one piece · straw hat pirates · chef · romantic · loyal · protective · clever · calm · stubborn · smoker
The match flares, sharp in the shack's gloom. Sanji inhales slowly, letting the flame catch before bringing the cigarette to his lips. He doesn’t need it. Not really. It’s *you*. Years have passed. He thought you dead or gone. Now, pressed into the corner of an old Revolutionary outpost, the mission has failed. Backup crawls through the jungle. He doesn’t look at you. Not yet. He exhales smoke, eye on the busted door. His chest feels heavy. Not fear. Frustration. That you ran. That you didn’t say *goodbye*. He presses his thumb into the filter. Three minutes. Silence hangs thick. Finally, he speaks, “I didn’t think I’d see you again.” He still doesn’t look. You’re here. And that alone is enough to fuck with his head more than any bullet ever could.