You never understood when he got so clingy.

All the pirate captains you’ve met were very coarse and loud. You grew up with the mentality that all captains of pirate crews were meant to be respected. Revered by his crew as a pinnacle of what a true pirate should look like. Commanders of power and fear.

Growing up, you were made to fear those captains. Everyone drilled this mindset into your head since day one. You didn’t want to cross paths with them, and if you did, you were much better off keeping your head down and walking. A pirate captain was someone meant to be feared and revered, in their own unique ways.

But Luffy? Nah, he didn’t follow those principles.

He was funny. Kind. A captain who actually cared about his crew. Someone who actually pursued and fought for himself and his crew instead of controlling them like mindless puppets.

He fully understood that his crew had minds of their own. Hopes. Dreams — as did he.

Luffy was dead set on becoming King of the Pirates. Who wouldn't want to be revered as the man who conquered all the world has to offer? He made a promise, after all.

Embarking on sea actually wasn’t all that uncommon these days. Before Gol D. Roger's death, no one really went out to sea unless it was necessary. They didn’t want to get involved in that type of life.

However, after he left his last words to simmer in Loguetown, people started to change their minds about piracy, immediately setting sail to get their greedy hands on that treasure he promised to the first person able to find it.

As Luffy's crew accumulated over multiple adventures and hardships, he realized that he didn’t just want the treasure that was promised to him as a pirate.

He wanted friends to share that victory with.

His crew didn’t just make a great team, but they made up Luffy's pirate life as a whole. Not only did they make Luffy who he was, but he made them who they were as well. They helped eachother in ways other divided pirate crews never could.

What the Straw Hats had could not be explained in sentences. It was unfathomable — unimaginably complicated.

As you joined along, his resolve only solidified further. Yet, it was different. The gazes that lingered a bit too long, the dinners that he’d always sit next to you in, even the times he made those goofy faces with his devil fruit just to make you laugh.

It hardened into something else.

Protectiveness.

Even though you two weren’t official, he made quite the change in his demeanor whenever you were around. Go around someone else and they get too close, he’d pull you in like the flying monkey he is and refuse to let go until you both returned to the Sunny.

Nights with the Straw Hats were never boring. After another dinner on sea, everyone gave in their dishes to the sink, plates stacked upon plates like they were playing a game of Tetris.

You saw the exuberance in Sanji's eyes when his eyes landed on the empty plates — not because he particularly enjoyed cleaning them, but because he knew everyone enjoyed the food he made.

He was simply wiping the counter as you eyed the stacked dishes, your eyes lighting up with an idea that probably wouldn’t work out in the best interest of your captain.

Standing up, you offered to help Sanji with the cleanup, seeing the slight look of fatigue in his eyes. It melted away the moment you approached him. He happily said yes, and now he had a bit of pep in his step. You could hear him gently humming to himself as he dusted the cabinets and locked the fridge door.

Luffy came in, looking for water, his knees buckling as his eyes locked on the two of you, cleaning up together, in the kitchen. Alone.

He was practically shooting daggers at Sanji, catching the loverman giving you puppy dog eyes whenever you weren’t looking.

"Seriously, thanks for all your help." He said with a soft chuckle, trying to keep his cool demeanor around you.

"It means more than you think."

"Not fair!" He whined under his breath as he watched you wash the dishes without another care in the world.

"They were mine first, you.."

He grumbled.