What We Have Is Special
A/N - Hi! So @carrie-tate is an MVP of our little community of tickle-themed content creators and recently they have been obsessed interested in my favorite One Piece character - Sanji. As a thank you for reviving the One Piece fandom in this community, I made you this! Hope you like it!
Word Count: 2,349
“He's been acting strange lately,” Nami said into her drink, staring out at the vast sapphire sea. The ship rocked pleasantly as they headed somewhere only Nami and Robin knew, their collective knowledge guiding the Straw Hat’s journey.
“Has he now?” Robin peered over at her, eyes shadowed by the brim of her hat.
“He's always weird, but this is too weird,” Nami’s oaken eyes wandered down to the closed door to the kitchen, knowing that, despite the lack of necessity, Sanji was cooped up in there like his life depended on it.
Sanji had been quiet lately, and to Nami, this meant he was being less flirtatious, a trait that always warned her that something was wrong with the crew’s chef. During meals, he would always smile when serving the food, but there was no brightness behind his eyes, and whenever Sanji believed no one was looking, his lips would slip into a small frown until he was cognizant of onlooking eyes on him.
“Why wouldn't I be fine?” Sanji had laughed off Nami’s question two nights ago, charming his way out of revealing his true feelings. It was easy for him to fake moods, having done it for years on the Baratie. Of course, Sanji knew that the Straw Hat's cared for him, but he was still rather private and distant when the opportunity arose.
“Maybe I can talk to him tonight,” Robin suggested, glancing back down at her book, uncrossing her legs so the sun could kiss them both equally.
“Good luck with that,” Nami let out a sigh, “Sanji’s a hard nut to crack some days.”
“I'll keep that in mind,” Robin replied softly, eyes beginning to scan the lines of archeological text within the pages of her literature.
The sea was a dark void in the night, the new moon providing little light in the onyx sky as the Going Merry rocked contentedly northward. The gentle breeze was warm, pleasant; carrying off small specks of cigarette ash to dance above the waves, like the will-o-wisps in tales of old. Golden hair fluttering like butterfly wings, Sanji's arms rested atop the wooden siding of the ship. Only moving to pluck the cigarette from between his lips, Sanji's mind wandered as the nicotine haze swirled around his head like dust motes in the sunlight.
Deep sigh escaping his lungs, Sanji tilted his head slightly as he listened to the soft footsteps against the wooden floorboards, heading in his direction. Though with his eyes closed, he could imagine Robin's thin frame walking up, mimicking his posture as she leaned her upper body toward the sea.
“They're concerned about you,” Robin's voice twinkled like the faint stars above, slicing the silence like a butter knife.
“They don't need to be,” his voice was soft, yet slightly hoarse; vocal cords seldom used in the last seventy-two hours.
“They're concerned because they care. That's something to cherish,” Robin hummed, eyes scanning the horizon. “Though I sense you know that already.”
“What do you mean?” Sanji's brows furrowed, finally opening his eyes to look at her.
“Nami told me your story,” she replied softly, then dropped her voice to a faint whisper that could have been picked up by the breeze and tossed into the abyssal sea. “It's clear you're hiding something from them.”
“I don’t kn-”
“Don't worry. I'm not here to prod,” her voice lifted, still quiet yet light, fluttery like her dark bangs in the sea breeze. “I think they're afraid to do so, though. They love you too much to say something that could hurt you.”
Taking a long drag of his cigarette, he held it in, pondering his next move. Tapping the cigarette against the railing he leaned over, he let out a long sigh.
“You remind me of someone.”
“Someone you cared for. Deeply cared for.”
“Mhm,” Sanji uttered, dropping his now finished cigarette into the sea, watching it circle as it fell.
“I'm sorry,” Robin watched as he turned around, back leaning against the edge of the ship, eyes to the sky.
“Don't be. It's not your fault,” Sanji smiled faintly; the genuine smile in days, “Being sad about it isn't doing me any good.”
Robin let out a breathy laugh.
“You're allowed to be sad,” Sanji shrugged at her words, though she continued, “though I'm certain the others would like to help. How would they normally help you when you're down?”
“Mosshead tries to fight me more, Nami flirts back, Chopper and Ussop help me make dinner and Luffy…” Sanji's voice trailed off, and despite the darkness of the night, Robin could still see the rosy tinge peppering his cheeks.
“Is there something wrong?” Robin did not want to pry, but this sudden onset of sheepishness startled her.
“It's nothing really,” Sanji let out a dry laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Luffy’s…he's just a lot.”
“The captain has his charm,” Robin cupped her cheek in her hand, elbow supporting her head as it was propped on the top of the wooden frame. “What does he do to make you feel better?”
“He does it with everyone, really. I'm surprised he hasn't done it with you,” Sanji stammered, trying to guide the conversation elsewhere, prolonging the inevitable.
“And that is?”
“Luffy, he uh. He tends to tickle us when we're feeling down.”
“Tickle you?” voice drenched in amusement, Robin's brilliant blue eyes looked over Sanji's tense frame, his head now completely turned away so all she could see was his straw blond hair. “That's very cute.”
“It's very Luffy,” Sanji tried to ignore her use of particular verbiage.
“I wasn't aware that you were ticklish,” Sanji’s face warmed up again, cursing his past self for telling the truth and not just making up a lie.
“Everyone on the crew is,” his voice was quick, words slamming together into one big amalgamation of sounds.
“Charming,” Robin laughed, thinking back to when she tickled Luffy and Chopper with her Devil Fruit abilities. “Does it make you feel better?”
“It uh…it well it uh,” Sanji stammered, embarrassed by the revelation of such a silly quirk, and the fact that, “kinda. Yeah.”
“Would you like me to,” it was Robin's turn to stutter, pausing her sentence midway to wrangle with her own thoughts, “don't let me overstep here. I don't know you as well as Luffy does.”
“It's okay,” Sanji finally looked at her, the eye visible to her sparkling with an attractive fondness. “I don't mind. You can…you can tickle me, if you'd like.”
“Only if you're sure.”
“I am,” Sanji stepped away from the railing and turned toward her, arms extended as if expecting a hug. In response, Robin smiled while crossing her arms.
From each of his shoulder blades, an arm appeared and stretched out like wings. Then, with elbows bent, the set of hands rested on both sides of Sanji's ribcage. Muscles twitching in anticipation, Sanji tried in vain to bite back the smile wobbling across his face. With a gentle vigor, all ten fingers began to poke and flutter over his ribs.
Unable to stop himself, Sanji hugged himself and giggled sweetly, his arms trapping hers into their current position, practically forcing her to continue to target his narrow ribcage.
“Shi-hit,” Sanji uttered; an involuntary response. He took an awkward step back, hugging himself tighter as one of the arms managed to free itself and scribble its five fingers over Sanji's belly. In response, the man let out a short whine, “No-ho-ho!”
“Too much?” Robin asked, taking a step forward with her head slightly tilted.
“No,” Sanji shook his head, biting back his mirthful giggles and looked at her. “It doesn't tickle too bad. Really.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Eh?” Sanji pondered, the sentient fingers having stilled so he could think clearly. “I guess. The others normally just go after my worst spots.”
“Would you prefer I did that?” Robin asked thoughtfully, her deep blue eyes scanning his face for any cues hinting at discomfort or an answer to her question.
“Oh uh,” Sanji looked down at the wooden floorboards, face heating up. “You could. Only if you wanted to.”
“Do you want me to?”
“Sure?” Sanji's face radiated heat, so much so that Chopper would have likely concluded that he has a fever if there was no context given. “If you want?”
Nodding slowly, Robin smiled softly. It was clear that Sanji was looking forward to the interaction, but something in his head was holding him back from outright initiating it. Perhaps it was anxiety, perhaps it was a fear that Robin was judging him for this entire situation, from his spat with melancholy to whatever this was. Robin figured most of all, it was Sanji's internal worry that if he brought his walls down fully, that something negative would happen; a worry he was exceptional at hiding when with the crew and others, but was struggling with now. This was something she understood, naturally, walls like these come at a cost, one she knows all too well.
“My legs.”
“Pardon?” Robin had almost lost herself in the temporary silence, having had nothing to say. Her eyes met his and she could see the nearly fearful nervousness gnawing at his brain, begging to raise the walls again.
“My legs are my worst spot,” Sanji flushed, looking away yet again with mild embarrassment. “My knees, really, but basically all of my legs are sensitive.”
“That seems strangely fitting,” Robin tilted her head slightly smile widening. The pair of arms on Sanji's back vanished.
“That's what some of the others have said,” Sanji let out a soft huff, rubbing the back of his neck. “I…here, let me sit down. It'll be easier.”
Hesitantly, Sanji took the few steps it took to lean against the side of the ship, the wooden siding supporting his back as he slid down to the floor. Stretching out both legs in front of him, he looked up at Robin, tapping his thumbs together awkwardly.
“Are you ready?” with her tangible arms crossed, two arms rose from the deck, one on either side of Sanji's legs. The blond let out a long involuntary chuckle as his eyes met hers. Usually, infatuation would take over at this point, with the way Robin's eyes sparkled like the scattered stars above and how the soft smile framed her delicate face, but not right now. Sanji felt the innocence of the moment, the purity that only two people who were destined to be connected, just as all the Straw Hats were, could share.
“Yes.”
Both hands grabbed his shins, grip tender, yet firm to prevent much movement when Sanji bent his knees reflexively. Immediately after, two more arms rose from the oaken boards below, and these two parallel with his thighs. Uttering a stuttered breath, Sanji watched as the arms reached down and grabbed hold of his knees. Without giving him a second to process, Robin has the arms squeeze his kneecaps.
“Pfft,” puffing his cheeks and squeezing his eyes shut, Sanji forced back his laughter…for less than two seconds. “Dammit!”
Letting out a quiet, subdued laugh herself, Robin watched Sanji as he leaned his head back against the wooden frame and laughed, arms hugging his middle as they were before; his “defensive technique,” Robin concluded. It was charming, the whole scene in front of her. The way Sanji's smile was natural, his face free of stress lines, his mind torn from whatever shadowy grief could have been lurking in there. And that laugh.
Sanji's laugh was charmingly pretty; light and flowy, yet carefree and boyish. Completely absent of the typical dry sarcasm his laugh had when harassing Zoro, and less forced and happier than the laugh he would share when flirting. It was inherently him; completely Sanji.
“Robin!” Sanji squeaked.
On hearing his voice, Robin's eyes focused on his face, having just disassociated and enveloped by his joyous laughter.
“Are you okay?” she asked, taking a step forward.
“It ti-hickles!” he let out after hiccuping.
“I believe that is the point,” Robin let out a sigh of relief before her snarky comeback. Sanji merely shook his head as the hands began to scratch the underside of both knees; his pitch rising as his laughter became more hysterical.
Before Sanji could respond, his laugh went silent. The original pair of arms holding his shins let go and began to tease the area around his knees caps, the other two sets of fingers were still diligently scrabbling over the overtly sensitive skin behind his knees.
“So cute,” Robin thought, before Sanji uncurled his upper body just enough so he could reach out one arm and frantically tap the deck. “Sorry, did I go too far?”
Arms vanishing instantaneously to her words, she rushed over to kneel down next to him. Lifting his arms, he shook his hand side to side as he would to ward off a starvingly ravenous Luffy.
“I'm fine, Robin. I swear,” he replied after recovering enough to form words. “Thank you for being so concerned. About me.”
Head tilted to the side, just enough to be noticeable, Robin furrowed her brows.
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“I…” taken aback, Sanji quickly looked down at the wooden deck, eyes focused on a single nail as if enraptured by it. “Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve it.”
Heart feeling tight, as if someone had reached in and squeezed it, Robin looked at the younger man with eyes full of a distinct sorrow that the two of them shared. She knew that despite her having had more years of experiencing this same emotion, the feeling was harsh whenever it invaded the mind.
“Everyone deserves to be cared about,” Robin reached out her hand, which Sanji hesitantly took. She squeezed it tight. “From everything I've seen so far from this crew, everyone cares about you and truly mean it. What you have right here is special.”
“We. What we have is special.”
Robin glanced down, biting her lip as a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.
“What we have is special."
