mikangirl | [Voice/Action]

[Voice/Action]

[What a cheerful week it's been. Almost like a vacation away from this place.

Or not.

Nami doesn't have the energy to complain when she finds she's been returned out at the orchard in the early hours of the morning. Not that much of a problem, bar the fact that it's freezing and she's dead tired. The cottage isn't heated, but there's still a bed in there, and she collapses across it for a few hours' sleep.

...and at some point, rolls herself up in the covers, because that's smart.

When she finally wakes up around 8am, her journal's sitting on the floor next to the bed, and she flicks it open with a finger, not bothering to work up a filter to the crew. Too much effort, and she's just not in the mood for things that require concentration today. Or in much of a good mood at all. Valentine's is... still a little too raw. Among other things.]

[Voice]

I'm back. [Not that anyone but the crew knew she was going somewhere. Details. She doesn't much care.] You guys weather the storm okay?

[Later she'll make her way home, and then inevitably make her way into town and collapse in Good Spirits for a while in the evening. She's catchable wherever, and probably not that hard to cheer up if you want a lighter conversation.]

((ooc: and I will be slow for a bit, so bear with me.))

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[She hums at that, a little disappointedly.] Hope he'll be back soon, then.

[...

...she watches him prepare for a bit, before her gaze drops to the table.]

I talked to Ragna on the way back.

[Not... quite the topic change he'd been expecting. He does a full-body freeze before it occurs to him how telling that is, and forces himself back to his preparations. His tone is decidedly neutral]

Aa. You two get everything sorted out? [He does hopes so, despite his more selfish thoughts]

[Not quite. She frowns guiltily when she sees him freeze, but. It feels better to tell him this. Maybe easing off one extra thread of anger.]

He apologised for being an ass about everything afterwards.

[Heh. His lips quirk slightly] Good. [No, really. He's glad she got an apology.] I'm glad to hear it.

[Technically the apology also extends to Sanji, she suspects, but Ragna is too bullheaded to say so. Either way, that's not her place to say. She has to broach a more difficult subject on top of that.]

We talked a little about Noel, too. And what happened last time she was gone.

[Oddly enough, it's easier talking about Noel in this context. Sanji only loses his mental cool when he starts connecting an emotional attachment he doesn't know what to do with. This? This is alright. Sorta. If nothing else, easier to handle.]

... When she turned into Mu? [That said, his voice is still grave, even while he tosses together a light breakfast for Nami. He's going for filling rather than sweet, so the sugars don't keep her up.]

Yeah. [Said on a small sigh, but she relaxes slightly. A little easier, then.]

I don't trust the Malnosso not to mess with her like that even more. [Or Hazama, for that matter.] So I asked Catherine for help.

[He turns his head at that. Frankly he hates Catherine enough to want him maimed, but they've gone to him before with requests. And if Nami's bringing it up...]

Tch. Did the shithead have an idea?

Yeah. He claims he's set up one of the rooms at the battledome with a failsafe. If Noel walks in as anyone other than ...than Noel, the failsafe will register that and Shift her back to normal.

We just have to get her there.

If she acts anything like Mu, that might not be a problem. [It helps when you're crazy and want to wipe out all existence, so much that you'll probably follow any bait laid out.]

... But if it works... [His voice softens into something resembling cautious hope before something else occurs to him]

Are you gonna tell her?

[Nami smiles tiredly.]

Actually. She already knows. I set this up months ago.

[There's a note of apology to her tone.] I figured it was her business and she should be the one to tell people. But... it turns out she didn't tell anyone.

[And Nami refuses to take the risk so close to a possible disaster.]

... Yeah, that sounds like Noel-chan. [Said dryly. He doesn't blame Nami at all, nor Noel for her choice, but it certainly makes plans harder to orchestrate.]

Who else knows, besides Ragna?

As far as I know, just Kurt. Have you ever met him?

Heard of him, but...

Isn't he the blue guy?

Yeah. He's a teleporter. One of Noel's friends. He's willing to help out.

[It takes Sanji a moment to connect "teleporter" to "Kurt" to "very useful skill to have", but when he does, he nods in understanding. The more people aware, the less likely this turns ugly.]

Well then. Sounds like Noel-chan's taken care of. [She'll be okay]

Yeah. As much as we can, anyway.

[Sanji and Ragna is enough of a safety net, she thinks. If the worst happens and Kusanagi attacks one of them, guaranteed the other won't be anywhere nearby. They can set things in motion.]

...how are you doing?

[She asks a good question. Sanji's alternated between Not Thinking and Thinking Too Much, both which have yielded varying results. He doesn't speak right away, though hopefully it's clear he's trying to think of a way to give a satisfying answer.]

... I miss her. [Three simple words, filled with a lot of implications. He'd probably never admit it to anyone but Nami. That said, he doesn't turn to look at her when he speaks, diligently keeping an eye on her cooking meal]

[A lot of implications, and Nami doesn't speak herself for a long moment, wondering if she should follow that up with another question. Her fingernail taps a circle out on the table, and she sounds unsure.]

I'm sorry.

[Because she realises she never said it. And they both know how these experiments can mess with you.]

[He smiles at that, touched by the words nonetheless; maybe it's why he continues without thinking]

I wonder what she must think of me now. [His hand jerks and flicks, causing the contents of the pan to flip in the air before he catches them] Shit can't go back to the way it used to be.

[Because they'll always have this... this thing between them - shared moments and feelings against their will. The memories make him swallow a wave of bitterness, smile from before thoroughly gone]

Tch. I hate this shitty place. [The people? He loves them, deeply, and perhaps he loves Luceti as a concept - a place for the dead to live, and for loved ones to be reunited. But for himself? As grateful as he'll be for some of his experiences here, the people he's met...

It won't change how much he hates what the Malnosso have done. The taint is there, and it will never go away]

[The curve of her smile at that last part is a little sad; Nami hadn't expected to hear that from Sanji, and the fact he's been pushed enough to say it now is telling.

As for the first part...]

Noel will think nothing less of you. [She says that absolutely firmly.] You stood by her after the Malnosso messed with her head last year. She'd think the world of you, and no experiment is going to change that.

[More quietly:] Things might be a little different, but friendships are always changing anyway.

... Yeah. [Of course she's right. Nami-san's always right, and he feels a little silly voicing his feelings on what should be an open-and-shut case, even if he knows emotions never take the beaten path.

... Maybe the problem isn't what Noel will think, but what he feels. He won't ever say it, but... Sanji's unsure if he can face her, the way he is now. The need to see her back, safe and sound, is equally balanced by the desire to hide away until he can sort out his thoughts - and with his luck, he won't sort a damn thing until he sees her again.

Those are thoughts for himself, though, and ones he'll shake off for today. Nami's breakfast is almost finished, anyway.] You're right. [She is. And he attempts a smile to show her as much. He just hopes he can take solace from that fact]

Edited 2012-04-03 07:03 (UTC)

I'm always right. [The faint twist to her grin and the way she looks at him puts a faint edge of good-natured mockery on that; she knows damn well she's not, and she also knows she's missing something. Nami can make a guess as to that, but... maybe she's done enough prying for today. Especially as it's not really something she can help with. But.]

...I'll be around. If you need it.

[Not really used to making that offer to Sanji. So she folds her arms on the table and rests her head on them and changes the subject.]

Smells delicious.

[He's not used to hearing that offer. It's always been an unspoken promise between them, so Sanji stills in the middle of a pan-flip, a much more heartfelt, honest smile on his face for that quick second.

Sometimes the verbal reminders are the best.]

[But yes, subject change]

That's because it's filled with my undying love for Nami-san~!! [Fufufu]

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[Action] sob this is so late. ;;

[Action] you love me after all \8D/

[Action] pssh of course B|

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[Action] DAMN YOU AND YOUR FOOD PICTURES /drool