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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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!

They're so I can eat with you.

[If Sanji has to leave at breakfast to eat in his father's room... then he'll call this payment! Really, he just wants to eat them now. Reaching over, he tugs lightly on Sanji's arm.] Hurry up, so then we can go sleep again too.

[Okay, when Jae-Ha puts it that way, Sanji has less to complain about and even seems to approve of the idea with a small nod. He rushes up to finish by lining a bamboo steamer with lettuce before placing their dumplings inside, and then covers them with the lid. After that, he sets the entire thing over heat. As promised, it only takes about ten minutes for everything to cook thoroughly]

All ready!

[Heat rises in puffs of steam the moment Sanji removes the cover, and behold, their dumplings look pretty good. Even Jae-Ha's, though the top broke open a little during the process. No worries, it'll still taste as good as the others.]

Uwahh, they smell delicious!

[Jae-Ha's eyes are practically sparkling, his mouth watering, and he grabs one of Sanji's perfectly made ones, ignoring how it burns his fingers. He just lets it hop between hands a couple of times before he eats it.]

It's so good! [With his mouth full...]

Oi! You're gonna burn yourself!

[JAE-HA PLEASE. Also your manners. And here Sanji thought that by now some of his lordliness would have rubbed off on the other.]

[Too late!! He definitely burnt his fingers a little, and now after shoving the whole thing in his mouth, he's fanning at it, trying to breathe through his mouth as he eats to cool it off. He ate it too fast. RIP his tongue.

Once he's done, he's leaning back against a counter and sighing.]

Ow, I ate it too fast...

See? That's why you wait first.

[Loser. Look at how regally Sanji eats his (which coincidentally, is the one Jae-Ha made, cracked top and all). He blows on it first and then takes little nips with his front teeth until he's certain it won't set his mouth on fire, and then comes the big bite.]

Shut up, I was just excited!

[He wanted to eat them... This time, he takes it a little more carefully and mimics Sanji in blowing on it to cool it off. He'll try to push for a third one too, before he urges Sanji to put them away somewhere and come up with him to get some rest.

He knows he needs to relax as much as possible before tomorrow morning.]

[He made these for Jae-Ha's breakfast, so Sanji won't eat any dumplings past his first (though he will admit how good they taste). Besides, the cooking session did what it was supposed to do - the younger boy still has it in him to smile, relaxed and hopeful, mood that much more improved by the company. After they clean up and sneak the food back to their room, he'll go to bed without any fuss, curled up by Jae-Ha's side like always.

And when the morning comes, Sanji dresses in fresh robes and pauses long enough to promise Jae-Ha he'll be back shortly. It's just breakfast, so it won't take long. Father prefers he eats quickly and leaves, anyway.

... Except the hours keep passing, from morning to noon, and then into evening if Jae-Ha waits. If he prefers to be the sneaking sort, it will be a valiant, yet effortless search. Sanji nowhere to be found - not his father's study, or the kitchen, or out in the gardens. All that's left are whispers of his name as the day continues on. Hushed voices talk amongst themselves, and then the voices turn to cries and pandemonium as the news pours in.

The third son of Judge Vinsmoke, Sanji: deceased.]

[When hours begin to pass, Jae-Ha gets nervous. He starts sneaking around in the afternoon, the soonest he can without likely being spotted by someone. There's no one that he can hear like Sanji in his father's bedroom anymore, or anywhere else in the house, and Jae-Ha's heart drops when he hears whispering about the unthinkable.

That can't be right.

He rushes, still keeping hidden as he attempts to find Reiju now. The moment he finds her and is sure no one else is around, he shows himself, reaching to grab her by the shoulders with determined eyes.]

Where is he?! What happened?! [He can't be dead.]

[At first, Jae-Ha may as well have caught one of the servants instead of Reiju. She stares at him with bloodshot eyes that would look to be near tears if her expression wasn't so blank, and her mouth twitches, trying to form a defensive smile.

It doesn't work. The smile drops halfway before the girl pulls herself back, almost coldly]

... You can't stay in the mansion anymore.

[Right now, he doesn't care how bloodshot her eyes are. He refuses to believe Sanji could be gone, just like that. He stays close, giving her an even gaze as his voice drops.]

That's not what I asked.

And you can't think between the lines.

[Her eyes find his, dead but already accepting. There's none of the determined fight that Jae-Ha carries.]

But since you insist... [She glances away with a steady sigh] He was found by the creek. According to Father, someone fished his body out.

Edited 2017-03-29 04:03 (UTC)

That isn't true!

[Angry and afraid, Jae-Ha clenches his fists at his sides.] He was supposed to meet me right after eating breakfast with your father! He wouldn't go anywhere near the creek without me!

[Just as quick as she was to look away, now she stares with narrowed eyes like she's dissecting him. It takes a long moment before she speaks again.]

Is that what Sanji told you? He was to have breakfast with Father?

Yes! In that guy's room. I was up with him late last night and he told me that. I thought you were all eating with him?

[Her silence will speak for herself as Reiju continues staring, first at Jae-Ha and then lowering her gaze the floor, until her arms settle folded behind her back in her favorite position.

And then she moves, quiet and quick, offering Jae-Ha one commanding glance so that he'll know to follow. She'll begin talking soon enough]

You're to stay in my room for the moment - and no, I will not hear any arguments, peasant. Hide in the closet if you must, but there's somewhere I need to go. It shouldn't take long.

[He doesn't know what any of this means, but he's worried. He follows her because he doesn't know what else to do just yet, lingering a little behind her. He can't reach out and grab her hand, since he doesn't trust her like he trusts Sanji. He feels like she wouldn't like it, anyway. So he grips at his own sleeves.]

You'll really come back, right? And tell me what's going on?

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