expiationnet | text; un: shades

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text; un: shades

[Scott's been feeling all kinds of ways since returning to Aldrip. A little off his feet? Not upset exactly, not when he remembers everyone important to him, but it's still a lot. Kind of weird that he's actually older here than back home, and that's not mentioning suddenly getting almost two years of memories shoved inside his head that he completely forgot about until now. But he's trying. A part of him wants to just lie on the bed with Kotone and just take more time to himself, but he figures that he should say something to his friends.

Maybe focusing on them will help. Better than thinking about Alex or how Apocalypse sort of ruined everything back home.

He breathes in, fiddling with his tablet. Something in him wants to change his username from 'shades' to 'cyclops,' but maybe not right now.]

hey, i'm back now. sorry if i worried anyone. a lot happened, like, back home. yeah i went home and came back. i'm okay though.

[None of that sounded super awkward, right.]

if you wanna meet up, i'll be at the diner. you're paying though.

[ooc: Scott's back from his canon update and just Dealing with Stuff. Totally open to threading Scott meeting others in person! Also, he'll be back in regular clothes for the time being, but he will be wearing his visor for now.]

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[ There he is. Same old Scott, minus the shades. There's a visor sitting over his eyes, one that Minato takes a moment to study when Scott turns to wave at him. He'll wave back though before approaching, but Minato doesn't sit down just yet. ]

You're back.

[ Between Yosuke and Manjiro and a handful of others, people seemed to be disappearing lately. He'd seen just how poorly Yu was handling things, and even though Kotone tried to remain upbeat during Scott's vanishing act, he'd seen how rough it was on her.

There's hesitation in his eyes as he continues to study Scott, as though he were preoccupied with trying to decide something for himself. Finally, he steps forward with his hands balled into fists of determination.

And then with a grave expression, he says: ]

...can I give you a hug?

[ ... ]

Kotone said I should try.

[ Because it would apparently help Scott feel better, but. Details. ]

[Huh, Minato looks hesitant about something, he wonders why--

.....

Maybe the fact that his visor looks like something more geared for combat that it adds to the humor of Scott slowly blinking behind it, the teen obviously surprised by such a request. It doesn't help that Minato looks extremely serious, almost like he's about to take on some personal challenge. But uh, sure? It's not like they haven't hugged once before in the past, but it's usually been Scott that initiated such contact. He never counted Minato as cold or heartless, just often quiet and awkward in his own little way while still being supportive.

And of course Kotone is behind this particular thing. Guess he shouldn't be surprised. Not that he needed to hear that Kotone was involved for Scott to accept Minato's personal little mission. He'd want to help out his friend, even for something like this. ...Also a hug sounds nice ok--]

Uh, yeah. Sure man.

[Scott starts, almost awkwardly, but he continues to look at Minato with a certain expectation. Minato's gonna have to engage the hug first!! That's the only way it will count.]

[ In a sense it's a terribly mundane request. But for Minato, it's something of utmost importance. Now that he's been granted permission, he steps forward to wrap his arms around Scott. Instead of releasing his friend immediately though he stays like that for a few seconds longer. ]

Thanks for coming back.

[ Even if Scott likely had nothing to do with getting thrown back into Aldrip, it still feels worth saying considering the sheer amount of people who've disappeared over the last few weeks. For Kotone's and Yu's sakes, he's glad Scott wasn't one of them. The latter especially had lost so much.

...plus maybe he's glad to see Scott back too.

Finally, he lets go of Scott, shuffling back a bit to observe the other's demeanor. ]

Did that help...?

[It will only take a couple of seconds before Minato finds himself embraced in a firm hug, Scott's arms fully wrapped around him as he takes in the other teen's presence. He wants to say a lot of things, like he's glad to be back, that he's sorry for leaving in the first place, but nothing spills out from the mutant yet, mostly trying to convey all those thoughts and feelings through his hug alone. This feels easier than saying all those things, especially as his breath remains stuck in his chest after hearing Minato's simple admission, 'thanks for coming back.'

Yeah. Even with everything that's happened back or maybe because of it, he's glad to be here. With his friends and in a place that he can almost say feels more predictable than what's happening back home.

That breath only pulls out of his chest when they pull back from each other, Scott giving Minato a small watery smile despite himself. Congrats Minato, you gave a good hug! At least Scott seems to appreciate it.]

It did. [...] Did it help you?

[ Scott's hug is nothing like his own. It's firm, as though he were trying to cling to something synonymous with Aldrip, synonymous to his time here as opposed to being dragged away back "home" once more. So Minato had wrapped his own arms around Scott, resting them there until he'd felt the other pull away.

Scott smiles. Good, except.. the smile wobbles a bit, leaving Minato wondering for a moment whether said hug actually did help. But Scott reassures him that it made him feel better, so he exhales slowly with relief. ]

Yeah.

[ He nods a bit, a small smile on his own face. ]

...it helps remind me that you're really here again.

[ And... maybe he'd even missed Scott a little bit, but something tells Minato that the watery smile might turn into watery eyes if he shares that information. ]

[The small smile paired with that quiet affirmation is all the reassurance Scott needs from Minato. He's different from Kotone in a lot of ways, though Scott sees similarities as well, but in this case he's aware how those small almost subtle reactions speak volumes from the quieter teen.

So, Scott keeps that wet grin, only slowly easing into one of confidence after a few beats pass. Though it's hardly less sentimental and open, the teen nearly wearing his emotions on his sleeves.]

I'm here. [He nods, affirms and assures in his own way, maybe reinforces the hug they just shared. Almost tempting to grip Minato in another hug, but Scott decides to continue with words alone.] ...I'm here and I remember everyone. I remember you.

[It's something Scott has worried about in the past and it's often a hard subject for him to talk about. He knew that Kotone was scared too, despite her bright smiles and cheerfulness, that he might've forgotten her.]

[ Minato's well aware of Kotone's fear of being forgotten. In fact, that had been his first concern upon seeing that Scott returned to Aldrip. Returning to Aldrip without his memory intact and thus, without any memories of Kotone, would likely wound her deeper than Scott disappearing altogether. ]

Good.

[ ...maybe Minato would be a little devastated if Scott forgot him too.

Oh, that's right. Realization dawns on Minato's face as he recalls something: the purpose of his visit. He pulls the stool out from underneath the counter to settle down on it, reaching over to retrieve a menu. He'll hold it out to Scott as an invitation. ]

My treat, remember?

[ Best to get their lunch started before this conversation gets a little too mushy... ]

[Hearing Minato... he only feels more determined to find a way to remember everything when he's back home. There has to be some method, right? Scott doesn't want to give up. While it's nice to think that he's still changed even without those memories, Scott still wants them. It feels especially important when it comes to people like Kotone or Minato.

Any of his friends that are gone back home.

But pushing those thoughts aside, he walks closer to Minato and takes the offered menu.]

Famous last words. [He teases while pulling out a stool to settle in a seat next to his friend. Not that he plans on breaking the bank here, but if Minato is truly offering, he's not going to say no. Burger, fries, milkshake, although maybe he'll spice things up and order a sandwich instead. Scott takes a quick look at the menu, as if getting used to the items that they offer here. It's been a couple of months for him, sort of.]

So, I have to ask, what sort of events led to the whole thing of Kotone telling you to give people hugs? Or was it me in particular?

[ Minato lowers the menu for a moment as he considers Scott's question. It was an inevitable one, but it's not one he's sure about answering right now. This was supposed to be a joyful reunion. Bringing up how he'd come to learn from Kotone that a hug would cheer Scott up would only sour the mood.

Still... it's important information, and Scott did ask. ]

...we were talking about Yu. Kotone and I, we --

[ He's stumbling over his words, an old habit of getting a bit tongue-tied when he's not entirely sure how to say something he's not very comfortable with sharing. ]

...Yosuke and Manjiro disappeared while you left, and they haven't come back. So... we were worried that maybe the same thing happened to you.

[ The menu's on the tabletop now. This is probably a little more important than perusing the menu for burgers. ]

Yu's been down, so we... talked about ways to cheer people up.

[ Scott included, of course. ]

[Shit. Yu.

Not that he's forgotten his friend at all, but it nearly slipped his mind until now that he was in the middle of dealing with his own loss-- he still is from what Minato is saying. Yeah, the easy mood dips once more, but Scott finds this more important anyway. He really needs to make sure he gets into contact with his friend again after this. Honestly, there's a lot of people he wants to see.

...

Scott breathes out, slowly taking everything in. Sure, so much has happened in his world, but focusing on what he can do now is just as important. Maybe more so. He was only gone for a week, but it was a week of uncertainty for his friends.]

So, you gave Yu a hug too, huh? [There's a flicker of a smile on him. He'll get to the menu at some point.] Was he your guinea pig? Did I reap all the benefits?

[ He hadn't intended to turn this into a conversation about Yu, but maybe getting filled in about the others here would help Scott feel a little better.

Minato shrugs a bit at Scott's question. ]

...I guess so.

[ Perhaps the gesture had been for the both of them though. Kotone was right; it did make him feel a little better too. And while they're at it, he supposes he can share some more information too. ]

He's... living at the inn. I'm holding onto the dojo key for him.

[ Minato's been stopping by there every week to make sure it stays clean despite being empty.

The key, nestled within his pocket, weighs heavy as Minato folds his hands in his lap in thought. ]

...I hope I can give it back to him someday.

[ Maybe someday, when seeing that building wouldn't make Yu's chest ache. ]

[So, he's avoiding the place that reminds him of Mikey. Probably Yosuke too? He's not sure what that living arrangement was like and it seems pointless to ask now. What's more important is the fact Yu's living back at the inn and that Minato has the key to the dojo.]

He really trusts you if he gave you that key. [Scott muses with a small smile, figuring that Minato probably knows that, but he's going to say it out loud just in case. He never knows with his friends sometimes. They're both really mature and yet dense at times, so he figures that it wouldn't hurt.]

When he's ready, he'll ask for it back. [...] And it will happen, Minato.

[Scott believes that much in Yu. And he'll have his friends here. Maybe it's easy for him think this though because Kotone is still with him after all these years.]

[ Trust... What a funny little word. A massive amount of responsibility intertwined with its own brand of affection, all wrapped up in a little five-letter word. It gives Minato pause. Already, an entire year has gone by; he's come a long way since then, hasn't he? ]

...yeah. I guess he does.

[ There's still plenty he doesn't know about Yu, but perhaps in time the other wild card would allow Minato to unravel more of his secrets.

Luckily, Scott's confidence is infectious. Someday, having the key to the dojo wouldn't make something within Yu's chest ache. Perhaps it's naive, but... maybe there's a part of Minato that earnestly wishes for it to be true. For he'd left his own friends' sides too on graduation day, hadn't he? ]

You should come to the inn too when you can.

[ To say hello, to check in on Yu as well with the caveat of trying not to make that too obvious, of course. ]

Yeah. [Just a one-word affirmation, but he probably doesn't need to say anything else.

Scott will just let that whole feeling process for Minato, maybe taking some time to finally look at the menu he's already familiar with. Maybe instead of a hamburger and milkshake, he'll switch to onion rings for them to share. Well, 'share,' Scott will say that if Minato is a slow eater, that's his fault.

He breaks into an easy smile, both at his thoughts and Minato's suggestion to visit Yu soon.]

Of course, I plan to. Not going to leave Yu hanging after all this. [...] So, how do you feel about onion rings? Large size?

[ Good. It's times like this that they need to stick together even more. When uncertainty arises, the best course of action is to lean on one's friends. Isn't that he'd learned over the course of his time both at Port Island and at Aldrip?

But as far as Minato feels about onion rings: ]

Yeah. Large size.

[ The black hole of his stomach is never satiated. He's never been a particularly fast eater, but if left to his own devices, he'd finish an entire large serving of onion rings and more. ]

...no burger?

[ Lunch is on him! Was this not a missed opportunity? ]

[Scott is not prepared for the black hole that is known as Minato's stomach.]

Eh, I always get burgers when I come here. Feel like something else for once. [Mostly so he doesn't like like five hamburgers in a row with his friends-- still something unhealthy though!! That has to be part of the whole lunch.]

We also could try some fried chicken here. Or dude, maybe just eat fucking pancakes and eggs even though it's not breakfast anymore. It's like part of the Experience to eat breakfast foods in the middle of the day. Tell me that you've done that before.

[Scott stares at Minato expectantly, like he's really waiting to hear his answer to this.]

[ Even if Scott had a prior warning, nothing could truly prepare him for just how hungry Minato was at all times. So Minato looks back at the menu, perusing all the different options.

...breakfast foods midday, huh?

Minato stares back at Scott before slowly shaking his head. There's never been a reason to indulge in breakfast foods in the middle of the day. Had they been available though, he wouldn't have any qualms with eating them later in the day. ]

Experience...?

[ Food is food. The time of day is irrelevant. Maybe this was a simple joy characteristic of the world Scott was from? ]

That's a look of someone that hasn't had pancakes and waffles in the middle of the day. Okay, that settles it. We're getting breakfast food now.

[Of course they're still having onion rings, but the restriction is now only eating 'breakfast' items after. Yeah, he's 100% setting these rules on the both of them. Honestly, Scott looks like he's about ready to order on Minato's behalf. Just a little excited and just a little bossy...]

First we eat, then I explain the Experience. You won't fully get it until you shove a waffle in your mouth that's drenched in syrup. [This is the closest thing they'll get to a Waffle House experience around here.]

[ Onion rings and... waffles? Really? Minato's not the sort to get finnicky over what food is eaten when, or which pieces of cuisine were banned from being paired together. That combination though -- it's a bit of a head-scratcher.

Even so, he'll fully capitulate to Scott's terms. ]

Waffles, pancakes, eggs, and onion rings?

[ This is about to be a ton of food... But very well. He'll go along with it for the sake of hearing about the Experience. ]

...is that a real thing?

[ He doesn't mean to sound skeptical, but Scott's making a huge deal out of whatever the "Experience" is supposed to be. Maybe this is just the other teen's method of showing Minato another piece of the world, something that he'd missed out on before fulfilling the terms of his Velvet Room contract. ]

[Perfect combination of food to him. Scott will happily start placing his order before giving Minato a certain look, like he's making sure that his friend doesn't stray from the plan. He will 100% butt in if he picks anything that's not a breakfast item.]

Uh, obviously? [He hears that skepticism!! Truly, he's the one that has to show other teens actual culture and traditions. No dying to save the world, it's stupid crap like this. Actually kind of important to Scott on some level, even if he won't admit it.

He hasn't forgotten that Minato is a lot like Kotone. He sacrificed himself to save his world... and Scott still remembers their first encounter, how surprised he was that Scott already cared about him. So many of his friends are just kind of like this in some way.]

You're going to see it for yourself in a few minutes after they bring our orders out. [...] Kotone told you that you needed to hug people, and I'm telling you that eating breakfast in the middle of the day is also important.

[ If it's a real thing, why hasn't he ever heard of it before... On the other hand, it's not like Minato can say no to Scott's idea now that he's brought up how he'd listened to Kotone. Very well then. Kotone's told him he needed to hug people, and Scott's telling him that no one should die before they'd eaten breakfast in the middle of the day.

Minato sighs, but it's mainly for show. This is just what Scott's like, determined to ensure that he was acquainted with the mundanity of life. Moments like these are precious. He'd thought, initially, that he was simply humoring all of Scott's suggestions, but -- well, maybe there's some value in it for him after all.

Even Minato deserved to have someone who looked out for him. ]

Okay. Waffles, pancakes, eggs, and onion rings.

[ Gosh this is going to be a lot of food... ]

[A true life lesson to be had before becoming door-kun once more.

If Scott notices Minato's light exasperation, he certainly doesn't react to it, just barreling on like he hasn't reacted at all. If push really came to shove, he wouldn't force him, but it's clear to him that his friend really isn't truly bothered. So, breakfast foods it is! He'll even look a little proud when Minato lists off the items they're going to have.

Yes, good. He's already catching on.]

Excellent, my apprentice. [Someone stop Scott, especially as he adopts a 'wise mentor' voice. It's not wise at all.] Soon you will have the Experience and your life will be forever changed.

[...It's nice acting like this anyway. After everything with Apocalypse. Like nothing irrefutably changed within him. He can still goof off with his friends.]

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text; un: shades

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little did they know yu poofs in one week

scott gonna try and drag yu back just to kick his ass

the way I had pancakes for dinner last night

jin understands......

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wrapped? :>