With your baby's breath, breathe symphonies

[resoundingpledge]

WHO: Residents of Nonah #005, adopted members of Nonah #005, stray birds, stray cats, stray dogs, visitors to Nonah #005, neighbours of Nonah #005, people passing Nonah #005 on the street . . .
WHERE: Nonah #005
WHEN: Feb. 3
WHAT: Setsubun! Bean throwing!! Family dinner!!!
WARNINGS: Teenagers

[Demons outside!
Good fortune inside!

. . . or maybe just an excuse for not-at-all homesick teenagers to throw sweet-crunchy roasted soybeans around the rooms of the house (presumably to invite good fortune in and not just to make a mess), or at anyone who wants to play the part of a demon and be chased out. There's a few bowls of soybeans and paper oni masks around for those who want to join in on the fun.

Unfortunately, due to the absolutely deplorable state of the local supermarket, there's a decided lack of thick, unsliced sushi rolls. They tried, they really did. But as it turns out, defeat might not be a bad thing: instead of sushi, a large electric skillet and two platters dominate the dinner table. One is stacked high with sliced nappa cabbage, mushrooms, onion and cubes of firm tofu; the other has thin strips of beef, ready for the pan.

The first sizzle of cooking meat might just be enough to call out anyone still lingering away from the fun, but if not, at least two helpful birds will poke heads around doors. After that, it's an every-person-for-themselves battle of can you get that piece of meat just as it's finished cooking? Or will that mushroom be stolen just as the sweet soy sauce broth marinates it to perfection?

That's the fun of sukiyaki though, it's the best of family and celebratory meals. And there's been a lot worth celebrating.

Demons out. Good fortune in.]

Comments

Kaneda

[rassera]

[Despite how festive America seemed to be, throwing parties for every damn thing they could think of (seriously, this country celebrates its own birthday, how pompous can you possibly get), none of them were really ones that Kaneda could relate to. Even New Years, for as big of a thing as it was back home, seemed to have all the fun sucked out of it. They Americanized a holiday that doesn't even belong to them. Hell, it's not even a holiday it's just something that happens. Anything Japanese was either rumoured to be on the other coast or it didn't exist at all.

So this? This is new, in a nostalgic way. Kaneda had just gotten back from taking a run with Capsule when the house decided to transform into a springtime festival. Closing the door behind them, he notices the decorations and soybeans thrown about like confetti. The dog certainly noticed them, wiggling over to roll around and try to gobble them up as fast as his little golden retriever heart would let him.

Kaneda, however, paces the perimeter curiously, gears spinning in his head as he studies this. The soybeans, the bowl of masks, the smell of something sizzling in the kitchen.

It's hard not to crack a smile as he collects up a few of those beans, tossing them in his hand playfully as he heads to the kitchen to hang limply on the doorframe.]

Maya is going to kill you.

[It's more amused than anything, continuing to toss those beans and roll them in his fist like a pair of dice. Anyone who passes him miiiight get those flicked at them playfully. He is the oldest off the sons--it's only fair.


For the first time, the house felt Japanese. Who's he to complain about that?]

[iamtetsuo]

[If Kaneda hadn't flicked a bean at him, Tetsuo would still have thrown some at him on general principle. Kaneda doesn't need an oni mask. It's Kaneda. But if Kaneda's going to start the Great Bean War of 2020- uh - 2016, then clearly this is a call for Tetsuo to escalate the fuck out of it.

The bean halts in midair. It hovers there, suspended completely still.

WIth a psychic-enhanced flick back, Kaneda gets a super-accelerated bean to the head, aimed specifically at what's now the back of his head.

Tetsuo's the one who got a bean flicked at him. It's only fair.]

[rassera]

[If anger's what Tetsuo's expecting from that little act of revenge, it's certainly not what he gets. The moment the bean hits his head, you can practically hear the metaphorical 'tink!' as is bounces off, one hand reaching up to rub his noggin. Did that...did he really just...


And there it is. Kaneda bursting into laughter as he turns around, throwing another. He knows Tetsuo will do the same thing--that's the point.

This WHOLE THING was the point.]

[iamtetsuo]

[He'd deny it forever, but there's the telltale signs of him trying to bite back a smirk as he easily catches and flicks the next one back. This time it's a bean to the forehead, at about the same speed. It'd be painful. Kaneda can survive it. That's the point.

BEAN WAR COMMENCE!!

...It's not like Kaneda can actually HIT him with one. And that, also, is the point.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda's laughter continues, the bean doing nothing but plink off his forehead as he stumbles back, more out of the hilarity of this than anything, one hand slapped to where the bean had made impact.

But he doesn't stop there, rushing for his brother and scooping an arm around his torso to pull them close...

And raining all those beans down on Tetsuo's snowy-coloured hair.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo barely has a chance to cry out before Kaneda's darted for him. When it comes to physical ability, Kaneda's always got him bested. So much for that 'Kaneda can't get him with beans' idea; the second that Kaneda's grabbed him, Tetsuo doesn't stand a chance.

This doesn't mean he doesn't yelp, kick out randomly with one leg, and struggle as a shower of beans falls down on his head and shoulders. His hands raise up to try to block more, crossing over his ducked head.]

Hey!!

[KANEDA HE WILL GET YOU FOR THIS. EXPECT BEANMAGEDDON IT WILL HAPPEN]

[rassera]

[Oh, he expects it. Hell, he'd think Tetsuo was sick if he didn't retaliate. But it's the first time in a long while that he's been able to laugh like this with him--HOPEFULLY with him. Since the day Ken swore live on the network.

Taking all that abuse, he backs up, although not out of Tetsuo's retaliation. Part of it, yes, but he also has to reload.

And boy is he going to scoop up as many beans as he possibly can in his shirt.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Beans, dust, a lost coin - everything bean-sized or smaller on the floor within easy radius rises slowly into the air, one of them nudging itself from under a startled cat. Tetsuo, too, is getting his ammo ready. And this time, he's not waiting for beans or brother to strike first - oh no.

As the cat watches amazed from underneath furniture - Dalish, maybe? He's not paying attention - all of that stuff shoots through the air on a silent command straight in Kaneda's direction. However many beans Kaneda can get, Tetsuo can get MORE.

If he wasn't enjoying this, would he have carefully tried to only get the beans? The remote stays where it is, only nudged slightly from the mass abuse of psychic powers. The cat, too, was largely unaffected.

He's got to be enjoying this on at least some level. Don't tell Maya or Ken that he could have made cleaning this up so much easier and didn't.]

[cantread]

[There are so many beans and Sissel found it really hard to resist the urge to bat them around everywhere so he is chilling as a human for a bit. The urge to pounce on everything is much less noticeable in this form.

He is watching the beans in Kaneda's hand, though. Something is going to happen with those, he is sure of it.]

Why? I'm not the one who made the mess, it was like this when I got here.

1/4

[rassera]

[Oh my god Sissel you can't just PEOPLE in someone else's house!]

It's probably Kazu's friends. They're--

2/5 i lied

[rassera]

[Looks at Sissel.]

3/5

[rassera]

[Looks at the room.]

4/5

[rassera]

...



[Back to Sissel.]

5/5

[rassera]

How'd you get in.


[Or know where he even lives.]

[cantread]

Komasan let me in.

[SHRUG. It's no big deal he was here for part of last month too. Just. As a cat.]

Besides, you guys leave windows open sometimes, it's not that hard to get in.

[rassera]

[HE DOESN'T EVEN TECHNICALLY GO HERE EITHER!!!]

...


And the furniture didn't kill you? [Maybe it lets cats slide. Bull had six, anyway.]

[cantread]

I didn't know furniture could kill anyone.

[Yep that's pretty much it, being a cat has benefits.]

[rassera]

Magic furniture can.

[Brb, tossing a bean at that ridiculous hair.]

[cantread]

[Sissel doesn't move to dodge the bean or anything, he stands right there like a doof. It gets lodged in his hair, and Sissel just. glances upward at it. Though that might be hard to see because of his sunglasses.]

...huh. That's never happened before.

[Then he reaches up to grab it and pull it out of his hair.]

[resoundingpledge]

[ Kururu turns half way through cutting up more nappa, the start of a cheery greeting dying at Kaneda's comment. ]

Maya-san will?

Did she have something planned for today?

[rassera]

[Oh no, he heard that tone die, and he holds up his one free hand in comfort.]

Nah, nah! She's just a neat freak.

But she can be lured in with the sweet smell of good food. So you'll be spared.


[And then a tiny smirk.]

Not Ikki, though. HE'S a goner.

[resoundingpledge]

[ She shakes her head, still concerned. ]

We wouldn't . . . Yayoi-san and I wouldn't have done anything like this, if we weren't going to clean up after. Ikki-kun wasn't even part of it.

I'll let her know, that we'll take responsibility. It wouldn't be any fun if she couldn't enjoy herself too.

[rassera]

Hey.

[One free hand goes to her shoulders, firm but otherwise comforting. His voice takes on a different tone too, more gentle than the overly confident flippant way he usually spoke.]

I'm just teasing. Don't worry that face of yours--you'll let all those bad spirits in.

[He rolls the beans around in his obviously occupied hand, lifting that hand on her shoulder to grab one and playfully press it to her forehead, ever so gently.]

There. All fixed.

[resoundingpledge]

[ The eyes under that bean press grow wide, blinking once.

Twice.

And her own hands come up, curling around his, gently pulling his hand down. Her fingers are rough with callouses, and they squeeze once, just as gentle as his bean press, before letting go. ]

. . . okay.

But only if you don't worry too.

[rassera]

[His own hands are just as calloused, but it's rare that he finds ones as rough as his--albeit hers are far more gentle than his could ever be. Hands that probably balled into fists more often than not

They hang there limply, though, completely in her hold for a moment, before slowly coming back to life when she lets go.]

C'mon, I promised you udon, right?