I was chatting with Nami and Robin, the only two girls, in the tavern about random little things. I kept catching Sanji staring at me and the smoke coming out of his cigarette would form a heart when we made eye contact. I would always blush until finally I couldn't take it.

"Uhm, Nami?" I nervously ask while my face burns up again.

"Yes Nobara?" She inquired in a slightly worried tone. By this time, a few days after I had met them, I had already told them about my backstory and my old life. I guess they kind of took pity on me...

"About Sanji...?" I said while nodding in his direction. He was arguing with Zolo about something petty probably.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. She cupped her chin in her hand and looked at me with a small smile.

"He swoons over every girl he sees. It's really all a matter of whether or not they give him the reaction he wants..." She leaned forward and folded her arms under her for support and stood on her knees in the chair. "And quite honestly, every single girl has turned him down. I don't blame them, he is..." she turned around and looked at him stomping off towrd the exit. "... a bit childish and immature."

I smiled and looked after him. Nami and Robin saw me smiling and gave me sly smiles and narrowed their eyes.

"Ooh! Does someone have a crush?" Nami asked while poking me. I giggled and blushed.

"And what if I do?" I said while smiling and becoming flustered. Robin smiled and chuckled and lifted her cup to her lips. I excused myself and walked outside. I pulled down the edge of my slightly frayed lime green tanktop and walked over to Sanji. He seemed a bit angry after his feud with Zolo, but it was a well-known fact that they didn't get along very well. I walked up to him and hesitated. Maybe I shouldn't have come... He might  seriously be angry and I didn't want him to blow up at me...

"Oh, hey there Nobara." He said slightly irritated. I didn't move foreward and must have made a face, because he walked towards me. His curly eyebrows turned up at a sad angle and he hugged me. I could feel my face become a cherry while his arms wrapped around my neck. He brought his mouth close to my ear and whispered, "I'm sorry Nobara... I just... I'm not in the best of moods." I hugged him back and the smell of him assailed my nostrils. He smelled like cigarette smoke, some really good food cooking, and cologne. He broke away from the hug and looked at me shyly with a smile. I giggled and then grew serious.

"Sanji..." I said. I knew this would sound weird, and there was a small gap between our ages... I was only 17 and he was almost 20. I kept having nightmares and I couldn't deal with it anymore... He looked at me concerned and leaned against the wall.

"Are you okay Nobara?" He asked, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. I wringed my hands together and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Sanji, I keep having nightmares and..." I threw myself into his arms and sobbed into his chest.

"Sanji I can't sleep alone! Can I please sleep with you tonight?" I asked while looking up at him, my light pink eyes spilling over with tears, wetting his suit. The eye that was showing widened and he blushed a bit. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, ok I gues..." He said while shrugging. I smiled but continued hugging him.

I didn't ever want to go.

I didn't ever want this moment to end.