knots and kisses

Chapter 7

꒰ Ace's POV ꒱

We had just settled Sanji down when that old geezer yelled, "Dinner's ready!"

Luffy's eyes lit up, and he jumped to his feet. "FOOD!" he shouted, dashing out of the room. I followed close behind. We burst into the kitchen, and without hesitation, we dove into the spread, grabbing whatever we could reach and devouring it like we hadn't eaten in days.

We were halfway through our meal, our manners completely abandoned, when grandpa's voice cut through the clatter. "Hey, the blond kid's awake. You gonna let him starve?"

I froze, a piece of meat halfway to my mouth, and turned to see Sanji standing in the doorway. He looked dazed, his eyes wide, as he took in his unfamiliar surroundings.

"Sanji!" I called, waving him over. "Come eat with us!"

Sanji hesitated for a moment before shuffling over to the table. He sat down gingerly, his movements stiff and uncertain. I could see him glancing around.

Luffy grinned at him, his mouth full of food. "Eat up, Sanji!"

Sanji reached for a piece of bread, his movements precise and careful, a stark contrast to the way Luffy and I were shoveling food into our mouths. He picked at his food, and his table manners were impeccable even in his dazed state.

After dinner, as we cleared the table, I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve. I turned to see Sanji looking up at me. "Ace, can I go home now?" He asked softly, his blue eyes pleading.

I didn't want him to leave. "You know, Sanji, it's pretty late. It's safer if you stay here tonight. We can take you home in the morning."

Sanji frowned slightly, clearly torn. "But I really should-" "Come on, Sanji," I interrupted gently. "It's no trouble at all. Besides, it's more fun with you here."

He blinked, looking a little surprised after hearing what I said. "I don't know, Ace..."

"I do," I said firmly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's go back to our room."

As we walked back to our room, I grabbed a pair of my pajamas from the drawer and handed them to him. "Here, you can wear these tonight."

Sanji accepted them with a nod. I pointed towards the bathroom, and he headed there, closing the door behind him. A few minutes later, I heard a buzzing sound. I glanced over and saw his phone lighting up. Hesitating for a moment, I picked it up and saw the caller ID: "Papa." My curiosity got the better of me, and I answered it.

"Hello?" I said, unsure of what to expect.

"Who is this?" A gruff voice demanded.

"This is Ace," I replied. "Sanji's friend. He's safe and with us right now."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before the voice softened slightly. "I see... Thank you for looking out for him."

"Of course," I said, feeling a bit more at ease.

His father sighed, and I could hear a mixture of worry and relief in his voice. "Tell him to call me when he gets a chance."

"Will do," I replied before hanging up.

I put the phone back just as the bathroom door opened, and Sanji stepped out, looking refreshed but a bit apprehensive. "I should probably go h⏤"