hikaruorkaoru | Fourth Pattern ; voice, drawing

Fourth Pattern ; voice, drawing

This place is so stupid.

[As he talks to the journal, he's sketching.

This place is great for his creativity, he's realized... but that's because there's nothing else to do. He hasn't left his apartment in a few days except to steal food from the communal kitchen.

Being forcably dragged back into the mindset of having Kaoru and only Kaoru to rely on... didn't go away easily. He'd missed his brother before, but it's only gotten worse since then.]

The people in charge are idiots. Why would you only kidnap one? It still doesn't make any sense.

[He might not realize that he can be heard right now. He hasn't been exactly careful about where his hand's brushed in the journal.]

We're not supposed to be apart.

(Original picture for the dress designs found here.)

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[Although her memories of that strange experiment are starting to blend and fade into the background, she still remembers this boy. His sullen attitude and appearance are enough to connect him to the child she came upon and she stops, deciding to turn on her journal.]

I would agree with you on one point - the people in charge are rather stupid.

[She pauses.]

The dresses are lovely. Good to see you've decided to leave the fountain now that the weather is turning colder.

[He thinks he recognizes her voice, and the last remark is enough to make him sure.]

You're not German.

[Because, you know, "thank you" is out of his vocabulary. For either the (justified) compliment to his designs or for taking care of him even a little during that whole... thing.

He's not ungrateful. He just... is used to being waited on, so gratitude for things like that comes slowly. Or differently.]

No. Neither am I a maid.

Peggy Carter. And unless you use an alias as well, I would assume you are still Hikaru Hitachiin? [This time her pronunciation is impeccable.]

I am.

[A pause.]

You were a pretty good maid. [For only dealing with one Hitachiin brother. But, well. It's supposed to be a compliment.

Though...]

What's your favorite color?

[Mm. A pretty good maid, is it? Well, it's a compliment and a testament to her work as an agent, so she'll take it.]

I'm paid to be the best at everything.

As for a favourite...Red, I suppose. You?

[Red. He makes a note of that on a drawing he has not in the Journal. It's not that he's doing something nice. That's not why he's already consulting what he can remember about the woman.

He just owes her payment.

But he won't let that on until he's done.]

I use a lot of pink in my designs when I'm not really thinking about it. My mom always put me in pink to tell us apart.

You and your brother, Kaoru? Seems a strange thing not to be able to tell your own children apart.

No one can tell us apart.

[Except for Haruhi.]

We're twins, so we look exactly the same.

[That couldn't be right. Identical twins still maintained some distinguishing features - whether it be personality or even small physical quirks. There was always a way to tell one from the other, but if the boy wanted to insist that, Carter wouldn't force him.]

I see. Perhaps one day he'll appear here and I'll have a chance to guess between you two myself.

He will.

[The almost apathetic dissatisfaction in his voice up until that point disappeared. His tone sharpened, and the glare he was giving the journal was audible.]

Kaoru's going to be here. Soon.

I don't doubt you, however, you should perhaps plan for the instance should he appear and disappear again.

That isn't going to happen!

[Because it's easier to get angry than upset. To snap rather than express worry.]

He's going to come soon, we're going to be together, and we'll leave together.

You've been here for at least some time now, don't you think it's time to stop acting like a spoiled child and realise how this world works? It doesn't listen to our whims.

[Hikaru glares at the journal. It's true, in a way. That is how he's acting.

But it's Kaoru.

Kaoru has to come. Has to stay. The world just has to work that way. Any world.]

He's going to come. He's going to stay. We're only leaving if we go together.

[It's easier to keep his voice sharp... Rather than reveal he's ready to cry at the idea of being separated from Kaoru.]

Edited 2013-10-05 01:11 (UTC)

[Co-dependence. He won't accept any other answer and pushing harder will only make him break, rather than do any good. Carter relents, but her voice stays as even as before.]

He will come. He will stay. But there's no guarantee about leaving - and that is something you'll simply have to learn to accept while here.

[Co-dependent on a good day. On a bad one... several levels past it.]

That's just not how it works. [As if it's as easy as that. Because he says so, it won't happen.] We're together. Always.

And that "truth" doesn't seem to be holding at the moment, does it.

You'll have to face it eventually. He may come later, but for now, you need to get up and get out on your own.

I'm ding just fine! Just because I'm waiting for Kaoru, too, doesn't mean anything!

[Sharp, bitter, angry. At least it's just his voice being carried. She won't know he has to dig the heel of his hand under his eyes to wipe away a few tears.

Because he has to keep telling himself Kaoru's coming. If he doesn't, he's going to completely freak out. And that's not happening.]

[She hears his anger, but she also hears his desperation and the exhaustion that this place can bleed into people in his voice.

She waits for a moment, then speaks softly.]

My offer of help still stands. I may not be a maid proper, but I help at the local pub and can bring things by on my way to and from work. Should you require it.

I do go out for most of my meals. [His voice is quieter now, dejected. His anger is spent (for the moment) and that leaves him with the quieter emotions.] I can sew, but I can't really cook.

Then perhaps we can find an arrangement that suits us both?

I've been needing new clothes here - ones that aren't my military drabs, but my tastes tend toward... Well, an older style than most sold here. In exchange for your services, I could help provide meals.

...Yeah. That sounds okay. I owe you at least one--

Promised my parents would pay you, after all. And since they won't be, well. I'll make you something for that, too.

[Then they have an accord - and Peggy has an excuse to check up on a kid who obviously can't be left on his own for too long.]

Excellent. Considering your fashion background, would you know much relating to Euro-American 1940s attire?

And as for the meals, do you have preferences?

As long as the food's okay, I can deal with it. [He's not going to demand 4-star cooking. Not in a place like this.

Besides, food's less interesting here.] 40's, huh? Square shoulders, narrow hips, 'bout knee-length skirts.

Are you looking for, like, accurate? Or just inspired by?

We all have different standards of "okay," Mr. Hitachiin. [But she'll do her best to at least get a little bit of homecooking in there. She's been practicing for Steve and the others anyway - and there was that event where we spent her time as a housewife so...]

As for the fashion - either is fine. I came to Luceti not long after the war ended, so that fashion is more familiar to me than most of what is being worn here.

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