#hangvn

Sanji was puttering around in his kitchen. Opening cabinets. Opening the fridge. Trying to find ingredients that would mesh well together to create a whole new invented dish.

He hummed to himself as he mixed protein with spices and vegetables, letting it all simmer and cook and bake on the stove.

When it was finally finished, he quickly plated some of it, then all but ran out of the kitchen, plate in his hands. Always careful not to drop it and waste his food

Lami registered the silhouette as almost familiar before she actually clocked who she was looking at – without the oversized, feathery coat she'd gotten so used to seeing him in, Cora-san was almost unrecognizable from the hazy memory of a sick child.

Her head whipped around to Law, understanding trickling in as she realized why exactly her brother had insisted she come with him alone. Why he'd dragged her so far off the beaten path – of course he'd want to believe this was real. Almost furiously she began signing at her brother, eye narrowing as he signed back. Rapid fire between the two of them before she whirled back on Cora-san and pointed.

"You looked better in the stupid coat," she informed him after a moment to gather up her thoughts. "Doffy never managed to pull it off nearly as good as you." Not quite what she'd wanted to say, but honestly as far as first words in over a decade went she was probably outdoing Law. "I almost wish I'd told him that, actually."

His had been warmer, too.

Now here they stand, distanced apart like when they’d first met. It’s a moment that’s gone rehearsed, and Elphie’s terrible at reciting the lines Glinda’s always said for her. Whispers of forgiveness murmured soothingly into blonde locks, Glinda clinging to Elphaba tightly never wanting to let her go again.

‘ We all make choices. I’ve made mine, and you’ve clearly made yours. ’

A fragile heart already cracked threatens to shatter. “ I… ” I’m doing this for you. For us. But they can’t leave her lips, and dainty hands anxiously sooth the tulle of her gown, knowing how she must appear to Elphie after all this time. Selfish. Mouth opens in attempt to speak again, silenced when Elphie does instead, her tone firm and final.

‘ Maybe that’s how it was always meant to be: the two of us on different sides. ’

“ But does it have to be?! ” The exclamation comes out in a plea, tears decorate her eyes like stars, a lump in her throat swelled. “ It doesn’t have to be this way, Elphie. ” Glinda dares take a step closer, hoping on that silver lining, Elphie’s reason for visiting because she believes it too. That the reason why she’s here is to reconcile. “ If you… if you come with me and apologize to the Wizard, I’m sure things can go back to the way they were! We can be together instead of apart! ” Isn’t that what she wants? The same dream. One Glinda fears will turn into the same nightmare if she’s not careful. Hands reach out to cup Elphie’s face, marveling over the span of time, wishing to capture it in a bottle. “ Please… please. I’ve missed you, Elphaba. ”

@hangvn

Rayleigh did his best to avoid falling head over heels for the woman, unlike the rest of his crewmates. He couldn't blame them for acting like fools around her - it was a struggle for him not to. Something that he was pretty sure she had picked up on. After all, his excuse of being sick the last time the crew was around was a desperate attempt on his end to avoid seeing her so that he wouldn't fall for the temptation of Shakuyaku.

Today though, Rayleigh's crewmates weren't so willing to let him stay on the ship. It seemed that they hated seeing her disappointed by his absence so much last time. So, here he was face-to-face with his crush. The woman who he would have pursued by now if he didn't already have other loyalties and responsibilities. It simply wouldn't be fair to her if he were to ask her out now. He couldn't devote enough time to her that she deserved from a partner, at least, in his opinion.

"Did you?" There was a tinge of curiosity in his voice. Perhaps it was because Rayleigh truly felt that she could have absolutely anyone that she wanted. It hadn't entirely occurred to him that he was the only one she wanted - even if a part of him truly craved to be able to hold her.

Before he could let the words I missed you too slip from his lips, he instead took a swig from his glass. While the words remained unspoken, he had the feeling that she could read that thought. The eye contact between the two feeling more intimate than anything that he could put into words.

"are you as bored as i am?" she asks in lieu of a greeting, silently slipping into the space next to jason. she could call him out for hiding from the party, but clearly she's no better, seeking out his company - the first bit of easy conversation she's had all night.

"you know, i remember wanting to attend at least one wayne gala, just to see what it was like..." steph makes a face, exaggerated in the way she feigns disgust - masking a little bit of embarrassment over how desperate for the family's approval she used to be. "turns out it's not all that." it's nice to be included for once, though, even if stephanie will never admit to it out loud.

the vending machine isn't too far off, but they take their time. they match each other stride for stride. their final interaction before @hangvn 's defection still rings clear in the back of his mind, impossible to forget as its attached to his final goodbye to his best friend. everything is all tied together and impossible to separate from one another, more of why he couldn't stick around. couldn't see what he was doing as mattering at all anymore.

"it seemed like the most efficient way to get to where i needed to be at the time." that being, financial stability outside of the jujutsu world. investing in a dream felt foolish now, but at the time, it was all that was keeping him tethered, driven towards something that actually looked like hope. ultimately, a dream couldn't save him.

but, he still thinks about malaysia on his bleakest nights.