#ks

the two sat in silence until they were in a bustling market, making sanji sit upright.

“oh, look they have masks!” [name] points out, tapping sanji’s ankle and making the chef look in that direction.

“covering your face and identity never stopped you before, what’s the fuss now?” he asks, unbothered and uncaring, “if you’re really that paranoid the government is gonna come for you why don’t you just jump ship now?”

[name] rolls his eyes at sanji’s pessimistic “joke” and just slouches, “let’s just keep low profile then.”

“we already are, we’re just grocery shopping!”

sanji is now the one directing the yagara, taking the duo to different stalls for things that caught his eye.

“excuse me miss, are there any seasonal or speciality items that we can only get on this island? i’d be interested in those the most,” sanji gives [name] a bag of “water water apples” and “water water pears,” which the h/c haired man has to actively fight the urge to eat on the spot.

“interested in fish that are in season? my hubby runs a fish shop!” [name]’s head snaps up immediately, almost dropping the bag. the yagara rocks underneath him ever so slightly as he leans forward, almost invading the poor lady’s personal space.

“yes! where can we find him! i love fish, ma’am!”

sanji growls as he yanks him backwards, briefly apologizing to the laughing lady before coaxing her to continue on.

“aren’t you a spirited young man?” she laughs behind her hand, making [name] just continue smiling at her.

“spirited young man is an awfully polite way to put that…”

“well, if you were looking for his shop you’d have to get back on land, turn right six times, and turn left 12 times,” she even points to their starting direction. [name] turns around to look at sanji, a blinding grin on his face as he checks with the chef to make sure he heard it right.

“yeah, yeah, idiot, get that look off of your face,” sanji sighs, putting his palm against [name]’s grinning face and thanking the lady. he then directs the yagara, “take us to land, please!”

“fish! fish! fish!” [name] cheers, garnering onlookers at his random outburst.

“didn’t you say you wanted to keep a low profile, idiot?!” sanji shouts, not helping their case much as he is now also causing a scene.

once they touched land, sanji made sure to keep a tight grip on [name]’s wrist to prevent him from running off. the man even had drool going down his chin at the prospect of getting his favorite dish.

“can you not go running off like a starving idiot? you’re acting like you didn’t eat a hearty meal less than half an hour ago!” sanji scolds, now holding [name] by his ear, “you act like a starving kid, you’re giving the impression that i don’t feed you,”

“you always cut my portions! i wouldn’t be as hungry unless you didn’t!”

sanji’s raises his eyebrow in shock, “it’s quite literally the opposite, you asshole! i feed you and i feed you well! now stop making a scene,”

“but you’re making a scene too…” crocodile tears go down his face at the sharp pinch on his ear, but sanji doesn’t let up and keeps him close by that form of contact instead.

“with all your complaining i’m going to forget the directions she gave us…” for a moment, sanji lets go to run his hands over his face and try recalling what the market lady told him. “she said…right? or left first? and what the hell were those number of turns? please tell me you remember even a little of what she told yo-”

when sanji lifts his head up from his hands, he finds that the spot [name] was standing in was now completely empty. a dust kicked up from where he once stood, insinuating that the man had run off god knows where.

sanji’s eye twitches as he looks in the presumed direction he went off to, jaw dropping in disbelief.

“this absolute asshole, baffoon, idiot who only thinks of food…”

his insults fall on deaf ears making him stomp his foot in annoyance, “why am i on babysitting duty for a grown man?!”

“ah, but i swear she said to go straight for ten minutes, then turn left at the fifth corner…” he scratches his head as he finds himself at another dead end, “or was it the tenth corner? is this what zoro feels like all the time?!”

his realization makes him knock his fist against his palm, frowning, “that poor idiot, his mind always scattered and never thinking right. i really do pity him!”

just as he finished talking to himself, a gust of wind blew past his head. if he didn’t dodge in the last second, it surely wouldn’t knocked him right on the back of his skull.

“woah, you still move fast, huh?”

“i was wondering when you’d show yourself,” [name] sighed, putting his hand underneath his chin as he closed his eyes in thought, “that rancid blood in your system set me off from the moment we came to this island.”

“rancid blood is rather rude, you know i don’t like that kind of talk,” the voice purred, finally revealing themselves by jumping down from the roof they were previously standing on. now resting on their hip was a revolver, which they had presumably used to fire at [name].

“god you look the same,” [name] fell to sit against the fall, lazily looking over the figure, “what are you doing here, baekho? have you killed my crewmates?”

the male grinned, “would you be angry if i did?”

“i’d kill you, so don’t joke about that,” [name] glares, his gaze turned sharp as an unexplainable wave of power emits from him, “so answer the question,”

the man named baekho falters where he stands for a moment before steadying himself, screwing his eyes shut and sighing before shaking his head, “i didn’t kill them. i’m not here for them, obviously, i’m here for you. why would i kill your weak and measly crewmates for no reason? i’m no sadist,”

“could’ve had me fooled,” [name] shrugs, “i’m not going with you.”

“obviously you’d say something as outrageous as that. so i’m here to force you to come with me,”

“and how do you intend on doing that?”

“we have nico robin,” the blonde man doesn’t bother hiding his smirk as he delivers the news, “she’s currently outside my jurisdiction, you know we don’t mix well with cp9. but if you come with me, i guarantee you’d be able to see her,”

“cp9? really? that’s how far you guys are willing to go for a singular woman?”

“a woman who has the power to turn the entire world upside down, yes. but as i told you,” baekho shrugs, “i’m not here to talk about or attend to her, i’m here for you.”

“stop trying to sound like a romantic, it doesn’t suit you,”

“a lot of time has passed — you hardly know me anymore. maybe my heart has been simply yearning for this reunion,” that signature smirk returns to his face as he watches [name] carefully, “we all miss you, y’know?”

“you don’t miss me, you miss my body,” [name] rolls his eyes.

“well, yeah the government must miss your body versus your shitty personality. but, i for one miss both,” baekho announces this as if it is something to be truly proud of, but [name] just gags where he sits.

“just take me to robin,” he finally stands to his feet, walking over to his past colleague and sighing, “you look the exact same, mutt.”

“thank you~”

“Eradication of Subject 0001: a strictly confidential mission that the World Government hopes to complete with swift professionalism. The goal to publicly execute [REDACTED] D. [NAME]. Those employed to take on this task are a small group of individuals who are believed to be able to match or out-do the subject’s prowess. The group was hand selected by Admirals Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu, as well as input coming from Vice-Admiral Garp.

MISSION IS STRICTLY ON A NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS. INFORMATION LEAKED TO ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE ALLOWED PERSONNELL WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY.”

After the failure that was Kosuke’s pathetic attempts in killing Subject 0001, a new candidate has been chosen. Baekho, one of the top of his class, has been selected. Moving forward, any and all attempts in killing and acquiring the body of Subject 0001 will be done through Baekho. Exceptions will be made if there are special orders given.

Considering the match up of abilities against Subject 0001, it is undoubtedly the best choice to make Baekho take upon the responsibility of finally setting us free from this burden.

However, the Five Elders have overruled the initial mission’s goal, temporarily. As of right now, capturing Subject 0001 and bringing him in to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise is our new mission.

“say, do you like my fur coat? i remember you mentioned you liked fur once,” baekho asks, sitting on the front of the yagara bull with a masked [name] behind him.

“looks like shit, you’re dressed like a piece of shit spoiled brat,” [name] snarls, kicking the back of baekho’s head and clicking his tongue, “i can’t believe they’re really sending you guys to kill me.”

“ah, you should be glad that my orders were especially given. the government would like to speak to you themselves, so i can’t kill you. that should make you happy!” the blonde hums before continuing, “i should clarify — the elders wish to speak with you.”

“the elders? what the fuck for?” even [name] can’t hide his surprise at the news. he has never even met the elders, from his memory. which he’s not honestly sure he can trust, but to his honest recollection, he’s never interacted with any of the five.

“beats me. i just follow orders like a good mutt, as you’d like to say.”

”because you do. even now, you don’t kill me when you know you wish you could,”

baekho smirks and stays silent, simply nodding his head.

“it’s terrible seeing a friend of yours turn to a life of piracy, y’know? i always thought it was just going to be us, ruling the marines since we were the strongest,”

”don’t start with your bullshit. i don’t care what you have to say, you heartless moron. if you think for a second i was going to be happy being a government dog, you can’t claim to know me as well as you do!”

“hm, shouldn’t you be saying this to your crew? after all, how much have you told them about yourself?”

“enough. i’ve told them enough.”

“ah, but not the entire truth. meanwhile, i know you like the back of my hand,” baekho hums, an obvious tone of pride in his words.

“don’t piss me off,”

“i’m just telling the truth. objectively speaking, no one on that ship knows you as well as i do. except for that bumbling, idiotic, selfish captain of yours,” baekho sneers, finally showing any other emotion besides cockiness and pride, “stealing you from where you rightfully belong!”

“you’re delusional.” [name] sighed, unable to take the conversation seriously anymore, “genuinely, delusional.”

baekho only grins wider, shrugging his shoulders, “you’ll see! i’ve even prepared a welcome party for you!”

silence follows and [name] chooses to disengage from the conversation to save himself the trouble.

“where could that idiot have gone?” sanji murmurs to himself, now carrying a bag of seafood that he miraculously found. “i’ve got all this food for him to try and now he wants to disappear…typical. honestly, i must be the only sensible man on our crew. what a shame! but, that simply means robin-chan and nami-san can rely on me the most!”

hearts replace his eyes in a second’s notice as he is reminded of his very lovely crewmates. coincidentally, just as he thought of them, he caught a glimpse of robin’s figure walk past him. he spins on his feet to turn to face her and goes to catch up to her.

“do my eyes deceive me or was that…!!” sanji’s words die down in the back of his throat as he looks to see that there is nothing but a dead end looking back at him. “robin-chan?”

he puts his hand underneath his chin, “i could have sworn i saw her timelessly beautiful frame walk past me…” he drops to sit on the ground, pensively thinking, “at any rate, who the heck was that masked man who was with robin? was that chopper after all?”

“ah! sanji!” chopper’s voice rang through the empty streets, making sanji turn his head in surprise. as if he had summoned the reindeer himself.

“chopper?” the chef waits for chopper to come closer before continuing on, “aren’t you meant to be with robin?”

“and aren’t you supposed to be with [name]?!” chopper hastily replied, nervous sweat comically breaking out on his forehead, “sorry…didn’t mean to have an outburst like that,”

sanji just shrugs, “i was, but then he wandered off on his own in a frenzy to search for food. but now that i’ve got it,” sanji lifts up the bag of seafood, a displeased look on his face, “he’s disappeared, never to be found again. maybe swallowed whole by a king yagara, the world may never know,”

“why are you so nonchalant about him being missing?!” chopper exclaims, jaw dropping in shock, “this whole time i was worried about losing robin, but i guess i should be-”

“so it’s true?! robin isn’t with you?! what do you mean she’s missing? can’t you find her?”

“oi! what is this double standard?!” chopper exclaims, hitting his hoof down on sanji’s head, “shouldn’t you be just as worried about [name] as you are of robin?!”

sanji reignites the end of his cigarette, “this is simply the way of the world, chopper, it’d be best if you learnt that sooner rather than later,”

“i hardly find this a lesson worth learning!” chopper shouts once more, defending [name]’s honor.

“in all honesty, it’s hard to feel myself be concerned for [name]. he’s strong on his own and he knows it. there’s no way he’d let himself be put in a vulnerable position. not to say that robin-chan isn’t strong and can’t hold her own, which i am positive she can. she’s just…more quiet about her worries,” sanji deflates as he speaks, visibly showing how inner thought plague him so, “i wish to be the one to help her if she’s ever in trouble, y’know?”

after chopper finally gets an explanation to sanji’s behavior, he nods in understanding, “i get what you mean…[name] is so easy to look up to because of that, right?!” a bright grin is on his face and sanji has to withhold a grimace at the praise of [name].

“sure, chopper. if that helps you sleep better at night…” sanji gathers his things and stands upright, going to walk back onto the main road and find his yagara, “well, let’s just head back to merry for now. wallowing here isn’t going to do anything for anyone.”

seeing sanji softly smiling back at him, chopper’s worries for his friends’ safety dwindles down just a tiny bit.

internally, though, sanji’s mind was more scattered than he let on.

‘[name] and robin both going missing at the same time, that’s hardly a good sign. best case scenario, they both really did lose their way and will meet us back on merry later. worst case scenario, they’re both in trouble with the marines or someone else. robin being with that masked man doesn’t help either,’ the chef’s hands in his pockets ball into fists as he thinks of the more realistic possibility — the latter option, ‘they’d better both be fine!’

both board the yagara and it’s far too silent for sanji’s liking, not helping the state his head was in, “this reminds me of what [name] and aokiji were saying earlier.”

“what did aokiji say?”

“he was talking about robin’s past, right? and said that one day, we’d regret taking her in.”

“if you add on what [name] told us, it doesn’t sound like a good situation! do you think that has something to do with both of their disappearances?”

“i don’t know…”

and with that, chopper’s initial worries only grew more intense.

even if sanji tried hiding his thoughts, it’d eat away at him too much for him to mask it. he was too worried about [name] and robin, even if he does put on a hard front regarding the former. he looks at the blue water ahead, recalling one of the first memories he has of [name].

“so sanji, why did you join luffy?” [name] tilted his head in interest, making sanji still for a moment.

his back was turned to [name], so the h/c haired man couldn’t see his face, but sanji was grinning from ear to ear. the chef put out his cigarette and turned around to [name] with that look of excitement on his face.

“have you heard of the all blue?” sanji asked, making [name] lean forward over the counter in interest.

“nope!” [name] said, popping the ‘p.’

“i joined luffy because i want to see the all blue. it’s a point on the map where all the oceans all converge at a single place,” sanji said, leaning against the counter behind him while [name] leaned inwards to show his genuine interest. “it’s my dream to find it - i’m sure it exists!”

[name] grinned widely, “i can’t wait to see it with you, sanji! then we’d get to eat even more seafood! i love seafood,” [name] commented, sanji making a mental note of that.

sanji brightened up even more, “they say that there is an endless amount of entire species that aren’t even found anywhere but in all blue! never even been seen before, but they’re all at that one point,”

[name] felt himself get excited as well. sanji’s dream was surely desirable. plus the idea that there are a bunch of unknown fishes just swimming around made his stomach feel particularly empty.

“that means-” [name] slammed his hands down on the counter, stars in his eyes. sanji flinched at the sudden movement, wondering what had [name] so startled, but [name] then continued on, “we’d be the first to ever eat all that food!”

sanji paused, taking in what [name] was saying. he blinked a couple of times before his smile cracked into a wide grin, until he was laughing his head off. his boisterous and carefree laugh made [name] nod in excitement, taking sanji’s laughter as a confirmation.

“right, sanji?!”

“that’s right, we would be the first to eat all that food,” sanji chuckled, finally settling down from his outburst of laughter. he clutched his stomach and looked at [name] one more time before turning back around to check on the cooking food.

“you gotta find the all blue, sanji!” [name] cheered, making sanji chuckle as he tended to cooking the food.

he looks at the bag in his lap and shuffles slightly where he sits. he’s got a new seasonal seafood specialty — native to water 7, only available in water 7. but [name] isn’t around to even make those starry eyes that he usually does whenever he catches a glimpse of seafood. and sanji doesn’t think food is a waste — he never will.

but in this moment, he thinks all his effort in obtaining it are. if [name] isn’t here to see it, let alone try it, it feels wasted.

[ .ᐟ ] baekho literally translates to = white tiger from korean, hence white tiger themes for this chapter 

[ .ᐟ ] sanji u fake nonchalant i saw a tear shed from ur uncovered eye...

[ .ᐟ ] references to chapter 5 "heartfelt conversations with a chef" and chapter 18 "the dogs are hounding on [name]" are in this chapter and i think this is my first directly referencing a past chapter so this is SO fun and exciting. makes me feel like im actually writing something "bigger" than a ff...if that makes sense. i'm just glazing myself atp, but i just think it adds so much more depth to the story !! idk i just love it and i hope you guys love this chapter as well besitos besitos besitos