004↠ Action

[concasse]

[Sanji's at the bar probably with the rest of the village, holed up in a corner for a decidedly good portion of the evening/night, well after this mess. Catch him when he's depressingly sober, moderately drunk and pissed, or in the middle of destroying what's left of his kidneys.

He'll get home eventually. Somehow.]

Comments

[concasse]

That's true, but... [Sanji still senses a disconnect, and scratches the side of his face]

Why wouldn't I mean it? Katara-chan's very beautiful, and was the first person to make me feel better about my experience. You're smart and kind... I could see and feel that from meeting you once.

1/?

[markofthebrave]

[...what.]

[markofthebrave]

[No, really - what?

Her brain shorts on 'beautiful' and skitters over to 'smart and kind' although she can accept that she made him feel better...]

[markofthebrave]

[...but beautiful she's going to have to just pass over entirely. She knows who he hangs out with, she knows the caliber of women in Luceti, and she knows she's not in their league.

So she can just discard that. Sweet of him, but ultimately meaningless.]

done!

[markofthebrave]

I'm glad that I was able to make you feel better.

[Have a sincere dodge from a pro, that always works so well because it's sincere.

You'll totally let the question go now, right?]

[concasse]

[No. No he can't.

Because this bothers him for some reason, and that Katara makes no effort to address the rest of those compliments - those truths - stubbornly keeps him tied to the topic at hand.]

Do you believe me when I call you beautiful? [A pause, and then] Do you... consider yourself that?

[markofthebrave]

[Unfortunately, the close nature of their friendship won't allow her to simply freeze him out. As much as she'd like to. Because these questions are uncomfortable and intimate and inappropriate.

But her face does shadow.]

I don't believe that you'd say what you don't mean. I think you just see things differently than most other people do. Not every girl can be beautiful, Sanji.

[concasse]

[It's odd for him to press, and he knows Katara doesn't appreciate it - but it doesn't stop him, still. His own face shadows out of befuddlement, head slightly inclined, like he's still grasping to understand]

And you're saying you're not one of them.

[markofthebrave]

What I'm saying, [her voice is low and controlled] is that how I look isn't important. Why are you pressing this.

[The day after the Valentine's experiment lifts, no less.]

[concasse]

Because you avoided everything I said, except the part about making me feel better.

I wondered why.

[Not to mention she just now twisted the argument to avoid the physical attractive angle all-together. Fancy that.]

[markofthebrave]

Because that was the important part. [She shrugs a little.] Thank you for the compliments.

[concasse]

... Aa. You're welcome.

[markofthebrave]

...[Okay, wow. Now he looks upset. Her heart stretched thin as it is, isn't sure that she can handle this. But upsetting him is the opposite reason for why she came.]

Are you upset now?

1/2

[concasse]

[... Whoa what.]

[concasse]

No! I'm not upset. [Sure, he's confused -- and certainly has his own thoughts about this particular topic -- but he's no more upset than he was at the start.

Perhaps that's why he pressed like he did. It just means he needs a better lid for his opinions right now, and plenty of solitude until he pulls everything back under his control]

I never should've pushed like that to begin with. I'm sorry, Katara-chan. [Whether or not he agrees with her, he won't have himself come across as impolite]

[markofthebrave]

You don't need to apologize. [And then she switches gears.]

After all, you never actually asked me out. And you were kind of cute about it.

[concasse]

... Katara-chan thought that was cute? [If Sanji had a choice, he'd wipe that entire session from memory - or at least some of the more embarrassing details]

I dunno, I felt it was a pretty pathetic display.

1/2

[markofthebrave]

Cute like how a puppy is cute?

[markofthebrave]

I mean, you were obviously very... nervous and opened. It was kind of sweet.

[concasse]

[--Like a puppy--

That startles a laugh straight out of him, real enough to take him by surprise.]

I think that's the first time I've heard that one. [He doesn't mind] Still, I'm impressed you put up with me. [And friendzoned him so effortlessly]

[markofthebrave]

[She shrugs.] It's not like you meant any harm. You were still Sanji, just... at a time where we hadn't met yet.

[concasse]

Aa... it was kinda fun, growing up with friends this time around. [He'd never had that originally]

[markofthebrave]

Heh. I'll bet. [Since all her friends were either killed or moved to safety growing up? Yeah, she bets.]

Do you remember everything like it happened back when you were younger, or do you remember it like it happened last week?

[She'd wondered how that would work.]

[concasse]

Like it happened last week. [A shrug, though he gives her question serious thought] Except that's all I thought I had, for a while. I knew what was happening wasn't normal, but it felt natural at the time.

[... Aka he's putting this in the Complicated box and letting it simmer there]

1/2

[markofthebrave]

...that is so strange.

[Shrug. But oh well. Whatchagonna do. Luceti, right?]