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Sanji’s not sure when he first became aware of Luffy’s attraction. He’s eighty percent sure it wasn’t there before the crew was separated. But now that they’re back to sailing in the New World, he notices things. Like how Luffy stares at him longer than is comfortable. If he asks his captain if he wants something, Luffy just smiles and goes on his way.
There’s also the matter of random things being left for him. Sanji walked into the kitchen one morning to see a dead boar on the table after they had been docked on an island for the night. It was a great source of meat but took all morning to prepare for storage. Then there was the bottle of soap left in his locker. He thought maybe one of the girls or Usopp had gone shopping and picked it up for him but no one came forward. It smelled okay. More woodsy and earthy than Sanji usually bathed with. But he used it all the same and noticed Luffy lingering around to sniff him more often than usual.
But Luffy has always been one to show more physical affection than anyone Sanji’s encountered. He was always wrapping his arms around his crew, sitting in their laps, resting his head on their shoulders. Their captain didn’t know the meaning of ‘personal space.’ When he first joined, it was annoying. Sanji was only used to men or women touching him if it was going to lead further. But Luffy didn’t. He had no expectations that any of his crew returned his touches, content with just being near them.
It went against everything Sanji knew about himself. He wanted an all encompassing love. The kind of love that hurt you, that burrowed so deep into your soul and refused to leave. The love that had to be exorcized if you wanted to exist without it. Sanji wanted that love so bad he could barely stand it. He used to spend all his Baratie tips on cigarettes and trashy romance novels. He poured over the pages as he chain smoked, the bible for his dating life.
But no matter how many dates he went on even with regulars to the restaurant, Sanji never found that spark. He wouldn’t call them again. He left many a partner in the early hours of the morning, with a home cooked breakfast ready for when they woke but he would be long gone by then. He didn’t know what was wrong with him.
Sanji could give and give love until it broke him but he couldn’t receive love from another. When he was particularly introspective, he knew it had something to do with his upbringing and self worth issues. But he still held out the hope one day someone would come along.
Apparently that someone was a damn rubber man that didn’t act like any of the love interests in his novels did.
It’s late in the evening and Luffy’s pulling him across the ship. When Sanji asked why, Luffy just told him he had a surprise. Knowing Luffy’s past ‘surprises,’ Sanji readies himself to find a colony of gross insects setting up shop in a storage room or dirty laundry that was forgotten about until fungus grew.
But Luffy stops in the aquarium and sits on the couch behind a tiny table. He pats the seat next to him for Sanji to join. Sanji cocks an eyebrow and takes a drag from his cigarette as he takes in two desserts on the table. His best guess is it started its life as a molten chocolate cake but the edges had collapsed so the gooey center was a sopping mess in the plate.
Luffy looks up at him expectantly, spoon already in hand, waiting for Sanji to sit and have a bite. Sanji sets his lit cigarette on the conveniently placed ashtray and picks up a spoon. Sanji is deeply concerned that the lava center is not fully cooked but he scoops up a spoonful and pops it into his mouth. Luffy stares with a big grin as Sanji forces himself to swallow. Yep, definitely didn’t get to a proper internal temperature. It wasn’t even mixed well as powdery cake clumps cling stubbornly to his tongue.
“Did you make this yourself?” Sanji asks when he can open his mouth without gagging.
“Yep!” Luffy takes a heaping spoonful into his mouth. He scoops up another, aiming to feed Sanji with it but Sanji quickly picks up his own small bite to avoid it.
“Hmmm, good.” Sanji hums as he chokes down more raw eggs and cake mix. Luffy’s eyes light up at the praise. He needs something to wash it down but before he can ask, Luffy’s reaching over the table to grab a bottle with only scraps of a label still on. He pours it into the cups, spilling liquid on the table. His hands aren’t shaking, Luffy’s just generally messy in his actions.
Oh fuck, is this a date, Sanji asks himself. No one else is in the aquarium, all having taken off to various other locations on the ship. There’s only two cakes and two mismatched glasses next to the mystery drink. He takes a sip from his cup to give him a brief minute to think. It’s a rosé wine that would probably be fine if it was chilled and not room temp. Luffy’s still watching him wide eyed, waiting for his reaction.
“A Rosé, pairs well with the cake.” Sanji compels his own lips to turn up in a smile. Even though this spread is in the top ten worst things he’s ever put in his mouth. But it’s worth it for the look of relief on Luffy’s face. He continues to look at him, even as Sanji picks back up his cigarette for a quick inhale of nicotine.
Is this some kind of test? Sanji holds Luffy’s gaze until his eyes start to water and burn. He finally closes his eyes, his hands moving to rub his eyelids to moisten them again. When he opens them again, Luffy is still eyeballing him.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Sanji asks, his eyes still watering.
“Ace always told me to look ‘em in the eyes.” Luffy explains like that was common knowledge and Sanji’s the weird one.
“He probably didn’t mean for you to stare at me without blinking.”
“Oh.” Luffy blinks slowly and somehow it comes across as endearing. Luffy reaches for another bite but stops himself. Sanji smiles as he watches Luffy sit on his hands to keep from grabbing his spoon.
“You can have more.” Please have more, Sanji’s not sure his stomach can take any more of the chocolate slop on that plate.
“Ace told me I had to share. But if Sanji doesn’t mind…” Luffy glances at the table then back at Sanji.
“Sanji doesn’t mind. Eat all you want.” Sanji smiles as Luffy digs in. The man has a cast iron stomach. As he shovels the rest of Sanji’s cake into his mouth, Luffy’s other hand lays on top of Sanji’s. When he realizes Luffy plans on leaving his hand there, Sanji almost pulls away. Is this part of the date or just Luffy being Luffy?
Sanji turns his palm up so he can intertwine their fingers. He’s holding hands with someone, not just someone, with Luffy, his Captain. It’s nice.
In prior dalliances, Sanji would be quick to move things along. He would ask his date questions about themselves, making pleasant conversation but always avoiding delving too deep into himself. Then after showing off his cooking skills, he would give his partner his hands or his mouth. Show them heaven with his body until Sanji could leave with another satisfied customer in his wake.
But with Luffy he doesn’t make a move. Sanji’s still unsure what exactly this is. It would be par for the course if Sanji imploded the best thing in his life by misreading Luffy’s intentions. The rest of the crew would take turns kicking his ass before dropping him overboard. So he’s okay if all they do is hold hands in relative silence and watch the aquarium. Luffy points out his favorites, enjoying the most colorful or the fastest ones.
“Which one is your favorite?” Luffy asks and Sanji doesn’t have an answer. He usually only thinks of fish in terms of their taste and cooking potential but he doesn’t think that’s what Luffy is wanting to know.
“I like…that one.” Sanji points with his cigarette to the algae eater on the tank wall.
“Shishishi, that would be your favorite.” Sanji turns his head to look at him questioningly. “Because it cleans up everyone else’s messes, duh.”
Sanji smiles. In a different situation, he would make a joke about its sucking prowess at his own expense to bypass the compliment. Instead he leans his head onto Luffy’s shoulder and says a sincere “Thank you.”
Luffy just smiles, his hand giving a small squeeze to Sanji’s. Every so often he points out another fish he likes but other than those brief words, they sit in the silence. Days later, Sanji will obsessively replay this experience in his head over and over but for now he will just let it be.