alttitude | [ sanji & jae-ha have dinner dates ]

[...]

I don't know if he'll go with anyone.

[Sanji's voice has fallen back into its melancholy.]

He wants to die. And I don't know if I can convince him to live.

...

Is this how like you told me weeks ago that I knew him better than you did - and then the next week you ended up being horrifyingly wrong?

[He points it out - but also his expression goes serious.]

I don't know if I fully believe that he wants to die.

He might just be more nervous about the prospect of living - especially with everything he's done.

He's tired.

[That Sanji says seriously, because yes -- he knows his partner too well.]

It was tough on both of us realizing we were alike in that shitty way. That's why I'm nervous.

... I have my crew to set me straight, but Zelos kinda lost his by being too afraid. [The idiot.]

Not saying I won't try. I just... don't know what the answer's gonna be.

He told me.

[that he sort of just let it all blow up in his face - jae-ha can't quite understand it. doesn't really know if he wants to. he and zelos and sanji all have their likenesses -

but at some point they stop.

jae-ha has almost no tolerance for betrayal. that's simply what gi-gan taught him]

... stuck between not wanting to force him and not wanting to see him end it, huh?

[idly

jae-ha can't help but notice how easy it was to fall back into this back and forth, discussing the matters of everyone else around them

... perhaps this is why he was never able to stop saying he considered sanji a friend]

I can't force him to come with me.

[Tone implying Sanji considered it, just stealing Zelos away like a prize for his own good, ready to accept the man's hatred until maybe one day it would cool back into affection.

Sanji's fine with making hard choices. Look at his time spent in the castle.

But he can't stand betrayal anymore than Jae-Ha.]

... I just want him to be happy with whatever choice he goes for.

[Sounding fuckin heartbroken but that is how it goes sometimes.]

.... ow.

Keep talking like that and I'll have to reach for something stronger than tea.

[just saying]

[... takes the nearest towel and throws it at Jae-Ha's head]

[DUCKS

laughing]

He was surprised when he got your last letter, you know.

-- You read that?!

Every last word.

That was pretty forward of you.

[he's bullshitting

but he's like

confidently bullshitting]

You shitty bastard, who gave you permission to go around reading people's mail?!

[God he's blushing so hard so yeah there might've been a lot of straightforwardness in that letter, rip]

[he had a feeling he'd be right

didn't know he'd be This right]

He had such an interesting reaction to it - how could I contain my curiosity!

[that part is real at least]