[It appears someone is of the same mind as Rin tonight, as the kitchen is occupied by a familiar blond. To say he's "taken over" is a relative understatement. The assortment of kitchenware that cover the counters are too deliberately placed to be considered a mess, but it does look like a mad scientist has set up shop.
There are a number of pots, with at least two on the burner - one with a lid and the other bubbling, smelling faintly of blended spices. There are pans as well; the first Sanji pulls from the heat and gives a round of quick wrist flicks, sending the chunks of de-boned meat and diced onions spinning in the air before he catches it. Once he's finished, the sauce pan he stirs once, twice - takes a moment to stare at the ceiling as if in deep thought - and then continues mixing the sauce at a low simmer. Then it's over to the cutting board, where he has a row of various vegetables lined up for chopping.
That's the manner in which he continues, unaware of his surroundings. The occasional mutter of displeasure escapes him sometimes, but otherwise, the chef works silent and efficient.]
[Geez, it smells like someone's making a feast in here. It's no midnight snack, at least. Who's he planning to feed it to?
...Alright, so there are plenty of people in this castle who don't abide by normal sleeping habits. An ever present, skeletal grin comes to mind. Yeah, that one will probably be along in a few hours, if not others. It'll be a real treat for whoever's around when Sanji finishes, though as it is it looks like that might take a little time yet.
There's no sense waiting out here. She'll just go in and play it natural, trusting Sanji will read the mood and not swoop in with a smile and greetings for a pretty lady.]
Years of grueling training have prepared her for this moment. Her enemy is distracted, as open to this attack as he'll ever be. Waiting until Sanji's back is turned, Rin slides through the kitchen door and somersaults gracefully across the floor. Silent like a ninja she is, as she takes cover against the island counter. Three breaths and undiscovered, going by the steady, rapid sound of chopping vegetables, she risks peaking her eyes just above the counter.
Carrots, celery, onions... Hm, she wouldn't mind swiping one of those turnips. Ducking back down, Rin slides closer, getting into position. Waiting for the moment the sound of his bladework pausing, as he moves on to something else. When she does, like a bolt of lightning— No! As untraceable as a breeze, she'll swoop in and swiftly steal her prize!]
[So thoroughly engrossed in his culinary preparations that Sanji doesn't turn, not even once during Rin's gymnastic escapades. The celery and onions dice easily under the pressure of a sharpened knife, but he slows for the bronzed-looking turnip, carefully cutting through the fat vegetable until it's divided into six pieces of equal width.
Before he has a chance to cube the rest of the rutabaga, however, Sanji's attention diverts to the lidded pot - and this might've been the chance Rin was waiting for, as he leaves the vegetables defenseless at their post to check how his broth is coming along. It'd been his luck to find out someone besides himself had the sense to preserve a whole animal, not just the meat and fat. When he pulls back the lid and uses a large spoon to scoop off the top layer of foam, large bones bob in the tinted liquid before settling at the bottom of the pot.
It's been simmering for a good hour; those bones are probably softened down to the marrow, he wagers with a satisfied nod of his head, and--]
[It comes out a squeak of horror, he fucked up he fucked up-- and Sanji scuttles back against the stove like he didn't just wheel on his foot, brandish one of the longest spatulas in reaching distance like it was a sword, and nearly threaten to toss a woman overboard.
Shit, look, it's not his fault his captain left a built-in alarm system for thieves who try to steal extra portions without a chef's approval.
Not that he doesn't love Rin regardless, but.]
I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! [Putting down the spatula and pretty much offering ALL the vegetables on the cutting board like he's trying to appease a fickle god. Please, Rin-sama, be merciful to your loyal servant. ;A;]
[hsldfjosdf mission failure. How did he know??? Nevermind that, abort about abort!
Squeaking inelegantly, Rin tries to pinwheel back away from him only to fall on her rump. Before she can do more than catch Sanji's gobsmacked look, however, suddenly it's him reeling away from her, prostrating himself before her like he's the one who should be sorry—]
Picking herself up off the floor, Rin takes her time dusting herself off before looking upon the chef with one baleful eye. YOUR GODDESS IS DISPLEASED, SERVANT. LOOK, SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS. It certainly has nothing to do with a vocal impairment! You deserve nothing but the cold shoulder after such a stunt!
But if this offering is the best you can do, servant, she'll grant you the mercy of helping herself to some. Such is the duty of a queen to the peasants, even when treated to such indignity. Rin plucks one turnip from the cutting board, regards it appraisingly, and then points to the pot on the stove. You think she'll be satisfied with just this??]
[Sanji watches Rin through his prostration with increasing anxiety until he gleans enough information to guess her thoughts - shocked by his actions, disappointed by his lack of control, but willing to forgive if he hurries the fuck up and offers her a sufficient meal.
Which means it's all par for the course, and he relaxes once she angles a noble finger at the pot.]
Oh, right, of course Rin-chan must be hungry~! [Yep, at 11:45, near midnight. As you do. Sanji quickly snaps back to his feet, carefully placing the board of vegetables back on the counter] Forgive me for the mess, I was in the middle of... [A pause, a shrug, a sheepish grin over his shoulder that explains nothing] Guess you could call it experimenting.
[None of which Rin needs to worry about. He smooths the sleeves of his shirt back to the elbows, energy renewed and ready to conquer the kitchen twice over] I've got two recipes going; I'll give you the one that's almost finished. [Which means those vegetables? Yep, they're all going straight into that mystery pot, once he removes the bones with a set of tongs and a spare plate]
If I'd realized you'd be hungry, I would've brought this shit straight to your room.
[...Dammit, there she goes again. A critical mistake, when it was most important. She should have realized when she saw him preparing the vegetables that the soup wasn't done. Cooking them properly, until tender, she estimates it'll be another 15 minutes before the soup is ready to serve.
There's only so long she can keep up this cold shoulder treatment; she needs back-up methods to stall. Quickly, Rin reaches for a paring knife before sliding to sit at the island counter, making quick work of the rutabaga as Sanji glides easily from one interesting subject deserving of a comment to the next (does he know?? these assaults are too pinpoint to be uncalculated!).
When he eventually turns, no doubt wondering at how quiet she's being, he'll find Rin nodding attentively, one hand politely covering her mouth as she chews. Can't talk with her mouth full! She's a lady with manners!]
[For all the one-sidedness of their conversation, Sanji seems to be taking it in stride. Pauses are quickly met with another switch in topic. Stares range from curious to bemused, but never cross into a demand for answers. And if nothing else, he accepts the lack of replies as a casualty of noble upbringing. No lady's gonna want to be smacking her lips around a nibble, that'd be too rude. Shit, she could definitely teach Luffy a thing or two... heh...
Once the thought and his homesick expression have overstayed their welcome, Sanji shakes himself back to the present and draws away the pot's lid. It ushers with it plumes of thick steam carrying the smells of basil and thyme. Using a fork, he ambushes one of the carrot pieces in the soup and cuts it in half - not too hard, not too soft. He voices a pleased murmur]
When the vegetables get too soft, it throws off the entire dish. You want 'em tender, not a paste. [His voice is oddly distant as he gives the mixture a stir, like his mind has drifted further than the body] Their job's the hardest. Gotta soak in the stock, but give back to it.
... Maah, well. Should be another three minutes. [His grins at her.] Not to worry, we'll get you fed soon~!
[He seems just as happy to talk to himself. But pleasanter than he sounded before, when he thought he was alone. He's gruff on the outside, but he's a people person at heart, isn't he? Rin can't help but smile at his back, watching him work. Is it because his company is a girl that he can act like this, or because he's in his element here in the kitchen? Maybe it's both.
He cooks like he tells a story. The completed dish is the happy ending, and every ingredient played a valiant role in the tale to get them there. What a goober. If she weren't still playing the silent treatment, Rin wonders what he'd do if she told him it was cute.
The amusing daydream is ruined a bit, when she bites into another slice of rutabaga. Chewing very carefully, she's been going at a snail's pace with it as it is for just this reason: every time she swallows, it hurts. Even doing that, this time on the way down it still catches, sharply this time. She gags in surprise, coughing suddenly and face strained with faint pain.]
[At this stage in their acquaintance, Rin won't be surprised at the speed in which Sanji drops his attention from the soup and wheels over to her aid. A split second's fantasy - (her fainting daintily in his strong arms, requiring the sweet, pure resuscitation that can only be shared between a devoted knight and a noble lady~!!) - dies once he sees that she's safe. Just grimacing from pain and still not talking. His mouth thins.
Jeez, here he'd been planning not to press her, but this is getting worrisome. Sanji will gladly hold the stupid ball so long as it doesn't mean a lady in pain. His gaze turns all the sharper as a result, looking for clues before his eyes rest on her face.]
You need some water? Wait a sec-- [He's getting her a glass even if she refuses, and might be of a mind to press the issue if that's what it comes down to]
[Eyes clenched shut, she peeks one open and wiping wetness from the corner to see what he's doing. Turning a little red from the embarrassment of being fussed over like this (likely another flag), Rin shakes her head, waving her fingers ahead of herself and finally opens her mouth.]
—fine. It's fine.
[There was something else said there, at the beginning, but cracked and thin, it got lost coming out of her mouth. The rest of the sentence is audible, but very raspy.]
[She does get him to stop, if only very briefly. His hand is halfway into the cupboards when he turns to look at her. The expression he wears is one of faint amazement, as if surprised she really thinks that's gonna be enough to stop his rampage.
Sorry, but that cracked, raspy voice all but sealed her fate.]
Did you get a cold? [Is that what a cold sounds like? He never got sick as a kid, and so sounds unconvinced of his hypothesis] Pretty sure you need liquids for that. [He's muttering to himself again, revamping his efforts and heading to the refrigerator for some chilled water when he... stops. In front of the stove, as if possessed by a lingering thought.
His eyes rest not on the pot of soup he's been painstakingly preparing, but the other pot without a lid. The one he'd finished earlier and had left to slowly cool on the burner. His fingers twitch around the clear glass in deliberation, tracing out his thoughts for anyone to see. When he eventually unwinds from the moment, it's with the purpose of a decision made.]
Wait a sec. [Sanji repeats his previous words, but changes trajectory. Now he sets the cup down and trades it for a small bowl. A gentle, almost paranoid hand dips a ladle into the thick soup and pours the liquid inside (no longer hot, just warm with the comfort of home).]
[At the question, as Sanji's back was already turning, Rin had shook her head vehemently. What's worse? Being sick, or admitting the truth? To Rin Tohsaka, either equally feel like an affront to her pride. She's not that weak.
To rub salt in the wound, he's flipping out about this even more than she thought he would; not a showy stream of mushy affection to ~heal~ her she could just brush off, but honest to goodness concerned. Anxious, even. A complete 180 from his previous behavior, hovering over that second pot he almost looks like an alien in his own kitchen.]
I'm not—
[She cuts herself off as he turns around again, voice cutting off not with coughing, just a frustrated look. It's not him, it's her. She should've just gone hungry for tonight, instead of risking making herself look like an idiot. She's tempted to just take the soup and go, but his behavior is unnerving. What's going on here?]
[At her question, Sanji's visible eye ticks away - a brief admittance of worry that he won't vocalize]
It might not work at all. [He's tried it already; the fact that he's standing without doubling over in pain means he avoided any adverse effects. But if it'll do what it's supposed to, that part he doesn't know. Rin had snuck into the kitchen during that phase of the testing.]
But I figure we should try and see if it'll help with your throat. [Still not... really explaining anything, are you, Sanji? At least he notes Rin's frustration and takes it into account (though for the wrong reasons), drawing up with a smile] Oi oi, I don't mean it's dangerous! [Proving his claim, he fishes out a spoon and samples his own work.]
[While her voice cracks briefly, Rin nonetheless looks at the soup with new, if wary, interest. Work, not work. That's the kind of things you say about regular soup like what he was making for her before this, something to help but no promise. But this one he offers like there could be a real benefit, or at least hopes for one.
She wasn't expecting anything dangerous, not until he brings it up himself. That just gets a baffled look, and now she's wondering. Maybe he's the one who's sick, and he originally made it for himself? It could be worth clarifying again, more firmly.]
[Huh... well, his eyebrow arches at that admission, caught in mild surprise (and something else, though that's quickly pushed away). But alright, he believes her.]
That's fine; getting rid of a shitty cold wasn't why I made it.
[Which means he's gonna have to start explaining the details, eh? Rin doesn't strike him as someone who will take anything else. Plus he realizes he might've gone and sent her on a paranoia trip, he's got no one to blame but himself, and after some mulling...]
This soup heal injuries. [He stares at her with narrowed intrigue.]
[And she meets his gaze back, without budging. It might come off challenging, but she's really just weighing her options in her head.
A soup that heals injuries? That's just specific enough to her problem that there's no way she'll turn it down, and yet accepting it after that explanation is as good as admitting that's what it is. She tries to minimize the damage by showing further and genuine interest.]
How would it work in conjunction with healing abilities? Or... [She takes the spoon, stirring the soup.] Non-injuries. You could be onto something very special, if it could even replenish mana.
[He's a chef who's able to (maybe) create magical soups that heal all fatigue and reset wounds, and yet Rin's interest and possible praise seem to catch Sanji off-guard, like he expected an argument and was still in the throes of mental preparation. His calculated concern drops off his face with all the grace of a block of wood]
I'm not sure, Rin-chan! Never tried it on someone who could do shit like that. [He gives his chin a thoughtful rub. He mumbles to himself] Don't know what mana is, either.
[Rin makes a face at him; it's an outright pout, really. But she can't be too fussy with him. There's cultural differences to consider too.]
It's more likely you know it by a different name.
[Unless he possesses a very unique ability he can use innately, without understanding its mechanics. Sanji doesn't seem half as much of an amateur, though, compared to the people she would expect that from. Rin rolls up her sleeve, passing mana not just through her body, but along her Magic Crest as well. Glowing, blue-green lines dance over her left arm, from forearm to wrist.
It's the first time she's shown it to him, but that means very little. The day they met, he'd revealed he could feel her using it. If he can do that much, she knows he must have the ability to sense mana. Unless she passes mana through the Crest, as she is now, it would be impossible otherwise. And that means he can feel it in other people as well.]
What is it you're sensing, when you detect this? Or in any person around you, for that matter.
[This would be the third time Sanji's zeroed in on Rin's left arm: the first when they had met each other, the second during the battle with their shadows, and now... this, here in the kitchen.
But it's the only time he's watched it glow in broad light, not hidden in the confines of her sleeve. The color is different from an aura, more electric and heated, and it even feels... different. The words necessary to point out the distinction don't come easily. His mouth draws into another thoughtful line.]
It's-- [Stopping to gather his thoughts; it doesn't escape his notice that he's never bothered to explain the details of his Observation Haki before] I sense auras. Like a person's soul. [Exactly like a person's soul, in all honesty] That's why I noticed your arm.
[It's not that he's ever felt an abundance of power from the crest itself... except yes, he had? His brow furrows. At the very least, there had been a potential buried in those entwined auras, like a book filled with ancient script. But it's more than that. It's--]
That thing on your arm, it's not just your aura. More like you got a bunch of 'em etched in there.
[Ah. She can understand him a little more clearly now.]
That's— [She coughs again, weakly. Looking away then back, away and back, flustered, she starts over as smoothly as she can.] That's a refined sense you have, to pick that much out. I'm a little envious.
[He must be especially suited for it, to be able to do so without a drop of magical potential. A rare or unique origin, perhaps, though she shouldn't limit her thought processes to the rules of her world.
It's a digression, too. Dropping her arm to the table, Rin reaches for the spoon. Delicately, she sips at the broth before continuing, making a satisfied sound at both the taste (top-notch as ever, as expected) and how it soothes her throat.]
The aura, as you describe it, isn't always the soul itself, but the energy it produces. Mages call this energy mana, and it exists in every living thing.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Action, September 2
There are a number of pots, with at least two on the burner - one with a lid and the other bubbling, smelling faintly of blended spices. There are pans as well; the first Sanji pulls from the heat and gives a round of quick wrist flicks, sending the chunks of de-boned meat and diced onions spinning in the air before he catches it. Once he's finished, the sauce pan he stirs once, twice - takes a moment to stare at the ceiling as if in deep thought - and then continues mixing the sauce at a low simmer. Then it's over to the cutting board, where he has a row of various vegetables lined up for chopping.
That's the manner in which he continues, unaware of his surroundings. The occasional mutter of displeasure escapes him sometimes, but otherwise, the chef works silent and efficient.]
1/2
...Alright, so there are plenty of people in this castle who don't abide by normal sleeping habits. An ever present, skeletal grin comes to mind. Yeah, that one will probably be along in a few hours, if not others. It'll be a real treat for whoever's around when Sanji finishes, though as it is it looks like that might take a little time yet.
There's no sense waiting out here. She'll just go in and play it natural, trusting Sanji will read the mood and not swoop in with a smile and greetings for a pretty lady.]
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Years of grueling training have prepared her for this moment. Her enemy is distracted, as open to this attack as he'll ever be. Waiting until Sanji's back is turned, Rin slides through the kitchen door and somersaults gracefully across the floor. Silent like a ninja she is, as she takes cover against the island counter. Three breaths and undiscovered, going by the steady, rapid sound of chopping vegetables, she risks peaking her eyes just above the counter.
Carrots, celery, onions... Hm, she wouldn't mind swiping one of those turnips. Ducking back down, Rin slides closer, getting into position. Waiting for the moment the sound of his bladework pausing, as he moves on to something else. When she does, like a bolt of lightning— No! As untraceable as a breeze, she'll swoop in and swiftly steal her prize!]
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Before he has a chance to cube the rest of the rutabaga, however, Sanji's attention diverts to the lidded pot - and this might've been the chance Rin was waiting for, as he leaves the vegetables defenseless at their post to check how his broth is coming along. It'd been his luck to find out someone besides himself had the sense to preserve a whole animal, not just the meat and fat. When he pulls back the lid and uses a large spoon to scoop off the top layer of foam, large bones bob in the tinted liquid before settling at the bottom of the pot.
It's been simmering for a good hour; those bones are probably softened down to the marrow, he wagers with a satisfied nod of his head, and--]
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[It comes out a squeak of horror, he fucked up he fucked up-- and Sanji scuttles back against the stove like he didn't just wheel on his foot, brandish one of the longest spatulas in reaching distance like it was a sword, and nearly threaten to toss a woman overboard.
Shit, look, it's not his fault his captain left a built-in alarm system for thieves who try to steal extra portions without a chef's approval.
Not that he doesn't love Rin regardless, but.]
I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! [Putting down the spatula and pretty much offering ALL the vegetables on the cutting board like he's trying to appease a fickle god. Please, Rin-sama, be merciful to your loyal servant. ;A;]
1/2
Squeaking inelegantly, Rin tries to pinwheel back away from him only to fall on her rump. Before she can do more than catch Sanji's gobsmacked look, however, suddenly it's him reeling away from her, prostrating himself before her like he's the one who should be sorry—]
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... 8]
Picking herself up off the floor, Rin takes her time dusting herself off before looking upon the chef with one baleful eye. YOUR GODDESS IS DISPLEASED, SERVANT. LOOK, SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE WORDS. It certainly has nothing to do with a vocal impairment! You deserve nothing but the cold shoulder after such a stunt!
But if this offering is the best you can do, servant, she'll grant you the mercy of helping herself to some. Such is the duty of a queen to the peasants, even when treated to such indignity. Rin plucks one turnip from the cutting board, regards it appraisingly, and then points to the pot on the stove. You think she'll be satisfied with just this??]
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Which means it's all par for the course, and he relaxes once she angles a noble finger at the pot.]
Oh, right, of course Rin-chan must be hungry~! [Yep, at 11:45, near midnight. As you do. Sanji quickly snaps back to his feet, carefully placing the board of vegetables back on the counter] Forgive me for the mess, I was in the middle of... [A pause, a shrug, a sheepish grin over his shoulder that explains nothing] Guess you could call it experimenting.
[None of which Rin needs to worry about. He smooths the sleeves of his shirt back to the elbows, energy renewed and ready to conquer the kitchen twice over] I've got two recipes going; I'll give you the one that's almost finished. [Which means those vegetables? Yep, they're all going straight into that mystery pot, once he removes the bones with a set of tongs and a spare plate]
If I'd realized you'd be hungry, I would've brought this shit straight to your room.
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There's only so long she can keep up this cold shoulder treatment; she needs back-up methods to stall. Quickly, Rin reaches for a paring knife before sliding to sit at the island counter, making quick work of the rutabaga as Sanji glides easily from one interesting subject deserving of a comment to the next (does he know?? these assaults are too pinpoint to be uncalculated!).
When he eventually turns, no doubt wondering at how quiet she's being, he'll find Rin nodding attentively, one hand politely covering her mouth as she chews. Can't talk with her mouth full! She's a lady with manners!]
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Once the thought and his homesick expression have overstayed their welcome, Sanji shakes himself back to the present and draws away the pot's lid. It ushers with it plumes of thick steam carrying the smells of basil and thyme. Using a fork, he ambushes one of the carrot pieces in the soup and cuts it in half - not too hard, not too soft. He voices a pleased murmur]
When the vegetables get too soft, it throws off the entire dish. You want 'em tender, not a paste. [His voice is oddly distant as he gives the mixture a stir, like his mind has drifted further than the body] Their job's the hardest. Gotta soak in the stock, but give back to it.
... Maah, well. Should be another three minutes. [His grins at her.] Not to worry, we'll get you fed soon~!
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He cooks like he tells a story. The completed dish is the happy ending, and every ingredient played a valiant role in the tale to get them there. What a goober. If she weren't still playing the silent treatment, Rin wonders what he'd do if she told him it was cute.
The amusing daydream is ruined a bit, when she bites into another slice of rutabaga. Chewing very carefully, she's been going at a snail's pace with it as it is for just this reason: every time she swallows, it hurts. Even doing that, this time on the way down it still catches, sharply this time. She gags in surprise, coughing suddenly and face strained with faint pain.]
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[At this stage in their acquaintance, Rin won't be surprised at the speed in which Sanji drops his attention from the soup and wheels over to her aid. A split second's fantasy - (her fainting daintily in his strong arms, requiring the sweet, pure resuscitation that can only be shared between a devoted knight and a noble lady~!!) - dies once he sees that she's safe. Just grimacing from pain and still not talking. His mouth thins.
Jeez, here he'd been planning not to press her, but this is getting worrisome. Sanji will gladly hold the stupid ball so long as it doesn't mean a lady in pain. His gaze turns all the sharper as a result, looking for clues before his eyes rest on her face.]
You need some water? Wait a sec-- [He's getting her a glass even if she refuses, and might be of a mind to press the issue if that's what it comes down to]
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—fine. It's fine.
[There was something else said there, at the beginning, but cracked and thin, it got lost coming out of her mouth. The rest of the sentence is audible, but very raspy.]
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Sorry, but that cracked, raspy voice all but sealed her fate.]
Did you get a cold? [Is that what a cold sounds like? He never got sick as a kid, and so sounds unconvinced of his hypothesis] Pretty sure you need liquids for that. [He's muttering to himself again, revamping his efforts and heading to the refrigerator for some chilled water when he... stops. In front of the stove, as if possessed by a lingering thought.
His eyes rest not on the pot of soup he's been painstakingly preparing, but the other pot without a lid. The one he'd finished earlier and had left to slowly cool on the burner. His fingers twitch around the clear glass in deliberation, tracing out his thoughts for anyone to see. When he eventually unwinds from the moment, it's with the purpose of a decision made.]
Wait a sec. [Sanji repeats his previous words, but changes trajectory. Now he sets the cup down and trades it for a small bowl. A gentle, almost paranoid hand dips a ladle into the thick soup and pours the liquid inside (no longer hot, just warm with the comfort of home).]
Try this instead.
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To rub salt in the wound, he's flipping out about this even more than she thought he would; not a showy stream of mushy affection to ~heal~ her she could just brush off, but honest to goodness concerned. Anxious, even. A complete 180 from his previous behavior, hovering over that second pot he almost looks like an alien in his own kitchen.]
I'm not—
[She cuts herself off as he turns around again, voice cutting off not with coughing, just a frustrated look. It's not him, it's her. She should've just gone hungry for tonight, instead of risking making herself look like an idiot. She's tempted to just take the soup and go, but his behavior is unnerving. What's going on here?]
Why? What's different about it?
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It might not work at all. [He's tried it already; the fact that he's standing without doubling over in pain means he avoided any adverse effects. But if it'll do what it's supposed to, that part he doesn't know. Rin had snuck into the kitchen during that phase of the testing.]
But I figure we should try and see if it'll help with your throat. [Still not... really explaining anything, are you, Sanji? At least he notes Rin's frustration and takes it into account (though for the wrong reasons), drawing up with a smile] Oi oi, I don't mean it's dangerous! [Proving his claim, he fishes out a spoon and samples his own work.]
See?
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[While her voice cracks briefly, Rin nonetheless looks at the soup with new, if wary, interest. Work, not work. That's the kind of things you say about regular soup like what he was making for her before this, something to help but no promise. But this one he offers like there could be a real benefit, or at least hopes for one.
She wasn't expecting anything dangerous, not until he brings it up himself. That just gets a baffled look, and now she's wondering. Maybe he's the one who's sick, and he originally made it for himself? It could be worth clarifying again, more firmly.]
Although I'm honestly telling you, I'm not sick.
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[Huh... well, his eyebrow arches at that admission, caught in mild surprise (and something else, though that's quickly pushed away). But alright, he believes her.]
That's fine; getting rid of a shitty cold wasn't why I made it.
[Which means he's gonna have to start explaining the details, eh? Rin doesn't strike him as someone who will take anything else. Plus he realizes he might've gone and sent her on a paranoia trip, he's got no one to blame but himself, and after some mulling...]
This soup heal injuries. [He stares at her with narrowed intrigue.]
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A soup that heals injuries? That's just specific enough to her problem that there's no way she'll turn it down, and yet accepting it after that explanation is as good as admitting that's what it is. She tries to minimize the damage by showing further and genuine interest.]
How would it work in conjunction with healing abilities? Or... [She takes the spoon, stirring the soup.] Non-injuries. You could be onto something very special, if it could even replenish mana.
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I'm not sure, Rin-chan! Never tried it on someone who could do shit like that. [He gives his chin a thoughtful rub. He mumbles to himself] Don't know what mana is, either.
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It's more likely you know it by a different name.
[Unless he possesses a very unique ability he can use innately, without understanding its mechanics. Sanji doesn't seem half as much of an amateur, though, compared to the people she would expect that from. Rin rolls up her sleeve, passing mana not just through her body, but along her Magic Crest as well. Glowing, blue-green lines dance over her left arm, from forearm to wrist.
It's the first time she's shown it to him, but that means very little. The day they met, he'd revealed he could feel her using it. If he can do that much, she knows he must have the ability to sense mana. Unless she passes mana through the Crest, as she is now, it would be impossible otherwise. And that means he can feel it in other people as well.]
What is it you're sensing, when you detect this? Or in any person around you, for that matter.
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But it's the only time he's watched it glow in broad light, not hidden in the confines of her sleeve. The color is different from an aura, more electric and heated, and it even feels... different. The words necessary to point out the distinction don't come easily. His mouth draws into another thoughtful line.]
It's-- [Stopping to gather his thoughts; it doesn't escape his notice that he's never bothered to explain the details of his Observation Haki before] I sense auras. Like a person's soul. [Exactly like a person's soul, in all honesty] That's why I noticed your arm.
[It's not that he's ever felt an abundance of power from the crest itself... except yes, he had? His brow furrows. At the very least, there had been a potential buried in those entwined auras, like a book filled with ancient script. But it's more than that. It's--]
That thing on your arm, it's not just your aura. More like you got a bunch of 'em etched in there.
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That's— [She coughs again, weakly. Looking away then back, away and back, flustered, she starts over as smoothly as she can.] That's a refined sense you have, to pick that much out. I'm a little envious.
[He must be especially suited for it, to be able to do so without a drop of magical potential. A rare or unique origin, perhaps, though she shouldn't limit her thought processes to the rules of her world.
It's a digression, too. Dropping her arm to the table, Rin reaches for the spoon. Delicately, she sips at the broth before continuing, making a satisfied sound at both the taste (top-notch as ever, as expected) and how it soothes her throat.]
The aura, as you describe it, isn't always the soul itself, but the energy it produces. Mages call this energy mana, and it exists in every living thing.
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