synflux | [closed] we shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us

Make sure mine's laced with elephant tranquilizer.

[ That's a joke, right? Kaito looks dead serious on the delivery, which probably isn't very encouraging. ]

...Screaming helps to exhaust the body. [ His mind drifts to Ishmael for a moment. ] So a few rounds of karaoke might not be a bad idea.

[ Their tea comes in while he's explaining that. Kaito reaches for the nearest citrus wedge—lemon—and squeezes some juice into the hot leaf liquid. ]

[ March is also going for it, though she's selected an orange slice. Between these and the scones, they're really going for the citrus theme... maybe it's more spring-like than she thought. ]

Karaoke would be fun! I actually know a few people who have their own rock band, though I doubt their songs would be here... still, very scream-like!

[ Wow. ]

Really? I guess we can swing by my workplace for a few hours then, I do get a discount -- I just don't use it. Maybe I'll actually try singing this time though...

[ orange for her too, and once their drops of citrus go in the tea blooms into a beautiful pinkish color. butterfly pea flowers always make the best, tasty and a show. wow............ it's like her friends. ]

I think that would be nice.

[ Kaito's eyes stay glued to his blooming tea. It's captivating, honestly—but frustratingly enough, he can't appreciate it as much as he wants to.

After a moment, he retrieves the notepad again and starts to pen. He's not quiet this time. ]

If you sing, I'll think about singing.

[ March, immediately pulling out her camera to snap a series of quick shots to capture the color transition-- ]

The meaning of karaoke is to sing, you know? I better not be the only one.

[ everyone's priorities... but malkuth's cheeks warm and she sips her tea to avoid answering at first. it has a lovely floral taste, and she waves a hand. ]

C'mon, you know I... Singing isn't really my thing. I'd be happy just to cheer the two of you on! Banging on tambourines and stuff.

[ Kaito glances up from his writing. Or drawing. Or both. ]

The meaning of karaoke is to sing, [ he repeats, slow and measured. ~~Was that a thunderclap on the horizon?~~

Quieter, calmer: ] People don't do karaoke to sing like superstars. It's as much of a social event as any other tea party or sleepover.

You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but know that I might team with March and we might guilt trip you into it.

...

[ Kaito clears his throat and goes for a long sip of tea. Mm. How delicious. Definitely not embarrassing
him right now. ]

[ Why is this somehow the most uncomfortable situation when she's in it with two of her favorite people???? ]

No guilt-tripping, but we will drag you up there with us.

[ Brightly. What is this "might". ]

[ good cop bad cop........... but it's more like bad cop worse cop..... he really wants to hear her sing? like for real sing? ]

Believe me, I know they just go out to put whatever voice they've got to use...

[ but that doesn't mean she wants to embarrass herself in front of march. or again with kaito. she wonders if he still has that clip, or... no, she hopes he deleted it.

he definitely didn't. ]

Fine, I'll sing a little. Just a little though, okay? It's my first time.

[ Kaito nods, satisfied. The faintest hint of a smile starts to pull at his features. ]

Good. That'll be... That'll...

[ He trails off, looking blankly at the two of them. The moment passes, and he tries his best not to look too disoriented.

Glancing down. Notepad's there. Kaito scans its contents. Golds eventually return to the ladies, though the look they carry is more than a little unsure. ]

...This is only the first time, right?

Are we going to karaoke? That was the last thing I wrote down.

Yep to both!

[ And here's the resident amnesiac, smiling at Full-Force. She can still easily remember her own disorientation and also how it had felt, more recently, to not even find places she knew were familiar. Better to treat it like it happens, but they can get past it. ]

We just now decided that. Mally's gonna sing with us for the first time!

[ oh, so it is useful. malkuth sighs, both in relief and fondly at march's upbeat attitude about karaoke.

a tier of various seasonal treats, from tortes to tartes, macarons and scones, is sat in front of the three, and malkuth takes one of the extra helpings of tangerine scones to munch at it. the flavors are strawberries and peaches, honeydew melon, and various florals too... ]

One song. But you two can sing your hearts out, I'll be in charge of drinks.

[ alcohol...!!!!!! ]

My workplace boasts a lot of "older" kind of songs, so maybe there'll even be something you know in there, Kaito!

[ Kaito looks at something towards the bottom of the notepad's page before penning in something new.

Mally, huh.

When the Treats arrive, he grabs a scone and...

...proceeds to pop the whole thing in his mouth. One bite. As he's chewing, he catches wind of a word and shuts his eyes. ]

That sounds nice. ...But do we have to have booze?

[ Just a question. His tone's as level as he can manage. ]

[ March is picking up a strawberry macaron to pick a picture of it before popping it into her mouth, which is a lot less impressive than fitting a whole-ass scone in there. And, after chewing-- ]

Maybe just one drink. I don't know about Kaito, but you do some pretty...

... Interesting things when you're drunk.

... I'm not that bad, am I?

[ two against one... surely her biggest crime is just not remembering anything ri

well. she's turning her face away, she knows she's pretty bad. ]

Don't answer that, actually, you've both seen me have a little too much. [ she doesn't wanna hear it. she can feel there were mistakes (?) made. ] Neither of you are big ones though, so I'll stick to fizzy drinks too.

[ Kaito just frowns, having no intention of answering the question either way. Nevermind that it was a very open opportunity to tease. ]

I'm enough of a handful with my memories shot. Let's spare March the trouble.

[ Well, he couldn't completely resist commenting. Kaito grabs another scone and stuffs his cheeks.

Golds eventually flit to his amnesiac senpai. ]

I don't really get drunk, all things even. What about you?

Me? [ Wow, lucky guy. March pauses to consider, tapping her chin. ]

I can get by, depending, but I'm pretty sure I'm a lightweight. Izou found me lost the other day and had me drink a little to calm down, and I definitely fell asleep after one.

[ Whoops. Well, she'd also been exhausted already. ]

But I remember everything about it, at least?

[ kaito's getting a light kick for his Comment. jerk. ]

Izou, huh?

[ ...

a casual sip of her tea. ]

Did anything happen this time? [ then, to kaito: ] He pinned her to the wall before, but it was all good friend stuff.

[ SOOOO SORRY MARCH she wants updates and she doesn't want kaito to feel left out!!! ]

[ Kaito kicks back, but it's more like a light tap at worst.

A bead of sweat rolls down his temple as he takes in all this information. Good friend stuff, huh.

Thoughts wander back to the hot springs, but don't linger overlong.

...Scribble time. ]

Don't overdo it.

Or at least, overdo it responsibly.

[ Would you look at that! Time for another scone. Munch. ]

No one's overdoing anything, okay?

[ Right, Malkuth? Right????

March just makes a bit of a face at her. ]

Nothing happened, he just let me hold his hand for a while. Because I wasn't exactly doing that great. [ Because! He's a good friend!!!!!!!! ]

[ as long as she has two designated drivers she'll be fine,

malkuth's slapping her hand on the table, jolting some other customers nearby. at least she's keeping her voice at a normal volume ]

Oh, like that's nothing!

Kaito, you met him at your get together with the other guys, right? What'd you think of him?

[ expectant look. she'll move the scones away if he tries to avoid this. ]

[ Kaito looks between the m&m's. Nope. He's got no horse, dog, or hybrid cat in this race. So he pulls a scone off the plate and gesticulates a little with it while he answers. ]

Seemed okay. He wanted some advice, I gave him some advice.

Also, pretty sure he almost picked a fight with half the guys at the onsen when we were doing introductions, but, eh.

[ Chomp.

Yeah, he's starting to think Izou's gift giver in question was March. That's kinda cute. Cute enough for him to smile for what feels like the first time in days while he munches. ]

[ She's just sipping her tea, like. Wow. There's nothing at all weird about her interactions with Izou, but she's happy to talk about her friends with her friends.

I hate her. ]

Yeah, that sounds like him. I guess maybe that's also some kind of bonding? We didn't really do introductions, but it was fun!

I can't wait to do something with everyone after the next mission, since it looks like these last two sessions went pretty well. [ She is already brainstorming. No one is surprised. ]

We all sort of knew each other somehow anyway, there's way more guys than gals here, so I think that makes sense. I'm really not surprised to hear he was, though.

[ are guys really like that...? maybe in trade for The Horrors, there's more mannered men in the City.

... no... did her box boys go...? should she check on them? they're fine. that's overstepping her own boundary. maybe a sneaky sort of "how was hanging out with everyone" way, or something like that... ]

I'll leave whatever plans to you two on that note, since I don't have any ideas myself.

[ except like. another hot springs round... hmm. maybe they could host a party in someone's dataverse though? ]

Certain groups tend to flock together, too. Especially when they're from the same home world.

[ Kaito looks down at the scones and just

picks them all up, leaving two behind. Onto a little plate they go so he can start shoveling. ]

Karaoke or an arcade night sound like good ideas. No hot springs—March and I have already agreed on that.

[ A glance over his shoulder, mid-bite. Kaito scoffs. ]

...How did I wind up officiating this on the guys' behalf...

Anyway, we could also go camping outside the city.

[closed] we shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us

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