Not afraid anymore [Sanji x OC story]

You didn't finish my fish

"Are you salting my food again?" Sanji resented as Gwen's fingers reached for the salt shaker in the center of the table.

"Don't pick on my preferences," she replied sharply.

The couple's relationship could be described in one word: peculiar.
Sanji loved women. What was it worth was his constant attempts to impress Nami. Things were a little different with Gwen. She couldn't boast a big bust or glowing skin without a single pimple. Most guys thought she was mediocre. Skinny, with a scattering of freckles on her tanned cheeks, she always tied her hair in a tight ponytail and hid her face behind an intricate scarf embroidered with bright colors.

Despite her cold temper and her unhealthy love of salt, Sanji behaved quite gallantly with Gwen. He complimented her brown fur-colored eyes more than once and never removed the salt shaker he hated from the table. A thin thread of contradictory feelings bound them together, a strange tension running up and down their spines every time they were near each other.

"I've prepared something for you," ignoring the sour expression on the cook's face, the girl took out of her jacket pocket several platinum rings she had been working on for the last week.

"A stone in the shape of a hat? That's perfect!" Luffy shouted with delight.

Gwen was an excellent jeweler. As a teenager, she had gained considerable fame among the merchants of Loguetown. The girl knew her way around jewelry, spotting a fake in the blink of an eye. Her keen and shrewd eyes sparkled with a knowledge and passion for her work that was impossible to contain. Her nimble fingers, adorned with silver rings, moved with precision and purpose, delicately embracing the gems. She treated each piece with the utmost care and respect as if it had a life and history of its own.

Traveling all over East Blue, Gwen was never out of work. She could please both pirates looking to appraise their treasures and aristocrats seeking the most exquisite jewelry. The girl listened attentively, empathized, and delved into the story and feelings behind each order. The genuine warmth and sincere love for her work was what had swayed Luffy when he first met Gwen.

"Now everyone will see that we're a team!" The captain's joy was unparalleled.

"Thank you," Nami smiled warmly, "Both for the rings and for deciding to join"

"It's all thanks to Luffy."

Gwen had gotten to Going Merry by complete accident. She was just looking for traveling companions to go home to Loguetown, and the only ship on the dock was the Straw Hat Pirates' ship. Gwen had never been attracted to adventure. She was completely absorbed in her work and risking her life was not in her plans. The girl didn't notice how she got caught up in the incredible events that divided her life into before and after. Luffy had managed to keep her interested.

Gwen truly admired his dedication to his dream. Something about this guy fascinated her. After Luffy's enthusiastic stories, Gwen wanted to see the famous treasures with her own eyes. There was a reason why there were so many legends about them. There were sure to be some of the finest gems there, the color and purity of which would not compare to anything she had seen before.

"Remember, you are a member of the crew," the captain smiled and Gwen answered him with an equally warm smile.

When lunch was finished, everyone went about their business. Gwen went back to her jewelry, Nami studied the maps with a calculating eye, the ever-optimistic Usopp thought up fancy weapons, Zoro decided to train, and Sanji experimented in the kitchen. Luffy alone sat habitually on Going Merry's bow figure, his 'captain's seat', and watched the horizon.

"Gwen, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Sanji distracted the girl from her work.

Gwen set the unfinished pendant aside in the jewelry box and locked it. It wasn't that the jeweler was afraid that someone from the team would encroach on her jewelry, it was more of a habit developed over the years.

"Only if for a short time".

"I won't take much of your time," the cook replied, fixing her blonde bangs.

Sanji was definitely up to something.

With a hesitant step, Gwen followed him into the kitchen, where a pleasant smell of fish was coming from.

"What is it?" The girl asked in surprise, noticing a huge cast of salt on the table.

"Fish baked in a salt shell," Sanji said proudly. - This recipe was once invented by resourceful fishermen. They would take a whole undressed fish and bake it in a "shell" of sea salt and egg white.

Gwen couldn't believe her eyes. The mere description of this dish made her hungry, even though she'd had a big lunch just a few hours ago.

"Is there fish inside?"

"Uh, yeah."

"And you made it for me?"

"Who else would it be for? You're the only one who salts our already salty food," the cook rolled his eyes.

As Gwen sat down at the table, Sanji picked up a large hammer and hit the mold right at the base, causing the salt to crack and reveal a large, perfectly whole fish underneath. Gwen took the knife enthusiastically, cutting off a piece. The flavor was even better than she had imagined, and the girl barely held back a moan at the pleasure spreading through her body.

Once she had gotten over the obsession, Gwen looked up and noticed that Sanji was staring at her.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said, stammering.

"How?" Sanji asked as he continued to stare at her.

His eyes, like wildfire, burned with such intensity that it took Gwen's breath away. Every girl dreamed that someday she would be looked at like that. He held her captive to their glowing embers, sizzling slowly, like a smoldering cigarette.

"Like admiring," the jeweler barely squeezed out.

"What if I am admiring you?"

Gwen sharply threw the cutlery out of her hands and stood up from the table, just as the ship shook. Usopp's loud voice rang out:

"The Marines are directly ahead!"

A formidable line of soldiers stretched out over the horizon, cannons intent on defeating Going Merry. The battle began with a thunderous roar. A dozen shells hit the deck directly, causing several pieces of the ship's railing to fall into the ocean. By the time Sanji and Gwen made it to the top, fists were already clashing with swords, cannons were rattling through the air.

The Marines wanted Monkey D. Luffy's head at any cost. Only the soldiers underestimated the Straw Hat Pirates. Their tactics reflected the uniqueness and diversity of their personalities. Their skills merged into a symphony of fury. Their movements were fluid and their hearts burned with a thirst for freedom.

"Hide in the hold!" Sanji shouted.

"Hell no," the girl whispered and dashed straight for the cannon beside her.

The acrid smell of gunpowder mixed with the tang of salt water. The smoke was billowing, blocking the view of the enemies and making it impossible to determine what they were doing. The glow of swords and pistols wielded by desperate hands could be seen through the haze, as they fought fiercely, with an unwavering determination to defend their ships.

Gwen felt no fear. She wanted to help her friends who were desperately fighting for their honor. The girl performed the actions clearly, just as she had been taught. Completely immersed in the process, she didn't notice one of the soldiers coming close to her, swinging his massive sword.

It all happened too quickly.

With deft movements, Sanji shortened the distance between himself and Gwen, covering the girl with his body. Like a shield, he stood in front of her, shielding her from a blow that could have been fatal to the girl. His muscles tensed, every fiber of his being focused on keeping his friend safe.

"Sanji!" Gwen shouted, aiming the cannon straight at the enemy.

The powerful impact threw him back into the ocean and the girl rushed to Vinsmoke, who lay not far from her.

"Why?" She asked, holding back her sobs.

"You didn't finish my fish," Sanji said before he lost consciousness.