[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.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
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]
no subject
Mm-hmm.
[as he continues cooking.]
no subject
[. . .]
[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.
no subject
no subject
The kind of person it's easy to get along with? Well, maybe on the surface.
no subject
Let's just get to the point. What do you want, Akira?
no subject
[giving Belph a ??? look now]
no subject
no subject
[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.
no subject
[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.]
no subject
. . . 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.
no subject
no subject
[FUCKING]
[EXASPERATED, and he throws his hands in the air]
No.
no subject
no subject
[still exasperated]
Maybe I'm just looking for someone else who was close to Sanji to share feelings with.
no subject
no subject
[DEADEYED STARE]
You're a very difficult person.
no subject
I'm aware.
no subject
. . . well. To be fair, it isn't completely your fault.
[. . .]
It's not like I'm not being difficult, too.
[a helpless shrug at that]
no subject
Well, there you go.
no subject
I guess that's all I can really say for now. [. . .] I'll come check on you later, though.
[pushing away from the counter]
And if I find out anything else about what really happened with Sanji, Taako, and Magnus, I'll tell you.
[if. he can]
no subject
... All right. Thanks.
no subject
[a small wave, and he makes his way towards the exit]
Take care, Belph.