AN:
I'm back with chapter 14!
First off I want to say sorry to everyone! I saw a comment about the chapter updates notifying you and I know that it's probably annoying. As I said before, I am always updating chapters so you will still get some notifications but I'm really trying to cut back, I swear!
Anyways, there isn't much to say about this chapter. It's mostly character building and I won't lie, I got a little carried away with some parts of it, lol. It will probably make sense when you read it. Expect some updates on this chapter in the coming days, I always like to read through it and change small things so hopefully you guys aren't too bothered by that. I know you guys are missing the action and it's coming soon I promise. Once we finish here... Well, I'll let you guess where we are headed next. As always free to leave a comment!
Without further ado, here's Chapter 14. :)
Chapter 14: Good Soup
"Like this?", said Luffy, blankly looking at Zoro and Sanji and smashing the door against the entrance.
"NO! DON'T FORCE IT LIKE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BREAK THE DOOR IN HALF!", the two boys screamed simultaneously. "FLIP IT AROUND! DON'T JUST KEEP TRYING TO FORCE IT IN!".
"You said to force it in?", Luffy asked turning toward the door and the entrance. He didn't think it would work but they said to do it so... Heave ho!
The sound of the door spitting it half echoed through the restaurant and the other patrons couldn't help but watch the spectacle in shock. He had just forced the door through the entrance... The wrong way!
Luffy looked between the piece of door he held in his hands and the two other pieces on the ground. Looked like he was right. He knew it wouldn't work! A groan came from the ground in front of him and he looked down to see a person crawling toward the entrance of the restaurant. The man didn't look great, his eyes were bloodshot and his skin was pale.
"What the hell, Luffy!", Sanji's voice came from the entrance behind the boy, "You broke the damn door! We said DON'T for...". He halted in his tirade as his eyes landed on a figure crawling on the dock of the Baratie.
Zoro stayed quiet, eyeing the crawling bag of bones as he walked past Sanji to stand beside Luffy. What? It was an apt description!
He was a middle-aged man with black hair and a scruffy beard. His body was small and his clothes were in tatters. He only had on a pair of ripped black trousers and a similarly ripped white tank top. He looked unharmed for the most part other than his emaciated body, which was more than likely from lack of food. "Please.", the man begged, "I don't have any money but I'm starving.". A coughing fit overtook him and he waited a moment for it to subside. "Please.", the man continued, "It feels like I'm dying.".
Sanji softly shouldered past Luffy and Zoro to kneel before the man on the ground. "Can you make it to the back of the restaurant?", he asked softly, "If you can, I can promise you something delicious to eat. Free of charge.". He smiled a comforting smile, "No one deserves to know what it feels like to starve.".
Luffy and Zoro's eyes widened slightly at the blond's words as they both came to the same startling realization. For him to be able to say that...
The man on the ground sniffled as his eyes began to water, "Thank you, young man. Thank you so much.", he cried. "I believe I can make it to the back on my own.", he groaned, beginning to crawl once again.
Sanji turned and the two boys eyed him as he walked toward them. They glanced at each other as he passed and the same thought went through their heads. There was a lot more to the chef than met the eye.
The twirly-browed teen brushed past the other two boys and through the entrance, toward the kitchen. He had work to do.
Luffy and Zoro looked away from Sanji's retreating form and back to the man crawling on the wooden planks of the boat restaurant. They nodded to each other. Luffy dropped the piece of the door he was holding and took his place on one side of the man, Zoro on the other. Carefully, they lifted him to his feet and the man sighed as he let some of his weight be carried by the two strong young men. "No need for you to crawl all the way there, old man", Luffy smiled as they walked him to where Sanji had directed.
A tick mark formed on the 'old man's head, "Old?! You damn brat I'm on-". A coughing fit overtook him and interrupted his raging.
"Woah there, old man. Take it easy. We got it from here.", the green-haired swordsman said evenly, not noticing the man's building anger.
A second tick mark formed on his head, right next to the first, "I said I'm only four-". Another coughing fit hit the man and his raging was interrupted once again.
Luffy's eyes turned to stars, "You're four hundred years old?!", he questioned excitedly. He'd never met someone that old before!
The man just couldn't take it anymore. "I SAID I'M ONLY FORTY-THREE!", he screamed. Just as he finished blood came gushing from his mouth as the largest coughing fit yet hit him.
"Geez... Ya didn't have to get so worked up about it.", said Zoro like the man he was carrying hadn't just coughed up a huge amount of blood.
"Four hundred is really old!", Luffy exclaimed. He'd completely ignored the man's outburst and the blood coming from his mouth, continuing forward without a care in the world.
The man sighed in defeat, blood dripping from his lip, "Just get me to the back of the restaurant, please.".
"You got it, old man!", the two boys yelled in sync.
Sanji stepped into the kitchen and immediately began planning what he was going to make. He needed something light but also filling. The man's stomach likely couldn't take anything too rich right now. The boy walked the tiled kitchen floor to the pantry, ignoring all the bustle going on around.
Two pairs of eyes watched as Sanji walked through the door to the food storage area. They looked at each other before stepping out of the kitchen to get a look at the entrance to the restaurant. When they saw that the door was still missing, they immediately turned and walked straight to the pantry, arriving just as Sanji was walking out with a bag of jasmine rice, tea leaves, various seasonings, spices, as well as a multitude of other garnishes.
"Sanji!", yelled Patty, "Why the hell are you in here when the door still is-". He was interrupted as the blond-haired chef's foot came colliding into his head for the second time in the day.
Carne watched his partner be kicked into the pantry with wide eyes. A cloud of dust erupted from the door along with the sound of Patty hitting the back wall of the room.
Sanji turned and gave the other man a glare.
Carne's head began to ache where he'd been kicked earlier. He heard groaning coming from the food storage area and paled. Maybe it was best to just let Sanji do as he liked... You know what... Maybe he would even go fix the door... Yeah, that was a good idea. He really didn't like the look Sanji was giving him. The frightened chef turned on his heel and left his friend lying in the pantry. He would get him later. Right now, he had a door to fix.
Sanji scoffed at the man's retreating form and got back to the matter at hand. The chef had decided on the meal he was going to create. He was going to make Green Tea on Rice. The green tea would be light on the man's starving stomach and the rice in the dish would make it filling enough to be satisfying. The spices and seasonings would be easy, nothing too heavy, as the green tea would be doing most of the work.
The blond chef was a blur as he danced through the kitchen, gathering his ingredients while simultaneously prepping and cooking the multiple facets of the dish at the same time. The kitchen was Sanji's domain. He knew where everything was at all times, whether he was actively looking or not. It was second nature. Everything he needed was always within a hand's reach because he made it so. He was the master of his kitchen.
The chef eyed the dish he had created thus far. It was almost finished but it was still missing something. He remembered seeing an almost fully cleaned tuna sitting on the main counter as he walked in and was hit with an idea. He grabbed a pan and slightly oiled it with olive oil, bringing it to his desired heat. He could almost feel the flames of the stove as they brushed the underside of the cast iron pan. Sanji was always good on the stove. He knew their flames were hot, but he was never scared of them. They felt like the flames that burned in his heart. The flames that fueled his love for cooking and his love for women.
The blond teen let the pan heat as he turned and grabbed the tuna off of the center island. He turned the fish over on the cutting board, inspecting it to see what he could still use. Whoever had cleaned the tuna had done a superb job. All of the cuts were very precise. It had probably been Chef Zeff, and recently too. The fish was still very fresh. The man had always been good at cleaning fish. The thing was almost completely bare. Sanji eyed the head of the tuna and his eyes widened. Zeff had left the cheek. More than likely it was for an expensive order.
The black-suited chef shook his head and grabbed his knife. He'd make it up to the old man later. The cheek of the tuna was the perfect garnish to his dish.
Sanji gently sliced away at the head of the fish, not missing a single fiber of cheek meat. The tuna would provide the meal with much-needed protein and, with the right seasonings, would pair with the green tea and the rice very nicely. It helped that the cheek was very rich in flavor. He frowned to himself, pausing in his work for a moment. Would the tuna be too rich?
The blond gently grabbed the meat he'd butchered and began to cut it into thin strips, slicing the tuna thinly enough to be easily digestible but still managing to keep it thick enough to provide a good source of protein. He picked up his now-sliced strips of cheek and laid them into his pan one by one, letting the tuna sear while he walked back to the pantry to retrieve a lemon. With the fruit in hand, he hurried back to the cooking area and quickly sliced it in half, squeezing the juice of one of the halves into the pan. It would help with the richness.
The surface of the pan hissed and popped as the blond flipped his tuna and let the other side cook. He looked at the top of the fish and almost swooned at the golden sheen of the lightly seared meat.
The other side of the tuna finished searing and removed the fish from the pan to bring all the separate parts of the dish together. He laid a generous amount of jasmine rice into a bowl and slowly poured the green tea over it. As the steam from the tea wafted into the air, he finally laid the thin pieces of tuna on top of the rice, topping the bowl off with a handful of scallions and a few last touches of seasoning.
Sanji stepped back and admired his dish for a moment. It was perfect.
The chef filled up a glass of water, smiling to himself, before picking up the bowl of food and walking toward the door to the back deck. The man he wanted to feed was supposed to be waiting there. His feet took him to the door he was looking for and he pushed it open. The blond's eyes squinted as the setting sun shone in his eyes. He looked around the back deck and it didn't take him long to find the person he was looking for.
The emaciated man was leaning against the railing with his back facing the sea. His head was facing his lap and he slouched uncomfortably. As soon as Sanji walked through the door the man's head perked up and a wonderful aroma hit his nose. He couldn't help himself as he crawled to the blond chef on his hands and knees, "It smells so delicious. Please, kind sir. May I have some?".
"Some?", asked Sanji, looking funnily at the man.
The man paled. Was the young man going to torture him with the wonderful aroma of the food he was carrying?
The twirly-browed teen shot him a kind smile and set the meal right in front of the man's face, "You get all of it.". He stood to his feet, watching as tears sprang to the man's eyes.
"Thank you so much! I can't thank you enough for this meal!", the man cried. He reached forward and grabbed the spoon Sanji had placed in the bowl, immediately digging into the dish served to him. He thrust the silverware into the tuna and his mouth salivated as it cut straight through like butter. He wasted no time in filling the rest of his spoon with jasmine rice and green tea, quickly bringing the now food-filled spoon to his mouth. Groans of ecstasy came from him as the bite of food slid down his throat. It was like a floodgate had been opened. He just couldn't help it as he shoved the food into his mouth as fast as he could.
"Slow down. I don't want you choking on me.", said Sanji. He watched the man for a moment before walking to the railing, seeing him acquiesce and slow down in his eating. The chef looked out to the sea as the memories of his run-in with starvation passed through his mind... How much pain and suffering not eating could cause... He sighed to himself. It was why he'd always fed anyone who was hungry. And why he couldn't leave the restaurant until he'd paid Zeff back... For everything.
The sounds of eating were the only noises made as the man finished his meal in silence.
"What happened to you?", Sanji asked, hearing the sound of a spoon hitting the bottom of a bowl.
The man belched something fierce and sighed as he stood up and leaned over the railing beside the man who fed him. He was suddenly feeling a lot better. "I was on a merchant ship.", the man started, looking out to the blue water as the setting sun glinted off it, "It all happened so fast...". He took a deep breath before trying to explain further, "One second I was in my room getting ready for bed, the next... The ship was just... Exploding.".
Sanji looked at the man oddly. "Exploding?... Like cannons?", he asked.
He shook his head, "Not exactly... No.", he paused for a moment before continuing, "Exploding may have been the wrong word. It was more like everything was... Crushed... Which then caused everything to explode.".
"Crushed?", the blond questioned, "What does that even mean?".
The man fumbled for the right words but he wasn't even sure the chef would believe the truth. And he knew it was the truth. He'd seen it with his own eyes. "Well... There were these... Chains...", he mumbled, "Giant ones. I think whoever used them... May have...".
"May have what?", the blond asked.
"May have... Eaten a devil fruit.", the man answered, eyeing the chef and trying to gauge his reaction.
Sanji gave him a blank stare. "Alright then, don't tell me.". He waved him off. If the man was just going to lie, what was the point in asking? Devil fruits were a myth.
"It's true! I swear! I don't know how but those chains crushed our entire ship!", the man exclaimed, "When I came to, I was the only one left there. The rest of the folks either left me or... They're dead.". He sighed, "I grabbed a hold of some of the wreckage and it's by sheer dumb luck that I ended up here.".
Sanji sighed much the same as the man beside him. Now that his job was done... Time to go see what his Nami-Swan was doing! "Well now that you're fed. You are no longer my problem, old man.". He turned away from the railing and began to walk back toward the door.
It was the last straw. The man's face looked like it was on fire as he lit up in anger. That was the third person to call him that. HE WASN'T A DAMN OLD MAN! The black-haired man screamed and ran at Sanji's back, cocking his arm back to throw a punch at the chef's head.
Without turning around, Sanji dodged the man's punch and stuck his leg out into the man's path. Not expecting the turn of events, the man tripped over Sanji's foot and rolled into the back entrance. The boy said nothing as he stalked up to the dazed form on the floor. He reared his leg back and kicked the man like a soccer ball... Right into the pantry... And right into a still knocked-out Patty. Hadn't anyone ever taught him not to bite the hand that fed you?
The man lost consciousness as his head slammed into the other man's and he couldn't help but think one last thing before he passed out. 'I hope I can eat his cooking again sometime.'.
Sanji closed the pantry door, leaving the two men to continue 'resting', and walked back toward the dining room. He'd been away for far too long. Time to check in on his goddess! His eyes turned to hearts as his tornado legs carried him to his destination. If he would have stayed in the kitchen for just a moment longer, he wouldn't have missed the two figures 'quietly' sneaking their way back into the restaurant via the back door. One had green hair and two swords at his hip and the other wore a straw hat and a red vest.
"Wow, Sanji! You really CAN cook!", Luffy shouted as he rubbed his large belly. He'd been starving! "All that work fixing the door made me really hungry!", he smiled in satisfaction as he looked around the table at the rest of the occupants. They were making funny faces. Especially Zoro and Sanji.
"YOU JUST BROKE IT MORE!", their two voices yelled angrily at the boy, now blissfully rubbing his belly.
"That meat was sooo good.", Luffy smiled to himself as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to ride out his food high, completely unaware of the yelling being directed at him.
"The food really was delicious, Sanji.", Nami said as she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. The blond-haired chef could really cook. She wouldn't mind having meals made by him more often.
Said chef's eyes turned to hearts, "Oh, my Nami-Swan! You always know what to say to make my heart beat faster!", the boy swooned.
"I hate to give someone like you a compliment.", Zoro scowled, interrupting Sanji's praise of the orange-haired girl. He couldn't even believe he was about to say it. "But it was good.". He brought his hands together over his plate and bowed his head, "Thank you for making the stupid server cook this meal, Chef Zeff.".
Sanji's chair screeched against the wood floor as he stood and pointed an accusatory finger at the swordsman. "YOU STUPID MOSS BALL! FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME, I'M A CHEF NOT A DAMN SERVER!", the blond screamed with shark teeth.
"Sit down, brat.", Zeff scowled in the direction of his sous chef before looking Zoro's way. "Thank Orangey, over there.", he said, pointing his thumb in Nami's direction, "She's the one that convinced my idiot sous chef.".
Nami pouted from across the table, crossing her arms in front of her. "Chef Zeff...", she whined, "I told you, my name's Nami.". She'd already told him multiple times and he had yet to call her by her name. She had a feeling he just liked teasing her... Her eyes glanced from the older man to the teen yelling at him then back and forth a few times. It was a little bit of a jump but... Maybe the apple didn't fall far from the tree?
Luffy sighed as he watched all the interactions at the table. He loved being around friends. The straw-hatted boy looked at all of the people gathered until he eventually landed on the blond-haired chef he had met earlier in the day.
The interaction between Sanji and the starving old man really endeared the chef to the black-haired boy. Luffy had a soft spot for people like Sanji. Good people. And now that he had tasted the chef's food, he knew for sure. He wanted him on the crew. Actually, he wouldn't have anyone else. That was how good his food was. Luffy wasn't any good at cooking, so he didn't know WHY it tasted so good but he knew it did and it was enough for him to want the other teen on his crew. "Sanji!", the straw-hatted boy exclaimed, getting the entirety of the table's attention. "You should come be the chef on my pirate crew!", the boy yelled excitedly.
The reactions around the table were varied, to say the least.
Nami had an odd look on her face like there was a part of her that was unsure about something.
Zoro had a scowl on his face, looking as if his worst nightmare had just been confirmed.
Chef Zeff showed no emotion for the most part, but Luffy thought he saw a sliver of something when he mentioned pirates.
Sanji's reaction was strange. From what Luffy saw, for a moment, he looked like he might actually say yes. "But wait... I thought you were just one of her bodyguards.", the black-suited chef said, pointing in Nami's direction.
The orange-haired girl blushed at being caught in her lie but recovered quickly. "I'm so sorry for lying Sanji.", she cried, "Can you ever forgive me?" Nami shot him her best pout and waited for him to melt like puddy.
"Nami-Swannnn!", he yelled in response, twirling over to her side, "There is nothing you could say or do that would make me angry enough to not forgive and forget. And so it shall be done... It is forgotten as if it never happened in the first place.". He stood from his place at Nami's side and walked back to sit in his chair.
"So, whaddya think?", Luffy asked again, "You gonna come be our cook?".
"Our?", Sanji asked the straw-hatted boy. Surely his Nami-Swan wasn't a part of this pirate crew. Right?
Luffy smiled and pointed to his friends, "Yeah! Zoro's the first mate and swordsman, and Nami's our navigator.".
"Temporary.", Nami scowled in Luffy's direction. She HAD NOT agreed to be their navigator. "They're helping me with something and after it's done, we're all going our separate ways.", she corrected.
Sanji looked at Nami curiously, "What exactly are they helping you with?... If you don't mind me asking.".
"Well...", Nami said shifting in her seat, "We're going to steal from a pirate. A pretty strong one... At least I think he is.", she pointed at Zoro and Luffy. "These two are my muscle.". She glanced back at Sanji and sent him a teasing smile. "Honestly, if I was able to eat your meals every day, it would surely make the journey much more enjoyable.", the orangette purred.
Goosebumps rose up all over Sanji's skin and, in the moment, he wanted nothing more than to say yes to the beautiful orange-haired goddess. However, he glanced over at Zeff, their eyes meeting momentarily, and he knew he couldn't, as tempting as the girl made it sound. "I'm sorry Nami but I have to refuse. And I guess that means I'm refusing you too, Luffy.", he said looking down at his lap. He couldn't leave the Baratie yet, he still had much to repay.
Zoro looked over to his captain to see if he would pull his signature trick but was surprised when he didn't. The swordsman only saw a thoughtful look on his future captain's face. Weird. He wasn't usually like that. He glanced back at the stupid love cook and could see a similar look of thoughtfulness on his face as well. The swordsman shook his head. He wouldn't be upset about the cook not joining, but for some reason, he just knew the twirly-browed idiot would be their cook. Sometimes, luck wasn't always on his side...
"You brats got a place to sleep?", sounded Zeff's voice, interrupting the conversation.
The three teens not living on the Baratie nodded their heads yes.
"Good. As much as I've loved this...", the mustached man said sarcastically, "It's time for this old man to go to sleep.". He stood from his chair and grabbed the plates at the table, preparing to take them to the kitchen to be washed. "Thank you for fixing the door as I asked. I would say it's been a pleasure, but honestly, the two of you have been a pain.", he exclaimed, pointing at Luffy and Zoro.
"What the hell?!", Zoro said in outrage, pointing at Sanji accusatorially, "What about him?!", he questioned pointing at Sanji.
"He's always a pain. A pain I've gotten used to over the years. You two, however... You're new pain.", the old man turned to the only girl in the group, "However, out of everything today... It's been a pleasure chatting with you... Nami.". The chef smirked as he made his way out of the dining room without looking back.
The girl blushed slightly but managed to cover it up until it subsided. She looked up just as the older man disappeared into the kitchen... The apple really didn't fall far from the tree...
Sanji watched the chef retreat and turned to the table to say his goodbyes, "I must bid thee farewell, my sweet Nami. It pains me that I will not be able to travel with you and feed you your every meal. But alas...". He turned away and put the back of his hand on his forehead, looking up at the ceiling, "It wasn't meant to be.". The blond-haired chef didn't turn back as he followed the head chef into the kitchen. Maybe if things were different... He could have said yes. As of this moment, however, he couldn't. Just as he went to step through the door to the kitchen, a voice stopped him.
"I'll be back here tomorrow morning.", Luffy said standing from his place at the table, "Tomorrow, I'm gonna ask you again.". He turned and walked toward the entrance, Zoro and Nami following closely behind, "You're gonna be my cook. If it doesn't happen tomorrow, then I'll be back after we finish stealing the treasure for Nami. And then I'll stay until you agree.". The straw-hatted boy didn't wait for a reply as he turned and walked out of the... fixed door? When the hell had that happened?
Sanji heard the black-haired teen's words and scoffed as he walked all the way into the kitchen. As much as he wanted to, it would take a lot to get him on their ship by tomorrow morning. He quietly walked over to the washing area Zeff had placed the dishes in and sighed. A very large stack of plates and a multitude of bowls rested in the sink. The man probably left them there for him on purpose. Stupid geezer.
The blond rolled up his sleeves and lit a cigarette as he got to work, oblivious to the pair of eyes watching him from the stairs to the rooms above.
Sanji sighed as he dried the last plate. Finally. He looked down at his hands while he dried them off. Nice and pruney. The blond threw the towel over his shoulder and walked tiredly to the back door. He would go to bed but he still needed to finish his smoke. Plus, his hands really needed to dry out. He grasped the door nob and pulled open the door, quietly walking through it and closing it behind him.
The chef walked to the opposite side of the deck to lean over the railing and get a good look at the sea. The crescent moon hung high in the sky, reflecting off the glassy surface of the water and the wind blew warm air lightly across his skin. The boy breathed in deeply and his nose was filled with the wonderful smell of the salt water all around him. Sanji smiled to himself. He loved the sea. Somewhere inside of it... His dream lay, waiting to be discovered. Someday... Someday he would find it.
Sanji's thoughts drifted for a while before they settled on dinner and the offer Luffy had given him.
If he was being honest with himself... He wanted to go. He really did. He wanted to go and find it... The All Blue. He knew that if it existed it had to be on the Grandline somewhere. He'd always loved hearing stories of the place. Zeff even talked with him about it from time to time. His thoughts trailed off and he sighed to himself. He wanted to go but... He owed it to the old man to stay. He'd given up too much for him to just up and leave.
"The hell are you doin' out here, brat?", a voice sounded from over the boy's shoulder. Sanji turned to the owner of the voice and scoffed, not all that surprised by who stood there, "I could say the same to you, Geezer.".
Zeff didn't reply, simply walked to the place next to Sanji and looked out at the water, the same as his sous chef.
Silence reigned for a moment before it was broken by the older of the pair. "Don't waste your life here.", the man said softly, still looking out to the sea.
Sanji didn't have an answer besides shock and a hint of anger. Where the hell had that come from? And how the hell could he say that? How could he say that he was wasting his life here? Was it a waste of his life to pay back the debt he owed? He didn't think so... But apparently Zeff might.
"Those brats asking you to sail with them...", started the older chef, still not looking at the teen, "I think you should go.".
Sanji grit his teeth in anger. "You want me to just up and leave? You really think I could just do that?", he seethed, "After everything I've taken from you?! You really think I can just go out and sail with that kind of weight around me?!". Where was all of this even coming from? It was all so out of the blue. Zeff never usually talked like this!
"This isn't a prison Sanji!", Zeff yelled, turning in the direction of the blond and looking him dead in the eyes, "...You didn't take shit from me and you don't owe me a damn thing.". He hated talking the way he was but he didn't see another way. He wanted Sanji to go out there and chase his dreams. Not only for the boy himself but also for the old man who, to this very day, still dreamed of seeing the All Blue. "You wanna repay me, brat?", he asked, continuing to give Sanji a hard stare, "Then get out there and find that damn ocean.".
Goosebumps rose up all over Sanji's body. The way the geezer had said it made it sound more like an order than a request. His thoughts were a whirlwind as he tried to decide how to reply. A part of him wanted to comply. To just say yes and be done with it. Another part of him, however, was still clouded by the weight of the invisible debt he still held over himself. His mind was in utter turmoil.
"I'll make this easy for you. You're gonna get on those brats' ship.", Zeff ordered in a commanding tone, watching his idiot sous chef's mouth open and close like a fish. He glared at Sanji when he made to interrupt and the boy held his tongue. "You're gonna get on that ship and help those three steal that treasure.", he paused, turning away with a sigh, and looked back out to the sea, "After that, the girl said they were splitting up. When that happens... You make your choice.".
Sanji followed Zeff's example and looked out over the moonlit water. His brain was starting to catch up little by little, "And if I decide I want to stay here?".
The old chef turned away from the water and leaned his back against the railing, heavily. He was too old for this sappy shit. Too much effort. "You won't hear another peep out of me.", the man sighed. It was a compromise but... For some reason... That kid in the straw hat... He just had a feeling about him. Life on the sea had taught him to always trust his instincts... And they were telling him that the kid would lead Sanji to their dream... He just knew it. It was why he'd decided to talk to Sanji in the first place.
The black-suited teen quieted for a moment as he thought. It wouldn't likely be for very long, Nami said maybe a month. Thinking of Nami, the blond's nose began to bleed. He would be basically living with her for that WHOLE time. At that thought, his mind was basically made up. He sucked the blood back up into his nose and faced Zeff once again. "Alright, Geezer. Fine.", he complied, "I'll go... But don't expect me to just give this place up when I get back!".
Sanji turned back toward the door and stomped his way back into the restaurant, effectively ending the late-night conversation.
Zeff watched the teen walk away for a moment before turning back toward the water with a small smile on his face. He thought back to his own time out on the high seas as his old crew flashed in his mind. Maybe he would take some time and read his logbook before he went to bed. He hadn't opened it in a while. Yeah. That was exactly what he was going to do. He'd done all he could do for the brat, the rest was up to him.
The old man began to follow Sanji back inside, walking toward the door. "Live YOUR life, Sanji.", he whispered into the air in front of him. He paused and turned, looking at the moon one more time with a smile. "Once he's been out there for a while... He won't be able to stay here any longer.", the aged man's gaze pushed past the moon and he smiled to the heavens above, "Isn't that right, guys?".