[Well, ding-dong goes that bell in approximately an hour, as well as another text shot off in case Yusuke's more focused on a painting than his surroundings.
And... there's no hiding the weather-worn, sickly pale expression he's wearing, like he caught the flu in the forest and is barely recovering -- it's why Sanji doesn't bother looking anything other than tired under his boyfriend's gaze, knowing he'd be found out eventually.
Doesn't stop his stare from cutting to the side when he finally opens his mouth]
[ For once, Yusuke hadn’t been painting — he’d actually been clearing up the house a little bit. Partially his fault, as there are still bits and pieces lying around from when he HAD been painting, but it was his turn to clean as well.
When he opens the door, he... wasn’t sure what he’d expected to see. That Sanji is tired? That’s not a surprise. Quests sounded tiring, and he’d said he’d just got back. The fact he hadn’t stopped to rest is worrying, but seeing him look so drained and almost ill is worrying. Enough that he gently grabs Sanji by the wrist and attempts to coax him into the house as quickly as he can. ]
Better than you, it seems.
[ Perhaps blunter than necessary but lying never helped anything. ]
You look like you were put through the proverbial wringer. [ To the sofa!! There are blankets here by default, maybe he can persuade Sanji to take a nap or something... ]
-- And then Sanji can't help himself, he smiles at Yusuke's hovering and blunt words and general lack of tact. It's a rare moment of unguarded affection that's quickly lost when his face falls back into its exhaustion.
He allows himself to sit, but doesn't touch the blankets. Or lean back into the cushions. Or do much besides stoop forward until his elbows rest over his knees. The silence lingers until he forces words out of his mouth]
Was kinda rough up there, yeah. [One of his hands lifts, rubbing absentmindedly at the back of his neck.] More magic bullshit.
[ Sanji is getting a blanket, because Yusuke is draping one around him like he’s about to turn him into a giant burrito. So, Sanji will be warm and hopefully he’s comfortable. Yusuke thinks their sofa is pretty good, comfort wise at least. What else is there...? ]
... I wonder if that’s why the quests there have persisted. Something like runaway magic probably needs to be brought under control...
[ OH. Right. Drinks, ]
Do you want some tea? We have regular tea as well as green tea... [ He’s already pushing himself off the sofa to go and dig around the cupboards for the tea. Because tea heals all. ]
[ Yusuke stops when he feels the hand around his wrist, and watches Sanji carefully. There’s something like anger that sparks through him when he hears the question — like his own commitment to this relationship is being questioned and he feels offended as to why.
But he can still remember how much he’d had to argue to get Sanji to even consider giving this, and himself a chance in the first place — and this is a question asked in seriousness, so it should be answered in the same way. ]
Because I want to be. [ It’s serious, but simple. Because as far as Yusuke is concerned, it doesn’t have to be complicated. ] Because I like being with you.
[He would've preferred Yusuke's anger, welcomed it. That's something he knows how to navigate, even if it's by running away from the heat or matching it with his own. What Yusuke offers is neither option, and now presented with the reason he asked for, Sanji keeps his stare angled wherever his boyfriend isn't.
... Hasn't let go of the other's wrist, though. Maybe he can convince himself that counts for something.]
Alright.
[It's not agreement so much as acknowledgment that, hey, Sanji has no right to start bitching. The muscles of his jaw work before he continues]
You should--
[fuckin dump me already.
Ugh.]
Forget that. [His forehead breaks into a sweat, looking another degree of feverish.. and he finally turns to show Yusuke the inside of his left wrist. It's... branded. A bright red that glows.]
So don't kick my ass until I explain everything, alright?
[ Yusuke glances down when he feels Sanji’s wrist rotate in his grasp, and— well—
This wasn’t what he expected. Almost automatically, he reaches out to brush a finger across the brand that stands out starkly against his skin, but stops at the last second, his fingers hovering just over the mark. ]
Will it hurt if I touch it?
[ He doesn’t want to just assume. Remembering everything that happened the other month, he doesn’t feel like he can assume anything. There had been so many less than pleasant surprises there, and this just feels like another to add to the pile. ]
...
[ He wants to ask if this is something he got while he was on that quest, but the answer seems self explanatory. So he just keeps quiet for the most part. ]
[A shrug. Frankly? Sanji could not care less if it did hurt, and he pushes his wrist against Yusuke's fingers to demonstrate. What luck, there's no pain involved, but will feel abnormally warm to the touch, instead.]
It's a curse.
[Time to get the easy, ugly truths out of the way. There's no emotion attached to it, either, and Sanji's eyes close as he works his way through this story.]
I got into Magatus, lost consciousness, woke up in a cave with this shitty thing on me. Pretty sure it's trying to kill me.
[Which he hopes explains the fever, the paleness, that Sanji's only barely keeping himself upright on the couch. If the blanket over his shoulders was covering his head, too, he'd probably burrow backwards in an attempt to hide.]
[ ... A curse. Yusuke brushes his fingers lightly across the mark, feeling that warmth and at the same time hating it once he hears those words. ]
You have no idea how to remove it...?
[ There has to be a way right? The mere phrase - "Pretty sure it's trying to kill me" - is harrowing. He doesn't want that, and just how... calmly Sanji seems to be talking about it is concerning. He almost wants to shake him by the shoulders.
But instead he tugs on the blanket, almost like he's trying to shield him with it. There has to be someone they can talk to about it, right...? Some way to get help. ]
[A fidget. At last, Sanji pulls his hands away from Yusuke entirely.]
See, once I got into the forests, the trees of all things started talking shit. Like your worst secrets or regrets, or... [A shrug, then a wince. He can feel a headache coming on.]
So I'm guessing I gotta confront whatever's on my mind.
... And how are you going to go about that? Because the alternative of dying isn't an option.
[ As in, good hecking luck trying to while Yusuke is here. He'll let Sanji pull his hands away like their suddenly on fire, he can deal with that. As surprisingly stinging as it is. But it almost sounds like Sanji is just recounting unavoidable facts, and that is just... baffling. ]
[Heh... It's moments like this that really highlight the differences between them. He can hear the warning in Yusuke's tone, because the truth is the only option when dying's on the line.
Makes perfect sense. He still doesn't wanna.]
Some of it's got shit to do with you, actually...
[Probably obvious by how Sanji's staring at the floor with enough anxiety to burn a hole through it, and he keeps folding and unfolding his hand together, squeezing them as if to break his joints.]
[ That needs to stop, immediately. Whether Sanji actually wants to hold hands or not, Yusuke will be doing his best to fit his hand inbetween Sanji’s when it he unfolds it. If anything just to stop him from putting painful, repetitive stress on his knuckles like that. ]
Alright. Seeing as it involves me, it makes sense to start with that then.
[ All in. Like pulling off a band aid in one swift, solid motion. He wants to tell Sanji to look at him if they’re going to discuss something about him, but Sanji looks like he might crumble on the spor, or try and flee if he makes any sudden loud noises, whether he feels and looks like death or not. ]
... Ah, right. He... he almost forgot. Maybe that wasn't the source of Yusuke's intentions, but the sudden hand in his coupled with such an abrasive reminder means Sanji will stop his fidgeting, forcing his other hand down against his knee.]
Oi now, you didn't do anything wrong. [Can't stress that fast enough.] It's all me.
[The other benefit of handholding: means Sanji can't walk the fuck off like he very much wishes he could, and he's just tossing out words with abandon now, to get this over with]
Like I said, just a bunch of mind games, but the trees weren't lying. And I know I'm a pain in the ass to deal with, everyone could do a lot better than me--
[MMMmmmmMmmmmmmm]
You already answered, so not gonna beat that dead horse, just... you could, uh... you'd definitely make someone else happy if you got tired...
[ Okay. Okay, heck. Yusuke just kinda leans back a little, into the back of the sofa, but doesn’t release his grip on Sanji’s hand, like he’s even more concerned he might bolt now. First thing is first: ]
No, I’m not interested in breaking up because the flora of Magatus got incredibly good at mental manipulation since we were last there.
[ He turns his head to pin Sanji with a look - there’s a lot of exasperation there, and some anger, but something undeniably fond as well. ]
If I did not think you were worth my time, I would not have given you over six weeks of it freely. [ And that’s one thing that couldn’t be a lie even if he tried: if he’d ever got tired or fed up with Sanji, he would have told him immediately. Honesty and all that. ]
And that's the problem here, isn't it? Sanji knows himself and can see the symptoms: that he's never gonna get anywhere if he keeps insisting he's dirt his partners have to scrape off the floor. They'll get tired of it, rightfully, so, and eventually just leave hi--
... Tch.
He is such a piece of work.]
... So you're happy? [He asks that question instead, fingers flexing against Yusuke's as a question.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fabrefactions) wrote2017-08-26 12:53 pm
4/22
just got back
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Welcome back. Was it any different this time without the wolves everywhere?
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different experience
[Understatement of the year]
so u free?
wanted to talk if that's cool
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... How does text manage to sound somewhat ominous? ]
I'm available. Here, or at yours?
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And... there's no hiding the weather-worn, sickly pale expression he's wearing, like he caught the flu in the forest and is barely recovering -- it's why Sanji doesn't bother looking anything other than tired under his boyfriend's gaze, knowing he'd be found out eventually.
Doesn't stop his stare from cutting to the side when he finally opens his mouth]
Oi. How you been?
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When he opens the door, he... wasn’t sure what he’d expected to see. That Sanji is tired? That’s not a surprise. Quests sounded tiring, and he’d said he’d just got back. The fact he hadn’t stopped to rest is worrying, but seeing him look so drained and almost ill is worrying. Enough that he gently grabs Sanji by the wrist and attempts to coax him into the house as quickly as he can. ]
Better than you, it seems.
[ Perhaps blunter than necessary but lying never helped anything. ]
You look like you were put through the proverbial wringer. [ To the sofa!! There are blankets here by default, maybe he can persuade Sanji to take a nap or something... ]
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-- And then Sanji can't help himself, he smiles at Yusuke's hovering and blunt words and general lack of tact. It's a rare moment of unguarded affection that's quickly lost when his face falls back into its exhaustion.
He allows himself to sit, but doesn't touch the blankets. Or lean back into the cushions. Or do much besides stoop forward until his elbows rest over his knees. The silence lingers until he forces words out of his mouth]
Was kinda rough up there, yeah. [One of his hands lifts, rubbing absentmindedly at the back of his neck.] More magic bullshit.
no subject
... I wonder if that’s why the quests there have persisted. Something like runaway magic probably needs to be brought under control...
[ OH. Right. Drinks, ]
Do you want some tea? We have regular tea as well as green tea... [ He’s already pushing himself off the sofa to go and dig around the cupboards for the tea. Because tea heals all. ]
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Hey...
[...]
Why are you still with me?
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But he can still remember how much he’d had to argue to get Sanji to even consider giving this, and himself a chance in the first place — and this is a question asked in seriousness, so it should be answered in the same way. ]
Because I want to be. [ It’s serious, but simple. Because as far as Yusuke is concerned, it doesn’t have to be complicated. ] Because I like being with you.
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... Hasn't let go of the other's wrist, though. Maybe he can convince himself that counts for something.]
Alright.
[It's not agreement so much as acknowledgment that, hey, Sanji has no right to start bitching. The muscles of his jaw work before he continues]
You should--
[fuckin dump me already.
Ugh.]
Forget that. [His forehead breaks into a sweat, looking another degree of feverish.. and he finally turns to show Yusuke the inside of his left wrist. It's... branded. A bright red that glows.]
So don't kick my ass until I explain everything, alright?
no subject
This wasn’t what he expected. Almost automatically, he reaches out to brush a finger across the brand that stands out starkly against his skin, but stops at the last second, his fingers hovering just over the mark. ]
Will it hurt if I touch it?
[ He doesn’t want to just assume. Remembering everything that happened the other month, he doesn’t feel like he can assume anything. There had been so many less than pleasant surprises there, and this just feels like another to add to the pile. ]
...
[ He wants to ask if this is something he got while he was on that quest, but the answer seems self explanatory. So he just keeps quiet for the most part. ]
... Alright.
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It's a curse.
[Time to get the easy, ugly truths out of the way. There's no emotion attached to it, either, and Sanji's eyes close as he works his way through this story.]
I got into Magatus, lost consciousness, woke up in a cave with this shitty thing on me. Pretty sure it's trying to kill me.
[Which he hopes explains the fever, the paleness, that Sanji's only barely keeping himself upright on the couch. If the blanket over his shoulders was covering his head, too, he'd probably burrow backwards in an attempt to hide.]
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You have no idea how to remove it...?
[ There has to be a way right? The mere phrase - "Pretty sure it's trying to kill me" - is harrowing. He doesn't want that, and just how... calmly Sanji seems to be talking about it is concerning. He almost wants to shake him by the shoulders.
But instead he tugs on the blanket, almost like he's trying to shield him with it. There has to be someone they can talk to about it, right...? Some way to get help. ]
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[A fidget. At last, Sanji pulls his hands away from Yusuke entirely.]
See, once I got into the forests, the trees of all things started talking shit. Like your worst secrets or regrets, or... [A shrug, then a wince. He can feel a headache coming on.]
So I'm guessing I gotta confront whatever's on my mind.
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Well.
Immediately, he can see the problem here. ]
... And how are you going to go about that? Because the alternative of dying isn't an option.
[ As in, good hecking luck trying to while Yusuke is here. He'll let Sanji pull his hands away like their suddenly on fire, he can deal with that. As surprisingly stinging as it is. But it almost sounds like Sanji is just recounting unavoidable facts, and that is just... baffling. ]
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Makes perfect sense. He still doesn't wanna.]
Some of it's got shit to do with you, actually...
[Probably obvious by how Sanji's staring at the floor with enough anxiety to burn a hole through it, and he keeps folding and unfolding his hand together, squeezing them as if to break his joints.]
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Alright. Seeing as it involves me, it makes sense to start with that then.
[ All in. Like pulling off a band aid in one swift, solid motion. He wants to tell Sanji to look at him if they’re going to discuss something about him, but Sanji looks like he might crumble on the spor, or try and flee if he makes any sudden loud noises, whether he feels and looks like death or not. ]
What happened that involved me?
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... Ah, right. He... he almost forgot. Maybe that wasn't the source of Yusuke's intentions, but the sudden hand in his coupled with such an abrasive reminder means Sanji will stop his fidgeting, forcing his other hand down against his knee.]
Oi now, you didn't do anything wrong. [Can't stress that fast enough.] It's all me.
[The other benefit of handholding: means Sanji can't walk the fuck off like he very much wishes he could, and he's just tossing out words with abandon now, to get this over with]
Like I said, just a bunch of mind games, but the trees weren't lying. And I know I'm a pain in the ass to deal with, everyone could do a lot better than me--
[MMMmmmmMmmmmmmm]
You already answered, so not gonna beat that dead horse, just... you could, uh... you'd definitely make someone else happy if you got tired...
[Of dating him...]
no subject
... ...
[ Um. ]
Are you trying to imply that you think I should break up with you because a tree suggested it?
[ Give him a minute here, his brain needs to catch up before he can go ahead and get really mad. At Sanji and at the tree. ]
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No--! No, we shouldn't-- I mean, unless you really wanted to, I don't wanna tie you down or--
[Holy shit he needs to stop talking immediately.]
I'm providing context, that's all! Damn trees are really good at selling their bullshit.
[Please don't kill him]
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No, I’m not interested in breaking up because the flora of Magatus got incredibly good at mental manipulation since we were last there.
[ He turns his head to pin Sanji with a look - there’s a lot of exasperation there, and some anger, but something undeniably fond as well. ]
If I did not think you were worth my time, I would not have given you over six weeks of it freely. [ And that’s one thing that couldn’t be a lie even if he tried: if he’d ever got tired or fed up with Sanji, he would have told him immediately. Honesty and all that. ]
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And that's the problem here, isn't it? Sanji knows himself and can see the symptoms: that he's never gonna get anywhere if he keeps insisting he's dirt his partners have to scrape off the floor. They'll get tired of it, rightfully, so, and eventually just leave hi--
... Tch.
He is such a piece of work.]
... So you're happy? [He asks that question instead, fingers flexing against Yusuke's as a question.]
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