yogen | npc contact.2

[ Hikaru's a cultist? Bad news. ]

Don't leave it up to luck when you cook, Nagito. Have a little more respect for the food.

[ Especially when he's cooking with somebody else. Why didn't Hikaru stop him from putting wasabi inside? Insane.

He can't help but throw a glance Subaru's way, though, maybe channeling the counselor a little. ]

You can leave whenever you want. There's nothing forcing you to stay.

( and hikaru was the mvp, komaeda likes that little cultist... )

I believe in hope always, even now, I'm watching how both of you go about using it...

( which reads hope class is never over, and as much as he loves hope, he'd initiate the class anytime that he can. )

I see, you want me to be myself, and not implement luck? That sounds like an idea, why don't we all go make something now? ...The way to understanding someone is through their stomach, and Akehoshi-kun wants to learn.

( which means more bonding for subaru because that's how this friend leech lives. )

Please.

( he adds it as he looks at rokkun, he can't be full off that... )

[god.......... hope class never lets out.

subaru'd been about to say something to rokuro-- but komaeda beats him to it, and honestly?

that sounds like a good idea... he grins.]

Yahoo! That's a great idea -- I'll meetcha there! Don't lag behind too much or I'll have a full course meal already waiting for you!

[because it's, already been decided that they are in his mind, and subaru canonically shoots out the door when he's excited about something. so he's gone. over to the cooking room...]

[ He has food at home, what is that look for—-

but then Subaru is flying out the door and he finds himself able to breathe a little easier, shoulders settling. People like Subaru are very hard to deal with...

He doesn't make to stand up at all. ]

I wonder what full course meal Subaru will be serving.

( it's a notable change when he notices the way rokkun responds the moment subaru leaves — an overwhelming existence that suffocates the people around him, a bright light that can be blinding to those who aren't ready to accept that flame. the way he takes it all in stride, where komaeda always found rokkun sensitive to change, he already believed them meeting would be... complicated. )

I don't know, will you eat my portion?

( he asks, because he's never really hungry, and he's only playing as the teacher for the moment to teach them what he knows. what slop or actual treats he made for the children back in towa city, or what he's learning while here. )

...If he's a lot, you can close your eyes... it'll be dark, but it's comforting until you're ready. ( he pauses, looking towards the exit of the classroom. he holds out his mechanical hand towards the other. ) Will you take it and come along?

[ There's a shrug, because that would depend on how good Subaru's cooking is, otherwise he won't feel that same obligation to eat what's given to him. ...maybe if Subaru were going to trash it, though. Maybe. ]

I'm not going to close my eyes. When something's too bright, squinting works too.

[ Dark and comfortable don't really go hand in hand, he thinks, looking down at Komaeda's mechanical hand. He chews at his cheek for a moment, then slides off the desk and takes Komaeda's other hand to walk him to home ec. ]

You're willing to notice him, is that it?

( so that he can always see, which is even better than what he would have expected out of rokkun — someone who pushes others out, rarely lets anyone in, and has his own agenda. )

When there's something bright, I'm drawn to it... I'm glad you won't close your eyes, that means you can see the path before you.

( that said, he stares at the hand that rokkun took... come on, why can't he take the mechanical one... neglect, neglect. even as he thinks that, he'll hold his hand back, swinging it gently as they walk to home ec —

...
...
...

hm, he should let go. )

Akehoshi-kun, you should make Quince Agnolotti Verdi!

( yes, make it now. )

[subaru's taking out every pot and pan looking for the one he wants from the available cabinets, i'm sorry, and finally finds The One that i promise, looks exactly like the others he's pulled out of other stations, when komaeda calls his name and he jumps a bit, turning around on his heel--

and then pointing the pan at komaeda defiantly]

I don't do food like that, Richie Rich! You're gonna eat the common person's meal I put in front of you and you'll understand the love of a family in an instant!

[ He doesn't let go.

He's actually kind of impressed that Subaru knows what Komaeda is talking about, actually, because to him it just sounds like some Italian guy's name. ]

That's how it is, Nagito.

[ leading him over to whatever seats there are, barstools on the other side of the counter, maybe ]

Like going to an auntie's house and they force you to eat and eat even though you're not hungry, but you do it for them.

[ Familial love. ]

( that's how it is...

...

he pauses, looking towards subaru at his rejection towards his choice, and honestly komaeda has the taste for pufferfish, but he knows that's not on the menu. with their hands linked, he follows accordingly until they sit at the bar stools because wow that's fancy, it's like subaru waits on them. )

...You have aunts?

( komaeda doesn't even have those, but he doesn't expect anyone to answer. ) ...Hmm. Toast would be fine.

( with an egg on top, that's what he's thinking. )

[rokuro... can keep his impressed thoughts to himself, because subaru simply thought it sounded rich based on the fact he didn't know a single word in the title.]

Everyone's got aunts, Maddy! Even if they're not by blood~.

[toast......... huh. in that case, he'll just have to put something on top. toast by itself is boring. subaru'll set his pan aside and get a slightly bigger on, moving to get his necessary ingredients... bread, eggs, butter... bacon. breakfast... in the afternoon]

What about you, Roku-chan? Anything on your mind?

Edited (just bc i call him rocchan doesnt mean subaru gets to) 2021-10-11 05:00 (UTC)

[ He doesn't answer the aunt question bc I don't want to get into extended Arata family history. He kind of doesn't want to answer Subaru's question either, because he just had maybe two rice balls and isn't hungry. ]

Uh... Imoni?

( the way we don't get to know if rokkun has aunts... crying. )

...? Hm, I don't remember if I met mine.

( don't mind him, he's actually thinking, and when he gets to an answer... he has no dull pain, or sharp pain... just hollow thoughts where he feels nothing. for a moment, that emptiness could be said for this family meal, but then he thinks of a few people, and he's more willing. )

Sukiyaki.

( instead komaeda answers for him, because he can, so that subaru isn't confused by his question. )

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

Imoni and sukiyaki'll be another day. ☆

[that's more preparation than he wants to do right now. it'll be something he swings by with, first to rokuro and then to komaeda since that's just easier. but he's pinning them in mind, worry not........

anyway he has to melt butter to toast his bread in so this is gonna be a ~whatever min handwave fest. i'll tell you how it stacks up in a few.]

Roku-chan, it's your turn to ask a question.

[hope class is on pause but getting to know one another is not]

[ What's the point of asking if their choices are just going to be vetoed

Hmm... He leans back on the barstool, knees braced on the underside of the counter to keep from tipping over as he thinks of what the hell he'd want to know about either of them, when he knows Komaeda won't give him a straight answer anyways and Subaru he doesn't know well enough to ask anything more interesting than surface level questions.

... ]

Do you think... [ he already knows Komaeda's answer, but for Subaru, ] ...that the end justifies the means?

( both their answers rejected, how unfair of him, but a selection made when it's the most simple thing there. komaeda should eat more than just toast, or perhaps he's not against this because it'll be his actual meal of the day.

with his hand still laced with rokkun's, he uses his other arm to lean his chin again, looking at the surface as he listens to rokkun's question.

that's a very thoughtful question for anyone else, and he looks up towards subaru like he's interested in his opinion. it sounds like a rhetorical question when said to him, but who knows. )

... Man, you and Maddy sure are friends.

[it's not said in a bad way (sort of amused actually), but the question sounds like something he'd pull. except in a more drawn out way, a spiel leading up to it.]

Nope. I think there's always another way to do something, even if it's not obvious-- like, I won't knock someone for feeling they've only got that one means to an end, 'cause it's never easy to see and sometimes it's just fastest way, but I can't agree with someone saying that whatever they did before is fine just 'cause the end turned out alright.

[he knows so many people it applies to, here and back at yumenosaki. and he got mad at all of them, about them, because it wasn't fair to anyone. it's their choice to make. and if they make it then there's no going back on it, most of the time, but that doesn't mean he agrees.]

If you hurt someone or yourself and say that it's fine because things ended up the way you wanted, you can't expect everyone to be happy about it. [with a glance at komaeda.] Y'know?

[ Almost all the time, Rokkun gets fed up with the spiel and stops Komaeda before he can get anywhere, so it's no surprise he agrees with such a statement. It comes as no surprise to him that Subaru doesn't. Of course he'd take the third option, like he's taking the higher moral ground. ]

You can't guarantee everybody's happiness. That's not the most important thing to everyone.

[ For Komaeda there's hope; for him there's... basically everything else? There's always an ends he's working towards. ]

( hm, there's a lot of things he can say, hearing them talk as if he's not here, or maybe that's how they want to talk around him. rokkun just fucking gaslighted them, OOOH THAT MAKES ME SICKKKK HE GASLIT THEMMMMM. what did the counselor do to this man, imagine living in that household and being given two different options, and he makes you take the third that ain't there — psychologically warfare is happening in this man's mind i'm in tears.

happiness isn't needed in hope, as long as there is hope, they have everything that they needed, that they wanted, and this is how komaeda decides what life should be like. his thoughts of when he wanted to be god surfaces to his head, his actions that he made all for the sake of hope, and he wouldn't change a thing. he meets eyes with subaru when he glances at him, and there's a small hum as he listens to exchanges. )

Happiness is subjective, sometimes... there's no need for it when hope is what you're given. Maybe someone will be mad at the end, but at least they're tucked underneath the umbrella of something oh-so warm, it's worth it...

( he'll take his hand back now, trying to slip it out of the other's hold, not because he was GASLIT, but because he wants to use this hand for something.

will he let go? )

[whether rokuro lets go or not is not subaru's concern, so decide that among yourselves. what is is how the other speaks, and he frowns.

... not at komaeda, but--]

Even if someone's important thing was the safety of someone else, if that was a done deal, then the first person would be happy. So in the end, the most important thing is happiness, and I wanna guarantee it as much as I can -- without causing the opposite as much as possible.

[and now he's directing to komaeda]

You're right that happiness is what you make of it, but hope's not separate from it -- it's the same thing as it. Or like, one the same level. People are their most hopeful when they're happy, or have a chance at being happy -- hoping for the best and stuff like that.

[smell that bacon. delicious. philosophy talks in guy fieri's kitchen]

[ IT'S NOT GASLIGHTING, HE WASN'T, HE'S JUST SAYING SUBARU IS WRONG but I can believe the counselor doing this, sometimes you have to shoot down both options to make somebody think ]

There's a point where hope becomes presumptuous, and happiness indulgent, though.

[ Please be more realistic, you guys. also he doesn't let go of Komaeda's hand, no ]

( he's spared... today. they need teruteru here so he can be the true judge of subaru's cooking, because komaeda's going to stand up so he can look over the counter to see better. if rokkun wasn't holding his hand... i swear. )

Akehoshi-kun really likes happiness, to the point that he...

( it's obvious, isn't rokkun? probably can't tell how much a caterer the other can be, but he won't call it out just yet. )

...People are hopeful either way, it doesn't matter the feeling. Being happy is just a plus... what makes you happy, Rokkun? As you can see, what makes Akehoshi-kun happy is seeing others happy.

[look he has eggs and bacon in the same pan it's delicious and ghibli. he's going to put them on his pan-toasting bread when they're cooked to his preference (slightly runny egg and not-quite crisp bacon)

... but komaeda totally took his question, so subaru'll stop his scowling at rokuro and consider his interest piqued, keeping an eye on his cooking]

[ He can say what used to make him happy, but this and that has made it irrelevant. ]

...No one thing, I guess. Nothing comes to mind.

[ what's the opposite of hope class ]

( despair, and komaeda would lose his mind if he dared say those words. )

...Well, there you have it.

( time to look at subaru, because he's going to be the one with the issue here. )

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