route_1065 | You're like me; we're both alone

Entry tags:

You're like me; we're both alone

Who: Mondo Oowada (

diamondo); Kiyotaka Ishimaru (

ardent)
Where: Dangan House, Goldenrod City
When: December 22, 2014
Summary: It's been almost a year since there was an Incident, no discussions have been had since, and Ishimaru has no tact so any discussion they're about to have is probably going to go poorly.
Rating: P...G? PG13 maybe because the thread contains Mondo and what is restraint when it comes to profanity
Log:

[It probably says something when Ishimaru actually wants to be somewhere in this house with the bare minimum of windows; usually he prefers at least being able to see the outdoors. But that was before the Yard Wars of 2014 had happened; he can only spend so long trying to work out exactly who the maniac on the roof is that's potshotting Parker's decorations, and it's entirely too bright out there besides given that the sun went down hours ago. On top of it all, it's a blinking sort of "entirely too bright."

It's distracting, in other words.

Since it seems nothing else is going to get done tonight (that doesn't involve defending the lawn), downstairs it is. He's still sharing it with Mondo, though he isn't explicitly looking for him in going down there; that doesn't mean he's displeased to see him, though, when he happens to find him anyway.]

Kyoudai – I'm guessing you're avoiding everything that's happening upstairs as well?

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[It really isn't any surprise to find Mondo in the basement. Like Ishimaru, he prefers having windows, but the disaster zone that is their Christmas lights has been giving him headaches for the past several days, though he's not sure whether that's from the actual lights themselves or whether it's due to his exhaustion with the whole thing. He hasn't even been out there defending the lawn! What a nightmare.

He's been in the basement for awhile now, judging from the sheer amount of crumpled paper on and around the bed. Mondo's sitting there, staring intently at a notebook (open to a blank page) and twirling a pen around in his hand, looking completely lost in thought. He glances up when Ishimaru speaks, grinning and shutting the notebook.]

Yeah. I think they're going a little overboard.

[...]

A lot overboard, actually. No one needs this many lights and who the fuck actually fights over them?

[He seems to realize that he's left a mess and moves to start cleaning it up.]

Apparently we do!

[As...unimpressed as he sounds about that.

Don't think he hasn't noticed the minor disaster zone, however.]

What were you doing down here, anyway?

Writing. Or, well, trying to write. Obviously I didn't get very far.

[...Yes, Mondo, Ishimaru can probably see that you were writing, care to try again?]

It wasn't anything important. It's just nice to get my thoughts down sometimes, I guess.

I'm sure it is - it's good to hear you're doing things like that, actually! It's never been anything I'm good at, myself, but if it works for you that's definitely a good thing!

[...although it is...fairly obvious that you are not getting far, yes.

...CLEARLY IT'S THE EFFORT THAT COUNTS...]

It usually helps me sort things out a bit, but I guess I'm having more trouble than usual today.

[He normally only destroys a page after he's done writing on it!]

I never would've done something like this back home, so it still feels kinda weird, I guess.

[He doesn't seem upset about that though, so at least there's that!]

Do you have a lot of things to sort through, then?

[He seems more curious than concerned for the time being; just the same, he isn't hesitant in asking, either. Tact is...still not quite his thing.]

Well, no, not really. Things have been better since I talked to Fujisaki, so that's not the issue it's...

[...ngh.]

I was trying to summarize everything that's happened in the past year. In a letter. To Daiya. I mean, it's not anything serious and I usually just rip it up after I'm done, but it helps me figure out where I am, y'know?

[...Is this a thing other people do? He's starting to get the feeling that it isn't.]

[...oh. Huh.]

That's an interesting way of doing it, actually; it's not something I would have thought of - addressing it like that, I mean - but if it helps, I'm glad.

Yeah. I haven't been able to figure out how to get it all down yet, but I'm sure I'll manage it eventually.

[He tosses the last of the crumpled papers into the trash can and sits back down on the bed.]

So, uh... what's up with you? I mean aside from the light wars.

...The light wars have been surprisingly time-consuming, given how hard they've been raging out there.

[It's. Horrible.]

But other than that...I was actually hoping to talk to you soon - whenever it's convenient, of course!

Well, we're talking right now.

[LOOK HE COULDN'T RESIST.]

What do you wanna talk about?

...That's true, we are!

[...MONDO, WHY...]

I wanted to ask you something about...something that happened a while ago, if that's all right.

Something that happened a while ago...?

[Uh oh, did he do something and he's forgotten about it?]

Yeah, sure, what is it?

...You remember what happened last year, don't you? On New Year's?

[He hesitates for a moment; he has no idea where this is going but now that we've started...well.]

I think we need to discuss...that. All of that.

[Ishimaru doesn't even need to clarify before Mondo starts looking panicked, but he doesn't move from his spot on the bed. Admittedly the idea of fleeing is very tempting, but that also means going back upstairs to the headache-inducing light wars and he doesn't want to deal with that either.]

...Y-Yeah, I remember. Why... are you bringing it up now? It's been awhile, I thought things are fine as they are?

[HELP]

[That look is not good. That look is never good and for a moment Ishimaru is tempted to back off on it, because the last thing he wants is to start some sort of altercation - whether it's truly a fight or just someone getting upset or...whatever this might become.

It takes him a second, but he folds his arms and forces himself to keep going.]

Everything is fine, kyoudai! I just think it's something we should talk about - I'm not angry about it or anything!

[He's just...really forceful, um.]

[The good news is that he knows Ishimaru well enough to know that what he's saying is true - he isn't angry. The bad news is that he knows Ishimaru well enough to know that he's not going to be able to escape from this conversation.]

...Yeah, well uh... what do you want to talk about regarding... that?

[And it's there that Ishimaru falters a bit; it's rather quickly coming to his attention that he may not have the social skills required for this conversation, but holy damn, he's gonna try.]

...Well, we should probably start by clarifying what that was, shouldn't we?

I... thought it was pretty clear?

[Oh man, he does not like where this is going.]

Well, it was, but nothing's been done about it since.

Yeah. I know.

[............]

W-Wait, you thought I was going to--? No, I mean, there's no point. Things are good as they are now, right? There's no reason to do something stupid like that and risk fucking everything up.

[...Oh.

It seems to take him a moment to figure out what he should do with himself; his gaze darts away for a moment before he just...lets his eyes slide closed and tries to focus again.]

...I understand, then.

...Huh?

[That gets Mondo to pause and he tips his head to the side as he tries to work out what the hell just happened.]

Hang on, hang on, you said we needed to talk about this and now you get it? I thought it was pretty simple when I said this shit back then but uh... you've lost me.

[Mnnnngh.

He hesitates for a moment. Shakes his head.]

...No, it's like you said. There's no point.

[Something still doesn't feel right about this, so after a moment, Mondo scoots over on the bed and pats the spot beside him for Ishimaru to come sit.]

...What is it? There's more to it than that, isn't there?

[He just shakes his head again. He isn't sure when he's become so tense but the fact is that he has, his posture even more rigid than it usually is; he doesn't seem inclined to move from where he is, choosing to remain standing even if that is...probably less than a good idea, all things considered.]

...I don't understand why you did that in the first place.

You mean why I told you if I didn't want to do anything about it?

[That's a pretty good question, isn't it? Mondo rubs the back of his head as he thinks.]

...I'm not good at keeping secrets and shit. It would've come out one way or another and it seemed like a good moment to say it. Better than it coming up in an argument or something, y'know? So that's why I told you.

[...]

At the time I really wanted for it to... I dunno, go somewhere or something. But the longer I've thought about it, the more sense it makes for us just to stay friends. I mean-- shit, what if we did start dating and we broke up or something? What if it was a nasty break up and we didn't want to have anything to do with each other again? I don't want anything to separate us ever, especially not something that could've been avoided.

...Besides, I don't know the first thing about dating, so it'd be dumb as fuck.

[.........]

And that's all assuming you'd even be interested in the first place, so...

Well, I wasn't able to think about it all that much soon after it happened, anyway...

[Since that's when the whole thing with...going home and waking up incredibly messed up happened. And all.

He shifts his weight a bit, forcing his arms back down to his sides and trying to resist the urge to form fists or...something to get some of the tension out. It's fine. It's fine.]

Why are you just assuming it's going to end poorly, though? Is it because I'm...

[He cuts himself off there, but the implication is pretty obvious; he's not exactly good with people or anything like this, is he.]

...What?

[The absurdity of that statement is enough to completely throw Mondo off and he stares at Ishimaru as if he'd grown another head.]

Because you're...

[The pieces click into place and Mondo looks absolutely horrified for a brief moment before he surges to his feet and closes the distance between them, clamping his hands down on Ishimaru's shoulders. His expression isn't really reassuring because he looks almost angry, but even though his voice is loud, he doesn't sound upset.]

No way! No fucking way! It's not because of you at all and it's definitely not because of that!! Yeah, sometimes you have a little trouble with social shit, but that's not it at all - and besides, you've been doing a hell of a lot better with all that!! So don't even fucking think it's that!

[He seems to realize how intimidating the yelling and the everything is so he lets go and backs off, but he doesn't sit back down.]

I've never been worried about that; that never even crossed my mind. So don't-- don't think that's it because of you, alright?

[Ishimaru flinches a little when Mondo's hands find his shoulders, but he doesn't back away or otherwise try to get Mondo to release his grip on him; he isn't looking directly at him, because direct eye contact has never really been something he's comfortable with for prolonged periods of time unless he's particularly riled, but even if his gaze has darted away, he's still listening to everything being said.

He doesn't seem nervous, though; perhaps a bit anxious due to the situation, but it's general, and it doesn't increase despite the fact that Mondo is...kind of yelling like hell at him. He looks back at him once he's backed off a bit; he nods once that's out there, even if he's kind of twitching a little.]

...All right, kyoudai. I...I believe you.

[And he does, honestly.]

If it's really not because of that, though - don't you think I would want to try to fix it, if things did start going badly?

Good.

[That seems to calm him down a bit and Mondo folds his arms.]

Well yeah, of course. We both would. But sometimes things just can't be fixed. Besides we're both very... uh, loud people and we have a tendency to yell, which just makes the whole situation seem even worse than it is. It's possible we'd only aggravate the situation trying to talk it out.

...I just don't want anything to come between us, y'know?

Well, yes, I don't either! I just don't see a point in assuming that something like this would!

[...Ishimaru, honey. Tact.]

Do you want something to come of it or not?

Well it's-- I'm not assuming--

[...Actually, he kind of is, um.]

...Okay, maybe I am but... But what if something does happen?

[He flounders for a moment before finally resting his hands on his hips and glancing down at the floor, effectively blocking his expression with his hair. He's gotten good at this.]

...Ideally, yeah. I'd like nothing more than to uh... date you.

[Then again, you don't need to see his expression to know that he's bright red.]

...Okay.

[He pauses for a moment, but he seems to have calmed down a good amount since the discussion began; the quiet now isn't hesitation, but rather getting his thoughts in order. When he does speak, his voice is a bit more unsure than it usually is, as though he's not entirely sure he's saying the right thing or that this is even a good idea in the first place, but it definitely is something he wants to say, regardless.]

If we were back home, I couldn't agree to that sort of thing, and I think you know why, correct? My family wouldn't allow it, and I...couldn't have allowed it, either. So back home that would have been out of the question, entirely.

But we're not going to be able to go back there, and even if we did, it wouldn't...

[He cuts himself off there; shakes his head. Now isn't the time to start getting upset, for god's sake.]

Things are different here, in a lot of ways. I'm still not sure how I'd feel about people knowing about it, but I think it'd be that way if I were dating anyone at all, to be blunt.

So I...think I'd like to do that. Or at least I want that as well, and if we decide to do anything we'd have to see how it turns out, but I would be willing to work toward it and do whatever I can.

[......]

I-If you really don't want to do anything about it that's fine as well! And we can forget I said anything. That...if that's what you want to do that's all right!

[...Aaaand there's the panic, um.]

[.................wait]

You actually want to date me?

[HANG ON WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN]

I-I didn't-- I thought you weren't interested, I-- You actually want to date me?

[Well at least you're not the only one panicking?]

I didn't say I wasn't interested at the time, I said I wasn't sure!!

[KYOUDAI...]

I thought you were just trying to let me down gently!!

[THIS IS THE STUPIDEST THING WE'VE EVER DONE]

[ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STUPID THINGS]

Why would I still let you kiss me afterwards if that were the case?!

I don't know! I didn't think about it!!

[Okay just... let him try to calm down um.]

...Alright so... uh... You... actually want to try this thing?

Yes! At least, I think so.

I-- Wow, I... shit, I don't know what to say, I mean I never thought...!

[Is it obvious he doesn't know what to do with himself? He looks pretty excited, at least?]

...You know, I actually wasn't sure you were still interested, otherwise I would have said something before now.

What? You seriously thought I wasn't...? No, of course not. I mean, I didn't want to be y'know, overly obvious with it or anything 'cause that would've just been uncomfortable...

[...So maybe it wasn't as obvious as he thought. Hmm.]

Well, you never really said anything to me about it, so I thought...?

[...]

It doesn't really matter at this point anyway, though, now that we're on the same page about it!

Yeah, you're right. What matters now is that we're going to try this!

[...oh my god they're actually going to date.

Holy shit.]

I-I'm really excited about this and-- and I'm going to do everything I can to make it work okay!?

[Good lord, someone needs to sit down.]

[...holy shit indeed, um.]

A-Ah, I'm glad to hear it, then!

I'm sure we'll be fine as long as we keep talking to each other about things like we have been!

Yeah!! We've done a pretty good job of that so far, so-- so everything'll be fine!!

[................do you mind if he hugs you, he kind of wants to hug you, is this a thing he can do right now??]

[.............

well apparently we're dating now so if you can't hug him for whatever reason he doesn't know what to tell you um]

[...y-yes well it might be awkward-- SCREW IT WE'RE HUGGING RIGHT NOW

he'll try not to break any bones but he's so excited omg]

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You're like me; we're both alone

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