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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[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.

As long as it doesn't come in a box with microwave instructions on it, we'll probably be fine. Commoner's ramen just isn't that good.

But-- I'll draw up a few designs. Our stuff tends to be pretty contemporary, but I won't stitch anything until you approve the designs.

Then you're in luck as I can make neither heads or tails of either of those things.

Where do you work? I've heard there's only one or two seamstresses and designers in town.

Here? Out of my apartment. The owner of All Passions lets me use the sewing machine there. [Credit where it's due.] But I'm not affiliated with them.

Well, always good to diversify.

[Because according to her information, that place is being run by children and it...concerns her a little.]

Going to advertise as the independent contractor then?

Eventually, yeah. It's so stupid -- people seem to think that because they can walk into stores here and just take what they want that I should just make stuff.

If they want free stuff, they can go to that place and take their chances with the cheaply made stuff there.

That's quite a bit of disdain for a shop that allows you to use their equipment, Mr. Hitachiin. What earned it your ire?

Huh? Oh. No, I don't mind All Passions. Well. Except one person there.

I don't know if they just give their stuff away or not. I meant the other "store." Where our clothes sometimes show up. Like my school uniform. Most of just the random stuff is really cheap. Probably why the Malnosso give it to us for free.

Ah, forgive me. I misspoke then.

What's found in the Malnosso run store is equivalent to what one might find at a department store, which would account for quality.

...

But what do you mean by 'one person there'?

This girl named Rhyme runs All Passions. She lets me use the sewing machine, so she's pretty cool in my book. But this other girl... works for her or something, I don't know. I really don't like her.

She decided to tell me that if I wanted to use the sewing machine at All Passions, I had to work for them. No asking, no negotiating, no terms, just "if you want to use the sewing machine, you'll work for us."

I told her I'd be just fine hand-stitching. Then talked to Rhyme.

[...She almost laughed. Almost. It was a bit juvenile how he got into the argument, but that was how some arguments happened. To be fair, she shot at Steve because he kissed some other girl, so she can't really take moral high ground here.]

Well, it's always better to talk to the owner in cases like that. Glad to hear this... Rhyme? girl was a bit more accommodating.

[Hikaru's maturity very much depended on the day and time of day. And proximity to Kaoru to reel him in and keep him calm.]

I made sure to report her to Rhyme. An employee like that can really hurt sales.

And partnerships, it seems.

Perhaps she was having an off day. I've noticed several of the younger crowd here have been getting it rough lately - what with people disappearing.

Doesn't excuse unprofessional behavior when you're representing your store or brand.

[Yeah, because you can talk, Hikaru.]

I take it you shall be inheriting your parents' business then?

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