Without a return letter telling him where and when she wanted to throttle meet him, Sanji was left wondering. And with that wondering came the lingering sense of doom. Riku was a powerful woman, and the cook was well aware of that fact. He expected her to feel betrayed and angry, but the idea that she might be understanding had given him a small, flickering sense of hope.
That hope was extinguished the moment he was thrown down. He didn’t fight back knowing damn well that it was her, but he did emit a deep grunt and a pained whimper when she stood over him. Even pissed, she was stunning. Now wasn’t the time to point that out — his red cheeks, however, betrayed that he still found her to be the most ravishing, heart-stopping beauty he had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes. Not to mention the way she effortlessly overpowered him reminded him on their first meeting years after he had helped her at the Baratie. Seemed this was going to be a pattern with them.
The snapping and popping at the ends of her fingers caused a small cringe, unlit cigarette threatening to ignite from the small, sudden flashes of heat.
“I’m sorry! I mean it. I’m really, really sorry. I wanted to tell you!” He shut his eyes when he heard a larger pop and tasted gunpowder on his tongue. “Everything happened so fast. I didn’t have time to write you. I’m sorry. . .”
Some people believed that apologizing too often took away from the sincerity of it, but there was no way he could be lying when his eyes watered the way they did. He hated having to relive his mistake and knowing that he had hurt this deeply. Ashamed, he turned his head to press his face into the dirty alleyway floor. His shoulders gave a little heave, lower lip worrying harshly between his teeth.
“I want to tell you everything, and I will! Just. . . let me up. Please. I don’t want to do it here. And if you want to hate me after, you can. I won’t blame you.” He would hate himself too if he managed to mess up everything they had together.
his reaction immediately pulls on her heart-strings. riku’s always held a fiery anger inside of her, something that built up over years of abuse. it didn’t come out often--it only existed in the dark depths of her soul, hidden by a bubbly and goofy personality. it’s hard to be in touch with her emotions. sometimes, it’s hard to be HUMAN. but... when she sees him so weak like this... she never expected him to look so BAD. she knows his policy about hitting women--stupid, if you ask her, because she could probably KILL HIM where he lays. she purses her lips together and inhales a slow, deep breath as he continues to apologize.
she feels a twang of humiliation in her gut, but she squats down to his level. the bursts have calmed, no longer sparking from her hands. it kills her to see him like this. her SAVIOR. her... lover? are they? he’d said I LOVE YOU in his letter. “fine,” riku says and holds out her hand to him. she’s never seen him so emotional. it makes her insides twist. “get up, sanji-kun.”
her eyes are burning, too, all of a sudden. she can feel it -- his anguish. his pain. she wonders if he can feel her worry, her anger... “how hurt are you?” she asks, voice shaking a little bit. “do you need me to help you walk?” because even if she’s angry with him, she can’t stomach seeing him like this. she loves him, too.
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