Work Text:
Sanji was nervous, to say the least.
His red heels clacked loudly where they anxiously tapped one against the other underneath the dining table. Sanji was hunched over the table in the Sunny’s galley and was trying desperately not to lose his mind. One hand tangled in his extra-curled locks, the other crumpling the delicate fabric of his pale pink dress in a desperate hold. Not even holding onto his beloved Nami-swan’s words of encouragement could help, and the thought of that made him want to cry even harder.
No matter how much she had tried to reassure him, Sanji was still drowning in an ocean of nerves. Because here he was, wearing a dress and makeup, sat in his kitchen with everyone about to see it when they came in for breakfast in just a few minutes, and he didn’t know if he could go through with it anymore.
He’d spoken with Nami about this for weeks , how his time in Kamabakka Queendom made him… realize a few things about himself. How he’d kept some of the clothes the girls had gifted him, and that he wished desperately to wear them, somedays (to a point where his skin itched in his normal suits, where his feet wished for the ache and height of a tall heel, where he felt plain and ugly without some eyeshadow and lipstick to brighten his eyes). It’d been difficult to open up at first, but Nami was persistent, and once he started talking the cook just couldn’t stop.
And the fruit of all those confessions and tears and hugs? Nami’s suggestion of ‘Just do it, Sanji-kun. No one on this crew will judge you. You’ll be happy, so we’ll be happy.’ There were a few other encouraging comments about ‘I’ll get to dress you up!’ and ‘You’ll be so pretty, Sanji-kun!’ That helped strengthen the blond’s resolve, but it was mostly the reassurance that ‘no one would think ill of him if he really gave in to the desire’ that bolstered his confidence.
Still, no matter how much Sanji tried to remind himself of these things, the fear of rejection clawed painfully in his stomach and throat, forcing tears to dampen his eyes and a wet shudder to clog his breathing. He cursed under his breath and delicately pushed a napkin to his eye, mindful of the mascara he’d put on only two hours ago, before he had started breakfast.
‘No, come on, you can do this.’ He tried again desperately to hold himself together, holding onto the kitchen table firmly. ‘Nami-swan will come in first, just wait for her. Don’t disappoint her!’
Not even ten seconds after he’d thought that, the door to the galley creaked open, and Sanji’s head shot up, eyes wide and fearful. The moment he caught sight of bright orange hair, however, the cook relaxed with an audible sigh. He forced his feet to stop their anxious movements, and smiled brightly at the navigator.
“Nami-swan!” He cheered, standing up to move around the table and present himself to Nami in a twirl, as he tended to around the Straw Hat ladies. This time, his dress puffed out to follow his movement, and Sanji found himself smiling down at the fabric as it settled back around his legs.
“Oh wow, Sanji-kun, you look way better than I thought you would!” At that, Sanji faltered a bit, unable to hide the flinch in his shoulders and the frown tugging at his red painted lips as he looked at Nami, a new kind of hurt swirling in his gut.
Immediately, Nami back-tracked, being nervous herself about the whole situation. The last thing she wanted was to genuinely hurt Sanji, and force him away from something that made him so happy.
“That came out wrong!” Nami amended, and before Sanji’s woman-pleasing instincts could kick in to reassure Nami she was fine, the girl continued. “I just didn’t realize pink would look so good on you.”
“Oh.” Sanji said, a bit surprised, and feeling complimented at the statement. Nami relaxed, a warm smile gracing her features.
“Yeah, I always thought you’d have something more dark? Because of your suits, but the pink works really well with your makeup! It brings out your eyes in a way I didn’t expect. Plus your hair? It looks great all curly like this, you should grow it out!” The navigator rambled, probably saying more than she needed to, but desperate to convey how proud she was.
Sanji was touched, to say the least, and was again feeling the burn of tears at the back of his eyes. He brought an arm up to cover his face, and waved off Nami’s automatic concern at the action.
“I’m just… I’m so happy. That you like it, Nami-swan. It means so much that such a lovely woman thinks so highly of all this…” Sanji trailed off with a sniffle, and Nami smiled gently as she placed a steady hand on Sanji’s shoulder, the man peeking briefly at the navigator over his arm.
“You don’t need to thank me, Sanji-kun. Now remember,” Nami waited to continue until Sanji lowered his arm and was looking at her properly, and gave him a wicked grin as she said, “If anyone says shit to or about you, I’ll raise their interest rate so high they’ll have to plunder for the rest of their days to pay it back in full.” Sanji chuckled and thanked his crewmate profusely for the back-up, who waved it off easily.
Before the two could continue speaking, footsteps could be heard nearing the galley, and Nami turned to glance at the door while Sanji froze.
“Sanji.” Nami said firmly, turning back around and planting both her hands on her friend’s shoulders and looking intently into his uncovered eye. “You’ve got this .”
The cook sniffled once before nodding resolutely. “I’ve got this.” He repeated back, and was rewarded with a strong pat before the navigator pushed him off back towards his kitchen, where he set about ensuring the food was ready and plated as his crew crowded into the galley.
Sanji took pleasure in hearing his captain’s chants for ‘MEAT MEAT MEAT!’ and the rest of his little family chatting merrily as he puttered around. The familiarity of the scenario eased his nerves, and helped him to stay resolute as he took the final step and presented himself to the crew at last, stepping out from behind the dividing counter.
His arms were laden with plates, which was commonplace at any mealtime, and a cigarette dangled unlit from his lips, the familiar shape and taste comforting. The real star of the show was his appearance; a long but snug pale pink dress that hugged his waist and flowed in ruffles to his mid-calf, paired with bright red heels, which were sadly one of only two pairs he still owned. His lips were a matching shade, applied lightly and paired with a black mascara and pastel purple-pink eyeshadow that’d been brushed liberally onto his eyelid. He would have done more, maybe shaved a bit or pulled out an eyeliner, but the cook had to keep his routine short and sweet.
Sanji bit his lip nervously as the crew quieted down and looked at him, catching Nami giving him an encouraging smile and thumbs up from her seat. Sanji smiled back softly, before taking a fortifying breath and marched over to the table, heels clacking loudly as he went. From the way his whole body was shaking, Sanji wasn’t sure how long he could hold onto the plates, and he refused to let any food be wasted because of his clumsiness. The second after he’d set them down, Luffy lunged in to grab a handful of bacon from a serving dish, and Sanji had to bat his hand away and admonish his captain’s persistent lack of manners.
“Luffy, we’ve been over this.” He grumbled, and the captain laughed as he grabbed an empty plate before loading it with most of the bacon. Sanji rolled his eyes and sighed, although a warm smile on his face betrayed how unbothered he truly was. Luffy either didn’t notice or didn’t care about his change in appearance, and it settled his nerves even more. His captain’s indirect approval was invaluable to Sanji.
“Uh-” At the sound of Usopp’s voice, Sanji’s head whipped around and the sniper yelped at the sudden attention. “Sanji?” He asked after a moment, and the blond inhaled sharply before nodding.
“Yeah? What’s wrong?”
Usopp fidgeted with his hands nervously, and Sanji took a second to glance around the galley and assess everyone else’s reactions. For the most part, the crew was silent. Luffy was happily eating away, Robin was smiling knowingly at the cook, and Nami seemed ready to knock people over their heads, while everyone else was staring at Sanji with raised brows or gaping mouths. Sanji coughed into a fist self consciously, and that seemed to kick Usopp back into gear.
“What are you wearing? Did you like, lose a bet?” The sniper asked tentatively, and shouted in fear as Nami pushed out of her seat with a glare. Sanji quickly reassured her “It’s okay, he’s just asking, Nami-swan,” before turning to address the whole crew.
“No, Usopp, I’m wearing this because I want to.” Sanji considered his next words for a moment before ripping off the proverbial band-aid, and adding a bit quieter, “It feels nice.”
The blond waited a moment, face flushing as he toyed nervously with his dress and unsure if he should say more, but most of the crew snapped out of their surprise after that statement, content with the explanation. Chopper still seemed a bit confused, Usopp nervous as always but starting to wind down, and Zoro was staring at him with a look he couldn’t decipher, but other than that no one acted odd, and everyone began serving themselves and eating. Sanji sighed internally, shoulders sagging in relief, before he got back to his usual job of ‘Keep Luffy At Bay’ and brought out the extra bacon he knew he’d needed to make.
A few more comments arose naturally about his attire, one from Robin asking the brand he’d used for his lipstick, a more relaxed Usopp inquiring about the dress’s material, and an oddly-affirming ‘May I see your panties?’ from Brook that made the cook blush furiously as he denied the skeleton. Sanji was still nervous about the noticeably silent parties, Chopper and Zoro, but tried to put it out of his mind for now. Most of his family is supportive or simply doesn"t care, and that’s enough for Sanji.
It’s not until everyone has filed out of the galley and Sanji’s started on dishes that one of the silent duo approaches him, and it’s even less of a shock when it turns out to be Chopper.
“What can I do for ya, Chop?” He asks the doctor, glancing away from the dish in his hand for a moment. Chopper is nervous, looking down at the floor and fidgeting his hooves together.
“Uhm, Sanji…” The cook nods as the reindeer trails off, giving him permission to continue. “Are you, uh, a girl now?”
Sanji blinked and took a second to think about it. He honestly wasn’t sure at this point, he was still so new to letting himself acknowledge that he even enjoyed girly things that he hadn’t yet considered if he might be one, and not just enjoy dressing differently. The idea made butterflies pop up in his stomach, though it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant thought.
“I’m not sure, Chopper.” Sanji admitted, deciding that train of thought could be revisited later, preferably with his trusted Nami-swan to help. Or perhaps even Robin-chan, if she was available; she might be able to provide better insight based on her vast general knowledge and life experience.
After a moment, Sanji happened upon another thought, and gave Chopper a curious look. “Why do you ask?”
Chopper seemed to grow more embarrassed, tugging his hat over his eyes in another nervous tic.
“As a reindeer, I ask because I’m not used to ‘gender’ things. We don’t really have that in the same way humans do.” Sanji hummed with a nod, understanding Chopper’s dilemma. Most animals didn’t have the consideration or care for abstract things like gender, or the random things human society associated with each one.
“And, asking as a doctor, so that I can make sure your medical records are right.”
That part caught Sanji a bit off guard, and he blinked a few times as he processed what Chopper said.
“What do you mean?” The blond asked softly, and Chopper seemed to lose some of his nerves as the topic shifted to slightly more familiar territory.
“Well, if you’re a girl, I have to treat you differently! Human bodies are both so similar and so different across the sexes, I need to make sure I don’t mess up your care because something changed and I didn’t know!” The little doctor elaborated, and Sanji could feel a blush crawling up his cheeks and to his ears as he realized what Chopper meant.
“Ah, Chop, while I appreciate the concern, even if I did start to present as a girl, my body wouldn’t just… change.” He explained. Chopper blinked owlishly at the cook, before rubbing a hoof behind his head and nervously admitted,
“That makes more sense, Doctorine didn’t have any books that said humans could change that stuff at will, but you can never be sure in a place like the Grand Line!”
“That’s true.” Sanji agreed, before turning back to his dishes to start up his chore again, sensing the conversation was coming to a close.
“You should still tell me if you are a girl, though.” The softness of Chopper’s voice draws Sanji’s attention back, and he cocks his head in question. “If you are, I’ll try to find some books about it and help! I’m your doctor and your nakama, I want to do whatever I can to make you happy and healthy.” The reindeer finished, and Sanji sniffed hard before he finally gave into the tears that’d tried to make an appearance all morning, crouching down to pull Chopper into a tight hug that was easily returned.
After a few moments of peaceful contact, Sanji pulled away and thanked Chopper, which led him to dance while he admonished Sanji for being a bastard and claiming he wasn’t happy at all; a normal reaction from the doctor that relieved some anxious pressure from Sanji’s chest and had him laughing softly, before finally shooing Chopper away so he could finish cleaning.
Once he was done, it sounded like a good idea to make some refreshments for the lovely ladies (and the rest of his idiot crewmates) before he could allow himself to relax. Perhaps laying out in his own lounge chair with the ladies could be an option, or simply smoking in the shade of Nami’s tangerine trees. He’ll make up his mind later, for now he has some drinks to make.
Zoro still hasn’t said anything.
And while Sanji usually appreciated the mosshead’s silence, it was starting to unnerve him. The swordsman hadn’t even responded to his attempts to instigate a sparring match, and if that didn’t scream ‘something is definitely wrong here’, Sanji didn’t know what did.
So, after serving lunch and being completely ignored again by Zoro, he decided enough was enough.
Sanji found Zoro lazing about the deck of the Sunny, probably photosynthesizing or whatever moss does to grow, and firmly planted his foot on the napping swordsman’s chest. His ankle was immediately grabbed, and Sanji smirked as he pulled himself easily from Zoro’s grip and backed up a few steps.
“There you are, marimo!” He taunted as Zoro pushed himself up, delighting in the annoyed look on his face at the nickname. “I almost missed you there, since you blend in so well with grass.”
Rather than responding with his own taunts, however, Zoro just rolled his eyes, mouth turned down in annoyance. “Shut it, cook. What do you need.”
Sanji blinked, a little thrown off his game from the unusual response, and gaped at Zoro for a moment. “Uh…”
Zoro seemed to grow more frustrated, and turned away from the blond, crossing his arms. “If there’s nothing up, then leave me alone.”
Sanji took a moment to collect himself. ‘What is this?’ He thought, walking to the side to try and catch the look on Zoro’s face. ‘What happened to Shitty-Eyebrows or Shit-Cook or Curly?’ Once Sanji caught sight of Zoro’s face, he stopped and frowned deeply.
The green-haired man looked… odd, again. His face was the same unreadable expression from breakfast, and though his cheeks were now darker, Sanji couldn’t tell from what. It’s not like the brute ever got embarrassed or something. Anger, then? At Sanji?
The blond breathed in sharply through his nose, as he came to the most logical conclusion. Zoro was pissed at him for all this girly stuff. And honestly, that thought stung a lot more than Sanji anticipated it would.
Yes, they fought a lot, but they’re still crewmates, the ‘Wings of the Future Pirate King’, and as such they had a level of understanding and care that just didn’t get said , because they didn’t need to do that to know it.
Or at least, that’s what Sanji thought.
Seems he could be wrong, though.
Holding on tight to the feeling of betrayal that rose in his chest in favor of the sadness and dare he say heartbreak lurking in his mind, Sanji turned on a heel and stomped off to the men’s bunks, barely registering Zoro turning to watch him leave.
“If you’re that disgusted, marimo, I’ll take it off.” He announced flatly, not even bothering to glance back at the man as he all but ran under the deck to find what he needed.
He passed Nami on the way down, who’s smile turned quickly into a frown as she took in Sanji’s trembling lip and glossy eyes. The navigator reached out to stop him, but Sanji sidestepped her outstretched hand and continued on.
Nami’s unease grew at the reaction, and she made her way onto the Sunny’s deck to find answers, nearly walking face-first into what she wanted in the form of an anxious looking Zoro.
“Oi, what’s up with Sanji? Why’s he upset?” Nami asked, poking a finger lightly into Zoro’s chest that grew a lot more violent as she watched the guilty look grow on the swordsman’s face. Her own expression grew angrier as she demanded, “What did you do? Do I need to raise your interest again, eh?!”
Zoro backed up swiftly, raising his hands in defense. “Listen, witch, I need to go. Swirly Brows misunderstood something I did and you’re distracting me.”
Nami huffed in irritation, crossing her arms over her chest as she stepped out of the way. “You better fix it, idiot. Sanji looked really upset, so if he doesn’t come back here smiling and twirling like normal I’m giving you a 600% increase.”
Zoro stopped mid-step to give Nami an incredulous look before tensing his shoulders and shaking his head. An argument here wasn’t worth it, especially when it was just about Nami’s odd way of showing care. He had upset the cook, and that was his top priority. Zoro hurried under the deck to look for Sanji, jogging a bit as he made his way to the men’s bunk.
Zoro, only slightly-panicking, nearly slammed the door through the wall as he burst in. Sanji jumped n his seat on the low sofa and shouted ‘Fuck!’ as he nearly jabbed himself in the eye with a makeup wipe. The blond had already kicked off his heels and wiped off his lipstick, and was about to start on his eyeshadow, using a little compact mirror to judge his work.
“Don’t.” Zoro said simply, and flinched as Sanji’s unimpressed glare turned on him.
“Don’t what? I’m doing what you-”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, shit cook.” Zoro interrupted, leading Sanji to sigh angrily and turn to give Zoro his full attention.
“Than what the fuck has been up with you, mosshead? The silent treatment and grouchy attitude don’t exactly scream ‘Wow Sanji! You look good, I’m so proud of you!’” Sanji crossed his arms as he spoke, waiting none-to-patiently for Zoro to gather his words.
“First off, does that sound like something I’d say, dumb cook?” Zoro started, and Sanji bit his tongue to keep from escalating into an argument. “I don’t care what you dress like, Curly, but if you want my validation,” Sanji inhaled sharply, wanting to argue against Zoro that he didn’t need shit from him, but again held his tongue (mostly because it was true, even if Sanji couldn’t admit it).
“I think you look nice.”
Some kind of weight seemed to slip off Sanji’s shoulders at the simple comment, and he visibly relaxed. Zoro smirked briefly at the sight, before schooling his face into its normal almost-scowl.
“As for my attitude…” Zoro cleared his throat awkwardly, looking away as his cheeks flushed and he mumbled out the rest of his sentence.
Sanji rolled his eyes, putting a hand to his ear and leaning forward mockingly. “What’s that, mosshead? I couldn’t hear you.”
Zoro cleared his throat again before taking a sharp breath and looking Sanji in the eye. “You’re taller than me in heels, and I don’t know how that makes me feel.”
Of all the shit Sanji expected from Zoro, that was… admittedly on the list, but was sitting comfortably in the ‘in my wildest fucking dreams’ section of it. He was honestly speechless, gaping at Zoro who shifted nervously at the lack of words.
After composing himself, Sanji grabbed his heels from where they sat next to him, and slipped them back on. Standing with a new air of confidence, Sanji stalked toward Zoro and grinned as he looked down at the swordsman. The difference was only 3 inches, sure, but it was noticeable enough, especially for the two rivals.
Zoro flushed even brighter, avoiding eye contact with Sanji and taking great interest in the wood grain on the wall. Sanji’s grin grew wider as he took in Zoro’s embarrassment, and he reached out to poke his cheek, bending at the waist and resting his other hand on his hip as he got to be more level with Zoro’s eye.
“What, mosshead, intimidated by me? Or is it… something else?” Sanji snickered as the suggestive comment caused Zoro to splutter, and backed off before he caused the other man to fall into cardiac arrest or something.
“Well, I’m glad we got that sorted. Now scram, marimo, I need to fix my makeup.” Sanji indicated his face with a wave of his hand before returning to his previous seat, stopping in his search for his lipstick as he noticed Zoro was still rooted in place.
“Eh? What is it?” Sanji asked, raising a brow at the other man.
“Nothing.” Zoro rushed to say, a hand coming up unconsciously to scratch at the cheek Sanji had touched. Sanji’s brow remained raised, and Zoro sighed as the cook’s attention stayed on him. “I just…”
Zoro took a quick breath in before asking “You wouldn’t be upset if it was, uhm. ‘Something else’?” He made finger quotes as he said the last two words, and Sanji snorted.
“Nah, I wouldn’t be. I might actually be quite flattered, if that was the case, marimo .” Sanji purred the nickname, leaning onto the table in front of him and practically smoldering at Zoro, delighting in bringing another blush to the mosshead’s cheeks.
That kind of action was something Sanji would never even dream of doing to another man a few years ago, but he’s realized recently how satisfying it can be to watch men squirm at his mere gaze.
Zoro floundered for a moment, considering pushing his luck but deciding any other advances should probably wait a bit, and nodded at Sanji in acknowledgment before hurrying out of the bunks.
Zoro smiled widely, though, as Sanji’s bright laughter trailed after him.