Steel Heart

Ch 72 - Drawing Straws

"No! I object completely, you shitty swordsman!" Sanji yelled at the swordsman, who was in the middle of collecting back the straws he had just handed out.

"Don't blame me for your own bad luck, Curly Brow!" Zoro snapped as he snatched Sanji's straw out of his hand, "It is not my fault you drew the shortest straw."

"B-B-B-B-But..." Sanji started to blubber as he turned to Nana with tears welling up in his eyes, "I wanted to spend tonight with Nana!"

He sank to his knees and started to pound the deck with his fists. "Why?! Why must God curse me at a time like this? Why must I be on night watch duty tonight?!"

Kaboom!

The sudden sound of a thunder crash sent Usopp flying into Franky's arms. "EEK! You're going to incur the wrath of God if you do that, Sanji! Don't make God angry!"

"Ah! God is angry!" Chopper shrieked.

Franky released his hold and Usopp crashed hard onto the ground. "Relax. It's just a light thunderstorm."

Nami nodded and looked out the window. "Yeah. It should clear up by morning. "

Nana gave a defeated shrug and offered a hand to help Sanji up. "It's okay. It's just for tonight...and then you won't have to do it for another week."

Sanji clasped his hands around hers. "But tonight would be our first night together again, Nana!"

"Technically," Usopp said thoughtfully while he scratched his chin, "The first night would be when we came down to Fishman Island and you were all hooked up to all those IV bags."

"NO! That doesn't count!" Sanji snapped at the sniper.

"Then the first night would be when we all slept over at Camie's place after the banquet," Chopper said.

"No! That doesn't count either!" Sanji roared and he looked back at Nana, "This could've been our first night alone together, Nana!"

"Gross," Zoro muttered under his breath.

"HUH?! What did you say, you shitty morimo?!" Sanji exclaimed, turning an extreme 180. He dropped his hold on Nana and tried to land a kick on the green haired swordsman, "I have important matters to discuss with Nana. Get your head out of the gutter!"

He regrabbed Nana's hands and started to cry again. "N-N-Nana," he blubbered, "I wanted to talk to you while we were resurfacing but between the Whitestrom, the sea of whales, and the Maubeugemour Sea, I just didn't get a chance. There's...There's so many things I wanted to tell you. It's not fair!"

"Why are you acting like she's dying?!" Usopp snapped, "You can always talk tomorrow."

"I mean, I can always stay up with you," Nana said with a bemused look on her face, "It's not like we can't talk during your night watch."

Sanji shook his head fervently, "You need your rest, Nana! I will not have you mess up your precious sleep schedule because of me."

"You know, I have been taking care of myself for the last two years," Nana said as she ruffled his hair, "Don't need you to check up on me every night anymore, Prince Charming."

"I guess that's true," Sanji said with a smile.

"So I'll meet you up on the Crow's Nest in about an hour?" Nana asked.

"Ah, it's a date."

"Gross."

"Say that louder and to my face, marimo!"

Sanji sat with his arms outstretched and legs wide as he sat thoughtfully in the crow's nest. His newly lit cigarette rested on his lips while his ashtray rested on his knee. He was waiting on Nana to come and join him but he was also slightly thankful she was not quite here yet. He had no idea where to begin. Should he start with where he was these past two year? Or should he tell her what he found out from Ivankov about her family? Would she even want to know?