Inbox for Recollé

[concasse]

"Sanji" Vinsmoke

Oi. Make it quick, will ya?

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

Comments

[fabrefactions]

Okay.

[ So cleaning up the workstation is second nature to him, but he's absolutely going to be longer than half an hour. Because he's going to be distracted by Her Royal Highness, Chou, demanding pets and affection.

Just check the living room, Sanji. ]

[concasse]

... Weren't we just talking about how spoiled this cat is?

[Spoken right behind Yusuke once Sanji realizes it's been 40 minutes instead of a half hour, voice amused and also pointed as he brandishes a spatula against his hip]

[fabrefactions]

[ Oh. Hello.

Once he's managed to coax Chou into his arms, he stands up, kitten and all, and turns to face Sanji and his threatening-not-at-all-domestic spatula. ]

Yes, but... she was very determined to be petted.

[ See how she purrs? She was desperate. Probably. ]

[concasse]

[He's very tempted to steal his cat back before Yusuke gets the wrong idea here, though it's hard when Chou slowly opens and closes her eyes in that way that means she's enjoying herself.

Bah.]

I'm starting to feel neglected here.

[Who the hell are you dating, Yusuke??? Him or his cat??? He's gonna eat your portion of chicken out of spite.]

[fabrefactions]

[ The truth has come out. Secretly, he’s just dating Sanji for access to his cat. His cover is blown. ]

She greeted me first, so she is getting attention first.

[ But, he does step forward close enough to press a kiss to Sanji’s lips. Chou may bat her paws against his chest in protest at being slightly trapped between the two of them but shh. She’s had her moment now. ]

[concasse]

[He'd make an amused jab about being busy in the kitchen making Yusuke his food already domesticated but the kiss is enough to shut him up. He hums, presses back for a beat, and then steps out of the way before Chou starts squirming in dissatisfaction.

He's also grinning wickedly like an asshole who got what he wanted]

Oi oi, see? Now she's jealous. You've created a monster.

[WHO IS THE TRUE MONSTER IN THIS APARTMENT, SANJI]

[fabrefactions]

[ Well at least he's now learned a way to get him to shut up. Hehehe.

And, hey. It's not like Yusuke got pushed into doing something he didn't want. Everyone's a winner. ]

To be fair to me, I have not had the long-standing influence on her that someone here has...

[ Here Sanji, take your spoiled daughter. ]

[concasse]

[Said daughter who immediately claws her way up to Sanji's shoulder, balancing with precision and then beginning to meow insistently in his ear.

His reply is in French, a soothing flow of words as he scratches under her chin until she stops with the complaints]

Yeah, but trust me when I say she loves to bother you in particular.

[Likely because Chou can get Yusuke to drop EVERYTHING to pet her and she knows it. He huffs in amusement before turning for the kitchen]

Oi, c'mon, you're not a guest anymore so help me finish up.

[fabrefactions]

[ She is a spoiled, but very clever daughter. Sanji must be proud of her. ]

I will take that as a compliment, then.

[ Oh. ]

Is that how it works, then [ Still. ] What is it you need me to do?

[concasse]

Plates and glasses first. I got most of the cooking done already.

["Most" of it, which includes the chicken pieces cooling on a plate, a humble but filling side of white rice, and what looks like a construction site of cubed salmon mixed in spices and sesame seeds. Next to that sits a bowl of diced cucumbers, avocados, and green onions, and once in the kitchen, Sanji makes a beeline for his unfinished project]

You like salmon?

[HE SURE HOPES SO because that's on the menu]

[fabrefactions]

[ He's looking at all of the food. "Most"... what is there left to do? ]

All right. Over here, yes?

[ He's already bee-lining for for the cupboard. What a good boy. ]

And yes, I like salmon. I'm assuming that's on the menu as well?

[concasse]

Yeah, recalled some recipe from my memories and thought I'd give it a try.

[Efficiency bleeds into his tone as he returns to his preparations, voice firm as he puts down the spatula and begins massaging more of the marinade into the chunks of salmon. On top of his shoulder, Chou watches with rapt interest, balanced carefully with her little head dipped for a closer look]

All that's left is slicing one more avocado and then building the plates.

[Building, he says, like he's in the middle of constructing masterpieces]

[fabrefactions]

Oh... so you didn't just remember everything at once, it's been filtering through in stages?

[ ... He's only heard of skillsets coming back mostly intact - things like languages, for example.

Well he's learned by now that cooking is a form of art in and of itself, so building doesn't sound like a strange verb to him. ]

[concasse]

[At that, Sanji's hands slow, tossing the salmon like it's a salad to make sure all the surfaces are coated. He gives a little hum]

Y'know what, I can't tell.. maybe it was always there, but I didn't know until I went looking for it.

[It's difficult to express just how massive his past life's techniques were. In that way, it is like recalling a language, except one that's utilized in very specific instances.]

In any case, thought this one would pair pretty good with the chicken. [Light vs dark in both appearance and taste.]

[fabrefactions]

Do you feel happier, the more you remember?

[ He sets the plates down at the table, half watching where he's putting them, but also watching as Sanji tosses and chops and plates. Like his hands have always known what to do. ]

I leave the taste planning up to you, but it certainly sounds delicious.

[concasse]

[That question makes him stop moving entirely.

-- But only a beat, and then he's back to it, body naturally swaying in time with the constant drum of kinetic movement. At one point, he reaches over to pluck an unmarinated piece of salmon from the bowl, held over his shoulder so Chou can nibble on it]

"Happy"... that's probably stretching it.

[Another hum. He scoots the closest plate over, patting down the middle section with a bed of rice.]

I mean, can't deny it's kinda nice having all of it shoved in my head, but... [And then a shrug coupled with a thoughtful frown. He's not upset; it's just difficult voicing how nebulous it all feels]

Oi, can you take the princess and give her another salmon bit? I don't want her falling into the plates.

[fabrefactions]

... is there a reason you shouldn't feel happy about it?

[ Oh. Well, Yusuke stops adjusting plates or whatever he was doing to pluck Chou from Sanji's shoulder. She mrowls and tries to dig her claws in, but Yusuke is quick to carefully unhook them and tuck her neatly into the crook of his arm. Leaning around Sanji to grab a morsel of salmon for Chou to nibble on. ]

And you keep trying to tell me she isn't spoiled.

[concasse]

Salmon's good for her! [A dismissive wave of his hand as he grins at Yusuke leaning around him] It's me taking an active interest in her diet.

[The wide smile settles into a muted tilt of his lips after that. As he chatters, the man plucks up a pair of chopsticks and begins slowly lining the chicken bits over the rice, creating a spiral pattern in the process.]

Well, s'not like I earned this shit. I didn't spend years working my ass off to become a chef. [Just the truth as he sees it. Once the the chicken's been placed to his liking, Sanji wipes his hands on a towel tucked into his pants before continuing to the salmon.] It's not really mine, so no point getting a big head over it.

[fabrefactions]

I see.

[ His tone of voice is heavily laced with implication he hears your bullshit, Sanji, doesn’t believe it, but will indulge it nonetheless. Chou meows as soon as she spots the fish and puts two and two together and realise she is getting a snack, quieting only when she is fed the scraps of fish from Yusuke’s hands. ]

I think it’s good to enjoy it, regardless. It would be more of a shame to not make use of what you have, and if you enjoy it then where’s the harm? Besides, I’m rather partial to your cooking now. If you stopped I would be very put out.

[ Both of these statements are the truth, tbh. ]

[concasse]

[Way to feed his ego there. His subtle smile slips back into its smirk, tempered only by the slight drum of of embarrassment in his chest. He's uh, not used to be complimented. About anything.

Emotions are weird. After clearing his throat, moving on. Around the mound of rice and chicken, he begins placing pieces of salmon until it creates a circle, and then feathers slices of avocado and cucumber between the pink cubes.]

Oi, I didn't say I was gonna give it up. It's kinda addicting. [As Yusuke can clearly see with Sanji choosing not to dump the food onto the plate, but carefully craft a more visually appealing entree.\ And I can't bake worth a shit, so... maybe I should work on that.

[fabrefactions]

[ Tough. Yusuke lays his compliments down heavy.

He watches as Sanji places the food neatly around on the plate - seeing the way he picks and chooses where to put them and the way the colour is laid out. ]

Good. You shouldn't give up on something that you enjoy. [ He tilts his head. ] Do you enjoy baking? Even if it's a struggle.

[concasse]

"Struggle" is underselling it.

[SCOFF]

You never got a chance to taste my birthday cake when me and Usopp tried to make it, did you?

[fabrefactions]

I didn't. I heard some of the commotion about it though. I take it "not great" is an understatement...?

[concasse]

Baren made me try it and I nearly died.

[This might be a dramatization...]

[fabrefactions]

That sounds a little intense.

[ Hmm. ]

It was that... [ No nice way to phrase this, really. ] ... bad?