He's in front of Jae-Ha's door, in the earth dormitory, hand raised to knock but not quite... making it to the wood. In fact, he's probably standing outside the door for a couple of minutes before he gets it over with.]
[ . . . well that's not the greatest thing. It takes Jae-ha a second to answer, considering the fact that he and his partner both have an intense amount of paranoia to the point that they haven't given up sleep shifts - but he does eventually open the door and blink in confusion when he finds Sanji.]
[Can't argue with that. They got some killers in their midst, but that's part the course for pirates. It's why Sanji was never interested in that realization to begin with.]
... Guess I'll just keep an eye on 'em. That's all I can do, really.
Then the sooner you realize that the closest person to him is you - the better. I've spoken to him a few times, I know a few things, but he wouldn't have followed me into the maze if I felt like going. And the pragmatic thing, if he really hated you, would be to let you die and for him to wait to get paired up with someone else.
[You wanted him to explain himself, Sanji.]
So don't be difficult - the more you close yourself off to him, the more the both of you suffer.
And I can't clean up your messes, even if you'd like me to.
and Sanji knows he should panic, sharing this much, when Jae-Ha could easily be someone the Crafters have in their pocket, but he
doesn't
care
he's so fuckin tired]
Some shitheads here have objectives. His is to protect me. If I die, he dies. No second chances.
... I knew it, and still got it in my head to check the maze for clues. Poor bastard didn't really have a choice but to make sure I came out alive.
[Does Jae-Ha fuckin get it now? Zelos is his babysitter, and not even of his own free will. And Sanji... ignored what that meant until the bastard lost an eye for it.]
[Jae-ha pauses as he finishes up the last of bandaging up Sanji's injury - and he moves to reach out and mess up his hair.]
.... you're still so full of bullshit.
Even if I tell you that's not true, would you even listen to me? Or would you just be so stuck on what you think is real that you blind yourself to everything else?
You said that I know Zelos better than anybody - which is wrong to begin with - but now you're gonna doubt me when I've spent just as much time watching you?
[If not more.]
If you don't have more faith in him, he'll be able to tell, you know. He's not going to be the one to believe in your partnership first.
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