[Yusuke tilts his head and smiles at the long look Ryuji gives him.]
I'd suggest Futaba, but I can only imagine she is terribly competitive about games. [And would probably beat Ryuji at most games, honestly.] How about Ren?
[Totally an innocent suggestion! No ulterior motive here.]
Hey, you're right... [ plus he doesn't meet up with futaba as often as he should. sounds like a no-brainer to ryuji, who's narrowed it down to one single aspect: ] Heheh, I'm gonna whip her ASS!
[ at games. he'll whip it at games, of course. even if a little deranged, ryuji has his limits on who he's going to hit. someone like futaba definitely doesn't qualify.
then again, as soon as yusuke says the magic word: ]
Uh, why Ren? We play games all the time, dude.
[ or they used to...until recently. why go to the arcade for that when they can bring the experience to them? if they ever pick the hobby back up, anyway. it might not be for a while. ]
Have you played games here before? I hear the experience for some of those games is completely different, and it is fully immersive. It's not quite like the console Ren had in his room.
[Or anything their world has to offer, really.]
Surely the fact it's a favoured pastime of yours and Ren's is all the more reason to go together.
[ it's more like ann took him, at her insistence, but. details. ]
Pfft, what, like some kinda... [ ryuji wrinkles his nose before he can actually say it. friends go out together all the time, and that's all he and ren are, for sure, but... ] ...rgh... [ he shakes his head briskly, as though this is what'll knock the distasteful word out of his mouth. ] ...d-date!?
[ was that so hard? he's reading way too much into it. he could give this pass to anyone! ]
[ and before ryuji can think better of it, running his big old sanguis mouth: ]
We talk about it, too, it's whatever...
[ to distract himself he crunches down on the last bits of ramen he's still holding onto. it's become a lot less interesting to him, but he may as well finish it if he's devoured this much of it in one go. ]
[ great! this space is still all ryuji's, anyway. no one else's! ]
Not like you haven't peeked in on all our talkin'. [ from both points of view, at that. if ryuji were more in his right mind he'd worry about the potential advantages yusuke could hold over him... ] So yeah, it's whatever!
[ whatever, it's complex! it's not like he hasn't tried to help ren any, but at the same time, knowing what he knows now leaves it all the more bittersweet. ryuji chews and chews, and he thinks... ]
Shit, fine, I'll think about it...!
[ someday. maybe. not right now. strange how this leaves ryuji all the more lucid, and he spends a long moment continuing to think, flicking crumbs off of himself. this nastiness has only just begun, but: ]
So you just gonna stand there, or...
[ does yusuke have time? even if he doesn't, the guy deserves something for his trouble. ryuji heavily trudges back inside nonetheless, the door left wide open. ]
[ ah, kasumi...she's been the furthest thing from ryuji's mind during his little temper tantrum. the poor girl puts up with a lot, and she deserves better, less volatile roommates than him, though he's never heard her complain once. incredible, really. ]
I-it ain't that bad, is it...?
[ it's bad, though only slightly. ryuji absent-mindedly scratches at his belly and slumps where he stands. at the time it didn't seem like that much of a mess, but now that there's a second opinion on board here... ]
Ugh, fine...
[ he'll drag his feet while he does it, though, picking up this and that. lame... ]
She says she's a first-year, but none of us ever heard of her.
[ funny how this is the first time ryuji's ever brought it up...has ren not said anything to anyone, either? he didn't think it was between the three of them, but maybe he's wrong. the mystery dampens his potential ire that much more, and he scratches at the back of his neck. ]
Ren, Ann, and even Haru'd tell you the same thing...I thought it was 'cause of those different timelines or whatever.
[Finishing sweeping up, he moves to empty the pan.]
She seemed to know me as well, and at first I assumed I'd merely forgotten her... [He is pretty absent-minded, honestly,] But she seems to hold memories of me that I myself do not recall. So perhaps you are right, and differing timelines are indeed the issue.
I dunno what else'd be...anything's possible, I guess.
[ walking past one of the apartment's little alcoves, ryuji leans his weight on the edge of it, and frowns. ]
...hey, sorry for, uh...makin' you come over and clean up like this...
[ it's no way to kick off a birthday, and nothing to put one of his friends through. now that his senses are back for the moment, he feels kind of bad about it all. ]
[ there's a wisecrack on the tip of his tongue about hiring yusuke as a full-time maid, if he wants to do this so badly. maybe there's some lingering ren-ness left in him from a few days prior. ryuji physically shakes it off, moving on to turn a chair right-side-up, fix the table covering... ]
'course, I'd do anything for y—
[ whoops. too overly familiar; ryuji snaps his mouth shut, righting another chair. calm down, dumbass, we're the same as we ever were...! ]
Anything for a buddy, eheh.
[ right. buddies. just a slip of his tongue, there, and a slide of some trash with his foot into the side closet, there. he'll throw it out later, no one has to know. ]
[ he's been caught red-handed, but it doesn't appear to particularly bother yusuke, so it's...okay? everything is okay?
ryuji, for his part, isn't backpedaling or flipping out over it. he does, however, step right over the glass (when did that happen), and swoops down to snatch it up along the way, bare-handed and relatively nonchalant. if anything slices him, he pays it no mind when he's dumping it all into the garbage. ]
's force of habit, my bad...
[ after spending most of the week being sweet on yusuke, it feels weird not to be. this, however, is the way things truly are, and it'll be easier in time.
oh, his palm's bleeding...it's easy as well to lap this up with his tongue like it's nothing and wrinkle his nose. not the tasted he wanted when it's his own, but he'll take it. ]
[Apparently the warning is completely unheeded, as he watches Ryuji handle the glass shards and inevitably cut himself. The lapping tongue is a little distracting, if only because he's more familiar with it than he used to be only a matter of weeks ago, but he forces himself to focus.] Here-- let me see that.
[He's already taking Ryuji by the wrist to examine the cut, then guiding him over to the sink to run it under cold water.]
What were you thinking, picking it up with your bare hands?
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I'd suggest Futaba, but I can only imagine she is terribly competitive about games. [And would probably beat Ryuji at most games, honestly.] How about Ren?
[Totally an innocent suggestion! No ulterior motive here.]
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Hey, you're right... [ plus he doesn't meet up with futaba as often as he should. sounds like a no-brainer to ryuji, who's narrowed it down to one single aspect: ] Heheh, I'm gonna whip her ASS!
[ at games. he'll whip it at games, of course. even if a little deranged, ryuji has his limits on who he's going to hit. someone like futaba definitely doesn't qualify.
then again, as soon as yusuke says the magic word: ]
Uh, why Ren? We play games all the time, dude.
[ or they used to...until recently. why go to the arcade for that when they can bring the experience to them? if they ever pick the hobby back up, anyway. it might not be for a while. ]
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[Or anything their world has to offer, really.]
Surely the fact it's a favoured pastime of yours and Ren's is all the more reason to go together.
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I took Ann once...
[ it's more like ann took him, at her insistence, but. details. ]
Pfft, what, like some kinda... [ ryuji wrinkles his nose before he can actually say it. friends go out together all the time, and that's all he and ren are, for sure, but... ] ...rgh... [ he shakes his head briskly, as though this is what'll knock the distasteful word out of his mouth. ] ...d-date!?
[ was that so hard? he's reading way too much into it. he could give this pass to anyone! ]
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[Ryuji, this is what he believes Futaba would call a "self-own". Though he doesn't say as much, his expression is telling.]
Of course, what you decide is your choice. But he has missed you, and I am sure you would both appreciate the time together.
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[ ryuji's more than willing to let basically all of that go until the last part, because yusuke's set him up, obviously... ]
Missed who? I see that clown all the time!
[ once a week, at least! moving out of his temporary cafe room doesn't mean he never drops by! and unannounced, to boot! ]
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[It might not be quite as extreme as the way he misses Morgana, but the cat is a special case.]
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No duh, I've seen that...
[ and before ryuji can think better of it, running his big old sanguis mouth: ]
We talk about it, too, it's whatever...
[ to distract himself he crunches down on the last bits of ramen he's still holding onto. it's become a lot less interesting to him, but he may as well finish it if he's devoured this much of it in one go. ]
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[He'll just... make a face and step back while he finishes cronching on that ramen. u nasty]
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[ great! this space is still all ryuji's, anyway. no one else's! ]
Not like you haven't peeked in on all our talkin'. [ from both points of view, at that. if ryuji were more in his right mind he'd worry about the potential advantages yusuke could hold over him... ] So yeah, it's whatever!
[ whatever, it's complex! it's not like he hasn't tried to help ren any, but at the same time, knowing what he knows now leaves it all the more bittersweet. ryuji chews and chews, and he thinks... ]
Shit, fine, I'll think about it...!
[ someday. maybe. not right now. strange how this leaves ryuji all the more lucid, and he spends a long moment continuing to think, flicking crumbs off of himself. this nastiness has only just begun, but: ]
So you just gonna stand there, or...
[ does yusuke have time? even if he doesn't, the guy deserves something for his trouble. ryuji heavily trudges back inside nonetheless, the door left wide open. ]
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[Who knows what devastation awaits within, but he'll head inside anyway, removing his shoes at the door.]
I don't mind waiting while you, ah, make yourself decent.
[Since Ryuji is still in his underwear and all. Not that he seems to care.]
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Eh?
[ ryuji stops and looks down at himself. yeah, okay. everything's a little tattered, but... ]
This is decent!
[ it could be worse; he could not wear anything at all, as overheated as he is. this is a step up from how the day began. ]
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[It's nothing Yusuke hasn't seen before already anyway, and not a bad sight at that, so he won't complain.]
At least allow me to help you tidy up. For Yoshizawa-san, if not for yourself.
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[ ah, kasumi...she's been the furthest thing from ryuji's mind during his little temper tantrum. the poor girl puts up with a lot, and she deserves better, less volatile roommates than him, though he's never heard her complain once. incredible, really. ]
I-it ain't that bad, is it...?
[ it's bad, though only slightly. ryuji absent-mindedly scratches at his belly and slumps where he stands. at the time it didn't seem like that much of a mess, but now that there's a second opinion on board here... ]
Ugh, fine...
[ he'll drag his feet while he does it, though, picking up this and that. lame... ]
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[Yusuke will go searching for a broom to sweep up all the nasty dried ramen pieces and... whatever else is strewn all over the floor. Thanks, Ryuji.]
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Man, I couldn't tell ya...she says Ren helped her out of a jam or somethin', and she's all senpai this and Sakamoto that...
[ he raises his voice in the world's worst falsetto and hands yusuke a pan, to boot. see, ryuji's thinking of you! sort of! ]
Never saw her before in my life, but I'd feel bad if I kept pointing it out to her.
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How could you never see her if you attend the same school? That ribbon she wears is quite distinctive.
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She says she's a first-year, but none of us ever heard of her.
[ funny how this is the first time ryuji's ever brought it up...has ren not said anything to anyone, either? he didn't think it was between the three of them, but maybe he's wrong. the mystery dampens his potential ire that much more, and he scratches at the back of his neck. ]
Ren, Ann, and even Haru'd tell you the same thing...I thought it was 'cause of those different timelines or whatever.
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She seemed to know me as well, and at first I assumed I'd merely forgotten her... [He is pretty absent-minded, honestly,] But she seems to hold memories of me that I myself do not recall. So perhaps you are right, and differing timelines are indeed the issue.
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I dunno what else'd be...anything's possible, I guess.
[ walking past one of the apartment's little alcoves, ryuji leans his weight on the edge of it, and frowns. ]
...hey, sorry for, uh...makin' you come over and clean up like this...
[ it's no way to kick off a birthday, and nothing to put one of his friends through. now that his senses are back for the moment, he feels kind of bad about it all. ]
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[He glances to Ryuji as he finishes tidying. It's... another birthday present? Sort of?]
I'm certain you'd do the same for me if our situations were reversed, at any rate.
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For real? Whatever you say, man...
[ there's a wisecrack on the tip of his tongue about hiring yusuke as a full-time maid, if he wants to do this so badly. maybe there's some lingering ren-ness left in him from a few days prior. ryuji physically shakes it off, moving on to turn a chair right-side-up, fix the table covering... ]
'course, I'd do anything for y—
[ whoops. too overly familiar; ryuji snaps his mouth shut, righting another chair. calm down, dumbass, we're the same as we ever were...! ]
Anything for a buddy, eheh.
[ right. buddies. just a slip of his tongue, there, and a slide of some trash with his foot into the side closet, there. he'll throw it out later, no one has to know. ]
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[Yusuke teases him lightly with a smile, moving over to the kitchen space. He pauses and stops short when he nearly steps on broken glass, yikes.]
Oh-- be careful if you come this way. [Time to sweep this mess up too.]
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[ he's been caught red-handed, but it doesn't appear to particularly bother yusuke, so it's...okay? everything is okay?
ryuji, for his part, isn't backpedaling or flipping out over it. he does, however, step right over the glass (when did that happen), and swoops down to snatch it up along the way, bare-handed and relatively nonchalant. if anything slices him, he pays it no mind when he's dumping it all into the garbage. ]
's force of habit, my bad...
[ after spending most of the week being sweet on yusuke, it feels weird not to be. this, however, is the way things truly are, and it'll be easier in time.
oh, his palm's bleeding...it's easy as well to lap this up with his tongue like it's nothing and wrinkle his nose. not the tasted he wanted when it's his own, but he'll take it. ]
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[He's already taking Ryuji by the wrist to examine the cut, then guiding him over to the sink to run it under cold water.]
What were you thinking, picking it up with your bare hands?
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