Sanji overheard the black-haired teenager's words and sneered as he walked to the kitchen. As much as he might want to, it would be a real struggle to get him on his ship by tomorrow morning. He walked silently to the sink where Zeff had left the dishes and sighed. A huge pile of plates and a stack of bowls sat in the sink. The man had probably left them there on purpose. What an idiot!
The blond man rolled up his sleeves and lit a cigarette as he got to work, oblivious to the pair of eyes watching him from the stairs leading to the upstairs rooms.
Sanji sighed as he dried the last plate. Finally. He looked down at his hands as he dried them. Nice and with raisins. The blond man slung the towel over his shoulder and walked wearily toward the back door. He would go to bed, but he still needed to finish his cigarette. Besides, his hands really needed to dry. He grasped the doorknob and opened it, stepping inside quietly and closing it behind him.
The chef walked to the other side of the deck to lean over the railing and gaze at the sea. The crescent moon hung high in the sky, its reflection shimmering on the water's crystalline surface, and the wind caressed his skin with its warm breeze. The boy took a deep breath, his nose filling with the wonderful scent of the salty water that surrounded him. Sanji smiled to himself. He loved the sea. Somewhere within it... lay his dream, waiting to be discovered. Someday... Someday he would find it.
Sanji's thoughts wandered for a while before focusing on dinner and the offer Luffy had made him.
To be honest with himself... he wanted to go. He really did. He wanted to go find it... the All Blue. He knew that if it existed, it had to be somewhere in the Grandline. He'd always loved hearing stories about the place. Zeff even talked to him about it from time to time. His thoughts faded, and he sighed to himself. He wanted to leave, but... he owed it to the old man to stay. He'd given up too much to just walk away.
"What the hell are you doing here, brat?" a voice called from over the boy's shoulder. Sanji turned to the owner of the voice and sneered, not very surprised by who was there: "I'd say the same to you, old man."
Zeff did not respond, he simply walked to the spot next to Sanji and looked at the water, as did his sous chef.
Silence reigned for a moment before being broken by the older of the two. "Don't waste your life here," the man said softly, still gazing at the sea.
Sanji had no other response than surprise and a touch of anger. Where on earth had that come from? And how on earth could he say that? How could he say he was wasting his life there? Was it a waste of his life to pay off his debt? He didn't think so... But apparently Zeff did.
"Those brats are asking you to sail with them..." the older chef began, still not looking at the teenager, "I think you should go."
Sanji gritted his teeth in anger. "You want me to just leave? Do you really think I could do that?" he said furiously. "After everything I've taken from you?! Do you really think I can go sailing with that weight on me?!" Where was all this coming from? It was so unexpected. Zef never usually spoke like this!
"This isn't a prison, Sanji!" Zeff shouted, turning to face the blond and staring intently into his eyes. "...You haven't put up with anything from me, and you don't owe me anything." He hated speaking like this, but he saw no other option. He wanted Sanji to go out and pursue his dreams. Not just for him, but also for the old man who, to this day, still dreamed of seeing the All Blue. "Want to pay me back, brat?" he asked, still staring at Sanji. "Then go out and find that damn ocean."
Sanji's skin prickled. The way the old man had said it sounded more like an order than a request. His thoughts swirled as he tried to decide how to respond. Part of him wanted to obey. Simply say yes and be done with it. Another part, however, was still clouded by the weight of the invisible debt he still carried. His mind was a complete mess.
"I'll make it easy for you. You'll get on those brats' boat," Zeff ordered authoritatively, watching his idiot sous chef gape like a fish. He glared at Sanji when he tried to interrupt, and the boy bit his tongue. "You'll get on that boat and help those three steal the treasure," he paused, turned away with a sigh, and looked back out to sea. "After that, the girl said they'd split up. When that happens... it's up to you."
Sanji followed Zeff's example and gazed at the moonlit water. His mind was slowly beginning to understand: "What if I decide to stay here?"
The old chef stepped back from the water and leaned heavily against the railing. He was too old for this nonsense. Too much effort. "You won't hear a peep from me," he sighed. It was a commitment, but... For some reason... That boy in the straw hat... He had a feeling about him. Life at sea had taught him to always trust his instincts... And they told him that the boy would guide Sanji toward his dream... He knew it. That's why he had decided to talk to Sanji in the first place.
The teenager in the black suit remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. It wouldn't be for long; Nami had said maybe a month. Thinking of Nami, the blond boy's nose began to bleed. He would basically be living with her the entire time. With that thought, he practically made up his mind. He sniffed at the blood and faced Zeff again. "Okay, old man. Fine," he obeyed. "I'm leaving... But don't expect me to just walk away when I get back!"
Sanji turned towards the door and stomped into the restaurant, effectively ending the late-night conversation.
Zeff watched the teenager swim away for a moment before returning to the water with a faint smile. He recalled his time at sea as memories of his old crew came flooding back. Perhaps he should take some time to read his logbook before going to bed. It had been a while since he'd opened it. Yes. That was exactly what he was going to do. He'd done everything he could for the kid; the rest was up to him.
The old man followed Sanji back inside, walking toward the door. "Live your life, Sanji," he whispered to the air in front of him. He stopped and turned, gazing at the moon once more with a smile. "When he's been out there for a while... he won't be able to stay in here any longer." The old man's gaze shifted beyond the moon, and he smiled at the sky. "Isn't that right, guys?"
....
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