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Zoro does not so much “visit” Sanji after the crew splits ways as take an extended vacation away from Sanji and his restaurant.  It’s not an immediate switch—Zoro waits a good few months before rearing his head, and Sanji is less than pleased when he does.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Sanji asks.  Zoro doesn’t move from his reclined position on the floor, where a customer had nearly tripped over him.  He looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

“I’m the greatest swordsman in the world,” Zoro says plainly.  Sanji’s eyebrow twitches.

“I don’t care if you’re the reincarnation of Gol D. Roger himself.  Why are you in my restaurant?” Sanji asks.  Don’t lose your temper.  Don’t lose your temper.

Zoro looks at him like he’s crazy.  “Where else would I be?”

“That’s not my problem to deal with!” Sanji exclaims.  “Shouldn’t you be defending your title, or laying low from challengers?”

“Don’t like hiding,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “And besides, I’m bored.”

It’s a good thing Zoro is the greatest swordsman in the world, because Sanji gives his best effort to send Zoro flying through the ceiling, and he doesn’t want to deal with fixing a swordsman-shaped hole.

“You’re bored?!” Sanji yells, swinging his leg back at Zoro, who easily blocks it.  “You’ve achieved your life’s dream, and you’re bored?!   Go do what Mihawk did and float around on a coffin!”

“Tried that, kind of.  Got bored,” Zoro says.  “Aren’t you bored?”

“I run a restaurant,” Sanji emphasizes, gesturing around them.  “I don’t have time to be bored between managing my chefs, making sure the customers are happy, keeping the peace with the Marines—”

“Peace with the Marines?” Zoro snorts.  “That’s an oxymoron.”

Sanji grinds his teeth together.  “Don’t you think I know that?  The point is, it’s difficult.   That’s why I don’t have time to deal with the likes of you.”

“Why are you being so difficult?” Zoro grumbles.  “I thought you said you wanted me here.”  He crosses his arms.  “You change your mind?”

Sanji scowls, because he hasn’t.  “I thought you’d be here sooner.”

Zoro grins.  The tension between them all but dissipates.  “Yeah, well, I had unfinished business.  Didn’t want to show up here just to leave again.”

“You could’ve said something before you left,” Sanji snaps, but he doesn’t have the will to be truly angry any longer.  “What business?”

“Greatest swordsman in the world stuff,” Zoro says.  “Found Perona.  Told her where I’d be staying and to not bother me.  Ran into Tashigi.  Gave her the same rundown.  Got a few challengers and took care of them easy.”

“And that took four months?” Sanji asks.  “You get lost on the way back?”

The tips of Zoro’s ears turn red.  “No!  I just made some—unplanned stops.  Which reminds me.”  He fumbles around in his pocket until he pulls out a sad, crumpled envelope.  Sanji takes it, aghast.  “Franky and Robin are renewing their vows.”

“You destroyed Robin’s wedding invitation to me,” Sanji says, then notices the seal is broken.  “You opened it, too?!”

He swings a kick at Zoro and Zoro catches his leg, wincing.  “Read much, dumbass?  It’s addressed to both of us.  You should be grateful I didn’t just toss it out when I was done with it.”

Sanji flips the envelope over and sure enough, both his and Zoro’s names are on the front in now-dirty gold leaf.

“How smart of Robin to save on postage,” Sanji says.  “Such an intelligent angel.”

Zoro makes a face.  “She’s married.   You’re holding an invitation to her wedding.”

“I should offer to make their cake,” Sanji says, ignoring Zoro.

“No, you shouldn’t, because we’re invited as guests,” Zoro says.  “Robin wrote a note to you specifically about how all the preparations are already in order.”

Sanji pulls out the sad, crumpled invitation from the sad, crumpled envelope, and finds that Zoro is telling the truth.  His brow furrows as he reads through the rest of the invitation.  “It’s on Water Seven?”

“That’s not that surprising,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “That’s where Franky’s family is.”

“Yeah, no shit it makes sense, it’s just—Water Seven is a few weeks’ trip away from here,” Sanji says, chewing his lip.  “Plus, we’ll be staying there for a week, and then the return trip—”

“Cook,” Zoro says.  “You’re spiralling.  I can see it in your eyebrow.”

Sanji scowls.  “Shut up.  I have a job, you know.”

“Take a vacation, then,” Zoro says.  “I want to go, and Nami’ll be pissed if I show up alone.  Franky and Robin want the whole crew there.”  He raises his eyebrows.  “I know you haven’t taken a vacation yet.”

“You don't know that, you haven’t been here!” Sanji protests.

Zoro laughs, but it’s not mocking.  “Yeah, right.  I know you, Cook.  Stupid workaholic.  Bet all you’ve been doing is working and sleeping since I’ve been gone.”

Sanji frowns.  Zoro’s assessment is closer to the truth than he’ll admit.  “I told you, I’ve been busy.  I’ll take a vacation when I can.”

“You’re taking a vacation to visit Robin and Franky,” Zoro says, no room for argument in his voice.  He shakes his head.  “I can’t believe I’m arguing with you about visiting Robin.   Are you the same love cook I left four months ago?”

“Don’t call me that,” Sanji says instinctively, but he sighs.  “I’ll…figure something out.  I really don’t want to miss this, it’s just that everything here is still new, and I don’t know how I’m going to leave everyone alone for a month.”

“It’s not for a few more months,” Zoro says.  “You’ll figure something out.”

The confidence with which Zoro says it—as a fact, and not just as comforting words, automatically puts Sanji at ease.  He breathes out.

“Yeah.  I’ll figure something out,” he says.  “C’mon, moss-head, let me show you the place.”

Zoro follows Sanji around, oddly obedient, as Sanji gives him the less-than-grand tour of the Cherie.  He avoids the dining area, where Zoro has already wandered around, scaring the customers and staff alike.  He takes them through the kitchen, pointing out the different stations and rapidly introducing Zoro to the cooks.  It’s a hasty affair, and it doesn’t give his cooks time to be properly afraid of Zoro.  The only person in the restaurant they should be afraid of is Sanji, and Sanji wants to keep it that way.

“How long are you going to be staying?” Sanji asks as they climb up to the crow’s nest.  It’s not as grand as what was on the Sunny, but it’s always been a special place for him and Zoro, and he wants to show it to him.

“On Water Seven?” Zoro asks, sounding confused.  “Just the week, I guess.  Are you gonna stay longer?”

Sanji snorts.  “I meant here, dumbass.”  He hoists himself up fully, and holds his hand out to pull Zoro up with him.  Zoro blinks at him as he comes up.

“Are you kicking me out?” Zoro asks.  “I just got here, you know.”  He doesn’t quite let go of Sanji’s hand.

“Yeah, but—I mean, you’re here because you’re bored,” Sanji says, taking his hand back.  “That’s what you said.”

“I also said I wanted to finish stuff up so I didn’t have to leave,” Zoro says.  He reaches for Sanji’s hand, but Sanji shoves it in his pocket.  Zoro huffs.  “Why are you being like this?”

“Why am I being like what?” Sanji snaps, and the annoyance from earlier has come back.  “I just want to know when you’re leaving again.”

“So you do want me to leave?” Zoro asks, frustrated.

“You’re putting words in my mouth,” Sanji says.  

“Well, you won’t say what you mean!” Zoro says.  “Do you want me to leave or stay?”

“I just want to know when you’re planning—”

“That’s not an answer to what I asked,” Zoro says angrily.  “Leave or stay.  Those are your options.”

Sanji bites the inside of his cheek, because he doesn’t want to fight like Zoro.  Not like this, not after so much time apart.  “I want you to stay, obviously, but—”

“But what?” Zoro taunts.  “But you can’t wait for me to jump ship?  But you need to plan out your schedule as soon as I’m gone?”

“I don’t want you to leave again, asshole!” Sanji yells, and the anger comes back in full force.  “I want you to stay!  I don’t want to wake up and have no idea where you fucked off to!”  He points an accusing finger at Zoro.  “You didn’t call, or write, or make any attempt to let me know what was happening!  I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t happen again!”

Zoro blinks at him.  “You’re mad because I didn’t call?”

Sanji throws his hands in the air.  “You’re such an asshole.”

“I’m the one trying to talk to you!” Zoro protests.  He leans against the edge of the crow’s nest, crossing his arms in what Sanji has learned is a defensive position.  “I didn’t think—I didn’t want to put you through that.”

“What?  Knowing where you were, and if you were alive or not?” Sanji taunts.

“Of course I was alive,” Zoro says, sounding offended.  “You should have known that.  I didn’t call, or write, or whatever because I didn’t know when I was coming back.  I didn’t know if I’d be here sooner or later.  I thought you wouldn’t want empty promises.”

“A letter is not an empty promise, Zoro!” Sanji exclaims.  

“Yes, it is,” Zoro says stubbornly.  “It would’ve just made you anxious.”

“It would not have!”

“Well, not anxious, but—sad,” Zoro says, lowering his tone.  “It would have made you sad that I’m not here.  You would’ve been sad that I was somewhere else.”

“I—” Sanji is at a loss for words.  “You still could have said something, before you left!”

Zoro looks at the ground.  “Yeah.  I could’ve.”  He shifts his arms a bit.  “Probably should’ve.”

Sanji sighs, and digs a cigarette out of his jacket.  He lights it without preamble, takes a deep breath, and blows the smoke in Zoro’s face.  Zoro’s features twist together.

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” He asks, waving a hand to disperse the smoke.

“I’m considering it,” Sanji hums.  He smiles around his cigarette.  “You’re not going to leave again?”

“No way in hell, Cook,” Zoro snorts.  “You’re stuck with me.”

Sanji takes the cigarette out of his mouth, and leans forward and kisses Zoro.  “Guess I am.”

Zoro sticks out his tongue when Sanji pulls away.  “You taste gross.”

“That’s enough romancing for today, marimo,” Sanji says dryly.  “You can stay up here while I deal with the dinner rush, and when I’m done I’ll come and get you.  Okay?”

Zoro shrugs, and sits down.  “Want me to keep watch, or can I nap?”

“Do what you want.  We usually don’t get trouble,” Sanji says.  “No customer is going to trip over you up here.”

“They should’ve been looking where they were going,” Zoro says with a yawn as Sanji starts to climb down.

“They weren’t expecting plant life in the middle of the restaurant,” Sanji says, disappearing from view.  “Behave up there!”

“Whatever you say, eyebrows!”

Sanji shouts another insult up at him, but it’s lost in the wind.  He can’t wait for dinner to be over.

When he does climb back up the rigging, hours later with the moon high in the night sky, he’s unsurprised to see Zoro resting with his arms above his head, eyes closed.  Sanji smirks.

“Come on, moss-head,” he coos, reaching out a hand to ruffle Zoro’s hair.  “You have to get up so you don’t freeze over up here.”

His hand has barely made contact with Zoro’s head when Zoro’s hand darts up and grabs his arm, and in a flash, he’s pushed Sanji onto the floor.  He grins down at Sanji.

“I can think of a few ways to keep warm,” he says, baring his teeth.  Sanji makes a face.

“One of them would be moving down to my room,” Sanji says, kneeing Zoro in the stomach.  Zoro sits up, and Sanji follows suit.  “I’m also exhausted.  I hope you didn’t get your hopes up for anything.  It’s been a busy day—we got a new shipment of spices from the West Blue, the dinner crowd was rowdier than usual, and I found out we have a mold problem.”

“Mold?” Zoro asks.  “Here?  Really?”

“You, dumbass,” Sanji quips.  “Come on.  I’m tired, I want to go to bed.”

“You want mold in your bed, now?”

“You said it, not me,” Sanji laughs.

“Will it be big enough for both of us?” Zoro asks as Sanji leads them down from the crow’s nest and into the bowels of the ship.

“It’s wider than two hammocks next to each other,” Sanji says with a shrug.  “Franky made it, and he assumed it wouldn’t be just me.”

“Good for Franky,” Zoro says, and his tone grows suspicious.  “But it has been just you for the last few months, right?”

Sanji turns around, smirking.  “Jealous of my lovers that know how to write, marimo?”

“I’m serious,” Zoro says.  Sanji rolls his eyes.

“Of course it’s been just me,” he says, kissing Zoro on the cheek.  “Don’t be stupid.”

Sanji falls asleep quicker than he’s been able to in months.  Zoro’s presence is warm and comforting behind him, and he feels an arm snake around his middle as he drifts off.

Sanji feels even better when he wakes up and finds out it isn’t some sort of dream.  Zoro is sprawled over him, heavy as he’s always been.  Sanji tries to detach himself from the tangle of limbs, but Zoro just holds on tighter.

“Get off,” Sanji demands, shoving at Zoro.  “I have work.”

“Don’t wanna,” Zoro mumbles into Sanji’s shoulder.  “Been too long since this.”

“I got up just as early on the Sunny,” Sanji says.  He manages to get one leg free, and pushes at Zoro with it.  “Actually, I got up earlier on the Sunny, because it was just me, and I had to deal with Luffy!”

“Loud,” Zoro complains.  “Just stay a little longer, Cook.”

“Absolutely not,” Sanji says, and frees an arm.  “What are you, an octopus?  Let me up.”

“Missed this,” Zoro says, but rolls off of Sanji.  “Breakfast?”

“Go back to sleep for now.  I’ll bring something up later,” Sanji says, moving off the bed.  He changes quickly, and he can hear Zoro shift back into a comfortable position.

Breakfast isn’t too stressful, and Sanji finds the time to go back up to the room with a plate of food, leaving it without waking Zoro.  A few of his staff ask cursory questions about his “guest,” and Sanji is quick to set them straight.

“He’s not a guest,” he snaps.  “He’ll be staying here indefinitely.  Don’t give him booze and don’t let him sleep in the dining area.  If you see him wandering around, ask him where he’s trying to go, and do whatever you can to get him there—within reason!”

There are whispers about who the “guest” is, and what his relationship to Sanji is, and no, I think it is Pirate Hunter Zoro, who else could it be?  Haven’t you seen his bounty poster?

“I said he’s not a guest!” Sanji repeats loudly.  “And it doesn’t matter who he is!  Get back to work!”

It’s hard enough to control his staff when Zoro isn’t around, but it’s nearly impossible once Zoro stumbles his way into the kitchen.  Sanji hears him before he sees him, and he barely stops himself from slamming his pan down on the stove at his station.

“Have you seen the cook?” Zoro asks, and Sanji spins around.  Zoro is at the other end of the kitchen, hands in his pockets, staring down a very flustered chef.  The chef sputters.

“I’m—I mean—what?” He asks.  “The—cook?”

“Moss brains!” Sanji yells, storming over.  The chef glances between Sanji and Zoro, and then focuses back on what he’s cooking.  Sanji grabs Zoro by the front of his shirt and drags him away with some effort.

“What?” Zoro asks, irritated.  

“I should be asking you that!” Sanji exclaims.  “What were you thinking?!  Why are you down here?!”

“Was looking for you,” Zoro says, shrugging.  

“You found me,” Sanji says shortly.

“Duh,” Zoro says.  He scratches his head.  “What am I supposed to do here?”

“What?” Sanji asks.  “What do you mean?”

“What’s my job?” Zoro asks.  “I’m not going to sit around all day.  What do you want me to do?  I know you don’t want me to cook—”

“Absolutely not,” Sanji agrees.

“—but I could, you know, wait tables or something?” Zoro proposes.  Sanji makes a face.

“I would rather cut off my own arm than have you wait tables,” he says.  “You’d scare the customers.  You’d have to deal with jackasses and you’d cut their table in half.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Zoro says, shrugging.  

“It is a bad thing!” Sanji exclaims.  “Besides, how would that look?  The greatest swordsman in the world waiting tables at a restaurant.”

Zoro shrugs again.  “Waiting tables at the greatest restaurant in the world.”

Sanji fights his instincts to preen at the compliment.  “That’s not an objective fact.  Even if it was, I still wouldn’t let you do it.  You’d be a terrible waiter.  Worse than Luffy, maybe.”

“No way,” Zoro snorts.  “No one can be worse than Luffy.”  He grins widely.  “You should hire him, too.  The greatest swordsman in the world and the king of the pirates taking orders from you.”

Sanji kicks Zoro in the leg, not hard enough to hurt.  “Funny.  I have to get back to work.  I’ll try to think of something else you can do.  Stay out of here and don’t cause trouble.”  He moves to get back to his station, and Zoro grabs his arm and pulls him back.  “What?!”

“Kiss?” Zoro asks, the tips of his ears red.  Sanji smirks.

“Does the seaweed want a goodbye kiss for the day?” He teases.  Before Zoro can respond, Sanji presses his lips to Zoro’s cheek.  “Happy now?”

“I guess,” Zoro grumbles.  “Don’t wear yourself out today.  I missed you.”

Sanji furrows his brow, and Zoro insistently repeats, “I missed you.”  He raises his eyebrows.  “Physically.”

“Alright, keep in your pants,” Sanji snaps, pushing away from Zoro, the moment ruined.  “You’ve waited four months, you can wait twelve more hours.”

“Shit cook,” Zoro mumbles.

“Stupid swordsman!” Sanji calls over his shoulder.  “Stay out of the kitchen!”

Zoro, in fact, does stay out of the kitchen, and when Sanji leaves to bring him a late lunch he finds he’s taken up residency in the crow’s nest once more.  

“Thanks,” Zoro says with a mouthful of food.

“No problem,” Sanji says, and starts climbing back down the rigging.  “See you after dinner.”

Zoro reaches forward and grabs Sanji by his tie to pull him up and to him, and he presses a quick kiss to Sanji’s mouth.  Sanji flushes.

“Is this going to happen every time I leave?” He asks.

“I don’t know.  Probably,” Zoro says.  “Gotta make up for lost time.”

“You’re embarrassing,” Sanji says.

“No one’s up here to see us,” Zoro points out.  “Besides, you love it.”

He’s right, but Sanji isn’t going to give him the satisfaction of confirming it.  He rolls his eyes instead, and shimmies down the rigging.

“Remember to take it easy!” Zoro calls after him.

“Fuck off!” Sanji yells back up.

Sanji fumes until he’s back in the kitchen, but when it comes time to clean up and Zoro sneaks back into the kitchen when everyone else has left, he finds himself in a more forgiving mood.  Zoro stands behind him and presses his lips to his neck, making Sanji shudder.

“You never did this on the Sunny,” Sanji comments, craning his neck to look at Zoro.

“Nope,” Zoro says simply.

“Is that it?  No explanation?  Just ‘nope?’” Sanji asks.

“It’s not like I get off on other people watching,” Zoro says.  “I thought you liked this romantic crap.  Why are you complaining?”

“I’m not,” Sanji says.  “It was just a damn question.”

Zoro’s hands move lower, and Sanji kicks him in the knee. “Ow, fuck!  What was that for?!”

“Not in the kitchen,” Sanji orders.  “We’re going to our room, like adults.”

“It’d be hot here,” Zoro mutters.  Sanji kicks him again.

“I’m going to call Mihawk and tell him to take you back,” he snaps.  “Bedroom.  Now.”

Zoro tightens his grip on Sanji’s midsection, and suddenly Sanji’s feet are no longer on the floor.  “Hey!”

“You said—”

“I can walk by myself!” Sanji snaps.  He thumps Zoro on the back, and Zoro places him back down.  “You don’t have to act like a caveman.”

“You’re confusing,” Zoro huffs.

“You’re annoying,” Sanji retorts.  “I can’t believe I’m going to sleep with you.”

“You missed this too,” Zoro says.

“Of fucking course I did,” Sanji says.  “Now get a move on.  I want to see how much worse you’ve gotten over the past four months.”

He’s just as good as Sanji remembered.  It might even feel better than he recalls, but maybe it’s just been the time apart.

“I figured out what you’re going to do,” Sanji murmurs as they fall asleep.

“Yeah?” 

“You can stay up in the crow’s nest and keep lookout.  You’re good at that,” Sanji says.

“That’s what I’ve been doing,” Zoro says.  

“Perfect, you’ve already got experience,” Sanji says, closing his eyes.  “You’re hired.”

“I didn’t realize you needed a lookout,” Zoro says.

“We don’t, not really.  But it’d be helpful,” Sanji says.  Zoro’s hand is in his hair, stroking softly.  “If we get trouble, now we’ll have someone to warn us.”

“And take care of it,” Zoro says.

“Jackass.  If you see something, tell me, and I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.  Don’t go chasing ships on your own,” Sanji says.  “You’ll get lost, and I can’t take time off to go look for you.”

Zoro makes a noncommittal noise that Sanji recognizes as agreement, and he falls asleep smiling.

Usopp’s wedding invitation arrives a week after Zoro did with Robin and Franky’s.  Sanji nearly has a conniption when he grabs it from the mail bird.

“Zoro!” he yells up to the crows nest.  He can see the movement of green.  “Get down here, now!”

Zoro jumps down, and the deck reverberates with the force of his weight.  “What?”

“Look at this!” Sanji says, shoving the invitation in his face.  “Usopp!”

“Usopp?” Zoro asks.  His eyes focus on the envelope, and they widen as they recognize what it is.  “Usopp!”

“Usopp!” Sanji repeats again, a wide smile on his face.  “He’s getting married!”

“‘Bout time, honestly,” Zoro says, grinning as well.  “I thought the invitations would’ve arrived as soon as he was back on Syrup Village.”

“I’m sure he proposed before his feet were on the ground,” Sanji says, carefully opening the envelope.  “Weddings take time to plan, you know.”

“I guess,” Zoro says.  “Never been to one.”

Sanji doesn’t process what he’s saying immediately, because he’s too busy reading the invitation itself.  It’s simple but elegant, and there’s a scrawled note in Usopp’s handwriting in the bottom corner —Sanji, if you know where Zoro is (and you have to, right?), tell him to give me a call.  There’s something I want to ask him.   Sanji looks up from the letter, blinking.

“Usopp wants you to call him,” he says, then asks, “You’ve never been to a wedding?”

“There wasn’t a lot of time for weddings when I was training,” Zoro says defensively.  “And it wasn’t like I knew tons of people getting married when I was a kid.”

“No, it makes sense, it’s just — I can’t even imagine that,” Sanji says.  “I’ve been to a ton of weddings.  The Baratie was a good venue.  Pirates felt safe getting married there.”

“I’ll follow your lead, then,” Zoro says.  Sanji grins.  “Why does Usopp want me to call?”

“He said he wants to ask you something, he didn’t say what,” Sanji says. 

“Maybe he’ll propose to me too,” Zoro says.

“I don’t think Kaya would want to share him with a lump of seaweed,” Sanji snorts.  “Use the snail in our room, not the Cherie’s line.”

“Right now?” Zoro asks.

“Yes, right now!” Sanji says impatiently.  “I don’t know how long ago the invitation was sent, and I want to know what Usopp wants to ask you.”  He gives Zoro a push towards the restaurant, and Zoro takes the hint and starts walking that way.  Sanji goes with him.

“You’re taking this surprisingly well,” Zoro comments as Sanji pulls him away from yet another wrong turn.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sanji asks.

“You were freaking out about traveling to Water Seven,” Zoro says.  “Syrup Village is further, and you’ll have to take more time off.  I thought you’d be more worked up.”

Something clicks in Sanji’s head, and all the joy from receiving the wedding invitation slips away in cold anxiety.

“Gol D. fucking Roger,” Sanji swears.  “It’s in Syrup Village.   We’re going to have to leave the Grand Line.  We’re going to be gone for months.”

“Cook.”

“And it’s only a few weeks after Robin and Franky’s wedding!  We’re going to barely have time to unpack before we head out again!” Sanji exclaims.  “What’s the staff going to do?  What are we going to do?”

“Cook,” Zoro repeats.

“I can’t go,” Sanji says simply, eyes wide.  “I’m going to have to choose to go to either Robin and Franky’s wedding or Kaya and Usopp’s.  How the hell am I supposed to choose?”

“Cook,” Zoro says once more.  “You’re not missing either.  I don’t care if I have to grab you while you’re sleeping and throw you on a boat.  You’re going to both.”

“You’ve got a lot of damn nerve trying to tell me what to do,” Sanji snaps. 

“I’m trying to get you to calm down and think about this reasonably,” Zoro argues.  “You're the boss, right?  You can leave your sew chef in charge or something.”

“My Sous chef?” Sanji asks incredulously.  

“Whatever,” Zoro says.  “Leave them in charge.”

“That’s irresponsible!” Sanji exclaims.  “What kind of head chef would I be—”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s for the crew—”

“—it’s only been a few months, and it’s only a few more months until we’re going to be abandoning them—”

“—you’re being an idiot, oh my god,” Zoro groans.  “I’m going to call Usopp and ask him what he wants.  Maybe he’ll knock some sense into you.”

Zoro storms off as Sanji shouts “I don’t need sense knocked into me, moss-head!”  He follows on his heels and is prepared to continue his tirade, but Zoro has already dialed Usopp’s number and the snail is ringing.  Usopp picks up in seconds.

“Sanji?” Usopp asks.  “Did you change your hair again?  The snail’s other eye is closed.”

“Guess again,” Zoro says with a grin, and there’s a beat before Usopp starts yelling.

“Zoro!” he shrieks.  “You’re here!  I mean, you’re there!  It’s you!  How are you?  Where’ve you been?  Did you get the invitation?  Is Sanji there?  How’s Sanji?  Did you just get back?  He must’ve been so mad; he called me like every other week to talk about you—”

“Usopp,” Sanji warns, grabbing the receiver from Zoro.  “I don’t want to kick your ass before your wedding, but I will if you make me.”

“Sanji!” Usopp exclaims, and begins babbling again.  Zoro yanks the receiver back and interrupts him again.

“Glad to hear you’re well,” he says.  “I’m good.  I’ve been around.  Of course we got the invitation and yeah, this is the cook’s snail.  Cook’s been acting crazy.”

“I have not!” Sanji protests.

“‘Mad’ doesn’t really cover how he felt when I showed up,” Zoro continues.

“How long have you been there?” Usopp asks.  “He hasn’t called me in awhile.”

“It’s been a week,” Sanji says shortly.  There’s something that sounds like muffled laughter.

“You know, you said the whole thing was supposed to take three weeks max,” Usopp wheezes.  Zoro flushes.  “You’re such an idiot.”

“Other stuff came up!” Zoro protests.

“Like what, traveling?” Usopp asks.  That sends him into another fit of laughter.  “Oh, Nami’s going to lose it when I tell her.”

“Don’t,” Zoro emphasizes.  “I didn’t call to be harassed.  I called because your invitation asked me to.”

“That’s right!” Usopp exclaims.  “I have something really important to ask you.”  He clears his throat on the other end of the snail, and lowering his voice, says, “Would you, Roronoa Zoro, do me the honor of being my best man?”

Zoro looks at the snail.  “Your what?”

“My—my best man?” Usopp repeats, sounding uncertain.  Sanji gives Zoro an incredulous look.

“Say yes, moron!” he demands, tapping Zoro on the shoulder.  He had no idea Usopp had something in mind, and if Zoro doesn’t accept soon, Sanji will accept in his place.

“Isn’t being best man a big deal, or something?” Zoro asks, eyes downcast.  “Why would you want me?”

There’s silence on the other end of the snail.

“Who else would I pick?” Usopp asks.  “It was you, Luffy, and Nami that changed my life first—no offense, Sanji!”

“None taken,” Sanji says.

“And, I mean, you’re Roronoa Zoro.   You’re one of my best friends,” Usopp continues.  “You’re important to me.  I wanted you to have an important role in my wedding.”

“Don’t I have to do shit?  I don’t know how to be a best man,” Zoro says.  “I’m on the Grand Line—I’m on the opposite end of the world from you.  How am I supposed to be your best man?  I’m maybe the worst guy in the world to pick.”

“That isn’t true,” Usopp protests.  “Luffy, maybe, but not you.  Not that I don’t love the guy, but responsibilities like this aren’t really his thing.”

“They aren’t really my thing, either,” Zoro says.  “Why not the cook?  He’d love this sort of thing.  Wouldn’t you?”  He directs the last question at Sanji, and Sanji frowns.

“He didn’t ask me,” Sanji says.  “Just say yes, dumbass.  It’s a goddamn honor.”

“I don’t want to screw it up!” Zoro snaps.  “I don’t want to ruin his wedding because I can’t be a good best man!”

“Oy, stop freaking out,” Sanji says, echoing Zoro’s own sentiment from before.

“You can say no,” Usopp says, sounding tremendously sad.  “I understand.  I’ll find someone else.”

“He’s not saying no!” Sanji insists, then directs his attention back at Zoro.  “You’re not saying no.”

“Usopp deserves someone who can be there for him,” Zoro insists.

“Okay, like who?” Sanji demands.  “Franky, who’s getting married literally a month before him?  Luffy or Nami, who’re still sailing around?  Brook, who’s dedicated to watching over Laboon?  Me?  I have a restaurant to run!  Why shouldn’t it be you?”

Zoro’s mouth draws into a line.  “Usopp, I’m putting the cook on.”  With that, he shoves the receiver at Sanji, and marches out of the room.

“Zoro!” Sanji yells after him, but Zoro’s gone.  “Shit, Usopp, I’m sorry.  I don’t know why he’s being like this.”

“I probably shouldn’t have sprung it on him like this,” Usopp mumbles.

“You’re not the one at fault here,” Sanji objects.

“It’s not Zoro’s fault, either,” Usopp says.  “It’s a big commitment.”

“It’s not like he’s afraid of commitment,” Sanji snorts.  “He was committed to becoming the greatest swordsman in the world for his entire life.  This is nothing compared to that.”

“I don’t think he’d agree,” Usopp says.

“I’ll talk to him, okay?  He’ll be your best man,” Sanji says firmly.  “I’ll call you back.”

“C’mon, Sanji, it really isn’t that big of a deal—”

“I’ll call you back, Usopp!” Sanji repeats, and hangs up.  “Zoro!”

Zoro has made himself scarce in the thirty seconds it took Sanji to wrap up the conversation with Usopp.  Sanji has no idea where he could have run off to, and it takes him far too long to find the moss-head than it should.  Though he checks the crow’s nest first, Sanji doesn’t find Zoro there until he makes a second trip up.  He’s sitting on the floor, arms behind his head, and Sanji sighs.

“Hey,” he says.  Zoro doesn’t respond.  “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing’s up with me,” he grumbles.  “Why do you think something’s up?”

“I don’t know, because Usopp asked you to be his best man and you completely freaked out?” Sanji says.  He lights a cigarette.  “Because Usopp’s probably back in Syrup Village, crying his eyes out?”

“Don’t say that,” Zoro says.  “He’s not.”

“Snot absolutely dripping everywhere,” Sanji continues.  “You remember what it was like when we were sailing.  Kaya’s probably trying to cheer him up as he weeps his cowardly little heart out.”

Zoro snorts.  “He’s toughened up a little since then.”

“Just sobbing,” Sanji emphasizes.  He sits down next to Zoro, then thinks better of it, and moves to sit on Zoro’s lap.  Zoro groans.

“Bony,” he complains.

“You love adjectives, don’t you?” Sanji gripes.  “‘Bony.’  ‘Bossy.’”  He digs down a little harder onto Zoro’s thighs, and Zoro huffs.

“I’ll push you off,” Zoro threatens, and puts his hands on Sanji’s hips.

“You’re in my restaurant, if I want to turn you into a makeshift chair, then I will,” Sanji says, and leans back into Zoro.  He breathes out.  “What’s this about, really?”

“What?” Zoro asks.

Sanji cranes his neck.  “Usopp, obviously.”

Zoro rests his head on Sanji’s shoulder.  “I don’t know.  I don’t know what to do.”

“Just say yes,” Sanji urges.  “He’s not expecting much.” 

“That’s the problem, I don’t know what he’s expecting at all,” Zoro mumbles into Sanji’s shoulder.  “I can’t ruin his wedding.”

“You’re not going to ruin it,” Sanji says.  “And if you’re so worried about what he’s expecting, then ask him.  You can go to Syrup Village early.”

“And you?” Zoro asks.

“What about me?” Sanji responds.

“I don’t want to go without you,” Zoro says quietly.  

Oh.

“But the restaurant is—I know you don’t want to spend more time away from it than needed,” Zoro continues.  “I’m not going to choose between you and Usopp.  Not on his wedding.”

Oh, he’s an idiot, Sanji thinks fondly, then says aloud, “You’re an idiot.”

“Hey,” Zoro protests, and he squeezes Sanji tighter.

“If I’m not choosing between Robin and Usopp’s weddings, then you’re not choosing between going to Syrup Village early and staying here,” Sanji declares.  “We’ll just go to Syrup Village straight after Water Seven.”

“Seriously?” Zoro asks.  “You’re okay with that?”

Sanji shrugs.  “I was already stressed out about the travel from here to Water Seven, and from Water Seven back to here, and then from here to Syrup Village.  We might as well just cut out the middle.  We’d have a week at most back here between the weddings.”

Zoro inhales, then exhales slowly.  “Fine.”

Sanji looks back at him.  “You’ll do it?”

“I’ll do it,” Zoro confirms.  “I’ll let Usopp know later tonight.”

“Why not now?” Sanji asks, furrowing his brow.

“I want to stay like this a little longer,” Zoro says, and Sanji can’t fault him for his wish.

There are nights when they don’t do anything except lie next to each other. 

“You know, I was furious when you came back without an eye,” Sanji says quietly, tracing over the scar gently.  Zoro laughs, and it’s a quiet sound, but it means everything to Sanji.

“I was pissed when you ran away to get married,” Zoro says, shifting in the bed.

“That wasn’t running away,” Sanji snaps.  “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“I know,” Zoro hums.

“Besides, it wasn’t the same type of situation.  It’s not like I wanted to leave,” Sanji says.  His fingers hover over the scar once more.  

“Oh, and I wanted to lose my eye?”

“Shut up.  We hadn’t seen each other in two years and for some insane reason I had thought you would’ve kept your depth perception,” Sanji says.  “It was just—you were different.  Not just because you lost an eye, but…everything.  I guess we were all different.”

“You wouldn’t shut up about how Usopp had gotten hot,” Zoro says, and Sanji can hear the smile in his voice.  He elbows him.

“He did!   He used to be this dorky, skinny kid—”

“Just like you?”

“Shut up, and then he came back, and was just—god,” Sanji huffs.

“Sexy?” Zoro asks.  “Sexier than me?”

“Usopp came back with both eyes,” Sanji retorts.  “Kaya’s a lucky woman.”

“She is,” Zoro agrees.  “Usopp’s a good guy.”

Sanji takes a deep breath.  “I miss them.”  His hands fist in the bedsheets.  “We sailed together for so long, and now—I still expect Luffy to burst in, demanding food, or Franky to sit down with a bottle of cola and talk to me about repairs, or Nami to walk into my office and ask how much money I’ve saved up.”  He laughs hollowly.  “Sad, right?”

Zoro’s arm wraps around his middle.  “It’s not.  They’re our friends.  I miss them, too.  Luffy’s a bastard for not visiting more.”

“He’s the king of the pirates,” Sanji says. 

“And I’m the first mate to the king of the pirates,” Zoro says.  “I can complain about our stupid captain if I damn well please.”

Sanji laughs quietly.  “Yeah.”

“We’ll see them soon,” Zoro continues.  “We’re leaving for Water Seven in a week.”

“I know that,” Sanji says, and it comes out sharper than he intends.

“It’s all going to be fine,” Zoro says.  “Don’t be stressed.”

“Just saying that doesn’t make it stop, genius,” Sanji says.  Zoro presses a kiss to his shoulder.  

“Don’t be stressed,” Zoro repeats.  “Go to sleep.”

“But I—”

“Sanji,” Zoro says quietly.  “Let’s sleep.”

Sanji’s natural instinct is to keep arguing, but he’s exhausted, and he can admit in his head that Zoro has a point.  He needs to rest.  

Sanji doesn’t realize he’s fallen asleep until he wakes up with Zoro’s arm slung across him.  He feels calmer and more level-headed.  He places his own arm over Zoro’s and allows himself to just breathe.  He can handle the trip to Water Seven.  It’s going to be fine.

Six days later, when Zoro has already boarded the boat they’ll be taking and Sanji is giving a last goodbye to his staff, he tries to remember that calmness.

“If I come back and the ship has sunk, you’re going to wish one of the old warlords got to you before I did,” he growls.  His staff nods their heads frantically.

“They’re not going to sink the damn ship!” Zoro yells from the smaller boat.  “There’s more of a chance of us going down in this raft on our way there than this place sinking!”

“Just because it’s not the size of a carrack doesn’t mean it’s a raft!” Sanji shouts back.  “It’ll get us to the Red Line, won’t it?!”  He gives a final glare to his staff.  “We have a transponder snail with us, but it’s for emergencies only.  If you call it, it better be because Whitebeard’s ghost has taken up residency on this ship.  Understand?”

“Yes, sir!” The staff choruses back at him.

“Curly!” Zoro yells.

“I’m coming!” Sanji yells back.  He surveys his chefs, then jumps from the deck onto the smaller boat below.  Zoro grumbles as the boat sways back and forth.

“You’re going to flip us over,” he complains.  Sanji flips him off in response.

“I wish Nami-swan was here,” Sanji says.  “We’d be there in no time.”

“We have her maps and we have whatever nobody you hired to navigate us to the Red Line,” Zoro says.

“He’s not a nobody,” Sanji says, though he can’t remember the nobody’s name.  “But he’s not as good as Nami.”

The nobody pops his head out of the navigation room and asks if they’re ready to go, and Sanji yells, “Well, we’re both on the boat, aren’t we, idiot?  Are we going to fucking swim there?”

The nobody’s face goes pale, and he ducks back into the navigation room.  Zoro snorts.

“You shouldn’t take your stress out on other people,” he says.

“You’re one to talk,” Sanji snaps.  He doesn’t deny the stress, because he knows Zoro would know he’s lying.  “I just want to be on Water Seven.”

“We’ll be there soon enough,” Zoro says. 

The nobody doesn’t do a bad job of getting them to the Red Line, but the Red Line isn’t exactly far from Sanji’s restaurant.  Sanji stands by his opinion that Nami could have gotten them there twice as fast, and Zoro doesn’t argue.  “She’s the best, what do you expect,” is his only comment on the matter.

They spend the night on the Red Line at the train station.  Sanji can’t stop pacing.

“Cook,” Zoro says, exasperated.  He’s leaning against the bed, cross-legged on the floor.  “Go to bed.  You’re stressing me out.”

“It’s weird being on land,” Sanji says.  It’s perhaps the fifth time he’s said it since they arrived at their room.  “I feel off-balance.  It’s weird.”

“We’re going to be spending more time on land in the next few weeks than we have the past four months,” Zoro says.  “You better get used to it.”

Sanji aims a kick at Zoro’s knee, and Zoro lets it bounce off of him.  “Fuck you.  I’ve never liked sleeping on land.”

“Really?” Zoro asks.  “Could’ve fooled me.  You always seemed fine on the islands we visited.”

“That was different,” Sanji says.  “We were always running from someone, or chasing someone, or partying—”

“—or fucking—”

“—shut up, but yes, or that, and I didn’t have to deal with it!” Sanji finishes.  “This is my first time sleeping on land since before I opened the Cherie!”

“I think it’s nice,” Zoro offers.  “You’re not on edge.  You’re not moving.”

“You’re not on edge,” Sanji corrects.  “Sleeping on a ship was the first time I felt safe as a kid.  That shit stays with you.”

Zoro is quiet, then says, “Sorry.  I didn’t think about it like that.”  He pauses.  “If you don’t sleep now, you’re gonna hate yourself tomorrow.  At the very least, you’ll be annoying as shit.”

“Whatever,” Sanji huffs, and stops in front of Zoro.  “Get in.”

“What?”

“If I’m sleeping in this shitty bed on shitty land, then you’re sleeping in it with me,” Sanji says stubbornly.  “You don’t get to sit on the floor all night like a crazy person.  Get in here.”

Zoro doesn’t argue, and climbs in bed next to Sanji.  He’s a warm presence next to him.  Sanji breathes out.

“With the sea train, we’ll be on Water Seven in no time,” he says quietly, squeezing Sanji’s hand.  

“I hate the sea train,” Sanji replies quietly, but it’s a statement more than a true complaint.  “It’s also too still.”

“I’ll toss you off the train if you want,” Zoro offers.  “And I’ll get a gondola on Water Seven just for you.  Drag you onto it in the middle of the night, if that makes you happy.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Go to sleep.”

(They do.)

Chapter Text

Water Seven is better than Sanji remembers it, and he’s not sure if it’s because the city itself is freer without the old World Government, if it’s because the crew isn’t splitting apart at the seams, or if it’s because it’s the first time he’s seen his friends all together in months.  He decides that it doesn't matter, in the end.

He and Zoro are the second to last party to arrive, and Sanji isn’t surprised to learn that Usopp and Brook are still en route.  There’s a sea train from Reverse Mountain, but it’s a longer journey, and Sanji knows Kaya must be a little apprehensive about the journey onto the Grand Line.  

“They’re supposed to pick up Brook from Laboon,” Nami says once greetings are over and she’s hugged everyone multiple times.  “I mean, he could come on his own, but it’s probably better for everyone if they travel in a group.”

Her hair is shorter than when Sanji last saw her.  It’s shorter than when he first met her.  “You cut your hair.”

“Huh?” Nami asks, running her hand through it absentmindedly.  “Yeah.  It was time for another change.  It’s easier when I’m on Alabasta—so hot!”

“I like it,” Zoro offers.  “It suits you.”

“My favorite lost boy, trying to win my favor,” Nami laughs.

“Hey—”

“Usopp told me all about your little side adventure on your way back to Sanji,” she says.

“He took months,” Sanji emphasizes.  “I didn’t have a damn clue where he was.  He didn’t even write!”

Nami shakes her head, tutting.  “You didn’t even write."  She nudges Vivi with her elbow.  “Can you believe that?”

Sanji is ecstatic to see Vivi.  She’s been mostly quiet on Water Seven, instead gazing at the streets of water, seemingly fascinated with them, but she hasn’t changed.  She seems a little older, a little wiser, a little more tired—they all are, now—but her eyes are still kind.  She still smiles brightly.  She still looks at Nami the same way.

Vivi turns her kind eyes on Zoro, and they look a little less kind.  “You didn’t even write?”

Zoro flushes and mutters the same excuse Sanji’s heard a million times.  Sanji mouths, “Illiterate marimo,” behind his back, and Nami snickers.

“I’ve missed you all so much,” she says with a smile.

Chopper cries when he sees Zoro, and Sanji can’t even feel jealous.  Chopper’s an adult now, but Sanji can’t help but always see him as the little kid they picked up off of Drum Island.  He certainly still looks like one.  Zoro picks him up with one hand and places him on his shoulder, and Chopper rides around on him as Zoro stumbles his way into the rest of the crew.  Sanji half-wishes he had a camera to capture the moment.

Luffy wraps himself around Zoro when he spots him, Sanji standing awkwardly off to the side with his arms crossed.  He doesn’t want to interrupt their moment.  What Zoro and Luffy have—it’s not what Sanji and Zoro have, but it’s special.  He doesn’t want to get in the middle of it.

He doesn’t expect a rubber arm to grab him by the shirt and drag him into the hug as well.

“Sanji!” Luffy exclaims.  “I missed you so much!”

Sanji stands, slightly shocked, as Luffy’s arms tighten around him.  

“Say something, cook,” Zoro mutters, pressed next to Sanji by Luffy’s iron grip.

“I missed you, too,” Sanji manages.  “Having lots of adventures?”

“Yeah!” Luffy says, and lets go of Zoro and Sanji.  “It’s not the same without everyone, though.”

“It’s just me, him, Nami, Jinbei, Franky, and Robin, really,” Chopper pipes up from Zoro’s shoulder.  “It’s weird.”

“And Franky and Robin have been so busy,” Luffy continues.  “Weddings are weird.  I already married them, I don’t know why they’re doing it again.”

“They want everyone to be here,” Sanji says.  “And we are, aren’t we?”

“Usopp’s late,” Luffy says.  “I miss Usopp so much!”

“I miss him too,” Sanji says.  “But he’s getting married soon, too!  That’s exciting!”

“I can’t wait to marry them!” Luffy says.  “Usopp told me I could!”

“And Kaya agreed?” Zoro asks.

“She said she would be ‘honored!’” Luffy proclaims proudly.  “And she told me Zoro also had a special job!”

Zoro lowers his eyes.  “Yeah.  Don’t know what I’m going to do, but yeah.”

“Can’t be as cool as marrying them,” Luffy says.  “Sorry, Zoro, but I got the best job.”

“I think the best job is the two people getting married,” Chopper pipes up.  “Right?  I mean, it’s them getting married.”

“Doesn’t count, it’s not a job,” Sanji says.  He nudges Zoro with his shoulder.  “Come on, let’s check in at the hotel so we can find Franky and Robin.”

“Can I come with you?” Chopper asks.  “I can show you all my new traveling equipment!”

“‘Course, Chopper,” Zoro says.  “You get your own room?” 

Chopper shakes his head.  “Me and Luffy are sharing, but that’s okay!  I don’t like being alone.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Zoro says, rubbing his fur.

Sanji is suddenly overwhelmed with an emotion, and it takes him a moment to identify it as complete and total adoration.  It takes him by surprise, and he doesn’t realize he’s staring at Zoro until Zoro snaps his fingers in front of his face.

“Cook,” Zoro says.  “You’re drifting off.  You want me to go look for the hotel on my own?”

“No way,” Sanji says automatically.  “You’d just get lost.  You’d end up being late to the wedding.”

“The wedding’s not for days!”

“I’m aware,” Sanji says.  “Now follow me.  Don’t wander off!”

The three manage to get to the hotel as one group, though Sanji doubts they would have if Chopper hadn’t been acting as a Zoro-going-off-course alarm system.  Chopper jumps off Zoro’s shoulder at the hotel and tugs him toward the stairs.  “We’re on the third floor!”

“Cook—” Zoro says, but Sanji waves them off.  

“I’ll find you once I’ve gotten our room sorted out,” Sanji says.  “Go have fun.”

Zoro shrugs, and follows Chopper.  Sanji turns to the receptionist.

“We’re here for the—”

“The wedding, of course,” she says with a nervous smile.  “Lots of big name pirates have been checking in.  It’s, um, exciting, to say the least!”  She laughs, eyes flitting from Sanji to the sheet of paper in front of her.  “So I can put down Vinsmoke Sanji—”

“Blackleg,” Sanji interrupts, forcing himself not to scowl.  “My name should be down as Blackleg there.  Not—it should be Blackleg.”

The woman anxiously glances down at the paper.  “Oh!  So it does!  My mistake!  I hope you can forgive me, sir, it’s just your bounty poster—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sanji says.  He doesn’t want to think about his current bounty poster, least of all with a lady who knows nothing about it.  “Blackleg Sanji and Roronoa Zoro.  Two keys.”

“And a gift basket, courtesy of the happy couple!” The receptionist says, handing it all to him.  “I hope you enjoy your stay!”

“Thank you, angel,” Sanji says.

Sanji was correct in his assumption that it wouldn’t be hard to find Zoro and Chopper, and after dropping off his portion of luggage in the room, follows the sound of excited squeals down the hall.  The door is ajar, and Sanji steps inside.  Chopper has laid out an entire kit of medical instruments on one of the beds, and Zoro is staring down at them, intensely focused.

“And this is a special stethoscope that lets me—Sanji!” Chopper exclaims, running over to him to hug his knee.

“You just saw me, Chopper,” Sanji says with a smile.

“Yeah, but every moment counts now!” Chopper says.  “I can’t just walk into the kitchen and see you anymore, so I have to treasure these moments together!”

“I can’t even walk into the kitchen and see you anymore,” Zoro says.

“Shut up,” Sanji says, directing the sentiment at Zoro exclusively.  “It’s called having a job.”

“I have a job,” Zoro says to Chopper.  “He gave me a job.  He can find me, supposedly.”

“When you’re where you’re supposed to be!” Sanji says, exasperated.

Chopper laughs.  “I missed you guys so much!”

Sanji smiles, despite himself.  “I miss you, too.  You have no idea how hard it is to drag a piece of moss to the doctor’s when you’re on a floating restaurant.”

“It’s not like you’re so eager to go, either,” Zoro argues.

“I’m going to have to give you both checkups sometime this week,” Chopper says.  “You’re the two I’m most worried about, you know—Brook’s just bones to begin with and always kept his calcium levels up, and Usopp is engaged to a doctor.  You two are miles and miles away doing who knows what.”

“Sitting in the crow’s nest, mostly,” Zoro says with a yawn.  “What about Jinbei?  He’s off doing dangerous things.”

“Jinbei knows how to take care of himself,” Chopper says.  “He also didn’t injure himself constantly while we were sailing and throw off his bandages as soon as he stood up!”

“That’s not fair!” Sanji and Zoro exclaim in unison, and share a look.

“You’re a hypocrite,” Zoro snorts.

“Sounds like the pot is calling the kettle black here,” Sanji says, rolling his eyes.

“Both of you are equally bad,” Chopper says.  “No need to get competitive about it.”

“Nothing’s changed, huh?” 

Sanji spins toward the door at the voice, but Zoro has already run over and grabbed Usopp, lifting him off his feet.  “You late son of a bitch!”

“Zoro—ribs—breaking—” Usopp wheezes.

“Put him down!  Put him down!” Sanji demands, smacking Zoro on the shoulder, and Usopp’s feet land back on the ground.

“Thanks, Sanji, I really—hey!” Usopp shrieks, now being picked up by Sanji.  

“What took you so long?!” Sanji asks.

“Well, Reverse Mountain isn’t exactly a picnic—” Usopp gasps out.

“Sanji, my turn!” Chopper exclaims, going into heavy point.

“Goodbye, rib cage,” Usopp whispers, and is handed off to Chopper.

“I missed you so much!” Chopper wails.  “You’re so far away!  Phone calls just aren’t the same!”

“That’s for certain,” another voice says, and Sanji finally notices the beautiful blonde woman just beyond the door.  “Usopp, you didn’t tell me Chopper was so—big!”

“He can be big,” Usopp gasps.  “Big and strong.”

“I’m Kaya,” the woman says, smiling, and holds up her left hand to reveal a ring.  “Usopp’s fiancé.  It’s good to see you again, Zoro!”

“You’re looking better!” Zoro says.  “I mean, it’s been years now, so it figures, but—it’s nice to see you so lively.”

“Thank you,” Kaya says with a laugh.  “It’s nice to see everyone after speaking over the snail for so long!  Sanji, that is you, yes?”

“That’s correct, my dear!” Sanji says.  “So intelligent!  How did you know?”

“Uh, it’s because you’re the only blond on the crew—” Usopp begins, but Kaya has already pointed to Sanji’s eyebrow.  Zoro snorts, and Sanji’s smile freezes.

“It’s very distinctive,” Kaya says.  “Though Usopp’s right!  We’re both blonde!”

“You’re blonder than him,” Zoro points out, and Sanji kicks him in the leg on instinct.  “It’s true!”

“You’re annoying,” Sanji says.  “Your hair is beautiful, though, my dear.”

“My dear,” Usopp says, finally released from Chopper, and he slings his arm over Kaya’s shoulder.  “My fiancé.”

“My idiot,” Zoro says, pointing at Sanji.

Sanji glares at him.  “If anyone is anyone’s idiot, you’re mine, moron.”

“Aw,” Kaya says.  “You two are sweet.”  She nudges Usopp.  “You said they were difficult and annoying.”

“I did not say that!” Usopp protests, nervously looking at Zoro and Sanji.  “I swear.  She’s become as bad a liar as I am.”

“Or as good a one,” Kaya giggles.  “Depending how you look at it, you know.”

“I’m sure you can become an even better liar than Usopp in half the time,” Sanji compliments.

“And you call me the moron,” Zoro mutters.  “Unbelievable.”

“Have you guys seen Robin and Franky yet?” Usopp asks.  “I can’t find them anywhere.”

Chopper shakes his head.  “I’ve barely seen them since we docked.  I think Robin might’ve invited the entire Revolutionary Army.  It’s hard to tell.”

“Good for her,” Zoro says.  “Hey, that means your buddy Iva might be here, right?”

Sanji frowns.  “I wouldn’t call Iva my ‘buddy,’ and I’d be surprised.  I don’t know if the two ever met—I was with her for two years, and I don’t think Iva left.  It’d be more likely that Luffy’s dad is here.”

“Man, that’d be weird,” Usopp says.  “Wouldn’t that be weird?  I don’t know what I’d say to him.”

“Why would he talk to you?” Zoro asks frankly.

“Thanks, Zoro,” Usopp says sarcastically.  “It’s not like we all declared war with the old World Government when we were nineteen—you know, they still probably consider us to be at war with them.  Crazy.”

“Like they want to deal with us,” Zoro snorts.  “Let them worry about the new generation while all of us get married.”

“You said it,” Usopp says.  He raises his eyebrows.  “So, marriage?”

Zoro blinks at him.  “What about it?”

“It’s just that so many of us are settling down,” Usopp says.  “I mean, who do you think will be next?”  He asks the question pointedly, eyes flitting between Sanji and Zoro.

“Uh,” Zoro says, furrowing his brow.  Sanji crosses his arms.  “…Nami and Vivi?”

Usopp sighs.  “Glad to know you’re the same as ever.  Nami and Vivi.  Well, maybe with that attitude.”   

“Whatever you’re trying to say, you’ve lost me,” Zoro says.

“It doesn’t matter,” Usopp says, shaking his head.  “Anyway, let’s head back out.  I want to catch up with the others.”

The week flies by in a flash, and before Sanji knows it, he’s standing in the hotel room, tying Zoro’s tie for him.

“Really, moss-head, you should at least try to learn,” he says, stepping back and surveying his work.

“You’d just undo and redo it yourself,” Zoro grumbles.  “Better to just not learn in the first place.”

“Keep talking like that and I’m going to start to think you have a brain somewhere up there,” Sanji says absentmindedly.  He runs his hands through his hair.  “I can’t believe this is really happening.”

“I’ll bet you my bounty that Franky’s still not wearing pants,” Zoro says.

“It’s his wedding, if he doesn’t want to wear pants—and Robin has made it more than clear she likes that about him—then he doesn’t have to wear pants,” Sanji says.

“But I have to wear a stupid suit,” Zoro says.

“It’s not your wedding, is it, dumbass?” Sanji reminds him.  “I’m making sure you look presentable.”

“Well, am I?” Zoro asks, gesturing to himself.

Sanji looks Zoro up and down.  Tie is tied, shirt is tucked in, suit jacket is not tucked in—everything seems to be in working order.  Zoro looks good, if Sanji says so himself.  He’s not used to seeing him in a suit.  He could get used to it.

“Acceptable,” Sanji declares.  “How do I look?”

“Like you’re fishing for compliments,” Zoro says.  Sanji frowns, and Zoro smirks.  “You look good, Cook.  Less waiter-y than usual.”

“Thank you, Prince Charming,” Sanji says sarcastically. 

“Now you say something nice about me,” Zoro says.

“Who’s fishing for compliments now?” Sanji asks.  “You’re going to be the prettiest marimo at the ball.  Happy?”

“Happy enough,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “We should get going.”

“We should,” Sanji agrees.  “Remember, follow me.  I’m not losing you in the streets before the wedding.”

“It’s on the docks, I’d just head towards the ocean,” Zoro grumbles.

“I’m sure you would,” Sanji says.  “And I wouldn’t see you until their honeymoon was over, and wouldn’t that be a shame?  Follow me.”

To Zoro’s credit, he follows Sanji with minimal grumbling, and they arrive at Dock One in a timely manner.  All the Strawhats are seated on one end of the aisle, with the Franky family on the other.  Iceburg is standing next to Franky, patting him on the back.  Sanji can see a few of the shipwrights that fought at Enies Lobby among the guests as well, and even more people he doesn’t recognize at all.  

“See, they’re all wearing suits,” he whispers to Zoro, pointing at them.  “You’d look dumb if you weren’t wearing one.”

“Franky’s sisters are barely wearing anything,” Zoro whispers back.  “I’m beginning to understand how Paulie feels.”

“They can wear what they want,” Sanji hisses.  “Women have an innate sense of fashion that you lack.”

“Tashigi and Perona’s existences would suggest otherwise—”

“Both of you, shut up,” Nami hisses.  “So help me, you’re not going to be arguing when Robin comes down the aisle.”

Sanji promptly shuts his mouth, and Zoro sighs but doesn’t say anything else.  That is, until Franky walks up from the side and Zoro nudges Sanji to whisper, “No pants.  Called it.”

“I never disputed you,” Sanji whispers back.  “Wait, does he—is there a tie on his speedo?  Can you see?”

“I don’t want to stare at Franky’s crotch,” Zoro hisses.

“Well, I don’t want to stare at it either!” Sanji replies.  “It feels—rude to Robin, more than anything.” 

“If you two keep talking, about Franky’s crotch or otherwise, with Vivi as my witness, neither of you will make it to Usopp’s wedding,” Nami threatens.  “I don’t want to deprive him of a best man, but I may be forced to!  Shut up!”

“Honey, it’s okay,” Vivi murmurs.  “The music hasn’t even started yet.  They’ve got some time to look at Franky’s crotch.  I think it might be a bow tie?”

Zoro squints.  “Where do you even buy underwear with a bow tie on them?”

“Maybe it’s stitched on,” Sanji suggests.  “I can’t tell from here.”

“Perhaps an early wedding present from Robin?” Vivi asks.  “Nami, that would be something she would do, yes?”

Nami nods, tight lipped.  She continues to look straight ahead.  Franky catches Sanji’s eyes and waves wildly.  He mouths, “Isn’t this super?”

Sanji points at his own pants and raises his eyebrows.  Franky gives a thumbs up.  Sanji isn’t sure what to make of it.

“His suit top is nice,” Vivi says.  “It matches his underwear.”

“Not hard to match black with black,” Zoro comments.  “Even I can do that.”

The music begins abruptly, and the three don’t need Nami’s shushing to quiet.  They lean out into the aisle, desperate to see Robin, and Sanji can hear Nami inhale sharply when she comes into view.  

“Oh,” she says breathlessly.  “Just look at her.”

Sanji is, in fact, looking.  Robin has always been the paradigm of elegance and grace to him, and he doesn’t think he’s ever seen her look more beautiful.  Her hair is pinned up, her dress trails behind her, and she smiles broadly as she walks down the aisle.  As she passes, Sanji can see that her dress is adorned with what must be hundreds of tiny lace flowers.  It’s low cut, too—not revealing enough to be considered indecent exposure, but a near thing.  Franky, you are a lucky son of a bitch.

Luffy has been sitting with the crew, but he jumps up and runs between Franky and Robin, grinning.  “Okay, kiss!”

The attendants titter.  Franky shakes his head.  “Read off the card, buddy, just like the rehearsal.”

“Oh, right!” Luffy says.  He glances down.  “Hi, everyone!  It was really nice for all of you to come to Franky and Robin’s wedding!  They really appreciate it!”  He looks between the two of them, and Franky gestures for him to continue.  “Now kiss?”

“I’ll take it from here,” Iceburg says.  “As Strawhat here said, thank you all for being here, especially those from other islands.  I know better than anyone that the trip isn’t something to scoff at, so it truly means the world to them.”

Franky gives a massive thumbs up, and Robin mimics the action.

“This is, in fact, the island that the happy couple met on,” Iceburg continues.  “This is the island where they realized they’d be getting married—some of you might remember Franky running naked through the streets some years ago before he joined the Strawhats.  That was the day Robin told Franky she intended to marry him, and Franky said the same to her.”

“That early, huh?” Zoro murmurs.

“From there, they went on countless adventures, and after an unforeseen two years apart, demanded their captain marry them the moment they were together again,” Iceburg says.  “It was small, quiet—‘before dinner one night, when most of the crew was busy,’ Franky told me.  A quiet affair, with the navigator as the only witness.”

Nami sniffs loudly and wipes her eyes.  Sanji wishes he could offer her a handkerchief, but he’s too busy reeling from the knowledge that Franky and Robin had been married for far longer than he had thought, and that Nami had been present at the initial marriage.

“But they wanted to celebrate their marriage publicly, with all their friends and family,” Iceburg says.  “Thus, we are gathered today.  And with that, Franky, your vows?”

There are huge tears rolling down Franky’s face, and he wipes his face on his sleeve.  “I’m gonna get so much snot on this suit, bro.”  He clears his throat as more tears well in his eyes.  “Robin.  You’ve known you’re the only lady for me since we met.  You’re strong, brave, smart—so smart, so brave, and so strong.  You’re super. ”  He wipes his eyes again, but it does nothing so stop the tears.  “I promise I’ll be there for you, when you need me and when you don’t.  I’ll be the best man I can be for you.  I’m a shipwright—I’m an engineer.  I’ve destroyed a lot in my lifetime—you know that, maybe better than anyone at this point—but I’m a builder at heart.  I’ll build anything for you.”  He laughs.  “Well, maybe not an ancient weapon, but anything short of that.”

Robin smiles, and Sanji can see tears in her eyes as well, though nowhere near the level of Franky.

“I love you,” Franky concludes.  “You really are a super lady.”

Robin chuckles, and dabs at the corner of her eye with her wrist.  “Franky,” she begins.  “I never thought I would have someone like you in my life.  Someone who loves me unconditionally, despite my flaws, and who I am more than eager to also unconditionally love.  I never thought—”  Her voice breaks, and she takes a deep breath.  “For so long, I thought that I would live my life without love.  Without family, without friends, and without a partner.”  She offers a watery smile.  “But I was wrong.”

“I used to wish my life was different,” she says, straightening up more.  “I wished to be someone else, someone who hadn’t been cursed, someone who hadn’t been forced to grow up so quickly.  Someone more easily loved.  Someone who loved more easily.”  There are tears running down her face.  “But I was shown that I didn’t have to change to be easily loved, and that I loved more easily than I thought.  Once I started loving you, I couldn’t stop.  I don’t think I’ll ever stop.  We could be separated by an ocean, by an army, by a million armies on a million oceans and I would never stop fighting to return to be with you.”  She closes her eyes.  “I love you, Franky.”

Franky sobs.   Iceburg gives him what Sanji suspects is a recycled sail by the size of it.  Luffy pokes Iceburg and mouths, “Now?”

Iceburg nods and Luffy whoops.  “Awesome!  Franky, do you want—” Iceburg elbows him.  “—I mean, take Robin to be your wife, again?”

“I do!” Franky blubbers.

“And Robin, do you take Franky to be your super husband again?” Luffy asks.

“I do,” she says, reaching out to take Franky’s hand.

“Now kiss!” Luffy cheers.  Franky leans down as Robin raises herself higher, and there’s more cheering as their lips meet.  Sanji feels something tug inside himself, and he belatedly recognizes the tug as envy.  It’s strange, though—it’s not envy to be Franky, because Sanji has quelled any desire he might have once had to marry Robin, and it’s certainly not envy to be Robin marrying Franky.  It’s still unmistakably envy.

“Cook,” Zoro says, nudging him.  “You’re making a weird face.”

“Shut up,” Sanji says.  “I’m happy for them.  I just—I don’t know.  I really am happy for them.”

Zoro makes a “hmm” noise, but turns back to look at Franky and Robin, who have split apart.  “Okay.  I believe you.”

Strangely enough, Sanji believes Zoro too.

“The reception will be held at Galley-La Headquarters,” Iceburg says.  “Most of you know where that is, and for those who don’t—just turn around, and it’s that big building!”  He smiles, somewhat pained.  “And please try not to burn this one down.”

There are nervous laughs from the shipwrights and Franky family.

“Seems like that would be in poor taste,” Sanji murmurs.

“If anyone can make that joke, it’s him,” Zoro replies.  Sanji supposes he has a point.

Galley-La Headquarters hasn’t changed all that much, considering the last time Sanji was on Water Seven the building had been reduced to ash and burnt timber.  He wonders how long it took to rebuild—were they in the New World by then?  They had to have been, it’s a huge structure.  Then again, the Sunny was built in a matter of days, and she’s no rowboat.  

“You think they’re gonna have enough food?” Zoro asks.

“What, for Luffy, or for everyone else?” Sanji snorts.  He runs his hand through his hair.  “I should’ve cooked for them.”

“You’ve been cooking for everyone all week,” Zoro says.  “Stop ruining this for yourself.”

“I’m not ruining anything, asshole,” Sanji says.  “You were the one who brought up food in the first place.”

“I thought it’d be something you’d want to talk about,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “You think they’ll have enough alcohol?”

Sanji rolls his eyes.  “Again, for you, or for everyone else?”

“You’re a smartass,” Zoro says.

“One of us has to be,” Sanji says.

He does note Usopp physically restraining Luffy to prevent him from grabbing the appetizers laid out in the entrance hall, and Sanji silently sends a thank you his way.  That leaves him free to walk around and speak to his other crewmates.

Nami is still crying her eyes out, and Vivi is handing her napkins periodically to wipe her face with.  Sanji takes the seat to her other side, content to let Zoro find his own way to the open bar.  “So it’s official.  Well, more official.”

“I’m just so happy for them,” Nami sniffs, and blows her nose.  “They’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and they—they did it!  I don’t know how I’m going to watch their first dance!”

Vivi rubs her back comfortingly.  “I’m sure they’re over the moon.”

Nami places the wet napkins on the table and takes a handful of dry ones from Vivi.  “I haven’t cried this hard since—I don’t know.  I certainly wasn’t happy the last time I cried this hard.”

“Well, you look as radiant as ever,” Sanji says.

Vivi tuts.  “I’m glad you decided to forego the mascara.  You’d end up looking like Franky.”

“With me like this?  I’d end up looking like Pell,” Nami chuckles.  She takes a deep breath.  “Okay, I think I’m out of tears.  I’m going to the bathroom and checking out the damage.”

Sanji lights a cigarette as she leaves.  “Vivi, I haven’t gotten the chance to ask, how are things on Alabasta?”

Vivi beams.  “Things are great!  My father is still ruling, but I’ve been serving as regent and traveling around the countryside, talking to the people.  Obviously, not everyone is ecstatic about the monarchy, but it’s better now that the water’s been back for a few years.”  She nervously smiles.  “My father has been pushing for me to look for a…partner, for the monarchy.”

Sanji raises his eyebrows.  “But Nami—?”

“Is still sailing,” Vivi says.  “I haven’t talked to her about it yet, but—I’m going to, soon.”  She bites her lip.  “Please don’t bring it up.”

“I won’t,” Sanji promises.  He blows out a long stream of smoke.  “That’s heavy.”

“It is,” Vivi says with a sigh, then perks up.  “Oh, but what about you and Zoro?”

Sanji furrows his brow.  “What about me and Zoro?”

Vivi blinks at him, her smile frozen.  “Well—haven’t you been thinking about—I mean, you’ve been together for a while now—I guess I shouldn’t presume—”

“Vivi, I’m very sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sanji says frankly.  Vivi nervously laughs.

“Nothing!  Nothing,” she says, and glances around the room.  “By the way, where is Zoro?  I haven’t seen him since you two came in.”

Sanji scans the room, and though there are countless people with ridiculously colored hair, not a single one of them is Zoro.  “Oh, son of a bitch.  Vivi, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find that idiot.”

“Be my guest,” Vivi says.  “I’ll tell Nami about your sudden quest when she comes back.”

“Thank you, angel,” Sanji says, and takes off.

You would think it would be easier to find someone with green hair, Sanji thinks, irritated, as it becomes increasingly clear that Zoro is not in the entrance hall.  Sanji hopes against hope that he’s in the bathroom, and is disappointed but not surprised when he is not.  He asks other guests, some who he knows, some who he doesn’t, if they’ve seen a “stupid green haired moron with three swords—yes, Roronoa Zoro, have you seen Roronoa Zoro,” and is met with resounding “no”s all around.  In a desperate bid, he asks Iceburg if he can search the rest of the mansion.

“I have no clue where else he could be,” Sanji says.  “I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t think he was up there.”  

“Sure,” Iceburg says, patting Tyrannosaurus on the head with the tip of his finger.  “Just make sure you don’t cause massive property damage, either of you.  I know how you Strawhats operate.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Sanji assures him, careful not to make foolish promises.  

It takes probably half an hour for Sanji to find Zoro, because Zoro had wandered his way onto the roof.  His legs are dangling off the edge, and he has a nearly empty glass in his hand.  His head tilts to the side as Sanji walks toward him.

“Took you long enough,” Zoro says.

“What, you were waiting for me?” Sanji snorts.  

“Something like that,” Zoro says.

“How did you even get up here?” Sanji asks.

“Same way you did, probably,” Zoro says.  “The stairs.  I was trying to get back to the entrance hall.”

“Of course you were,” Sanji says.  “Did it occur to you that you, I don’t know, didn’t go down any stairs to get to the entrance?”  

“I wasn’t thinking about that,” Zoro says.  “I knew you’d find me.  Didn’t matter where I ended up.”  He glances up at Sanji.  “You gonna sit or what?”

“Like hell,” Sanji says.  “You’re coming back down with me.  Do you want to miss Franky and Robin’s first dance?”

“I’ve seen them dance before,” Zoro says, and when Sanji scowls, he begins to stand up.  “I’m kidding.  Well, I have seen them dance before, but I’ll watch again.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Sanji says.

“I said I’d watch again!” Zoro protests, grinning.  “You think I want to miss that?”

“You’re doing a great job of convincing me otherwise,” Sanji says, but he’s smiling as well.  “Come on.  I left poor Vivi all alone down there.”

“Yeah, right.  Alone with all the other guests,” Zoro says.

“I could leave you up here, you know,” Sanji says.  “You’d never find your way down.”

“Fuck off,” Zoro says.  “Worst comes to worst, I’d just jump down—not that I’d need to.”

“Right,” Sanji says, doubt in his voice.  “Well, because I’m not terrible, I will show you the way down.  You can even hold my hand.”

In a flash, Zoro has grabbed Sanji’s hand.  “Just because you said I could.  No more lost jokes.”

Sanji grips Zoro’s hand.  “Someone’s clingy.”

“As if you don’t love it,” Zoro snorts.  “Don’t even pretend you don’t.  You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m a great liar, excuse you,” Sanji says.

“Not to me,” Zoro says.  He kisses Sanji on the cheek, and Sanji flushes.  “See?  Awful liar.”

“You don’t play fair,” Sanji complains.

“Probably for the best,” Zoro says, and secretly, Sanji thinks he’s right.

Chapter Text

Sanji’s sad to leave Water Seven, but he knows it’s mostly because he’s going to be separated from most of the crew until Usopp’s wedding rolls around.  That being said, he knows it’s not too far in the future, and he and Zoro are able to sail back to the East Blue with Kaya, Usopp, and Brook.

Sanji didn’t realize how much he missed the East Blue until they’re back on her waters.  He loves the All Blue—it’s always been his dream, of course he loves it—but the East Blue is still his first home.  It’s been too long since he’s been back.

“Are we gonna stop by the old man’s place while we’re here?” Zoro asks.  Sanji shrugs.

“I might,” he says.  “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Why wouldn’t you go?” Zoro asks.  “It’s right by Syrup Village.”

Sanji doesn’t have a solid answer.  “I said I haven’t decided yet.  I still might go.”

“Well, when you go, don’t leave me behind,” Zoro says.  “I want to see if the old man’s cooking is still better than yours."

“Oh, fuck off,” Sanji says, elbowing Zoro gently in the side.  “Which one of us knows the food you like, huh?  Which one of us spent years making minute changes to your meals so they weren’t too sweet?”

“Okay, okay, I love you,” Zoro says, rolling his eyes.  

(It’s funny how Zoro saying that can still make Sanji’s heart swell up.)

“You should still go see him,” Zoro finishes.  “When else are you gonna have this chance?  It’s not like you two visit each other.”

“We’re busy,” Sanji says, and it’s true.  It’s not like he or Zeff can make regular trips around the world for each other.  The last time Zeff visited was when Sanji officially opened his restaurant—that was almost certainly the last time Zoro had seen him, as well.  The whole crew had shown up to see him achieve his dream, and then Zoro had fucked off for four months.

“I’ll go there myself if you don’t,” Zoro threatens.

“And deprive Usopp of a best man when you inevitably end up in the South Blue?  I think not,” Sanji says.  “I’ll visit.  Stop bugging me about it.”

Zoro crosses his arms and smiles, smug.

Usopp and Kaya are more than willing to lend them a boat.  Usopp, in fact, seems ecstatic that they’re taking a day trip off the island—“I don’t want you two accidentally cutting my home island in half or setting the forest on fire”—and sees them off at the docks.  Kaya blows them a kiss, and Sanji pretends to catch it.  Rather, he tries, because Zoro knocks his hand aside, pretending to catch it himself, and pockets it.  He then sticks his tongue out at Sanji.

Sanji spends much of the trip to the Baratie in a vain attempt to try to get the kiss out of Zoro’s pocket.  He does not succeed.  He is, in fact, still wrestling with Zoro when he sees the tell-tale fish face of the restaurant out of the corner of his eye.

“Let me go!” Sanji demands.  “We’re here!”

Zoro does not let him up immediately, and Sanji kicks him in the arm.  “Hey!”

“I said we’re here!” Sanji exclaims, scrambling to right himself.  “God, it’s been forever since I saw the old place.  It’s huge now.”

“Looks the same to me,” Zoro says.

“Yeah, you were here for like five hours.  I lived here,” Sanji snaps.  As they approach the Baratie, Sanji climbs on the rail, and when he judges they’re close enough, he jumps from Kaya’s boat onto the deck of the Baratie.  He lands with a loud snapping sound , and glances down to see that he’s cracked a board beneath his feet.  Seconds later, another board is cracked as Zoro lands next to him.

“Don’t tear up the old man’s restaurant,” Sanji complains.  Zoro snorts.

“It survived Don Krieg,” he points out.

“I could kill Don Krieg without breaking a sweat now,” Sanji says.  “You could sneeze and blow up an island.  Don’t tear up the restaurant.”

“I wouldn’t on purpose,” Zoro complains.  “Cut me some slack.”

Sanji smirks, looking up at the long-repaired roof.  “Remember when you fired a cannonball into the restaurant?”

“I remember Luffy deflecting one from the Merry,” Zoro says.  “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“Okay, marimo,” Sanji says.  He glances down at the boards.  “Nothing that can’t be fixed, anyway.”

“And that’s only if your old man notices them,” Zoro points out.  “Where is he, anyway?”

“Kitchen,” Sanji says.  “It’s just past lunchtime, there’s nowhere else he could be.  C’mon.”

The pair struts into the restaurant, and Sanji is suddenly very aware that they are two of the most wanted people in the world, and that the attendants of the Baratie have no way of knowing why they would be there.  He becomes aware of this when the previously chattering dining room falls absolutely silent.

“Is that Roronoa Zoro?” someone loudly whispers.

“None of your business,” Zoro says loudly, and Sanji steps on his foot.  “What the hell was that for?”

“Shut up,” Sanji hisses, and drags Zoro to the back of the dining room and through the doors to the kitchen as quickly as possible.

The kitchen is a completely different story than the dining room, as it was loud enough when they entered, and the moment someone notices them, they yell, “Sanji’s back!”

The chefs at work don’t leave their stations, but they crane their necks and shout greetings at Sanji.  Sanji beams at all of them, and shouts over the cacophony, “Where’s the shitty old man?”

“In the back,” Patty calls, looking over his shoulder.  “Chopping carrots.  Glaring in your direction.  Oh, glaring at the carrots now.”

“Welcoming as always,” Sanji mutters.

“Should we, uh, wait?” Zoro asks.

“For what?” Sanji responds.  “It’s not like he’s gonna come to us.  If we wait, we’ll be here all day.”  He marches to the back, Zoro close behind.

Zeff is, as promised, glaring at a cutting board of carrots.  He grunts, and Sanji takes that to mean they’ve been recognized.

“Old man,” he greets.  “I see you haven’t keeled over yet.”

Zeff grunts again.  “I see you finally managed to visit me.”

Sanji bristles.  “I’m busy!  I’m back here for Usopp’s wedding, and I thought, out of the goodness of my heart—”

Zoro coughs, and it sounds suspiciously like, “I convinced him to come.”

“—out of the goodness of my heart, I’d give my former home a visit!” Sanji finishes loudly.  “And yes, the moss-head may have had some influence, but it was my decision!”

Zeff turns his glare on Zoro, and nods sharply.  He then returns back to concentrating on the carrots.

“Always a stunning conversationalist,” Sanji remarks sarcastically.

“Thank you for that,” Zeff says, cocking his head to his right and managing to tap Zoro with his hat.  “He barely even calls.”

“I do call!” Sanji protests.  “You don’t pick up!”

“Calling me when you know I’ve turned in for the night,” Zeff grumbles.

“I’m busy!”

“Sailed with the king of the pirates and now doesn’t even have time for his old man,” Zeff continues.  “Shame, really.”

Zoro snickers.  Sanji is fuming.

“You know, I can take Zoro and sail back to Syrup Village—” He starts, and Zeff shakes his head.

“No, no.  I want to talk to him about something,” Zeff says.  

Sanji waits, and when Zeff doesn’t follow up, he asks, “And what about me?”

“What about you?” Zeff asks.  “You gonna pick up a pan and help with the lunch rush or just stand there?”

Sanji lights a cigarette to stop himself from sending his foot through the wall.  “When you decide to grace us with your presence, we’ll be in your office.”

“No fooling around!” Zeff yells after them.  “I still work there, you know!”

“Gross!” Sanji yells back. 

Sanji slams the door of Zeff’s office shut behind them, and Zoro bursts out laughing.  “Oh, don’t you dare.”

“I always forget you got your attitude problem from him,” Zoro says, wiping a tear from his eye.  “Now you see what I deal with.”

“Fuck off, I don’t have an attitude problem!” Sanji exclaims.

“You don’t,” Zoro abates, then grins.  “But you sure got an attitude from him.”

“I am not becoming my old man,” Sanji says firmly.

“Good.  I don’t think a mustache would suit you,” Zoro says, then starts laughing again.  “You’d look dumb as hell.”

“You’d look dumb as hell with a mustache,” Sanji replies automatically.  “It’d be like a piece of lettuce taped under your nose.”

Zoro swipes at Sanji, and Sanji kicks him back, and they’re still squabbling when Zeff walks into the office.

“I said no fooling around!” he barks, and Sanji stands up rapidly, upsetting Zoro’s delicate position of trying to grind his elbow into Sanji’s sternum.

“We weren’t!” Sanji exclaims, red-faced.

“Convincing, Cook,” Zoro says from the ground.  Sanji hauls him up by the arms.

“We were just sparring!” Sanji protests, and Zeff raises his eyebrows.

“In my own office,” he sighs, sitting down behind his desk.  “No matter.  You two are consenting adults, for better or for worse, and it’s not like the eggplant has ever been quiet about his libido—”

“Oh my god, shut up,” Sanji says, burying his face in his hands.  “I hate this.”

Zoro has the audacity to laugh again.  Sanji has half a mind to re-instigate their fight, but Zeff clears his throat in the universal parental signal of “be quiet, I’m going to talk now,” and both of them shut their mouths.

“I am happy to see you, eggplant,” Zeff says.  He taps the wanted posters that Sanji hadn’t noticed before—his hand drawn one from after then Enies Lobby debacle, then the even worse on from Dressrosa, the “only alive” one with the same picture, and his most recent one, from after Luffy had found the one piece.  He’s pretty sure it was taken when he had opened up the Cherie, and he thinks he was arguing with Zoro when it was taken.

“Your bounty still says Vinsmoke,” Zeff says bluntly, and Sanji is abruptly yanked out of his thoughts.

“So what?” he snaps.  “It’s not like I can walk up to Marine headquarters and ask them to change it.”

“There are other ways of getting your name changed,” Zeff says cryptically.

“What the hell does that mean?” Sanji asks.

Zeff shakes his head.  “If you don’t understand, you don’t understand.  I’m just saying that I’m surprised that name is still on the poster.”  He looks pointedly at Zoro as he says the last bit.

“Do you…want me to go to the Marines and ask them to change it?” Zoro asks, furrowing his brow.  “I still don’t think they’d do it.  Well, maybe.”  He turns to Sanji.  “Do you want me to try that?”

“No, grasshead,” Sanji says.  “But thank you for offering.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, stupid,” Zeff says.

“What are you talking about, then?!” Sanji asks, exasperated.

Zeff gives him a hard look.  “That’s for you to figure out.”

“Maybe I could, if you’d stop speaking in fucking riddles!” Sanji exclaims. 

“I’m not speaking in riddles,” Zeff grumbles.  “You’re both just young and stupid.”

“Uncalled for,” Zoro mutters.

“When you understand, you’ll understand.  You understand?” Zeff asks.

Sanji is struck with the urge to throw a temper tantrum, but he is an adult, and he controls himself.  He is not unable to stop his leg from inexplicably catching on fire, and Zeff looks at it for a moment before ordering, “Put that out before you burn the whole ship down.”

Sanji holds his tongue up until Zoro and he are back on their boat back to Syrup Village, and he allows himself a little temper tantrum.

“It’s not fair!” he complains.  “He obviously wanted to tell us something, but just wouldn’t fucking tell us!  That stupid, stubborn, smartass bastard!”

Zoro rolls his eyes—eye.  He points at Sanji.  “Pot.”  He points in the opposite direction of the Baratie.  “Kettle.”

“Yes, thank you for pointing out I am similar to the man who raised me,” Sanji says snidely.  “This is the first time you have ever made such an assertion to me, and it’s completely changed the way I view myself as a person.  Thank you so, so much.”

Zoro snorts.  “You’re not that similar.  Zeff isn’t as sarcastic.”

“Really?” Sanji asks in fake astonishment.  “I hadn’t fucking noticed.”

“It’s good you visited,” Zoro continues, undaunted.  “He obviously missed you.”

“He couldn’t wait for us to leave,” Sanji responds.

“Yeah, but he still missed you,” Zoro says firmly.  “It’s good you visited.  You should call more.”

“You of all people are not getting on my case about calling people,” Sanji says.  “Get Usopp to lecture me about being a bad son, if anyone.”

“Speaking of,” Zoro begins.  “You have any idea if he invited Yasopp to the wedding?”

Sanji frowns.  “He better not have.  If Usopp doesn’t kill him on his own, I know a whole host of people ready and willing to do it for him.”

“I mean, it’s his wedding.  Let him invite his deadbeat dad if he wants to,” Zoro says with a shrug.

“I’m just saying Yasopp doesn’t have a devil fruit power,” Sanji replies.  “A kick into the ocean won’t kill him.”  He glances at Zoro.  “Not like a sword to the stomach would, anyway.”

“I wouldn’t kill him,” Zoro protests.  “Who’s to say my sword would even reach him, huh?”

“Okay, Mr. Humblest-Greatest-Swordsman-In-The-World,” Sanji says, rolling his eyes.  

“I don’t underestimate my opponents,” Zoro says stubbornly.

“Not since Mihawk, the very first time,” Sanji points out.

To his surprise, Zoro nods.  “Not since then.  Underestimation is an invitation to defeat.”

Sanji grins.  “Damn straight.  If you lose to someone else anytime soon, you’re kicked off my boat.”

“I won’t lose,” Zoro says with a grin of his own.  “You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

It feels like a vow more than anything else—a promise that Zoro will stay with Sanji, no matter how bad things get.  A warm feeling blossoms in Sanji’s chest, and even when they disembark back on Syrup Village and Zoro immediately walks into the woods, the feeling stays.

Sanji, for whatever reason, had assumed that Usopp and Kaya’s wedding would be a smaller affair than Franky and Robin’s.  Staring at what seems to be the entire village plus every other person they’ve met on their journey, Sanji realizes he was mistaken.

“Did he invite Dorry and Brogy?” Sanji mutters.  

“That’s who was on the guest list,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “And the two giants from Enies Lobby.”

“Did he invite every single giant he became acquaintances with?” Sanji asks.

“He called them his friends,” Zoro says, and that’s enough of an answer for Sanji.

“The entire island is going to sink,” he says simply.

“He didn’t invite Yasopp, though,” Zoro adds.  Sanji could laugh.

“I almost wish he did!” he says.  “He’d be suffocated by the amount of people here!”

“I think it’s nice,” Zoro says.  “People love Usopp.”

That’s something Sanji can’t argue with—people absolutely adore Usopp.  Those in Syrup Village love Kaya, but everyone who traveled to the wedding is there to see the sharpshooter himself.  He’s glad the bachelor’s party was a few days ago, with all the Strawhats and the strange beetle-man, Heracles. 

“Heracles is like…like my best friend, you know?” Usopp had drunkenly rambled, his arm awkwardly slung around Heracles’ much taller shoulder.  “Aside from you guys.  I love you guys so much.  I feel like I don’t say that enough.  I love you.”

Sanji is glad Usopp had more than one day to recover from his hangover, as well.  Sanji knows he himself can’t hold his alcohol well, but Nami and Zoro just kept demanding toasts with Usopp.  The poor guy didn’t stand a chance.

That being said, Zoro threw a hell of a bachelor’s party.  Sanji suspects the only things Zoro “planned” were the presence of the Strawhats (plus Heracles) and an ocean’s amount of alcohol.  Usopp hadn’t minded.

Sanji had placed a sloppy, wet kiss on Zoro’s cheek as Usopp cried about how much he loved his friends and how much he loved Kaya, and declared, “You did good.  I told you you would.”

“Yeah, you did,” Zoro had replied.  Sanji has leaned his head against him.

“You’re so nice when I’m drunk,” he had said.

“Someone has to be.  You’re more stupid than normal when you’re drunk.”

Sanji remembers pushing Zoro, and then Usopp had yelled something about “no fighting at my bachelor’s party, seriously, I mean it guys!”

Thinking about it, Sanji is glad he also was given an extra few days to recover before the wedding.  He’s relatively certain he had the second-worst hangover after Usopp, because his body hates him.  It was bad enough that Robin and Chopper had made breakfast the following day.

The wedding is outdoors, just like Franky and Robin’s, and a good thing too, because Sanji doubts there’s a building in the entire East Blue that can hold one giant, much less four.  Sanji is glad he’s had practice cooking for Luffy—he has to make the hors d'oeuvres a little bigger, and he, Franky, and Zoro have to take a little trip to the Calm Belt to catch sea kings, but it’s the least he could do for Usopp’s wedding.

Zoro tells him he contacted the Baratie to help with food.  Sanji is almost mad, but Nami snorts and says, “He was pissed.   He kept yelling about how ‘do you want your son to pass out from exhaustion? No?  Then show some fucking backbone and cater this wedding!’”

Zoro also tells him that Nami was just as angry as he was, and bullied Patty into knocking the catering price down.

“Not that we don’t think you’re capable,” Nami says quickly, elbowing Zoro.  “It’s just that you shouldn’t be working yourself to death for Usopp’s wedding.”

“Shouldn’t be working yourself to death in general,” Zoro mutters, and Nami elbows him noticeably harder.

“Get back up where you belong,” Nami orders, and Zoro sticks out his tongue at her.  “You’re about to be the poorest best man in the world, swordsman!”

“Assuming he isn’t already,” Sanji points out.  It’s strange—Zoro is only a few feet away, at the altar, and Sanji suddenly wants him back next to them. 

“I’m probably the poorest greatest swordsman in the world,” Zoro says.  “Neither of you are the greatest swordsman of anything.”

“Oh, he has a point,” Nami says.  “Sanji, how does it feel to run a successful restaurant and yet not be the greatest swordsman in the world?”

“Well, the greatest swordsman in the world has taken up permanent residency with me, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much,” Sanji says.  “And you, Nami dear?  Heartbroken over not being the greatest swordsman in the world?”

“Absolutely,” Nami says.  “My life is so terrible—I’m mapping the world, fulfilling my dream, and am the future consort of Alabasta, but I can’t sleep at night because the title of greatest swordsman in the world eludes me.”

Zoro stares at her.  Sanji’s eyes are wide, and he asks, “What?”

Nami’s brow furrows.  “What?”

“You said you’re the future consort of Alabasta,” Zoro says, walking back over to them to keep his voice low.  “Is that true?”

Nami goes red in an instant, and hides her face in her hands.  “Oh, son of a bitch, I was supposed to keep that secret.”

“Nami, really?” Sanji asks, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.  “You and Vivi—?”

“Shut up,” Nami says, face still in hands.  “This is Usopp’s special day.”

“But you are—?” Zoro asks.

“Oh my god, I just said shut up,” Nami says.  She peeks through her fingers.  “It’s complicated, but…yes.”

“That’s amazing!” Sanji exclaims.  “Congratulations!”

“I don’t hear you!” Nami declares.  “It’s Usopp’s special day and I don’t hear you!  You can congratulate me when we go public, and don’t you dare tell Vivi you know!”

Sanji swipes his finger over his chest.  “Cross my heart.”

“And hope to die,” Zoro finishes, mimicking the motion.

“And you will if you spread this around,” Nami threatens.  “I’ll—make you two walk the plank in the Calm Belt.  I’ve always wanted to make someone do that.”

“Sounds a lot like a mutiny to me,” Zoro says.  Nami waves her hand dismissively.

“I’ll convince Luffy, I have my ways,” she says flippantly.  “And then it won’t be mutiny at all.”

“Does anyone else know?” Sanji asks.

Nami fiddles with her Paradise log pose.  “My sister and Genzo.  We stopped by Cocoyashi Village while we were in the area.”  She looks at her feet.  “Told Belle-mère, too.  It’s funny—I think even if she were alive, she’d be a lot easier to convince than the Alabastan royals.”

“Cobra doesn’t know yet?” Zoro asks, eyebrows raised.

“Hell no.  Stop talking about it,” Nami says.  “We—me and Vivi—will cross that bridge when we come to it.  Now can you please get back to where you’re supposed to be for Usopp’s big day?”  She glances around.  “Speaking of which, where is he?”

“Heracles was helping him get dressed,” Zoro says with a shrug.

“Well, shouldn’t he be out here by now?” Nami reasons.  “Seeing as Kaya’s supposed to come to him, and not go searching for him like he’s buried treasure?”

“Usopp could be the new one piece,” Sanji says.  “Send Luffy after him, he’ll get found eventually.”

“You’re the best man,” Nami says, pointing at Zoro.  “Go find the happy groom.”

Zoro rolls his eyes.  “Cook, come with me.  If he’s crying his eyes out, I’m gonna need you to distract him while I pick him up.”

Sanji sighs dramatically, but doesn’t put up a fight.  “Nami, give Vivi my love when she comes back, and don’t let Luffy start the wedding without Usopp.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Nami promises.

Zoro and Sanji find Usopp where they expected—in his childhood home, dressed in his fanciest suit, with Heracles.  They unfortunately also find him in the position they expected: sobbing his eyes out into Heracles’ suit.

“There, there, Usopp-un!  You mustn’t cry!  You will become dehydrated!” Heracles booms, patting Usopp on the back.  Usopp sobs harder.

“Oy, Usopp,” Zoro says to announce their presence.  “You’re gonna be late to your own wedding.”

“I’ve come down with I-love-Kaya-too-much-and-I-can’t-ruin-her-life-by-marrying-her disease,” Usopp says through his tears.

“I’m going to smack you,” Zoro says firmly, and takes a step forward, but Sanji puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Don’t smack him,” Sanji says.  “Not yet, anyway.”  He looks at Usopp.  “What’s wrong with you?  Kaya thinks you hung the moon and stars.  You’ve been in love with her since before I met you.  You’re the most loyal son of a bitch I know, and now you’re not going to marry her?”

“You declared war on the World Government without a second thought, and you’re having doubts about this?” Zoro points out.

“That’s different!  I hated the World Government!  I love Kaya!” Usopp wails.  “It all just—what if she realizes she’s making a mistake?”

“I’m seriously going to smack you,” Zoro says.  Sanji holds up a hand.

“Usopp, why would she think she’s making a mistake?” Sanji asks.  “You’re a great guy.  You’re smart, and funny, and from what you’ve told us, it seems like you were helping her get through the day here before you left.  Hell, she sent you letters all the time at sea, and you wrote her twice as much.”

“You wrote even on the Bowen Archipelago, despite me telling you it would be very difficult for your mail to get all the way to the East Blue!” Heracles declares.

“But I left her before!” Usopp yells, wiping at his eyes furiously.  “I just left her to go sailing, and she waited here, not knowing if I’d come back or not, and…”  He trails off, and a fresh wave of tears appears.

“I’ve changed my mind.  I’m actually going to sea to kill Yasopp,” Zoro mutters.

“I’d join you if I thought we could find him in the next ten minutes,” Sanji says lowly.  “Okay, Usopp, yes, you left.  But would you have been happy here, if you hadn’t gone out to sea?”

Usopp minutely shakes his head.

“You wouldn’t have met Sanji, or Chopper, or Robin, or Franky, or Brook, or Jinbei, or half the people out there right now,” Zoro says.  “Me and Nami and Luffy would’ve just been a memory to you.  You went out to sea to follow your dream, Usopp.”  Zoro puts his hand on Usopp’s shoulder, and looks him in the eye.  “And you know what’s important?  You came back.”

Usopp wipes at his eyes again, and this time, no new tears replace the old ones, though his face is still noticeably wet.  “I did come back.”

“And now you’re going to go outside and marry Kaya,” Zoro finishes.  “Or I swear I will smack you.”

Usopp laughs weakly.  “Thanks, Zoro.”

“I’m not joking,” Zoro warns.  “Get out of here.”

“We’ve all got to get out of here,” Sanji points out.  “Heracles, thanks for holding Usopp together.”

“I do my best!” Heracles says and gestures to his suit.  “This is not the first time I have soaked up Usopp-un’s tears!”

“I’m an emotional guy, it’s one of my charms,” Usopp jokes as Sanji pushes him towards the door.

“Yeah, yeah, we all love you and want the best for you in life, go get married,” Sanji says insistently.

The four of them manage to get back to the cliff (with some minor redirecting of Zoro) and find Luffy with his suit pants ripped off at the knee, being sat on by Chopper, Franky, Robin, and Vivi, and being lectured by Nami.

“Food comes after the ceremony, Luffy!” she exclaims.

“I just wanted a snack!” Luffy complains.  “You’re being stingier than Sanji.  I know if Usopp was here, he’d say it’s okay to have a little!”

“But that’s just it, Luffy!  You won’t just have a little!  You’ll unhinge your jaw, and all the food on the island will disappear!” Nami points out.  

“I promise not to!”

“I don’t believe you!”

“Usopp!” Vivi exclaims, and Nami turns around.

“Oh, thank god,” she says, relief evident in her voice.  “Where have you been?”

“Usopp’s late to his own wedding and you aren’t being mean to him,” Luffy complains.  “No fair!”

“I’m not late!” Usopp protests, worry lining his face.  “Am I?”

“Just on time,” Zoro reassures.

Luffy pops up from the ground as soon as the last Strawhat gets off of him, revealing that he has also ripped the sleeves off his suit jacket, and that his entire front is covered in dirt.  It seems he had not gone down without a fight.

“Where’s Kaya?  I wanna marry them now,” Luffy says.

“Just like the rehearsal, Luffy, Kaya comes down the aisle, they say their vows, and then you marry them,” Nami says.  

“Well, I want Kaya to come down now!”

“Give me strength,” Nami mutters.  “Brook, get ready to start playing.  Zoro, can you get everyone’s attention?”

“Sure,” Zoro says, and barely pauses before hollering, “Everyone shut up, the wedding’s starting!”

The guests, who have been chattering at what Sanji thought was an appropriate level, fall dead silent.  They stare at the Strawhats, all clustered by the cliff’s edge.

“Now what?” Zoro asks.

“Now everyone else sits down and the wedding starts,” Nami says through her teeth, clenched in a forced smile. 

Zoro moves to sit, and Nami grabs him before he can get too far.  “And you, best man, stay here with me and Luffy and Usopp.”

“See you on the other side,” Sanji quips, moving to sit in the front row.  Vivi smiles at Nami before taking the seat directly to Sanji’s right.

“Singles club, now,” she whispers.  Sanji snorts and barely stops a comment about her recent engagement—he doesn’t care how happy Nami is about Usopp’s wedding, he is positive she’ll toss him off the cliff’s edge, and he’d have no business resisting.

Zoro raises his eyebrows at Sanji, and Sanji raises his back in response.  He’s glad Zoro stuck it through as Usopp’s best man, but he really wishes Zoro was standing next to him at the moment.  Zoro cocks his head at the aisle, and when Sanji turns to look, he realizes Kaya has already started making her way toward Usopp, escorted by Merry.

It’s not the same impact as Robin—Sanji’s been through what feels like a lifetime with Robin, seen her at her highest and lowest, and seen what she and Franky have first-hand.  He doesn’t have that with Kaya, and it’s not a slight against her, but it’s not the same.

Usopp, on the other hand—Sanji’s heart swells when he glances back at him.  Usopp deserves this more than anyone.  Sanji thinks it’s sweet, how devoted Usopp was to Kaya on their journey, and how close they remained.  It’s not like it had been easy—Sanji had seen the late nights in the kitchen, Usopp with his head in his hands, muttering to himself if he had the right choice, that he should’ve told Kaya that if she found someone new to take their hand and never look back.  Sanji hadn’t always verbally responded—when he did, it was usually along the lines of “don’t be stupid” and nothing more—but he always made him puff-puffs.  

He thinks Usopp appreciated that, more than anything.

Kaya finishes her wedding march and stands across from Usopp, wearing a smile almost too wide for her face.  Luffy opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, Nami slaps her hand over it.

“Thank you for joining us here today,” she says, keeping her hand placed firmly on Luffy’s mouth.  “I’m sure the officiator is also planning on thanking you all for making the trip—some much longer than others—and he is not just going to demand that Usopp and Kaya kiss.  Isn’t that right, Luffy?”

She removes her hand, and Luffy sulks and, with great reluctance, says, “Thank you for coming.”  He takes a deep breath, as if preparing to yell, and Nami’s hand is back on his mouth in an instant.

“What a kind and thoughtful sentiment,” she says sweetly.  “I would also like to remind the officiator that I do not care if he licks my hand, and for each lick, he will be fined five hundred berries.  The happy couple will get through their vows uninterrupted, so help me god.”

Someone learned from Robin and Franky’s wedding.

“I met Usopp here, years and years ago now,” Nami says.  “He was...well, young.  We all were.  Me and these two chuckleheads—” she gestures to Luffy and Zoro with her free hand “—met him down on the beach on the other side of the island.  And right here—or, rather, somewhere down there, approximately—is where Usopp nearly bled to death while saving Kaya’s life.  Hell of a way to make an impression on people, I gotta say.”

There are laughs in the crowd, some more nervous than others.

“I guess the first thing I learned about Usopp was that he’s a liar,” Nami continues.  “And the second thing I learned about him is that he’s one of the most honest, caring, truly good people in the world.  I hadn’t met a whole lot of those in my life.  And as I got to know him better, and as we went through more and more, I realized that this wasn’t a surface-level goodness.  It wasn’t just a skin-deep goodness.  Usopp’s goodness goes to his bones.  Usopp’s goodness goes to his soul.”  She takes a breath, and wipes her eyes.  “And, despite everything we’ve been through, everything he’s gone to, he’s kept that goodness.”

Nami goes on to talk about Kaya, but Sanji can’t pay attention.  He’s focused on Zoro, who looks close to tears, which is a sight Sanji will never be used to.  He’s brought back to reality by Nami’s voice breaking with her closing statement of, “Life isn’t a fairytale, but damn if Usopp and Kaya haven’t come close.”

“Thank you, Nami,” Kaya murmurs.

“And now I will remove my hand from the officiator’s mouth, not because it is time for him to do his job, but because I want both hands free for the vows,” Nami says, giving Luffy the side-eye.  She slowly brings her hand away from his mouth, revealing a pout, but he doesn’t try to say anything.  He does mouth the word ‘mean’ at Nami, and she wipes her hand on her dress, ignoring him.

Kaya smiles at Usopp, raising her eyebrows, and he subtly quirks his finger up at her, as if to say “you first.”  Kaya mouths back, “me first?” and Usopp nods, wiping at his eyes.

“The first time I met you, Usopp,” Kaya begins.  “I was sick.  I was sure I was going to die before my eighteenth birthday.  I didn’t have much to live for, and that made me sicker, and my sickness made me hate life, and I was stuck in a positive feedback loop.  And seemingly, out of nowhere, you found me.  You were my first real friend.  You were the first person in years to treat me like a person, and not like something breakable.  You came up to my window and you told me stories, and that is what saved my life.  You saved me from myself.

“When you set out to sea, I was happy.  You were finally pursuing your dream, and I could finally pursue mine.  I may have lost my best friend temporarily, but I was stronger.  I was smarter.  I began research, I learned how to practice medicine, I began to paint and fish and take joy in the smallest things.  I made other friends and I became a different person,” Kaya says.  “And I wrote to you whenever I could, and I knew you were becoming a different person, too, and that was a wonderful thing.  I made a promise to myself that if you came back injured, I’d be able to fix anything.  Imagine my surprise when you came back without a scratch—you weren’t even hungry!”

Sanji hides a smile.  He had left a copy of simpler recipes on the Sunny that he knew the crew enjoyed as a whole, and he’s glad to know it hadn’t gone to waste.

“We’ve already been with each other through sickness and health, through rich times and poor.  I promise that I will stand by you as more come our way, and together, we can take down anything.  We can stand against anyone.  We can lift up anything,” Kaya says.  “And I’m going to try my hardest to lift you up every day.”

Usopp sniffs loudly.  “Going second was a bad idea.”

Kaya laughs softly.  “Well, I don’t think I can go again.”

“No, I made my bed, now I have to say my vows in it,” Usopp says, wiping at his eyes.  “Kaya, I—wow.  Give me a moment.”  He takes a deep breath, centering himself.  

“Kaya, you—neither of our childhoods were ideal, to say the least.  Neither of us had friends our age until we found each other—or, I guess, I found you, as you put it.  Hard to find people when you’re confined to a mansion,” he says, smiling a little.  “Neither of us had parents.  I mean, you had Merry to help, and my father—” He breaks off, closes his eyes, and continues.  “He was a brave warrior of the sea, part of Red-Haired Shanks’ crew, and knew no end to adventure.” 

Usopp opens his eyes and takes another deep breath, and Sanji finds himself holding his own.

“But I was also a brave warrior of the sea.  I had adventures that I still have a hard time believing.  And I was the sharpshooter of the King of the Pirates.”  Usopp takes Kaya’s hands, and Sanji wishes he could hold Zoro’s.  “My father isn’t here today, and I can’t say I’d want him here if he showed up.  But I don’t want that for you, and I don’t want that for our future children.  Kaya, I spent so many years away from you, helping Luffy, sailing on the Grand Line, but now I’ve come back.  You—you’re my new dream.  I love you.”  The smile returns to his face.  “In sickness and health.  In rich and poor times.  On the sea and on the land, on the Grand Line or in the East Blue, or any of the others, for that matter.  As pirates and snipers and doctors and heiresses and husband and wife.”

Luffy grins from ear to ear, even as tears pour down Nami’s face, and Zoro swipes at his own eyes.  Sanji could almost laugh if he wasn’t also fighting tears.  

“Hey, Usopp?” Luffy asks, with that wide, toothy smile.  “Do you take Kaya to be your wife?”

“I do,” Usopp says.  His tears seem to have dried.

“And Kaya, do you take Usopp to be your husband?” Luffy asks.

“I do,” Kaya says breathlessly.

“I think that’s everything!  Right, Nami?” Luffy asks, turning around.  She nods vigorously, rubbing her wet face.  “Great!  Now kiss!”

Kaya all but tackles Usopp, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing the life out of him.  It startles a laugh not only out of Sanji, but what sounds like half the guests.  There are some whistles from the back.  When the couple breaks apart, Sanji can see a bright red blush on Kaya’s face.

Deep in his gut, Sanji feels that same tug of envy he felt at Robin and Franky’s wedding.  He shoves it down, refusing to acknowledge its presence, and smiles.  He glances from Usopp to Zoro.  He’s surprised to find Zoro looking back at him.  Before he can mouth something tactful like “stop staring,” Kaya’s voice rings out.

“The reception will be held back in Syrup Village, by the mansion,” she says.  She tilts her head up, and Sanji knows she’s looking at the giants.  “And for our larger guests, be careful not to accidentally step on anyone!  I’d prefer no casualties today.”

“NO WORRIES, MISS KAYA!” Dorry (or is it Brogy?) booms.

“SHE’S MRS. KAYA NOW, STUPID,” Brogy (or maybe this one is Dorry) says just as loudly.

People begin to leave, and Sanji takes that as a sign he’s allowed to stand up and speak with Kaya and Usopp.

“What’s married life like?” He asks.

“Well, it’s been maybe forty seconds,” Usopp says.  He looks at Kaya.  “Do you feel much different?”

Kaya laughs and kisses Usopp again.  “I can do that whenever I want to now.”

“You could do that before!”

Zoro snorts, sidling up next to Sanji.  Sanji can see his face is still wet and his eyes are still a little red, and he’d tease Zoro if he wasn’t sure he looks the same.  “I’m happy for you guys.”

“Is this what every wedding I go to is going to be like?” Nami asks, rubbing her face.  “Just crying my eyes out?”

“It isn’t the worst thing in the world,” Sanji says.

“Weepy-hoshi told me that crying’s good for you,” Luffy says.  “It’s caloric.”

“Cathartic,” Zoro corrects.  “Food’s caloric.”

“I’m so hungry,” Luffy complains, hopping topics.  “Can you let me go now, Robin?  That was a mean trick to play.”

Sanji glanced down just in time to see a pair of hands gripping Luffy’s ankles burst into petals.  Robin approaches from behind them, smiling.

“I could’ve gotten out of that,” Luffy pouts.  “I was just being nice.  Also I would’ve tripped and that would’ve sucked.”

“It was certainly a test of my grip strength,” Robin says.  “Not to mention a bit of Armament haki.”

Kaya laughs, and says, “Luffy, you can go eat.” Luffy bounces back to his cheery self instantaneously.

“Congrats again!” he cheers, then takes off.

“Goodbye, reception food,” Usopp says wistfully.

“The great thing about food,” Sanji says.  “Is that you can always make more.  But with that being said, we should all probably hurry.  Who knows what poor sap Zeff sent from the Baratie.”

It turns out, in a cruel twist of fate, the poor sap is Sanji.  Zeff has sent Patty and Carne, because of course he has.  The only thing more embarrassing would have been if Zeff had decided to show up himself.

“What is that?  Beer?” Sanji asks, pointing at Zoro’s drink.

“Rum,” Zoro says.  “Feels weird drinking it out of a glass and not the bottle.”

“That’s because you’re a barbarian,” Sanji says.  “Anyway, give it here.”

“But it’s mine,” Zoro says.  “Get your own.”

“But you see, to get my own, I would have to walk past my former co-workers,” Sanji explains, closing his eyes.  “And I thought, because you love me, you would not force me to go through that.”

Zoro rolls his eye, but hands his glass to Sanji.  “I’m not this dramatic with Johnny and Yosaku.”

“Johnny and Yosaku didn’t know you when you were twelve, did they?” Sanji asks.  He takes a large sip.  “Johnny and Yosaku look up to you, and respect you, and again, did not know you when you were twelve.”

Zoro looks around Sanji.  “I think they’re trying to get your attention.”

“It’s a pity my back is to them and therefore I don’t know that,” Sanji replies.

“I think they’re trying to get me over there now,” Zoro says.  He raises his eyebrows.  “Should I go?”

“No.”

“Hey, Mr. Green!  Mr. Swordsman!” Carne whisper-yells.

Sanji whirls around in his seat, glaring at the pair.  They immediately pretend to start working again, and Sanji turns back around.  “I don’t know what they want with you, but I’m sure it’s something the shitty old man set them up to.  Just ignore them.”

“Psst!  Mr. Sanji’s boyfriend!”

“Will you two shut up?” Sanji yells, turning once more in his chair.

“Ignore them like that?” Zoro asks.  He waves at Patty and Carne.

“Forget it,” Sanji groans, burying his face in his hands.  “Maybe if you see what they want, they’ll leave me alone.”

“Is that permission to talk to them?” Zoro teases.

“Go, before I change my mind,” Sanji says.

Zoro gets up, and seconds later, Franky sits down.

“Super wedding, bro!” He exclaims.  “Haven’t had this much fun since mine and Robin’s!”

“The bachelor party was fun,” Sanji says, sipping his rum.

“Too much alcohol, not enough cola,” Franky says with a wave of his hand.  “Here?  Perfect amount of cola, bro!  I could rage for days!”

“I’m sure Kaya and Usopp will appreciate that,” Sanji says.  “Where’s Robin?”

“Over there,” Franky says, pointing with his head.  Robin is sitting at a nearby table, her hands crossed in front of her and her eyes closed, a smile on her face.

“What’s she doing?” Sanji asks.

“Spying on people.  Playing mean jokes.  Robin stuff,” Franky says, shrugging.  “She’s having her fun, so I’m having mine.  How have you and Zoro-bro been?  Must’ve been great to get a few extra weeks with Usopp!”

“It’s been…interesting,” Sanji says carefully.  “I’m not as stressed about the Cherie as I thought I’d be.  Kaya and Usopp and Zoro have kept me distracted.  Been staying in the mansion, doing lots of wedding preparation.”

“I could not believe how long it takes to plan a wedding,” Franky says solemnly.  “You know, there are people making a living off of this?  Iceburg found someone in Water Seven to take care of things like—I don’t even remember, flowers, and wedding cake flavors, and invitation fonts.  Shit we didn’t have time for, you know?”

“I did know wedding planners existed, yes, Franky,” Sanji says.  He’s almost out of rum—Zoro had put a dent on it to begin with, and Sanji hasn’t exactly been going light on it.  He’d only been nibbling on hors d'oeuvres, and the alcohol is beginning to catch up to him.  “Can I have a cola?  I need something else in my stomach, I’m not Zoro.”

“‘Course, bro,” Franky says.  His vest is already popped open, so it’s simply a matter of opening his refrigerator of a stomach and handing one to Sanji.  “You sure you don’t want to get sloshed?  Could be fun.”

“I’m positive,” Sanji confirms, pouring the cola into his glass.  “I wouldn’t disrespect a lady like Kaya like that on her wedding.”

There’s what sounds like someone tripping and falling with a cry, and seconds later, a hand sprouts from the table.  Franky high-fives it without second thought.

“Nice one, babe!” he shouts, flashing a thumbs up at Robin.  Though her eyes are still closed, her smile grows wider, and the hand on the table shifts to also give a thumbs up, then disappears in a burst of petals.

“You and Robin seem well,” Sanji comments.

“You have no idea what a relief it is to be back on the Sunny,” Franky says.  “I love Water Seven, but I love travelling more.  Robin is still finding runes, you know?  Slowly piecing everything together.”

“Admirable work,” Sanji says.  “Sailing is…yeah.  I do miss it.  It helps that I still live on a boat.  I get to cook for new people everyday.”

“And you’re not alone,” Franky says.  “I bet that helps.”

“Well, a rolling stone gathers no moss,” Sanji says with a snort.  “And I do want to keep my moss around.  Is he still talking to Patty and Carne?”

“The two cooks?  Yeah,” Franky says.  “He looks, uh, confused?”

“Business as usual, then,” Sanji hums.  “How’s the Sunny?”

“In tip-top shape, obviously,” Franky says proudly.  “We’ve been sailing her through Paradise, hitting different islands so Nami can map them.  I keep begging them to at least let me try to get us up to Skypiea, but Nami says no revisiting sky islands until she’s seen all the ones on the ocean.  She never has a problem sailing to Alabasta, though.”

“Did Vivi give her an eternal pose?” Sanji asks.  

“You know it,” Franky says.  “When we’re on the Sunny, she’s got her Paradise pose on one arm, her New World poses on the other, and her eternal pose to Alabasta around her neck.”

“Romantic,” Sanji says with a wistful sigh.  “I’m sure she has her worries about shooting another ship ten thousand meters up in the air.”

“The Sunny survived ten thousand meters under the sea,” Franky says.  “I bet I could get her up there, no Knock-Up Stream needed.”

“It’s not the up that’s the problem,” Sanji says.  “Our trip down is what killed the Merry.”

“That ship loved you guys a hell of a lot,” Franky says. He shakes his head.  “Man, I miss sailing with Usopp.  Kid had more brains and heart than he knew what to do with.” 

“Yeah,” Sanji says in agreement.  He’s not sure what else to say.

“Luffy’s taking it kind of hard, I think,” Franky says quietly.  “Harder than he’s letting on, anyway.  I don’t know how he’d be if Nami wasn’t there.”

Him and Nami are the only East Bluers still going on adventures together, Sanji realizes with a start.  “I—wasn’t thinking about that.”

“Don’t start feeling guilty, bro,” Franky says.  “Luffy doesn’t need you to go all martyr-complex on him.  He’s a tough guy.  He’ll get through this—we all will.  We’ve got snails and letters and boats.  We’ve survived worse things than an ocean or two of separation.”

“You’re right,” Sanji says.  “I’m just…I don’t know.  I love seeing everyone in one place.  I wish it wasn’t just because of a special occasion.”

“Just gotta have more special occasions,” Franky says with a smile.

A hand once again sprouts from the table, followed by a second, and they rapidly sign something to Franky.  He blinks.

“Nami and Vivi are engaged?” he asks loudly.

“Quiet!” Sanji hisses as the hands give the “okay” sign, then disappear.  “It’s supposed to be a secret!”

“Shit, sorry!” Franky says, then lowers his voice to a whisper, “Nami and Vivi are engaged?”

“Nami let it slip earlier to me and Zoro,” Sanji says.  “She doesn’t want to steal any spotlight from Usopp.  I think it might be, uh, officially unofficial, too.”  He lowers his voice further.  “The king doesn’t know yet.”

“For real?” Franky asks, eyebrows raised.  “Operation secret wedding, huh?”

Sanji snorts.  “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”  He turns his head to look at Robin.  “Secret, my angel!”

She opens her eyes, looks at him, and nods, then closes her eyes again, resuming whatever she’s doing.  When Sanji faces Franky again, Zoro is in the midst of sitting down.

“So what did they want?” Sanji asks.  He’s desperate to know.

Zoro’s already furrowed brow furrows a bit more.  “I don’t know.  I think they were half giving me a shovel talk, half passing on another riddle from Zeff.”

“A shovel talk?  Seriously?” Sanji could laugh out loud.  “To you?   The demon of the East Blue?  Greatest swordsman in the world?  Are you sure there wasn’t some chump standing behind you that they were actually talking to?”

“Not unless there’s been a chump you’ve been shacking up with,” Zoro says.  “It was—endearing?  It’s nice to know they care so much about you.  Doesn’t matter that you can take care of yourself, they’ve still got your back.”

Tears are running down Franky’s face.  “That is so super, bro, to have a family that loves you that much!”

“They’re embarrassing,” Sanji corrects.  “What did the shitty old man tell them to tell you?”

Zoro frowns.  “Something about…he’s glad you found someone like me, and I should hang onto you?”

“What the hell did he mean by that?” Sanji mutters to himself.

“Like I said, more riddles,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “They gave me some more booze for my trouble, though.”  He holds up his new glass, full of an amber liquid.  “I think it’s brandy and absinthe.”

Sanji pulls a face.  “That sounds disgusting.  I’m going to develop a hangover just thinking about it.”

“Good thing I’m the one drinking it,” Zoro says, and takes a gulp to prove his point.  Sanji waits a moment, then holds out his hand.  “What?

“I’m gonna try it too,” Sanji says stubbornly.  “Give it.”

“You just said it sounds gross!” Zoro protests.  “And you stole my first drink!  At least finish that first!”

“I just want a sip!”

Zoro relents without much more of a fight, Sanji triumphantly takes a sip, and as soon as it hits the back of his throat it sends him into a coughing fit.  Zoro pats him on the back with one hand, and takes his drink back with the other.

“Told you so,” he says.  

“That is vile,” Sanji chokes out.

“Mmm,” Zoro says, taking another sip.  His pats turn into just rubbing Sanji’s back as the coughing subsides.  “Might even get me tipsy, if I drink it fast enough.”

“Glad to see you’re the same,” Franky says cheerfully.

“It’s only been a few weeks,” Zoro says.  “Even if I’d been dry that whole time, I don’t think I would’ve lost my tolerance.”

“Not that, dummy,” Franky says.  “You two.  It’s good to see you together.”

Sanji and Zoro look at each other.  Zoro’s hand is still on Sanji’s back, and he makes no effort to move it.  They both look back at Franky.

“Forget it,” Franky says, and stands up.  “I’m gonna go find Usopp and congratulate him again.  Kid is being absolutely swamped with people, he might as well be swamped by me, too.”

“Good luck, Franky,” Zoro says, raising his glass in a mock salute.

“And thanks for the cola, again!” Sanji says, promptly using his mixed drink as a chaser.  “Ugh.  My throat is still burning.”

“You knew you wouldn’t like it,” Zoro says.  He takes his hand off Sanji’s back and moves it to further guard his drink.  

“That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try it,” Sanji says.  “How is that not going to fuck you up?”

Zoro shrugs.  “I’ll get buzzed, which is more than what happens usually.  I figure this is better than what Nami’s doing.”

“What’s she doing?”

“Knocking back champagne glass after champagne glass,” Zoro says.  “She’s been up to the bar about eight times, now.”  He nods at his drink.  “With this, I can stay here with you.”

“That would be sweet,” Sanji begins, “if I didn't see you every single day.  I know moss is naturally sedentary, but let’s at least try to talk to the rest of the crew.”

“You’re the one who camped out here,” Zoro grumbles.  “Luffy’s alone, too.  Just him and a massive pile of food.”

Sanji sighs.  He’s been trying to smoke less, but he pulls out his pack on instinct and lights a cigarette.  “Can’t have that.  Let’s cheer the guy up.”

Luffy is alone, but Sanji wouldn’t have been able to tell, because half the table is obscured by the mountain of meat in front of him.  Zoro plants himself on one side, and Sanji sits on the other.  Luffy doesn’t indicate he’s noticed them.

“Hey, captain,” Zoro says, clapping a hand on Luffy’s shoulder.  “How’re you doing?”

“Hi, Zoro.  Hi, Sanji,” Luffy says, though it comes out sounding like, “Aye dowo aye thangi.”  “I’m fine.”  (“Ahm fahn.”)

“Are you?” Sanji asks.  “Franky said you were feeling a little…not yourself.”

Luffy looks up, and swallows whatever is in his mouth.  “You mean hungry?  That’s not weird, everyone gets hungry.”  He laughs.  “You know I get super hungry!”

“Not hungry,” Zoro says before Sanji can snap back a response that he knows full well how hungry Luffy can get.  “Sad.”

“Sad?  Why would I be sad?” Luffy asks, pulling a face.  

“Well—” Zoro says, floundering.  He looks at Sanji.

“Because Usopp is married,” Sanji says bluntly.  “And you and him were always close, and things are going to be different now.”

Luffy, in a stunning move, puts down the hunk of meat in his hand.  He looks down, mouth drawn in a straight line.  “Things were already different, though.”

Sanji bites the inside of his cheek.

“I mean, the crew isn’t split up or anything—not like the two years, when we couldn’t see each other—but we’re not like we used to be,” Luffy says.  “Brook’s with Laboon, and Usopp is here, and Jinbei has to leave all the time to do Fishman stuff, and you guys are at the restaurant.  But…we’ve never all been together, really.”  Luffy looks up.  “Vivi’s a part of the crew, isn’t she?  And she had to stay on Alabasta.  Torao, too—he’s one of us, even if he didn’t sail with us.”

“Does Law know he’s a Strawhat?” Sanji asks, a smile creeping onto his face.

Luffy grins back.  “He’ll figure it out.”  The grin falls.  “But he’s got his own crew and his own dreams.  Everyone does.  It’s just that the ten of us were all looking for something together, and we found it.”  He looks at Sanji.  “I knew we were always gonna be friends, but we weren’t going to sail forever and ever.  That wouldn’t be fair.  I’d be taking away your dreams.”

“Luffy,” Zoro says softly.

“I talked to Usopp way before this,” Luffy says, and his voice brightens.  “We talked a lot when we were sailing back here.  He talked about how he felt really bad leaving the crew, and how much he was gonna miss everyone, and I told him to shut up.”

That draws a snort out of both Zoro and Sanji.

“Brutally honest, as always,” Sanji says.

“I was right!” Luffy exclaims.  “He did need to shut up!  It’s not like we’re dead, he can visit any of us whenever, or we can visit him, and if I need you guys for another awesome adventure, you bet I’ll come get you!”  He grins widely.  “The great thing about dreams is that once you achieve them, you get to find new ones.”  

Zoro looks at Sanji, and Sanji feels his heart skip a beat.

“I think it’s great Usopp found a new dream so soon,” Luffy says, and picks up the meat.  “So I’m not sad.  He’s my friend and I want him to be happy.  I want all of you to be happy!”  He takes a big bite of the meat.  “Fat’s what a cafsan’s fo!”

That’s what a captain’s for.

Sanji doesn’t know if he would have the strength to do what Luffy did—leading a crew across the world for years, loving and laughing and dreaming and fighting for a better world, and then letting them leave.  Sanji is more than willing to give up his own life to save the rest, but his life is his own to give.  He knows that if he had been in Luffy’s position, he would have selfishly wanted everyone and everything to stay the same forever, and it would have been an impossible fantasy that could have torn them apart.  

Luffy never demanded tyrannical loyalty, or a blood oath, or a solemn vow to sail with him until they died.  He just wanted a family.

Sanji and Zoro stay at Luffy’s meat table, and are slowly but surely joined by the rest of the crew.  Poor Merry has to fight for a seat, squeezing in between Franky and Jinbei, who take turns messing with his hair.  Brook asks to see Kaya’s underwear, Sanji nearly kicks his skull off (aided by a very indignant Usopp), and everything feels normal.   It’s crowded and messy and loud, and Sanji enjoys every second of it.

Usopp and Kaya’s first dance is to a soft, old East Blue shanty that Sanji knows is a favorite of Zeff’s.  They’re completely wrapped up in each other, and though he can’t hear them, he can see them murmuring to each other as they move.  Zoro is next to him, solid and warm, and as Usopp and Kaya spin around, Sanji leans more and more of his weight against him.  Their hands had intertwined at some point earlier, and Zoro tightens his grip.

Sanji knows that soon—within the next twenty-four hours—he and Zoro will be sailing back to the All Blue, and that Usopp and Kaya will stay on the Gecko Islands, and that the crew will go back to chasing their new dreams, all around the world. 

But for now, we’re all together, and that’s enough.

Sanji and Zoro sail back on the Sunny, and Sanji doesn't realize just how much he misses the ship until he’s standing back in her kitchen, Luffy practically vibrating next to him.  A few more cookbooks have been added to her shelves, but as Sanji inspects them, he’s proud to notice the collection of recipes he left on the ship is the most well-worn.  

There are other minute changes—Sanji had taken some of his best tools with him to the Cherie for his own personal use, so Nami had to replace a few things.  There’s a new knife rack, various pots and pans and other loose ends, but it’s still the same kitchen.  Sanji types the old code into the refrigerator lock, and is delighted when it pops open. 

“Nami and Robin still won’t tell me what it is,” Luffy complains.  “And even Franky knows!  That’s not fair!”

“Franky runs on cola, I should hope he has access to the fridge now,” Sanji says, pulling various vegetables from the crisper.  “He also didn’t try to sneak food from our limited supply at sea.”

“I run on meat!” Luffy whines.  “The king of the pirates should get meat whenever he wants!”

“The king of the pirates should watch his tone,” Sanji says.  He begins rinsing the vegetables.  “I could just make a vegetarian hotpot, you know.”

“No!”

“That’s what I thought,” Sanji says.  He places most of the vegetables aside, chopping up the okra first.  “I could serve you all kinds of meat if you stopped by the restaurant.  You’d never believe it, but there’s a lot of fish in the All Blue.”

Luffy frowns.  “I keep telling Nami we should visit!  But she says she wants to map more of Paradise before she maps more of the New World.”  His voice falls to a whisper, though he and Sanji are the only two people in the kitchen.  “I think she just wants to visit Vivi more.”

“Oh,” Sanji says.  “That’s her decision.  She was separated from Vivi for a long time.”

“I guess,” Luffy says.  “We’ve been to Alabasta a lot, and I love visiting Vivi, but I want to see our other friends, too.”  He rests his face on his hand.  “Like you and Zoro!”  

“Where did the moss-head run off to, anyway?” Sanji asks.  He had been so focused on getting into the kitchen and cooking again that he had completely forsaken Zoro.  “The crow’s nest?”

“I think he’s talking to Nami,” Luffy says.  “Or Jinbei.  Or Chopper.  Or Brook.  Or maybe Robin and Franky.”

“You’re truly the epitome of helpfulness,” Sanji says flatly.  He scoops up the chopped okra and puts it in a bowl to the side, then starts working on the cabbage.  “It’s weird, having everyone but Usopp here.”

“Yeah,” Luffy agrees.  “It’s weird not having you and Zoro, too.”

“And Brook,” Sanji adds.

Luffy lights up.  “I forgot to tell you!  Brook is sailing with us again!”

“Really?” Sanji asks.

“Really really!” Luffy says, beaming. 

“But Laboon—?”

“It’s not like he’s never gonna see Laboon again,” Luffy says.  “And he’s got the old guy to take care of him!  Brook wanted to hang out with us again, and then I think he’s going to go on tour again?”

“Well, good for him,” Sanji says.  “I’ll have to ask him if he’ll play a concert at the Cherie.”

Luffy’s mouth falls open.  “I hadn’t even thought about that!  That’d be awesome!”

“As long as we don’t accidentally sink the ship,” Sanji says.  

Luffy nods solemnly.  “That would be bad.”

“You’re telling me,” Sanji says.  “Could you get the others?  Lunch will be ready soon.”

Lunch is normal—well, as normal as it can be without Usopp.  Luffy eats half of the food by himself, Franky spontaneously begins singing a power ballad, and all in all, it’s a familiar chaos that Sanji has missed.  The entire trip feels too short—Sanji isn’t sure if it’s because he and Zoro had spent a week on Water Seven then immediately headed to Syrup Village for a month, or if he just misses the crew that much.  He chalks it up to a little bit of both.

Still, it’s not like sailing through Paradise is without hiccups.  There’s nothing so grand as saving a struggling nation or fighting a god, and the crew’s haki keeps the majority of sea kings away from the Sunny, but there are plenty of upstart bounty hunters and new Marine officers who think they have a chance at taking even one Strawhat.  They’re more nuisances than anything, but there are enough of them to keep the journey interesting.

The vastness of the world never fails to astonish Sanji.  He could sail for the rest of his life and still have his breath taken away by the sight of the never-ending sea.

Chapter Text

The restaurant has not been burned down, or eaten by a sea king, or seized by the Marines, as Sanji had feared.  In fact, it looks exactly the same as it was left, if not a little cleaner.  The Sous chef nervously informs Sanji that he had scrubbed the place as often as he could, to ensure Sanji would have nothing to worry about after his trip.  Sanji sincerely thanks him and all but orders him to take a few days off.

“That was a nice thing to do,” Zoro comments.

“It’s not about niceness,” Sanji says.  “He was working himself ragged.  The least I could do was make him take a vacation.  It’d be cruel to let him continue to work.”

Zoro looks at him.  “I can’t believe after all these years, after everything you’ve been through, you’re still so stupid—”

Sanji kicks him in the leg as Zoro finishes, “—and kind.”  

“Oops,” Sanji says as Zoro rubs his leg, glaring at Sanji.  “Not that kind, I guess.”

“You’re an asshole,” Zoro says.  “But a kind one.  That’s why people can’t stand you.  They don’t know what to think.”

Sanji isn’t quite sure how to respond to that.  He gently elbows Zoro, embarrassed, and mutters, “You’re kind too, stupid.”  

Zoro is the kindest demon Sanji’s ever met, but he supposes all demons were angels before they fell.  Sanji is only human.  

Even with his Sous chef on leave, Sanji is glad to be back.  He missed the work—not just the cooking, but everything about the restaurant.  He enjoys bantering with the other chefs in the kitchen and catching up with their lives.  He loves seeing the satisfied customers, coming in hungry and leaving with full stomachs.  He even takes some satisfaction in yelling at the timid Marine officer who shows up every few months.

Sanji doesn’t like the Marine, by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s an upgrade from the one they first sent, who did his damnedest to capture Sanji, dead or alive.  That was a fantasy that lasted all of thirty seconds, and Sanji is glad that he’s dealing with bureaucratic bullshit now instead of grievously injuring every stupid son of a bitch the Marines send his way.

The Marine—his name is Akibi, but Sanji likes to pretend he doesn’t remember it—walks around the Cherie, clutching his clipboard tight while Sanji breathes down his neck.  He peaks into the kitchen for half a second before whimpering and ducking back out.

“Everything up to code?” Sanji asks, crossing his arms.

“Mr. Vinsmoke, you really don’t have to accompany me,” Akibi mumbles.  

“I told you just call me Sanji,” Sanji snaps.  “And why shouldn’t I be here?  This is a safe haven for pirates, I don’t want them to think the Marines are about to launch a surprise attack on them.”

“Yes, there is the matter of how many pirates you host—” Akibi begins, but Sanji doesn’t let him finish.

“This is a restaurant and I am not going to turn away anyone looking for food,” Sanji says.  “It’s disgusting that you Marines think someone shouldn’t be fed just because of the life they lead.”

“I know, Mr. V—Sanji,” Akibi says.  

“And you better remember that I’m a pirate!” Sanji says pointedly.

“I don’t think I could forget if I tried, Mr. Sanji,” Akibi says.  “I’m just going to write down ‘refuses to come in again,’ if that’s okay.”

“Perfect.  Wonderful.  Did you have lunch?” Sanji asks.

“Um,” Akibi says, and that’s all Sanji needs to hear.

“Just sit down in my office and I’ll make you something,” Sanji sighs.  Akibi scampers off with his clipboard and Sanji goes to the kitchen to make something quick but enriching.

He doesn’t expect the scream.

Sanji delegates finishing “that dumbass Marine health inspector’s” meal to one of the chefs, and goes to investigate.  He knows the scream originated from Akibi—it was the same noise he had made when Sanji first threatened to kick him off the boat.  He opens the door to his office, and sure enough, Akibi is against one of the walls, Zoro’s sword against his throat.

Sanji scowls.  “Oy, dumbass.  Drop the Marine.”

Zoro raises his eyebrows.  “You know this guy?”

“Drop the Marine,” Sanji repeats, and Zoro moves his sword away.  Akibi breathes in and out rapidly, eyes wide and terrified.  “He’s here to keep the Admirals off my back.”

“That’s the demon of the East Blue,” Akibi breathes.  “That’s Pirate Hunter Zoro.”

“That’s your stupidest nickname, did I ever tell you?” Sanji says to Zoro.  “How many pirates have you hunted in the past few years?  None.  ‘Pirate Hunter.’  Give me a break.”

“I was a damn good bounty hunter before Luffy recruited me,” Zoro says.

“Pirate Hunter Zoro is here,” Akibi mutters.  “You’re Roronoa Zoro.”

“Aokibi, shut up,” Sanji says.  “Your lunch will be ready soon and then you can scamper back to headquarters.”  

“Maybe I should just, uh, go?” Akibi asks.  “I mean, my report is done, and I’ll—I mean, I can leave out that Roronoa Zoro is here?  I don’t even know how I’d explain that to my boss, last we heard he was back in the East Blue—”

“You’re going to stay here and eat your lunch, Okami,” Sanji orders.  “If you don’t, who will?  Zoro?”

“I’ll eat it,” Zoro says.  “I came down here because I was hungry.”

“You’re not allowed to eat this, you won’t like it,” Sanji says.  “I mean, you’ll like it, but you won’t like it.  I’ll make you something else.”

“Don’t you have work?” Zoro asks.

“Don’t you?” Sanji retorts.

“Can I take my lunch to go?” Akibi asks.

Sanji huffs.  “Fine.  It should be almost done by now.  Take it and don’t let me catch you here a second longer.”

“Yes, sir!” Akibi yelps, giving half a salute before seeming to remember Sanji is not his commanding officer, then scampers out of the office.  Sanji hops onto his desk, folding his hands together.

“Well, Pirate Hunter?” He says.  “What do you want for lunch?”

“Dunno,” Zoro says.  “I’m just hungry.”

“Kebabs sound good?” Sanji asks.  Zoro shrugs.  “Kebabs it is, I guess.”

“Have lunch with me?” Zoro asks.

“Why?” Sanji asks.  “I do have to get back to work eventually, you know.”

Zoro’s lips tug down into a frown.  “You’re always working now.”

“Is someone lonely?” Sanji teases, and when Zoro glares at the floor, he laughs.  “If you can wait past the lunch rush, I’ll eat with you.  Fair?”

Zoro crosses his arms, but nods.  “Up in the crow’s nest.”

“You know it isn’t as big as the Sunny’s,” Sanji says.  “It’ll be a little cramped.”

“Just like on the Merry,” Zoro says, grinning, and Sanji grins back.  

It is like the Merry, and it isn’t.  It’s small, and Sanji’s knees hit Zoro’s sitting across from him, and they’re exposed to the elements, but when they look out over the deck, it’s customers and cooks they see instead of Luffy slingshotting himself into their next adventure.  

“Do you ever think about going back to them?” Sanji asks, leaning against Zoro.

“To the crew?” Zoro asks, and Sanji nods.  “Yeah, sometimes.  First mates traditionally don’t abandon their crews.”

“Why do you stay?” Sanji asks.  His head is on Zoro’s shoulder, so he can’t see Zoro’s face.

“You, stupid,” Zoro says.  “You stay because it’s your dream.  I stay because of you.”  He taps Sanji with Wado Ichimonji’s hilt.  “Are we just supposed to let you stay here all alone?  What would you even do?”

“Feed people,” Sanji says.  The late lunch and the sun beating down on him is making him tired.  “Write letters to everyone.  Get married, maybe.”

“Married?” Zoro asks.  “Who’d you marry?”

“I don’t know,” Sanji says, closing his eyes.  “Anyone who would have me, I guess.”

Zoro is quiet, then says, “People respect you a lot here, you know?” 

“I know.”

“People are a little afraid of you, too,” Zoro says.

“They’re afraid of you, too,” Sanji says, keeping his eyes closed.

“Yeah, but they don’t respect me,” Zoro says.  “But that’s fine.  I don’t need their respect.  If anyone should have it, it’s you.”

“Mmm,” Sanji says, agreeing.  He’s beginning to drift off.  The last thing he catches is “Anyone who’d have you, huh?”

Life on the Cherie is nice.  Sanji might even go so far as to call it domestic.  He works, Zoro sits in the crow’s nest and sometimes hunts sea kings, they go to sleep in the same bed and wake up together.  Now that they aren’t traveling halfway across the world and back again, aspiring young swordsmen begin to realize where Zoro is and start showing up to challenge him.  More often than not, they find Sanji before they find Zoro, and Sanji irately informs them in no uncertain terms they will not be fighting on his ship.  Those who disagree are swiftly kicked overboard.

(It’s funny—no matter how good they are with a sword, none are able to block Sanji’s kicks like Zoro.)

There are other incidents, pirates who think they’re the next Roger for making it through Paradise.  They’re never a problem to take care of.  Sanji’s crew still isn’t as refined or strong as the Baratie’s fighting chefs, but he and Zoro are more than enough to take care of real threats, and his staff is getting tougher.  Sanji tries not to kill the idiots who attack the restaurant, and if they’re too injured to either progress into the New World or turn back, he makes sure they’re well fed while healing. 

One such pirate—Sanji thinks he’s part of the Beret Pirates or some other group trying to replicate the Strawhat’s success—sighs as Sanji brings him dinner.  “I just didn’t think the Cheery Thoroughfare would be so hard to get by, especially compared to Fishman Island.”

“I’ll remind you that you attacked us,” Sanji says flatly before his brain catches up.  “The Cheery Thoroughfare?  What the hell is that?”

The Beret Pirate gives him a strange look.  “The restaurant here?  I mean, that’s what people call it, you know.  It’s right by the only overseas pirate passage that crosses the Red Line.”

Sanji was unaware the Cherie had garnered a reputation beyond its food.  He gleefully informs Zoro that they’re a landmark that night.

“You gotta tell Nami next time you talk to her,” Zoro says, putting his arms behind his head as he settles into bed.  “Get her to put you on the map.”

“I don’t think a floating restaurant is treated with the same cartography as an island,” Sanji says.

“Get her to make a sightseeing one, then,” Zoro says with a shrug.  “Or just have her bend the rules a little.”

“I would never ask a lady to sacrifice her principles for me,” Sanji responds.

Zoro raises his eyebrows.  “Robin would say it’s an important part of history that should be preserved.  Should you make her sacrifice her morals for Nami’s?”

Sanji puts his head in his hands.  “I just don’t see why all women can’t agree with each other.”

Zoro shoves him.  “Because they’re people, dumbass.”

Sanji knows once upon a time, not too long ago, that would have set him off and he would have argued that women weren’t people, they were angels, and a brute like Zoro could never understand something as wonderful as the feminine spirit.  Now, though, Sanji has seen far too many women, good and evil, who made difficult decisions and lived all sorts of lives for him to fully cling onto such a fairy-tale notion.

“I should call Iva,” he says, and Zoro raises his eyebrows.

“That came out of nowhere,” he responds.

“It doesn’t matter.  It’s still true,” Sanji says.  “She likes hearing from everyone.  I still get letters from her pretty often.”

“I didn’t know that,” Zoro says.

“You don’t know everything about me,” Sanji says.  “Iva’s overdramatic, and loud, and thinks she’s about ten times funnier than she really is, but she’s a good person.  She’s helped a lot of people.”

“I think Iva’s funny,” Zoro insists.  “She sounds funny, anyways, between what you and Luffy have said.”

“Of course you’d think that,” Sanji deadpans.  “Luffy had a better first impression of her than I did.”

“That’s because Luffy wasn’t a dick,” Zoro says.  “I still can’t believe the queens put up with you for two years.”

Sanji puts his face in his hands and groans.  “Don’t remind me.”

“You ever write to them?” Zoro asks.

“Once,” Sanji says.  “On my way to Wano.  Seeing the Vinsmokes—I mean, it was bad for a lot of reasons, but I kept seeing them in myself.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  Everything I didn’t like about myself, everything I was afraid of being, I’d see it in other people, and I’d just—try to hurt them as much as I could.  Hurting them made me feel better about myself.  Seeing the Vinsmokes do the exact same thing…something clicked.  I didn’t want to be that person anymore.”  He takes a deep breath.  “So I wrote to all the ladies on Momoiro Island.  It was, shit, fifty or sixty letters?  It took a few days to do all of them.  I wanted to be genuine in my apology.  I told them they didn’t have to forgive me.  Some of them wrote back, but most didn’t.”  He sighs.  “I don’t blame them.  I was really terrible to them.”

Sanji is taken by surprise by Zoro kissing him.  It’s brief, and when Zoro pulls away, Sanji asks, “What was that for?”

“Nothing.  I just love you,” Zoro says.  “I’m glad I’ve known you this long.  You really are a better person than you were before.  It’s been cool to watch.”

“I’m touched, marimo,” Sanji says, and it’s only a little sarcastic.  “You never had a problem with women.”

“Not in the way you did,” Zoro snorts.  “But it’s not like I learned nothing over my two years.  The only other person close to my age was Perona.”

“An angel,” Sanji says.

“A demon,” Zoro corrects.  “But a smart demon.  She wasn’t thrilled about only having me and Mihawk for company, either.  She said she missed talking with other girls.”

“Poor Perona,” Sanji says sympathetically.

“She was the one who forced me to lie down while Mihawk patched me up at the beginning,” Zoro says.  “And she’d sit with me when I was healing.  She got to hear me talk about getting stronger, and how I wasn’t enough of a man yet, and crap like that.  She got fed up with me pretty quickly.  Hated how much I talked about masculinity.”

“Huh,” Sanji says. 

“I think her exact words were, ‘how do you think that makes me feel, you stupid sexist cyclops,’” Zoro says.  “I didn’t have an answer.  I didn’t think how women had felt about what I said about manliness.  I didn’t realize it upset Perona so much, but it made sense, you know?  She wasn’t masculine.  She didn’t want to be manly.  She loves pink shit and things that are cute and I was basically telling her I thought she was weak for that.”

Sanji lets out a breath.  “We’re really a pair of idiots, huh?”

“It’s crazy that Robin and Nami put up with us,” Zoro agrees.  “I’m grateful Perona yelled at me.  I went my entire life thinking manliness was the height of success and no one had thought to tell me how fucked up that was.”  He closes his eyes.  “She reminds me of my sister.”

Sanji sits up a little straighter.  “I didn’t know you have a sister.”  Seems like an important detail you overlooked.

“You don’t know everything about me, either,” Zoro says, and there’s a heaviness around him.  “But that’s my fault.  I don’t like talking about her.  She died when we were kids.”

Sanji isn’t sure what to say.  “What was she like?”

“Strong,” Zoro says quietly.  “She wasn’t my birth sister.  Her dad ran the village dojo, and she was a few years older than me.  She could beat me up with one sword, no problem, and it definitely didn’t hurt that she was a head taller than me.  She wanted to be the greatest swordsman in the world.”  He points at Wado Ichimonji, resting against the wall.  “That was her sword.”

“Zoro,” Sanji says softly.

“Her dad told her she couldn’t continue training once she hit puberty, and she fell down the stairs soon after.  Broke her neck.  Instant death,” Zoro says, and his voice is empty.  “She had some ideas about masculinity that stayed with me.  I don’t know if she was really a boy and was dealt a bad hand, or if she just wanted to be free as a girl, or if she was something else entirely.  She never got the chance to grow up and figure it out for herself.”

Sanji looks at Zoro—his strong, stoic Zoro, who was always so ready to sacrifice himself for the crew, who treated children so kindly, who was the greatest swordsman in the world, who held Sanji’s heart like it was something to be treasured—and he takes Zoro’s hand, entwining their fingers.

“That’s…really sad,” Sanji says, because there’s nothing else he can say.

“Yeah.  It is,” Zoro says, closing his eye.  “But…I think she would be happy with where I am.   She’d like you.”

There’s a beat of silence, and Sanji can hear his heart in his ears.

“What was her name?” He asks, and his voice is barely a whisper.

“Kuina,” Zoro says. 

“Kuina,” Sanji repeats.  

“Now go to sleep, cook,” Zoro says, rolling onto his side.  He doesn’t let go of Sanji’s hand.

Sanji sends a silent thank you out into the universe, to wherever Kuina’s spirit ended up.  He falls asleep with soft moonlight on his face, reflected off of Wado Ichimonji’s white scabbard.  

Sanji continues to call Zeff once a week and Zeff continues to pick up the phone about half the time.  When he does, they talk about their respective restaurants and their worst customers and whatever small crisis occurred that day.  Zeff repeatedly makes comments about “settling down,” and Sanji continues to tell him he’s as settled as he’ll ever be, and Zeff will huff and hang up.  It doesn’t bother Sanji too much.  If the old man is trying to tell him something, he’ll just have to try a little harder.

Zoro writes letters, Sanji learns.  Not long ones, necessarily, but with such magnitude that’s almost doesn’t matter.  He comes down from the crow’s nest when he runs out of paper, and Sanji finds stacks on stacks of letters piled on top of his desk at the end of the day.  The addressees vary—Luffy, Nami, Usopp, and the rest of the crew, but also Perona, Mihawk, Vivi, Johnny and Yosaku, and Tashigi—but the return line is always the same.  Roronoa Z., Cherie (restaurant), New World, right by the Red Line.

It’s sweet.  Roronoa Z.   Sanji signs with just his given name, and it’s fine, but seeing Roronoa Z. makes his heart pound in a way he’s never experienced before.  He doesn’t think much about it.  Maybe it’s jealousy, and Sanji doesn’t want to be jealous of Zoro.  

Other than that, life is good.  Sanji misses the crew, but it’s not unbearable.  Zoro forces him to take a break once in a while, and he likes the dates.  They keep him sane.  They get in physical fights, sometimes with strangers, sometimes with each other, and it’s normal.  Everything is calm.

It’s concerning when Luffy calls out of the blue and asks Sanji if he knows where Nami is.

“How would I know?  She’s with you,” Sanji responds immediately.

“No, she’s not!” Luffy insists.  “She was here yesterday when we docked, and now she’s gone!  No one can find her!”

“I’m sorry, Luffy, I just don’t know,” Sanji says, and he means it.  He wishes he could do more to help.  “Have you called Vivi?”

“Robin talked to her,” Luffy says.  “She doesn’t know, either.  And now Vivi’s worried, too!”

“Nami’s smart,” Sanji reasons.  “She’ll be fine, and she’ll turn up eventually.  I’m sure she just had some unfinished business somewhere and didn’t want to drag the crew into it.”  That seems to be her pattern.

“But why didn’t she tell us?” Luffy asks, and Sanji can hear the hurt in his voice.  “We’re a family!  Doesn’t she trust us?”

 “Of course she does,” Sanji says firmly.  He’s worried about the same thing, but he has to relieve Luffy’s anxiety, not add to it.  “Old habits are hard to break.  I’m sure she thinks she’s doing the right thing.  She’ll be back soon.” 

Sanji can only hope he’s not making empty promises to his captain.  He asks Zoro if he’s heard anything from Nami, and Zoro shakes his head, frowning.

“Nothing,” he says.  “I don’t know what she’s thinking.”

That’s scary, not knowing what Nami is thinking.  Sanji prays Nami turns up soon and tries to trust her judgement in disappearing.

Nami’s disappearance, unfortunately, becomes an afterthought to Sanji.  He continues to call the Sunny every few days and ask if she’s back, but he just doesn’t have the energy to worry.  Nami survived on her own long before the Strawhats knew her, when she was younger and far less powerful, so Sanji truly doesn’t think she’s in any danger.  It’s more of a question of when she’ll turn up again.

It’s some weeks later that Sanji realizes the Cherie has a stowaway.  He can never catch them, but his supplies are depleting suspiciously faster than normal, and someone’s been burning his pans in the middle of the night.  It’s a little infuriating, and Zoro offers to keep watch to try to catch them. 

“Just one less thing for you to worry about,” Zoro says.  “I’ll stay in the kitchen tonight.”

“You’ll be missed,” Sanji says.  He’s grown used to having the mossball in the same bed as him.  “I’ll take tomorrow’s watch.”

Zoro shakes his head.  “You can’t be on your feet cooking all day after staying up all night.”

“I did it all the time on the Merry and Sunny,” Sanji points out.

“You did it, at most, twice a week,” Zoro says, equally logical.  “It won’t be as hard on me.  I’ll nap in the crow’s nest, and hopefully the stowaway will be gone in a week.”

“Don’t kill them,” Sanji says.  “If they’re stealing food, they’re hungry.  We don’t know why they’re here.”

“They also clearly have haki, if we haven’t noticed them yet,” Zoro says.  “They’re powerful.”

“You’re powerful,” Sanji says.  “Powerful enough not to kill them, so don’t.”

“Yes, dear,” Zoro says, rolling his eyes.

Sanji gives him a kick in the leg and a kiss on the cheek.  “I mean it.”

“I mean it, too,” Zoro says, making a crossing motion over his heart.  He then points at his other cheek.  “Here, too.”

Sanji rolls his eyes, but complies.  Zoro taps a finger to his lips.  “Might as well make it three.  It’s my number.”

“You’re an idiot,” Sanji says frankly, but a smile tugs at his lips, and he kisses Zoro.  Zoro grabs his head and deepens the kiss, running his hands through Sanji’s hair.  Sanji lets himself enjoy it for a moment, then breaks away, laughing.  “Okay, okay, marimo, I have to get back to work.  Have fun keeping watch tonight.”

Zoro doesn’t tell Sanji he finds the stowaway, but Sanji can tell the next morning.  He’s too nervous, and Zoro doesn’t get nervous.   The sun is rising, painting the kitchen in warm light.  Sanji drums his fingers on the table, waiting for Zoro to say something.  Zoro pointedly stares at one of the counters.

“So who is it?” Sanji asks.

Zoro glances up, and he grimaces.  “I don’t want to lie to you.”

“Then don’t,” Sanji says, raising his eyebrows.

Zoro sighs.  “It’s not that simple.  I promised them I wouldn’t tell you.”

Sanji narrows his eyes.  The wheels are turning in his head, and it doesn’t take him long to put two and two together.  “It’s Nami, isn’t it.”

Zoro jolts when he hears Nami’s name, and Sanji knows he’s struck gold.  

“Where is she?  Why is she here?” he asks.  “Why didn’t she want me to know?”  Aren’t I her friend, too?

“I don’t know how you do that,” Zoro mutters.  “Mind-reader.  She’s gonna be pissed at me.”

“Where is she?” Sanji repeats.

Zoro shrugs.  “She’s been moving around.  That’s why we haven’t run into her yet.  She…it’s complicated.  It’d be better if you asked her why she’s hiding.  I don’t want to speak for her.”

“Well, we have to find her again now, don’t we?” Sanji says.  “And if she’s moving around, that could take a little while.”

“No need to look for me,” a small voice says behind him, and Sanji whirls around.  Nami awkwardly stands in the doorway, looking just as guilty as Zoro.  “Hi, Sanji.”

“Nami!” Sanji exclaims, and he can’t help the joy in his voice.  He loves his crewmates, so despite the odd circumstances, he is happy to see Nami.  “How are you?”

“Well,” Nami says, putting her hands on her hips and walking over.  “To be honest?  I’ve been better.”

There’s a glint of gold on her hand, and Sanji tilts his head, peering at it.  “Is that…?”

“What?” Nami asks, and glances down at her hand.  She lifts it, flashing her engagement ring and a watery smile.  “Yeah.  It’s—yeah.”  The smile falls, but the water remains.  “Oh, god.”  She collapses over the counter, her head in her hands and her shoulders shaking.

Zoro is quick to move, rubbing her shoulder.  “Hey, it’s okay.  It’s just the cook.  He’ll understand.”

“I know!” Nami yells.  “Everyone is so understanding, and I’m sick of it!”

Zoro frowns.  “Come on.  Just talk to him.  He’s the one who got Usopp to calm down before his wedding.”

“That was a team effort,” Sanji says, warily watching Nami.  She raises her head and glares at him with red-rimmed eyes.

“You guys are disgustingly in love,” she groans.  “I am unbelievably jealous of you two.”  With that, she slumps back down.

Sanji and Zoro share a look.

You talk to her.  She’s obviously more comfortable with you right now, Sanji tries to communicate.

I spoke with her last night.  No fucking way, Zoro seems to say back.

“Nami,” Sanji says softly, moving so that he’s properly next to her.  “Can you just tell me what’s wrong?”

“Everything!” she exclaims, sitting up violently again.  “Everything is fucking wrong!  Vivi is supposed to be the love of my life!  I’ve been waiting to marry her for years!   We went through hell to be together, we deserve a happily ever after, and after all this time, I can’t handle it!”

Sanji blinks, making sure her outburst is finished before hesitantly asking, “Did you tell King Cobra?”

“She told King Cobra,” Nami says sullenly.  “And he said he wanted to make sure she was ‘thinking things through.’”  

“What?” Sanji asks.  “Why would he say something like that?”

Nami straightens her spine, looking Sanji in the eye.  “Because I’m a pirate.  Because I’m travelling the world, mapping islands.  Because Vivi is going to be a queen, and she doesn’t get the luxury of dreams and adventures.  Because I can’t always be there for Vivi and I can’t be there for Vivi’s people.  Because no matter how much I love her, I will never be the right choice for Alabasta.”

Nami is breathing heavily, and Sanji doesn’t know what to say.  He can’t tell her that she’s right, because that will destroy her, but he can’t tell her she’s wrong, because she’ll know he’s lying.  “I’m so sorry, Nami.”

She laughs hollowly.  “Everyone’s sorry.  You’re sorry.  Zoro’s sorry.  Usopp’s sorry.”

“What about Vivi?” Sanji asks.  “What did Vivi say?”

Nami shakes her head.  “Why do you think I’m here?  I can’t put more stress on her.  She’s fighting hard just so we can stay together.”

“Wait, so Vivi doesn’t know you’re here?” Sanji asks.

“That’s what I said,” Zoro says, and the disapprovement is palpable.  “Vivi’s probably worried sick about you because you ran away.”

“She’s too busy to worry about me,” Nami says, and it sounds like she’s trying to convince herself of that.

“You can’t just run away and hide from your problems,” Zoro says.  “That’s not good for you or her.”  He drops his voice.  “And she is worried about you.  No matter what she’s doing, she’s worried about you.”

“Have you talked to her?” Nami asks.

“I don’t need to,” Zoro says.  “I’ve been in her shoes, remember?”

Sanji is very still.  He doesn’t like talking about his almost-marriage, least of all with Zoro.

“Swirl-brow here ran away to get married, and you’re running away to avoid it,” Zoro says.

“I’m doing the right thing,” Nami says, shaking her head.  “Vivi can get a real consort, and I’ll be her—I don’t know, her midnight lover.  We have a good thing going.  We can stay like this.”

“I don’t think either of you want that,” Sanji says, and her words echo in his head.  I’m doing the right thing.   “Please, just call Vivi from here.”  I’m doing the right thing.   “I’m sure she wants to hear from you.”  I’m doing the right thing.

“Neither of you know what I’m going through,” Nami says, and she sounds like she’s on the brink of tears again.

“Nami,” Sanji says.  “No one knows better than us what you’re going through.  You have to know that, deep down.”  He takes her hand—the one without the engagement ring.  “I thought I was doing the right thing, too.”  He glances at Zoro.  “I thought I was protecting the people I loved, and it didn’t matter if I was miserable for the rest of my life.”

“I wouldn’t be miserable,” Nami insists.

“I was making the crew’s decision for them,” Sanji continues firmly.  “And you’re making Vivi’s decision for her right now.  It wasn’t fair of me, and it’s not fair of you.”  He tightens his grip.  “Just talk to Vivi?  Please?”

Nami sniffles, wiping her eyes with her free hand.  “Fine.”

Sanji gives her hand one last tight squeeze, and releases it.  “Okay.  You can use our personal line.  The staff will be coming in soon, and I don’t want you two to be interrupted.”

Nami nods silently. 

It’s not a long conversation, and Sanji tries not to eavesdrop.  He only manages to catch “Hi, Vivi,” “I think that’d be a good idea,” and “Bye.  I love you, too.  Bye.  I love you.”  Nami leaves his office with her eyes considerably drier.

“I’m going to Alabasta,” she says simply.  “I need to call the crew and tell them it’ll be a little while.  Is that okay?”

“Of course,” Sanji says.  “More than okay.  They’re down a navigator, you know?”

“Franky’s there to make sure they don’t sink,” Nami says.  She weakly smiles at Sanji and Zoro.  “Thanks for talking me off the ledge.”

“What are friends for?” Zoro asks.  “Just don’t do something this stupid again.”

Nami winks at Zoro.  “You almost made me consider lowering your debt, swordsman.”  She stands there for a moment, then throws her arms around Zoro and Sanji, dragging them down a little.

“Thank you so, so much,” she whispers.  “I’ll never forget this.”

Sanji isn’t sure what Nami and Vivi work out, but he does get a call from Vivi thanking him profusely for “finding” Nami and forcing her to call.  

“I can’t talk for long,” Vivi says.  “But Sanji, I wanted to ask you something, and you can say no, because I know you’re very busy, and probably exhausted all the time, and overwork yourself constantly—”

“You sound like Zoro,” Sanji complains.  “Whatever it is, I can do it for you, my dear!”

“Well,” Vivi begins, sounding extraordinarily excited.  “Could you bake a cake?”

“A cake?” Sanji asks.

“A wedding cake,” Vivi says, and Sanji almost drops the phone.

“You and Nami settled on a date?” he asks, bursting with excitement.

“Me and Nami and half the Alabastan court settled on a date,” Vivi says.  “You’ll be getting an invitation soon.  We retained what little control we could.  You’ll never believe this, but some royals are just a little nervous inviting so many pirates to the wedding.”

“You’re marrying a pirate,” Sanji says.  “You’d think they could give you a little leeway.”

“That’s what I said!” Vivi exclaims.  “Not to mention whatever harm you’ve done has always been balanced out by the good.”

“Well, we try,” Sanji says.  “How’s Nami holding up?”

Vivi lets out a breath.  “She’s good some days, and bad others.  She likes the attention.  She got all dressed up with the royal jewelry and paraded around our room the other day.  She was so happy, and I was happy because she was happy.  It’s easier to be happy when she’s around.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Sanji says.  

“It’s easier on both of us on the bad days, too,” Vivi says.  “We’re learning to live with each other.  We never got the chance to do this normally.”  There’s a sigh.  “Sometimes I think it would’ve been easier if I had just joined the crew and sailed with you guys all those years ago.”

 “We would’ve loved having you,” Sanji says.

“I know.  And I would’ve loved being there,” Vivi says, and sighs again.  “No use regretting the past.  I believe I made the right decision in the end.  I mean, could you imagine me at Enies Lobby?  Me?   I’m a politician.  It’s one of my flaws.”

Sanji laughs.  “You make up for it in wit and good humor, not to mention any future wife to Nami is a friend to all of us.  Nami would steal the sun for you if she could.”

“Oh, Sanji,” Vivi says, and Sanji can hear the smile in her voice.  “Zoro is so lucky.  You’re such a romantic person.”

“He’s not too bad himself,” Sanji says, and steers the conversation back to Vivi.  “Do you have any ideas for your cake?”

“I’ll mail you the royals’ requirements,” Vivi says.  “I just wanted to ask you directly.  It’s faster to get a confirmation this way, but the actual details—well, let’s just say, it’s easier in writing.  If you have any questions, you’ll call me, right?”

“Of course,” Sanji affirms.  “And give Nami our love!”

Sanji has all kinds of ideas for their cake.  Something extravagant, yet simple and elegant.  Something that conveyed both of their personalities.  Something that was reflective of Vivi’s role as a queen, and Nami’s life as a cartographer.  He’d like to make some more obvious references to the Strawhats, but he doubts the Alabastan court would like that.

Sure enough, the letter he receives makes it very clear that there should be no references to pirates, piracy, or any other maritime criminal behavior.  There’s a list of animals he can choose to include (the ibis, the duck, and a series of common fish) and a list animals that will get him banned from the island (“bananagator” is written several times and underlined for emphasis).  The color blue is highly encouraged, the Alabastan royal crest is a must, and all of Nefertari Vivi ibnat Cobra ibn Hatshep ibn Rahil ibnat Olisha all the way back to the first remembered Nefertari’s names have to appear on the cake.

“Fuck this,” Sanji says out loud, shaking his head.  “Fuck this.”  

“Fuck what?” Zoro asks.  He’s lying in bed, watching Sanji tear his hair out.

“Fuck this!” Sanji exclaims, shaking the letter.  “The Alabastan royal court doesn’t want a wedding cake, they want a goddamn treaty disguised as a baked good!”

“What did you expect?” Zoro asks. 

“I had hoped Vivi would get to enjoy her wedding as a person instead of the queen of Alabasta,” Sanji says.  “I had hoped Nami would get the wedding of her dreams, instead of being an afterthought to Alabastan politics!”

“Cook,” Zoro says evenly.  “Why do you think Vivi asked you to bake her wedding cake?”

Sanji puts the letter down.  “What do you mean?”

“Think about it.  There have to be tons of bakers in Alabasta, all falling over themselves to bake the cake for the royal wedding.  They’d all do what the court told them to do,” Zoro points out.  “But Vivi and Nami chose you because…?”

“I’m…a better baker?” Sanji says.

“Probably, but that’s not why they chose you,” Zoro says.  “Think harder.”

“Because… I’m her and Nami’s friend?” Sanji guessed again.

“Because you’re a pirate, stupid,” Zoro says.  “Because you’re throwing a fit about having to follow all these rules.”

“Because they’re stupid!” Sanji protests.

“Then don’t follow them!” Zoro says.  “Make the cake you think Nami and Vivi want.”

Sanji blinks at Zoro.  “You’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Zoro says smugly. 

“Don’t get a big head,” Sanji says.

“How could I, living with you?  There isn’t room for another big head,” Zoro says.  “Biggest head on the Grand Line over here.”

“Come closer and see what this big head can do,” Sanji says.

“What are you going to do, headbutt me?” Zoro snorts.  “Wouldn’t want you to lose brain cells doing that.”

“At least I have brain cells to lose,” Sanji replies.  “Algae head.”

“Dart brow.”

“Moss brains.”

“Cheese...hair.”

“Cheese hair?”  Sanji has to laugh.  “That’s a new one.”

“I’m broadening my horizons,” Zoro says.  

“You should narrow them again,” Sanji advises.  Zoro throws a pillow at him.  

“Come to bed, Cheese Head.  Let me make sweet mozzarella love to you,” Zoro deadpans.

“You’re unbearable,” Sanji says, but he’s grinning.

The cake continues to weigh on Sanji’s mind, but not nearly as heavily as before.  Now that he has the freedom to improvise, Sanji has a solid idea of what he wants the final product to look like.  He wants the cake to have four tiers.  He’s confident in his cartography idea, though unsure how he’ll manifest it.  Sanji thinks a treasure map might get a little too close to pirate territory, but he also finds himself caring less the more he thinks about it.  

It’s just too perfect—a blue base, with details of sea monsters drawn on the lower tiers, a dotted line curving its way up and around the higher tiers, to come to rest at a red “x,” covered with flowers.  Alabastan lotus, Sanji thinks, and tangerine blossoms.

His last “fuck you” to the Alabastan court is the cake flavor.  It’s not even a question—he couldn’t make a wedding cake for Nami that wasn’t orange-flavored.  The nobles are going to throw a fit.  The thought makes Sanji smile as he perfects the batter.

“Don’t make it too sweet,” Zoro says as Sanji offers him the whisk.  

“It’s not your wedding, is it?” Sanji asks.  “When you get married, I’ll make you a nice bitter cake.”

Zoro sticks his tongue out at Sanji in a great show of maturity.  “That’s stupid.  Who has a bitter cake at their wedding?”

“Us, I guess,” Sanji says offhandedly.  He tries to return to mixing the batter, but Zoro grabs his wrist.

“Us?” he asks.

The full weight of Sanji’s statement hits him.  “Oh, shit.”

“Us?” Zoro repeats, grinning.  “You want to marry me, cook?”

“This can’t be happening,” Sanji says.  He’s sure he’s beet-red, and he yanks his wrist out of Zoro’s grip.  “Absolutely not.  Not like this.”

“Because it sounded like a proposal—”

“Your ears are playing tricks on you,” Sanji says.  “When I propose, it’s going to be big, and grand, and not in the kitchen with flour all over me.”

“When you propose?” Zoro says.  His grin widens.  Sanji whisks the batter with more vigor.  “Sounds a lot like you want to marry me.”

“This is the worst day of my life,” Sanji says.  “Who’d want to marry you, huh?  Not me.”

“I told you you’re a terrible liar,” Zoro says, and Sanji can hear the smile in his voice.  

“Saddled to a piece of lettuce for the rest of my life,” Sanji continues, talking more to his bowl than Zoro.  “A stupid swordsman who doesn’t know right from left.”

“The greatest swordsman in the world,” Zoro points out.

“The greatest swordsman in the world who doesn’t know right from left,” Sanji amends.  “Who’d want that?”

Zoro is silent for a moment.  Sanji continues whisking, and glances up.  Zoro is staring straight at him, still smiling.

“If you were, hypothetically, proposing to me,” Zoro says.  “I’d hypothetically say yes.  Just so you know.”

Sanji’s mouth is dry.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“But since you didn’t, I think I’ll just go to bed,” Zoro says.  “And wait for my boyfriend who is definitely not my fiance.”

Sanji nods, and he swallows.  “That’s right.”

Zoro moves, and as he’s about to walk through the kitchen door, calls behind him, “‘Roronoa Sanji’ does have a nice ring to it.”

In his heart, Sanji has to agree.

It’s time to leave for Nami and Vivi’s wedding before Sanji realizes it.  Intellectually, he knew it was approaching—he had called the Sunny and hammered out the details of getting picked up with Franky, he and Zoro had packed, and he had grilled his staff on what to do should a worst-case-scenario arise.  He’s not as stressed as he was when they had left for Water Seven, but Sanji still holds a healthy amount of doubt in his staff’s fighting ability.  

The crew doesn’t announce themselves in the traditional sense—Sanji hears a loud thunk from outside and a distinctively Zoro grunt of pain, and that’s all the warning he gets before Luffy bursts into the kitchen.

“Sanji!” he yells loudly.  “We have to leave!”  

“What?  Why?” Sanji asks, and then the kitchen door violently swings open again, revealing a worse-for-wear Zoro.

“Come here, you little bastard,” he says, making a grab for Luffy.  Luffy ducks, then dashes towards Sanji, bowling over any poor chef who happens to be in his way.  Zoro follows in pursuit, leaping over the fallen chefs.

“Luffy!” Sanji yells, furious.  He’s about to say more, but Luffy catches him around the middle, simultaneously knocking the wind out of Sanji and making him an accessory to Luffy’s escape.

“Sorry, Sanji!” Luffy says.  “We’ve got to go!”

Sanji can’t formulate a response immediately, still gasping for air.  He instead grounds his feet into the floor in an attempt to slow them down as Zoro gains on them.  It stops Luffy’s torso well enough, but his legs stretch out, and Sanji has a sinking premonition.  “No, no, no—”

The rest of Luffy’s body comes back in a snap, sending both of them flying back into Zoro.  Sanji groans.

“Nice to see you, captain,” Sanji groans.  “Is there a reason you tried to destroy my life’s work?”

“I just missed you guys a lot,” Luffy pouted.

“He threw me out of the crow’s nest,” Zoro says, voice muffled.  “It fucking hurt.”

“I said I was sorry,” Luffy says.

“No, you didn’t,” Zoro says, voice still muffled.  “You bounced off the deck and took off running.”

“Oops,” Luffy says.  He stands up and scratches his head.  “Sorry, Zoro.  Sorry, Sanji.  If any food fell on the floor, I can eat it so it doesn’t go to waste.”

“An immense sacrifice, I’m sure,” Sanji says, feeling his midsection and wincing.  “Fuck, that’s going to leave a mark.”  

He feels himself shift as Zoro, underneath him, rights himself.  “We’re not all made of rubber.”  Zoro grabs the edges of Luffy’s cheeks and pulls his mouth down into a frown.

“Sehd saw-ee,” Luffy says.  “Leh go!”

“I’m the king of the pirates and I don’t care if my first mate breaks his spine,” Zoro says, moving Luffy’s mouth as he speaks.  Sanji snickers.

“Zowo,” Luffy whines, and Zoro lets go.  Luffy rubs his face.  

“Where’s the rest of the crew?” Sanji asks, finally getting to his feet.

“I don’t know.  On the Sunny still, probably,” Luffy says.

“He slingshotted into me,” Zoro says.  “That’s what knocked me down.”

“Well, at least it wasn’t a cannonball,” Sanji says.  “The marimo is a lot more durable than the main mast.”  

“Your concern for my safety is touching,” Zoro says.

“Oh, don’t be a baby,” Sanji says.  “Look at yourself, you’re fine.  You’re being dramatic.”

Zoro mutters something along the lines of “You’ll care when I’m covered in bruises tomorrow” that Sanji chooses to ignore.  “Go get our bags, marimo, and I’m going to make sure my chefs are still intact.”

“I’ll come with you, Sanji!” Luffy chirps.  “I don’t want to get lost.”

“Uncalled for,” Zoro says. 

“It comes from a place of love, I’m sure,” Sanji says.

“Oh, yeah, he tries to kill me and then makes fun of me.  I’m really feeling the love,” Zoro says dryly.

“Marimo, that almost sounds like spiteful sarcasm!” Sanji says with a faux gasp.

“Yeah, you’re a bad influence on me,” Zoro says, but he’s grinning.  “Race you to the Sunny?”

“You’re on,” Sanji says, matching his grin, and Zoro runs off.  Luffy blinks at him.

“Aren’t you going to run, too?” he asks.  Sanji points in the opposite direction to which Zoro ran.

“Our room is that way,” he says.  There’s a beat, and then Luffy bursts out laughing.

“Same old Zoro!” He giggles.

“Same old Zoro,” Sanji says fondly.  “C’mon, let’s get you introduced to my crew, captain.”

The chefs are mostly unharmed, and those who were victims to Luffy’s great escape aren’t suffering anything greater than minor scratches and bruises.  A tray full of appetizers had fallen, but Luffy, as promised, happily eats them.  The walk to the Sunny is leisurely, and Sanji is ready to greet his friends and start a snack before Zoro has even set foot on the gangplank.  He does not expect to trip over a haphazard leg and go sprawling across the deck.

“Well, well, well,” a smug voice says.  “Look who got the last laugh.”

Sanji turns over and Zoro is grinning over at him.  “Beat you, Swirly.”

“I cannot believe this,” Sanji says, propping himself up.  “How did you beat me?  You were running in the wrong direction!”

Zoro holds out his hand.  “You ever heard of a fake out?”

Sanji is lifted to his feet.  “You tricked me!”

“All is fair in love and war,” Zoro says.  “Everyone’s already in the kitchen, c’mon.”

“That was really embarrassing, Sanji,” Luffy whispers.  

“Thanks, Luffy, I know,” Sanji whispers back.

It’s wonderful to see the crew—Jinbei is with them, and though he isn’t as emotional as Franky (who picks Zoro and Sanji up in a massive hug, sobbing), he does clap them on the shoulder with a toothy smile.

“You’re both looking well,” he says.

“Same to you,” Zoro says.  “Blue as always.”

Jinbei throws his head back and laughs.  “Can’t say you’re wrong there.”

“To Alabasta!” Luffy declares, leaping into the air.  “I miss Nami!  Franky keeps getting us lost!”

“Jinbei keeps getting us lost,” Franky argues.

“I just steer where you tell me to go,” Jinbei says.

“It’s not like I can stop and ask for directions!” Franky says.

“You could,” Robin says.  “If I hadn’t overheard those Marines discussing the Cherie, who knows where we would be now?”

“You guys are being a little too patronizing for people who kept telling to ‘go left’ on the ocean—”

“I still don’t know my port from my starboard,” Brook says with a laugh.  “Sanji, you’ve made quite an impression in this area!  Robin said their one complaint was that your restaurant is run by pirates.”

“They also said the owner was short-tempered and rude,” Robin adds.

“Well, that wasn’t as nice,” Brook says.  “Sanji didn’t need to hear that.”

Sanji snorts.  “It’s from the Marines, it doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

“Not to mention, it’s true,” Zoro comments, elbowing Sanji.

“Cool it with the romance, loverboy,” Sanji says sarcastically.

“I’m just speaking the truth,” Zoro says.

“Screw you,” Sanji says.

“Case in point,” Zoro replies, smirking.  The smirk falls from his face quickly, and he asks, “Wait, where’s Chopper?”

“In bed,” Robin says.

“Poor kid couldn’t fall asleep last night, he was so excited to see you two,” Franky says.  “Plus, he was lookout two nights ago, so he’d been up for around forty-eight hours.”

“Bunks or office?” Zoro asks.

“Office,” Robin says.  Zoro nods.

“I’m gonna go see him,” he says.  “Cook?”

“I’m staying here,” Sanji says.  “Kitchen.”

“Guy cooks for a living, finally gets to see his friends, and he says he’ll be in the kitchen,” Zoro huffs.

“Bring Chopper up!” Sanji says.  “You’re not the only one who missed him.  Carry him up if you have to, I don’t care.”

“Oh, kidnap him in his sleep?  That’s what you want me to do?” Zoro asks.

Sanji rolls his eyes.  “Yeah, kidnap the kid in his sleep, he’ll love that.”

“Whatever you say, Eyebrow,” Zoro says, walking away.

“Moron!” Sanji calls after him.

“Idiot!” Zoro yells back.

Sanji faces the rest of the crew with a grin.  “So, what do you want for lunch?”

Franky shakes his head.  “You two are crazy, bro.  I still don’t get you guys.”

“I don’t know what’s so hard to get,” Sanji says, opening cabinets to pull out bowls.  “What about cold sesame noodles?”

“You seem different,” Luffy says abruptly.  “Not bad different.  But different different, you know?”

“I don’t know, Luffy,” Sanji says.  “Nothing’s changed since you last saw me.”

“Hmph,” Luffy frowns.  “You’re hiding a secret from me.”

“I’m not!” Sanji protests.  “Go ask Zoro if it bothers you that much.  I’m making the noodles.”

“Maybe I will!” Luffy says with a pout, and runs off.  He returns about fifteen minutes later, an odd look on his face.

“I figured it out.  You’re both stupid,” he says wisely, and refuses to elaborate.

“Do I like Alabasta because the island is nice, or do I like it because I associate it with Vivi?” Sanji asks.  Zoro is lying on the bed, shirts draped over him, that Sanji is sorting between.

“Do you think the island is nice?” Zoro asks.  “Go with the yellow.”

“If I go with the yellow, I’ll look like a mustard bottle,” Sanji says.  “And that’s what I’m trying to figure out!  I always think of it fondly, but the desert is just—I don’t know.  I don’t like not being around water.”

“The sea or the kind you can drink?” Zoro asks.  Sanji considers the question.

“Both, I think,” he decides.  “What do you think of the green?  Is it offensive to wear it in the desert?”

“Maybe it’ll make you look like relish,” Zoro suggests.  “Why are you so hung up on what you think about Alabasta?”

“I don’t know,” Sanji says.  He holds up one of his lighter blue shirts up to his torso.  “Good?”

“They all look good on you,” Zoro says. 

“Flatterer,” Sanji says.  “I’m just—it gets so hard to distinguish a place from its people, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t know why you would want to,” Zoro says.  “People make the place.  Doesn’t matter how hot or sandy or sweaty it gets on Alabasta, it’s still Vivi’s home, and that’s good enough for me.”

Sanji blinks at him.  “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” Zoro asks.

“Be so resolute in your thinking,” Sanji says.  “How are you so confident?”

“How are you going to ask me that?” Zoro says.  “You’ve gone your whole life trying to help other people.  You’ve tried to throw your life away multiple times just so other people would be safe.  You’d pick fights with me every day when we were sailing because we were on opposite sides of some fundamental beliefs.”

“But I was wrong about half of what I thought anyway!” Sanji objects.

“So was I!” Zoro says.  “And we changed for the better because of it, didn’t we?  Besides,” he sits up and points at Sanji’s chest, “in the end, what you think is only half the battle.  You might’ve done the right thing for the wrong reasons, and I know you’ve done the wrong thing for the right reasons, but hell, so have I.  I like to think we’ve done the right thing more often than not, and when we haven’t, it’s been for the right reasons.”  He raises his eyebrows.  “Now can we please go watch our friends get married?”

Sanji doesn’t have any other objections.

It’s different from the other two weddings they’ve attended recently.  There’s less of a sense of carefreeness, one that even Luffy seems to pick up on.  The Strawhats aren’t the only pirates in attendance—Sanji catches sight of Lola in the back, and Hachi helping Camie move around, and is that Carina? Extremely bold, Nami —but they’re far outnumbered by civilians.  The Strawhats are spread out between the second and third rows, behind Nami’s family but in front of a number of nobles who try to hide their glaring.  

“It’s not fair I don’t get to marry them,” Luffy complains.  “It would’ve been so cool to marry Nami to a princess.”

“Tradition comes first, I guess,” Sanji says.  

“Could’ve been a new tradition,” Luffy says.

“Argue with the royal court, not me,” Sanji says.  “But don’t do that right now, you’ll ruin Nami and Vivi’s wedding.”

Luffy sticks out his tongue.  “No-Fun Sanji.”

“Keeping-you-on-friendly-terms-with-Alabasta Sanji,” Sanji says sharply.  “If anything goes wrong, Luffy, so help me god, I will kick you from here to the West Blue.”

“Calm down, Cook,” Zoro says.  “Something always goes wrong and it’s not always Luffy’s fault.  Sometimes it’s yours.”

“Whose side are you on?” Sanji asks.

“Nami’s,” Zoro says with a shrug.  Sanji can’t argue with that.

Igaram is officiating the ceremony, and when Sanji catches his eye, he gives him a smile.  He seems pleased, at least, which is a comfort.  He doesn’t even look twice at Robin, her arm slung through Franky’s.  King Cobra, on the other hand, is wearing a completely neutral expression on his face.

“He could stand to look happier for his only daughter’s wedding,” Sanji mutters.  “We did take down Baroque Works and bring the water back to Alabasta.”

“This is what I mean about starting shit,” Zoro mutters back.  “Can’t say I disagree, though.”

“I’m not starting shit,” Sanji argues.  “I’m saying it’s supposed to be the happiest day of Vivi’s life.  Fathers are supposed to care about that kind of stuff.”

“Royals are weird, you know that,” Zoro says.  “Don’t take out your issues on Vivi’s dad.”

“Yeah, Sanji, we don’t want anything to go wrong,” Luffy says.  Sanji maturely resists the urge to stomp on his foot.

The hall is enormous, but when Igaram raises his hands to quiet the idle chatter, silence sweeps through the room within seconds.  Sanji presses himself close to Zoro’s side.  He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous.  It’s not his wedding.

“All rise for her royal majesty, Nefertari Vivi ibnat Cobra,” Igaram states, and the hall obeys.  Vivi enters from the side, and Sanji can’t help the small noise of adoration he makes when he sees her.  It’s not like the dresses Vivi has worn for other events—there’s a high collar and wide sleeves and doesn’t so much hug her figure as it drapes over it.  Over the dress itself, she wears a long cloak, and the stitched detail is visible even from where Sanji is standing.  Her hair is tightly braided close to her scalp but loose and free in the back, voluminous behind her and creating a stunning silhouette.  It’s breathtaking.

“Wow,” Zoro murmurs, and Sanji knows he’s not crazy.  “She looks great.”

“Like an angel from above,” Sanji agrees quietly.

Vivi walks slowly and deliberately towards Igaram, and he hands her a sekhem-scepter, which she grips tightly in her left hand.  “I am Nefertari Vivi ibnat Cobra, princess of Alabasta.”

“Nami, of Cocoyashi Village.  You may approach,” Igaram says, and Nami enters from the side opposite Vivi.  She looks almost alien to Sanji—she’s dressed in a similarly-detailed robe and a pale, long shirt and loose pants underneath.  It’s not her usually style at all.  Her hair is even shorter than it was when she took refuge on the Cherie, clipped close to her scalp with an orange tuft at the top.  She looks radiant, and she looks scared out of her mind.

“I am Nami of Cocoyashi Village,” she says, and her voice comes out strong and even, despite appearances.  

“We are joined here today to witness these two joined in matrimony,” Igaram says.  “Nami of Cocoyashi Village will take the name Nefertari and become consort of Alabasta, wife of the princess heir.  Please take each other’s right hands.”

Vivi reaches across to Nami and holds their hands aloft, still gripping the sekhem-scepter in her other hand.  

“Nami of Cocoyashi Village,” Igaram says.  “Do you take Nefertari Vivi as your partner in life, in sickness and in health, in conflict and in peace, to protect and love for the rest of your days?”

“I do,” Nami states.

“And do you take on the duties of consort of Alabasta as protector and server of the people?”

“I do,” Nami says again.

Vivi brings the sekhem-scepter up, holding it above their hands, and Nami grips it with her own left hand.

“Nefertari Vivi,” Igaram says.  “Do you take Nami as your partner in life, in sickness and in health, in conflict and in peace, to protect and love for the rest of your days?”

“I do,” Vivi states.

“And do you swear that this marriage is one of your own free will?”

“I do,” Vivi says.

“You may pass the symbol of Alabasta to Nefertari Nami,” Igaram says.  Vivi releases her grip on the sekhem-scepter and Nami brings it to her side.

“If there are any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace,” Igaram says.  There’s a beat of silence that feels like it stretches on for an eternity, and then he continues, “You may kiss the bride.”

Nami and Vivi lean into each other, and Sanji swears he can see the smile that flashes across Nami’s face.  It’s a brief kiss, and when they separate, they release each other’s hands.

“I present Nefertari Vivi and her consort, Nefertari Nami,” Igaram declares, and the hall erupts in applause.  Sanji joins in, though he leans over to Zoro and asks, “That’s it?  They don’t even get to say their own vows?”

“Fucking royals,” Zoro replies.

“Lame,” Luffy complains.

Lame is right, but Sanji isn’t going to pick more of a bone with the Alabastan royal court than he already has and risk causing trouble for his friends.  He’s confident Nami has something up her sleeve.

The reception is in the palace, with large sheets of blue, white, and gold strewn up by the windows.  Sanji’s cake is prominently displayed, and he can tell he did a good job by the glares being sent its way by the noble Alabastans.  He’s proud of it—it’s not a wedding for Alabasta.  At the end of it all, it’s Nami and Vivi doing the impossible, and he doesn’t want anyone to eat the cake without remembering that.

The Strawhats sit themselves all down at a single table as a sort of self-containment measure.  It’s not the table reserved for them, but it’s the one Luffy had planted himself at and the rest of the crew had followed suit.  Zoro places himself to Luffy’s right and immediately falls asleep in his chair, and Sanji makes himself busy fetching an assortment of items for Robin before Franky tells him to “cool his engines.”

“Go get something for Zoro, man,” he suggests.

“Like what, a pillow?” Sanji snorts.  “If he wants something so bad he can get it himself.  He’s got legs, doesn’t he?”

“Robin’s got legs,” Franky points out.  “Robin’s got more legs than Zoro.”  As if to drive this point home, a leg sprouts from the back of Robin’s chair and trips one of the other guests.  

“I would appreciate another drink,” Robin says sweetly, and Sanji moves to get up, but Franky glares at him.

“I can get you something, babe.  Stop bullying Sanji,” he says and takes off.  Sanji leans back in his own chair next to Zoro, folding one leg over the other.

“He saw right through me,” Robin says with a chuckle.  “Ah, well.  What else will you do with all that nervous energy?”

“Pick a fight with Zoro when he wakes up,” Usopp suggests.

“You can’t do that at Nami and Vivi’s wedding!” Chopper exclaims.  “It just wouldn’t be right.”

“Who’s picking a fight?” Zoro asks, stirring.

Sanji pokes him.  “No one, marimo.  Go back to sleep.”

“Where’s Nami?” Zoro asks.  “The witch needs to visit her real friends.”

“The witch is making sure the Alabastan royal court doesn’t bite her head off and immediately annul her marriage,” a sickening sweet voice says, and Sanji turns in his seat to see Nami herself with Vivi on her arm.

“Oh, hush.  They won’t annul it now,” Vivi says, lightly tapping her on the arm.  Sanji falls out of his seat in his hurry to pull out two chairs for Vivi and Nami, and Nami tuts at him.

“Really, Sanji,” she says, but she sits down.  

“He never does that for me,” Zoro says.

“You’ve never asked,” Sanji says.

Luffy doesn’t stop eating, but he extends his arms so they wrap around the entire table and brings everyone in close.  “Good!  We’re all together now!”

It’s a sweet gesture, but Sanji suspects something more is going on when he hears Franky yell, “Woah, bro, wait for me!”

“Hurry up!” Luffy yells back, and Franky makes a running leap into the pile.

“What’s going o—” is as far as Sanji gets before Luffy vaults them through one of the windows in the direction of the Sunny.  Glass shatters absolutely everywhere and Sanji can make out shocked gasps and cries as the princess heir to Alabasta and her newly-married consort are all but kidnapped by the king of the pirates.  The last thing Sanji sees is King Cobra shaking his head, finally smiling.

“You could have told me.”

Sanji isn’t sulking.  He’s sitting cross-legged on the Sunny’s deck where the Strawhats have been throwing their own personal reception for the last three hours, and he isn’t sulking.

“You suck at secrets,” Luffy says.

“You suck at secrets!” Sanji exclaims, incredulous.  “You’re the worst liar I know!  I’m great at secrets!  I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“Oh, come on, Sanji.  It’s not a big deal,” Nami says.  “We just forgot!”

“Luffy told me as soon as I sat down,” Zoro adds.  “If you hadn’t been busy fetching things for Robin, maybe he would’ve had the opportunity to tell you, too.”

“You are not blaming this on me,” Sanji says.  “I was being chivalrous.”

“Are you not having fun?” Vivi asks.  “I thought it was a wonderful idea!”

“It was a wonderful idea,” Sanji acquiesces.  “I just wish I had known this was the plan before I was being hurled through a window.”

“Next time,” Nami says with a wave of her hand. 

Everyone is more comfortable on the Sunny, Vivi included.  She’s shed her ceremonial robes for something just as gorgeous but of less symbolic value, and is glued to Nami’s lap, her arms slung around her neck.  She periodically kisses her, sometimes on the cheek, sometimes on the neck, sometimes on the mouth.  She is also, notably, drunk out of her mind.

“This really is the happiest day of my life,” she rambles.  “I didn’t think it was possible to be this happy.  It puts some things in perspective.”

“Like what?” Sanji asks.

“Oh, you know,” Vivi says, waving her hand vaguely.  “Public duty.  Breaking from tradition.  Changing the world for the better.”

“That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?” Nami says.

“More you than me,” Vivi says.  “Aren’t you changing the world for the better?”

Nami sputters and Vivi gives her another quick peck on the lips.  Luffy laughs loudly.

“Who cares about changing the world?” he asks.  “Being here is what’s important!”

Sanji thinks that everyone else on the crew cares about changing the world a bit, but everyone raises their glasses in agreement.  Luffy is right.  It’s a beautiful night, his heart is swelling for his friends, and the world doesn’t need to change at that moment.  It will change—it is changing, the waves rocking the boat and the wind shaking the sails and the moon glimmering off the sea, but it doesn’t need the Strawhats to do anything.

“I love you,” Nami says, leaning into Vivi.

“I love you,” Vivi replies.

Sanji looks at Zoro, leaning back with a wide smile, his earrings catching the moonlight, and wants to say something himself.  He doesn’t.  Zoro catches him staring anyway and flashes his teeth in a grin.  Sanji, not quite sober, turns his attention back to Nami and Vivi.  “You two didn’t get to say your vows.  Did you have vows?”

“Of course we had vows,” Nami snorts.

“They just didn’t fit with the royal court’s idea of the wedding,” Vivi adds.

“Fuck the royal court,” Zoro says.  Nami nods in agreement.

“I second that,” she says, then turns her attention back to Sanji.  “Don’t tell me you wanted to hear our vows, lover boy?  It’ll cost you.”

“Oh, hush,” Vivi says, lightly thwacking Nami on the arm.  “I think it’s sweet.”

“I don’t mind paying.  I love love,” Sanji says.

“Shut up, cook.  She’s going to scam you out of any beris you’ve got on you for something Vivi would give for free,” Zoro says.  He narrows his eye at Nami.  “Witch.”

“On the day of my wedding—”

“On the day of her wedding—”

“Okay, enough!” Vivi yells and practically slams her fork into the side of her champagne flute.   “I have something to say!  I didn’t get to say anything during my wedding, so I’m going to say it now!”

The Strawhats, for all their chaos and shouting and general disorderly conduct, manage to turn their collective attention to Vivi, who has gotten to her wobbly feet.  She raises her champagne flute higher and takes a deep breath.

“Throwing me into the ocean was a hell of a meet-cute,” Vivi begins.  “Hardly fitting for a princess, but you didn’t meet me as a princess, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.  You were so full of contradictions—you hated pirates, but you were one, you said you only cared about money, but you put your life on the line for a nation you weren’t tied to, and you had that big, wide smile that I felt I could just fall into.  You made me feel safe.  You made me feel secure in myself.  You listened to me and you treated me like something precious, not because I was Princess Nefertari Vivi ibnat Cobra, but because I was just Vivi.  I’d never gotten to be just Vivi before.  I’d never been treasured as just Vivi before.

“You are my guiding star.  You’re my sun in the east.  You’re my map, and I know that we’ll always be able to find our way back to each other.”

Nami’s face is beet-red, and she buries her face in her hands as the crew cheers.  “How am I supposed to follow that up, huh?”

Vivi presses another kiss into her cheek.  “Same way you always do.”

“Okay.  Okay!  But I’m going to start crying, and I’m blaming you,” Nami says.

“A responsibility I gladly accept,” Vivi says.

Nami runs her hand through her hair then lets it drop to her lap.  “This is so embarrassing.”

“Come on,” Luffy says.  “Vivi did hers.  It’s only fair if you do yours.”

“Thank you, Luffy, I know,” Nami says.  She sighs.  “I’m closing my eyes, and none of you get to say anything about it.”  She takes Vivi’s hand in her own, and Vivi squeezes it.

“Before you, I’m not sure if I really knew what love was,” Nami says.  “I mean, I knew love—I knew mothers and sisters, and I was beginning to know friends, but I didn’t know this.  I thought I knew it, but all trust had gotten me before was a kiss on the cheek and a stab in the back.  You changed that for me.  You changed me, and you made me a better person for it.  I’ve mapped half the world and the other half is out there waiting for me, and I know you’ll be with me even when you can’t stand by my side.  I can’t imagine—” Nami’s voice breaks, and she takes a deep breath, clearly battling her internal emotions.  “I can’t imagine a life without you.  I won’t run anymore.  I’m not afraid.  Whenever I’m away, I’ll be finding my way back to you.  In sickness or in health, ‘til death do us part.”

“Until death,” Vivi repeats softly.

Nami opens her eyes, and Sanji can see the tears in them.  “How does that make you feel, huh?”

“Loved,” Vivi says simply.

Sanji wants to say something to them, something to show his support, to express his happiness for them, anything.  Instead, his mouth opens and closes silently, and he gets to his feet.

“I’m going to bake something,” he mumbles.  “This calls for—I don’t know.  Cake.  What happened to the cake?”  He shakes his head and walks off toward the galley, overwhelmed with emotion.

He doesn’t realize he’s being followed, which is a testament to how tipsy he’s gotten.  Zoro closes the door behind them, and though Sanji doesn’t jump at the noise, it’s a near thing.  “What are you doing here?”

“Making sure you don’t burn the kitchen down,” Zoro says, sitting himself on one of the stools.

Sanji shakes his head.  “You know I wouldn’t.  Go and have fun.”

“I could say the same thing to you,” Zoro says.  “What’s up with you?”

“Nami and Vivi deserve a cake,” Sanji says.

“They deserve your presence more,” Zoro says.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Sanji says, pulling out a large mixing bowl.  “I want to make them a cake.  Another cake.  I worked hard on the first one.  It won’t be hard to remake the batter, even here.”

“It’s just a cake.”

“It’s not.  Not to me.”

“What is it, then?”

Sanji grasps for words, but comes up empty-handed.  “I don’t know.”

Zoro is quiet for a moment, just watching Sanji gather ingredients.  “Everyone knows you love them, you know.  Even if you weren’t the cook.”

“I know that,” Sanji says quietly.  He cracks the eggs in the bowl.  “It’s not that.  Or it’s more than that.  I don’t know.  Nami and Vivi deserve a cake from me.”

Zoro nods, and he doesn’t say anything else.  He leaves Sanji in the galley with his thoughts, and when the cake is served to the beaming couple, Sanji can swear he hears Zoro say, “Not too bad, Cook,” under his breath.

Chapter Text

There’s a lull after Nami and Vivi’s wedding.  Sanji hadn’t realized how many weddings he’d been going to until he’s back on the Cherie and realizes he’s not stressed about traveling, for the first time in months.  Brook stays at the restaurant for a little bit—he invites himself on, really, but he plays for free and entertains the guests, so Sanji can’t throw too much of fit.  Deep down, it’s nice having another crewmate on board, even temporarily.  

Brook also helps dispatch aspiring greatest-swordsmen-in-the-world left and right.  They’re multiplying like rabbits.  Sanji isn’t bloodthirsty by any means, but he’s suspecting the fact that so few of them have been killed is encouraging even more to seek Zoro out.  Zoro himself is little help, but that’s partially Sanji’s fault, too.  He’s met very few swordsmen who deserve to fight Zoro, and even less who have been able to find him.  It’s ridiculous—the Cherie isn’t that big, all things considered.  It shouldn’t be so hard to find one pile of moss asleep in the crow’s nest.

Sanji also hasn’t forgotten his slip of the tongue from all those weeks ago.  Our wedding.   Zoro hasn’t brought it up, and Sanji has been too busy to properly think about it, but it lingers in the back of his mind.  Our wedding.   It would be on a nice clear day, not overwhelmingly hot.  The crew could dock the Sunny right by the Cherie.   Sanji can’t imagine having a wedding on land.  Luffy would officiate, of course.  He’d have to call Zeff and tell him weeks ahead of time, god knows the old man never picks up when Sanji needs him to—

Oh, fuck.  Zeff.  I need to tell the old man.

True to his nature, it takes a few days of Sanji calling for Zeff to answer.  Sanji almost writes a letter (something short and to the point.  “Thinking about getting married.  Pick up the fucking snail.”), but he manages to catch Zeff one afternoon in between the lunch and dinner rushes.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Zeff says.

“You could try to sound a little more excited,” Sanji says.

“I was thinking of tossing the snail into the brig.  Damn thing wouldn’t stop ringing,” he grumbles.

“It’s funny, but most people answer the transceiver snail when they get a call,” Sanji says sarcastically.  “Can you imagine?”

Zeff makes another grumbling sound.  “Well, what do you want?”

“I want you to pick up the snail the first time I call,” Sanji snipes, but sighs.  He runs a hand through his hair, and though Zeff can’t see it, he doesn’t jump in with another comment, so Sanji feels he must know he’s gathering his thoughts.  “I’m thinking about getting married.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line.  Sanji can feel his own heart beat in his chest, and he realizes suddenly that he’s terrified of what Zeff will say.  

He can’t place the noise that comes through the snail transceiver at first, but soon enough he recognizes Zeff’s rough, hacking laughter.  “Your moss finally popped the question?”

“Fuck no,” Sanji says.  “Him?  Are you kidding?”  He has to laugh.  “No, old man, my moss did not propose.  We just—we talked about it once.  I want to talk about it again.  I’m going to be the one to propose, because it’s going to be perfect, and I know Zoro’s ring size and I need to call Franky about welding something because I don’t think there’s a shop around for miles—”

“Sanji.”

“—and it’s not like Zoro knows the logistics of running a restaurant, I’d never ask him to try to understand it because I barely do, and he’s busy enough because he’s attracting challengers like shit attracts flies—”

“Sanji.”

“What?!”

“I’m happy for you,” Zeff says simply.  “Let me know when you settle on a date.  Knowing you, it won’t happen for the next three years.  Damn indecisive kid.”

“I am not—!” Sanji manages to squawk in protest before Zeff hangs up.  “Shitty old man!”

He hangs up with a frown, but the pounding in his chest has ceased.  Zeff is happy for you.  Zeff doesn’t care that you aren’t marrying a princess, an heiress, a woman.  Zeff cares that you’re happy, and because you’re happy, he’s happy.  

Sanji wipes his eyes with the edge of his palm, and he gets back to work.

A proposal isn’t something he can just spring on Zoro, but he does start prepping certain aspects before opening up the discussion.  He calls Franky and asks him to make rings.  Franky asks through tears if he wants gemstones inlayed in them, and Sanji says hell, why not.  Zoro deserves a diamond, something solid that can take a hit from a sword.  He asks Franky if he can inlay it in the middle, a thin white line wrapping around the band itself.  Something reminiscent of Wado Ichimonji. 

“Of course, bro,” Franky says.  “This is going to be a hell of a project.  And you just want the wedding bands?  No engagement rings?”

“Nah,” Sanji says, trying to push the image of Pudding’s ring out of his mind.  “Seems pointless.  I’m not even going to be able to wear the band most days while I cook.”

“I’ll make you a chain, bro,” Franky says.  “Don’t even worry about it.”

(Sanji appreciates that immensely.  He wants to wear his wedding ring, but he’s terrified of getting it dirty.  He’s terrified of attaching it to his hand.  It feels dangerous to combine two things that mean so much to him.)

He calls all sorts of people when he gets the chance.  He asks Franky how he proposed to Robin (answer: loudly), he asks Usopp how he broached the topic with Kaya (answer: as soon as he jumped off the Sunny), he asks Nami how she overcame her nerves.  She laughs at the question.

“I didn’t, stupid,” she says.  “I ran away, and would’ve kept running away if you and Zoro hadn’t set me straight.  Have some more faith in yourself.  You’re a brave guy, Sanji.  You take risks on everyone else, take a risk for yourself.  It’s not even a risk!  You know he’s going to say yes!”

Sanji thanks her profusely.  When he hangs up, he realizes the back of his shirt is soaked with sweat.  He needs to speak with Zoro.

Zoro, for his part, is not oblivious.  He shoots Sanji glances, not worried per se, but alerting Sanji to the fact Zoro knows something is up.  Sanji does not have an indefinite amount of time to worry about a proposal before Zoro confronts him about it.  It’s still not as easy as he’d like it to be.  Some part of him, however small and childish, might always be afraid he isn’t good enough.

“Nami and Vivi are in the papers again,” Sanji comments as he brings Zoro’s lunch up to the crow’s nest in the late afternoon.

“Makes sense,” Zoro says.

“Nami electrocuted a minister,” Sanji says.  “No doubt for a good reason.”

“Yeah, like her not liking him,” Zoro snorts. 

“These stupid gossip columnists are wondering if there’s going to be an annulment,” Sanji says, and Zoro throws his head back and laughs.

“Funny.  It’s been what, two months?  I’m surprised it took them this long to show their true colors,” Zoro says.  “There’s not going to be an annulment.  If anything, there’d be a divorce—long, drawn-out, and squeezing Alabasta for every penny of alimony Nami can get her hands on.”

Sanji laughs softly at that.  “That would be terrible.”

Zoro nods.  “It would.  It’s not going to happen, either, not anytime soon, if ever.  Nami and Vivi can’t keep their hands off each other.”

“Mhmm,” Sanji says in agreement.  There’s a beat.  “You think that’s realistic?  To think they’re going to make it?  Not every marriage is happy.”

Zoro narrows his eye at Sanji.  “The other option would be saying they aren’t going to make it, and if you start to believe that, the marriage is already sour.  Course I think Nami and Vivi are gonna make it, just like Robin and Franky or Usopp and Kaya.  I want our friends to be happy.”

“Right,” Sanji says.  “And you?”

Zoro shrugs.  “I’m happy here.  I’ll keep being happy here as long as you’re here.  If Luffy needs me, I’ll leave, but you better be damn sure I’m coming back.”  He flashes his teeth in a grin.  “Can’t say I can imagine a situation where Luffy needs his first mate but not his cook, either.  We’re stuck together.”

Sanji snorts.  “You’re stuck to me, like moss on a tree.  Only difference is that you can’t tell me the direction you’re facing.”

Zoro shoves him and Sanji kicks him in the shin.  “Don’t you have work, shit-cook?”  He raises his eyebrows.  “Unless there’s something else you want to ask me.”

The ocean is glimmering, and the sun shines through Zoro’s hair, giving it an illusion of appearing as gold as Sanji’s.  The timing is perfect.

Except the dinner rush is starting in a few minutes.  Except the rings are in Sanji’s desk.  Except Sanji is still scared, because even though Zoro is his and he’s Zoro’s, they both still have an out.  Zoro has an out if he decides he doesn’t want Sanji.

He scoffs.  “Nothing, marimo.”

Zoro shrugs again, though Sanji feels as though there’s a hint of disappointment in his expression.  “Suit yourself.”  He grabs Sanji by the tie and pulls him close, planting a kiss on his lips.  Sanji flushes and straightens out his suit.

“You’ve got to stop doing that.  You’re going to end up ripping the tie,” he says.

“I’ll get you a new one,” Zoro says with a smirk.

“Is that a threat?” Sanji asks, and doesn’t wait for Zoro to answer.  “I’ll see you after dinner.  Enjoy lunch.”

The proposal isn’t the only thing weighing on Sanji’s mind.  The restaurant has been due for another visit from Akibi for weeks, but the man still hasn’t arrived.  Sanji’s beginning to worry he’s dead.  It would be a pity—Sanji likes Akibi, even though he’s a Marine.  Push comes to shove, he’s a decent guy.  He would’ve made a better pirate and ended up dead twice as fast.  Sanji wonders what kind of food is appropriate to mourn a good health inspector.

It turns out he was preemptively mourning when he finally digs through the pile of mail that has piled up on his desk over the weeks he’s been gone.  Akibi sent a letter explaining he’s taking a holiday during the next inspection, so the Marines are sending a temporary replacement.  The letter is less about Akibi’s holiday and more about him begging Sanji not to kill whoever they send, which makes Sanji snort.  Akibi knows Sanji doesn’t kill for the hell of it.  Whoever they’re sending must be a real piece of work.  

That’s okay.  Sanji is a real piece of work himself.  He’s sure he can handle whatever replacement the Marines throw at him.

The temp arrives at the least-ideal time, right in the middle of the dinner rush.  Sanji is whipping up dishes as fast as they’re coming in, and he hears the click-clack of boots out on the deck, followed by screaming.  That can’t be good.

“Take over!” he barks at one of the chefs about to go on break.  “I need to see what’s going on out there.”  He doesn’t even bother to remove his apron as he rushes out into the dining area, which is being flooded by people running in from the deck.  Sanji breaks into a sprint.

Out on the deck, Zoro has his swords locked with a Marine.  The Marine has a few heads on Zoro and is wielding a similarly large sword.  Zoro’s face is expressionless, and the first thing Sanji notices is that he’s tied his bandana around his head.  Oh, fuck no.  Not on my ship.

“What the hell is going on here?!” he shouts, skidding to a halt some feet behind Zoro.  The Marine’s eyes narrow further and a grin creeps across his face.

“Roronoa Zoro and Vinsmoke Sanji?” he says, as if to himself.  “I’d be set for life just with the swordsman’s head, but who am I to leave money on the table?  Akibi’s such a fool.”

Sanji’s leg ignites on instinct.  “You must be the temp.”

“Says he’s called Mahler,” Zoro says through Wado Ichimonji.  “Tried to go after some of the customers for their bounties.  He’s not going to do that again, though.”  He fixes his gaze on Mahler, noticeably pressing upwards with his swords.  “Not with me here.”

“Or me,” Sanji says coldly.  Vinsmoke Sanji.   He suppresses a shudder.  “I suppose talking isn’t an option.”

Mahler laughs, low and harsh.  “I think you gave up your right to talk when you became a pirate, Vinsmoke Sanji.”

Sanji acts fast and without thought.  His hands are on the deck before he knows what he’s doing and his foot, still aflame, swings into Mahler’s side.  Mahler, not expecting an attack from that angle, stumbles a bit, releasing Zoro from the stalemate of swords.  

“The hell—” he says, and Sanji slides to his other side, brings his knees to his chest, then kicks out with both feet, using the momentum of his entire body.  It knocks Mahler in the other direction, further destabilizing him, and Sanji watches Zoro leap at him with all his swords.  

“Do not destroy my restaurant!” Sanji yells to Zoro, who gives no acknowledgement that he hears the order.  He and Mahler swipe at each other with their swords mid-air, and when they land, Zoro distributes his weight in such a way that there’s a loud thunk but no damage.  The wood under Mahler audibly cracks.  If Sanji wasn’t already alight, he’s sure he would catch fire.

Mahler pants, getting to his feet.  “This—makes no—sense.  You’re just—dirty—no good—pirates—”

Zoro sheathes Wado Ichimonji, but keeps his other two blades out.  Sanji stalks towards Mahler and kicks his sword away.

“You might forget that dirty, no good pirate—” he jabs his thumb backwards to point at Zoro.  “—is the greatest swordsman in the world.”

Mahler spits blood at Sanji’s feet.  Sanji doesn’t flinch.  “And you—you’re just some freak—Vinsmoke Sanji.  Just like the rest of your family.”

Sanji hooks his foot around Mahler’s standard-Marine ascot, forcing his head up to look at Sanji.  “Don’t fucking call me that.  My name is Roronoa Sanji.”

Mahler’s eyes widen for a split second, and then Sanji’s leg is completely vertical and Mahler is sky-high.  “Moss-head!  Jump!”  He sticks out his leg.  Zoro takes a running leap, and soon Sanji has launched him to an equal altitude.  There’s a small explosion above him.  Zoro lands with the grace of a cat, his swords sheathed.  Mahler does not land at all.

Sanji regains control of his breath, and the words he just said sink in.  He turns around and Zoro is looking at him, wide-eyed.  Sanji opens his mouth, but no words come to him.  Zoro takes one step towards him, then another, and then another, until he’s nearly running towards Sanji, and he sweeps him up in a massive hug, lifting Sanji’s feet entirely off the ground.

“Marimo—!” Sanji protests, but Zoro spins him around once, then kisses him deeply.  When they part, he has a grin that’s nearly splitting his face in half.

“That was a hell of a proposal,” he says, and Sanji can hear the smile in his voice.  “Roronoa Sanji?”

Sanji makes a noise that’s half a laugh, half a sob.  “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  I have rings—I was going to make us dinner—”

“It’s perfect,” Zoro says, and finally sets him down.  “Of course you’re going to tell a Marine before you tell me.  I’ve been waiting, you know?  I thought I was going to have to do it.”

Sanji makes that same noise again.  He’s completely overwhelmed.  “Is that a yes, then?”

“Of course it is,” Zoro says.  “Of course I’ll marry you.”

He says it like it’s the simplest thing in the world.  Of course he’ll marry Sanji.  How could Sanji have ever doubted that?  How could he have doubted Zoro?

Sanji presses his forehead to Zoro’s.  How did I ever get so lucky? 

“The flowers.”

“You saw them earlier, they’re practically nailed down.  It would take a hurricane to screw them up.”

“The cake.”

“Hidden from Luffy, along with the rest of the food.”

“Luffy.”

“With the rest of the crew, they’re making sure he doesn’t start an adventure right before the ceremony.”

“Zeff.”

“Zeff’s been here for a week, you think he’s going to be late walking from the guest room to the deck?”

“I don’t know!  Maybe!” Sanji exclaims.  “He was late to the rehearsal!”

“He was late because he got into an argument with your staff,” Zoro says.  “He won’t be late to the real thing.”

Sanji tugs on his hair.  “Oh, God, what if he gets into another argument?”

Zoro puts his hands on Sanji’s shoulders.  “He won’t.  Well, he might, but Franky or Nami or someone will make sure he’s where he needs to be in time for the ceremony.”

Sanji takes a deep breath.  “You’re right.  You’re right!”  He shakes his head.  “I don’t know how you’re so level-headed about this.  I can’t believe how many people accepted the invitation.  I can’t believe Iva is going to be in the same room as Perona.”

“I can’t believe Mihawk is going to be sitting next to Zeff.”

“I can’t believe Patty and Carne are going to be in the same hemisphere as Law.”

“I can’t believe Law showed up,” Zoro says with a snort.  “I think he’s still fishing for an autograph.”

Sanji snickers, and the anxiety doesn’t leave him entirely, but a good portion melts away from his body.  “It wouldn’t surprise me.”

They’re both silent for a moment.  Sanji bites his lip.

“I know I’m stressed out, but I’m not unhappy,” he says quietly.  “It’s not like my first wedding.”

Zoro is quiet, but nods, taking Sanji’s hand.  “Yeah.”

“I mean, obviously it’s not—I wanted this—I want this—it’s just—it’s so similar.  In ways I didn’t expect,” Sanji says.  He swallows.  “I’m more nervous today.  Back then, on Whole Cake, I wasn’t scared.  I didn’t have any hope.  How could I have been scared?”  He tightens his grip on Zoro’s hand.  “The only thing I remember before Luffy saved me was that I wish my mother was there.  I wish my mother could have been here, too.”

Zoro nods again.  Wado Ichimonji is next to him, and he idly takes it and places it across his lap.  “I wish my sister could have been here.”

Sanji extracts his hand from Zoro’s to trace his fingers along the hilt.  Zoro lets him.  Very quietly, almost a whisper, he says, “Kuina.  Your brother is a great man.  I hope you see me as a worthy partner for him.”

“You wouldn’t need her approval, even if she was still alive,” Zoro says.

“No,” Sanji says.  “But I would want it.”

Zoro looks at him, then closes his eye, tilting his face skyward.  “I don’t believe in gods and I don’t believe in fate.  Spirits, I don’t know about.  I’ve seen a lot of ways a person’s soul can live on.  Vinsmoke Sora, if your spirit is out there, thank you for your son.  Thank you for making him kind.  It’s a hard thing to be.”

Sanji closes his eyes as well, just listening to Zoro breathe.  “My mom would’ve loved you.”

“No kidding?”

“She had a soft spot for impossible dreams,” Sanji says simply.

“This used to be an impossible dream to me.”  Sanji opens his eyes, and Zoro is looking at Sanji’s hands—at the ring finger, absent of its namesake.  “I never imagined something like this.  I thought I’d be dead before twenty-five.”  He raises his gaze and meets Sanji’s eyes.  “I’m glad it wasn’t so impossible after all.”

Sanji’s breath catches in his throat.  He thinks he may have fallen in love all over again.  “We should get in position.”

“Probably.”

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

“You better.  Hey, Sanji?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”  Zoro plants a kiss on his cheek and stands up, Wado Ichimonji in his hand.

“I love you,” Sanji echoes as Zoro walks away.

There are tears forming in the corners of Sanji’s eyes, but they aren’t sad.  He’s mourned enough for a lifetime.  He dabs at them and straightens his back.  Maybe he and Zoro had started as an impossible dream.  Maybe Sanji was a fight Zoro never expected to come back from and Zoro was an ocean Sanji couldn’t help but believe in.  Maybe they chose to believe in each other, unequivocally.

Sanji makes his way out to the deck.  It’s not as fancy as Nami and Vivi’s wedding, or as scenic as Usopp and Kaya’s, or as crowded as Robin and Franky’s.  It’s still perfect.  They hauled out an assortment of chairs from the restaurant for the guests, and nearly all of them are full.  It’s a bit overwhelming.  Sanji hadn’t expected so many people to say yes to the RSVP.  He can see Zeff in the front row, squished between Franky and Jinbei.  Sanji can’t help but snicker.

Nami notices Sanji hovering in the corner immediately and makes a beeline towards him.  “How are you feeling?  Nervous?  Excited?  Gassy?”

“Gassy?” Sanji asks, and Nami begins to dig around in her purse.  

“I have something for that.  I was the same way in Alabasta.”

“No, not that.  Excited and nervous,” Sanji amends.  “Happy.  I’m really happy.”

Nami pulls her hand out of her purse and smiles gently.  “I know.  There’s something about you, when you’re happy, people around you can’t help but be happy, too.”  She looks back towards Zoro.  “He’s happy, too.  He came out with this stupid goofy grin.  He hasn’t even tried to wriggle out of his tie.”

Sanji looks across at Zoro, who is similarly out-of-sight of the guests behind a loosely hung curtain.  He’s talking with Usopp and Luffy, gesturing to his sword.  “Wonder what they’re scheming.”

As if he could hear him, Luffy meets his eyes, smiles widely, and flings his arms across the length of the deck, his hands grabbing onto Sanji’s shoulders.

“Son of a bitch—!” Sanji yelps as he suddenly has a chest full of Luffy, causing him to stumble backwards.  He nearly tumbles backwards, but Nami grabs his arm and helps him keep his balance.

“Sanji!” Luffy exclaims.  “This is awesome!”

“This suit is periwinkle, do you know how easily it stains, I might as well be wearing white—”

“So many of our friends are here, just for you guys!” he continues, unbothered.  “Isn't that great?”

Sanji softens.  “Yeah.  It is great.”

“You’re lucky I don’t slug you,” Nami growls at Luffy.  “But I care about Sanji and Zoro enough that I won’t give the man marrying them two black eyes.”

“Come on, Nami, it’s a wedding!  Have fun!” Luffy says.  “Vivi’s having fun.”

“Vivi’s not a member of Operation Keep Luffy From Sinking the Ship,” Nami says.  “Vivi’s a member of Operation Polite Conversation with Dracule Mihawk, which seems far less stressful and far more interesting.”

“I wouldn’t sink the ship,” Luffy complains.  He brightens up again, looking at Sanji.  “Zoro says hi from over there, by the way.”

Sanji looks back across the deck and finds Zoro looking back at him.  Sanji waves, as if they hadn’t just been talking.  “Someone should tell Brook to start the music.  It’s almost time.”

“I got it,” Nami says, pulling out a baby transponder snail. 

Sanji takes a deep breath.  He’d requested a different song than the traditional wedding march, and Zoro had agreed without argument.  Too many bad memories associated with it.  The tune that begins to play is happier, less solemn, less structured.  It sounds like a proper pirate chantey.  The quick rhythm calms his heart, and he breathes out.

He steps out from behind the curtain, and Zoro does the same.  Wado Ichimonji is now hanging from his belt.  They meet in the middle, and Luffy jumps between them.

“I wrote a speech,” he says, and Sanji’s heartbeat skyrockets again, because that isn’t how Luffy’s speech began in the rehearsal.  “But it was long and stupid and wasn’t good enough for Sanji and Zoro.  Thanks for coming, everyone, because Sanji and Zoro are the best.  I’m really glad they’re my friends.”

Sanji locks eyes with Zoro.  The side of his mouth curves up in a smile.  Isn’t that like Luffy?

Sanji has to agree.  He wouldn’t want Luffy to be any other way.

“Zoro and Sanji are strong, and brave, and nice, and stupid,” Luffy says.  There are scattered laughs from the audience—most are muted, but Sanji can pick out a deep belly-laugh from Zeff and Iva’s tell-tale hee-haw!   “That’s what makes them them.  Zoro gets lost, and Sanji finds him.  Sanji stays up too late, and Zoro makes him go to sleep.  They always help each other.  Sanji’s never hurt his hands and Zoro’s never gotten a scar on his back.  And I don’t care if that doesn’t make sense to anyone else, because it makes sense to them.”  

Sanji can’t look away from Zoro.  It feels like the whole world is melting away.

“They’re the best first mate and cook a captain could ask for,” Luffy continues.  He sniffles loudly, and Sanji realizes with a start that big, fat tears are rolling down his cheeks.  “They’re some of my best friends, and I’m so happy for them, and if anyone tries to stop this marriage from happening, I’ll kick their ass.”  He blows his nose into his elbow.  “Okay, that’s it.  You two can say your vows now.”

Zoro opens his mouth, and Luffy yells, “Wait!”   

Zoro closes his mouth.  Luffy digs around in his pocket, and pulls out his fist closed around something.  “Your rings!”

Sanji would groan if Luffy hadn’t just almost made him cry.  He takes Zoro’s ring without comment, turning it over in his hand.

“Sanji.”  

Sanji looks up.  Zoro looks, to put it frankly, terrified, holding Sanji’s ring in one hand and his other hand stuck out, as if waiting for something.  It takes Sanji a second to realize he’s waiting for Sanji’s own hand.  He quickly puts his hand in Zoro’s, and Zoro carefully slides the ring on.

“Sanji.  You’re—you’re like the sun.  You always know where to go, what to do, what you stand for.  You always try to help everyone.  You have so much of this—this goodness inside of you, just trying to spill out.”  Zoro’s words come out unevenly, like he’s choking on them.  He’s staring intently at Sanji, and Sanji can’t break his gaze.  “You’re someone I can trust.  You’re someone I can grow with.  You’re someone that I never want to leave, not permanently.  If I wash out to sea, I’ll float back, eventually.  You can count on that.  You can count on me.”  Zoro caresses Sanji’s hand with his thumb, and draws Wado Ichimonji with his other hand.  He places the hilt in Sanji’s hand, and Sanji grips it tentatively.  “I don’t know how many different ways there are to say I love you, but this is one that matters to me.”  He lets go of the hilt, letting Sanji hold it alone.  There’s absolute silence over the deck.  There’s a breeze, soft enough not to knock anything over, but strong enough to move through Sanji’s hair.  It almost feels as though someone tousled it with their hand. 

I’ll take good care of him, Sanji silently promises.   Thank you, Kuina.

After another moment, Zoro takes Wado Ichimonji back, sheathing it quickly.  There’s a wide smile on his face, and Sanji realizes it’s his turn to speak.

He doesn’t know what to say.

He has vows, he wrote countless versions of them until he found a version he was happy enough with, but he realizes now they aren’t enough.  Not for Zoro.  How can he even respond?

He takes Zoro’s hand slowly, sliding the ring onto his hand, searching his mind.  What is there to say?  What’s important enough?  Who is Sanji to the greatest swordsman in the world, who is Sanji in front of all these people who came just to watch their marriage?  Who is Sanji?

Not Vinsmoke Sanji.  Roronoa Sanji.

“The first day I met you,” Sanji says quietly.  “You nearly died.  And when you nearly died, it reminded me that I wanted to be alive.  I wanted to go out and experience the world and look for my dream and figure out what made this moss-headed madman tick.  And then I just—kept being alive.  And I learned what unconditional trust was, and real sacrifice, and what love actually looks like.”  He closes his hand over Zoro.  “Love is an empty plate, and the smell of sword oil on a cold night, and a cake that’s made more bitter than sweet, and rope burn to get to the crow’s nest.”  

Sanji looks up, and he can see Zoro is crying, and he realizes he’s crying, too.  Damn weddings.  “Love is a choice, and I’m so glad you chose me, and I’m going to keep choosing you, day after day, year after year.  As long as the sun rises and sets over the ocean.”

Luffy shuffles in place.  “So, Sanji—”

“I do,” he says, without waiting for Luffy to finish. 

“And Z—”

“I do,” Zoro says. 

“Then as my power as king of the pirates, I declare you married!  Now kiss!” Luffy says.  

Sanji and Zoro come together, lips pressed softly against each other, and Sanji can feel Zoro’s lips curved in a smile.  The boat rocks underneath them, and Sanji feels as though the sea itself gives her blessing.

To the next adventure.  To the next impossible dream.