petite reprise 7

[mekachu04]

Chapter 7

Franky had a strange look on his face at lunch, watching to the two south blue boys across the bench from him. They ate mechanically, woodenly, methodically.

There was no .. joy.. in the act.

They were 8 - he expected roughhousing or something. Hell, maybe compliments were far fetched but at least some complaints.  Kidd clearly did not like the dish - he looked relieved when Luffy stole half of it, only to scowl when Killer replaced the pilfered food with a scoop off his own plate.

Still - he said nothing.

Franky realized, Killer - as quiet as ever - was also completely blank faced at every meal, at least as much as the SMILE fruit allowed him to be.

They hated it - he realized with shock. Hating anything Sanji made was a privilege seemed to be saved solely for Zoro when he was feeling particularity spiteful and contrarian. But no - Franky had been watching, and there was not a single spark of joy on the faces of either child.

They ate because they had too.

It wasn't even because they felt some form of obligation. They ate like they didn't expect a meal to follow so they better take advantage of the food in front of them.

It was made even weirder by the fact Killer seemed to enjoy helping Sanji prep food - and Kidd was often underfoot when he did.

---

The eureka moment was with dinner - a wonderful rich dish with all the love and care and flavours Sanji was best at. The two boys seemed even less enthused than ever before.

"Cook-bro, can I make an odd request?"

He asked after, as the rest of the crew wandered off to their own after dinner routines.

Sanji nodded for him to go ahead, stacking plates to wash.

"I just wanna test something - what are the chances you got any short noodles on hand?"

"I've got a few styles, sure. What did you want me to make?"

"Actually.. I thought I might make something. Wanna test a theory I've been mulling."

"Will these be eaten after your test?"

"Of course!"

---

Franky picked some simple elbow noddles, and even if he was nearly twice the man's age, he did so under Sanji's supervision.

They got tossed in some plain butter. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Sanji had a whole list of ways to fancy them up, but Franky insisted this is what he wanted.

---

"If.. If I'm right, you gotta not be mad, okay?"

"Right about what?"

Franky just shrugged, before asking Robin to call their two child guests back into the kitchen. She'd been watching from her spot at the table curiously, and was more than happy to see this play out.

Soon enough, Killer and Kidd were in the door way, and Franky gestured to the table.  Kidd looked suspicious, but Killer climbed up, and so he followed.

Franky put the bowls of plain noodles down. Sanji went to grab them forks, but Franky held up his hand for him to wait.

The two boys looked at the food, and then at Franky. It was the first time he'd seen them show interest in the dish since the first few days.

"I was trying something," Franky explained, "thought I'd get some unbiased input. Let me know what you think."

Killer didn't seem to have the first idea what he was suppose to do with that information, where Kidd just shrugged as he grabbed a fist full and dutifuly shoved it in his mouth.

It was messy; Sanji was appalled. Killer seemed to finally accepted he wasn't getting a fork, and began to pick up one noodle at a time. He ate with the same methodical precession he had every meal to start with, but then it was a picking up a new piece before he'd even finished the one in his mouth, and Franky only then let him have a fork.

Kidd ignored the utensil - his hand worked just fine. Killer seemed to take great joy in trying to stab as many pieces on to the fork as he could, or tried to thread the noodles on each prong first.

Kidd make to grab some out of Killer's bowl only for Killer to laugh, and take his bowl with him as he slid off the bench and on to the floor.

Sanji looked baffled. Robin wasn't even pretending to read her book anymore, watching in fascination.

---

The adults didn't say anything until after their two guests had finished eating and been sent to go wash up. Franky was quiet, gathering his thoughts while poor Sanji just looked bewildered.

"So.." Franky said finally, "you gonna have to use that culinary mastermind to figure out how to make that a nutritionally balanced meal, but uh... I think I figured out the problem."

"The food is too complex." Robin realized.

"I've fed plenty of kids before, this wasn't a problem!" Sanji tried to argue.

"Your food has gotten much more extravagant in the last few years - is it possible you might have been subconsciously trying to show off to the other captain?" Robin offered.

Franky let them mull it over, "So.. so I didn't always live with Tom," he admitted, "there was a time - after my parents ditched me, where it was just me. Not for long. but....." he shrugged, "I admit - I had my fair share of meals out of the trash. You eat what you can find and you don't complain."

Sanji and Robin had both understood that on some level, but Franky could also see that they didn't get it. Not really.

"Looking at they way they are right now - I don't imagine they'd had real food before we found them. Killer-bro, maybe, but nothing that was meant to taste good. Kid eats so methodical; like it's just another chore. Probably soldier rations or some thing. Nutritious but no taste. And Kidd-bro's probably eating from trash bins or whatever they can nick of a stand, raw fruits and veggies. Maybe some street food if they get really lucky, but i have my doubts.

"Closest thing to a palate either of them have is probably knowing what molds are going to make them a little sick verses what molds will probably kill them.

"Cook-bros stuff is just too much. And Kidd-bro barely seemed to know that forks were for eating, so I was starting to think - he probably'd never used one before. Same with spoons - just drink it from the bowl, and pick the food up with your fingers." Franky looked at Sanji, "like the talk you had to have with them back on day one - knives being tools on our ship, not weapons. Completely new concept to the both of them.

"They're doing their best, but those kids have been miserable at every meal since the beginning. Make 'em some rice balls or something - I'll bet they'll love those. Simple finger foods, one or just a couple ingredients."