hollower | Appointments

[Oh god, he accepted. Ha....hahaha... Now she has to cook for him and he's such a good cook and never once disappointed her with his food and she has to make absolutely sure this meal is her very best! I-I mean, he's got to have a taste for fine cuisine if he cooks that good, right?! It just makes sense! So Perona really has to get working extra hard if she wants to impress Sanji.

E-Even if her skills aren't exactly substantial...no! No, she has to think positive! Positive! She may be the Negative Princess, but she can't let things get her down now! This is important! Sanji came here with some kind of purpose in mind, if only just to see her again... She has to make sure his journey's at least worthwhile. Ganbare!]

Good! [Huff! Wait, no, that's wrong. Shaking her head, she instead opens up the door and ushers Sanji inside and to have a seat anywhere.] I'll make it so it's my very best this time!

[FIST. CLENCH.]

[Um.

Seeing as Perona looks about ready to blaze alight while she puts on her Game Face, Sanji will just go sit these groceries in the kitchen. >_> Really, he's hardly picky when it comes to food, and under the right circumstances believes a home-cooked meal can outclass even the most complicated of dishes. It's the heart that matters.

Then again... He glances back over his shoulder and nearly laughs. Strictly speaking, there's no point in dissuading the girl if she's prepared to put her heart into it. He'll just carefully circumvent what that actually entails and head back to the living room., taking a seat on her couch.]

Are you sure you don't want me to do anything, Perona-chan? [It's tough being a guest and having to keep his ass out of the kitchen, okay?]

Be quiet and let me concentrate! [...Yep. True to her usual form - just be quiet and sit there. Be quiet and be cute, that's all Perona wants. Though, after about a minute, Perona grunts and relents to letting him help while she washes the spinach and cuts the chicken as directed.] ...Eh, set the table if you really want to help.

[And that's that. She goes right back into her cooking mode, though it's on hyperdrive as well. Do this, do that, move quicker, make sure it's perfect. She's timing just about everything, zipping to and fro in her kitchen to make sure everything going right and she's working quickly enough. Is the chicken cooked through? How are the carrots? Oh, right, the garlic needs to be minced! She does that quickly, too quickly considering how her mind is racing and reciting the recipe on high speed, and the blade connects with skin.]

Ah--shit! [OW. Fuckin' knife. B| God damnit, and it's bleeding, too. Guess she can't use that garlic now, either. Oh, this is so frustrating!]

[... She's so cute when she's mean!

She's also ten shades of terrifying. Um. Taking a healthy step back and holding up his hands in defeat, only to immediately perk up when given a task] Yeeeeeeees~! Right away, my love~!

[Doh-- he turns quickly and fights back a wince, cursing his motor mouth to hell. Goddamn, he hadn't even meant it like that, and is he always spouting out that type of shit? Amazing no one's really punched him in the face for it yet. His only hope is that she's too caught up in her cooking escapades to note his slip-up.

... Though seriously, she's going to set something on fire if she continues working herself into a simmer.

Around the time he finishes setting the plates, silverware and glasses is when Perona hisses out Sanji's favorite word, in a way that bodes nothing but ill-tidings. He glances sharply in her direction] Perona-chan, are you alright?!

[Well, it may not have sunk in immediately, but those two words do hit hard once Perona finally realizes just what Sanji said. She sucks in a deep breath and just hold it, feeling dazed and warm. Wha-What'd he just...ah. No. Just a slip of the tongue! It was so obviously a slip of the tongue! Nothing more than that...

My love.

Those words repeat themselves again and again in Perona's mind, and with each repeat, the outside word becomes farther and farther away. Reality starts to become fuzzy, replaced by a quiet place where nothing else matters but her thoughts, and the sound of her beating heart - rapid and thunderous as it is. That's why Perona doesn't answer, nor really do much about her cut just yet. She just lets it bleed and coat her fingers in red while blissfully embracing her Happy Place.

Please try again momentarily.]

[No answer. No movement. Hell, she doesn't even incline her head in his direction.

... He broke her, didn't he.

Fuuuuu--- okay, okay. No panicking, Sanji. He steps over quickly to her side, about to wave a hand in front of her face when he catches sight of all that blood and winces. The cut itself probably isn't too deep, but it still looks like it hurts.

And besides, this really begs the question: how does one restart a Perona? All the ways he can think of are definitely Master Theatre worthy, but don't lend themselves to the whole "We're just friends" idea.]

Perona-chan, here. Let me see for a second. [He takes a second to grab a cloth, drench it with cool water, and while she's still spacing out, lightly twists her wrist so her fingers face him and dabs some of the blood away.]

[It's actually the damp cloth that snaps Perona out of her stupor. The water and fabric making contact with her cut does hurt, and she flinches, pulling back her hand with a small yip of pain and surprise. That's when she actually notices just how messy she is, and how much that damn cut stings. Ugh, ow...fucking--! She seemed more irritated by it than anything else, once she's come back to reality. If that shit got on her clothes, she's going to be pissed.]

It's fine. Just a cut. I can patch this up easily. [In fact, there should be some large band-aids in one of her drawers. Where did she put them?] This is nothing compared to other cuts I've had to fix. ...I just wish I didn't make such a mess.

[She waves her uninjured hand for Sanji to step aside so she can fix herself up, and take care of the cooking before it burns or something. She also has to clean up, too. Bah, what a blunder!]

[And here he'd been ready and waiting to lovingly take her hand into his and heal her tiny cut away...

OH WELL. Missed opportunities and such. Instead he'll retreat until he's out of her way, though quickly steps back into place just in case the cooking starts pulling an attitude]

I guess that's true. I'm sure the shithead gave you plenty of practice. [Two years' worth, in fact. My god, does he pity her]

[....

Perona locates the bandaids, though for the moment she's cleaning the wound, wincing at the stinging pain that comes with touching the raw flesh. Ugh, ow, shit....fff--! That really hurts for a small thing, my god. She can only imagine what Zoro went through over two years. And his eye...]

PAH! I can't understand how you tolerate such an animal! It was hard enough trying to find him when he was injured, let alone patch him up. Stupid fantasista. [SLAPPING ON THAT BANDAID. B|] Do you keep him on a leash? Or in a pen?

[Aaah, good ol' fashion Zoro bitchin'. This is a conversation Sanji can fully throw himself behind, and he does so with gusto, taking up the most put-upon tone he can muster]

Tch, if I thought a shitty pen could make him stay put, I would've tried it months ago. [Alas, Sanji's pretty damn sure Zoro would cut or gnaw his way out with enough time]

Haven't tried the leash idea yet... [He rubs thoughtfully at his chin] I'll have to give that a shot; thank you, Perona-chan.

Maybe a shock collar would do it.

[The comment actually gets a good bark of laughter out of Perona, as she goes back to cooking, imagining such a picture rather well in her mind. Oh my go--he'd be electrocuted constantly, aaahahahaha! That's wonderful. She looks over her shoulder as she speaks and cooks, smirking back at the chef.]

Horohorohoro! If you go through with it, please let me know how effective it is. I'd be very interested. Though if you shock him too much, that may be more work for me. [A few more minutes and it's finally ready. Perona snatches up Sanji's plate and places the finishing touches on his meal (grilled chicken with spinach and melted mozzarella - and a side of boiled and seasoned potatoes) then finally sets it down in front of him.]

Would you like any wine, Mr. Cook? Or something stronger?

Edited (fuckin link. B| ) 2013-02-02 14:45 (UTC)

[You'd think as a chef, Sanji would have a hard time turning off his brain and any meal would be subject to the ridiculously high standards he's set him for himself... but no, it's relatively easy just humming in quiet delight at the sight of the food]

Any wine you have is fine, Perona-chan -- and it looks delicious~! [He's impressed, truly] I bet you could teach some of my shitty cooks a few things about presentation.

[Okay, maybe he's just inflating her ego for the hell of it, as Sanji is nothing but proud of the work his chefs put into their dishes - but he grins up at her all the same.]

Really?! [Yes, yes, Peorna's face did just light up brighter than Christmas day at the compliment. She's practically sparkling, and her smile takes up the whole of her face as she sways back and forth pleasantly. Hehe, he said it looks nice - delicious even! Hee~! Hehehehe! ♥♥♥ Now why was she ever worried about him coming over?] Please enjoy more than its looks, Mr. Cook!

[She floats, literally, to the cupboards to fetch a good bottle of wine and touches down on one foot, pouring him a glass of white wine. It goes better with lighter meals like chicken. Red is more for the thicker, richer meats.]

Mmmh, but I've never been displeased with what I'm given at your restaurant... It's always looked delicious to me. I don't think I'd improve anything, really.

[Aaah, a white wine. He'd insisted she use whatever she had on hand, though being something of a wine connoisseur means Sanji is able to appreciate the attention to detail. He rests his chin on a propped hand and picks up the glass, glancing over the rim.]

Well, the shitty place has come a long way since I took over. [Sanji remembers when Cloud Nine was just a concept, and he the only chef pulling regular hours. Heh... Just thinking of all those crazy months and the ridiculous amount of time and effort he put into the restaurant sets a satisfied curl on his lips.] Doesn't even feel that long...

[But he's getting caught in his thoughts. Sanji blinks, then glances at Perona. There's a moment where he feels disoriented being served like this, and must fight off the urge to fetch the woman a plate. He'll just play it off with a grin] Perona-chan's joining me, right?

[Living with a wine addict makes one rather aware of the posh taste and delicacy of wine and its many flavors. Perona's become a bit more knowledgeable about the drink herself, after living with Mihawk for two years...and raiding his wine cellar a few times when he was out... H E H. She's come to learn more about it mostly through him, and from her own poking through texts and guides on cuisine. Just a bit of curiosity that grew into a sort of awareness and appreciation.]

Has it? How long have you been manning the restaurant, Mr. Cook? [She's genuinely curious. He must've...been here a while, then. Possibly a few years. Aaah, that's so strange - not being out on the open sea for so long... At least on Kuraigana, they'd sail for supplies sometimes.] Ah--eh? What? Oh!

[Ffff, she got so caught up in serving him she forgot about herself, whoops. Perona sputters, turning pink all over again, and nods quickly.] Y-Yes, of course! Eh, but don't wait for me, it'll get cold.

[And she put some hard work into that dish, she doesn't want it to go to waste. But Perona will serve herself a plate and take a seat across from Sanji in just a minute or two. Wow, they're...actually having dinner...t-together. Heh.] Please, tell me what you think of it.

Let's see... [He pauses, taking a slow sip of the wine first before continuing on] How long has it been... At least two years, maybe a little longer than that.

[Which means he's been in Luceti a good three years or more, even counting his disappearance for two months. That's longer than he spent on that forsaken okama island, he realizes, and longer than his time with the crew back home. Nami-san, Vivi-chan, Luffy, the shithead... save Franky, he's known the Straw Hats longer in this prison than outside of it, and the chef stills from his own silent musings.

Hell, if not for Luceti, he wouldn't even be having dinner with Perona, would he? She'd still hate him, or just not care, and her image would only cross through his mind on some odd whim before vanishing without a second thought.

Head slightly bowed, his sightless gaze wanders along the table until resting at the plate in front of him, and it's with some effort that Sanji stirs back to himself. He picks up fork and knife, cutting off a piece to sample.]

... Delicious~! [Not surprising at all. It's flavorful, and tender, and even if he were in a position to seriously critique her work, Sanji would still praise the taste and effort]

[Wow...two years or longer? That's insane, to think he or any of the others of that crew have been here for so long, and not out on the sea. It's just such a strange concept to think of - pirates not being out on the ocean. It's where they belonged, and even Perona was longing for her mother sea a little bit.

She makes a noise in her throat, to show she heard him, but nothing more than that. Two years...that's just as much time as she spent with the two swordsmen. Ugh, to be landlocked like that. It sounds almost torturous. Though he at least has a lot of company, and some of his crew, too. That's something to look forward to, she guesses.

Cutting into her own food - albeit slowly and with a few winces here and there due to her still painful cut - Perona pauses before taking a bite for herself and delights in the chef's approval.]

You really think so?! [Oh, that actually makes her really, really happy. The two idiots would eat just about anything if it was cooked well enough, so having an actual chef say her food is good is a wonderful thing. And such a magnificent chef like Sanji, too...it's definitely boosting her ego.] Horohoro, that makes me so happy to hear! ...Eh, but you better not just be saying that to please me. I won't forgive you.

No, no, I promise it's not that! [As if Sanji would ever sing praises just to boost the ego of any pretty woman he happens across; what a ludicrous and unfounded accusation!

... >_> Right. Moving along.]

Give it a taste yourself! [He playfully waves his fork at her before cutting himself off another bite.] It really is that good.

[..... 8| Yes, moving on.

Perona considers Sanji for a moment, then takes a bite for herself, and is pleasantly surprised by her own handiwork. Hm, it actually did come out better than she expected! Seems her efforts paid off indeed, how good for her! A proud smile graces her lips and Perona raises her chin up a little. Heh.]

It is good! [And Sanji likes it, too. This is a wonderful day, huff.] Weeh, I'm so glad you approve of it, too! It's nothing like your food, Mr. Cook, but it makes me happy you enjoy it! It's nice having you here with me.

[Those are words to make a man freeze in place with a fork sticking out of his mouth. How he managed it, Sanji isn't sure, but somewhere along the way - between Perona inviting him inside and their cooking shenanigans - it had escaped his notice that he'd agreed to a home-cooked meal by the girl who probably has a crush on him.

Idiot. Because this really screams "We're just friends." Sanji glances away, torn by guilt and a few other emotions that are rendering his cheeks red. This might've been going too far, and he still doesn't know if that's good or bad. He can't pretend to know the woman's mind.]

It's always an honor spending time with Perona-chwan~! [He recovers quickly, though after a beat, he adds, testing:] I bet we should do this more often~!

[As friends... if that's what she wants.]

[In all honesty, if the question was posed now, Perona's really not sure what she would prefer. Staying the way they were before that...incident would be the safest and easiest route to take - where not much would change at all - but then again... It may be nice to be something a little more than friends, as much as her logical side is screaming at her to abandon such careless thoughts. She can't help it. It does sound awfully nice...

Perona spaces out a little, only barely hearing the words Sanji was saying. She filters out just a little, and nibbles on her food as she idly daydreams. More often? Yes, they would definitely be a thing she'd like to do. Having Sanji over more often to just do whatever they hell they want would be very, very nice indeed.]

Mm. I'd like that...

[Guess that's the best answer he can hope for: approval, however ambiguous it might seem. Well, he's a patient guy. Sanji looks on pleasantly, deciding that if nothing else, having dinner with her this one time isn't so bad. No need to overthink it.

That thought in mind, he abandons his self-doubt for the day and enjoys the rest of the meal with gusto, idle chatter crowding the table as they finish their meal. And once finished, Sanji scoots up from his chair before Perona latches onto the chance. He grabs his plate and hers]

Here, let me wash 'em. It's the least the guest can do after enjoying Perona-chan's angelic hospitality~!

[He beat her to it. Oi. At first, Perona makes a face, then sighs and nods her head with a resigned smile. He really can't sit still, can he? It's a little frustrating when she'd like to be the one to pamper him once in a while - he certainly deserves it after all the kind things he's done for her - but she'll let him have his way this once.

Kind of.]

You wash, I dry. [And don't you dare argue. She's already pushing her seat back and standing up.]

[Doh-- He grins over his shoulder like he's offering her an apology for acting like a fidgety ten-year-old.]

Yeeeeeees~! [But really, is he going to turn down her standing next to him while they perform domestic, household chores? B| Hell no. If he were less aware of the shit coming out of his mouth, he'd probably preen about the unspoken romance of such an act - washing dishes with your sweetheart.

My god, it's hard holding himself back.]

Next time it'll be my turn to treat Perona-chwan~! [He hands her rinsed dish] Maybe by the sea -- or at the hot springs~!

[Perona didn't exactly think about the novelty of what they were doing until she was standing beside the chef, being offered a dish and wiping it dry calmly. Wow, this is actually rather relaxing...and very, very cute. F-Friends can do this together, right? They can have dinner together and wash the dishes afterward side by side, right? It's fine...it's fine!

Her fingers brush against the back of Sanji's hand when he offers another dish, too long in her musing, but Perona blinks and snaps out of it quickly. Oh my, she's really got to stop that. He might start thinking she's crazy or something, or not interested in his company.]

Eh...d-dinner by the sea? [O-Oh my ahchvgd that's kind of really romantic, isn't it?! Perona huffs and turns quickly to put the dry dishes back into the cupboards.] It you really think it's necessary, then I won't stop you! I haven't been to the sea here in a long time...

[Is that a wistful, kind of gloomy sigh? Yes, yes it is. God, she misses the Grand Line.]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]

[Action, January 13th]