it's a long way forward

[leggie]

[It's been days since he left that village behind, and he hasn't had nearly enough time to stop and rest. Every village or town he's run across has chased him off for falling out of the sky, too poor to offer any help of their own and too afraid to attempt to question his state. Desperately, he's kept his presence disguised, hiding from those other colored entities that were part of this destiny he wanted nothing to do with. He slept in trees for a couple hours at a time, moving again before too long when it no longer felt secure enough.

He was running from something he couldn't escape, but each time he tried to find somewhere to go, it wasn't right. Maybe his predecessor was right. Maybe there wasn't anyone who would take him like he is, green leg showing in the spot that his shoes don't cover. Maybe he was too much of a monster.

No. Determined, Jae-Ha urged himself forward despite that worry. No matter where he ended up, or if he had to live alone for the rest of his life, it was better than existing and waiting in that prison of a village. He wouldn't become like his predecessor. He wouldn't wait around to take it out on the next generation.

When he spots a blonde boy crouched near something in a clearing of the woods, Jae-Ha's chest tightens. This could be a chance, couldn't it? He was his age— younger, clearly, but not an adult like all of the ones that have chased him off. And better than that, he was alone. Maybe, just maybe, he could say something to reach him, to get some food other than the occasional bits of bread or fruit he's stolen from carts or nabbed from trees along the way.

His appearance comes in a flash, a green blur dropping out of the sky and right in front of Sanji. He's a mess in his dirtied robes, his face and body still badly beaten from a few days prior, his hair dirty and sticky even tied back, and heavy bags beneath his eyes from the lack of rest. When he drops down to a knee, both to temporarily hide the green of his right foot and to humble himself, it's more of a fall of pure exhaustion.

He doesn't bow his head like you should with a gesture like this, instead staring directly at Sanji with determined eyes.]

Please, let me stay with you, at least for a night. I'll do anything.

[It's about time for a desperate offer like this, isn't it?]

Comments

[leggie]

[He frowns more at that, a little more sad as he stares at the food items in his arms.]

I'm not trying to be ungrateful. I just don't want to lose you already. I've never had anything like a friend before.

[lil_eggplant]

You're not gonna lose me!

[Sanji has already built some resistance to Jae-Ha's sad face, which means his disappointment hasn't gone anywhere, but he wheels around with both hands on his hips]

We'll be friends as long as we want! [So forever, he's pretty sure, and stares at Jae-Ha like he won't accept anything less]

[leggie]

[Standing up, he moves over to drop the food gently on the bed, and then moves back to Sanji. He's going by feeling here, but he wraps his arms around him to pull him into a loose hug.]

Maybe we can work together to sneak stuff. I'm pretty good at it. I escaped lots of times.

[lil_eggplant]

[Hugs are... mm. To be honest, Sanji can't remember the last hug someone gave him, not since Mother died. Reiju tries in her own way, but they always end as half-aborted attempts, and Sanji has learned to prefer not having them at all in her case.

But Jae-Ha is his friend, and Sanji is mindful to be nice to him. The younger boy returns the hug and tilts his chin so he's looking directly into Jae-Ha' eyes.]

Yeah, we can do that! [Working together he will accept] I'll show you were the kitchens are later. And everything else, too, when everyone's asleep.

[leggie]

If we can do it like that, I'll feel better about getting food.

[Does that help him about why he was feeling bad? Jae-Ha isn't sure, but he's trying to compromise here. He wants everyone to stay safe. His arms drop back to his sides and he looks away, over to the food on the bed. He wanders that way, giving in to his hunger.]

You brought so much of it, too.

[lil_eggplant]

[Aaah, is that all it takes to calm Jae-Ha down? Sanji's more than happy to take him out on adventures. In retrospect, it wouldn't be nice keeping him stuck in this room all the time.]

It's not like you gotta eat it all now. [Returning to his previous cheer, Sanji bounds over to the bed and jumps into one of the huge pillows lining the edge] We can save the rest for later.

[leggie]

[Hm, that's true. He moves to sit on the bed, too, picking up the first item he can see and choosing to eat that for now, glancing over to Sanji.]

Hey. [After a moment, he speaks up.] I thought you said your sister was nicer, so why does she hate me so much? Before you got here, she looked at me like everyone else.

[lil_eggplant]

[He already ate with his family, so there's no reason to keep snacking, but Jae-Ha's question makes him fidget until Sanji grabs the first apple he sees, and his fingers poke at the skin.]

I don't think she hates you... [It's weird, defending her when Sanji knows how mean she can act] Reiju's really afraid of getting in trouble, that's all.

[leggie]

I know. [It makes sense. He gets that, he does...] But I wouldn't get her in trouble. Only you. So if she cares about that, why isn't she helping you more?

[lil_eggplant]

'Cause our brothers will pick on both of us.

[Said with a shrug while he continues poking the apple, and it's the only explanation he can offer. Reiju doesn't want to get beat up, or for Father to glare at her the way he glares at Sanji. She wants to be loved, to be the good girl, and it's unfortunate, but...

Eventually, Sanji picks through the apple's skin, watching some of the juice bubble out]

I'll tell her to leave you alone if you wanna.

[leggie]

No.

[He reaches out to place his hand over Sanji's, stopping him from his fidgeting. He's going to ruin the apple like that. What it is is that Reiju cares more about herself than she cares about Sanji. He's not like that.]

I don't care who picks on me or if I get in trouble. [He looks serious, curling his fingers a little over Sanji's.] I'll be here for you, with you, so I want to see it all.

[lil_eggplant]

-- You can't get in trouble!

[Panic floods his expression, no matter that Jae-Ha means to reassure him, and Sanji abandons his attentions on the apple to look at the other boy]

I want you to stay here! [In his room, like real friends. And the smaller details - how to keep Jae-Ha fed without anyone else knowing, what they should do if the maids come in to clean, or even that Jae-Ha isn't a pet to be kept locked in his closet - well, they can find ways to address them later.

But none of it will matter if Jae-Ha is thrown out] Father would throw you out, so you can't let anyone see you, remember?

[leggie]

He wouldn't be able to keep me away. Just like no one can keep me down any more.

[He lets the apple drop to the bed.] I'll try not to get seen ever, but you're more important than me.

[That's just how it comes out, naturally.]

[lil_eggplant]

Am not. {Sanji barely understands what that means, Jae-Ha being more important than him. That can't be right at all; they're equals, if only because Sanji says so, and he gives the other boy a squint]

We're both important and stuff.

[leggie]

If we're both important, then you need to take better care of yourself, too. Don't let anyone treat you poorly. Tell me if they are.

[lil_eggplant]

[... Damn it. Caught by his own logic. Sanji's mouth works like he's trying to think up a good counter argument, but the best he manages is his shoulders hitching]

It's not like I want them to hit me! [He just... has trouble escaping. Or doesn't even bother when he's good and angry, and his body fills with the need to prove himself]

[leggie]

Just tell me next time it happens.

[That's all he's saying so he doesn't upset Sanji, but he's already decided he's his personal guard now!]

Come on, eat this apple you messed up.

[lil_eggplant]

[That is a promise Sanji knows full well he won't keep. Telling Jae-Ha anything means he might Do Something in his honor, which is such an alien concept in the younger boy's life that Sanji wants to avoid it at all costs. His brothers might hurt Jae-Ha, or chase him off, or tell Father...

He can't lose his one friend, Sanji swears to himself, and sets his brows determinedly as he bites into the apple]

Jae-Ha, how long can you stay here?

[leggie]

Until you don't want me here anymore.

[And not before that. He says it simply, still finishing up his own food as he thinks. No matter what else comes their way, he won't be going anywhere unless Sanji doesn't want him here. Even if it gets them both in trouble, he'll fight through it, so they can stay together. They both want this, at least right now.]

[lil_eggplant]

I don't ever want you to leave.

[Simply put, and he eyes Jae-Ha in a bit of a challenge, as if daring him to try and change his mind later]

[leggie]

[That earns a surprised blink before Jae-Ha smiles, small and warm.]

I never want to leave, so I hope you don't. Come on, let's put the rest of this food somewhere and sleep. We can do more tomorrow.

[lil_eggplant]

[If nothing else, Sanji looks immediately cheered by Jae-Ha's answer, and he pops off the bed to fulfill the suggestion, grabbing what he can hold and telling Jae-Ha where to put the rest ("In the cupboard over there. I tell the maids they can't look inside, so it'll be okay.")

And once they're finished, he jumps back into the bed with the same eagerness, too excited at the prospect of sleeping with a friend to bother taking off his robes. Though that reminds him...]

Oh, I should've bought you something to sleep in, too.

[leggie]

Why? I've never had something different to sleep in before.

[That sounds weird, because he's pretty sure his predecessor didn't either. After putting things in the cupboards (and the taller ones too, probably), he moves over to hop into the bed with Sanji, immediately wrapping his arms around a pillow and smooshing the side of his face into it.]

[lil_eggplant]

It's so your other clothes don't get dirty.

[Or so he's been told. But seeing as Jae-Ha doesn't seem impressed with the idea, Sanji makes no move to take off his own. Instead, he mimics the older boy by pulling a pillow to his head, peering over the puffy top to look at him]

How old are you? [Yes, he knows he should probably sleep, but curiosity makes him start asking whatever questions he can think of, the ones he forgot to ask before now]

[leggie]

[There's a quiet hum of acknowledgement. So they don't get dirty... He guesses that's why they didn't bother. They were always dirty. But that question gets him to look at him more directly, even with his face on the pillow.]

12. What about you?