"Are you sure about this?" Tashigi frowned.

Strauss nodded, slinging her pack onto her shoulder, "Perfectly. From what that man was saying, there's serious trouble brewing in Alabasta. You need to head there as soon as possible."

"But…" She faltered, her entire attention on her twiddling thumbs, "Are you sure you can't come with us?"

Strauss resisted the urge to snort. How naive. Did she honestly think that they would continue to travel together forever. This was a fixed arrangement. It always had been. She would always have had to leave at some point.

And quite frankly, Strauss couldn't wait to get out of there.

"No," she finally replied, "I told you; I'm chasing a pirate crew. I can't take any risks with the route I'm taking. It's important to follow their path exactly."

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Smoker grimaced. He probably wouldn't be too happy about this. Strauss knew full well that he only offered that deal because he thought of her as a source of information. But he didn't have control over her. He couldn't stop her if he tried. "You have a Log Pose?"

"No, but I'll probably be fine. There's probably one or two around here somewhere." She'd scavenged for trinkets before. It probably wouldn't be that different. Hopefully they weren't cracked. Hopefully...

He groaned, pinching his nose, "How reckless can you get…? Just take ours."

Her eyes bulged, "N-no I can't do that! You already gave me a boat, and food and water!"

"Look. We have an Eternal Pose from Igaram. Once we get to Alabasta, I'll put in a request for a new one Log. It's nothing, so take it."

Her gut still told her to refuse, but her mind made a better argument. Hand faltering, she reached out and strapped the instrument around her wrist. She didn't like it. It was large and bulbous, and most dangerously, fragile. She would have to be careful fighting with a dainty thing like this on her.

Yet what other choice did she have.

The Marines were going to leave before her. The wake from a ship that large would disrupt her dingy, so it was safer for her to wait a little. Not ideal, but she appreciated the concern.

"Oi, Strauss," Smoker barked as she set her pack down in the little boat, "Catch."

She tracked the object with her eyes as it flew through the air, only barely raising her hand to catch it. "A transponder snail?" She asked, somewhat confused.

"It's a direct line to mine." He nodded in begrudging respect, "If you ever find yourself in a tricky situation, just call."

"Oh…" she said feebly, turning the snail over to look at its beady little eyes, "Thanks I guess?"

He stifled a laugh, "I know you might not trust me, especially since your friend is a pirate, but you seem like a good kid, Strauss." His eyes narrowed, "I just hope you pick the right path."

She took the threat and smiled with it, "Oh I will. Don't you worry."

Sitting on the shore, she continued watching the ship until it had vanished over the horizon. As soon as she was certain that it had gone, she clicked her tongue at the snail.

Honestly. Did Smoker think he could trick her? What sort of transponder snail had their eyes open if they weren't on a call? Sorry, but she was too paranoid to not notice a simple thing like that. This was probably for surveillance, so he could monitor where the Straw Hat crew were once she found them.

As if she'd let him.

Raising her arm above her head, prepared to cast the snail out into the water. But, despite her better judgement, she hesitated. The snail looked so...innocent. It didn't deserve to die because of the job it served.

It took a moment, and many foul curses, but eventually she managed to prise away the rig from the snail shell. The snail wriggled gleefully, finally free after however long it had been serving. Strauss chuckled, "I know that feeling, little guy."

A small smile still lingered on her face even after letting it go away from the shoreline. But she couldn't watch it forever. She'd waited long enough.

"Now then," she hummed at the Log and the tiny leather strap that dangled on her arm below it, "I can't wait to see just what crazy path you've taken, you stupid pretty boy."

Out of all of Sanji's ideas, this was definitely not one of his best. Sleeping outside was a terrible idea at the best of times, and sleeping outside when it was raining was downright idiotic. Not that he was actually planning on sleeping.

He didn't think he could sleep right now.

Ideally, he would like to smoke. It calmed him. More than that, he practically relied on the things to make him relax. Just having a soggy unlit cigarette between his lips worked wonders on his nerves.

Although even this small relief wasn't enough to untangle the mess in his brain.

He didn't want to go back to his room. Where Stra...where he…where she...

"Uuuuh…" He moaned, clutching his head. What was going on? Had the world suddenly gone mad?

Strauss was a girl! A GIRL! An actual female girl!

Why why why why why WHY?! He had had doubts! Oh yes! He remembered very clearly multiple times when he'd thought that Strauss had seemed remarkably feminine, only to dismiss it almost instantly. If only he hadn't been so goddamn oblivious.

Oh Strauss... he was so sorry. So very sorry. He hadn't treated her right. If anything, he'd treated her appallingly. He hadn't been considerate in the slightest. He'd teased her. He'd argued with her. Hell, he'd even kicked her during one of their sparring matches.

His heart sank even lower into his chest.

He'd actually attacked a woman. Intentionally. That went against everything he ever stood for. Everything he'd vowed to uphold. Zeff… Reiju… Mom… The ones Sanji cherished beyond all others. He'd failed them all.

He'd failed.

Hang on a second. Sanji bolted upright. Wasn't Zeff against the training from the very beginning?

A vein popped in his forehead. So that geezer knew. He actually knew, and didn't tell him?! How...how could he? He knew full well what that would mean to him. After all, Zeff was the one who'd fermented that respect for women in him.

Zeff wouldn't want to hurt a lady either...would he.

It didn't make sense. It made absolutely no sense! Why would Zeff allow something like this?! Why had he even accepted Sanji's decision to share a room with her…

Oh god.

HE'D SHARED A ROOM WITH A GIRL!? WILLINGLY!

Ignoring the rain soaking through his shirt, he thumped his head against the wall behind him.

How! Stupid! Could! He! Get!?

How could he share a room with a lady?! It was just...AAARGH! He ruffled his hair. There were no words. No words could do this shitty situation justice. This was a mess. A big, convoluted mess. In some strange way (which Sanji hated himself for thinking), this was worse than breaking his promise to not harm a lady. He had shared a room with her. A lady couldn't share a room with a man! It was...it was...unheard of! He couldn't call himself a true gentleman with that breach of etiquette. Not to mention the numerous embarrassing instances she'd seen him in.

She'd seen his bed head. She'd seen him groom his eyebrows. And she'd even, although now that he thought about it she'd always turned away, seen him change.

The dark waters of the sea glinted a pale shade of silver in the moonlight.

Sanji was struck by a sudden desire to make a swan dive off the edge of the balcony. It was too far to properly jump, but maybe the injury he'd receive on the way down would make him forget about this entire thing. Since boy did he want to forget.

No. He slapped his face with both hands. He couldn't ignore this. This was his own mistake, he couldn't back out of it now. It wasn't fair on Strauss.

Sighing, he stared blankly at the rain as it pattered off the deck. Right. He obviously wasn't the only one torn up about this. What was poor Strauss feeling about all this. She'd opened up to him, and he'd just gone and ran out on her like that. She must be devastated. How could he do that to her. How could he behave like that.

No. He knew full well why. He just didn't want to admit it.

"So this was where you were."

His head jerked up, the bright light almost blinding him as it streamed in through the open door. But he knew that silhouette anywhere, "Stra...Strauss-san…"

It felt foreign. Wrong even. Even though it was only right for him to say.

"Well," she sighed, closing the door and slumping down next to him, "I see that it finally got through to you."

"You… are a girl."

"Yup. I'm female."

"...ah."

She said nothing, merely tilting her head up to let the cool rain wash down her face. Now that he knew what to look for, Sanji was horrified that he hadn't seen the signs sooner. The slight curve of her cheekbones. The way her eyelashes were longer than the regular man's. And how slim her shoulders were, even after finally getting some nourishment.

She was female. No question about it.

"I honestly had no idea you though of me as a man," she said, somewhat apologetically, "Sorry about that. I figured it out not long before you did."

"I...I figured as much." Looking back on it, she had seem quite shocked about something. Inwardly, he grimaced. He'd been fantasising about nursing a beautiful lady back to health, not even realising that he had one right in front of him.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Although… it would be weird to call Strauss beautiful. Especially when he'd never considered her as such before.

"So-" she flicked her eyes towards him, and Sanji got sucked in by just how green they were- "What are you going to do?"

No. She was better than beautiful. Not that Sanji would ever tell her that though.

But she was looking expectantly at him, so he realised that he would have to answer at some point, "Do...about what?"

Strauss scoffed, "About us. Our relationship."

He couldn't help but blush. Not...not that they were like that, obviously. They'd been through this whole song and dance many times before. When he'd thought she was a guy…

Stop it Sanji! She's right there! She means friendship and nothing else! Get your mind out of the gutter!

"Look," she continued, completely oblivious to his torment, "I'm not an idiot. I know that you treat women differently to guys. Which also means that you've treated me in a way you wouldn't have otherwise. So…"

Yeah. He knew full well what she was getting at.

What now?

He didn't know. He just didn't know what to do. She was his first friend, but he was friends with the guy-Strauss, not the lady-Strauss. There was a big difference there.

"Are you…" He trailed off, somewhat surprised he'd even said anything. He wasn't sure where he had been going with that. Quick! Think of something! "Are you...upset at me."

She baulked. "Upset?! Why would you think I was?"

"Well I've treated you so badly-"

"What the hell're you talking about?"

"H-huh?"

"I can't deny that you have been...trying at times. Very trying in fact."

He winced.

"But!" She raised a finger, wagging it in his face before he could protest, "BUT! Do you seriously think that I'd put up with just about anything?"

Okay now he was confused. Just what was that supposed to mean? Was that...sarcastic? Or was she genuinely mad at him.

The grimace on Strauss' face could curdle milk, "No. The answer's no, Sanji. As much as my patience seems like it's infinite, I do in fact have a limit to the amount of bullshit I can take."

And? Was that...a good thing?

She groaned, pinching her nose, "Which means, you utter idiot, that I wouldn't hang out with you if you were genuinely annoying me."

His cigarette tumbled out of his mouth. He...he hadn't thought of it like that. He hadn't thought that Strauss wanted to spend time around him just as much as he wanted the opposite. That meant...that meant that everything was going to be fine, didn't it?

A spark of joy rekindled within him. It was going to be fine! He could rectify his mistakes. He could even have a lady friend! Finally! That was even better than a regular friend, wasn't it. Although now that he thought about it, he'd only ever had a lady friend so it wasn't as if he could compare her to anyone...

"I'm going to ask you again Sanji, what are you going to do?"

Frowning, Sanji turned towards her. He just couldn't understand why she kept asking that same question over and over again, "I'm going to do what I should have always done." He beamed at her, "I'm going to make everything right again, Strauss-san. Don't you worry."

To his horror, her shoulders sagged. "I…" Those pale lips curled into a fine line, before being hidden in a swath of hair, "I see."

What? His body froze with panic, with absolutely no idea what to do. He hadn't said anything wrong. So why was she sad! He couldn't make a lady sad!

"Oh, don't look like that." Strauss smiled at him, but it lacked all of her usual energy, "It's my fault for expecting something impossible."

"No no no no…" he flailed, reaching out to touch her on the shoulder, "It's my fault. I...uh...didn't mean to say that..."

"Yes. You did." Standing up, she dislodged his hand with a flick of her wrist, "That's all I needed. Thanks for telling me, now I'm going to go to bed," she raised an eyebrow, "Are you going to insist I sleep in your bed this time now you know, or can I go back to my hammock?"

Sanji's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. How the hell could he have forgotten? The panic from yesterday seemed more than a distant memory compared to the sudden realisation of what had happened in the morning.

She'd been shot! His lovely Strauss had got shot! And that asshole, Dienen hadn't even done anything! If he ever got his hands on that little punk, ooh Sanji was going to give him the beating of a lifetime.

But if she was shot…

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE YOU IDIOT!" He screeched, bolting to his feet, "YOUR BANDAGES ARE GOING TO GET SOAKED, SO GO GET YOUR SORRY ASS INSIDE INSIDE BEFORE I KICK IT THERE! Ah…!" Sanji clapped a hand over his mouth, "S...sorry. I… Uh… That came out by accident…"

Yet to his surprise, Strauss was laughing. Actively laughing. Her smile felt more genuine, and less...sad, for lack of a better word. "I guess no one can change instantly." She muttered, halfway through the door, "Guess there's some hope for you yet."

He kept staring at the door even after it had closed. The rain had let up a little, now only a tiny pitter patter instead of a full downpour. Not that Sanji had noticed though.

Hope for him yet? And what exactly did that mean? Did that girl speak exclusively in riddles. Not that Sanji would have minded that, (he would have to buy some good riddle books to do some research, which he would consider later) but he just couldn't figure out how she ticked.

He didn't linger long though. Strauss still needed to change her wet bandages. And, Sanji reasoned as he sprinted back inside, there was a high chance that she wouldn't even bother.

What an idiot.

Throughout the next few weeks, there was one menu item that was selling like wildfire. It had been a late addition by Zeff and even though it wasn't quite the standard the Baratie was known for, the diners quickly found it to be very appropriate.

Popcorn. And boy did the customers get through it. It got to the stage that Zeff had to delegate a chef specifically to popcorn-creation, otherwise the demand just wouldn't be met.

And Strauss, to her utter dismay, could completely understand the appeal.

She took a single step away from the table she'd been clearing, only to find every plate in her arms get whisked away by a blond curly-browed hurricane.

Freezing in place, she felt her eyebrow start twitching.

Keep smiling… The customers were watching… Even if this was the twentieth time that day alone… Just take some deep breaths...calm yourself down…

"Sanji," she beamed he returned to do the rest, "Please don't worry about me. I am paid to do this after all. It is my job."

Be the calm. Become the zen…

"Nonsense," he grinned back, "how could I let a lovely lady like you strain yourself by carrying plates?"

"I have been doing this every day so far Sanji. It's hardly a burden at this point" Become the fucking zen! "Besides, as I keep telling you, I am not a lady."

Almost as one, the air of the Baratie got filled by the sound of soft light crunching.

Ah yes. This was why popcorn was so popular. And it was justified. So horribly justified. This was absolutely ridiculous! Who needed novels, or to go to the theatre, WHEN THE DRAMA BETWEEN A RESTAURANT'S WAIT STAFF WAS GOOD ENOUGH!

Sanji's smile just got wider, a slight vein beginning to pop on his forehead, "No...Nonsense. Of course someone as lovely as you is a lady, Strauss-san! And in case you have forgotten, you were recently shot. It's my duty as your senior to fill in for you."

"That's all healed up." So he was still smiling? Well two could play at that game. The customers wouldn't realise that both smiles were more chilling than amicable. "There's no need for you to keep worrying about me."

"Just stop protesting and let me help. Ah, I can make you a nice dessert later? Would that be nice? I have a new recipe to try out that I think you'd just love!"

She wanted to scream so very much. He was almost there. Almost! She could tell that he was close to reaching his breaking point, but he was holding himself back. "It's not helping if it means I'm not doing what I'm paid to do," she finally managed to hiss out.

Poor Sanji. She knew that he meant well deep down, she really did, but it still managed to tick her over the edge. After he'd accidentally yelled at her on the roof, she'd thought that it would mostly be the same. But no. He was still harsher with her than she'd ever seen him be towards a woman, yet as soon as he noticed he became far too overbearing to be able to tolerate. It was like he was trying to convince himself more than anything else, and focused his entire mind, body, and soul to that goal. Which meant that now the atmosphere in the restaurant felt tenser than ever.

Crunch crunch crunch…

AND THE CUSTOMERS DIDN'T HELP!

"Oi, ya shitty bastard," A large hand clamped down on top of Sanji, "The boss man wants ya in the kitchen, stat."

Her heart leapt. Patty! Who would have known that guardian angels came in the form of large burly men?

Sanji glared up at him, "Huh? But I'm on floor with Strauss-san today. Who's gonna take care of her?"

She resisted the urge to run a hand down her face, as well as the urge to pummel him into the ground. It would be fine. She'd been there long enough, and proven herself enough times, that even Zeff had admitted to her that she could handle all the duties by herself. Which she had initially denied at first, working with Sanji was more useful and entertaining than being alone, but now she was genuinely considering it.

The problem was, Sanji probably wouldn't let her do that now.

"I'm gonna be down here!" Patty jabbed a thumb into his chest.

Sanji growled, moving in front of Strauss 'protectively', "I can't trust you to handle something as delicate as a lady!"

Strauss raised an eyebrow in disgust, before slipping away to wait on another table. He couldn't honestly expect her to stay there while he puffed out his feathers like a demented peacock. There was work to be done, and she sure as hell wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. And frankly, it was more suffocating than it was supportive.

By the time that Sanji had realised he'd been defending thin air, she'd already cleared two tables and delivered food to four others. "Strauss-san." He snatched up her hands, capturing them between his own, "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you now."

"Good. Let me go."

"But if you need me, in any shape or form, I will be there. You don't even need to call, I shall feel it in my bones."

"I said it's fine, now let go already."

He finally let go, sagging like a kicked puppy. "I see… So you hate me now."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Her leg had flown up before she was fully aware of it. Sanji didn't have a chance to move, let alone dodge, before he got slammed into the Baratie carpet.

Not bothering to wait for a reaction, she swept a pile of dirty plates onto her arm and marched up the stairs. Eyes were boring into her, the eyes of many horrified diners trained on her receding form.

She was going to get fired for this. It was guaranteed. But for once Strauss found that she really didn't care. She'd held her tongue so many times, but this really was the limit. The absolute limit. She couldn't sit by anymore and watch him mock her like that. It didn't matter if said mocking was intentional or not, she despised it all the same. Especially if he called himself her friend.

So while she cursed at herself for loosing control like that, and her entire being lamented that she was loosing a really good position, she had no regrets in the slightest.

She'd been wanting to do that all week. He was just lucky it hadn't been worse.

A/N

This one was tricksy to write. Confused Sanji is...well...confusing. And I'm not even sure how I managed to finish this.

And...I'm also prepared to have a lot of people screaming at me. So...sorry not sorry. It kinda had to happen, and it should make more sense in the grand scheme of things. Just trust me on this one.

I hope you're enjoying the chapters, I love this fic so damn much, even if Sanji and Strauss don't exactly make it easy for me.

Stay safe!