PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on May 16, 2020 14:23:24 GMT
The Sports Festival had been, in Hyousuke's eyes, an unmitigated disaster. While casual observers would have disputed this - citing the fact that he'd made it to the top sixteen, out of God only knew how many other students, he would counter by saying that it was only the luck of the draw that got him through the first two rounds. He was, after all, not particularly strong, powerful, or smart. There were those that were far more capable than him, and they'd fallen by the wayside, while he'd somehow managed to stumble his way through into the final few rounds of the tournament.
As he lay there on his bed, thinking about his mistakes, he peered briefly at his hands. They weren't nearly as injured as they could have been, of course. The school's medical team had seen to that. But he'd been throwing himself against Ryu - it was like punching a brick wall, over and over again. The skin on his knuckles had been shredded, and the bones themselves fractured over and over again. The fact that he was able to heal fully at all hadn't been a sure thing, let alone doing so in any small length of time.
He lay them back down gently, and returned his gaze to the ceiling, the midday light shut out by his curtains, leaving only a dim glow to illuminate the room while he pondered what he was supposed to do with himself. He didn't belong on the hero course - he knew that much. To be lagging behind in grades so badly, and to then just be tossed out of the ring like he was a ragdoll that wasn't needed any longer... It wounded more than just his body. His pride lay in tatters around him, left shattered by a display broadcasted to the entire nation.
On some level, he though he was supposed to cry. But he suppressed it - he wanted to be left with at least some dignity, even if nobody was watching.
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PLAYED BY socks
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Post by aki li on May 19, 2020 17:36:17 GMT
It made for an interesting picture: A well-dressed young man cradling a two-liter bottle of orange juice gingerly in one arm like beloved infant, and tapping idly at a phone with the other, while leaning against the wall of the 1-A dormitory building.
There wasn't much to it. He had been craving orange juice for a while, once he had finally gotten over the trauma of bargain bin Orange Drink. And, as with all adolescents with an excess of pocket money and a deficit in impulse control, he had placed an order for a few bottles earlier in the week. Good, freshly-squeezed and organic orange juice, from an independent family-owned farm. He had arranged for his order to arrive in the afternoon, in the rare pocket of free time he had between homework and his supplementary lessons.
Three of the four bottles sat in a mini-fridge under his desk; the fourth, he held loosely against his torso, swaddled in a tote-bag. There really wasn't much to it. Aki was a man of honour and good breeding, and happened to remember the Orange Drink Ordeal he had shared with Hyousuke. It was concern for Hyousuke's nutritional health that brought Aki to 1-A's doorstep, especially now that the Sports Festival hoo-ha was over -- he had to check that the hero students weren't slacking off. Making sure that the future saviors of the city didn't die of scurvy was a civic duty.
He punched out the last of his text:
Your order of EHIME MATSUKAWA FARM-FRESH ORANGE JUICE has arrived. Please proceed to the front door to collect your order.
-- and hit send.
If Hyousuke wasn't in, then, well, he could always leave it at the front door; a first-come, first-serve free-for-all for orange juice. Still -- Aki adjusted his grip, hitching the bottle higher up against his chest -- he could afford to wait, just a bit.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on May 24, 2020 4:33:30 GMT
That ever-familiar tone chimed out into the room, and Hyousuke rose lazily to search for his phone. After grabbing it from the dresser, he opened the message, and stared blankly at it as he briefly considered calling his bank. It took him a moment to register quite who it was from, but it didn't clear up any questions he had - in fact, it only raised further ones, and he wasn't entirely certain how many of them were going to be answered. Nevertheless, he hauled himself to his feet and strode towards the door, opening it slowly to meet Aki, a smile plastered across his face.
It was at least partially genuine - Aki was one of the few people he knew that even resembled something approaching a friend - but it was mostly an act. He had to hide his feelings, and bury them deep so as to keep anyone else from seeing how weak he truly was. As much as he was sure that the illusion had been shattered by his disgraceful display at the Sports Festival, some modicum of pride still existed within him, and it demanded that he maintain a facade. It didn't matter if it was killing him that he couldn't be honest with anyone. To him, his pride was what mattered most.
"Aki?" He said, perplexed as to what they were doing at his room, of all places. "What are you-" He spied the juice in Aki's hands, and figuring he'd want to put them down somewhere first, cut himself off and stood to one side. "Never mind. Come in, take a seat." The room wasn't anything to look at. A few clothes strewn here and there as well as a few posters of the top ten heroes were about as much as the room had in the way of decoration. Apart from that, everything from the covers on the bed to the laptop sitting on his desk was fairly plain and utilitarian.
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PLAYED BY socks
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Post by aki li on Jul 16, 2020 17:18:54 GMT
His arms look better. Somewhere between the Sports Festival and Aki's unplanned jaunt to his room, the school nurse had put Hyousuke back together nice and neat, and made it look like he hadn't stepped out a meat grinder. The first-class medical attention only a top-class hero institution could provide, following the first-class public battering only a top-class hero school would permit. The thought left a sour taste in Aki's mouth; he envisioned himself sipping Orange Drink, and quashed it back down.
"It's very nice to see you, too," Aki greeted, toeing his shoes off and lining them neatly up at the entryway.
He slid past Hyousuke with confident, peppy gait of someone who didn't just show up unannounced, and perched himself gingerly in the chair by Hyousuke's desk, balancing the bottle of orange juice on his thighs as he swivelled in place, looking around. As far as he could tell, their rooms were the same size -- the uniform square footage of all dorm rooms in the school -- but the sparse furnishing of Hyousuke's made his seem a little wider. Practical and plain, form over function, with the charming statement accents of rumpled clothes strewn around the room.
He tipped his head in the direction of one -- it may have been a shirt, or a large, crumpled handkerchief. "What elegant taste in décor. Floor wardrobe, or a conversation piece?"
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Jul 18, 2020 20:02:44 GMT
"It's postmodern." He replied idly, making his way over to the bed so he could haul himself up onto its crumpled sheets. "A commentary on the duality of man." He only hoped that Aki didn't follow up on that wry response, as out of every word in that sentence, he didn't know the meanings of any of the important ones. Either way, it still left him with a question that he'd not gotten an answer to before the two of them had gotten settled. "Since I'm guessing you didn't come here to grill me on my choice of decor, I have to ask - what're you actually doing here?"
Dense as he was, it hadn't clicked that Aki might have brought the juice to share. As far as he was aware, that carton was just something that rich people got as part of their groceries, and had been summarily ignored, save for a few wayward glances. Even then, it wasn't out of desire to drink it as much as it was him just being curious about what the packaging said. "If you wanted me to talk to one of my classmates about a sponsorship, you'd probably be better off talking to them about it yourself. I'd put money on there being others going for it too though, so you'd better get a move on."
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Post by aki li on Sept 10, 2020 15:48:23 GMT
"Why, I wouldn't be so lacking in decorum as to force you to be my middleman." He turned his attention away from the crumpled heap, artfully postmodernist as it was, and back to Hyousuke, scuffing his socked heels against the floor as he shifted in his seat. "Though, I wouldn't complain if you'd like to put in a good word or two with your classmates."
Moves were well into their way of being made. He'd sent his recommendations for sponsorships to Freebird's business development team, complete with spreadsheets, notes and carefully-spliced video compilations; the final call was theirs to make, even if the gilded envelope was his to deliver.
The more pressing issue, which he had any measure of influence over, was:
"I believe I made my intentions abundantly clear." He hefted the bottle of orange juice up with one hand, fingers gripped around the neck of the bottle. With the other, he gestured at the label, fingernails rapping against the side of the plastic. "Orange juice delivery. Not freshly-squeezed from my personal orchard, unfortunately, but getting it hand-delivered by me should be a close second."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Sept 11, 2020 17:20:12 GMT
Truth be told, Hyousuke wouldn't have been opposed to putting in a word for Aki - considering that he was really the only person Hyousuke thought he'd built much of a rapport with at that point, he figured that recommending Aki to some classmates in need of a sponsor was the least that could be done to repay him for putting up with him. But that was only going to happen if he found anyone that actually had need for Aki - for the time being, it'd just have to be banter between them, with Hyousuke offering a wry smile back.
When Aki presented the bottle of juice to him - actual, real juice, instead of some acidic approximation of the product with a neon tint - Hyousuke couldn't help but smile a little more warmly. Having someone think about him enough to actually present a gift like that to him drew out a reaction that he just couldn't seem to suppress. "I think I'll be able to settle for it." He said back, eyeing the bottle over to see just what it was he was working with there. "Having you here's enough for me."
Hyousuke had replied completely in earnest, and was utterly unaware of any other meaning that could be derived from his words. Aki was about the closest thing he had to a friend - all he'd meant was that having the company of someone he was friendly with was a far better gift than a bottle of squeezed citrus.
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Post by aki li on Sept 15, 2020 16:47:23 GMT
"My exclusive company is hardly just settling," Aki said — lightly, a lilt to his tone, even as he felt his stomach flip. People professed pleasure in his company often, in the rote song-and-dance of most professional business meetings; it wasn't often, though, that he heard it said without any guile or pretense. His insides warmed. He added, in a softer tone, eyes flitting back to the heap on the floor, sincerity rusty and unweldy from disuse. "But, you're not so bad yourself."
And, in the next breath after his statement — barely giving Hyousuke any time to respond — he leant forward, holding the bottle up to Hyousuke's face, just shy of shoving the side of it into Hyousuke's nose. "Now, take it. It's yours." He shook the bottle, insistent. "Do you usually keep your deliverymen waiting like this? My wrist is tired."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Sept 15, 2020 18:46:56 GMT
While Aki had been repeatedly exposed to hollow compliments, even those were a rare treat for Hyousuke. So even that quiet little quip was enough to give him pause, and warm him a little. He didn't quite believe it - not after proving himself such a failure on national television - but he had to take what happiness he could, and cling to it like his life depended on it. Though his lips didn't even move to reply, the faint twinkle that lit up his eyes was enough to show that he did truly appreciate Aki saying so, even if it was just banter between him and the closest thing he had to a friend.
Before he could bring himself to offer a verbal response, however, the bottle was thrust in front of him, and he took it after a moment of gathering his senses. "Well, excuse me, your highness." He said back, lips in a wry smile while his tone took turned light and playful. "Perhaps you'd like me to kiss it better? Or would you prefer I just hold your hand until it feels better?"
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Post by aki li on Feb 1, 2021 16:55:20 GMT
Despite all evidence to the contrary, Aki wasn’t immune to anxiety — he had simply gotten good at not showing it. He’d felt his heart skip a beat before — at big recitals, just before he stepped onto the stage when he was younger; every night when he switched out his gloves; every time his mother made an unscheduled call. But. This was different. Hearing Hyousuke offer to kiss him — even if obviously in jest — made his stomach leap in a different way.
It was probably indigestion. Maybe he ate something bad this morning, or maybe this was a post-traumatic response to Orange Drink. That sounded plausible.
"Excuse you," Aki retorted, folding his hands primly over his lap, the flat of his thumb running over the seam of glove, near his wrist. "I don't let just anybody kiss me. I expect at least dinner and flowers first, and that's to bid for the opportunity to hold my hand."
He leaned back, swaying away from Hyousuke, hearing the backrest of the chair creak as he settled his weight on it.
“Granted, you did feed me once. So, it’ll take you some supermarket flowers to put you in the running — though you'll get extra credit for fresh-cut.”
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Feb 2, 2021 20:43:30 GMT
Hyousuke simply sat there listening, his feelings inadvertently the polar opposite of Aki's. He knew it was just banter, after all, and it never even occurred to him - not even subconsciously - that it could ever be anything but. Who'd ever want to kiss someone like him, anyway? He'd humiliated himself in front of the nation, was lagging behind his peers in almost every aspect that mattered, and was a roughneck besides. It'd take a special sort of person to be his friend, let alone anything more, and it was a reality that he'd long since accepted.
So, devoid of any idea that his words could be seen as anything but a bit of back-and-forth, he made a playful and exaggerated bow forward, even putting his hand in front of his waist while he bent over.
"Then I shall find the finest roses for you, your majesty." He said back, a mocking emphases put on Aki's new 'title.' "Indeed, you deserve only the most beautiful blooms." Hyousuke rose, hands returning to his sides. What he didn't realise was that there was a slight smile playing on his lips - a warm and genuine one, not simply put on for politeness' sake. Aki distracting him from his recent failures was a welcome experience, even if he didn't realise that it was happening.
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Post by aki li on Feb 24, 2022 8:39:41 GMT
"Points to you for saying majesty instead of highness."
As Hyousuke's expression lightened as their charade drew on, Aki felt a knot loosen — a tight muscle in the back of his shoulder, that he must have strained when cradling the orange juice bottle one-handed. That had to be it.
Aki crossed his legs and reclined back on his borrowed seat, a picture of royal pomposity on a swivel-chair throne. He tipped his head back, making to look down his nose at Hyousuke to complete the effect — though the differences in their builds had him craning his neck further than was comfortable. "I shall take your word, and eagerly await news of your return from the far reaches of the Musutafu neighborhood supermarkets. Be wary, for treacherous poisons lie in that perilous deep. Like — " he gestured vaguely, coming up short as his mouth temporarily overtook his brain " — scurvy."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Feb 26, 2022 16:43:30 GMT
Hyousuke was silent for a moment, seemingly trying to parse the comment about scurvy, the cogs in his brain whirring almost audibly. Then, as if in slow motion, his expression began to shift. The corners of his mouth twitched up, then lifted until his lips were in a brighter smile than before. A laugh escaped them only a moment later - a sputtering, involuntary thing, that sounded more like a malfunctioning engine than any expression of joy. But in that sole, singular moment, there were no thoughts of the trials he'd been through, or the ones awaiting him. It was just Aki and him, and the simple joys of being with a friend.
"I'll make sure not to keep you waiting, my liege. I would not dare to keep you waiting too long, for I know verily how much you long to see me, and a journey as far as Sakuramart would take me to the farthest reaches of the kingdom." The expression Hyousuke wore was a far cry from the dour look that he'd borne when Aki had first entered. Lips curled into a goofy grin, a joyful lilt to his voice, and what looked to be a matching glint to his eyes... Even if Hyousuke didn't quite realise it, Aki's presence had lifted him out of the state he'd been in before, and wrung out the first genuine laugh he'd given in days.
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Post by aki li on Mar 12, 2022 13:02:44 GMT
Oh no, Aki thought for a moment. Did I break him? - before realising, with a start, that Hyousuke was laughing. The unfamiliar expression on the other boy's face caught him off-guard, and Aki felt a slow simmering heat rise in his face. He splayed a hand over his mouth as if to hide his own accompanying chuckle, feeling his cheeks heat under the curve of his fingers.
As Hyousuke's sputtering laughter tapered off, Aki schooled his expression back to its usual veneer of nonchalance with an imperious sniff. Even so, his own lips remained turned up in a small, private smile — one that made him look softer, as if something in his mask had shaken loose.
"Hear, hear!" Aki answered, clapping his hands together thrice in polite applause; his tone, to his relief, was still steady. "Godspeed, my fair knight. Let us drink to your safe return."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Mar 20, 2022 23:28:09 GMT
"A toast," said Hyousuke, raising the juice to the air, "To a grand adventure, to plentiful plunder, and to a safe journey home!" His tone was exaggerated - not quite a shout, but it held a sense of bravado and grandeur usually reserved for preening politicians and socialites trying to make themselves look good. He moved his arms in an equally overstated manner, his acting so overdone that it would have caused a more accomplished actor to cringe. And yet, despite all this, his smile remained real. It was almost tender, and the boy himself seemed to glow - and that was to say nothing of the glint that reached his eye.
He raised the bottle to his lips, and took a quick swig from its depths. It was only after that, however, that it occurred to him that it wasn't much of a toast if the other person didn't have anything to drink as well. A vaguely sheepish look crossing his face, he offered the opened bottle to Aki, oblivious to any implications that came with it.
"Here. You bought it, 'tis only right you sample it as well."
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