One Step Behind

Fractures upon Fractures

Punk Hazard had been her terf, and now she was on his. So he sure as hell would show it off to the best of his abilities.

"If I'm honest," she finally said once they'd decided to take a break leaning against the large tree on the main deck, "I'm still hung up on how you can literally fly in this thing. I mean..." Her brow furrowed. Hands making gestures that she couldn't quite verbalise. "...how?! Just how? I can't quite get my head around it."

Chest puffed out in pride, Sanji just smirked at her. "Just wait until you find out what Sunny is powered by."

A significant portion of colour left Strauss's face. "Do I even want to know?"

"Cola."

...

Sanji contentedly rested his face in a hand as he watched the cogs in her head grind to a halt. She wasn't even looking at him anymore. Her gaze was completely vacant as she tried her damn hardest to process that piece of information that he knew full well went entirely against any thread of logic she possessed.

"Cola..." She said eventually. "It runs... on cola...?"

"Yup." He popped the 'p' for good measure. Just to make her suffer.

Somewhere in the background Usopp and Robin's murmurs drifted from the garden, punctuated by Luffy loudly asking where Law was every other second.

Strauss sucked in a defeated breath and fully hid her head in her hands. "Your ship is impossible, you know that? Absolutely impossible."

"Says the person who sails around in a submarine."

"At least it runs on the laws of physics."

"Physics schmysics."

"UUUUUUUUUUUGH..."

Now that they were finally away from the clouded skies of Punk Hazard and he could see her in proper daylight, the impact on the years on her were far more obvious. Her skin was a little more pallid than it had used to be, and there were shadows under her eyes that before he'd thought was a trick of the light. It annoyed him to notice, but the similarities with her captain were obvious.

But he said nothing. It wasn't his place to. No matter how it twisted the knife in his gut to know that his dearest friend had experienced so damn much while he hadn't been there to help... he knew that she wouldn't have it any other way. This had all been her choice. And in all honesty, if the situations were reversed and he was the one who looked wrecked, he would not want her to feel bad about it.

"I look rough, right?"

Sanji's back straightened so hurriedly it almost hurt. "I... No! What are you talking about, you look great!"

Strauss chuckled, "You don't need to lie to me, Sanji. I've been stuck on what basically was a Winter Island with little to no sleep and unhealthy levels of stress. I know I've been better."

He wasn't lying though. While yes, maybe great wasn't the best word for it, she still looked formidable. Anyone who could shoot a death glare with dark circles under their eyes was undeniably amazing, and Strauss was still gorgeous in her tired glory.

"That might be true," he conceded, only because he knew full well that if he voiced his true feelings she'd just wave them away, "but considering everything that's been going on... I don't blame you. Take this time to rest a little if you can."

With a sigh her face fell. "Wish I could. But knowing we're getting closer to Dressrosa is..." She gestured with her hands. Fingers flexing emphatically. "This is something we've been working up towards for... years. How could I not feel stressed?"