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Luffy made his loud entrance into the kitchen as usual. “Sanji! Food!”
“Dinner will be ready soon Luffy.” Sanji doesn't look up from the stove. He points to the bartop, and the snacks sitting on it. “Eat those in the meantime.”
It was like clockwork, Luffy would come in wanting food, and Sanji would have something set aside for him while he was cooking.
“Yey thanks Sanji!” Luffy sat on one of the stools, and started eating the snacks.
“You're welcome, Luffy.” Sanji replied. He continued cooking. The kitchen fell into the sounds of sizzling pans full of food, and Luffy's eating.
After a bit, Luffy comes around the counter to Sanji, standing next to him. “Touch?”
Sanji looks down at Luffy briefly, then looks back at the stove. “yeah.”
Luffy smiles, wrapping his arms around Sanji from behind. He nuzzled into the cook's back, humming in content.
This was routine for them at this point. Luffy would always ask with just ‘touch?’, and then depending on Sanji's answer, their captain would then either; wrap his arms around him, or nod and back off. It was surprising though, as Luffy never really asked anyone else. Just Sanji.
Though, sometimes, Luffy would try and use it to his advantage. Like right at this very moment, as a rubbery hand tried to sneak past Sanji to get to the stove, and the food on it.
“Luffy.” Sanji scolds lightly, pushing Luffy’s hand away. “I told you. It’ll be ready soon.”
“But I want it now.” Luffy pouts a bit, looking up at him.
“You can wait a minute.” Sanji frowns back at him. “I need to plate it.”
“Awe..fine.” Luffy huffs a bit, just hugging Sanji tighter.
𓆩♡𓆪
Sanji can think back to when Luffy first asked.
They were back in Merry’s kitchen, a few days after they’d gotten Nami back.
When the cook asked why Luffy asked, the rubber man simply stated that it seemed Sanji didn't like being touched otherwise. Which, yeah, if it wasn’t a lady touching him he wanted nothing to do with it.
Every time from then on, Luffy would ask to touch him. Sanji would either comply or tell him to back off. Luffy would always respect it, even if he was displeased with the answer, or was told to let go of him. Sanji even started to like it when Luffy touched or hugged him.
Sunny's lion figure head was big enough for two people to sit comfortably on it, and as such Luffy and Sanji could be found up there. Sanji smoking a cigarette, and Luffy practically in his lap with how close he was.
𓆩♡𓆪
When Sanji returned to the Sunny after the disaster that was Whole Cake Island and Toto Land, it felt...wrong.
Luffy hadn’t come to him to ask the question since they sailed away from the island. That one simple word and the actions that would follow that Sanji had grown accustomed to over the course of their journey from the East Blue to the New World.
Sanji would’ve been lying if he had said it didn’t worry him even a little. Maybe Luffy really was angry with him. Sanji wouldn’t have blamed him of course, as Luffy had every right to be angry.
Hell, Luffy had a right to kick him off the crew for what he did to their…the Straw Hat’s captain. He kicked Luffy with the intent to harm him, even if it was an act! For that alone, Sanji would leave without a fight, and even without a goodbye if that was what Luffy wanted.
Even if there was a slim chance Luffy wasn’t actually angry, the rest of the crew on the ship surely was. And when Zoro, Robin, Usopp and Franky inevitably find out, they’ll be just as angry. There’s no way Sanji could still be around them after that. Especially not after Zoro found out. He’d be the one to make Luffy-
“Sanji?” Luffy cuts Sanji out of his spiraling thoughts by walking into the kitchen. It was the one place Sanji had been hiding away for most of their journey to Wano.
Oh here it was. The demand-....request to leave. Sanji took a deep breath, turning to face Luffy. “Yes captain?”
Luffy raised his arm out to the blond. “Touch?”
Sanji stares at him for a moment, and then his eyes well up with tears as he nods and reaches out. Luffy hugs him tightly, and Sanji lets him bring them to the floor. The blond buries his face into Luffy's shoulder and cries.
“Why is Sanji crying?” Luffy held him close, leaning his head against Sanji’s.
“Y..You still asked for it..” Sanji mumbled softly, through the tears. “You asked to touch me..”.
Luffy laughs at that. “Silly Sanji. I always want your touch.”
“Even after I hurt-”
“Yes. Even after that.” Luffy cut Sanji off, cupping his face in his hands. “I know Sanji didn’t want to hurt me. I know it was an act.”
“Of course it was..i..i wouldn’t have otherwise” Sanji bit his lip, tears still falling.
“Then I'm not angry. And no one else is angry at Sanji either.” Luffy states simply. “I still want to touch Sanji, if you’ll let me?”
More tears fell down Sanji's face as he nodded. “Y-yes Luffy..you can touch me.”
Luffy pulls Sanji in, hugging him tightly against himself as he leans back against the counters. “I love Sanji.”
“What?” Sanji wipes his eyes, looking up at Luffy.
“I love you.” Luffy looks down at him with a smile.
“..in..what way?” Sanji asks, frowning a little.
“I don't know. And honestly, I don't care.” Luffy states simply with a shrug. “I just do.”
The statement was so undeniably Luffy, that Sanji couldn’t help but laugh at it.
Luffy grins. “I got Sanji to laugh.”
Sanji smiles softly. “Yeah. you did.”
“Feel better?” Luffy asks, still with that big grin on his face.
“I do. Thank you, Luffy.” Sanji says softly, laying his head back on Luffy's shoulder. “But, can we stay like this? Just..for a bit longer?”
Luffy laughs a bit in response, the little shishishi he does.
“Of course we can.”