Masaomi actually lets it ring several times, deciding whether or not he should pick up. He's not in any mood for it, but she's the one calling him, and she might need something. Finally, he answers. He doesn't say anything though, letting her do the talking if she's so impatient.]
[ there's actually a brief pause when he does answer. clearly she'd expected him to say something, and the fact that all she hears on the other line is silence is daunting enough. (a part of her wonders if he hadn't actually forgiven her for that second demon attack...)
but such insecurities are quickly squashed down, and she actually makes a face over how disgusted she is with herself for it. whatever. if he'd got a chip on his shoulder about her demons, then that's his problem, not hers. she's not calling about any of that anyway.
still, she might sound a little testier than she means to be because of it. ]
[The question takes him aback. He's used to her being curt and frustrated by now, went out of his way to bring it out of her on occasion because it's cute, but he doesn't expect her to ask where he is as if she's actually searching for him.
Maybe Ciel put her up to it. She seems like the type.]
The high school.[An uncharacteristically direct answer, and for a moment Masaomi questions whether he should have said anything at all.] Why?
[ thing is, she's been searching for him, only to recall one of his network broadcasts a while ago advertising himself for new roommates... but that's not something she's about to share.
indeed, that frustration and curtness is in full force, punctuated by the sharp puff of breath she lets out. as if he's inconveniencing her or something, when she's the one that clearly needs something. or needs to do something. ]
Stay there.
[ it's a little out of her way, but having him meet her somewhere else is just as much of a hassle, especially if he'll prove difficult about it. and, knowing kida, he'd prove difficult about anything.
(except he'd given her a straight answer this time, hadn't he? it's definitely a little odd, and nags at her thoughts as she hastily makes her way over to the old school.)
it takes her roughly fifteen minutes to get there since she'd been in the upper levels of the apartments. she was a little worried he wouldn't have listened and gone elsewhere, but she hadn't realized just how worried till she felt the relief of seeing him right where he said he'd be.
she lingers several feet away and, as expected of her, gets straight to the point. ]
Here. [ she holds out something (still slightly warm) in one hand. ]
[...Apparently, he's about to have company. Masaomi idly flips the phone open and closed several times before stuffing it back into his pocket. He doesn't feel like talking, but he doesn't feel like leaving either. From the beginning, the old, run down high school has been a small comfort for Masaomi - a familiarity that he can control, a haven for nostalgia - and as he sits perched atop one of the desks in the frontmost classroom, he can't bring himself to uncross his legs and walk out.
When Izumo enters the school, offering him bento cutely wrapped and everything aside, that nostalgia explodes into an endearing and painfully out of place romantic cliche. Masaomi wants so badly to laugh and cry at the same time, so he just laughs. He stares at her, holding the box lunch so seriously, and erupts into a hiccup strewn fit, equal parts laughing and gasping for air, stomach doubled over as he squeezes it tight and launches his forehead into the desktop.
Absently, he entertains the thought of suffocating like this, from laughing too hard. He's not as opposed to it as he should be.]
[ izumo wasn't sure what she'd been expecting. in all honesty, she tries not to expect anything anymore with kida, because it sometimes seems like the boy goes out of his way to do the exact opposite of those expectations. still, the laughter - sharp and exaggerated and clearly void of mirth - stings. ignorant of the loss he'd just suffered, she can only think it's personal.
but while the urge to drop the fresh meal over his bent head is high, instead she reaches forward with her free hand, grabs his shoulder and forces the boy to sit right back up again, forcing him to meet her eyes. ]
Resources are low these days. [ when all else fails, she clings to her practicality. ] If you don't want the food, give it to someone else who will.
[ with that, she shoves the wrapped bundle on to his lap. then she turns, rather too hasty to get out of there. ]
[Moisture clings to the edges of his eyes by the time she sits him up again, but it refuses to accumulate and drop. Masaomi really doesn't cry easily, and he plays it off as being from laughing too hard, which it probably is. He wipes his eyes as she berates him, trying to restrain further giggles. Luckily he finishes in time to catch the gifted meal.
Just before she can make it out of the room, he speaks up.]
Izumo.
[Not "Izumo-chan." He's not laughing anymore, and he's not teasing. His smile is strained but there. For Izumo, he'll smile.]
[ this time, when she stops to turn around, she makes sure to look at him. makes sure he understands she isn't scared to meet his eyes anymore. she owes him. that's all it has to (and will) be. ]
...you look terrible.
[ given everything — all that she knows about, and all that she doesn't — it probably isn't the best thing for her to say. but izumo never really bothered with tact or appeasing others anyway. which is probably why she snaps: ]
You'd better not let all my hard work go to waste, so hurry up and start taking better of yourself, okay?
[His smile does drop when she notes that he's not doing as well as he wants her to think he is, but what follows reads to Masaomi as if they're not as done as she'd implied they were, that maybe her reaction to his death really was just a tsundere slip. Maybe it is some lame anime cliche, but cliches are comforting to cling to.]
[ there's a pause, in which her eyes fall down to the lunch on his lap. ]
Am I your mother? [ it doesn't come out as derisive or as snappy as she'd intended it to be, somehow. ] You wouldn't accept my help anyway. [ she recalls they're a lot more alike than it might seem. ]
I'd definitely accept your help. You'd be such a sweet girlfriend, making bento every morning and saving all your smiles for me.
[A silly fantasy. He's been living in those a lot since Haven, as a way to pass the time. So even though she's right, in more ways than one, he doesn't acknowledge it, choosing the fantasy over the reality.
[ it's a ridiculous idea, especially in the context of haven. of everything they've been through, together and separately. yet another thing they have in common (yet not really): when he runs, he runs to fantasy. when she runs, she clings to the harsh reality. ]
...I save my smiles for when I have reason to. [ she eyes his. ] So should you.
[He feels like he can't properly appreciate that rising blush today, but he pushes on none-the-less. This is the first silly conversation he's had in a while.]
No, you just don't listen! [ ugh, it's far too easy to rile her up, but admittedly she'd been on edge ever since she'd shown up with that little peace offering. now all she wants to do is get away and hide for a few hours to try and forget it ever happened.
which is what she'll be trying to do now, huffing towards the exit. ]
[...Right. Now he has to figure out how to stomach this lunch because there's no way in hell that he's going to let food a girl made for him go to waste. Perhaps the mere fact that a girl made it for him will ease its progress down his unwilling throat.]
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( voice; 02/20 )
Masaomi actually lets it ring several times, deciding whether or not he should pick up. He's not in any mood for it, but she's the one calling him, and she might need something. Finally, he answers. He doesn't say anything though, letting her do the talking if she's so impatient.]
( voice )
but such insecurities are quickly squashed down, and she actually makes a face over how disgusted she is with herself for it. whatever. if he'd got a chip on his shoulder about her demons, then that's his problem, not hers. she's not calling about any of that anyway.
still, she might sound a little testier than she means to be because of it. ]
Where are you?
( voice )
Maybe Ciel put her up to it. She seems like the type.]
The high school.[An uncharacteristically direct answer, and for a moment Masaomi questions whether he should have said anything at all.] Why?
( voice → action )
indeed, that frustration and curtness is in full force, punctuated by the sharp puff of breath she lets out. as if he's inconveniencing her or something, when she's the one that clearly needs something. or needs to do something. ]
Stay there.
[ it's a little out of her way, but having him meet her somewhere else is just as much of a hassle, especially if he'll prove difficult about it. and, knowing kida, he'd prove difficult about anything.
(except he'd given her a straight answer this time, hadn't he? it's definitely a little odd, and nags at her thoughts as she hastily makes her way over to the old school.)
it takes her roughly fifteen minutes to get there since she'd been in the upper levels of the apartments. she was a little worried he wouldn't have listened and gone elsewhere, but she hadn't realized just how worried till she felt the relief of seeing him right where he said he'd be.
she lingers several feet away and, as expected of her, gets straight to the point. ]
Here. [ she holds out something (still slightly warm) in one hand. ]
( action )
When Izumo enters the school, offering him bento cutely wrapped and everything aside, that nostalgia explodes into an endearing and painfully out of place romantic cliche. Masaomi wants so badly to laugh and cry at the same time, so he just laughs. He stares at her, holding the box lunch so seriously, and erupts into a hiccup strewn fit, equal parts laughing and gasping for air, stomach doubled over as he squeezes it tight and launches his forehead into the desktop.
Absently, he entertains the thought of suffocating like this, from laughing too hard. He's not as opposed to it as he should be.]
( action )
but while the urge to drop the fresh meal over his bent head is high, instead she reaches forward with her free hand, grabs his shoulder and forces the boy to sit right back up again, forcing him to meet her eyes. ]
Resources are low these days. [ when all else fails, she clings to her practicality. ] If you don't want the food, give it to someone else who will.
[ with that, she shoves the wrapped bundle on to his lap. then she turns, rather too hasty to get out of there. ]
( action )
Just before she can make it out of the room, he speaks up.]
Izumo.
[Not "Izumo-chan." He's not laughing anymore, and he's not teasing. His smile is strained but there. For Izumo, he'll smile.]
Thanks.
( action )
...you look terrible.
[ given everything — all that she knows about, and all that she doesn't — it probably isn't the best thing for her to say. but izumo never really bothered with tact or appeasing others anyway. which is probably why she snaps: ]
You'd better not let all my hard work go to waste, so hurry up and start taking better of yourself, okay?
( action )
I'd like it better if you took care of me.
( action )
Am I your mother? [ it doesn't come out as derisive or as snappy as she'd intended it to be, somehow. ] You wouldn't accept my help anyway. [ she recalls they're a lot more alike than it might seem. ]
( action )
[A silly fantasy. He's been living in those a lot since Haven, as a way to pass the time. So even though she's right, in more ways than one, he doesn't acknowledge it, choosing the fantasy over the reality.
His smile grows just a little too wide.]
( action )
...I save my smiles for when I have reason to. [ she eyes his. ] So should you.
( action )
( action )
( action )
And you're too modest!
( action )
which is what she'll be trying to do now, huffing towards the exit. ]
Do whatever you want, it's your life!
( action )
What if I want to eat with you?
( action )
[ not really but wait did she just imply—?! ]
( action )
I will!
[Masaomi: 1
Izumo: 0]
( action )
she's just going to hightail it out of there okay!! ]
( action )
( action ) 2/2