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

Maya

[missleadingquestions]

[You know, Maya's not really mad. She loves a party! She really does!

...But why's it gotta be Setsubun? She knows damn well no one but she and Ken are going to clean up all of these stupid roasted soybeansand she's going to be finding them rolling out from under the couch for months.

Wonderful....

But even that can't put a permanent damper on Maya's mood. After all, there's food involved, and Maya's not one to reject sukiyaki.]

Man, this smells amazing!

[She has to admit. Any meal she doesn't have to cook is appreciated with this one. Really, she'd love it if they had fishcakes too, but it's a little tougher to get a hold of those around here.]

[resoundingpledge]

Are you hungry?

[ If Kaneda's warning is still echoing in her mind, it only shows in how her fingers grip the pleats of her skirt, tightening and loosening again. ]

Yayoi-san made the sauce, and I helped with the meat and vegetables . . . I'm still learning, but she's really good, with things like this.

[missleadingquestions]

[Kaneda's warning still holds true, but Kururu's lucky Maya's so easily won over.]

I'm pretty much always hungry. It looks like you guys did good! Are we ready to get started?

[resoundingpledge]

Everything's ready.

[ Clench. Release. Breathe. ]

Um . . . Miss Maya?

[missleadingquestions]

--Hm?

[She's not used to actual teenagers using 'Miss Maya', so it surprises her-- but she's not against hearing it.]

What's the matter?

[resoundingpledge]

[ There's a shift in her. Not a big one; nothing more than her hands smoothing out, the way she stands a bit straighter, her feet steady. Grounded. ]

Yayoi-san and I planned this. And we wouldn't have . . . we don't expect anyone else to clean up after but us, either. And we will. We wouldn't have done any of this if we weren't going to.

And if something's not right, after . . . that's our responsibility too. It wouldn't be a good 'thank you' at all if we left someone here feeling hurt, or upset. It's your household. No one should . . .

[ She shakes her head. ]

You should be able to be happy here.

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya has to listen to Kururu's little speech with big, wide eyes, not expecting a single word of it. She'd never been mad, per se-- no, it was more like something would be pulling at the back of her mind, like every bean was a shadow in the corner of her vision.

Like if it didn't get cleaned up the minute the party was over, there would be a shadow behind her, making little 'tsk' noises and telling another medium what a shame it is Misty's daughter became so untidy, it's so disdainful--

But those thoughts melt away when she realises her hesitation has worried Kururu. She shakes her head, eyes still wide, and urges--]

No--- no! It's okay! I was never mad.

I-I know you guys would clean up! I'm not upset!

[resoundingpledge]

You should be able to be happy.

[ She reaches for one of the many (how did there even manage to be this many, they'd only roasted a few sheets) discarded beans, turning it over in her fingers. ]

Like Kaneda-san said . . .

[ And she reaches out, touching the bean softly to Maya's forehead. ]

Demons outside. Inside, only good things.

[missleadingquestions]

[It's a pretty strange emotion that wells up within Maya now-- something bittersweet. If she were a coffee-metaphor-loving, white-haired man, she might make some comparison about knives and scalpels and healing, but she isn't. Instead, the thought that comes to mind is one of warmth, like a fire lit inside her that, while being warm, still causes her eyes to glisten just slightly at the sight of it.

She gives Kururu a warm (but perhaps a little sad) smile in return.

You should be able to be happy.

But in the coming month, that would be the last thing on Maya's mind. Instead, all she can really think of is the woman who didn't even think she should be able to live.

Maya's shoulders shake a little from her giggling, but in the softest manner. Muted, like something a bit shier (and all that much more genuine) than her usual laugh.]

Is that what he said? Well, I guess he has a point. That's what today's all about, right?

[resoundingpledge]

Mm! It is.

[ There's a lot in that laugh. A whole story, probably . . . Kururu's eyes soften, and she lets her hand drop.

. . . almost impulsively, she reaches for Maya's hand, holding it in both of her own as she presses the bean into her palm, curling her fingers closed around it. Kururu's hands are rough with callouses, but her touch is soft, and her hands warm. ]

Keep this one? For luck.

[ For a reminder. ]

[missleadingquestions]

[Kururu's an actual darling. An angel, probably. Just, she's precious.

Maya takes the little bean and smiles at it.

It's funny; before they'd gone to Russia, Maya had charged numerous omamori to give to the others to keep them strong. She can't use them herself, so none of them had been kept for her. Still, this? This feels even luckier, and for once, it's for her.]

Definitely.

[She grins at Kururu.]

I think we should get started before the boys eat everything, though.

[resoundingpledge]

[ And just like that, whatever had shifted before shifts back again, and she's just a cheerfully smiling sixteen year old. ]

Mm, definitely!

[deadtective]

I don't know, I think it could use a little more fiber.

[and, ping! Maya is getting nailed in the back of the head with another of those insidious little beans. considering how much hair that girl has she's probably not going to see it again for like a week when it falls out at the worst possible time.

Hazel is completely and utterly unapologetic for any of this. this is nothing new.]

[missleadingquestions]

[WOW RUDE. Maya spins around, touching at her hair-- and then giving up, stooping down to pick up a few nearby roasted beans.]

Hey, no fair! I wasn't ready for that one!

[That was totally the point... Of course, Maya's going to retaliate, beaming a little bean Hazel's way.

...Look, if she's gonna have to clean the mess up anyway, she can throw them all she wants.]

[deadtective]

Sounds like that's your fucking problem, not mine.

[never before has Hazel been so grateful for being unable to feel even the smallest amount of pain for the pettiest of reasons. the bean bounces right off her forehead to no effect, and earns Maya a retaliatory handful heading her way.

Hazel's got an entire bowl of these fuckers and she's purposely gunning for her foe's hair now. WHAT YOU GONNA DO]

[missleadingquestions]

Oh-- my gosh!

[Maya attempts to block them with her arm-- and then scoops up some of the beans from the floor, attempting to throw them back at her. GDI hazels' too good at this!!!!]

That's totally not fair!

[deadtective]

[she cackles, beans flying at her as she charges forward with another fistful primed and ready to go. SHE HAS A NATURAL AFFINITY FOR BEING AS TROUBLESOME AS POSSIBLE MAYA YOU CAN'T BEAT HER]

Should've thought of that before you grew out your hair, huh!

[missleadingquestions]

I've never cut my hair! That's backward!

[Maya does her best to scurry behind a wall-- but then eyes the couch, and dives for it. Clearly a couch cushion will make the perfect shield!]

[deadtective]

It's a fucking decision you made as a baby, what do you expect?

[this is not what Maya means at all and they both know it.

when Maya dives, Hazel's instincts to constantly escalate the situation kick in and without thinking she immediately dives after her. what this has to do with shoving more beans into the other girl's hair is not immediately clear.]

[missleadingquestions]

[HAZEL WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! Maya's just going to bring up that cushion in defense.

And attempt to push Hazel back with it by shoving it in her face.]

[deadtective]

[HEY GUESS WHAT SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BREATHE, SHOVE ALL YOU WANT

and while that small amount of force would normally be enough to dislodge her, unfortunately for Maya she's found herself an anchor. and if you guessed that it was just grabbing fistfuls of the hotly-debated hair, you'd be sitting in a brand new Ford Fiesta right now.]

[missleadingquestions]

Ow-- why are you grabbing my hair?

What are you even doing?!

[WHAT IS THIS GOING TO HELP??? Maya attempts to push her away, still, shoving harder against that cushion.]

[deadtective]

[there's a response but since Hazel's face is, you know, smashed into a couch cushion right now, there's nothing really intelligible about it. it's a safe bet that there's profanity in there somewhere, though.

the more Maya pushes the harder Hazel hangs onto her hair, determined now to make this a fight to the early onset baldness. the beans are almost completely forgotten at this point, it's just a war of attrition now.]

[missleadingquestions]

[Whimpering a few 'ow!'s in defeat, Maya tries to stop pushing away, since that's ONLY MAKING THINGS WORSE]

Letgoletgo-- jeez!

[THIS IS THE WORST]

[deadtective]

Say you give!

[THIS IS THE WORST AND IT WILL NOT STOP UNTIL YOU VERBALLY ADMIT YOUR LOSS FOR EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE TO HEAR]