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Giddy didn’t even start to describe how Sanji was feeling to be back in the East Blue. He was a part of the Pirate King’s crew, had gone to the end of the line and found the All Blue there. What’s more, he found peace in his existence.
After Whole Cake Island, he hadn’t known what to do with himself and the knowledge the crew now had about who or what he had been. He hated that part of himself, and being confronted with it outside of his own terms didn’t do him well. The changes because of the Raid Suit in Wano only added to that, leading to him asking Zoro to kill him if he ever stopped being himself. He didn’t, but at the time he hadn’t known that would be the outcome.
Struggling with himself had been an issue he’d had for years. Never knowing just how to go about it and especially after being apart from the crew for two years, finding out he wasn’t alone in struggling with accepting himself on such a level. It had still taken him ages to see what it had been, how he envied women for who they could be but had been taught women were precious and sacred so he couldn’t harm them. Hell, it had taken meeting up with the Revolutionary Army somewhere after taking on the World Government for Iva to take him apart and ask about it. Which is when he broke and told the crew.
Despite his fear, no one judged him. Not even the Mosshead, they all had questions. But between Iva and himself those were easy to answer. He had explained that he was still male, most of the time, but there were moments he felt more feminine and wanted to lean into that. He hadn’t known how to go about it, and those that had seen his biological family could relate to that. The fact that both his mother and sister had saved him in one way or another had put women on a pedestal and made him unable to see that he could reach for that too. In the end, slowly, he started dressing in women’s clothes or wearing heels. Especially that last one that was becoming a favourite before he could kick that much harder with stiletto’s on his feet.
In the end, despite what he had believed at first, he was accepted for who he was wholly and completely. Zoro even pulled him aside and where Sanji was afraid their first mate would out his disgust, he was instead treated to a blushing Zoro mentioning he looked good like this. That there had been attraction all the way since the start, and he was done pretending. “I realized you might not have noticed, or didn’t notice, given everything. So I wanted to let you know and whatever you decide, it’ll be ok.”
Sanji was flattered, and told the swordsman as much, “Thank you, Mosshead. I didn’t notice, so I do need some time to think about it.” At Zoro’s slightly damped smile, he added, “This isn’t a ‘no’, but I don’t want to jump into something right off the bat. I’m not Luffy in that regard.”
That had set the tone, and within a month they were going on dates and slowly Sanji found himself falling for Zoro.
But we digress in everything that happened, Sanji felt great in his own body for the first time ever. They were back in the East Blue and one of their first stops would be the Baratie. His old man hadn’t been told they were coming, but he knew that there would always be a table for him and whoever he brought along. Tonight that would just be Zoro, as they still needed to tell Zeff what had been going on and he didn’t want to overwhelm the man with bringing the whole of the crew.
Everything had seemed perfect, until they came to the door and the hostess took one look at the both of them before sneering. He didn’t recognize her, but then again, looking at the Baratie it was obvious they were doing well and had to hire more people.
Yet, the way she was looking at them would never fly with Zeff. He didn’t care how you were dressed, he never did. All he cared for was making sure his guests had enough to eat.
“Can I help you,” the hostess asked, still dismissive.
Sanji hummed, “Yeah, reservation under Sanji.”
She looked unimpressed, but did open her book and ran through them, “Sorry, it seems we don’t have you listed here.”
That didn’t really surprise him, “Under Eggplant, then.”
Another couple behind them laughed and he was feeling the strain of it. Zeff had told him he’d always have a table here, did that change? Licking his lips, he knew the last few bounty posters had shown him in heels, maybe one or two wearing lipstick. Was that something Zeff didn’t approve of, had he taken Sanji off of that list of standing reservations.
Gathering himself, especially as the hostess denied it again, “Then get me the Owner. He’ll verify for me.”
The girl sneered, “You think I’m going to get the Owner for some Okama-wannebe? Please, we have standards. He told me about you, people who pretend to be something they’re not and those are not welcome here.”
He’s shaking now, biting his lip until he can taste the blood in his mouth. Zoro’s arm wraps around his waist to lead him away, saying something to the girl but Sanji didn’t hear him. All he did hear was the fact that Zeff didn’t approve, that his dad didn’t want to see him anymore. A tear runs down his face and he can’t do anything to stop the ones that follow. Letting Zoro lead him back, despite knowing that might be a bad idea, but he didn’t care right now.
His haki pinged when they arrived at the Sunny, but he didn’t greet anyone. Zoro spoke, before he led Sanji into their cabin and helped him undress and lay down on the bed. Pulling him close, “Captain is handling it, Cook, that girl is going to rue the day she crossed us with him on a warpath. Zeff wouldn’t do that, you know he doesn’t care.”
That broke him, making him start sobbing as he turned to hide his face in Zoro’s chest. A large part of him knew that, or assumed, but a part of him feared for this very moment and if that was the truth then he’d fall apart.
—
Luffy is annoyed, which is something that doesn’t happen all that often. Even less so in his Home Sea. Instead, he’s annoyed because his second and third in command came back from what should have been their date with Sanji crying and Zoro looking like he wanted to murder someone.
The few words his First Mate shared were enough for him to jump down from the Sunny and make his way to the front of the Baratie. His face scowling and his haki flaring enough that people were jumping out of his way. He didn’t stop until he was in front of the hostess and just walked right past her into the restaurant.
“Hey, you can’t just walk in,” the girl told him, but Luffy ignored her.
His eyes ran over the people inside of the establishment, “I’m looking for Owner Zeff,” he didn’t shout but that didn’t stop his voice from reaching everywhere in a second.
A door on the second floor opened up, before Zeff came hobbling down. Taking in what was happening before landing on Luffy, “Chore Boy, is Eggplant?”
At the name the girl behind him gasped, but Luffy just nodded, “We came here after Reverse Mountain, he wanted to surprise you.” He waited for a second, “Stood here in line and all too, until your host girly there told him there was no reservation under Sanji or Eggplant. Zoro told me she made it clear that people like us aren’t welcome here and he’s not dealing well.”
Zeff’s face turned thunderous, “You turned my child away, Amanda?”
The girl stammered that she didn’t know, which is when Zeff marched towards the reservations book and the first page of it. Luffy ambled after, reading over the man’s shoulder to see a line there, reservations under Eggplant, Chore Boy, the Strawhat Pirates or the Strawhat Alliance are to be seated at all times. He pointed at the sentence, “Read it.”
Amanda did, before stammering that she didn’t know and they hadn’t looked like their normal clientele.
Giving her a blank stare, Zeff asked what she expected their normal clientele to be. Stopping her right there when she stated upper class and nobles, “Girly, I’m a retired Pirate, my child is an active one, why would I stop my kind from coming by.”
He glanced at Luffy, “Hell, half his family passed by last month and you didn’t seem to even notice they were pirates despite one of them not even wearing a shirt.”
Shaking his head, he fired her on the spot. Adding that this wasn’t the first mistake they had caught her on. He didn’t do this solemnly for the money or the recognition and he certainly didn’t do it for nobles or the Upper Class. The Baratie fed the hungry, that was all there was to it and if she didn’t realize that after a year of working there, she didn’t have a place on this ship.
With that, he sat one of the senior wait staff on host duty before calling for Carne and Patty, pointing at Luffy and grinning as the two of them cheered. Making a note to have the food brought outside to the ship, even more so when Zeff shared what happened and how he needed to go and see how their Eggplant was doing.
Luffy hummed and led the way, inviting Zeff on board once they did reach the Sunny.
“Sanji and Zoro are in their cabin, end of the hall to your left. Zoro’ll feel you approach and open the door,” he offered.
—
Sanji knew that someone was approaching their room but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
He only cared when Zoro let him go to open the door for whoever was standing there. A whine slipped past his lips, although he had to admit he liked the kiss on his forehead that got him. Snuggling into their bedsheets and trying not to think about what would happen now.
Zoro spoke with the person on the other side of their door before Sanji heard the familiar sound of a peg leg on the wooden floors of the Sunny. Turning slightly to see Zeff standing there, looking at him fondly. Huffing before he took a seat on the edge of the bed and pulled Sanji close and into a hug.
It almost had him bursting out in tears for a whole different reason.
“You’re my child, Eggplant, I don’t care about any of that shit that they mentioned on your bounty poster. I also don’t know if I can still call you my son, so child it is. Amanda had no business turning you away, and I’m glad Chore Boy came to wreck havoc so I knew what happened,” he uttered.
Wrapping his arms around his dad, Sanji leaned into the embrace, “I had hoped you wouldn’t mind, but I didn’t… I’m still your son, most days, if that helps.”
A huff comes from the older blond, “It does, now, Patty and Carne are cooking up a storm and I told them to take it to the back deck. Will you come and join?”
Slowly getting up, noticing that Zoro and Zeff were waiting outside of the bedroom so he could get dressed. The both of them were talking and it would seem that his Mosshead was coming clean to Sanji’s father about his intentions towards him.
Smiling softly, he got dressed in the high waisted pants he had been wearing before, as well as the light blue blouse that gave him the illusion of not being fully male. Putting on his black heels, before sighing and making his way out of the room and into Zoro’s arms as he stood at the ready.
Zeff stood there, looking approvingly, “Trust you to find love with the Cabbage that almost bled out on my doorstep. But you’re good for each other, take care of my Eggplant for me, Cabbage!”
It wasn’t even close to how they imagined this to go. But it was still the best possible solution. Especially when he felt Zeff’s hand on his shoulder, pushing him out of the Sunny and onto the deck. A large part of the Cooks were out there setting food on the tables placed there, with a large number of them (who had a hand in raising him) came to greet him and give Zoro the shovel talk once they saw his hand on Sanji’s waist.
For a second he wondered how he could have doubted his dad, how he could have doubted that he’d ever lose his place in the Baratie. Leaning back into Zoro and smiling at Luffy from across the deck, he couldn’t help but feel blessed to have his crew watching out for him like that.