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“Don’t do anything! Run!! Use Coup-de-Burst!!” Sanji stood on the balcony outside the galley of the Thousand Sunny as he took a smoke break. Getting away from Big Mom’s ship had been an ordeal in itself, but now that things had calmed down a bit, he couldn’t help thinking of his interaction with Doflamingo. The near-death experience kept replaying in his head. Helplessness wasn’t a feeling the cook was used to and he could certainly say that he didn’t enjoy it.
Being caught wasn’t how Sanji envisioned his rescue going. When Violet-chan told him that “fighting fish” were attacking the Sunny, he immediately took off because he needed to protect Nami-san. Sanji shook his head. The crew… he needed to protect Brook, Chopper, Momo, and Nami-san. He didn’t plan on that damn Shichibukai being able to stop him like a fly in a spider web. Thankfully Law had been nearby to switch places with Doflamingo. Otherwise the cook most definitely would have been killed by that bastard’s attack.
“Sanji-kun!!” Nami-san had sounded so concerned when he hit the lawn deck after Law saved him. When he told them to get away, the look in her eyes was an expression he couldn’t recall seeing from her… at least not recently. Sanji shook his head again.
What was happening between them? It was no secret how he felt about her but, despite how he may appear, he wasn’t a complete idiot. The cook had come to accept that her emotions would probably never run as deep as his. As openly affectionate as he was, making her special drinks, desserts, and dishes, he always tried to keep his guard up from getting his heart completely trampled on by her. No matter how hard he tried to focus on other women, though, the navigator always seemed to take precedence… even with Violet-chan, the mermaids, the cute Marine Captain, and Robin-chan.
Sanji looked up across the deck of the Sunny. Nami-san was at the helm, alternating between watching for clouds and following the vivre card to Zou. The anxiety had been visible in her body ever since Doflamingo attacked them. The cook wanted to hold her, but he knew that would most likely end with a smack across the face. So he thought of the best alternative. Maybe she would like a cup of tea.
In the kitchen, Chopper and Momo were sitting with Caesar. Sanji quickly made them each something to drink… Caesar only got water since he was a bothersome asshole. Then the cook prepared a pot of Earl Grey with lavender since it was one of the more relaxing teas. It should help Nami-san calm down at least a little bit.
Taking the tea tray out of the kitchen, Sanji walked down the stairs to the lawn deck. “Brook,” he called to the musician who had been tuning his guitar, “would you mind watching the helm while Nami-san has tea?”
“No problem, Sanji-san!” The skeleton continued to tune his guitar. “Just call when she’s ready, yohoho!”
Sanji nodded in thanks and began to climb the stairs to the helm. He took a deep breath when he reached the deck. Is this something I want to know? There was no doubt in the answer. As he approached her from behind, he smiled and asked, “How does it look, Nami-san?”