Spending time on maintenance with Franky had been rewarding in its own way, not to mention the satisfying bath and meal you'd gotten afterwards.

The rest of the week had gone at a slightly more relaxed pace with you helping different members of the crew with their particular jobs.

According to Robin, things had been very calm lately and the gang activity that you'd been used to before wasn't exactly necessary at the moment. There were no fights for territory, no moving stashes or "products" and in fact, everything you'd been doing seemed almost legal. You were sure things like Franky's cannons or the plethora of explosives Usopp kept handy were really the only exceptions.

So after working with Franky, you'd moved on to helping Chopper the next day. He'd wanted another look at the scratch on your collar even though it was healing up just fine. But then again, you'd remembered how particular he'd been in the past. The little reindeer worried often over those he cared about. From there you'd offered a hand in neatening up his office after he'd muttered something about it being a mess. That eventually moved on to him mixing up his many strange remedies while you listened to him explain each one's use. He had some kind of cure or healing salve for just about anything you could think of.

The next day was spent with Nami and Robin. They wanted to clean up the second floor and the extra set of hands was very welcome. The three of you had it done before noon and had plenty of time to lounge around, reading books and sunbathing outside.

On top of all that, they must have noted your lack of clothes and made a big deal of wanting to clean out their closets, claiming they hadn't done it in a while and there were plenty of things they didn't wear anymore. Of course they made it very obvious that you were welcome to take whatever caught your eye.

They were anything but subtle but at the same time, you were in desperate need of more clothing options. It still took some reassurance from them before you were willing to pick through what they didn't want and find things that could fit.

When it got late out, you found the courage to ask Nami to show you how the telescope worked and she gushed over the many constellations, directing you on where they were and how to pick them out among the countless stars. You enjoyed that especially, having never seen something like it outside of pictures.

After that, it seemed like it was Usopp's turn. Lining the back of the building, the part that faced the docks, was a line of large planters full of all kinds of greenery. He was known for his green thumb and about half of what he was able to grow went straight to Chopper. The rest he used himself for making pellets to shoot with his slingshot, each kind having a worse effect than the last on any unfortunate soul to be hit.

And (un)lucky for you, Usopp wanted someone to give him a hand in maintaining the plants for the day. Even touching some of them with your bare hands could leave nasty rashes so after some of the other members of the crew volunteered you for the job, you found yourself in the garden space with a borrowed long sleeve shirt from Nami and gloves that went clear up to your elbows. It took the better half of the day to prune some back, remove others to be replanted somewhere else, and harvest leaves, roots, and seeds.

But at least Usopp was a good teacher. With his guidance, you both finished the job without any issues and he was very happy with the haul. It wasn't long after that he hid himself away in his workshop to work with the newly collected ingredients. Sometimes it seemed like he wasn't quite sure if he completely trusted or even wanted to spend a lot of time with you. You couldn't blame him after you "borrowed" the car. Apparently he was very fond of it.

And then before you knew it, it was your fifth day back in the city that you used to call home. It was beginning to feel inviting again, little by little. You hadn't gone out much, but the short amounts of time you were outside, on the beach or digging through the garden, went rather well. Some people passing by would occasionally get a knowing glint in their eyes, remembering the destructive force that was the Kid gang's fiery dragon. It made you uncomfortable knowing you were still recognizable, even without shifting forms, but at the same time you were glad the vast majority of the citizens knew nothing. Your time away had definitely done some kind of good.

That gave you enough confidence to finally agree to joining Sanji on the much needed grocery trip. He'd been putting it off the entire time you were around in hopes of talking you into going with him and you decided it was time to do it, if only to ensure the fridge was restocked. Luffy, like always, still ate insane amounts of food and you were honestly impressed with how long the stores lasted. But now Sanji was scraping by with what was left.

He'd spent the morning flashing bright smiles at you and clasping your hands in his as he assured you it'd be a fun filled day out in the heart of town. The shouts of glee he let out when you gave in and said you'd go were apparently annoying enough that you could hear Zoro groaning from upstairs.

Like always, everyone else wandered off for the day to focus on their own tasks, leaving Sanji to excitedly tug you around by the hand, too happy with having your company to care about the noisy complaints Zoro was beginning to voice. Sanji led you out to the car, oblivious to your discomfort from the touch as he juggled keys and shopping bags in his other arm.

In the past few days, you'd been constantly reminded how touchy the Strawhats could be at times and it was taking a lot of effort to balance asking for space when you wanted it and allowing them to express themselves a little more physically. It was mostly just hugs and passing touches but still, you weren't sure how to feel about it all yet.

"You're going to love this market Doll, it's really amazing and the selection is unbelievable!" Sanji released you with a quick sheepish smile. The crew was adjusting to you just as much as you were to them.

"I dunno." You shrugged as you walked around to the passenger side and plopped into the seat with a sigh. "I'm no fancy cook so all grocery stores are the same to me."

"It's not a store." He chuckled, getting behind the wheel and pulling out of the garage. "It's like a year round farmer's market. It's still chilly now so there's not much for local produce but there's plenty of meats, preserves, and lots of other good stuff."

"I've never gone to one of those......"

Sanji tapped a single finger against the steering wheel thoughtfully before he slowly responded. "I know Killer liked to cook a lot too....he didn't take you to places like that?"

"No."

It'd snowed over night and a light dusting of white powder covered most of the buildings and scarce trees. Black slush lined the sides of the roads and every time a vehicle got a little too close to the curb, some of it would spray along the sidewalk. Dreary days like this reminded you that even though the weather here was impossible to track, it was still technically winter.

"No, we didn't go on many dates, there was always too much work to do." You added.

"Oh....." Sanji trailed off and though you were looking out the window, you could feel his eyes shift over to you often as he tried to find something better to say.

The Kid gang was really a touchy subject for everyone and Sanji let the uncomfortable silence linger until, eventually, it settled. It stretched on the rest of the car ride with you watching the city fly by as you got closer to your destination. And when you reached it, you were surprised to see Sanji had literally taken you to the heart of the city.

There was a particular street that was very popular around here, you remembered that much. It was full of businesses, most of them local, and each one considerably more different than the last. It was an area you didn't frequent often despite it's charming storefronts and welcoming atmosphere. The prices were always too high.

Today, it was even more busy than usual.

The actual section of road was blocked off and you could see the locals walking along it, perusing stalls that normally weren't there while they shivered and hugged their jackets close to fend off the biting cold. It was decently warm a few days ago but once again, the weather here was ridiculously hard to track.

Sanji chose to search for a parking spot a block away and you were sure it was because anything closer was already taken up. The market seemed packed after all. As soon as he'd parked, he gave you a chipper smile and reached into the backseats for a pile of shopping bags you hadn't noticed before.

"Are we getting a lot?" You asked curiously.

"Well you know how Luffy eats." He answered with a shrug.

As soon as you both got out, he had the bags nestled firmly under his arm and was pulling a cigarette out from his coat pocket. You appreciated him waiting until you were out of the car for that.

A light breeze blew the frosty air in your direction and you shivered. You'd just left the warm car and that doubled with your devil fruit made the chill bite all the deeper.

"We can make this quick." Sanji said, also noting the cold. "I'm sure you don't want to stay out here longer than necessary."

You shook your head. "It's fine, I'll adjust in a bit."

Besides the plethora of "new" clothes the girls had given to you, you also had the boots and jacket Zoro had bought so you were very well dressed for the weather. It was just your devil fruit that seemed to make the cold worse than what it really was. Like always.

"Well if you decide you're ready to go home at any point, just say so."

You both started on your way to the market, Sanji's cigarette now lit and burning brightly. It didn't take him long to feel the need to fill the silence this time.

"So how's it been for you so far? Being back here."

"It's been..... bittersweet." You answered truthfully.

It was strange, you'd only been back for a few days yet you could feel your initial hesitance melting away around the gang. They were friendly as always and unbelievably patient, even when you fell back into your usual untrusting ways.

"How so? If I may ask."

"I was scared people would recognize the dragon, especially with all the chaos I created before, but no one seems to remember my face or care." Even as you passed people on the streets, the only stares you received were out of curiosity for your looks. The mismatched eyes always earned stares. "It's been nice to have people not be so scared and you guys have been nice too."

"Those are all good things." He nodded encouragingly as you both rounded a corner. The sounds of the market were getting louder and you could smell the different kinds of foods that were most likely being prepared by street vendors.

"But there's parts of town that I don't like going through. They remind me of Kid's gang or Delilah and all the things I messed up."

"You know....." Sanji paused to take a final drag from his cigarette, bend down to douse the end in a pile of snow, and flick it into a nearby trashcan. "I heard a lot about Delilah. The fair ladies of our gang have shared some things and I remember you bringing her up once in a while in past conversations. She sounded like a great person."

"She was."

"But you shouldn't have to feel so bad about her being gone. As for the Kid gang, they're long gone from here so you shouldn't worry yourself over them. Stay with us and they'll be nothing but a distant memory in no time."

"You say that but I've been away from them for about a year now. And I hate to say it but they're hard to forget." You let out a tense chuckle. Any time you thought about them, all you could see was Kid's snarling face and Killer's inviting smile. And it still hurt.

"They do leave an impression." Sanji sighed. "But hey, the past is the past. We all make our fair share of mistakes and it's our job to learn from them and grow at our own paces."

You couldn't help but smile. Sanji was the very definition of a man whore but that didn't mean he lacked his more honest and heartfelt moments. You could actually see yourself enjoying his company more if he was like this more often.

"I suppose...."

"Now." He lightly placed a hand against your shoulder blade, steering you towards the first stalls that were in sight. "Let's forget about all that and do some shopping. Don't be afraid to speak up if you see something you like."

For your first trip to a strangely timed market, you enjoyed yourself. The crowds weren't all that great but it was fun listening to Sanji excitedly tell you about all the different things he could make with the many cuts of meat he came across or other foodstuff that caught his eye. You found yourself falling into the casual conversation easily and when he was brave enough to ask if you'd like to help with making dinner that night, you actually agreed.

The many bags he brought proved to almost not be enough as he'd filled them all to the brim and when you offered to carry part of the load, he refused adamantly. Typical.

By the time your shopping trip was finished, you were most definitely in high spirits and even looking forward to whatever the next day would bring.