Finding Myself (One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 64: *Filler* Days with the Straw Hats: Sanji

He wasn't the only one to nag me about that, though he was a lot nicer about it. Robin and Chopper were the worst about nagging me. Zoro was far more subtle, his actions silent but clear when he practically forced me to take two naps.

"It's fine, I'll take a nap at some point today." I answered, turning a page in my book and began to sketch Sanji as he prepped.

I paused when he slid a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice towards me. My eyes brightening as I grabbed it. Barely managing a thank you before I began drinking it.

"My mom used to go across the island to gather oranges for me. The village refused to sell her any, and she knew how much I loved them." I smiled at the memory of my mother. "Then on my birthday she would make a vanilla orange cake, orange for me and vanilla for my brother."

Sanji smiled at me, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "She sounds like a great mother."

I nodded eagerly, "She was the best! My father was never around, but she would talk about him a lot. Apparently there was some kind of agreement they came up with, Sato knows it but he won't really elaborate on it."

Sanji nodded then looked curious. "Is Makoto really your brother then?"

"Ah, sorta, yeah. He was the only kid that actually played and didn't bully Sato and I. His grandparents were raising him, and when they passed my mom didn't hesitate to take him in." I shrugged. "Sato and I easily took him as our brother too. You know, they used to be the biggest wimps. I had to defend them all the time, the amount of fights I got into was ridiculous."

A laugh bubbled out of Sanji. "Who would have thought that those two used to be wimps."

"You can tease them about it later. You have my blessing." I grinned, taking another sip from my orange juice. "My mother really was the best. She never got mad at me, and I know I was a lot of trouble. She used to compliment all of my drawings and encourage me to draw more. She was the first to believe in me.

"Mother's are the best thing, aren't they?" His voice was small, as was the smile on his face. "I used to cook for mine, and I really messed up a lot as a kid." A small chuckle left his lips.

I stared at him for a moment. Though he smiled, and it was filled with love, I could see the pain and sadness. Clearly his our mother had passed as well.

It looked like taking about her brought pain to him.

"Ne, Mr. Husband, can you teach me how to cook?" I asked, "I can help you with breakfast?"

That was a question I have been wanting to ask Sanji. While he got his nickname from how he cooks, I can't expect him to be able to cook for me for the rest of my life. Even if I want him to.

Sanji appeared delighted at my words, quickly pulling out another cutting board and placing it beside him.

"Of course, Katsu-chan!" He pulled out a chef knife and placed it beside the cutting board before picking up his own. "I have to show you the correct way to hold your knife first. I don't want you cutting yourself by accident."

I stood up and walked over to stand beside him, my tongue poking out as I tried to copy the grasp he had on his knife. Then he held up his other hand, curling his fingers inward to almost form a fist.

"Chefs refer to this as the bear claw, we curl in our fingertips to avoid accidentally chopping them off." He explained, placing his hand on the board to hold down the vegetables and rocked the knife back and forth, slowly chopping the vegetables. "With this you will have less likely to cur yourself, which is how we can chop faster. Our knuckles help guide the knife, so we slowly inch out way back as we chop."