Chapter Text
14.02.2022
“Good morning everyone, this is your chief flight attendant, Sanji, speaking. On behalf of Grand Line Airways, it is my pleasure to welcome you aboard Charter Flight 211. This is a non-stop flight with service from Katorea to Loguetown, Polestar Islands. We are expected to be in the air in approximately twelve minutes. At this time, we would like to ask that you please fasten your seatbelts and secure all baggage underneath the seat in front of you or in an overhead compartment. We also ask for all seatbacks and tray tables to be placed in the upright position for take-off. Smoking is prohibited for the duration of the flight. On behalf of Captain Franky and your entire crew, it is our pleasure to have you aboard. Thank you for your service and enjoy the flight home.”
Sanji returns the PA handset back into its cradle and turns to greet the last of the troops boarding the aircraft. He hears a clatter behind him and sees his cohort hastily gathering wooden coffee stirrers off the galley floor.
“You’re gonna have to toss those out now, you know.”
Usopp turns his nose up with a harrumph . “Yes, sir . I am quite familiar with the international health codes.”
Sanji snickers and pulls out another pack of stirrers from a cabinet. “I’m just reminding you, is all.”
“Hey, man. Just because you’re lead today doesn’t make you king of the airplane . We have the same DOH, you know ?” Usopp said cheekily, returning the blond’s gibe. They had gone through training and graduated together so they had the same seniority number.
Sanji hummed as he started the coffee machine and turned to his friend. “Now, are you going to keep it cool this time? We don’t want another mishap like before.”
“ Yes. But you can’t blame me. I know these folks are heroes and all, but some of them can just be plain … untamed .” Usopp leaned his head out into the aisle. It looked calm enough with only a couple of spinners still trying to find their seats.
“Come on, they’ve been away from home for months now. Who knows what they’ve seen or done out there. Wasn’t your dad a Marine? These should be your people.”
“Yeah, well my dad’s friends were kinda untamed sometimes, too. I better go back there and help them find their seats.” Usopp gestured to the two uniformed persons still standing and left Sanji to finish pre-flight preparations.
Sanji swiftly contacts the boarding gate agents to confirm passenger headcount and arms the cabin door. Once done, he informs the captain of their completed pre-boarding duties and puts on the safety instructions video to be streamed to all the seatback TV screens.
Usopp returns and finishes up with the rest of his inflight service prep before taking a seat in the jumpseat by the forward cabin door while Sanji makes his way down the aisle for one last safety check. Most of the troops have already gotten comfortable; some sleeping, others fiddling with their phones. No doubt informing their loved ones back home of their departure. He approaches the over-wing exit rows and is greeting to the sound of a handful of young looking men conversing loudly. One of them - a dark-haired man covered in freckles - is squatting atop his window seat, turning to speak to the men behind him, arms flailing as he paints a tale of something or other and it has the group laughing.
‘Oh boy, here we go.’
“Sir, please kindly fasten your seatbelt. We will be taking off soon.” Sanji, with his smile reaching his eyes a bit too much.
“Oh, yes, sorry about that,” the Marine replies, turning the right way around and pats his knees, smiling up at the blond.
The captain speaks over the intercom, speaking codes only the cabin crew understand, indicating complete readiness for take-off.
“Also, sir, you need to put your firearm under the seat; for safety reasons,” Sanji pointed to the carbine leaning against the window panel and the marine swiftly tucked it between his feet.
With a nod, Sanji turns to head to his own jumpseat and notices the man sitting next to the raven-head staring intently at him with wide eyes. He has bright green hair that clashes with his sunburnt skin; tiny pale scars littering his cheeks and jawline. He looks almost - lost, but Sanji merely smiles and continues down the path, hands raised to close any ajar overhead bin.
“Cabin crew, please take your seats for take-off.”
As he sits by the aft door, he sees a green head poke out into the aisle looking back at him. ‘What now?’ Sanji thinks as he cocks his head, but the other man quickly sits forward again without any further acknowledgement to the flight attendant.
Finally, they’re underway. The cabin lights flicker minutely as the aircraft steers across the tarmac covered apron and pauses on the runaway before the engines roar, the wheels turn, and the plane’s nose is lifted into the air. Several Marines cheer in anticipation of going home. Jango and Fullbody are clapping loudly and Hina can be heard over the din that she’s finally going to see her wife and kids.
Zoro presses himself into his seat and stares blankly at the screen in front of him.
“Hey, Zoro. You alright? Not afraid of flying, are ya?” Beside him Ace chuckles and fishes his phone out of his bag, stretching his left arm out and holding up a peace sign with the right. “Zoro, smile. I’mma send this to Luffy”.
Zoro sticks out his tongue and holds up devils horns before quickly turning to face the older man fully. “Hey, what did that guy say his name was?”
“What guy?” the distracted reply comes, thumb swiping across the keyboard.
“The flight attendant. Was it Sammy?”
“I think he said it was Benji. Why do you ask?” Ace adds filters and stickers to the photo and sends it off to his little brother before turning it landscape and launching an emulator app.
“Dude.” Zoro says breathily.
"Dude , what?” Ace asks as a vintage game launches on the screen.
“Didn’t you see him? He’s a total knockout.” Large blue eyes with long pale lashes, chapped lips and what looked like could have been a poorly set broken nose. He was absolutely gorgeous.
“Huh, what? Oh yeah, he’s cute,” Ace replies nonchalantly. Zoro peaks over the heads of his fellow troops and spots the blond in question buckled in and tapping on his phone, not at all noticing the green haired man telepathically willing him to look up.
He hadn’t had noticed him when he first boarded but during the announcements he couldn’t help but be enthralled by the tall blond. His fringe covered his left eye, but it didn’t take away his features. His eyebrow curled on the end above an ocean blue eye and Zoro thought it was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen. When the flight attendant walked the aisle before take-off, he noticed how tight his leg muscles looked underneath his navy slacks, and when he was scolding Ace, Zoro thought he saw a stripe of rainbows on the man’s jacket. But he’d have to take a closer look just to be sure.
“You think he’s gonna come back here?”
“Dude, it’s a ten hour flight. Isn’t it his job to serve everybody? I’m positive he’ll be back.” Ace pauses his game and looks Zoro in the eyes. “What’s the big deal? Don’t tell me you’re head over heels already. He hasn’t said one word to you.”
“Since when did you get all wise beyond your years, Portgas? Weren’t you drooling all over that girl on the signboard in the concourse earlier?”
“No, Roronoa. I was drooling all over the pizza she was holding. Too bad the lines were long, we really should have gotten something to eat before boarding.”
“All you care about is food. You’re a bad influence on Luffy.”
“Meh, he’s fine. Growing boys need to eat.”
“And are you still growing at 30?” Zoro sneered but he got no reply from the other man as he resumed his game. Zoro peeked over his shoulder once more, the flight attendant now talking to someone on the phone; still not looking back up at him. Sighing, he pulled the little earbuds from the seat pocket and started scrolling through the movie list on the TV. This was going to be a long flight.