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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[They really were inseparable - almost to an unnatural degree. She knew that twins tended toward relying upon each other, but she'd never seen it go this far.]

Two minds are greater than one, as they say.

Have you eaten today? I was about to make something.

I... had a sort of late breakfast early lunch thing, but I haven't gone out for dinner yet.

[He was glad for the difference in topic. Talking about Kaoru... It hurt.]

Thirty minutes wait wouldn't be too long, would it? I was about to start cooking.

...No. That'd be fine.

I... can come over. If that'd be easier.

[Look! He can be considerate! ...Barely. Sometimes.]

It would be lovely to have you over, if it isn't too far. I'm in community housing 5, floor 6. I should be in the communal kitchen, if you arrive before the thirty minutes.

No. It's not too far. I'll be there soon.

[He'll also grab his sketchbook. He doesn't have a lot drawn as far as her request for 40's fashion, but he can show her what he has. And get a good look at her to determine how to design the stuff]

I'll put out an extra plate then.

[She sets the journal down for now, working on the meal. It isn't anything fancy, but it isn't military rations and her time in Luceti Valley taught her how to do simple things. She cooks chicken, seasoned, browned in a skillet - vegetables steamed and then lightly tossed in butter and garlic. Fresh bread from the bakery. Small things - easy, but filling for her at least. It doesn't take much to cook for two people and when he arrives, she'll still be at the stove, an apron on over a pair of slacks and a button down blouse, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back.]

[And before long, there's the sound of someone setting things down on the table.]

Hi.

[Not quite as quiet or uneasy as had been the case at the fountain. There was a bit of an awkward caution, but it was more just the strangeness of meeting a new person.

Really, to look at Hikaru, one might think it had been longer than a couple years between what she'd first met and the boy standing not far away now. His hair had grown out, been let get just a little wild, and his posture was exceptionally different. He carried himself with an actual air of confidence, not at a distance from the world. Still not quite part of it... but not as far away, either.]

[She heard him come in, and the quiet thunk of something on the table behind her was enough of an indication. When he's settled, she keeps her back to him, still cooking, but calls out.]

Welcome. No troubles finding this place, I take it? There is tea in the pot there under the cozy, if you'd like some.

What sort of tea is it?

[Even as he asks, though, he's at the pot, getting a cup, and pouring it.]

The drinking sort.

[She looks over her shoulder and smirks at him before returning to her cooking. It's almost ready and she browns the chicken on both sides.]

Ceylon white to be specific.

Doesn't smell too bad.

[He takes a sip, considers the taste for a moment, then drinks a little more. Passable, at the very least. Maybe even bordering on good.]

Best paired with chicken.

[She puts the chicken on the plates, arranging them along with the vegetables. Turning, she comes over and puts both plates down at the two settings, before going back for the bread basket.]

Trust the British when it comes to tea. It's something we tend to know at least a little about.

[Hikaru raises an eyebrow. It's easy to default into sarcasm, to barbing his words when he's uncertain in a situation. He just usually has Kaoru to back him up.]

Yeah. Y'know. The Japanese tend to know a thing or two about tea, too.

Oh, I'm aware.

[She comes back with the bread and butter dish, setting them down.]

But I wouldn't want to serve you sub-par Japanese tea when I have no experience with it. I'm afraid all my missions were spent in Europe, not the Orient.

What sort of missions? You posed as a German maid. What else?

[Because... well... that's kind of cool. And it's something not-Kaoru to think about, too, so.]

I'm afraid most of what I did is still highly classified.

[She motions to the seat.]

But I was sent to work with the American military during the war, be their liaison with British Intelligence.

Yeah, but we don't remember anything about this place, right? So what's the problem with telling a kid from... like... sixty years in the future?

[Hey, he can't help fishing.]

[She smiled as she sat down, amused at his attempts.]

First time interrogating a spy, is it?

It's not an interrogation.

[Hikaru manages a smile. Something close to his "little devil" look for the Host Club.]

Those involve baseball bats.

More like electrocution and meat hooks, but baseball bats can sometimes be involved. I once tied a man to a pole and put a live grenade between someone's legs to make him talk.

He was most helpful after that.

[Is she being truthful? Maybe, maybe not.]

Yeah, well, it's kind of hard to get those things in high schools, right?

[He's still smiling. Would he really use those sorts of tactics? Well. Hard to say with that look, really.]

So, you use what you have.

[She eyes him for a moment.]

You best not be doing such things in your school or I might have to travel to the future just to slap you in the back of the head.

Hey, not my fault someone sometimes needs to be interrogated. There are questions that need to be answered.

[She points her fork at him with a frown.]

No baseball bats.

[Then she starts eating.]

There are more effective tools that don't require such violence.

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