Darker au where Sanji is mute thanks to Judge and A+ parenting. It would happen during one of what Judge would call his ‘episodes’ and has the scientists make his vocal chords virtually unusable. Sanji waking up to his throat incredibly sore, unable to talk, his noises are garbled and he's terrified. When he's released, his brothers make use of the fact that Sanji can’t talk, beg, plead.
Judge is happy he doesn't have to hear the weakling cry. When Sanji finally breaks away to his mother's room in the medical wing, her nurse and Sora listening to the noises, looking at the scar in horror. He can't say ‘mama’ anymore and she just holds him. Tells him fairy tales and stories of her home kingdom. When Sanji is asleep the nurse and Sora look at each other as the nurse says he can go back in the morning. Sora nods as she tries to think of any contacts she may have. She starts making calls immediately, quietly, asking for help discreetly. Nothing Judge could find.
Except no one can before her untimely demise and then Sanji's thrown in the dungeon. The nurse desperately looking for him, for proof of death, only to find him in the dungeon, months after his brothers have found him, hurt and starved. The sobs as he reaches through the bars to her to which she grabs his hands and holds them, promising to get them out of this Hell.
It takes a while until she gets a call back, some younguns of an emperor who has agreed to come get him if they meet at an island. The nurse manages to get him out, but can't get the helmet off and gets him into a boat to get to the island. Sanji is staring at the sky and the clouds as the nurse talks to him. Telling him the same stories his mother would, she has a small suitcase of things for him and a bag for the boy's passage, to pay, to get him free.
When the pirates show up she sees Marco and Teach of the Shirohige who are looking in shock at the little boy. So small, trapped in a helmet, garbled noises coming out. Sanji tries to run from them but the nurse tries to calm him down, tries to explain he'll be safe with them. Marco offers for her to come and she shakes her head, she'll distract Germa for her lady's son to escape and Sanji cries harder knowing she's dying for him.
She gives the suitcase and bag to Teach which confuses him and Marco before she shushes Sanji and whispers she and his mother love him before handing him off and leaving. Sanji is sobbing in Marco's arms and trying to escape and the men talk about getting the helmet off him as they wait for him to either calm down or tire himself out. It takes a while and Marco and Teach keep talking to him, explaining they're going to keep him safe, there's a man who will give everything to protect his family and Sanji will be able to join it. Marco then asks if Sanji can talk and he shakes his head and the commanders are staring at each other because that information wasn't passed on to them. They thought he was just too upset but there's not been words coming from the boy and the noises sound choked and garbled so they take to the ship to start getting the helmet off.
Marco works on picking the locks on it as Teach sends calls out for anyone in the fleet who knows any sign language to meet at Moby and they sail for home. It takes a while and several others to come and try their luck for them to get it off the kid. It doesn’t work, instead they get the jaw to open so Marco smiles at the boy and offers a popsicle, something easy and light and hydrating. Sanji hesitantly takes it and eats it fairly quickly, afraid it’ll disappear or be taken away.
“He looks like you, could be mistaken for your kid.” Teach says when the boy falls asleep, swaddled in a couple of blankets.
“Because we’re blond?” Marco pans at him, Teach shrugs as he leaves. When they reach the fleet, the first things that happen are the helmet is finally picked open and off and Sanji is taken for a bath and thoroughly scrubbed down. Marco looks at the scars on the boy, but especially the one on his neck. He goes slow and asks Sanji if he can write, luckily the kid nods and it’s easy to communicate from there on, since the boy doesn’t know sign and only a couple members of the fleet do, but they’re all spread out over the territory.
Sanji sticks to Marco like he’s glued to him, Marco will carry him or let Sanji hang onto his belt loops, doesn’t shoo him away. Doesn’t mind the noises the kid makes and smiles at him when he does happen to make noise. The Old Man smiles at him and gladly welcomes him to the family, he often teases Marco for bringing the first grand-baby into the fleet. Marco just shrugs and says he’s glad he has the kid.
The same can’t be said for some on the fleet though.
It’s during a fleet party, after Marco puts Sanji to bed, when he’s drinking with a couple other commanders does Sanji run out, face and hands bleeding and dripping onto the deck and it’s the first time Marco actually feels rage. The men following no longer crew, nakama, they’ve tried to hurt a child, spewing that a mute ain’t got a place on the seas. They’re killed faster than Marco remembers and then he’s carrying Sanji to the infirmary, silent sobs shaking the boy as Marco starts cleaning them up.
“Well, it was a joke, but that anger, that fury was of a father. He’s your son.” Newgate says later. “His trust in you is greater than the rest of us, especially after that.”
Marco nods as he reads books on sign language, if he has a son he will do right by him, like his father did by him. Eventually they all start learning so that they can all effectively communicate with the fleet’s baby. Sanji takes to it with ease, a young brain absorbs information far easier than they’re elder brains can. He makes noise still, but the damage to the larynx and vocal chords is irreparable, can’t form words around the scar tissue and his noises are more like squeaks and whines.
Thatch and Marco eventually find Sanji likes to be in the kitchen, to help, to watch, to learn. They brainstorm ways to include Sanji outside of Thatch setting aside time to teach. They want to include him in cooking with the crew and Teach brings up putting a bell on Sanji’s wrist for call backs. Thatch says he could kiss him and Teach gags at the thought. The brother’s laugh as Thatch runs off to find a bell to put on Sanji. Sanji runs around the ship with the bell firmly attached to his wrist, his quiet glee making the commanders and his grandfather fawn over him. Marco has a hard time separating him from his bell when it’s time for bed, the pout, the signing joined by a twinkling bell. Marco just rests his chin on a hand as he watches his son with utter fondness tell him he’s not tired and wants to go back to the kitchen to help clean up.
“Time to rest, kiddo, you can help tomorrow. Let me take the bell off so it doesn’t wake us up.” Marco chuckles. Sanji pouts and holds out his wrist for Marco to remove, he falls asleep within minutes and Marco goes to lay in his own hammock.
Of course fighting with marines and other crews is dangerous for Sanji, an easy target because of his age and once word gets out about his inability to talk-well now everyone’s on edge. It’s only a matter of time before someone manages to actually get their hands on the boy.
And when they do, it’s a bloodbath. No one is satiated until the youngest is found. The pirates who caught him dangle his bell in front of him. They mock him, hit him, they are nothing but cruel as they make insinuations. Sanji tries to be brave but it’s so similar to the dungeon, so similar to what he went through already he begins to dissociate. He tries not to doubt his new family, but he doesn’t think they’re coming for him.
He smells smoke in the back of his head. It’s hard to come back to the forefront as the sounds of war sound from the deck. He hears shouting as Vista rushes to the bars in front of him, there’s several flashes of emotion before the bars are cut open. He goes and grabs Sanji only for him to wrench out of the hands with a gasp and tears pouring from his eyes. Vista tries to calm him but they need to get out before the ship burns down into the sea. Vista apologizes before grabbing the boy and running. Sanji can’t scream, he’s trying to fight his way out of the grip Vista has on him but he won’t let go. Not until they’re on the Moby, when Newgate who is too big for his mind to handle and it sends him spiralling into a panic attack. One that is not easily quelled until Nurse Tate takes him. Sanji eventually calms down later, Tate and Marco working side by side to clean and bandage him.
Tate smiles sweetly at him as she finishes taping some gauze down and moves to tie his bell to his wrist then shakes his arm lightly so it jingles. Sanji repeats the motion easily as Marco moves to check his concussion(moderate), his reflexes(fine-ish), and his breathing(painful thanks to some broken ribs).
“I won't let this happen again, you're my son and I failed to protect you. I'm sorry.” Marco promises. Sanji just leans into him, letting himself be held. The next morning Teach looks at him weirdly, like he's disappointed Sanji’s not more hurt. But he hides it quickly and Sanji doesn't see it again, not for years.
Jozu and Vista take to training the fleet's youngest immediately as he's cleared. He gets stronger as the years pass, a chip on his shoulder for his perceived weakness. He learns fast, Marco and Thatch will watch, and one day Izou decides to take Sanji and give him a gun. A quick training session later he’s fairly comfortable and Marco is looking at his brother and his son as they chat idly about guns, something about his son growing up that makes his chest ache.
It goes that way for years, Sanji gets stronger, the crew keeps track of the youngest, between Germa and all the others wanting him as a pawn in their fights. When they meet with Shanks for an alliance the crew keeps looking for the source of tinkling noise. Only to see a teenager running around with Izou and Vista with a bell on his wrist, smiling widely and making squeaking noises. Beck shares a look with his captain and goes to investigate. Sanji looks at the man built like a solid wall and signs at him. Izou wraps an arm around him possessively and grins at him.
“This is Marco’s boy, Sanji. Careful Beckmann.” Izou’s voice is edged with warning and Beck looks at the boy whose hands are moving faster than Beck knows what to do with. Izou is watching with amusement until something makes his face change dramatically. “I’m not translating that! He’s a right hand of another emperor and you don’t need to start a war!” Izou is looking at the boy and moving to wring his neck when Marco walks up.
“You have a son?” Beck asks the doctor.
“Yep, that’s Sanji.” Marco nods.
“Deaf?” Beck guesses.
“Mute.” Marco corrects as he looks at his kid. “Don’t start anything you can’t finish.” He warns before heading to the captains. Beck looks back at the kid and wild hands and the bell on his wrist, notes the scar on the boy’s neck. He smiles brightly at Beckmann before waving and running off to the galley. Izou sighs and rubs his temples.
“That boy, I swear. Needs friends his age.” Izou grumbles.
“Hard to find when most of the world doesn’t sign.” Beck rubs his shoulder comfortingly. “Or being in the Shirohige.” Izou groans as Beckmann heads back. When the meeting is done and everyone’s eating Shanks makes conversation with the youngest of his ally’s fleet. Thatch acting as translator as they talk and Shanks laughs at the teen’s antics. Later Sanji’s asleep and Shanks and Beck look at the boy, Yasopp says something about Usopp and Luffy that makes all of the Redhaired crew’s hearts ache. The next day they watch Sanji’s legs set alight as he chases Teach for something or other as Vista loses it with Jozu. Beck turns on his heel for their ship within a minute of seeing it. Shanks looks at Thatch and Marco who have their faces in their hands and groaning. Shanks follows Beck immediately after that sight. Over the years the crews have fun, learning to communicate in their own ways.
When a young hotshot tries to kill White Beard and is captured it sends rumors through the crew, very few being allowed to visit the prisoner. Sanji being one of them and he always smiles at the dark haired man who glowers at him. He drops off food and always frowns when he picks it up untouched. He always writes on a notepad to ask but the newcomer ignores him, despite the noises or the bell chime.
Until one day, anyway.
“Just use your voice and speak.” Ace tells the blond outside his cell who flips to a new page on his notepad and writes again. Ace groans and ignores the paper when it’s held out to him and the foot stomp. There’s a noise of anger or something from the blond in front of him but Ace chooses to stare at the ceiling of his cell. Instead a piece of paper is wadded and thrown at his feet as the blond stomps away.
It’s sometime later when Marco comes in and Ace hasn’t touched the food at all or the wadded up paper and the CMO is frowning at the kid. He knew Sanji was here earlier, he had been upset and Izou had taken the baby to go calm down, target practice the crossdresser muttered as he looked at the brig before going for the young blond.
“So, is there a reason you’re not eating and ignoring Sanji?” Marco asks with his arms crossed.
“If he would talk like a normal person maybe I’d listen to him.” Ace growls at him.
Marco blinks at him, the scar on Sanji’s throat is faded but if Ace had bothered to read what Sanji wrote he might know, because Marco doesn’t know what Sanji wrote.”Well, he’s mute mostly, had his vocal chords taken out as a kid.”
“What goods a mute at sea? You need to be strong, not need a babysitter.” Which would be funny coming from anyone but him and had he not said the first part. “The noises he can make drive me up the wall.” But all Marco sees is red and he opens the cell and Ace knows he fucked up so he dodges past and runs. Marco is on his heels but Ace gets to the deck and there’s an arm that chops his throat and stops all his momentum. Vista is glaring at him from where his back landed against the deck and Jozu is holding Marco back from his yelling.
“How dare you! Get off me! Let me go!” Ace hears as he chokes for breath.
“Calm down and explain.” Jozu tells him.
“He asked what goods a mute at sea.” Marco grits as the deck grows quiet. “Then said what noises Sanji can make are annoying.”
“Oh,” Vista says, his hand moving to his sword, “he doesn’t think Sanji is worthy of his bounty?”
“Enough, all of you, Sanji can handle himself. If Ace wants proof Sanji doesn’t need a watcher he can find out for himself.” Whitebeard announces, looking at the man who insulted his grandson. Ace glares as he starts picking himself up from where he was laid out. “Watch yourself, my grandson is not to be trifled with.”
Ace doesn’t feel fear, but a chill runs up his spine anyway. Ace is kept on deck until Izou and Sanji return, both confused at the way everyone is glaring at Ace who’s sat on deck pouting. Sanji’s hands fly in questions which are answered by others, that he’s allowed to fight Ace if he wants because Ace is an idiot and an asshole. Izou is rubbing his temples and groaning before he says they need to eat before Thatch comes hunting for Sanji. Thatch says it’s dinner time anyway and for everyone to come eat. They all follow, even Ace who watches Sanji’s hand move gracefully as Marco and Teach smile at him and ask questions which his hands seemingly answer. Ace has never encountered this in his travels before, so he watches the hands dance in the air, against his chest and head and face. Thatch smiles and brings up ingredients he’s found and the recipes they could try and Sanji must be putting his own input in. Sanji’s smile is bright like the sun over the ocean and Ace can’t pull his eyes from his hands.
“His feet dance just as well as his hands. Unless you still have your views?” Teach grins at him.
“Why doesn’t everyone know how to do that? Seems too useful to not know.” Ace grumbles.
“Because you aren’t the only one who held such views,” Vista starts, “took us all a bit of getting used to a quiet kid. But, once we did he had us all wrapped around his finger. Also makes him especially sneaky so I’d expect his revenge against you will be quite entertaining.” Vista’s grin is malicious and Ace feels his stomach churn.
“Don’t be mean to my boy again, understood?” Marco asks Ace and he doesn’t miss the phrasing of it.
“Yeah, I got it.” Ace chokes out as Sanji rolls his eyes. He is certainly Marco’s boy, the first grandchild of Edward Newgate. He is the baby of the fleet, used to be attached to Marco by the hip.
Maybe after a few more weeks Ace clumsily signs at Sanji, something simple. “I’m sorry, thank you for the food.” Sanji smiles and sits and shows him more, Marco watches from the doorway, knowing Ace will be readily accepted in more ways than one.
