teaism | it's a long way forward

it's a long way forward

[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?]

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[The first hit goes to Jae-Ha.

And Reiju will take it in stride. For now. She's moving so fast that the blow glides off her shoulder, but a hit is a hit, and she focuses on using the already closed distance to retaliate with an immediate swipe of her right fist if Jae-Ha doesn't move back after his kick.]

[One for him. But then, he'd been so focused on controlling his landing with his right leg and trying not to jump too hard that she hits him immediately after with that follow up. He moves quickly afterwards, jumping back further to increase the distance. One to one...

So, he kicks off with his right leg to add a little force. Subtle, he hopes, as he comes right at her with a spin kick. He's hoping something like this will be harder to dodge, and this time he nails the landing without worry.]

[Reiju won't be fast enough to dodge the spin kick, but she's been taught the art of war since she was an infant, and easily braces up to take the blow through her waiting, raised forearms. Her feet dig into the ground, preventing her from skidding.

-- But still. A hit is a hit. That's another point for Jae-Ha. As she brings down her guard, she catches his eyes with a narrowed glance of her own. Such force from a commoner. Apparently she's been holding back too much.

It's why she'll switch evenly into offense and defense. Avoiding Jae-Ha's speed won't be possible (not that she knows why), so she falls into more complicated poses, all of them intent on striking back at Jae-Ha's legs the moment they try to steal the last point. At this rate, he'll most certainly hit her, but he only wins if he manages to land the blow before she hits him twice over for it.]

[Oh, she does have some moves. Jae-Ha isn't sure what to expect from people, but combat like this probably wasn't it. Still, he's quick at dodging, gets into it, avoids her hits—

The next jump he takes goes a little too high. Thankfully he's not soaring too high, but he clears her head when he kicks out with his left foot. If this one hits and he wins, he might get her in the jaw, even if he had meant to aim for her stomach.

He still has to get used to jumping normally off that right leg...]

[Oh he is not kicking her in the face.

The surprise at how much ground he clears is obvious in her expression, but Reiju is nothing if not a quick thinker. He would've done better to have aimed for her stomach. It's easier to duck when it's her head under fire, and Father has always taught her to keep her vitals covered. She sneaks underneath the kick, feeling the force of it brush her hair out of place, before the girl swerves on her feet and prepares to launch a counter-attack at Jae-Ha's back.

By the sidelines, Sanji has given up on keeping still and jumps to his feet, unsure who he should be rooting for.]

[She gets him in the back enough to make him stumble forward, but that and his own mistake has him tense enough that he reacts quickly. Gritting his teeth, he kicks off with more control this time, speeding to two different spots before he comes at her with a kick to her side.

This one has a little more force behind it than the others. He doesn't want to leave Sanji alone here with her.]

[When Reiju fights her brothers - any of them except Sanji - her goal is to outlast their animalistic tendencies that turn their prey into bloodstains. She waits until they're bored or Father calls off the fight, and then smiles at their insistences that they won, not her.

There's none of that in her today. After she strikes him in the back (two for two), she's already waiting for Jae-Ha to retaliate, and she desperately, desperately wants to win.

But he's too fast. She won't hit him before he hits her.

So she'll settle on a lesson. Pay attention, Jae-Ha, because you'll be learning that Reiju is much like Sanji in that she won't accept defeat unless it's on her own terms. His leg connects with her fist instead of her side, the girl having the nerve to block a kick with a punch. No matter that the added force of Jae-Ha's attack means the pain shoots all the way to her shoulder, it won't dislodge the triumphant smile that she greets him with.

And then she stands straight and proper, the fight completely disappearing from her. The girl's voice sounds bored as she places her hands behind her back]

A tie.

[She begins to walk away, calling out one more time before her shoulder]

That was fun, peasant. We should do it again sometime.

Edited 2017-03-28 04:42 (UTC)

[A tie?!

Is she stupid?! He kicked way too hard for her to be punching him like that! Normally, Jae-Ha isn't bothered by losing. He knows how to be patient and wait, and let other people think what they want so he can stay safe. He should just be happy that he's still standing here with Sanji.

But he's furious. He needs to practice more. He got too used to running and only running, never holding back. He'll need to be more precise if he wants to protect Sanji.

His hands curl into fists at his sides even as he silently watches her leave. Next time, he's going to kick her in the face.

He doesn't say anything to Sanji when he passes him to move back to what they were doing, too focused. Sorry Sanji... He just wants to get better and protect you.]

[Throughout the fight, Sanji had sat on his tongue and kept from talking out of a sense of duty to the fighters, but all bets are off once Reiju leaves. He clamors around Jae-Ha with his mouth gaping and words babbled out]

You were so cool! [And he tied - tied - with a Vinsmoke. Yonji and Niji can't take Reiju in a fight, but Jae-Ha would've won if Reiju hadn't blocked with a punch at the end.]

Did you see how you-- I guess you did see 'cause you were right there -- but then you jumped and kicked and I thought Reiju was going to lose her nose!

[That might've made him sad had it happened. Right now, it's another reason for praise]

[...Sanji is really sweet. It's impossible to stay down when he's praising him like this. He can't just start talking down on himself. That's not good for either of them. So, he's quiet for a moment, kicking at some dirt before he looks over.]

...Thanks.

[But he messed up, multiple times, and so he has new goals for himself.] I want to practice every day. I wasn't able to move this much before, so even if I kept breaking my chains with my leg, I never really used it in a fight. I want to be able to use this power however I want, not let it control me.

Yeah! We can train everyday!

[The younger boy piggybacks off Jae-Ha's determination with enthusiasm to spar, unaware that his friend is upset by the outcome of the fight.]

We'll both get stronger, and then my brothers will leave us alone, too!

That's right.

[They can do exercises at their own pace, and then spar to finish it off. He'll train by holding himself back enough to match Sanji's level, just above it. And that in turn will train Sanji a bit, as well. It's not a bad idea, now.]

Come on!

[It doesn't matter how he was upset just a moment ago. Sanji is smiling now, and he wants to keep it there, so he grabs his hand to start with their first exercise. Jogging!!]

[Jogging, is it? No matter the exercise, Sanji won't complain. It's just another way in which he gets to monopolize Jae-Ha's time and maybe make his father proud, so he throws himself into every activity like it's the best way to spend the afternoon.

So it's a tragedy that over the course of the next few days, weeks, and months, his improvements remain modest. Under the watchful eye of Jae-Ha (and Reiju, when she refuses to be chased off), the boy makes gains in all the areas he should. He's young, and healthy, and determined to prove himself, insisting into the late hours of the evening that he can keep going, keep sparring. Keep trying.

But in the end, he's still just is a boy of eight. Not a monster like his best friend, or the result of successful genetics like his sister and brothers. Maybe if he had more time -- years to train -- but as the pressure increases and the mansion begins preparations to greet the Water Tribe's general, neither his father nor brothers have the patience to spare him.

They won't hear his apologies. Especially Father. Eventually, Sanji stops trying all together.

Two months pass. Sanji learns quickly to avoid everyone who isn't Jae-Ha and Reiju, as even the maids have begun looking at him with disdain. The only place that will accept him is the kitchen -- no, not the staff, they won't talk to him, but pots and pans make better company anyway. During those late nights when everyone has gone to bed, the boy creeps through the halls and lights some of the lamps, cooking to new recipes for his best friend to try. Maybe here, if he's lucky, he can be good at something.]

[In a way, Sanji's lack of improvement has created a lot of improvement in Jae-Ha. He's had to learn to control himself more and more as he grew more used to using his power, and so he had much more control over himself for it. And thanks to Reiju, he also had a little more understanding of fighting in general. Still, he's adapting his own style and doing well with it.

On top of that, he's beginning to open up more than ever before. He's smiling more than before, teasing, joking, laughing... All of these emotions that come to him naturally that he'd never known before. And he's confident enough now that when he feels no one beside him, after the jump of worry in his chest, he can get up and sneak down to where he knows Sanji must be.

Sure enough, there he is in the kitchen, and Jae-Ha is careful to sneak up on him in the least scary way possible. He practically hops up alongside of him, peering eagerly at everything he's doing.]

Are you cooking me something? This late? Really? [He's been very vocal about loving Sanji's cooking, so of course he's going to assume this is for him. Feed him more... Midnight snack!!]

[Jae-Ha still gets a little jump out of Sanji, even though the older boy tries his best to be obvious about his approach. Once Sanji's head snaps up from his work to see who it is... well, of course it wouldn't be anyone else, and so his shoulders relax. But jeez, here Sanji thought he'd been careful not to wake him, too.]

I was gonna give it to you in the morning! [Like a surprise.] Since Father wants us to have breakfast in his room.

[That quickly diminishes his smile. His family has increasingly turned into a sore subject for him, and the boy's eyes lower to the mixing bowl between his folded legs.]

... Do you like dumplings? [Like with all things, he tries with all his might - in this case, it's to pretend he isn't bothered or upset.] Reiju said you look like a dumpling boy, so I should make them for you.

Reiju doesn't know anything about me!

[Ugh. He puffs his cheeks a little, but he's behind Sanji, wrapping his arms around him, so it can't be seen.] I like everything you make. I told you, before I only got food sometimes, and it was apples and rice and things like that.

But your food is way better than any of the stuff the kitchen staff makes, too! I don't want to go back to anything else. Hey, can you cook for me every day?

[Jae-Ha pls..... He stops hanging off of him to move to his side again, peering at the bowl. He can tell Sanji is upset, of course. But he knows that addressing it directly isn't always the answer. What he can do is be here for Sanji, and tell him how he's appreciated and supported, and protect him when he needs it the most.]

[If only Sanji had known what a huggy guy Jae-Ha really is once he's opened up. The younger boy treats as a thing to take in stride and secretly enjoy, and coupled with Jae-Ha's unrelenting praise, Sanji can't help a smile peeking through his gloom.]

Of course I'm gonna cook for you everyday! [Puffing up his chest as he returns to mixing the concoction of chopped chicken, onions, and other vegetables glazed in a light sauce.] I'll make you whatever you want!

[He nods to the side Jae-Ha isn't occupying, where a stack of books are strewn about] I got the recipe from one of those! I think Mother made them for me once.

You're the best!

[Whatever he wants? How can he go from starving to whatever he wants? He's so glad to have Sanji as a friend, but he's also so spoiled to have him as a personal chef! How lucky. Giggling, Jae-Ha moves around Sanji to the other side to look at those books, peering at them carefully. He's paying attention to the sounds around them, so he knows when to hide or not, but right now, they're in the clear.]

I can't wait. It got cold with you gone, so I woke up and wanted to see what you were doing. I knew you had to be here, but I didn't think you'd actually be cooking a surprise for me.

Oh-- sorry. [He didn't mean to leave you cold, dude.] I was gonna sneak back!

[Once he's finished with his mixture, Sanji goes to place them inside the little dough squares he's already prepared, nine of them laid out on a wooden board. This is his first time making them, so uh... the presentation won't be anything to write home about. His fingers stumble with the pinching, in fact, and Sanji glances to make sure Jae-Ha isn't watching too closely. If he is--]

I'll eat these. [He promises. That way, Jae-Ha won't have to take the ugly ones]

Not if I eat them first.

[What's wrong with those? He'll continue to be blown away as Sanji improves, but until then, he'll love every bit of it.] I wouldn't be able to do that at all. You're so good at this, Sanji.

Pfft! It's not hard! [Really, all this praise over him pinching together bits of dough. Jae-Ha's so weird and nice like that, but Sanji can't help but laugh at his insistence.]

Here, you try one! Just do what I'm doing. You gotta pinch the edges together so it closes in a spiral.

[Sanji is serious; if Jae-Ha's gonna sit next to him, he's gonna work too, if only so Sanji gets to have even more fun with this]

What, me? Really?

[But... Nervously, he stares at the piece he's been assigned, watching Sanji for a couple more before he reaches to try it himself. He's trying his very best, with slightly shaking hands and a focused face, tongue sticking out a little, but it doesn't come out pretty.

The pinches are uneven, some too low and others not close off enough, and he probably gets some of the filling to poke through to the outside, somehow.]

[No, it's not really pretty, but Sanji would never throw Jae-Ha's lack of experience in his face. His expression is delighted that Jae-Ha tried at all]

See, I told you you could make one. [Nudging Jae-Ha in the shoulder]

Now we just gotta steam them. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Mine's funny looking.

[He says that, but his cheeks are a little pink from Sanji being so cute like that. Praising him for that reject dumpling?? Pure.] Show me how you steam them. I wanna eat them already.

[His eyes snap to Jae-Ha with a look. The older boy probably knows the one by now: where Sanji is judging the quality of his soul and finding his best friend inadequate in this moment. Did he not tell you they were for breakfast?

... Sigh. But just as quickly, Sanji relents with a stern warning and folded arms] You can only have one! ... Or two. But that's it!

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