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It was 5 in the morning, the crisp, coolness of the air already nipping at Sanji’s cheeks. Most of the others in the men’s quarters were still fast asleep, the murmur of their snores sounding throughout the room.
The ship’s captain was breathing softly, and he appeared so peaceful and still despite the careless way his limbs fell on top of their sharpshooter. Smiling, Sanji stealthily made his way out of bed and to the galley, a tinge of excitement bubbling in his chest.
As Sanji swiftly laid out the needed ingredients on the counter, he stepped over to the oven to set the temperature. He grabbed the dry ingredients and mixed them in one bowl. In another bowl, he mixed softened butter and brown sugar along with eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract, then eventually poured the dry mixture into the wet mixture to stir together, adding extra cinnamon to the forming dough.
After halving the dough and wrapping it in plastic wrap, he placed it in the fridge. When the dough was chilled, he rolled it out flat and shaped it with gingerbread man cookie cutters, placing each on the baking sheets. He placed the tray in the oven. It was a large batch, accommodating a certain someone’s endless stomach.
Once the cookies were baked and cooled, Sanji took his sweet time to decorate them—some more than others, with some cookies ending up sharing a resemblance to familiar faces. Placing the icing bags down, he stacked the gingerbread cookies neatly on a plate for presentation.
“Sanji.”
The cook turned and a small smile quickly formed on his face. The aroma from the kitchen must’ve been quite strong.
“Luffy, c’mere.” He gestured.
The boy wore half-lidded eyes still, his form slouching and lazy. He walked over and lanky arms wrapped from behind Sanji’s waist and there was suddenly a head resting on his shoulder. Luffy’s eyes immediately lit up and Sanji could already feel the saliva on his shirt.
“Woah! This is all for me, Sanji?” Luffy exclaimed, pointing at himself and nearly jumping from where he was. “It looks so good!”
“Of course. I whipped them up just for you, so eat to your heart’s content. It’s a special day, after all.” Well, that was sort of a blatant excuse. Sanji would cook up everything and anything for Luffy on any day as long as he needed his skills. He was Luffy’s cook—him, specifically. He’d no idea how it got to this point, but really, he was content with the fact. Seeing the satisfaction on anyone’s face he cooks for always fills him with a sort of happiness, but Luffy—seeing Luffy’s reactions to eating his food made him feel on cloud nine. Sanji couldn’t stop himself from grinning ear to ear from the praise.
“Oh~ That one looks like me!” Luffy gaped excitedly. “And that one’s Zoro! But why does he look a little funny? Oh, and there’s Usopp and Nami!”
Sanji watched Luffy quietly as he pointed to cookies and enthusiastically identified their fellow crew members, attached to Sanji’s back still.
“Sanji, feed me.”
Heaving a sigh, Sanji couldn’t help but listen. “Yes, Captain.” He was about to reach for the cookie resembling Luffy before his wrist was firmly grabbed.
“Your cookie,” Luffy emphasized.
Sanji blinked thrice before giving him an annoyed smirk. His stomach curled as Luffy’s fingers slowly unwrapped from his wrist and he tried his hardest to hide his reddening face at the sight of Luffy opening his mouth. The cook complied, gingerly redirecting his hand to the cookie that looked like himself.
He raised the cookie to Luffy’s mouth and Luffy bit it off piece by piece, insistent on keeping eye contact with him. He started with the hands, then the legs, then torso, and lastly, the head. Sanji felt parts of himself heat up despite the cold, paying close attention to how his captain licked his lips in pure satisfaction.
“Mm~! That was delicious! Thanks, Sanji!” Luffy beamed, giving Sanji a quick peck on the lips before detaching from his waist and shifting his attention to the next cookie.
Sanji let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and could only sigh fondly, watching Luffy wolf down the rest of the plate effortlessly. He’d have to make another batch later.
✦
The deep blues and purples of the night were already falling upon the ship with most of the crew dispersed, soft moonlight illuminating the gentle sway of waves, leaving Sanji the last one to finish cleaning the dishes. He was in the middle of walking over to the deck for a smoke when he spotted the back of someone he devoted his loyalty to at their usual spot.
Luffy was sitting on the head of the Thousand Sunny, facing the endless sea in a comfortable silence. He turned his head with that signature eye smile and promptly slid down to meet his cook. “Sanji! You’re here.”
“I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?”
Luffy only laughed when Sanji ruffled his hair, taking Sanji’s hands in his and tugging him along to the ship’s railing.
“You got any wishes to make on this festive night?” Sanji asked, cigarette between his teeth.
“Becoming the pirate king, of course,” Luffy declared immediately. “And having everyone on this ship here with me,” he said a bit more slowly. “That includes having Sanji by my side until I achieve that goal. But, that’s already being fulfilled, right?”
The grin Sanji received in response was almost blinding, the sweetness of it all being more than enough to last Chopper a whole day. His chest clenched. He never wanted to break that smile ever again.
“How about you, Sanji? What’s Sanji’s wish?” Luffy asked intently, wide eyes staring into Sanji’s own.
Sanji didn’t even need to think about his answer—but Luffy more than likely already knew about his deepest desires anyway—though sometimes Luffy wanted to hear it from his mouth. It’s sometimes unnerving when Luffy manages to unravel him so easily. Sanji answers the obvious answer.
“Finding the All Blue, naturally,” he vocalized with confidence. He glanced at Luffy to gauge some sort of reaction to his response, but Luffy had the same prying look, as if expecting Sanji to go on, as if he was expecting more.
Sanji pursed his lips and forced himself to not look away. “My wish is for you to be happy, Luffy.”
After a brief silence, Luffy smiled. “As long as you’re here.” Luffy rested the side of his head onto Sanji’s shoulder, tangling their arms together.
Sanji leaned down, smiling as he planted a gentle kiss into Luffy’s hair and brushed against his warmth, earning a hearty giggle from the other.
“Happy Christmas, Sanji!”
“Merry Christmas, Captain.”