[For once! Well, okay, he did some things, but nothing that would warrant a bribe. He... was fairly certain. 75%. Well, if he did something he couldn't remember it, so it didn't matter! His awkwardness dropped into a hurt sulk, and he crossed his arms with an offended sniff]
It's a thank you present, not a bribe! Geeze, I try to do something nice, and people always think the worst of me...
[ The fact that Kaz seems uncertain as to whether he really did do something is a convincing display of innocence. Hyoubu's shoulders relax, imperceptibly. The question remains, however: a "thank-you present" out of the blue, from a teenage boy is not normal.
A couple of explanations come to mind. Either something bad has happened, and this is Kaz's way of softening the blow, or else...the boy's crush is still an issue, even after Hyoubu had let him down gently, that time in the jungle. ]
[The best damn bento that Kazuya had ever made, is what. True, it was pretty simple in terms of cooking skill, but Kazuya always believed that it wasn't the complexity of the dish that made it amazing, but the effort and quality ingredients that went into it. He actually paid quite a bit to ensure that everything was top notch, and painstaking cooked and made it all to perfection...
So inside the box was separated into three compartments, if only because Kazuya was unsure on where exactly Hyoubu's tastes lied and did a small range of different foods. There was one part that held a wide variety fish sushi (made from scratch too!), ranging from mackerel and salmon and dusted off with sesame seeds. The middle section held a moderate helping of Katsu pork and rice, though he did have to mess with the curry a little, since he didn't want to make it too spicy or too sweet in case Hyoubu disliked either of them. It did mean it wasn't as sharply done as he'd like but, well, if Hyoubu disliked it he'll just do it again! Or make something new, ah... oh, and the last compartment contained some miso-marinated salmon - simply because he had a surplus of salmon left over from the sushi and decided to spoil Hyoubu a little. See, he can be nice when he wants to be!
But yeah, in short, lots and lots of homemade food in that bento]
C'mon, I'm not that bad that it's instantly suspicious whenever I'm nice. [He wasn't pouting or huffing anymore though. In fact, he seemed more interested in Hyoubu's reaction to his bento than any slight against his personality] It's okay, right? The food, I mean. I- you know, the Katsu pork... um, I wasn't sure if you really liked spicy foods or not so I tried to tone it down but, um, if you don't like it, I'll redo it. Or, uh, if you don't like any of it, I'll make something else. It's fine, I wouldn't mind.
[ No matter how it actually tastes, it's clear to him how much effort went into this bento. Not only that, but he can hear the uncertainty and nervousness in Kaz's voice.
...
Oh, well. It was probably unduly optimistic of him to assume that Kaz would take "no" for answer. He needs to be clearer about it. Be more firm, this time. He opens his mouth to speak... ]
[ ...when it occurs to him that he's hungry and this actually does look pretty good. He snaps his fingers. A pair of chopsticks flies into them, and a bib fastens itself around his neck. ]
Itadakimasu!
[ He sits down at the table and sets about shoveling food into his mouth. Which is worse, eating someone's food and then dumping them? Or just in general, eating food in front of Kaz without offering him any.
He's pretty sure it's the latter, but that doesn't seem to be stopping him. ]
[Kazuya looked a little startled at Hyoubu suddenly digging in with such enthusiasm, but quickly took it to be a good thing. It must mean that Hyoubu liked it after all, especially as no complaints were forthcoming. Ah, success!
...
Though, Kazuya was feeling pretty hungry now that he thought about it. Ah, he should've forseen this problem. Well... hm...]
Hey, Hyou-Kyou... [He certainly couldn't ask for a portion of the bento - it was a present and Kazuya wasn't that rude] Mind if I dig about your fridge for a bit?
[ Kaz headed for his fridge how unexpected. Thickly: ]
Would it matter if I did?
[ Hyoubu hasn't been shopping for a while, so his refrigerator contains one (1) head of cabbage, three (3) eggs, a mostly-empty carton of milk, a full jar of natto, a bunch of purplish-green unidentifiable alien vegetables, and a lump of moldy cheese. On the counter is a box of donuts (he gets them free from the fire station), which sadly contains only a half-eaten jelly donut. From yesterday.
[He'd raid it anyway. But alas, when Kazuya went to dig about the fridge, leaving Hyoubu to enjoy the rest of the bento, he came up with basically nothing. Well, he supposed he could make hard-boiled eggs if he felt like commandeering Hyoubu's kitchen, but Kazuya felt like he had done enough cooking for today, so resigned himself to the alien veggies.
No way was he touching the natto. He'd rather take his chances with these]
You need to go shopping. [So Kazuya declared when he returned, moving to sit at the table across from Hyoubu. He examined the alien vegetable for a moment, prodding its hard surface, before deciding that peeling was probably a safe bet. Out came the claws, and he casually began to do so] What would you have eaten if I didn't come round with that bento, huh? Honestly...
[ The truth of the matter is, Hyoubu doesn't like natto either. He just keeps a jar around to tease Kaz with, whenever he comes around refrigerator-raiding. The other truth of the matter is that living alone has not been good for him. However many people he knows here, it's not the same as living in a big ship surrounded by his kids. The loneliness is suffocating. He'd done a pretty good job looking after himself at first — and the various crises, ironically, have helped — but now things are starting to come apart at the seams, as evidenced by the state of his refrigerator. ]
Hm? Oh, I was just about to go out when you came by.
[ An obvious lie: he's still in a yukata, and his hair is sticking up a little. ]
[Kazuya gave Hyoubu a knowing sidelong look, obviously taking in the esper's rumpled appearance. It was clear to him that Hyoubu had no such intentions. At least a good hermit knew to keep a stockpiled fridge through the use of internet shopping, or whatever the equivalent was in Cerealia. So this kind of state was just plain sad]
When you finish that bento, I'll take you grocery shopping. [Something in Kazuya's tone brooked no argument on this matter, and he finished peeling the strange alien vegetable, flicking the rough skin onto the table] Though maybe you should take a shower first, y'know, to freshen up a bit. Not to be rude, but, it's sort of obvious that you've been lounging about.
[ He stops, his chopsticks arrested in mid-air, a piece of salmon held between them. This is...familiar. A kid, fussing over him. It occurs to him that he might have misjudged Kaz's motives: rather than a crush, the boy is simply concerned about him. He isn't sure how to feel.
It takes a moment, but he recovers and theatrically pulls a face. ]
"Taking me shopping." Meaning you want me to buy more and better food for you to steal.
[Kazuya didn't comment on Hyoubu's short pause, instead carefully slicing the vegetable into manageable slices. He was beginning to think it was actually a fruit, even if there weren't any seeds to be seen. The flesh was all soft and sweet smelling like a fruit. Alien food was so weird...]
Well, yeah, that too. I mean, it's rude not having anything on hand to feed your guests with, y'know. Even I know that.
[Kazuya pouted slightly. He wasn't a cat burglar... just, a very quiet and polite house guest who didn't bother his host! Yes]
Aw, c'mon, don't do that. Cooking's my fun quiet hobby time. [It's true. He only cooked in the wee hours of the morning when no-one was awake. That's right, he cooked at four in the morning, if only because he could never sleep a full night's sleep, so had to occupy himself somehow] It'll be lame if people start walking in and asking me to make stuff for them.
I promise I'll never walk in and ask you to make stuff for me.
[ He'll teleport. Of course.
He pushes back from the table. The problem at hand, as he sees it, is that Kaz is trying to fuss over him. His best strategy for that is to take excess advantage of any kindness, to the point that Kaz seriously regrets his choices. ]
You said something about shopping? Fine, stay there a minute.
[ Off he goes, into his room. Gonna be longer than a minute. Presently Kaz will hear the sound of shower singing. ]
As Hyoubu ditched him to shower - which was needed because, well, Kaz had tried to be tactful about it, but to his sensitive nose, well... - Kazuya decided that this meant he had complete run of the apartment. He got up from the table, slices of the mysterious alien fruit/veggie in hand. He nibbled on a slice experimentally. Huh. Cinnamon.
The first thing Kazuya gravitated towards was, of course, the wide-screen television Hyoubu possessed. He flopped down on the sofa, propped his feet up on the coffee table, and proceeded to channel surf with the volume loud enough to drown out Hyoubu's shower singing. Yup. This was fine]
[ He emerges, eventually, in his school uniform (of course), smelling fresh as a daily with his spiky hair slightly damp. He drifts over to where Kaz is sitting on the sofa. ]
[Kazuya endured the hair ruffle in a fashion similar to how one would endure the embarrassing affections of an elderly family member - with a small, tolerant sigh]
Oi, oi...stop messing up my hair.
[He half-heartedly swatted Hyoubu's hand from his head, readjusting his headphones that had been knocked slightly askew before slowly lifting his feet off the coffee table and standing up, finally looking at the esper. There was a slight pause where he frowned at him, studying his appearance, especially his wet hair]
...hmmm, you smell better now. [He smiled almost teasingly, before it eased into something warmer] So, you ready to go food shopping?
[ He draws himself up very straight, a posture of affronted dignity, and inhales slowly as if were possible to literally breathe in maturity and patience. ]
Better than you, demon breath.
[ not so possible, apparently. ]
And yes. I'm ready. You're paying, by the way.
[ He drifts into Kaz's personal space and hooks an arm about him. ]
[Kazuya pulled a face at the "demon breath" comment, but said nothing on it because what Hyoubu said next...]
I'm paying? But... ugh...
[That wasn't fair! He made Hyoubu a free meal and was taking action on his concerning transformation into a smelly NEET. Ah, he guessed one had to make sacrifices for their friends, and, uh, well, brand wasn't everything, right? Cheap ingredients were just as good under the right hand, so he supposed he could... sigh...]
If I'm paying, we'll skip the shortcut. I hate teleporting, especially if someone else is doing it.
[Not that he distrusted Hyoubu's ability - in fact, he was well aware that the esper was far more skilled than he could ever hope to be in the next decade - but Kazuya was still leery of teleporting itself. After so many disasterous attempts that ended up with dismembered limbs and misplaced organs (leaving your liver behind was a unique and horribly unpleasant experience, don't do it), Kazuya developed both apathy towards his own bodily mutilation, and a deep distrust of anything that required him to teleport to any location, even if the teleporter was a super skilled genuis]
Besides, I think you need the exercise. Do you even remember how to use your legs? I mean, you float around everywhere like some kinda evil, decrepit wizard so...
You'll never get good at it if you don't practice...
[ ...is what he was going to say, before Kazuya's last comment. Instead, that friendly arm-hook turns into an attempted headlock and noogie, as he shouts: ]
Gah! Hey- no! Old wizards aren't allowed to melee! Get off! Smelly old NEET! Grandpa! METHUSELAH!
[The abuse wasn't going to stop until he was free! So Kazuya whined and squirmed in Hyoubu's grip, but was notably holding back physically. He was more in-tune with his demonic strength recently, which meant an uncomfortable awareness that if he was too careless a friendly swat could turn into a blow that'd break human bone. But of course, that didn't mean he'd willingly remain at Hyoubu's tender mercies! So, since kicking him or clawing at him was something Kazuya wasn't eager to do, he went with the next best, non-lethal method of escape: biting.]
...!
[Yup, that was the sound of Kaz chomping down on Hyoubu's bicep. Let's hope his school uniform softened the blow from Kaz's sharp canines...]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[For once! Well, okay, he did some things, but nothing that would warrant a bribe. He... was fairly certain. 75%. Well, if he did something he couldn't remember it, so it didn't matter! His awkwardness dropped into a hurt sulk, and he crossed his arms with an offended sniff]
It's a thank you present, not a bribe! Geeze, I try to do something nice, and people always think the worst of me...
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A couple of explanations come to mind. Either something bad has happened, and this is Kaz's way of softening the blow, or else...the boy's crush is still an issue, even after Hyoubu had let him down gently, that time in the jungle. ]
I wonder why that is?
[ He lifts the top of the box. What's inside? ]
FOOD PORN
So inside the box was separated into three compartments, if only because Kazuya was unsure on where exactly Hyoubu's tastes lied and did a small range of different foods. There was one part that held a wide variety fish sushi (made from scratch too!), ranging from mackerel and salmon and dusted off with sesame seeds. The middle section held a moderate helping of Katsu pork and rice, though he did have to mess with the curry a little, since he didn't want to make it too spicy or too sweet in case Hyoubu disliked either of them. It did mean it wasn't as sharply done as he'd like but, well, if Hyoubu disliked it he'll just do it again! Or make something new, ah... oh, and the last compartment contained some miso-marinated salmon - simply because he had a surplus of salmon left over from the sushi and decided to spoil Hyoubu a little. See, he can be nice when he wants to be!
But yeah, in short, lots and lots of homemade food in that bento]
C'mon, I'm not that bad that it's instantly suspicious whenever I'm nice. [He wasn't pouting or huffing anymore though. In fact, he seemed more interested in Hyoubu's reaction to his bento than any slight against his personality] It's okay, right? The food, I mean. I- you know, the Katsu pork... um, I wasn't sure if you really liked spicy foods or not so I tried to tone it down but, um, if you don't like it, I'll redo it. Or, uh, if you don't like any of it, I'll make something else. It's fine, I wouldn't mind.
Now I'm hungry (1/2)
...
Oh, well. It was probably unduly optimistic of him to assume that Kaz would take "no" for answer. He needs to be clearer about it. Be more firm, this time. He opens his mouth to speak... ]
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Itadakimasu!
[ He sits down at the table and sets about shoveling food into his mouth. Which is worse, eating someone's food and then dumping them? Or just in general, eating food in front of Kaz without offering him any.
He's pretty sure it's the latter, but that doesn't seem to be stopping him. ]
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...
Though, Kazuya was feeling pretty hungry now that he thought about it. Ah, he should've forseen this problem. Well... hm...]
Hey, Hyou-Kyou... [He certainly couldn't ask for a portion of the bento - it was a present and Kazuya wasn't that rude] Mind if I dig about your fridge for a bit?
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Would it matter if I did?
[ Hyoubu hasn't been shopping for a while, so his refrigerator contains one (1) head of cabbage, three (3) eggs, a mostly-empty carton of milk, a full jar of natto, a bunch of purplish-green unidentifiable alien vegetables, and a lump of moldy cheese. On the counter is a box of donuts (he gets them free from the fire station), which sadly contains only a half-eaten jelly donut. From yesterday.
Make of that what you will, Kazuya. ]
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[He'd raid it anyway. But alas, when Kazuya went to dig about the fridge, leaving Hyoubu to enjoy the rest of the bento, he came up with basically nothing. Well, he supposed he could make hard-boiled eggs if he felt like commandeering Hyoubu's kitchen, but Kazuya felt like he had done enough cooking for today, so resigned himself to the alien veggies.
No way was he touching the natto. He'd rather take his chances with these]
You need to go shopping. [So Kazuya declared when he returned, moving to sit at the table across from Hyoubu. He examined the alien vegetable for a moment, prodding its hard surface, before deciding that peeling was probably a safe bet. Out came the claws, and he casually began to do so] What would you have eaten if I didn't come round with that bento, huh? Honestly...
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Hm? Oh, I was just about to go out when you came by.
[ An obvious lie: he's still in a yukata, and his hair is sticking up a little. ]
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[Kazuya gave Hyoubu a knowing sidelong look, obviously taking in the esper's rumpled appearance. It was clear to him that Hyoubu had no such intentions. At least a good hermit knew to keep a stockpiled fridge through the use of internet shopping, or whatever the equivalent was in Cerealia. So this kind of state was just plain sad]
When you finish that bento, I'll take you grocery shopping. [Something in Kazuya's tone brooked no argument on this matter, and he finished peeling the strange alien vegetable, flicking the rough skin onto the table] Though maybe you should take a shower first, y'know, to freshen up a bit. Not to be rude, but, it's sort of obvious that you've been lounging about.
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It takes a moment, but he recovers and theatrically pulls a face. ]
"Taking me shopping." Meaning you want me to buy more and better food for you to steal.
[ He pops the morsel into his mouth. ]
I see how it is.
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Well, yeah, that too. I mean, it's rude not having anything on hand to feed your guests with, y'know. Even I know that.
[All said with a cheeky smile too. What a scamp]
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[ It's said with good humor however, as he sets his chopsticks down and leans back in his chair. The bento has been pretty well demolished. ]
Although, if you're able to cook like that, maybe it's me who should be raiding your kitchen.
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Aw, c'mon, don't do that. Cooking's my fun quiet hobby time. [It's true. He only cooked in the wee hours of the morning when no-one was awake. That's right, he cooked at four in the morning, if only because he could never sleep a full night's sleep, so had to occupy himself somehow] It'll be lame if people start walking in and asking me to make stuff for them.
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[ He'll teleport. Of course.
He pushes back from the table. The problem at hand, as he sees it, is that Kaz is trying to fuss over him. His best strategy for that is to take excess advantage of any kindness, to the point that Kaz seriously regrets his choices. ]
You said something about shopping? Fine, stay there a minute.
[ Off he goes, into his room. Gonna be longer than a minute. Presently Kaz will hear the sound of shower singing. ]
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As Hyoubu ditched him to shower - which was needed because, well, Kaz had tried to be tactful about it, but to his sensitive nose, well... - Kazuya decided that this meant he had complete run of the apartment. He got up from the table, slices of the mysterious alien fruit/veggie in hand. He nibbled on a slice experimentally. Huh. Cinnamon.
The first thing Kazuya gravitated towards was, of course, the wide-screen television Hyoubu possessed. He flopped down on the sofa, propped his feet up on the coffee table, and proceeded to channel surf with the volume loud enough to drown out Hyoubu's shower singing. Yup. This was fine]
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Making yourself at home, I see.
[ He punctuates that with a head ruffle. ]
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Oi, oi...stop messing up my hair.
[He half-heartedly swatted Hyoubu's hand from his head, readjusting his headphones that had been knocked slightly askew before slowly lifting his feet off the coffee table and standing up, finally looking at the esper. There was a slight pause where he frowned at him, studying his appearance, especially his wet hair]
...hmmm, you smell better now. [He smiled almost teasingly, before it eased into something warmer] So, you ready to go food shopping?
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Better than you, demon breath.
[ not so possible, apparently. ]
And yes. I'm ready. You're paying, by the way.
[ He drifts into Kaz's personal space and hooks an arm about him. ]
Want to walk or take the shortcut?
no subject
I'm paying? But... ugh...
[That wasn't fair! He made Hyoubu a free meal and was taking action on his concerning transformation into a smelly NEET. Ah, he guessed one had to make sacrifices for their friends, and, uh, well, brand wasn't everything, right? Cheap ingredients were just as good under the right hand, so he supposed he could... sigh...]
If I'm paying, we'll skip the shortcut. I hate teleporting, especially if someone else is doing it.
[Not that he distrusted Hyoubu's ability - in fact, he was well aware that the esper was far more skilled than he could ever hope to be in the next decade - but Kazuya was still leery of teleporting itself. After so many disasterous attempts that ended up with dismembered limbs and misplaced organs (leaving your liver behind was a unique and horribly unpleasant experience, don't do it), Kazuya developed both apathy towards his own bodily mutilation, and a deep distrust of anything that required him to teleport to any location, even if the teleporter was a super skilled genuis]
Besides, I think you need the exercise. Do you even remember how to use your legs? I mean, you float around everywhere like some kinda evil, decrepit wizard so...
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[ ...is what he was going to say, before Kazuya's last comment. Instead, that friendly arm-hook turns into an attempted headlock and noogie, as he shouts: ]
WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DECREPIT OLD WIZARD?
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[The abuse wasn't going to stop until he was free! So Kazuya whined and squirmed in Hyoubu's grip, but was notably holding back physically. He was more in-tune with his demonic strength recently, which meant an uncomfortable awareness that if he was too careless a friendly swat could turn into a blow that'd break human bone. But of course, that didn't mean he'd willingly remain at Hyoubu's tender mercies! So, since kicking him or clawing at him was something Kazuya wasn't eager to do, he went with the next best, non-lethal method of escape: biting.]
...!
[Yup, that was the sound of Kaz chomping down on Hyoubu's bicep. Let's hope his school uniform softened the blow from Kaz's sharp canines...]