But Sanji is nothing if not willing to rise to the challenge, and after through his arm around Yusuke's shoulders, letting the man get comfortable next to him, he's got a reply.]
Yes and no.
Can't think of a wine that's supposed to taste like fish, but there are some wine pairings you wanna avoid if you're eating sashimi -- because it'll make the wine taste like it.
[Sanji has long since put his cup down on the table so he doesn't have to worry about balancing it, and it gives him ample room to just kinda... laze about in place, head rested on the top of the couch while he stares toward the ceiling, thinking.]
Lemon sherbet... oh-- right.
You ever hear of "Sgroppino"? A drink in Italy where they mix a sparkling wine with a lemon sorbet, so it's almost the same shitty thing.
... And there's a wine that tastes like cotton candy.
Heh. The cotton candy wine is actually pretty delicate-tasting. Used to be considered a "lady's drink" or some shit.
Not sure what I'd pair it with, but hey. It's not as nasty as it sounds.
[Drumming his fingers on his knee]
Think I should try making the sorbet one then? It's just a mixed drink, shouldn't be hard to pull off with the right ingredients. Might add a little bit of mint to it, too...
Ha! It's not seasonally appropriate at all; Italy prefers drinking it in summer.
[It's not a bad idea, however, and given Sanji's distaste for bobble hats (NEVER GONNA WEAR ONE), it's obvious this man is fine with a little seasonal anarchy]
... Well. Yes, I would appreciate the couch not being on fire. But there are probably other things you could spontaneously combust at in times of need.
[ The law has been laid down. Yusuke reaches out a hand to scritch the spoiled-as-heck cat's ears as he says this. They know who runs this household. ]
Honestly, I could offer up some of my cheaper drawing paper. That would be the easiest, and would probably cause the least emotional and monetary damage.
[Sanji looks surprisingly distressed about this, actually. Listen, he's too much of a newb to discern between the fancy shit and dollar tree quality, so his eyebrows scrunch as a result.]
[Sanji is only surprised he feels anything besides vague amusement at hearing Yusuke has drawn on his hand. At least his boyfriend is always on brand.]
Wait, hold it. How does that shit work? You draw on your hand and then you transfer that drawing to a better piece of paper later...?
[Seems like a lotta work, thinks the super anal chef who hates getting anything less than perfect in the kitchen.]
[How long as it been since Sanji's called him that? Probably last week if we're keeping score, but it's said with its usual fondness, followed up by Sanji leaning over and planting a kiss on the other guy's temple.
His head cranes back until it's rested against the couch again, blissful expression starting to slide towards anxiety the longer he sits in his head. Right, right...
He never did bring up that letter, did he?
What a perfect time to discuss it now, except Sanji is certain he'd rather break into hives. The continuous dilemma. He really is shit at this kind of thing]
[ If being called a nerd offended him, Yusuke would be in a state of perpetual offence honestly. So he just huffs, but enjoys the kiss as well.
Or... y'know. He'd be happy to keep enjoying that warm feeling it leaves him with if it wasn't... worryingly apparent that there's some kind of whirlwind whipping itself up in Sanji's head. So, he pokes him in the side. Gently, because he knows the drill there with how ticklish Sanji is, but it's still a little poke. ]
[So neck deep in his thoughts that he barely registers the poke. It takes Yusuke verbally prodding him for Sanji to pay attention, though even then it's with some measure of reluctance.
He knows damn well he won't let himself chicken out of this now that it's on his mind, and with such a perfect setup, too. Yusuke... deserves better.
(even if Sanji doesn't think it's him because he knows what a high maintenance commitment he is but he knows where that thought process leads so he's gonna try for once in his life to not get trapped in that negative nancy loop okay it's cool he's got this just admit it--)]
Found your letter.
[Please don't ask when he found it. The answer will not shock anyone but Sanji can only handle so much shame right now.]
I-- uh. If you wanted to... talk about it...?
[He is trying. So hard. To not jerk out of the couch like his skin is crawling.]
[ Well that's almost concerning. He's never seen Sanji not react to being poked. Enough that Yusuke twists himself around a little so that he can see Sanji's face properly.
But his concern softens into comprehension when Sanji speaks up again. Thinking about it, there are a lot of things he doesn't know about his boyfriend. It doesn't concern him too much, as everyone has a right to their own privacy, but it does mean he's seen that almost panic-loop he gets himself into about situations that require opening up and putting parts of yourself that even you are afraid of or worried about out in the open. The silence and the lack of reaction make a lot of sense, if this was the topic Sanji was trying to bring up. ]
That depends on if you want to as well. I did write it down rather than just tell you for a reason.
[ It's. Well, it's true. He's one hundred per cent certain Sanji would have bolted, even if it was only temporarily, if he'd just told him out of the blue. And maybe it had been selfish of him, but he hadn't wanted to see that happen.
Nor does he really want to see it happen now. ]
But I think I said what I wanted to say well enough.
[Lifting his head from the couch, just to gently knock it back in a slight show of irritation, letting his skull thump against the fabric]
You shouldn't have to wait months for a reply, though.
[The frustration's aimed at himself, his cowardice, that he really doesn't want to talk about this at all. It was so much easier to coast along without a second thought, let the days pass by and the months rack up. Not think too deeply about how long he'd been dating Yusuke.
He misses that naive bliss like the idiot he is.]
Shit, the fact you had to write a letter in the first place is...
[Well, it doesn't say a lot of good things about himself, is what he's getting at. Only respect for Yusuke keeps him from asking again if the artist is sure about this -- this relationship they've gotten tangled in. Because from where Sanji's looking, this is a net negative, and--
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[ That sounds like a CHALLENGE, Sanji. Yusuke leans slightly so that he's snuggled up against Sanji, with a thoughtful frown on his face. ]
Fish wine?
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But Sanji is nothing if not willing to rise to the challenge, and after through his arm around Yusuke's shoulders, letting the man get comfortable next to him, he's got a reply.]
Yes and no.
Can't think of a wine that's supposed to taste like fish, but there are some wine pairings you wanna avoid if you're eating sashimi -- because it'll make the wine taste like it.
[Trivia king]
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Oh this is cosy though. Yusuke snuggles in a bit and takes another, slightly more careful sip of his hot chocolate while he listens. ]
... Huh. So... if you pick the wrong sort of wine you could accidentally create fish wine. That sounds like a terrible accident.
[ This is fun though. ] What about... candy wine? Like lemon sherbet, or something?
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Lemon sherbet... oh-- right.
You ever hear of "Sgroppino"? A drink in Italy where they mix a sparkling wine with a lemon sorbet, so it's almost the same shitty thing.
... And there's a wine that tastes like cotton candy.
[Trivia King is on a ROLL tonight]
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...
[ Okay hold on this is so many revelations at once. ]
A lemon sorbet sparkling wine...? That sounds incredibly refreshing. I though I'd picked something that genuinely didn't exist for a moment there...
[ ... ]
That sounds far too sweet. The cotton candy wine. That actually exists?
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Not sure what I'd pair it with, but hey. It's not as nasty as it sounds.
[Drumming his fingers on his knee]
Think I should try making the sorbet one then? It's just a mixed drink, shouldn't be hard to pull off with the right ingredients. Might add a little bit of mint to it, too...
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[ World, why. ]
It sound delicious, and not especially difficult. [ He pauses, and then lifts his hot chocolate. ] Would we count is as seasonally appropriate?
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[It's not a bad idea, however, and given Sanji's distaste for bobble hats (NEVER GONNA WEAR ONE), it's obvious this man is fine with a little seasonal anarchy]
Shouldn't let that stop us, though --
... Y'know, when we're not stuck indoors.
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... You make a fair point. If we feel it's still too cold you could always just set something on fire to raise the temperature somewhat.
[ Hahahahahaha funny joke. ]
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[THE ONE THEY ARE SITTING ON.
... And actually I think there is canon art of Sanji in a beanie because Oda loves us, so, AU Sanji has no choice.]
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... Well. Yes, I would appreciate the couch not being on fire. But there are probably other things you could spontaneously combust at in times of need.
I'll figure it out.
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[omg these nerds are discussing what to set on fire first]
... Can't sacrifice Chou's bed, even if she never sleeps in it. I touch that shit and would never hear the end of it.
[Said cat -- currently curled up on Yusuke's side -- starts purring as if to say "Damn right, Dad."]
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[ The law has been laid down. Yusuke reaches out a hand to scritch the spoiled-as-heck cat's ears as he says this. They know who runs this household. ]
Honestly, I could offer up some of my cheaper drawing paper. That would be the easiest, and would probably cause the least emotional and monetary damage.
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[Sanji looks surprisingly distressed about this, actually. Listen, he's too much of a newb to discern between the fancy shit and dollar tree quality, so his eyebrows scrunch as a result.]
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[ Sanji, please. He wouldn't offer up his grade A art paper for hypothetical torching. ]
Don't worry.
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[Well in that case, he relaxes back in place, rubbing at his chin.]
Guess it wouldn't make much shitty sense to be using good paper for every sketch you do.
[He's trying to think up a cooking equivalent, in fact, which is why he lapses into silence with the same scrunched expression]
Not sure if I've got something like that with cooking -- well, guess I wouldn't decorate anything but the successes... save on supplies that way.
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[ Does this part surprise literally anyone? ]
... Maybe something like finding a cheap ingredient or something people wouldn't make the centrepiece and trying to make something incredible with it?
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[Sanji is only surprised he feels anything besides vague amusement at hearing Yusuke has drawn on his hand. At least his boyfriend is always on brand.]
Wait, hold it. How does that shit work? You draw on your hand and then you transfer that drawing to a better piece of paper later...?
[Seems like a lotta work, thinks the super anal chef who hates getting anything less than perfect in the kitchen.]
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[ This is.
This is just his life. His art life. Look at the joys you get to experience, Sanji. Art lyfe. ]
1/2
[How long as it been since Sanji's called him that? Probably last week if we're keeping score, but it's said with its usual fondness, followed up by Sanji leaning over and planting a kiss on the other guy's temple.
He really does l--]
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His head cranes back until it's rested against the couch again, blissful expression starting to slide towards anxiety the longer he sits in his head. Right, right...
He never did bring up that letter, did he?
What a perfect time to discuss it now, except Sanji is certain he'd rather break into hives. The continuous dilemma. He really is shit at this kind of thing]
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Or... y'know. He'd be happy to keep enjoying that warm feeling it leaves him with if it wasn't... worryingly apparent that there's some kind of whirlwind whipping itself up in Sanji's head. So, he pokes him in the side. Gently, because he knows the drill there with how ticklish Sanji is, but it's still a little poke. ]
Penny for your thoughts?
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He knows damn well he won't let himself chicken out of this now that it's on his mind, and with such a perfect setup, too. Yusuke... deserves better.
(even if Sanji doesn't think it's him because he knows what a high maintenance commitment he is but he knows where that thought process leads so he's gonna try for once in his life to not get trapped in that negative nancy loop okay it's cool he's got this just admit it--)]
Found your letter.
[Please don't ask when he found it. The answer will not shock anyone but Sanji can only handle so much shame right now.]
I-- uh. If you wanted to... talk about it...?
[He is trying. So hard. To not jerk out of the couch like his skin is crawling.]
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But his concern softens into comprehension when Sanji speaks up again. Thinking about it, there are a lot of things he doesn't know about his boyfriend. It doesn't concern him too much, as everyone has a right to their own privacy, but it does mean he's seen that almost panic-loop he gets himself into about situations that require opening up and putting parts of yourself that even you are afraid of or worried about out in the open. The silence and the lack of reaction make a lot of sense, if this was the topic Sanji was trying to bring up. ]
That depends on if you want to as well. I did write it down rather than just tell you for a reason.
[ It's. Well, it's true. He's one hundred per cent certain Sanji would have bolted, even if it was only temporarily, if he'd just told him out of the blue. And maybe it had been selfish of him, but he hadn't wanted to see that happen.
Nor does he really want to see it happen now. ]
But I think I said what I wanted to say well enough.
1/??
You shouldn't have to wait months for a reply, though.
[The frustration's aimed at himself, his cowardice, that he really doesn't want to talk about this at all. It was so much easier to coast along without a second thought, let the days pass by and the months rack up. Not think too deeply about how long he'd been dating Yusuke.
He misses that naive bliss like the idiot he is.]
Shit, the fact you had to write a letter in the first place is...
[Well, it doesn't say a lot of good things about himself, is what he's getting at. Only respect for Yusuke keeps him from asking again if the artist is sure about this -- this relationship they've gotten tangled in. Because from where Sanji's looking, this is a net negative, and--
... He's doing the loop again, isn't he? Ugh.]
I mean, I... appreciated the... effort?
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5/5 smh smh
10 out of 10 A+ he did his best
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