Discount Cook

by ImhereforfunIguess

Summary:

Anica hesitated, reaching out to brace his shoulder.

“Maybe you should go home.”

“Wha?” Sanji asked. The room was dim and his head was heavy.

Anica leaned forward and said, quietly but urgently,

“Go. Home.”
.....

Sanji winds up being sold to the highest bidder for a fraction of his bounty. He really shouldn't be offended by that but he definitely is.

Featuring! Protective straw hats! Hurt Sanji! Good karma! And drug induced metaphors!

Notes:

• For ZephGale.

Largely inspired by ZephGale fic entitled "Fine Print Means Nothing to Pirates".
It's pretty different still, but I wouldn't have written half of it if I hadn't been inspired by that fic.

Chapter 1: Not the Vacation He'd Hoped For

Sanji loved his crew. He really did. They were some crazy combination of too much and just enough that felt like home. But they were...a lot. All. The. Time. The Sunny was big but compared to an island, they were living pressed together like sardines.

Sanji just needed a day to himself. He’d told Robin as much, asking her to tell the others he’d do the shopping and then explore on his own this time around. He’d done it before on occasion, just not usually on the first day on an island.

Sanji had been the one to enforce the buddy system in the first place, but he could take care of himself and he really really needed a day where no one talked to him or touched him or shouted his name.

Robin had smiled sympathetically so Sanjii didn’t think he was being too unreasonable.

He started scoping out the local shops and stalls, looking over all the prices before making any purchases. Then he started with the produce. 

The island’s climate was Autumn, so it had plenty of berries and apples, squash and sweet potatoes, Carrots and Beets. But there was a concerning lack of citrus. They’d need plenty of vitamin C and while they had Nami’s tangerine tree to fall back on, he was always so careful not to over harvest it.

He kept this concern tucked away in the back of his mind and haggled the price of a bushel of beets. 

Then he saw her.

She was an older woman, stooped from years of survival weighing heavily on her shoulders. Her clothes were worn threadbare and her cheeks were sunken from more than just age. Sanji’s stomach twisted in sympathy. There she was, surrounded by food, and she was starving. He was careful not to stare at her or where she shuffled past him. He’d finish this transaction quickly and then fix her a meal. 

The old woman fell to the ground after passing him, a sweet potato falling from her grip.

“Hey!” The vendor yelled. “You thieving old bat!” 

Sanji scowled at the man.

“That’s no way to talk to a lady.”

“She just took that out of your bag!”

“Oh yeah?”

Sanji crouched down next to the lady and inspected the tuber.

White hair had fallen over her face, hiding her expression, but not the way she trembled.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

“Just as I thought.” Sanji heaved a sigh. “I owe you one, Mademoiselle. This has nearly gone bad. It’ll have to be cooked today.” Sanji sat in mock thought as the vendors and the woman all looked at him, shocked and bewildered. “I’m a ways away from my ship... Ah! If the lovely lady would be so kind, might I request the use of your stove? In return I’d be glad to cook you a meal?”

The woman looked up at him, chocolate eyes glistening, and hesitantly held out her hand. Sanji took it, braced her elbow, and helped her to her feet.

“If you feed her she’ll just keep coming back!” The vendor sputtered.

Sanji shot the man a look so vicious he staggered back from his stall.

“I should hope so. If you have any shame at all, you would hope so too.”

Sanji let the woman lead him to her small home. It was clear that everything that could be sold had been, but Sanji still complimented what was left. He cubed the sweet potatoes with a quarter of an onion and seasoned it with the last of the salt in the dusty cupboard. The stove was still hot from an earlier fire so he put the prepared food on a thin slate dish and set it directly on the coals.

“Do you like Sweet Potatoes? I have to take most of this food back to my crew, but we can spare some supplies. What about Carrots?”

“Why are you doing this?” Sanji stopped tending to the coals but kept his back to her. “I am old and I am poor. There is no one left that loves me. I’m weak and not long for this world, food or no food. I have nothing to offer you. What could you possibly hope to gain from helping a person as useless as me?”

Sanji looked over his shoulder and smiled with his eyes closed.

“Seeing a beautiful lady such as yourself enjoy my food is reward enough! I’ve met a lot of people traveling the Grand Line and the New World and you know what? Not one of them has been useless.”

If the old lady cried, Sanji pretended not to notice. He’d gotten better at charming the elderly after meeting Dr. Kureha who was definitely both very young and super attractive. Before that, he’d seen grandma’s come to the Baratie from time to time, but most stayed on dry land. The few who didn’t, he only talked to enough to take an order. His mom hadn’t had the chance to grow old. Even if she had, Sanji wouldn’t have been there to see it happen.

 So Kureha had been the first old- incredibly hot irregardless of age and not at all petty- woman that he’d had an actual conversation with. It may have colored his interactions with all women her age.

“What’s your name, young man?”

“Sanji, my fair maiden.”

“You’re cute. My name is Yuzu. I’m sorry I don’t have anything to give you in return for your kindness.”

Sanji used a folded over cloth to pull out the sweet potato hash and placed the steaming dish in front of her.

“I don’t know if it’s really kindness since I get something out of this too. And I get the pleasure of dining with the graceful and distinguished Mademoiselle Yuzu.”

Once it had cooled off enough, Yuzu devoured the dish, taking bites so large Sanji was worried she’d choke.

“Thank you.” Yuzu leaned forward on her knees, bowing so deeply her forehead nearly touched the floor. “That was the best meal I’ve ever had.”

Food just tastes better after you’ve been starving. Sanji knew from experience.

“You’re welcome. And thank you for letting me cook for you.”

Sanji left her cupboards, her stomach, and her heart full.

Since they’d arrived on the island around noon, it was almost sunset now. He wouldn’t be able to explore at all at this rate. He started to head back to the ship when he ran into Zoro and Chopper.

“Hey, Mosshead! Make yourself useful and take this to the ship. Nothing needs to be refrigerated yet because I’m waiting to buy perishables till the day we leave.”

“I’m not your pack mule! Carry it yourself!”

“Nope. Captain gave me the day off, I’m going for a drink. Maybe I’ll even meet a beautiful lady!” Sanji sighed dreamily before directing his attention back to the duo. “Chopper, make sure this idiot doesn't get lost. And in the bag there are some wine colored berries. I heard that they were both edible and medicinal depending on how they’re prepared so I got some extra for you to play around with.”

“Really!? Oh wow! Thank you, Sanji!”

“I won’t get lost! After we drop these off I’m coming to drink you under the table!”

“Oh yeah!? I’d like to see you try!”

“I do it every time!”

“I meant I’d like to see you try to find the bar on your own!”

Chopper started walking away, waving over his shoulder.

“Bye Sanji! Enjoy the rest of your day off! Drink responsibly!”

Sanji called after him,

“Yes Doctor!”

Zoro grumbled but followed the little reindeer. He and Sanji worried about their smallest crewmate quite a bit. Especially on a new island. Chopper knew it too, the clever little brat. Sanji stretched, having missed his chance for a good spar, and set out to find a decent bar.

Sanji ordered a bottle of whatever was good and was offered the house wine. It was made from the berries he’d told Chopper about earlier. It was tart for what he’d assumed would be a dessert wine, but he didn’t have much time to consider its other properties because someone sat down next to him. Very, very close to him.

She had dark brown hair, the color of the inside of a molten lava cake, and mint green eyes. Her dress was Raspberry red and so were her lips. She smelled like Lavender. Not so much that it was soapy, just light and floral.

“Hey handsome. Let me buy you a drink?”

Sanji flirted, but he didn’t really know what to do when someone flirted back. He felt his face heat up and he knew he was probably blushing with his whole head.

“A lady should never have to pay. Allow me.” He set a few Berri on the counter of the bar.

“Oo, a gentleman.” She leaned in and said, “It’s been awhile since I had one of those.”

Sanji’s eyes widened and he took another swig of his drink.

“What’s your name Mademoiselle?”

She looked at him incredulously and laughed.

“Alright then, Sweetheart. We’ll go slow. My name is Anica.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. What does it mean?”

“Graciousness. But I’ve never put much stock in things like that. Names, signs, blood type. I know what I want just by looking.” She fiddled with his tie and he brought his hand up to gently move hers away, his face burning.

“I ought to warn you, I’m a pirate. I’ll be moving on in the morning.”

“And? I’m not looking for anything long term.” She purred.

Sanji shocked himself when he said,

“I think I am.” The guys at the Baratie would never let him hear the end of it. They were always bragging about past ‘conquests’. So did the pirates that came to dine. So did the Marines. 

But Sanji, while attracted to women, didn’t want to go from one to the next without ever really knowing a single one of them. Maybe that made him less of a man. He didn’t know. “I’d love to cook a meal for you?”

Anica’s eyes softened from hungry to longing.

“I’m not big on late night snacks. How about a drink instead?”

“A drink it is. I’m still getting used to the wine here. Mind if we finish the bottle?”

“Help yourself. I prefer Sake. But, I’ll let you pay.”

Sanji smiled and sipped his bitter wine.

“How long have you lived on Luge?”

“Oh I don’t. I just stop by every now and again for work. The spring is breathtaking.”

“What’s your home island?”

Anica’s smile tightened.

“I’ve been traveling for so long, it’s hard to remember.”

Sanji knew what it was to have a painful past. He’d made similar remarks before too. 

I’ve spent most of my life at sea.

I don’t remember much from before I met Zeff.

Easy lies of half-truths that led to a shift in the conversation. Sanji obliged.

“Mind if we move to a booth? It’s getting a bit loud.” Sanji could hardly hear her over the sound around them. The lights were too bright for a bar too. He was much more comfortable once they settled into a quiet little booth in the back of the room.

It felt like they’d only been talking a few minutes, but the next thing Sanji knew, he was pouring the last of the wine out of the bottle. He frowned in confusion. He hadn't had that much to drink, had he?

“Cheers.” Anica said, lifting her glass. Sanji clinked his glass with hers and took another swallow. It didn’t taste bitter anymore. He felt warm from the inside out, cheeks hot and body heavy. He held up his drink and looked at Anica. She swayed back and forth through the glass.

“Hey, handsome? You alright? Luge Liquor is awfully strong.”

Sanji blinked and smiled at her.

“I’m okay.” His voice was rough and slow. Like he’d just woken up from a long night’s sleep. Maybe that’s why he felt so groggy.

Anica hesitated, reaching out to brace his shoulder.

“Maybe you should go home.”

“Wha?” Sanji asked. The room was dim and his head was heavy.

Anica leaned forward and said, quietly but urgently,

“Go. Home.”

Sajni nodded clumsily and pushed up on the table to get to his feet. His legs felt like cooked pasta. A sudden shot of panic ripped through his chest. This was wrong, something was wrong, wrong wrong wrong-

A soft hand stroked his cheek and two fingers pushed him back into his seat. A new woman, not Anica sat so close he could feel the heat radiating from her body.

“Hey Handsome. Let me buy you a drink?”

Sanji struggled to keep his head up but mumbled,

“Lady...shouldn’t...pay.”

A cool glass was put in his hand and guided up to his lips. 

“Alright then, Sweety, I’ll let you pay.” 

Sanji swallowed the drink, atrociously bitter and- and he didn’t know what happened next. He was warm, then he was cold. It was dark. He was rocking one way and then the other. As far as dreams go, he’d had worse. He hoped Anica had made it home safely.

 

Anica didn’t want to do this anymore. She’d marked him when he first came into the bar. Louie gave him the drugged bottle and she got him to finish it. Only he wasn’t like a lot of the rich lowlifes she usually targeted. He wasn’t just nice. He was kind.

He asked about her and listened to what she said. After a few glasses of wine he started to sway and blink. She was surprised. Usually two glasses was all it took. But he still hadn’t made any moves on her. She saw her backup eyeing the man with the same incredulity. How was he still awake?

Sanji finished the bottle.

“S’rry. Surry. You sed, yer frm, frm...” He trailed off, eyes glazed over. Marcy, her second, started across the room. They would take him to the back alley and Louie would take him to the auction house from there. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad for him. She had turned out okay once she agreed to be a recruiter. Then Sanji frowned at the empty bottle. She said her usual line and Sanji shook his head, hands clumsily waving in the air.

“M okay.”

“Maybe you should go home.” Anica said softly, before she could even process the words coming out of her mouth. She didn’t want to take this one. The Market would break him and she didn’t want him to be broken. What a time she picked to grow a conscience. 

“Wha-” She pushed his shoulder a little bit in an attempt to get him moving.

“Go. Home.”

He stood and nearly fell, steadying himself at the last moment. He had a panicked look on his face. Good. He knew he was in trouble. He knew what she’d done.

Then Marcy did her job. Recruiters were sent out in pairs for three reasons. In case a mark got out of hand, in case one Recruiter tried to pull a double cross, and in case one of them went soft.

Marcy stroked his cheek and pushed him back into the booth, practically sitting on his lap. Whatever fear the man had felt before was gone, wiped away by a sudden shift in circumstance that no drug-addled mind could make sense of.

“Hey Handsome. Let me buy you a drink.”

He mumbled,

“Lady...shouldn’t...pay.”

Marcy wrapped his hand around the glass and lifted it up to his lips. He swallowed as she tipped it back, some spilling down the edges of his mouth and dripping down his neck.

“Alright then, Sweety, I’ll let you pay.” 

The man fell back against the booth and his eyes became vacant. 

Marcy examined his face and grinned.

“He’s a real catch. We won’t have to go recruiting again for another month. Come on.”

Anica nodded and helped lift his other arm. 

“A bottle and a straight shot. That’s got to be a record.” She mumbled.

“No kidding. The sooner we hand him over the better.”

So they did. Anica watched Louie put the man in a crate before having it hauled away. A day’s trip by boat and he’d be at The Market. Marcy had already gone inside.

Anica watched them disappear over the horizon, the chill of the night hardly touching her.

“I’m sorry.” Anica whispered.

Chapter 2: Spoiling Fruit

Summary:

The Strawhats start their search for their friend. They don't like what they find.
Sanji is highly offended by his going price.

Notes:

I promise I haven't forgotten my other WIPs, this story just has my brain in a vice grip.

Zoro had been looking for a bar for the last hour. He was starting to think that this island just didn’t have one. That the locals were playing some kind of trick when they talked about how good their hard cider was.

He was going to check the far side of the island and then call it a night, but Sunny must have been moved because the buildings parted to the dock and there she was. He grumbled and stalked back to the ship. He’d just have to convince the cook to break out the good booze.

“Zoro!” Nami waved down at him, grinning. “Did you leave Sanji at the bar or did he get lost this time?”

Zoro frowned.

“What are you talking about? I couldn’t find a single bar and I looked for an hour. I thought the curly cook would be back already?”

Nami tipped her head back and cackled. Zoro bristled. He was tired and the promise of good cider was a total let down and apparently the cook wasn’t even here to spar and let off a little steam. He wasn’t in the mood to be laughed at.

“Zoro, Robin and I passed three different pubs just looking for a book store.” Upon seeing the swordsman’s bewildered expression Nami bent over, laughing even harder.

Zoro’s face turned red and he turned back toward the town.

“Shut up!”

“Hol-hold on!” Nami wiped a tear from her eye and started down the rope ladder. She hopped off a few rungs before the dock but still managed to land soundlessly. Years as a cat burglar teaching her to move silently and skillfully. “I’ll show you. Otherwise you’ll be up half the night, still not get anything to drink, and we’ll all have to deal with a cranky crewmate. Besides, I need to ask Sanji about how much he spent today.”

Zoro scoffed,

“Greedy witch.” But waited for her to catch up before continuing into the town.

The first bar they stopped in, they didn’t see Sanji so they went a block further toward the center of the town. Still nothing. Nmai heaved an exasperated sigh as they saw the last bar.

“Leave it to Sanji to be in the last place we look. If he’s not here I’ll ask him about the budget in the morning and charge him for my time.”

They walked into the pub and immediately something felt off. Usually people were too absorbed in their own drinks to look up when the doors opened, especially at this time of night. But several heads snapped up to look at them. They looked nervous.

Zoro walked up to the bar but kept a hand causally resting on his swords. Nami smiled at the bartender, leaning forward on the counter.

“Hi there. We’re looking for a friend of ours.”

“Haven’t seen him.” The man didn’t look up from a glass he was drying. A glass that was already clean.

Zoro growled and gripped Wado.

“ Hey . We never said our friend was a he.”

The man looked up at them, eyes apathetic.

“Sorry. Can’t help you.”

Nami snatched the man’s tie and yanked him forward, his face stopping just short of hitting the bar.

“Think harder.” She said, still smiling. “He’s tall, lanky, nice suits, blond hair. Flirty with all your lovely patrons. Ring a bell?”

The bartender grunted and reached for Nami clumsily only for Zoro’s sheathed Katana to slam down on his wrist, pinning his hand to the bar.

“Answer the question.” Zoro ordered, murderous aura surrounding him.

“F-fine. I saw the idiot. He left with some girls. I make it a point not to remember the faces of my patrons.”

Nami considered his answer and let go of his tie. Zoro followed her lead and removed his sword.

“We’ll be back. If you’re lying you’re going to have to pay for it. I’ll be sure to collect interest too.” She threatened.

Nami and Zoro left the bar.

“You buy that crock?” Zoro asked.

“You know I didn’t. Something happened to Sanji and he knows more than he’s saying. I’m going to stick around and watch him, he’s bound to contact someone if he was in on it. You go tell the others.”

Zoro nodded and hurried down the street. Nami grimaced. Sending Zoro off on his own was asking for trouble. He was more likely to find it than he was the ship. But she wasn’t going to let anyone take Sanji from them again. And this time, everyone was going to save him.

 

The Strawhats were ready to just burn the whole place down. No one would tell them anything. No one would even look at them anymore. Nami had already broken a door in the bar when the bartender went into a back room and didn’t come back out. He’d snuck out a window and disappeared.

That was a week ago. 

There were three things that they knew.

1. Sanji had gone to a bar.
2. Sanji had been with two women who also couldn’t be found.
3. A ship left the harbor the night Sanji went missing.

Usopp wasn’t panicking at all. Not even a little. He’d once tracked a master assassin with nothing but a cigar butt and a shoe size. They would find Sanji and he would be fine. It wouldn’t be like after Whole Cake, when it took months for him to smile and mean it. When he had nightmares on the rare occasion he bothered to sleep.

“Come on, we have the beets on our ship, I know he stopped by your stand! We just want to know if anything seemed strange or if anyone was following him.” The vendor had been distressed the first time the crew had been by to ask, but now he was just weary.

“How many times do I have to tell you people? I sell to a lot of people. If I saw your cook I don’t remember him. Why do you keep asking?”

Usopp glared and declared,

“Because he’s not just our cook he’s our friend. You better believe we’re not going anywhere until we find him.” 

The man just looked away.

Usopp grit his teeth and turned away.

“Fine! Keep your secrets. Coward.” And Usopp would know.

He kicked a rock as he walked away. So much could go wrong in a minute, let alone a week. A withered hand gripped his bicep and leaned her weight against him.

“Oh I can’t thank you enough for walking me home young man! What a good boy you are!”

Usopp looked down at the elderly lady like she’d lost her mind.

“Listen ma’am, I don’t know where you live and I'm kind of busy right now-”

The lady elbowed his side and said,

“And you’ll fix a meal for me?!” She lowered her voice. “My, you’re the second person this week to feed this hungry old woman.” Usopp froze and his worry retreated enough to realize that every vendor was watching them.

“Well of course! Who could just pass a starving lady by!” He picked up his pace. He would have been running if he didn’t have to keep pace with an elderly shuffle.

He called up to Franky when they got to the Sunny and the cyborg jumped down to help her up.

Usopp assured her,

“The only listening ears here will be the ones we want, I swear. I’m going to call the others back, okay?”

“Alright. Thank you, young man.”

Usopp shot a green and a yellow flare into the air. They’d discussed signals earlier when they first split up. Nobody wanted anyone else disappearing. Red meant someone was in immediate danger, yellow meant they had found some information, and green meant regroup at the Sunny.

Franky brought a bowl of oatmeal, a tangerine, and a stool to the old lady.

“Oh thank you, young man.” She pat Franky’s thick metal arm and smiled sweetly. “You look like you ate all your vegetables growing up.”

Franky laughed and shook his head.

“Not hardly. I was a pain to feed.”

She ate the oatmeal and her eyes moistened.

“Are all of you this kind?”

Franky rubbed the back of his neck.

“Feeding someone at meal time is just good manners ma’am. Our cook would have my head if I ignored etiquette when a lady and food were involved.” Franky laughed, “He’ll probably have my head anyway! I forgot to get you a drink.”

Usopp frowned and did his best Sanji impression.

“You call this chivalry?! Where’s her tropical smoothie with a little umbrella!? You didn’t even get her a table or offer a foot massage?! This is no way to treat a lady!”

Franky laughed harder and the knot in his stomach eased. Franky was good at that. Putting his frazzled nerves at ease.

“He did call this old cow lovely and charming. I couldn’t decide if he was foolish or nearsighted.”

Usopp chuckled.

“I’d go with foolish. He always falls over himself when women are involved.”

Wrinkled eyes wrinkled at the corners.

“I don’t know. Now I think he was just kind. Although I suppose a person could be both.”

Franky slapped her back and Usopp was worried she’d go flying over the edge of Sunny.

“HA! You really did meet Sanji!”

Luffy shot onto the deck and the woman blinked a few times before nodding to herself. Like, this might as well happen.

“Hey Granny! You know what happened to Sanji?!”

Zoro jogged up the gangplank with Chopper on his shoulder.

Robin and Jinbei weren’t far behind, running into Nami and Brook before climbing aboard.

Nami was panting from running so fast from so far and said,

“You- Sanji-?”

“Hello little one. My name is Yuzu. I had the pleasure of meeting your good cook seven nights past. Most people see a starving old lady and look away as quickly as they can. I don’t have anything to offer, I don’t have long to live anyway. So why bother feeding me? But your boy, Sanji, he not only fed me, not only left food for me, he talked with me. He’s too kind to leave to those monsters.”

“Please, who took him?” Usopp asked.

Yuzu slowly and carefully knelt down, bending forward till her head and hands were pressed into the wooden deck.

“Forgive this old woman for her cowardice. Those who talk are taken away. I don’t have much life left but I selfishly guard it all the same. I should have found you when I first heard you were asking around. I only hope that sweet boy doesn't have to pay the price of my shameful behavior. This island is a hub, one of many. Recruiters come here once a month or so and pick a few people to- to sell.”

An oppressive force rolled over the ship and through the town like an ash plumb from a volcano.

“Somebody sold Sanji?”

Yuzu trembled but choked out,

“Yes. He was taken to the Market on Kingtale Island. He could be anywhere by now. I’m sorry.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Your friend would have been sold that same night.”

When Sanji came back to himself he was standing near a red curtain. He could hear cheers on the other side, so loud and overwhelming it made his whole body hurt.

Someone grabbed his forearm and he jerked away from them. A reedy man scoffed, amazement in his eyes.

“How are you already-” Sanji kicked out at the brute only to land flat on his face. The man laughed. “Yeah, no. You had enough Molly Berry to tranquilize an elephant. You’re not going anywhere.” 

They fastened seastone cuffs on his wrists and shackles on his ankles. Sanji recognized- and if his brain didn’t feel like cooling lava, slow but still burning- he would have recognized him sooner. The bartender.

“What did you do with Anica?” He demanded. The world tilted and he swayed but kept on his feet. He glowered at the man when he threw his head back cackling.

“You just worry about yourself, Mr. Gentility.” He was shoved roughly through the curtain and out onto a stage. The lights were blinding and nausea rolled over him. A gavel banged and it was like a shot through his skull.

“We have a fine specimen here today! A little scarred, but look at that face! He’s clearly healthy. Rare golden locks and all his teeth!” Sanji suddenly realized he was wearing a knee length white draped Shendyt. He’d seen them on some of the men in Alabasta, but he didn’t remember putting it on. Someone had undressed him and he hadn’t felt it. “Whatever job you have him do, I’m sure you’ll be satisfied! Do I hear Two Thousand Berri?!”

“Ten-Thousand!”

“Twelve!”

“Twenty!”

“Fifty-Thousand!”

A gavel banged and it felt like a shot to the head.

“Sold to the woman in the silver mask! You can collect your item upon completion of payment at the front desk!”

Fifty thousand? These idiots. That was so much less than his bounty. Did they not know who he was? What he was worth, dead or alive? And someone just bought him for a bargain, like discounted fruit about to spoil. He probably shouldn’t be offended that he wasn’t being sold at a higher price.

Sanji was pulled back through the curtain and this time he couldn’t stay on his feet. He felt every grain in the wood beneath him. He couldn’t hear anything outside of his own breathing. Someone stood above him and reached down with something that glinted in the limited light. A blur of black swiped the person out of view. Wait, had that been his leg? Ha. Even like this he could fight. Definitely worth more than fifty thousand Berri. 

Firm, burning hands gripped his arms. A pinch in the crook of his elbow was the last thing he felt.

Notes:

Ta-Duh! Hopefully that lived up to people's expectations! Thank you for everyone who's commented!

Chapter 3: Sleepless but Dreaming

Summary:

Sanji doesn't know what's happening, but he knows how to cook.

Notes:

Double update! This is the first chapter I wrote for this fic!

Sanji was cooking in his dream. 

Clean

Chop

Dice

He always tasted his food, but nothing ever seemed to touch his tongue. That was fine. He knew the seasoning of every dish by heart.

Simmer

Stir

Serve

The finished dishes disappeared from where he set them, taken away to make room for the next meal. Sometimes someone would come and give him water to drink and something dry and thick to eat. Stale pita bread maybe. They didn’t have a face, just a muted lavender scent. Sanji knew them, vaguely.

Pluck

Slice

Dredge

Sometimes his dream turned into a nightmare. He went from untouchable, cooking and baking and numb, to frightened, panicking, angry- but he always fell back asleep. A pinch in his arm or neck and he got to stay in the kitchen. Sanji knew what to do in the kitchen.

Gut 

Skin

Slice

He cut his hand. The blade had slipped while sawing through a croissant. It bled heavily. Sanji finished his dish and was left for the night. His arm hung down by his side. The blood dripped into a puddle next to him. It had dried by morning. Sanji cleaned it up himself. He knew how to scrub blood from tile.

Kneed

Bake

Glaze

“He’s going to die at this rate. He can’t go much longer without sleep. The drug-”

“He shouldn’t have broken Jonus’ jaw. They have to break him before he’s usable. I don’t know why he hasn't passed out yet either, but the boss won’t stop until he’s satisfied, not when he’s a gift from his wife. And he really likes this guy's food. Toughen up girl. Unless you want the same thing to happen to you.”

Sanji knew how he was still awake. But his thoughts were slippery and he was sleepy so he didn’t care to try to catch them.

Sway

Fumble

Tremble

Sanji dropped a tray of dinner rolls. He watched them hit the tile. He followed them down, taking a bite out of the first one he picked up. It was warm. Someone else knelt beside him. He held a roll out in their direction, eyes still staring at the food on the floor. The roll was taken, the way the food was always taken. He took another bite. Food shouldn’t be wasted. 

A sniffling voice whispered,

“It’s good. It’s so good.” Then, impossibly softer, impossibly earnest, “ I’m sorry. ”

Sanji knew.

 

Sanji found a salmon suddenly laying on the cutting board in front of him. He picked up a sharp, flexible knife and started to break it down.

A hand, too hot against his skin, held his wrist in place firmly while another removed the knife from his expert grip. Sanji let them. Immediately, a blinding presence was in front of his face. Sanji had to blink, to submit to the person before him that shone and burned and loved with the intensity of a sun.

It was almost enough to break through the fog surrounding him.

Almost.

A softer light, gentle and mysterious, ancient and timeless. Entrancing and kind but also always a little sad. Sanji thought it must be the moon.

It wasn’t quite right, but for the first time in this dream he was certain that he knew these people. That they were important. He wanted to know their names too.

The sun dragged him forward. Sanji would have followed wherever it led regardless. His feet moved too slowly. The fog clung to him like snow and dragged him down. It was a fight to move forward and Sanji was in no condition to fight.

Something inside of him burned. No, outside. Around his neck.

His head was tipped up and Sanji stared at the ceiling. He smelled ink and citrus, his mind too slippery to place which fruit.

Anger thrummed through the air and Sanji's breath caught in his tight, dry throat.

The heat disappeared from his neck, leaving a shocking cold in its place. It was easier to breathe now.

Ink cupped his cheeks and guided his head back down. Ink was shaking. Sanji knew he didn’t like that. His body stayed still.

The Sun pressed against him, forehead scalding on his own. A burning hand holding the back of his neck. Two eyes stared into him. When he spoke the world around him trembled. All of nature was standing up and taking notice, as it should when the Sun issued orders.

“This will never happen again.” It felt like a promise. An oath.

Sanji blinked and he was thumping through the snow-fog over someone’s shoulder. They were rolling thunder and sudden lightning, innocuous at a distance but deadly up close. This was a storm. Somehow, Sanji felt like he was in the center of this storm. Around him was a whirlwind of power and rage and bloodlust, but in the eye of this hurricane, he was safe. Sanji let his eyes slide closed.

He was back on his feet, swaying in a nonexistent breeze and looking up at a mountain. Steady, immovable. And it had tusks. Sanji reached up a hand. To do what, he didn’t know. The mountain’s hand wrapped around his hand and forearm. Big hands. Sanji knew he didn’t like those. These were okay though.

-me, your hand appears to be injured.”

Sanji wasn’t sure what he was looking at. A boat sitting in the snow-fog. Only it was also a lion. Only it was also a sun. Only it was also home. Sanji tried to step forward and fell. Sanji wasn’t surprised he was bad at walking through snow-fog. He was bad at most things.

The Moon lifted him and carried him home. Sanji loved the moon.

After that, things were dark. He smelled fur, sugar, and disinfectant. He felt stinging in his palm. His eyes were closed and he was limp, but it was the closest to awake he’d felt in so long.

 

A sad melody drifted to his ears. He tried to hold onto it, but it ended before he could get a firm grip. 

“Stupid cook, making us worry.”

“When Sanji wakes up, I want a ton of meat, okay?!”

Spice and gunpowder and rambling sounds that might have been words if Sanji had the mind to understand them.

When he opened his eyes and saw a man in the corner, sleeping on a stool against the wall. Sanji noted the bones and felt his heart lurch in his chest and his stomach drop in his gut. Sanji pushed himself out of bed, legs numb and trembling, but taking him down the familiar halls regardless. Sanji didn’t know where he was but his body did. That would have to do.

He made it to the kitchen and found a piece of meat. The next thing he knew, the meat was burning on one side. He turned it over with his hand, not feeling it burn the tips of his fingers.

The sun ran into the room and crashed into him, lifting him into a tight hug.

“Sanji! You’re awake! This is way sooner than Chopper said. And you made meat!” The sun set him down and with the warmth retreated. He hadn’t realized he’d been cold. He staggered when he was left to support himself again. The sun dimmed, and the whole world turned cold.

“I don’t want it.”

Ink approached.

“Luffy-”

“It wasn’t an order!” The sun should never sound so angry or hurt.

“We know, he knows. Jinbei warned us this might happen, remember?”

Ink sounded choked, like she had back in the snow-fog. He should give her something to drink after he finished the food.

“I want Sanji to cook me meat, but only when Sanji can love cooking it.”

Sanji moved to put the steak on a plate, when a fork stabbed into it and moved it for him. Storm growled,

“Use a fork, you moron.”

If the sun weren’t so all consuming, he would have noticed Ink and Storm a lot sooner.

Someone burst into the room, gasping.

“There you are!” The skeletal man said, relief in every syllable. “I only closed my eyes for a moment and he was gone. Figuratively, of course.” Sanji walked toward him, ground shifting precariously under his feet and held out the sloppy, half burnt food to the nicely dressed skeleton.

Boney hands took the plate but hesitated to eat the steak.

“Oh. Is this for me? Are you sure?” The skeleton turned to the sun. Sanji’s hand moved before he could think about forming words. He poked the space between two of the man’s ribs. “Did you- I see. You thought I was starving.” Sanji knew people who were hungry and given food cried. He’d cried a lot. Sanji knew. So he didn’t judge the skeleton for the tears on his sun bleached bones. Had he been left on a rock too?

The man bit off a piece of meat and swallowed.

“It’s perfect. Of all the things you’ve made for me, this is my very favorite. Thank you, Sanji.”

Sanji hummed, the first sound he’d made since waking up from that long misty dream. Unless he was still asleep.

He leaned back and thumped against the wall of the ship. At least he thought it was the ship. What else smells like steel and cherry cola? But the ship couldn’t carry people, at least not with arms so it must not be the ship at all. Vaguely he remembered a loud laugh and the sound of burgers on a grill. 

When he was laid down on a bed, so soft so warm so nice, he flailed his hand out, trying to pat the not-a-ship guy on the arm. An apology for confusing him with an inanimate object.

“Wanna ‘gur?”

“A burger? Are you seriously try’na feed me right now?” The man laughed. Sanji scowled. His expression matching his feeling for the first time since he first fell asleep. “Yeah, you just get some rest, okay Bro? Let Big Bro Franky handle feeding everyone for a while. I usually just do burgers, but Zoro can manage plain rice, Robin knows how to cook fish well enough to keep anyone from getting food poisoning, and Nami is killer at prep work. Jinbei knows what fish are poisonous in the New World and how to clean them. Luffy and Usopp are barred from the kitchen because Usopp over seasons everything and Luffy is..Luffy. Chopper insists that sauce making can’t be that different from mixing medicines and Robin said that with your cooking notes and everyone following instructions we should be able to manage for a few days.” Not-A-Ship folded forward, like the air let out of a balloon. “Aw man this is gonna be a ton of work. Get plenty of rest so you can take over soon, okay?”

Sanji’s eyes slipped closed while the other spoke and drifted slowly back to sleep, letting the real ship rock him to sleep.

Notes:

I know it was probably confusing but that's because Sanji is also very confused. Don't worry though, next chapter is the crew's pov of the rescue.

Chapter 4: Out of the Frying Pan

Summary:

The Straw Hats' perspective of the rescue operation.

Notes:

Sorry for the wait! Life threw me to the ground and kicked me in the kidney. Seriously it's been the worst summer. Which fuels the writing, which is my preferred coping mechanism, but limits my time and energy. Hopefully I'll be able to update more regularly soon.

Robin entered the auction house knowing she would be ending many lives today. She was prepared to feel necks snap under her palms and hear bodies hit the floor. She wasn’t prepared for whatever they’d find. Sanji could be in any number of horrifying situations. He could be dead. He could have been dead for days and nobody knew to mourn him. She kept those thoughts to herself now, since when she’d mentioned one to Franky he’d burst into tears. 

Luffy shot himself from the deck of Sunny directly toward the auction house. It was more of a fortress, stretched over every available inch of Kingtale island. In the caves, there were ships docked. Some had flags she recognised as merchant companies, others were pilfered from the marines. Franky would enjoy sinking them.

Robin followed after Luffy. They’d already planned this attack. They would move in pairs, gathering information where they could and getting rid of any enemies that crossed their paths. The goal? Find Sanji. 

Unless he’s already been consigned to a watery grave.

Robin trailed after Luffy, who was all rage and fear, burning and bursting. Any minute now he’d explode. Before the archaeologist had a chance to interrogate anyone, Luffy had already punched them into a stone wall or knocked a row of them up through the ceiling. 

“We won’t be able to find him like this.” Robin cautioned.

Their captain’s general strategy of ‘punch it till it works’, wasn’t going to serve them this time. 

A halting voice came from around the next corner.

“Wait! Please. Y-you’re here for him, right?”

Robin tapped the girl on the shoulder from behind with a bloomed arm, leading to her jumping out into the open with a shriek. 

“Where’s Sanji.”

The young woman shifted from foot to foot.

“I want protection.” She said. She didn’t sound firm, only afraid. “They’ll kill me if I help you but, but you’re strong. Protect me and get me off this island and I’ll take you to him myself.”

Robin was prepared to negotiate, to sus out if this was a trap or not, but Luffy jumped at the chance to find his Nakama.

“Deal! Where’s Sanji!?”

More winding halls and glowing torches and Robin was about to decide that this girl was only there to waste their time. Then, the girl stopped at a door.

“This is the kitchen. It’s as far as I go. I’m going to your ship and I’m telling your crew that they’ll be taking me with you to the next island.”

Robin watched her start to leave, but couldn’t stop her curiosity.

“There are other ships.” Or there were before her darling Franky sank them all. But this woman didn’t know that. “You could have left on one of them. Why make this deal?”

“He remembered my name.” Robin watched her run away with a new sort of understanding. It wasn’t sympathy, she couldn’t muster any positive feeling toward a woman that had no doubt helped enslave her friend. It was like she’d been reading a passage in an old book, the language difficult and foreign, only for it to switch to a more modern writing style. Clarity, she decided. If you could feel clarity for a person, that’s undoubtedly what it was.

Luffy burst through the door, tired of waiting. Robin had a split second to process what she saw and the rage it made her feel.

Sanji was cutting through a fish. He didn’t look up when the door cracked off its hinges and slammed on the floor. His eyes were distant and his movements languid. It was what Jinbei had warned them about. The horrific stories he’d never shared with them before that turned their stomach and burned in their chests and broke their hearts. Among those stories was one about a drug. A substance used to strip away conscious thought and free will. There was nothing left but habit and orders. If a person, or a fishman, were under its influence for too long, the physical and psychological effects were devastating. 

Robin bloomed a hand to grip Sanji’s wrist, removing the risk that he’d be startled or jostled while holding such a sharp knife. Another bloom gently took the knife from his hand. It was far too easy. In the same moment, she created dozens of arms to hold Luffy back. He was running too recklessly and Sanji was in no state to take a flying hug. All of these things happened in an instant.

 

Luffy knew Sanji was behind that door before the lady said anything. He could smell Sanji’s cooking. He couldn’t feel his nakama, but Jinbei said that might happen. Jinbei said a lot of things and Luffy was trying not to think about most of them. It made him feel too angry for his skin. For his bones. Like his body was going to burn away and leave nothing but steam and rage. 

And Luffy didn’t like being angry. So he was saving those thoughts for when he fought the people that took Sanji.

He ran into the room and leapt for his cook. Because even now Sanji was cooking and wasn’t that just such a Sanji thing to do? He felt himself be jerked back and held in place by hands gripping his calves and ankles. He could have broken free, but he didn’t want to hurt Robin. He twisted around to look at her and said with more growl than he meant to,

“Let go.”

“Wait just a moment Captain.”

But it had already been too long! Sanji had been missing for a week and that was too long to go without one of his friends. It was too long for Sanji to go without knowing whether or not anyone was coming to save him.

“ Let go .”

The hands disappeared but Robin said, calm and careful,

“Look at him, Luffy.”

Luffy would already be hugging him if Robin hadn’t held him back. When he snapped back to facing forward, he quickly took the last few steps between him and Sanji and leaned in close to his face.

Sanji didn’t do more than blink. He didn’t lean back to ‘preserve what’s left of my personal space’ or pull Luffy into a one armed hug because ‘it’s this or cook more meat and this is faster.’

Sanji was looking right through him.

“Sanji?” 

Sanji didn’t answer.

Robin put a hand on his shoulder.

“Jinbei said this might happen. We’ll get him back.”

Luffy’s face screwed up and frustration clenched his jaw. It wasn’t fair. Sanji was right there, they’d found him, but they hadn’t saved him yet. They wouldn’t really have Sanji back until he was cooking them a feast and yelling at Zoro and letting Luffy hug him like a backpack while he cooked.

Luffy grabbed Sanji’s wrist and pulled him toward the door.

“Come on Sanji. Chopper will know how to fix this. He’s been testing those berries you gave him. Yuzu said that they were what knocked you out in the first place. He was worried they’d still be giving it to you. So if that’s what this is he’ll be able to fix it easy.”

Luffy rambled and let Robin handle any guards they ran into. She had killed a lot of people today. They ran into Nami and Zoro.

“You found him!” Nami said, relieved.

“What? You couldn’t escape on your own?” Zoro taunted. Sanji stared ahead impassively.

Luffy tightened his grip on Sanji's wrist. 

“Sanji’s not back yet.” He said. Zoro frowned and then scowled. Luffy could feel the waves of anger and concern crashing through the halls. He was going to kill a lot of people today too.

Nami moved closer and inhaled sharply. She pulled his high chef’s collar down and relieved a thin golden ring around his neck. It was a slave collar.

A fresh wave of murderous rage nearly knocked Nami off her feet. 

“Gimme a sec. I can get it off.” Of course if she did it wrong it would explode and probably kill her and definitely kill Sanji. She tilted his head up to get a better look and pulled out her lock picks.

She hadn’t carried them everywhere in a while, slowly letting that habit fade away with time. But today she knew she was going to need to pick a few locks. It only took a minute, but Nami still cursed herself for not being faster. As soon as she’d touched it, the collar began heating up. Nami was genuinely afraid that it was going to blow before she could get it off. She startled when she heard a click and the gold band split in two. She ripped it off of Sanji and threw it down the hall. 

Sanji was still looking up at the ceiling, unmoved from when Nami first tilted his head up. She carefully cupped his cheeks and tipped his head back down. Her eyes blurred with unshed tears. 

If Sanji were himself right now- but he wasn’t. And Nami couldn’t bear to see it. She spun on her heel and choked,

“I’m going to tell the others we found him.”

Robin followed her. 

Luffy walked up to Sanji, cupped the back of his neck, red and raw, and pressed their foreheads together.

No matter how close he got, Sanji didn’t feel like Sanji. Luffy had gotten used to being able to feel his Nakama. To know where they were and that they were okay. Now, there was nothing where there should be Sanji. Like he wasn’t really there. Like he was dea-

“This will never happen again.” Luffy swore. 

Zoro flinched at the sudden pressure. It wasn’t oppressive, not to them, but it was heavy. It was the weight of their captain's love, and it was a weight that every Straw Hat gladly bore. 

Luffy moved back to just holding Sanji’s hand. One look in Zoro’s direction and Zoro knew what he was asking.

He clenched his jaw. He wanted to fight too. He wanted to cut down every slave trader in this place like he cut through the stone walls. It was faster to just go straight through than to try to remember the way through a labyrinth disguised as a castle.

Luffy’s eyes were wide with trust and an overwhelming need to do something, anything . Zoro huffed a frustrated sigh. He stooped under the cook’s right arm and scooped him up over his shoulder.

Luffy didn’t have to ask. Zoro was always going to leave behind his bloodlust to protect his Nakama. Even the Nakama that drove him crazy. Just like Zoro didn’t have to ask Luffy to bring this place down to dust and rubble. They just exchanged a glance.

Zoro spun and paused for a second in confusion. He’d just sliced through this wall? How was it rebuilt already? The weight on his shoulder swayed with his turn. The limp, compliant body that Zoro had been trying very hard to pretend wasn’t the same man that kicked his unsheathed sword with a steel toed dress shoe for sneaking a swig of the good Sake. That it wasn’t his friend. The storm inside of his heart shouted,

Who cares how the wall is back!? Just cut it down again! Along with anything else that gets in the way!

He focused on the stretching and constricting of his muscles, of the slight resistance of his blade as it glided through thick stone. He broke through wall after wall, using the sword in his mouth to ensure any rubble falling Sanji’s way was too small to do more than dirty his chef whites.

He landed on the other side of the exterior wall and into the light of day. The sun was rising, the sky red and burning. If Zoro were a poetic man, he might have mused that it reflected the burning anger in their hearts, the rising power of a captain protecting his crew, of the blood that had been and would be shed. But despite what Perona said, he was not a poetic man, shut up.

The moment after his sword had completed its downward arc, Zoro spun and thrust it up and to the right, slashing at someone who bent back and out of the way easily.

Zoro’s shoulder’s relaxed. It was only Jinbei. Normally, he would have felt him coming, but with Sanji not feeling like Sanji, Zoro had unconsciously withdrawn his Haiki. He didn’t want the body he was carrying to feel any more like a corpse. He was too cold as it was. Stupid cook was never cold.

“It’s you.” Zoro grunted around the hilt in his teeth.

Jinbei nodded and caught an arrow shot from behind him without ever turning around.

“I see at least some of the things we feared have become reality. Go. I will see him safely home.”

Zoro grinned. Looks like he would get a fight in today after all. He stood Sanji back on his feet, and it felt too much like arranging a doll and anyone could have moved Sanji and touched him and done anything and he wouldn’t know and someone already might have-

The hurricane in Zoro’s chest swelled to its apex. A blood red sunrise was accurate after all.

Jinbei crouched in front of Sanji. The man was pale, wane in a way that spoke of little food and no rest. The underside of his eyes were bruised. Jinbei questioned the wisdom in letting a woman involved in any part of hurting their Nakama onto their ship, but he was certain Luffy had a reason. Or more likely, an instinct.

Sanji swayed on his feet. A red ring of raw skin around his neck, some places cut and weeping, spoke of a terrible truth that made Jinbei ache. It was a familiar kind of pain, seeing marks like those on a friend, but it was a pain he would never be used to.

“I’m sorry.” He rumbled. Sanji looked up at him, like he hadn’t realized that anyone else was there. He blinked slowly and reached a hand up toward his tusks. Jinbei would have laughed at the childishness of it if he didn’t smell the blood. 

Jinbei carefully moved Sanji’s arm, lowering it and turning it so his palm was facing up. There was a jagged cut across the inside of his palm. It was largely scabbed over, but puckered and red. 

“That must have startled you. Forgive me. Your hand appears to be injured.” Jinbei ripped part of the golden sash around his waist and gently wrapped the injury. It would likely split open again while Jinbei carried him.

Sanji looked down at his hand. His gaze didn’t move again until The Sunny was in view. Not even when Jinbei scooped him up and carried him like a child. Not even when the prison dressed like a palace exploded and crumbled to the ground.

But as soon as the Sunny came into view, Sanji turned and looked directly at the figurehead. His expression was still lax and vacant, but there was something close to recognition there now. He tried to roll out of Jinbei’s arms, toward their home. Robin sprouted multiple arms that carried him the rest of the way, over the rough shore rocks and up the side of the ship. 

Jinbei heard Chopper shouting orders to himself and saw Luffy flying through the air like a star from one of Usopp’s stars. Jinbei took a deep breath and held it. The air smelled like dust and blood. His lungs expanded with the relief of finding their cook and the fear of finding out whether or not he was still whole. Then he exhaled. He let his shoulders drop. 

The sun had risen. It was a new day. Sanji was home.

Notes:

Tah-dah! It was going to be longer, but I ended up splitting the chapter in two because I wanted to give you guys something sooner rather than later.
As always, thank you for the support and comments!

Chapter 5: Homecoming

Summary:

The Strawhats get Sanji home. Kind of.

Notes:

I am so sorry for the wait! Thank you all for baring with me and for those that commented. It was because of someones comment that I picked this back up again.
I know the chapter count went up but here me out. This chapter was like, fourteen pages.

Chopper worked quickly and precisely as his crewmates came into the infirmary one by one. He’d take a look at them once he was sure that Sanji’s heart wasn’t about to give out.

From what he could tell, Sanji had been on his feet working, without sleep and little food or water, the whole time he was captive. His hair was greasy and the cut on his hand was two days old. They were lucky he hadn’t got an infection. The burn around his neck was mild but since the collar had already rubbed the skin raw, it would be painful and take longer to heal. 

Chopper looked down at the white gauze around Sanji’s neck and his eyes narrowed into a watery glare. It made Chopper sick to his stomach that someone had treated his friend like an animal. He knew what that felt like. He was so angry. But there was nothing to break here. Only to fix. 

Chopper inserted an IV for a saline bag. He went from one crewmate to the next and took care of their minor bumps and bruises. Later, when it was just the two of them, the doctor would ask Jinbei for more information on what they’d used to drug Sanji.

Nami stretched her back and said,

“I saw we have a tag along. Someone will need to watch her until we get back to Root Island.”

Zoro raised a brow.

“You volunteering?”

Nami thought about it for a minute before sighing.

“It’s going to need to be me or Robin, I think. No offense but you guys are too easy to trick.”

“Full offence taken!” Usopp yelled.

Nami continued with a sour expression.

“What I mean is you’re all too gullible! Too nice. She’ll give you a hard luck story and cry and you’ll forget all about what she did to Sanji.”

And maybe Nami couldn’t bear to see Sanji so still and listless again. Maybe the thought of it still scared her too much. She looked at Robin meaningfully.

Robin understood.

“I agree.” She said.

“Hey!” Usopp shouted. “Geez, you two make it sound like we’re all a bunch of idiots! I mean, maybe Zoro-”

The swordsman bonked him in the head with a sword hilt.

“Watch it.” He growled, but was like when a big, old dog growled as it lay resting in the sun. An idle threat.

Nami waved a hand as she walked out the door.

“I’ll go keep an eye on our ‘guest .” Zoro’s eye followed her as she left.

Luffy jumped up onto the bed and sat on Sanji with his legs crossed. He poked the cook’s cheek.

“So when is he gonna wake up? I’m hungry.”

Chopper knew there was no chance of getting him to come down so he didn’t spend the energy trying. 

“Probably not for a while. His blood sample is still in the centrifuge so I won’t have a more precise time for a few hours. You need to eat before then.”

Luffy hummed like he was considering it then smiled widely.

“Nu-uh.”

“Nu- What do you mean Nu-uh!?”

“I mean Sanji is back now! I’m gonna wait for him to make me meat.”

Franky snapped his fingers.

“I bet I could make a few changes to the centrifuge to make it super fast!”

Usopp sighed and then grumbled,

“I guess I could get started on dinner. We’re having soup and I’m not taking requests.”

He pat Sanji’s shoulder on the way out, following just behind Franky who was carrying the still spinning centrifuge.

Robin looked over at Chopper.

“I’m surprised you didn’t stop him.” Even though Franky had built most of it, Chopper was very protective of his medical instruments.

“I just, really wanna know what exactly is in his system. And how much. The faster the better.”

Jinbei knelt down in front of the young doctor.

“You’ve done very well Tony Tony Chopper. When he was found, our cook was on his feet. He reacted to changes in his environment. And although he couldn’t communicate it, he recognised The Sunny when he saw her.” Chopper sniffed, his whole body trembling. “I believe he will recover well.”

Chopper launched himself into Jinbei’s arms and sobbed. He’d been so worried. When Sanji landed on deck and stared blankly up at the sky. He’d looked dead. 

Luffy spoke with surety.

“Silly Chopper. Of course Sanji is gonna be okay.”

Robin left silently, only to return with a shallow basin of water and shampoo.

“I’ll be checking in with Nami, but I thought the cook might appreciate having clean hair when he wakes up.

Zoro blinked. Why on earth was she looking at him? 

One of the girls, sure. Stupid cook would die if he found out they’d done that for him. Usopp or Chopper could get away with it too. But Zoro? Washing someones hair for them when they were too hurt to do it themselves was something deeply personal. It was...vulnerable. And neither he nor Sanji wanted to be in that position.

Zoro’s hands were still splattered with blood.

Luffy stretched out his hands and took the bowl, careful as he pulled it back that the water didn’t lap over the edges.

“I’ll do it!” He wiggled off the bed and around to the back. He looked at the bowl, then at Sanji’s head. “I don’t know how to do this.”

Robin laughed quietly before blooming two hands under Sanji’s back. They held him up just enough that his head could tip back into the basin.

“I’ll take my leave then.”

Chopper wiped his nose and said,

“While you’re here, I want to go grab a few things Sanji might need. But I need to talk with Jinbei more too. Oh! And make sure Franky doesn't damage the blood sample!”

Jinbei hoisted Chopper up onto his shoulder. 

“Let’s walk down to the workshop together. You and I can talk on the way. You can tell me what to get from Snaji’s sea chest and I’ll bring it back here. Then I’ll see to the helm.”

Brook took a seat on the far side of the room and played his violin softly. 

Zoro wasn’t sure what was going through the old man’s hollow head because he’d been unusually quiet. 

Luffy was being so careful. He was concentrating as he tried to untangle the mess of blond hair. When their captain proudly declared,

“Done!” Zoro reprimanded,

“I can still see the bubbles from here!”

Luffy pouted.

“It’s harder to do on somebody else.” He whined.

Zoro stalked over to the sink Chopper used to wash up before surgeries and scrubbed the blood off his hands. He grumbled,

“Stupid Captain, doesn't know how to wash hair. Stupid Archiologist not just doing it herself. Stupid Cook making us worry.”

Zoro didn’t bother shaking off his hands as he took Luffy’s place. The rubber man laid on his stomach next to Sanji, propped up on his elbows.

Wide dark eyes watched Zoro’s every move. As water was scooped from the basin and poured over Sanji’s head, one hand rested at his hairline to shield his face. He blinked sluggishly as Zoro cradled the back of Sanji’s head to rinse the rest of the shampoo out. By the time Zoro had traded the basin for a towel, Luffy was snoring.

“Figured you hadn’t slept.” He huffed. As the swordsman had worked, he felt the anger that had been clenched in his gut, and maybe some of the fear too, slowly start to ease. 

Zoro pat Sanji’s hair dry. He’d needed a job to do, and Luffy had needed to rest. Robin must have known.

The archeologist passed by the open doorway and smiled. Zoro snarled at how smug it was. 

He glared down at Sanji.

“This is your fault, you know that? What were you thinking, huh? You accept a drink from any pretty stranger? You’re never going to a bar alone again. I’m coming along and I’ll drink you under the table every time.” And then I’ll carry you home. And then I’ll know you’re safe.

Zoro was finished when Usopp came in with three bowls of soup on a tray. Unlike Sanji, he had to carry it with two hands.

Usopp saw Luffy sleeping and whispered,

“I’ll leave his here for when he wakes up. Maybe if he’s still groggy, he’ll eat before he can think about it.”

Zoro wasn’t holding out hope, but he took both bowls anyway.

Brook took his soup as well, nodding in gratitude.

The three ate in silence and then Zoro collected the bowls.

“I’m on dish duty today.”

Usopp frowned in confusion.

“It’s not your turn?”

“I know.” But Zoro still needed a job to do. There was no one left to kill except the girl in the hold, and Luffy left her alive for a reason. So he’d clean dishes instead. And maybe, after that, if Nami and Brook hadn’t already figured things out themselves, Zoro would talk to them. Or he’d make them wash dishes too.

 

Usopp lasted about five seconds without talking after Zoro left the room. Brook didn’t seem like he was in a chatty mood, and Luffy and Sanji were dead to the world- bad expression, bad choice of words, bad Usopp brain.

“I’m sure glad we got you back Sanji. I mean, of course we got you back, I just mean I’m glad you’re in one piece. Relatively. Anyway, uh, did I ever tell you about the time I ran aground on an island populated only by women? It was a wild adventure let me tell you.” And he did. He talked for about and hour, right up until Sanji opened his eyes. 

Brook’s violin cut off with a screech, which woke Luffy. They could all tell, from the hazy way he was staring at the ceiling, that he wasn’t back yet.

Whatever drug was still in his system.

Usopp dropped his head and chuckled half-heartedly.

“Ah man. And here I thought my amazing stories about beautiful women had flushed all the drugs from his system.”

Luffy straddled Sanji and looked down at his face. 

“When Sanji wakes up, I want a ton of meat, okay?!”

Sanji didn’t answer, but unlike Usopp, Luffy didn’t look disappointed. He just sat down cross legged, pressed against Sanji’s side and demanded, 

“Now tell me a story about an island with just beetles. Oo! And zombies! Zombie beetles.”

Usopp laughed again, this time full and sincere. Sanji was gonna have some kind of wild dream.

Brook wasn't sure why he didn’t feel like talking. Something in him was more subdued than it had been since he reclaimed his shadow. He was tired in a way that was familiar but terrifying. 

Sanji was home. He was right there in front of him. So why did it still feel like he’d lost another friend?

Usopp had gone to do something, Brook hadn’t been paying close attention. Luffy had stared at Brook for a long two minutes before deciding,

“Brook needs to talk to Sanji. It’s okay if it takes a while.” He leapt off the bed and ordered Sanji, “I don’t want you going anywhere unless it’s to make me food, got it?” He waited, like he was expecting a response, but ultimately left. 

Their dear captain was trying to give Brook space. But what was he to do with it? Brook hated feeling so hollow and cold. So numb that nothing could reach him. On his worst days during his forced isolation, Brook had lost track of time entirely. He’d just slept. If it made no difference one way or the other, he’d rather be able to dream of a time that there was.

Brook didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until he started dreaming.

 

Nami was on deck, so Luffy figured she was feeling better now. She was standing with Zoro, the both of them leaning against the railing. Chopper was looking over Franky’s shoulder and pointing out different parts of the blood spinner. Luffy kind of wanted to pour sake in there to see what would happen.

Usopp was telling Jinbei something that made the Whaleshark Fishman’s face darken. He nodded and left the helm to come closer.

The machine in Franky’s hands lit up and started buzzing. 

Robin looked up from her book titled, “Toxins, Poisons, and Other Deadly Substances" and asked Chopper,

“Do we have more information, Doctor?”

“Just a second.” Chopper looked over whatever data was on the strip of paper the machine spit out and said, solemnly, “It is made out of the same berry they used originally, but it’s mixed with something else. There’s still a lot of it in his system, It’ll probably take a few days before he wakes up.”

Jinbei added,

“It will likely be some time after he wakes before the drug is fully flushed out. He may be...unresponsive, at first.”

Luffy nodded.

“That already happened. I told him to stay in bed until he was ready to cook me some meat. He wasn’t really awake though.”

“That’s good to know I’ll keep checking his blood every two hours for today, to make sure he’s filtering through everything at a good pace. I think we can be optimistic.” Chopper said, although the last line sounded too much like a question to instill much confidence.

Nami chimed in.

“I’ve talked with our tag-along. She admitted to being the one to drug Sanji and get him sold in the first place.” She grit her teeth. “Apparently the same thing happened to her when she was fifteen. They decided to use her to abduct other people rather than sell her to someone else. Now that we wrecked the homebase, she can slip away pretty easily. I don’t know what we’re going to do with her-”

“We’ll let Sanji decide.” Luffy said.

Zoro protested,

“He’ll want to let her go just because she’s a woman!”

Luffy shrugged.

“Probably.”

Robin mused,

“I think we’ve all done horrifying things to survive in this world.”

Usopp snarked,

“Speak for yourself!”

Sure, there were plenty of things he’d done that he wasn’t proud of, plenty of things that made him feel ashamed, but nothing that had ever hurt other people.

“Then you’re lucky.” Franky said, uncharactoristically serious. 

Usopp didn’t generally consider himself a lucky person. Looking around at his crew, seeing the way Nami and Robin were looking away and Franky and Zoro were looking right at him, made Usopp think differently. 

He hadn’t had an easy childhood. Far from it. But he’d only ever had to kill animals to stay alive. He’d only ever had to tell lies that didn’t hurt people. His life had only ever been threatened by Klawhador.

Maybe he wasn’t quite as unlucky as he thought.

Luffy’s head was turned toward the galley door. His face broke into a huge grin and he sprinted down the stairs.

The smell hit the rest of them an instant later. Leave it to Luffy to be the first to smell meat cooking.

Luffy slammed into Sanji’s side and would have knocked him down if he didn’t immediately lift him into a tight hug.

“Sanji! You’re awake! This is way sooner than Chopper said. And you made meat!” Luffy was so relieved, so happy so- so not getting yelled at for rough housing in the kitchen.

Luffy set Sanji down and looked up at his face. Sanji was still staring at the steak in the pan, face devoid of passion or emotion.

Why was he up if he wasn’t better?

When Sanji wakes up, I want a ton of meat, okay?!

I don’t want you going anywhere unless it’s to make me food, got it?

Luffy felt sick.

“I don’t want it.”

His fists were clenched and shaking at his sides.

Nami carefully put a hand on his shoulder.

“Luffy-” Luffy shook his head. They didn’t understand. “It wasn’t an order!” Nami could see the pain and fear in his eyes. 

He would never tell them to do something when they couldn’t say no.

“We know, he knows. Jinbei warned us this might happen, remember?” Nami swallowed back tears, fighting the urge to break down and cry. She felt so helpless and Sanji was so helpless and she hated it so much it burned her inside.

“I want Sanji to cook me meat, but only when Sanji can love cooking it.”

Luffy whispered.

Zoro moved past them when Sanji started to reach for the popping steak with his bare hand. He batted it away and grabbed the long tined fork just to the right of the stove. He stabbed the meat and slopped it onto the plate in the cook’s other hand.

“Use a fork, you moron.”

Zoro was angry, so angry there needed to be a bigger word for it. There must be one and he just didn’t know it. He just knew that Sanji was acting like himself, sort of, but he still didn’t feel like himself and now all his other nakama were hurting.

Brook ran in from the other door, the one that led down the hall to the infirmary and cabins.

Zoro had trusted the musician to keep a good watch. Apparently that was a mistake.

“There you are! I only closed my eyes for a moment and he was gone. Figuratively, of course.” 

Brook was curled in on himself in relief, one hand on his knee and the other over a missing heart.

Sanji tipped forward and Zoro jerked, arms shooting out to catch him. Only Sanji didn’t fall. He staggered forward like a drunk until he was close enough to Brook to hold out the plate of half burnt food.

Brook took the plate, partially out of habit and partially out of fear Sanji would drop it. When Brook had seen the steak he had assumed it was for Luffy, their primary carnivore.

“Oh. Is this for me?” He looked from Sanji to their Captain. “Are you sure?” Was he so out of it he didn’t realize who was who?

Sanji’s bandaged hand reached out and his pointer finger hooked onto one of Brook’s lower right ribs in a sloppy point.

Realization hit Brook like a guitar over the head. His chest ached so fiercely and that wasn’t fair for someone who had nothing inside of them.

“Did you- I see. You thought I was starving.” Brook cried. Sanji, broken down to nothing, looking as vacant as Brook had felt, was still enough himself to be this kind. To be exhausted and in pain and to feed someone anyway because he thought they were hungry.

He picked up the meat with his bare hand and bit into it as he cried.

“It’s perfect. Of all the things you’ve made for me, this is my very favorite. Thank you, Sanji.”

Sanji was looking up at where his eyes would be if he had eyes, and hummed. 

Everyone in the galley was warmed by the sound.

Sanji tipped back, body spent and Franky stepped forward to catch him. 

“I’ve got him.” The shipwright said, lifting Sanji up into his arms. “I’ll get him settled.” He looked down to Chopper and asked, “You mind bringing the blood spinner in? I don’t want anything gettting into it by mistake until I close it back up.”

“Sure thing! Just make sure he doesn't fall off the bed before I get there!”

“You got it Chopper-Bro!”

Franky held tight to Sanji as he walked him down to the end of the hallway and into the infirmary. He hated setting him down on the bed but a mattress was bound to be more comfortable than steel. 

There were times Franky was glad not to be flesh and bone anymore. Times that he could work longer than the others because he didn’t need as much sleep. Times he could fire off round after round of ammunition at an enemy because for him battle wasn’t about physical strength and how long it would last. Times he could shield his crew from things that meant to hurt them because he could take it.

There were times Franky was glad not to be flesh and bone anymore. And then there were times he wanted to hold his friends.

Sanji’s arm flailed out and Franky wasn’t sure if he was trying to hit, grab, or pat his arm.

Sanji looked up at him, eyes tired and narrow but more aware than they had been before.

“Wanna ‘gur?” The words were so slurred it took Franky a minute to figure out what he was saying. 

“A burger? Are you seriously try’na feed me right now?” A laugh exploded out of him. All the pressure and tension of the last week shot out like soda from a shook up can.

Of course. Of course Sanji was still trying to feed people.

Sanji scowled and it just made Franky happier. Sanji was feeling something again.

The shipwright wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and said,

“You just get some rest, okay Bro? Let Big Bro Franky handle feeding everyone for a while. I usually just do burgers, but Zoro can manage plain rice, Robin knows how to cook fish well enough to keep anyone from getting food poisoning, and Nami is killer at prep work. Jinbei knows what fish are poisonous in the New World and how to clean them. Luffy and Usopp are barred from the kitchen because Usopp over seasons everything and Luffy is..Luffy. Chopper insists that sauce making can’t be that different from mixing medicines and Robin said that with your cooking notes and everyone following instructions we should be able to manage for a few days.” This was all supposed to make Sanji feel better but it was just making Franky feel worse. He bent forward and heaved a sigh.

“Aw man this is gonna be a ton of work. Get plenty of rest so you can take over soon, okay?”

Sanji’s eyes slipped closed and his breathing became deeper.

If he wanted them to be comfortable enough to sleep, Franky couldn’t hold his friends. But he built Sunny. She could carry them for him.

Notes:

I know there were a lot of errors in the last chapter and I'm sure there are in this one too. When it's not dark'o'clock outside I'm going to make revisions to both of them.

Thank you for reading!

Notes:

Dun dun dun. Should have another update for you all tomorrow night if I remember. Hey, if you want to remind me, comments are a great way to do that. She wrote hoping her less than subtle attempt at manipulation would go unnoticed.