...Yeah, we can do that. I was gonna make omurice - stew sounds good, though. Good for the weather.
[ and comforting. something home cooked and warm for the cold weather. he scooches over to make space and passes over a second cutting board, and gives kainé a half smile. ] Here. Let's grab some more vegetables to throw in there. I think there are some potatoes in the pantry.
[ he's gonna go fetch them! there are just your basic mirepoix all chopped up right now - it looks like he was working on a carrot. ichiro comes back after a second with a big thing of potatoes and a peeler, and sits down to start peeling.
[ She doesn't mind doing both. He's so fancy. She doesn't even know what a mirepoix is. ]
It fucking sucks. This should've stopped.
[ She sets about to peeling potatoes, too, after looking for a second peeler. Her movements slow and careful and a little awkward for someone who's so used to using a sword. All her cooking at home is very basic. ]
Fried rice wrapped in an egg. It's good, you'll like it. [ ... ] Shinonome really likes it, and - I know this probably tore him up.
[ after what he'd said about their trip together to that hellish... wherever they went for their adventure last week, after getting manwol back, he knows it's gotta suck to lose someone you got that close to. like losing family.
he shakes his head, trying to keep calm - but even still, his brows furrow, and he stares down at the potato in hand. ] I - can't imagine it's just one person doing it, either. We had two people last week, and we couldn't figure out who the hell they were when they just attacked one guy.
[ That's right. Bradley and Kon were on that adventure together.
She frowns and her peeler pierces a potato more than peels it. She embeds it like she's trying to slice it instead. She doesn't know how to express sympathy without being too awkward about it, so she stays silent. ]
Yeah. I can't see it not being at least two fucking people this time.
[ that things are escalating - and quickly. it's shitty. ] First week one person. Second week two. I don't - I really don't want that to be a pattern.
[ does that mean three, next week? four, after that? if kon's theory was right, then they're here for eight weeks, and that's - that's a lot of people. he closes his eyes, briefly, hand stalling where he's peeling before he picks back up with it again (and if he notices kainé just stab the potato, well, he won't point it out. it's okay, it's all getting chopped up anyway.) ]
...I wanna do better, this time. I wanna figure it out. For Shinonome, and Lucretia-san, and everyone. We're never gonna get anywhere otherwise.
[ He's very sweet, but since he doesn't say anything the first time, she's going to pull the peeler out and stab with more force a second time. Her hand trembles a little, and her grip on the peeler becomes knuckle-white. ]
It shouldn't be a goddamn pattern like that! I won't fucking accept it!
[ She's so angry. ]
I wanted all of this to stop! We can try our fucking best.
[ well, it's touchy week, which means that when all of this happens, and he sees her hand shaking, he drops the peeler in his hand, reaches over and covers her hand with his. his grip isn't particularly tight or anything, just a broad gesture of stability, and - of worry, too. ]
Kainé. [ it's quieter than expected, really. ichiro's explosive temper is only held back by a few things in life - and sometimes, concern for others helps to eclipse it. he's just as serious, though, voice low. ]
...I know. [ and it's there, too, laced with empathy and hurt and anger - an animal pacing a cage instead of bursting free from one, heavy with emotion. because it's more than just that he gets what she's saying. he gets what it feels like to be that furious - he gets how fucking unfair this entire godforsaken place is, he gets what she's feeling like in this exact moment because god, he feels it too. its the same empathy she reached out to him with last week, clumsy or otherwise. ]
I want it to stop, too. I hate playing into this stupid game. [ but right now - what else are they supposed to do? ]
[ There's surprise and she looks almost shaken before something complicated and complex flashes across her expression and it closes off, as if she's not sure what she's feeling or if she should feel this, as if she doesn't deserve his worry or his empathy.
Her hand stills under his, but she doesn't pull it away. Maybe it's touch week, or maybe it's just because.
... ]
I've done as fucking much as I can.
[ She's not a braincell.
So yeah, right now - what else are they supposed to do? ]
[ he's not really much of a braincell either, unfortunately. street smart, sure. a good student, yeah. solving murders? way past his paygrade. it's so frustrating - it reminds ichiro of being at home, of dealing with chuuoku and its stupid rules and its stupid games they all have to participate in.
he keeps his hands over kainé's, steadying, and gives it a squeeze. ]
... me too. [ and that's just the worst fucking part, isn't it? all of that knit together emotion is open and free on his face, finally finding its way to determination. ] But - we have to keep doing as much - and more, too. Even if it feels like we already hit the limit.
[ he knows, he knows it's protagonist bs. he knows what he sounds like right now, like some kind of motivational speaker, but it's the kind of shit ichiro believes in, wholeheartedly. even if he's frustrated and furious. use that frustration, someone told him, make that anger yours. ]
... I'm always gonna try. If that's all I can do, then, and it's still not enough, then I just - I'm gonna have to try harder.
[ ichiro turns his head to look at her, now. not quite hesitant, but there's a question. ] ...Keep trying with me?
[ She looks at Ichiro, and it's not like she's someone who's completely unaffected. It's not like her heart can't be moved by protagonist BS. All she's ever needed is one person to try to reach out to her, to tell her to keep going.
She hasn't given up yet, but she's never been the most positive person. She takes in a small breath. ]
Yeah. I won't stop. There's something I can't give up.
[ ... ]
I'll keep trying.
[ As much as she allows herself, she hopes that Ichiro won't regret saying he wants to keep trying with her even if she thinks she doesn't deserve that hope. ]
I'll stop bitching, and we can keep moving.
[ Her words are laced with the sentiment of both Thank you and I'm sorry. ]
[ there's something i can't give up resonates with him. it's the kind of drive he uses to power himself, too. there's always something to fight for.
ichiro laughs, a soft, quiet thing, as she finishes, and squeezes her hand. ]
You can keep bitching, it's okay. This place kinda deserves bitching. We'll just have to bitch and fight at the same time, yeah?
[ that seems like the right idea. it kind of seems like all they can do, at this point - and shouting and yelling into the distance while attempting to fight off a broken system is pretty much what ichiro does on the daily.
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no subject
...Yeah, we can do that. I was gonna make omurice - stew sounds good, though. Good for the weather.
[ and comforting. something home cooked and warm for the cold weather. he scooches over to make space and passes over a second cutting board, and gives kainé a half smile. ] Here. Let's grab some more vegetables to throw in there. I think there are some potatoes in the pantry.
[ he's gonna go fetch them! there are just your basic mirepoix all chopped up right now - it looks like he was working on a carrot. ichiro comes back after a second with a big thing of potatoes and a peeler, and sits down to start peeling.
after a few moments of amicable quiet: ]
... This sucks.
no subject
[ She doesn't mind doing both. He's so fancy. She doesn't even know what a mirepoix is. ]
It fucking sucks. This should've stopped.
[ She sets about to peeling potatoes, too, after looking for a second peeler. Her movements slow and careful and a little awkward for someone who's so used to using a sword. All her cooking at home is very basic. ]
no subject
[ after what he'd said about their trip together to that hellish... wherever they went for their adventure last week, after getting manwol back, he knows it's gotta suck to lose someone you got that close to. like losing family.
he shakes his head, trying to keep calm - but even still, his brows furrow, and he stares down at the potato in hand. ] I - can't imagine it's just one person doing it, either. We had two people last week, and we couldn't figure out who the hell they were when they just attacked one guy.
[ let alone two. god this sucks. ]
no subject
She frowns and her peeler pierces a potato more than peels it. She embeds it like she's trying to slice it instead. She doesn't know how to express sympathy without being too awkward about it, so she stays silent. ]
Yeah. I can't see it not being at least two fucking people this time.
[ She sounds sure. ]
Even if I hate what that means.
no subject
[ that things are escalating - and quickly. it's shitty. ] First week one person. Second week two. I don't - I really don't want that to be a pattern.
[ does that mean three, next week? four, after that? if kon's theory was right, then they're here for eight weeks, and that's - that's a lot of people. he closes his eyes, briefly, hand stalling where he's peeling before he picks back up with it again (and if he notices kainé just stab the potato, well, he won't point it out. it's okay, it's all getting chopped up anyway.) ]
...I wanna do better, this time. I wanna figure it out. For Shinonome, and Lucretia-san, and everyone. We're never gonna get anywhere otherwise.
no subject
It shouldn't be a goddamn pattern like that! I won't fucking accept it!
[ She's so angry. ]
I wanted all of this to stop! We can try our fucking best.
[ But where will it get either of them? ]
no subject
Kainé. [ it's quieter than expected, really. ichiro's explosive temper is only held back by a few things in life - and sometimes, concern for others helps to eclipse it. he's just as serious, though, voice low. ]
...I know. [ and it's there, too, laced with empathy and hurt and anger - an animal pacing a cage instead of bursting free from one, heavy with emotion. because it's more than just that he gets what she's saying. he gets what it feels like to be that furious - he gets how fucking unfair this entire godforsaken place is, he gets what she's feeling like in this exact moment because god, he feels it too. its the same empathy she reached out to him with last week, clumsy or otherwise. ]
I want it to stop, too. I hate playing into this stupid game. [ but right now - what else are they supposed to do? ]
no subject
Her hand stills under his, but she doesn't pull it away. Maybe it's touch week, or maybe it's just because.
... ]
I've done as fucking much as I can.
[ She's not a braincell.
So yeah, right now - what else are they supposed to do? ]
no subject
he keeps his hands over kainé's, steadying, and gives it a squeeze. ]
... me too. [ and that's just the worst fucking part, isn't it? all of that knit together emotion is open and free on his face, finally finding its way to determination. ] But - we have to keep doing as much - and more, too. Even if it feels like we already hit the limit.
[ he knows, he knows it's protagonist bs. he knows what he sounds like right now, like some kind of motivational speaker, but it's the kind of shit ichiro believes in, wholeheartedly. even if he's frustrated and furious. use that frustration, someone told him, make that anger yours. ]
... I'm always gonna try. If that's all I can do, then, and it's still not enough, then I just - I'm gonna have to try harder.
[ ichiro turns his head to look at her, now. not quite hesitant, but there's a question. ] ...Keep trying with me?
no subject
She hasn't given up yet, but she's never been the most positive person. She takes in a small breath. ]
Yeah. I won't stop. There's something I can't give up.
[ ... ]
I'll keep trying.
[ As much as she allows herself, she hopes that Ichiro won't regret saying he wants to keep trying with her even if she thinks she doesn't deserve that hope. ]
I'll stop bitching, and we can keep moving.
[ Her words are laced with the sentiment of both Thank you and I'm sorry. ]
no subject
ichiro laughs, a soft, quiet thing, as she finishes, and squeezes her hand. ]
You can keep bitching, it's okay. This place kinda deserves bitching. We'll just have to bitch and fight at the same time, yeah?
[ that seems like the right idea. it kind of seems like all they can do, at this point - and shouting and yelling into the distance while attempting to fight off a broken system is pretty much what ichiro does on the daily.
no apologies needed. ] We're in this.