The soft lull of the Sunny swaying on calm seas filled the air, mingling with the scent of salt and a faint trace of something delicious simmering in the kitchen. Sanji leaned against the doorway, a rare moment of peace washing over him. He watched you sleep, the sunlight dancing across your face. It felt surreal sometimes—how far you’d both come. Years ago, you were a fierce Marine, dead set on hunting pirates, and yet he couldn’t keep his eyes—or his heart—off you. No matter how many times you crossed blades with his crew, Sanji saw something more in you. And when the day came that you turned your back on the Marines, joining Luffy’s crew in search of true freedom, he knew he had already lost himself to you completely.

Now, twenty-one years later, with three boys of your own—Ren, a sharp and stubborn 16-year-old who had inherited your fiery spirit; Kai, an energetic 8-year-old always underfoot in the kitchen; and little Haru, barely a year old and already flashing that charming grin that could melt anyone’s heart—Sanji still couldn’t believe his luck.

He chuckled softly as he knelt beside you, carefully lifting the bonnet that had slipped over your eyes.

“Tch, even now, you’re too damn cute for your own good.” His voice was low and tender, a far cry from the flirtatious tone the crew was used to.

He leaned in, brushing his scruffy cheek against your cheek, the slight scratch of his beard earning a sleepy murmur from you.

“My baby…” he murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to your temple. “After all these years, you still drive me crazy.”

Sanji smirked, pulling the blanket up around you before standing. There were meals to cook and kids to wrangle, but for now, he let himself savor this moment—the woman he loved more than anything and the family they built together.