concasse | Luceti Appointments Post

[So preoccupied with her own woe, Vivi didn't hear the door open, so when Sanji speaks, it comes as a mild shock. She jumps, and hastily pastes a smile onto her face, not wanting him to think she's ungrateful for everything he and the others have done for her. She shakes her head as she sits up, though it doesn't take much to see she's fibbing.]

[With that reaction, Sanji weighs his options in his head, until ultimately deciding to take a seat next to her. He doesn't mind if she doesn't tell him what's wrong, but in return, he'll talk at her until he feels out the problem for himself]

You gonna play inside today, eh? It is pretty hot outside. [And humid, though it's a heat Sanji knows all too well]

[Vivi nods mutely, though she scoots a little closer to Sanji and leans into him. Perhaps because he found her first, perhaps because he comforted her during the storm, or maybe for some other reason entirely, he's the one she feels closest to here.]

Did...did Papa write back a letter yet?

[Homesickness, then. And really, he should have been able to guess without a prompt. He almost flinches at the question; that's how loathe he is to disappoint her. But a lingering silence is telling in its own right, and after a pause, he glances at her and shakes his head sadly.] I haven't gotten anything yet.

[It hurts, knowing that his "yet" is a fruitless addition to the sentence, offered only to ease the child's discomfort. Already Vivi's been stuck like this longer than Sanji expected, and it's only going to get harder if her age doesn't change soon.]

Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get a reply soon. [He gives her shoulder a little squeeze]

[She nods, trying not to let the disappointment show on her face.] It's probably...a long way for it to go. [Just a guess. She's not sure where this Luceti Island is, beyond that it's somewhere on the Grand Line. Maybe it's even past the Red Line, all the way in the New World.]

[Unbidden, another sigh escapes her.]

... Well! While we're waiting for it to show up, feel like doing anything? [He forces a smile and a cheery tone of voice, pulling lightly on her pony-tail.] I've got the rest of the day off, so I'll do whatever Vivi-chan wants~!

Really? [She perks up a bit at that, though she's not really sure how serious the offer is. It seems grown-ups aren't interested in a lot of children's games. Testing the water, she pulls back enough to look up at Sanji.]

Would you play pretend with me? Even dress-up?

... [Sanji stares at her in mild awe, then berates himself for being shocked at all; this is Vivi. She goes for the jugular more often than Nami does, especially when there's a game on the line.

And he'd promised to play with her, no matter the game or the circumstances. Even if he hadn't, Sanji won't back out of making the girl happy in some way. He jabs a thumb to his chest and proclaims loudly]

I promised you, didn't I? Whatever Vivi-chan wants to play, I'll do it!

[...oh Sanji, you are her favorite. Homesickness is temporarily forgotten as she stands next to him on the couch and gives him a hug. When she pulls back, her face is radiating pure joy.]

Okay! We could play, um. Princess and Hero! How's that?

Sounds like a good game to me~! [He faces her properly, looking rapt with excitement] What do you wanna be then?

[Considering her tomboy tendencies, he can guess which role she'll be playing. Oh god. Why is he such a sucker for women and little girls?

May that hug and that delighted face light his way through whatever tortures Vivi is about to bestow him.]

I'm the hero! [Stated as if it were obvious. After all, she's a princess all the time, so it wouldn't be much of a game of pretend if she took that role. Besides, won't it be more fun to make Sanji all pretty?]

Hmm. [She taps her chin.] First we need costumes.

[Shit.]

C-costumes? [Um. Hold on a minute here]

Uh-huh! [Sanji seems a little surprised about that, even though she said she wanted to play dress-up pretend. Then again, he's kind of old, so probably he doesn't remember how this stuff works. She pats his arm soothingly. She'll pick up the slack, bro.]

Don't worry, I know what to use! [And she hops off the couch and heads right for Nami's room.]

[He balks as soon as he notes which direction she's heading, waving his arms after her]

W-wait, Vivi-chan! That's Nami-san's room!

[Well duh, Sanji. Where else is she gonna be able to find a nice princess dress? And she saw something in Nami's closet that would be perfect when she was playing hide and seek with Vash the other day. She doesn't even slow, just heads in and goes right for the closet.]

[Sanji is more than sure that Vivi will escape punishment if Nami finds the girl raiding her closet, but the chef won't be as lucky. Primal fear motivates him off the couch and poking his head through the doorway]

Vivi-chan, a lady shouldn't raid other people's closets!

[Vivi's already on her way out of the enormous closet, a shiny green gown draped over her arms.]

Nami won't care! We'll be careful with it, and look! [She tries to hold it up so Sanji can get a better look, though of course she's several feet too short.] See, it's a good princess dress, isn't it?

[... Oh honey, that shade of green is not his color. Clashes hideously with his complexion--]

[INTERNAL SCREAMING]

It-- yes, it is, bu-- [He desperately tries to think how he should phrase his complaint - that even if he weren't scared stiff at the thought of Nami charging him thousands of beli for just touching her dress, let alone daring to wear it, she and the chef doesn't exactly have the same physical measurements, and--

... He's doomed. He is so doomed. Abruptly he hangs his head, looking over his shoulder timidly before addressing the girl]

Alright, but if it doesn't fit, we'll have to look for another one, okay?

[Vivi's brow furrows somewhat as Sanji sputters. She looks from him to the dress and back again, then nods.] Yeah, if it doesn't fit, I guess we have to.

But...I bet it will! Because you have a skinnier butt than Nami, and you don't have... [And she cups her hands a good distance from her chest to illustrate big boobs. Hmm, come to think of it, they should probably find something to stuff the front with. Maybe some socks. Oh, and they're need some makeup, too! Sanji may notice the gears are turning.]

[Nope, Sanji doesn't notice anything at all. He's too busy gently smacking his head against the door frame. He'd been referring to his larger shoulders and muscles but that works too, Vivi.]

[But Sanji, that's why this sleeveless dress is perfect! Vivi climbs up onto Nami's bed and holds it out to him.] Here, try it on! I bet it'll work!

[And if not...oh, didn't she see a really foofy frilly pink number in the clothing shop the other day?]

[... For some reason, that green dress doesn't seem so bad now. >_> Not that this stops him from dragging his feet, filled with a strained hope that maybe Nami will come walking through that door any minute and put an end to the madness.

But then he's standing in front of Vivi with no such luck on his side, and with a pained smile, takes the dress out of the girl's hands.]

Alright, just give me a second. [No, he is not about to get dressed in Nami's room. He'll take it to his room instead]

Okay! [She waves as he leaves the room, already anticipating how pretty she can make him look in that dress. She hops off the bed and goes to Nami's dresser, pulling open the sock drawer. Okay, two pairs should be good for his bustline, and, ooh, those black silk stockings will look nice on his legs.]

[Okay, what else? Makeup, obviously--she grabs some lipstick, mascara, and a compact of eyeshadow. Maybe some nice barrettes for his hair? OH, and jewelry! She rifles through Nami's jewelry box until she finds a nice string of pearls, some gold bangles, and some clip-on earings that look like teardrops dangling from a chain of gold.]

[Deciding that should about take care of the basics, she carries her armload of supplies to the couch in the living room and waits eagerly for Sanji's debut.]

[Sanji takes his sweet time getting ready, both out of respect for Nami's dress (it's not easy trying to squeeze into this thing) and because let's be honest, this wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he told Vivi he'd play any game she wanted. The waist is too tight, the hips too wide, and the back flexes painfully over Sanji's torso, not to mention how the front hangs loosely with no breasts to fill it, and shit, he didn't need a reminder as to why he is far more knowledgeable about his dress size than he ever wanted to be--

But it's on, if nothing else. Also, he was right: this shade of green really isn't his color.]

V-vivi-chan. [He cracks open his door, only poking his face through - a face which is red enough to put cherries to shame] It's on.

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