Archive of Our Own

Cigarette Daydreams

A Vinsmoke Sanji One Shot

TRIGGER WARNINGS: low self esteem, anxiety, depression, smoking, addiction, cancer, death

Evie took a deep breath and stepped out of the vehicle. She wore black slacks, a black button up, and a white tie. It was standard front of the house attire for The Baratie. Very clean cut. Very formal. Very, very uncomfortable. The slacks were a bit too tight, the button up had a very stiff collar, and the tie made her feel like she would suffocate at any second.

 She’d checked the mirror dozens of times before she left. She’d ironed her clothes. Used a lint roller. She even put on makeup for the interview. That’s how much she wanted this job. No, that’s how much she needed the job. The Baratie was one of the best places in the city - to work and to eat - and if one could get in, the tips were supposed to be great . 

Still, as she opened the large glass doors and entered the foyer area, she couldn’t help but feel like a fraud. Gentle music (classical) played over the speakers. The foyer was air conditioned and served as a buffer between the restaurant and the outside.

Evie didn’t belong here. She knew it. But she had to deceive everyone if she wanted to succeed. Fake it until you make it. That was the plan. She had studied the menu. Taken a crash course on fine wine. Practiced how to properly pronounce the names of all the exotic dishes.

 She was as ready as she was ever going to be.

“May I help you?” Evie opened her mouth to respond to the hostess but she didn’t get the chance. “Oh, you must be the new girl,” she said in a bored voice. The hostess regarded her with a simple once over though her lazy expression never shifted.

 Evie nodded once.

 “Yes.” Her voice was low and rough. Evie cleared her throat loudly, which turned a few heads. She ignored the movement, quietly prayed she hadn’t turned pink, and kept her eyes trained on the hostess. “Yes,” she said again, this time in her normal speaking voice. “I’m Evelyn. Evie for short.”

Evie stuck out a hand. The woman looked down at it as if it carried some disease. She cautiously grabbed Evie’s hand with the tips of her fingers. It could hardly be defined as a handshake and it was hard not to take it personally.

“Joy,” the hostess said in a dead tone. It took a second for Evie to spot her name tag and realize it was the woman’s name, not just a sarcastic comment.

“Nice to meet you, Joy,” Evie said with forced cheer.

“Right.” Joy turned and began walking away. Evie stood at the podium awkwardly until Joy half turned and asked, “You coming or what?”

 With a stiff smile, Evie nodded and quickly caught up to the hostess. She led Evie through the kitchen area and to a back door. The girl opened the push bar with her hips and poked a head out.

“Sanji!” 

“Yes, my Joy!” 

“Your shadow’s here.” With that, Joyful Joy was gone. No introduction. No nothing. 

 Before the back door closed, a hand caught it and a blond appeared. He was wearing the same uniform as Evie but with a golden clip on his tie. He was taller than her and she couldn’t help but notice a curly brow above his ice blue eyes. Well. Eye. Singular. His straight blond hair covered what she assumed was another ice blue eye and he flashed a row of dazzling white teeth her way.It made her a little self conscious about her own teeth, which were neither pearly white nor perfectly straight.

 “You must be Evelyn. I heard we were getting a lovely new lady on staff but you’re even more beautiful in person.”Evie hesitantly stuck out a hand for him to shake. She watched in slight shock as he placed a gentle kiss on her hand. 

“I’m Sanji,” he introduced. “And I have the pleasure of overseeing your training.”

“Evie,” she corrected, wiping the back of her hand on her pants. 

 “Evie,” the blond nodded with a smile. “We have fifteen minutes before our shift officially starts. Why don’t you sit outside with me?”

 Unsure of what else to do, Evie nodded and followed the strange Sanji to the outdoor break area. It consisted of a nice table with chairs scattered around it. An overflowing ashtray sat in the middle. Evie followed his lead and took a seat. He held out a cigarette as if to ask whether or not she wanted one. Death. That was literally the name of the brand. The sight of it only made her stomach churn. 

 “Oh, no,” Evie said as she shook her head. “I don’t smoke,” she said firmly. 

Sanji placed the cancer stick between his lips and lit the top of it, taking a big inhale as he did so. Evie frowned and watched him tilt his face upwards so as not to blow the smoke in her face. She shifted uncomfortably and began breathing through her mouth. A slight throb began at her temple. This was going to be a long night. 

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

Evie sighed and stared longingly at the shelves. Why was everything was so. Damn. Expensive ?

She took a 16 pack of instant ramen and dropped it unceremoniously into the cart. So far she’d managed to acquire the bare necessities. Eggs, oatmeal, cereal, and milk for breakfast. Bread with lunch meat and cheese for lunch. Some quick and easy frozen dinners. And unfortunately one corner of her cart was dedicated to Midol, cranberry pills, and a few colorful toiletries to help ease her through the weeklong ovary shedding. She splurged on a small pint of ice cream as well. 

Evie walked down the main aisle and bitterly passed by the baking section. She would have loved to get flour, yeast, sugar, chocolate chips, nuts. How nice her house would smell after she’d lovingly turned raw ingredients into freshly baked bread and sweet chocolate chip cookies… 

“Evie!” The voice yanked her out of thought and Sanji sped towards as he frantically waved a hand. Strangers eyed the loud young man as he hurried her way. “What a twist of fate! I didn’t expect to see your beautiful face here!”

Evie sighed.  

This was becoming too frequent. The college town was decently sized but for some odd reason she kept running into him , of all people. The restaurant. Class. Now the grocery store. Why did fate cruelly insist on putting them together like this?

“Sanji,” Evie said with half-hearted enthusiasm. “What a surprise.”

She looked down at his cart. It was overflowing with produce and other raw ingredients. Expensive meats and cheeses sat side by side. Fruits, vegetables, and spices were piled high. It looked like he was getting ready to prepare a feast for a king. She couldn’t imagine his bill. It had to be in the hundreds. 

“What are you up to on this fine Friday?” Sanji asked cheerfully.

Evie hoped he wouldn’t notice the brightly colored tampon box beside her oatmeal or packages of pads below the cereal.

“Oh, you know, living the dream.”

Sanji produced a vape pen out of nowhere and inhaled. Evie eyed the device wearily.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Sanji asked. His tone was hopeful.

“I’m not going on a date with you,” she said flatly. He had already asked her out once at the restaurant. Sanji simply laughed and brushed off the comment.

“I’m having a small get together later. You should come over.”A get together. Well, okay, that explained all the food. 

“I don’t know,” she said with uncertainty. Evie scratched behind one ear. She idly realized she had left home a hurry. She didn’t have earrings in or make up on. A part of her wondered how she looked beside him. Sanji, who was always well dressed and clean. He put more effort into himself than she did. 

“It’ll be fun,” Sanji insisted. “It would be a good chance to meet new people.”

“What makes you think I need to meet people?” Evie asked, suddenly feeling defensive.

Sanji raised a curled brow.“You just moved here, didn’t you?” Oh. She had forgotten. She had told him that. “It’ll just be a handful of my close friends. You should really consider it.”

“Oh, no.” Evie put her hands up and shook her head. An intimate gathering? With close friends? No, thank you. “I would hate to infringe upon your get together.” 

Sanji just smiled at her.“It’s no trouble at all. They’d all love to meet you, Evie.” 

He handed her a piece of paper. It had an address and a time written on it in neat cursive. Evie stared down at the paper. Did he just have these on hand to give out to whatever women he met? She wouldn’t have put it past him. 

“Thank you, really, but I think I’ll pass,” Evie said. She tried to hand the paper back but Sanji held up a palm.With the grace of a man well practiced when it came to flirting, he placed a warm hand on hers. Evie was quick to shy away from the touch and stick her hands in her hoodie.

“There will be a lot of great food there,” Sanji said with a wink. He was a culinary major, after all. Evie’s stomach rumbled beneath her hoodie. Oh, God. She hoped he didn’t hear it. The idea of food… even if it was at Sanji’s place, actually, didn’t sound too bad. Before she could respond, however, he threw up a hand and began walking away.

 “See you there!”

Evie watched him turn the corner before she pulled the now crumpled paper back out. A free meal and new faces. Okay… perhaps she could crawl out of her comfort zone for once and do it. Only for the sake of food. What was the worst that could happen?

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

Promptly at 5:55pm, Evie stood in front of a nice apartment building. It was a newer complex with large, brick buildings and beautifully landscaped grounds. It was a hell of a change compared to the campus dorms. (Though here she thought all freshman were required on live on campus their first year…) 

Evie sported her nicest jeans and a ruffled blouse that matched her mustard colored flats. It wasn’t completely casual but not too stuffy, either. With a deep breath, she marched across the walkway, determined not to fake confidence and (hopefully) not make a fool of herself tonight. Her knuckles wrapped at the door before it was opened by a familiar looking face that Evie had certainly not expected to see. 

 “Oh, hello there,” the woman smiled. She was tall and thin, with dark hair, tan skin, blue eyes, and a long, prominent nose. Evie recognized her from campus; she was one of the professors. A professor ?! At Sanji’s?!?

 “You must be Evie," the woman said warmly.

 Evie nodded hesitantly. "Uh, yes. That’s me." 

“Robin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”Evie shook her hand. Her grip was stronger than Evie thought it’d be. This woman certainly knew how to give a proper handshake.

"Robin,” Evie repeated. “It’s nice to meet you.” It was one thing to see the name on her class roster but to say it out loud felt odd. 

“Is Sanji here?" Evie asked awkwardly. 

Robin smiled, nodded her head and opened the door wider to allow Evie inside. “Yes, on the porch,” she said. “He’s having a cigarette.” Of course he was . 

Evie suppressed a sigh at her host’s terrible habit but she didn’t voice her opinion. She simply followed Robin in and closed the door behind her. Evie didn't know what heaven smelled like, but the apartment had to be close. It smelled like fresh bread and cooked meat. Smoke and the sound of something sizzling came from the kitchen area. Low music played in the background.

Robin took a seat on a very new looking couch beside a girl with strawberry blond hair and a colorful drink in her hand.

"You must be the work friend Sanji mentioned," she smiled. The girl stood and held out a hand. "I'm Nami."

Work friend? The term seemed much too cordial. Work acquaintances was what she thought of him as. It was a more accurate considering she had only spent a few days training underneath Sanji. She considered mentioning the fact they had known each other for less than a week but it seemed rude to correct someone she had just met.

"Nami," Evie repeated as she tried to remember the girl's name. She gave a curt nod. "I'm Evie. Nice to meet you." 

 "Likewise."

 Evie took a seat beside the other women. She looked around. Other than Sanji, it seemed like the apartment was occupied by only females. She felt her stomach drop suddenly. Had she been invited to some weird ladies-only get together? Was there something going on that she would have to make a desperate attempt to find her way out of?

"The boys are running late," Nami said with a sigh. "As usual. But I'm sure they'll all be here soon."

Evie nodded. She willed her heart rate to slow down. She was overreacting. This was supposed to be a friendly get together after all. The three idly chit chatted as they waited for "the boys" to arrive, whoever that entailed.

Robin was a history professor at the university. Evie would have to take one of her classes as one of her core studies. Nami was currently studying ecology and finance. Evie was just a culinary art major; she felt a bit sub-par compared to the other females’ selected degrees.

She thought it was rather odd that a professor was sitting on the adjacent couch. Was there something going on between her and Sanji…? Or was he with the ginger instead? Or, she thought with dread, was there something else going on? What if the three of them were a couple?! Was there something else going on that he was hoping to have her join? Evie felt sick just thinking about it. 

“Um, where is the restroom?” Evie asked. 

“Oh, down the hall, first door on the right,” Robin said with a smile. Evie nodded and thanked her before making her way to the bathroom. Evie closed the door and sighed. A close look in the mirror and she noticed the hair she tried to tame looked a bit disheveled and the area below her eyes was dark. She certainly wasn’t as well put together as the other ladies who’d been invited. 

Evie scowled at her reflection and did her business quickly. When she stood in front of the mirror once more, she tried her best to wipe the tiredness from her face. Made sure there was no oil around her eyes, tried to test out a smile. It looked forced at best. The women that were already here… they were taller than her (which wasn’t very hard), curvier, wore makeup, and decided to pursue much more serious degrees. Besides, this apartment was nicer than the home she’d grown up in. What was she even doing here? 

A commotion in the other room pulled her out of her thoughts before they could spiral downward any further. 

Evie slowly opened the door and peeked her head out as a bunch of boys entered the apartment. She felt a wave of relief and anxiety wash over her: she was relieved the apartment didn’t just have women, but she was also nervous about having to interact with all the newcomers. 

Thankfully, they all seemed to flock towards the small teasers Sanji had put out. Evie had to admit, it smelled delicious. 

“Oh, I’m surprised you found the place,” Sanji was saying to one. A boy with a scowl, green hair, and three piercings in one ear. The left side, she noticed. 

“Actually, I passed by Zoro walking the wrong direction on the way here,” another boy said with a nervous laugh. He was small, with wide eyes, rosy pink cheeks and a head of brown hair beneath a large, pink and blue hat. He looked pretty young in comparison to the others. 

“Oi, Chopper, why’d you tell him that?!” Zoro asked in frustration. “Stupid GPS took me the wrong way.” The smallest boy began profusely apologizing. 

Evie quietly walked down the hallway. She stood in silence, observing the scene and secretly hoping no one would notice her so she would be spared the awkwardness of human interaction. 

“Yo, Sanji!” This boy, dark haired with a scar beneath one eye, was the loudest of them all. He wore a red shirt and shorts, despite the chill of the night. “Where’s the meat? I’m starving!”

“There’s a platter with meat and cheese at the bar,” Sanji said, nodding towards the kitchen. “But don’t touch anything else!”

“Mmm, smells good, Sanji!” A boy with dark skin and a rather prominent nose followed with his hands in his hoodie’s pockets. He had large headphones that he promptly slid around his neck as he entered. 

“Thanks, Usopp!” Sanji grinned. 

“Yow! Let’s get this party started!” Correction, this guy was the loudest. He was large, built like a fridge, and he wore his blue hair with a prominent spike in the front. 

“Glad you made it, Franky!” 

Franky removed his sunglasses (who wore those at night, anyway?) and plopped down two cases of beer and Coca Cola on the counter. It took less than a minute for him to open one can and chug his first drink. Concerning but impressive, Evie had to admit. 

“Oh ho ho, and who is this beautiful woman?” Evie gulped and mentally cursed herself for coming to this get together in the first place. A very tall, thin man approached. He sported a well maintained afro, a cane (how old was this guy?) and was dressed very flamboyantly compared to the others that had come in very casual looking clothes. 

“I’m Brook,” he said as he grinned and looked downward. 

“Evie,” she said with a curt nod. She couldn’t help but notice his gaze was trained slightly south of her eyes. Thankfully, her shirt wasn’t  very low cut but her mental “creeper alert” was going off quite loudly.

“Ah, Evie,” Brook said with a smile, “It’s such a pleasure to meet you. Do you mind if I see y-“

“Absolutely not!” Sanji’s foot somehow found its way to the tall man’s face as Evie’s eyes opened wide in surprise. 

“Ah, sorry, please ignore him,” Sanji said, smoothly sliding in front of her and taking her hand. He steered her towards the kitchen. “He’s a pervert. Damn good at music, not so much with women.”

Evie snorted and took her hand back. “Trade music for cooking and it reminds me of someone else,” she said dryly. Sanji’s face flushed. 

“I’m happy to see you could make it,” Sanji said. 

“Uh, yeah,” Evie said, shrugging nonchalantly. “Thought it might be nice to meet some new people.”

Sanji grinned. He opened his mouth to speak when an egg timer dinged. “Damn,” he muttered. An ocean blue eye turned to Evie. “Well, thank you for coming to my humble abode. Dinner will be done shortly.”

“Better be,” Evie said with a smirk. “I heard it was supposed to be delicious.” The blond’s face turned a slight shade of pink. “Better go get that,” she said with a nod. “Can’t have your perfect dinner getting ruined.” 

Sanji shot her an apologetic look but Evie simply gave him a knowing smile. She wished she had an excuse to go hide in the kitchen. With a deep breath, Evie decided to brave the slew of new faces and names. 

It wasn’t nearly as awful as she imagined it to be. Sanji’s friends were… well, interesting was an understatement. They just seemed so random, all so different. Other than living in the same city, there was little they seemed to have in common. 

At the moment, Luffy was busy trying to see how many grapes he could stuff in his mouth. He seemed to be quite a handful, Evie noticed. He had already spilled someone’s drink and polished off two of the party platters Sanji set out, much to the annoyance of his friends. 

Apparently he was in college due to his grandfather’s insistence and currently lived off campus with his two older brothers who, according to Nami and Robin, were both quite good looking. 

There was Robin, the genius who’d graduated at 14 and then proceeded to become a history professor. She was dating the blue haired builder, Frankie. Evie learned Frankie had a construction crew and they were actually the ones who built the beautiful apartment complex Sanji called home. 

They were a very odd couple. Robin was very soft spoken and thoughtful whereas her sweetheart was anything but. He had taken it upon himself to sing and dance (rather crudely, to be honeset) while Brook played guitar. Odd. She didn’t even remember seeing him bring one in. 

Nami was studying to become a landscape ecologist but she minored in finance. She was talking to Chopper, the youngest of them, about something that was a little too scientific for Evie to follow. Something about using a certain bacteria to speed up healing. 

Usopp was, Evie discovered with excitement, an artist who happened to watch the same baking shows she did. Zoro (a criminal justice major) had fallen asleep listening to their conversation. She supposed it must have been normal behavior as none of his friends batted an eye as he snored away at the end of one couch. 

It was a lot for her to take in, but she enjoyed seeing the friends banter and play around. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp seemed to be the silliest three. They animatedly chatted and did impressions of people she didn’t know. 

Sanji was busy slaving away. She could hear blades whirring and pots and pans clinking around the kitchen area. No one would really miss her if she’d left... Well, it had been alright chatting, but she’d had enough. Evie could feel her social batteries draining quickly. Shame she didn’t get to eat but she didn’t think she could really last that much longer. There was just too much going on for her. It seemed best to at least say goodbye to the host before she took off.

“Ah, Evie-chan! Would you like me to make you a special drink?” 

“No, I’m fine,” she said holding up a hand. She wasn’t really keen on the idea of Sanji mixing her a special drink . She planned on driving back home safely, thank you very much. “I, uh, think I’m going to head out, actually.”

“Oh no,” Sanji frowned. “Is everything right? Did someone offend you? If it was Brook I’ll-”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Evie said hastily. A timer went off and Sanji promptly turned towards the oven. “I just…” Evie’s words trailed off as warmth and spices reached her nose when Sanji pulled something from the oven. “Is that baumkuchen?”

“Yes,” Sanji said with a smile. “Unfortunately I don’t have the equipment to make it truly authentic, but I believe it will still taste satisfactory.”

She watched as he lovingly dipped the roll into the dough before carefully placing it back in the oven. His cheeks were tingued slightly pink, probably from the heat. The windows were open and every now and again the cool night air would sweep by and caress her skin moments before she was engulfed in the stifling heat once more. 

“Oof.” Evie pulled on the front of her shirt, fanning herself a bit. Sanji’s eyes trailed downward ever so slightly before hastily darting away. Evie almost made a comment about how she should have worn shorts… but something told her that might give him the wrong idea. 

Another ding from a different egg timer. “Oh, excuse me,” Sanji said smoothly. Evie opened her mouth to ask whether she should move, but he beat her to it by placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and brushing past. Evie pursed her lips at the unwanted touch. 

Sanji quickly but efficiently stirred a soup with white beans and a pot of what appeared to be a seafood stew with both hands. At the same time. Was he ambidextrous? Regardless, Sanji’s skills in the kitchen were impressive. She felt like an intruder in someone’s holy place. The kitchen was where Sanji thrived.

He hummed to himself a bit as he worked. The tune sounded vaguely familiar yet she couldn’t quite place it. It sounded old world-ish, like a song of folklore.

“Well, you look busy,” Evie said with a fake smile. “I’m just feeling a little under the weather so I think I’m going to head out early.”

Sanji stopped what he was doing immediately. “If you feel unwell you shouldn’t be driving.”

“Oh, no, not that kind of unwell.”

The blond blinked. “Uh, Robin or Nami may be able to help you out if you need-”

“It’s not that, either,” Evie said quickly. Something in the living room caused the friends to break out in rowdy laughter. 

Sanji attempted a smile. There was a slight melancholy to the look he gave her. His eyes didn’t even flicker towards the commotion in the other room. Luffy had woken up Zoro and had somehow ended up on the green haired boy’s shoulders. 

“Ah,” Sanji said. “Well, if you must go, at least let me pack some food for you.”

He had to raise his voice a bit because his friends had turned up the volume on their fun. They were playing some game that involved impersonating people and having everyone else guess who it was. 

“That’s not really necessary,” Evie said. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes flicked towards the living room when a scream erupted. It seems Nami wasn’t happy with the way Usopp had chosen to impersonate her. At the moment, the group watched with mixed expressions while the girl was chastising Usopp using a rolled up magazine. “This is just… a little too much for me.”

Sanji gave her a small smile. His fingers quickly clicked the stovetop burners to the “off” position. “I was just going to take a quick break.” Yeah, a smoke break, she figured. “Do you mind if I walk outside with you?”

“No,” Evie said after a pause. At least he’d had the decency to ask. “That’s fine.”

Thankfully, the summer night’s air was cool and crisp, a welcome sensation on her hot skin. Evie held her pepper spray in hand while her keys jingled. Sanji lived in a very nice part of town. She didn’t necessarily feel threatened walking back to her vehicle, but it was a habit by now. 

Sanji’s eyes looked down at the self defense mechanism in her hand but didn’t comment on it. He simply lit up another one of those dreaded little sticks and blew foul smelling smoke into the night. He was courteous enough to stand downwind, though, so that was something.

“I apologize if my friends were too loud for you,” Sanji said. 

“No, they were fine,” Evie said. She loved this weather… It was calm and clear, just a few degrees below perfect. She wished she had a hoodie, however, as it felt odd not having something to stick her hands into. Damn jeans and their fake pockets. “I just…” Evie sighed. “I just have a hard time being around people too long. I feel like it drains my batteries.”

“...I see,” Sanji said. 

Evie swallowed. Should she not have told him that? For some reason she wanted to give him the truth… but after the words left her mouth she wished she hadn’t said anything about it at all. He probably thought poorly of her. She should have just slipped out unnoticed when she had the chance. 

It was a very short walk to her vehicle. Her Subaru was older. It was old enough to not have a key she could click to unlock it. Like always, Evie looked around and made sure there were no weirdos close by (Sanji aside) and quickly stuck the key into the door. It stuck every once in a while so she jiggled the key a bit before it finally clicked. Sanji was silent the entire time. He simply smoked and observed her with that cool blue gaze. The longer his eyes started on her, the more nervous she grew. Evie opened the door and stepped behind it. 

“Uh, sorry again for leaving early,” Evie said. 

“It’s no problem at all,” Sanji answered. “I’m happy I got to see you two different times in one day.”

For some reason, the words made Evie’s hands break out in a clammy sweat. “Right,” she said, her tone unamused. The word sounded harsher than she intended it to. “Well, uh, have a good night.”

“You as well, mademoiselle .” Sanji bent forward in a slight bow. The word rolled off his tongue so sweetly, it almost made Evie blush. Don’t be stupid , she told herself. He probably said that to plenty of women. “You work tomorrow, correct?” Sanji asked. 

“Uh, yeah,” she said with a nod. “Closing shift.”

“Wonderful,” Sanji smiled. “I do, too.”

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Evie said. 

“It’s a date, then.”

Evie didn’t correct him. It wasn’t a date it was work . She only gave a brief wave before sliding into the vehicle. Sanji stepped onto the sidewalk and waited for her to leave. This made Evie frown. She was really hoping he was going to just go inside. His cigarette had already been discarded (on the ground, no less) yet he still seemed to insist on staying out. Why? 

Before she could think about it too much, Evie jammed the key in the ignition and turned. It cranked and churned so she stopped. Tried again. Same effect. Instead of the rumble of the engine, the vehicle gave a growl of discontent. Evie just wanted to get home. Apparently her car insisted on staying. 

She tried to start the car a third time… fourth time… Nothing. Well, nothing good, anyway. Evie swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. Of all the times for it to stop working… She wanted to cry, wanted to bang her head against the steering wheel. The thought actually seemed very appealing but a quick rap at the window caused her to jump. 

“I can give you a ride home if you’re having car troubles,” Sanji suggested through the glass. Evie used one hand to crank the window down.

“You really don’t have to do that. I can call someone…” Evie’s voice trailed off. She wasn’t usually a liar. The only person she could really call was a cabbie. 

“I insist.” Sanji said. The street lights gave his smile a warm glow. “Stay for dinner. We can take off right after.”

Evie found she had to look away from his expectant gaze. She was a bit leery of letting him know where she lived. Did she really trust this guy she barely knew to take her home safely? 

“I don’t know,” Evie told him quietly. Sanji was silent for a moment, almost as if he could read her thoughts. 

“Would you like me to call a cab?” 

“No!” Evie said quickly. “Those are too expensive!” 

“It wouldn’t be an issue,” Sanji said. “Really.”

Bitterness hardened Evie’s heart. Oh, how nice it must feel in his shoes. Her jaw clenched. Without speaking, she tried to start the green Subaru one last time. “Come on, Rex,” she whispered to the car. Rex sputtered and choked once more. He wouldn’t be leaving this lot. Not tonight. 

Evie closed her eyes and leaned her head against the steering wheel. It was hard and cold against her forehead. She sat like that until a foul smelling hand gently squeezed her shoulder. 

“Dinner’s almost done,” Sanji said gently. 

Defeated, Evie looked up into the blond’s smiling face. “Alright,” she nodded. “I’ll give you gas money.” 

Sanji, sensing there would be no negotiating, only winked and said, “Deal.”

LINE BREAK

Though Evie certainly didn’t feel like part of the crew, she found herself actually having a good time. The food and drive safe drinks were absolutely delicious. Her desserts had turned out well and it seemed like everyone had a smile on their face by the end of the night.

“Well, I’m off,” Zoro announced. 

“Eh? You’re leaving already?” Luffy asked. The green haired boy grinned. There was a hint of mischief in that smile. 

“Yeah,” he said, “I’ll be doing a ride along in the morning. Hopefully something exciting happens.”

Chopper’s and Luffy’s eyes turned to stars as they envisioned their friend zooming by in a cop car, no doubt pursuing a criminal at high speed. Studying, work, and brother-related excuses flew through the air. Sanji’s friends left in ones and twos until suddenly there was no one else left except for Evie.

“I’m glad you decided to stay,” Sanji said with a warm smile.

“Yes,” Evie nodded. “It was a lot of fun. And the food was delicious,” she added with a grin. “Thank you again, Sanji.”

“Of course,” he said. “We do this regularly so you’ll have to come to the next one as well.”

Evie paused. The idea of spending another night with his wild friends sounded tiring… but not bad. “Yes,” she said with a small smile. “That sounds nice.” She already had her keys in hand… and then she remembered. Rex was having issues. Again. 

“Evie,” Sanji said, stepping closer. She gulped. There was a serious look on his face. “Let me take you home.” 

She could feel her face growing hot at the idea of Sanji taking her home . “Uh, let me see if Rex will start up. I want to try one more time. Sometimes he’s just a little stubborn.” 

Sanji’s eyes were piercing. Whatever he thought of her and her situation, he didn’t voice. “At least let me walk you to your vehicle. It’s late.”

Evie’s eyes wandered to a large, ornate clock on the wall and realized… “Wow, it’s after midnight!?” She had been so wrapped up in the good food and good company, time slipped her right by. 

“Do you have a long drive?” Sanji asked as they made their way outside. 

“No,” Evie said idly, “I live on campus so it’s not too far away.” Thunder rumbled and she picked up the lace, her keys jingling rapidly as she walked. The air felt heavy. Nami mentioned a storm coming tonight. Evie wanted to beat it so she could enjoy the sound of the rain from inside her dorm.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Sanji said. He watched as Evie opened the driver’s door. “Drive safe, Evie,” he said charmingly. 

“Yeah,” Evie nodded. “Will do.”

Sanji took that moment to light up a cigarette. Evie stuck her key in the ignition and turned. The engine sputtered. She tried again with a similar result, brief choking and then it stopped. Hopefully the third time is the charm… One more attempt. Nothing. 

“Oh, no,” she groaned. “Please don’t do this. Not now.” The fourth time twisting her key didn’t produce any better sounds. Neither did the fifth. Evie groaned and rested against the headrest. “No…” A wave of pity washed over her and she felt her eyes starting to tear up. She had spent so much money on moving. She couldn’t afford to get her car fixed now. 

A quick rap at her passenger side door caused her to jerk upwards. “Are you having car troubles?” 

Evie sighed. “Unfortunately.”

“I can take a look for you,” Sanji offered.

Evie stared blankly at her steering wheel. “It’s almost one,” she said, her tone hollow. “You don’t have to do that.” 

There was a silence in the air before Sanji’s gentle voice said, “Let me get my keys. I’ll drive you home.” 

Evie’s gut twisted at the idea of being in a car alone with Sanji. She felt rather uncomfortable when she thought about it… but maybe that was just the urge to pee that was really bugging her. 

“That’d be great,” Evie said. “I, uh, just have to use the restroom one more time.” 

“Of course.” 

Thunder rumbled. Lightning struck, briefly illuminating the entire scene. It was awespiring. 

“Better make it quick,” Evie said to herself. 

They’d begun the walk back to his apartment when Sanji asked, “What was that?” 

“Nothing,” Evie said quickly. “Just talking to myself! Haha…” She wished she could have banged her head against the brick walls of the complex. The laughter was so fake, so forced. Why was she like this…? 

Sanji didn’t acknowledge her awkwardness. He only led her back to his place, opening the door for her like a gentleman and motioning for her to go inside first. 

“I’ll be fast,” she promised. 

“Don’t worry,” Sanji reassured. “Take your time.” 

As promised, Evie wasn’t long. A quick tinkle, a thorough scrub of the hands, and she stepped back out. 

“Okay, I’m ready now.” 

“Well,” Sanji said, “I don’t mind taking you home but…” He looked outside. She hadn’t even heard from inside the restroom but it had begun raining. No , Evie corrected , not raining. Pouring . 

“...maybe we can wait for the rain to pass,” she suggested. As soon as the words left her mouth, the rain only came down harder, drumming against the walls and windows. It sounded quite violent. “Wow,” she breathed. Evie placed a hand on the cold glass. “I hope your friends made it home safe…” She couldn’t even see the apartments across the parking lot. “It’s a torrent.” 

“Nami said earlier there’d be a storm. I’m sure they all made it home fine,” Sanji said with a smile. 

Evie mused quietly. When she looked back at Sanji, she asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Like what?” 

“Like… that,” she said, gesturing to him.

Sanji laughed. His blue eyes twinkled as he said, “Considering you didn’t want to meet my friends, I think it’s quite sweet you’re worried about them.” 

Evie scowled and turned away. “I’m not,” she told him. Sanji didn’t looked convinced. 

“Do you mind if I play music?” Sanji asked.

She raised a brow. “It’s your apartment,” she pointed out. “You don’t have to for ask my permission.” 

“What do you like to listen to?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Evie said, sitting on the bench beside the door. “I’ll give anything a try.” 

Sanji browsed through his phone, scrolling through playlists until he found one that made him smile. “Anything it is,” he said smoothly. He pressed play and music began to erupt from… everywhere. Evie looked around, trying to pinpoint the source. “Franky embedded speakers all over the apartment,” Sanji said with a laugh. Sanji sat beside her and pointed up to an off white square in the corner. It was barely noticeable. In fact, she would have missed it entirely if he hadn’t pointed it out. 

“Wow,” Evie said. “Pretty slick.” 

He gave a chuckle as he continued scrolling through his music. 

“Oh!” Evie leaned over and pointed. “ She is an excellent saxophone player!” she gushed. Sanji queued up the song to play next. “And-” Evie pointed, “my parents met at one of his concerts. This man is a virtuoso. He’s the reason I got into jazz band.” 

Sanji looked up from his phone and smirked. “You played jazz?” 

“E flat alto sax,” Evie recited. “First chair,” she added.

“Very impressive!” Sanji told her. 

Evie laughed. “Well, there were only two other saxophones,” she confessed. “I went to a very small school.”

“Still,” he said, “it’s something to be proud of.” They shared a look for a moment before Evie cleared her throat and abruptly stood. She went back to the window. She could just barely see Rex’s silhouette.

She felt Sanji’s presence behind her. His hands were in his pockets. His arm brushed against hers as he looked out.

“It’s quite the storm,” Sanji said. 

“I wonder how long it’ll last,” Evie murmured, staring out. She could see a brief flash of light but the rain was too heavy to see the beautiful shape of lightning in the distance. “It’s already late…” 

“You’re more than welcome to stay.” 

Evie wanted to shiver at the thought of sleeping on Sanji’s couch. Sure, it was comfy and looked very nice, but who knew what… fluids were hidden on it? He was perceptive, though, and he caught the frown on her face as she looked at the leather couch. 

“You could always sleep in my bed,” he offered.

“I’m not going to sleep with you,” Evie said quickly. The words came out much harsher than she’d intended. She was tired. Her patience was wearing thin. She just wanted to be home.

Sanji straightened up for a moment. Evie felt regret quickly welling up. Just a few minutes ago, they were having a nice conversation. She felt bad for ruining the mood so quickly. “I’ll sleep on the couch,” he told her softly. A wave of guilt washed over her. He had invited her to his home, fed her delicious food, and this was how she repaid him? 

“No,” Evie said, “you don’t have to-”

“It’s fine,” Sanji said. He gave a small laugh. It was sad. His blue eyes went to the window, where rain came steadily down in droves. “I was sleeping under a tree at one point.” 

“...get out,” Evie said in disbelief. 

“It’s true,” he said, looking at her. There was a seriousness in Sanji’s eyes she hadn’t seen before. She believed him. The moment didn’t last, however, as he put on a smile for her. “It won’t hurt to sleep on the couch for one night.” 

“If you’re sure…” Evie told him.

“I’m sure.” 

A deep breath and Evie quietly said. “Okay.” 

Sanji led her to his room and gave her a quick run down. He showed her where the spare blankets were in his closet, in case she got cold, and warned her against flushing the toilet when the shower was running. He mentioned one asshole who lived at the complex that always came home at an ungodly hour and blared his music. (Apparently, he was close to getting kicked out.) He made sure she knew where everything was (he had spare toothbrushes and even a stash of feminine toiletries in his bathroom) and rummaged through his clothes to find some she could wear, should she wish to bathe and change. He was quite thorough, Evie noted. She was quietly impressed at how gracious of a host he was.

“Thank you,” she told him, after he’d explained everything. “This is…” Evie struggled to think of what word to use. “Very kind.” Lame , said a voice in her head. The words weren’t enough to truly express her gratitude. 

Sanji gave her a twinkling smile. “Have a good night, Evie,” he told her gently. 

“Yeah,” Evie said with a smile back. “You too.” 

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

The flower shop was cool. The air conditioned building was like a haven compared to the hot sun outside. Evie browsed through the different pre-made bouquets and eyed the beautiful (and very expensive) bundles that sat in the large glass coolers.

"Hi there. Can I help you?” The attendant came out of the back room. She was very pretty, around Evie’s age, if she had to guess, with blue hair and a tattoo on her shoulder. 

"Oh, I'm just browsing," Evie smiled.

"Do you have a special occasion coming up?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, no, I just..." Her voice trailed off as a group of colorful daisies caught her eye. Evie placed a hand on the cold glass. She could still see her mother wearing a large sun hat as she bent over to plant daisies down the length of their driveway. "I actually just found what I was looking for," she said with a smile. The attendant nodded and walked behind the counter. The shop door chimed. Evie had her back to the door as the girl behind the counter grinned. 

"Ah, Sanji, how are you today?"

Evie froze. She knew exactly one Sanji. If it was the Sanji she was thinking of, then he was directly between her and the exit. Evie forced herself to exhale slowly. It was bad enough she’d spent the night at his place Friday night. He had been very sweet… but she already had her fill of the blond. She wasn’t used to spending so much time around one person, save her mom and sister. Evie was really hoping to hail and cab and head to the hospital without any interference and yet, here he was. Again. 

 The blue haired girl (Sanji called her Nojiko) conversed with the young blond while she rang up Evie's order. Evie paid without a word and tried to listen in on their conversation for the sole purpose of figuring out where the blond was walking. If she were lucky, really, really lucky, she could hurry out of the store while his back was turned.

"Have a nice day!"

“You, too,” Evie muttered. She gave a nod to the florist and quickly turned to leave. Her legs had nearly carried her to the door when Nojiko’s rang out. 

"Wait! You forgot your flowers!"

Evie stopped dead in her tracks. She was tempted to bolt out of the door before she'd been noticed, but there was no way she was going to leave the bouquet considering how much she'd paid for it. The girl closed her eyes and groaned. 

"Please, allow me," Sanji said. He grabbed the bouquet and bowed slightly as he handed it out to her. The teenagers locked eyes for a moment before Sanji scanned her up and down with his whole head. 

"Evie!!!" She frowned at his inappropriate volume. And general inappropriateness as he eyed her. She was wearing a sundress today: yellow. It had a neckline lower than she usually liked to wear, with capped sleeves and a stretchy midsection. The dress fell above her knees but she always wore shorts just to be safe .  

"What a pleasure to see you! You look even more radiant than usual today!"

Evie felt her face heat up. Sundresses were not something she usually liked to wear. Honestly, she would have been fine wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and a hat. But mom always enjoyed dressing up and seeing her girls dressed up.

"Hi,” she said, ignoring the compliment. “You come here to get flowers?"

"Yes," Sanji smiled, regaining his composure. "I come here every so often to buy a bouquet."

The girl at the counter laughed. “Sanji is one of my best customers!” 

Sanji held a rather large bundle of flowers in his arms. White lilies, red roses, babies breath, ivies, and some others that she didn't know the name of. It made the bouquet Evie selected look like something a young child picked from the front yard. The beautiful porcelain vase was elaborate and wrapped with a bow. 

“Oh,” Evie said. “For your flavor of the month?” she asked jokingly. 

Sanji's mouth pointed downward. His blue eyes didn’t leave hers. "Well, sort of. It's for my mother's grave," he said quietly. Evie blinked at him. She screamed internally and suddenly wished she could be struck by lightning. 

"Oh, God. I-I'm so sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn't know."

Sanji smiled charmingly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Or rather, the one eye she could see.

"If you don't mind me asking, Evie-chan, who did you buy flowers for?"

Evie paused. She usually didn't like telling people about her personal life. Work people. School people. Sanji was actually both of those but considering her assumption had backfired, she felt she owed him a dose of honesty.

"They're for my mom, too. She's in the hospital."

"Oh," Sanji frowned. A wrinkle formed in the middle of his eyebrows. 

"Well," Evie said as she inched toward the door. "Uh, see you later."

She waved awkwardly and left the small flower shop in a hurry. If she weren't in public, she might have smacked herself in the head. What an idiot. Flavor of the month. She thought she was being so funny and clever yet the comment made her look like a complete and total asshole. Sanji had already been kind enough to let her crash on his couch and then give her a lift home. He must think she was such a bitch. 

Evie sighed.

She'd just left the dorm half an hour ago and she was already done interacting with people for the day. Evie clutched the bouquet with both hands as she walked down the street. Well, she had to go see mom, so that would require some (hopefully minimal) interaction between the taxi driver and hospital staff, but hopefully that'd be it. She’d already reached her quota for awkward encounters today.

Evie stood on a curb and tried to flag down a passing taxi. Not one, but two taxis sped by as she frowned. She should have looked up how to properly hail a cab. She felt like an idiot standing on the side of the street with her hand in the air. Was she supposed to show leg or something? How the hell was this supposed to work, anyway? 

 "Evie?"

Evie gritted her teeth. Maybe if she ignored him, he would just go away. 

"Do you need a ride?" Sanji asked politely. 

"Nope. I've got one! Just waiting for it to pull up. Don't mind me," she said with an awkward laugh and a hasty wave.

Sanji sat on the hood of a car.

"I can take you somewhere if you need. It'd help save some money."

Evie felt her neck grow hot again. Of course, Richie Rich would make a comment insinuating that she didn't have enough cash. Sanji produced a cigarette and lit the tip. 

"It's fine," she snapped. "Don’t you have something to do?"

"Yes, but… you're standing in front of my car."

Evie looked down. Sanji was resting against a shiny, black Cadillac. If Evie's skin were lighter, she would have visibly paled. She was such an idiot. She saw the black vehicle in the back parking lot every time she went to work. Hell, she had ridden in it two days ago. Ugh. Why couldn’t she have been more observant? She could have avoided this whole scenario in the first place.

“Sorry. I’ll just be on my way,” she mumbled. Evie turned away and stepped onto the curb. Sanji reached out to grab her arm.

“Let me give you a ride, Evie.” 

“You don’t have to do that,” Evie said with a frown. “It’s a 45 minute drive.” 

“No, I insist.”

“I don’t even know how long I’m going to be there.”

“I’d be more than happy to wait as long as you need,” Sanji smiled. His personality was like a cocktail of optimism and persistence. It was flat out exhausting. The idea of having him give her a lift and sit around waiting for her at the hospital… It stressed her out. 

“I’m going to the hospital,” she admitted. “It might be a while,” Evie said quietly, dropping her eyes. He didn't seem to be giving up anytime soon. Sanji threw the cigarette on the ground and snuffed the end with his shoe. She couldn't help but bitterly think about how carelessly he littered. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. His fingers smelled like smoke.

“Evie. It’s no bother. Really.” 

Evie turned her head as more uncaring cabs whizzed by. She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. He had already given her enough kindness. It just felt like she was digging herself into a hole, deeper in debt to Sanji. “Are you sure?” she asked, hoping he’d back out. 

“Yes,” Sanji said with a smile. “It would be my pleasure.” 

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

“Are you sure you don’t want gas money?” 

“I’m sure,” Sanji told her once more. “I enjoy driving.” 

“I don’t,” Evie admitted. She turned her face to the passing scenery. Beautiful, American dream houses blurred by. Patches of farmland growing corn. Historical buildings laid with old stone and brick. Victorian style mini-mansions. “This is a nice area, though.” 

“Yes,” Sanji agreed. 

“I like that one,” Evie said, pointing. It was a large, white house with beautiful black and red accents. Even the flowers matched, shades of pink and red adorning the landscape. There were neatly trimmed bushes and a large arch with ivies above a wooden bench. The driveway was long and windy, paved with black, and there was an elaborate, wrought iron gate at the entrance. “I always imagined living in a house like that,” she quietly admitted. Sanji was quiet. Evie felt a bit awkward so she tried to fill the silence.

“What kind of house did you grow up in?” 

He took a deep breath, as if debating what to tell her. “Well,” Sanji began with a little laugh, “it wasn’t too different from that one.”

Evie blinked. “Really?!” Sanji stopped at a red light. He laughed at her expression. “You said you lived under a tree once!” 

“I did,” he told her earnestly, looking into her eyes. 

She shook her head, not comprehending. “If you lived in a place like that , what made you…” 

“Leave?” Sanji asked. “My father, mainly,” he admitted. “...and my siblings.” He resumed driving. 

“I didn’t really get along with my sibling, either.” 

“No?” Sanji asked.

“Heck no.” 

He laughed again and she couldn’t help but think… it sounded nice. He had a pure laugh, simple and true. Evie had to turn away from him when the thought crossed her mind. 

The drive wasn’t as painful as Evie thought it would be. She usually played music when she was in the car but she realized half an hour in that they hadn’t turned on any at all. They talked the entire time, about terrible fathers, about leaving home. There was much more, Evie learned, to Sanji than met the eye. 45 minutes seemed to pass in a heartbeat. 

“Oh,” Evie said, noticing the landscape. “We’re here.” Sanji didn’t say anything in response. There was silence between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. When Evie eyed him from the side, there seemed to be a small, sad smile on his face as he pulled up to the covered entrance. 

“I’ll drop you off here,” he said, “and then I’ll park.” 

“Okay,” Evie nodded. She exited the vehicle and opened the back door to grab her purse and flowers. “Sanji,” she said, “thank you again. Really.” 

He looked back at her and gave another one of those charming smiles. She was, despite her best efforts, starting to grow fond of it. 

“My pleasure,” he said. Evie shut his door and he waited for her to walk through the doors before pulling away to park in the garage. As the automatic doors closed behind her, Evie took a deep breath of the sterile, hospital air and followed the familiar path to where her mother lay waiting. 

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

“...there’s nothing else that can be done?” Evie asked. 

“I’m afraid not,” the nurse told her sadly. 

Evie didn’t say anything. She just sat and stared at her mother lying in the hospital bed. Her lips were moving slightly but no words were coming out. 

“I’m sorry,” the nurse said. “If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know.” 

“Okay,” Evie said, her tone hollow. She looked at the nurse’s name tag. “Thank you, Megan. I really appreciate it.”

The nurse gave her a sad smile and a nod before leaving the room. Evie had reached out to grab her mother’s hand (it was cold) when she heard Megan say, “Yes, this is the room.” 

Footsteps approached but Evie didn’t turn around. Sanji was quiet as he watched the girl gently rubbing her thumb against the back of her mother’s hand. Memories resurfaced. It felt like just yesterday he had been doing the exact same thing. 

He heard a few sniffles. When he looked down, Evie turned her face downward. She let go of her mother’s hand to quickly wipe her face. Sanji reached over to grab a box of tissues. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Evie looked up just as he offered the box to her. 

As soon as she took a tissue, the tears started coming harder. She wasn’t crying in the way they did in movies: glass eyes, rosy pink cheeks. No. It was ugly crying. Her eyes and nose were red. Every time she blew her nose, it sounded like a tiny trumpet. 

Sanji pulled up a chair and sat beside her, gently rubbing her back. He didn’t offer her words of consolation, simply his time, his presence. He let her cry until the tears ran dry. 

“I have to make a few phone calls,” Evie croaked. 

Sanji nodded in understanding. “Your sister?” 

“Yeah,” Evie nodded. He could see the reflection of her phone in her eyes. “I might try to reach my dad…” she mumbled. Sanji’s mouth was a hard line. She had mentioned her father earlier. He would have gotten along quite well with his own. 

“He deserves to know,” Sanji said gently. 

Evie scowled at the thought. “I guess…” 

Evie pulled up her contacts and tapped on a name. It brought up a picture of Evie and a girl who looked very much like her yet so different. They were little girls in the photo but they each had a big grin.

Sanji excused himself while she made her calls. He stepped out of the room and sighed. She had warned him this might be a long visit. He found his way to the visitor’s area where they served coffee and complimentary snacks. He checked the coffee machine (it was the same one they had at The Baratie) and mindlessly changed the filter and replaced the machine with new grounds so he could bring Evie fresh coffee. 

She was just wrapping up a phone call when he arrived with two drinks in hand.

“Okay,” Evie said, nodding. “...really? I’d really appreciate that, dad… Yeah, she’s coming first thing tomorrow.” Sanji placed the drink beside her. She used sign language and mouthed, “Thank you.” 

He signed, “You’re welcome.”  

To his surprise, Evie smiled for a moment before a serious look crossed her face again. “...I’d rather meet her later, dad,” she said in a dead tone. “...yep. Okay. Sounds good… I’ll see you tomorrow… Love you. Bye.” 

She gave an aggravated sigh and stood, facing Sanji. 

“I won’t keep you here any longer,” she told him. 

He gave her a sympathetic smile. “It’s no problem, Evie,” he said. “Really.” 

Evie looked up at him with watery eyes. There was a depth to his ice blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean. He couldn’t ignore the way she looked in that moment, the way her lip trembled, the line between her eyebrows. 

Sanji opened his arms. Evie eyed him warily. “You look like you need one,” he told her gently, honestly. 

Despite all the walls she put up, Evie stepped into his warm embrace. She could feel his strong arms wrap around her in a hug that was firm, but not too tight. Despite the smoke, she could smell traces of a very nice cologne and faint scents of warm food. Involuntarily, she found herself holding onto him tightly and burying her face in his chest. 

Evie was not the toughest girl but she was no cry baby. It took quite a bit to make her weep. The imminent doom of trials ahead, however, made her break down in no time. For the second time that day, Evie dissolved into a blubbering mess. She sucked in loud, shuddering breaths and quietly wondered why? Why was this happening to her mother? To her? 

“It’s not fair,” said her muffled voice.

Sanji took a deep breath. “I know,” he said. Evie clutched him tight as he placed a hand on her hair. Sanji closed his eyes and leaned his head on top of hers, rubbing her back and mentally wishing he could take away the ache he knew her heart felt. He held her and vowed he wasn’t going to let go until she did first. He knew what it felt like to lose a mother. He only wished he had someone to cry on back then. The least he could do was help her now. “It never is.” 

. . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . .

“I have to make a quick stop,” Sanji told her.

Evie simply stared out the window. It was his vehicle, after all. His gas money. His time. She wasn’t going to protest. He smoothly pulled into a parking space. Sanji made sure to lock the door before he hopped out. Evie gave a small smile. She’d just been about to do that. He’d beaten her to it. 

“Yo, Sanji!”

Sanji held up a hand to greet the cashier. He grabbed tea for himself and a flavored water for Evie. As he made his way to the counter, he saw two packs of Death cigarettes already waiting for him. The blond frowned at the grinning skull embellished on the packets. 

 “Oh, did you want the King Ground cigarettes today?” The cashier responded.

Sanji pushed the boxes back and smiled.

“Actually, I don’t think I’ll have either of them.” He backtracked and grabbed a bulk package of gum instead.

“Trying to quit, are ya?”

Sanji nodded. He paid and grabbed the items before he could change his mind.

“Sanji!” Called the cashier.

The blond turned to face him. The cashier tossed a pack of nicotine gum his way and gave him a nod. “Good for you.”

Sanji raised a hand as he exited the gas station. 

“I got this for you,” Sanji said with a smile. He slid into the driver’s seat and handed the drink to Evie, who eyed the flavored water. “I remember you saying you liked tropical fruit.”

 A small smile crossed her face. Mango was her favorite. 

“Yeah. Thanks.” 

He peeled out of the parking lot and eyed the gas station as it diminished in his rear view. His left leg jiggled. He would have loved a smoke about now. Instead, he popped a small cube of mint flavored gum in his mouth.

 “You didn’t grab a pack when you were in there?” Evie asked quietly. He was feening for a smoke. She had seen the same behavior from her sister and her mom. She stared at Sanji with a raised brow. 

Sanji looked over at her and flashed a dazzling smile.

“Nah. I don’t need them.”

She turned her face away and looked out the window. He caught her smile in the window’s reflection.

Sanji couldn’t stop shaking his left leg. He felt a little too hot. He had to fight the itch. He passed a few more gas stations and resisted the urge to stop. He leaned back and held the steering wheel with his left hand. He smacked the AC button and his right hand tapped the armrest absentmindedly.

Oh, how he missed the nicotine buzz, the sultry dance of sweet smoke wafting up from the glowing, orange tip. Cigarette daydreams consumed his thoughts, desperately tempting him to turn around and just buy a damn pack . 

Much to his surprise, tan fingers intertwined with his and yanked him out of the stupor.

Sanji gulped. 

He stopped at a red light and looked to his right. Evie was looking at him in a way she never had before. Her eyes were shining and there was a pleasant expression on her face. It was a good thing the vehicle was stationary otherwise he probably would have swerved and killed them both.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He tried to sound suave as he reused her words but his voice came out shaky, a little unsure.

“Like what?” she teased.

“Like that.” 

Evie laughed and squeezed his hand. “Because I’m proud of you,” she smiled.

The light turned green and Sanji revved the engine. The car accelerated a little too quickly. Evie leaned over and absentmindedly stroked his forearm as he drove. She enjoyed feeling the hair on his arms. At first, he was acutely aware of every move she made. Each touch sent electricity through his body, but eventually, he found himself relaxing, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin on his.

He could feel her staring at him as he drove. Sanji turned to her and used the line they frequently asked restaurant guests: “May I help you?” 

She smiled at him. “Tell me something.” 

“...what?” he asked her. 

“I dunno,” Evie said. “Something. Anything.” 

Sanji took a deep breath. His mind had gone blank. 

“Tell me about your mother,” she prompted.

A sad smile graced his features. “Okay,” he said gently. Sanji glanced her way for a moment. “But you have to tell me about yours, too.” 

“Deal,” Evie said with a squeeze of his hand. Sanji squeezed her hand back. They talked and talked, about their mothers, about their sisters, about dreams. The 45 minute drive home took no time at all. They held hands the entire way… and he hadn’t stopped to think about cigarettes. Not even once.