Night Sky closed her eyes and basked on the warmth of his hand; the tender brush of his thumb. Her fingers remained curled lightly around his, unwilling - or perhaps even unable in her instinctive desperation and need for the touch of another - to release him until he made any indication he wanted to pull back.
"You're a good man... for a pirate." A tease, her eyes fluttering open again as the blush upon her cheeks only darkened; freckled skin warm under his palm. "You shouldn't tease me like that, Sanji. Because I would give anything to have your arms around me right now." But he shouldn't, right? Her expression faltered slightly, voice lowered to a whisper. "I don't want to hurt you."
He won't move his hand so long as she's occupied with holding it. What kind of monster would he be if he deprived a beautiful young woman of his comfort? She teases, perhaps, but there is truth to it. The Straw Hats are a good crew full of good people.
"I would argue that I am a cook first and a pirate second." Turning his hand so he may capture hers in his grasp, he moves with ease around the table to stand behind her. Sanji only lets go so he can wrap his arms around her shoulders, speaking lowly next to her ear. There's no question to him what the right course of action is.
"Well my point still stands. Although 'you're a good man, for a cook' really doesn't have the same oomph to it." She was laughing when he grasped her hand, the sound petering off as she watched him, curious and a little alarmed. He wasn't serious - he couldn't be.
But he was, apparently. She was tense in his embrace at first, fearful she might infect him just by existing at such a close proximity. She tried to think logically even as her mind was racing and her heart was hammering in her chest - him and the entire crew would have already contracted her disease if they could. She had been around them long enough. Coughed enough to spread it but no one seemed even remotely sick, and especially not Sanji, the man who had been the closest.
"Sanji..." she murmured, the tension ebbing so she could lean back into him, hands raised to grip his arms. "You're out of your mind." She chuckled softly. "But please, gods, don't let go."
Sanji's never been one to shy away from a challenge. While there's nothing tangible to fight as a deadly disease ravages Night Sky's body, he can still fight to ensure she feels loved and wanted. Her illness isn't what defines her and no one deserves to be alone when all they should be receiving is comfort. Even if it's the last thing he ever does, it will have been worth it- but he doesn't plan on dying before he's found the All Blue.
She has nothing to worry about.
"I've heard that one before, tell me something I don't know." He rests his chin on the top of her head after planting a kiss in her hair, arms squeezing a bit more firmly. "I won't, but you should eat."
"Okay." She probably couldn't eat much more, even if it was absolutely incredible. Night Sky's appetite had been all but suppressed for years, and she was small enough that the amount she had eaten was already making her feel full. But Sanji had put a lot of effort and heart into the meal, and she'd be damned if that sweet man's efforts went to waste.
She kept one hand on his arm, squeezing and kneading every once in a while. The weight of him against her was a comfort she hadn't experienced in a long, long time, and it was damn near rivaling the comfort she felt from the meal he had made. "You're going to have to carry me out of here, I think. I haven't eaten this much in years." But the soft hums of approval while she chewed probably suggested that was not a complaint. And when all was said and done, most of the food was gone.
It's okay if she can't, nothing goes to waste on board and it gives him a good idea of what portions she'll be able to handle when he makes everyone different meals during feasts. He enjoys putting effort in and making everything beautiful. Food is supposed to make a person feel things, and it starts with the presentation.
Sanji keeps himself in place, arms draped around her as she finishes. He hums, releasing her as she finishes, moving to clear her plate and bowl away. "I think I can manage that. I'm really glad you were able to get your fill, it means a lot to me that you're well-fed. Can I get you anything else?"
Night Sky sighed as he released her, leaning back in her seat to assure she was not in his way. She was tempted to offer to help - but Sanji seemed the type to insist against it. "Food-wise? No, I think I'm good." She said, "but if you're offering anything besides that... I might have a few suggestions." A dangerous game to be playing, but his insistence that she could not harm him may have made her just a little bolder.
He puts the used dishes in the sink, and he makes moves to wash them until she says that. Sanji stops, turning to look at her, eyebrow arched. The smile on his face betrays the skepticism he was trying to project as he strides back over to her. He sits on the edge of the table in front of her, leaning in.
"I did say anything, didn't I?" He reaches out to tilt her chin up, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.
She almost rescinded her offer with that initial look, uncertain how far the line was and if she had accidentally crossed it. But then he was there, warm fingers under her chin; warmer lips on hers. Night Sky hummed softly and lifted her arms up to wrap around his neck, hesitating for a split second before she pressed a little harder into the kiss.
The arms around his neck are the consent he needs to wrap a steadying arm around her waist, pulling her closer. The hand at her chin slides to the side of her face, his fingers gently tangling in her hair. She smells of earth and flowers, like the scent of soap. Sanji's tongue licks at her bottom lip, a silent plea to deepen the kiss.
There are plenty of better places they could be doing this, not wanting her to be uncomfortable, but the galley makes all the sense in the world right now.
Night Sky wondered how upset he might be if she disturbed his workstation; if there was some secret chef code not to make out with a woman on top of where they prepped the food. Oh well. If it was an issue, he could adjust her - she was light and his grip was strong enough she had no doubt of that. So while parting her lips and allowing him as much access as he desired, she shifted to lift her butt out of her seat and plant it instead on the top of the counter, raising her so she was more level with Sanji and he wouldn't have to bow down to meet her while she slipped her own tongue into his mouth.
Nobody else gets to make out on his workstation, that is his solitary right as the chef- and as long as everything is sanitized, it's fine. He hums into the kiss, tongue sliding against hers in the hungry press of their lips. She's sitting next to him, but it's not enough. Scooting a bit further back on the table and, as gently as he can, hauls her onto his lap. He keeps a hand at her waist for a bit of extra stability.
When he does pull away, it's only so he can give her a moment to catch her breath if she needs it. He doesn't go far, resting his forehead against hers.
There were no objections on her end as she happily and eagerly shifted to settle into his lap, hands cupping his cheeks or carding through his hair. Her lungs (useless things that they were these days) were already burning, but she did not break away until Sanji did. Even then, with their foreheads pressed together, she stole little kisses with careful tilts of her head. "Gods." She murmured, tongue sliding over her teeth. "Dessert tastes just as good as dinner did." Not that she could taste much at all, but that was not the point. "You sure you want to mess up your kitchen?"
He will have anyone's head that decides to come into the galley right now, it's decided. He meets those achingly tender kisses with his own, rubbing gentle circles on her back.
"Heh. I don't know about that, but I'm happy to serve." If he's been smoking a bit more recently, it's only because he's stressed about how fucked Night Sky's situation is. It makes him angry that such a wonderful person is stuck with something so rotten. "You won't hear any complaints from me." Sanji pulls away to better look her in the eye, his brow furrowed with concern. "Unless you'd like somewhere a bit more comfortable?"
"No." She said quicky. Even if she did want to move somewhere more suitable for what they were going to do, she didn't want to be away from him for even a second to do so. "This is perfect." She smiled, stole another kiss, and hooked her finger into the loop of his tie, tugging to loosen it. When she spoke again, her voice was low. "I've wanted you since we met, you know. I didn't think I'd actually get the chance..."
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"You're a good man... for a pirate." A tease, her eyes fluttering open again as the blush upon her cheeks only darkened; freckled skin warm under his palm. "You shouldn't tease me like that, Sanji. Because I would give anything to have your arms around me right now." But he shouldn't, right? Her expression faltered slightly, voice lowered to a whisper. "I don't want to hurt you."
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"I would argue that I am a cook first and a pirate second." Turning his hand so he may capture hers in his grasp, he moves with ease around the table to stand behind her. Sanji only lets go so he can wrap his arms around her shoulders, speaking lowly next to her ear. There's no question to him what the right course of action is.
"You don't have the ability to hurt me."
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But he was, apparently. She was tense in his embrace at first, fearful she might infect him just by existing at such a close proximity. She tried to think logically even as her mind was racing and her heart was hammering in her chest - him and the entire crew would have already contracted her disease if they could. She had been around them long enough. Coughed enough to spread it but no one seemed even remotely sick, and especially not Sanji, the man who had been the closest.
"Sanji..." she murmured, the tension ebbing so she could lean back into him, hands raised to grip his arms. "You're out of your mind." She chuckled softly. "But please, gods, don't let go."
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She has nothing to worry about.
"I've heard that one before, tell me something I don't know." He rests his chin on the top of her head after planting a kiss in her hair, arms squeezing a bit more firmly. "I won't, but you should eat."
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She kept one hand on his arm, squeezing and kneading every once in a while. The weight of him against her was a comfort she hadn't experienced in a long, long time, and it was damn near rivaling the comfort she felt from the meal he had made. "You're going to have to carry me out of here, I think. I haven't eaten this much in years." But the soft hums of approval while she chewed probably suggested that was not a complaint. And when all was said and done, most of the food was gone.
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Sanji keeps himself in place, arms draped around her as she finishes. He hums, releasing her as she finishes, moving to clear her plate and bowl away. "I think I can manage that. I'm really glad you were able to get your fill, it means a lot to me that you're well-fed. Can I get you anything else?"
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Besides, you won't know if you don't ask, right?
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"I did say anything, didn't I?" He reaches out to tilt her chin up, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.
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There are plenty of better places they could be doing this, not wanting her to be uncomfortable, but the galley makes all the sense in the world right now.
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When he does pull away, it's only so he can give her a moment to catch her breath if she needs it. He doesn't go far, resting his forehead against hers.
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"Heh. I don't know about that, but I'm happy to serve." If he's been smoking a bit more recently, it's only because he's stressed about how fucked Night Sky's situation is. It makes him angry that such a wonderful person is stuck with something so rotten. "You won't hear any complaints from me." Sanji pulls away to better look her in the eye, his brow furrowed with concern. "Unless you'd like somewhere a bit more comfortable?"
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