Sanji meeting and falling for a SO who is a former slave.
(please bear with me it's my first time making a OP post but I'd been craving Sanji content non stop)
-"PLEASE LET ME COME WITH YOU... I JUST WANT TO BE FREE!!" - those were the words you shouted to the thousand sunny crew when they set you free from the camp you were kept as a slave under the local world nobles control.
You were extremely grateful for them agreeing to let you come along until you found a port safe enough to start a new life and promised to work around the ship cleaning and aiding to anyone needing an extra hand on deck in exchange for their generosity.
Your first morning aboard the sunny was filled with a unfamiliar feeling, not only you had slept the night before on a bed for the very first time since you could remember but you also couldn't shake the fear years of slavery had carved in your heart and despite the straw hats welcoming disposition towards you it was imposible not to feel danger could be lurking at every corner.
You woke up at the break of dawn and decided to head to the kitchen to start cleaning since that was your first task everyday back at the camp. You had a vague idea of were it was located after the captain himself showed you around the day before trying to make you feel at home. The image of the gentleman in charge of cooking for the crew was imbebed in your memory as he visibly tensed up the second you stepped foot in the sunny and seemingly tried to avoid even making eye contact with you by nervously lighting a cigarrete while Luffy showed you were they stored all their food.
You were used to feeling invisible in the eyes of anyone who wasn't a fellow slave, but the cook was the only member of the crew who had that reaction around you. Maybe he was disgusted by the idea of having a slave near him or maybe he saw you as the help and thought it was innapropiate to speak to you like the nobles believed.
- "Well he does look like a prince" - you thought to yourself as you recalled the polished suit you saw in a children's book ever so similar to the one wore by the cook.
Upon arriving to the kitchen you started inspecting it and trying to get to work only to notice it everything was absolutely pristine. The shelfs, floors, sink, every surface was amazingly taken care of and you couldn't help but stare in awe as only true dedication could achieve such level of perfection in that kind of environment.
Suddenly the huge fruit bowl on the kitchen table caught your attention , resting at the top a gorgeous red apple appeared to be calling your name as you took it in your hands to admire it.
-"I'm sorry breakfast won't be ready for another hour" - said a masculine voice coming from the walk in fridge at the other end of the kitchen as the cook emerged from it. You turned rapidly having been taken by surprise only to lock eyes with him.
His expression seemed to match yours as his eyes widened and a slight tint of red appeared on his cheeks. He was holding and array of ingredients that seemed to slip his hands for a second before he gained composture again.
-"I am sorry, I came to clean but I got distracted" - you explained your self quickly, you didn't expect anyone else to be up that early, much less the cook being responsible enough to start his duties so early in the morning. You held the apple out in a demonstrative way only to put it back were you found it. - " I'd never seen anything like it before" -
The cook placed the ingredients aside and with hesitation he finally responded as he approached you - " yeah this kitchen is pretty big for a ship this size" -, he said sheepishly with one arm behind his neck
You shook your head for a second - " I mean the apple" - you said as embarrassment grew inside you - " I never seen one like it, I'd only seen rotten ones since that's what slaves were allowed to have back at the camp" -, you explained quickly only to realize how pitiful that must've sounded and lowered your grace. - " but this kitchen is truly magnificent aswell sir" -
-"Sanji! " - he said as soon as the word "sir" left your lips - " please call me Sanji". - He said as his cheeks turned a brighter shade of red and he bowed to you - " I should've been more welcoming yesterday but your presence took me by surprise" -. He confessed as he felt ashamed of himself, not only he was a lady's man and had promised to be as charming to every woman he'd ever met, but upon meeting you he couldn't help but feel how his suave persona crumbled under him. Not only you were gorgeous in his eyes, but something about you made him feel weak to his knees and he didn't know how to react to the anxious feeling of being in the same room as you.
He rapidly a rushed to one of his drawers pulling a knife out and graving a plate from the shelves.
With unimaginable skill and diligence he took the apple, sliced it and removed the core to then plate it beautifully and offered it to you - "PLEASE HAVE IT" -, said Sanji as if his life depended on it, you tried to decline it by taking a step back - "I didn't mean... " - you paused trying to find the words but Sanji's determined look caught you off guard, - " I wasn't trying to beg for food" -, you finally said very apologetically almost with teary eyes as you felt a combination of embarrassment and shame.
-"I would be extremely honored to know I served an angel her very first apple" - he said as he placed the plate in your hands with a soft expression, the red tint returning to his cheeks.
His expression made you feel at ease, it felt truly genuine and without hesitation you took a bite of the tempting fruit. It was the sweetest bite you ever had and you couldn't help but close your eyes enjoying every bit of it. - " delicious" - you finally said as your eyes filled with happy tears as right there and there felt like you had a taste of freedom.
-"wait till you have my cooking" - he said excitedly as a his face lit up , his eyes were filled with joy and he couldn't help but smile wider and brighter thann ever. - "I want to see you try everything for the first time" -
And that became a promise between you and Sanji, he always made sure to ask if you ever had this or that, and took great pride in cooking for you your first of any imaginable dish as he eagerly waited for your face to brighten at first bite. He made sure to pick ingredients you haven't even heard of and kept notes of what you liked the most so he could create unique combinations catered to your palate.
Months had passed since you started traveling with the straw hats, and despite making yourself at home and growing closer with all of them you couldn't help but feel it was going to be harder to leave them behind, it was specially gut wrenching to imagine your life without Sanji. You inevitably grew feelings for him, not only he was attentive and warm to you like no one ever was but you had felt at home every time you spend time with him, particulary after he welcomed you to help and learn with him in the kitchen.
You never been happier or felt like you actually had a purpose, but you needed to be real, you were not a pirate, you were not a fighter, you were a girl who was forced in to slavery and you felt you didn't provide any extraordinary services to the straw hats, if anything you could set them back in the wrong situation, and you hated the thought of slowing them down.
One night, after the ship docked in a quiet island you filled yourself with determination and without much effort packed your few belongings and left the sunny without a word. You weren't made for goodbyes, and you definitely didn't have it in you to say farewell to the cook.
- "It might be dangerous out there" - said a familiar voice behind you as you walked down the main road. You froze in place as you couldn't bring yourself to turn around. - "I'll be fine" - you responded fighting back the tears
-"but I won't if something were to happen to you" - you felt the voice growing closer as you finally decided to turn around and face Sanji. His face was lit only by the cigarette resting on his mouth but you could still decipher the sorrowful look in his eyes.
-"I asked to come along until I found a place to call home " - you explained trying to keep your composture - "and this might be it" -. Sanji tossed his cigarette on the floor and stepped on it, reaching to find another one only to realize he had run out and let a sigh in despair as he also struggled to keep his emotions on check. You could feel his frustration growing and could only think about making excuses to make the departure easy.
-"I don't want to set you and the crew back, I am not strong, I cannot fight and I am not someone of importance, this is for everyone's well being, you have a dream, goals and you promised luffy to help achieve his, this is for the best, i don't belong with you or the straw hats, I... "- you were cut short as you felt Sanji's lips pressed againts yours, a feeling you had only dreamed about so far. His kiss was soft but it held great emotion within. You felt your eyes fill with tears as Sanji cupped your face with his hands.
-" I am not good at this, please just let me leave" - you begged as he held you closer, resting his head on yours, - "I want to see you try everything for the first time" - he said with a broken voice, - " that was the promise I made to you" -
You looked back at him, you'd never seen the cook cry before and it broke your heart to think your departure could cause such commotion in his heart. - "I have no place as part of the crew" - you said letting the tears flow freely down your face. - " your place is with me in the kitchen, as long as you haven't tried something yet I have to be there to see it" - he grabbed your hands and held them close to his heart - "food or not I have to be there to see you try everything for the first time, I want to see your face filled with joy at every new experience because it's what I love the most" - he paused and squeezed your hand harder to gain the courage that had eluded him for months - "I love you the most" -
You couldn't help but let out a chuckle and tried to wipe your tears while your smile fought them back. - "that's the first time someone has said they loved me" - you said as your kept crying happy tears - "and you were there to see it" - you finally said agreeing to his promise. - " and it won't be the last" - he said as you two shared another kiss.
