One day you'll find that I have gone...

[love_hurricane]

Characters: Sanji and OPEN.
Location: The gates.
Time: Early morning.
Content: The stubborn guy finally gave up on being stubborn.
Format: Anything but likely prose.
Warnings: Might want a bucket for those farewell tears ;__;

Comments

[froggycharmer]

"W-what?" Shocked couldn't even begin to describe how Tiana felt at that very moment. She was astounded, flabbergasted, perplexed, bewildered, and conflicted on top of being shocked.

She stared back at him as her mind tried to process his request. Come with him? She couldn't believe that he actually said that. The chef perfectly knew well how much staying in New York was important to her dreams. Life at sea as a pirate of all things wouldn't get her the restaurant she always wanted. Yet at the same time, it made complete sense that he wanted her to come with him. The man's love for her knew no bounds, and she would only be lying to herself if she claimed that her love for him wasn't as strong, or even stronger, than his.

Sailing the world, cooking by his side everyday, these things were so very tempting. However, she couldn't just abandon her own dreams. She worked so hard, gained so much support from loved ones. All of that would go to waste if she left.

But still...Sanji...

"Y'know I can't. I'm sorry, but I gotta stay here. I'm almost there, Sanji. So close to where I can make Daddy's dream a reality." She paused, a wry smile slowly gracing her lips. "Yet I gotta a feelin' that no matter what I say or do, I'll eventually get unsuspectin'ly snatched by a certain group of pirates...Why don't we make both a compromise and a promise instead?"

[love_hurricane]

All of those reasons he hadn't suggested it before now... he knew them, knew them inside out from telling himself them practically every day since he'd met her, keeping himself in line, thinking about what was best, what was sensible. But, with all of this so suddenly happening, going back to a dream he'd never thought he'd be able to chase with a bunch of lunatics he would never have dreamed would become his family, sense could take a flying leap.

Really, it had had very little place when he'd been living at the institute either.

"I know you can't, and, I'm sorry for saying it, I know it's too much for me to ask but... I have to ask." He took both her hands in his, the pair kneeling on the uncomfortable gravel path in the early morning light like the stage of some strange play.

"You know I'm a little over the top sometimes-" how little he realized the truth of that- "and I might make rash decisions or even lose my temper, but... think about it. One school in one place, even that brilliant place you got into, is only one fraction of a whole. You can't see the world from a window..." He took a breath. If he couldn't persuade her now, he never would, and wouldn't have the heart to try again.

"I can teach you everything I know and it still wouldn't compare to what you could learn out there with us; India, France, Indonesia, the Ivory Coast! Any type of food you've ever heard of, there are people out there who've been making it and perfecting it for years- all you have to do is find them. A boat isn't just a means of transport; it's a library, and a pair of wings, and a home...!" He chanced to look briefly over her shoulder at the stately brick building that he had hesitantly started to consider the same, before looking back at the real reason he'd felt that way. The pair of eyes that were the only home he had. Perhaps the only one he'd ever had.

"You know you could go home whenever you wanted, and I'd rather die than to let you be unhappy... but the decision is yours," he made an attempt at an unbiased smile, not very successfully; "and you can make it any time."

[froggycharmer]

"That ain't exactly the compromise and promise I had in mind..." She glanced down, noting how warm his hands were around her own. How to the stray onlooker it seemed like Sanji was proposing to her right then and there, which he technically was. The proposal itself was just extremely unusual, non-traditional, and completely crazy.

And the most convincing thing she had ever heard.

"But it is still the middle of summer, and it ain't like I have much to do til next spring comes along..." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I guess what I'm tryin' to say, and oh good Lord I can't believe I'm sayin' this, is that I'll come with you...But with a few conditions!" She freed one hand from his hold, and held up one finger as emphasis with each condition she was about to lay out to him.

"One, y'all better take me to those places you just listed to me and more. I want to learn as much as I can. Two, I get to work as the ship's co-chef since I ain't gonna freeload offa anybody. Three, I need to get back to New York by springtime. I still wanna go to school, and already paid for enrollment. Plus it'll only be for two years at most. Four, after those two years, y'all better come visit me wherever I'm at. I don't know if what I'll choose to do with my life from then on, but I'm sure it'll be mighty nice to see y'all again. Five, whether I'm there or not, make sure that everyone's dreams comes true. Like Luffy findin' that grand treasure of his, Robin discoverin' artifacts, Chopper becomin' a doctor, Franky...well I ain't quite sure what he wants but make sure he gets it. As for you, you better find that All Blue you've been ramblin' about to me, and be sure to bring me back somethin' good from here."

Clasping her hand over his, she beamed excitedly at him. "Let's go on a grand adventure, Sanji. Together."

[love_hurricane]

Sanji's eyes grew wider with every word. He couldn't believe it, he'd done it! She... she was saying yes!

Terms and conditions were hastily nodded to and dedicated to memory, the cook's school boy grin glittering like a crescent moon around his face. He looked as if he was about to leave the ground, and when she'd reached the end of a her speech he promptly did so, leaping up with a great halloo of joy.

"TOGETHER! Oh, joy! Oh glorious wonderful brilliant perfect joy oh YES YES YES YES-!" The ecstatic man bounded around in a series of impossible back flips and front flips and cartwheels, a human firework exploding with happiness, his heels tracing lines of light through the air where his ability had forgotten to contain itself.

Landing back where he'd left off he swept the young woman off the floor in such an enthusiastic manner that she quite flew up in the air, as he caught her in that manner that he had done so long ago when they'd first met, although the kiss he gave her at this conjecture was quite a new addition.

A few solid seconds later he left off to let them both breath again, grinning from ear to ear with his heart still running in rings up and down his ribcage.

"I suppose we ought to get you packed?"

[froggycharmer]

Whether she was literally up in the air or safe in Sanji's arms, Tiana was soaring in happiness. There was no room in her mind or heart for any doubts about her decision. Even if she managed to think of a reason to change her mind, her mouth was too busy being thoroughly kissed for her to voice it.

She let out a light laugh once they parted, filled with mirth. "I reckon we ought to. Can't go seafarin' without any clothes, now can I? And I better tell Mama and Lottie 'bout this b'fore we go..."

The thought of leaving behind two of the people she cared about the most sobered her a bit. She worried about what they would say. Hopefully they would react well. If anything, Lottie would be swooning at the romanticism of Tiana joining her, a-hem, "lover" at sea. As for Mama, she would just be happy that her baby girl was finally following her heart for once.

"I gotta call Mama and wake up Lottie after I pack. Sorry, Sanji, we gonna have to leave a little later than you'd like." She wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him as a way to apologize.

"Let's go b'fore we waste any more time. The sea's awaitin'!"

[love_hurricane]

Oh, just how little Sanji cared that his trip was to be delayed could not be expressed in words, but he attempted to do so with the line of fervently grateful kisses he was laying along the length of Tiana's shoulder like some human version of Pepe le Pew.

"Take as long as you like!" He punctuated each word with another peck before placing her gently on the ground, though he had absolutely no desire to remove her arms from his neck.

"After all, it's going to be quite a trip!" He grinned with barely concealed elation before giving her one final, long lasting kiss to the lips, every wildest dream suddenly a dream come true. A last squeezing embrace preceded his taking her by the hand and galloping full speed back down the path to the school, laughing as exuberantly as a schoolboy on the precipice of the greatest summer holiday of his life.

An ending this might have been, but just how much of a beginning it was could not have been anticipated by the pessimistic dreamer.

[[ooc: Shall we call it here? Also BWAAAAAH I AM GOING TO MISS THIS SO MUCH ;A; BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WHILE IT WAS.]]

ooc

[froggycharmer]

WAHHHHHHH ME TOO. BUT YES IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO MUCH FUN. THANK YOU AGAIN <3

If you ever want to thread these two again, just drop me a line via AIM, email, or even PM. o/