[So, they didn't find Shinji and everything and he's pretty sure he's gone, but he doesn't want to start with that because that's stupid. Maybe he'll ask eventually but uhh he's pretty worried about Kotone and might as well ask how she's doing!! Plus he wants to get his mind off some things.]
[She is very, very busy, and that's by design. The busier she stays, the harder it is to be sad about and dwell on things that have happened or things that might have happened or things that could happen in the future.]
[Oh huh, she works for Dazai... at his bar?? You know what, he's not surprised. Scott has too many thoughts in his mind to really think about this further.]
Cool, wanna meet in front of the sandwich shop? Unless you prefer something else? I am buying after all.
[She has to text Dazai to notify him at least, even if she really doesn't need his permission. They both know he's only having her work there so often to keep her busy, which she honestly appreciates more than she can express with words. But, whether it's a date or not, she's not going to bother changing clothes or doing anything differently than usual, which means she's wearing the black skirt and white button-down she'd normally wear to work a shift at Lupin when she all but skips over to the sandwich shop to meet him.]
[Scott's not dressed any differently from before, his casual wear of jeans, a shirt, and jacket on his person as he waves at Kotone as she approaches. He seems to be doing well enough, if slightly anxious for one reason or another, but he's glad that she seems to be doing okay too.
Like, no obvious signs of crying or distress are visible, so... good? Maybe he shouldn't bring Shinji up at all and they should just hang out as super ass normal teenagers for the whole afternoon and not talk about anything awful. That might be a good idea.
But also... he's worried. Scott does his best to seem relaxed though, and tries to tease her instead.]
Hey Kotone. [...] Gonna warn you now, I will definitely judge you if you put certain toppings on your sandwich.
[No obvious signs of distress, and even if he looks, there aren't many subtle signs of distress, either, and certainly not when she sees Scott and waves as he approaches. Her already-cheerful smile brightens further as she grins at him.
Also, maybe a little more mischief in her eyes than usual, because Dazai did say to treat him softly, like a baby duck, and the comparison is hilarious in the face of it. Maybe she'll make Scott a little knit duckling with sunglasses and refuse to explain. Anyway,]
He's definitely ignorant to any future plans involving knitted ducks, especially as he gets into his rant about sandwiches. He's the self-proclaimed sandwich king, starting today, and so he definitely can't let weird ingredients or gross combos be slapped together between two pieces of bread. Even if it's Kotone.]
Such as putting ketchup on it. Or adding fruits to it, like apple slices or bananas. That's seriously weird. Or mixing together cheese and honey, can you imagine how'd that taste?? [He can't cook at all so got to be the expert in something like this.]
[Her brow furrows a little bit in confusion, then she holds up a finger almost as if requesting permission to ask a question. Not that she waits for said permission before asking,] What about fruit sandwiches? With whipped cream and sliced fruit on milk bread!
[Also she's pretty sure Mitsuru talked about some kind of fancy cheese and honey combination, but she can't remember if that's a sandwich or not...]
[Scott's just imagining Kotone putting sliced apples and oranges between two slices of white bread and he can't help but make a face at that.]
Wait, you really eat something like that?? With whipped cream? [Is milk bread something special compared to normal bread?? Like whole grain or sourdough or whatever??]
Yeah! You can get them at convenience stores in Japan.
[Abruptly, she grabs his hand and turns, intending to drag him after her so they can head toward the club building instead of their planned sandwich date. Change! Of! Plans!]
I made some milk bread this morning, and it's super easy to make whipped cream, so I'll make one for you!
[Not a request or an offer, but a statement of fact. Sorry, buddy, she is making the rules now.]
[No shit?? It's common enough in Japan and everything? Scott feels like his worldview is slowly getting expanded, even if it's just through sandwiches-- and oh, she's taking him somewhere else now. Yep, they sure are walking away from the sandwich shop and to some place else.
He doesn't know where, but Scott follows anyway, his legs just moving along almost on instinct. The mutant doesn't even protest, only letting out a small noise of confusion as he lets himself be dragged.]
I thought I was buying you lunch? [He says dumbly, not knowing what else to say in the face of Kotone taking complete charge of their lunch outing.]
You can buy next time, [she promises with a laugh as she twines her fingers with his so he can't (easily) escape. Now, hopefully no one else ate the bread she left in the kitchen...] It's more of a snack or a dessert than a meal anyway, so we can get something a little bit later if we want. I'll let you buy that.
[With another, slightly sillier grin, she looks back at him to add,] So what other sandwich toppings are weird?
[His fingers curl into hers as he feels her grip, his eyes darting to their closed hands before looking back up and seeing that grin leveled at him. Don't blush-- be cool, Scott!! Right, what did she just ask him? Toppings, yeah. Weird ones.]
Uh, putting Oreos or Cheetos in sandwiches is gross. They obviously belong on the side, not in the actual sandwich. [Some teenagers do crap like that, but he has some standards here!! Scott also quickens his pace just slightly, so that he's walking by her side, but he doesn't let go of her hand.]
[More out of curiosity than any real desire to prove that it's a real thing that can be done. Her fingers tighten just a bit around his before loosening to something more comfortable as he pulls level with her, giving him another smile. Does it look a little weird that they're holding hands in town? Maybe, but things like that aren't her problem. If it makes Scott uncomfortable, he can pull away first.]
Oooh, wait, you probably don't have yakisoba-pan in America either, right? Like, a long bun with fried noodles in it?
Definitely depends on the chip. I'll give it a pass if you put Lays potato chips in a sandwich, but some chips aren't meant to be in-between two slices of bread with the meat and cheese. It's like, an offense to sandwiches everywhere.
[He's definitely not letting go of her hand, mostly because he doesn't want to. Feeling uncomfortable is the furthest emotion that he has right now, evident by the relaxed smile that's on him.]
Yakisoba? Nope, can't say I've tried anything like that. Is it like putting those instant noodles on a bun?? [SORRY... KOTONE......]
[She laughs outright at his assessment. Wow, so many rules for sandwiches that she's never going to bother following! But it's funny to hear Scott go on about it. And then a protesting,] Noooo! [through renewed laughter as she turns them down the road leading to the club building itself.]
Soba is like... a different kind of noodle, and it's-- okay, once I find a good recipe for yakisoba, I'll make it for you.
[Shinji would probably have one. Maybe she can find his recipe book. While her smile doesn't falter, it does fall away a bit from her eyes, a little more fixed than natural at that thought. Shinji could make it even without a book, huh...?]
--Or at least I can look for soba noodles to fry, [she continues after a beat, forcing her smile just that little bit brighter.] That'd be way easier than trying to make the noodles from scratch myself.
[Even as he guesses incorrectly about yakisoba, Scott finds himself laughing alongside with her, nearly forgetting all the stress that's been building up since the whole desert thing. Being around Kotone always helps with that feeling and he hopes that she feels similarly.
But the path is becoming clearer and huh, so they're going to the club building...? Oh, right, there's a cooking club there, so there's probably ingredients and stuff Kotone is planning to use. All of that makes sense.]
Sure, I'd love to try them. I have a completely open mind when it comes to food. [Except when it comes to judging sandwich toppings.] I'd offer to cook some... American food in return, but uh, TV dinners and sandwiches is where my expertise ends at.
[She can't help but giggle again, because wasn't he just going on about sandwich toppings...? Classic Scott. He really is just so refreshingly normal compared to a lot of the other people she's spent time with, both back home and here in Aldrip. Even if his eyes could obliterate her in an instant, it's a good reminder that yeah, they can still be normal together in spite of it all.
Squeezing his hand as if to get his attention, she grins up at him, a little more genuinely.] I could teach you how to cook! I mean, I'm not a professional. [Nor is she Shinji.] But I had to cook for myself a lot, so I can show you some of the easy stuff.
[He acknowledges with that same cocky grin, but as he feels the brief squeeze of his hand with Kotone grinning up at him, it softens into a smile. Honestly, he's not like super invested in learning how to cook, but it's probably a useful skill to learn. Not to mention, he'll be able to spend more time with her and that's sort of motivation on its own.
Shinji actually volunteered to help him with cooking before he disappeared, or most likely at least, but Scott's still not sure if he should bring that up yet. Maybe once they're eating a fruit sandwich together...]
I guess it couldn't hurt. I'd probably save on money here if I bought ingredients instead of eating out all the time. [Plus doing less work for the locals and everything. More time to just sulk in his room when he wants to.] Although, am I going to learn to cook more Japanese food than American food? I'm going to be a total traitor to my country.
We have burgers and pizza in Japan, too! Did you have a Wild Duck Burger in your town? The tennis club and I would go there after practice sometimes.
[She swings their hands a little absently back and forth, thinking about it with a fond smile. Sure, the "work experience" she'd done there hadn't been super fun, but it was kind of cool to see how it all worked! Besides, it had been fun going there with Rio to talk about how hopeless she was with boys. Rio, that is, not Kotone.
Also like, burgers and pizza is all you need for American food, right?]
Man, if you have hamburgers and pizza, America has nothing to offer.
[Scott jokes lightly, letting his hand swing with hers as he smiles at her. Of course, there's more to the Great American Culture than just hamburgers and pizza, but they are sort of the first two things that pop in Scott's mind when it comes to food. Guess hot dogs too.]
Never heard of Wild Duck Burger. McDonald's and Burger King are the common chains around malls and everything. I'm guessing they didn't expand their takeover to across the seas yet? [He feels like it will happen at some point.]
But I'm okay, money wise. Haven't gone hungry yet, you know? [So, he's doing great!!]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sometime after the desert event
Hey, how are you? Busy at all?
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Not too busy to hang out! What's up?
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[Deal with crazy shit, hang out like normal teens after?]
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[She is... a bully. Is she teasing him or is she serious...? Don't worry about it.]
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[Asking out as a friend but uhh he doesn't clarify.]
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Sounds good! Let me just tell Dazai-san I want the afternoon off, and I'll meet you wherever!
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Cool, wanna meet in front of the sandwich shop? Unless you prefer something else? I am buying after all.
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Yes! They have really good bread.
Ten minutes!
[She has to text Dazai to notify him at least, even if she really doesn't need his permission. They both know he's only having her work there so often to keep her busy, which she honestly appreciates more than she can express with words. But, whether it's a date or not, she's not going to bother changing clothes or doing anything differently than usual, which means she's wearing the black skirt and white button-down she'd normally wear to work a shift at Lupin when she all but skips over to the sandwich shop to meet him.]
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Like, no obvious signs of crying or distress are visible, so... good? Maybe he shouldn't bring Shinji up at all and they should just hang out as super ass normal teenagers for the whole afternoon and not talk about anything awful. That might be a good idea.
But also... he's worried. Scott does his best to seem relaxed though, and tries to tease her instead.]
Hey Kotone. [...] Gonna warn you now, I will definitely judge you if you put certain toppings on your sandwich.
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Also, maybe a little more mischief in her eyes than usual, because Dazai did say to treat him softly, like a baby duck, and the comparison is hilarious in the face of it. Maybe she'll make Scott a little knit duckling with sunglasses and refuse to explain. Anyway,]
What's that supposed to mean?
[Which toppings are weird, Scott?]
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He's definitely ignorant to any future plans involving knitted ducks, especially as he gets into his rant about sandwiches. He's the self-proclaimed sandwich king, starting today, and so he definitely can't let weird ingredients or gross combos be slapped together between two pieces of bread. Even if it's Kotone.]
Such as putting ketchup on it. Or adding fruits to it, like apple slices or bananas. That's seriously weird. Or mixing together cheese and honey, can you imagine how'd that taste?? [He can't cook at all so got to be the expert in something like this.]
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[Her brow furrows a little bit in confusion, then she holds up a finger almost as if requesting permission to ask a question. Not that she waits for said permission before asking,] What about fruit sandwiches? With whipped cream and sliced fruit on milk bread!
[Also she's pretty sure Mitsuru talked about some kind of fancy cheese and honey combination, but she can't remember if that's a sandwich or not...]
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[Scott's just imagining Kotone putting sliced apples and oranges between two slices of white bread and he can't help but make a face at that.]
Wait, you really eat something like that?? With whipped cream? [Is milk bread something special compared to normal bread?? Like whole grain or sourdough or whatever??]
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[Abruptly, she grabs his hand and turns, intending to drag him after her so they can head toward the club building instead of their planned sandwich date. Change! Of! Plans!]
I made some milk bread this morning, and it's super easy to make whipped cream, so I'll make one for you!
[Not a request or an offer, but a statement of fact. Sorry, buddy, she is making the rules now.]
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[No shit?? It's common enough in Japan and everything? Scott feels like his worldview is slowly getting expanded, even if it's just through sandwiches-- and oh, she's taking him somewhere else now. Yep, they sure are walking away from the sandwich shop and to some place else.
He doesn't know where, but Scott follows anyway, his legs just moving along almost on instinct. The mutant doesn't even protest, only letting out a small noise of confusion as he lets himself be dragged.]
I thought I was buying you lunch? [He says dumbly, not knowing what else to say in the face of Kotone taking complete charge of their lunch outing.]
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You can buy next time, [she promises with a laugh as she twines her fingers with his so he can't (easily) escape. Now, hopefully no one else ate the bread she left in the kitchen...] It's more of a snack or a dessert than a meal anyway, so we can get something a little bit later if we want. I'll let you buy that.
[With another, slightly sillier grin, she looks back at him to add,] So what other sandwich toppings are weird?
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[His fingers curl into hers as he feels her grip, his eyes darting to their closed hands before looking back up and seeing that grin leveled at him. Don't blush-- be cool, Scott!! Right, what did she just ask him? Toppings, yeah. Weird ones.]
Uh, putting Oreos or Cheetos in sandwiches is gross. They obviously belong on the side, not in the actual sandwich. [Some teenagers do crap like that, but he has some standards here!! Scott also quickens his pace just slightly, so that he's walking by her side, but he doesn't let go of her hand.]
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[More out of curiosity than any real desire to prove that it's a real thing that can be done. Her fingers tighten just a bit around his before loosening to something more comfortable as he pulls level with her, giving him another smile. Does it look a little weird that they're holding hands in town? Maybe, but things like that aren't her problem. If it makes Scott uncomfortable, he can pull away first.]
Oooh, wait, you probably don't have yakisoba-pan in America either, right? Like, a long bun with fried noodles in it?
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[He's definitely not letting go of her hand, mostly because he doesn't want to. Feeling uncomfortable is the furthest emotion that he has right now, evident by the relaxed smile that's on him.]
Yakisoba? Nope, can't say I've tried anything like that. Is it like putting those instant noodles on a bun?? [SORRY... KOTONE......]
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Soba is like... a different kind of noodle, and it's-- okay, once I find a good recipe for yakisoba, I'll make it for you.
[Shinji would probably have one. Maybe she can find his recipe book. While her smile doesn't falter, it does fall away a bit from her eyes, a little more fixed than natural at that thought. Shinji could make it even without a book, huh...?]
--Or at least I can look for soba noodles to fry, [she continues after a beat, forcing her smile just that little bit brighter.] That'd be way easier than trying to make the noodles from scratch myself.
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But the path is becoming clearer and huh, so they're going to the club building...? Oh, right, there's a cooking club there, so there's probably ingredients and stuff Kotone is planning to use. All of that makes sense.]
Sure, I'd love to try them. I have a completely open mind when it comes to food. [Except when it comes to judging sandwich toppings.] I'd offer to cook some... American food in return, but uh, TV dinners and sandwiches is where my expertise ends at.
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[She can't help but giggle again, because wasn't he just going on about sandwich toppings...? Classic Scott. He really is just so refreshingly normal compared to a lot of the other people she's spent time with, both back home and here in Aldrip. Even if his eyes could obliterate her in an instant, it's a good reminder that yeah, they can still be normal together in spite of it all.
Squeezing his hand as if to get his attention, she grins up at him, a little more genuinely.] I could teach you how to cook! I mean, I'm not a professional. [Nor is she Shinji.] But I had to cook for myself a lot, so I can show you some of the easy stuff.
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[He acknowledges with that same cocky grin, but as he feels the brief squeeze of his hand with Kotone grinning up at him, it softens into a smile. Honestly, he's not like super invested in learning how to cook, but it's probably a useful skill to learn. Not to mention, he'll be able to spend more time with her and that's sort of motivation on its own.
Shinji actually volunteered to help him with cooking before he disappeared, or most likely at least, but Scott's still not sure if he should bring that up yet. Maybe once they're eating a fruit sandwich together...]
I guess it couldn't hurt. I'd probably save on money here if I bought ingredients instead of eating out all the time. [Plus doing less work for the locals and everything. More time to just sulk in his room when he wants to.] Although, am I going to learn to cook more Japanese food than American food? I'm going to be a total traitor to my country.
[He's absolutely not serious.]
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[She swings their hands a little absently back and forth, thinking about it with a fond smile. Sure, the "work experience" she'd done there hadn't been super fun, but it was kind of cool to see how it all worked! Besides, it had been fun going there with Rio to talk about how hopeless she was with boys. Rio, that is, not Kotone.
Also like, burgers and pizza is all you need for American food, right?]
Are you having trouble with money in town?
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[Scott jokes lightly, letting his hand swing with hers as he smiles at her. Of course, there's more to the Great American Culture than just hamburgers and pizza, but they are sort of the first two things that pop in Scott's mind when it comes to food. Guess hot dogs too.]
Never heard of Wild Duck Burger. McDonald's and Burger King are the common chains around malls and everything. I'm guessing they didn't expand their takeover to across the seas yet? [He feels like it will happen at some point.]
But I'm okay, money wise. Haven't gone hungry yet, you know? [So, he's doing great!!]
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want to wrap this up? :>