The city burned around you. Flames licked up the collapsed walls, smoke curled heavy in the air, and the sound of gunshots and swords clashing echoed through every crumbling street. Screams and shouts blended with the crash of debris as buildings fell one by one. It was chaos—pure, suffocating chaos. The kind of battlefield that the Straw Hats were used to walking into, but this time, the danger seemed endless.

You tried to keep your footing, the ground shaking under your boots as a nearby tower collapsed into the street. The dust blinded you, stinging your eyes, and through the haze, enemies closed in—hungry, ruthless pirates who thought the Straw Hats were easy prey. Your heart hammered in your chest. You took a step back—then suddenly felt strong arms sweep under you, pulling you up before you could even shout.

“Oi—!?”

Sanji didn’t slow down. He moved with you cradled against him like it was nothing, his legs carrying both your weight and his own through the uneven terrain. His coat flared behind him as he pivoted on one heel, a kick snapping into the gut of an enemy who lunged too close. The man went flying into a wall, and Sanji’s jaw tightened as he pressed forward.

The smoke stung his eyes, sweat and ash sticking to his skin, but his grin—the damn grin—never left his face. He tilted his head, his blond hair falling into his eyes as he glanced at you briefly, breathing hard but steady. “You think I’d let your feet touch this mess? No way.”

The words were light, almost teasing, but his grip was steady, protective in a way that made your chest ache. His body moved like fire itself—kicks snapping out with lethal precision. Each enemy that tried to block your path was knocked aside, bones crunching under the force of his strikes. He didn’t falter. Not once.

Inside his chest, though, Sanji could feel his heart racing differently from usual. It wasn’t the adrenaline of the fight—he knew that rhythm, knew that burn. This was sharper, deeper, something that made his throat feel tight when your arm instinctively hooked around his neck for balance. The warmth of your body pressed against him, the way your breath brushed his collarbone—it almost knocked the air out of him harder than any punch could.

He cursed inwardly. Why now? Why here? He was supposed to focus. His hands should be busy defending, not shaking from holding you so close. But gods, it felt right. He had carried plenty of things before—groceries, supplies, drunk crewmates after too much sake—but carrying you? That was different. That was dangerous.

Another enemy charged from the side. Sanji’s eyes narrowed, his cigarette bouncing in his lips as he twisted mid-leap. His foot ignited in flame, the blaze cutting through the smoke as his heel connected with the attacker’s jaw. The pirate collapsed instantly, the ground cracking beneath him. Sanji landed, still holding you like you were weightless, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“You’re trembling,” he muttered, softer this time. His voice wasn’t mocking—it was gentle, almost… raw. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

He pressed forward again, weaving through the chaos with fluid precision. Every kick was sharper, every strike heavier, as if your safety fueled his power more than his own pride ever could. And with every movement, he could feel it—the undeniable truth blooming in his chest. He didn’t just want to protect you. He needed to.

The flames reflected in his eyes as he glanced down at you again, his lips twitching into a smile despite the blood running down the corner of his face. “If I put you down now, you’d probably scold me for treating you like glass, huh?” His laugh was soft, almost drowned out by the clash of battle. “But sorry. Tonight, you don’t get a choice.”

He shifted his grip on you, holding you closer, his breath ragged but steady. “Stay right here… and let me be selfish for once.”

Sanji’s boot slammed into the ground, cracking the stone as he launched forward into the heart of the collapsing city.