Hunger

Chapter 8

Much to Columbina's disappointment, Usopp was neither of age nor eligible. He'd been embarrassed when she'd jokingly asked him if he was married. He'd begun to tell her about a woman named Kaya when Buggy had interrupted them, asking them when they were both going to shut the Hell up with their inane banter and focus on something important.

Her hackles had been raised and Columbina had very much had the urge to punt him back into the woods. His acerbic tone aside, he was correct.

For the time being she'd left him with Usopp, Luffy and Zoro while he instructed them on how to patch up pieces of wood using oakum and sailcloth. She was grateful to get away from him for a moment before her temper got the better of her and she launched into an expletive-ridden tirade about how he'd single-handedly fucked up her life plans for the next few years.

She needed to remain in good graces. And if they happened to find Buggy's body before she parted ways with them she very much planned to deliver at least one more swift kick to him, right into his balls. Hard.

Sanji had insisted she go rest while he prepared dinner but Columbina had managed to convince him to let her help, desperately needing to do something else to occupy her thoughts for the next few moments. She'd pulled up a chair beside him and was chopping vegetables while Sanji got to work filleting several pieces of plump tilapia.

"Not to sound like Miss Piggy over here, but this is already looking infinitely better than road snacks. Hey, am I cutting these the way you want them? Also, I can totally help with the rice if you want me to. A little lemon and garlic might be nice if you don't mind the suggestion. And orzo paste if you have any."

"If you have a love of food, you're in good company," Sanji replied, "And those look amazing. Especially with you preparing them if you don't mind me pointing that out. A beautiful woman who seems to know her way around a kitchen? If your idea for the rice turns out we might be able to convince Luffy to keep you onboard."

Columbina couldn't help but smile at his words. The thought crossed her mind that she hadn't been seduced properly in a long time. Usually it was the other way around with her. And she couldn't help but acknowledge that Sanji was handsome-tall and lean with enviable blonde waves, his clothing crisp and immaculately fitting to his form, and some of the most interesting eyebrows she'd ever seen on a person. The fact that he came with cooking skills was a plus.

Had I been younger...

"Nice try, but exactly how old do you think I am, Sanji?"

"Hmm. I don't know, let me think," he stopped his filleting to take a look at her. "I'm guessing you're twenty two? Twenty three at the most?"

"Thirty four," she laughed, scooping up bell peppers and zucchini and depositing them in a large bowl filled with some kind of olive oil and herb mixture he'd whipped up. The smell of rosemary and thyme and garlic clove was aromatic and wonderful as she gave the bowl a stir. "You're about a decade off. The last person I asked that question said nineteen, so hopefully I'm moving on up in the world."

"Seriously!?" Sanji had completely stopped what he was doing to regard her. "That can't be correct. You don't look that age at all!"

"Must be the all the food I eat sans oregano. Didn't you say it was for savages? What's your hatred of it? Where did that come from?"

"If you want to know it was from someone who would make damned certain that I'm more headless than Buggy if he found out that I kicked you earlier. I'm ashamed," Sanji said, his playfulness gone.

"Well, I mean, all of us acted in self defense, you included. I--"

"No. Don't. There's no excuse," he countered, "A woman is to be loved, cherished, admired. Protected."