Chapter Text
So.
Things were a tad...odd.
When Sanji came back after two years of a hard to swallow discovery amongst queens of Kamabakka Queendom, she expected a lot of things to go wrong. Rationally, she doubted that her crew, especially her puppy-like dumb captain, would really judge her for the change she had gone through those two years. For Roger's sake, if they didn't have any problems with talking reindeers, half-naked cyborgs and perverted skeletons, not to mention a devil child, rubber man and a sentient moss, why would they turn their back on her for something as simple as grown out hair and a switch of pronouns? Occasional skirt here and there too, but they sadly weren't too practical with her fighting style.
Heels though? A fantastic upgrade. According to her tests, slamming them into someone's face was quite painful.
Especially steel toed pair of the chunky squere-heeled black pumps she got custom made as a gift from Inazuma.
She was getting off topic.
Her return and reunion with the rest of the crew went fine, just as she should have expected. Luffy hadn't minded one bit, because why would he? She wasn't even sure if he fully understood how gender works- or, at the very least, he just didn't care for it. He simply stated he liked how happy Sanji looked and that he was sure it would make the food she made even more delicious.
Which she totally didn't cry about.
At all.
The rest of the crew had similiarly positive responces.
Robin gave her a quiet congratulations on the side, giving her that smile of her's that made her eyes scrunch up in an adorable fashion, absolutely melting Sanji's heart. She offered any type of support she could provide in regards to any leftover internal struggles she might have- while Robin was never close enough with people to truly meet someone in the blond's exact position, she did hint on working with someone with similiar experiences. An interesting reveal, but Sanji wouldn't try and dig deeper- she already had some ideas anyways, and voicing them out loud could risk her losing her head.
Franky and Usopp, the fools they are, immediately crowded her and started yelling about all the different ideas they had- did she want them to make a new bed in the girl's bunk? Would she prefer her own room? Or maybe a seperated space in the boy's bunk? She had to stop them with a desperate "let me just think about it for now" when Franky went into a ramble about a "totally SUPER tunnel system" to connect all three options. It was endearing, but also extremely overwhelming. Behind Franky's enthusiasm she could also sense a bit of unsurness from her long-nosed friend, but all it took alwas a sincere talk between them and a reasurance that she was never trying to hide anything from him and that she did trust him for things between them to go back to normal.
He even made her some pretty rings from leftover scraps of bronze and gold that he used in his projects and that Nami didn't manage to swipe. She adored wearing them if just to see Usopp's face light up at the sight of them.
Nami's reaction was...unexpected.
The redhead was always a very special member of the crew in her eyes. While at first she assigned her feelings as a crush, showering her with unconditional love, gifts and acts of service, the more time they spent together the more she would come to realize it wasn't quite that. She was only assured in that opinion when in Alabasta, after defeating Crocodile and lazing around in the palace waiting for their wounds to heal, she accidentaly caught a glimpse of Nami and the princess standing together, navigator's hand on the other's cheek, their foreheads touching, simply taking in one of their last moments together. Sanji expected to feel jealous, to mourn such angels being taken, but to her own shock, that just... that wasn't the case.
There was a ping of something, but it wasn't envy. She was happy for them.
It didn't stop her flirting and frequent love confessions, but that's mostly because she wasn't sure how else to act. Women were always so kind and lovely- how else was she supposed to cherish them, other than offering them her heart?
She knew Nami treated her as a friend, but upon reflection, she also understood how tense she could be around her- how Sanji's past actions caused her discomfort.
Once they were back on the Sunny, Nami even more beautiful than those two years ago, matured and more confident of her own body, the two of them had a long conversation. Nami was probably the one person Sanji really open up to about her self-discovery, leaving out only a couple details. Tearfully, she apologized for her behaviour, not trying to search for excuses, not begging for forgiveness, but despite that, Nami grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace, petting her hair and telling her it was all okay.
Sanji only bled out of her nose a tiny bit. Sue her, she had her face pressed into the navigator's chest! What was she supposed to do!?
Thankfully, Nami didn't get too angry at her. Only sighned, rolled her eyes, and said that having Sanji not freak out over women would just be uncanny, so as long as she didn't cross certain lines it would be fine.
She also took her and Robin out for shopping. For them it was nothing, just rebuilding their previous routine, but for Sanji it was everything.
Nami even started to get more physical with her, pulling her into hugs and letting her place her head on her lap, actions which made Sanji's face burn in deep redness.
Her other interactions and introductions went well too. Brook included her in his usual joking questions, which she found herself not minding one bit, but still complained just for the sake of it. Chopper, the sweet thing he was, tried his best to, well, to do his best. He clung to her, constantly asked her if she was sure about holding off on hormone therapy- Sanji brough him a book about that, which she might have stolen from Iva. Not because she needed it, bur rather because she knew the tiny doctor would find it fascinating. Even the other pirate crews and old allies made her heart melt with joy! Tarao shrugged his arms, but less grumpily than he would usually do, Bepo gave her a hug and congratulations, Shachi and Penguin sweet talked her up until their captain slapped them both on the back of their heads and told them to shut up. Vivi, which they told by a letter, a form of communication they tried to upkeep with her whenever possible, wrote how proud she was and how she couldn't wait to give Sanji some of the jewellery typical for Alabasta for her to try on. Zeff, which she talked to via a snail-phone, was difficult at first, but upon further explanation accepted her with no trouble. Patty and Carne were assholes, sure, but not in a mean way, just their normal teasing way- they joked how it now made sense she always gravitated towards female customers, considering she was usually stuck with a bunch of rowdy men. They even ran into the Kidd pirates, which Sanji didn't know all too well, but later that day Robin giggled how Killer kept sending glances towards the blond- how she knew it, considering he wore a mask over his face, she couldn't tell, but it did make her flush.
Which, well, meant everything was fine, everyone was good with who she was and she had nothing to worry about, right?
Wrong.
Very wrong.
Because there was Zoro.
As much as she liked to say she hated him, call him a moron and constantly point out how dense he was, she truly didn't expect him of all people to treat her differently. She remembered him once explaining how he didn't really see the difference between men and women, how it couldn't matter less for him, how he would fight anyone willing to try and beat him, damned be their gender.
But then...but then why would he avoid her?
Because that much was obvious. One could argue maybe the mosshead just got less social during their break, but Sanji saw him interqct with others, and not much changed there. Sure, most of his responces were just grunts and huffs, like a caveman, buy he still engaged in conversations. He was still present.
Just not with Sanji. Not when it was just the two of them.
They still fought, still bickered and sparred, even though there was an underlying tension there that they could both sense. What wasn't right, wasn't normal, was everything outside of those moments.
They never liked eachother, but there were times where they could sit down together with a drink, or stand close while doing dishes, and exchange quiet words. They could have a bit of a non-hostile small talk, joke around and genuinely enjoy eachothers presence, usually when away from others.
They would sit by eachother whenever one of them was hurt, watching over them until their wounds healed properly. They would sleep close by, mostly to be able to quickly wake eachother up in case of emergency to protect the rest of the crew (the specle of comfort it brough always had been left unsaid).
Now?
It was all...gone.
And, for some reason, it hurt.
Worst of all, she couldn't even figure out why. Both as to why it mattered so much to her, because who would even care for some dumb brute, and why the change even happened.
It made no sense. How could Zoro, of all people, be a bigot? Sure, bigots were stupid, but Zoro was even stupider! Too stupid to have opinions like that!
Was it just Sanji? Did he hate her that much? But why now?
What was his fucking problem!?
Due to all of those questions, Sanji decided the only logical thing to do will be, of course, getting angry at him and treating him like shit until he stopped and apologized.
Which wouldn't happen, but...but she was still mad, so be it!
So that's why she was currently in the kitchen, forcefully chopping carrots and chain smoking, pissed off and irritated.
"See, I'm sensing some...troubles going on, you know? And people told me I am the world's best psychologist AND therapist, so if you need-" Usopp, sitting by the dinner table, tinkering with one of the dials- which Sanji was suprised they still had, because she though most were lost with the Going Merry.
"Usopp, how about you just shut the fuck up, huh?" She bit back, slamming the knife down hard enough to make the man jump in fear and creating a nick in her cutting board.
What a stupid, unprofessionql behaviour. She'll just mess up her knife.
"Sorry. I just mean..." She hesistated, fumbling with a strand of her hair.
"...have you noticed anything off about Zoro lately?"
Usopp's eyebrows immediately furrowed and he hummed, putting his screwdriver down and rubbing his chin.
"Well, the Great Captain Usopp is an excellent observator-"
"Fuck off and get to the point" Sanji interrupted, touching her temple. Usopp pouted, but nodded and cleared his throat.
"Well, no, not really. I mean, I guess he's a bit greener? But that might be from the sun. Apparently, he had no sun on whatever island he was back then, so he's like, getting the vitamind D or something" He pointed out, but Sanji just shook her head.
"I'm not talking about the damn lawn growing on his head, Usopp. I meant...like, is he meaner? More grumpy? Just kind of...distant, lately?" She clarified, wiping her knife and tossing the carrot pieces into a pot.
Usopp tilted his head in confusion, trying to recall any weird scenarios with Zoro in the last few days, but couldn't find anything. Except...
"Well, maybe he's just getting the wrong type of vitamin D, by his standards, you know?" The sniper snickered.
Sanji immediately threw a kitchen towel in his face.
That's just gross! And what a stupid suggestion!
"You can't just say stuff about him like that!" She fussed, bending to reach the freezer and check on their supply of pork.
"Come on, we know Zoro's not the brightest, but some people are into that! I think he gets laid, sometimes" Usopp folded the towel and set it on the table, mostly unbothered.
Sanji only shook her head.
"I don't mean that, even if- even if that's very rude too, actually. I meant you can't just assume some people are...like that" She whispered the last part, as if it was some forbidden, unspeakable word.
The long nosed man's understandament of the situation decreased rapidly.
"Like what?" He asked, confused, at which Sanji's posture straightened and she looked around, as if making sure no one else was around.
"Like...sexually attracted to the same gender. Queer." She responded, carefully, forcing the words out with some difficulty.
Usopp stared at her with the most blankest of stares she had ever seen.
"You do realize you're gay now too, right? You like women. You're a woman. That's queer too"
Sanji opened her mouth, about to deny the claims, but paused mid word.
"Oh."
"Holy shit maybe you're not the brightest too"
The sentence was shortly followed by a kick to his head from the angry cook.
"The fuck is that supposed to mean!?"
Usopp squeled, jumping back before another well aimed kick met his skull, scrambling on the floor to hide from the rest of the attacks, yelling as he dived under the table.
"Sorry, I'm sorry! That's not what I mean, come on Sanji, we're best friends, don't kill me-!" He cried out under the shaking table, with Sanji practically fuming over him.
"What I meant-!" He begun, flinching as he watched the blond's leg raise up again. "-is that Zoro being gay has been so obvious from day one! He's so open about it! Or, uh, just not hiding it I guess...but like everyone knows! You should know especially!"
Sanji paused, setting her leg back down.
Huh?
"What do you mean by 'you should know especially'?"
Usopp gulped, looking away.
"Uhhh-"
"Usopp, spill. Now." She demanded, and it only took another raise of her heels to make the man talk.
"Okay so please don't tell Nami because she told me not to tell you and my debt is so high already that when I get married to my beautiful smart wife and we have three amazing children together I won't even be able to buy them a crumb of bread because there Nami will bust through the door and tell me to put everything I have into a sack while my beautiful three sons cry out in fear for their beloved father-"
"Usopp." Sanji huffed.
The man whimpered in responce.
"Sorry! Fine, fine, I- um...me and Nami and almost everyone on the ship except maybe Luffy and Chopper because they're Luffy and Chopper noticed that before Sabaody happened Zoro was totally staring at your ass, like, all of the time, and it was seriously getting on our nerves and you were so oblivious to it it hurt and we thought maybe you were in on it but Zoro is also a dumbass so there's no way he would tell you he thinks you're hot so we made bets about it but then on our reunion we broke off the bet because it just felt wrong but of course Nami still took some percentage of the many because she's sometimes such a greedy bi-"
Sanji, as if hit with a lightning, fell down onto the chair, completely limp, eyes wide opened.
"... I'm sorry what?" She muttered, breathless, staring off into empty space.
Usopp's head peaked from under the table.
"Um...suprise?"
Sanji kicked the chair nearest to her's, making the sniper yelp once again, bumping the top of his head against the table and wincing in pain. She stood up, ruffled through her pockets to pull out a cigarette and a lighter and took a deep breath.
That was a lot, and she wasn't sure what the fuck she was even supposed to do with that information, but one thing became very, very clear.
Zoro liked men.
Zoro, apparently, used to like Sanji.
Sanji was now very much not a man.
Fucking shit.