Icing on the Cake

By: Liete

Disclaimer: It's a very good thing that I don't own One Piece, because then everyone would have to deal with my love for Sanji/Luffy! ;)

Sanji was probably the last person that Luffy would ever love, and that was all that Sanji could think about as he stared down at the cake he had baked with Luffy as the recipient in mind. He had baked a cake for Luffy, who would only see the gesture as a quick treat, so why had Sanji even bothered? It wasn't as if he was the only one who cared for Luffy, after all. Nami's adoration of Luffy was poorly masked, Usopp had a bizarre understanding with Luffy and Chopper never ceased to be amazed by their antics, Robin was a member because of Luffy's insistence that she live, and of course the Marimo would follow the captain through hell and back if necessary, so where did the Love Cook fit in the equation? How had he ended up where he was? No matter how amazing he was, one simply did not fall in love with someone like Luffy.

Yes, the great ladies' man Sanji was in love with Luffy. It was terrible, but he couldn't get himself to shake that Luffy was someone different, someone who could change him. He'd become goofy, and goofy was a word that he had simply never accepted in his vocabulary. Goofy was the way children acted, and Sanji was not a child. He was tough around men and smooth around women, simple as that. Regardless, because of Luffy that long suppressed child in him surfaced with a vengeance and he'd join in on the games that Luffy would play with Usopp and Chopper. He'd never admit it, but he had fun at those times.

Luffy was on Merry's head, that much was certain. The Marimo was asleep in the cabin, Usopp and Chopper were in the crow's nest scheming up some plan, and Robin was reading on the back deck. It would be an easy trip from the kitchen to Luffy's post, though he hadn't confirmed Nami's location, so her presence on the lounge chair nearly right aside the door came as something of a surprise.

She didn't actually look up, though she noticed him and the cake out of the corner of her eye. Her expression was expectant, but nonchalant, so that Sanji wanted to drop the plan and present the pastry to Nami instead. The usual "Nami-swan!" and maybe a remark about sweets for the sweet. No, he was on a mission, and even the temptation of a few moments with Nami could not sway him. He greeted her brightly, but continued on his way.

"Ah, Sanji-kun?"

"Yes, Nami-san?" He couldn't very well walk away when she had addressed him, now could he? He spun around to find her looking up from her paper.

She studied Sanji's face carefully with a raised eyebrow, but didn't make any comments. She adjusted her newspaper and went back to reading. "Sanji-kun, could you bring me a drink when you're done?"

"My pleasure, Nami-swan!"

When you're done, he realized and cringed. She probably knew. She was the brilliant and observant navigator of the Going Merry, not to mention beautiful and absolutely marvelous with that Clima-Tact of hers. Sanji was getting distracted again, and he shook his head as he ascended the steps to the front of the ship.

Luffy was in sight, laughing gleefully over some seagulls from his usual spot, and Sanji quickly suppressed his own growing smile with a stern look.

"Oy, Luffy. I've got something for you," Sanji said as calmly as he could.

Luffy turned around and his face lit up even more at the sight of cake. "Yahoo! Cake!" He yelled enthusiastically before he snatched the plate out of Sanji's hands and shoveled the food in his mouth.

Sanji mentally kicked himself for loving someone with all the grandeur of a rock. It was like some sort of bad dream, or maybe it really was and he'd wake up and his main objective would still be Nami.

Luffy is such a sloppy eater, Sanji thought. Damn it, he was feeling weak. There was frosting around Luffy's mouth and Sanji found himself fancying the notion of licking it away. What was wrong with him?

"That was really, really good, Sanji!" Luffy exclaimed brightly, the grin on his face breaking down what willpower Sanji had left.

He took the few steps forward and took the plate out of Luffy's hands. Luffy stared curiously up at him. With that look, Sanji pushed back the straw hat and bent down to kiss Luffy. Quick and chaste, but, judging from Luffy's expression, not as harmless as he had hoped. After a few moments of an unbearably uncomfortable silence and that blank look of Luffy's, Sanji decided that sinking into the floor would be great at that moment. This is why you don't fall in love with the captain, especially when it's Luffy, his mind screamed.

"If you wanted some of the cake, you could've just asked," Luffy finally said.

Sanji made a noise like he'd been punched in the stomach and gawked at Luffy. This was unreal. "You dumbass, don't you know what a kiss is?"

Luffy scowled indignantly. "Of course I know what kisses are, but you're supposed to kiss girls!" He froze and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Aren't you?"

Sanji slammed his hand against his face. Of course, Luffy didn't think it was possible for two men to love each other, and Sanji wondered why he still didn't think that himself. Right, because he was in love with Luffy whether it made any sense or not.

"Under most circumstances, yes. For some reason I thought I wanted to kiss you. Don't ask me why, I'm starting to wonder that myself," Sanji mumbled into his hand. He could go back to the kitchen and kick the Marimo. He could bring Nami a drink and a new book for Robin to read. He could forget this incident ever happened and learn to love only the ladies once more.

"You kiss someone you love, right?" Luffy questioned, his expression unreadable.

"I guess so," Sanji grumbled in response. He just wanted this to end.

He didn't get a chance to leave, because Luffy tugged on his tie and kissed him with such force that he was caught off guard.

When did Luffy learn to kiss like that? Sanji could taste the cake, delicious of course, and some sort of flavor that could only be Luffy. It was amazing, if uncharacteristically sappy, and Sanji pulled Luffy closer to deepen the kiss.

"Usopp, what's going on down there?" Chopper's voice rang out. Sanji felt the blood drain from his face and he quickly flung himself away from Luffy, said captain falling down from the sudden lack of support. He whipped his head up to see Chopper watching them curiously.

Usopp stood up to see what Chopper was so concerned with and upon sighting the disheveled looking Sanji the blood drained from his face, as well. "D-don't look, Chopper," Usopp said nervously. He covered the reindeer's eyes and took a few steps backwards.

"What the hell, Sanji? Why'd you do that?" Luffy yelled and stood up.

Sanji blinked and turned back slowly. "We, uh…we better move. Or…stop. Or…I'm going to go cook now," Sanji managed to say. The entire ship was completely visible from the crow's nest, why hadn't he thought of that?

Luffy shrugged and returned to the figurehead. "Make lots of meat, then," he said as if nothing had happened.

Sanji nodded, though Luffy couldn't see him do so and proceeded back to the kitchen. He hoped Nami couldn't see how red his face was. Why did he have to fall in love with Luffy of all people?