Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The night sky looked down on Sanji, stars twinkling as a warm breeze ruffled his blond hair. The moon was peeking out from wispy clouds, casting light on Sanji’s pale skin as he leaned against the railing of the Thousand Sunny. The grass under his shoes swayed in a gentle dance. The ocean rocked the boat languidly, as if it, too, was affected by nighttime’s slumbering spell. 

A smoldering cigarette rested in Sanji’s fingers, while his other hand held the receiver of a transponder snail. 

“Now that we’re not in the damn Florian Triangle anymore, I can see the stars,” Sanji said into the receiver, his blue eyes meeting the deep indigo of the sky. “They’re beautiful, Hotshot.”

“They don’t hold a candle to you though, Blondie,” the man on the other end of the phone line replied. 

Sanji felt warmth flood his cheeks, both at the compliment and the nickname. He could imagine the smile that “Hotshot” - Ace - was wearing right now. Warm and fond and unabashed. Ace was always like that when it was just the two of them. 

“Ace, you are such a damn sap,” Sanji remarked, unable to summon any venom to his words. “You’re lucky that I like you, y’know that?”

Ace laughed and the sound was music to Sanji’s ears.

“I’d hope that you liked me! We’re dating, after all!” Ace replied, his laughter dissolving into chuckles. “For the record darlin’, I like you, too.”

Sanji’s smile faltered as a tight sensation in his chest overwhelmed him. His throat was dry all of a sudden. His pulse quickened, beating in his ears until he could no longer hear the rhythmic swishing of the ocean’s surface. Sweat broke out on his palms and he licked his lips.

“Uh, A-Ace?” Sanji started and Ace noticed the shift in tone right away.

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I um, I want to tell you something. Something important,” Sanji admitted, noticing out of the corner of his eye that his cigarette was shaking between his fingers. He snuffed it out on the railing and then curled his hand around it, making a fist to keep his hand from shaking as much. “I’m - I’m kind of nervous.”

“I get that. It must be important then if it’s doing this to you?” Ace said levelly. Then a hint of caution slipped into his tone. “It ain’t anything…bad, is it?”

“No, no! I’m just being a shitty coward about it!” Sanji replied quickly, then winced. “Dammit, I’m making this sound way worse than it actually is!” He took a deep breath and forced out in one go, “I love you, okay?!”

There was silence on the other end, and then-

“That’s all?!” Ace replied, laughing. “Oh darlin’, you got me all worried for that!”

“Oh, shut the hell up!” Sanji snapped, his face feeling hot enough to be on fire. “I’m not great at this shit, okay?!”

Ace’s laughter quieted, though his tone of voice remained warm. “I’m not exactly the best with emotions, either. But it’s alright because - well, I love you, too.”

That handful of words banished any lingering embarrassment. Sanji smiled until his cheeks ached. His heart beat faster and harder like it could break out of his chest and soar into the air on nothing but the giddy feeling of being loved. 

“Hotshot, when I see you again, I’m gonna kiss you until you can’t form a damn sentence,” Sanji promised.

“I look forward to it, Blondie,” Ace replied, chuckling softly. “Just one more thing to motivate me to finish my mission. Speakin’ of, I better get some shut-eye. G’night, darlin’. Love you.”

“Goodnight, dear,” Sanji said, his voice falling to a hushed, adoring whisper. “Sleep well. I love you, too.”

Sanji opened his eyes, disoriented and nauseous. His brain sluggishly tried to recall what had happened; why he was looking at sand and green foliage instead of the towering mangrove trees of Sabaody. The cry of a seagull broke him from his daze and he sat up straight.

Then keeled over and clutched his stomach as he realized how empty it was. A pathetic whine came from his abdomen and he grit his teeth against a pang of hunger. Ironically, despite his hunger, nausea still gripped him. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to throw up or eat the next thing he set his eyes on. 

But what he knew for certain was that he couldn’t stay here. 

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to his feet. All the blood in his head rushed to his feet, and he almost hit the sand again. But he locked his knees and remained standing until the wave of dizziness had passed. 

Then - like a rusted robot - he forced one foot in front of the other until he was enveloped by the lush line of greenery. 

He wasn’t sure how long he had been walking, but after a while, he noticed smoke through the canopy. Deciding to follow it, he kept marching forward until he came upon a clearing. Within it was an enormous indent in the ground, shaped like a bear paw.

Sanji stopped breathing.

A bear paw.

Bartholomew Kuma.

Sabaody.

“A crewmate…here?” Sanji rasped, adrenaline surging through him as he went on high alert. He didn’t care if it was a good idea to make his presence known on an island he had never been to before. Not when one of his crewmates could be nearby. “Luffy! Nami! Usopp!”

He started to run in a random direction.

“Chopper! Franky! Brook!”

He paused by a sheer cliff, looking up at the face of it as it stretched into the endless sky. 

“Mosshead! If you’re here, say something! Someone, answer me!” Sanji shouted at the top of his lungs. No one but the birds responded to his call - they cawed and flew away. But Sanji wasn’t going to give up yet. Taking a deep breath, he yelled until it hurt, “LUFFY!!”

Sanji coughed and fell to his knees, his throat irritated and raw. Hot tears blurred his vision and pain stabbed in his temples. His hands found his hair, fingers tangling and yanking until he was sure he had pulled a few strands out. 

Then a familiar voice broke the air.

“SANJI!!”

Sanji looked up just in time to see his captain - Luffy - falling from the top of the cliff. The tears in his eyes fell from his cheeks as relief flooded him. A broad grin broke out on his lips-

-until he realized that Luffy’s trajectory was right where Sanji was standing.

Sanji scrambled to get out of the way but his movements were too slow. Luffy landed on top of him, crushing him into the ground right before he wrapped his rubbery limbs around Sanji’s body multiple times. 

“Sanji! It’s you, it’s really you!” Luffy blubbered, getting salty tears and snot all over Sanji’s dress shirt. Sanji didn’t mind right now - he couldn’t focus on much other than the crying in his ears and the pain in his bones. 

Sanji coughed when he was finally able to breathe again, and rasped, “I’m happy to see you, too, Luffy! Now get the hell off of me!”

Luffy reluctantly let go and sat up. He was scrubbing the tears from his eyes while Sanji sat up, his spine popping and his muscles aching. 

“Ouch,” Sanji deadpanned, putting a hand on his neck before cracking it. “Oi, Luffy. Where the hell are we? And what the hell were you doing up there?”

“I was looking for a way into the city! I figured that they’d have a boat that I could use to get back to Sabaody,” Luffy explained.

“Wait, there’s a city up there?” Sanji asked, glancing up at the cliff. He couldn’t see any signs of a city but he trusted what Luffy was telling him. “Well then, let’s get going! The others might still be in danger!”

Luffy sagged, a fresh wave of tears in his eyes. “That bear guy…he got ‘em.”

Sanji’s blood went cold as ice. “They’re…dead?”

“No way they could get killed that easily!” Luffy said, clenching his fists. “But that bear guy did the same thing to them that he did to us! He sent them flying somewhere else! We gotta go back to Sabaody and if that guy is still there, we’ll make him tell us where he sent them!”

Luffy cracked his knuckles. 

Sanji stood, his blood going from frozen to boiling over. He grit his teeth, the muscles in his jaw tensing. Sanji stuck his hands in his pockets. “Then let’s go find the bastard.”

Chapter Text

The next few days were but a handful of memories for Sanji. He remembered meeting the Snake Princess. He could vaguely recall Luffy’s fight with the Gorgon Sisters. The banquet that was held later for Luffy had been fabulous, and he had been honored to be a part of it.

But one pivotal moment overshadowed everything else.

The moment that Sanji discovered that Ace had been captured by the World Government and sentenced to a public execution.

Ace was going to die. 

From that moment on, Sanji and Luffy were driven only by the desire to change fate. The World Government was not to snuff out Ace without a second thought; not as long as Sanji and Luffy were still breathing. 

Sanji felt like he was in a daze. 

He had run into the battlefield at Marineford. Ace being in Akainu’s line of fire was the only thing he had seen. Sanji’s eyes had been pinned on Ace the whole time - even when he shoved his boyfriend out of the way. Even when screams filled his ears. 

Even when there had been a brief flash of searing pain in his back, and then nothing as his body went into shock. 

For a few long seconds, Sanji hadn’t even realized that Ace had scooped him up into his arms. Though no words sprang to his lips, Sanji was grateful for the help. He told himself at the moment that it was just the shock setting in, and that’s why he was unable to feel his legs. 

Never mind that anything below his upper back was numb; the lower half of his body hanging limply in Ace’s hold.

Reality finally hit him but not with the staggering force of a blow. More like the casual catch of attention at the first drop of rain before a storm. 

I’m paralyzed from the waist down, Sanji thought, shock embedded so deep in his system that he couldn’t even muster an ounce of concern. Huh. My legs don’t work anymore.

The wind brushed back Sanji’s bangs from his face as Ace dashed towards Marco, moving fast enough that he might as well have been flying across the battlefield. 

But for all Sanji knew, they hadn’t moved at all.

The shock wore off as soon as he got a glimpse of Marco’s horrified face.

Oh shit, I’m dying!

A furious, snarling yell echoed behind them. Ace turned long enough for Sanji to see what was happening on the surrounding battlefield. Akainu was being held back by jets of water that had broken through the ground, the water aimed at him by Jinbe. Why a Warlord working for the World Government would be getting in Akainu’s way, Sanji wasn’t sure. Nor did he have the time to think about it. The water had succeeded at stalling Akainu - cooling him off enough to distract him and make his powers less lethal. 

But it wouldn’t last for long. 

They had to take advantage of Jinbe’s efforts. 

Ace turned on his heel and bolted the rest of the way to Marco’s position.

“Marco!” Ace exclaimed, hoarse desperation in his voice. For the first time in his life, Sanji was hearing Ace plead with someone. “Fucking save him! Please, you have to!”

“I can try!” Marco replied, his healing flames erupting on his hands as Ace gently placed Sanji on the ground, as if he might break Sanji further by being careless. “Stand back, yoi!”

“You’re gonna be okay!” Ace assured Sanji in a hurried, shaky tone. He knelt beside him, cupping a hand to Sanji’s cheek. Sanji tried not to recoil at the warm, sticky feeling on his skin - blood, probably his own. “You’re gonna get through this! You have to get through this!”

Sanji was about to open his mouth - find his voice and say something - when Marco placed his hands on the gaping wound in his chest. A sharp exclamation of pain left Sanji’s lips instead.

“I’m sorry. I know it hurts,” Marco remarked, sapphire flames dripping down into Sanji’s chest. The heat cauterized whatever the lava hadn’t, stemming the blood oozing from Sanji’s chest wound. Even so, Marco paled, sweat on his forehead and wrinkles on his brow. “Hang in there, kid! Your wound is almost sealed-!”

Sanji’s stomach heaved like someone had buried their heel in his gut, and he pushed onto his side in time to retch. The force of the muscle spasms split his wound back open, ruining what Marco had healed. When the heaving stopped, he was panting for air, half-blinded by a pool of his blood. 

“Oh, God,” Ace groaned quietly, a shaking hand tucked Sanji’s hair away from his eyes. “Fuck, please don’t die on me, darlin’!”

Ace gingerly rolled him onto his back and Sanji coughed, a splatter of blood staining his chin and dripping down his neck. Little rivulets of it tumbled down his cheeks, leaking from the corners of his mouth. 

His skin was the color of parchment. He no longer felt like he was even touching the ground. He barely registered Ace’s hot palm shifting under his neck, rough fingertips grazing his scalp. Lightheaded, he almost felt tipsy if not for the throbbing pain in his sternum. Or, what was left of it. 

Shit, this isn’t good. I’m a lost cause, aren’t I?! 

Marco turned as pallid as Sanji, brow furrowing and hands hovering uselessly above Sanji’s wound. “I - I’m sorry, Ace. He’s lost too much blood.”

“No! No, I won’t accept that!” Ace snapped, clamping a hand around Marco’s wrist and forcing his palm back onto Sanji’s chest. “Heal him, goddammit! Just fucking heal him!”

“You’re getting hysterical!” Marco replied, yanking his hand out of Ace’s grip. Blood painted his palm, leaving a handprint on Ace’s bicep as Marco grabbed him. “He’s lost too much blood! My powers won’t regenerate his tissue fast enough to save him!” His hand fell to his side, a rare break in his voice as he added, “I’m sorry, Ace. There’s...nothing I can do.”

A strangled sob forced its way through Ace’s grit teeth. He picked Sanji up again, as carefully as if the blond were made of glass. “Sanji, please - please don’t do this!”

Luffy chose now to finally stumble into view. His knees hit the concrete, hands fluttering as if to touch Sanji, then retracting at the last moment. “H-Hey, Sanji...come on, g-get up…”

“I - I can’t,” Sanji rasped, swallowing hard and tasting copper. “Legs don’t - don’t work anymore. M-My spine...severed by that shitty lava guy’s powers…”

This really is the end, isn’t it?

A strange, serene feeling was washing over him; baptizing him in a calmness that slowed down time.

“D-Don’t look so sad, captain,” Sanji stammered, summoning a weak grin. “This was gonna happen eventually. I-” A cough interrupted him, filling his mouth with blood that he didn’t even have the energy to spit out. It trickled from the corners of his mouth instead. “-I should’ve died on th-that rocky island when I was a shitty brat! But I was lucky enough to survive it, a-and got to go on all those adventures with you and the others.” 

“Sanji, don’t talk like that!” Luffy shouted, fat tears slipping down his cheeks. His hand found Sanji’s, squeezing far too tightly. Sanji couldn’t find it in him to complain. “You’re gonna live through this! You aren’t allowed to die!”

A faint chuckle fell from Sanji’s lips. “I’m afraid not even you can stop this now. I’m sorry, captain. You’ll have to find yourself a new cook.”

“I don’t want a new cook!” Luffy cried, his voice straining. “I want you! No one else is good enough, dammit!”

Sanji’s breath hitched, tears pricking his eyes. Luffy would argue about this until the end, stubbornly digging his heels in and refusing the truth. So Sanji turned his attention to Ace instead, staring up into dark eyes that were red-rimmed and drowning in tears.

“Don’t look at me like that, stranger,” Sanji joked, his grin not reaching his eyes. He reached his free hand up, missing Ace’s cheek as his coordination slipped from him as easily as his blood had. “Ace…”

Ace grabbed his hand, pressing the back of it to his freckled cheek. “I’m here, darlin’. I’m right here.”

Sanji tried to take a deep breath but winced at the sharp pain in his ribs. “Fuck, it hurts…”

Luffy squeezed his hand impossibly harder. “Fight, Sanji! You can’t let something like this be your end!”

“I don’t have a choice,” Sanji replied, his vision blurry as he looked back at Ace. “Th-There’s so much I didn’t get to do. I-I was always prepared to die but now I-” He took a shuddering breath, ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest. “-I don’t want to go!”

A sob shook Ace’s shoulders, a tear slipping down his nose and landing on Sanji’s cheek.

“I’m glad I told you how I felt when I did,” Sanji admitted. “Before this war. I only wish we could’ve had longer together.” He coughed softly, blood sticking to the roof of his mouth. It took a herculean effort to swallow it down. “Ever since I met you, my dream of finding the All Blue didn’t feel the same...without you in it.”

“I love you, Sanji! Please don’t do this! I can’t lose another person I care about!” Ace begged, hot tears soaking Sanji’s neck as Ace dipped his head down. He hid his face from Sanji’s view by pressing his temple to Sanji’s, face angled at the ground while Sanji’s looked up at the endless sky. “Please, please don’t leave me, sweetheart…”

Sanji couldn’t hear Ace’s desperate rambles anymore. 

“Ace, the sky…is so blue,” Sanji remarked, so quietly that he almost didn’t hear himself. “No clouds…just all…blue. I wish you could’ve seen it with me. The…All Blue…”

Sanji’s body went limp, his head fell towards the ground, and his eyes rolled back in his head. 

Luffy didn’t react until Sanji’s cigarette - his last one - soundlessly hit the pavement. 

And then, the tears came. Tears and snot and saliva riddled his face as he began to wail. He held onto Sanji’s hand tighter until Sanji’s fingertips turned white and red. 

Meanwhile, Ace cupped the back of Sanji’s head, stooping to press their foreheads together. His jaw went slack, and an agonized scream tore from his throat. It left his throat raw and stinging but he didn’t care. He screamed again. And again and again. 

Other voices rose around them; the distressed cries of other Whitebeard pirates joining in their sibling’s grief.

Marco was one of the few that didn’t join the choir of mourning wails. Adrenaline hadn’t worn off; in fact, a new wave washed over him. Something inside him awoke - something energized and tempestuous and inexplicable. 

Somehow, he knew what he had to do.

“Fuck it.” Marco set his jaw, his eyes beginning to glow like the sun. “We’ve got nothing left to lose.”

Marco’s form started to glow a familiar blue, his trusted sapphire flames rising off of his skin as he neared Ace and Luffy. 

He knelt before them, then looked at Ace. “May I try once more, little brother?”

Ace opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His throat and mouth were dry and his ears were ringing. All he could do was nod weakly.

Sanji - pale as a sheet and far too still - was laid down on the rocky ground. Marco crouched down beside him, raising a hand. The flames on his shoulders danced down his arm and onto his hand. The moment his fingertips touched the wound on Sanji’s chest, it burst with crackling blue fire.

“Please, please,” Ace mumbled, finding his voice and keeping his gaze transfixed on Sanji’s chest. “Please save him…”

“I will try,” Marco replied, sweat breaking out on his brow and dripping down his temples. Gritting his teeth, a wrinkle formed between his eyebrows. He hadn’t even realized that tears were flowing down his face until he tasted the salt on his tongue. “Don’t die on me yet, yoi!” He wasn’t sure if it was light from his flames, but a little color seemed to return to Sanji’s cheeks. “C’mon, kid. Come back - for Ace, Luffy, and your crew! Don’t let this be the end!”

Sanji’s hand twitched and Ace grabbed it tight enough to turn his knuckles white. “Darlin’, please come back to me!”

Luffy curled both his hands around the one that Ace held. “You aren’t allowed to die, Sanji!”

What little color Sanji had regained started to fade.

Marco shouted, “No!”

Golden fire burst from Marco’s eyes, crackling fierce enough to make Ace and Luffy jump back. The fire erupted all over Marco’s body, forcing Ace and Luffy to retreat. Sapphire and gold mixed, glowing brighter until anyone near Marco had to squint. The strange new flames leaped into the air, forming fiery wings. Then a bird’s head appeared in the flames. A phoenix borne of the Devil Fruit’s powers. 

The firebird jumped down to the wound in Sanji’s chest-

-and all of Marineford was blinded by the light.

Chapter Text

The first thing Sanji registered was the blazing pain in his head. Then the steady sound of breathing - in and out - was interrupted by a soft snore. He cracked open his eyes and then wished he hadn’t; all the aches and pains in his body flared. It was as if the pain waited for him to wake up before it went into full effect. 

He squinted, wanting to keep his eyes open despite the sunlight filtering into the room. When his vision adjusted to the light, his eyes immediately settled on a sleeping figure at his side. It was Ace, sitting in a chair and hunched over. His arms were folded on the bed. His hat was missing, and when Sanji slid his eyes away from Ace, he realized where it had gone.

Ace’s hat was lying on top of Sanji’s chest.

Right where his fatal wound had been inflicted.

I guess it wasn’t so “fatal”, after all? Sanji thought, closing his eyes and sighing through his nose. Memories of Marineford flooded him. He winced at the onslaught of information. I thought for sure that I was a goner. How am I even alive right now?

His internal monologue was interrupted by a creaking door. 

Sanji looked at the source of the sound and blinked.

Jinbe stood there, holding a tray that looked far too small for his hands. On it sat a couple of cups and a tea kettle. The warm, earthy aroma of brewed tea hit Sanji’s nose and his stomach growled. 

Jinbe locked eyes with him, then nodded. Crossing the threshold, Jinbe came to the edge of the bed opposite Ace. For such a large man, Jinbe’s footfalls were almost inaudible. Jinbe sat down on a stool and cleared his throat. 

“Vinsmoke Sanji, yes?” Jinbe said, and Sanji curled his upper lip.

“Drop the ‘Vinsmoke’ and you got it right,” Sanji replied, and Jinbe nodded again.

“Apologies. How about a peace offering?” Jinbe said, holding out a cup of tea. 

The size of Jinbe’s hand dwarfed the cup, but Sanji didn’t laugh; he wasn’t sure he had the energy to. Almost dying will do that to a guy. 

“I don’t think I can lift my arms,” Sanji rasped, realizing how thirsty he was now that the tea was so close. 

Jinbe gave a short sigh. “I didn’t think you would. Even for a man with your physical durability, your current condition would leave anyone too weak for such a simple task.”

Sanji wrinkled his brow, then looked down at himself again. He could sort of see his legs past Ace’s hat, but the sight of them made his throat tight. The way the blanket on him fell over his lower half did nothing to hide how thin he had become. His gaze shifted to his hands and he stopped breathing for a moment.

His hands didn’t look like his own anymore. 

Bony knuckles and gaunt fingers, decorated with pulsing veins covered by pallid skin. 

Sanji swallowed hard. “What…happened to me?”

“Perhaps Ace would like to explain?” Jinbe suggested, clearing his throat loudly. Ace didn’t budge, and Jinbe sighed. Leaning forward, Jinbe rapped his knuckles on top of Ace’s head. “Oi! Sanji is awake!”

Ace jerked upright, his eyes still hazy. After a few rapid blinks, he returned to the waking world. Any lingering drowsiness disappeared as soon as he saw Sanji looking at him.

“Sanji! You’re awake!” Ace exclaimed, launching forward and scooping Sanji into his arms. He buried his face in Sanji’s neck. “I was scared you’d never wake up again! Don’t ever do anything crazy like that again, got it?! I ain’t worth sacrificin’ yourself!”

Sanji hissed through his teeth as the sudden movement aggravated his injuries. 

Thankfully, Jinbe spoke up before he could.

“Ace, easy now,” Jinbe said, putting a hand on Ace’s shoulder. “Please, let him go for now. Sanji is still very weak. Besides, you might pull out one of his IVs by mistake.”

“Right, right!” Ace replied, untangling himself from Sanji and sitting back in his chair. He scrubbed at his eyes before reaching instead to hold Sanji’s hand. “Sorry, Blondie. I got a little ahead of myself.”

Sanji managed a small smile. “It’s okay, Hotshot. I get it.”

Then Sanji turned his attention to Jinbe.

“You said ‘IVs’?” Sanji asked, then stared down at himself. 

He had an IV in one arm, which he assumed was for fluids. He followed the tube up to the hanging bag it connected to. Then he looked to the other side of him, where a different bag was hanging. Tracing the path of the IV tube, he discovered that it led right beneath his shirt. 

“I’m uh, in pretty rough shape, huh?” Sanji remarked, closing his eyes and sighing. 

“I’m afraid so,” Ace replied, and his shoulders fell. He tried to hold Sanji’s gaze but he glanced down at the bed instead. His eyes locked onto their intertwined hands. He squeezed Sanji’s hand a little tighter. Sanji saw the faint shine of tears dripping down Ace’s cheeks. He wished that he could reach out and wipe them away. “You…you saved my life, Sanji. Why?”

“Because I love you, dumbass,” Sanji said immediately, and Ace laughed self-consciously. 

“I…I love you, too,” Ace replied, and Jinbe cleared his throat. Ace and Sanji both turned pink, having forgotten that they weren’t alone. “Sorry, Boss. Made it awkward, huh?”

“No, it’s nice to see young love,” Jinbe said, smiling. “Makes me a bit nostalgic. But anyway, I believe Sanji should get some real food in him first. Then we can explain more about what happened.”

Ace nodded. “Should I go-?”

“I will,” Jinbe insisted, passing the tray in his hands to Ace. Then he stood and made his way to the door. “I shall return soon.”

With that, Jinbe disappeared, leaving Ace and Sanji alone.

“Ace, where…am I?” Sanji mumbled, his headache returning. “I don’t remember much after I passed out.” 

“You’re on one of the remaining Whitebeard ships,” Ace explained. “Jinbe intervened and gave us enough time to revive you and escape.” Ace held out one of the cups of tea. “Here. Drink this.”

Ace pressed the edge of the cup to Sanji’s lips. He took a small sip. It was enough to reawaken his thirst and he gulped down the rest of the tea. When Ace took the cup away, Sanji licked his lips. 

“Why would Jinbe help us?” Sanji asked. “He works for the World Government, doesn’t he?”

Ace shrugged. “He did. But he refused to be their warmonger, so they locked him in Impel Down with me. Maybe that’s why he turned on ‘em?”

Sanji started to reply but the door slammed open, startling the both of them. 

Luffy stood there, holding the door with one hand and staring at Sanji with wide eyes. “Sanji?!”

“Oh shit,” Sanji muttered. “Ace, help-”

Luffy dashed forward, intent on throwing himself on top of Sanji. He ended up colliding with his brother; Ace had sprung to his feet a split-second before Luffy could make contact. Unfortunately, Ace had dropped the tea tray in his haste. It clattered to the ground and Sanji grimaced at the wasted tea now staining the floor. 

“Let me go, Ace! Sanji’s awake!” Luffy exclaimed, clawing at Ace and wriggling in his grasp. “C’mon, I wanna see him!”

“You can see him just fine by keeping your hands to yourself!” Ace said, forcing Luffy into the chair that Jinbe had occupied. Luffy attempted to stand the second Ace let go, only to be shoved back into the chair by his brother. “Loof, Sanji is still hurt real bad. He isn’t up to your usual energy right now, okay?”

Luffy sighed, then nodded. As soon as Ace let go of him, Luffy grabbed Sanji’s hand and held it with both of his. “Jinbe told me you were awake. I had to go see for myself!”

Sanji smiled. “I’m glad you did. It’s good to see you, Luffy. Sorry that it’s under such shitty circumstances.”

Luffy shook his head. “You’re alive! That’s all that matters now!”

Sanji’s vision blurred and he blinked back the stinging of tears. Unsure of what to say, he opted to squeeze Luffy’s hand. His grip felt pathetic - barely there - compared to Luffy’s stronger, surer hands. But even so, Sanji’s attempt made a broad grin break out on Luffy’s face. 

“So uh, how the hell did I not die?” Sanji asked, averting his eyes. “No one has told me yet.”

“Marco brought you back!” Ace explained, leaning forward to cup Sanji’s cheek with one warm hand. “He awakened his Devil Fruit! It was amazing, Blondie! Everything went white and when we could see again, he had brought you back to us!”

“It must’ve taken a lot out of him,” Luffy said, resting his elbow on the bed and then propping his chin in his hand. “He’s been asleep as long as you have. He just woke up this morning.”

Sanji swallowed, the sour feeling of dread swirling in his near-empty stomach. “H-How long have I-?”

“Two weeks,” Ace answered, his smile faltering. “You’ve…lost a lot of weight.”

Sanji lifted his hand from Luffy’s hold. The protruding knuckles hadn’t gotten any easier to look at since the last time. Touching his face, he could feel his sunken cheeks. For a brief moment, his mind conjured up an image of himself as a child, curled up in that rock in the middle of the ocean. A mouthy little brat that had been reduced to little more than skin and bones.

If not for the stubble tickling the tips of his fingers, Sanji would have bet that he was an exact mirror of his old self.

Luffy took hold of Sanji’s hand and lowered it from his face. He rested it on the bed, then put his other hand on Sanji’s knee. “You’re gonna be okay, Sanji. You’re always feeding everyone else, so now it’s your turn to get fed! You’ll be back to your old self in no time, you’ll see!”

Sanji heard Luffy’s words but didn’t process them; he was too distracted by the feeling of a hand on his knee.

Or rather, the hand on his knee that he couldn’t feel.

“I can’t feel my legs,” Sanji blurted. “I - I can’t feel my lower half at all.”

“Akainu…paralyzed you from your mid-back and downward,” Ace explained, retracting the hand on Sanji’s cheek. He curled his hands in the blanket and furrowed his brows. Looking down at the bed, he added, “That bastard! He’ll pay for hurting you! I’ll-!”

“Ace,” Sanji said softly. That was enough to make Ace look up. “Later, okay? The next time you see him, you can give him hell then.” Sanji forced his free hand to move and land on one of Ace’s fists. Ace flipped his hand over and intertwined their fingers. “And don’t you dare chase after that bastard by yourself, got it? That’s what got you turned in to the World Government in the first place.”

“I know,” Ace mumbled, lifting Sanji’s hand to press a kiss to his knuckles. “I promise, I won’t go it alone again.”

“Good.” Sanji closed his eyes and sighed, a wrinkle appearing between his brows. “So, now what? What’s the plan for getting me back in fighting shape?”

Luffy grinned and scooted his chair closer. “A couple of the Whitebeards set off to find Franky for us! He’ll give you a new cyborg body just like his! You’re gonna be even cooler when he’s done!”

Sanji opened his eyes, rolling the idea around in his mind. 

“I don’t have many options, do I? If that guy can rebuild himself, then he can handle a fucked up spine, eh?” Sanji offered Luffy a weak, half-hearted smile that was outshone by Luffy’s genuine one. “As long as he doesn’t screw up my hands, I’ll be fine with it.” Sanji paused, then quickly added, “He better not add those stupid nipple lights! I have more dignity than that!”

“But they’re cool and funny!” Luffy protested, snorting when Sanji glared at him.

“We have different definitions of those words,” Sanji deadpanned.

Ace laughed. “Sounds like my little brother has quite a crew! Can’t wait to meet ‘em all someday. Especially the guy that’s gonna fix Sanji up.”

“You’ve already met one of them!” Luffy said, puffing out his chest. “Jinbe is gonna join my crew! I’ve decided!”

The door creaked open again. Jinbe’s deep voice rumbled, “I see you wasted no time in announcing my plan?”

Luffy whirled around. “Jinbe! You’re back!” He sniffed the air and his eyes widened. “And you have food!”

Jinbe entered the room just in time to smack away the hand that Luffy stretched towards him. “Luffy, this is for Sanji and Ace! Sanji hasn’t had solid food in two weeks. And Ace hasn’t eaten since yesterday!”

Luffy whined but retracted his hand. “Fine!”

“You can have some of mine, Loof,” Ace promised. “I’ll get more in a minute. Now that Sanji is awake, I won’t feel so bad leaving him to take care of myself.”

Jinbe crossed over to the bed. There were no more chairs but when Jinbe kneeled on the floor, he wasn’t much shorter than his usual height. He sat the tray of food on a rolling table and wheeled it in front of Sanji. Handing a sandwich to Ace, Jinbe said, “You need to look after yourself, Ace. How can you be there for Sanji if your needs are not being met?”

While Ace took the sandwich, Sanji looked at Ace. He frowned as he finally noticed the differences in Ace’s appearance. His cheeks were less full; not gaunt but not as soft as they had been. Dark crescents under his eyes clashed with his skin, which had paled slightly. He must have been spending most of his time indoors for his tan to fade like that. Like Sanji, stubble had grown on his face. Though Sanji had to admit that it looked pretty good on Ace; if only he wasn’t looking so worn down, it would have been quite handsome on him. 

“Ace, promise that you’ll get something to eat after we’re done here?” Sanji said, and Ace nodded. “Good. I was going to threaten to kick your ass but - well, that’s not a possibility right now.”

“I could kick it for you!” Luffy interjected, and Jinbe laughed. 

Ace rolled his eyes, but his grin gave him away. “Yeah right, Loof! You’ve been saying that for years and you never have done it!”

Sanji watched the pair bicker. The heaviness in his chest alleviated as the two sniped at each other, making each other laugh. Their lightheartedness spread to the rest of the room. Jinbe’s deep laughter rattled the room in a way that chased away any lingering doubts or worries. Luffy’s enthusiastic plans for the future were matched by a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Ace ate one-handed, the other preoccupied with holding Sanji’s. Their hands never untangled, even as the conversation changed topics or dissolved into laughter. 

Sanji found himself smiling as he ate the plain peanut butter sandwich that Jinbe brought. 

Fate had taken aim at Ace. Sanji had taken the fatal blow instead. And fate was defied yet again when Marco brought him back to life. 

Sanji always knew he’d never live forever. He had made peace long ago with the idea that he was living on borrowed time. One day, his luck would run out and fate would catch up with him. 

But with friends like his - no, a family like his - he knew he didn’t need “forever”. A family of short-tempered cooks or a family of ragtag pirates. It didn’t matter because they were willing to extend that borrowed time no matter what. 

He didn’t need fate.

He just needed them.

Between the family he found along the way and the All Blue, he would have forever enough.