Chapter Text
Sanji wrapped his cloak tighter around his neck, silently staring up at the silver gates glinting like pearls in the weak sunlight. The soldiers checked their fake passports, eyes scrutinizing as they slid between person and paper, paper and person. Each second feeling like eternity as their brains carefully scanned for any cracks in their story, each detail turned over like the tomatoes Sanji left out to dry in the sun earlier that week.
His stomach clenched in apprehension, the wait of being so close to the city yet so far causing his brain to go haywire.
Would they recognise him?
His fingers slid up to the bandana around his forehead, meek whispers shared between his companions as Usopp slapped a hand around Luffy’s mouth, desperate to prevent the familiar, shrill laughter from escaping their captain, the air of dread starting to solidify amongst the antsier members.
‘’Clear.’’
A stamp slammed down on the documents, the sound echoing in Sanji’s ears as his relief sunk to the bottom of his stomach. He watched them hand the passports back to Nami, thanks promptly leaving her painted lips as she flashed a smile, the small act melting immediately against their cold demeanours.
She shrugged as she led the group into the foray of people beyond the gates, elbowing past the crowds tearfully wishing goodbyes to their loved ones.
Sanji tore his eyes away from the intimate scenes and took a deep breath, relishing in the crispness of the cold air against his lungs.
Eleven years.
It had been eleven years since Sanji had been home.
Part of his heart would always lie with his father and the Baratie back in East Blue, the other parts split equally between the Going Merry and the Thousand Sunny, his past and present of homes housing his new family. And yet, the North always lingered in the back of his mind, refusing to be forgotten to time.
It was no secret (to the parties directly involved, at least) that he suffered greatly there, experiences that would no sooner fade away from the intricate folds of his brain, however in the same breath, he couldn’t find it within himself to so easily discount it.
Not when it was one of the few physical reminders he had to remember his mother by.
It was her home first before it became his tormentor.
Sanji contained himself as he looked at the familiar skyline, schooling his expression into disinterest as his eyes hungrily took in the small cottages and two-story buildings that lined the streets, the cobblestones covered in a thin layer of frost, the hustle and bustle of market people and working class alike conversing between themselves-
They looked like him. They looked like his mother.
He bit his lip as he savoured it.
And they were speaking Northern, his ears already picking up bits and pieces from conversations that drifted past them.
While his own tongue had gotten rusty and was by no means advanced enough to keep up with vocabulary that came with long-term practice, he retained enough to make do with a simple conversation and that was okay.
Sanji was never a fan of icy weather, being left to the mercy of freezing dungeons in the peak of winter tended to do that to a person, but there was some nostalgia to be found in the falling snow and the icicles that formed on the windowsills, making the little houses seem ever cosier.
Nami clapped her hands as she stopped in the middle of the walkway, Sanji narrowly stopping himself from bumping into the person before him as he was quickly shaken out of his stupor, ‘’Okay everyone, I’m going to be giving out your portions of the allowance for the day. Use it well, because you’re not getting any more if you run out. Now, line up for your rations!’’
‘’You know it get less funny every time you say it like that- ‘’, Usopp remarked as she dumped a small pouch into his hand, ‘’Like, what are we? Orphan children coming to collect a scoop of grain?’’
‘’When you’re in charge of the finances, you decide how to say it.’’
Usopp shrugged as he moved to the side.
Sanji’s legs stiffly moved until he found himself a considerable distance in front of Nami.
‘’Now this is the budget I allocated for food restocking, but I added a little something for you too, okay?’’, She remarked with a wink, ‘’So don’t use the entire thing on food again, we have more than enough.’’
Sanji smiled at her, ‘’Thanks, I’ll make good use of it.’’
Nami bit her lip as she stared at him for a few more seconds, her expression slightly sobered, ‘’Everything okay?’’
Sanji comically forced his smile bigger until his skin started crawling. He felt like a grotesque imitation of himself, forced to perform and exaggerate to evade her attentions for once, ‘’Of course, never better, Nami-swan, you care so much about me-’’
‘’If you insist’’, Nami sighed as she waved him off, ‘’Now get out of the line-’’
Sanji shuffled away as he allowed Robin to collect her bag, the women easily falling into their usual dynamic as whispered words were swapped like secrets between the two, the world around them all but forgotten as if encased in their own little bubble.
Sanji forced himself to step away as he gave them their privacy, his sack of berri feeling slightly heavier as he placed it in his pocket, the weight slightly soothing as he looked around again.
Could they tell how mopey he was acting?
He didn’t think he was being too obvious, then again, he wasn’t the best judge of his character considering he tended to wear his emotions on his sleeve.
He turned his attention back to Nami once he realised she was addressing the group again, ‘’-Use the buddy-system if you want, just please make sure to decide who’s going with Zoro- ‘’
‘’Hey!’’
Luffy snickered, ‘’Yeah remember when he got stuck in a chimney in Water 7- ‘’
‘’It’s not like you were doing any better- ‘’, Zoro’s face warming as he turned on him.
‘’You’re both equally bad but that’s beside the point so shut up already! ‘’, Nami yelled.
‘’I swear to the gods- ‘’, She took a deep breath as she massaged her temple, ‘’Just meet back at the gate, okay? I know I’m wasting my breath here but stay out of trouble-".
Sanji immediately tuned her out.
It was going to be a long day.