just stupids being stupid

[tenminutes]

Who: Yuri Nakamura, Battler Ushiromiya
When: 4/1
Where: Riverplace Square, Battler's apartment
What: Yuri asked Battler to give her a break for a while, and he's been a good boy for a couple of weeks now so.. she's faking having a salt emergency as an excuse to say hi.

[ It'd been a little over two weeks since they'd last spoken. She'd finally been able to be honest with him about why she kept either freaking out at him or beating his face in every time they'd talked and asked him to stay away for a while. She felt horrible about it for a couple of days, but after that.. it started to feel better. Yuri knew he was next door the whole time, it wasn't like he had left, but it gave her a chance to just relax and focus on figuring things out on her own. She'd been a very independent person for a long time, spent years not relying on anyone until she'd finally let others in. She needed to reconnect with herself for a while instead of just letting her drama with Battler affect her constantly.

It worked. Even if she had some reservations still, she finally got to the point where she didn't feel constant anxiety about going and talking to him. You know, except when she thought about what excuse she was going to have to talk to him. Because honestly, the problem with not seeing someone for a while was that you had no idea what to talk about and she didn't just want to straight-up say "Hey I don't know if I'm 100% okay but hi how are you?" That was stupid. She couldn't tell him that she missed him either, god forbid, that would be too embarrassing.

Which meant that she had to do something neighborly. And neighbors asked each other to borrow ingredients right? So what if she didn't know how to cook and had been eating out most of the time since she'd gotten here? Yuri went and grabbed the salt shaker and ran out to the tiny balcony to pour the salt out. The entire thing. Okay, empty salt shaker. See? She needed salt. After that was taken care of, Yuri went to go change into a dress and tie her hair up with a ribbon. She didn't exactly have her old one anymore, but she still felt comfortable with some kind of headband on. ]

All set.

[ The plan was perfect. Yuri left her apartment, making sure to lock up even if she was only going next door, then went over to knock on Battler's door only a few feet away with the empty salt shaker in her hand and her eyes narrowed.

Though really 'knocking' was more like pounding loudly enough that she probably sounded like she was the police about to bust into his house. ]

Comments

[tenminutes]

I'll try to think of some other ways for you to make money too. That's going to take a long time to work on, right? Plus you'll have to hire an editor and a publisher will have to pick it up. An artist for the cover, too.

[ Basically, she has no idea how the hell he's going to survive on the starter money they got. Even if it sounds like she's bitching at him, Yuri's really just worried. Once she puts the filter in the coffee pot, she goes to fill up the pot with cool water from the sink, staring at it in thought. She doesn't want him to move in with her. Not yet. Even if it's really easy to fall back into old habits with him, she doesn't think she can do that yet, but she doesn't want him to end up homeless because he has to pay rent. She doesn't think she can afford two apartments though. ]

[chestboard]

Y....yeah.... aah you're right... I never really had to think about stuff like this before.

[it was much more simple back then!! back when he had his parents and grandparents looking after hm and he didn't need to think about money. their family was wealthy, too, even though battler didn't actually care for money. still... he couldn't deny what she was saying here.]

That's it, I'll just have to write in my free time! I really wanted to get it done but... it'll take a little longer then! I'll go out and find another job!

[he nodded to himself, content with that, and just kept on cooking. he didn't think she would be comfortable with him moving in, either. so of course he wasn't asking.]

[tenminutes]

[ Write in his free time.. That doesn't sound like he really would be doing what he wants to do. She's trying to imagine Battler working at a fast food restaurant or something, but... ]

Write short stories for kids. They shouldn't take as long and I can read them in class, so you'll get sales from at least some of the kids and me. Then you still get to write, I get help with work, and you'll get income faster since it doesn't take as long as your novel.

[ As she's speaking, she's brandishing the coffee pot at him chipperly, as though she's just come up with the best idea. ]

[chestboard]

Oohh....! Yuri, you're a genius!

[she really was!! if they were on better terms he could just kiss her!!]

I could do that, easily! It might not be my masterpiece, but I'll still get money for writing!

[tenminutes]

Exactly! If they're any good anyway. I'll read them myself before I read them to kids. I'm not going to traumatize them with some sort of horror-murder mystery with lots of boob jokes, so you better keep it age-appropriate!

[ She looked a little flattered that he liked her idea though, which clearly meant she was turning up her nose and turning back to fill the coffee maker up with water then press go once the pot was replaced where it was supposed to be. ]

[chestboard]

[aaand battler was just back to humming as everything was starting to cook properly. he stirred the curry, his tune a happy one as he thought to himself about writing those children books.

what could he even write about....? aah, he could write about witches of course! the friendly witch beatrice, though. maybe the little cat known as bernkastel? oohh the witch lambdadelta that was turned into a cake! there were so many possibilities and he was grinning to himself about them. it might have seemed odd.... but this has been the happiest battler has been in a while.

so much in fact, that he feels himself tearing up. the man sniffles, a hand going up to wipe his eye. oops, he... hoped that yuri didn't notice that. these were happy tears though!!]

[tenminutes]

[ Yuri had certainly noticed. She'd heard the sniffle and looked right up at him the second that he'd wiped his eyes. Her own eyes opened wide and she stopped staring at the coffee pot to turn to him front-faced. ]

What happened!? It's not that bad of an idea! --Oh, are there onions?

[ She's going to try to peek at what he's doing to see if there are onions now.. that's probably it right... because talking about children's stories can't be tear-worthy.. ]

[chestboard]

[SHIT! battler turned away from her, wiping his other eye to try and rid himself of anymore tears. he had just been tearing up a little, so it was fine after a few more moments.]

N-no.... no it's nothing! Don't worry about it! I'm.... I'm just really happy, that's all, so I guess these are happy tears.

[he shook his head.] Sorry sorry...!

[tenminutes]

[ Yuri states at him silently for a few seconds, honestly looking sympathetic. Even with all the hurt of late, this is the best she has felt in a while too. ]

Me too.

[ Yuri turns her head away from him, her voice quieter. ]

I missed you.

[chestboard]

[oh. battler sniffs yet again at that, trying to get rid of these tears already so he could talk to her normally.]

I...I missed you too, a whole lot.

[not like battler could ever hide that from her. at least he had his back to her as well so she wouldn't have to see him like this.]

[tenminutes]

If you cry in the food it's going to taste salty, dork.

[ Yuri was trying to joke with him to help a little, reaching over and pinching him in the side to try to make him jump a little. ]

You know I still love you, right? I just needed some time.

[chestboard]

I didn't doubt that! I just.... I think I needed to hear it again, to feel it again. S...since you know I love you so much, too.

[battler shook his head. okay, he needed to stop already. he slapped both his cheeks, chiding himself before turning to look at yuri again.]

Alright... I got over it. I can cook again.

[tenminutes]

[ In an effort to show him that he could cheer up, Yuri decided to joke around a little. ]

Do you need me to slap you too?

[ Her tone made it difficult to tell that it was a joke. Honestly, though, she was happy to hear him say that. With how she'd been treating him, she wouldn't blame him if he was pissed off at her too.. but he always tried to stay by her side. ]

[chestboard]

No! I don't need to be smacked over something like this...! I've recovered, you know me, I'm quick on the recovery and all...!

[he just grinned at her, even giving her a quick thumbs up. he sauntered back over to the counter, stirring the mix like he had been before all of that.]

[tenminutes]

Yeah I noticed.

[ She pauses for a moment. There's something she still hasn't really found out. ]

How long as I gone for you? After I left?

[chestboard]

Mm...

[he had to think about that. he didn't really like thinking about those moments.]

A few weeks.

[tenminutes]

What did you do? While I was gone?

[ She can tell he doesn't really like it, but.. she needs to know what part of the damage in their relationship she's responsible for too. ]

[chestboard]

[he sighed a little as he thought back to what he did.]

Went to the funeral of my relatives... I had to be there for Ange since I was all she had left, besides Eva Oba-san.

Her and I... we were berated by the police, paparazzi, and everyone else for what happened on that island. [he shrugs.] I mean- I guess that they all just really wanted to know but... how could we explain what happened? They.... really think that Oba-san and I murdered them all, though.

[he laughed sadly at the thought.] No other witnesses and all that. So it was mostly me dealing with that... alone. [he really could have used yuri for those moments where he was attacked by paparazzi. he yelled at them to get away and all that, but he was still relatively alone in taking care of ange.]

[tenminutes]

I'm sorry.

[ She pauses for a moment, thinking back to Ange. That.. after all that, the girl almost had her family back, and Battler ended up here. ]

I guess Ange is alone again.

[chestboard]

...Yeah.

[he had thought about that too after arriving here.]

Yeah she is. She has Oba-san but... I guess it just seems like I went away on a long trip for her.

[tenminutes]

Then at least she knows you're alive, and has hope that you'll come back one day. Which we still might.

[ At least she can try to put it in that light. It's less horrible that way. ]

Sorry I wasn't there for you.

[chestboard]

[he know he'll go back one day... but then yuri might not be around, in that case.]

It's okay. Hey hey, I'm serious when I say that, alright? Enough of this depressing talk! Becaaauuse-!

[he turns to her, pointing dramatically!!] The curry is done!

[tenminutes]

Already?

[ She doesn't know how to cook, so she honestly doesn't know how long it's supposed to take.

Fine she's going to pour the coffee then since it's ready!! ]

[chestboard]

Yup! Ehehehe...!

[since you know they had their little moment in the middle there it all just got ready in the meantime. yeah. going with that.]

Now, let's dish some up and eat, I'm hungry...! Ihihihi~! And a man needs to eat his fill!

[tenminutes]

Don't say that like you're the only one who's eating!

[ Still, she puts his coffee on the table and sits down, waiting for him to bring the food to her. ]