#(And two: Ramen is Ryuji's favorite and should help. Or she hopes anyway)

[more-than-a-princess]

Continued from here for @electricea!

Sonia wasn't sure how to answer his question. The only family member she'd ever experienced mourning was her grandfather, the previous King of Novoselic. She'd been four years old and it was a state funeral, televised around the country and across the world. She'd ridden in the same black car as her mother, very pregnant aunt, and grandmother and had begun to tear up on the way to the service. In the ten minutes between the first few tears and the car pulling up in front of the cathedral, her grandmother, now Queen Mother, had swiftly reminded her (currently) only grandchild that it was a privilege to attend a state funeral at her age. Most children would've been left at home for such an important event, and it was vulgar to appear sobbing in public and that Sonia, Princess of Novoselic and now heir to the throne, would cease immediately.

Whether it had been her tone or her grandmother's stern glare in her direction, Sonia had wiped her eyes on the back of her gloved hands, sat straighter in her seat, and watched the assembled mourners go by. Her grandmother had rounded on her mother next, likely inquiring after why the future monarch thought it appropriate to blubber outside of the Castle's walls and why her mother hadn't properly instructed her otherwise.

Sonia swallowed: that was the closest she'd ever come to feeling something at the death of a family member. Members of the Royal Family were meant to console, to provide hope and a vision for moving forward. Feelings...well, anything beyond compassion and cheer were left behind those iron gates. Safe, hidden from the public at all costs, save for a well-placed sniffle or tear in the most dire of situations.

"Yes, that...that's perfectly all right," She finally agreed, nodding. Her own mixed emotions on the matter, well, they didn't matter. Ryuji, and what he was currently facing, that was what was important. "You may have not been close with your father at all, but it's still a loss. Any way you react or mourn, no matter the amount or intensity, it won't be a wrong way to do so. Because there is no wrong way, I think: though I'd caution against any sort of self-harming behaviors. That tends to create more pain than anything else."

For the one harming and those who had to live with and console them, her parents' constant fighting being the prime example. But Sonia took one of Ryuji's hands and gave it a squeeze: the least she could do, with a shaky smile, was remind him that he wasn't alone. He wasn't alone, and that he wouldn't be subject to an empty stomach much longer.

"I'll order something, you should go get cleaned up," She assured him, letting go of his hand so she could occupy herself with her mobile phone. Several years living mostly away from home had managed to familiarize her with food delivery apps, and it wasn't long until she'd ordered two bowls of beef donburi, an order of vegetable tempura, half a dozen yakitori skewers, and for Ryuji especially, an order of ramen, with instructions to keep the toppings in separate containers to be added upon delivery. To keep the noodles from getting soggy, of course.

When Ryuji had finally emerged, Sonia had managed to open nearly every cupboard and drawer in his apartment's small kitchen in search of plates, bowls, chopsticks, spoons, and napkins. Two plastic bags filled with various containers sat steaming on his kitchen counter. "Your timing is impeccable," She smiled, setting down the second pair of chopsticks over a folded napkin. Sonia had tried to mimic the way her staff set a table but his cutlery and tableware were, thankfully, not as complicated as her own. That was both a blessing and a curse: where did the soup spoon go, if not next to the first course's knife?

Insignificant, in the grand scheme of things. "The food just arrived, maybe you heard the doorbell ring," She explained, moving to unwrap the bags. "I did get you a surprise, though: ramen, with the toppings in separate containers for you to add to the broth yourself. I thought they might have an odd texture otherwise, sitting in the soup for too long."