ledbythewind | APPOINTMENTS POST

[... Well.

This is new.

And of course, Sanji has hit the point where his brain-to-mouth filter has fled the premises. He says the first thing that comes to mind while staring at Richard in vague wonder]

Shit, you're girly-looking.

Why thank you.

[Because in his mind, there's no way that wasn't meant as a compliment. And he IS quite proud of his hair, thank you. He's also got quite nice, lovely long eyelashes...]

Ha! You say that so casually.

[A frown, in which he rolls his shoulder so Richard is lying more comfortable on him. No, really, Sanji's fairly used to men draping themselves on him - blame Usopp - though admittedly, when Richard does it, the chef is unsure how far is too far and...

And he's thinking way too hard about this. Moving on.]

Don't do anything that's gonna make Isamu jealous.

[No, Sanji, that is not the direction you're supposed to move in.]

[Richard has already made himself perfectly comfortable on Sanji's shoulder there, but if the chef wants to assist in that, he's not about to complain. Sanji's a bit bony, though. Then again, he leans on Isamu a lot, so he's used to it.]

We could always invite him to come join us.

[His brain hasn't quite parsed the less innocent implications of that line yet.]

Thazna-- That's not how you... not make people jealous, Richard... Isamu's not-- not gonna share!

[All those negatives and Sanji's sentence spikes at the end in a confused pitch, like he's unsure what he's saying. Obviously, the best answer is to drown his sorrows in the other half of his drink]

We can just... we'll order him his own drink. Besides, he's quite used to sharing with me, although he does have a tendency to take more than... most of the blankets.

[He's a blanket hog, sad but true. At least Richard is used to it by now. (And totally unaware of the fact that he's probably just making this conversation worse in the process.)]

...

You two share a bed.

Yes, we do.

[It's not like it's a new development, nor is it something they really keep secret. In fact, he thought Sanji already knew about it.]

[Hey, hey, he forgot, okay? And it's not really a surprise so much as an amusing confirmation.]

So. When are you two getting married again? [Asks the straight man to the gay man leaning on him.

This conversation is flawless.]

Will you make us a cake?

[That's an exciting thought. Sanji's cakes are god tier; Richard sees absolutely no drawbacks to this.

Except for the fact that there isn't actually going to be any marriage, but details.]

Of course I am! [He puffs up proudly] Who else is gonna make a cake as good as me?

I knew I could count on you!

[GETTING A LITTLE NUZZLY NOW WITH THAT HUGGING. Sanji might notice that he smells like... honeysuckle. Also probably not a huge surprise, considering.]

[It's telling how far Sanji has come in his two and a half years in Luceti if his reaction to a man nuzzling him is not abject horror but just vague irritation, if you can call it that. He pokes Richard on the forehead and states with a slight slur]

You're clingier than Usopp when there's shit to fight. [And yet he doesn't shake him off.]

And yet you don't seem to mind.

[Clingy though he may be, there's a certain line that he won't cross, even drunk as he is right now. Sanji is quite firmly friendzoned for multiple reasons-- oh, sure, he's attractive enough, and Richard isn't going to lie to himself about not noticing that fact, but he's a friend, nothing more. Richard is quite happy with the status quo and he has no intention of trying to change it.]

It's not like you're the first guy to hug me.

You're the...

[He has to pause and consider this for a moment. How many people HAS he hugged?]

... fifth person I've ever hugged.

[And he sounds proud of this fact. FIVE WHOLE PEOPLE, MAN.]

[...

And just like that, Sanji suddenly bursts into amused laughter.] Oi, five's pretty good! [He's being fairly honest, and that fact alone is probably telling of his own hugging experiences.]

You think so?

[This just makes Richard look even more pleased. He's doing well on the hug count! This is something to be proud of!]

Yeah. In fact, I'm not that far ahead of you. [His head tilts at an angle, lost in thought, and he starts rambling off the names as they come to him] I've hugged Nami-san, Vivi-chan, Miyabi-chan, Xion, Katara-chan, Usopp, Ginko-- [Right after that last night, all semblance of a smile drops from Sanji's face. In fact, his expression seems to dwindle.]

... Like I said. [he straightens in his seat a little, or as much as he can with Richard leaning on him] Not that many more than you.

[Richard isn't so completely wasted that he doesn't notice that change in Sanji's expression; though he isn't entirely sure what caused it (as far as he knows, Ginko was a close friend and nothing more), the proper response to it is clear.

Sanji's getting another hug, this time less enthusiastic and more gentle, comforting. Not that Richard's the best in the comforting department, but he tries, and it's the thought that counts, at least.]

[Unlike the first time, this hug doesn't take him by surprise. He's still aware enough to expect it, and Sanji graces Richard with another smile that doesn't really pass for okay.

He'd forgotten how difficult it can be to pull himself out of a mood once he's slips into it after drinking. Why was this a good idea again?]

Mmfine. Don't worry about it. [Still, he tries to steer the conversation somewhere else, or offer Richard some semblance of peace.]

[It's probably a good thing that Richard has been drinking too, because the alcohol is blunting his perception enough to make that half-hearted reassurance seem more genuine than it normally would, that smile a little more real. It's enough for Richard to drop this line of questioning, at least, in favor of something more fun (and effective): ordering another drink!

... but still not detaching. Sorry, Sanji.]

... Richard. [There's a hard slur in that last syllable] M'not draggin' you home if you keep drinkin.

Then you can just... take me home with you instead.

[Obvious solution is obvious... at least to him.]

[Because Sanji is going to be totally okay with taking a gay man back to his house. Jeez, Richard.

...]

You c'n have the couch.

Edited 2012-10-05 06:09 (UTC)

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