I Don't Want Better

By: a psycho chibi named Wendy

Disclaimer: I do not own a thing except a slightly dented imagination.

Warnings: Shonen-ai, Post 2 year timeskip

Pairing: Luffy x Sanji-ish

Summary: Luffy has something important to tell Sanji.

Author Rant: Random oneshot!

Enjoy~

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It was a calm day for once. The sky was flecked with a few lazy clouds floating by. The sun was warm on the quiet deck. Everyone was doing their own thing for a change. Taking care of their own interests while there was no crisis to deal with. Only one person was on deck. Smoking trailing up from a lit cigarette in a pale hand, carried off by the breeze sweeping the ship over the sea.

Sanji's mind was blank for once. It was hours before he had to begin prepping for dinner. With everyone else occupied, he had a rare chance to just zone out. Feel the air in his own lungs. Feel the wind threading through his hair. The sun on his back. The mist kissing his face. It was nice to take a moment to connect with himself. Experience his own existence.

"Sanji?"

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

"Hm?" Looking up from the waters that constantly rolled past the bow, Sanji fixed his gaze on the young captain standing a few feet away. It wasn't often Luffy approached him so normally, so his curiosity was instantly caught. "Yes, Luffy?"

The moment those blue eyes were fixed on him, Luffy squared his shoulders and clenched his fists. Steeling himself for this moment, he ignored his suddenly pounding heart. "… I've grown up." he stated in a firm and unwavering tone.

A curled eyebrow rose high at the random statement. "Grown up…" Sanji repeated slowly.

At first he wasn't sure what Luffy was talking about, but it quickly came back to him. It was after they had rescued Robin from the world government. They were mostly on the mend. Things were looking up as they were waiting for their new ship to be built.

That moment when he was washing the dishes alone in the house the shipwrights let them have.

The moment when an uncertain captain snuck in and stole a kiss from the cook.

A slow smile curled his pale lips as it came back to him. "Think so?" he asked before taking a long drag from his half spent cigarette.

Luffy nodded firmly. "I do." he said without hesitation. His eyes fixed on Sanji's. Giving him his full and undivided attention. Though the way the golden hair caught the light of the sun, and the way those pale lips worked around the cigarette were very tempting to focus on.

"Hm.. Well, it has been two years… But time doesn't really mean that you've grown up." Sanji pointed out lightly.

A conflicted look of confusion and upset flickered over Luffy's face. Before he demanded to know why, the captain took a deep breath and clenched his fists tighter. He let the breath out slowly and lifted his head to face Sanji seriously. "… You're right… But… But I.." His thoughts were getting jumbled under that calm stare.

Sanji remained silent as the captain stumbled. He wasn't going to prompt Luffy. Not this time.

When the words weren't coming out like he had planned, a frustrated growl left him as he raised his hands to rake them roughly through his hair. "I… I like Sanji's food best!" he finally blurted out.

That wasn't exactly what Sanji had been expecting, but it caught his interest. "My food best?"

Nodding hopelessly, it took a long moment of actually considering his words before he spoke. "… I've been half way around the world… Been so many places… Tried so many things…" the tension settled into his frame as he looked back to his cook, a blush starting to heat his cheeks. "But all I wanted was to taste your food again."

Blue eyes blinked, completely stunned. He stared for a long moment at his captain before he finally pushed away from the rail. "… There's a lot of the world left to explore, Luffy. You might find you like some one else's better someday."

"No!" Luffy snapped before blushing harder when he realized he was about to argue childishly. "I… For the past two years… I woke up… every morning… Yelling for you to cook breakfast.. Or make bento… And every day I realized you weren't there…" His gut was beginning to twist up inside when he thought of all the days he woke up hoping to see his cook only to find Sanji was a world away. "… No matter what they gave me.. Sanji's food was always better… And I couldn't have it…"

When it was put in such a way, Sanji felt himself getting a bit choked. It meant so much to him to hear that from his captain. After a moment of silence, Sanji closed the space between them. He reached up and gently ruffled the soft black hair. "… I know you can do better than me, Luffy." he stated, remembering how Boa Hancock had fawned over the oblivious rubber idiot.

Luffy frowned and looked down. He saw his own sandal clad feet inches from Sanji's shiny black shoes. It was as different as you could get. And Luffy liked that. "I don't want better… Sanji's food is best." he stated again. Sounding like he'd never change his mind.

A soft smile tugged at Sanji's lips as he gently pulled Luffy into a loose hug. "… Zoro won't like it."

Luffy quickly wrapped his arms around Sanji and held tighter. "Why not?"

"He doesn't trust me not to end up hurting you." Sanji admitted plainly as he ran his hand over Luffy's back. He could feel how tense the captain was. It told him how serious this really was.

"Sanji won't hurt me." Luffy stated stubbornly as he held on tighter. His cook would never hurt him. "Zoro's stupid." he added on a grumble.

That pulled a chuckle from the cook as he shook his head. "I can at least agree with you there." He let out a sigh and pulled at his captain so he could look into those deep brown eyes. "I'm not going to promise anything, Luffy… But we can see what happens. Slow. No rushing anything. Got it?"

A brilliant grin lit up Luffy's face as he nearly tackled Sanji over the railing. "YES! Thank you thank you thank you! I'll Do my Be-" Luffy's words were promptly cut short when a loud whining gurgle left his stomach.

Sanji quirked up a brow and started at Luffy's stomach for a moment before looking at the captain. "Hungry?"

A sheepish grin took over as Luffy rubbed the back of his neck. "Hehe… Yeah.."

Rolling his eyes, Sanji smirked and nudged the captain on. "Come on. I'll fix something." Some things would never change. And that actually comforted Sanji in a strange way.

With the promise of his most precious person cooking, Luffy hopped up and stole another quick kiss. It only lasted a second before he was turning around with his hands raised high in victory. "Yosh! Sanji's food is the best!" the captain cheered before bounding towards the galley, the happiest he'd been in a while.

The quick kiss startled Sanji, prompting a strange tingling feeling down his spine. He watched Luffy charging for the galley and could tell he had made his captain very happy. That knowledge made him feel…

Content.

Realizing that, a deep sigh left him as he flicked his cigarette over the railing. "I'm gonna be mauled to death by him one day." he mused before heading for the galley.

As he crossed the lawn, he paused on seeing a figure out of the corner of his eye. There near the helm was Zoro. Staring directly at him with that single eyed glare.

He gave an unimpressed stare in return, "What?"

Zoro's frown deepened before he spoke. "You hurt him, I'll kill you." he stated.

No sarcasm.

No hesitation.

A simple cold fact.

One that Sanji expected. He gave a thoughtful hum before nodded in acceptance. "Hm… Fair enough. You want anything?" he asked as he resumed his course for the galley.

Zoro looked away, seeming satisfied that the cook understood. "Sake."

Sanji gave a slight wave over his shoulder. "Can do."

"SANJI! Hurry up! I'm starving!"

The cook chuckled as things returned to normal. He slipped out of his jacket and loosened his tie as he stepped through the door.

"Don't worry, Luffy. I'll take care of you."

fjfjf The End fjfjfj

Some things you just know. No matter what.

Later~