maskormenacelogs | I can move mountains, I can work a miracle [OPEN]

[With Maurtia Falls being the exception, Ken wanders constantly from city to city. It's been a nice experience for him to be able to do that; back in his own world, he knew Iwatodai and Iwatodai only. With Koromaru lounging at the De Chima home, Ken's alone today.

He also forgot his wallet at home and is hungry, but he doesn't want to go back just yet, so he's been walking back and forth in front of a diner for a while now. He's got his eyes glued on a picture of a plate of pancakes in the window, and he's so immersed in staring at it that he doesn't notice the person he's walking right toward.

That he's walking right into.

With a surprised yelp, Ken bumps right off of the person. He blinks rapidly a few times and stares up at them incredulously -- because for a moment, he saw a giant pancake standing in front of him. What..?

Oh.]

S-sorry, Barnaby-san.

Edited 2016-01-18 13:00 (UTC)

[Normally Barnaby is quick enough on his feet to avoid getting bumped, but that also assumes he's on the lookout for short children too preoccupied with thoughts of delicious food to watch where they're going.

Eyebrows raising in surprise, his gaze darts down, only to find none other than...]

Ken. Are you alright?

[The words come out a little faster than he would have liked, but it's also not unusual for Barnaby to need a few moments to regain his bearings during unexpected social situations like these.]

[Ken's usually more alert, too, although today he definitely had his heart and mind stolen by the delicious looking pancake in the window. He's a bit relieved that the person he collided with was someone he knew. Barnaby's pretty nice. Right?

Ken, at least, is used to talking to people who aren't the best at socializing. After a year with Minato, Shinjiro, Akihiko, and also himself, Ken's not afraid of a little awkwardness at this point. He smiles, the first step to politeness.]

Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going -- are you okay?

I'm fine. [It occurs to him that there's some humor to be found in Ken asking Barnaby if he's okay, but he's mostly glad he wasn't wearing his powersuit at the time. Walking right into that could have actually hurt Ken.]

Don't worry about it. I'm just relieved I didn't accidentally hurt you. [Ken doesn't strike him as a particularly careless boy. Maybe he'd been distracted by something...

It's then that Barnaby turns and notices they're standing by a diner.]

Have you eaten yet?

[Ken shakes his head in response to both of those. First, that Barnaby definitely didn't hurt him, and second, that he has not, in fact, eaten yet. He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment and hopes that his stomach doesn't betray him by growling now.]

No, I haven't actually. I realized earlier I forgot my wallet when I went out today...

Me neither. I was just about to grab a bite to eat myself, actually. If you've got time, you're welcome to join me.

[That he's treating remains unsaid for now. Barnaby thinks it should be fairly obvious, since he's 1) an adult, and 2) the one extending the invitation.]

Huh? Oh, um -- really?

[Even if Barnaby doesn't say it, the implications aren't lost on Ken. He's not particularly resistant to it, but he still has to ask once just in case.]

Of course.

[Ken was never this expressive during their last interaction, but today, at Barnaby's confirmation, his entire face lights up and he nods quickly a couple of times before stepping forward to walk beside him. He won't say no to someone giving him company, at this point.]

Ah, thank you! [he says, politely and properly.] I'll pay you back for this. Promise.

Um... how's Kotetsu-san, by the way? If you don't mind me asking.

There's no need to pay me back. [He understands the sentiment, though. Even when he was Ken's age, Barnaby had possessed a sense of reciprocity.]

He's doing well enough. Thank you for asking. [As he speaks, he starts leading them into the diner.] Was there some reason you wanted to know, or were you just curious?

[Because he knows Kotetsu about as well as he knows the back of his hand, and he knows he has a tendency to get into bad spots while conveniently forgetting to tell his loved ones about it.]

Hm.

[Sometimes Ken answers precisely. Sometimes, he answers in vague noises. He uses the latter right now as he nods thoughtfully to Barnaby's answer, quiet until they're seated, given water,handed menus and left to themselves until the server comes back again. It's then that he finally answers, his thoughtful expression flattening into one of slight exasperation as he opens the menu up to a page on breakfast. Someone had soliloquied about the glory of breakfast foods for lunch, once, at school.]

... Because he's super uncool, I guess. Every time I see him he's doing something reckless, and even if I asked him, he'll say he's fine.

[Hearing Ken, typically so polite and reserved, just come out and call Kotetsu uncool almost makes Barnaby choke on his water. Instead, he hides his mouth behind a loosely-curled first and clears his throat.]

...He does have a tendency to rush into trouble and downplay his problems, doesn't he. [Trying to deny otherwise would just be insulting to Ken's intelligence. Sorry, Kotetsu, but he can't defend you on this one.] Did something happen recently?

[He looks up when Barnaby clears his throat, but when nothing seems wrong he glances back down at the menu and frowns over the pancake choices again. Berries sound great.]

I was in the jungle Pan made when I last saw him. I mean-- I get it. But running in somewhere you don't understand without armor or proper weapons is reckless. Even recklessness has a limit!

...Ah.

[Technically, Barnaby had charged in there right along with him.]

Our armor was actually lost in Heropa once Pan's curse engulfed the area. We both have plenty of experience fighting without it, actually, but...he can certainly be reckless in other ways too.

He wouldn't have survived there as long as he did without the experience, probably. [He thinks back to the state the guy was in. If Ken had been a second too late...]

And he still wouldn't think twice about doing reckless things like that, would he? Because he'll get all... emotional! About wanting to save people, and not thinking about the sort of dangers it could put him in.

That is certainly true. [Barnaby adjusts his glasses, concealing a smile behind his hand. Hearing Ken talk like this makes him wonder if he doesn't sound the same from time to time.] He's always been like that, for as long as I've known him.

[The horrified look Ken gives Barnaby practically screams "I knew it!" Then he's leaning forward, menu laid forgotten on the table as he furrows his eyebrows at the man across from him.]

It's probably the sort of thing you have to be born with. He's like-- [the menu is finally let go of because Ken has to gesture with his hand] -- I've heard about the culture of heroes in your world. It's like a business, isn't it? But Kotetsu-san's got to be the sort of person who believes in the actual ideals of heroism!

[He suddenly looks down, quieter as he says, ] And that's... really cool, honestly. [Then raising his head again,] But then he's obviously beat up but gets all huffy and goes "I'm fine!"

[The last party is a very squeaky imitation of Kotetsu, but the indignation he says it with is pretty accurate.]

[This is probably the most worked up he's seen Ken become, but Barnaby cannot blame him at all. Up until he'd become Kotetsu's partner, most people had barely blipped on Barnaby's radar. But then that man just had to keep making a spectacle of himself to the point where Barnaby hadn't been able to stop thinking about him barely a day after meeting him.]

You're right. He worked in the hero industry for over a decade, despite the fact that he's always disliked the business aspect of it, because he feels that strongly about his ideals.

[There was certainly something to admire about that tenacity, and apparently Ken thought so too. Even so, Barnaby had often wondered with some trepidation what sort of fate awaited such a man.

Thankfully, Ken's imitation definitely manages to capture Kotetsu's essence, promptly pushing that dark thought aside. He makes a small noise, but it's difficult to tell if it's out of amusement, frustration, or both.]

To be honest, Kotetsu gets pretty uncomfortable when other people worry about him. Asking after his health or well-being will only get you non-answers and untruths. He'll even make up stories painting himself in an unfavorable light if that's what it takes. You have to be less direct about it.

[And just like that, Ken's fiery irritation blows out of him like air from a balloon -- he sighs, shoulders slumping, and nods defeatedly. He knew that, too.]

I'm not very good at being direct. I thought once or twice the only way to know would be to watch and come to conclusions myself.

Although, I was rude to him when we met at the forest, too. There was something I needed to do alone, but I think I owe him an apology for the way I did it.

That's a fair approach. [Barnaby himself has done similar before.]

I doubt he holds it against you, but he'd probably appreciate it if you reached out to him about what happened.

Well, it's not something I can explain, is the thing. It was something between me and my teammates; I can't tell him what happened.

But [he shakes his head] I'll try to talk to him. He worries about me a lot, probably because I'm a kid.

It's alright, he most likely won't pressure you to explain if you flat-out tell him you can't talk about what you were doing.

[Either way, it's good to hear Ken intends to speak to him.] That may be true. He worries plenty about some adults too, though, I assure you.

Well, you didn't have to tell me that. I know -- isn't that how he got under your skin?

[Because, sir, you remind him a lot of a lot of the people he knows, and they sure as heck had hard-shelled armors around their hearts. It takes someone as persistent as Kotetsu to get under those.]

[Barnaby takes a sip of water, buying himself some time before he answers. Finally, he settles on:]

He has a tendency to make himself right at home in matters he has no place in. Eventually, I had no choice but to accept it.

[There's no ire in his words, though.]

...

... ...

[Sorry, Barnaby, but at that Ken's hiding his laugh ineffectively behind his hand.]

So you became friends?

BARNABY; after Jan 14

bless Ken he's so cute

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