#sanji fic

Kureha watched with a smirk, “Impressive, would’ve never thought of using comfrey. I would’ve poured an entire bottle of concoction in his mouth right off the bat. You’re as methodical as ever, Dear.” she winked as she tended to the orange head girl.

You smiled appreciatively at her comment, feeling giddy that your Aunt—despite your differences in approach when it comes to medicine are entirely different she recognizes your effort and your own methods.

Chopper stood beside you, looking up with his big doe eyes. “Is there anything else I can do to help?” he asked in his tiny voice.

You looked down at him with a comforting smile, Chopper has been doing good studying medicine and training with you and Doctorine but he still asks for you and Doctorine’s permission before doing anything else. You brushed a hand in his fury cheeks, “Can you grab the blanket I left nearby the fireplace earlier? It’s probably all warmed up now, carefully put them over our patient. I'll heat up more water to brew some tea once they wake up.” Chopper nods enthusiastically, running to get to the blankets and tend to the patients.

You smiled, letting him do it by himself, wanting to give him a sense of independence and confidence as a Doctor in the making. You exchanged a knowing look with Doctorine who’s also giving orders for Chopper to take over, you knew your Auntie’s way of showing care, despite her roughness and colorful vocabulary you know she has grown fond of the reindeer boy.

_______________________________________

“This old witch tried to cook me in a soup and eat me!”

Luffy’s screaming filled the stone castle, Chopper was startled hiding away behind your legs holding onto the hem of your dress but his antlers were still visible. You reached your hand out to Chopper letting him hold onto you for comfort as he was startled by the loud skinny guy.

Nami sighed looking at you with an apologetic smile, “Sorry,” she murmured and turned to Luffy. “She’s not a witch, they’re not a witch, they're Doctors. No one’s gonna get eaten.” she clarified.

Sanji woke up to the loud noises, feeling groggy, his whole body aching, he tried to sit up but he clutched his sides feeling a sharp sting, he slowly stood up from the bed. He looked down seeing a bandage wrapped around his body.

He looked around him soaking in the interior of the place, it’s made of stone, there’s a fireplace nearby

He could smell herbs all over the place, even the bandage wrapped around him smells like herbs. His eyes landed on Luffy with a towel wrapped around his lower body.

“Luffy, why are you screaming?” Sanji’s eyes scanned the room, his eyes meeting yours and you let out a sweet smile, still hiding Chopper behind your legs.

You turned away from the blonde man and turned to Luffy who’s beside Nami, “You were all showing early signs of hypothermia, we’re not sure how long y’all have been out but estimating the distance below from up here you all needed to regulate your temperature.” you explained softly.

Doctrine stretches her neck looking at them boredly, “Dearest here, reset your ribs—blondie.” she informed Sanji pointing at you, the blonde cook followed where Doctorine’s finger was pointing at and he sees you trying to hide Chopper behind your legs, the reindeer boy holding onto the hem of your dress.

Your eyes met his and Sanji was mesmerized, your pinkish lips curled up into a polite smile. “It’s a good thing that your ribs weren’t severely broken. I would suggest a little extra care in your upper body to ensure proper healing.”You informed him, for some reason you feel heat spread on your cheeks.

Sanji let out a charming smile, “Very well, Madame. Thank you, I’m actually feeling good as new. Must be your charm and magic then?” he said smoothly.

Doctorine raised her brows at the exchange but turned to Luffy instead.

“Just to clear things up, I put you in warm water to prevent hypothermia.” Doctorine said, looking at bewildered Luffy one hand on her waist, the other holding her booze. She waved her hand dismissively at the patients. “I’ll bill all of you, later. Sweetie, take care of these kids. I’ll be up in my room.” she turns, heading out of the room still drinking her booze.

Sanji finally snapped out of his dazed look at you and turned to check on Nami worriedly, “Do you want to eat anything?” Nami nodded a small smile plastered on her lips.

“Actually, I could eat. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.” she sighed feeling better but her stomach felt empty. She felt energized probably from the warm clothes and blanket but she’s still hungry, given she must’ve been out for a while and haven’t had a chance to eat anything.

Sanji hums, nodding, “Well yeah of course you haven’t.”

Luffy’s eyes lit up, “Me too!” he raised his hand, his stomach growling.

Sanji chuckled, his eyes turning on you. “Apologies, for the late introduction Ma’am. I’m Sanji and I’m our ship’s cook. Can I ask where is your kitchen? I’d like to cook something real quick, just something to warm us all up.” His eyes met yours and he almost backtracks, still taken aback by the beauty right in front of him, seeing you up close is wild, you look prettier up close.

“Chopper, can you show them where the kitchen is?” you looked down at Chopper gently brushing his fur to comfort him so he would stop hiding and as usual he relaxed in your touch and stopped hiding between your legs.

He walked ahead ready to guide Sanji to the kitchen but the cook was nailed to where he stood still looking at you, you blinked at him clearing your throat pointing to Chopper. “He’s gonna show you the way to our kitchen.” you told him, smiling awkwardly.

__________________________________________

“That’s why….Chopper is the way he is.” you smiled sadly, while eating the warm meal that Sanji cooked.

You and Doctorine just told them the story of how you both ended up taking in Chopper and the entire crew was enveloped by silence when they found out the tragedy that the reindeer boy faced.

“That’s why he was so protective of the flag.” Sanji whispered, wiping away the tears that formed at the corner of his eyes.

You cleared your throat standing up, “I’ll just check up on him. Doctorine, I’ll just bring him some soup.” you waved at Luffy, Nami and Sanji to excuse yourself heading out of the room to look for Chopper.

Sanji followed you with his gaze, he can recognize the hidden pain from your eyes as well, the distant look you have when Doctorine was talking about loss and death, about Wapol’s tyranny, you were gripping your bowl tight, so tight he thought it would break.

He recognized a hidden rage in your soft, gentle voice and delicate gaze. He took note of how your eyes darkened at the mention of Wapol, the clench in your jaw, and the tight purse of your lips. It was easy to pick up the anger from your expressions.

Doctorine noticed the cook’s gaze lingering on the door where you exit and she cleared her throat to snap the cook out of his own thoughts, she raised her brow. “Let her be. She dealt with loss herself too.” she told them simply.

“But it’s not my story to tell.” she added.

__________________

The warmth and comfort the crew found in the castle was soon shattered when Vivi arrived shivering from the extreme cold.

She was terrified the fear in her eyes was visible while you handed her a warmed up blanket and warm tea. Vivi looked at the crew, “He’s back. Wapol is back and he ate a Devil Fruit.” she said fearfully, her fingers trembling as she sipped on the tea.

There was a stunned silence in the room until Luffy declared his plan to fight Wapol.

Doctorine shook her head at the optimistic boy, watching him hype his crew for the upcoming battle but she has other priorities at this moment. Doctorine looked at you and Chopper, “Pack up quick, Chopper. We’ll take one of the secret passageways. And you, dearie—gather your supplies. We’re going down the mountain, back into hiding.” she ordered but you remained standing still with Chopper beside you looking up as if gathering courage just by looking at you.

“I’m not leaving, Aunt Kureha. I’m staying to help out.”

Doctorine turned to you, it’s her first time hearing such defiance from your voice, ever since she took you in after you became an orphan, you’ve always been a compliant one, you’ve had your own ways, yes, but you never do anything that completely goes against her wish.

When she heard you call her Aunt Kureha instead of Doctorine, she knew there’s no stopping you but that doesn’t mean she won’t do anything about it.

“Dear just in case you’ve forgotten it—you do remember that piece of shit is the reason why you’re stuck with me.”

You clenched your fist looking down, “I know, I fucking know. I saw it with my own eyes. And that’s another reason why I will stay. Until when will we hide? Until when will I run away from that monster? I’m no longer a child, Aunt Kureha.” You were so young when Wapol was getting rid of powerful clan heads to stay on top, your family was one of the biggest threats to his throne. He knew your father and mother’s influence, knew that the people of Drum Island will easily favor your family if they even come to think of starting an uprising against him.

But your father and mother had no interest in politics or power, with your family’s status they try to help and reach out to the oppressed people but Wapol sees it as defiance to his royalty and the next thing you knew you were watching your family be taken by royal guards for an execution.

Kureha, your father’s distant cousin took you in, staged your death by making you drink a concoction to stop your heart momentarily, making everyone believe they succeeded in ending your bloodline and hid you knowing that Wapol would have no hesitations of adding you to his body count if he ever finds out you survived. For Kureha, it was better to raise you as the witch's apprentice, sometimes isolation is power, being an oddball reduces the risk of your identity.

Chopper steps forward too, holding onto the hem of your dress. “I’m staying with Missus too, If there’s gonna be a battle, people are gonna get hurt. We have to stay and help them. Because that’s what a Doctor does.” he said bravely, meeting Doctorine’s intense gaze.

“Fine, since you’re both so grown up. I’ll leave you to it. Have fun dying.”

Kureha turned away to leave and she gave you one last glance before she made her way out to escape. She carried her booze as usual but as she turned her back to you and Chopper she shed a tear. You looked down at Chopper who tugged on the hem of your dress. “We’ll be fine right, Missus?” you nodded at him.

“Yes, Chopper. Go on, help them get Nami so we can transport her safely.”

He nods, rushing to follow Sanji to go get Nami while you stay with Luffy and Vivi trying to plan what to do if Wapol comes over.

____________________

“If a cannon won’t kill you, I have other weapons I can use.” Wapol prepares for a counterattack, laughing evilly as he looks at all of you.

The tyrant came back with a much terrifying power, he's no longer just a tyrant, his entire body is a weapon now after he ate the devil fruit.

You looked at him with cold eyes while Luffy prepared to fight back, you moved first, your speed surprising everyone in the room, you held onto your Kunai and with a swift spin of your entire body you threw it to Wapol.

“AHAHAHAHAHA! I recognize you now, kid! The daughter of the fallen Lord! Would you like to say hi to your dear mother and father?”

You landed on your feet steadily as the Kunai made contact with Wapol , grazing various parts of his body. He didn't seem to mind it but of course he doesn't know any better about your skills. It's better he underestimated you now.

You smirked coldly, “You know what makes a healer a good fighter?” you stepped forward, ignoring Chopper’s worried call to you, you went nearer to look at Wapol directly in his eyes.

Wapol looked at you insultingly, the arrogance still clear in his eyes. “Fine, let me indulge you for once before I kill you and your stupid friends.” He laughed holding onto his belly like a madman.

Sanji stepped forward to snatch you away from Wapol, if Luffy attacks he wants you out of the line of fire. But before he could reach his hand out to grab you, your laughter echoed in the room and even Wapol backtracks at the sound of that soulless laugh.

“We vowed to use our knowledge to heal but it's the very same that allows us to know how to ruin you at the same time.”

Wapol frowned, unable to comprehend your sentence, “Hah your little knives did nothing—” he stumbled back, there’s a loud hiss echoing at the stone walls, his eyes widened feeling a sharp pain travel in his body, his hand tried to cover his mouth but he was met with liquid and a sharp pain.

Sanji’s eyes widened seeing the metal in Wapol’s mouth melting, he looked at you with wide eyes. He didn’t even notice that you threw something with the kunai. Chopper watched you with a terrified look in his eyes, he’s never seen you this mad, nor cold, never, he knew you’ve always been capable of fighting but this was far from the casual training you’ll do before.

But he smiled despite that fear, he knew how hurt you were just as hurt as he was, and he's glad to see you stand up for yourself and for the memory of your loved ones that Wapol disgraced and tainted.

“W-what did you do…What…” Wapol asked, trying to reattach his fallen parts.

“I wouldn’t waste my kunai that recklessly, it’s a mere distraction to throw the vial of the Ironbane. Metal is tough but not invincible.”

You've spent your years learning medicine, but along with it is the knowledge of how powerful minerals and plants can be, living in full isolation with Kureha allowed you to dabble on things normal kids wouldn't take interest in. You knew that somehow Wapol would be back, and you vowed you wouldn't be the same helpless girl who watched your parents fall midtown.

For years, you developed medicines and concoctions, but at the very same time you've learned to make weapons, and poisons, extracted from poisonous plants, saps, venom and even minerals. You knew you needed every weapon you could gather in your arsenal once the monster of your past came knocking on your door and damn you were thankful he came back wielding a weapon you knew how to fight against.

Your Kunai were laced with paralytic properties that needed a little time to take effect but with that distraction you were able to throw a vial of Ironbane that is extremely corrosive. He's hurting from inside out that's for sure.

You step backwards watching him become more disoriented as the paralytic property of the poison from the Kunai takes effect and Luffy steps in preparing for the final attack with Sanji. You looked back at the two. “The temporary paralysis of the poison has a maximum effect for about two minutes! Hurry!” You called out, stepping back to give them a clear shot.

“Gum Gum…Air Assault!”

Upon making contact, Luffy was able to easily send Wapol flying out of the stained glass window. He cheered with his fist up as the tyrant was nowhere to be seen now, perhaps still flying out of the window to meet his fall.

Sanji yells, celebrating with Luffy but his eyes landed on you and he noticed the tears forming in your eyes, he quietly walked away from his crew and headed to you, “That was really…really amazing.” he complimented your skills, he had no idea that the hands dedicated to heal can also be capable of such feat.

He's in awe, from that display of bravery, courage and coldness when you look at Wapol but at the same time he prefers seeing you smile like this as if all your worry is gone.

“Thanks. God knows how many nights I spent dreaming how to get back at him for every atrocity he did.” you whispered, wiping your tears away.

Sanji smiled, placing a hand on your shoulder, “Well, you got him good. He deserves more than that but those pretty hands are way better without making contact with that piece of shit right?” he tried to lighten up the mood and you laughed.

“Right, that’s right. He’s filthy.” you remarked with a grimace.

“Really filthy, I mean he stinks and all that doesn’t he?” Sanji added and your laughter echoes in the cold stone wall.

Sanji sees the relief, he no longer sees the hidden rage in your eyes, it’s replaced by wonder as you look at the distance ahead, the broken stained glass where Wapol flew out.

You looked up at Sanji in appreciation, “Thank you…” you whispered, before turning around to his crew, looking at Luffy, Vivi, Chopper, and Nami.

“His debts have been way overdue. Thank you for letting us have our payback.”

Nami hums patting your back alongside Princess Vivi. “We owe you a lot too.” They said in unison giving you a tight hug and you felt the corner of your eyes heat up, tears threatening to fall as you wrapped your arms around them.

When Nami and Princess Vivi let you go, Chopper turned back to his small form and hugged your legs glad that you both survived. “We did it, Missus!” he cheers happily.

Luffy watched the entire thing unfold with a cheerful smile and when your gaze met he grins wider at you, charging himself towards you for a hug and you froze. “You’re so cool! I mean how did you do that? The melting and throwing and stuff?” he asked, holding your shoulders looking at you with so much amazement and amusement.

You just smile awkwardly when he pats your back repeatedly, ignoring Nami’s reminder that he should respect personal spaces and social decorum and all that. Luffy is not the type of person to mind such social contracts and perhaps that’s what made him feel safe to you, no hint of malice in the skinny boy, just complete amazement and eagerness.”

“You know what? You and Chopper better come with us!” Luffy proposed.

“Bye, guys! Stay safe!”

 Seated on Franky’s mechanical shoulders, Chopper waved back at you. His adorable laughter drifted past the treelines along with their farewells and energetic chaos fleeing towards another mini adventure. One you would not be a part of this time.

 The rest of the crew left you on board with the promise to return soon as they scoured for supplies on an inhabited island, but with the way Luffy sped away— and Nami shouted after him— you knew there wouldn’t be much hope reigning in the Captain’s excitement.

 You could trust Luffy to disrupt a plan and completely derail a simple situation. His shouts and the crew’s calls for him to slow down faded faster than the dust he left behind.

 The seconds ticked.

 You held your breath.

Standing alone, you listened intently for the silence to shatter the way you have become accustomed to— only to hear nothing but the squawk of birds resting on the mast. Undisturbed and unthreatened. Without so much as a song or laughter to burst, the ship rocked against the crystal waters of the shallow shore as you stood on the massive boat.

 The world quiet, the view serene.

 “Yes!” You let out an excited squeal, stomping your feet on the grassy deck in a silly dance of freedom and peace. “It’s finally quiet!” You shouted, laughing to yourself when no one answered you but the flaps of the wind against the furled sails above you.

 There were no shouts other than your own, no arguments or explosions— no disturbances of other people. Finally! After five weeks of non-stop excitement and open sea, you twirled, jumped and danced your butt off with no one to interrupt or insult your ridiculous display of glee because you were alone!

 “They all left, yes, yes!”

 You sang merrily, taking up space with wide arms and a beaming smile.

 You loved the straw hats. Travelling with them has been the most thrilling adventure of your life. They were amazing! Incredible, free-spirited— but sometimes, when the songs turn repetitive, and the merriment mutates into mayhem, you just want time to yourself.

 Having grown up alone, you had become accustomed to the stillness of an empty room. It was comforting, the calmness of your own company and the hyper-independence it developed. A stark contrast to the life you started with your new makeshift family, and after so long of bumping and sharing space with colourful, loud personalities, you were thankful for the chance to stretch your arms and lay on the soft grass.

 A moment to unwind, relax, and hear nothing but the waves below and revel in the tranquillity of solitude.

 “Now, iced tea on the deck or a long bubble bath?” You mused out loud, whistling while making your way to the kitchen, “or both?” You paused up the stairs.

 You sought to utilise all the time you had with maximum relaxation — with the way Luffy screamed over the odd-looking animal that stole his fruit; reading a book in the bathtub right now would guarantee no disturbances or uncomfortable attention for a while. No long lines or perverted interferences. You could take your time soaking in the warm water, and if they arrived by late dinner, they would find you already sated, happy and relaxed in the kitchen.

  Right, decisions finally made, you went back down the stairs.

 First, you needed your book back from Usopp, who swore he would finish and return yet never did, so you made your way to the boy’s quarters. They have lockers with their names, so it wouldn’t be too difficult unless he stashed it somewhere else, hopefully, the room wasn’t too messy— “Damn,” you heard someone hiss, a low voice that stopped you in your tracks, followed by inaudible murmurs that most definitely belonged to a man.

  Fuck. Just like that, your good mood died, snatching your solitude away before you had the chance to indulge in it fully.

 There was someone else here wrecking your fantasy and all the excitement of relaxing alone. No one ever said you would be guarding the ship with another person, yet the sounds of shuffling filled you with instant disappointment as you stood outside the room with the door slightly ajar.

 You eyed them carefully through the crack, peeking in to seize a glimpse of who was ruining your day of fun, only to catch a wisp of blonde hair and a streak of smoke before you heard him hum something to himself as he shrugged off his suit jacket, clearly undressing.

 Oh.

 Swallowing your nerves, you spied from the slim gap through the door— watching smooth, slender hands loosen and tug on the tie around a pale neck until it slipped out and neatly folded on the dresser in front of him. 

 You paused, disappointment somehow melting as something else fluttered through your body. Something hot. Something wicked and indecent thumped an ache in your core as you watched him unbutton his top collar.

 Then the second.

 Third.

 Unwittingly, your thoughts began to drift. Obliviously slipping into a heated dream envisioning how his strong hands would feel on your hips, your waist, gripping your supple skin when he presses you into his chest. The hot wisps of smoke and spice fogging your perception when he tilts his head down to yours, lips soft and slightly parted…

 Sanji rolled his neck, popping the tension that released a low hiss from him, startling you out of the fantasy you unknowingly faded into before a sudden realisation rooted you to the spot— you were watching a man undress. 

  You were watching Sanji undress.

 You only needed your book— a simple noise or shuffle would make your presence known, but you watched Sanji rake his fingers through his hair instead and toe off his shoes, standing in the middle of the room.

 You weren’t all that sure about the layout of their quarters, considering you were usually respectful— but you could tell Sanji was closer to the beds and had a medium-sized dresser beside it with a sink and mirror in the corner. The room was spacious, bigger than the girl’s quarters, including a sofa and table in a sunken spot nestled in the middle of their room. It wasn’t as disorganised as you pictured. A lot of colourful knacks matching different aesthetics, but they all had a place that belonged to them. A piece of individuality.

 You leaned back, hoping you went unnoticed by the man who often sang for your attention— and Nami’s and Robin’s, and any pretty girl he laid his eyes on. He was shameless, obscene. Yet there you stood, watching him unwind and strip ever so slowly exposing a physique you never expected from the ship’s cook.

 The wavering sense of guilt drifted from your consciousness, fading into a vague afterthought with every second you spent gazing into the rift through the door as if it were luring you into depravity.

 You wondered why you held your breath when his humming stopped.

 Say something before—

 His tired groan flushed warmth on your cheeks as you ducked behind the frame, shamefully peering into the room and watching him finish unbuttoning his blue striped shirt with deft fingers. Gingerly unclasping the buttons one by one until the shirt hung loosely on his shoulders. Over soft skin and hardened muscle.

 It was almost elegant how he shifted his cigarette with his teeth to avoid the tiny trickles of ashes from falling on his suit, then gently placed his black jacket on the bed with grace you couldn’t fathom as he slid the shirt off his broad shoulders in the same motion.

 Brightening the room, hitching your breath.

Sanji... he was beautiful.

 In a gentle sort of way, with poise, strength and a style all his own. In an amorous way that kept you fixated on his toned back. His broad shoulders, smooth chest, and the cut of his well-defined abs. In the sense that had you admiring the grace of his movements and all the years he must have spent perfecting them.

 You have watched him work while travelling with the strawhats these last few weeks. For no other reason than admiration, at the time, because you respected his power and the regency of his fighting style. But now, in the absence of stubborn rivalry and heart-eyed temptations— to glimpse the softness of his smile for yourself was like witnessing the shimmer of undisturbed water shining in the light of a spring day.

 Peaceful.

 A smile all his own, no snarky comment or perverted leer to taint the innocence or sincerity of his expression— you could only describe it as pretty.

 It had you clutching the hem of your sundress, crouching down slightly when his lithe body sauntered from your sight. Was he preparing to take a shower? Did they have their own private facilities? Or is he about to walk out and catch you and your hidden decadence for unassuming men?

 Your mind raced with questions, mixing with a perverted sort of fascination you dared not to admit, leering behind the door that hinged on the stillness of your presence.

 Sanji turned back to your frame, humming another tune that was all too familiar when music played merrily on the deck. He sounded at ease, his voice carrying through the room softer than the smoke that swirled around him.

 You bit back a smile, unintentionally slanting into the door, craving more than a slim peek into the room. deeper than a glance, especially when his hand inched towards his pants.

 His movements were effortless— if it were not for the click of the buckle and the loud snap of leather, you would have missed how he unclasped his belt with one hand and yanked it fluidly with one rough tug out of the loops.

 Fuck, that should not have been as attractive as it was, yet heat flushed anyway like it was coursing through your blood vessels, pumping your heart into a sensual beat out of its control. As much as you wanted to deny it, and turn your guilt away, it forced you to realise how difficult it was becoming to justify your presence— and even tougher to care about the intrusion of Sanji’s privacy.

 He would have done the same, right? Though Sanji would have been less conspicuous and ten times more audacious, it was still innocent for you. For now.

  “Where’s?” He mumbled before a soft aha came right after, a blue towel appearing in your field of vision. Hard muscles and a lean torso shifted through the gap, his back to you as he fiddled with something you could not see.

 Your gaze lingered, slinking down every tight ridge and exposed skin you were blessed to witness.

 There was a beauty to him you had not seen before, a tenderness to his features you only noticed now through the sliver of light. The colour on his cheeks, the tilt of his lips, the little curl of his eyebrow most people teased him for. There was something feminine about it— a spark of gentility he may have inherited from his mother, not that you knew much about that, just a softness he seemed to be blessed with.

 It was admirable how he took excellent care of his things too. Rolling his belt, setting aside his cufflinks, buffing his shoes, even hanging his shirt over the chair to be later washed and pressed— you know he did after Brook thanked him for kindly ironing his shirts as well.

 Perhaps there is more to him than silly sexual deviances. More than hazy eyes over full tits and round ass-cheeks. Sanji was diligent. Thoughtful. Tender.

 Whereas you were the deviant leaning in a little too intently now, your perverted gaze following the veins on his forearms as he stretched them above his head, emitting low groans when his back pulled tautly and the muscles constricted tight.

  You squirmed, the sounds of his groans and sighs making you clench your thighs as you watched him stretch, then admired himself in the mirror, rubbing his chin over the dark hairs you wished he wasn’t thinking of shaving. You liked the facial hair— almost as much as his ass when he leaned forward to splash some water on his face. 

 “Wait..” you murmured out loud without thinking. When did he snuff the cigarette?

 Shame filled you instantly. Sanji’s ass distracted you for too long because now he was wiping his face with a clean blue towel, droplets of water rolling down his sturdy neck before they were selfishly wiped away just when you began imagining licking it off his skin.

 You huffed, your feet planted to the floorboards, unable to speak louder than a tortured gasp while your thighs cinched to ease an unpleasant ache when he ran his hand through his hair again, with pretty blonde strands falling wet over his face. Over sweet eyes and high cheekbones.

 It was exhilarating, intrusive, and extremely impolite, yet you could not turn away or apologise for the violation, too mesmerised by the physique usually clad in lavish suits. Only witnessing a faint glimmer of the man you had never known before— lurking behind the shadow of the door frame that separated you from him and spared him from your wandering stare.

 There was a clink and a small flame before the smell of smoke wafted through the door once again. A thick cloud of vapour swirled around Sanji as he tilted his head back, eyes closed and basking in the serenity of the surrounding silence. Much like you wanted to before you became lustfully distracted, spoiling his privacy. Invading his space. That guilt you previously estranged yourself from inched back into your consciousness as Sanji sighed softly, looking every bit of the peace you intended for yourself earlier. 

 Your teeth latched on your bottom lip, nervousness churning, desire twisting into a sick delusion— your prying had to end. Even Sanji deserved the politeness of privacy.

 So, you turned to leave, determined to ignore all you had seen, just for the floorboards to creak under your weight when your feet shuffled a little too loudly.

 Your body stilled, you felt your pulse explode, and excuses and apologies were ready to spill from your trembling lips as you whipped your head back to the door— only to freeze when you caught him unbuttoning his pants.

 He stood there, shirtless, hair damp and dark pants low on his hips as the zipper rang louder than the blood rushing in your head.

 A smothered gasp escaped behind your hand, an inaudible “Oh god,” choking out beneath the pleasured grunts you heard through the wall. Sweat beaded down your temple, somehow feeling hot and sticky despite the chilling wind that ruffled your hair, tickling the flushed skin of your chest as your breathing quickened.

 He was... touching himself— idly, lazily, using the heel of his palm to rub on his crotch as it steadily grew into a heavy bulge pressing into the teeth of the zipper.

 “Fuck... ”

 You squeaked, thankfully no louder than his own low grunt.

 His teeth peaked through his smile, chuckling at something past your sight. His smile was sultry, his laugh airy. Thank God, no one could ever see the creeping blush up your neck over Sanji. Or feel the stickiness that marred your panties over the sight of his erection lewdly shaped beneath the fabric of his dark pants. The man who needed blood transfusions whenever he saw a pretty girl.

 You would have felt humiliated if you weren’t so distracted. And breathless, lightheaded, and not to mention wet.

 His ridiculousness was why you never noticed these things before, like the slenderness of his long fingers, or how his sharp jaw clenched to keep the cigarette in place— or the elegance of his strides across the room to place his shoes in the locker and hang his suit jacket before stepping into the sunken sofa.

 A new light, a new Sanji to you— a voyeuristic secret you could never confess even through the stuttered breaths of your own arousal.

  Shit, shit, shit!

 He was right there, facing you— yet unaware of the glowering eyes and thundering pulse a few feet away from him. At least, that’s what you hoped as you watched him throw his head back over the couch and rub the back of his neck tiredly— teasing you with a view of his sculptured body and the heavy tent straining against the zip of his pants.

 Fuck… he was a vision. Perhaps if he had a fraction of this elegance towards women, he would have them falling at his feet, begging for his attention— panting his name— raking your nails down his smooth chest.

 Caressing him the way your fingers unconsciously mimicked on the door as you pressed yourself against it, tits hot and heavily squished into redwood, desperate for cool relief on your flushed skin while straining to see past the hem of his pants. He was so close, yet out of reach, as you watched his hand run down his neck, gliding it on his chest sensually before grasping the chubb that had him sighing lowly into his own touch.

 “Just a little,” he groaned, rubbing on his cock lazily, as if he was convincing himself to indulge in his own pleasure, “before they come back.”

 Oh god, oh god.

 You weren’t in the right state of mind to be making decisions when every grumble and low hum of his vibrated straight between your thighs. Pooling slick in your panties that had you chewing on your bottom lip to sanctify some sanity when heated arousal rushed through your body.

 “We have time,” he murmured, shifting in his seat to tug down his pants a little more, dark blonde tufts of hair peeking through, giving himself room to breathe with his underwear sliding just beneath it. His chubb was fat and still hidden, but you could see the tip twitch with every squeeze of his abdomen, teasing himself with the friction rubbing upon his dick. “uhh, yea, please.” He moaned a sweet sound seeped in desperation, his eyes closed and hips jerking, playing his fantasy out loud, his hands clenched by his sides. “Touch me, please, I’ll be good”, he whispered, smiling as he did, a flush colouring his cheeks. “Jus’ for you, yea? All you. Pretty girl, make me so hard.” He choked the last word, taking the cigarette out of his mouth for a steady breath of air before clenching it back in his teeth.

  You were a mess.

 You had to stop, turn away— breathe.

 Sanji was begging, whining to be touched as he bucked his hips, using his abs to move his cock in his pants. Edging himself in a fantasy you only hoped to be a part of— but you could never dare to interfere. Your chest heaved, nipples taut and stroking against the door, gripping the handle so it stayed put even as your legs shook from the pressure to keep you upright.

 Leave, you had to leave.

 Move your feet, release the grip on the door and shift your weight to the side.

 You manually counted your breaths, ripping your gaze from Sanji’s pleading stare.

 Leave, just leave.

 “Don't leave,” he whined, sitting upright. “at least let me watch you too, it’s only fair.”

  It was as if a wave of cold, salty, ocean water dunked on you from the way you shrieked at the sound of your own name.

 The door creaked, opening wide, betraying you by exposing the statue you had become and on the brink of collapsing from shame or even darting from his sights if you could have managed to work your knees.

 Though his eyes were free from shock or disgust, he looked almost excited. Eager. The cigarette clenched in his wide grin; hair pushed back— you could see how his eyes glowed.

 You gaped back at him, shock contorting into a dry wheeze you couldn’t control while his smile curled into a light chuckle, amused by your flustered expression.

 “Don’t leave,” he repeated, the invitation sounding almost kind coming from his lips, a charming smile hidden behind an obscene request while tugging on his pants when his hard cock pressed too tightly in its confines. “Watch me, please.”

 Sanji asked you not to leave.

 Sanji said your name while asking you not to leave— not to leave watching him masturbate.

 Your breath fell past your lips, frozen just outside the bedroom door, your blood still humming through your body. You were stuck. Mortified. No matter how many times you rephrased or repeated it in your head, you could not move or answer him in anything but a squeak. “Why?”

 “Why not?” He countered, striding towards you, bulge still prominent. “You’ve been watching me the whole time. Why stop now?”

  “No! I-I didn’t mean to—”

 He nodded teasingly, “you liked it.” Sanji snickered when you snapped your mouth shut, your denial ruined by the searing shame choking your words as he stalked closer. “I liked it too,” he said lowly, “made me so hard.”

 “I wasn’t—” you huffed, desperate to explain yourself despite the way your gaze flickered down at his chest with every pathetic stammer. “I just wanted- and then you- it’s only—”

 Sanji laughed, waving his hand dismissively with his cigarette pinched between his fingers, twirling a ring of smoke between you. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. No harm in a little peeking,” his teeth flashed prettily, excitement shining at your bashful glances towards his shapely crotch. “If you want, maybe you can make it up to me. I’d hate to tell the rest of the crew what you did.”

 “How?” You hated how timid you sounded, so you cleared your throat and stood straighter, only taking a small step back when he got closer, heart thundering and not at all bothered by his proximity. “It’s not like I’d let you watch me. I know what you’re like.”

 “Do you?”

 “Y-yes.”

 His curly brow quirked up, amusement glossing his tone, “You don’t sound so sure, dearie.”

 “I know you’ll just brag about me looking at you as if I’m some horny perv lurking around the boy’s room—”

 “But you are,” he interjected, taking a slow drag of smoke and blowing it downwind. “I wasn’t the one caught lurking—”

 “This time!” You bristled from the accusation, digging an accusatory finger at his firm, muscled chest, lingering a second too long before snapping. “You’re the one always butting in when the girls bathe. You’re the one trying to sneak a glance when we change! You’re the rude one!” You shouted, guilt clawing in your chest when all he did was smile. “I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry, okay? But don’t make me out to be a pervert like you.”

 Sanji rubbed his chest sadly, palming the exact spot you touched as if he were cherishing the contact with his big hand sprawled on his own skin. “Aw, darlin’,” he cooed with a cute pout on his lips, “do I make you uncomfortable?”

“No!” you shrieked a little too quickly, “I-I mean, yes! When you—”

 “When I undress?”

“God!—”

 “When I rub my cock?”

 Your cheeks burned, a strangled whine slipping before you could clamp your teeth on your bottom lip, “That’s not! You—”

 “I, what?” he purred, tilting his head down again, the simmering scent of smoke tickling your lips, “you can’t even look at me in the eye, but you had no trouble watching me stroke my cock to you. Did watching me make you wet, darlin’?”

 The lie spilled in an undignified splutter, the word no holding too many syllables when you tried to say it.

 His laughter chimed in your ears, a vibrant sound that brightened his face, and though he was laughing at you, a part of you softened from the sight. Mesmerised by it.

 Pretty. Shimmering waters.

 Somehow, it helped you release a steady breath, perhaps for the first time since you discovered him. Putting you at ease and in control.

 Taking another step back, it was easier to blurt out your next half-lie. “I wasn’t watching you, I came for something.”

  “Is there any chance that thing being me?”

“There is a better chance I slap you if you don’t back the fuck up.”

  “Promise?” Sanji chuckled, a rosy blush tinting his cheeks. He invaded your space again, smoke and soap stroking your senses while his hands stayed respectfully by his sides. “Wow, dirty words sound so pretty when you say it.” He tilted his chin, inching closer, lips inviting, “Say fuck again.”

 In your head, you slapped him. You pushed past his large, dominating frame, and went on your way to enjoy the bath you had planned and forget all that you have seen.

 In reality? In the sensuous bubble of arousal he encased you in— the curse tickled his lips in a low murmur. Like a pre-emptive kiss he savoured by swiping his tongue on his bottom lip just so he could taste the words you teased as an insult.

 “Again,” he pleaded, slanting you into the wooden railing. Gripping the beam. Almost chest to chest. Almost touching.

“Fuck,” you breathed, “you.”

 “Please…again..”

“Sanji—”

 “mmhh..”

“—fuck… you.”

 “Shit.” his laugh strained into a desperate husk.

 You could almost taste it. And you wanted to, to taste him that is, because you could tell he was cracking. In a singular moment, you turned the tides on him, taking the upper hand and the dominance he flexed exposing you. And like a switch, Sanji was pleading— his adams apple bobbed, lips parted, eyes blown. Not anything like the charm he exuded earlier. He sounded helpless. Distraught. Struggling against the invisible line you still held between you, yet honouring the boundary you have placed because he was still a gentleman.

 You admired that.

 Part of you— the wretched, drunk on lust part you shoved in a cage most nights to escape her fantasies— wished for him to push the waters and break the barrier. To feel the warmth of his skin pressed against yours. His hands, his lips.

 His eyes shined instead. Hooded and sparkling a desire you mimicked with your slow breaths.

 The birds squawked above, and Sanji finally found his voice.

“Can I masturbate to you?”

 “Huh?”

“You’re so pretty, so tempting,” he said. Flexing his grip on the beam as if it were a lifeline. “I loved it when you were watching me. If you don’t want me to touch you, that’s fine. I won’t push you. But please, watch me. And I promise it will be just between us, okay?”

 You squirmed. The words of rejection faded faster than they formed while you tried not to shrink under his pleading stare. You could feel your back pressed against the rail, digging into your skin as Sanji stood tall, shirtless and strong— caging you with his hand gripping the wooden beam right by your hip. Your bodies close, breaths hot and almost in sync, yours just a little shakier as you contemplated his invitation.

 To watch him. Openly.

 Why was it so daunting with his permission? With his lust blown eyes homed in on yours. Longing for something more than your stuttered breath to brush his skin.

 Even in the open air, all you could feel was the heat raying from his bare chest and the twinge of smoke fanning around you. His arousal straining yet inches away from contact with your thigh he keeps achingly out of reach. It was just him, you, and the birds sitting on the mast, but it felt like you were locked in a steel cage with hundreds of spectators waiting on your next move.

 You couldn’t hear them above the raging waves of your own thoughts. However, it was hard to stay objective when the currents that pulsed in your blood rushed between your thighs, dousing you with a tender ache that was becoming harder to ignore.

 When you took too long to respond, his smile faded. “I’ll leave you be—”

 “Sit back down,” you commanded, pushing on his chest and smiling when he shuddered beneath your palm.

 Sanji grinned. He took your hand, your name spoken softer than any ballad as he whispered it into your skin and placed a kiss to accompany the warmth it spread. “Yes, my lady.”

 In the depths of his eyes, you fell. The world blackened and you plunged deep into his domain. Into his desires.

 Tethered only by the delicate hold he kept of your hand, you stepped into the room behind him, keeping your head up despite the nervousness that swirled within.

 The anonymity you deluded yourself into believing snapped when the door closed behind you. Sanji was freakishly deceptive. Of course, he knew. Of course, he was teasing you. But the genuine plea that shined in his eyes made it impossible to walk away.

 He looked so cute. So masculine and vulnerable at the same time. You wanted to see more of him it drove you right into the lustful fog that blanketed the space in between.

 When he released your hand, you found yourself missing the contact of his large palm clasped in yours.

 Sanji took his place back on the sofa, thighs spread, and lips parted in breathless excitement. But before anything else happened, he snuffed his bud in the ashtray in front of him. “You can walk away any time you want, sweetheart. No hard feelings or awkwardness, okay?”

 Your shoulders visibly relaxed, unaware they were ever tense, but it made you smile anyway. Grateful for the reminder and the familiarity of his gentlemanly deference.

 “I know,” you give him a genuine smile, “just between us, yeah?”

“Of course, darlin’.” His smile mirrored yours like the glimmering waters they are modelled after. Putting you at ease and in control once again when he affirms; “Just between us.”

 With a deep breath— you cooled your expression, while his eyes shined as an air of apathy befell around you.

 There was no turning back from this, and as you stood there, shielded from the cooling wind and the anchoring weight of the door you once hid behind, you realised that you truly didn’t want to.

 You were inside.

 You had his attention. You could watch him— Sanji, undress, and pleasure himself without anything obstructing your view or fixate on the shame twisting in your gut this time because he invited you in. Led you by the hand while you pretended the contact didn’t ignite anything.

 That the warmth of his hand clasped in yours didn’t buckle your knees when you stepped over the threshold. Or that you could still feel the brush of his lips on your fingers.

 You could continue pretending none of it mattered because this was just a game, and you were good at playing games. You could play this one with him too.

 “Sit back,” you ordered after finally finding your voice, “—and show me what you were doing.”

 “Fuck,” his hands fumbled.

 His excitement forced you to chew on your bottom lip to surpass a snicker. It was endearing, but you held onto your indifference like a vice. You were looking forward to seeing him unravel.

 “Keep—” he swallowed thickly. “Keep talking to me like that.”

“Like what?” you watched him palm his cock through his pants again, his erection growing harder with the new stimulation beneath his hand. “Tell you how I like to watch pretty boys touch themselves?”

 “uhh-ha,” Sanji choked softly. “You think I’m pretty?”

 You crossed your arms, smirking when his attention locked on to the swell of your breasts curving over the top of the dress, flashing delectable skin that had him swiping his tongue hungrily. “I think you’re a little pathetic,” you shrugged, “and predictable.”

 His lip tilted. “I guess I just can’t help myself.”

“Hmm, well, you can have a little more decorum, though. Be a little less obvious too.”

 He chuckled airily. “Not when I’m stroking my cock to you, darlin.”

 Sanji shifted slightly, dragging his pants down lower and exposing more of the dark blonde trail that led past his waistband. Taunting you with a flash of skin you couldn’t turn away from. “Want to see how hard just looking at you makes me?”

 A smile peeked through despite your best efforts. “I can see well enough from here.”

 “That’s not what it looked like before,” he teased, cupping his balls through the fabric. “I thought you might fall through the door from how far you leaned in trying to sneak a peek.”

 “I wasn’t—”

“I thought we were passed the bashful lies, sweetheart?”

 You peered down at him through your lashes, ignoring the flush creeping up your neck from his sultry gaze.

 Neither of you said another word for a minute as the room filled with Sanji’s breathy sighs. He was using his abs again, clenching them and bucking his hips to rub his cock against his pants. The friction making him grip the sofa. His lips part.

 Your thighs cinched watching his reddened tip slip through when his pants slid further down. He looked wrecked already. Pearly dribbles of pre-cum smeared over his abs, trickling over the toned lines and ridges with every jerk of his hips, adding a lewd sheen to his skin as the rise and fall of his chest quickened.

 Just standing there stumbled whines from his throat, you wondered about the sort of sounds he would make into your neck.

 “Sanji”. His gaze snapped up. “Use your thumb for me,” you said softly. “Rub on your slit, I want to see your tip get sensitive.”

 “Sh-it, like this?”

“Good boy.”

 He moaned.

“Oh,” you grinned. “You like that, huh?”

 Sanji nodded timidly, his blush darkening when his control slipped. He didn’t mean to confess such a kink, but the way you purred the praise sent shockwaves up his spine. Made his cock twitch, hand tremble.

 “I like how you talk to me,” he confessed lowly. “Your voice, how it sounds when you say my name. How you lower your tone, or your breath catches when I groan— fuck. It drives me crazy.”

 You hummed playfully, nibbling on your bottom lip when he canted his hips into his hand rhythmically. Now completely free from the confines of his slacks, his cock stayed caged in his fist, his shaft long and slender throbbing with a hue that matched his cheeks as pre-cum slicked loudly, coating his fingers in its sticky mixture while you stood there ignoring the wetness soaking your own panties.

 “You look desperate already, Sanji-kun.” You teased lightly, hiding your hands behind your back so he couldn’t see you dig your nails into your palms. “Do you like being watched that much? I can see you leaking, your cock is so wet, and we’ve just started. Are you going to cum so soon? That’s sort of pathetic, don’t you think?”

 “I can’t help it,” he groaned, damp blond strands falling over high cheekbones. “It’s like your eyes set me on fire. Igniting everything that sits under my skin, burning me through, it feels so good, it almost hurts. Fuck, sweetheart, I can’t imagine what would happen if you touched me. Your hands on my chest, your sweet lips on my neck. If you so much as leaned into me, letting me breathe in your scent, uhh-shit- I’m ashamed to admit I might cum untouched.” His throat constricted, seizing his words into a tortured rasp. “Darlin’, for my sake, for my sanity, you have to stay back and let me just watch. Let me look at you and imagine all the ways you’d set me alight with just a kiss.”

“Would you let me?” you asked breathlessly. “Kiss you, I mean.”

 “Oh, in a heartbeat.”

“Even if you’d gush blood and pass out?” you couldn’t help the giggle.

 “Even if it were my last,” Sanji groaned desperately. “To kiss you would be the end of me, and I would pray they’d bring me back so I can do it again.”

 Your chest tightened hearing the affection hidden beneath his moans.

 There were deep crescent shapes in your palms now, the skin reddened and pinched from your efforts to maintain even an ounce of control, but the sting paled in comparison to the drum of your heartbeat slamming against your ribs. Rattling the bars of your sanity the longer you stood in his presence.

 Sanji looked at you as if— as if he would never see the light again.

 With awe, longing, and something close to anguish when the light shines further away from him. As something beyond his reach yet to be cherished and marvelled at all the same. To be revered. Desired. Loved but never possessed because it wasn’t his place to assert his will, but to bask in the warmth the light spread.

 It was intoxicating, and he was unravelling faster than you anticipated.

 You could tell from how he thumbed the thin veins forking along his length, how pre-cum spilled over his fingers, pooling at the base of his cock and how his chest heaved that he was chasing a fast-approaching release that had him stuttering your name past his lips— involuntarily rising heat all the way to the tips of your ears.

 Sanji was too erratic. Too frenetic.

 Moaning and thrusting and rolling his wrist over and over his shaft so fast, it was a wonder he remained conscious. He looked unbalanced. A sort of frantic that reminded you of all the times he over-excited himself and exploded into a fit leaving him comatose and bloodied.

 You had to slow him down, to set the pace for now only to have him moan in a melody of salacious cries later on, and then bend him into a rhythm only your pulse can match.

 At your mercy, your control.

 In a way that wouldn’t end with the rest of the crew returning to find Sanji dead on the floor seeped in his own cum and blood. This is exactly how this was heading if you let him continue down this path.

 Whining incessantly while fucking his tight fist in faster strokes, his teary gaze seared straight into your core, almost certain you could feel the warmth of his touch from across the room as you fought the urge to squirm and find the power to bark:

  “Stop.”

 The command shot straight through him. Snapping him at attention like a stinging whip on his back.

 His jaw ticked. Veins pulsed.

 Sanji’s rigid composure would have been comical if his erection hadn’t slapped against his stomach. Angry red and swollen with need, it looked almost painful, especially with the way his brows twisted miserably as he panted heavily glowing with sweat and desperation.

 “Breathe.”

 When he inhaled a wheezing, sharp breath— you shook your head, instructing him to go slower. Calmer. Until his shoulders laxed and his throat swallowed a decent gulp. “Good boy, just breathe for me.”

 Sanji nodded meekly, even managing a smile as he clenched and unclenched his hands on his knees, wiping off the gooey, sordid evidence of his arousal in quiet shame.

 You observed him critically, assessing his mental and physical state and deeming him a little untethered. As if he were floating, glassy-eyed and adrift in his own mind until enough deep breaths grounded him back to your focus. You watched him come to grips with things— his attention shifting to his pants bunched at his thighs, to his cock standing full mast, to the hot air suffocating the room.

 Sanji sighed wistfully, threading his trembling hand through his sweaty bangs and out of his face, a deep blush colouring his cheeks.

“Feeling better?” you asked gently. “I just can’t have you passing out on me before things really get started.”

 It took him a moment to find his voice again. His throat was dry despite the wetness clinging to his skin.

 “Sorry. I’m just— I’m so hard,” he chuckled weakly. “Can’t, uhh— I can’t imagine what you might think of me right now. How ridiculous and pathetic I might look being so— so enamoured by you.”

 You shrugged to lighten the mood. “I always assumed you were a two-minute man, but I won’t tell anyone.”

 The laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes as he flexed his fists, actively avoiding the erection pulsing against his stomach, or the truth of his blinding lust and the dizzying spell it held over him.

 “I thought I could— I thought I had more control, like when we were on the deck.” Sanji said sullenly, vaguely aware of the festering insecurities. “It was exciting being the one to tease you, to look down at a beautiful woman like you and make her flustered. Being so close to you was- it was so hot, electric even— but having you watch me right now in that commanding tone is ten times more intense. It’s addicting— it’s also humiliating and thrilling all at once. I feel so contorted and … I’m embarrassed to admit how far I’m willing to let you break me”. He confessed shyly.

 “Sanji…”

 “But that somehow turns me on even more. It’s just… you’re so beautiful”. Sanji whispered gravelly, “It’s just not fair what that does to me.”

 “It’s okay,” you released your own shaky inhibitions with a slow exhale and offered a tilted smile, warmth tickling your cheeks upon his conviction. “I like seeing you this way. It was fun on the deck, how dominating you were teasing me. But right now, your eyes shine and it’s really flattering.” You smirked playfully, “Pretty boys like you look best when they’re sweaty and desperate.”

 Sanji’s blush was much more obvious than yours, his fair complexion making every inner thought radiate through his skin, but he stayed quiet for a few seconds, his smile strained.

 “Be honest with me. If-if I hadn’t said anything, would you have walked away without a word afterwards?”

 You thought about it for a moment, stunning him with your impassive gaze towards his raw vulnerability.

 There was a touch of wistfulness in it— in the tenderness of his question making it clear that your answer would mean more to him than simply feeding his ego— he needed to feel desirable, worthy— so with a wicked idea, you took those steps forward to bridge the gap between you and relished when his chest hitched visibly as you stood planted between his open thighs.

 You pulled him back from the edge, only so you could push him down yourself.

 You were so close he could reach out and touch you now if he wanted, his leg could press against yours. His arm could brush your thigh and call it an accident, or he could even brazenly drag you into his lap to finally feel relief on his aching cock. It wouldn’t even take much strength on his part, to grab you by the arm and yank you into his awaiting heat. Your body warm and pressed against his. Flushed and tight.

 But as you peered down at him— his lashes wet, face burning, pre cum glistening. Hands stilted on his knees as he inhaled your scent so deep it filled his chest— you know Sanji would never cross that line, not without permission.

 You felt powerful in that fact. In the knowledge that you could break a man as powerful as him with a caress, a word. A kiss.

 “Yes. I would have walked away,” you confessed firmly. When his expression fell, you bent down at the waist, the words brushing on his lips. “But I would have paid extra close attention to you.”

 His mouth fell open, your name almost coherent in the pitiful whimper that escaped disguised as a breath. Yet he still managed to smile despite the blood rushing to his head. “Sweet God, you’re cruel.”

“And you’re shaking.”

 He was.

 Already unsteady and trembling to keep himself upright. To stay conscious and not let his vision completely glaze over as white spots danced across your face, sparkling you in a tantalising light he fought to keep in his sights even if it muffled his other senses when your scent enveloped him too. Erotically feminine and something so distinctly you his pulse ticked beneath his jaw.

 “More, please..”

“mhmm— you have to open your eyes and look at me, Sanji-kun. I might get sad and walk away if you don’t.”

When he finally opened them, you were blessed by the sight of shimmering tears glossing wide, love filled pupils.

 “y’know…” you sighed, fighting the warmth spreading between your thighs, “watching you made me realise something.”

 “What?”

 “That there are layers to you, and I liked discovering them.” The noise he made resembled a strangled animal when you brushed your thumb over his soft cheek. “Your patience, tenderness, diligence, I never paid it any special attention until today. How you take care of your things, how gentle your hands are— I never thought you would be so…” you swiped your tongue upon his bottom lip. “Beautiful.”

 “Fuck..” his eyes rolled. A full body shudder raked down his back this time, prickling every fibre etched in his being and ultimately triggering sensitive blood vessels in his nose to pop suddenly as spurts of cum pre-emptively dribbled out of his tip.

 You giggled. “Are you okay, Sanji-kun?”

you watched him shake his head inaudibly, hips humping the air for much needed relief as the blood trickled down his nose in slow drips. Almost mimicking how his cock drooled obscenely.

 He wouldn’t last much longer like this. Every muscle, nerve and vein burned to keep himself tethered to the seat. “More, I beg you. T-talk to me more, ‘m so close..”

 His plea sounded hoarse even to his own ears, but it made you smile all the same.

 “I think,” you trailed off, flickering your eyes to his lips, then wiping off the blood gently. “I would have paid attention to your laugh.”

 That sobered him a little bit, the confusion furrowed his brows.

 “You looked at ease, even though you were teasing me. I liked hearing you hum, chuckle, seeing you smile. You looked relaxed. There was something attractive about it, I can’t quite explain how much I enjoyed seeing that, even before you unzipped your pants. I think I was a little enamoured by you.”

 His expression glowed. “R-really?”

 You nodded earnestly. “You’re beautiful, Sanji. That’s why I was watching you, why I had to walk away cause it made me feel guilty to see you so … unguarded.”

 “I—”

“Do me a favour,” you cupped his jaw with a warm palm, “don’t pass out.”

 Before he could reply, Sanji tasted heaven.

 It was the slightest touch on his lips, barely a kiss, hardly a brushstroke, but it was enough to hear something akin to an angel’s song as he was bathed in a white light.

 Or …

 His eyes rolled so far back, his vision became discoloured, and the sound he heard was a high-pitch whine that tore through his own throat and reverberated in the room.

“On your knees.”

 Sanji collapsed, gasping and quaking on his hands and knees as if he’d been fighting for his life. Which, in a way, he really was. Fighting to keep some blood in his system that hadn’t already poured into his cock or down his nose when the heat coiling in his belly burned that much hotter from your kiss. Scorching him, blistering the goosebumps that prickled along his flesh making him hypersensitive and numb all at once— numb to the sounds outside this room, hypersensitive to your every move. And if anyone were to find him like this— no, he didn’t care. You were a dream he never wanted to wake up from, even if it ripped him apart, and he’d be damned if anyone came to ruin it now.

 Instead, he chewed on his bottom lip, savouring the taste of you, of your sweet gloss and plump lips and dizzying scent— but when he reached to fist his cock to the memory of you pressed against him— Sanji couldn’t stop himself from keening loudly when your foot pushed his hand away.

 “I didn’t say you could touch yourself, cutie’.”

 “What can I do?” Sanji quivered up at you pleadingly. “I’ll do anything, please. Oh please, please tell me what to do for you, darlin’.”

 “Take off my shoes.”

 You lifted your right leg for him, offering up your foot clad in the strappy sandal and watched him inhale sharply through his nose.

 “I—” his adams apple bobbed as he sat back on his heels, “I can touch you?”

 This was a test, a prank. You were only playing with him. the kiss was enough to kill him, and your smile was too sinful to be sincere, but he prayed, nonetheless. Pleaded and hoped and then choked on his own spit when you nodded firmly.

 “Yes, but only my legs. And if you’re a good boy, I’ll give you something better.”

 Sanji nodded heartily, murmuring his thanks and gratitude for the opportunity presented to him, his voice carrying a thick layer of emotion he didn’t have the sense to evaluate for this blessing. Only knowing the relief he felt when your bare skin pressed against his, whispering the praises into the cleft of your ankle— his lips brushed a chaste kiss, a sweet touch that could only be seeped with devotion.

 You wouldn’t have heard it at all if it weren’t breathed into your skin, ardently sincere like the last prayer whispered by the helpless. So, in an act of mercy, you brushed his hair back and tilted his head up towards you, holding him delicately as if he’d shatter by your hands. Which you were fully capable of doing— but you presented him the tenderness of your smile instead, verbalising your consent and letting it flow soothingly between you.

 He took a few seconds to stabilise himself, though even with your permission, Sanji’s touch felt shaky against your skin as if he was unsure about your words or his own strength to maintain consciousness, but he did anyway. Willed himself with the strength to harden his spine and indulge in his deepest desires. Just this once, while you still graced him with it.

 His hands were warm, soft, and gentle. Everything like the man they belonged to as Sanji stroked your leg sensually, starting from your knee all the way down to your ankle. His long fingers pressing and squeezing the supple skin beneath his palms, curving along your plump flesh pulling quiet sighs you didn’t bother to hide that he drank in greedily, relishing in your pleasure as if it was pierced straight into his vein.

 “y’so beautiful,” Sanji groaned into your leg. “I can’t believe—” he shook his head, ridding himself of the doubt that plagued him before dragging his lips along your calf as his fingers fiddled with the strap that wrapped around you. Achingly slow and deliberately unhurried. “You’re so soft, it’s incredible. Even your legs are gorgeous.” he spoke as if thorns were scraping his throat, every word coming out in a low rasp filled with need. “Every part of you sets me on edge,” he continued, his kisses following where the straps once curled, “— as if I’m holding on by my fingertips, and the only thing that keeps me from breaking— from plummeting and colliding into the ground is you.” He slipped your shoe off and placed it gently to the side, your foot now bare, then moved on to the other leg and gave it the exact same treatment. “But… its also like you’re waiting for me at the bottom, ready to unearth me and giggle as you dust off the dirt from my shattered bones.”

 You feel his kiss on your ankle again, a breathy sigh tickling your flesh as you swallowed your nerves. “What if I am? I like you beneath me.”

 “I don’t mind,” he replied easily. He held you up carefully, his grip firm yet tender as he kneaded the taut muscle, every caress and gentle stroke pooling desire deep in your core. “If it were anyone else, I would have done what I usually do by making a fool of myself as soon as the rest of the crew left.” The heat of his stare was almost unnerving. “But it was you, and I never felt more compelled to fall.”

 Fuck.

 You lost your resolve, and your expression softened with a laugh that fluttered out like the butterflies tickling your chest. “You shouldn’t look so attractive with your cock so wet, Sanji-kun. It’s unfair, and hard to remain impassive when you look so beautiful desperate for me.”

 “I’m sorry, darlin’.” He laid his cheek against your leg, exhaustion weighing him. “We can stop”, he offered sincerely. This momentary pause gave him the clarity he needed, the fog inhibiting his senses cleared enough to think. Though his cock still ached, there was a layer of calm settling too. Your comfort important to him above all else. “You’ve done more than enough for me,” Sanji pressed another kiss to your knee, your shoe accompanying its twin on the floor, “more than I could have hoped for already. It won’t take much for me to finish on my own. You were wonderful, darlin'.”

 “You would stop, just like that?”

 “Of course,” Sanji affirmed candidly, his eyes kind. “Like I said, I would do anything for you. My pleasure is secondary.”

The words hung in the air, but your plan was still in motion.

 “Tell me, then. What would happen if I touched right…here.”

“Ahh-uhh!”

 “Does it hurt?” you cooed sickeningly sweet. “hmm, from your expression it looks like you’re enjoying it a little too much.”

 He bobbed his head frantically, blonde hair flailing with the movement, your devious plan wrecking him immediately. “Ye-es, in the-uhh best way, angel. Fu-uuck, I-I can’t believe you’re tou-ching me like this.”

 “Yeah? y’like it that much?” you laughed airily. “Your balls feel soft on my foot, all rounded and heavy.” Lifting your leg up higher, you rubbed your leg on his length, sliding it up and down, skin to skin, until those salacious moans spilt from his mouth in loud cries. “wow, it’s’warm and wet from all the pre you were leaking earlier, too. How gross.”

 “Oh-oh, god, pl-ease, sweet darlin’. Fuck-ngh!”

 You hummed delightedly, watching his cheeks blossom into another sweet blush, his eyes glazing over immediately as Sanji shuddered and keened beneath you with the familiar scent of desperation clouding the room in a thicker layer. A potent, charged atmosphere that had you panting as you watched Sanji unravel once again in the short time you had him under your command— your plan a success.

 “You’re dripping all over again.” you teased with another slow drag of your foot, his balls resting on top while his shaft twitched upon your shin. “Look at how your pretty cock leaks! All red and cute! So much cum, I’m surprised you haven’t squirted.”

  “ohh-ahh, sw-sweetheart don’t be me-eean!”

 “I’m not!” you insisted through unfiltered giggles. “Look at you, humping my leg! Gettin’ yourself all worked up from just touching me, you’re so cute, Sanji-kun.” Your laughter seized as you clicked your tongue, faux disgust colouring your tone as you rolled your foot over his long shaft, collecting the stringy wetness that drooled from his tip on your toes. “Tsk, your cock is makin’ a dirty mess all over my leg, though. Could you be anymore pathetic?”

 “’m so’rry,” he squirmed. “Ca-an I clean it uhh-up?”

  You leered down at him, “only if you use your mouth, pretty.”

 Sanji licked long strokes along your leg, collecting the sticky essence that spit from his tip the harder he rolled his hips. Swallowing his own dirty arousal while fervently grinding his cock along the curve of your leg with no sense or rhythm, only following the lust you stoked within him, stumbling moans, hitching his whines. Begging and squeezing his eyes shut to prevent the tears from falling, but you saw them anyway.

 You saw everything. How his chest concaved with every breath he took, how his balls pulled tight on your foot, how deeply and utterly he was at your mercy.

 It filled you with pride. Along with a dark sense of satisfaction you couldn’t quite place to have Black-leg Sanji— bounty over a billion berries, the left wing of the future king of the pirates— whinging and coating your skin with his arousal.

 And you had one more trick up your sleeve. One that could possibly kill him, but you wanted to push the boundaries.

  See how far you could bend him before he snapped.

 “You can’t cum yet,” you sang cheerily, weaving your fingers through his hair again. “You have to be good for me, okay?”

 “Fuu-uk, ‘m tryin’!” Sanji cried out, his last threads of control almost slipping from his grasp, stitch by stitch, seam by seam, but he gripped them tighter in his fists, and fiercely blinked away the fog misting his vision just to have the chance to gaze upon your smile for a little while longer. “I wo-on’t, jus’ for you. Cause you-you asked.”

 “Good boy. Now, tell me you like it.” you gave his hair a firm tug, directing focus to his bucking hips. “Tell me how much your cock aches, how hard it is, how much you love touching me.”

 Sanji shuddered, another frantic nod dizzying his vision as he jerked his hips harder. “I do! So-so much”, he hiccupped. “I lo- ohhh, uhh, yes!— I love you touch-in’ me. Teasin’ me, makin’ a mess of me-eee— ahh, shit! Tou-uch me, please, fuck! Please, I love it— love your eyes, your voice, your touch. I’ll die, ohh, god-oh god, lemme jus’ die like this, it’s oka-ay if it’s you. For you, all you, fuck-fuck!”

 “I think you deserve your reward now, Sanji-kun.”

 Sanji snapped his head up, his hips stilting. “This-this isn’t the reward?” how could it not be? He was touching you, kissing your body, smearing his cock all over your pretty leg. What could be better than this?

 You pulled back from him, and slowly, painfully slow, deathly slow, you lifted the hem of your dress.

 He first saw your thighs, thick and supple, making him swipe his tongue along his bottom lip just imagining the taste of your sweat, of the grooves of your cellulite.

  your dress lifted higher, and his hands flexed, picturing squeezing on the squishy flesh and feeling it fill his palms and pudge out against his fingers where he couldn't quite grasp.

 This was the reward, yes? Pretty, coloured thick thighs he’d be happy to touch, to worship with hips he could sink his teeth into, full and curved and beautifully rounded.

 But your hand lifted higher. Higher. Until he ascended so high he heard the angel’s song again, welcoming him to paradise.

 “Sanji, you’re shaking an’ whining loudly.”

 Was he?

“Wipe the blood first… good boy. Come here, it’s’okay,” you tugged him closer, his face inches away from your panties. “You’ve been so good, I thought you might like to ...” your cheeks burned, “To touch.”

  He could smell it now, the wetness that made your thighs clench earlier. That had you sighing and chewing on your bottom lip as he chased his own pleasure. The arousal that allowed him this far with you, coating your pink panties and, fuuck.

 You-your panties… they— they had the cutest bow on it. right above your mound and the lewd wet patch he ached to… “Did-did you say touch?”

 You nodded, tugging him closer by his hair. “I won’t take off my panties, but I don’t see why you can’t use them to get yourself off, just this once. It’s what you always wanted, right?”

 What he always wanted.

 “Are… are you sure?”

 What he always wanted and prayed and dreamed and lusted after— but he had to make sure. To know this is what you wanted. Sanji couldn’t— he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if it weren’t your desire too. Even if he was seeing double and the room tilted on its axis or his blood pooled on the floorboards more than his own body, he wouldn’t be able to stand again without hearing you say—

  “Sanji-kun, touch me.”

 You tugged him closer, cooing your affirmations, stroking his hair. Going slow and speaking so softly, he wondered if you were talking to him at all.

 “It’s okay,” you purred, your eyes gentle. “You can use me to cum. I want to see you cum for me.”

Use you?

His brows knitted. That didn’t sound right.

Use.

 Use.

Use?

 That word felt wrong, dirty. Even in his inebriated, lust-filled fog, Sanji knew that it wasn’t right. That it was tactless. That you deserved better than that.

 “I don’t— I don’t want to ever use you.” he husked. Just saying the word made his stomach churn, and though his limbs felt heavy, he lifted himself a little taller on his knees. “Don’t ever say that to me again.”

 Sanji’s sudden coherency surprised you when he was trembling moments before, but there was no mistaking the sincerity in his tone, and you could only stare— awed, heated and incredibly wrecked with the emotions he stirred. Yet rather than replying, your grip on him tightened, a challenge tilting your brow, waiting to see what move he’d make with the offer you raised.

 “Okay… oh-okay, ‘m gonna touch you now, darlin’.”

 With all the strength he could muster, Sanji pushed forward and inhaled deeply, pressing his nose in your crotch, and filling his lungs until the only air that could possibly flow through him was you. “Ohh, fuck.” Sanji groaned, the sound vibrating on your most intimate parts, pulling deep from his throat, and sounding nothing short of sinful that had you keening lowly in response.

 “Oh, fuck- oh fuck, darlin’ you’re a dream.” He murmured into your cunt, his words bleeding back to babble as he breathed in long and deep. It was intoxicating, the heady scent of your pussy. Driving him mad, sick, practically delirious by the slick that marred your panties, creating the most dazzling patch of arousal right in the middle. Oh fuck, his tongue immediately began lapping at the damp fabric caging your plump lips. “Fuck!”

 You choked on a moan. “Is that all you can say?”

 Sanji shook his head, his hands finding your full-figured hips and squeezing, eliciting a low mewl with the fat filling his palms and bulging out at the sides just how he pictured it. “Fuck!” he grunted again into your cunt; his mouth muffled but his shouts reverberated from the intensity that shook him at the core. “Fuck-fuck!”

 You huffed out a chuckle. “Sweetie, if it’s too much for you—”

 He couldn’t hear you. Sanji held you tighter, drew you closer into his open mouth, his jaw slack, muscles taut, cock aching— but it was a sensation he could ignore while his tongue messaged and rolled and lapped at your clothed cunt. Dragging along your labia over and over until it wettened enough to slip his tongue down the seam of your pussy, spreading it to finally circle your pulsing clit and suck, the fabric damp with a lewd mixture of slick and saliva as your whimpers rang loud.

 “Fu-uhh, shit, you taste so goo’ fo’me”, his words were gruff, his mind addled— Sanji couldn’t focus past your cunt, your scent, not when it wafted through him and settled deep in his abdomen— twisting lust straight down to his neglected cock drooling on the floor.

 “Sa-anji! Fuck, hmm, keep-keep going!”

 He groaned, digging his fingers into your hips and shoving you harder into his mouth. “Su’ch a pretty cunt, shit-fuck.” He held you firmly, his strength unrelenting even as you swayed, letting you writhe on his face. “Darlin’, sweet girl, sweet sweet cunt, uhh, y’make my cock hurt so-so much. Make me so hard, so dizzy. All you, shit-shit. Uhh-uhh, s’wet fo’me. Tha’ank you. thank y-you, than-k you.”

 You moaned for him, and the sound of it tingled his spine, acutely aware of the sharp tugging on his scalp, but Sanji paid the rest of it no mind. He was touching you, licking your pussy through your pretty panties, inhaling your arousal, making you moan.

 Making you cry his name, making you wet.

 And he answered it all with low hums and deep grunts of praises, thanking you fiercely, his devotion syphoning from every breath as if you poured into him yourself.

 Sanji flickered his tongue on your clit, alternating between soft and hard strokes that had you grinding your hips on his tongue, and he revelled in it while your pussy rewarded him by staining your panties with sticky fluids he drank greedily. Devouring your cunt with his whole face, bumping his nose into your clit, his chin wet, cheeks flushed.

 “Imma cum!” you tried to warn him, to stave off the flutter in your belly and not embarrass yourself by cumming so soon, but his touch, his tongue— even with the panties in the way it only added to the friction. To the burn flooding over your body from the moment you discovered him. You squirmed, rocked, and sighed as the coil tightened in your belly— a sensation so intense you attempted to cinch your thighs, but Sanji pinched your hips, pulling you apart for him, ignoring your pleas.

 Holding you closer, grunting praises, flattening his tongue, pressing hard until you came with a loud cry.

 “Su’ch a goo’girl, so good for me. that’s it, lemme clean that up for you, darlin’.”

 Sanji lapped at your cunt, your panties ruined and almost dripping from your release that he swallowed as best he could before you ripped him off with a harsh tug.

 “Stand,” you panted harshly. Your balance was shoddy, but you stood firm, yanking the man to his full height, and wrapped your fist around his cock. Gently tugging on his flushed sex in quick strokes. “Cum for me.”

 Sanji curled into your touch, white-hot and just barely keeping himself standing with a hard grip on your hips— he slumped into your chest, fucking into your hand chaotically. “I-I didn’t— y-you. Uhh, fuck!”

 “What is it?”

 Tears stung his waterline. “I di-idn’t clean u-uhh, ahh, mmm, I wanted— wanted to clean you u-uhp.” He cried out, fidgeting in your grasp, his cock overly sensitive and shamefully drooling all over your wrist. He wanted to be strong, to make you cum and slump on his chest, but Sanji could hardly keep his eyes open at this point. He felt airy, foggy, every sensation felt like it was dolled up to ten and he couldn’t find the strength to keep standing.

 And it hurt, fuck, his cock hurt. His balls hurt, his chest hurt, breathing hurt— it ended up as short gasps and high-pitch whines into your neck until you brushed your thumb over his slit and Sanji saw stars.

 “ahh! Im-imma cum! ‘mma cu-uuh, fuck-fuck!”

 “It’s okay, sweet boy,” you jerked him firmly with one hand and pulled down the bow of your panties, exposing your plump mound. “Cum right here, I wan’ feel you cum on me.” you slipped his tip between your pussy lips, a low, wet, squelching noise added to his moans now.

 To yours and the raunchy sounds that swirled in between.

 “Sweet-sweetheart!” Sanji squeaked, bucking his hips widely, your pussy smearing wet kisses all over his cock. Hot and squishy and so so delicious his orgasm crashed through him like a tidal wave, surging and pulsing and dousing him with a pleasure that raked a voiceless cry— splatting his cum in your panties and slathering your slit with gooey, icky glops of his release. Your panties filled with both stains of arousal.

“Good boy.” your kisses feathered over his rapid pulse, the praises almost as gentle as your lips. “Such a good boy, shh. I got you, hun.”

 Sanji held you close, shivering through his climax, pitifully cowering his face into the warm crook of your neck until his cries settled into cute whimpers and the spots misting the corners blended into colours he could actually see.

 “Shh, you did so well, cutie.” You stroked his back, unbothered by the sweat clinging to his skin or the sticky, hot mush that was caged to your cunt. the latter tingling the nerves of your spine in an addictive way. “That felt amazing.”

 “Ye-yea?”

“Yes, hun.”

 There were a few seconds of heavy breathing, then shuffling of clothes, and suddenly, Sanji was seated back on the sofa, but the comforting weight of your plush body sat on top of him too. He liked it, it was grounding. Safe.

 Sanji held you tight, his strong arms locking you in place over his lap. Your bodies hot and tempering down ever so slowly in each other’s embrace.

 There’s was a gentle hum in the room, or maybe it was your voice, tenderly washing over him as Sanji came to grips with his body again. With the heat, the sweat and throb of arousal cooling into a low ebb in his abdomen. With the reality that you both stood in and your roles in it. But he couldn’t bring himself to care of anything else but you curling in his lap.

 You smelt nice, you played with his hair and hummed in his ear, and you felt so… so good in his arms.

 “Thank you.” he croaked after a while. Feeling satiated and satisfied sinking into your embrace, Sanji could do nothing else but whisper his thanks into your lips over and over, his kiss filled with all the gratitude of an answered prayer. “Thank you for this, for holding me. I don’t know when it got so out of hand.”

You smirked, patting his chest playfully, hoping he did not notice how your heart soared as you attempted to joke. “probably as soon as I agreed to this little game.”

 This time, Sanji’s smile beaned wide, pretty teeth shining bright. “I just can’t help myself, darlin.” he nuzzled into your cheek, savouring the intimacy. “I told you what would happen if you got too close.”

 You laughed softly, “I suppose I was warned.” You shifted in his lap, straddling him now instead with the gooey mixture flushed hot in your panties, squishing against your achy clit, it made you breathless. Eager. “If you’re a good boy—”

His stomach flipped excitedly.

 “—Maybe we’ll play again.”

 Sanji shuddered, his smile waning as his lips parted cutely. “Don’t tease me. I—”

 “SANJI! OI! I GOT THIS BIG FISH! IT HAS TWO HEADS CAN WE EAT IT?!”

“Oi, Shitty-brow! I found this buried sword, lemme cut you with it!”

 You stifled the laughter behind your hand, the cutest frown scrunching his face from their untimely interruption. Even so, you began moving to crawl off his lap before the other straw hats walked in with their treasures, but Sanji gripped your wrist, his pleading stare shooting familiar sparks in your core.

 “Promise we’ll do this again?”

You smiled warmly, leaning in for a kiss only to swipe your tongue upon his bottom lip, “Yes, and it will stay just between us.”

 Sanji blushed, savouring the taste of you on his own tongue. “Yea, of course. Just between us, darlin’.”

 This time, you stood up to leave, but not without one final look over your shoulder, “just like your cum soaking my panties right now.”

 You quickly slipped out of the room before anyone could notice, twirling your shoe as the sound of a heavy thud crashed behind you and the boys shouts followed shortly after.

 “WOW! So much blood! Was there a fight?! Are they still here?! I wanna fight!”

 “LUFFY N-NO THAT—”

 “EW SHITTY BROW! WAKE UP AND CLEAN THIS SHIT YOU PERV—”

The warmth of the early evening sun hits your cheeks, highlighting you wonderfully in the beautiful, soft pink glow. And even the wind seems to be a friend to you this evening, the gentle breeze flows over you, causing your clothes to flap distractingly and your hair to cascade across your cheeks.

Sanji huffs, the weight of his feelings sit heavy on his chest as he watches you talk with Zoro. He knows he shouldn't be watching you, he can almost feel Luffy searching for him—there's no doubt in his mind that soon enough the familiar cry for food will fill the already loud evening celebrations.

"Pull it together…" Sanji chastises himself under his breath.

His heart thuds hard against his chest. With every pump Sanji swears his hearing gets more and more muffled, like bits of cotton are being stuffed into his ears.

The pit in his stomach grows heavier the longer he stands on the deck.

So distracted, so caught up in his own head, Sanji almost turns around without so much as a nod of acknowledgement towards Usopp, who is dancing his way across the deck towards him.

"Hey, Sanji! Are you feeling okay? You've got the weirdest look on your face…" Usopp asks, tilting his head sideways, as he comes to a stop in front of Sanji.

He brings a finger to his temple and scratches at it, eyes narrowing slightly as he ponders the reason for the cook's distracted behaviour.

Sanji splutters, "pardon? Oh, yes I'm–"

Your laughter cuts him off, breaking his concentration as his eyes focus back onto you. Usopp follows his gaze, confusion written on his face.

"Right... well–"

"Sorry! Yes, I'm fine."Sanji turns away from you, snapping his focus back to Usopp who stands with his hands on his hips as if to say what the hell are you doing?

"What can I do for you?" Sanji asks.

"Well, it's not me, it's Nami. She told me to ask if we've got any of that tangerine drink from earlier left over."

Sanji does his best to ignore the sound of your voice, your happiness is infectious and Zoro's voice soon joins the chorus, making Sanji's mood sour further. "Give me a second, it's best served at room temperature so I left it in the kitchen."

"You're the best! Thank you."

Sanji turns and stalks back toward the kitchen. His glare could cut glass.

"And don't forget to bring some back for me as well!" Usopp cries out after him.

The volume of his shout is loud enough that it draws your attention. When you turn your head you catch a glimpse of Sanji as he heads back inside. His posture tells you all you need to know and with an apologetic smile you turn your head back towards Zoro before excusing yourself.

"Hmph." Is all Sanji has to say as he pulls out two glasses and begins to fill them with the tangerine drink.

There's no reason for him to be this sour, he's being ridiculous. It's Zoro after all. And it's you.

But something stirs in his chest when he sees you laughing so freely with someone else.

It's the look of pure joy on your face, given to you by someone other than Sanji, that makes his hair stand on end. It's that nagging feeling at the bottom of his stomach that tells him if he's not careful someone will come along and snatch you from his hands like he never meant anything to you.

And it's unfounded. He knows that. You're nothing but good to him.

You show him every day just how much he means to you.

He knows that.

But it's nothing to do with you, not really. There's not a bone in his body that feels unloved when he's with you. You treasure him beyond words, even when he's difficult or demanding and those feelings of unworthiness rear their ugly head.

In fact, all you've ever done is show him that you mean what you say. When you tell him you love him there's no room for anyone to doubt your words.

But he doesn't think he'll ever escape those nasty thoughts. Or those feelings that tell him just one bad day will be enough to scare you off.

He loves you, more than anything. The idea of you falling in love with someone else makes him feel sick, but it follows him around like a dark cloud anyway. Haunting him even on the brightest days.

His own jealousy makes his skin crawl. He hates how out of control he feels.

Seeing you enjoy your evening with your friends shouldn't make him feel like this.

So, like he does everytime he finds his anger bubbling and his insecurities raging, he disappears. He avoids you, tries to not look your way, tries to forget the sight of you smiling with someone else.

He hides until the clouds pass.

"Stupid mosshead and his stupid jokes..." Sanji mutters, harsh hits of the knife slamming down onto the chopping board with every word.

The lemon and lime juice trickles down the side of the board. Usually Sanji is careful and precise with how he slices the fruit, but this evening it's rough and jagged. The knife cuts violently and the juice splashes across Sanji's knuckles. It stings him and Sanji curses, bringing his finger up to his mouth and sucking the juice off before it has a chance to sink further into the small cut he hadn't even known was there.

With his free hand he drops the fruit slices into the 2 glasses—1 lime slice for Usopp, 2 lime slices and 1 lemon slice for Nami.

Sanji walks to the sink and runs his hands under the cool water. It sends shivers down his spine and his shaky breathing even outs as he cleans and rinses the skin where the fruit juice has left its sticky residue.

Sometimes his head quiets down when he's alone in the kitchen, putting his focus towards creating delicious meals and drinks for his friends. It can be grounding, although a lot of the time it's the renewal of his confidence. He knows he can cook. He knows he can treat people to food beyond their wildest imagination. He's a good cook. That he is certain about.

You can tell Sanji's mind is elsewhere as you enter the kitchen. He doesn't turn around to greet you as you push your way through the door, he doesn't even move.

The sounds of celebration get shut out immediately and you welcome the silence with a deep sigh. You love your friends to death but god do they know how to party. Franky and Luffy show no signs of slowling down and when you add Brook to the mix, his music only adds fuel to the already blazing party fire.

But tonight was different. You had felt his eyes on you ever since the party had started, but somehow you knew it got more intense as the evening went on.

You would have found your way to the kitchen at some this evening anyway, you always do. When the music grows louder and the dancing gets wild there's just something about the kitchen that revives your energy.

Sanji usually joins you and the two of you sit in comfortable silence, sometimes making light conversation and sometimes doing things in a darkened corner that perhaps you shouldn't when someone could walk in at any second...

You were no stranger to the inner workings of Sanji's head. You knew something was off and you knew it had something to do with you. You also knew he had a tendency to disappear when something was bothering him, like he was ashamed of his own feelings.

You're only a couple of steps away from Sanji when you clear your throat. The noise startles him and he turns, expecting Usopp, and readys an excuse for his lack of urgency in bringing out the drinks.

The words die on his lips when he sees you. His expression softens, his eyes skirt over your figure quickly—the necklace he got you on the last island you visited sits pride of place around your neck. And there's no mistaking the look of understanding in your eyes.

It makes him shiver, knowing you can see right through him.

But he tries to play off your concerns anyway, hoping he can put off the inevitable a little longer.

"Hey there, pretty lady, care for a drink?" He eyes you, speaking slightly louder than he means to. "You'll take 2 lemon slices and 2 lime, is that right?"

You nod your head, a small smile appearing on your face. As you step forward Sanji steps back towards the cupboard, unnecessarily since there's already a spare glass on the counter. You frown, taking a small step forward again, trying to get a good look at his face.

He refuses you such a luxury this evening, turning his head away from you at every opportunity and busying himself with reorganising and tidying things that you would say are already organised and tidied.

You lean towards the counter and count the fruit slices left on the chopping board. He has already cut the perfect amount of slices for your drink—like he was intending to make you a drink as well, despite you not having asked him yet.

Your heart lurches at the thought.

Gingerly you place a hand to his shoulder, halting his frantic movements. You see him take a deep, uneven breath and you step closer once more, trying to block the escape route you know he's already thinking about disappearing through, under the guise of more busy kitchen stuff.

"Sanji..." Your voice is gentle, almost stern in how serious and sincerely you whisper his name.

He falters as your hand slips down the curve of his back, tracing the band of his trousers and holding him tightly by the belt loop. With a soft tug you pull him towards you. He falls into you with ease, but still he continues to pretend nothing is wrong.

"I really should be getting these drinks back out there, angel. Usopp and Nami will be waiting."

The petname usually disarms you.

It's something that he calls you in those tender moments between islands, when you lie together beneath the stars and rest your head on his chest.

It's said in those breathless moments where he has you moaning into his mouth, arms wrapped around your waist like he'll die if you're more than a hairs width away.

And it's said casually. Over the dinner table, in front of everyone just so he can see your eyes roll with affection. Knowing your cheeks are glowing with heat and that you'll soon disarm him in return, with a kiss to the cheek or a soft rebuttal that will have him needing to turn away from you.

But it doesn't disarm you now. Not when there's something so clearly wrong. There's a distinct lack of his usual affection in the word, no playful smirk or raise of the eyebrow. It's off-putting and it sends a shiver of unease down your spine.

"They'll be okay to wait, baby. Nami is in the middle of trying to haggle with some poor islander and Usopp is... well he's thoroughly distracted singing with Chopper and Brook."

Sanji's nose scrunches and you can see a retort sitting on the end of his tongue, he's fighting with himself.

You're here, in front of him, touching him, it's silly to still feel jealous. Isn't it?

You came after him, you wanted to see him.

You care.

He shakes off your hand not unkindly before plastering a smile on his face. It fails to reach his eyes but he doesn't give you the chance to dwell on it. Instead, he pushes past you, arm brushing against yours and scoops the three glasses into his hands.

The featherlight kiss he pressed to your hair as he passed you leaves a burning imprint on your head.

"I'll see you out there, beautiful."

You reach a hand out, "no. Sanji, please. Can we just tal-"

But he's gone before you can finish your sentence, leaving you before you even the opportunity to ask him if everything was okay.

With a sigh you drop your arm, it slaps harshly against your side but you don't so much as flinch. You flop into the seat closest to you, folding in on yourself and dropping your head against the table in defeat.

joining luffy's crew felt less like walking into the unknown and more like finding a scattered piece of yourself you didn't know was missing. from the very first day, fitting in was surprisingly easy, wrapping your hands around mugs of laughter in the galley and learning the chaotic rhythm of the thousand sunny. you clicked with everyone, carving out your own small, comfortable space among the dreamers and monsters that populated the deck.

yet, right from the start, there was always sanji.

it wasn't the way he doted on the others with blinding, theatrical devotion, though that was a constant backdrop to daily life. no, it was something quieter, something hidden beneath the crisp layers of his suits and the careful tilt of his cigarette smoke.

whenever you crossed paths in the narrow corridors or sat across from each other at the dinner table, the air between you shifted. it grew heavier, charged with a magnetic current that neither of you ever quite knew how to name.

for the longest time, you left it unsaid, burying the fluttering heat in your chest under casual smiles and shared chores. you couldn't put a precise label on the way his blue eyes lingered just a second too long on your skin, or how his posture stiffened whenever you stepped too close into his personal space.

but every single time you were alone with him in the galley late at night, the quiet hum of the sea pressing against the hull, you could feel that peculiar attraction humming right beneath the surface. it was an unspoken language written in lingering glances, in the way he handed you your cup of tea with fingers that occasionally brushed yours, sending a sharp, shivering jolt straight up your spine.

for sanji, it was a completely foreign and deeply unsettling territory. if there was one thing the cook prided himself on, it was his effortless navigation of the female gender; he was a man who lived by the fluttering rhythm of his heart, always ready with a smooth compliment, a polished bow, or a heart-eyed sigh for every lovely lady crossing his path. he knew the script by heart, mastering the art of charm and chivalry as a second language through years of experience and devotion.

yet, the moment you entered his orbit, the carefully orchestrated machinery of his confidence completely sputtered and stalled out.

he couldn't wrap his head around the way his usual smooth demeanor crumbled into dust whenever you simply walked into the room. while he could effortlessly flirt with anyone else on an island or a passing ship, standing near you made his chest constrict with a strange, breathless panic that felt entirely unlike his usual romantic theatrics.

it frustrated him to no end, because try as he might, he couldn't decode the baffling physical reactions happening inside his own body. whenever you leaned against the kitchen counter to chat while he prepped dinner, his fingers would tighten around the handle of his kitchen knife just a fraction too hard, his knuckles whitening as he fought the sudden, overwhelming urge to pull you against him.

he didn't understand why his gaze kept straying from his chopping board to the curve of your throat, or why the sound of your laughter sent a sudden, hot wave rushing straight to his cheeks. it wasn't the loud, boisterous infatuation he wore like a badge of honor for the rest of the world to see; this was something quiet, heavy, and intensely intimate that scrambled his thoughts and made his stomach twist in the most delicious, terrifying knots.

he would catch himself staring into space while holding a tray of drinks, completely lost in the scent of your skin or the memory of how your hand had brushed his arm earlier that morning. and every single time he tried to analyze it, tried to brush it off as mere foolishness, he would look up and find you already watching him with that same hazy, unfocused curiosity in your eyes.

it didn't take long for the rest of the straw hats to pick up on the peculiar dance happening between the two of you, though they read the situation from a completely different angle. the crew didn't notice the cozy warmth or the quiet domesticity; instead, they caught onto the palpable restraint hanging thick in the air, noticing the strange, rigid distance you both maintained despite how desperately gravity seemed to pull you together.

to an outside observer like nami or robin, it looked less like indifference and more like a high-stakes game of chicken. they would watch the two of you exchange polite, measured phrases across the dinner table, only to immediately look away with a tense tightness in your jaws. it was as if an invisible, heavily guarded boundary had been drawn right down the middle of the room, and both of you were terrified of accidentally stepping across it.

luffy, in his own chaotic way, had pointed it out bluntly one afternoon while stuffing his face with meat, tilting his head with a confused frown and asking why you and sanji looked like you were about to start a fistfight every time you stood too close without actually touching. zoro, half-asleep against the mast, had simply grunted in agreement, noting through half-closed eyes that it was painfully obvious you were both driving yourselves crazy over nothing, stubbornly holding back from whatever disaster or salvation awaited you on the other side of that restraint.

the crew could see the exhaustion in the way you both overcompensated—sanji doubling down on his service to everyone else just to avoid lingering too long in your direct line of sight, and you finding endless busywork on the upper deck just to escape the suffocating heat of the galley whenever the tension spiked too high. everyone on the ship knew how you operated as individuals, fearless and unyielding in the face of admirals and emperors alike, yet watching the two of you circle each other like skittish cats made it painfully clear that this invisible barrier was the only enemy neither of you knew how to conquer.

it was a mutual holding back, a shared, agonizing hesitation rooted in the fear of what would happen if the dam finally broke. every lingering look was immediately swallowed down, every half-formed sentence was choked back before it could cross your lips, and every brush of shoulders in the doorway was treated like a dangerous spark near dry tinder. you were both waiting for the other person to make the first move, to shatter the glass ceiling of your own self-imposed exile, completely unaware that the pressure was building to a point where a single stray look or a whispered word in the dark would be enough to blow the whole thing wide open.

the anchor hit the seabed with a heavy, echoing splash as the thousand sunny drifted into the shadow of a sprawling, mist-veiled island. the rest of the crew was practically vibrating with chaotic energy, ropes being tossed and weapons being strapped on as luffy yelled out the battle cry for an island-wide raid. you stood near the railing, watching the commotion, assuming you would be part of the landing party just like usual, until nami turned around with a clipboard and a sharp, calculating look in her eyes.

she pointed out that the tide was shifting unpredictably and the island's jungle looked treacherous, meaning someone trustworthy and strong needed to stay behind to secure the ship, monitor the weather patterns, and keep the cannons ready just in case. before you could even volunteer to join the advance team, luffy loudly declared that sanji and you should pull watch duty since you both "looked like you needed some quiet time to stop glaring at each other." a chorus of knowing grins rippled through the crew, zoro offering a quiet, mocking snort as he swung over the side into the dinghy.

panic flared instantly in your chest, hot and sharp, but you forced your features into a smooth, unbothered mask, laughing it off with a casual shrug as if the mere thought of being stranded alone on a dark ship with sanji until the middle of the night didn't make your stomach plummet. you turned to the cook, pasting on a light, breezy tone to assure him that you could handle a few hours of anchor watch without driving each other crazy, deliberately ignoring the way your pulse was already hammering a frantic rhythm against your ribs.

sanji, for his part, stiffened visibly before snapping into his polished, gentlemanly persona with terrifying speed. he offered a smooth, practiced bow, assuring you with a honeyed smile that it would be his absolute honor to keep the lady safe, though the slight tremor in his fingers as he reached up to adjust his collar completely betrayed his performance. beneath the calculated facade of easy hospitality, his blue eyes darkened with a sudden, heavy panic, realizing just as acutely as you did that the escape routes had all just vanished.

within ten minutes, the rest of the crew had piled into the small boats and rowed away toward the dark, looming coastline, their loud voices and laughter slowly swallowed up by the sprawling expanse of the ocean. as the sound of the oars faded completely into the distance, a profound, suffocating silence fell over the thousand sunny, broken only by the gentle creak of the wooden deck and the rhythmic lapping of black waves against the hull. night descended rapidly, painting the sky in deep indigo and casting long, flickering shadows from the single deck lantern that buzzed softly overhead.

you forced yourself to walk toward the main mast with deliberate slowness, keeping your shoulders loose and your breathing steady to maintain the illusion that this was just any other routine night watch. you muttered something about checking the rigging on the starboard side, keeping your eyes fixed firmly on the ropes to avoid looking at him, desperate to project an aura of calm independence. but every instinct in your body was hyper-aware of his exact location, tracking the soft whisper of his dress shoes against the wooden planks as he moved slowly across the galley entrance.

sanji leaned against the doorway of the kitchen, his posture deceptively relaxed, though the smoke curling lazily from the tip of his cigarette trembled slightly in the damp night air. he watched you maneuver around the deck, his gaze heavy and burning with an intensity that felt physical, tracing every movement you made under the pale moonlight. the pretense of casual indifference was wearing dangerously thin between you, stripped away piece by piece by the vast, echoing quiet of the midnight sea, leaving nothing behind except the raw, crackling wire of the tension you had been avoiding for months.

the heavy, suffocating silence stretches between you for a few agonizing minutes, broken only by the rhythmic creaking of the ship's timbers and the distant wash of the waves. deciding that you can't spend the next six hours pretending the other person doesn't exist, sanji finally pushes himself off the galley doorframe with a soft sigh that sounds suspiciously like surrender. he steps forward, his leather shoes clicking against the deck, and clears his throat slightly, trying to conjure up a casual, conversational tone that sounds entirely too measured to be natural.

he asks you a simple, harmless question about whether you managed to secure the forward sails properly before dusk, his blue eyes carefully fixed on your face as he waits for an answer. to anyone else, it would sound like a mundane, routine check between crewmates, but to you, hearing his voice cut through the thick night air feels like a sudden jolt of electricity straight to your spine. panic spikes instantly in your chest, making your breath catch in your throat, but you scramble frantically to lock the terror down, forcing your facial muscles into a stiff, polite mask.

you turn to face him, your heart hammering a frantic, deafening rhythm against your ribs, and reply with a voice that is just a fraction too tight, telling him that you checked the rigging twice and everything is tied down tight. you try to keep your tone light and breezy, injecting a casual shrug into your posture to sell the performance, but inside, you feel like you're walking a tightrope over an active volcano. every single fiber of your being is screaming at you to run back inside or find something else to do, because the way he is looking at you right now doesn't feel like normal crewmate concern at all.

sanji hears the faint strain beneath your carefully curated composure, and instead of letting the topic drop, he takes another slow step closer, sensing the exact same desperate need to shatter this miserable tension that's eating away at his own sanity. he offers a small, tight nod, murmuring a quiet acknowledgment before trying another mundane conversational thread, asking if you managed to grab anything to eat before the rest of the crew raided the pantry and cleared out the kitchen.

your mind races frantically as you realize he's intentionally trying to bridge the gap, keeping the conversation agonizingly normal just to anchor you both to reality, but it only makes your nerves fray further. you swallow hard, forcing your dry throat to cooperate, and answer simply that you grabbed a quick bite earlier, keeping your sentences short and safe to prevent your voice from trembling or giving away the absolute chaos raging inside you. standing here, exchanging these painfully ordinary words under the pale moonlight, you both know damn well that you are just circling the edge of a precipice, dancing around a confession neither of you is brave enough to start, yet neither of you is willing to walk away from.

you swallow the lump in your throat, your voice barely keeping its steady facade as you finally break eye contact with him, staring down at the wooden planks of the deck instead.

"no," you murmur, the single word falling flat and quiet into the damp night air. "didn't really have much of an appetite."

sanji stops dead in his tracks. for a second, the only sound is the rhythmic churning of the sea against the ship's hull. he lets out a long, slow breath, running a hand through his blond hair as if trying to physically reset his own frayed nerves. when he drops his hand, his expression softens into something deeply earnest, stripping away the last remaining traces of his usual theatrical playfulness.

"you can't run on empty, you know," sanji says, his voice dipping lower, carrying a warmth that curls dangerously low in your stomach. "the night is still young, and... well, i've got a bit of time. let me make you something. anything you want."

your heart does a violent flip against your ribs, and panic immediately flares up, sharp and blinding. "oh—no, sanji, you really don't have to," you quickly stammer out, taking a small, instinctive step back, lifting your hands in a defensive gesture. "i'm genuinely fine, really. you don't need to go out of your way for me."

he doesn't buy it for a second. instead of backing off, sanji takes a deliberate step closer, closing the distance you just tried to create. his blue eyes lock onto yours with an intensity that makes it hard to remember how to breathe.

"i'm not going out of my way," he murmurs, his tone dropping into something far more intimate, laced with an unspoken plea that hangs heavy between you. "please. let me."

you stare up at him, caught in the trap of his gaze, and inside your head, a quiet, exhausted war finally comes to an end. you are so damn tired of lying. you are so tired of walking around him on eggshells, of pretending that his presence doesn't completely rewire your nervous system, of hiding the agonizing, electric want that has been pooling under your skin for months. looking at the way his chest rises and falls, at the quiet vulnerability hiding just beneath his stoic exterior, you realize he's just as starved for this as you are. you can't keep pretending anymore.

a slow, trembling sigh slips past your lips, and the defensive tension drains out of your posture, replaced by a quiet, breathless surrender.

"...fine," you whisper, the word barely audible over the wind, though you know he catches every single syllable. "okay. if you're offering... make me something."

sanji’s expression shifts instantly, a faint, disbelieving breath catching in his throat as if he hadn't actually expected you to say yes. a soft, incredibly tender look washes over his features, and for a fleeting moment, his hand twitches at his side as though he desperately wants to reach out and touch you.

"come on, then," he says quietly, his voice thick with a sudden, heavy shift in the air, turning on his heel and leading the way toward the galley door.

steping into the galley feels like crossing an invisible threshold into a completely different dimension, the bustling warmth of the kitchen wrapping around you like a heavy, electric blanket. you slide onto one of the high stools near the counter, the wood feeling cool beneath your hands, while sanji moves with practiced, effortless grace around his domain. the door clicks shut behind you, sealing out the cool midnight breeze of the deck and trapping you both in a pocket of absolute, suffocating intimacy.

you sit there with your hands neatly folded in your lap, reduced to a captive audience, and find that you literally cannot tear your eyes away from him. stripped of the crowded noise and chaos of the rest of the crew, every single movement he makes feels magnified, hitting your senses with a dizzying intensity that makes your breath catch in your throat.

you watch the way his broad shoulders shift beneath the fabric of his shirt as he reaches for a cutting board, his posture effortlessly confident yet carrying an undercurrent of heightened awareness that tells you he feels your gaze burning a hole into his back. your eyes trace the strong line of his arms, the way his muscles flex subtly under his skin as he handles the kitchen utensils with surgical precision, turning the mundane task of cooking into something hypnotic and agonizingly seductive.

his efficiency at the stove has always been a known fact on the ship, but watching him up close, bathed in the warm, golden glow of the galley lights, is an entirely different kind of torture. you track the slow, deliberate rhythm of his hands, the way his fingers curl around the handle of a knife, and a sudden, hot ache pools low in your stomach, catching you completely off guard.

then your gaze drifts upward, lingering on the sharp angles of his profile, the stray strands of blond hair falling softly across his forehead, and the intense focus etched into his features. you have always known, logically, that sanji is an impossibly handsome man—the whole world outside and every woman on the grand line made sure to remind everyone of that daily—but right now, sitting across from him in the dead of night, it feels infinitely worse. it feels dangerous, overwhelming, and so intensely real that it makes your chest ache.

yet, even as your heart thrashes frantically against your ribs and your body hums with a breathless, desperate longing, you throw yourself entirely into the art of concealment. you force your expression into a mask of casual, polite detachment, resting your chin lightly on your hand and blinking with feigned boredom whenever he glances your way, terrified that if he looks too closely into your eyes, he will read every single chaotic, desperate desire you've been working so hard to bury.

sanji breaks the heavy silence before you can pull your staring eyes away, his voice cutting softly through the hum of the galley as he asks you how you're holding up over there, keeping his back turned as he stirs whatever is simmering on the stove. hearing him speak directly to you snaps your observation session to a jarring halt, sending a panicked jolt straight through your veins and making your heart leap violently into your throat. you scramble to steady your expression, desperate to mask the intense, burning heat rushing to your cheeks, and you quickly reply with a tight, casual reassurance that you're just fine, watching him with wide, hyper-aware eyes while internally cursing yourself for getting caught staring.

at the exact same time, sanji pauses his movements, the spoon hovering over the pot as a thick, unmistakable shiver runs down the length of his spine. he can feel it too—the way the atmosphere in the room has fundamentally shifted, mutating from polite caution into something heavy, electric, and dangerously charged. the air feels thick and hard to breathe, every single breath tasting like anticipation, and he knows damn well that the fragile bubble of casual conversation is about to burst under the sheer weight of what's unsaid between you.

desperately needing to shatter the suffocating quiet that threatens to swallow you whole, you clear your throat and force your voice to stay level.

"so... what is it you're actually cooking over there?" you ask, your tone a little too thin, a little too careful.

sanji stops stirring, turning around slowly to rest his hip against the counter. a quiet, knowing look settles deep into his blue eyes as he meets your gaze head-on.

"just a little something," sanji replies, his voice dipping into a smooth, low register that practically hums in the charged air. "that specific dish you happened to mention liking a while back."

the words hit you like a physical blow, sending a violent wave of heat rushing straight up your neck and into your face. your breath catches entirely in your throat, your mind instantly spinning as you try to retrace every single conversation you've ever had with him on this ship. you barely remember ever telling him about it—it was a casual remark tossed out weeks ago during a chaotic breakfast or a fleeting moment in passing, something so insignificant that you had completely forgotten you even voiced it aloud.

yet he remembered. out of all the thousands of meals he prepares every single day for a crew of bottomless pits, out of all the endless noise and chaos on the sunny, sanji somehow carved out that one tiny, trivial detail and stored it away in his mind.

a dizzying, terrifying warmth blooms deep in your chest, spreading outward and melting away whatever defensive armor you had left. you stare at him across the counter, completely paralyzed by the sudden realization of how closely he actually watches you, how deeply attuned he is to every single thing concerning you, even when he's acting distant. your heart is hammering a frantic, deafening tattoo against your ribs, and the sheer intensity of what that implies leaves you utterly speechless.

you don't even dare ask him how he knew, or when you could have possibly told him, because opening your mouth right now would mean admitting just how much his attention matters to you, and how close you are to completely losing control. sanji watches the myriad of emotions flicker wildly across your face, seeing the exact moment your defenses crumble under the weight of his gesture, and a slow, heavy darkness settles into his gaze, telling you without a single word that he knows you're caught just as deeply as he is.

you pull your trembling hands into your lap, the sudden vulnerability stripping away all your sharp defenses, and offer him a small, incredibly soft smile.

"thank you, sanji," you murmur, the words slipping out of you like a quiet confession, laced with a gentle sincerity that leaves nothing behind to hide behind. "truly... thank you."

hearing you speak to him in that tone, stripped of all the usual teasing or forced casualness, hits sanji straight in his chest like a physical impact. a sharp, breathless hitch catches in his throat, and for a brief second, his hands freeze over the counter. the simple, sweet way you said it—so open, so entirely devoid of walls—sends a wild, heavy jolt straight through his system, making his heart hammer against his ribs with a force that leaves him momentarily dizzy. it dismantles whatever resolve he had left, proving that the distance he tried so hard to maintain was nothing more than a fragile illusion.

he doesn't trust his voice to answer right away, afraid that if he speaks, the raw intensity of what he's feeling will bleed right through. instead, he swallows hard, nodding slowly as he forces his hands back into motion, finishing the final touches on the plate with meticulous, agonizing care.

a few quiet minutes pass, filled only with the soft sizzle of the stove and the heavy, electric thump of your own pulse. finally, sanji turns off the burner and slides the steaming, beautifully plated dish across the counter right in front of you, the rich, comforting aroma instantly filling the air. instead of retreating to the other side of the kitchen like he normally would, he pulls out the adjacent high stool and sits down right next to you. he doesn't crowd your space—leaving a careful, respectful inch of air between you, conscious of the invisible boundary that still hangs in the room—yet sitting this close makes his presence entirely inescapable.

he rests his elbows lightly on the counter, turning his head just enough to watch you, his eyes searching your face with a mixture of intense anticipation and quiet vulnerability as he waits to see your reaction to the first bite.

you pick up your fork, your fingers slightly trembling as you take your first, hesitant bite of the dish. the rich, perfectly balanced flavors instantly melt on your tongue, a wave of warmth spreading through you that feels almost overwhelming given how much heart he clearly poured into it. you pause, looking up at him through your lashes with genuine awe, your voice carrying a soft, breathy wonder.

"sanji... this is incredible," you murmur, a small, genuine smile slipping past your lips as you tell him just how good it is. "truly, it's amazing."

watching the way your face lights up and hearing the absolute honesty in your voice hits sanji like a physical rush. a slow, deeply satisfied smile curves across his lips, the tension in his shoulders finally easing into a profound, quiet relief. knowing that he managed to bring that look to your eyes—knowing that he hit the exact mark for you—makes every single second of his internal torture completely worth it.

"I'm glad" he replies softly, his voice a low, gravelly hum that sends a shiver straight down your spine.

once you finish the last bite, lingering over the warmth of the meal, sanji reaches down to pull a bottle of wine from beneath the counter, pouring two glasses without a word. he slides one across the wood toward you, offering a drink to cap off the night.

you instantly shake your head, lifting a hand in a weak attempt to decline. "oh, no, sanji, i couldn't... i'm really fine," you stammer, your heart already picking up its frantic pace.

he doesn't accept the refusal. instead, he leans in just a fraction closer, his blue eyes dark and unyielding as he pushes the glass a little further toward your fingertips. "just one glass," he insists quietly, his tone leaving no room for argument, wrapped in a heavy, hypnotic pull you are entirely powerless to resist. "stay with me a little longer."

knowing you are entirely trapped by your own desire, you give in with a soft, defeated sigh, picking up the glass and taking a slow sip.

with every passing second, the atmosphere in the galley grows thicker, morphing into something almost suffocatingly intimate. the distance between your stools feels entirely too wide yet dangerously narrow all at once. you try to look away, but your eyes keep betraying you, drifting helplessly back to him. you find yourself studying his broad, solid shoulders, the striking line of his back, and the powerful, steady build of his frame under his shirt, every detail of his physical presence hammering away at your self-control.

and sanji feels every single second of your gaze burning into him. his chest tightens with a fierce, possessive ache, every instinct screaming at him to bridge the remaining gap and keep you right here in his kitchen, locked safely away from the rest of the world where he can finally pull you into his arms.

the amber liquid in your glass ripples softly under the dim galley lights as the minutes bleed past in a quiet, heavy blur of casual conversation and shared glances. you talk about nothing and everything all at once, floating on the edge of a precipice, but the weight in your limbs from the long day and the sudden, intense heat of his proximity finally catches up to you. your eyelids feel heavy, and the reality of the midnight hour presses down on your shoulders.

knowing that if you stay down here in this kitchen for a single second longer, the fragile wall holding back every unspoken desire will completely shatter, you force yourself to break eye contact, swallowing hard against the tight knot in your throat.

"i... i think i should probably head to bed," you murmur, your voice barely louder than a whisper, carrying a profound reluctance that you can't entirely disguise. "it's getting late, and i'm pretty exhausted."

sanji freezes, the glass halfway to his lips. for a fraction of a second, a flash of stark, unfiltered dismay crosses his striking features, instantly replacing the warm, relaxed atmosphere. the thought of you slipping away back to your room, leaving him alone in the quiet kitchen with this unbearable, unfinished tension humming in his veins, frustrates him to no end. it mirrors the exact rebellion clawing at your own chest—the desperate, furious protest of your heart begging you to stay, to close the distance, to stop running away from what is right in front of you.

he lowers his glass slowly to the counter, the dull clink sounding entirely too loud in the silent room.

"so soon?" sanji asks, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that vibrates straight through your core, laced with an unmistakable undercurrent of reluctance. he turns his upper body fully toward you, his blue eyes locking onto yours with a heavy, searching intensity. "are you sure? the night is still quiet... you don't have to rush off just yet."

meeting his gaze feels like touching a live wire. your heart thrashes frantically against your ribs, a fresh wave of panic and raw longing crashing over you with terrifying force. you know damn well you aren't actually tired; you're just terrified. terrified of the way your hands are shaking, terrified of how badly you want him to reach out and pull you into his lap, and terrified of what might happen if you give in.

"i really should," you force out, offering a weak, trembling smile that doesn't reach your eyes as you slide off the high stool. your legs feel unsteadily light beneath you, the wine and the overwhelming pressure making your head spin. "thanks for the food, sanji. really. goodnight."

you turn on your heel immediately, terrified that if you stay and look at him for even one more second, your resolve will completely crumble and you'll throw yourself right back into his arms. you walk toward the galley exit with steps that feel agonizingly heavy, every single nerve ending in your back hyper-aware of his gaze tracking your every movement.

behind you, sanji sits completely motionless on the stool, his hands gripping the edge of the counter so tightly his knuckles turn stark white. he watches you walk away, a deep, smoldering frustration twisting in his gut, every single instinct in his mind screaming at him to stand up, cross the room, and beg you to stay. but he stays frozen in place, bound by his own restraint, watching the door swing shut behind you as the crushing, suffocating silence rushes back in to fill the empty space you left behind.

the door of your cabin clicks shut behind you, sealing you off in the cool, quiet shadows of your private room. you press your back firmly against the wood, letting out a long, shuddering breath that feels like it’s been trapped in your lungs for hours. your heart is still hammering a frantic, deafening rhythm against your ribs, and the phantom heat of his presence lingers stubbornly on your skin. you walk over to your bed, sitting heavily on the edge, and try to violently push down the chaotic swirl of thoughts threatening to drown you. you pull the blanket over your lap, squeezing your eyes shut and trying to forcefully persuade yourself that you're just tired, that you're going to lie down, close your eyes, and stay completely still until morning clears this madness from your head. you tell yourself over and over that it's over, that you successfully escaped the tension, trying desperately to calm the electrical storm raging beneath your skin.

down the corridor, sanji is fighting an entirely different, losing battle. he steps out of the galley, his feet dragging against the floorboards as he walks at a painfully slow, deliberate pace toward the men's quarters. every single step feels like moving through lead, his mind racing in furious circles as he replays the way you looked at him across the counter, the soft, unguarded sound of your voice thanking him, and the way you slipped through his fingers just when things were getting unbearably real. he stops mid-hallway, his jaw clenching so hard it aches, and his hands ball into tight, white-knuckled fists at his sides. the quiet resignation of going back to his empty room feels like a physical sickness clawing at his chest; he realizes with blinding clarity that he cannot simply content himself with running away and hiding behind closed doors anymore, not when every inch of his soul is screaming for the exact same thing you are too terrified to name.

a sudden surge of raw adrenaline tears through sanji's veins, shattering whatever fragile restraint he had left. he abandons his slow, heavy trudge down the corridor, turning on his heel with a sharp pivot. moving with the silent, predatory speed of a man possessed, he covers the distance to your cabin in a matter of seconds, his bare feet making barely a whisper against the wooden floorboards. he doesn't bother hesitating, doesn't even pause to weigh the consequences; his hand shoots out, his fingers wrapping around the handle of your door, and he slips inside the darkened room before his rational mind can catch up with his impulses.

the click of the door latch is barely audible, swallowed instantly by the heavy, tense quiet of the cabin.

you jump violently, your head snapping toward the entryway with a sharp gasp of shock as a tall silhouette cuts through the moonlight spilling across your floorboards. before you can even scramble back against the headboard or demand to know who's there, sanji steps fully into the dim light. his chest is rising and falling in rapid, shallow breaths, his blond hair slightly disheveled from his hurried pace, and his blue eyes burning with an intense, desperate fire that makes your breath catch painfully in your lungs.

he closes the remaining space between the door and your bed in two long, urgent strides, planting his hands down on either side of your mattress, caging you in completely. the sheer weight of his proximity—the warm, intoxicating scent of tobacco, sea salt, and him—collides with your senses all at once, leaving you utterly paralyzed.

"why?" sanji breathes out, his voice cracking slightly on the edge of a raw, desperate frustration, vibrating with a quiet intensity that sends a violent shiver straight down your spine. "tell me why you're trying so damn hard to ignore this."

you freeze, your eyes widening in sheer panic as you stare up at him, your back pressed flat against the wall behind your bed. "sanji—what are you—what are you doing in here?" you stammer out, your voice trembling uncontrollably, trying desperately to cling to a wall of defense that is already crumbling to dust beneath his gaze. "you shouldn't be in my room, it's late—"

"don't give me that bullshit," he interrupts, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly rasp that leaves no room for escape. he leans in closer, his face inches from yours, the raw, unfiltered yearning written across his sharp features stripping away every last excuse you had left. "don't sit there and pretend like you don't feel it too. every single second we're in the same room, every time our hands brush, you're looking at me like you're starving, and then you turn around and run away like a coward."

the blunt accusation hits you like a physical blow, stealing the air straight from your lungs. your chest heaves as you desperately try to form a coherent denial, but the words completely die on your tongue because you know he's right. you are starving. you've been starving for months.

"i'm not running," you whisper, though your voice shakes so miserably that it sounds like a pathetic lie even to your own ears.

"you are," sanji insists, his voice softening just a fraction, turning into a rough, desperate plea as his gaze drops down to your lips before locking back onto your eyes. "you're running because you're terrified, and god help me, i am too. but i can't take another minute of watching you pretend i don't exist when every single breath i take is driving me out of my damn mind over you."

the heavy silence that follows his words is shattered only by the sound of your own ragged breathing in the dim, quiet cabin. sanji holds his position over you, his knuckles pressing white against the mattress as the raw vulnerability in his chest gives way to a crushing, agonizing doubt. the confident, suave cook who knows how to handle every woman in the world has completely vanished, replaced by a man utterly undone by the person lying beneath him.

"is it me?" sanji asks, his voice dropping into a rough, desperate whisper that catches on the edge of a raw, aching plea. "did i do something wrong? tell me if i'm the problem, because i swear to you, i'll change whatever it is—just don't keep looking at me like i'm a ghost."

the sheer, unfiltered despair in his tone cuts straight through whatever remaining defenses you were desperately trying to hold onto. seeing the brilliant, unyielding cook looking at you with such broken insecurity makes your own chest seize with a sharp, physical pain. you don't even hesitate; your hands shoot up, your fingers instinctively gripping the fabric of his shirt as you pull him slightly closer, shaking your head frantically.

"no," you gasp out, your voice trembling with an overwhelming rush of emotion, tears stinging the corners of your eyes as you look up at him. "sanji, no—it's not you. it's not you at all."

"then what is it?" he breathes out, leaning in so close that his forehead nearly touches yours, the heat and passion radiating off him like a living thing. the intoxicating scent of him wraps around you, making your head spin. "if i'm not the problem, then why are we wasting every single second standing on opposite sides of a line we both want to cross?"

"you're not doing anything wrong," you whisper, your voice cracking under the sheer weight of the tension and the blazing heat pooling deep inside your body. "you're... you're not the problem. it's just..."

you trail off, unable to find the words to explain the sheer terror of loving him this much, but the frantic, desperate way your hands grip his shirt tells him everything he needs to know. sanji lets out a ragged, shuddering breath, the last of his restraint snapping completely under the weight of your confession, his gaze darkening with a fierce, burning intent as he realizes there is nowhere left to run.

"i've... i've never felt anything like this before," you confess, your voice trembling as the confession spills out of you, raw and unguarded in the quiet dark of the cabin. "i don't even know what to do with it, or what it means. and i never even knew if you felt it too."

you look up at him, your chest heaving as the pent-up frustration and fear finally break through the surface, tears of sheer overwhelm shimmering in your eyes.

"i've tried so hard to ignore it," you whisper, your fingers gripping tighter onto the fabric of his shirt as if anchoring yourself to him. "god, i've tried everything to push it down and pretend it's not there, but it's just... it's so impossibly hard every single time i'm near you."

hearing those words shatters the final, lingering remnants of hesitation in sanji's mind. a profound, breathless wave of realization washes over his features, his blue eyes widening slightly before darkening with an intense, overwhelming heat. all the months of doubt, of agonizing restraint, and of watching you from afar dissolve into nothingness under the weight of your admission.

"you didn't know?" sanji breathes out, his voice rough and thick with a sudden, fierce emotion as a slow, fierce possessiveness curls deep in his chest. he brings his hand up, his warm fingers gently cupping the side of your face, his thumb lightly brushing across your cheekbone with a tenderness that makes your breath hitch. "god... i've been losing my mind over you every single day since the moment you stepped onto this ship."

the warmth of his palm against your skin sends a wild, electric shock straight down your spine.

"you think this is just some passing thing for me?" sanji continues, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly rasp that vibrates right through your soul, filled with a raw, unshakable certainty. "every time you walk into the galley, every time you laugh, every single second i spend trying to keep my hands to myself around you is absolute torture. i've never felt this way about anyone, either. you're all i think about."

the absolute honesty in his words hits you with the force of a tidal wave, melting away the last remaining ice around your heart. before you can even draw another breath, sanji closes the microscopic distance left between you, his gaze dropping to your lips one last time before his mouth crashes down onto yours in a fierce, desperate, and utterly consuming kiss.

even in the dizzying, chaotic whirlwind of the kiss, a sharp spike of reality pierces through the haze, reminding you where you are and who else is out there on this ship. you pull back just a fraction, your chest heaving as you gasp for air, your fingers trembling against his shoulders as you try to force the words past your lips.

"sanji—wait, we have to stop," you whisper frantically, your voice laced with sudden panic as you push weakly against his chest. "the others... they could come back from the island at any moment. if they walk in here—"

sanji doesn't even let you finish the sentence. a low, rumbling growl vibrates deep in his throat, and instead of pulling away, he surges forward, capturing your lips in another crushing, deep kiss that completely swallows your protests.

"i don't give a damn about the others," sanji murmurs fiercely against your mouth, his voice rough with an intoxicating, reckless abandon as he breaks the kiss just enough to look down into your eyes, his blue gaze burning with an intensity that completely strips away your last remaining arguments. "let them come. i'm not stopping. i can't stop."

there is no hesitation left in him, only a desperate, consuming need that eclipses every rule, every fear, and every boundary he has ever respected. his hands start moving across your body with a reverent, burning urgency, sliding down from your waist to trace every curve, pressing firmly against your hips and smoothing up beneath the hem of your shirt. his warm, calloused palms map the skin of your ribs and spine, sending delicious, dizzying waves of heat straight through your nervous system that make your knees weak and a soft, breathless moan slip past your lips.

every single stroke of his hands feels electric, erasing the last of your hesitation and replacing it with a melting, desperate pleasure that wraps around your mind.

sanji leans down, pressing his lips hot and firm against the sensitive skin of your jawline down to the curve of your neck, his breath ghosting over your heated flesh as he speaks against your skin, his voice thick with a raw, undeniable devotion.

"i'm going to show you," sanji whispers, his hands roaming over your body with a fierce, possessive tenderness as he claims you completely. "i'm going to show you just how much i actually love you."

sanji’s hands continue their slow, intoxicating mapping of your skin, his calloused palms tracing the contours of your waist and hips with a reverence that contrasts sharply with the frantic, pounding rhythm of your pulse. every touch feels deliberate and heavy with months of restraint finally breaking away, setting a slow-burning fire deep under your skin that makes it impossible to think straight.

he pulls back just enough to look down at you, his eyes dark, dilated, and heavy with a raw, consuming passion that strips away whatever breath you managed to reclaim. without breaking eye contact, his hands shift lower, sliding smoothly down to untangle your clothes, his touch both tender and relentlessly demanding as he gently guides you backward onto the mattress. the cool sheets offer a brief contrast to the overwhelming heat radiating off his body as he follows you down, pressing his weight against you so that every inch of your frames aligns.

his gaze drops to your lips, heavy and dark, before he leans down to press a hot, lingering kiss against the sensitive spot just beneath your ear, his breath hitching as a low, appreciative growl rumbles in his chest.

"you're so beautiful," sanji murmurs against your skin, his voice thick with a raw, breathless devotion that sends a dizzying wave of pleasure straight to your core. "god, i've wanted this for so damn long."

he doesn't give you a chance to answer, his mouth capturing yours in another deep, thoroughly consuming kiss as his hands slide upward, tangling in your hair and cupping your face with absolute worship. every movement is laced with an overwhelming intensity, proving with every second that he is going to make good on his promise—leaving no doubt left in your mind, your body, or your soul about how completely and desperately he loves you.

the sheer heat radiating off his body feels like a physical weight, pinning you to the mattress as his lips break away from yours, leaving a trail of burning, open-mouthed kisses down the line of your jaw. a sharp, breathless gasp catches in your throat, your fingers instantly flying up to fist tightly into his blond hair, your knuckles turning white as your head tilts back instinctively to give him better access.

"oh sanji..." you whimper, your voice a ragged, helpless thing as a shiver violently racks your frame, your hips arching up against him on pure, unadulterated instinct.

he doesn't stop. his mouth continues its slow, deliberate descent, pressing hot, lingering kisses down the sensitive column of your throat, his stubble scraping deliciously against your skin and sending a dizzying wave of electricity straight to your core. every place his lips touch feels branded, leaving you utterly undone.

then, his hands shift, sliding firmly down from your waist to grip your hips before his palms part, tracing a slow, agonizingly intimate path down the length of your thighs. the sheer warmth of his hands makes your breath hitch violently, a loud, trembling sigh escaping your lips as your legs part for him without a second thought.

sanji lowers himself further, his warm breath ghosting over your stomach as his hands map every single inch of your skin with a reverence that is almost religious, yet laced with a dark, heavy hunger. you writha beneath him, your back arching off the mattress as your fingers tangle deeper into his hair, tugging softly in a silent, desperate plea as his touch drives you completely out of your mind.

"so sensitive..." sanji murmurs against your skin, his voice rough, dark, and thick with satisfaction.

when his mouth finally follows the path of his hands, moving lower, a sharp, piercing shock of pure, unadulterated pleasure rips through your nervous system. your back snaps up off the bed, a loud, breathless cry escaping your lips as your hands fly to your mouth, your whole body trembling violently under the overwhelming intensity of his touch. it's too much, and yet it's nowhere near enough; every stroke of his hands and every searing press of his lips strips away your last remaining shreds of control, leaving you completely at his mercy, melting into the heat of the dark room as he shows you just how deep his obsession goes.

every single movement he makes is driven by a fierce, trembling desperation—a raw, frantic need to completely undo you and make up for every agonizing second he spent holding himself back. sanji doesn't just touch you; he worships you, his hands and mouth moving with a meticulous, agonizingly devoted intensity as if his entire existence depends on hearing you shatter beneath him.

the sheer proficiency and absolute care with which he handles you push you right to the very edge of your sanity. every sweep of his hands, every deliberate slide of his calloused fingers, and the searing, wet heat of his mouth draw wave after wave of intense, blinding pleasure straight from your core.

your back violently arches off the mattress again, a broken, breathless sob ripping past your lips as your fingers grip blindly at the bedsheets, twisting the fabric until your knuckles ache. your body is trembling from head to toe, completely overtaken by a violent, electric shiver that refuses to stop. the pleasure is so sharp, so overwhelmingly consuming, that it feels heavy and dizzying in your chest, leaving you entirely powerless to fight it.

"sanji—please, god, sanji—" you gasp out, your voice cracking into a ragged, pathetic plea as your hips twitch instinctively toward him, craving more of the absolute perfection of his touch, even as it feels like you're already burning up from the inside out.

hearing you cry out his name like that, completely unraveling beneath him, only fuels the dark, desperate fire raging in his chest. sanji is practically breathless himself, his broad shoulders trembling slightly from the sheer effort of holding back his own overwhelming desire, entirely focused on one singular goal: making sure you feel every single ounce of the adoration and worship he has kept locked away for months.

he doesn't let up for a single second, his hands holding you firmly in place as he expertly draws out every shuddering gasp, every whimpered sigh, driving you higher and higher into a feverish haze until you can no longer tell where your body ends and his begins.

the room feels entirely stripped of oxygen, reduced only to the heavy, ragged sound of your breathing and the low, heated hum of his voice whispering against your skin. every touch is an absolute masterclass in torture and worship, building a fever pitch inside your veins that threatens to consume you whole.

you can feel yourself splintering at the edges, the overwhelming tide of pleasure rising so high that your vision blurs around the edges. your fingers grip the sheets until your knuckles burn, your body trembling uncontrollably as you fight a losing battle against the sheer intensity of what he is doing to you.

sanji notices the exact second you begin to fray. he pauses for a fraction of a heartbeat, shifting upward just enough to catch your gaze, his face flushed, his blond hair falling messily across his forehead, and his blue eyes burning with an unconditional, fierce adoration that steals the last of your breath.

"look at me," sanji murmurs, his voice dropping into a thick, low rasp that vibrates straight through your soul, heavy with a desperate, pleading tenderness. "stay with me. don't look away."

"sanji—i can't—i'm going to—" you gasp out, a helpless, breathless sob catching in your throat as your hips arch upward against his touch, your defenses completely evaporating into thin air.

"let go," he urges fiercely, pressing a hot, searing kiss against the inside of your thigh before his hands and mouth pull you right over the precipice. "i've got you. let go for me, baby."

the command breaks you completely. a blinding, electric shockwave rips straight through your core, shattering every coherent thought in your head as a loud, breathless cry tears past your lips. your entire body seizes, a violent, exquisite wave of release crashing over you with such force that your vision goes completely white, leaving you floating in a dazed, hyper-sensitive haze.

sanji catches you as you fall, pulling himself upward instantly to wrap his strong, solid arms around your trembling frame. he presses you against his chest, burying his face in the crook of your neck as he kisses the damp skin of your shoulder, his own breathing ragged and heavy while he holds you tight, letting the aftershocks echo through you both in the quiet, perfect dark.

as your breathing slowly begins to steady and the blinding waves of the aftershocks fade into a warm, buzzing hum beneath your skin, you let your head fall back against the pillows, entirely limp and boneless. you think it's over, that you can finally catch your breath and drift into a quiet, exhausted sleep.

but the heavy, charged heat in the room hasn't dissipated for even a second.

sanji shifts, rising slightly over you, his blue eyes dark, gleaming, and impossibly intense in the dim light of the cabin. a slow, wicked, and utterly tender smile curves across his lips as he looks down at your flushed, sensitive frame, reading the exact thoughts running through your head.

"who said anything about stopping,my dear?" sanji murmurs softly, his voice a low, gravelly promise that sends a fresh, delicious shiver racing straight down your spine.

before you can even find the breath to form a protest—or a plea—he leans down. his lips meet the sensitive skin of your stomach, pressing a slow, feather-light kiss that is agonizingly gentle compared to the frantic storm of moments ago. every brush of his mouth feels like a spark reigniting the fire, a deliberate and unhurried torture designed to coax your racing pulse right back to life.

his hands trace slow, reverent patterns up the sides of your waist, his touch worshipful yet laced with an undeniable, heavy possessiveness.

"we have all night," sanji whispers against your skin, his breath ghosting over your heated flesh just before his lips move higher, trailing a path of slow, exquisite kisses that leave you entirely helpless beneath him. "and i'm only just getting started."

sanji’s lips ghost upward along the line of your ribs, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss right over your racing heart before he pauses, hovering just inches from your ear. the heavy, ragged sound of his breath blends with your own as he speaks, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly rasp that vibrates straight through your soul, rich with an intoxicating, unapologetic devotion.

"every single inch of you," sanji murmurs softly against your skin, his hands mapping the curve of your waist with a firm, possessive reverence that leaves you completely undone. "i'm going to take my time with every single part of you tonight. i want you to feel every second of how much i love you, how long i've been starving for this, and how completely yours i am."

the absolute sincerity and raw, unfiltered passion wrapped in his words hit you like a physical wave, leaving you entirely subjugated. the last remaining walls around your heart completely crumble away, replaced by a blinding, consuming warmth that eclipses every thought, every hesitation, and every ounce of fatigue. your hands lift, your fingers tangling softly into his blond hair as you pull him back down to you, a breathless, yielding sigh escaping your lips.

"oh please sanji," you whisper back into the dark, your voice trembling with a desperate, willing surrender. "sanji... please, show me."

a low, pleased rumble vibrates in his chest at your response, and without another second wasted, he captures your lips in a deep, burning kiss, sealing your fate for a long, unforgettable night where the rest of the world ceases to exist entirely.

the kiss deepens, shifting from a tender acknowledgment into something dark, rich, and intensely deliberate. sanji’s mouth moves over yours with an unhurried confidence, tasting the remnants of your breath as his hands slide up from your waist, mapping the delicate slope of your ribs before tangling firmly in the hair at the nape of your neck. every stroke of his thumbs against your skin is a silent anchor, grounding you entirely in the heavy, electric reality of the moment while his chest presses flush against yours, making the frantic, shared rhythm of your heartbeats entirely undeniable.

when he finally breaks the kiss, it is only to let his gaze roam over your face with a fierce, quiet intensity. the dim moonlight cuts across his sharp features, highlighting the absolute devotion etched into every line of his expression. his breath is hot against your cheek as he begins his descent once more, but this time, there is a slow, methodical torture to his pacing that turns your nerves inside out.

his lips press softly against the hollow of your throat, lingering over the sensitive pulse point that flutters wildly beneath his mouth. you let out a soft, involuntary gasp, your fingers clutching instinctively at the broad expanse of his shoulders, your nails pressing into the fabric of his shirt as a delicious shiver races down your spine. sanji hums against your skin, a low, rumbling sound of deep satisfaction, before his tongue traces a slow, wet path upward toward your jawline, claiming every inch with an absolute, unyielding reverence.

his hands don't stay idle. they trace a wide, burning arc down your sides, smoothing over your hips and sliding beneath your thighs to lift them slightly, drawing you closer into the cradle of his frame. the shift in position steals the breath straight from your lungs, leaving you completely open, entirely vulnerable, and hyper-aware of every single point of contact between your bodies.

"look at me, baby" he murmurs again, his voice rough, gravelly, and thick with an emotion so heavy it feels almost tangible.

you force your heavy eyelids open, your swimming gaze locking onto his deep blue eyes. there is no playfulness left in him, no casual charm or theatrical flair—just raw, unadulterated sincerity and a fierce, consuming love that strips you bare. seeing the depth of his devotion mirrored in his expression short-circuits any remaining rational thought in your brain, leaving you entirely subjugated by the sheer force of his presence.

sanji lowers his head further, his breath ghosting over your skin just before his lips press against the center of your chest, right over your hammering heart. the contrast of his cool, calloused hands and the searing heat of his mouth sends a blinding wave of pleasure rolling through your nervous system. you arch your back off the mattress with a sharp, breathless cry, your hands flying up to grip his blond hair tightly, tangling your fingers in the strands as you pull him closer, utterly helpless against the tide of sensations he is pulling from your body.

"all mine.." sanji whispers against your skin, his voice vibrating right through your core with a dark, possessive certainty that makes your head spin.

he follows his words with action, his mouth and hands working in a synchronized, devastating rhythm that erases all sense of time, space, and reality. every stroke is deliberate, every touch a carefully calculated promise to fulfill every single word he spoke. you writhe beneath him, lost in a feverish, beautiful haze, your voice breaking as you call out his name over and over into the quiet dark of the cabin, completely surrendering to the endless, consuming night he has laid out before you both.

the heavy heat in the room reaches a fever pitch as sanji pulls back just enough to look down at you, his chest heaving, his blue eyes dark and burning with an intensity that steals the last of your breath. without breaking eye contact, his hands move to the buttons of his shirt, his fingers working with a deliberate, unhurried precision that makes your pulse spike frantically.

one by one, the buttons give way, parting the fabric to reveal the broad, muscular expanse of his chest, the sculpted lines of his torso, and the faint, pale scars telling the silent story of every battle he has fought. the sheer, raw masculinity of him towering over you in the dim moonlight is overwhelming, stripping away whatever microscopic shred of composure you had left.

you watch, utterly transfixed and breathless, your fingers trembling slightly as you reach up, your palms resting flat against his bare chest. the skin beneath your hands is scorching hot, taut over hard muscle, and the frantic, heavy thudding of his heart mirrors the chaotic drumbeat of your own.

a low, gravelly groan escapes sanji’s throat at the soft, yielding pressure of your touch. his hands immediately cover yours, pressing your palms harder against his skin before he shrugs the shirt off entirely, letting it drop carelessly to the floorboards.

"you're killing me," sanji murmurs, his voice dropping into a rough, ragged whisper that vibrates straight through your soul.

he leans down, caging you completely beneath him as his lips claim yours once more in a kiss that is fierce, hungry, and utterly consuming. every remaining barrier between you vanishes into the dark as his body settles fully against yours, skin to skin, sealing you both in a relentless, beautiful storm where there is nothing left in the world except the two of you and the endless night ahead.

the intoxicating friction of skin against skin sends a wild, dizzying current racing through your veins, making your head spin as his lips trail a burning path from your jaw back down to your collarbone. the sheer intensity of his presence—the broad, solid weight of his frame, the scorching heat radiating from his chest, and the raw, unfiltered adoration shining in his eyes—leaves you entirely breathless.

caught in the overwhelming haze of the moment, you can no longer hold back the thoughts swirling frantically in your mind. your hands slide up from his chest, your fingertips tracing the sharp, perfect line of his jaw before gently cupping his face, your thumbs softly brushing over his cheekbones.

you look up at him, your gaze wide, luminous, and filled with a profound, aching sincerity.

"oh my god...sanji..." you whisper, your voice a soft, trembling breath that carries every ounce of the awe trapped inside your chest. "god... you are so breathtaking. do you even know how incredibly handsome you are?"

the words slip out of you like a quiet confession, utterly raw and devoid of any teasing defense.

hearing that from you—hearing such unvarnished, genuine admiration spoken with that soft, breathless wonder—hits sanji like a physical blow. the words bypass every defense he has, striking straight at the core of a man who usually spends his life putting everyone else on a pedestal, never truly expecting anyone to look at him with that kind of worshipful devotion.

a sharp, breathless gasp catches in his throat. his eyes widen fractionally, the dark, burning intensity in his blue gaze suddenly shifting into something raw, vulnerable, and fiercely undone. the sheer impact of your words makes his chest heave violently, a deep, shuddering shiver wracking his broad shoulders as the compliment completely dismantles whatever lingering composure he had left.

he closes his eyes for a brief second, his forehead dropping gently to rest against yours, a low, ragged sound of pure emotional overload escaping his lips.

"don't..." sanji groans out, his voice thick, rough, and trembling with a desperate, agonizing edge that reveals just how deeply your words have completely wrecked him. "don't look at me like that... or i swear, i won't even know how to survive loving you this much."

the vulnerability in his voice only pulls you deeper under his spell. your fingers tangle tighter into his blond hair, pulling him closer as a fierce, reckless wave of emotion floods your system.

"i mean it," you murmur, your voice dropping to a low, pleading whisper as your lips brush against his. "really, sanji. i want you to know."

his eyes snap open, the dark gaze locking onto yours with a terrifying, consuming intensity. any remaining patience he was forcing himself to keep shatters completely. a low, hungry growl rumbles deep in his chest—a sound born of pure, desperate adoration—and he captures your mouth in a kiss so fierce, so impossibly passionate, that it steals the very air from your lungs.

his hands slide down, gripping your hips with a possessive, trembling force as his body presses down against yours, sealing you completely beneath him. every touch becomes heavier, every stroke more deliberate, as he sets out to prove with every fiber of his being just how completely consumed he is by you, turning the quiet night into an endless, beautiful storm of devotion.

the wild, frantic storm that had gripped you both moments before slowly shifts, melting down into something infinitely deeper, slower, and laced with a breathtaking, tender reverence. sanji pulls back just a fraction, his chest heaving, his eyes searching your face with a steady, unwavering intensity that holds you completely captive. the fierce, desperate edge in his expression softens, replaced by an overwhelming, profound tenderness as he realizes that there is nowhere else in the universe he would rather be, and no one else he would ever want to hold like this.

he lifts a hand, his warm, calloused palm resting gently against your cheek, his thumb tracing the delicate curve of your cheekbone with a slow, worshipful stroke. every movement is deliberate, stripped of all haste, designed entirely to show you the absolute depth of what he feels.

"look at me, princess," sanji murmurs, his voice a low, gravelly hum that wraps around you like a warm blanket, carrying a quiet, fierce devotion that makes your heart swell until it feels too big for your chest. "i want every part of you to know... i am completely yours."

you nod slowly, a soft, breathless sigh escaping your lips as your own hands slide up to cup his face, your fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw and tangling gently in his blond hair. your gaze locks with his, a silent, mutual understanding passing between you—the realization that all the months of hiding, of teasing distance, and of secret yearnings have led precisely to this quiet room and this exact, perfect moment.

"i love you, sanji," you whisper, the words slipping out of you like a quiet, absolute truth, stripped of every ounce of fear or hesitation.

hearing those words spoken aloud—so soft, so entirely sincere—strikes sanji straight to his soul. a slow, wondrous smile breaks across his features, a look of such raw, unadulterated happiness that it momentarily leaves him breathless. his eyes shine with a deep, liquid warmth, and for a second, his hand trembles against your skin before he leans down, pressing his forehead gently against yours, letting your breaths mingle in the quiet dark.

"i love you," sanji replies, his voice cracking slightly on the weight of the promise, whispering the words against your lips before capturing them in a slow, deeply tender kiss.

it isn't the bruising, frantic clash of before; it is soft, lingering, and intoxicatingly sweet, tasting of everything you’ve both kept locked away for so long. his lips move against yours with an infinite patience, letting the kiss speak the words he knows he could never fully articulate.

as he shifts his weight, the transition is smooth, unhurried, and achingly deliberate. every touch of his hands across your skin is a slow exploration, tracing the curves of your body with a reverence that treats you like something infinitely precious. the cool air of the cabin is completely banished by the blistering, perfect heat radiating between your frames as he positions himself above you, his gaze never leaving yours, maintaining an unbreakable, soul-deep connection.

when he gently guides you forward into the final, seamless union, it doesn't feel like a rush or a collision, but rather like two puzzle pieces finally clicking into place after a lifetime of searching. a soft, breathless gasp escapes your lips, your back arching slightly as a wave of intense, melting warmth spreads outward from your core, wrapping around your entire body.

sanji pauses instantly, freezing the moment he sees your expression, his hands gripping your hips with a gentle, reassuring firmness as he watches you closely.

"are you okay?" he murmurs, his voice thick with a tender, protective concern, his forehead resting against your shoulder as he waits for you to adjust, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against the sensitive skin of your collarbone.

"yes..." you breathe out, your fingers tightening in his hair as you pull him back up to meet your eyes, a watery, luminous smile touching your lips. "yes, sanji... don't stop. please."

his eyes snap back to yours, darkening with an overwhelming surge of passion and love. with a slow, rhythmic cadence, sanji begins to move, every single thrust deliberate, measured, and filled to the brim with an agonizingly sweet intimacy. there is no rush, no urgency—only the steady, hypnotic dance of your bodies coming together in the quiet shadows.

every time he pulls back, his hands map your skin, tracing your hips, sliding up your ribs, and tangling with your fingers, keeping you anchored to him completely. every time he presses forward, he whispers your name like a prayer against your skin, mixing breathless declarations of adoration with soft, reverent kisses that leave you entirely undone.

you wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper into your space, matching his rhythm with a rising tide of pleasure that feels less like a fire and more like a warm, enveloping light. the room fades away until there is nothing left in the world except the friction of skin against skin, the heavy, syncopated rhythm of your breathing, and the profound, undeniable weight of his love wrapping around you like armor.

you are completely lost in him, floating on a high, beautiful wave of sensation and absolute devotion, knowing with every fiber of your being that this night—slow, gentle, and utterly consuming—is going to change everything.

sanji pauses his slow, measured rhythm for just a heartbeat, leaning down so his forehead rests softly against yours. the heavy, ragged sound of his breathing slows just enough for him to find his voice, turning every single movement, every brush of his skin against yours, into a direct, spoken confession straight from the depths of his soul.

"oh god" sanji murmurs, his voice a thick, gravelly rasp that vibrates right through your chest, filled with a raw, agonizing yearnings that makes your heart ache. "every time i touch you... every single second i've spent wishing i could hold you like this while you kept your distance... i was screaming this at you."

his hands trace a slow, reverent path up your sides, his palms lingering against your ribs as he looks down at you, his blue eyes dark, shining, and completely transparent with how desperately he cares for you.

"i yearn for you," he whispers, the words slipping out of him with a heavy, unfiltered vulnerability that strips away every last bit of his usual suave facade. "god, do you have any idea how much? i look at you, and it’s like my whole world narrows down to just this—to making sure you know that you are everything to me."

with a slow, agonizingly tender motion, he presses forward again, his body moving in a seamless, hypnotic rhythm that matches the aching devotion in his words. every single stroke is deliberate, a silent promise wrapped in physical form, showing you with every fiber of his being just how deeply he has wanted you, how long he has waited, and how completely impossible it is for him to ever let go.

"you feel that baby?" sanji whispers against your lips just before he captures them in a soft, lingering kiss, his breath hot and sweet against your mouth. "that's me telling you how much i love you. i'm never going to stop telling you."

"oh yes sanji..." the sweet, unrestrained sound slips past your lips before you can even attempt to swallow it back, a breathless, high-pitched moan that echoes softly in the quiet, dim corners of the cabin. the sheer intensity of his slow, deliberate rhythm, combined with the raw honesty in his voice, completely overrides every instinct of shyness or control. your body reacts on pure, automatic instinct, arching upward to meet him as wave after wave of dizzying pleasure rolls over your nervous system.

hearing that sound—hearing you completely yield to the sensation and let go without a single reservation—does something entirely catastrophic to sanji.

a sharp, ragged gasp catches in his throat, and the dark blue of his eyes dilates instantly, burning with a fierce, absolute adoration. the sound of your voice, unlocked and completely honest beneath him, acts like pure fuel to the fire of his devotion.

"god..." sanji groans out, his voice dropping into a thick, gravelly rasp that vibrates straight through your chest.

instead of slowing down, he leans down, capturing your mouth in a deep, crushing kiss that swallows your next moan whole. his hands tighten around your hips with a possessive, trembling grip, holding you firmly in place as he matches the sound of your voice with a slow, hypnotic rhythm that makes your head spin. every single movement is laced with an overwhelming, desperate pride—the intoxicating knowledge that he is the one drawing those sounds from you, that you are entirely unravelling in his arms because of how much you love him.

he pulls back just a fraction of an inch, his forehead resting gently against yours, his chest heaving as he listens intently to every ragged breath and soft, helpless sigh that leaves your lips. a crooked, breathless smile touches his lips, full of a fierce, tender triumph.

"don't hold it back," sanji whispers fiercely against your mouth, his breath hot and sweet, his voice heavy with a deep, consuming affection. "let me hear you. god, i love hearing you... i want you to make all the noise you want, baby. you have no idea how long i've waited to hear you sound like this just for me."

encouraged by his words, the last lingering boundaries of hesitation dissolve completely into the dark. every time he moves, every slow and agonizingly sweet inch of friction draws another broken, trembling gasp from your throat, and with every sound you make, sanji's expression softens into something almost reverent, his body answering your cries with a meticulous, worshipful devotion that pulls you both deeper and deeper into the endless, beautiful rhythm of the night.

the steady, intoxicating rhythm continues to build, slow and deliberate, wrapping around you both like a warm, inescapable tide. every single inch of movement is measured, designed not for speed, but for maximum, agonizing intimacy—a deliberate stretching out of time so that neither of you ever has to face the morning.

sanji’s hands continue their slow pilgrimage across your skin, his palms mapping every curve of your waist, tracing the slope of your spine, and occasionally tangling in your hair to tilt your face up to his. his gaze never wavers from yours; even in the dim, shadowed corners of the cabin, his deep eyes remain locked onto yours with a terrifying, beautiful intensity, full of an unspoken devotion that speaks volumes louder than any words could.

"look at me," he murmurs again, his voice a low, gravelly hum that vibrates straight against your lips as he leans down to press a soft, lingering kiss to the corner of your mouth. "please princess...keep looking at me."

you can't look away even if you tried. your hands slide up from his chest, your fingers tracing the broad, sculpted expanse of his shoulders before tangling tightly into the blond locks at the nape of his neck. every breath you take is filled with the scent of him—tobacco, sea salt, and something entirely, uniquely him—and every single beat of your pulse echoes the heavy, syncopated rhythm of your bodies joining together.

another soft, helpless moan slips past your lips as he shifts his weight slightly, hitting a new, exquisite angle that sends a sharp, electric shiver racing straight down your spine. your back arches off the mattress on pure instinct, your hips twitching upward to meet him, desperately chasing the incredible warmth blooming deep inside your core.

hearing that soft, broken sound of pleasure draws an immediate, visible reaction from him. sanji’s breath catches sharply in his throat, a low, ragged groan rumbling deep in his chest as his eyes darken with a fierce, possessive adoration. the sight of you completely undone beneath him—your skin flushed, your lips parted, and your voice crying out just for him—strikes right at the core of everything he is.

"that's it," sanji whispers, his voice thick, rough, and trembling with the sheer weight of his feelings as he matches your movement, slowing his pace even further just to prolong the exquisite torture. "let go for me, baby. let me take care of you."

he leans down, pressing a trail of hot, reverent kisses from your jawline down the sensitive column of your throat, his stubble scraping deliciously against your skin as he worships every inch of you. his movements remain slow, hypnotic, and endlessly tender, proving with every passing second that this night isn't just about the heat between you—it is a promise, a confession, and a complete, unconditional surrender of two hearts that have finally found where they belong.

the slow, measured rhythm begins to shift subtly, the heavy, deliberate pace quickening just a fraction as the air between you grows thick and electrified. every movement becomes deeper, tighter, sending shockwaves of pure, melting heat rolling outward from your core with an intensity that makes your head spin. the quiet space of the cabin feels smaller, enclosing you both in a suffocatingly sweet bubble where nothing else exists except the friction of skin against skin and the frantic, shared race of your pulses.

you can feel the tension coiling tight inside you, a magnificent, mounting pressure that builds with every slow thrust and every whispered word. your fingers grip frantically at his shoulders, your nails pressing into his skin as your back arches off the mattress, a breathless, trembling sob tearing past your lips.

sanji hears it, and it completely shatters whatever fragile control he has left.

his eyes dilate completely, a dark, fierce storm of raw need and overwhelming love blazing in his gaze. he feels the exact same electric tremor rolling through your frame, recognizing the familiar, terrifyingly beautiful precipice that you are both hurtling toward together.

"i know, baby i feel it too," sanji groans out, his voice thick, rough, and trembling with a desperate, breathless intensity.

instead of slowing down, he matches your building rhythm, his movements growing deeper, firmer, and entirely consuming. his hands slide down to grip your hips with an unshakeable, possessive strength, anchoring you to him as he drives forward with a passionate urgency that steals the last remaining breath from your lungs.

every single touch, every hot breath he pants against your skin, and every deep, seamless push brings you closer and closer to the edge. you can feel the heavy, frantic pounding of his heart against your chest, perfectly mirroring your own as the world outside narrows down to this exact, explosive moment, ready to break you both wide open.

the mounting pressure inside your chest reaches a fever pitch, the sweet, agonizing tension coiling so tightly that every single breath feels like liquid fire. you can feel the exact, trembling threshold approaching, a blinding wave of electricity building deep within your core as the world outside the cabin shrinks away to nothing more than the heat of his skin and the sound of your shared breathing.

sanji is right there with you, every single line of his muscular frame taut and trembling with the sheer, overwhelming effort of holding back his own release just to savor yours. his blue eyes are locked onto yours, blazing with a fierce, unconditional adoration that strips away every last defense.

"look at me, please baby..." sanji gasps out, his voice a rough, broken rasp that vibrates straight through your soul as he drives forward into you with one final, deeply measured push. "don't look away. stay with me—let go together baby.."

the absolute command shatters your last remaining restraint. a loud, breathless cry rips past your lips as a blinding, magnificent shockwave crashes through your entire nervous system, "oh my-oh my god..sanji..." your vision flashes white, every single thought and barrier dissolving instantly into an exquisite, soaring wave of pure release that pulls you completely under.

seeing you shatter, hearing your voice break as you fall apart beneath him, is the final thing that breaks sanji's control. a ragged, desperate groan tears from his throat, his broad shoulders shuddering violently as he surges forward, following you over the precipice in a rush of overwhelming, consuming heat.

he collapses forward, burying his face in the crook of your neck as his arms wrap tightly around your trembling frame, holding you as if he is terrified that letting go even for a second means you'll vanish. your bodies remain joined in the quiet dark, chest to chest, heart to frantic heart, as you both ride out the lingering aftershocks in a breathless, perfect silence.

as the wild, blinding aftershocks slowly begin to recede, leaving a warm, buzzing hum vibrating beneath your sensitive skin, the heavy silence of the cabin wraps around you like a protective cocoon. your breathing remains ragged and shallow, syncopated against his chest as the frantic rhythm of your pulses gradually calms into a steady, synchronized beat.

sanji doesn't pull away. not even an inch.

instead, he stays flush against you, his heavy, solid weight anchoring you completely to the mattress. slowly, deliberately, he presses a series of soft, lingering kisses into the damp skin of your neck, his lips brushing over your collarbone with a profound, quiet reverence that feels almost holy in the aftermath of the storm. every touch of his lips is a silent continuation of everything he couldn't put into words, a gentle reminder that even as the fever breaks, his devotion isn't going anywhere.

one of his hands slides up from your waist, his fingers gently tangling into your hair to stroke the strands away from your damp forehead. his thumb traces the curve of your cheekbone, brushing away a stray tear you hadn't even realized you'd shed, before his hand cups the side of your face, tilting your head up just enough so he can look down at you.

his eyes are soft, impossibly tender, and swimming with an overwhelming, vulnerable depth that steals whatever little breath you have left in your lungs. the dark, fierce hunger of moments ago has melted entirely into something achingly sweet, like a man looking at the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.

"you okay baby?" sanji murmurs, his voice a low, gravelly hum that vibrates softly against your skin, laced with a gentle, protective care.

a soft, breathless sigh slips past your lips, a faint, fond smile touching the corners of your mouth as your fingers lazily trace the smooth expanse of his bare back.

"oh i'm more than okay," you whisper back, your voice a raspy, contented hum. "i'm right where i want to be."

hearing that makes his expression soften even further. a slow, crooked smile breaks across his face, and he leans down, pressing his lips softly to yours in a tender, lingering kiss that tastes of sweet exhaustion and absolute peace.

he shifts his weight slightly, pulling you up just enough so your head rests securely over the steady, heavy thudding of his heart, wrapping his strong arms securely around your frame. pulling the heavy blankets up over your shoulders to shield you from the cool night air of the cabin, he holds you close, pressing one final, lingering kiss to the top of your head as the quiet shadows settle in around you for the rest of the night.

the quiet, peaceful sanctuary of the cabin is abruptly shattered by a loud, unmistakable wave of noise echoing from the deck above. heavy footsteps, boisterous laughter, and the familiar, chaotic shouting of the rest of the crew instantly pierce the silence, signaling that the rest of the straw hats have returned.

sanji’s body stiffens instantly against yours. for a fraction of a second, he just stares down at you, his blue eyes wide with sheer, unadulterated panic before reality comes crashing back in.

"shit," sanji breathes out, a low, frantic curse slipping past his lips as he scrambles backward.

the lazy, blissful post-coital haze vanishes in a millisecond. a sudden, chaotic scramble ensues in the dim light of the cabin. sanji is a blur of motion, hastily grabbing his discarded shirt and yanking it over his head, fumbling clumsily with the buttons in his rush while his usually styled blond hair is thoroughly wrecked, sticking up in every possible direction. you are moving just as frantically, pulling your clothes back on with trembling fingers, your heart hammering a frantic new rhythm against your ribs as the sound of footsteps draws dangerously closer to the door.

just as you manage to smooth down your hair and pull your expression into what you desperately hope looks like a semblance of calm, the cabin door swings wide open.

luffy bursts into the room first, followed closely by usopp and chopper, talking loudly and entirely unaware of the palpable, suffocating tension filling the small space.

"hey! we brought food back from the—" luffy stops dead in his tracks, blinking in profound confusion.

the entire crew grinds to a sudden, awkward halt behind their captain.

the scene before them is an absolute disaster of attempted normalcy. sanji is standing near the edge of the bed, his shirt buttoned completely crooked, his face flushed a violent, incriminating shade of bright red, and his hair looking like a bird has built a nest in it. you are sitting on the edge of the mattress, desperately trying to look casual while your clothes are slightly rumpled, your breathing is still a little too fast, and a matching, fiery blush burns straight down to your collarbones. the air in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife, radiating residual heat and panic.

a heavy, deafening silence falls over the cabin.

zoro, who has wandered in lazily at the back of the group, crosses his arms, leans against the doorframe, and lets out a slow, deeply amused smirk.

"right," zoro says, his voice dripping with dry, sarcastic mockery as his single visible eye sweeps over the glorious trainwreck of an alibi. "and i suppose you two were just... having a very intense discussion about navigation?"

usopp's jaw drops, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of you like a spectator at a tennis match. chopper hides behind luffy's legs, peeking out with wide, innocent eyes, while luffy tilts his head, completely oblivious to the nuance yet somehow sensing the monumental disaster of their cover-up.

sanji opens his mouth, desperately trying to summon his usual suave demeanor, but only a strangled, high-pitched squeak comes out, his face turning an even darker shade of crimson as he realizes, with absolute horror, that the game is more than up.

"we were just... discussing..." sanji finally manages to choke out, his voice cracking violently on a high note as he desperately tries to stand straight, aggressively attempting to smooth down his hopelessly messy blond hair with a trembling hand. "yes! highly classified, intense conversations...totally normal friend business, so if you idiots could kindly get out of her room—"

"with your shirt buttoned inside out and crooked?" zoro cuts in, his smirk widening into a full-blown, merciless grin as he slowly shakes his head. "congrats, cook. that's a new personal best for worst cover-up in history."

usopp immediately bursts into hysterical laughter, pointing an accusing finger straight at sanji. "oh man! you freaks didn't even try! your hair looks like a tumbleweed, and you're both redder than a tomato!"

chopper gasps, his hooves flying to his cheeks in wide-eyed shock. "wait—were you guys fighting?! or are you sick?! should i check your temperatures?!"

"we are not sick, chopper!" you blurt out, your face burning so hot you're fairly certain you could boil water on your cheeks, frantically tugging at the hem of your shirt while trying to project an aura of unshakeable dignity that is completely ruined by the fact that you can barely look any of them in the eye.

luffy, who has been staring intensely back and forth between sanji's crooked buttons and your mortified expression, suddenly grins wide, completely unfazed. "oh! you guys were cuddling! can we get food now?"

before sanji can explode into a furious, flailing tirade to defend his compromised honor against luffy's brutal simplicity, zoro pushes off the doorframe with a final, echoing chuckle.

"come on, let's leave the lovebirds alone before the cook spontaneously combusts," zoro smirks, turning on his heel and herding the laughing crew back out toward the deck. "try to keep it down next time, though. the whole ship heard you from three blocks away."

the door slams shut behind them, plunging the cabin back into a breathless, suffocating silence.

for a long second, neither of you moves. then, sanji lets out a long, defeated groan, his hands covering his burning face as he slumps backward against the edge of the bunk, looking utterly mortified.

slowly, a breathless, helpless giggle escapes your lips, breaking the tension. sanji drops his hands, peeking up at you through his messy blond bangs, a reluctant, crooked half-smile finally twitching at the corner of his mouth before he collapses next to you on the mattress, pulling you back down into the pillows as you both descend into helpless, hopeless laughter.