Chapter Text
Sanji was finally back in the East Blue after one year of staying in the North.
His father was reluctant to let him come back to his home sea, however he wasn't able to do anything because he knew that Sanji would still go despite his protests.
So after months of arguing and deliberation, he now stood on the doorstep of his apartment, key hovering over the lock.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. The apartment itself wasn’t special. It looked empty despite the furniture that was neatly placed around, courtesy of Reiju.
He knew that at some point in his life, he wasn't as minimalistic as he was now. Sometimes he would remember a bright apartment filled with life, pictures hung on the walls. He would also hear laughter and see silhouettes of people bustling around him.
He used to try remembering more, maybe be able to remember some faces, but it always gave him migraines so he chose not to delve into his memories unless necessary.
Now he stood in the middle of the apartment, wondering what decorations he could hang to make the apartment look more homey, lived in.
He also thought about his neighbors. It would be great if they became friends. At least he would have someone to talk to.
Sanji nodded and decided to bake a tray of brownies. He hoped they would like it because who didn't like brownies?
He opened the cupboards and fridge, noting all the healthy food that his sister stocked. He sighed and smiled, feeling a twitch in his heart.
He shook the feeling off and took the ingredients out before setting them on the counter. He rolled his sleeves up and got to work.
An hour of work later, 2 sheets of freshly baked brownies sat on his countertop. Sanji wiped his brow with a napkin and smiled. He just needs to wait for it to cool before he can cut into it and bring some over to his new neighbors.
He sat on the couch and leaned into the backrest. Before he knew it, his eyes began drooping and he was dead to the world.
“Sanji!” A voice called distantly. The blonde turned to look at who it was and was met by a bright light. He raised his hand to block the light, only seeing silhouettes in front of him.
“Sanji, you have to remember.”
The silhouette approached him. “You have to remember.”
Sanji woke up in cold sweat, a gasp escaping his lips. He immediately ran to the kitchen and gulped down a cup of water, trying his best to remember what his dream was about.
As he thought about it, all he could make out was someone yelling at him to remember. Remember what? His past?
He looked at the counter and saw the brownies, the tension seeping out of his shoulders. He should probably forget about it for now and just bring brownies over to his neighbors.
He cut one tray of it up and placed it into a prettier tupperware, scooping out some vanilla ice cream for the side and putting it into another tupperware.
He stacked it up and exited his apartment, closing the door behind him.
He walked next door, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door.
He could hear rustling and then a scream just before the door opened, revealing a grinning teen with a scar under his left eye.
“Hi, what can we —” The teen paused, eyes going wide before slamming the door shut.
A frown appeared on Sanji’s lips, his heart dropping to his stomach. Did he look like a murderer? Why did they shut the door on him?
He could hear muffled bickering from behind the door, picking up on words like ghost and curses.
After a few minutes, the door opened again to reveal a black haired boy with curly hair and a long nose.
He looked at Sanji with the same wide gaze. They looked at him like they knew him. Not just as a random person but… intimately, someone close.
“Hi. Did you need anything?” The guy asks, voice soft. It sounded like he was scared of something but not of Sanji.
“Ah, I just moved next door and I thought of bringing brownies over to get to know you guys.” Sanji said with a bright smile. “I’m Sanji.”
The bright smile on the young man’s face faltered a little upon hearing his name, turning into a more melancholic smile. “I’m Usopp,” he replied, pulling the other towards the door. “This is Luffy. It's nice to meet you.”
Sanji smiled. “It’s nice to meet you too. Here, I hope you like it.”
Luffy mumbled something under his breath, something Sanji didn't pick up. Usopp sent Luffy a warning glance before accepting the set of tupperware from Sanji.
“Of course we will. See you around, Sanji.” Usopp said.
Sanji nodded before turning on his heel and walking towards his apartment. Then he remembered.
“Oh! And come by my cafe across the street!” He called out.
Luffy smiled. “We will!”
He entered his apartment, the smile still on his lips. His neighbors were a bit weird but they seemed fun. Maybe coming back wasn't going to be so bad after all.
—
“Sanji is here.”
“Yeah right.”
“He’s here, in East Blue. He’s back.”
A pause. “What? That's not possible.”
“He’s here.”
“That can't be.”
“I know but he's here!”
“Is this true?”
“Yes. I know it's impossible cause…”
“... Sanji’s dead. ”