how to win friends and influence NEETs [CLOSED]

[bottombitch]

who: Ichimatsu Matsuno and Aoba Seragaki
what: Aoba runs into a familiar face with an unfamiliar demeanor. In other words, he runs into Ichimatsu.
when: Sometime in September...
where: Petting zoo!
warnings: None anticipated, will update in subject lines if necessary!



[ It's getting cooler, day by day.

Foliage is already beginning to change color. At least those that Aoba can recognize. One such plant he didn't recognize had started transforming from a gold color to a vibrant green in patches. He supposes it's native to this world or brought in from another. Whatever the cause, the seasons were changing again and he's happy to throw on more layers compared to the sticky, sultry heat of summer.

He has some time off work and little else to do with his day, and craving the comfort he had with Ren, Aoba decides to get his fix from the petting zoo. There are all manner of animals foreign and familiar that he can touch, hoping to distance himself from missing his Allmate. It never really does the trick, but it serves as a wonderfully cute distraction.

After purchasing a ticket, he moves alone through the light crowd of people in pairs or small groups. Picking his way through the exhibits to listen to explanations of the origins of a particular species or to watch their young be fed via bottle or by hand.

It's then that he sees a familiar face and heads towards it. It occurs to him that this might... be Osomatsu? Surely not Karamatsu, given the lack of obvious cosmetic use. ]

Um... excuse me? [ Don't mind the light tug on your sleeve, Ichimatsu. Or mind, and he'll have to explain himself. ]

Comments

[ichimyatsu]

[He's a little confused by the reaction, squinting and looking him over. It occurs to him, then, that his mention of Karamatsu was probably where the frustration stemmed from, and his face goes a little slack.]

...ah, it's. He's used to it. I'm sure if you asked him, now... [He steps away and waves a hand vaguely, still looking a little sick, but maybe in a different way.] He'd really appreciate the friendliness. [Why is he saying this.]

[bottombitch]

[ It would be a little confusing looking at this from the outside, and Aoba's only starting to understand why. Right at this moment, he's just under the impression that Karamatsu is a try-hard, weird... but honestly... who isn't? This whole quarantine is filled with weird.

Anyway, that's not important right now. There's someone right here, who seems to have gone through a lot. This time, Aoba's not going to brush it aside or accept some lame answer. ]

But Ichimatsu.

You had to deal with this too, right? I have no business asking but... since you're the brother of my best friend, I want to know if you're... okay?

[ichimyatsu]

[He squirms at that, recoiling bodily but with little change to his expression. No, no, don't do that. He can't handle people worrying, or fussing, or just-- the attention. It's making his skin break out in goosebumps and the hair on the back of his neck stand up, and he hates it because this guy is just trying to be nice, but he can't fucking take it. He screws his eyes shut and nods, even if he sure as hell doesn't look okay, even if he's keeping his expression pretty schooled.]

--I'm fine. It was a while ago.

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba can see the familiar signs of Ichimatsu's growing anxiety. He draws in on himself, shrinking away as if he's felt something hot enough to blister and scald. Squeezes his eyes shut like he's trying to wish the whole thing away by blocking it from view.

Aoba should know better than to press, but he does anyway... just. Carefully. Delicately. Even that might not be enough. ]

...Is it really fine, though?

[ Just looking at him tells him that it's not, and he does perhaps the wrong thing with the right intention - he reaches out to him emotionally, because what comes naturally to Aoba isn't necessarily what works for everyone else in the multiverse. ]

Ichimatsu, you've been through some troubling stuff.

If you... I mean, if you want to talk to anyone... it's probably hard to talk about but...

[ He trails off, questioning himself for going even this far. Sure, this is Karamatsu's brother, but they really don't know each other very well and it's hard enough to open up even to a familiar face. ]

[ichimyatsu]

[It's not, it's not fine at all, and it's a bizarre sensation that feels a lot like being literally torn down the middle from the inside out because he wants to accept the accommodation but he also wants to run from it. He doesn't know how to have friends, he doesn't know how to open up to people. He never has, he probably never will.]

[So he just tsks softly, shrugging his shoulders and scowling as he looks away.]

The hell's it to you? You don't even know me.

[Ah yes. Wrap yourself in barbed wire and strike everyone who tries to get close to you, Ichimatsu. If you're mean before they get too close, nobody will see that the barbs are cutting you open, too.]

look at this pro ichimatsu

[bottombitch]

... [ Aoba stares at his back for a while, then walks closer to one of the exhibits, squatting down to look at it more closely. ]

I wonder what this little guy's story is?

[ He hooks his fingers onto the partition and watches the animal groom itself. It seems healthy, happy, well taken care of. Well socialized too. ]

Does he have a family here? Was he raised in captivity or was he caught? Does he have a name? How old is he?

...I don't think we really need to know these things or what kind of background to care about the little guy. [ Aoba looks up at Ichimatsu. He's not trying to compare him to an animal but he's trying to explain his reasoning in simpler terms. ] I think if he got sick or something bad happened to him, it's normal for someone to be concerned. Especially when you're not in a place where you'd normally be.

gurgles

[ichimyatsu]

[What the fuck is he doing what the fuck is he doing. Ichimatsu is stiff and coiled like a spring where he stands, shoulders puffed slightly outward in some vague attempt to look larger than his diminutive size. He's not intimidating and he knows that, especially when Aoba is already a handful of inches taller than him, and he's got no reason to be trying to intimidate him anyway. The guy's just trying to care, for fuck's sake.]

[He looks from Aoba to the animal and back, kissing his teeth again.]

It's unnecessary to waste your concern on something that didn't ask for it.

he's so constipated I love it

[bottombitch]

Heeh?

[ Ichimatsu seems to be bristling and puffing out like a startled animal. It's weird, but it kind of reminds him of a cat. The way they turn sideways and fluff out, trying to make themselves look as big as possible. It's so weird.

Even that derisive tch sound he just made makes Aoba laugh a little. ]

It's not a waste, besides, if everyone in the world subscribed to that approach, this little guy would be in some trouble.

I'm pretty sure he can't speak in any way we can understand.

you will love it less when he aggressively shits emotions at you

[ichimyatsu]

[What-- why-- stop. He makes a sound akin to a balloon losing air and scrunches his eyes shut, grumbling.]

That's what I'm here for.

I hope you don't mean literal shit because scat is under my hard no list

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba's brows lift at the sound. Did he just make a derisive sound just now? He really seems standoffish. ]

Sure, but... don't you think it's a good thing for people to look out for one another, even if they're not paid to?

[ A moment too late, Aoba flusters and waves his hands in front of him apologetically. Uwah, he's probably being a complete jerk, over-explaining himself and probably putting a lot of pressure on him. He's really making a mess of it. ]

A-aah! But if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay! I'm not being pushy! I just... didn't want you to think...

then you're barking up the wrong matsu my friend

[ichimyatsu]

Didn't want me to think what? Just because you know my brothers doesn't mean you know me. I don't wanna talk about it, so drop it already.

[He stalks a few paces away to another animal, but doesn't entirely turn away from Aoba. He's not completely telling him to leave, he's just... Well, being Ichimatsu.]

STARES INTO THE MIDDLE DISTANCE

[bottombitch]

[ He jumps, suddenly defensive but his argument lacks any strength, all footing is shaky to the point of crumbling even before he finishes his sentence, leaving him wavering uncertainly. Isn't he supposed to be acting reassuring? Instead he's just fucking this whole thing up. He shouldn't have said anything! ]

I didn't mean...! [ Except... no, he really has him there. Aoba drops his arms and pushes them into his pockets. ]

You're right. [ His voice is small as he bobs his head in his direction. ] I shouldn't stick my nose into other people's business.

I'm sorry.

(':

[ichimyatsu]

[He huffs, shoving his hands into his own pockets as well, hunching his shoulders up around his ears.]

Whatever. It's a mistake a lot of people make.

[bottombitch]

[ ...He's not sure it's a mistake. In fact, he feels very strongly against it. ]

I'm also sorry... because if you've had to deal with people being that indifferent towards you, that's cruel.

[ Especially with how often he's heard Eluvio tossed around, and knowing what he knows now. Are people really being so silent about that awful place? ]

I hate that kind of person. So don't expect me to be so callous, especially since you're the brother of my best friend.

[ichimyatsu]

[He grunts.]

I'd rather be treated indifferently than have a strange claim to know me and barge into my personal life.

[...Ichimatsu, that's just mean.]

[bottombitch]

[ GAH. S-so harsh...?! ]

Y-yeah, that's... fair.

[ Aoba can kind of relate in a way, if he looks at it from a different angle. When he doesn't want to talk about something embarrassing, he gets really flustered when someone tries to drag it out of him. He rubs his elbow uncomfortably and then bows again, hands at his sides. ]

...I'm sorry I gave you such a bad impression. It's rude of me to presume. [ It's uncomfortable being this formal, but he feels like he really screwed up somewhere! He should really go. ] E-excuse me.

[ichimyatsu]

[He bristles, turning away finally and gritting his teeth.]

I'm not telling you to leave, if you don't want to.

[This fucking tsundere piece of shit.]

[bottombitch]

[ Haaaah, this tension is really unnerving. Can Aoba white-knuckle his way through this? Let's find out. ]

I just... thought I'd put you off.

[ Embarrassment seems to creep into every corner of his body until he just wants to go home and hide himself away for a little while, maybe talk to Ren. Ah, but he's not here so that just makes it a little worse.

It takes him a little bit to think of something to say to try to lighten the mood. ]

...Is there an animal here you like the most?

[ichimyatsu]

[He shrugs lightly, because he had put him off, but Ichimatsu was used to being uncomfortable. Plus he didn't really want to hear it from Osomatsu or Karamatsu later that he'd told off their weirdly invasive blue twink friend. He ponders the question a while, shifting his weight idly from foot to foot, and finally just shrugs his shoulders again.]

I like cats most, but I generally prefer any animal over people.

[bottombitch]

[ That's... actually kind of surprising. Not the part where he prefers animals over people since that pretty much lines up with his interaction with him in general. Sure, he knows there are rabbits and goats and some other stuff he can't identify here. But are there actually cats in this petting zoo? Aoba blinks at him, interested. ]

...You have cats here? Real, living cats?

[ichimyatsu]

...ah, not here, no. Cats... aren't really big on being confined? I have one that's my own, though.

[He's realizing he slightly misunderstood the question.]

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba blinks with genuine surprise. Sure, he's had experience with Allmates, but cats seem... okay. But it's the large cats and other predators that set him on edge. In short, Aoba looks nervous and unsettled at the mention of unconfined felines. He immediately recalls the size of that black lion with his huge head and glossy black fur and his breathing instantly catches in his throat.

He doesn't like those kinds of Allmate. He doesn't want to think about them. They terrify him. Aoba shakes slightly and throws off the mental image. ]

Yeah... that makes sense. You don't have anything... larger, right?

I like the smaller felines better. Domestic ones, I mean.

[ichimyatsu]

[Sometime, Aoba, Ichimatsu will introduce you to ESP Kitty. He is small and harmless, unless you're bothered by truths spoken when you lie. He snickers faintly, shaking his head.]

Nah. Up until Eluvio, I didn't even consider him mine-- I feed a bunch of strays, at home, and he was one of them. But... he's followed me two separate places now, so I guess he's mine.

[He's not quite smiling, but there's definitely fondness in his tone. Ichimatsu fucking loves his son, okay.]

[bottombitch]

[ Oh no, that's really tender-hearted? Feeding strays... caring for a cat despite Eluvio being such a bad place... and his expression just softened a little. Just what kind of person is Ichimatsu, anyway? ]

So you two have been through a lot together, huh?

It's the same with me and Ren.

[ichimyatsu]

[A really fucking emotionally constipated one, Aoba. He shrugs lightly, and then looks up.]

Ren?