hi

"It's been five," Luffy grumbles quickly. Even in the dull candlelight of their private quarters on the Baratie, Sanji can see his husband's dark eyes narrow as he pouts. With his cheeks puffed out so indignantly, he looks more like his 19 year old self. Shorter, larger than life and as stubborn as his weight in gold. Tall and stocky as he may be now, not much else about Luffy has changed. "We've gotten married five times," his chin digs against Sanji's chest, heavy.

"Whole Cake doesn't count," Sanji reminds him pointedly with a snort.

There hadn't been anything ceremonious about the events that transpired in Big Mom's domain to count as a wedding. Their clothes had been soaked in the rain and Luffy's damaged by countless fights, several wounds inflicted by Sanji specifically. It's been 21 years since then and Sanji remembers it all clearly. "We hadn't started dating yet and I only realized that night I was in love with you. The stuff at the Baratie doesn't count either, I didn't know the timing you were on. We got married after you made the All Blue."

Luffy huffs, indignant. "I ate good food, we basically exchanged vows, we kissed, it was a wedding."

"I had snot and tears rolling down my face." And the food you ate definitely wasn't good. In reality, the food had been soggy and falling apart. Nothing about it had been appetizing by the time Sanji reached the promised meeting spot Luffy said he'd be waiting for him. Soggy and unappetizing as it had been Luffy had eaten it anyway. "There's a natural order to things; you date before getting married."

"You cried all the other times too though," Sanji flicks his husband's head at the reminder. "But you did!"

He did.

Sanji cried when they got married in the All Blue. Something so intrinsically tied to Luffy, Sanji feels his affection for him rising all over gain. Down came the Red Line, crumbling under the might of Luffy's enlarged fists and the world's oceans became one united sea. How many people are able to say that their husband made their lifelong dream come true? Sanji hopes that there are many with how many people live on this unified ocean.

He cried when they got married on the Baratie. Accompanied, of course, by the boisterous tears of Zeff and their even more boisterous cooks.

Then he cried when they got married in Luffy's hometown; Sabo, Koala, Dadan, Makino and and a plethora of mountain bandits in attendance among many others. All of whom, were also crying.

And he cried during every single place Luffy decided on whim they'd wed again. It didn't even need to be Sanji's own wedding for him to cry. Weddings simply make him emotional, Sanji recalls how he blubbered and sniffled during Robin and Franky's own ceremony ー not that he compared to the amount of blubbering and sniffling done by the groom. The intimacy between the couple, the vows they exchanged and everyone in attendance celebrating their love.

Weddings in the Straw Hat crew, no matter how spontaneous, are always an extravagant affair. If they're not on the Sunny, an entire island's population will be in attendance. That has been the case for at least three of their four ー or five ー weddings.

The scruff of Luffy's beard brushes against Sanji's collar bone, "and who cares about tradition, we're us. We did things out of order."

Sanji can't help snorting at the argument, shaking his head with a small smile. "Oh so that's what was going on?" It's nice having his husband home again, Sanji sighs comfortably as the hulking behemoth Luffy has turned into nestles them together even closer. It's barely been a eight hours since Luffy returned from his most recent expedition to sea ー a spontaneous trip to Tequila Wolf to since it aligned with a visit his marine friend turned Fleet Admiral would be making. Their daughter had talked about until she fell asleep, Sanji's smile grows just a bit softer. How long will it be before she's insisting on traveling on her adventures with her own crew?

Of all their retired crewmates, Sanji tends to travel the least. He has the Baratie to attend to, after all. The same can't be said for his husband; inevitably at some point the itch to travel with possess Luffy and he'll set sail again. He can be gone anywhere from a few weeks to a few months but no matter how long he's called back to the sea Luffy always comes home. There's a comfort in that fact, Luffy always comes home. Sanji glances at the ring resting on his finger.

The rings had been Luffy's idea; he insisted it, really. Knowing he wasn't one for accessories, Sanji hadn't been expecting it at all. "But you want them, don't you?" Luffy replied as if it were the easiest thing in the world when Sanji expressed his surprise. "So we should get rings!"

They're nothing extravagant; silver bands with a singular embedded gem. Red on Sanji's, blue on Luffy's. Another one of his husband's brilliant ideas. "It's almost like we're still with each other even if we're not, right?" His at the time boyfriend was more romantic than Sanji thought to give him credit for. Not much has changed since then, aside from the sudden growth spurt Luffy had when he was 25. It's a miracle his ring hadn't broken.

Sanji has to give credit where it is due; wapometal is as sturdy as it gets.

Realizing brown eyes are still staring at him owlishly, Sanji blinks. "Ask again tomorrow," Sanji presses his lips against Luffy's forehead only to receive one, two, three kisses on his lips in return. "I'll give you an answer then."

"It's already tomorrow," Luffy grins impishly, laughing quietly all the while. He pushes himself onto his knees, smiling the same smile Sanji's seen since he'd literally crashed his way into his life. "Marry me again, Sanji."

"I don't think the old man can handle that much spontaneous excitement. He'll keel over for good if you surprise him too much."

"Then we'll get married right now, just the two of us," Luffy says as smoother than silk, grinning wide with all of his teeth. Even in this lighting, his brown eyes are bright and wide. I wonder how you do that, Sanji's chest swells with a warmth that's golden like sun. Looking at me like you're falling in love with me for the first time again.

Sanji sniffs, the corner of his eyes hot blinking back the tears as quickly as they come. "Alright," the blond smiles shakily, voice thick with adoration. Loving Luffy is as easy as breathing, marrying him for fourth ー or fifth ー time even more so, foreheads pressed together as old and new vows slip through their lips between chuckles.

The sentiment is the same as they kiss at the proverbial altar for the umpteenth time. "I love you," Sanji whispers, running his fingers through short, black hair.

"I love you too," his husband whispers back, sweet as ever. Then the impish expression returns to his face as he brushes a hand against Sanji's hip. "We should have another wedding night."

"You're insatiable," Sanji bats his husband back onto their pillows, relentless even as Luffy pouts. "We're going to bed, we've had more than enough fun tonight. You're not the one opening house later today. You'll have to be satisfied with a wedding breakfast instead."

The promise of food is quick to sway Luffy's mind, tugging Sanji into his chest snugly. "Night, Sanji. Love you."

"I love you too," Sanji yawns, finally closing his eyes for the night.

There's a pause.

"We'll have to have another one when we take Winry to see Dadan this summer," Luffy suddenly adds in a quick whisper. "Dadan loves weddings."