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

[iamtetsuo]

[He finishes his meat first before answering this time, and unlike Ikki, or even Kaneda, he actually takes some time to enjoy it.]

Sure, but it's still over there.

[learntofly]

[She nudges the bowl of meat in his direction as he's finishing.]

That's what passing is for. Only greedy demons will try to refuse to share.

[That glance in Ikki's direction isn't subtle at all.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Fine. Fine. He'll snag another choice piece as it goes around with his chopsticks like a normal human being would. Happy now.]

Greedy demons can eat shit.

[And no, he's not saying that louder.]

[learntofly]

Hah!

[Not even a half-hearted attempt to hide that laugh. She grins down the table at him, amused approval all across her face.]

Kogarasumaru tells him that almost every day.

[iamtetsuo]

Kogarasumaru?

[He's not mentioned this food is good, but he's already eyeing a third piece.]

[learntofly]

Oh, it's . . . It's the name of the team Ikki founded. The thing that brought all of us together.

[She nudges the bowl a little closer again, almost managing to make it look accidental.]

[iamtetsuo]

[He doesn't even have to reach far to snag another piece with his chopsticks. At least he's deigning to use them now that it's been made easier...]

Even though it's Ikki who made it.

[learntofly]

[That's enough for her to count it towards progress. She snags another piece of meat for herself and tugs a dish of egg closer for dipping.]

He's actually a really good leader. Sometimes . . . He's got this way of making you feel like you're weightless.

[iamtetsuo]

[He snorts, glancing over to the idiot in question. He's gotten a few opinions of the guy by now, and not one of them match that assessment.]

More like hurting him. He'd make Kaneda's attempt at leadership seem tolerable.

[learntofly]

Mm . . .

[She pops the bit of meat into her mouth and chews thoughtfully.]

You haven't known him for long . . . Maybe you should come along the next time he takes me out for training.

[iamtetsuo]

[... if nothing else, this might be entertaining. Or something. He's not really sure why he agrees by the time he shrugs.]

Fine. You can show me just how good a 'leader' he is.

[learntofly]

[There's something almost triumphant in her grin now.]

Great. I think it'll be something worth seeing.

[iamtetsuo]

[And his expression grows wary. That girl.. what's she up to?]

Doubt it.

[And with that, he pointedly dips another piece in the egg bowl she dragged over, and eats it. That way, he can feel like he still won an argument somewhere, somehow, instead of that nagging feeling that there might be something he's missed.]

[learntofly]

We'll see.

[She seems content enough to leave it there, at least.]

So . . . what's Kaneda like? You know him better than us.

[iamtetsuo]

Better than Ikki.

[She has no idea that she's asked this to the wrong person. You're gonna have to pry a little for specifics, Yayoi.]

[learntofly]

. . . Right. Well. What do you like about him?

[She can try.]

[iamtetsuo]

Like? [Shit, asking the hard questions here; the easier list is what he hates about the guy. He's focused on that one for years. Instead, she gets a shrug.]

Everyone likes him. Go ask one of them, or something.

[Meet Kaneda's best friend: the guy unable to immediately answer one thing he likes about Kaneda. If he thought about it at all, maybe he'd come up with something, but nah. Immediately deflected.]

[learntofly]

[She waves her chopsticks through the air dismissively.]

But I'm talking to you. Aren't you friends?

[iamtetsuo]

[He looks at Kaneda. The guy who anyone staying here for any amount of time would probably realize just lives in his room for the time being. And shrugs.]

Yeah.

[Yet the way he says it, it's like the concept's still strange to him.]

[learntofly]

Hm . . .

[She watches that look thoughtfully, chopsticks tapping against her lips in an absent motion.]

I think I get it.

[iamtetsuo]

?

[Wait. Get what. She can't possibly get it. This situation is clearly too complicated for any outsider to understand.


(It really isn't.)]

[learntofly]

You're not used to friends in the first place, are you?

[iamtetsuo]

It's not like-

[It's a bit like that.]

It's more complicated than that!

[learntofly]

[She ducks her head a bit, trying to look apologetic (or at least a little placating.)]

That kind of thing is always complicated.

[iamtetsuo]

Look... We used to be close. [Translation: Kaneda was the only friend he had.] Then he found other friends.

[Translation: fuck those guys. Except Kai. Kai was okay.]

Until recently, that's how it was.