Sanji × Female Reader | A True Gentleman

Chapter 4 | When she gets hurt

"Nami, come with me"

Sanji heard (Y/n) say, he turned around quickly, just enough to take a look at the two girls running away from the battle.

"I know that you want to help too but I need you to go to the ship and call the others, and maybe you could get my swords too, I forgot them on the crow's nest. Please, I need them"

"I'll go, but you owe me at least  ten-thousand berries"

The [brunette, blonde...] smiled and yelled a quick "Go" to Nami.

She heard Sanji yell her name and turned around just in time to dodge a knife that someone threw at her.

She smirked looking at the mariner and said
"Heh, thanks. I really needed a weapon"

The mariner growled and went for a direct hit.

'Hm, too easy' She thought.

"FU..(Y/n) Behind you"

Sanji tried to get there as fast as he could, but not enough.

As the (Y/n) charged at the knife guy, another one sneaked behind her and stabbed her shoulder.

Sanji cringed at the ear-piercing scream she let out and almost fainted at the sight of her shirt now stained in blood.

He sprinted towards the attacker, but before he could process what was happening (Y/n) took the knife out of her shoulder, kicked the first guy in his guts, and in one swift motion pressed the blade to the other guy's throat.

"Your last words?"

Suddenly she saw the man fly a few meters away and crush into a wall.

She felt a pair of strong yet gentle arms wrap around her waist and she immediately relaxed, recognizing that touch.

"I'm okay, you know I could have taken that guy easily, right?"

"This is not the time to joke, you're bleeding, please let me carry you to the ship"

Even though (Y/n) knew that he was only being the usual overprotective Sanji she adored, she couldn't help but turn around and gently pat his cheek, and roll her eyes.

"Seriously, Sanji. I'm really fine, I'm used to it. You should see all the scars I have on my back, those are scary, this one in comparison is just a scratch."

At this the blonde cook felt his heart crush, what did she have to go through until now? How much pain did she have to feel?

He felt sad and helpless, he wished he could have been quicker, he wished he could have spared her at least this wound.

He unconsciously hugged her close to his chest, running his hand on her back in a comforting manner.

She hugged back and smiled, the world seemed to stop and suddenly it was only the two of them.

....

"OH MY GOD (Y/N) WR NEED TO STITCH UP THAT WOUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE"

The two of them jumped at the loud voice of their reindeer friend who was currently freaking out.

She could feel the awkwardness in the air and tried to lighten up the mood.

She started laughing and booped Sanji's nose.

"Hey, what's up with that troubled face hm? You know, if you keep that ugly expression on your face it will get stuck like that forever"

Sanji couldn't stop the grin that was growing on his face, she truly was amazing.

How could she be so strong? He knew how much pain she was feeling at the moment, and yet here she was, smiling and joking around like always.

He wondered how much she had to go through to develop that resistance to pain.

But staying there and wondering about her past wouldn't change a thing, so why would he do that?

He would rather concentrate on the present, and so he made himself a promise.

'I swear I will always stay by her side to protect her.'

As he made that promise to the sky he felt her pull his hand.

"Hey I think I'm losing too much blood in here, would you mind helping me?"

And so with wide eyes and a heart beating so fast it could literally explode he picked his friend up and started running to the ship with Chopper trying to keep up.

______________That night______________

The moon light gently illuminated Sanji's face.

He was leaning on the door of the kitchen, it was late, but he couldn't sleep.

The image of (Y/n)'s bloody shoulder still fresh in his mind haunted him.

He knew deep down that it wasn't his fault, he was fighting with the other mariners, he couldn't have prevented that from happening.

He shook his head and lit a cigarette, he needed to distract himself in some way.

"You should quit smoking, it's not good for your health"

He didn't even need to turn around, he knew that voice.

He let out a big cloud of smoke, smirking while the girl coughed and waved the gross smell out of her face.

"That was disgusting, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry"

He looked at her and his heart almost stopped.

She was beautiful.

The way the moonlight made her skin glow, accentuating her [soft, delicate, sharp...] features.

Her eyes shined brighter than the sun, and the look she was giving him made him suddenly remember the way he held her just some hours before.

He had never dared to touch her, and if he did it had only ever been in a light and friendly way...

But that hug was different.
They had never been that physically close before, it made him feel butterflies in his stomach.

"You're beautiful"

For a moment he didn't even realize what he did.

"You think so?"

He widened his eyes and opened his mouth so wide his cigarette fell out.

"Oh.. shoot.. sorry. Ehm.. yeah, you are beautiful."

At that moment all he wanted to do was disappear, dig himself a hole and never get out.

But when he felt (Y/n) laugh and her lips gently brush against his cheek he thanked whoever was watching over him from up there for making him say that.

"See you tomorrow love cook"

"..."

Thankfully (Y/n) was already down the corner when he had a massive nose bleed and almost fainted.

It is true.
Some things never change.