[ If Hikage had time to answer his response honestly may have resembled (albeit in words) what Saphir answered the door in. Except you know, in house form. But all he has time for is a wry amusement of his own, so that's probably what Saphir opened the door to: a shared smile and look that's just a bit intimate.
It doesn't last long though because suddenly Hikage has a lot more to look at. There's one blink at Saphir's outfit with a slight tilt of his head; he likes that shirt and it does get a small nod of approval, the bracelet doesn't go unnoticed either. He may have managed a small smile at their reunion and he may have not, but instead he's just blinking a bit more at the question.
(You'd think he would be prepared for this, but in many ways his life over the past several weeks has just been flying forward without real thought.) ]
He wanted to come. And we have our own hotel room, so it's easier this way. We brought omiyage for you too. [ He holds up the overly sized bag he's carrying that contains several ornately wrapped boxes. Marona's gifts were sent ahead, but there's even something for Saphir's bird here because this is just the life they live now. ]
[The wryness in that look only increases when Saphir comes sashaying to the door like a human personification of a somewhat toned down version of their collective(??) imaginary cupcake house; it could have been the contrast between the outfit and the decor, or it could have just been the immediate pall of awkwardness that descends like an anvil in, appropriately enough, one of those American cartoons.
Hidden behind his sunglasses, Subete regards Saphir's turnabout for a moment without really changing expression, before literally reaching up to tuck down his eyewear so he can throw another Look at Hikage -- this one's got the wry edge to it still seasoned with a liberal sprinkling of exasperation. He doesn't voice it, but it's a fairly eloquent, Did you really forget to tell him? sort of thing before he pushes his glasses back up. Sure is a good thing he made Hikage carry some of their haul just for that gesture, because he is going to need to start carrying some of the social momentum(???) here, probably?
Apart from the suggestion of a sigh in his voice, he joins the conversation smoothly enough.]
I helped make travel arrangements too, of course. There's still a possibility this guy would get himself lost somewhere between one coast and the next. [there's a droll quality in his voice but also like, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility?? -- some old men really have only recently joined the 21st century] I'll wager he forgot about his cell phone for a while there, too.
Now. There's absolutely no traveling from Japan without omiyage, so I'm afraid you'll have to accept these along with the visit.
[There's a slight wave to the beautifully-packaged bottle of sake he's still holding like it's a small child or a particularly pampered pet.]
[ He'll take the gift bag if it's being offered to him, but-- ]
W-wait, you're not staying here?
[ The disappointment is clear in both his expression and voice, which is both softer and slightly higher in pitch than it was a second ago. ]
I already have everything set out for you, and I was going to make French toast for breakfast in the morning... I mean, obviously it's up to you...
[ He shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Maybe... maybe this is just some kind of pity-slash-obligation thing because Subete paid for the plane tickets or something, and Hikage is just staying with him to make him feel better about how obviously unwanted he is!!! ]
I-in any case, please come in.
[ Like every other word he's spoken so far, the invitation is addressed specifically to Hikage, though HE ASSUMES THEY'LL BOTH TAKE IT ANYWAY.
The inside of the house is also perhaps a little tamer than might be expected. The decor is predictably largely red, pink, purple, and black, and there are some random silk flower arrangements in various places, but it's not too over the top. The flooring is typical hardwood and the walls are still the default beige that came with the house. Maybe he's never been quite willing to go all the way in considering this home, even after all the years he's been here. ]
[ Look he—okay, yes he kind of forgot and he kind of didn't at the same time. Subete wins this battle because Hikage just kind of huffs and tries to move past it. This whole situation is a disastrous mix of Hikage refusing to admit he doesn't know how to do something and his heeled stumbled into real relationships romantic or not. Speaking of things he doesn't know how to do, extensive international travel is one of them, but he does manage to grumble out that the distance between the coasts is large. Is that admitting he probably would have gotten lost? Shh.
Anyway, he does indeed hand Saphir the bag of gifts! As previously mentioned everything in here is ridiculously wrapped and very luxurious, even the cockatoo's omiyage. ]
I'm not. [ That comes out as blunt as his usual fanfare, but he waits until they're inside the house to pick up his trail of words again. He's not oblivious and he can read the room, just usually it's not arranged in this way in both the physical and metaphysical sense. He may have misjudged how clear he was the last time they met, but maybe this is situation is as simple as Saphir expecting one guest and getting two. Feelings don't necessarily need to be involved here, so he tries again. ]
It'd be crowded if we did and there's no reason to displace you or Marona when there's a better alternative. I should have told you in hindsight, but I didn't think it would affect the plans much. There should be enough food for all of us too, and I did want to spend time with both you and her. [ Of note here is how smooth the "we" is, because he's had several weeks to get used to it. Just explaining it is a different story. ]
I wouldn't be much competition in Mario Kart anyway, but I'm sure Subete will be.
[His calm smile just kind of broadens into a grin for a moment before he schools it back to a more neutral pleasant expression; they've been traveling companions and other types of companions for far too long already for Subete not to know how to poke at weak spots, even if it is partly for lightening the atmosphere -- but also partly for sport. He refrains from asking which coasts they're talking about, but only just.
Once that's done he lets Hikage take the lead, and takes off his sunglasses to tuck them into the ample pockets of his jacket in a continuation of the series of persistent background polite gestures once he steps inside and toes out of his shoes -- force of habit, really, especially coming from the other side of the Pacific. There's a hum as he takes advantage of not being expected to carry the conversation to examine the rest of the house -- and perhaps the cockatoo is around to say hi? -- still carrying the sake, though, he adjusts his grip to wave it meaningfully once they get further inside.
He could keep carrying it, but good sake is precious as gold and also goes in a proper fridge, his raised eyebrows say.]
Indeed, there's no reason to force the host of the hour to cook for four, especially with the changes in plans. We can help stock the kitchen a little, but we'll be out of your hair at night. [he picks up the thread of logic with the ease of practice, though whether that's because he is himself or because they've been traveling around for long enough is a mystery] I'm afraid I haven't touched a game controller in quite a while, myself, so we'll see how good this new body is about muscle memory.
[There's something ironic to that, but it's light, and continues to be light as he raises an eyebrow at Hikage.]
Besides, you seemed to do fine in the arcades back there.
[ The bluntness of that response stings a little, and Saphir bites his lip as he closes the door behind them. It wouldn't be too crowded if you hadn't brought this obnoxious... appendage, he thinks. ]
I'm not looking for competition.
[ Said half under his breath as he carefully sets the bag down on the dining room table.
Meanwhile, the cockatoo is over in the living room in a walk-in cage and she is absolutely saying hi. Or maybe she's just reacting to the kettle in the kitchen that's starting to whistle. ]
...Well, I won't argue with you. [ eeeeeeeee ] Though I really would have appreciated-- [ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ]
--Aaaaaaah, just a minute!!!
[ He starts to turn toward the kitchen, but stops and comes back to snatch the bottle.
Hmph.
And then he runs to deal with the tea, and send a quick warning text to Marona in the kitchen while no one's looking. ]
You'd know better than me with how you've been cataloguing it. [ There are too many photos of him with cute plushes f. He huffs and then considers the competition comment; normally he'd address this with how winning is important, but even he can't miss the tone on the end of that so he bites his tongue. ]
...thanks. Yeah, I— [ And then the tea kettle goes off so he just watches Saphir run off with a small shake of his head. They have a minute, so he's switching to Japanese while it's just the two of them and the cockatoo. ]
I should have told him, but he seemed like he would accept anything I said as long as I was coming. [ Also he may have a blind spot when it comes to just how much people dislike Subete aside from the Dazai squad. On top of being more biased now to boot. ]
I'm not really sure what he was expecting either. [ His tone suggests this is only partially true because he can take a guess, he just doesn't like it. ]
Hmm. I'm just doing my duty as the closest person with a cell phone, you know.
[Still poking fun, albeit lowkey, and Subete waits until the whirlwind of squawky Saphir and squawkier bird and even squawkier teakettle subsides a bit and they have a little room to themselves; this isn't, after all, the main company sharing in the plushie adventures -- and it's worth it to step back a little and metaphorically popcorn the mess they've all gotten themselves into. He pretends to be studiously admiring the cockatoo and its truly extra accommodations while everyone else trips over themselves.
It really is impressive, how much his presence can apparently stir things up after two decades and change, but maybe that's just him being indulgent and maybe it's just that everyone under this roof knows how to hold a grudge. There's something a touch amusing about that too, even if he doesn't bother to dwell on it.
--Because it looks like they're just about ready to teach the cockatoo some Japanese. There's a quirk of an eyebrow but he switches easily too, shaking his head a little at the rough handling of his bottle of sake in retrospect.]
I'd say he was hoping for much more than he was expecting -- that tends to happen with miscommunications over text, hmm?
[There's a shade of true irony in his voice, but it's pale and momentary and perhaps surprisingly not aimed at anyone present in the house; even if there's something still wry in the background of it as he comes wandering back from his minor bird excursion.]
You are a demanding guest, though. You might have to get him an apology gift on top of everything else. Something flashy, of course.
[That prod probably isn't as serious as it should be but isn't entirely unserious either given the steps they've already taken and the company in question. Granted the entire insinuation might be a bit unfair but sometimes shiny things are truly the key to smoothing things over.]
[Marona arrives on the tail end of that chat, not that she understands any of it. Her own outfit isn't particularly flashy but let's be real, as with most clothes, it's a vast improvement over her canon outfit.
She doesn't precisely look surprised to see Subete here, though she still fixes him with a stare that's perhaps a moment too long. She was forewarned of course, but given how little she tends to emote, the stare can probably be mistaken for shock instead.]
I thought I heard voices. It's good to see you again, big brother.
[This, she says very pointedly to Hikage in particular.]
Saphir takes his time getting the tea together under the excuse that he's letting it steep first, because he also needs a minute to get himself together. Eventually he returns with a tea set on a tray. ...Well, part of a tea set, this tray can't hold four settings and a pot and he's not graceful enough to carry that much at once anyway. ]
Ah, there you are!
[ Smiling at Marona, who he definitely wasn't just texting a minute ago, as he sets everything down on the table.
He'll duck back into the kitchen first to get the remaining cups and saucers and set them out with the rest. ]
My apologies, the timing didn't turn out quite right. [ Because he THOUGHT YOU WERE COMING FROM THE AIRPORT!!!! ] But anyway, this is that rose ceylon tea I told you about before. I thought it would be nice to have a cup after a long day of traveling.
[ Duty, huh. They've had had this argument before so Hikage just makes a face that all but ensures they'll be a next time for candid photos of him and kawaii culture. ]
Apparently, stickers seem easier...He'll have to settle for something flashy, but I'll think on it. [ It's easy for Subete to hear that there's something prickling at Hikage here as he makes no effort to hide it. Whether he would have elaborated is a mystery though because then Marona shows up and he does relax a little. ]
Marona—it's good to see you too. [ She gets his first real smile since they've set foot in the house, even if it's small and fleeting. Was this really going to be a thing with her too? He lets out a small sigh and runs a hand through his bangs, though he's careful not to mess his hair up. There's enough messes here already.
Hopefully that doesn't extend to the actual tea, but the sight of it is welcome because it gives him something to do rather than contemplate his life choices. He'll go over to the table and sit then (and he did take his shoes off earlier too), admiring the tea set. ]
Yeah, it would be. It's been a pretty long day and I'm not even sure what time it is for me right now. Jetlag makes it easy to be unsure of a lot of things...
[He has to stifle a chuckle at the face and a little bit of regret that he doesn't have the reflexes to whip out a phone camera as an illustration in this scenario; because either way when you throw a millennial into the near-future and let him run around playing with the tech a little too much now that he has too much free time silly photos are bound to happen. More, that is.
He does have a brand new phone to fill up, after all.
It's something he tucks away along with most of the mischief, along with a note to himself about that prickliness once they get back to their hotel -- there's certainly a whole lot to be grumbling about in this whole perfect storm of social something but he does wonder. For now Subete returns Marona's deadpan stare with a pleasant and unassuming one of his own and a small wave, and there isn't a hint of acknowledgment there that he's basically walked into the lair of the miasma in-laws here. Granted, nobody's threatening murder just yet, so this is still an improvement.
So maybe that's why he's still completely relaxed once Saphir comes blustering in, installing himself at the table by Hikage like it's completely natural.]
Four AM, Hikage. Maybe the tea will wake you up. [ah, he ended up breaking out the cell phone after all, a quick peek at the time conversion before he slides it away again; was that productive, maybe not, but at least the question is answered] I really wouldn't have expected the two of you to be roommates, but you seem to be getting along rather well.
[Understatement of the century here but he manages to make it sound like mildly curious teatime conversation, so maybe the actual effort here is going into how to sound effortlessly like nothing is awkward here at all.]
We found a few things in common toward the end of our stint in that house, and I felt like she deserved better than being stuck with the Foundation, if that was something I could offer.
[ And a... definite not-smile at Subete. ]
That said, I wouldn't have expected the two of you to be... whatever this is either, so I suppose we're all full of surprises.
[ Bringing his cup to his lips and taking a small sip. ]
Were you able to get a nonstop flight, or did you have to change planes in Chicago?
[ No wonder he's so cranky because 4am truly is that hellish hour where you can be too tired and also edging towards just staying awake. There's just a look at Subete that says "Thanks, did you really have to?" Hikage knows the answer to that of course, but this is just how they are. ]
I'm fine, sleeping now would only make it worse. [ So tea really is a good thing, and he takes a moment to smell the aroma wafting from his cup. It's pleasant with nice floral notes, and he's about to take a sip when he hears that intonation. ]
She does, and I'm glad you were able to take her in. [ Pleasantly and coolly. ]
[ He's never one to dance around the subject (except when the whole act is a dance itself in all kinds of colors and hues which is how he wound up here, but that isn't important right now), and he also doesn't have much patience at the current time due to well, time shenanigans. This is the second Friday he's had this week, you know.
All of that means he answers the rest impulsively yet decisively. This isn't how he intended this to go but he frankly didn't have a plan, and he really isn't the type to stand for implied remarks without returning fire. ]
That's simple: we're together. [ And with that he takes a sip of tea like he didn't say anything noteworthy at all. It's up to Subete to answer the question about their flying arrangements if he wants, Hikage's said what he needed to. ]
Staying up is a rite of passage when it comes to jetlag, is what he means.
[Said casually just like his pleasant look back at Hikage, something like the guileless looks he's been meeting Marona and Saphir with but with that extra edge of amusement that keeps coming up whenever he aims an aside at his companion.
Having given the conversation a leg or two to stand on because while he's being a little too bold and sleep-deprived after his own fashion he's still feeling somewhat generous, and there are still few enough people from the mansion who can give him pause -- Subete relaxes a little properly with his teacup, appraising the color and ceramic aesthetic and the soft scent of soaking roses absently. So he isn't at all prepared when Hikage decides to go full speed ahead and just announce things baldly before the first sip, and comes very near to just dropping his cup, which would likely have made things worse. By not very much?
He might have expected it if only because Hikage has been making a habit of throwing him completely off his rhythm anytime he has a drink in hand, but somehow they're back here again and--]
... Ah. What he said. [is about all he can manage, eyes blinking a little too wide at the words still lingering in the air and Hikage's ridiculous poker face before he goes back to staring at his teacup like he's asking it what on earth just happened in here] After we left the Foundation.
[He tacks that last bit on like it will sound anything like a recovery when his face still doesn't seem like it knows what expression to make.
(Somewhere in between, though, his hand snuck over to tangle their fingers under the table, just briefly like a reflex or a momentary grounding impulse before he moves back to his own space just as sneakily.)]
[Yeah that's just going to get a very blank stare for a full moment because Hikage never really talked to her about his relationship with Subete so as far as she's aware this came entirely from left field. And she doesn't even know what left field in the saying means, either.
[ ...Ah. Hahaha. Well, that's what he gets for opening his stupid mouth, isn't it? He thinks he would have preferred to go through this whole week without ever having confirmation of that, even if it would have made him crazy.
He kind of misses when Hikage was more of a liar. ]
[ He sets his cup down, and hides his suddenly shaky hands under the table, nails digging into his palms as he presses down against his knees... finding that he can't very well grip the fabric with these stupid pants.
He has a million questions about this, though most of them amount to Why? if he gets right down to it. (Why him, why not me, why did you bring him here, is hurting me really still that entertaining?) Which he won't, because he doesn't want to hear the answers, at least not right now.
He looks down into his cup, blinking back tears and hating himself for it and for many other things.
Running away ruined everything for him last time, but he's tempted to do it again. Just leave his own house and go sit in a park somewhere for a week until he's sure they're gone. That's stupid, of course, but so is he. ]
Well. [ His voice is almost as soft as Marona's for once, because he knows it will crack if he's any louder. ] I asked about the flight, not that.
[ Oh, he—despite everything that's happening around him, it's the touch that manages to jostle him. There's a blink, blink of his own and a small sigh that he partially covers up by taking another sip of his tea. He steals a quick glance at Subete in the process, that falls somewhere along the lines of indignant fluster that's a measure too soft. Emotion starts to trickle into his voice when he speaks again, first to Marona. ]
You're not the only one. [ Delicately and directed at no one in particular, not even himself. He's settled in some ways and not in others but he had made his choice several weeks ago so things are as they are. He doesn't need to understand all of them, just the essential parts. ]
It seemed important to say. [ Again he leaves it at that, though it's less of a mic drop this time and more like a very heavy feather. ]
[It really figures that for all the mostly metaphorical mess he's just splashed across the table Hikage is very nearly the most composed one here, though Subete is coming off that bit of complete blindsiding and there's a slight quirk to his mouth after catching that indignant look from the side -- he's a little pink around the ears but surely, surely that's just the condensation from the tea that he finally takes a sip of, closing his eyes to listen.
Like the tea warming his nose he drinks in the voices around him, the different qualities of softness: nonplussed from Marona like a broken drum, it's so funny that neither he nor Hikage have ever been real eager to talk about whatever they were doing back under the influence of either murder or memories or mayhem all poisoned through with miasma tint, and maybe the weight of that is part of what muffled everything; crackling from Saphir, like a page about to rip or the insidious edge of water damage, and if he ignores the familiarity of it with the ease of practice there's something reassuring about it as well because he's not a good enough person to have mercy here; gossamer from Hikage, no longer opaque but almost invisible and too much in motion like soap bubbles in wind, somehow strangely the easiest to read -- maybe it's all the colors in and out of sunlight that have slowly seeped through over days and years, maybe it's something else.
None of the cadences or the tones match up at all, but he adds his own anyway: lets it float like a freshly plucked leaf, slightly crisp and quiet.]
That mansion hid a lot of things. It had to be good at something, after all.
[This one is aimed at everyone, even if there isn't so much an edge to it; there are things all of them lack context for, even as small as their world became back then, and there are also things he still holds grudges against the mansion for, but -- the fact that this particular thing isn't one of those lets him use it a little more lightly.
He could, of course, build upon it to lead the conversation forward -- the way he was raised to do, and the way he's been blithely doing since before he walked in the door, but instead he just settles back and lets the words and the tea warm him through, sipping easily in the ensuing silence.]
[ Saphir's fists clench tighter, nails digging deeper into his skin and making him wince. He should have kept staring into his cup, but he makes the mistake of looking up, seeing those looks they exchange and that shitty half smile on Subete's face.
Why is this happening? If Hikage had brought some random girl over, he could have managed with a little effort to be the supportive friend he wants to be, but this-- forcing him into a situation where he has to invite this cold person who tried to frame him for murder into his house and serve him tea, and then learning that the friend he'd tried so hard not to let down cares more about that person than about him -- this feels like they're deliberately grinding salt into a wound that's still fresh. They know he'd lost all those memories during the time they'd been in stasis, right? That he hasn't actually had twenty years to process any of this?
There isn't going to be any pleasant silence to enjoy, because after having to listen to Subete's smug, uncaring voice again, Saphir stands up and slams a trembling hand down on the table -- weakly, but the silverware his hand unintentionally lands on still makes enough of a clatter to elicit a squawk from the bird in the next room. ]
Well, I don't want to hear it, so will you shut up about it and just answer my stupid question about the layover?
[ Raising his voice makes it break just like he'd expected; he sounds like a petulant child and he knows it and hates it. Nobody even cares about their flight, least of all him, but he can't deal with being brushed off and ignored right now, so this is what he's grabbing onto. ]
[ Expecting Hikage to think about anyone else is a mistake. He can of course, and he has even by measure of him coming to Minnesota (discounting how badly he's fumbled this reunion), but it's all very much a work in progress; a perilous lattice built of fragile crystal that's grown out erratically, brittle at points. This isn't a proper excuse all things considered either, but he's as much finding himself as he is finding out how he can connect with others.
The silverware clangs, the cockatoo squawks, and Hikage flinches and then goes very still. Memories are a strange thing, he has so many, many more than he has pieces of himself. It's only been a little while since he's reclaimed his own, which may be why they burn bright and hot, and why he's only glanced at them from the side in passing. When he has the choice in the matter at least.
A long time ago, he sat at a table similar to this one, with a setting similar to this one, and listened to his step mother descend into rant after rant about this or that. The subject hardly mattered and it varied daily besides, but the real target was always obvious. He's honestly not sure which was better (worse), thrown porcelain or insects in his food. It doesn't matter that this situation isn't the same on most fronts, and it doesn't matter that the memory is over a century old (time really is cruel in its machinations). The echoes of it are there, briefly like a spark.
It takes a second for Hikage to catch himself, but he does, his right eye lighting up in tandem like a switch. The only warmth in his form emanates from that singular flare of red, all traces of it gone from the way he holds himself and moves as he sets the tea cup down. He won't rise, but he does meet Saphir's eyes; they're as piercing as they are dark, a story told not in the shades of miasma but his own personal shadows. ]
...the truth is like that, isn't it? It's nice to know that lying is better, like I expected, all along. [ He very nearly laughs but not quite, and his words have that honeyed quality to them that both Subete and Saphir should recognize. There's no smile to match, though. ]
But yes, of course—our layover in Chicago was fine, we even had time to share a chocolate croissant.
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reanimania) wrote2020-06-18 07:45 am
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It doesn't last long though because suddenly Hikage has a lot more to look at. There's one blink at Saphir's outfit with a slight tilt of his head; he likes that shirt and it does get a small nod of approval, the bracelet doesn't go unnoticed either. He may have managed a small smile at their reunion and he may have not, but instead he's just blinking a bit more at the question.
(You'd think he would be prepared for this, but in many ways his life over the past several weeks has just been flying forward without real thought.) ]
He wanted to come. And we have our own hotel room, so it's easier this way. We brought omiyage for you too. [ He holds up the overly sized bag he's carrying that contains several ornately wrapped boxes. Marona's gifts were sent ahead, but there's even something for Saphir's bird here because this is just the life they live now. ]
no subject
Hidden behind his sunglasses, Subete regards Saphir's turnabout for a moment without really changing expression, before literally reaching up to tuck down his eyewear so he can throw another Look at Hikage -- this one's got the wry edge to it still seasoned with a liberal sprinkling of exasperation. He doesn't voice it, but it's a fairly eloquent, Did you really forget to tell him? sort of thing before he pushes his glasses back up. Sure is a good thing he made Hikage carry some of their haul just for that gesture, because he is going to need to start carrying some of the social momentum(???) here, probably?
Apart from the suggestion of a sigh in his voice, he joins the conversation smoothly enough.]
I helped make travel arrangements too, of course. There's still a possibility this guy would get himself lost somewhere between one coast and the next. [there's a droll quality in his voice but also like, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility?? -- some old men really have only recently joined the 21st century] I'll wager he forgot about his cell phone for a while there, too.
Now. There's absolutely no traveling from Japan without omiyage, so I'm afraid you'll have to accept these along with the visit.
[There's a slight wave to the beautifully-packaged bottle of sake he's still holding like it's a small child or a particularly pampered pet.]
1/2
2/2
Ah, that's very thoughtful...
[ He'll take the gift bag if it's being offered to him, but-- ]
W-wait, you're not staying here?
[ The disappointment is clear in both his expression and voice, which is both softer and slightly higher in pitch than it was a second ago. ]
I already have everything set out for you, and I was going to make French toast for breakfast in the morning... I mean, obviously it's up to you...
[ He shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Maybe... maybe this is just some kind of pity-slash-obligation thing because Subete paid for the plane tickets or something, and Hikage is just staying with him to make him feel better about how obviously unwanted he is!!! ]
I-in any case, please come in.
[ Like every other word he's spoken so far, the invitation is addressed specifically to Hikage, though HE ASSUMES THEY'LL BOTH TAKE IT ANYWAY.
The inside of the house is also perhaps a little tamer than might be expected. The decor is predictably largely red, pink, purple, and black, and there are some random silk flower arrangements in various places, but it's not too over the top. The flooring is typical hardwood and the walls are still the default beige that came with the house. Maybe he's never been quite willing to go all the way in considering this home, even after all the years he's been here. ]
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Anyway, he does indeed hand Saphir the bag of gifts! As previously mentioned everything in here is ridiculously wrapped and very luxurious, even the cockatoo's omiyage. ]
I'm not. [ That comes out as blunt as his usual fanfare, but he waits until they're inside the house to pick up his trail of words again. He's not oblivious and he can read the room, just usually it's not arranged in this way in both the physical and metaphysical sense. He may have misjudged how clear he was the last time they met, but maybe this is situation is as simple as Saphir expecting one guest and getting two. Feelings don't necessarily need to be involved here, so he tries again. ]
It'd be crowded if we did and there's no reason to displace you or Marona when there's a better alternative. I should have told you in hindsight, but I didn't think it would affect the plans much. There should be enough food for all of us too, and I did want to spend time with both you and her. [ Of note here is how smooth the "we" is, because he's had several weeks to get used to it. Just explaining it is a different story. ]
I wouldn't be much competition in Mario Kart anyway, but I'm sure Subete will be.
no subject
Once that's done he lets Hikage take the lead, and takes off his sunglasses to tuck them into the ample pockets of his jacket in a continuation of the series of persistent background polite gestures once he steps inside and toes out of his shoes -- force of habit, really, especially coming from the other side of the Pacific. There's a hum as he takes advantage of not being expected to carry the conversation to examine the rest of the house -- and perhaps the cockatoo is around to say hi? -- still carrying the sake, though, he adjusts his grip to wave it meaningfully once they get further inside.
He could keep carrying it, but good sake is precious as gold and also goes in a proper fridge, his raised eyebrows say.]
Indeed, there's no reason to force the host of the hour to cook for four, especially with the changes in plans. We can help stock the kitchen a little, but we'll be out of your hair at night. [he picks up the thread of logic with the ease of practice, though whether that's because he is himself or because they've been traveling around for long enough is a mystery] I'm afraid I haven't touched a game controller in quite a while, myself, so we'll see how good this new body is about muscle memory.
[There's something ironic to that, but it's light, and continues to be light as he raises an eyebrow at Hikage.]
Besides, you seemed to do fine in the arcades back there.
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I'm not looking for competition.
[ Said half under his breath as he carefully sets the bag down on the dining room table.
Meanwhile, the cockatoo is over in the living room in a walk-in cage and she is absolutely saying hi. Or maybe she's just reacting to the kettle in the kitchen that's starting to whistle. ]
...Well, I won't argue with you. [ eeeeeeeee ] Though I really would have appreciated-- [ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ]
--Aaaaaaah, just a minute!!!
[ He starts to turn toward the kitchen, but stops and comes back to snatch the bottle.
Hmph.
And then he runs to deal with the tea, and send a quick warning text to Marona in the kitchen while no one's looking. ]
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...thanks. Yeah, I— [ And then the tea kettle goes off so he just watches Saphir run off with a small shake of his head. They have a minute, so he's switching to Japanese while it's just the two of them and the cockatoo. ]
I should have told him, but he seemed like he would accept anything I said as long as I was coming. [ Also he may have a blind spot when it comes to just how much people dislike Subete aside from the Dazai squad. On top of being more biased now to boot. ]
I'm not really sure what he was expecting either. [ His tone suggests this is only partially true because he can take a guess, he just doesn't like it. ]
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[Still poking fun, albeit lowkey, and Subete waits until the whirlwind of squawky Saphir and squawkier bird and even squawkier teakettle subsides a bit and they have a little room to themselves; this isn't, after all, the main company sharing in the plushie adventures -- and it's worth it to step back a little and metaphorically popcorn the mess they've all gotten themselves into. He pretends to be studiously admiring the cockatoo and its truly extra accommodations while everyone else trips over themselves.
It really is impressive, how much his presence can apparently stir things up after two decades and change, but maybe that's just him being indulgent and maybe it's just that everyone under this roof knows how to hold a grudge. There's something a touch amusing about that too, even if he doesn't bother to dwell on it.
--Because it looks like they're just about ready to teach the cockatoo some Japanese. There's a quirk of an eyebrow but he switches easily too, shaking his head a little at the rough handling of his bottle of sake in retrospect.]
I'd say he was hoping for much more than he was expecting -- that tends to happen with miscommunications over text, hmm?
[There's a shade of true irony in his voice, but it's pale and momentary and perhaps surprisingly not aimed at anyone present in the house; even if there's something still wry in the background of it as he comes wandering back from his minor bird excursion.]
You are a demanding guest, though. You might have to get him an apology gift on top of everything else. Something flashy, of course.
[That prod probably isn't as serious as it should be but isn't entirely unserious either given the steps they've already taken and the company in question. Granted the entire insinuation might be a bit unfair but sometimes shiny things are truly the key to smoothing things over.]
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She doesn't precisely look surprised to see Subete here, though she still fixes him with a stare that's perhaps a moment too long. She was forewarned of course, but given how little she tends to emote, the stare can probably be mistaken for shock instead.]
I thought I heard voices. It's good to see you again, big brother.
[This, she says very pointedly to Hikage in particular.]
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Saphir takes his time getting the tea together under the excuse that he's letting it steep first, because he also needs a minute to get himself together. Eventually he returns with a tea set on a tray. ...Well, part of a tea set, this tray can't hold four settings and a pot and he's not graceful enough to carry that much at once anyway. ]
Ah, there you are!
[ Smiling at Marona, who he definitely wasn't just texting a minute ago, as he sets everything down on the table.
He'll duck back into the kitchen first to get the remaining cups and saucers and set them out with the rest. ]
My apologies, the timing didn't turn out quite right. [ Because he THOUGHT YOU WERE COMING FROM THE AIRPORT!!!! ] But anyway, this is that rose ceylon tea I told you about before. I thought it would be nice to have a cup after a long day of traveling.
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Apparently, stickers seem easier...He'll have to settle for something flashy, but I'll think on it. [ It's easy for Subete to hear that there's something prickling at Hikage here as he makes no effort to hide it. Whether he would have elaborated is a mystery though because then Marona shows up and he does relax a little. ]
Marona—it's good to see you too. [ She gets his first real smile since they've set foot in the house, even if it's small and fleeting. Was this really going to be a thing with her too? He lets out a small sigh and runs a hand through his bangs, though he's careful not to mess his hair up. There's enough messes here already.
Hopefully that doesn't extend to the actual tea, but the sight of it is welcome because it gives him something to do rather than contemplate his life choices. He'll go over to the table and sit then (and he did take his shoes off earlier too), admiring the tea set. ]
Yeah, it would be. It's been a pretty long day and I'm not even sure what time it is for me right now. Jetlag makes it easy to be unsure of a lot of things...
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He does have a brand new phone to fill up, after all.
It's something he tucks away along with most of the mischief, along with a note to himself about that prickliness once they get back to their hotel -- there's certainly a whole lot to be grumbling about in this whole perfect storm of social something but he does wonder. For now Subete returns Marona's deadpan stare with a pleasant and unassuming one of his own and a small wave, and there isn't a hint of acknowledgment there that he's basically walked into the lair of the miasma in-laws here. Granted, nobody's threatening murder just yet, so this is still an improvement.
So maybe that's why he's still completely relaxed once Saphir comes blustering in, installing himself at the table by Hikage like it's completely natural.]
Four AM, Hikage. Maybe the tea will wake you up. [ah, he ended up breaking out the cell phone after all, a quick peek at the time conversion before he slides it away again; was that productive, maybe not, but at least the question is answered] I really wouldn't have expected the two of you to be roommates, but you seem to be getting along rather well.
[Understatement of the century here but he manages to make it sound like mildly curious teatime conversation, so maybe the actual effort here is going into how to sound effortlessly like nothing is awkward here at all.]
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[Mildly concerned, if mostly for Hikage's sake because again. Why is Subete here. When was this a thing.]
As for living here - it's peaceful. I prefer it over fighting monsters any day, and Mr. Saphir has been very kind to me.
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We found a few things in common toward the end of our stint in that house, and I felt like she deserved better than being stuck with the Foundation, if that was something I could offer.
[ And a... definite not-smile at Subete. ]
That said, I wouldn't have expected the two of you to be... whatever this is either, so I suppose we're all full of surprises.
[ Bringing his cup to his lips and taking a small sip. ]
Were you able to get a nonstop flight, or did you have to change planes in Chicago?
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I'm fine, sleeping now would only make it worse. [ So tea really is a good thing, and he takes a moment to smell the aroma wafting from his cup. It's pleasant with nice floral notes, and he's about to take a sip when he hears that intonation. ]
She does, and I'm glad you were able to take her in. [ Pleasantly and coolly. ]
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All of that means he answers the rest impulsively yet decisively. This isn't how he intended this to go but he frankly didn't have a plan, and he really isn't the type to stand for implied remarks without returning fire. ]
That's simple: we're together. [ And with that he takes a sip of tea like he didn't say anything noteworthy at all. It's up to Subete to answer the question about their flying arrangements if he wants, Hikage's said what he needed to. ]
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[Said casually just like his pleasant look back at Hikage, something like the guileless looks he's been meeting Marona and Saphir with but with that extra edge of amusement that keeps coming up whenever he aims an aside at his companion.
Having given the conversation a leg or two to stand on because while he's being a little too bold and sleep-deprived after his own fashion he's still feeling somewhat generous, and there are still few enough people from the mansion who can give him pause -- Subete relaxes a little properly with his teacup, appraising the color and ceramic aesthetic and the soft scent of soaking roses absently. So he isn't at all prepared when Hikage decides to go full speed ahead and just announce things baldly before the first sip, and comes very near to just dropping his cup, which would likely have made things worse. By not very much?
He might have expected it if only because Hikage has been making a habit of throwing him completely off his rhythm anytime he has a drink in hand, but somehow they're back here again and--]
... Ah. What he said. [is about all he can manage, eyes blinking a little too wide at the words still lingering in the air and Hikage's ridiculous poker face before he goes back to staring at his teacup like he's asking it what on earth just happened in here] After we left the Foundation.
[He tacks that last bit on like it will sound anything like a recovery when his face still doesn't seem like it knows what expression to make.
(Somewhere in between, though, his hand snuck over to tangle their fingers under the table, just briefly like a reflex or a momentary grounding impulse before he moves back to his own space just as sneakily.)]
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And then, very softly:]
I didn't realize you two were so close.
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He kind of misses when Hikage was more of a liar. ]
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He has a million questions about this, though most of them amount to Why? if he gets right down to it. (Why him, why not me, why did you bring him here, is hurting me really still that entertaining?) Which he won't, because he doesn't want to hear the answers, at least not right now.
He looks down into his cup, blinking back tears and hating himself for it and for many other things.
Running away ruined everything for him last time, but he's tempted to do it again. Just leave his own house and go sit in a park somewhere for a week until he's sure they're gone. That's stupid, of course, but so is he. ]
Well. [ His voice is almost as soft as Marona's for once, because he knows it will crack if he's any louder. ] I asked about the flight, not that.
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You're not the only one. [ Delicately and directed at no one in particular, not even himself. He's settled in some ways and not in others but he had made his choice several weeks ago so things are as they are. He doesn't need to understand all of them, just the essential parts. ]
It seemed important to say. [ Again he leaves it at that, though it's less of a mic drop this time and more like a very heavy feather. ]
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Like the tea warming his nose he drinks in the voices around him, the different qualities of softness: nonplussed from Marona like a broken drum, it's so funny that neither he nor Hikage have ever been real eager to talk about whatever they were doing back under the influence of either murder or memories or mayhem all poisoned through with miasma tint, and maybe the weight of that is part of what muffled everything; crackling from Saphir, like a page about to rip or the insidious edge of water damage, and if he ignores the familiarity of it with the ease of practice there's something reassuring about it as well because he's not a good enough person to have mercy here; gossamer from Hikage, no longer opaque but almost invisible and too much in motion like soap bubbles in wind, somehow strangely the easiest to read -- maybe it's all the colors in and out of sunlight that have slowly seeped through over days and years, maybe it's something else.
None of the cadences or the tones match up at all, but he adds his own anyway: lets it float like a freshly plucked leaf, slightly crisp and quiet.]
That mansion hid a lot of things. It had to be good at something, after all.
[This one is aimed at everyone, even if there isn't so much an edge to it; there are things all of them lack context for, even as small as their world became back then, and there are also things he still holds grudges against the mansion for, but -- the fact that this particular thing isn't one of those lets him use it a little more lightly.
He could, of course, build upon it to lead the conversation forward -- the way he was raised to do, and the way he's been blithely doing since before he walked in the door, but instead he just settles back and lets the words and the tea warm him through, sipping easily in the ensuing silence.]
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Why is this happening? If Hikage had brought some random girl over, he could have managed with a little effort to be the supportive friend he wants to be, but this-- forcing him into a situation where he has to invite this cold person who tried to frame him for murder into his house and serve him tea, and then learning that the friend he'd tried so hard not to let down cares more about that person than about him -- this feels like they're deliberately grinding salt into a wound that's still fresh. They know he'd lost all those memories during the time they'd been in stasis, right? That he hasn't actually had twenty years to process any of this?
There isn't going to be any pleasant silence to enjoy, because after having to listen to Subete's smug, uncaring voice again, Saphir stands up and slams a trembling hand down on the table -- weakly, but the silverware his hand unintentionally lands on still makes enough of a clatter to elicit a squawk from the bird in the next room. ]
Well, I don't want to hear it, so will you shut up about it and just answer my stupid question about the layover?
[ Raising his voice makes it break just like he'd expected; he sounds like a petulant child and he knows it and hates it. Nobody even cares about their flight, least of all him, but he can't deal with being brushed off and ignored right now, so this is what he's grabbing onto. ]
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The silverware clangs, the cockatoo squawks, and Hikage flinches and then goes very still. Memories are a strange thing, he has so many, many more than he has pieces of himself. It's only been a little while since he's reclaimed his own, which may be why they burn bright and hot, and why he's only glanced at them from the side in passing. When he has the choice in the matter at least.
A long time ago, he sat at a table similar to this one, with a setting similar to this one, and listened to his step mother descend into rant after rant about this or that. The subject hardly mattered and it varied daily besides, but the real target was always obvious. He's honestly not sure which was better (worse), thrown porcelain or insects in his food. It doesn't matter that this situation isn't the same on most fronts, and it doesn't matter that the memory is over a century old (time really is cruel in its machinations). The echoes of it are there, briefly like a spark.
It takes a second for Hikage to catch himself, but he does, his right eye lighting up in tandem like a switch. The only warmth in his form emanates from that singular flare of red, all traces of it gone from the way he holds himself and moves as he sets the tea cup down. He won't rise, but he does meet Saphir's eyes; they're as piercing as they are dark, a story told not in the shades of miasma but his own personal shadows. ]
...the truth is like that, isn't it? It's nice to know that lying is better, like I expected, all along. [ He very nearly laughs but not quite, and his words have that honeyed quality to them that both Subete and Saphir should recognize. There's no smile to match, though. ]
But yes, of course—our layover in Chicago was fine, we even had time to share a chocolate croissant.
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