[FICbit]: hanun's request thing
It never was easy, adjusting to a new life. For Tia and Jack, that was admittedly even more difficult, considering what they had done, who they had partnered up with, and how far they had been willing to go. Threats of mass destruction and having nearly gone through with it…that was enough to warrant them being locked up for life.
So what were they doing here, back in Kodama Town Elementary as if nothing had ever happened? As if all that had happened to the newly beloved student teacher was that she had been out sick, not arrested for trying to attack and destroy WAZA. As if the new student sitting in the back of the class had not threatened to destroy the school and everyone in it. No, they had resumed their old lives-that wasn't quite right, rather, they had made their cover up lives their new reality-with nary a fuss, all because Rockman (or rather, Hoshikawa Subaru) had vouched for them. Even with his support, their first few days back were rather awkward. Tia’s attempts at teaching the class resulted in an awkwardly silent classroom, whether it was due to fear or hyperawareness was unclear. Only Subaru and his friends would bother to answer her questions for the first few days. As for Jack, he was grateful to be sitting in the back of the class for those first few days as well, it saved him the trouble of being stared at. Not many of the kids were willing to risk a scolding for not paying attention to turn around and talk, after all.
A few days in the company of the others who were so willing to befriend them, however, did lead to the classroom’s general attitude against them to thaw somewhat, and Jack and Tia knew it would only take more time for anyone else to accept them. It was enough, however. Tia was content with the love and affection from her boyfriend as she nursed him back to health, and Jack wasn’t really in the mood to trust others that much anyway.
“Jack, do you want to come over today? I know you don’t have anything to do since Tia’s going to the hospital to visit Shidou-san (again). Besides, you haven’t been keeping up with your homework, haven’t you?”
“Man, that stuff’s pointless! Seriously, I don’t get why we have to keep doing such useless busy work…”
“I don’t like it much either, Jack, but we do have to do it…” Subaru sighed, and Jack huffed.
“Fine…” It wasn’t like he did have anything else to do…and Tia had been scolding him about not keeping up with his studies. Man…
A few hours later saw the two boys exiting Subaru’s bedroom, a surprisingly large amount of work done. Somehow, Subaru knew that Jack had difficultly really focusing on something that didn’t catch his interest, and he had gone the extra effort to try and relate the subject matter to something that Jack would like. It took several tries to pinpoint exactly what would keep Jack occupied, his interests seemed as varied and subject to change as his attention span, but Subaru didn’t give in and patiently tried to keep Jack on track. While they hadn’t yet managed to finish, it was all Subaru could do to keep Jack sitting down, and he finally agreed to getting out to watch TV or something.
For all Jack’s complaining, however, he found that he really did appreciate the effort Subaru did put in for him. It reminded him of how his sister had used to take care of him when they were both alone. How even after the harshness of life had cut into them, his spoiled tendencies as a young prince still showed through and she dealt with his tastes, impatience, and hardheadedness. All that effort that she had put into to keeping him safe, and how he, in his impatience and unwillingness to accept anything as good enough, settled on various small things to repay her instead.
Only, Subaru didn’t have that sort of familial bond to justify his willingness to help him out the same way. No, all he had to call was a still feeble tie of “friendship,” one that Jack had willingly shattered once before, one that was still being rebuilt, something shaky and unsure and constantly changing as Jack struggled to rebuild his life. To Jack, something so wretched didn’t seem like enough to warrant such effort. When he tried to raise the point to Subaru, however, the boy merely shrugged, smiled, said something along the lines of them being friends (he wasn’t listening, it was just too typical of a response) and how that it was enough (no, no it wasn’t, stop saying those stupid, selfless things!).
It was almost time for dinner. It was probably time for him to go, now that he thought about it. But no, Subaru frowned, said he hadn’t finished his work and that he should probably stay for dinner, otherwise he’d never get it done, honestly! Otherwise the next day he’d have both his sister and the Class President angry at him, and that would just be too much…
Jack balked, grumbled and sighed, but eventually agreed. Man, this was too much trouble…might as well get the dinner over with quickly, then. He found himself wandering to the kitchen, confusing Subaru.
“Eh? What are you doing, Jack?”
“Just shut up and watch. I can’t sit around and do nothing, alright? You’re already doing enough as it is.”
“But…I’m not doing anything…”
“You know what I’m talking about!” Jack snapped irately. “Just let me get to work, alright?”
This was easy. Okay, no, it wasn’t easy, cooking was a challenge, but that made it easy to focus on. A challenge that could engross him, keep him occupied constantly. Even when waiting for the food to heat up he was still occupied, watching for burning, constantly stirring, chopping, and starting yet another dish whilst the first was cooking. The one time Subaru poked his head in, he was admittedly impressed.
“I didn’t think you’d be into this sort of thing, Jack.”
“Ehhh, why?” The black-haired boy took on a taunting tone, smirking. “What, not manly enough or something?”
“No, no, nothing like that…” Subaru chuckled weakly. “You just never seem to be able to stay in one place for long, that’s all.”
“Who said cooking needed you to be in one place? I’ve been going back and forth in here all the time!”
“Hahhh…” Subaru blinked. That wasn’t quite what he meant, it was more that he was impressed that Jack could stay in the kitchen for so long to get some result. “I’ve never moved that much around in here…then again, I only know some small, easy to make stuff for the days that mom’s home late from her part-time job…”
“Heh!” Jack sniffed, looking unmistakably proud of himself. Finally, something he could best the other boy in! Even if he couldn’t become Jack Corvus anymore (not yet, anyway, once this damn probation was up, WAZA was considering retrieving Corvus’ denpa residue to let him Denpa-henkan once more) and stand on equal grounds with Rockman, but he’d be damned before he stopped considering the other boy his rival. “You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me in here.”
“You absolutely sure about that?” Subaru raised an eyebrow, noting the tone of challenge in Jack’s voice. How perceptive of him, worthy of a rival, Jack noted.
“Try me!”
Akane and Daigo came home that night to a great deal of food missing from their cabinets and fridge, but considering the spread that was waiting for them on the table, they figured that it was justified.
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(A/N): waaagh hanun I hope you like it ;-;
So what were they doing here, back in Kodama Town Elementary as if nothing had ever happened? As if all that had happened to the newly beloved student teacher was that she had been out sick, not arrested for trying to attack and destroy WAZA. As if the new student sitting in the back of the class had not threatened to destroy the school and everyone in it. No, they had resumed their old lives-that wasn't quite right, rather, they had made their cover up lives their new reality-with nary a fuss, all because Rockman (or rather, Hoshikawa Subaru) had vouched for them. Even with his support, their first few days back were rather awkward. Tia’s attempts at teaching the class resulted in an awkwardly silent classroom, whether it was due to fear or hyperawareness was unclear. Only Subaru and his friends would bother to answer her questions for the first few days. As for Jack, he was grateful to be sitting in the back of the class for those first few days as well, it saved him the trouble of being stared at. Not many of the kids were willing to risk a scolding for not paying attention to turn around and talk, after all.
A few days in the company of the others who were so willing to befriend them, however, did lead to the classroom’s general attitude against them to thaw somewhat, and Jack and Tia knew it would only take more time for anyone else to accept them. It was enough, however. Tia was content with the love and affection from her boyfriend as she nursed him back to health, and Jack wasn’t really in the mood to trust others that much anyway.
“Jack, do you want to come over today? I know you don’t have anything to do since Tia’s going to the hospital to visit Shidou-san (again). Besides, you haven’t been keeping up with your homework, haven’t you?”
“Man, that stuff’s pointless! Seriously, I don’t get why we have to keep doing such useless busy work…”
“I don’t like it much either, Jack, but we do have to do it…” Subaru sighed, and Jack huffed.
“Fine…” It wasn’t like he did have anything else to do…and Tia had been scolding him about not keeping up with his studies. Man…
A few hours later saw the two boys exiting Subaru’s bedroom, a surprisingly large amount of work done. Somehow, Subaru knew that Jack had difficultly really focusing on something that didn’t catch his interest, and he had gone the extra effort to try and relate the subject matter to something that Jack would like. It took several tries to pinpoint exactly what would keep Jack occupied, his interests seemed as varied and subject to change as his attention span, but Subaru didn’t give in and patiently tried to keep Jack on track. While they hadn’t yet managed to finish, it was all Subaru could do to keep Jack sitting down, and he finally agreed to getting out to watch TV or something.
For all Jack’s complaining, however, he found that he really did appreciate the effort Subaru did put in for him. It reminded him of how his sister had used to take care of him when they were both alone. How even after the harshness of life had cut into them, his spoiled tendencies as a young prince still showed through and she dealt with his tastes, impatience, and hardheadedness. All that effort that she had put into to keeping him safe, and how he, in his impatience and unwillingness to accept anything as good enough, settled on various small things to repay her instead.
Only, Subaru didn’t have that sort of familial bond to justify his willingness to help him out the same way. No, all he had to call was a still feeble tie of “friendship,” one that Jack had willingly shattered once before, one that was still being rebuilt, something shaky and unsure and constantly changing as Jack struggled to rebuild his life. To Jack, something so wretched didn’t seem like enough to warrant such effort. When he tried to raise the point to Subaru, however, the boy merely shrugged, smiled, said something along the lines of them being friends (he wasn’t listening, it was just too typical of a response) and how that it was enough (no, no it wasn’t, stop saying those stupid, selfless things!).
It was almost time for dinner. It was probably time for him to go, now that he thought about it. But no, Subaru frowned, said he hadn’t finished his work and that he should probably stay for dinner, otherwise he’d never get it done, honestly! Otherwise the next day he’d have both his sister and the Class President angry at him, and that would just be too much…
Jack balked, grumbled and sighed, but eventually agreed. Man, this was too much trouble…might as well get the dinner over with quickly, then. He found himself wandering to the kitchen, confusing Subaru.
“Eh? What are you doing, Jack?”
“Just shut up and watch. I can’t sit around and do nothing, alright? You’re already doing enough as it is.”
“But…I’m not doing anything…”
“You know what I’m talking about!” Jack snapped irately. “Just let me get to work, alright?”
This was easy. Okay, no, it wasn’t easy, cooking was a challenge, but that made it easy to focus on. A challenge that could engross him, keep him occupied constantly. Even when waiting for the food to heat up he was still occupied, watching for burning, constantly stirring, chopping, and starting yet another dish whilst the first was cooking. The one time Subaru poked his head in, he was admittedly impressed.
“I didn’t think you’d be into this sort of thing, Jack.”
“Ehhh, why?” The black-haired boy took on a taunting tone, smirking. “What, not manly enough or something?”
“No, no, nothing like that…” Subaru chuckled weakly. “You just never seem to be able to stay in one place for long, that’s all.”
“Who said cooking needed you to be in one place? I’ve been going back and forth in here all the time!”
“Hahhh…” Subaru blinked. That wasn’t quite what he meant, it was more that he was impressed that Jack could stay in the kitchen for so long to get some result. “I’ve never moved that much around in here…then again, I only know some small, easy to make stuff for the days that mom’s home late from her part-time job…”
“Heh!” Jack sniffed, looking unmistakably proud of himself. Finally, something he could best the other boy in! Even if he couldn’t become Jack Corvus anymore (not yet, anyway, once this damn probation was up, WAZA was considering retrieving Corvus’ denpa residue to let him Denpa-henkan once more) and stand on equal grounds with Rockman, but he’d be damned before he stopped considering the other boy his rival. “You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me in here.”
“You absolutely sure about that?” Subaru raised an eyebrow, noting the tone of challenge in Jack’s voice. How perceptive of him, worthy of a rival, Jack noted.
“Try me!”
Akane and Daigo came home that night to a great deal of food missing from their cabinets and fridge, but considering the spread that was waiting for them on the table, they figured that it was justified.
nbsp; 0-0-FIN-0-0
(A/N): waaagh hanun I hope you like it ;-;