(no subject)
Nov. 26th, 2008 08:09 amTitle: Too Kind
Word Count: 294
Prompt: Restrained Sanji
Rating: G, worksafe
Pairing: Sanji/Usopp or Sanji->Usopp; possibly not romantically.
Spoilers/setting: Post-Thriller Bark, pre-Shabondy
Flavour: Serious, moderately angsty
Summary: Big-brotherliness isn’t always the best way to do things.
Sometimes Usopp will run out of words as he’s sitting in Sunny’s galley, doing chores or just hanging out. There’ll be a trickle of words and then silence and when Sanji glances behind him there’s an empty look or uselessly moving fingers or a hunched posture that makes Sanji’s stomach turns cold or his throat lumpy. And he may wonder again what exactly ‘already negative’ means, anyway.
Then Sanji turns back to his work and it happens that there’s something restless moving inside him, something angry and fearful, rising like a wave, pushing at him to go over to his crewmate, grab him and say the right words, the needed words. To haul him back in from threatening waves, to hold him close and make the hurt go away forever.
But he knows. I can’t reach him this way. An evasive look in Usopp’s eyes at times, meeting him: fear but also annoyance, disapproval. He’ll think it’s just concern. Sanji has let the mask slip too many times, he fears, letting protectiveness through but not, perhaps, enough of his own need. Making it seem like it’s only about the stronger crewmate worried about the weaker.
I don’t want to stand in the way of you getting stronger. He lights his cigarette with forced calm and stays put, saying nothing; knowing he can’t cross this line unless he’s invited across it. And that might not happen.
He knows this, but that doesn’t make it easier: there’s an urge in him that doesn’t care about respect and nurturing inner strength, that just wants to rescue and protect. A dangerous wave, one that looks like kindness but could, perhaps, lead to destruction.
He watches himself and doesn’t take those few steps. And soon enough, the moment passes.
Word Count: 294
Prompt: Restrained Sanji
Rating: G, worksafe
Pairing: Sanji/Usopp or Sanji->Usopp; possibly not romantically.
Spoilers/setting: Post-Thriller Bark, pre-Shabondy
Flavour: Serious, moderately angsty
Summary: Big-brotherliness isn’t always the best way to do things.
Sometimes Usopp will run out of words as he’s sitting in Sunny’s galley, doing chores or just hanging out. There’ll be a trickle of words and then silence and when Sanji glances behind him there’s an empty look or uselessly moving fingers or a hunched posture that makes Sanji’s stomach turns cold or his throat lumpy. And he may wonder again what exactly ‘already negative’ means, anyway.
Then Sanji turns back to his work and it happens that there’s something restless moving inside him, something angry and fearful, rising like a wave, pushing at him to go over to his crewmate, grab him and say the right words, the needed words. To haul him back in from threatening waves, to hold him close and make the hurt go away forever.
But he knows. I can’t reach him this way. An evasive look in Usopp’s eyes at times, meeting him: fear but also annoyance, disapproval. He’ll think it’s just concern. Sanji has let the mask slip too many times, he fears, letting protectiveness through but not, perhaps, enough of his own need. Making it seem like it’s only about the stronger crewmate worried about the weaker.
I don’t want to stand in the way of you getting stronger. He lights his cigarette with forced calm and stays put, saying nothing; knowing he can’t cross this line unless he’s invited across it. And that might not happen.
He knows this, but that doesn’t make it easier: there’s an urge in him that doesn’t care about respect and nurturing inner strength, that just wants to rescue and protect. A dangerous wave, one that looks like kindness but could, perhaps, lead to destruction.
He watches himself and doesn’t take those few steps. And soon enough, the moment passes.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 08:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 03:23 pm (UTC)I'm going back and forth myself on how much ground there might be for Usopp-angst etc. For a more hopeful interpretation, you could see the Perona confrontation as an indication that Usopp is actually very good at handling being 'negative', most of the time, so there might be good odds he'll continue to be good. Which might not immediately occur to Sanji.
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Date: 2008-11-26 05:20 pm (UTC)Personally, I think it's the later because he never seems to stay negative for long. He's usually pretty happy unless something scary or terrible happens.
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Date: 2008-11-27 05:08 pm (UTC)I've also been kicking around a dialogue between Usopp and Sanji for a long time now which would touch on this stuff (and more) more thoroughly. But what I've got so far is very wangsty and I don't really know if I can turn it into something readable.
Personally, I think it's the later because he never seems to stay negative for long. He's usually pretty happy unless something scary or terrible happens.
Yep! He's got awesome coping mechanisms for sure. Which is one of the many things that's so great about him. ^_^
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Date: 2008-11-27 06:01 pm (UTC)Very true. His emotions are some of the best parts about him. He's one of those characters that doesn't contribute as much to fighting as he does to day to day life.
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Date: 2008-11-26 03:25 pm (UTC)SAME BACK ATCHA, YOU WRITER-OF-STORIES-WITH-HOLE-IN-THEM, YOU.<333333
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Date: 2008-11-28 05:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 01:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 03:28 pm (UTC)(Or figure out a new approach - which might be quite tricky.)
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Date: 2008-11-26 02:24 pm (UTC)And quite a unique (and in my personal opinion very successful) approach to this week's theme! Marvelous. :)
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Date: 2008-11-26 03:31 pm (UTC)I haven't posted anything new for quite some time (and in fact I hadn't planned to do this one - got the idea yesterday quite suddenly).
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Date: 2008-11-26 05:49 pm (UTC)Ha! See, it is often those 'spontaneous' stories which turn out great. ;)
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Date: 2008-11-27 11:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-27 03:23 pm (UTC)I'm very fond of the concerned, protective Sanji, but I do think there are times when that attitude don't work.