Private Channel

[impheired]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, NINEHEADED. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 009.21.328.89 *** NineHeaded has joined 009.21.328.89 <NineHeaded> this is kuzuryuu fuyuhiko. <NineHeaded> you're probbaly better off coming to find me than leaving a message on this piece ofshit. <NineHeaded> but whatever. if it's not stupid,i'll get back to you whenever i open my laptop again.

Comments

[impheired]

[He could take or leave a party. He wouldn't bitch if Gundam had gone that route, and obviously he's not bitching over the fact that he didn't. He's definitely not the type to broadcast it, though. Which is...why Gundam is the only one who knows still. And even that had been kind of an accident.]

......

[He's not so sure that's an accurate statement. GESTURES TO THE CHRISTMAS PARTY. That had some surprisingly Kuzuryuuian elements to it.]

Haaa...yeah, I guess you have a point. [He takes another bite of burger. Hey, let's not go any further down this road, shall we?] But yeah, nothing to worry about.

[hamham]

[They can certainly talk about something else instead, because he's satisfied with that answer. He nods, indulging in a few more fries and a sip of his soda.]

I suppose you wouldn't be interested in sharing a few drinks still?

[impheired]

[He always forgets that technically they're old enough to drink here. For as long as they've been here, that's still something he hasn't done, himself.]

...depends on what sort of drinks you have in mind.

[hamham]

Exactly what it implies.

[Fuyuhiko honestly. What kind of drinks do you think he's referring to? First of all they're "drinks", second of all what drinks are you uninterested in having? (Other than milk, but Gundam doesn't have a death wish so he'd never suggest that.)]

I do still possess that entire bottle of vodka back at the castle I need to do something with. I doubt any of us are skilled enough to try cooking with it.

[So drinking it seems like the next best course of action?]

Or if that isn't quite to your taste, we could visit an establishment that offers more variety. If you aren't interested, however, that's fine of course.

[But sharing drinks on your birthday seems like something to brothers should do? To him at least.]

[impheired]

[Ugh...listen. There was a slim chance maybe he wanted to go out for coffee? ...no, okay, he knew exactly what it was but he still asked anyway. Maybe to delay having to give an answer. Because this is the sort of thing two adult, male friends would do on a birthday. But...]

Yeah let's...definitely not cook with that. [Please let's not set the castle on fire? He likes it a lot.] But...maybe some other time. That's something we should do at night, right? I'm still having a little trouble drinking in my new form.

[It's hard to drink with a dog snout when you...uh. Don't want to lap things out of a bowl like a dog.]

[hamham]

Ah, right...somehow that slipped my mind.

[Of course he's having trouble with that...that cute snoot isn't very good for things that aren't dog-like. He doesn't look put out or anything about it, though maybe there's a tiny hint of disappointment in himself for forgetting about that fact.]

Some other time then, yes. I have that bottle tucked away as well, if you're truly worried about anyone deciding it would be a good idea to use it in their recipes.

[Or use it in other peoples' recipes.....]

[impheired]

Eh, I'm not too worried about it, but good that you did that. [He'd be more concerned if Ibuki were still here. She seems like the type to try and cook with fire.]

It's no big deal though, nothing to apologize for. I only got that form last month and since it apparently changes every couple of weeks, it's easy enough to forget.

[It cool, bro.]

[hamham]

[Yeah...Ibuki really is cause for concern...]

True enough. [Well now that that line of conversation is done...what next? Does he give him his gift now? Or should he wait until they're done eating? And if he's waiting, what should they talk about...?

Gundam takes a few bites of his salad to deliberate on the subject.]

[impheired]

[Probably wait, but it's up to you, Gundam! Fuyuhiko is taking advantage of the silence to make a little more work on his burger. He doesn't want it to get cold, after all. That's no good.]

Kinda hard to believe we've been here for a year now, isn't it? Feels like it hasn't been that long and that it's been way longer at the same time...

[hamham]

[The demon hums in reply at first, just taking a few sips of his soda before saying anything.]

Agreed...time moves far too quickly. It feels as though I haven't even properly adjusted to this new form yet, but at the same time it's almost completely natural to me now...

[It's amazing how quick humans can adapt to things...]

And yet, so much has happened, it seems almost impossible that it happened in just a year...

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko laughs and then takes a sip of his tea.]

No kidding. Remember this time last year we were still living in that shitty ass motel? Some days I almost completely forget about that chapter of our monster lives...

[hamham]

[Man...that shitty ass motel. The demon can't help a snort of laughter of his own.]

I am still astounded that we moved out of our own accord, rather than being forcefully removed for causing them so much hassle.

[That motel owner had the patience of a fucking saint with these two...

...probably mostly Gundam. Though Fuyuhiko was definitely not without his own quirks.]

I still hold the memory of those first few grocery trips we took together fondly in my heart.

[Bet you can't guess why, rich boy.]

[impheired]

You caused them so much hassle. Don't you smear my good name by lumping me in with your problematic ass!!

[He was a good tenant? He cleaned up all your blood splatter and everything. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu did nothing wrong (while living in the motel, at least).]

Why the grocery trips?

[Actually, he can't guess why. Is it because he yelled at you about milk? Are you into that?]

[hamham]

Hmph, are we not now forever bound together in blood, heart, spirit and action? I believe the phrase you mortals like to use is, "we ride together, we die together."

[We caused them.]

I simply took pleasure in your reactions to a number of things. From how adamant you were about not putting special preferences onto the list, to having learned the hard way how you feel about the forbidden white liquid. For someone who never had very interesting shopping trips, it was an enjoyable change of pace.

[Yes. Apparently he's into that.]

[impheired]

...tch.

[Dammit. You had to go and pull the brother bond on him. Asshole. He takes a few bites of burger to cover up the fact that he has no argument to that. And also to listen to what the rest of Gundam has to say. He gives a small huff of laughter.]

You really are easily amused, huh? But I guess I'm not really one to talk. It's not like I haven't found myself thinking similarly over the past year.

[You're a funny guy, Gundam Tanaka.

[hamham]

[Hey at least this means if you do something stupid, he'll take the fall with you??]

Hardly. It is just refreshing to interact with humans in a way that is atypical to how I've always interacted with them before.

[He's extremely easy to amuse. Don't listen to him.]

What has amused you in the past then, hm? You cannot mention it without elaborating.

[impheired]

Can't I, though?

[Apparently, he can, because the only answer Gundam gets is Fuyuhiko taking a very, very long drink of his tea.]

[What a piece of shit.]

[hamham]

That hardly seems fair if that's your plan. It would be like mentioning that I have a gift for you, but deciding not to let you open it.

[Wow is he really insinuating he might have a birthday gift for the yakuza heir and may hold it hostage?]

[impheired]

[Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip!]

Hmmm... [He puts his glass down, thoughtfully.] Surely you wouldn't do something like that on my birthday though, right? I mean...that was just supposed to be a general example, right? Not an insinuation?

[He's calling your bluff, demon boy.]

[hamham]

That is truly a good question. Hypothetically speaking, there may be a gift that has been sitting within my hakama this entire time that I have yet to give to you. I could, in theory, continue to keep it hidden. So it may have been an insinuation.

[He takes a thoughtful drink from his soda before setting the glass down.]

On the other hand, it is your birthday. I suppose social expectations would insist that I let you have it, despite whatever the situation may be.

[It's with a cheeky grin that he continues, fixing the were with a mischievous look.]

But then again, it is not often that I follow the social expectations of humans and demons are certainly not above bargaining and ransom to obtain what they want.

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko gives him A Look. Really? You're gonna try and out-bargain him? The Super High School Level Yakuza? Do you realize how dumb that is?]

Oh yeah. The demon who's been steadily employed at the same place for over a year and gives his girlfriend a present on White Day doesn't follow human social expectations. Hell, the fact that you got me a present at all is following them, isn't it? I mean. You're returning the favor from your own birthday. Not to mention, wanting to return accidentally stolen property, always keeping your word, holding the door open for women and children, being nice to kids during festivals...let's see, what else...

[He puts on a mock thoughtful expression. Like he has to think reeeeaaalllllyyy hard about this as opposed to having several more examples already ready.]

[hamham]

Khk--

[Critical hit. He has absolutely no comeback, because...well. Those...are all things that he does. On a regular basis. All the time. Though he is clearly trying to give a good response to that. Trying to find a way to twist any of that into something a demon would do.

...but in the end he's got nothing and his cheeks flush a little in embarrassment over that. He just sort of sneers a little, flashing his teeth as he glances away and reaches into the pocket of his hakama. As it turns out, the gift wasn't hypothetical at all. It's a small box wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a simple gold ribbon, bow on top, and it's set down in front of the were before he stuffs a few fries into his mouth. There's your present, you brat.

Dammit. He's an atrocious demon don't go pointing out all the good things he does!!!!]

[impheired]

[Kuzuryuu sits back and smirks, watching him struggled to find a rebuttal. HAHA. VICTORY.]

[Though, once the present is offered, that smirk turns into a more genuine smile. A little one! But a genuine one. He reaches forward and picks up the little box, though he doesn't make to open it just yet.]

...for the record, that's part of your answer. [He's known since the island that Gundam's evil persona is basically a bluff. But seeing all the ways that it's manifested itself here...it's both amusing and endearing. Granted, this isn't everything that's amused him over the past year. But, considering the fact that Gundam only gave one example himself, Fuyuhiko doesn't feel the need to rattle off the entire list.]

[He shuffles the little box back and forth between his hands. Should...should he open it now?]

Thanks, by the way. Y'know, for... [He holds up the box. The present. Thank you for the present that he still hasn't opened because he's a loser and he's having a feeling again. Friendship is a disease.]

[hamham]

[Gundam clears his throat a little, the color in his face darkening further. Well, he did ask. And...actually, that's not so bad he guesses. There are probably a lot of similar things he could list about the were after all. At the thanks he finally glances up, managing a chuckle.]

You're welcome, though I really don't understand why you would thank me before gazing upon the gift. For all you are aware of, there could be a dead rat in there.

[It's not one, but it could be!!!]

[impheired]

[BECAUSE THE FACT THAT HE HAS A FRIEND WHO IS GIVING HIM A PRESENT AT ALL IS A HUGE DEAL. THAT'S WHY. Which is why he just kind of shifts awkwardly when Gundam addresses that point. Thankfully, he's spared having to address it because, clearly, the potential dead rat is the bigger issue there.]

I know for a fact there's not a dead rat in there. Or any other dead animal for that matter, because it's a gift from you, not from Saionji.

[But fine, he'll start unwrapping it.]