Comments | masukukunai: the world at large

masukukunai

the world at large

May 25, 2011 23:45

Yousuke had a spare room. It wasn't really much, just enough to have a bed and a dresser and a couple of other things, but it was serviceable. He always meant to clean out his boxes from initially moving into the flat from the space, and then maybe nab himself a roomie. Split the rent, you know? He was just as stingy as he always was and half of ( Read more... )

Leave a comment

Back to all threads

masukukunai October 25 2011, 04:05:20 UTC

It'd been a couple of months now, since Souji came to live with him. Then, it was near the end of September, and now it was nearly Christmas. It was hard for Yousuke to grasp-- it certainly hadn't felt that long. The days all started to melt together. Work, come home, go back to work, come home, spend time with Souji, repeating over and over again. He got breaks from it sometimes, since he wasn't the only one in Inaba that cared for the guy, and he was thankful for that; But it was still just the same old grind. The life of an adult. When did that happen? He wasn't really sure.

Souji always said it would get worse, like it was his mantra. Sometimes it upset Yousuke, or annoyed him, but now... Well, it was true. He'd come to know chemotherapy as a poison. Yes, it was killing the cancer, but it was killing the rest of him too. He spent a lot of time sitting, or laying down. Yousuke didn't know how it hurt, or really how it made him feel, but it must have been bad if he could tell that his usually stoic and unreadable leader friend was in pain. It made him really uncomfortable to watch, but he bore it, trying to let it show as little as possible.

They all made sure that he got out of the house often enough though. It was his day off, so today they were going on a walk to the shrine. He'd wanted to leave an offering and see the fox for awhile, and today seemed as good a day as any. It was a little chilly, and he could see his breath condense in the air in front of him. His hands were shoved in his pockets for warmth.

eatsyourscience October 25 2011, 04:16:46 UTC

Today was one of Souji's better days. By now any day he felt well enough to leave the apartment and go somewhere other than the hospital was a "better day". He took what he could get.

Following Yousuke's example, Souji has his hands deep in his pockets, alongside the offering money he's bringing along. He knows the fox's favor doesn't come cheap, though as they enter the shrine's precincts and he looks around to take in how well kept it is these days, he thinks maybe the fox could stand to be a little less stingy.

Either way, he's going to be paying for an ema at least. He's got a wish to make.

masukukunai October 25 2011, 05:00:22 UTC

It is pretty nice. Ever since the year Souji was here, and helped the fox grant the wishes on the emas, people came to the shrine regularly. And sometimes the wishes still were granted. Who knows, maybe the fox had a new meddler working for him.

Yousuke has a 2000 yen bill that he tosses into the main offering box, and he claps twice before lowering his head to pray. He thought he'd buy a good luck charm too, something he could carry around with him.

eatsyourscience October 25 2011, 06:22:52 UTC

Souji follows suit, praying before he goes to get a blank ema. He has a pen in his pocket, which he uncaps with his teeth and uses to scrawl his wish across the back of the plaque.

masukukunai October 25 2011, 06:35:37 UTC

Yousuke doesn't peek at Souji's wish-- it feels too sacred for him to look at. And he certainly doesn't want to anger any gods.

There is a small selection of good luck charms, little silk pouches with fancy embroidery and a complicated knot at the top. There's a white one that looks unassuming, and he buys that one because it reminds him of Souji.

However, there's still one thing that's missing...

"Where is that guy? You think he's out or something?"

eatsyourscience October 25 2011, 06:57:52 UTC

Putting the ema in place, Souji caps his pen and slips it back into his pocket before stepping back onto the path leading toward the shrine from the tori. He looks up at the roof, then at Yousuke.

"Maybe. He's probably pretty busy."

masukukunai October 25 2011, 07:06:12 UTC

"...Why are you looking at the roof?"

That can be left unanswered. Yousuke beings to whistle a bit, making noises as if he were trying to call a dog.

eatsyourscience October 25 2011, 18:42:15 UTC

Souji makes a face, puts a hand on the back of Yousuke's head, and shoves him gently to get him to stop.

There's a familiar yip-yip-yap from the offeratory box before he can say anything, and Souji turns to find the fox on its hind legs, its front paws on the edge of the box, looking in. He swears the thing is grinning.

He perches on the step next to the fox and reaches to pet it and make sure its apron is on securely (it doesn't have thumbs--someone has to look out for it). When the fox lowers itself and sits on its haunches beside him, Souji puts one arm around it in a loose hug.

"Will you give me a discount this time?" he asks, and then leaning closer, mutters to it, "Don't worry about the ema."

masukukunai October 26 2011, 01:20:03 UTC

"Hey--" Yousuke was about to give Souji a clap on the back in retaliation, but then the fox appears. He's convinced it was his calling that coaxed him over, so he crosses his arms over his chest and looks pleased with himself. Apparently it liked his 2000 yen too. All according to plan.

The fox definitely liked Souji the best though; it would let him pat its head from time to time but only Souji could get close enough to hug it like that. Yousuke couldn't hear what he was saying to it, but hopefully he could get a break on those leaves this time. He's not made of money!

eatsyourscience October 26 2011, 01:45:03 UTC

The fox twitches one ear in acknowledgment of Souji's words, and when he takes his arm back, it hops down the steps then up onto the roof, scrabbling over and back behind the shrine building, to where ever it is it keeps those leaves.

Souji looks up at Yousuke from where he's sitting and points over his shoulder with his thumb. "That's why I looked at the roof."

masukukunai October 26 2011, 02:06:30 UTC

"Holy shit," Yousuke gapes as he watches the fox bound off, "I've never even seen a cat jump that high. And he does that all the time?"

eatsyourscience October 26 2011, 02:40:32 UTC

Souji nods. "He always came down off the roof."

masukukunai October 26 2011, 02:54:34 UTC

"I don't care about all the weird deals he has going on on the side, I don't think a fox has any business jumping roofs like he's batman. Does that apron double as a cape?"

eatsyourscience October 26 2011, 03:15:21 UTC

"He's not a normal fox."

Souji might have said more if the fox hadn't jumped back down in front of the steps. It pads forward and drops a mouthful of odd, familiar leaves at Souji's feet, then sits back on its haunches expectantly.

Pulling out his hankie, Souji picks up the leaves and wraps them up carefully. He slips the bundle into his pocket and reaches to pet the fox again.

masukukunai October 26 2011, 03:36:50 UTC

Yousuke jumps backwards at the fox dropping out of the sky... then re-adjusts his jacket as if it was something he meant to do in the first place. Then he walks up casually (carefully) and crouches down and holds out his hand for the fox to sniff before he tries to pat the guy on the head like Souji did.

eatsyourscience October 26 2011, 04:50:09 UTC

The fox twitches its ears, but lets Yousuke pat it.

Souji gets to his feet, his breath clouding around his face, and drops a crumpled bill from his pocket into the offering box. The fox yips, circles around Souji's legs, and then sits next the the box, its tail twitching like its waving at them.

Back to all threads