Week 5 | Wednesday

[concasse]

[But really, what could be more precious to a nicotine addict than a fresh carton of cigarettes?

And it's his favorite brand! Even knowing about the bullshit memory thing going on, this is not a chance Sanji is about to pass on.

Hence why he's standing on his kitchen counters (HIM. ON HIS PRECIOUS COUNTERS), reaching up on tip toe to snatch the cigarettes that peek over the very top of the shelf]

C'mon... almost got it...!

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[selfinserting]

Oh, no. No, Zoe's still alive. But Connor...

[He pauses, trying to figure out the best way to explain this. He didn't know him, but based on what he's heard afterwards from the rest of his family...]

He... had a lot of problems with anger, and controlling it. I think that he thought people were out to get him all the time, because... He didn't get along too well with most people. He didn't really have any friends. So - I think he suspected the worst of everyone, maybe...? And when he realized I, I wrote something about his sister, he might have thought... I was trying to mess with him.

[concasse]

[oof. There is no word that sums that up better than "teenagers"]

Yeah, he didn't seem like the type who was gonna listen to anything you had to say.

[In that sense, Sanji's in Evan's court. He didn't deserve getting yelled at like that. That said--]

But... I thought you didn't know his sister? Or did you two become friends, and that's why you wrote a letter.

[selfinserting]

The letter was... an assignment, kind of, to help me get better at - talking about how I felt. [He gets that out of the way first.] But Zoe, um... I didn't know her well, back then. We'd, um, we'd run into each other in the halls sometimes? But I'm not really - good with people. Which, um, which probably isn't a surprise. So we didn't talk much, but - back then, I always kind of wished we would. Which is why I, um, I wrote that in the letter.

[But.]

But we, um, we actually started dating a few days before I came here, though. So.

[concasse]

-- Oh, congrats to that!

[He honestly thought Evan was dating Veronica so HIS BAD. Still, look at Evan. He's got more guts in all departments than Sanji would've ever figured.]

You got someone waiting back for you at home, then.

[selfinserting]

...Thanks.

[And then he smiles, fond and sincere.]

Zoe's... She's really great. I'm really lucky.

[concasse]

Damn right. Make sure to treat her well.

[it seems like Evan will, however, so he just grins broadly instead]

... Shit's tough, but I'm sure you'll make it to the finish line.

[selfinserting]

I will. And... Yeah. We just, just have to make it through this.

[He's curious, though, and it feels impolite not to ask in return after this.]

Do you, um, have anyone like that back home?

[concasse]

[...]

Aa, yeah. I got a fiance!

[Evan might not have ever seen Sanji being wild around ladies, but even still, his reaction is fairly... neutered. Doesn't even reach his eyes.]

[selfinserting]

[A pause, because he isn't sure if this is prying, but... That reaction is fairly telling.]

Is that a good thing...?