What If...

Green Frosted Cake

Sanji looks down at the pan on the stove cooking the meat. His eyebrows furrow. His lips thin. Trying so hard to hold on his emotions.

Having to heavily stick to his recipe. He couldn't taste anything at the moment. Usually he's prepared but they've been at sea longer than they thought thanks to a sudden storm. He says sudden but on the grandline it's to be expected, especially when moving in between islands.

He is always prepared. Making sure to do what it takes to be able to taste. Especially considering he's the cook of the crew.

As much as he is prepared things happen, like storms, to push him off track. His plans happily flushed down the toilet. Because of the storm they are still some days away from the next island.

His crew of course is unaware that that he is a fork. Unaware that he can not taste food.

It had started after he left his biological father family. It was like some divine intervention, as soon as he leaves his abusive family to pursue his passion he starts losing his taste. The cooks on the ship were apprehensive of him. That's where he learned about 'forks' and how most are criminals. Criminals worse than pirates. Forks are people who lose their sense of taste. The only thing they can taste are people labeled 'cakes'. Most forks go crazy after losing their sense of taste and end up eating cakes. Cannibalism. The other chefs were afraid of Sanji one day cannibalizing a cake. Of course he never meet one, it helped (not said in a nice way, Sanji was forced) the little blonde never left the kitchen.

Slowly his sense of taste got worse and worse until he couldn't taste anything. Nothing had flavor. Not even his own blood. He cut himself once, curious about it. Was it just food he couldn't find flavor for? When he learned that was true he stopped the bleeding and patched the bleeding. It wasn't a large wound so it healed fast and didn't leave a scar.

Then he met Zeff. The man changed his life for the better. Not only was he not afraid of Sanji but he had knowledge others don't thanks to his time as a pirate. As long as Sanji taste a cake he'll be able to get his sense of taste back.

For a while.

He's learned it depends. Each fork and cake is different. Just because he meets a cake doesn't mean they are perfect. Some cakes he barely tastes. Some cakes are too much, as if seasoned with everything. Too salty. Too sweet. Barely any flavor. Because of this he's knows each has different lasting effects. The ones who are barely flavorful last the shortest. With women like that Sanji has to go more than a round of tasting. The overly salty and sweet ones last a little longer but not by much. None last longer than a week.

Now he had a choice. After joining Luffy crew he could have tasted Luffy. To think their captain is a cake. He had the choice but after a while he decided against it. Luffy is first of all his captain, he doesn't want to cross the line with him. Second, it's Luffy, not only is he more than aware of his captain habits the idea makes him physically sick. It may be rude but it's true. So he is keeping his label a secret. Especially when the rest of the crew are all normal.

Plus, at this point, after spending so long with the Heart Pirates their cake of a captain got taken by Law who is a fork. He thought the man didn't like bread because of the taste, turns out it's because of the texture. Especially when he can't taste anything, he hates the texture. Law had even gotten a pin for Luffy hat to mark Luffy as a taken cake. Which is a bit dangerous, as it's hard to notice 'forks' and 'cakes' unless announced. The pin is a large sign exposing their captain as a cake.

But it's Luffy and they all promised Law to protect him. An unnecessary promise. Of course they will protect him. They are nothing but a loyal crew.

Going back to Sanji predicament, he hates losing his taste. He's a chef with the knowledge of how to make something delicious, but being a damn fork is holding him back. And he knows. Sanji understands that fact more than anyone. At this point the only thing he can do now is pray that he meets his perfect cake. An idea Ivankov had told him during training.