puppycrush2 | week one

[Like a roast turkey? He ponders this for a moment.]

Hm . . . Well, you'd be better off with a mixture than just one type of spice. I can share some of my recipes with you.

[Not in writing, but he can dictate and she'll be able to choose from there.]

Really?! I'd love that!

[ even though!!! she won't know if she's right!!!! at all!!!!!! ]

Thanks, Sanji-kun! You're really the best!

[Not to worry. He'll go into painstaking detail about the ratios and levels of spice, how much to apply depending on the volume of the bird, and so on. It'll be like she's back in school all over again—]

Anything for you, Yanami-san! And . . . I just wanted to say that I agree with what you said back there—about love.

[Maybe not some of the accusations. He's not going to touch those. But the sentiments around love were on point.]

[ she's got a good idea of it now, anyway... miss middle of the pack in a prestigious academic school is smarter than average, she's got it. ]

He's such a jerk. [ huff. ] And he didn't even stick around to see I was right, either!

[ ... ]

But I think he doesn't understand... because he's never felt it before. How much fear, pain, and sadness comes from loving someone. How happy you can be too. How certain you feel when you're with them -- it's more than some chemicals. I mean, maybe part of it is that, but... you can't boil it down that way.

[ reduce it to nothing.

anna brightens up after that though, grinning widely. ]

I thought you might agree, but I'm happy to hear it anyway! I guess I can make it my second priority to prove him wrong until he opens up more. Saying things like "oh, everyone here is so wonderful" won't cut it in the second week!

[He listens. And as he does, a tender smile creeps onto his lips. Anna may be perky and opinionated, but her emotions run so deep, and she pays close attention to those around her. It's almost all he can think about while she rants on about Akechi.]

We still have the ceremony tomorrow. He'll have more to take into consideration once that's over.

[He can't say that he knows Akechi at all, so that's all he has to share on the matter. On the other hand . . . ]

But Yanami-san . . . You've endured a lot for love, haven't you?

Yup. Years of it only to end up nowhere.

[ a small shrug, moving to look through the cabinets. spices... she wants to put them someplace she doesn't forget. ]

But! That's why I'm here now! Because I've endured enough! Anna Yanami's ready for love!

[ even if.

...

even if, in that booth... it could be nothing. even if, during the ceremony... it could disappear in a puff of smoke. this week, next week, any week --

her hand squeezes around a bottle. she moves it to a different shelf, for safekeeping. ]

Maybe. We'll see, I guess. There's still a lot of time left for everyone.

[Is she having doubts?

How long has she been harboring them? All this confidence for others and in her abilities, only to fumble when it comes to herself . . . Is she afraid of being hurt again? But then that would mean she's been living in fear all this time while putting on a strong front.

Sanji walks over to Anna.]

That includes you, you know.

[He grabs a bottle from a particularly high shelf and holds it out to her.]

Whatever happens . . . I'll be here. So will everybody else. You don't have to endure it alone.

[ it was a lot easier to think about before realizing that everyone'd be seeing her heart break in real time. the possibility of that... is a lot, and it's not like being a match means anything or everything -- there's more at stake her than some silly girl's hopes for something new, not that

anyone else knows that. how far it goes. only she does, and anna doesn't want to mess that up just because she's selfish and hopeful in spades. maybe it is silly.

... wouldn't it be better if they weren't? then there's a guarantee that will could still do what he needs to do, and... she can deal. they just click, that's all. anna absently accepts the bottle, setting it with the other. ]

Mmhmm. I know.

[ but sort of in that way where she's... sort of heard what he's said, but not exactly zoned into the conversation. ]

Since I'm pretty certain on mine, I'm gonna work trice as hard for everyone else. Even if it's just scoping out who likes who and going with my gut.

[She's lost in a sea of thoughts. He can't blame her for it, nor does he wish to intrude. As much as he wants to help, it's not something he feels he should force when he knows so little.

Then the next best thing is to help her out on what she intends to do.]

I like Asa.

[And . . .

Never mind.]

Mii-chan?

[ oh, that's a challenge. but! love isn't always easy! and so, anna turns her thoughts from her own unease to something new. ]

She's a great girl! Pretty dishonest with her feelings, but that's because she's been hurt before. A real romantic. What kinda angle have you been taking with her so far?

[Ha . . . Look at her. She shines so bright when it's for others.]

She is, isn't she? I've cooked for her here and there. But I also promised that I'd take her out on a date, whether or not the producers arrange for it.

[And she's the only one, so he hasn't made an actual pass at anybody since the first day.]

Oooh, good move! Persistence is key with a girl like that... or rather, consistency. Keep at it and she'll show her ooey-gooey side!

[ haha. definitely a hard to get girl, but anna thinks she's adorable. ]

Let's see... this is a secret I'll share with you only, but she's actually a poet. Maybe you two could write-- well, speak some verses together!

[For better or for worse, Sanji is both persistent and consistent.

But the ooey-gooey side is so, so adorable. He loves it when she's flustered.]

Really?! I'd like to read her poems sometime . . . I bet they're as thought-provoking as she is!

She seems pretty soulful, huh?

[ that's her girl!!!!!! and... that's the last bit of the spices put together. lord knows if any of these will actually be what she's looking for though. hmmmmmmm. ]

I'll scout out her feelings in a totally discreet way, if you want. We're a couple of besties.

[Nicely done, Anna.]

Ah, that's all right. I'm glad the two of you are close, but I'll accept any feeling Asa shows me. What matters is that she enjoys herself!

[ great because this is like two minutes before disaster now ]

Suit yourself! Buuut if your mind ever changes, Sanji-kun, you know where to find me!

[ with a friendly wink! ]

That goes for any person here too, not just Mii-chan. There's only a couple of people I don't really get along with.

week one | overflow

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