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“Ace, love. Wake up.” Sanji said, holding the plate he was carrying on one hand and using the other one to caress his boyfriend's cheek, the man stirred chasing the warmth which made Sanji smile. “I made you breakfast.”
“Good morning,” Ace answered back, barely looking up from his spot on the bed. He was covered in between the pillows and only half of his face was peaking out.
He looked teary eyed from sleep, hair messy and splotches of red could be seen smeared across his cheek from the position he was sleeping in. It was the cutest sight Sanji had ever laid eyes on, so much that it made him forget that the person in front of him was a real man. The thought was soon forgotten when Ace let out a lazy smile filled with mischief and grabbed Sanji by the waist pulling him down on the bed and making the plate almost fall to the bed with them.
“Idiot,” Sanji said but it lacked any ill meaning, his true feelings uncovered by a fond laugh he couldn't help to let out. “You’re gonna make me drop everything.”
“Let’s leave that here then.” Ace had a mission, it showed in the way he furrowed his brow when taking the plate and placing it on the nightstand, trying very hard not to spill anything.
“I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you say no to food,” Sanji said, filled with curiosity.
“That’s cause I’d rather have you instead.” Cheeky bastard.
“You’re a menace.”
Even after that lame attempt at flirting, Sanji leaned in to kiss the half naked man in his bed. Nothing compared to the feeling of their lips brushing against each other, the way their breaths mixed making it almost suffocating. Sanji couldn’t get enough of it and he had a feeling Ace would let any building burn if it meant they could stay like that.
Although, the moment was cut short by the sound of the blonde’s ringtone.
“Noo,” Ace whined as Sanji vehemently pulled away, whispering soft sorrys as he reached the phone.
He sat by the edge of the bed and answered. Ace on the other hand, just played with the hem of Sanji’s t-shirt, slipping his fingers under it tracing the soft lines of his body and making it so much harder to focus on the phone call.
“I need you at the restaurant today,” Zeff gruffly said from the other side of the line. “Two people quit this morning and now I'm short on staff.”
“HUH? Why don’t you ask Patty instead?”
“He’s got a stomach bug, I ain’t riskin’ it.”
“There has to be someone else.” Some other time it wouldn’t have been a problem but Sanji had made a promise and he couldn’t go backtracking now.
“Might be, but I trust you more than any other idiot.” A second of silence. “Which is saying something.”
“Okay fine, you could've left it at I trust you.”
Zeff hung up after that, not even bothering to answer and leaving Sanji with a waiting boyfriend and a big, – half-made –apology in his head.
“Baby,” he started.
“It’s fine,” Ace said, moving to get out the bed, his tone didn’t give anything away, which made his guilt run so much deeper. “I have to go to the station anyway,” Ace explained and Sanji tried not to get excited over the fact that his boyfriend was a firefighter. “We can meet later.”
“Of course.” Sanji kissed him apologetically. “I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”
“I’m sure of it.”
Sanji had to make it for their date, if it was the last thing he ever did.
The kitchen was hot and busy, the smell of hot oil and almost burnt food filling the air. Zeff had a thing with getting workers that simply needed a job which meant having people who had no idea of what they were supposed to be doing.
“Get your dirty paws off my pot or I swear to God I’ll cut them off with my peeling knives.” Sanji was annoyed already and he didn’t need a rookie ruining his order.
“But Zeff said–”
“I don’t give a fuck about the old man’s opinion, get out of my cooking area if you value your life.”
To say Sanji was stressed out was an overstatement, he hadn't had a moment to breathe all morning with having to cover for three different people, so he was dying to go on his smoke break before starting the rush hour at the restaurant. He wasn’t against brunch per se but he didn’t understand why people would mix meals instead of enjoying each of them at their estimated time.
He had never minded when the place was bursting, he loved his job wholeheartedly and every day was as fulfilling as the previous one even if he ended up exhausted. The thing about today in particular was that it was Valentine’s Day, which wouldn’t have mattered at all if he hadn’t promised Ace to take him on the most romantic date ever. He wanted to prepare dinner and some good wine, he had all the ingredients ready and he only had to buy a few things to add, making it a point to look as fresh as possible. That’s why Ace going to the fire station to deal with his vacation papers was perfect.
“You,” Zeff said by the door that opened to the back alley, interrupting Sanji’s not so peaceful moment. “I told you to stop harassing the new recruits.”
“Recruits,” Sanji mocked the man. “This is a restaurant for God’s sake, not a military base.”
“This is whatever I want it to be son,”
Son.
Lately Zeff had taken a liking to calling him that, everytime Sanji heard the man utter those words he was filled with a feeling he wasn’t sure he understood.
“What’s got you ticking boy? I thought you liked rush hours.”
“Nothing.” The way in which he said it meant the complete opposite.
“Yeah right,”
“Don’t you have shit to do old man?” Sanji said as he threw his cigarette away. “Piss off and don’t send more trainees my way!”
“Sure, but I need you till closing time,” Zeff said as Sanji made his way back to the kitchen.
Sanji was pissed, yes, but who could blame him? He was –most likely– going to miss the most romantic day of the year with his new boyfriend. If Sanji wasn’t surrounded by people he’d burst out crying out of frustration.
This relationship was so new and it meant so much to him already. He’d never dated a man before, he’d never been interested enough with women taking most of his waking thoughts. Then he met Luffy’s brother, Ace, and his life turned around completely. Sanji was absolutely smitten even if he would absolutely deny it to everyone who dared to imply it.
Ace understood him from the inside out, he felt such a deep connection to the other man that had always been unimaginable to him. He still remembers the first time they met, Ace wouldn’t stop flirting and Sanji was a blushing mess. He was used to doing all the flirting, all the pursuing but Ace made him completely speechless. Ace treated Sanji as if he was something precious, good enough to be cherished. It always left him at a loss of words and every single insult Sanji threw his way lost his snark the moment Ace smiled at him.
It was embarrassing really, how weak he felt because of a man. He really wanted to prepare the best Valentine’s day date ever just to make him feel a taste of his own medicine. Not at all because he wanted to feel worthy of Ace's attention.
“Who the fuck touched my consomé?” He asked the moment he reached his area and noticed a misplaced spoon. At the lack of a reply he rubbed his face tiredly, today was going to be a really long day.
Rush hour ended and most of the brunch enjoyers had left already. It was finally his lunch break, the only moment when Sanji could actually look at his phone and check on his friends. So that’s what he did.
One by one he checked the chats, he dreaded looking at Zoro’s, the man had started to use Sanji’s private messages as a calendar or check list of sorts. Seeing I just showered on his notifications only served to annoy him even more. Luffy had been spam texting on the groupchat until Nami got tired of it and kicked him out. Usopp and Franky kept going on about some projects and Robin had sent Nami a link on how to intimidate men. The purpose got lost though, they already had that ability perfected. Chopper was missing though, the last message he’d sent was a good morning one before he went to school.
Sanji missed them dearly, he’d been working non stop lately and he didn’t remember the last time all of them had been able to hang out together. The last texts he checked were Ace’s, he was procrastinating on it, he felt so guilty about having to cancel. First official date and Sanji was already fucking up.
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Dumb <3 Hey princess |
That greeting made him blush so hard he actually hid himself on his seat, so no one could see the state he was in.
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Dumb <3 Hope you’re doing okay I’m so excited to see what you planned for tonight |
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Sanji Hey dumbass Do you mind if we cancel? I’m so sorry Zeff’s making me hold extra shifts and I’m stuck here all day |
Dumb <3 Oh That’s too bad Well then, another day it is |
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Sanji I’m really sorry 🙁 |
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Dumb <3 It’s okay princess We have all the time in the world |
“He’s breaking up with me,” Sanji muttered to himself, rubbing his hard enough to mess up with his sight.
“Who’s breaking up with you?” A voice startled him out of his thoughts.
“Nami?” he asked, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m going on a date and I thought of you.” She explained. “I purposely avoided brunch so… Will you be taking our table? Pretty please.”
“Of course my dear,” he agreed immediately. “Come right this way, I'll find you and your beloved the perfect table.”
Sanji rushed inside but Nami grabbed him by the arm, stopping him from taking a step further.
“Hey hey, not so fast, sweet cheeks,” she said. “Why do you think Ace is breaking up with you now?”
“Ah, so you heard that…” Sanji looked sheepish, almost embarrassed. Nami looked at him judgingly, they both knew she had already answered Sanji's self proclaimed sentence. “I’m fucking this up Nami, I’m fucking this up just the same way as my last relationships.”
“Okay slow down girl?” Also a new term that Sanji treasured dearly. “What happened?”
“I promised Ace I’d plan the perfect Valentine’s day but I’m stuck at work so I cancelled on him and now I'm pretty sure he hates me.”
“Did you tell Zeff?”
“Huh, as if.” He couldn’t come out to Zeff, that would ruin him.
“Why the fuck not?”
“You know why?”
“Do you really think Zeff gives a shit if you like a man’s ass?” Sanji cringed at that, Nami was his dearest friend but she could be so crass sometimes.
“It’s not that easy.”
“Look babes, Zeff has been there for you at your lowest,” Nami said, more serious than he’d ever seen her. “He won’t care if you like a man and he won’t care if you feel like–”
“Shut up, shut up-” Sanji couldn’t have that conversation right then and there.
“I’m sorry,” Nami apologized sincerely. “That was out of line, I’d just love for you to finally understand that it’s okay to be who you are.”
“I don’t know who I am,”
“Keep telling yourself that and you might believe it.”
Sanji really wanted to believe it, maybe that way he would finally feel at peace.
“Didn’t you have a date? Because my break is over now, let me get you that table.”
He walked in without looking at her, he surely would feel guilty after that but right then he was way too upset. Sanji got the plates and menus for the girls in an attempt to avoid the flood of thoughts running all over his mind.
“Here you go ladies, if you tell me your drink of preference I’ll start on that before you tell me your order.”
After Nami’s date was finished, Sanij walked them to the near entrance, the place was mostly empty so he could manage to take some time away from the kitchen. Vivi was a really nice girl and she didn’t disagree when Nami asked her to wait outside while she talked to Sanji about something.
“Sanji.”
“If you’re going to start again let me stop you right there.”
“I’m sorry,” she said before Sanji could kick her out. “I shouldn’t have thrown all that on you. It wasn’t fair.”
“It’s okay–”
“However,” Nami continued. “I do think that you owe it to yourself to be truthful even if it’s in your own head.”
“Okay, I’ll try.” Saji wanted to cry, was that truthful enough?
“I also think you should tell Zeff.”
“Nami, it’s been so long! How are you?” The man in question said who appeared right behind them.
“It sure has been,” Nami answered, feigning normalcy. “I’ll try to come more often but I have to leave now, my date is waiting outside”
They shared their goodbyes outside, giving Zeff the opportunity to meet Vivi and letting Sanji take a moment to smoke in silence, thinking about Nami’s words and how true they were. After a while, the other man joined in.
“What is it that I need to be told about?” Zeff asked as Nami and Vivi walked away from them. Sanji was still shocked at the fact that he hadn’t noticed the man showing up before and Nami’s panicked expression told him that she hadn’t either. “You’ve been driving everyone up the walls all day so spit it out already.”
“I told you already it’s fucking nothing,” Sanji tried to sound annoyed but the tone was off, more upset than angry.
“Hey, enough with that crap.” Zeff grabbed him so he’d look his way. “I’m worried about you son.”
Son. He didn’t really hate it, he loved that Zeff saw him as his own child, but it wasn’t enough. Sanji wondered if the man would despise him after knowing the truth about his son. He’s already the fuck up of a big prestigious family she didn’t know if she could bear having the person that meant everything to her walk away.
So if she had to keep being his son then she would, even if it killed her.
“I had a date today,” Sanji said, after breathing deeply, fear overwhelming her. “And I had to miss it because of work.”
“You’ve missed many Valentine's dates before and you didn’t care.” It wasn’t an accusation, Zeff was trying to understand.
“This one is different.”
“Why? Is she made of gold or what?”
“It’s a he.” Sanji whispered, way too low to be properly heard.
“Huh?”
“It’s not a she ,” he said louder. “I have a boyfriend.”
“Okay.” Zeff looked confused, which wasn’t bad. “So what then, is he made of gold?”
“What?” Sanji was genuinely confused.
“You’ve always prioritised work, why is he so special?”
“You don’t care?” It was more of a whisper, vulnerable and frail.
“Why would I care?” It was such an honest question.
Sanji really didn’t mean to burst out crying, but the softness it was said with was enough to break down every wall she had built around her. Zeff half hugged her, it was a bit strange, physicality had never been their forte but it was comforting all the same.
“Look son.” Sanji froze at that, an action that Zeff definitely noticed. “You could be anything, anyone, and I’d still see you as my annoying little eggplant.”
Sanji had learnt at a very young age how stupid it was to be hopeful, but the way Zeff spoke to her just then as if knowing everything that was going through her mind made her want to trust him.
“Anyone?” She asked, with a trembling voice.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” An in or an out, whatever she wanted it to be.
“I–”
Zeff looked at her attentively, concern and a feeling Sanji was too scared to name filled his gaze. Scared because if it ended up being love it could be so easily shattered.
“What if–” she started, not knowing how to start. “What if I was different?”
“Different how?”
“What if I wasn’t… a man?” Zeff looked as shocked as Sanji felt, it made her feel like she should take it back. “It’s not– I mean– I’m good with it most of the time but–”
“Is this because I called you son?”
“No? Yes. Maybe.” Sanji breathed deep, gathering her thoughts. “I thought it’d be nice, hearing that from you after all that has happened but–”
“But?” Zeff prompted.
“It doesn’t feel right,”
“Okay,” Zeff stayed silent, pondering his thoughts.
The silence after that was suffocating, Sanji wanted to go back to moments before when this conversation hadn’t taken place yet.
“Are you angry with me?” She asked, sofly.
“I’m not,” Zeff said immediately, no traces of doubt left behind. “I’m just trying to think how to make it better.”
“You don’t have t–”
“Stop, you’re my so– shit. You’re my daughter.” Zeff looked up, checking if he’d done right.
Sanji couldn’t help but smile, all the worry in her disappearing at such a wholesome attempt at comfort. She was so happy Zeff was her dad, even if blood didn’t tie them, that relationship meant more to her than something as banal as bloodlines.
“Okay, good, you’re my daughter,” he said, more sure of himself now that it was clear. “It might take me some time to get used to and I will surely screw up at some point but I love you and nothing will change that.”
Sanji nodded, tears still threatening to come out. Zeff looked away, he looked embarrassed and Sanji could understand it.
“Okay now get ready to leave,” Zeff suddenly said.
“What? Did you hit your head old man?” Sanji asked, she might be a woman but old habits die hard. “It’s only 7.”
“Shut up, I’m letting you out early. That gives you enough time to doll up and meet your boyfriend.” Sanji was flabbergasted, not once had he let her leave early. “You better introduce him to your old man. What’s his job? Is he an honest man?”
“He’s a firefighter, so don’t fight him, you’ll lose.” Zeff hummed in agreement, which worked. It was amusing, seeing him trying to protect her honour for the first time in years.
“He better be good to you then.”
Sanji wanted to get home and shower, she felt greasy and disgusting and the exhaustion didn’t help. However, he did not expect to see his living room filled with candle lights, a digital fireplace on the TV with jazz music in the background and a table ready with cutlery, plates and two empty glasses of wine. Sanji stood there with her eyes wide open, leaving her keys on the tray.
“Oh, you’re so early,” Ace said, peeking out of the bathroom. He was wearing a nice pair of black jeans and a half buttoned dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looked mouthwatering. “I was running you a bath it’ll only take a minute.”
Sanji didn’t say anything, she just walked up to Ace confident for the first time in a long while. The moment they were face to face she grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him deeply and lovingly.
“What was that for?” Ace asked a bit breathless, he looked at her dreamily and Sanji was so in love with that man it was scary.
“I was so sure you hated me,”
“I could never, princess,” he said it so seriously that Sanji felt her heart skip a bit. “Come on, get in the bath, I’ll get dinner ready.”
Sanji got into her room to get her looking for something nice to wear, although she didn’t have to. Right there on the bed were some clothes folded neatly with a note that said:
Go get your man girl ;) -Nami.
It wasn’t something too bold, just a soft blue blouse and a dirty white skirt and right beside it there was a red set of lingerie that Sanji refused to even touch, the sight of it made her blush already. She texted Nami a quick thanks anyway.
Sanji got into the nice warm bath Ace had prepared, the scent of flowers filled the room and the sound of Ace moving around in her kitchen made her chest fill with something big and pure.
She didn’t want to waste time away from her boyfriend even though the bath tended to her sore muscles perfectly. She got dressed quickly enough but took her time to gather some courage before coming out of the bathroom.
The clothes looked so right on her, but the fear of rejection was still there eating at her.
She walked into the living room and found Ace double checking the position of the plates three times. He looked nervous in such an endearing way, it was making her melt.
“Hey,” she said softly, grabbing his attention quickly. “Thank you for the bath.”
Ace looked at her so lovingly, so vehemently and so adoringly.
“Hi,” he breathed out, making Sanji smile. “You look beautiful.”
“Don’t be embarrassing,” she said, completely affected by the comment.
Ace was playing the romantic boyfriend part to the fullest, taking her chair out so she could sit, filling her drink, showering with compliments. Sanji loved it, she could feel her heart hammering inside her but she couldn’t help but be a little bit disappointed.
“I wanted to be the one to romance you for one,” Sanji complained, her face wearing a permanent flush.
“Who says you don't do that already?” Ace asked, his smile still as wicked as ever. “You charm me just by breathing.”
“I’m winning next time.”
“And I’ll be glad to lose to you princess,” Ace claimed proudly. “Do you like the food? I tried my best but it burnt a little bit anyway.”
“It’s perfect,” she said, because it was true. Even if the meat was a bit too dry and the vegetables not properly cooked it was still perfect because Ace had made it.
“I’m glad.”
“I told Zeff about you, that’s why I came home early.” Ace’s eyes widened at that. “He wants to meet you.”
“That makes me so happy, I’ll be the best boyfriend a dad has ever met.”
“You’re such an idiot,” Sanji laughed.
“And this idiot has rented your favourite movie and bought your favourite snack so we can enjoy a quiet night on the couch.” Ace looked so proud of himself, he truly had swept Sanji off her feet.
“I love you so much.”
Silence. Shock. Fear.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I said that.” Sanji really didn’t know what the fuck was happening to her and her mouth today.
“Did you mean it?” Ace asked, he sounded shy and gentle, not sure if it was okay to press on the matter but the need to know winning by a lot.
“Yes,” Sanji confessed.
“That’s great.” Ace smiled. “Because I love you too.”
Thank God the food was already finished because they would have forgotten all about it the moment Sanji stood up to kiss her boyfriend. They spent the night cherishing each other’s warmth while watching the best movie of all time. In the end it had been the most romantic date Sanji had ever experienced.