gameofmana | [log] adulting with decent success

[SOME HOURS PRIOR-]

[Honestly, the food he tried yesterday from the tavern had been pretty decent. It hadn't had any weird effects, or made him sick, so what can Tsukishima ask for, really? However... He knows better than to assume that they can just keep eating out forever, especially with limited money until they can... find a job, or, hell, kill a monster. That's what you do in fantasy RPGs, right?]

[So, in the name of common sense, he figures someone has to go get food to make meals, and it may as well be them.]

[...Well. It was going to be him, singular, but... Yamaguchi is always around him. It's become the two of them almost out of habit. Frankly, he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a little reassuring in more than one way. He'd never say as much, but the distance that had been accruing more and more not that long ago from Yamaguchi's practice and his own stubborn desire to not more than necessary... He hadn't liked it. Putting in effort is worth keeping their quiet friendship intact, and actually winning against some big name schools is almost more a bonus.]

[Also, they've kind of been transported into a weird fantasy world with magically appearing towns, and Tsukishima is pretty sure he hasn't done nearly enough bad in his life to warrant having to deal with only Kuroo and Bokuto in this place. Yamaguchi is a blessing.]

[It's a good thing they'd both been brought with their sports bags. Emptied out, Tsukishima is sure they'll be more than enough to bring back a decent amount of food. It's as they finally set foot onto the small path leading into the town proper that Tsukishima makes a thoughtful sound.]

Right... We should see if we can get some new kitchen knives too while we're here.

[He'd been pleasantly surprised when Tsukishima asked him to come with him. There's a certain... normalcy that comes with being close to Tsukki, generally speaking. Probably just that he feels like he's a little more important like this.

Domina manages to be an amazingly baffling place for Yamaguchi. He's considerably wide-eyed, seeing the humanoid and non-human denizens of it, occasionally whispering sharply to Tsukki to ask if he's seen that giant anthropomorphic teapot, or the weird bunny guy, or--

In any case, they eventually do get to the path, and Yama looks up at Tsukki when he speaks.]

... Eh? Why would we need new kitchen knives? Were there none back there?

[He hasn't met Hana yet, ok.]

Honestly…

[He leans closer a bit so that he can carry on the conversation quieter.]

When I checked the kitchen yesterday, there was some strange woman collecting all the sharp ones. When I asked if she was going to leave any, she pointed one at me. Be careful if you see her. She said her name was Kurokawa Hana.

[Because, honestly, Yamaguchi getting harassed is more concerning than Tsukishima getting harassed. He’s used to people getting on his case, but Yamaguchi, well… Yeah.]

[In fairness, he's not nearly as likely to offend Hana as Tsukki is, but that's irrelevant to him. He listens to his friend quietly, brows knitting a bit. Kurokawa Hana...]

Well, that's... that's a bit terrifying, actually. Um... [His voice just as quiet, he looks up at the blond, head tilted just so.] ... Do you think she'll take the ones we buy, too?

Who knows... This place is full of weirdos. Just to be careful, we should probably hide them in our rooms when we're done with them.

[How much can you trust a bunch of random strangers, including talking cats and elves, anyway? Not a lot, if you ask him. (Frankly, he wouldn't even trust some of the people he knows to be around knives. Bokuto and Hinata would just hurt themselves.)]

[His shoulders roll in a shrug.]

At least some of them seem like they're calm... Did you talk to anyone yesterday?

Mm, just a couple. I'm rooming with Iwaizumi-san, and then I met a guy named Sam Winchester. I saw a few of our other fellow players, but... didn't really talk to any.

[He thinks on it for a moment, picking up a tomato to peer at its skin.]

Some of them just looked kinda weird, I was a little intimidated, I guess. What about you?

[Iwaizumi is the one who ran off at the first sign of adventure… But Tsukishima can tell that he’s a reliable kind of upperclassman. That should be fine.]

I talked to a few people when I was trying to find out what happened… There’s a girl named I-Pin who seems fine, but don’t be surprised if she tries to rope you into learning martial arts. I think she and Bokuto-san are up to something.

[He pauses looking through the tomatoes to glance up at Yamaguchi.]

How many do you think we should get?

[Tsukki you can't micromanage everything about your best friend's life.]

Oh... I guess I'll have to be careful, then. Not that learning martial arts is a bad thing, maybe...

[At least, if this place is even a little dangerous, right? He turns his attention to the tomatoes and hums a little.]

Probably at least a dozen, right? There's a lot of people...

[LISTEN he’s not trying to micromanage anything. He’s just concerned. As a general rule, he’s content to let Yamaguchi do as he likes- whether that’s practicing on his own or never leaving his side. They’re friends, not each other’s keepers. That kind of thing would be suffocating, right?]

[This has absolutely nothing to do with low expectations and pessimism combined which plotted to try and minimize any future fallout which he was sure would inevitably happen. Absolutely nothing.]

[Starting to inspect the tomatoes for the good ones, he shrugs.]

It seems like the kind of thing that’d just get out of hand to me… Do you want to try it out?

You know that pressure you get on the back of your head while you're eating or doing something in the kitchen? That pressure that can only come from a pair of mournful eyes. That pressure that belongs to an animal that is doing its very best to send waves from its brain into yours so that you will share a bite of your delicious whatever-it-is with it?

That was the pressure Maurice was giving off as he stood awkwardly in the kitchen doorway (and took up the entire passage with his horse-end). Yesterday he'd been too busy having an existential crisis to eat. In all the excitement he'd sort of forgotten food was a thing, but now he smelled it and it smelled amazing.

But he didn't know these guys.

Social interaction was not his highest stat...but that animal instinct that had been coldly inserted into the back of his brain like an old NES cartage demanded he stand there and stare and surely dinner would come his way.

It also didn't help that he had no idea what they were making or what he could even eat. Everything was stupid.

Edited 2016-08-01 22:55 (UTC)

For a nice long while, Tsukishima steadfastly ignores their half-equine lurker. Honestly, it’s half his way of coping. There’s just too much that’s weird here- robots, half animal people, talking ponies, the works. He needs to get used to it, because he has no idea how long he’s going to have to deal with all of this, but he’s going to do it at his own pace. Hopefully he’ll have enough time to do that.

Besides… Just a look over the guy is enough to make him suspicious. Like one of those scruffy sorts that you’d give plenty of room on the train because of how much they stink. With the force of his willful ignoring, Tsukishima hasn’t been able to tell if the guy stinks just yet and, frankly, which end could you tell that sort of smell would come from: the human half or the horse half?

Yeah.

It’s when he’s finished with some peppers that he finally gives in. After handing them Yamaguchi’s way, he turns to their “guest” with a cold stare. “Are you just going to stand there all evening?”

In all honesty, Maurice smells more like motor oil and cheap booze than horse.

When the boy turns, the Maurice's ears perk forward--as though he's had a question prepared for one of them all this time. But when he sees the look on Tsukishima's face, the question dies on his tongue. He takes an unsteady step back but forces a smile.

"Uh--howdy! I was just...wondering...what you were making." He mentally kicked himself. "Need any help?"

The good news is that the second Maurice actually offers help, the cold look in Tsukishima’s stare seems to ease up into mundane teenage apathy. With what they were able to get, more hands isn’t exactly a bad thing.

...But seriously, that smell.

“You’ll need to wash your hands first.” And everything else, honestly, but he’s not going to be that rude to an adult (no matter how dirty) that quickly. He nods to a small bucket that’s set to the side, full of water. “Use that and then empty it out. We need more water from the well in the back, if you can get it for us.”

"Sure! Sure!"

Maurice has no idea where this well is, but he's going to do his best to make a good impression. He also thinks it might be better to wash up outside and not risk getting water all over the kitchen floor. Grabbing up the pail, he shuffles around to make an awkward turn and disappears from the kitchen for some time.

Eventually he returns with a fresh bucket of water. It's obvious that his arms have been scrubbed up to the elbows. His shirt is also soaked for reasons.

"How deep d'you think that well goes?"

When he hears the distinctive sound of hooves on wood, Tsukishima is already turning around as Maurice comes into the kitchen. He looks a bit more cleaned up, which is an easy step up, and he's eager to help. There's a moment as Tsukishima looks him over critically before he shrugs.

"I don't know," he says, taking a bowl full of potatoes and holding it out. "You need to dig in pretty far to hit water. Can you clean these?"

It should be a simple enough task, after all, and if this guy is chatty, well, he can do it while not messing up.

Tsukishima managed to pull Maurice's thoughts from just how big was this planet, was it even a planet, was any of this real, where did the water even go he hadn't seen a single river--with potatoes.

"Right."

He accepted the basket before shuffling over to a spot where he wouldn't block the kitchen entrance and started washing them. It had been a long time since he'd touched a fresh vegetable and a part of him wanted to take a big bite out of one of them, dirt or no dirt. That was...troubling.

Maurice managed to resist but it was getting harder and harder to let the silence stand between him and the two boys. He knew they were doing their own thing, but with his nerves shot, the centaur just could not keep his damned mouth closed.

"Some weather, huh?"

Casual silence, alas, is Tsukishima’s preferred way of doing things. Yamaguchi is his best friend, so it’s no surprise that this works out so well for them. It’s companionable silence, the kind where they’re content to just be next to each other. Maurice being added into the equation throws things off a little, but Tsukishima isn’t the type to let something like that bother him.

...At least until Maurice actually talks.

There’s a sigh, but he doesn’t look up from what he’s doing. “It’s been pretty much the same since we’ve been stuck here. Maybe that's just how things are here.”

All two days of it.

Maurice was glad Tsukishima wasn't looking because he was already starting to turn colors from embarrassment. The weather? Really? Why was he so bad at people. Blessed silence returned until the potatoes were finally clean and ready to be cut up. Heavy hooves on wood made his approach impossible to miss.

"Here y'go. Has anyone been to that town yet? I can see one from my window but it's way off."

It would be a blatant lie to say Tsukishima isn’t judging the centaur at least a little bit. However, for the most part, he’s keeping it off his face. There’s only simple disinterest, paying more mind to his task. As hoofbeats signal Maurice’s approach, he turns to accept the potatoes from him.

“Thank you.” At least he’s polite. Not much else there, but you take what you can get. Setting the potatoes down on the counter, he nods. “It’s where Yamaguchi and I got these vegetables. It’s actually not that far…. If you walk for thirty minutes, you’ll reach the town.” He pauses, glancing over Maurice’s horse half.

“...Maybe you’d reach it sooner than some of us.”

Maurice's ears swept backwards as he glanced away in search of something else to look at. Like the rest of the vegetables.

"I dunno about that...I'm still gettin' used to the whole four legs thing."

But he did bring up a good point. Once Maurice got his bearings and quit moping slash having occasional breakdowns, he could probably run incredibly fast. He knew he had the lungs for it because he had screamed for a very very very long time the previous day.

For once, something like a flicker of interest comes across Tsukki’s face. He’d actually assumed that, well… Like all the weird things here, that was just how Maurice was. There’s a talking cat, multiple non-human races, and robots around. He’s given up on reality making sense like he thought he did.

“You mean you weren’t always a centaur?”

"No!"

Maurice stamped a back hoof. Time to c o m p l a i n.

"I was just like you a couple of days ago! I had a job and a truck and a trailer and a life and now I'm some kind of zodiac freak that draws flies!"

He’s pretty sure this guy wasn’t “just” like him. Still, that seems like semantics that he doesn’t really want to get into while this guy is stomping his hooves around. He takes care to keep the knife away from his fingers, more than aware that this place isn’t the most earthquake proof. When it looks like Maurice is done, he starts working again.

“Considering the kind of people that are around here, it seems like you actually belong just fine.” He quirks an eyebrow up at him. “Besides, couldn’t it be worse?”

Maurice opens his mouth, more than prepared to be upset and to demand what THAT was supposed to mean...but then the boy brings up a very solid point.

He could have woken up with no legs at all.

And this is what gets him to shut up and stare thoughtfully at his the potatoes.

Well, if Maurice wants to marinate on that, he’s free to do that for as long as he wants. Tsukishima gets back to work, careful and patient chopping up the potatoes. When he’s around halfway done, he starts to talk again.

“I guess we all could be considered lucky. Usually in movies, when people wake up in a strange place with no memory of how that happened, you can expect it to be a horror movie, right?”

He’s just saying.

The centaur's ears perk right up, new worry forming on his face.

"Who's...to say...this isn't one?"

He looked up and turned in a tight circle, his hip bumping the counter and jostling a few pots that were stacked there. The whole tree could devour them or some terrible wizard could show up or what if they ALL TURNED ON ONE ANOTHER AND PUT A PIG HEAD ON A STICK AND THEN--

Maurice swayed on his hooves and shook himself.

"I think I'm going to go see if anyone needs something...plowed..."

As Maurice sinks into his panic spiral, Tsukishima pauses in his potato chopping to watch the show. Wait, no, that’s not quite right. He moves the cutting board and potatoes away from the unsteady looking centaur, just in case, and then watches the show.

“No horror movie starts out this nice,” is his deadpan answer when it finally looks as though Maurice isn’t going to die of a heart attack. “But fine. We’ll tell people when dinner is ready.”

[Of course Kuroo comes to check out the smell of food. He's hoping for fish, but he's willing to accept just about any meal if he doesn't have to make it himself. He's a touch surprised by who he finds cooking, and by the evidence that it's going to be a group meal; he knows Tsukki's not particularly concerned with working in groups, so it seems strange he'd look out for the nutritional needs of one. And Tsukki's friend - Yamaguchi, if memory serves; the kid tends to be in Tsukki's shadow a lot and almost seems to prefer that - usually follows his best friend's lead, from Kuroo's observations.

Unless Tsukki's changed mightily, Kuroo can't help wondering if this idea is more Yamaguchi's, and if the baby bird isn't coming out of his shell a little if he's come up with an idea of his own and has prompted Tsukki to collaborate with him on it. The fact that Yamaguchi's doing the bulk of the actual cooking seems to give this hypothesis some merit. So Kuroo decides to investigate.

Besides, Kuroo's just generally curious about the one person Tsukki actually seems to like. And now's the first really good chance he's had to talk to him.

He saunters up to the counter beside Yamaguchi.] Need another pair of hands? [He gives Tsukki a hard time, but Kuroo's relatively considerate with most people. He might as well lend a hand while he chats Yamaguchi up - especially if they're making food he's going to benefit from later.]

[Honestly, it was probably more of a thought of "I want to feed Tsukki" and then them talking and it spiraling out of control and into... whatever it is now.

When they'd returned from the shopping trip with full bags, he'd actually found himself somewhat excited to start. Part of that is just having something to do, and part of it is the sense of doing something with someone else. Especially Tsukishima.

He starts a little when Kuroo speaks, absorbed in his work as he was. There's an almost guilty look on his face before he registers the question, and then it's replaced by his usual sheepish smile. No, he hasn't exactly changed hugely. Maybe just a little.]

O-oh, um. I could use another hand cutting vegetables, probably. Or shelling the Edamame. [At least, presumably it's Edamame. It looks like it, feels like it, tastes like it, so that's what he's calling it.]

Cutting I can do. Just point me at what you need done. [And Kuroo scoops up a knife.]

You're Yamaguchi, right? [He hopes he doesn't have to introduce himself - surely Tsukki's complained about him to his best friend before, if nothing else? - but he will if necessary.] Don't think I've ever had the chance to talk to you before.

Ah, over here. Just a rough chop should be fine... [He points to a small pile of carrots, still waiting to be chopped.

As for his name, honestly, even if Tsukki hadn't complained, Yamaguchi's not one to forget important players' names. Lev, maybe, since he was new, but Kuroo?]

Yamaguchi, yes. I... can't say I'm the one people really worry about talking to. [With a laugh, he glances up again, then stirs the pot.] And you were... Kuroo-san, right? It's been a while since we had a match.

It has. [Kuroo grins as he moves over to the carrots and begins cutting them up as requested. Helping out is a good excuse to hang around; even Tsukki can't complain much if he's making himself useful.] It's too bad; everything I've been hearing about Karasuno says that you guys have been improving a lot. Never mind just being good practice; I'm starting to worry if our team's keeping pace with your growth. [He flashes Yamaguchi a lazy smirk.] I'd hate to get all the way to nationals just to be totally outclassed.

[The compliments are genuine, but the self-effacement is not. For one thing, Kuroo seems entirely confident that Nekoma will indeed make it to nationals, and he doesn't seem at all nervous about the possibility of being outclassed as he speaks of it. Kuroo's clearly impressed with what he's heard of Karasuno, but Yamaguchi would have to be pretty gullible to truly believe Kuroo hasn't been working Nekoma to keep abreast of them.

In fact, given what Kuroo's apparently heard of Karasuno's exploits, one has to wonder just how hard he has been working Nekoma.]

And no need to be so humble. It sounds like the days of you getting overlooked are passing you by. Tsukki said himself you were pretty much the deciding factor in your rematch with Seijoh.

[Thinking on it, they've all been working so hard individually, it's impossible not to see it. Karasuno's strength lies in the individual spirits of its players, at this point, and their individual ways of growing stronger on their own. It's a pretty stark contrast to Nekoma, who operate as one body, no matter how you slice it.]

It wouldn't be any good if we were still too weak to even fathom a win, either. [He's definitely not foolish enough to think Nekoma won't be there, to think that Kuroo would allow them to fall behind. He may be a cat, but even lazy cats work hard when they do work. He, like Tsukki, could never discount that side of his opponents - even if the other side of it made him want to shove his face in his hands and sigh.

The compliment catches him off-guard, though, and he can feel his cheeks heating up considerably.]

I-- well, that is- [What he did... but it's kind of true, in a way. Not because he was perfect, nor because he did everything by himself, but because it was a reminder of how far they could come. Alone, together, overall. But still. A tiny smile does creep onto his face.] Tsukki really... said that? I mean, I guess it's true if they think it, but the others definitely didn't slouch, either.

[Pulling the ladle up to taste his broth, he considers for a moment.] I was just... really glad to get to play like that. With them. [I'm not sure he has a "not humble" option, tbh.]

Why would I lie? [Kuroo grins.] I mean, Tsukki being nice is pretty unbelievable. That's the kind of lie it'd be way too easy to catch me in.

I think Karasuno's definitely in the stages where it can fathom a win, although it's far from being in a place where it can be assured of one. [Just a subtle reminder that Nekoma's coming for you guys, Yamaguchi.]

Anyway, just keep working hard. You'll be losing your third years after this year, and two of them are regulars. You could wind up a regular yourself next year, and then you could be nailing opponents with that serve of yours every rotation. [He cocks an eyebrow.] Just remember that a regular can't be a one-trick pony. Don't be so excited over that serve of yours that you neglect the basics. Because if you like playing with your team, being a regular's an even more intense experience than being a substitute server - but you've got a lot more to work on and worry about as a result.

.... [Well, if Kuroo thinks Tsukki is not nice, Yama might not... ruin that little thing just now. Yep.] Well, yeah, I guess.

[Though, that last bit kind of raises his hackles - Kuroo will see it in the way he shifts, so subtle but so marked; hear it in the way his voice gets just a little tight.]

I'm not-- that isn't all I am! [The indignation will cool once he realises the reality - that Kuroo probably barely saw any of that match, the way he himself fought to keep it alive. To not go back. Remembering it so vividly almost brings him to tears, something he blinks back now.] I have more pride than that. I've intended to be a regular from the start, it's not like the only thing I can do is that serve.

[Kuroo grins at Yamaguchi's fire. Some of his stirring it up was indeed deliberate, much like Kuroo had done the same thing in someone else Yamaguchi knows well. But some of it is genuine ignorance, too; he's never seen Yamaguchi in regular play, and he's certainly never talked to him to find out whether he intends to polish his serve to perfection, or whether he has greater all-around aspirations.

Everything Kuroo knows about Yamaguchi, up to this moment, is his serve. Anything else is guesswork and hearsay. In Kuroo's readiness to motivate Yamaguchi, he may have - happily but without conscious intention - scared more personality and information about Yamaguchi than he's yet had acces to.]

Good to hear it. [He hasn't noticed Yamaguchi's upset on a deeper level than he really intended, partly because he's not looking. He's chopping carrots.] In that case, it's probably just experience you're lacking. It seems like all the other first year starters have some freak weapon they were able to put into play almost immediately; you just needed to polish up a little first. But being able to use that weapon against Seijoh effectively - I'd say that's proof you've caught up.

[He's thankful for that; it's something Tsukki would never have missed, but Tsukki has been his best friend for ages. Plus he's constantly paying attention to little things.]

Y-yeah, maybe. I'm not going to give up, especially with Suga-san and everyone cheering us on. They have a lot of expectations. [He does smile a little, fondly.] I don't know. The third-years have their own, too. [It's not like anyone had high expectations of them at the start, even before the Weird First-Years.]

That's true...your captain's pretty scary. [Kuroo's grinning as he says it, with a light in his eyes. Daichi is clearly the kind of scary that excites Kuroo to think of going up against.] And your ace is no slouch. [He hasn't seen a whole lot of Sugawara, but if he had, Kuroo might honestly consider him the most frightening of the bunch.]

When I come to Kenma's games next year, I'll be looking for you in Karasuno's regular lineup. You and Chibi-chan. [He smirks.] And Tsukki, of course~.

Sora is actually sitting just right outside as the smell of cooking reaches him, looking over the coins he'd found on his bed again, trying to decide if he should spend it or save it to maybe pool with the other people once they've all talked. The smell of course pulls him from his thoughts, and he blinks as he glances around, then heads back inside and into the kitchen area.

His eyes immediately light up, his whole face does. "Hey! Great idea! You guys need any help?"

Oh! Everyone is being so helpful... it's kind of strange. Granted, Kuroo had ulterior motives, but still. He looks over at the newcomer - noting briefly how strangely he's dressed - and offers a small smile.

"Um, sure! Let's see..." He sweeps his gaze around the room, thinking... "We probably need more water for people to drink, and dishes need to be set out. Oh, and I haven't even started the salad, yet." There's so much food for so many people he's honestly a little overwhelmed. Even with Tsukki, Kuroo, and him all working together.

One other thing doesn't quite escape his propriety, though. "I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi, by the way!"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Sora," he introduces himself cheerfully, a hand brought up with fingers curled, thumb out to point at his own chest as he states his name. He drops it afterward, hand on a hip as he surveys his options for helping.

"I can do water," he says after a moment of thought, nodding. "I remember where the well is. There a big bucket or cups I could fill? I can set out dishes after, too. Where are they?"

He'd rather avoid doing any of the cooking if he can help it. Even if it's just a salad. Fetching things and setting things out, however? Right up his alley.

Oh, he's so cheerful. It reminds him a little of Hinata... maybe not that enthusiastic, though. Yamaguchi smiles a little.

"Nice to meet you, Sora-san!" Considering the next question, he shakes his head. "Just the water bucket. It'll probably hold a couple gallons at a time, I think... it looked pretty big. The dishes are just up in the cupboards." He points to them for indication. "It looks like someone spent a lot of time organising them, actually..."

Edited (HONORIFICS....) 2016-08-20 06:55 (UTC)

Curious, Sora goes to open one of the cabinets indicated. He tilts his head as he looks in.

"You're right! Seems kinda weird since we don't know whose house this is." Makes him feel kind of weird for using their stuff. Not too weird though, apparently, since he shrugs it off.

"Okay. I'll go bring the bucket back with some water!" He skedaddles quickly.

It doesn't take him long at the well to figure it all out, and he carries the full bucket back with him and sets it on a clear surface to work. He returns to the cabinet to fetch the cups, flashing a grin at his new friend. (Because that's essentially what everyone is to him when Sora first meets them. A new friend.)

"Yeah... but I mean, obviously, it dragged us all in here... so maybe it's ours now?" What a weird thought.

He's a little surprised by how fast Sora scoots off, blinking after him. Such enthusiasm... it's kind of nice. He finds himself smiling when Sora comes back with the water, moving to grab some plates and things from another cabinet.

He can accept being considered a friend. Hinata did it to him too, really. "Thanks again."

[log] adulting with decent success

Shopping trip with Yamaguchi

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Time to get acquainted with you, Yamaguchi

OH GODDDD

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