Week 6 Catchall with Sanji

[fragileprophet]

[Hi Ion's going to be roughly attached to Sanji at the hip whenever he gets the chance to be.]

Comments

MONDAY

[fragileprophet]

Sanji!

[It's bright and early and Ion's already waiting for him in the kitchen, a book from the library held in his hands. He turns it around and holds up what he's looking at: it's information about different cooking knives and their functions.]

I didn't realize there are so many!

[A far cry from their last conversation, he seems to be in very chipper spirits.]

[concasse]

-- Ion?

[Holy hell, Sanji did not expect such an early morning greeting, no matter what plans they had made. It takes a couple rounds of blinking before he finally smirks and trails his way to the coffee pot]

Yeah, there are, aren't they? There's standard knifes that'll carry you through most cooking, but a lot of specialty ones, too -- like shit for carving, detail work, the like...

[fragileprophet]

It's really exciting!

[Exciting is a strange word to use, but when Ion turns the book back around, he can't stop smiling as he runs his hand down the page.]

And there's a different way of cutting with each of them, too, isn't there? There's really so much to learn!

[He seems to remember himself, then, and his head snaps back up.]

And good morning!

[concasse]

[Child let him drink his caffeine before you start beaming like that.]

Morning.

And sure, there's a lot to learn -- but you are starting out with the basics. Mastering one knife is better than being mediocre with ten.

[fragileprophet]

Great!

[He closes the book, knowing that ultimately, the best way to learn is through first-hand experience. But he can read the room, so he isn't going to start begging Sanji to start teaching him immediately, without preamble. Please drink your coffee.]

Natsuo and I decided to throw a party tomorrow, so I want to try and make some snacks for it!

[concasse]

Did you two?

[Smiling more widely at that, it's a good idea and Sanji obviously approves.

(despite some small reservations that he will kindly keep off his face for now)]

We'll get a list of foods you can make by yourself, then.

[MMM COFFEE? COFFEE! Draining half the cup in one go, yes it is scalding, Sanji is just that heat efficient]

we have two very moods happening simultaneously rn

[fragileprophet]

[He totally loses his train of thought as he watches Sanji apparently drink pure hellfire? Oh my god?]

Thank you! That would be really helpful!

[Hugging the book to his chest, Ion looks bashful.]

A sleepover at the observatory...I hope you and Zelos will consider joining us.

[concasse]

Eh.

... I'll ask Zelos but he's not really the sharing and caring type.

[fragileprophet]

I'd be happy to see him either way. It wouldn't be right to exclude any of my friends!

[Zelos is so fucking mean to him but here we are, slutty Luke.]

[concasse]

[DID HE JUST USE THE WORD "FRIEND".

God, Sanji starts laughing]

Well first, imma need you to gimme a list of all the times he was an ass to you so I can kick him.

[SANJI KNOWS HIS PARTNER, OKAY?]

Anyway, we can get started... you got anything in mind you wanna eat?

[fragileprophet]

He sneezed on me once, but other than that, he's been very friendly! We've had some really thoughtful conversations.

[This is only true from Ion's beautifully blessed perspective, honestly. Zelos has gone on record that he's purposefully been bullying him and yet, here we are. Ion looks sheepish.]

Pancakes?

THURSDAY

[fragileprophet]

[I missed Tuesday because I'm a punk, but we can assume there was just more cooking lessons and shit happening. And Wednesday was being gay over ghosts, so, this is where we are. Ion has something other than food in mind right now, so when he finds Sanji he beckons him over.]

Do you have some time to come with me?

[concasse]

[The week is slowly but surely... not being kind to Sanji for some reason. His expression remains either upbeat or neutral, but there's a growing paleness to his complexion, like he's not getting enough sleep.

Probably not that strange. They are in a murder castle, after all.

For Ion, however, he'll spare a smile and a nod, stretching out his limbs before jogging over]

'Course. Where are we going?

[fragileprophet]

I promised you a concert.

[And he doesn't intend on letting the opportunity slip between his fingers.]

...you seem like you could use an uplifting song or two right now.

[His smile as easy as ever, he leads the way to the Music Hall.]

[concasse]

[...]

Alright.

[No comment, really, just a quiet acceptance as Sanji trails after Ion to the Music Hall]

The... the harp, was it? Is that what you know how to play?

[Damn, he can't remember the instrument]

[fragileprophet]

The harp, the harpsichord, and a couple others with passing proficiency...but the harp is my favorite.

[It doesn't take them too long to get there, even though Ion probably seems a little tired just by walking all the way there (Great). It's fine though, because he can sit down with the harp.]

It slipped my mind for a little while. But, ah, are there any kind of songs you like in particular?

[concasse]

[Sanji is just pleased that he correctly held onto that tiny detail, and once Ion is seated, Sanji will find himself a chair, scooting it close to the other boy.]

... Why not gimme something from your world?

[Something unfamiliar, that can't hurt him.]

[fragileprophet]

[Can't it, though? So, I've looked for harp covers for Abyss songs before and have come up with nothing so we're going to do some nice Pretending. Anyway this is fittingly close and at least has some harp in it, so that's what we're going with to start.]

This one always made me feel peaceful.

[His eyes close halfway as his fingers find their place against the strings. It's not surprising that he chose something so melodic and almost spiritual, somehow. They don't need words, but it's easy to talk while he plays, at least.]

[concasse]

[Spiritual... is a word for it, Sanji thinks, and without speaking for a while, lets the tranquility of the music wash over him.

Pirates and sailors? They're a superstitious bunch, but mostly lack reverence for anything that isn't their lady sea. And their songs are more loud, bombastic, clapping and stomping so hard the wood of the ship creaks with them.

He's never really heard music like this before.]

It's beautiful...

[fragileprophet]

I'm glad you like it. Most of the songs I know are hymns from the Church.

[As the song ends, he transitions into a collection of incomplete (since Plot, not that it makes it sound less beautiful) hymns, without the accompanying vocals.]

Regardless of belief, they've always held a sort of nostalgia for me. When I feel like I've lost control of the things around me, this sort of music makes it a little easier to find the ground beneath one's feet.

[concasse]

Oh? Maybe that's why it sounds foreign to me.

[A smirk, a light joke. Sanji shakes his head]

You'd think after a couple of weeks here I wouldn't feel like a fish outta water, but...

[He misses the rhythm of the ocean, he supposes]

[fragileprophet]

You must be really homesick.

[Okay "grounded" was a bad term to use with a pirate, he's picking up on that now, and it makes him smile sheepishly, but. It makes him pause, still.]

I can't recall any sounds about the ocean. Most of the time I've spent on ships, they were battleships, and I was stuck inside.

[Sometimes kidnapped! Not important.]

I'd like to play something that would feel a bit more nostalgic for you, if I could think of something. Perhaps that way, I could give you some peace of mind.

THURSDAY, EVENING

[fragileprophet]

[They only just saw each other earlier today, but...as curfew creeps dangerously close, he feels that there was too much left still unsaid. So where ever Sanji is, he'll find Ion approaching him again.

He smiles at him.

And then without a word, without invitation, he puts down his staff so he can pull Sanji into a hug.]

[concasse]

-- Ion?

[To say Sanji's stunned is an understatement. No one comforts him. No one should comfort him, and he knows it better than anyone. There are some sins that hang heavy and can't be forgiven.

But he can't say, especially not to a child, even if this child once stood at the top of his world. He bites his lip until he bleeds and squeezes his eyes shut.

... He hates himself, that he's tired and heavy enough to hug back, like this is the only chance he has left.]

[fragileprophet]

[Ion squeezes him as tightly as his small body allows, holding tight to Sanji's waist.]

You don't have to say anything.

[He doesn't. In part because Sanji's body language and demeanor has been betraying much more than anything he could say ever could. Ion doesn't have all the clues or the context, but he doesn't need those things. He just knows that Sanji is suffering--and Ion, who hasn't hurt anyone, who has also been suffering quietly--well, how can he turn a blind eye to someone who looks so much worse off? Whatever Sanji's had to do, has to do...

It must be terrible.]