(Untitled)

[markofthebrave]

Who: Katara and Sanji
What: Follow up to this, this, and this.
When: Wednesday afternoon, when Katara should be in school.
Where: Straw Hat House and along the river.
Summary: Everything's fixable with duct tape! A conversation of pain, friendship, and - hopefully - trust.
Rating: PG for Sanji's cussing and emotional trauma.

Comments

[oda_hates_me]

Why yes, there is someone home. A few people, in fact, but the one who opens the door this time is a very unsuspecting cook, still grinning from the tail-end of some conversation.

"Fine, you lazy bastard, I'll get--" And just like that, after one casual glance at their visitor that abruptly knots his stomach and causes his smile to freeze in place because oh shit, his mind explodes into static.

It only lasts for a second.

"Ah-- Katara! Good afternoon." The frozen smile grows warm and welcoming, voice polite, completely disconnected from his mind darting around at light-speed in a panic. He figures now if there's a God, he hates him. That shitface must hate him, and Sanji has a few choice words for the guy if he's ever allowed the shitty displeasure of meeting him.

A step back is instinctively taken should she want to come in... and maybe to add a little distance for both their sakes. The awkward in the air might choke them otherwise. "Did you need to see someone?"

Because she obviously didn't come to see him.

1/2

[markofthebrave]

Well. Crap.

Seeing Sanji first thing was not what she'd been expecting.

Why couldn't you be Usopp???

[markofthebrave]

And - now that she's not so angry - it's hard to miss those signals. The frozen smile and the warm tone... they cut right through her. This hurt.

Deep breath. Shoulders back. Meet his gaze. All right, Katara, you can do this.

"Actually, Sanji..." Gah, why were these words so hard to get out? "I need to talk to you. Would you mind going for a walk?"

If he says no - she'd understand. Of course, if he said no, it would also mean that Nami was wrong. And Ginko was wrong. And she was very, very wrong for coming here in the first place. She looks away from him and blinks back the sudden swell of tears that come too easily. She hadn't showed up to cry on his porch.

[oda_hates_me]

Another second of stark surprise. Considering their last encounter ended with Katara walking away and leaving him to think their friendship permanently in shambles, Sanji allows himself a moment to get his thoughts in order.

She wants - no, needs - to talk again. If he's gonna be honest with at least himself, Sanji isn't 100% sure he can handle one more "talking" session, regardless of whether he wants to or not. He can still remember...

But then he catches sight of her blinking as if something's stuck in her eyes, hastily looking away from him, and that's all Sanji needs to shove his reservations to the side.

If this is what she wants, it's what she'll get. His mouth quirks into a half-smile. "No, I don't mind." He turns away briefly to inform anyone listening in that he'll be leaving - Of course he'll be back to cook dinner. Maybe. Oi, don't give him that; this is important! - and then slides out the door, closing it behind him with a sense of finality.

He's all hers now.

"Did you have a place in mind?"