Happy Birthday Sushi

[a_peaceful_aura]

While waiting for Lisbeth to arrive, Taiki has taken up aura-watching. A lovely, vibrant silver sits off in one corner -- it belongs to a young woman and, presumably, the adoring man she's with. Being a near-hermit himself and keeping company almost exclusively with other men when he does venture out -Lisbeth as an exception-, it's rare for Taiki

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[wasplisbeth]

Lisbeth isn't late, well not so late, just, well she's been tired recently and she fell asleep and it took her a long time to get her lazy ass up and out of bed. She has no idea why she has been so tired, though she tends to go through cycles of lots of sleep and then very little sleep and then lots of sleep all over again. Perhaps this is just the lot of sleep phase. Stepping into the restaurant she runs her fingers through her short, choppy black hair and looks around.

Surprisingly Taiki is hard to spot. He kind of blends in. After a few moments of staring she picks the booth with the hunched over psychic. This has to be one of the firs meals they've had that's not pure greasy spoon. Sitting down next to him she blinks at him, it's hot out side, cool inside, she is going to stick to the booth. "Hello, Taiki."

[a_peaceful_aura]

A combination of nothing better to do and being largely unfamiliar with the NYC travel system still, Taiki was likely early. He's dressed in the same thing he always wears, staunchly ignoring seasonal discomfort in favor of full-coverage. Checkered scarf, long sleeved cotton t-shirt, jeans, watch on one wrist, cuff on the other. The bandages are gone though the scabs are hidden under those sleeves.

"Good afternoon." A pleasant expression but no smile. Those are reserved for special occasions. "Your late birthday meal, I apologize. How are you?" A redundant question since he can pick all the information out of her aura but he occasionally remembers his manners.

[wasplisbeth]

How he walks around like that and not melt is beyond her, he has to be sweating like a pig. Unless Japanese people don't sweat, and that doesn't seem right, he is a human, well, a special kind of human and unless he's got something wrong with him - he sweats. Which is not a topic of thought that Lisbeth wants to take any further, why she is thinking about that in the first place is beyond her.

"No need to apologize, thank you for inviting me out. I'm tired," they really don't have to be polite and formal with each other any more. They both know the score. "Did you order?"

[a_peaceful_aura]

He's very warm. Summers are not pleasant but he's not about to complain over the way he chooses to dress. But Taiki also spends the majority of his time indoors so showers twice a day and the occasional change of clothes are the normal remedy.

"No." He didn't order and shakes his head. Sliding out of the booth, he gestures for her to go ahead of him -- it's an Americanized "traditional" place: they go to the bar, order, and the chef rolls it right there. "Tired?" Taiki follows behind, allowing her to order first. Manners~!

[wasplisbeth]

Slipping out of the booth she stands and runs her fingers through her hair again, it's damp with sweat. Ick. Looking over at him she moves with him to the bar and takes a look at what is laid out as examples of what there is to eat. "Can you make suggestions for me on what to order?" He should know sushi, he's Japanese! Though Lisbeth has her own likes when it comes to sushi she wants to try something different maybe, that sounds like a good idea, and a lot, she is hungry. And Saki, she wants to get drunk.

"Tired," she repeats, he should be able to see that. "I sleep but I don't wake up right I guess."

[a_peaceful_aura]

Contemplating that. She doesn't wake up right? "Is it better when you are busy?"

He takes care to explain the different varieties and fillings to her. In the end, Taiki will mostly order eel and tofu based items -- an eel uramaki (inside out roll with roe exterior), a variety of nigirizushi (one tamago/egg, one unagi/eel, and a tuna), and finally a battera oshizushi.

"This is battera," Taiki explains, pointing to the pressed mackerel and rice form. "It is from the Kansai region, which is also where my housemate originated. He would sometimes make it in our dorm room, back in high school." The number of times Taiki was greeted by fire hazards during those three years...

A bowl of miso is served with their meal. He'll also make sure Lisbeth's sake is ordered. Hauling it all back to their table (with the assistance of waitresses), Taiki slides in.

[wasplisbeth]

Her shoulders rise and fall in a shrug, she really can't say, she hasn't been busy. It's not something she often thinks about or has the mental capacity to analysis.

She follows him and listens as he explains and points out what is what. She likes eel as well and there are a few other types that she is interested in trying. A few of her standard favorites get added to the list and maybe one or two rolls that she's never had before. If there is one thing she can say about Taiki is that he always informs. She always learns something when she is with him. The mackerel looks good.

Following him back to the table she sits and waits till the waitress serves everything and brings them he sake. Picking up her little glass she takes a slow sip. Good.

[a_peaceful_aura]

Eyes bounce from his food to Lisbeth and back while she shrugs and he thinks. Taiki rearranges the plates, pulling the soy sauce dish closer. Sadly, no chili flakes are added to the condiment -- spicy was forbidden in his diet as well. When they had pizza the other night he took all the toppings off and just ate the bread and tomato sauce and tonight he'll have to make due with just plain soy. Ah well, it's his own fault... Pickled ginger slices are dipped into the sauce bowl and then spread onto the first piece if maki

[wasplisbeth]

He can't take the spicy but she can. Some people say you're supposed to savor the subtle flavors and texture of sushi but fuck that, Lisbeth likes it hot and salty. Though not too much with the salt otherwise her fingers swell up and she can't get her rings off which is a real fucking pain in the ass. One day you wake up and you figure out that you are no longer eighteen which is great except you can't stay up for days on end or binge drink, or eat salty, spicy foods because it makes your stomach hurt and your fingers swell up

[a_peaceful_aura]

The pickled ginger should go as well but... so good. He'll just have to temper it with real food and take care, otherwise it'll be a night of stomach acid pain. But a sliver every now and again won't hurt anything and it's not often that he actually seeks out superficial pleasures, especially in food.

Taiki is oblivious to her amusement for the most part. Even while sorting out what he can and cannot eat because of the acidic HOLES IN HIS INTESTINES, Taiki still doesn't actually think anything is wrong. "There are a number of things, depending." Rubbing his eye and temple, Taiki starts in on a very abbreviated list, including some yoga poses and stretches designed to hit key muscles and pressure points. There is no doubt in his mind that she could benefit from a relaxation and realignment session, as well. "There are also fields of energy that can be manipulated some -- a bit of a spiritual response to pressure points. But wait for me to recommend those specialists." The last thing Taiki wants is some new age so-called 'guru'

[wasplisbeth]

And she staresssss. And stares some moreeeeee. She knows Taiki has her best interest at heart but she can't picture herself going to some yoga session or talking to some guru who is realigning her pressure points and spiritual-ness. Taiki is her spiritual side and unless they plan on realigning him they are not going to get her hands on her.

"So, no sleeping pills?" Which is how Lisbeth solves pretty much everything, except murder, that she solves that with murder. To be fair she has never actually killed anyone.

"I know," she tells him with a nod. "I have good things, you're a good thing," person, Lisbeth person. "I want good things for you."

[a_peaceful_aura]

When he feels her attention on him, Taiki looks up and staresssss and stares baaaaack. There is the occasional blink because... this is basic stuff, Lisbeth. His bread and butter. The chopsticks in his right hand fidget some when she mentions sleeping pills. "There are other ways besides drugs. Those can be dangerous." Eyes drop to his food again and Taiki sets aside the utensils in favor of rubbing at the back of his neck, long fingers dipping just under that checkered scarf. "A last resort and certainly not a solution." At least one of them should be healthy and take his good advice... "I would not do anything to make you uncomfortable." Public sessions and guru quacks are far from what he has pictured -- there are two individuals he would recommend in NYC and several things he can instruct Lisbeth on himself

[wasplisbeth]

Those can be dangerous. It's the loss of eye contact that makes her lift her eyebrows. She has never judged Taiki for what he does, what he believes in, and like him the only thing she wants for him is good things. He deserves good things. For a moment she thinks back to when they were kids and they played together at his house, how his mother got a candy out of her hair and told she had pretty hair. It was probably the only time in her childhood anyone had said anything like that to her. He was a good friend when they were little, things haven't changed much since then. She blinks back to reality. He hasn't made her uncomfortable, "do you take things in order to sleep?" How does he cope? It can't all be yoga. Perhaps she's just cynical.

Well she wouldn't call him lucky. "You're happy with your life?"

Good grief. Check myself before I wreck myself with this editing stuff.

[a_peaceful_aura]

Sitting back against the booth, Taiki drops his arm. "I have." The little bowl of soy sauce is pushed away from the edge of the table before his focus returns to Lisbeth. "But, as with all drugs, they do odd things to peoples' auras. It is certainly up to you but my suggestion would be to view it as a last resort treatment of symptoms. That aside, you said you were sleeping fine -- that it was the waking up you were having problems with?" And we've all seen how Taiki copes: drugs, insomnia, avoidant personality to the point of suppression, and eating disorders. As usual, there may be some wisdom in his advice but Taiki is terrible in practical application.

"Things could certainly be much worse. I am happy with the people -you, Nakatsu, Nakao. I have a job and a home. I do not have to think much on money or necessities." A shrug and he folds his hands in his lap. "I am very lucky."

lol!

[wasplisbeth]

"You can talk to me," she says when he mentions that he has. "When you tell me things I tell no one else, I don't judge you." Which is how it should be with friends but not the easiest thing in the world to do. They both suffer from keeping things deep, deep down and they both have this thought that they can handle everything and that confiding in others would be a bother to them. At least that's how Lisbeth feels sometimes, which is why she goes out and does insanely illegal shit. Still, she feels good that Taiki even shared that little bit with her, now if she could only get to him opening up about that scar. . .

She has some more sushi, and doesn't waste a drop of rice. "You sound content. Most people aren't even with the things they have, even when they have more then enough."

Re: lol!

[a_peaceful_aura]

"Yes," a slow nod, "I know. I doubt there is anything to tell, though." Lisbeth is a good friend -- she always shows interest and never judges, at least not about the important things. Taiki appreciates her, it's just that he doesn't even acknowledge his problems and so they're never brought to light unless she digs a little. He hadn't thought of his father in years until she mentioned him. It's hard but he tries to answer all her questions honestly when she asks. "But I am more concerned about you -- I want you to feel better