[honestly, belph figures akira's just asking to fulfill the social niceties of not coming off as an asshole since he approached him for other reasons, which is all the more reason not to answer honestly. why burden him with angst when he probably doesn't actually want to deal with it?]
[it's said neutrally. belph doesn't believe him, but there's no reason to hurt his feelings by voicing that out loud.
belph knows he's not a likable person. even the people who are merely ambivalent towards him have no reason to extend their sympathy, when he's never given them an open reason to. he's never cried, gotten visibly upset, disrupted trials or executions by snapping at others, or any of the other things that people flock to.]
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[perhaps not in the same sense as those who were killed each week were victims, but. . .]
[. . . well]
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Not the kind they can use to safely avoid retribution, so good luck getting them to admit to it, if they are lying.
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I doubt they would be able to admit to it even if they wanted to.
[. . .]
But even if they are lying, Magnus's shame surrounding it all was very, very real.
[so. . . you know. there is that]
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I don't know. That's all.
I just wish that I did.
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[quietly, as he stirs the pot.
though he was never expecting much to begin with.]
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How are you holding up?
[time for FEELINGS]
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is there a reason to ask only now, versus all of the other times? either way, belph's response is a mild,]
I'm fine.
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Mmm.
[he doesn't believe that, but he also doesn't think that he and Belph are close enough for him to press. so he doesn't]
. . . well. . . I'll take you at your word for now.
[. . .]
[he looks like he wants to say something else, but. . . in the end, he doesn't]
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Mm-hmm.
[as he continues cooking.]
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[. . .]
[as he watches Belph cook--]
I don't really know how close you and Sanji were-- I know you were friends, but that's about it.
I don't think I knew him nearly as well as you did, but. . . I consider him a friend.
An ally.
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The kind of person it's easy to get along with? Well, maybe on the surface.
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Let's just get to the point. What do you want, Akira?
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[giving Belph a ??? look now]
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[he opens his mouth to say something-- then shuts it again, frustration appearing on his features]
But it's not because I want anything from you.
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[it's said neutrally. belph doesn't believe him, but there's no reason to hurt his feelings by voicing that out loud.
belph knows he's not a likable person. even the people who are merely ambivalent towards him have no reason to extend their sympathy, when he's never given them an open reason to. he's never cried, gotten visibly upset, disrupted trials or executions by snapping at others, or any of the other things that people flock to.]
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. . . but it's true. There isn't anything I want from you.
[and then. . . a little more quietly]
Except maybe to talk about Sanji a bit.
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[FUCKING]
[EXASPERATED, and he throws his hands in the air]
No.
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[still exasperated]
Maybe I'm just looking for someone else who was close to Sanji to share feelings with.
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[DEADEYED STARE]
You're a very difficult person.
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