[ sanji gets caught up in just ... looking at her. just for a moment. there's times where he can stare at a woman and his eyes might reshape themselves into piercing hearts that jump out of the sockets, clearly admiring her for her beauty, typically the physical kind. but then there's times like this, where his eyes instead maintain their sea-colored gaze, where the softness invites the quiet behind them, laced with the ache that needs — closeness, protection, company, love.
sometimes he's left to wonder how aerith could summon all of those things to easily fill his heart up with them, to make him feel so belonging to another person (even when he knows the impossibility of it).
her thumb grazes his dimple and it coaxes him to put on a smile, deepening the little curve further, before he reaches up to take her wrist, tilting his head to press his lips to the heel of her palm. ]
If it's you, how could I ever say no?
[ he sinks a little more into the water, further allowing him to rest on her even more so that he's practically looking up at her now. ]
You can protect me, Aerith-chan. And in exchange — you let me do anything for you. Because I would. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to make sure you keep that smile.
[ If it's you… the words twist her heart in beautiful, bittersweet knots that linger the longer he looks at her like that. If it's her, if it's him, if, if, if. She knows what a might have been looks like - it's the same sort of longing laden potential that's colored her understanding of what love is since the first time she felt this way about anyone.
With Sanji, there won't be years of waiting, no questions and letters unanswered - here is what they have - here is all they have. This tub and the familiar weight of his body against hers as he sinks down further and let's himself rest against her, the silly, exhilarating feeling that comes when his smile grows and he's left kissing the heel of her palm - it's enough. She'll take it with her. ]
You don't have to do anything for that to happen, Sanji.
[ She likes this angle and the way it lets her take in every flash and glint of happiness on his face, she likes that the way he always stares gives her the freedom to do the same thing. It's impossible to commit a whole person to memory but damn if she doesn't want to try. ]
Just this.
[ And she'll even smile as she says it to prove it, even if the whole truth is more than she can ask for and he could ever give. ]
no subject
sometimes he's left to wonder how aerith could summon all of those things to easily fill his heart up with them, to make him feel so belonging to another person (even when he knows the impossibility of it).
her thumb grazes his dimple and it coaxes him to put on a smile, deepening the little curve further, before he reaches up to take her wrist, tilting his head to press his lips to the heel of her palm. ]
If it's you, how could I ever say no?
[ he sinks a little more into the water, further allowing him to rest on her even more so that he's practically looking up at her now. ]
You can protect me, Aerith-chan. And in exchange — you let me do anything for you. Because I would. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to make sure you keep that smile.
no subject
With Sanji, there won't be years of waiting, no questions and letters unanswered - here is what they have - here is all they have. This tub and the familiar weight of his body against hers as he sinks down further and let's himself rest against her, the silly, exhilarating feeling that comes when his smile grows and he's left kissing the heel of her palm - it's enough. She'll take it with her. ]
You don't have to do anything for that to happen, Sanji.
[ She likes this angle and the way it lets her take in every flash and glint of happiness on his face, she likes that the way he always stares gives her the freedom to do the same thing. It's impossible to commit a whole person to memory but damn if she doesn't want to try. ]
Just this.
[ And she'll even smile as she says it to prove it, even if the whole truth is more than she can ask for and he could ever give. ]