Skin Deep: A One Piece Romance (Sanji x Reader)

Chapter 10: Dancing Flame

Lacy, or y/n, was never a dancer before this. Just almost 2 years ago, she lived a simple life on Water 7 with her parents. She was a seamstress who could make the most beautiful dresses and clothes with a distinctive flair that caught anyone's eye. She took great pride in her work and had incredible support from her parents. As she grew older though, she would look out into the streets beyond the city at the faint glimmer of the sea wondering what else could be out there. 

On the day of her 18th birthday, her parents revealed their secret past life. She would've never guessed in many years past her parents were once infamous pirates sailing deeper into the Grand Line. They told her about their past dreams and goals, their fierce battles, and how they both fell in love running into each other on a fateful run-in with the Navy, escaping together from being captured on their ship. How romantic this was in the eyes of y/n, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Day to day, she would dream about when her story would start. Riding the waves of the sea to places unknown, eventually running into the man of her dreams and ruling the seas side by side. She wanted a story just like her parents. 

One starry night, y/n was on the docks watching the gentle waves roll in, the stars sparkling on the water. She had just had an argument with her father after she told him she wanted to set sail. "You are too young, y/n. You have no idea what dangers are out there on the Grand Line. You don't know how to fight, how to steer a boat, how to wield a weapon, or how to endure the most dangerous of weather. You might come face to face with death, then what will you do?"

She was furious, but deep down she knew he was right. How would she achieve this? How would she train to battle the seas? She could maybe just ask...but at that moment y/n was just too stubborn and angry. In frustration, she threw a rock into the sea to vent and watched as it sunk to the bottom. "That rock is probably me if I tried to even sail two feet off the docks..." she grumbled.

"I'm sorry, forgive me for my eavesdropping, but are you alright miss? It's awfully late at night for you to be alone by yourself like this." 

Y/n jumped at the sudden voice behind her and snapped her head around to see who was there. A tall man looked down at her, his eyes of jade staring at her with concern. "I-I'm okay." She reluctantly replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine...hey, I think I remember you from earlier today. You bought a suit from me, right?"

"Indeed, it fits beautifully." He smiled. "Never would think I would pull off something like red stripes, but you proved me wrong." The man knelt and took a seat next to y/n. "Care if I join you? The sky is so clear tonight."

"Uh...sure I guess." Y/n was a little startled by this guy that sat by her unannounced, but she couldn't deny he was quite charming. "What was your name again?"

"You can call me Amore." He smiled a sincere and kind grin. "Pleasure." He picked up his own stone, but when he threw it, it skipped along the water for quite a distance.

"How did you do that?" Y/n asked.

"Practice." He chuckled. "Took me a long time as a boy to do that."

"Can you show me?" 

The two sat at the docks for hours talking and skipping rocks, sharing troubling matters with each other, laughing at each other, and gazing upon the stars. This Amore was quite a nice guy, and y/n couldn't help but think this was sort of a romantic moment she was experiencing. She looked down and blushed. "My parents say I don't have enough experience to sail." She said. "I think they're right, to be honest, but I have no clue how to start. How do I get experience without having something to give me the experience? I would give anything to be a pirate." 

"A young lady like you a pirate?" Amore asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She snapped. "Don't think I could?"

"No, no! I honestly think you would make quite the feisty pirate." He replied. "Now that you have mastered skipping rocks, I think anything is possible for you." 

Y/n nudged him at that sly sarcastic comment. "Hey!"

"Haha!" He laughed. "Say...I know we just met but..." Amore drifted off in thought, "I really enjoyed spending time with you. You think we could do this again?"

Y/n smiled with pink cheeks. "Sure! You gotta teach me something else next time though."

The two continued to meet each other each night. Y/n even began sneaking out her window just to go see him. She felt that sense of adventure with him she craved, dancing with him like a couple of fools in the bars, climbing up great heights to take in amazing sights of the glowing city, or just sitting at that dock skipping rocks. His charm continued to seduce her as the two grew closer and closer. One night he asked her a fateful question.

"Y/n...I have to leave tomorrow..." He said. "But, won't you come with me?"

"What?" She gasped.

"Leave with me." He took her hands, "Let's conquer the seas together, you and me. I...I love you, y/n." 

And that's the question she would answer 'yes' to that sealed her fate. After convincing her reluctant parents, she left with him waving goodbye to her mother and father now more comfortable that she had a man to protect her. It reminded them of themselves. Never would she have thought that charming man had a demon hiding inside him. He did the opposite of protecting her in the end. He trapped her like a fly. It was crushing to know there were other flies just like her, also locked below with their own story. 

She would continue to dance away her anger on that stage for days to come. A dancing flame that slowly was going out. Each of those days, she lost a little bit of that spark she had. Her hopes, her dreams...she was losing hope. Until this man, this man holding her in this moment came to rescue her. 

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The sounds of her cries had ceased. Sanji continued to pet her head as she dried her tears. Y/n lifted her heavy head at last and wiped her eyes. She had no idea what to say to him. 

"How are you feeling, y/n?" He simply asked in a low tone. 

This guy however always seemed to know what exactly to say. "I have no idea." She gazed up into Sanji's eyes which were fixated on her. They glowed like the full moon. She felt the sensation of peace flow through her as she took in the sight. "I also have no idea how to thank you..."

"No need to, my dear y/n." He smiled. "What kind of man would I be if I didn't? No woman deserves to suffer dealing with a bastard like him." 

"Bastard is right." As much as she wanted to stay in his arms for eternity, there were still issues that needed to be addressed. "Also...we need to patch up your shoulder."

"Yeah...probably." He touched the glass and winced.

"How are you not mad at me for that? I stabbed you." 

"It wasn't your fault, dear." He casually said getting back up to his feet. 

"How is it not my fault?" She stood up with him. She still couldn't believe how unphased he was about this.

"That doesn't matter." He said. "I'll just say, I'm certain you're not the type of person to just go around stabbing everyone." Sanji scanned around the wrecked room. "We need to get out of here without being seen. We should be able to go through that window. Come on." He took her hand, and this time she didn't pull away.

"We can't leave yet, Black Leg." Y/n took a deep breath to compose herself. She would love to run away with Sanji, however, "I need to get the other women out of here. Theres others that Amore has trapped in the basement.  I'm not going to leave them behind."

Sanji nodded in agreement. "As I said, I won't let any woman suffer! Lead the way, y/n. Let's go-OW!" He yelped in pain accidentally pulling Y/n's arm with his that had still a shard of glass still lodged in his flesh. 

"I said we have to fix your shoulder, stupid!"