Somewhere I Belong [15]
After two years apart, you arrive on Sabaody and reunite with your friends
Platonic OPLA!Straw Hats x isekaied!reader (f!reader, no y/n), eventual romantic Sanji x reader
Warnings: There are mentions of reader having put on some muscle, but that's the only physical description
Notes: This was originally supposed to be chapter 14 (so it's been mostly finished for bit) but I wanted to have a little more time skip stuff before getting to the reunion 💕
Word count: 2.7k
Masterlist
The Sunny was just where the crew had left her two years ago. Not a scratch on her, and coated for the trip to Fishman Island.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
You smiled up at her, heart full as it completely sank in. This time apart from the Straw Hats was almost over, and you would be back together soon. You would all finally be home.
A familiar face peeked out from the deck. “You talking to me? I appreciate the compliment!”
“Not exactly, but it is really good to see you, Franky.”
Franky was much bigger than you remembered, his arms looking more like a robot's than they had before. You wondered if everyone else had changed that much.
“You, too, sister! You look suuuper! Wow!” he shouted, doing his signature pose.
“Thanks,” you said, happy that he'd noticed your hard work. “But look at you! You've got some upgrades. Got any cool stuff to show off?”
Franky laughed and popped open a bottle of cola. “That'll have to wait until everyone gets here!”
“Since you mentioned it, has anyone else made it yet?” Now that you'd talked to Franky, you were practically bouncing just thinking about seeing more of your friends.
“Just Zoro that I know of! You're probably wondering how he made it here before everyone else. I had the same thought.”
It was no surprise at all when you found the swordsman at Shakky's bar, bottle of booze in hand and half drained.
Franky wasn't the only one who had gotten bigger. Even under the clothing he wore, you could see how much broader Zoro was than before. How was that even possible?
“Zoro!” You called, walking towards him.
He turned to you and looked you up and down. “Hey. Been training, huh?”
You stopped in your tracks. “Yes. But there's a more important question here. What the hell happened to your eye?!”
His left eye had a scar through it that most definitely hadn't been there the last time you saw him.
“What's wrong with my eye?” Zoro asked in a deadpan tone.
You stared at him for a moment, then shook your head. “You know what? Nevermind.” You took the seat next to him. “You've been training, too. Looking good.”
“Want some?” He offered his bottle of booze to you.
“Sharing the good stuff? You must have really missed me.” You took the bottle from him and had a swig, feeling the burn down your throat.
Zoro smirked. “Maybe a little bit.”
It took a few days for the next Straw Hat to show, and you were quick to meet her as soon as you got word.
“Nami!”
The two of you hugged each other tightly for several moments before pulling away.
You gave Nami a proper look. Her orange hair had grown long, and she wore a bikini top that really showed off her body. “Damn, you look amazing! I love the hair!”
“I look amazing? You're ripped,” she complimented back, reaching out to touch your upper arm.
“Thanks. Dalton did a great job training me.” You flexed your bicep with a wink, letting her feel your new muscle.
Nami's eyebrows raised. “Dalton? You were in Drum-I mean, Sakura Kingdom?”
“Uh huh. I've spent the last two years with Dalton and Doctorine.”
“Chopper's going to be so happy to hear that.”
“I know, I can't wait to tell him.” You reached into your crossbody bag that held your medical supplies, taking out a sealed letter. “I saw another friend of ours, too.”
Nami took the letter and read her name on the front. The handwriting looked familiar…
“I spent a couple of days in Alabasta after leaving Sakura. Vivi called in a favor to help me get back here. All she asked was that I deliver this to you.”
Nami smiled, holding the letter to her chest. Calling on the transponder snail was far too risky for Vivi, so she hadn't talked to the princess at all since leaving Alabasta. She hoped you'd been right two years ago. That Vivi was still waiting. She placed the letter in her own bag. As much as she ached to read it, she wanted to wait until she was alone.
“How do you feel about some shopping?” She asked, holding her hand out to you.
You took it gladly. “Sounds great!”
It was Usopp that found you once he reached the island, spotting you outside of Shakky's bar as he approached.
He called your name, and you smiled big at the sight of him.
“Hey, Usopp!”
You met him halfway in a hug, with you squeezing him so tight that he could barely breathe. “Wow, you got a lot stronger,” he wheezed.
You let go of him. “I'm sure you did, too. I can tell you've been working out.”
His arms were even more defined, but that wasn't the only change. His hair had grown out longer, and he'd ditched his signature bandana for a new hat.
“I have,” he said, looking proud. “I survived on a dangerous island all by myself. Nothing but my wits and Kabuto. It strengthened my body and my mind. I‐” His lies die on his tongue as he realized what you wore on your back. An axe that was definitely not the one he'd made for you. One that was much bigger and more intimidating. “What is that?!”
“Oh…” Your cheeks warmed as you grabbed your weapon and took it from your back. “Sorry, Usopp. I was training so much that the one you made me broke.”
“Broke?? I don't believe it!”
You held the handle in both hands, presenting it to him. “But look here at the details on the handle…” His eyes traced the silver that decorated it. “I used the metal from the axe you gave me. So I'll always have it with me in some way.”
Usopp sniffled. “That's beautiful. You missed the great Captain Usopp a lot, huh? Of course you did.”
You didn't deny it.
Sanji, you found by complete accident.
Zoro hadn't met up with you like he was supposed to, and you kicked yourself for not considering his horrible sense of direction. So you'd been looking around for him for a while.
Loud yelling near the market caught your attention, and something told you that even if it didn't involve Zoro, it was probably another Straw Hat getting into trouble. Once you got there, you weren't shocked to find Zoro and Sanji in each other's faces. It was the colorful flames that they were both engulfed in that surprised you more than anything. Oh boy...
“Two years and you guys still haven't grown up, have you?”
Sanji's head immediately snapped in your direction, the fire around him dying the moment he laid eyes on you. You with your new look and confident posture. Clearly you were different in some ways, but you were still very much an angel.
He had changed too, sporting a bit of facial hair and a new part in his hair. And his legs had gotten noticeably more muscular under his trousers, which wasn't much of a surprise considering his fighting style.
What hadn't changed was the sparkle in his eyes as he looked at you.
You didn't even think. With a smile, you just threw yourself at Sanji, hugging him as hard as you could. He hugged you back, lifting you up clear off the ground and making you laugh.
“How did you get even more beautiful?” He asked, mostly to himself. “If it weren't for mosshead bein’ here, I'd think I was in heaven.”
“You look pretty good yourself.” Grinning, you whispered in his ear, “Don't tell anyone, but I missed you the most.”
Sanji's cheeks flushed red as he pulled back to look at you, still holding you tightly. “Really?”
“Okay, you might be tied with Chopper.”
He chuckled, reluctantly placing you back down on the ground. “Well, I definitely missed you the most.”
Zoro grumbled, clearly annoyed at this display.
Sanji smirked. “I think you're just jealous that you didn't have a gorgeous woman missin' you.”
“Okay, okay. That's enough of that.” You put your hand on Sanji's arm, but turned to Zoro. “What the hell happened to going fishing together?”
“I decided to do something else instead,” he said.
“He got lost,” Sanji muttered to you.
You snickered. “Of course he did.”
“No, I didn't,” Zoro argued, “I don't get lost.”
“It's my fault, really. It's been so long that I forgot that you're directionally challenged.”
Sanji laughed at your words, and Zoro glared.
“So,” you continued, “anyone else arrive that I haven't heard about yet?”
“Now that the shitty cook's here, we're just waiting for Luffy, Chopper, Robin, and Brook, right?” Zoro asked.
“Brook's here,” Sanji said, choosing to let the insult go for your sake, “I saw a poster for his concert.”
“Oh yeah, I tried to get in, but it's sold out.” Not to mention, the resellers outside wanted more Berry than you could part with. It didn't matter much though, considering you would be getting plenty of free Soul King performances once the crew was back on the Sunny. “Did you guys hear his TD? I picked it up in Alabasta.”
“Alabasta? You saw our Vivi?” Sanji asked. Was that where you'd been this whole time? At least you had wound up somewhere familiar. He didn't realize that he was only half right.
“I did! She's-”
A snail transponder rang.
Sanji shot you an apologetic look, which you gave a thumbs up to, and reached into his pocket, pulling out the small snail. “Hello?”
“Hey, it's Franky!”
“Go ahead.”
“Luffy's on the island–somewhere–but the Navy's about to close in. And the rest of the crew is headed to Grove 42. Meet us there!”
“Roger that, Franky.”
Cuh-lick.
“What's up?” Zoro asked, which did not surprise you in the least considering he wasn't even facing you and Sanji during the call.
“You mean you weren't listening? Well, let's see…” Sanji put the transponder back in his breast pocket, and he began talking to Zoro in the most condescending tone, miming with each word. “Navy. Come here. Us pirates. Ship. Run away. That clear enough for ya?”
You burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it, but Zoro didn't find it funny at all.
“Why are you talking like that? Did you hit your head or something?”
“Sorry,” Sanji said, not sounding at all sorry as he took out a cigarette to light, “just thought I'd speak on your level for once.”
“Alright.” Zoro spoke in the same tone Sanji had used. “After this. Stupid cook. Die.”
“Stop it. No one's dying.” You pointed back towards Grove 46, turning their attention to the crowd noise and gunshots. “There's something going on over there.”
“I think you're right, angel. What do you wanna bet our captain's involved?”
The three of you headed straight for Grove 46 to find your dear captain running from a mob of Marines.
“Hey! Luffy!”
“Captain!”
“Should've known! All we had to do was follow the explosions!”
Luffy's face split into a huge grin at the sight of you three, letting out that familiar laugh. “It's you for real this time! Hey, guys!”
One of the Marines yelled, “PX-7, attack!”
And out of the dust came a pacifista, a copy of the warlord who had sent the crew away two years ago. He flew towards the four of you.
With no hesitation, Zoro's swords left their sheaths, and Sanji set his leg ablaze.
Not only did Zoro and Sanji prepare their attacks, but you took out your axe as well, the entire thing glowing a hot pink and your eyes lighting up to match.
Zoro sliced at the robot with all three of his swords, while Sanji delivered a devastating Diable Jambe. At the same time, you slammed the blunt end of your weapon into the ground to launch yourself into the air, and you brought your axe down on the robot’s head, the resulting impact destroying everything from the shoulders up.
You landed back on the grass with your friends, and Luffy laughed, his eyes wide as he looked at you. “WHOA!”
“What the hell was that?” Zoro asked, both for himself and the speechless Sanji."
“I'll explain later. Let's go!”
Soon enough, Rayleigh arrived and got the rest of the Marines off of your backs. And as the four of you kept running a huge bird appeared carrying another friend.
“Chop!” you called to him, smiling so big he could see it from up in the air.
“Hi, guys!” He waved a hoof at all of you as the bird landed on the grass. “I came to get you to the Sunny!”
Everyone climbed onto the bird's back, and once it took off again, you were quick to scoop Chopper up into a hug. He laughed as he hugged you back. “I'm happy to see you, too,” he said.
You let go of him and patted his head, noticing the new blue and pink hat he wore. “Cool hat. It suits you.”
Chopper grinned big, clasping his hooves together. “Your compliments don't mean anything, you dummy!”
He went to climb on Zoro, and you met Sanji's eyes, the two of you smiling at the reindeer's familiar quirk.
Your ride approached the Sunny, and the sight of your friends standing on the deck together had tears pricking at your eyes.
Two years away from the crew, from the Sunny. Two years of training nonstop to be your best for them. Two years of looking forward to this very moment.
And finally, you were home.
Having evaded the Navy and taken the Sunny beneath the ocean, everyone sat out on the grassy deck and ate from the bentos that Luffy had been lugging around. The smile on your face hadn't faltered since the moment you saw your friends together, even with the cannonballs that had been hurtling towards the Sunny earlier.
But now, you were more than a little distracted by the view, only half listening to the conversation going on around you.
Being inside of a clear bubble meant that you could see everything that surrounded the ship. Schools of fish passing by, jellyfish slowly making their way through the water, colorful corals. It should've been terrifying that the only thing between the Sunny and death was a coating, but the awe at the beauty of the ocean canceled that out.
Sanji smiled from his spot next to you. It wasn't the first time he'd seen you like this. He was reminded of the curious look on your face as you took in your very first island two years ago.
“So, you ate a Devil Fruit.” Not a question, a statement. Because how else could you do what you did to that robot?
“Oh, yeah! You said you'd explain later!” Luffy shouted through a mouthful of food. “Did you really eat a devil fruit?”
Your cheeks warmed as you realized that the attention had turned to you. “Yeah. I found it about a year ago and figured it could be helpful,” you answered with a shrug.
“Tasted pretty bad, huh?”
“Oh, it was awful.”
“Wait, so what can you do then?” Usopp asked.
“Was it a zoan type like mine?” Chopper added, excited at the idea that there might be another like him on the crew.
“No, it’s a paramecia. I ate the Charge-Charge Fruit.” You held up your fork, fingers warming as a light radiated from under the skin of your hand and the fork turned to a glowing hot pink. “I can charge objects with kinetic energy. It's really good for blowing things up, but I've found some other uses for it.”
Zoro spoke up. “You charged your axe to make your attack stronger.”
“Exactly.”
He nodded his head, feeling a bit of pride. Seeing his crewmates get so much stronger was all he could've asked for.
Luffy's eyes glowed even brighter than yours in his excitement. “Show us! Blow up that fork!”
Instead, you sapped the charge, the fork going back to its normal state. “Maybe when we're not underwater in a poppable bubble.”
“Thank you,” Nami said, glad that you had more sense than the captain. “I’d rather not die before reaching Fishman Island.”
Luffy wasn't the only one who seemed disappointed at not seeing something explode, but it was quickly forgotten as the conversation turned to other things…
