Chapter 82
Seething
"If I asked you to come early, it's to tell you something important."
Elio and Sam instinctively glanced at each other anxiously. The serious tone and closed face of their boss were a clue both revealing and terrifying and Sam swallowed, his hands sweating. His sidekick questioned him with his eyes, trying to remember what they could have neglected or missed in recent days. As his friend shook his head in front of his silent question, they fearfully turned their attention back to the blond leaning over a sheet of paper on which he was writing on the terrace of the All Blue this early morning.
The two cooks were working hard to keep up with the crazy pace imposed by the owner of the All Blue and more than once, one or the other had thought of giving up in the face of the amount of work and stress that awaited them every day. Faced with this adversity though, the two young men had learned to support each other and, above all, to perfect their talents in the kitchen. They were now aware that they could apply to any restaurant and be certain of being hired and paid comfortably for less work. The All Blue was known throughout the Grand Line now and the quality of its cuisine was renowned across all the oceans. Their participation in this prestigious team alone opened the doors to the greatest careers among the best chefs in the world. The temptation could have been strong and yet, they were still here.
Indeed, beneath their surly faces and infinite demands, the two head chefs of the All Blue had given them extraordinary skills and authentic values stemming from a true passion. That's why their desire was still intact to continue this crazy adventure despite the exhausting hours and infernal discipline. This opportunity was the chance of their lives and being part of this journey was a godsend that they did not want to let pass.
Yet this morning, the two friends were not feeling very good. Sitting at a table a little sheltered from the wind, Sanji kept his eyes fixed on his paper and several endless minutes passed before he finally put down his pencil to turn his attention back to them.
"We gotta talk about what's gonna happen in two days during the wedding. Neither Malek nor I will be able to be here for the day, we have the entire ceremony to supervise."
Elio and Sam held back a sigh of relief as they nodded in agreement. Now that any fear of reprimand was out of the way, it made sense that their boss would want to ease the pressure in the kitchen for this special day. If the blond even decided to close that day, they weren't against the idea of being able to rest. Yet Sanji seemed undecided and the two cooks exchanged another questioning glance when he sighed heavily.
"I discussed it with the old man and we're gonna keep both services."
"Both services?" Elio repeated, stunned. "But… that's impossible! Even Amy won't be here to help us!"
"Lily won't be available to bring us fish either," Sam pointed out, uneasy.
"Exactly, it's time to test all that training you've had." Sanji stared intently at his two assistants before sticking a cigarette between his lips. "You know the resources of the All Blue and you know how to select the best foods," he continued, lighting his cigarette butt despite the wind. "So I've decided that you'll be completely on your own on the wedding day."
Elio stared at his boss who was puffing on his cigarette, his eyes wide. "Y-You serious, chef? We're gonna be in charge of the kitchen of the All Blue?!"
"The choice of the menu, its preparation… Everything?" Sam asked, just as stunned.
Sanji nodded while blowing his smoke towards the sky. "Running a restaurant is not just about following someone's orders, it's about knowing how to create a menu and being able to present it to customers. If you're not ready now, you'll never be."
"Awesome!" Elio shouted with joy.
"It really is a great honor!" Sami got enthused in turn.
"Don't remind me," the blond muttered darkly. "I entrust you with my restaurant and its reputation and I don't need to remind you what the All Blue means to me. Needless to say, I won't tolerate the slightest mistake," he warned them again, taking a hard drag on his cigarette.
"Trust us, chef, you won't regret it!" Elio assured him fervently.
"We'll be extremely vigilant so that everything goes well," his colleague confirmed.
"I hope so for you. Zeff won't be here either, so you won't have any safeguards."
"He won't?"
Sanji shook his head towards Sam, tapping his cigarette above the ashtray. "He's got things to do on Vorgo and as for us with Malek, we'll be way too busy."
"Will you still look at our menu?" His cook wanted to know, slightly worried.
"Not sure. Starting this afternoon, we'll start the most important prep and tomorrow, the old man will manage most of the services."
"We can think about it and show it to you tonight," Elio suggested, turning to his friends who nodded strongly.
"Suit yourselves." The blond shrugged as he picked up his paper, "But don't forget that you have the possibility to pretend that you own your restaurant during this day. Could be an enriching experience for you."
The two cooks exchanged another look, this time shining with excitement, before turning to their boss with a beaming look.
"You're the best, chef!"
"We won't disappoint you, promise!"
"Yeah, we'll talk about it the day after the wedding," Sanji grumbled while Sam and Elio were already starting to share menu ideas, overexcited. As he tried to refocus on his own list, the excited comments of his kitchen boys quickly got on his nerves. "If you got so much energy, go scrub the kitchen, it'll keep you busy," he groaned. "And don't forget the toilets while you're at it."
Sanji didn't expect the two sparkling smiles that immediately faced him. "Yes, chef!"
"Alright, let's recap precisely the course of events," Usopp said.
"The wedding or everything from the beginning?" Franky asked.
"Everything that remains to be done in the next two days," the sniper replied. "Everything must be perfect."
Around him, his friends nodded and leaned over their respective papers diligently.
Brook, Franky, Robin, Usopp, Chopper, Malek and Sanji had gathered at the end of the afternoon to supervise the last details of the wedding preparations. This had given the two cooks the opportunity to visit the rooms specially built for the occasion by the crew's shipwright. They had noted the care and ingenuity with which their friend had built the place, mindful of the fact that the inhabitants could reuse it later. The room where they were currently would host the ceremony and the cyborg had planned a small altar as well as many wooden chairs in a refined style on each side of an aisle the bride would walk down. The decor itself was also simple and rustic, with large wooden arches on the ceiling providing a warm and elegant atmosphere at the same time.
The reception room was just a few steps away. Designed to host several dozen people, Franky had added a small kitchen area to store food as well as a veranda with walls that could be extended depending on the number of guests. The ceiling of the reception room was particularly elaborate and had been built in the form of an immense glazed dome supported by thin white pillars. The walls were made up of immense bay windows so that when open, the place would give the impression of carrying its guests directly outside. This clever arrangement would allow guests to enjoy the good weather or stay sheltered while benefiting from an airy space close to nature.
"The decoration of the reception and ceremony rooms should be finished by tomorrow," Robin said. "We must arrange the last flower arrangements to adorn the aisle as well as the flowerbed."
"I'll fix the last wooden arch next to the altar and all that'll be left to do is hang the curtain," Franky agreed.
"For the reception room, I have finished making the light curtain with mini candles in glass balls for the section of the wall overlooking the kitchen," Usopp added.
"The candles and tealight holders for each table are ready," Chopper added enthusiastically. "I've also planned all the table linen!"
"The stage area is also ready," Brook continued. "All the instruments have been placed; I just need to tune them."
"How will the orchestra be organized?" Sanji asked, curious.
"It was decided that I'll take care of the musical atmosphere alone for the games and the entrance of the bride but that our companions will be able to join and accompany me at the end of the evening," the skeleton replied elegantly.
"Nami won't be so strict if everything went well before," Usopp explained. "It's safer."
"Wise decision," the blond approved, remembering the atrocious quality of the orchestra that he had heard again in rehearsal a few days earlier.
"I fixed the balloons to the ceiling this morning," Robin told them. "White and gold with slightly different sizes for the festive side."
"What about the disco ball?" The sniper asked her. "Luffy really wanted it."
"Done!" The cyborg assured him, raising his thumb in his direction.
"We also prepared the games," Chopper continued with delight. "The fingerprint tree and the ink stamps are already in the room!"
"Can the buffet be set near the doors leading to the kitchen?" Malek asked, turning to the shipwright. "It'd be much easier for us."
"On the entire south side for maximum space!" His friend confirmed. "One side for drinks, one side for food!"
"Perfect."
Usopp nodded while scribbling his last notes. "Tomorrow, we'll have to check the outfits and make sure we haven't forgotten anything," he continued. "It'll be mostly up to you guys then," he added while turning to the two cooks.
"We've already started some preparations but we're gonna run out of space at the All Blue," Sanji replied. "We'll need to store on the Sunny too, the kitchen space in the reception room will only be used to store dishes while waiting for service."
"That shouldn't be a problem. Since we eat most of our meals at the All Blue, the fridge is almost empty," Robin remembered.
"Drinks will be easier to manage, I can make them right here," Malek added.
"I'll make the cakes as late as possible but they'll still have to be kept in a safe place for twenty-four hours," the blond specified. "The croquembouche one is special so I thought I'd put it in the Sunny's pantry so it's in a dry place."
"Luffy's gonna see it for sure," Chopper worried.
"We'll need a key for the pantry," the musician suggested.
"No problem, I'll make you a super padlock!" Franky got enthused.
Satisfied, Usopp nodded before turning a new page of his notebook. "On the wedding day, we'll need to be really precise: everyone must be ready by 3 p.m. Chopper and I will take care of dressing Luffy and bringing him here."
"Nojiko, Vivi, Lily and I will assist Nami with her dress," Robin told them. "Amy is in charge of the wedding rings of the two bride and groom."
"Vivi will make a simple speech and the ceremony won't be too long but some music will help us wait," the sniper said while glancing at the skeleton.
"As soon as the first guests arrive, I'll be at my post," Brook assured him.
"Nami said that the weather will be very changeable that day so the cocktail will be served outside if we can but just in case, it'll have to be set in the veranda on the other side of the kitchen," the little reindeer continued.
"It can only be decided at the last minute," Usopp grimaced.
"We'll adapt," Sanji affirmed.
"There will probably be a lot of people, most of the inhabitants of the island have responded positively to the invitation," Robin told them.
"No problem, the walls of the veranda are expandable!" Franky reminded them.
"We have planned food in astronomical quantities," Malek added. "We shouldn't have any problems on that side."
"Dinner will start at 7pm with about thirty guests," the sniper read. "The inhabitants of the All Blue that we met two years ago, the crew and the guests of the bride and groom. What about the All Blue team by the way?" He then asked the blond.
"Elio and Sam will come at the end of the service but as for the old man, I can't say," Sanji replied. "He's gonna spend the day on Vorgo, he has something to do over there."
"We'll keep a seat for him just in case," Usopp decided, picking up his pen again.
"The games will be inserted throughout the evening with a dance by the bride and groom at the start," Chopper continued.
"Luffy's gonna dance?!" Sanji choked. "Are you sure?"
"It's a very simple dance," Robin reassured him.
"A slow dance for the most part," Brook added. "The symbol was important to our navigator."
"Games, dance, food, cakes and then, party all night long!" Franky rejoiced.
"Zoro and Liam will regularly keep watch outside," Chopper completed. "The All Blue will be open and we don't want any malicious people to infiltrate the shuttles to try to attack at that time. Liam confirmed that the rumor of a wedding on All Blue is known on the surrounding islands."
"Fortunately, they don't suspect who it is," Malek agreed. "They think it's an heir trying to impress his fiancée by getting married on an uncharted land."
"Can we really trust the locals about that?" Usopp asked the blond again, worried.
"In the weeks since you came back, the Marine hasn't disembarked," his friend pointed out. "Besides, the All Blue isn't part of the World Government and the locals know that our status is special so they won't go looking for the authorities for a pirate crew that doesn't create any problems," he reassured him again.
"At worst, we'll kick their asses!" Franky got enthused while the cook nodded.
"Either way, Liam will use his alarms near the doors and he has put up others all around the archipelago," the little reindeer continued. "In the event of an alert, Zoro and he will be responsible for assessing the danger and if possible, eradicating it before it reaches the coast."
"And especially before it reaches Luffy's ears," the sniper prayed.
"I've put together a team if needed." The doctor proudly showed them, "Some locals have volunteered!"
"It's gonna be super fine!" The cyborg affirmed.
"There's no reason why it shouldn't go well," Robin agreed with a smile.
"If you say so… Let's talk about the positioning of the guests at dinner then," Usopp continued. "Nami said she didn't want assigned seats, but we should at least position the tables to have enough space for games and dancing. I was wondering if a round formation wouldn't be the most suitable…"
Sanji pushed the door of the room towards the outside and immediately lit the cigarette he had already put between his lips. Behind him, his companions were still discussing the choice of music for the bride's entrance and he gently closed the door until their voices were nothing more than a muffled whisper. His friends were adorable and the organization deserved that they devote all their time to it but for his part, the blond needed to get some air. Indeed, since he had gotten up, he had not stopped for a second and in view of the two days to come, he knew that he would not have many other opportunities to rest either.
Taking advantage of this moment of solitude, Sanji took a long drag on his cigarette before taking a few steps, enjoying the rush of nicotine to relax among the autumn wind and the sea spray. All the preparations that awaited him was not the only element that made him feverish and the cook closed his eyes as he forced himself to exhale slowly, his smoke flying around him. Franky had built the rooms not far from the beach and he could hear the waves crashing on the sand even if he couldn't see them. The place was quiet, a little away from the village and on the other side of the cliff where the All Blue was.
Amidst the silence, the blond tried to empty out his mind. The whirlwind of his thoughts was such that he couldn't get his mind in order and he forced himself to breathe calmly to try to regain control of himself.
It was his fault after all. Between the imminence of the wedding which created an unprecedented amount of work, he had also decided to give the keys to the All Blue to Elio and Sam, which caused him more anxiety than he wanted to let on. Yet he had seriously considered the matter and thanks to Zeff's remarks, he had come to the conclusion that it was time for him to give his cooks a real chance to prove their worth. After all, they had proven themselves by working hard for months so they had deserved to experiment and discover legitimate ambitions. Their boss only hoped that this experience would not push them to leave the All Blue immediately to open their own restaurant but even if they did, the blond had decided that he would manage. As always.
Focusing on the sound of the ocean, Sanji took another drag of his cigarette. These two facts alone already occupied his days and nights but to top it all off, a new element had come to take precedence over his already racing thoughts. Indeed, his mind was tirelessly replaying his fight the day before against the swordsman, preventing him from focusing on everything else.
In reality, the battle that Zoro had fought against himself for all these weeks had completely monopolized him too and he had invested himself body and soul to help Zoro overcome this unforeseen obstacle. Seeing him reach the key and freeing himself from all his suffering should have relieved Sanji as much as his companion but on the contrary, this new step had left room for even more panic in him.
The blond shivered. This fight, unexpected but necessary, had left him totally helpless, as if all the precautions that Zoro and he had taken since the crew's return had collapsed in the blink of an eye. This moment had been so intense that it had taken Sanji's breath away. And it wasn't just because the cook had thought he was reliving when he had felt this complicity with the swordsman after all this time. It wasn't just the fact that Zoro had revealed himself as the blows went on despite the unspeakable joy that Sanji had felt when he had seen him retaliate either. Because at that moment, Sanji had seen him. The former warrior was here, lurking in the shadows and ready to return to service just like his swords. Maybe it was not entirely unrelated to the fact that this fight had had something so natural that it had seemed to Sanji that it logically fit together everything that was still missing between them.
But above all, what had really contributed to destabilizing the blond was the fact that this confrontation had awakened the tumult of feelings he still harbored for the swordsman despite their two years apart.
His hands trembling around his glowing cigarette, Sanji sighed. When he had discovered that Zoro had lost his senses, his inner turmoil had naturally faded into the background and he had only thought of helping the swordsman regain his resolve. Yet his actions were proof that his emotions were still as strong and burning when it came to his crewmate.
Allowing Zoro to discover what was paralyzing him, making him progress so that he could understand how his connection to his swords had been broken and how to get it back, nothing else had mattered. Because that was the very reason for the sacrifice of their relationship and the swordsman's failure would have meant that they would have endured this injury for nothing. That the blond would have agreed to give up what he held most dear without compensation. And what he had held so dear, what he still held dear, was love. Their love. This love so unfathomable but so powerful that it has stuck with Sanji ever since.
So when his foot had finally met Zoro's sword and Zoro had tried to block him, retaliating awkwardly and then faster and faster, the excitement had pulsed through Sanji's veins to the rhythm of the adrenaline and the incredible euphoria he had felt at the idea that all this love had not been in vain. And when the fight had finally stopped, it was not because of the crew's screams but because they were out of breath, covered in sweat and their muscles aching.
At that moment, their eyes had locked a few inches apart, and Sanji could have believed that they were alone in the world because of the intensity of their look. Two years of fears, doubts and pain had passed between them before being swept away by the force of their memories and commitment to each other. Despite all the blows, it was this look that had made the cook stumble, completely overwhelming him and then leaving him indecisive and helpless.
Sanji had had a hard time tearing his eyes away from the swordsman who had ended up looking away to lovingly contemplate his swords, the relief clearly perceptible in his only good eye. The crew had then burst in between them and among Luffy's cries of excitement and Nami's reprimands, each had gone their separate ways towards the Sunny and the All Blue.
A few hours later, the cook had accidentally crossed paths with the swordsman on the beach as he was carrying the chutneys to the All Blue. Zoro was wielding his swords in the moonlight, his gesture assured and his gaze clear, and Sanji couldn't help but slow down a little. The swordsman's eye had met his and the blond had sensed that the tension of their fight was still floating above them, pushing them to continue their hand-to-hand combat, violent and fun at the same time. Yet neither of them had moved. They had probably felt that the moment wasn't right and Sanji had finally resumed his path towards the restaurant without a word.
For his part, aware of his heart beating a little too fast in his chest, the cook was not sure that the mere prospect of a good fight was the only thing to make him want to confront the swordsman. About Zoro though, he had figured out that his crewmate had found a way to reconnect with his swords and it made sense that he would seek confrontation. Sanji had then promised himself that he would give Zoro enough time after the wedding to allow him to regain all his sensations. After all, he had committed to helping him and he would keep his word, even if it triggered waves of emotions that he had difficulty containing.
And it was this passion once again in broad daylight that most disturbed the cook because even if he no longer denied his feelings for the swordsman, he did not know what to do with them. They were so huge and uncontrollable, and in these conditions, he doubted he could hide them for very long, especially now that their relationship was taking a turn so similar to what they had known. What would he do if Zoro no longer shared his feelings or if he was simply too focused on rediscovering his swords to worry about it? Sanji did not expect to start a new relationship with the swordsman because there were too many incompatible elements in their future but if he was ready to assume his part to continue their promise, he knew that talking about it would make him suffer as much as on the first day and he dreaded it.
Two years spent trying to move on had taught him that it was not enough to want it in order to achieve it and he did not want to get in the way of the swordsman who had just recovered what he had missed so much. Sanji did not want to take the risk of unbalancing Zoro again after all their efforts and coming so close to disaster. He never wanted to see the swordsman on the verge of abandoning his swords or giving up on his dream again. Whether their relationship was at stake or not, imagining Zoro giving in made the blond sicker than any love ignored or rejected.
Sanji sighed, his cigarette long since burned between his fingers. His mind was not at peace but for now, he would have to make do. The wedding was fast approaching and he had to focus on this event before thinking about the next ones. He had a feeling that he would have plenty of time to worry about it later anyway.
Everything is rushing and converging towards a single point for our two couples.
Just like Sanji, take a deep breath. With the upcoming chapters, I won't give you many opportunities to catch it!