synopsis: in an attempt to make some memories, you come up with the idea of a family costume for this yearâs halloween. toji and megumi might need a little convincing, thoughâŠ
a/n: first fic in like a year and first time writing for my babygirl toji :3
word count: 1.1k
toji carelessly lets himself fall next to you, his sheer body weight causing the couch to jolt slightly. he nods at your phone. âwhatcha looking at?â
âjust some costumes. halloweenâs coming up andââ
a smile creeps up on tojiâs face before you can get another word out. âyou shoulda asked me first, baby. i got a few good ideas. patient and nurse could work, i love a woman in uniformâmy woman in uniform. cop and prisoner, too. would give us a good excuse to finally buy some handcuffs.â he winks.
âsounds like youâve been thinking about this for a while,â you tease. âbut unfortunately, none of those are gonna work.â
tojiâs face falls ever so slightly and you have to hold back a laugh at seeing a grown man pout.
âhad you let me finish, youâd know i want to do a family costume.â
âbaby, câmon,â he groans, rubbing his face. âi never go all out fâ halloween, you know that.â
you arch a brow. âyou seemed eager a few seconds ago.â
he huffs. âthat was different.â
âmhm, sure,â you reply, sarcastically. âi donât mind suggestions, just a little more family friendly and less⊠porn-y.â
âwhereâs the fun in that?â he deadpans.
you smack his bicep. âsave the roleplaying for later. i mean, just look at how cute these are.â
you hand him your phone and he reluctantly takes it. heâs seen this app before; pinterest, he believes itâs called. his eyes roam over the page for a moment, seeing various families of three dressed in an array of costumes. rock, paper and scissors. ketchup, mustard and a hot dog. fork, knife, and spoon.
he hands you back your phone when he decides heâs seen enough. âbaby, those are humiliating.â
âno theyâre not! theyâre fun.â you snatch the device back, furiously scrolling. âbesides, weâre making memories for megumi to look back on when heâs older.â
âhave you met the little twerp? heâs practically a 70 year old man in the body of a second grader.â toji shakes his head with a smile. âyou sure heâd even wanna do this?â
âwe should at least ask him. then he canât say we never tried.â
tojiâs eyes soften; you really were giving this your all. your dedication to making megumiâs childhood a happy and healthy one was something that tugged at his heart strings; especially since toji had never received that kind of affection in his youth. and yet, here was a beautiful woman he was privileged to call his wife trying her best to break that generational curse. he truly was a lucky man.
âmegumi!â shouts toji, suddenly determined to make this family costume work. âget in here!â
megumiâs little voice comes back muffled from his upstairs bedroom. âwait, iâm almost done with this level!â
âtch, heâs glued to that damn thing. whatâs it called? a switch?â toji shakes his head and mumbles, âshouldâve never let you buy it fâ him.â
âdonât be jealous,â you tease. âif youâre good, iâll get you one for christmas too.â
toji smirks. âactually, i wanted to ask for a special gift this year.â
âoh yeah? whatâs that?â
âyâknow how megumiâs been askinâ for a siblingââ
you shove his shoulder and he laughs.
toji takes that as his cue to leave and talk to megumi, standing from the couch with an exaggerated groan. (you always made fun of him for it, claiming that it was such an old man thing to do. he always refuted that you knew what you were getting into when you married someone his age.)
he heads upstairs, delivering a firm knock when he reaches megumiâs door. âget out here, kiddo. need to talk to ya real quick.â
he hears a groan then the shuffling of feet. the door swings open and there stands his son, eyebrows furrowed and lips downturned. clearly, he wasnât thrilled about having to pause his game.
âsheesh, kid,â toji huffs. âdonât make that face, starting to look like your old man.â
âwhat is it, dad?â he sighs in exasperation.
âweâre dressing up for halloween this year. as a family.â
that catches the eight year old off guard. âwhat? why?â
toji scratches the back of his head. âi hear ya. but itâll make your mom real happy so weâre doinâ it.â
megumi purses his lips. âwhatâs the costume?â
âi dunno. we canât seem tâ decide. got any ideas?â
âhmmm⊠i kinda wanted to be michael meyers this year.â
âitâs a group costume, megumi, ya canât justâ hang on, michael meyers? how the hell do you know about him?â
megumi shrugs as if he doesnât see the issue. âi saw the movie at uncle shiuâs house once.â
toji makes a mental note to never shiu babysit megumi again. or at the very least, go over what movies a second grader is allowed to watch.
toji clears his throat. âwell, forget you ever saw it. and donât tell your mother, got it?â
megumi nods.
âgood. erm⊠any other ideas?â
thereâs a silence between the two.
âcâmon, kid, think of something. if not, your momâs gonna make us dress up as condiments or silverware or somethinâ stupid.â
megumi groans, clearly fed up with the conversation. âcan i just go back to playing super mario bros?â
itâs as if a lightbulb goes off in tojiâs mind. âyou like those guys?â
megumi nods slowly. âyeah⊠why?â
âyou wanna be one of âem for halloween?â
megumiâs face lights up. âreally? can i be luigi?â
toji grins, satisfied with his reaction. âdonât see why not.â
âcool! does that mean youâll be mario?â
his dad chuckles. âguess so.â
âooh and mom could be princess peach!â
âthatâs the, uh⊠pink one, right?â
megumi giggles at his fatherâs obliviousness, nodding.
âworks out then. iâll go tell your mama.â he ruffles his sonâs tar black hair. âthanks, megs. gonna make her day.â
megumi flashes a toothy grin then retreats back into his room.
when toji returns to the living room with a smug smile and pep in his step, you take notice.
âwhatâs with you?â you inquire.
âoh, nothinâ. just got megumi to agree on a family costume, thatâs all.â
you eye your husband with interest. âoh really?â
âyouâre welcome, princess. speaking of which, youâre gonna need a pink dress and crown.â
âwell, now iâm really curious.â
âyou know that little game he likes? the one with the plumber brothersââ before he can even finish, you shoot up from your comfortable position.
âhow didnât i think of that sooner? itâs perfect!â
âmegs seemed pretty excited about it too. knew exactly which character he wanted to be and everythinâ.â
you nearly melt. âthatâs all i wanted. iâll order the costumes right away.â you lean over to pepper his face in kisses. âthank you so much, toji.â
he grunts, though heâs smiling so hard his scar tilts upwards. âyeah, yeah. how about you thank me with that christmas present i was talkinâ about earlier?â
Sorry for the late reply, but being 18 so fair isnât fun lol Iâve been swapped with a bunch of uni homework and it suuccckks. I gotta write a report on how social media advertising and marketing will better help businesses with increases sales and long term probability for English, and honestly? Thatâs the only fun thing Iâve been doing for uni homework wise. Also, yeah, Iâve been the one sending you most if the anon messages. Maybe I should be called something? Like maybe, đ anon? I chose that emoji cause itâs the one I use the most BDBSS
omg almost forgot to respond to this one! i assume by now ur report has long since been submitted and forgotten but iâm sure it was great. hopefully being 18 is a lot more enjoyable for you now and uni as well âïžđ i know itâs been a while but thank you for always checking in with me mwahhh
I just wanted to say that you're works are amazing! (âÂŽâœ`â)
I think you have a good talent for writing. Fanfic is an escape for me so i reallyhope you experience the same abount of joy writing you're works that i know i feel reading them. I'm excited to see what you make in the future.
I pray life treats you well! I wish you a wonderful day!
(\ (\
(,,âąwâą,,)
( >â„< )
(A bunny for luck!)
this is so sweet and beautifully said! when the writerâs block isnât kicking my ass, writing fics makes me extremely happy đ„č iâm so glad we can both experience joy from this blog. thank you so much, kind anon đ
*ehem* which made me wonder, are you planning on writing for mihawk (opla)?? And what are your thoughts on him?? Sorry if I'm being annoying!!!
thank you so much! zoro was always fun to write and so was the one piece universe :] in terms of any new opla fics though⊠iâm sorry but i wouldnât hold my breath haha. you can see this post for more info đ«¶
iâm just gonna use this ask as a way to address the direction of my blog from here on out :P i know most, if not all, of my followers are here for opla content but i currently wonât be writing for it due to lack of inspo. that might change when the new season comes out, who knows! however, for the time being, there are other animes and characters iâm excited to try out!! to start off, expect some toji laterrr đ€
writing fanfiction is just. iâm being so creative and original. iâm plagiarizing everyone by accident. iâm a genius. iâm cringe. iâm too angsty. iâm too cheesy. this is not in character. it doesnât matter that itâs not in character because these are my characters now. i love my hobby. this is the worst possible use of my time. iâm seeking validation. iâm projecting my own personal problems onto this story and iâm barely hiding it. i know so many words and iâm using all of them wrong. im on tumblr posting about it instead of writing it.
OMH!! HAPPY (LATE) BIRTHDAY!! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE AN ADULT?! I recently turned 18 too, which is pretty great!!
omg happy belated bday to you too! itâs honestly a bit intimidating, i feel like a lot more is expected of me all of a sudden. which makes sense but still.. how is 18 treating you, anon? ;P
I love non curse aus so much, especially college or actors au (espically actor aus cause it gives me a lot of comfort after seeing whatâs going on in the anime and knowing what will happen)
omg an actor au would be SO fun, i might have to write that đ€ as of rn, the yuuji fic i was talking about is a dancer au and even though i wrote it a long time ago for a different fandom, i think itâs still pretty good! iâm excited to post it :-P
Oohh, if you do end up writing for jjk, Iâd be really interested in reading it!! Not a Jojo fan, but Iâm sure a lot of other people would love those fics
i would really love to! i think iâm just a bit intimidated by how complicated the cursed techniques and whatnot can get. like iâm here to ogle pretty men not understand power systems :-/ all jokes aside i might just start with non curse aus and then work my way up. anyway thx for ur input anon!
OH and jojo too! iâve been into it for over a year now and i think it would be sooo fun to write for. iâm a golden wind girlie so i think iâd mainly write for that part, but i might do 3 or 6 too
OMG! YOU DID IT, YOU FINISHED THE FIC!! IM SO PROUD OF YOU!! It must have felt like doing one of those assignments where you just want to get it done and over with lol
synopsis: a series of events that transpire throughout your time mentoring sanji into a proper waiter, per zeffâs request.
word count: 5.3k
warnings: cursing, smoking, some direct dialogue from opla, zoro wants u but he canât have uuu, a pitiful attempt at enemies to lovers, this is the plate technique i was referencing btw
the slicing, stirring, and sizzling of the kitchen fades into background noise compared to the two thick accents bickering back and forth. to no oneâs surprise, a disagreement between sanji and zeffâs has escalated into another one of their infamous arguments. it was such a common occurrence that almost everyone working at the baratie knew to brace themselves for a yelling match at least once day.
youâre no different as you return to the kitchen from waiting tables and walk right past the pair without so much as a glance their way. instead, you make a beeline for pattyâs cooking station. unamused, you ask, âtheyâre back at it again?â
patty slings a towel over his shoulder as he hands you table 7âs orders. âi told sanji not to put that original dish of his on the menu. he called it a true bluefin whatever the hell.â
âsounds promising,â you joke, collecting the plates from him.
âtell that to zeff,â he replies flatly. âhe might even make it tomorrowâs special.â
âdammit zeff!â sanji exclaims, interrupting you and pattyâs conversation. âif i gotta sling one more prime rib medium-well, iâm going to drop dead of boredom, you old shitbag!â
âitâs what we serve,â retaliates the older chef.
âitâs an insult to the meat!â
âoh, you donât like cooking our menu? fine. âcause iâll be more than delighted to give you some other work elsewhere. in fact, you are off the line. youâre going to get out there and wait tables!â
sanjiâs jaw clenches at having been demoted but he removes his chef apron regardless. as often as the two of them bickered, he could never refuse such direct orders from zeff. he was the owner and founder of baratie â that was something to be respected.
all of a sudden, zeff calls your name, causing you to abruptly set down the dishes in your hands. what did you have to do with any of this? the older chef beckons you closer with a curled finger and it seems as if every pair of eyes in the kitchen shifts to you. except for sanjiâs, who is too busy staring up at the ceiling as if heâs begging a higher power for self-restraint.
itâs ironic how after putting so much effort into being the best waitress possible, you end up in the middle of confrontation â something you went out of your way to avoid. still, your body reacts faster than your brain and you comply, scurrying over to where zeff and sanji stand.
âfrom here on out, you keep a close eye on him for me.â zeff clasps a large hand on sanjiâs shoulder with such force that it sends the younger jolting forward. âi donât wanna catch him slithering his way back into the kitchen unless itâs to grab orders, ya got it?â
you blink. âyes, chef.â
your response earns you a tight-lipped smile, a rarely seen gesture from zeff. as suddenly as it appeared, itâs gone, replaced by a hardened gaze as he turns back to sanji. âif weâre lucky enough, some of your obedience might rub off on this little eggplant.â
the comment earns him an eye roll from the waiter in question, who seems less than thrilled with this new arrangement. âthis is such bullshit, old man. you really think she can teach me anything?â
you go to defend yourself, slightly offended by his offhand comment. âhey, iââ
before you can get another word out, sanji interjects, offering you a glance. âno offense, iâm sure youâre lovelyââ the moment he takes a good look at you, he trails off. itâs almost comical how quickly his demeanor changes, that signature smirk of his creeping onto his lips. âwith an even lovelier face to match.â
you narrow your eyes at him, not charmed by the sudden switch in attitude. âyouâre shameless.â
he smiles. âso iâve been told.â
âweâll need to work on that.â
his grin widens, if that was even possible. âi look forward to it.â
his smile is a little too mischievous for your liking; you sigh. âcanât say the same.â
ignoring your remark, he muses, âyou know, itâs a shame that working under you is supposed to be a punishment. a pretty face like yours is more of a reward, if you ask me.â
you fold your arms. âthatâs because you do need a babysitter. besides, zeff calls the shots so thereâs no use complaining.â
âof course youâd say that.â
âwhatâs that supposed to mean?â
he smirks. âi can already tell youâre a professional rule follower. a lap dog, if you will.â
âif you were too, we wouldnât even be here.â you decide to take it even further, returning his bluntness. âmaybe itâd be easier if that ego of yours wasnât so inflated.â
âdamn.â he places a hand over his heart as if youâve wounded him. âif weâre talking about flaws, though, this might be a good time to mention the stick up your ass.â
âwhat? i donâtââ you take a deep breath. âlisten, zeff is counting on me to turn you into a functional waiter. that means we have to tolerate each other for the time being. the sooner we do that, the sooner we go our separate ways. got it?â
he flashes you his teeth. âyes, maâam.â
âgreat. to start, youâre going to wait tables with me.â with that, you walk back to pattyâs station.
you shrug, opting to let your silence answer for you.
he continues, âyouâre not even going to let me suffer through this alone? iâve gotta be glued to your hip as well?â
âwhatâs the matter? i thought i was lovely,â you tease him, feigning sorrow. your faux pout contradicts the way you harshly shove two steaming plates his way.
ânot when youâre bossing me around.â he hesitantly takes the dishes you hand him. âi mean, canât you just let me off the hook? iâll hide in the supply closet âtil our shiftâs over.â
âgood one.â
WEEK ONE.
âwelcome to baratie, iâll be your waitress this afternoon. what can i get started for you?â you ask, ready to jot down the tableâs orders on your notepad. âi recommend todayâs specialââ
an arm digging into your ribs cuts you off. the action is forceful enough to jolt you but light enough not to hurt. you glare at the culprit, who tilts his head expectantly as if to ask, arenât you forgetting something?
âoh, how unprofessional of me,â you deadpan. âthis is sanji, heâll be accompanying me. weâre training new hires.â
the smile on his face disappears, clearly insulted at being compared to an inexperienced beginner.
you continue, âas i was saying, todayâs special is a beef filet with rice and seaweed soup. it was chosen by chef zeff himself.â
that seems to pique the customersâ interests. who didnât want to eat a meal that had the chef zeffâs stamp of approval? they enthusiastically agree to add it to their order.
sanji scoffs. âthatâs not sayinâ much. zeff wouldnât know a good meal if it kicked him in the peg leg.â
you find yourself cringing as the patronsâ faces contort into shock at the blatant insult. well, there goes your tip.
chuckling nervously, you attempt to redirect the conversation. âcan i, um, get you anything to drink?â
dismissing sanjiâs outburst, they opt to look over the various wines the menu has to offer. you allow yourself to tune out their indecisive murmuring for the time being. however, sanji soon breaks the peaceful silence.
âokay, thatâs enough,â you intervene in between yet another forced laugh. âcould you please excuse us for a moment?â
the guestsâ irritated expressions fill you with shame â you were used to smiles and hefty tips but never this. you pull sanji aside, ignoring his complaints about the excessive force you use to do so.
âyou need to get it together,â you seethe.
âiâm trying my best,â he replies, though thereâs a smug undertone to it. âlike you said, i am just a new hire.â
you suppress a sigh. âno new hire would badmouth the owner to customers like that. or offer to make dishes that arenâtâand never will beâon the menu.â
âouch, that was personalââ
âjust let patty know we need two specials. and tell him to make it top priority, we donât want to piss these people off even more. can you do that, please?â
it was clear you were stressed by the mess heâd created, if your pleading tone was anything to go by. sanji decides to take pity on you. he wordlessly retreats to the kitchen to do what you had asked. no quips, no teasing.
for the first time, he follows your instructions.
WEEK TWO.
it seemed as if everyone in the east blue was set on having their breakfast at the baratie.
the kitchen was bustling, cooks slaving over the stove and waiters twisting past each other to grab orders. among them was you, sweaty and thoroughly overwhelmed. despite the task at hand, you canât help but question the whereabouts of a certain blonde.
âwhereâs sanji?â you demand while grabbing more steaming plates.
carne, the chef whoâd cooked the meals, answers you. âhavenât seen him all morning.â
you groan, using your sleeve to wipe off the beads of perspiration that form at your hairline before grabbing a bowl of oatmeal and plate of fluffy belgian waffles. you knew sanji still wasnât happy about being a waiter (and he took every chance to show it) but that didnât matter; it was all hands on deck this morning.
you continue expertly stacking the dishes into your arms and hands. it was a technique youâd learned over the years and now it felt like second nature. soon enough, youâre balancing plates up to your forearms. youâre just about to head back out to the dining hall when you hear a familiar accent behind you.
âwe doinâ party tricks now or what?â
startled, you turn around so fast it causes the dishware in your hold to teeter ever so slightly. there stands sanji, clearly finding amusement in how youâre up to your elbows in breakfast foods.
âmaybe donât sneak up on me when iâm holding six plates?â you chastise him.
he chuckles. âsorry, sorry. what did i miss?â
âonly the worst breakfast rush iâve ever seen. where have you been?â
âi was takinâ a smoke outside.â
âproductive.â your tone drips with sarcasm. âweâll talk about punctuality later, for now just take the rest of those plates for me.â
sanji reluctantly obeys, grabbing two plates from the multitude of options and steps back, ready to follow you. you look at him in what could only be described as utter disbelief. he returns the stare and furrows his eyebrows as if he really canât understand what heâs doing wrong.
âyouâre seriously only taking two?â you ask.
âyeah? what, were you expecting me to join your balancing act?â
âit would help!â
âtrust me, iâd only make a bigger mess.â
âsanji.â
âfine! show me.â
you squint your eyes at him in irritation. âmy hands are a little full right now.â
he purses his lips. âthen just tell me how.â
you comply. âget your first plate, put it between your thumb and the edge of your pointer finger. make sure to rotate it away from your body.â
sanji follows your directions, attentively. he glances up at you once he completes the first couple steps, scanning your face for any disapproval. you give him a nod.
âso far so good. next, put your second plate under the first. use your remaining fingers to support itâ yeah, just like that. and let the edge of the plate rest on the bottom of the first.â
as sanji carefully carries out your instructions, you notice the determination written on his face. youâd never seen him put so much effort in a task, much less one youâd given him. you could tell it was challenging, judging by the way his hands wobble with uncertainty as he stacks the plates, but not once does he stop. itâs admirable. you feel a smile form on your face.
âokay, what nâ whatâre you laughinâ at?â
âiâm not laughing,â you defend. âitâs justâ youâre really trying. itâs nice. i like this sanji.â
he opens his mouth as if to respond but decides not to at the last moment. thereâs a brief silence before he raises his eyebrows to signal he was ready for the next step.
âright. um, the third plate uses your arm and the edge of the second plate as balance points so youâre gonna wanna put itâ yeah, right there.â
you take in the sight of all three plates successfully resting on sanjiâs arm as one of his trademark grins appears on his lips. clearly heâs proud of himself but as his wide eyes meet yours, you canât help but feel as if heâs seeking your approval too. you notice that when he glances up at you, thereâs an eager look in his eyes as if heâs hanging on to your every breath. you figure itâs normal for someone to want their mentorâs praise, right?
you willingly deliver the encouragement. âyouâre a natural. better than me.â
his reply comes so quickly it almost seems as if heâs said it without thinking. âwell, thatâs not possible, is it?â
his tone sounds warm; sincere. not to mention, this is the first time sanji has complimented your skills as a waitress. youâd received countless praises for your work ethic but somehow, something so simple from someone like sanji makes this different. special, in a way.
âletâs get to the table, foodâs gonna get cold,â you say so that you donât spend too much time replaying his words in your mind.
the journey to said table proves to be more arduous than youâd think. you offer quiet âexcuse meâs that can hardly be heard over the commotion of the kitchen as your coworkers try their best to make way for you and sanji. some of their eyes linger on the plates that masterfully balance on both your arms but truthfully, the sight of sanji exerting so much effort into waiting tables is more impressive to them. itâs distracting enough to send one of them to colliding straight into you.
your first instinct is to try and salvage as many dishes as possible but itâs useless when the impact is so strong that it sends you stumbling backwards. the only reason you donât fall over is the firm chest that presses against your back and the two pairs of strong arms that find their way around your waist. the ear-splitting sound of yours and sanjiâs plates shattering against the floor is unpleasant and yet all you can think about is how sanji literally dropped everything to catch you.
the waiter youâd crashed into groans, looking down at the mess of broken dishware and food gone to waste. âgod, look where youâre going if youâre gonna carry all those plates.â
âiâm sorry,â you instantly apologize, flustered by the rare mistake. âi was just trying to get ahead of the rushââ
âinstead, you set us back further.â his eyes flit down to his shirt and then yours. âand ruined both our uniforms.â
the abruptness of your mishap (and your skinship with sanji) had robbed all your attention, causing you to overlook the various creams and sauces that now bleed into your shirt.
âwatch it,â sanji warns him, finding the manâs aggressive tone intolerable. âif you worked half as hard as she is then maybe there wouldnât be such a need to catch up on orders.â
your coworker fixes sanji with a glare for intervening. âiâm not talking to you, pal.â
âwell, iâm talking to you. and iâm thinkinâ of taking this discussion outside if you donât apologize for being a jackass.â
that earns him an irritated sigh. however, he complies. âiâm sorry. can i get back to work now?â
sanji remains unimpressed. âdonât apologize to me. apologize to her.â
he doesnât even try to hide his eye roll before he gives you a lackadaisical apology. âiâm sorry, alright? tell your boyfriend to back off.â
he stomps away, leaving you even more rattled up by his last comment. slowly, you turn around to sanji, unsure of what to say. you take in the stains that litter his suit, though he seems unbothered by it. his stare is heated as he watches the man leave. however, when he notices you staring, his gaze softens.
âwhat was his problem?â he asks you with a chuckle that sounds out of place in a moment like this.
in any other situation youâd poke fun at sanji for also having gotten worked up but you choose not to. him getting so angry on your behalf felt⊠strange. not unwelcome, though.
your reply is simple. ây-yeah. real asshole.â
he lifts a brow. âyou okay?â
you nod a little too hard. âiâm just not used to situations like that. thanks for stepping in. and, you know, catching me.â
sanji glances away when your look of pure gratitude becomes too much for him to handle. âi couldnât have you eat shit and be out of commission, zeff just might decide to mentor me himself. and no one wants that, right?â
you canât help but laugh at the dismissive demeanor he was putting on when heâd literally just threatened a man for you. âright.â
he clears his throat. âletâs go get cleaned up then.â
âsorry,â you blurt. âabout your suit, i mean. itâs all dirty now.â
he shakes his head. âwasnât your fault. if anything, i should go force an apology out of that jerk.â
âwell, while you do that iâm gonna clean this mess up.â
âno need.â he shoots you a sly wink. âiâll make him do that too.â
WEEK THREE.
you find yourself clearing off an empty table on a somewhat slow thursday afternoon when the baratieâs newest guests catch your eye. they look nothing like the stuffy moneybags that frequented the establishment â far from it. in fact, you find yourself having to do a double take when you notice that one of them is wearing overalls. itâs refreshing, you think, occasionally glancing up at them as they settle in.
when you head back to the kitchen to grab menus, you bump into sanji, whoâd arrived from his break.
you glance at the clock on the wall. âwas that actually only ten minutes? iâm impressed.â
sanji exhales as he does every time he feels sheepish about following the rules. âdonât get used to it.â
you disregard his comment and instead hand him a couple menus. âcome on, weâve got a table.â
he frowns. âi just got back.â
âyouâll live. i think itâll be a interesting one.â
that was an understatement.
âwelcome to baratie. my name is sanji. what can i get for you?â
sanjiâs customer service voice never fails to amuse you. it sounds too forced, too sharp; as if heâs just dying to spew a one-liner or two. you have to admit, though, heâd done pretty well ever since you started letting him take the lead. there was a clear improvement from when youâd first started, a little over two weeks ago.
âone of everything!â the one with the straw hat enthusiastically exclaims.
another, more feminine, voice joins the conversation. âmaybe save that for after we find the one piece.â
thereâs a brief pause before sanji speaks again, this time in a tone you know all too well. âdidnât see you there, madam. would you care for an aperitif to start? we have several rare micqueot vintages in stock. or perhaps youâd like a glass of umeshu? you know, something sweet for someone sweet.â he ends with a wink.
she cringes. âis there something wrong with your eye?â
you can hear sanjiâs smile in his reply. âjust blinded by your beauty.â
out of all of sanjiâs antics, this somehow feels like the worst one yet. youâre not entirely sure why him blatantly flirting with the woman feels so unbearable but you decide to chalk it up to your professionalism. if any of your fellow waiters flirted with a customer youâd be just as upset⊠right?
âzeff told me he doesnât like you terrorizing the female patrons with your flirting so why donât you knock it off?â you tell sanji, your words carrying an unusual edge to them. âyouâre one shitty pick-up line away from a restraining order.â
although you mumble the last part, both sanji and the table seem to pick up on it. your bitterness earns you a surprised tilt of the head from the blonde; it wasnât like you to have such outbursts, especially not in front of guests.
ârelax,â he says, still taken aback. âitâs called working the table. you should try it sometime âcause that attitude isnât gonna get you anywhere.â
a monotonous voice cuts through the tension. âso about those drinks...â
you and sanji pause your discussion to get a look at the face behind the remark. lidded eyes that appear to be permanently hazy return your stare, through lashes so long you canât help but admire them. the man who they belong to is comfortably splayed out on his side of the booth, calmly observing the two of you. though, it seems like youâve caught his attention more than anything else. though his gaze seems uninterested, he still effectively studies every inch of you.
sanji seems to pick up the strangerâs staring problem too. he sharply inquires, âis there something on her face?â
the man turns to him once heâs finished sizing you up. âiâm just an observant guy.â
âobserve the menu instead, hm?â suddenly, sanjiâs tone sounds a lot like yours; irritated and displeased.
âno need.â the green-haired swordsman turns to you. âa beer, please.â
you hold the maleâs gaze for a second before nodding. apparently, the eye contact is too prolonged for sanjiâs taste because he cuts in, attempting to move things along.
âwhat about you, madam? anything i can get for you?â you notice heâs using that voice again.
her answer is plain. âwater.â
somehow, he manages to complicate it. âstill, sparkling, mineral? with ice or without? cubed or crushed?â
âregular water in a regular glass. thanks.â
he beams. âright away.â
âand what about the rest of you?â you ask to impede sanji from asking the woman any more questions.
âtwo beers,â the one with dark skin says. âi usually have three butââ
âand a milk!â the straw hat adds.
âgot it. anything else before we go get those drinks for you?â
a raspy voice speaks up. âdo waiters usually come in pairs here?â
you shake your head. âthis is a temporary arrangement. he just needed some extra training.â
âthat depends on who you ask,â sanji clarifies before narrowing his eyes at the man on the left of the booth. âwhy do you care anyway, mosshead?â
before you can scold sanji for giving customers rude nicknames, the customer in question swiftly corrects him. âthe nameâs zoro. i was just curious as to why such a good waiter would be partnered with someone so⊠incompetent.â
âcurious?â scoffs the woman to his left. âsince when are you ever curious? about anything other than alcohol, that is.â
âcertain things catch my attention once in a while, nami,â he replies, nonchalantly. though he mentions his colleague by name, itâs clear heâs really speaking to you. âitâs just not often that my standards can be met. but when they are, iâm left with no choice but to show a little interest.â
your head tilts at the double meaning his comment carried. though you admire zoroâs ability to be a smooth-talker, you find that thatâs where his appeal ends for you.
âhigh standards, hm? then youâre dining at the wrong place,â spits sanji in an attempt to get zoroâs attention off of you. âonly thing that isnât shitty is the drinks which weâll be getting for you now, if youâll excuse us.â
sanji hooks an arm around your shoulder before he spins on his heel and leads you both back to the kitchen. you look over your shoulder, offering the table one of your customer service smiles as an apology for your abrupt exit. sanjiâs strides are long and purposeful; heâs angry, you realize. although, you canât blame him for having such a sour attitude when you yourself arenât too thrilled either.
you donât speak to each other for the rest of the shift.
âyou smiled at him.â
you sigh, setting your book face down to glare at sanji who stands in the doorway of the quaint breakroom. âiâm on my break, sanji.â
âso am i,â he retaliates, pulling a stick out of the worn-down cigarette box in his pocket as if to prove it to you.
âso itâs not enough that iâm stuck babysitting you when weâre on the clock? youâre gonna start seeking me out in our free time too?â
he purses his lips. âpretty much.â
his stubbornness is unsurprising but you just arenât in the mood to tolerate it today, not when heâd worked your nerves earlier with his flirtatious behavior. deep down, you know you only have yourself to blame for getting so unreasonably angered by that. maybe thatâs what upsets you most.
you sigh. âjust tell me what you want.â
âi want to know why you smiled at that asshole.â
âasshole?â you repeat, laughing. âi know you have a potty mouth but god, take it easy.â
he licks his lips. âsee, now youâre defending him. what for? do you know him or something?â
âdo i have to?â
âno, but... it would be nice if you did. it would help me understand why he was talkinâ to you like that. all flirty but secretive at the same time. it was like you two had some sort of inside joke.â
âso a man being interested in me is so unfathomable to you that i have to know him or else itâs a joke?â you ask, tone heated.
âno, thatâs notââ he groans. âi didnât mean it like that.â
âwhat about you and that girl? nami, was it?â you sneer. âif zoroâs considered flirty then i donât think thereâs a word for what you are.â
âyouâre mad at me for trying to earn a tip?â he asks, squinting his eyes at you. âyou told me to be nicer to customers. i was being nice.â
âyou were really selling it,â you scoff.
âdonât believe me?â sanji challenges you. âhave you ever seen me flirt with a girl thatâs not a customer? a girl thatâs not you?â
the words tumble out of his mouth haphazardly, as if theyâd been weighing heavy on his mind for a while now. as an attempt to recover â an attempt to make it seem like that admission didnât mean something, he calmly lights the end of his cigarette. he then brings it to his chapped lips and takes a long drag.
you take the moment to really think about what heâd said. sanji was charming by nature and, of course, he knew that. not only that, but he used it to his advantage. people tended to tip better when he was laying it on thick, that much was true.
however, his second question takes a lot more thought. now that you really think about it, you realize heâs right. youâd never seen sanji flirt with another waiter or member of the staff. you were the only waitress he spoke to that way. the realization makes you feel warm in the face.
âi donât just flirt with you, you know. i do so much more. remember that plate trick you taught me? i practiced for nights on end âtil i could do it with my eyes closed. and i donât tell customers how brainless they sound half the time because i know you donât like it.â
you only watch as he paces back and forth, rattling off these thoughts that have clearly been plaguing him.
âyou still never flirt back, though,â he continues, quietly. âlately iâve been starting to think that you donât actually like me at all. thatâs the only reason i was being like that at the table. i knew i was only kiddinâ myself but still, i wanted to see if there was a small chance you cared.â
âiâŠâ itâs all you can say. seeing this raw, insecure side of him has left you truly speechless.
he fiddles his cig between his fingers. âlisten, i wouldnât blame you ifââ
you finally find your voice. âi like you.â
his voice trails off, engrossed in every word you speak. itâs a simple three words and yet heâs attentive as he waits for more to be said.
you begin to ramble, âi like your passion for the things you care about. i like how you always say what you think. i like that you always have my back. sanji, i⊠really do like you.â
he gives you a weak smile. âthatâs nice, sweetheart, but i donât think you like me the way i like you.â
âjust because i donât flirt much doesnât mean i canât have feelings for you, idiot.â
his adamâs apple bobs as he swallows thickly, processing your words. âyouâ feelings?â thereâs a pause. âgood ones, right?â
you canât help but giggle. âyes, good ones. sure as hell not the ones from three weeks ago.â
he joins you with a laugh of his own, which sounds wobblier than usual. he pulls out a chair next to you, as if this moment has left him so shaken up that he needs to sit down. âwho wouldâve thought? god, i⊠i canât believe it.â
âiâve never heard you stutter so much,â you tell him, tucking a thin strand of blonde hair behind his ear. when your fingers graze against the skin, itâs warm to the touch. cute, you think.
âi just never expected you to give me a chance.â
âa chance? to do what, exactly?â you prod.
he straightens up. âto make you mine.â
your breath hitches in your throat. âsanjiââ
âiâm not going to ask anything of you just yet. i think we should take our time. i want to show you that i can be exclusively devoted to you before we go any further. itâs only fair.â
your heart thumps wildly in your chest at the sincerity behind his words. âyouâre willing to wait just to prove yourself to me?â
he nods, taking one of your hands and squeezing it. his dedication required no words.
âso that means no more flirting with the female patrons? even when iâm not there beside you?â
he shrugs as if itâs common sense. âif thereâs no pretty waitress i want to make jealous then i donât see a need to flirt.â
you nudge his shoulder. âand what about your tips?â
âsmall price to pay.â
satisfied with his answers, you lean in and give him a quick kiss on the cheek; it feels giddy and spontaneous. sanjiâs palm instinctively comes up to rest on the spot where your lips had been. he grins before attempting to speakâ
a thick, husky accent shakes the walls. what makes it more terrifying is that itâs calling both yours and sanjiâs names.
âbreak timeâs over! get your asses back out there and wait some tables, now!â
sanji fic is done and itâs definitely not proofread but i just need to get this shit out of my google docs like itâs a matter of life or death at this point