#askaway

Sanji’s words were always breathtaking.

His devoted, spoken love was something that you couldn’t quite grasp when you first met, wondering how he could treat you so well when you barely knew him.

Of course, everything that left the cook’s mouth lost its effects when you joined the crew and learned about his personality. Every honeyed word directed to you felt empty, and you understood that was just who Sanji was.

It was nothing special, after all. Just a silly guy who’d pour his heart and scream absurd promises if you looked pretty enough for him — trying to get in your pants, maybe?

His praises still sounded like poetry, though.

And the knowledge of his antics couldn’t stop you from glancing down, trying to distract yourself from the growing want for those words to mean something.

It was hopeless.

As soon as Nami or Robin entered the room, his attention would split. He’d confess and dance and cry, leaving you with nothing but annoyance. He was hopeless.

But you didn’t know.

You didn’t know how desperate Sanji was for love, how agonizingly he craved attention. You didn’t know he was willing to crawl to lengths if it meant he could be cared for, even for a moment, by anyone.

Anyone — until you came.

You never realized you were the one he cherished the most, going out of his way to spend even a second longer with you, to share his space and invade yours. He just couldn’t bring himself to say it; he knew he would never recover if you explicitly denied his love.

It was only natural for him to keep going as the perv cook, pretending his heart didn’t burn in his chest every time you scoffed at his words. Turning to Nami and Robin to act like nothing had ever changed.

Could he survive without your love?

But he didn’t know — he didn’t know his own actions pushed you away. He didn’t know how you used to put your chin on your hand as you watched him cook, a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips as thoughts crossed your mind. Thoughts you believed would never see the light of the day.

Sanji didn’t know he had you on the verge of falling for him several times, only to take a step back every time you felt like you would end up hurt.

The both of you were oblivious.

The kind of oblivion that blinds you for years.

That was, until that night.

The night you thought about how you wanted to disappear, sorrow and sadness filling your chest, the floor disappearing under your feet.

Sanji had nothing to do with that. It was just you dealing with your past and feelings, a moment of despair and depression. A moment every strawhat had to deal with at some point in their lives.

You sat on the deck alone, past midnight, crying your heart out for things you couldn’t even comprehend. You were just sad, overwhelmed by agony.

That night, Sanji couldn’t sleep.

He had noticed how off you were acting throughout the day.

So he found you, silently weeping.

That night, Sanji sat by your side without a word. He took a cigarette from his pocket and smoked it as he heard you cry. Your head fell to his shoulder, seeking comfort, and he put the cig between your lips.

He knew it was bad for you, but he also knew you needed it.

Your tears came to a stop, and you shared the cigarette with him as the silence persisted. You were glad, though, for having him by your side at that moment.

You were so fucking glad for Sanji.

“Tell me something good,” you broke the silence, voice hoarse, and a smile slowly grew on his lips.

“I believe I’ve told you already about the All Blue,” he answers. A tentative smile grows on your face as well, and you scoot closer to him.

“Didn’t tell me enough.”

As the night passed, Sanji’s voice was all you could hear. His excitement muffled all your painful thoughts, his genuine passion igniting the will to live in your heart.

Sanji talked.

And you listened.

Under the stars, you finally let yourself fall.