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[scone]

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[scone]

[ koby wouldn't lie to him. zoro is the most steadfast person he knows, solid and unmoving and stronger than sanji would ever admit. he wouldn't leave him like this. but koby wouldn't lie, either. ]

does nami know?

[kobes]

[ah. this is worse. sanji believing him, not telling him to fuck off and die, or getting angry and cussing him out -- that's worse.]

Yes.
Are you two fighting?





Can you stop for a little bit, maybe?
She needs you.

[scone]

[ are they? he agreed to never speak to alina again, a choice that stings but is worth it if it might keep jinx out of trouble. alina has people who love her. his friendship is no great loss.

not when his presence brings this. ]

i should go to her. i'm sure she's upset, and i have to apologize.
zoro's gone because of me.

[kobes]

[

he'd say this soooo much more tactfully if he wasn't currently concussed, but:]

You aren't allowed to go see her if you're going to say stupid things like that.
He is not gone because of you.
He's gone because that's how this place works. It takes people away and it hurts us and it feeds on our misery. It's the village, dressed up nicer. I thought you knew that.

I can't tell you not to blame yourself, because you never listen to me, but don't say those things to Nami. I mean it, Sanji.

[scone]

it's the truth. you don't know what he had to do. what i asked him to do, because i couldn't do it myself.
anyone would leave after that. you're going to stand there and tell me the timing doesn't make sense? maybe you and shanks can't feel him anymore today, but he left months ago when he killed me. we both died, and i was the only one who came back.

it should've been him. he loves her. he knows how to love her. and i took that away from her.

[kobes]

That's right. You came back.
What are you going to do with that, Sanji?

You get to be here, with her, on the worst day of her life.
You're not dead, you're not gone. You're here.
Be here, with Nami.
Punish yourself for whatever you believe you did later.

[scone]

[ he's right, as he always is. what nami and zoro had was... loving. dependable. not like the fraught, constantly snapping thing sanji had with him, and not the ache that lives between him and nami. ]

i'll go make some tea and bring by some food. i'm sure she won't want to go anywhere, but i'll try to get her to eat something in a few hours.
thank you for looking after her.

[kobes]

[oh thank whatever god was listening. it's not -- good, it's still not good, koby can feel that, the grief and hollow horror that emanates from sanji still. he probably doesn't want comfort -- probably imagines himself deserving of being alone in his grief. but koby is koby, and he's looking after nami and he's also nudging that sweet-blush-pink curl of hereiam up against the shape of sanji's mind, his soul, nothing but warmth and echoing grief and love, despite it all, despite everything.]

Thank you.
I'll keep checking in on you two. Let me know if she needs anything.

And I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry, Sanji.

[scone]

yeah. i will.

[ he can feel koby's concern from here, his willingness to be helpful as he always is, as he always wants to be. he'll be stretching himself thin too, so sanji will make sure he makes enough food to make a stop at koby's door as well. ]

it's fine. you know i didn't really give a shit about him anyway.

[ blocked and reported if you call him out on this. ]

[kobes]

[the unseen presence leaves with an exasperated sort of shove, because you're stupid, sanji. but koby's head hurts and he's tired. he's so, so tired.]

I'll keep an eye on Nami until you get there. I'll make sure she's safe.

@GETJINXED

[smudgy]

i didn’t kill ur girlfriend
hope u guys r happy together
i wont be in the kitchen for a while 👍

[scone]

now you’ve decided to take your vacation?
offer’s expired. i need you.

[smudgy]

ask ur girlfriend

[scone]

nami can’t cook.

[smudgy]

whatever
i know u don’t care what i want
since u never ask

[ he just tells her. take a vacation. don’t take a vacation. stop what you’re doing. listen to what i want for my friends and not yours — ]

but i don’t want to
so im not going to

[scone]

like you consult me for everything?
fine, i’ll play. what else do you want besides not to be my sous chef?

1/2

[smudgy]

[ she doesn’t know whether he means she didn’t ask about, uh, fucking his girlfriend, but that’s what she thinks of. ]

elaine already said i was an evil slut for what i did to u
i get it

[smudgy]

so no
i don’t wanna be ur sous chef girlfriend stealer
i want to go back to doing what im good at
💣💥💣💥💣💥

[scone]

[ ??????? ]

you’re not any of those things. i don’t think that about you at all.
you’re good at being my sous chef. and you’re good at being with nami.
and you’re good at being with me.

1/2

[smudgy]

[smudgy]

u mean that?

[scone]

yeah, i mean it.
do you think you're good with me?

[ maybe it's something he should have asked zoro when he had the chance. ]

[smudgy]

[ a long pause. ]

yeah
i think im better with you, sanji

[scone]

then i'll stick around wherever you are.
really, you should be where i am. which is in the kitchen.
dishwasher didn't show up either.

[ if he's lucky, he's dead ]

🎬 — action.

[smudgy]

[ i’ll stick around. she wants to hear him say it. to record it and play it back. remix it on a loop. it sounds like — like the way he looked at her, when they danced at the stupid prom. all fizzy, a burst of carbonation in her chest. ]

forget about him

[ especially everything he said about jinx and nami.

which hopefully is the last thing on sanji’s mind, when she flashes into the kitchen like pink lightning, crowding him against the nearest surface, the same as she did when he was sick the first time and then when he was dying.

she looks mostly the same, if bruised by the fighting. big eyes open, vulnerable, but wary. ]

Say it again.

[ does he know which part? does she? she couldn’t say what she’s after, only that she nearly blew everything up for the second time this month, and the thought of actually losing it all — ]

If you meant it. I’m not doing dishes for nothing.