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Sanji’s restaurant in Sweet City - simply called “ Savor ” - wasn’t getting as much business as he had expected. In retrospect, he really should have expected it. The denizens of Whole Cake Island and Totto land as a whole loved their sweets, so his savory cuisine wasn’t exactly what they were used to.
Most of his clientele was made up of travelers that were too overwhelmed with sweetness and needed a palette cleanser. Tourists were few and far between, so every week he would end up bringing food home with him to serve to his family lest it go to waste. He had actually started to buy less groceries for the house because he knew that, come the end of the week, they would have enough to feed them for the coming days.
It was another slow day. Some customers came in to get one of the desserts on his menu, and he was lucky enough to serve one person actually looking for a meal. Hours ticked by with Sanji tidying up the already spotless kitchen and sweeping away at the biscuit tiles.
Cracker had built the restaurant for him with his own two hands (with help from his soldiers, of course). Being the only building supply he could readily produce, the restaurant was made almost completely from biscuits. The dining room was made large enough to hold even the biggest of the Charlotte's, but the kitchen was small enough for Sanji to work comfortably. He liked to imagine how silly Cracker must have looked trying to fit himself in such a small space.
Sanji lit up a cigarette and took a puff as he continued to sweep. The biscuits were very hard, but they produced a lot of dust that needed constant sweeping. He knew that it wasn’t exactly the best look to be smoking in the dining room. It wasn’t like anyone was in it.
He looked up at the clock to find that it was nearly seven and decided that he might as well close up shop. Just as he started to put away all of the prepared ingredients, he heard the door chime and the sound of quick footsteps. It sounded like at least two people, and they were coming quickly. There was a command post right outside of the restaurant (not a great look, but Cracker insisted), so there was no way anyone wishing harm upon Sanji made their way in. Still, he was curious to see who was barging in like that.
He exited the pantry and was bombarded by two small children clinging to each of his legs. If the purple mops of hair on their heads was any indication, these children were his.
Sanji looked around and found no Cracker in sight. He knelt down to the kids’ level and wrapped his arms around them.
“Where’s your father? Don’t tell me you two broke out of the chateau by yourselves,” Sanji interrogated them with the spirit of a true father. He always had to make sure that his kids were in line - especially with them being the rascals they were.
The kids both shook their heads. His daughter, Jammie, spoke up while her brother continued to cling to Sanji’s pant leg. “He said that he’s coming! He had to do some ‘ important business’ . He said, um, he said to ‘not get your panties in a twist’... but then he told me not to say that. Oops.”
Jammie had been shaping up to be a very smart, albeit conniving, young lady. She could lie her way out of just about anything if Sanji and Cracker hadn’t caught onto her antics early on. That being said, she was clearly learning faster than most kids her age. Sanji was almost convinced that, at only five, she could get herself from their home on Biscuit Island all the way to the chateau on her own - boat ride and all.
That wasn’t to say that Graham wasn’t smart. He was easily on the same level as Jammie, but he just didn’t talk enough to show it. He was so shy, and often stammered too much to get his thoughts out. Jammie usually finished his sentences for him, and while it warmed Sanji’s heart to see her trying to help him, he knew that it wasn’t good for Graham to be spoken for like that. It was a tough habit to break. Jammie was very fast-paced and didn’t want to waste her time watching her brother fumble over his words. Sanji had been trying to teach her to slow down and let her brother speak for himself, and thankfully she was starting to catch on.
One could imagine Sanji’s surprise when Cracker had told him that Graham reminded him of himself at his age. Sanji had always assumed that someone as headstrong as Cracker related more to their witty, outspoken daughter, but clearly Sanji had the wrong idea. It made a little more sense why Cracker looked so awkward in old family photos. In Cracker’s own words: “It took a lot of victories to grow the confidence I have. I’m not delusional!” (he is absolutely a little delusional.)
“How was school?” Sanji asked as he stood up and retreated back to the kitchen. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to have dinner in the restaurant tonight. The children followed close behind.
“Good,” Graham’s meek voice came from behind Sanji.
“Good!” Jammie practically shouted over him. “We read stories!”
Graham waited until Jammie finished to add his own thoughts. “We read about, um, a d-dragon, and he,” He stumbled over his own words a bit. Jammie was clearly getting impatient, but she followed instructions and stayed quiet until he was finished speaking. “He saved an island. It was really cool.”
“Yeah! It was cool!” Jammie agreed excitedly.
The door slammed open then, catching Sanji’s attention along with the two little ones. The children ran to the end of the kitchen to peer around the wall at the door. Sanji, on the other hand, was tall enough to look over the counter.
It was like an army. No, a horde - a mob flooded his dining room. Leading the group of brightly-colored characters was none other than Cracker himself. There were quite a few faces that Sanji recognized from the Charlotte family along with others that, while he didn’t recognize them, were clearly members of the family as well.
“Oh, were you closed?” Cracker asked sarcastically with a smug grin on his face.
Sanji was absolutely shocked. It wouldn’t surprise him if this was the entirety of the Charlotte’s - if not more. He peered past them to find that the exterior of his restaurant had been completely altered. What was once an empty patio was now filled with extra tables and candy lights to illuminate the night sky. Those bastards - using his own children as a distraction!
A feeling of pure joy flooded Sanji’s entire being. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he was able to feed this many people. To most, it was a hassle. To Sanji, it was the greatest pleasure.
The Charlotte’s each found a seat with their cliques and favorite siblings. Cracker tried to sneak away and sit with his fellow commanders, but Sanji was quick to drag him into the kitchen.
“You are on serving duty,” Sanji asserted. Cracker furrowed his brows and crossed his arms.
“And why am I being volunteered? At least recruit one of my less important siblings to do your dirty work!” Cracker visibly pouted.
“They are our guests. Now, when I give you a plate, you serve it,” Sanji remained firm. He looked out into the dining room with a smile, taking a moment to appreciate the scene before him. In-laws of various sizes and shapes all laughed and enjoyed one another’s company while the younger Charlotte’s ran around and played without a care in the world.
Suddenly Cracker was right behind him, putting his head on Sanji’s shoulder. “It took a lot of convincing to get Katakuri to come. I may like you a little bit, but if you so much as grimace at the sight of his face, I will still kill you - if he doesn’t first,” Cracker warned. He might have sounded like he was joking, but Sanji knew how he was with his family.
Still, the joke was writing itself. “I have to look at you everyday. Nothing could possibly be worse than that,” Sanji turned to Cracker with a mischievous grin and pressed a kiss to his cheek. The other man glared at him for a moment, but he couldn’t deny that he found it a little amusing. Cracker snorted and returned Sanji’s kiss with one to his lips.
“Love you too,” Cracker stood back up and gathered all of the glasses they had.
Sanji helped Cracker bring out glasses and pitchers of water for the tables. Smoothie brought along a collection of fruit, sweets, and a small deer, so they had her ability as well. It turned out that they were short on cups, but Perospero was happy to make more out of candy. Having so many Devil Fruit users in one place was turning out to be really useful.
Sanji whipped up his favorite chicken stir fry because he had enough ingredients to make it in bulk. He had some big bodies to feed, and that wasn’t even mentioning the quantity of bodies.
As quick as ever, Sanji had plates flying out of the kitchen at an impressive speed. The children got visibly excited as Cracker weaved his way through the dining room with armfuls of plates and sat pretty at their designated table.
“Three more,” Cracker reported as he came back into the kitchen. Sanji assumed that it wasn’t including either of them, so he prepared five servings and got ready to finish with a bang.
Sanji couldn’t remember the last time he sweated like this. He imagined it had been several years at least. The burn in his muscles and the heat in his face were sensations he missed greatly. It reminded him of dinner services on the Baratie. It reminded him of feeding towns full of people that the Strawhats saved. It reminded him of trying to fill the bottomless pit that was Luffy’s stomach. It reminded him of such wonderful memories where he was able to help people in the way he knew best, and he couldn’t help but feel like tonight would be added to that album in his mind.
The last three Charlotte’s were fed, and at long last Sanji and Cracker were able to take their seats. Cracker carried both of their plates while Sanji put away the sharps and cut off the stove. He washed his hands and pulled his sleeves back down to his wrists. He grabbed his coat, slipping it back on as he left the kitchen to join his family in the dining room.
The room erupted in applause the moment Sanji appeared in the doorway. He was taken aback by the sudden burst in noise, but once he realized what was happening he broke out in the biggest grin. A laugh bubbled out of him as he took a dramatic bow for his adoring fans. The cheering died down gradually, and finally Sanji felt like he could go to his seat.
The commanders all sat at the same table, so Sanji could see Katakuri. The man was clearly uncomfortable. His eyes shifted cautiously from person to person as he ate. All of Linlin’s children seemed to be more open now that she was gone, but clearly Katakuri still wasn’t the most confident in his appearance.
Sanji would never understand Katakuri’s insecurity. He was really handsome. Hell, all of the Charlotte’s had some charm in their own way. He could only guess just how much their mother brought them down. If it was anything like how his family treated him, Sanji was glad that she was gone.
Of course, Cracker was the most handsome. The way his eyes lit up when his siblings, Sanji, or their children were around. His genuine smiles. His laugh. The immaculate body he worked so hard to get back into shape. The hands that held him so gently on late nights when Sanji was riddled with nightmares. The way he looked at Sanji when he was feeling particularly sensitive and loving. Everything about him had quickly become the epitome of beauty in Sanji’s eyes.
Cracker, much like his family, had his flaws. So did Sanji. But, despite these flaws, Sanji was proud to say that he was a Charlotte. He had come to love them all - right down to the most arrogant and psychopathic. They may have been a bit on the insane side, but above all else they loved one another. They were the truest definition of a family - something Sanji had always longed for.
All Sanji ever wanted was to be included, appreciated, and loved. He had that now, and for that he was eternally grateful.