Week 5 | Thursday

[concasse]

[While Sanji is normally in the kitchen, this is a rare Thursday where he's taken the advice of his comrades (for now) and is instead staying in the fire dorm, resting while he tends to Nami as best he can. Turns out taking care of an active, baby tiger is tricky when you're injured from multiple lacerations and constantly dizzy from blood loss.

Ugh.

He's taking visitors, at least! Should Rebecca knock, Sanji will immediately answer the summons with a bright, cheerful grin, looking in good spirits despite the fact he nearly died last night.

Pirates]

Ah, Rebecca-chan~! You've come to visit me?

Comments

[concasse]

... Your favorite...

[SHE SAYS THIS SO CASUALLY. HE NEEDS A MOMENT TO PROCESS.

Also C-cardia-chan, no, don't snitch on him like this.]

No no, I'm fine, really! I The bleeding's stopped, and I didn't break anything, either.

[disclosures]

[She looks up at him and makes a very quick decision. She's never been afraid of opening her heart. For the slightest chance at love- and she honestly thinks it's love.]

Is it really that surprising? You're the sweetest guy here... and you've promised to be here for me. It means... a lot. So, yeah. You're my favorite, Sanji.

[But back to his injuries.]

Are you sure? You don't need any help with it? I mean, you can stand and everything, but how much does it hurt?

[concasse]

[His ears are fire red by this point; just as she's not used to people staying in her corner...

It feels like such a long time ago that anyone verbalized appreciating him.

...]

Heh... A guy like me doesn't deserve that kind of affection.

[...]

Honestly, I'm just an idiot.

[disclosures]

[She hesitates for a moment before reaching out for his hands, grasping them in hers. While she'd pull him into a hug, he's still injured and she doesn't want to risk opening any of those wounds.]

That's too bad. I think you deserve a lot of it. Because... I really like you.

We all do dumb things. And I've made... lots of mistakes before. [A laundry list of them, an unending amount that would probably take a lifetime to talk through.] But I don't think you're an idiot.

[concasse]

[He doesn't resist her taking his hands, though his eyes don't really wander anywhere besides the floor. He can feel that very familiar weight pressing like stones against his insides.

Well. Not to say that pressure ever disappeared.

He's just good at distracting himself.]

Yours probably didn't get you killed, I'm hoping.

[Oh.]

[disclosures]

[She holds them tightly, like she's trying to ground herself. As the words hit, she seems confused. Her mistakes haven't done that but is he trying to say his mistakes lead to his own death?]

What happened, Sanji?

[concasse]

A lot of shit.

[He's smiling but it doesn't reach his eyes, really.

To be frank, they look daed of emotion for a hot second, but maybe that's a trick of the light]

Thought I could get my crew off the hook for some shit my blood relatives caused... in the end, I'll be killed by my fiance during an arranged marriage.

[A shrug]

Can't even be angry! She played me hook, line, and sinker. I swear, this always happens -- even knowing my ass in on the line, I'd rather just... trust people.

[disclosures]

[She squeezes his hands even tighter.]

That's not- That's not even your fault! That's just a shitty thing that other people want to do to you!

It's not a bad thing to- to trust people. It's scary and it's hard to put yourself on the line like that. I... don't know if I could do that.

[concasse]

[Maybe she's right.

It's not as if Sanji's learned anything from the lesson Pudding gave him. He... still wants to see the good in others, especially ladies who have lived hard, unfair lives.

But he's not going to pretend this wasn't going to catch up to him. It's just...]

I just wish my crew hadn't gotten pulled in the middle of it.

[Glancing at their hands, quiet.]

Sorry. I swear I'm not looking for pity here.

[disclosures]

Because you're a good person. I think... it's pretty natural to not want the people you care about in dangerous situations.

[Unfortunately, this doesn't change her feelings about him at all.]

I don't think that's what you're looking for.

[concasse]

[A ghost of a smile. It's not even that he feels different, but he can't not be grateful that Rebecca is determined to look out for him.]

Even still, probably not what you were looking to hear, eh?

[disclosures]

[There's a very soft laugh, but she still doesn't pull away.] Honestly, I don't really... know. What I wanted to hear.

[Her voice goes very small and quiet, like she's not entirely intending for him to hear it.] Maybe that you like me. That would be nice.