sanji watched furtive smiles lighten their faces a little.

"It's been so long since we've been together here to have our meals," Usopp whispered. He looked at the furniture, which hadn't changed, "I feel like I'm stepping back in time…"

"It's only been a few weeks but it seems so long ago," The cyborg admitted.

"Since Dressrosa, we haven't enjoyed the Sunny all together," Chopper remembered, getting choked up.

"So much happened in such a short time that it seems like an eternity," The archaeologist quietly agreed at his side.

"I almost thought it'd never happen again," Nami whispered in turn.

At these words, the cook bit his lip. He suddenly felt really stupid for not having anticipated this symbolic moment. So far, they had eaten and drunk among samurai, Minks and Wano people both in the Flower Capital and on the beaches of Kuri, but the crew had never been alone in the galley to eat… Its members had always been surrounded by one or other of their new friends even to carry their cook's dishes outside and it was only today that they realized how much this ingrained habit had long since disappeared.

A shiver ran up his spine and Sanji looked down for a second. In addition to all the battles the Straw Hat pirates had fought to save their lives and defend those of others since entering the New World, the blond had added another ordeal. He had deprived his friends of the support they always found among themselves. Indeed, when Sanji had decided to leave, he had separated the crew at a critical moment. So the emotion he was now perceiving was also due to the fact that his absence had been particularly painful considering their usual unity and the force that each had always derived from their group.

Luffy placed his hands on his hips among his friends and made his way forward. He then warmed the atmosphere with his huge smile.

"It's so great to be here!"

"The food looks delicious."

Jinbei's heartfelt statement roused his crewmates from their emotion and their eyes widened when they paid attention to the mountain of dishes set behind the cook who still faced them.

"There's enough for an army!" The sniper greedily exclaimed.

"That looks super good, bro!"

"Just seeing them, my mouth is watering and yet, I have no mouth! Yohohohoho!"

"Let's eat!"

Luffy rushed to the table, jostling his crew as he passed, and Sanji finally snapped out of his torpor. "I, uh, I won't be long." He quickly turned towards his plates and everyone quietly took a chair, savoring the joy of being together around an excellent meal made by their cook.

The first courses were quickly served and immediately, the conversations naturally resumed between the crewmembers.

"What's our next destination, Nami?!" Having already devoured several slices of fish rillettes and shrimp cassolettes, Luffy was stamping with impatience, as much about the food he was going to swallow as his navigator's response.

"There are several small islands listed not far from Wano but they're sparsely populated so I don't know if we can really stock up there," The redhead answered. "The next medium island on which we can count won't be in sight before several weeks so it'll be necessary to watch the stocks carefully."

"It's bad luck," Zoro mumbled as the straw hat boy stretched out his arm to steal a roast lobster Sanji was about to put on the table. "Sunny was already mostly empty when you came back and what little there was was given to the inhabitants."

"They needed it more than us." Chopper sighed, thinking of the villagers' tears of gratitude when he offered them a simple crate of apples, "They have access to food now but their country needs to be completely rebuilt…"

"I could dive as soon as the waters are calmer and bring back some fish," Jinbei suggested.

"I fished a little this morning but it may not be enough," The blond approved, giving him a magnificent lemony sea bream.

"I am amazed by the energy you still have," Robin pointed out to him. "Between our different meals and the feast of our victory, you still found the time to serve us an incredible amount of food for our lunch."

"Indeed, and you even fished!" Usopp noted in turn. "Aren't you tired? You were pretty hurt though."

"Ah, thank you but I really feel good", The cook reassured them as he served a bowl of vinegared rice for the fencer and the musician. "I guess the adrenaline hasn't worn off yet."

"I'll still have to change the bandages on your leg and check your wounds on your back and shoulders," The little reminded him with a pout. "You're the only one I didn't see this morning - even Luffy and Zoro got checked!"

"I promise, Chopper, I'll come by in the afternoon."

As the reindeer nodded, the blond served a nice plate of razor clams with garlic butter before offering Franky a lobster and avocado tempura with a spicy coulis.

"Either way, while waiting to stock up, I hope we'll be entitled to a few days of tranquility because we've earned it," The sniper continued, helping himself to some seafood gratin.

"I don't have much medication or bandages left, everyone was so hurt," Chopper lamented.

"Fortunately, the milk reserve was at its highest!" Brook got enthused, admiring his reflection in his spoon with satisfaction. "I am literally glowing!"

"I gave a lot of bottles to the locals as they didn't have any," Sanji remembered while grimacing.

"Don't worry, my friend, I'll take advantage of the sun to do a vitamin D cure and thus solidify my old bones!"

"We should seize the opportunity of these days of sailing to allow our bodies to rest!" The ship's doctor decided with conviction.

"Well, that's really wishful thinking, Chopper," The navigator pointed out to him while appreciating the delicacy of the oyster she had just tasted. "Even if we were lucky enough not to see any ship or sea king for several days, some people here would be unable to appreciate this rest and would do anything so that something happens."

"It's very likely," Robin agreed with a smile.

"Cook, where are the bottl-"

"They're here, mosshead, relax." The blond handed him two bottles of sake at perfect temperature and Zoro grabbed them, surprised to discover their quality as much as their number. However, he was careful not to make a comment and began the first at full speed.

"By the way, Luffy, should we expect to see Trafalgar and his crew barge in unexpectedly or have you arranged to meet him on an upcoming island?" Nami suddenly asked while turning to him.

"Dunno, he doesn't wanna tell me where he's going!" His captain replied. He shrugged with his mouth full.

"It'll be a surprise then," The redhead sighed. "As long as he doesn't turn up in the middle of the night without warning…"

"I don't wanna bump into his killer face at three in the morning at the bend of the ship," Usopp agreed, shivering.

"Why would he come here?" Sanji inquired, offering a nice langoustine to the archaeologist who thanked him. "Do you have a new goal in mind?" He then asked his captain.

"A super important and super personal goal!" The cyborg chimed in, a wide suggestive smile on his lips.

The blond frowned while bringing yet another roasted lobster to the straw hat boy but the latter ignored him to better devour his share and Sanji turned to his friends again. "What's this goal? I thought Trafalgar didn't wanna make an alliance with us anymore."

"But Luffy does," Usopp sneered, scraping his plate. "And you know how he is once he's made his mind up…"

"Actually, we don't really know what they said to each other earlier but Luffy seems certain that we'll see him again soon," Chopper continued.

"The intuition of the heart is a power not to be overlooked," Brook pointed out to them.

Sanji stared at them, completely confused, and Nami rolled her eyes. "Luffy jumped on Law to kiss him without asking his opinion and as expected, he didn't take it well. Kid just fled."

The cook turned towards the straw hat boy, stunned, but the latter was still ignoring him in favor of his lobsters so Sanji glanced at the swordsman sitting at his side who only shrugged in return.

"Maybe Law won't hold it against him," He tried after a moment's hesitation. "After all, a simple kiss isn't enough to scare a man called the surgeon of death…"

"It was an aggression in the rules of the art," Usopp disabused him, "If we meet him again, there's a better chance he wants to exterminate us than to help us."

"It was quite a rash move," Jinbei admitted.

"Very daring," Robin confirmed.

Sanji shook his head before clearing the first plates piled on the table, refusing to try to understand. He only wondered what Luffy could see in a guy as withdrawn as himself was exuberant. At first sight, they had absolutely nothing in common. The blond's eyes involuntarily caught the figure of the swordsman conversing with Brook across the table and he felt his heart twitch cruelly before looking away just as quickly.

Logic had nothing to do with feelings and he had learned that firsthand.

I'll try to post once every 10 days.