[Log] These Little Mutants Went to the Market [Twins, Ohtori]
Characters: Ohtori Choutarou, Kisarazu Atsushi, Kisarazu Ryou
Location: Town
Time: Sunday, January 6
Rating: PG-15
Summary: After Toddler Day, the twins and Ohtori need to go into town.
Tap, tap, tap Ryou knocked on Ohtori’s door. Next to him, Atsushi was standing, holding the hat that Choutarou wanted to borrow. They were both curious to see why he needed it. Although, after the day they’d all had yesterday, it could be almost anything! Between fingerpaints, all those sweets, the sand and the number of four year olds with superpowers running about...almost anything could have happened. They’d been lucky to get off fairly light. Kabaji however hadn’t, so they were going to town to find something to cheer him up.
Hearing the knock at the door and noting his roommate was not in, Ohtori sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, which had returned to the natural pitch black color he had been born. In the black hair though, where shades of some early greys showing, courtesy of stress and his father. Sighing again, he pulled the hood from his jacket over his head and hurried over to the let the twins in, and of course, quickly get ahold of the hat. The taller boy quickly gestured for them to come inside of the room, his cheeks a bit red. “Thanks for bringing the hat.”
He had his hood up, but both twins were rather good at seeing in low lights. For a moment it was a bit confusing, seeing Ohtori with black hair, but then Atsushi nodded at Ryou and both smiled at their younger friend. “No problem,” Ryou said. “I take it the beauty supply store will be one of our first stops?”
Realizing the jig was up, Ohtori smiled slightly and nodded. “It’s sort of strange, isn’t it? Dyeing your hair. I even keep up on it enough no one ever sees even the roots. But then one day as a kid and all of my dye seemed to fade out.” He lowered the hood to show a full head of dark hair, “I’ve been doing it since I was 13. I think even I forgot what I looked like.”
“It’s not bad,” Atsushi said, reaching up to stroke some of it back behind Choutarou’s ear. “Although, since I am used to seeing you with white hair, this looks quite...odd,” he admitted. “Why did you start, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Ryou reached up and placed the stocking cap on Choutarou’s head. “Come on, we can talk while we walk,” he urged the other two.
Ohtori winced slightly at the touch and laughed quietly, “I guess since you guys caught me I can tell you. My ability....when it started, my uhm hair started greying in places...like an old man’s.” Ohtori pulled some of the hair toward his temples back and showed the twins some of his hair that was prematurely grey. “I started dying it black and stuff...but then my best friend back home dared me to dye it a crazy color, and I have been going with the same dye ever since.” Adjusting the stocking cap, Ohtori grinned and started out the door with his friends in tow.
“Huh. That’s interesting. Is it stress related or due to the pain do you think?” Ryou asked as they headed down the stairs to where the shoe lockers were. “Have you considered any other colors? Not that the silver isn’t nice, mind you. You look quite good in it,” he said with a smile.
“I have no idea, actually. Just...my mutation started to manifest and then within weeks my hair went all funny.” Ohtori shrugged, adjusting the hat again and glancing at the twins. At the strange question, he tilted his head and considered the question. “I haven’t even thought of it.....just the silver and black. Why? Do you think I should try something different?”
Atsushi shrugged. “Not if you don’t want to. You look really good in the silver. But if you were interested in trying something different, now is the time to do so, don’t you think? No one at the school will really care and your parents won’t be seeing you until March, right? You could go blond or red, heck you could try blue, if you wanted.”
“Too bad you aren’t on better terms with Niou,” Ryou said with a sudden laugh. “You could ask him to change into you, then shift hair colors so you could see which one you liked best. But, maybe the beauty supply store has some software we can play with. If you want to, that is. Like Atsushi said, the silver really works for you.”
“It might be fun to try something different....especially since you are right and I would not see my parents again for a few months. Plenty of time to change it.” Ohtori opened the door leading outside of the junior dorms. “Bus or walk?” He started in the general direction of both.
Hearing the name of the other silver haired boy, he frowned faintly, “It’s fine. I am sure he would-” call it another rich boy problem anyway “have better things to do than that....” Adjusting his hat again, he exhaled slightly. “I’ll just have to see what jumps out when I get there.”
“Hopefully nothing,” Atsushi said. “That could be messy.” He laughed, a ‘kss, kss, kss,’ sound that his brother echoed.
“Actually, are you afraid of heights?” asked Ryou, taking one of Ohtori’s arms.
Blinking at the odd joke and the peculiar laugh the twins shared, Ohtori tilted his head and eyed them both a bit skeptically. “Heights? No. I don’t mind them at all.” Really the only thing that freaked him out was being abandoned....and frogs. Especially frogs.
“Good! Let’s fly!” Atsushi said, taking Ohtori’s other arm. Two quick steps and the three of them were airborne. They wouldn’t be able to get all the way to town in one shot, most definitely, but they could get near there in a series of ‘hops.’ The twins liked to practice when no one from town could spot them. Once they got close enough they’d all have to walk, but that was easy for three athletic teens such as themselves.
It took about six short flights and by the last they were getting the hang of the landings again. The first couple were a little rough and not as together as the twins would have liked. But Atsushi let go of Ohtori before their kouhai could be unduly stretched, so it was all good.
“We’ll have to walk from here,” a slightly out of breath Ryou said. “We’re getting better at this, but there’s a strict ‘no using the powers in front of the townsfolk’ policy,” he said with a grin. “So, hair salon or beauty supply shop?” he asked Choutarou.
The flight, well, mini flights were amazing, Ohtori couldn’t help but again envy others for their cooler and more exciting mutations. His own were entirely too practical with no real flash to them. Though, he supposed that would suit his muted personality. Even the rougher landings ended with him laughing, even at one point being dumped into a snowy shrub was still at least something exciting. After the last landing, he dusted some snow off and grinned at the twins. “You guys are amazing!”
Fixing his jacket, he glanced around before leading them into the town, the very picture of normalcy. “...I usually just do it myself...but I guess that depends on if you know a good salon. Besides, I want to make sure we have enough time to get something for poor Kabaji. So...that should probably come first.” He blushed a bit, “and then, since you guys took care of transportation, I can treat for dinner.”
“We were thinking of some nice hot muscle packs and some pizza for Kabaji, actually. The hot packs we can pick up first, but the pizza, perhaps one we can bake back at school, might be better to pick up just before heading back,” Ryou said. “Although, placing our order now would make it faster later.”
“As for dinner, you can’t afford to treat us,” Atsushi said with a grin. “We eat a lot more than you’d think. But you can pick up the drinks, how’s that?” he offered. “As for if we know a salon? Honey, please,” he stroked his hair, root to tip, “we totally know the best one in town!”
“I don’t mind. Besides, he and I had 3 pizzas on our da-” his cheeks flushed again, recalling Kabaji did not seem to be embarrassed about talking about future dates on the journals, “date. And ice cream. So I don’t really mind.” A nod, “but we should make sure to place the order early.” How much could the twins possibly eat? He then considered his own thin frame and fast metabolism and smiled.
“...honey?”
“It’s a quote from an American movie,” Ryou said. “Atsushi doesn’t look like the type, does he? Now me, you expect such things from,” he added with a grin. He completely ignored the fact that he and his brother looked identical. “So, you and Kabaji-kun went on a date, huh? Nice...going to have another soon?” he asked, his face showing his excitement as he steered them toward the pizza parlor.
“The two of you had three?” Atsushi asked. “We’d better get him that many then. If he’s sore, he’ll want a little extra. What toppings does he like?” he asked Choutarou. “What are you two planning for your next date, hm?” He was so excited for his friends. He thought they were just too adorable together.
“....Ah...I’m afraid I don’t know that movie. I don’t get to watch a lot of movies, actually. I am usually busy....or was....at home. You know, clubs, friends, after school activities, tending to things while my parents were away.” Ohtori shrugged slightly before blushing and nodding in response to the question. “Yeah- uhm....we’ve kind of spent some time together since. Just dinner....nothing too elaborate.” Not that he had a basis for judgment on dates as he was still sort of new to all forms of relationships- and most were strictly sexual. “He liked everything.” A pause, “except anchovies. And the breadsticks....he liked those.” It actually felt good to talk about this with someone openly, even if it was someone he sometimes slept with and his twin. “He invited me to watch movies with him in the rec room soon.”
“Oh?” Atsushi put his arm around Choutarou. “Movies in the rec room, huh? That’s promising!” He gave his friend a look. “You are both quite shy. Don’t make him do all the moves, okay? And if he does make one, feel free to respond. If you’re feeling it, of course,” he amended. Just because he and Ryou thought they’d be adorable together didn’t necessarily mean that they would eventually pair up.
Ryou opened the door to the pizza parlor and got the attention of one of the wait staff. “We’d like to order something to go,” he told her. After a few moments, she came up with her order book and bowed before taking his order. “Three large pizzas, the combination style, please. That does not include anchovies, correct? Good. And...two orders of breadsticks. We’ll be back in about two hours to pick them up,” he said as he took out his wallet.
Blushing at the one armed hug, he laughed a bit. “I’m not as shy as he is....I just don’t want to come off as pushy or anything either.” Though he was shy, and really he was letting Kabaji make decisions on what he was ready for, for the most part. “I’m sort of moving at his pace. I’ve never really dated or anything like that before....just uhm....the normal stuff.” The normal stuff being all of the little trysts he found himself in.
While he wanted to pay for the pizzas this was the twin’s gift to Kabaji, so he hung back a bit and kept his mouth shut, with the exception of handing over a discount coupon from their large order the last time. That was technically not paying. He would still get the drinks, of course.
Atsushi tapped Ryou on the shoulder. “What are we getting to eat? You have a hungry brother and kouhai with you, you know.”
Shrugging, Ryou looked over that shoulder while he waited for his change. “I figured we’d get something after we go to the beauty parlor. What are you in the mood for, Choutarou-kun? We could grab some more pizzas and eat with Kabaji, if you prefer,” he offered with a little smile.
“It doesn’t matter to me.....I can go for anything. I just wanted to get my hair fixed, and I think I’ll get some snacks for my next date with him....” Ohtori mumbled softly, looking around outside through a large window. He could see a few restaurants along the street surrounding them...”We can just see what sounds good out there....”
“All right,” Ryou said with a nod. “Salon next, see if we can get you in, then food. Depending on how long the wait time is, we might get it to go and eat it outside the beauty parlor.” He thanked the waitress again, making sure she had his phone number, and then followed the other two out.
“Well, the salon is over that way,” Atsushi said with a nod. “Come on, Ohtori, need to get you back into your fighting colors!” He grinned at his kouhai and pulled him along.
Being dragged along, he couldn't help laughing a bit. "You know I am no fighter...." he studied the shop for a while before heading inside, learning they had an opening right then. He began looking through some books thoughtfully, "just a color or do you think I am due for a trim?"
“It’s up to you,” Ryou said, putting a hand up to prevent his brother from offering his advice. “If you are looking for something different, perhaps a slightly fresher style or maybe tweak the shade a bit? You are definitely adorable, have no fear of that. Best person to talk to would be the stylist. See what they think will flatter your face and give you the proper air.” He pulled Atsushi into a seat and smiled at Ohtori.
“Would it be lame to say that maybe I hope Kabaji will like whatever it is?” Ohtori mumbled, more for himself, ignoring for the moment his companions had cat ears and could likely hear just as well if not better than most cats. Blushing darkly at both his own question and also being called adorable, he walked over to the stylist, who in the end talked him into going with a brighter silver than his normally more muted tone, this one bordering on blonde in the right light. The cut would be a bit shorter too, adding an edge to his look. He smiled nervously to his friends as he was directed to the chair. “You guys don’t have to wait around for me if you don’t want to....if you’re hungry...or anything....”
“And miss your transformation? Don’t be silly,” Atsushi said. “We’re just along to keep you company and help you in your hour of need,” he added virtuously. More honestly, they wanted to be there to bolster him as he looked rather nervous.
“Kabaji-kun will definitely like it,” Ryou assured Ohtori. “Because it will be on your head and he likes you. Trust me, if he liked you covered in snow and blood after your little accident, this won’t even faze him.” He grinned at the stylist’s raised eyebrows. “Oh, he’s feeling much better now, don’t worry.”
“Besides, we can’t eat without you, you’re buying the drinks,” Atsushi pointed out.
“I’m sure it won’t be anything that dramatic-” Ohtori mumbled softly as the stylist returned and began covering strands of black hair with a soft purple looking gel applied by a small paintbrush of sorts.
Looking up at the stylist, he offered a coy sort of smile. “I have some pretty rough luck, but at least I heal fast.” Faster than any human, he shot an amused look to the twins as his hair began to be covered with tin foil. “...He says he likes me...but I don’t get why. I mean by now he has to have heard something about me that should tell him to keep his distance.” If Niou knew about Sakaki and Kite, who else knew, afterall?
“Start thinking of what sounds good for dinner then.” He felt a large dome be placed over his head, blowing heat down on the foil wrapped hair.
“Let’s see, you’re nice, you talk to him, you have a lovely smile, you are witty in a very quiet and understated way, and you’re cute, what’s not to like,” Atsushi asked, ticking each point off on his fingers. “Even if he has heard the rumors, that doesn’t mean they will change the way he thinks of you. You have a kind and generous heart and all you want is someone to love and to love you. Kaba-chan is totally the type of guy who goes for that. Plus, you’re tall enough that he’s not going to get a permanent crick in his neck looking at you.”
“Never underestimate the power of an uncricked neck,” Ryou said, nodding seriously. “If you are worried about it, you could ask...wait, you’re just as shy as he is. We could cautiously probe to see if he has heard anything and if so, what his opinion on the subject is. It might be a good idea to talk to him about it sometime soon, however, so that he doesn’t form the wrong impression,” he advised. “And for dinner, we were thinking of that curry place down the street. What do you think?”
“It is sort of nice not having to look down so much...especially for kisses.” Ohtori admitted, quietly, watching the stylist rooting through books for a new cut for his hair, ”...I guess if you guys could find out if he had heard anything....I just...haven’t quite thought of a way to come clean with the whole thing....” DInner was a much more comfortable subject in his mind anyway. “I could go for curry. It would be nice on a cold night like this. And there is always a lot!”
“We’ll inquire for you,” Atsushi said, smiling at Choutarou. “You know, subtly, as we are.” He thought a moment, tipping his head back and tapping a finger against his lips. “No, better yet, let’s be more subtle than that, Ryou-nii!” he said with a laugh as he looked at his brother. “We’ve been a bit obvious of late, can’t have that!”
“Indeed not,” Ryou agreed. “That’s settled then, curry for dinner and a nice subtlety for dessert,” he said with a grin to match his twin’s.
“...a bit...” Ohtori mumbled softly, laughing a bit as the twins exchanged an odd grin, one that made him worry about the outcome of their spy mission with Kabaji. But, they meant well. And they were his friends, so he had to trust them at least a bit. “Tell you what. You guys supply the subtlety and I will order us some cake or something to follow the curry. Sound good?” He winced as the stylist returned and checked the foils before lugging him off to have his hair washed.
The twins did a little plotting while they waited for Choutarou to finished being processed. Even from their vantage point his hair looked better than it had before. The advantage of going to a professional rather than doing it oneself, for certain. They managed to look almost innocent when the other boy returned to the styling chair, however, smiling sweetly at him. “We want cheesecake with strawberries,” they told him in unison.
He didn’t like that overly sweet smile, or the unison talk. They were up to something. Ohtori just knew it. Coming back to the chair, the stylist removed the towel and began chopping off bits of hair, going for something a bit daring for the teen. “Okay. So curry and cheesecake...” He raised a brow, looking at Atsushi briefly. “What are you guys thinking about?” He had learned to recognize that look on the older boy’s face from their occasional trysts.
Telling Choutarou that they were totally matchmaking might scare him off, so they modulated their innocent look as best they could to look more natural. “Actually,” Ryou said, “we were just discussing some plans to help Kin-chan in his current project.”
Atsushi nodded. “He’s been trying very hard to find some tigers that he thinks are living on the property. I guess there were tiger cubs present at the...you know,” he said, referring to Toddler Day, “and now he is more fired up than ever.”
Ohtori did not entirely believe them, but decided to let the issue drop for the moment, sure he could get an answer out of Atsushi later on if he tried hard enough. After a few moments, he was finally freed from the chair to go and pay. His new cut a bit shorter than normal, and his color much brighter. “How’s it look, sempais?” He paid the stylist and picked up a new shampoo as well before tugging on his jacket.
Ryou took Choutarou’s left arm and Atsushi took his right. “You are totally styling,” they both told him as they escorted him from the salon. “You look amazing,” Atsushi continued, smiling happily up at his friend. If it weren’t in the middle of town he would have dragged that bright head down for a kiss, in fact.
“Food next,” Ryou said, tugging Choutarou and thus Atsushi along. “You are going to get a lot of admiring looks,” he warned his kouhai, grinning at him. “The new haircut and color is a very flattering look for you.”
“Okay....as long as it isn’t too crazy.” Ohtori mumbled, smiling a bit, even if the attention the others gave him was embarrassing. And it was likely to draw more attention to them still. He froze a moment to make sure the black feather clip was safe inside of his pocket so he could put it back on later. It was strange not having it on, it had become almost a part of him. “So curry and cheesecake, then pick up Muneh- Kabaji’s pizzas and head back?”
“Sounds like a plan!” the twins agreed together. This outing had been a wonderful idea. It was important to spend quality time with friends, after all.
Location: Town
Time: Sunday, January 6
Rating: PG-15
Summary: After Toddler Day, the twins and Ohtori need to go into town.
Tap, tap, tap Ryou knocked on Ohtori’s door. Next to him, Atsushi was standing, holding the hat that Choutarou wanted to borrow. They were both curious to see why he needed it. Although, after the day they’d all had yesterday, it could be almost anything! Between fingerpaints, all those sweets, the sand and the number of four year olds with superpowers running about...almost anything could have happened. They’d been lucky to get off fairly light. Kabaji however hadn’t, so they were going to town to find something to cheer him up.
Hearing the knock at the door and noting his roommate was not in, Ohtori sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, which had returned to the natural pitch black color he had been born. In the black hair though, where shades of some early greys showing, courtesy of stress and his father. Sighing again, he pulled the hood from his jacket over his head and hurried over to the let the twins in, and of course, quickly get ahold of the hat. The taller boy quickly gestured for them to come inside of the room, his cheeks a bit red. “Thanks for bringing the hat.”
He had his hood up, but both twins were rather good at seeing in low lights. For a moment it was a bit confusing, seeing Ohtori with black hair, but then Atsushi nodded at Ryou and both smiled at their younger friend. “No problem,” Ryou said. “I take it the beauty supply store will be one of our first stops?”
Realizing the jig was up, Ohtori smiled slightly and nodded. “It’s sort of strange, isn’t it? Dyeing your hair. I even keep up on it enough no one ever sees even the roots. But then one day as a kid and all of my dye seemed to fade out.” He lowered the hood to show a full head of dark hair, “I’ve been doing it since I was 13. I think even I forgot what I looked like.”
“It’s not bad,” Atsushi said, reaching up to stroke some of it back behind Choutarou’s ear. “Although, since I am used to seeing you with white hair, this looks quite...odd,” he admitted. “Why did you start, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Ryou reached up and placed the stocking cap on Choutarou’s head. “Come on, we can talk while we walk,” he urged the other two.
Ohtori winced slightly at the touch and laughed quietly, “I guess since you guys caught me I can tell you. My ability....when it started, my uhm hair started greying in places...like an old man’s.” Ohtori pulled some of the hair toward his temples back and showed the twins some of his hair that was prematurely grey. “I started dying it black and stuff...but then my best friend back home dared me to dye it a crazy color, and I have been going with the same dye ever since.” Adjusting the stocking cap, Ohtori grinned and started out the door with his friends in tow.
“Huh. That’s interesting. Is it stress related or due to the pain do you think?” Ryou asked as they headed down the stairs to where the shoe lockers were. “Have you considered any other colors? Not that the silver isn’t nice, mind you. You look quite good in it,” he said with a smile.
“I have no idea, actually. Just...my mutation started to manifest and then within weeks my hair went all funny.” Ohtori shrugged, adjusting the hat again and glancing at the twins. At the strange question, he tilted his head and considered the question. “I haven’t even thought of it.....just the silver and black. Why? Do you think I should try something different?”
Atsushi shrugged. “Not if you don’t want to. You look really good in the silver. But if you were interested in trying something different, now is the time to do so, don’t you think? No one at the school will really care and your parents won’t be seeing you until March, right? You could go blond or red, heck you could try blue, if you wanted.”
“Too bad you aren’t on better terms with Niou,” Ryou said with a sudden laugh. “You could ask him to change into you, then shift hair colors so you could see which one you liked best. But, maybe the beauty supply store has some software we can play with. If you want to, that is. Like Atsushi said, the silver really works for you.”
“It might be fun to try something different....especially since you are right and I would not see my parents again for a few months. Plenty of time to change it.” Ohtori opened the door leading outside of the junior dorms. “Bus or walk?” He started in the general direction of both.
Hearing the name of the other silver haired boy, he frowned faintly, “It’s fine. I am sure he would-” call it another rich boy problem anyway “have better things to do than that....” Adjusting his hat again, he exhaled slightly. “I’ll just have to see what jumps out when I get there.”
“Hopefully nothing,” Atsushi said. “That could be messy.” He laughed, a ‘kss, kss, kss,’ sound that his brother echoed.
“Actually, are you afraid of heights?” asked Ryou, taking one of Ohtori’s arms.
Blinking at the odd joke and the peculiar laugh the twins shared, Ohtori tilted his head and eyed them both a bit skeptically. “Heights? No. I don’t mind them at all.” Really the only thing that freaked him out was being abandoned....and frogs. Especially frogs.
“Good! Let’s fly!” Atsushi said, taking Ohtori’s other arm. Two quick steps and the three of them were airborne. They wouldn’t be able to get all the way to town in one shot, most definitely, but they could get near there in a series of ‘hops.’ The twins liked to practice when no one from town could spot them. Once they got close enough they’d all have to walk, but that was easy for three athletic teens such as themselves.
It took about six short flights and by the last they were getting the hang of the landings again. The first couple were a little rough and not as together as the twins would have liked. But Atsushi let go of Ohtori before their kouhai could be unduly stretched, so it was all good.
“We’ll have to walk from here,” a slightly out of breath Ryou said. “We’re getting better at this, but there’s a strict ‘no using the powers in front of the townsfolk’ policy,” he said with a grin. “So, hair salon or beauty supply shop?” he asked Choutarou.
The flight, well, mini flights were amazing, Ohtori couldn’t help but again envy others for their cooler and more exciting mutations. His own were entirely too practical with no real flash to them. Though, he supposed that would suit his muted personality. Even the rougher landings ended with him laughing, even at one point being dumped into a snowy shrub was still at least something exciting. After the last landing, he dusted some snow off and grinned at the twins. “You guys are amazing!”
Fixing his jacket, he glanced around before leading them into the town, the very picture of normalcy. “...I usually just do it myself...but I guess that depends on if you know a good salon. Besides, I want to make sure we have enough time to get something for poor Kabaji. So...that should probably come first.” He blushed a bit, “and then, since you guys took care of transportation, I can treat for dinner.”
“We were thinking of some nice hot muscle packs and some pizza for Kabaji, actually. The hot packs we can pick up first, but the pizza, perhaps one we can bake back at school, might be better to pick up just before heading back,” Ryou said. “Although, placing our order now would make it faster later.”
“As for dinner, you can’t afford to treat us,” Atsushi said with a grin. “We eat a lot more than you’d think. But you can pick up the drinks, how’s that?” he offered. “As for if we know a salon? Honey, please,” he stroked his hair, root to tip, “we totally know the best one in town!”
“I don’t mind. Besides, he and I had 3 pizzas on our da-” his cheeks flushed again, recalling Kabaji did not seem to be embarrassed about talking about future dates on the journals, “date. And ice cream. So I don’t really mind.” A nod, “but we should make sure to place the order early.” How much could the twins possibly eat? He then considered his own thin frame and fast metabolism and smiled.
“...honey?”
“It’s a quote from an American movie,” Ryou said. “Atsushi doesn’t look like the type, does he? Now me, you expect such things from,” he added with a grin. He completely ignored the fact that he and his brother looked identical. “So, you and Kabaji-kun went on a date, huh? Nice...going to have another soon?” he asked, his face showing his excitement as he steered them toward the pizza parlor.
“The two of you had three?” Atsushi asked. “We’d better get him that many then. If he’s sore, he’ll want a little extra. What toppings does he like?” he asked Choutarou. “What are you two planning for your next date, hm?” He was so excited for his friends. He thought they were just too adorable together.
“....Ah...I’m afraid I don’t know that movie. I don’t get to watch a lot of movies, actually. I am usually busy....or was....at home. You know, clubs, friends, after school activities, tending to things while my parents were away.” Ohtori shrugged slightly before blushing and nodding in response to the question. “Yeah- uhm....we’ve kind of spent some time together since. Just dinner....nothing too elaborate.” Not that he had a basis for judgment on dates as he was still sort of new to all forms of relationships- and most were strictly sexual. “He liked everything.” A pause, “except anchovies. And the breadsticks....he liked those.” It actually felt good to talk about this with someone openly, even if it was someone he sometimes slept with and his twin. “He invited me to watch movies with him in the rec room soon.”
“Oh?” Atsushi put his arm around Choutarou. “Movies in the rec room, huh? That’s promising!” He gave his friend a look. “You are both quite shy. Don’t make him do all the moves, okay? And if he does make one, feel free to respond. If you’re feeling it, of course,” he amended. Just because he and Ryou thought they’d be adorable together didn’t necessarily mean that they would eventually pair up.
Ryou opened the door to the pizza parlor and got the attention of one of the wait staff. “We’d like to order something to go,” he told her. After a few moments, she came up with her order book and bowed before taking his order. “Three large pizzas, the combination style, please. That does not include anchovies, correct? Good. And...two orders of breadsticks. We’ll be back in about two hours to pick them up,” he said as he took out his wallet.
Blushing at the one armed hug, he laughed a bit. “I’m not as shy as he is....I just don’t want to come off as pushy or anything either.” Though he was shy, and really he was letting Kabaji make decisions on what he was ready for, for the most part. “I’m sort of moving at his pace. I’ve never really dated or anything like that before....just uhm....the normal stuff.” The normal stuff being all of the little trysts he found himself in.
While he wanted to pay for the pizzas this was the twin’s gift to Kabaji, so he hung back a bit and kept his mouth shut, with the exception of handing over a discount coupon from their large order the last time. That was technically not paying. He would still get the drinks, of course.
Atsushi tapped Ryou on the shoulder. “What are we getting to eat? You have a hungry brother and kouhai with you, you know.”
Shrugging, Ryou looked over that shoulder while he waited for his change. “I figured we’d get something after we go to the beauty parlor. What are you in the mood for, Choutarou-kun? We could grab some more pizzas and eat with Kabaji, if you prefer,” he offered with a little smile.
“It doesn’t matter to me.....I can go for anything. I just wanted to get my hair fixed, and I think I’ll get some snacks for my next date with him....” Ohtori mumbled softly, looking around outside through a large window. He could see a few restaurants along the street surrounding them...”We can just see what sounds good out there....”
“All right,” Ryou said with a nod. “Salon next, see if we can get you in, then food. Depending on how long the wait time is, we might get it to go and eat it outside the beauty parlor.” He thanked the waitress again, making sure she had his phone number, and then followed the other two out.
“Well, the salon is over that way,” Atsushi said with a nod. “Come on, Ohtori, need to get you back into your fighting colors!” He grinned at his kouhai and pulled him along.
Being dragged along, he couldn't help laughing a bit. "You know I am no fighter...." he studied the shop for a while before heading inside, learning they had an opening right then. He began looking through some books thoughtfully, "just a color or do you think I am due for a trim?"
“It’s up to you,” Ryou said, putting a hand up to prevent his brother from offering his advice. “If you are looking for something different, perhaps a slightly fresher style or maybe tweak the shade a bit? You are definitely adorable, have no fear of that. Best person to talk to would be the stylist. See what they think will flatter your face and give you the proper air.” He pulled Atsushi into a seat and smiled at Ohtori.
“Would it be lame to say that maybe I hope Kabaji will like whatever it is?” Ohtori mumbled, more for himself, ignoring for the moment his companions had cat ears and could likely hear just as well if not better than most cats. Blushing darkly at both his own question and also being called adorable, he walked over to the stylist, who in the end talked him into going with a brighter silver than his normally more muted tone, this one bordering on blonde in the right light. The cut would be a bit shorter too, adding an edge to his look. He smiled nervously to his friends as he was directed to the chair. “You guys don’t have to wait around for me if you don’t want to....if you’re hungry...or anything....”
“And miss your transformation? Don’t be silly,” Atsushi said. “We’re just along to keep you company and help you in your hour of need,” he added virtuously. More honestly, they wanted to be there to bolster him as he looked rather nervous.
“Kabaji-kun will definitely like it,” Ryou assured Ohtori. “Because it will be on your head and he likes you. Trust me, if he liked you covered in snow and blood after your little accident, this won’t even faze him.” He grinned at the stylist’s raised eyebrows. “Oh, he’s feeling much better now, don’t worry.”
“Besides, we can’t eat without you, you’re buying the drinks,” Atsushi pointed out.
“I’m sure it won’t be anything that dramatic-” Ohtori mumbled softly as the stylist returned and began covering strands of black hair with a soft purple looking gel applied by a small paintbrush of sorts.
Looking up at the stylist, he offered a coy sort of smile. “I have some pretty rough luck, but at least I heal fast.” Faster than any human, he shot an amused look to the twins as his hair began to be covered with tin foil. “...He says he likes me...but I don’t get why. I mean by now he has to have heard something about me that should tell him to keep his distance.” If Niou knew about Sakaki and Kite, who else knew, afterall?
“Start thinking of what sounds good for dinner then.” He felt a large dome be placed over his head, blowing heat down on the foil wrapped hair.
“Let’s see, you’re nice, you talk to him, you have a lovely smile, you are witty in a very quiet and understated way, and you’re cute, what’s not to like,” Atsushi asked, ticking each point off on his fingers. “Even if he has heard the rumors, that doesn’t mean they will change the way he thinks of you. You have a kind and generous heart and all you want is someone to love and to love you. Kaba-chan is totally the type of guy who goes for that. Plus, you’re tall enough that he’s not going to get a permanent crick in his neck looking at you.”
“Never underestimate the power of an uncricked neck,” Ryou said, nodding seriously. “If you are worried about it, you could ask...wait, you’re just as shy as he is. We could cautiously probe to see if he has heard anything and if so, what his opinion on the subject is. It might be a good idea to talk to him about it sometime soon, however, so that he doesn’t form the wrong impression,” he advised. “And for dinner, we were thinking of that curry place down the street. What do you think?”
“It is sort of nice not having to look down so much...especially for kisses.” Ohtori admitted, quietly, watching the stylist rooting through books for a new cut for his hair, ”...I guess if you guys could find out if he had heard anything....I just...haven’t quite thought of a way to come clean with the whole thing....” DInner was a much more comfortable subject in his mind anyway. “I could go for curry. It would be nice on a cold night like this. And there is always a lot!”
“We’ll inquire for you,” Atsushi said, smiling at Choutarou. “You know, subtly, as we are.” He thought a moment, tipping his head back and tapping a finger against his lips. “No, better yet, let’s be more subtle than that, Ryou-nii!” he said with a laugh as he looked at his brother. “We’ve been a bit obvious of late, can’t have that!”
“Indeed not,” Ryou agreed. “That’s settled then, curry for dinner and a nice subtlety for dessert,” he said with a grin to match his twin’s.
“...a bit...” Ohtori mumbled softly, laughing a bit as the twins exchanged an odd grin, one that made him worry about the outcome of their spy mission with Kabaji. But, they meant well. And they were his friends, so he had to trust them at least a bit. “Tell you what. You guys supply the subtlety and I will order us some cake or something to follow the curry. Sound good?” He winced as the stylist returned and checked the foils before lugging him off to have his hair washed.
The twins did a little plotting while they waited for Choutarou to finished being processed. Even from their vantage point his hair looked better than it had before. The advantage of going to a professional rather than doing it oneself, for certain. They managed to look almost innocent when the other boy returned to the styling chair, however, smiling sweetly at him. “We want cheesecake with strawberries,” they told him in unison.
He didn’t like that overly sweet smile, or the unison talk. They were up to something. Ohtori just knew it. Coming back to the chair, the stylist removed the towel and began chopping off bits of hair, going for something a bit daring for the teen. “Okay. So curry and cheesecake...” He raised a brow, looking at Atsushi briefly. “What are you guys thinking about?” He had learned to recognize that look on the older boy’s face from their occasional trysts.
Telling Choutarou that they were totally matchmaking might scare him off, so they modulated their innocent look as best they could to look more natural. “Actually,” Ryou said, “we were just discussing some plans to help Kin-chan in his current project.”
Atsushi nodded. “He’s been trying very hard to find some tigers that he thinks are living on the property. I guess there were tiger cubs present at the...you know,” he said, referring to Toddler Day, “and now he is more fired up than ever.”
Ohtori did not entirely believe them, but decided to let the issue drop for the moment, sure he could get an answer out of Atsushi later on if he tried hard enough. After a few moments, he was finally freed from the chair to go and pay. His new cut a bit shorter than normal, and his color much brighter. “How’s it look, sempais?” He paid the stylist and picked up a new shampoo as well before tugging on his jacket.
Ryou took Choutarou’s left arm and Atsushi took his right. “You are totally styling,” they both told him as they escorted him from the salon. “You look amazing,” Atsushi continued, smiling happily up at his friend. If it weren’t in the middle of town he would have dragged that bright head down for a kiss, in fact.
“Food next,” Ryou said, tugging Choutarou and thus Atsushi along. “You are going to get a lot of admiring looks,” he warned his kouhai, grinning at him. “The new haircut and color is a very flattering look for you.”
“Okay....as long as it isn’t too crazy.” Ohtori mumbled, smiling a bit, even if the attention the others gave him was embarrassing. And it was likely to draw more attention to them still. He froze a moment to make sure the black feather clip was safe inside of his pocket so he could put it back on later. It was strange not having it on, it had become almost a part of him. “So curry and cheesecake, then pick up Muneh- Kabaji’s pizzas and head back?”
“Sounds like a plan!” the twins agreed together. This outing had been a wonderful idea. It was important to spend quality time with friends, after all.