rosydisposition

[Kurama follows quickly behind.]

Such a wasted chance. It might have been a fun competition. Roasted chestnuts... You certainly know how to make one hungry, Majima-san.

[Though the air beyond the church is nauseating, he is, at the very least, not driven by it to lash out and it can't diminish his desire for some freshly made tofu.]

Winter really is coming, hm. You wouldn't happen to know how bad the winters in America are, would you?

In Maine? It's one of the most northern parts of the States; heard it gets pretty damn cold.

[ Which was actually... a bit of a concern, if they had to ride it out with all the businesses closed like they were. ]

Not a fan of cold weather?

[ He headed down towards central Deerington, with its collection of stores and restaurants. Maybe the diner? ]

[Well, that settles it, Kurama's making a den underground.]

Not particularly.

[He follows, keeping his eyes ahead, distracting himself with the conversation. Deerington is still a nightmare he wants to forget exists.]

I was hoping for tropical paradise.

[But no. Really, the cold sucks.]

So, what is our plan of action and how much trouble will it cause?

Trouble? C'mon, Kurama-han, nothin' like that -- we'll just borrow someone's kitchen equipment, and after that, we'll put it right back like it was.

Hardly any trouble at all.

[ Maybe it wasn't the best idea to pose this question to someone for whom slipping into abandoned urban buildings and salvaging their stuff had been a way of life for a time. ]

All these storefronts're closed, anyway. Not like we'd be interferin' with paying customers. How 'bout we swing by the diner?

Of course.

[Kurama does appreciate a healthy amount of trouble. Borrowing things is certainly not against his principles. The diner probably has things they can use to make a perfect meal.

If only foxes purred.]

I think that's a fine idea. [As long as they can get in and he's sure, between them, there should be no problems.] Let's hurry. I don't want to attract unnecessary attention.

[Incense works much better inside walls.]

[ It didn't take much to break into the diner; there was only the one lock, and it wasn't even a deadbolt. A cinch, in other words, although the one thing that did sort of make things weird was how quiet and empty it was inside.

Almost eerie, in fact. ]

I was gonna say it'd be nice to see what this place'd be like without anyone eyeballing me.

[ OH WELL. ]

Okay, let's see what they got in here.

[Kurama pulls down the holder of his thurible, setting it on one of the booths. He's grateful for the enclosed space, the scent of cedar smoking within. He puts the spare incense in his pocket on the table, just in case, and glances around.]

Well, probably more or less the same, given the atmosphere.

[He heads into the kitchen and straight to the vegetables.]

Any flavors you like in particular?

[He'll just be frowning down at what he finds, staring critically at it. There might be a grumble as he rifles through about 'quality'.]

At this point, I'd settle for anythin' remotely Japanese, but I ain't sure we're going to find that here. Be real surprised if they carry chili peppers around here, instead of Spam and Jello.

[ Hmm... but what was this? Some cabbage in the fridge? Free game, as far as he was concerned. ]

Plenty of eggs.

Edited 2018-11-13 06:16 (UTC)

I wish I'd thought ahead. There are seeds for some things in the flower shop.

[Ugh, Spam and Jello. Don't get him started. The sodium and sugar respectively... humans and their amalgamations.]

Eggs are an absolute must, of course. [He can't resist a well-cooked egg or three.]

I've some carrots here and some scallions. Is there any ginger? I don't see any Japanese ingredients. [These peons.] Do you think Sodder would be willing deliver such things? [For next time.]

[ Majima started on a search through the shelves and cupboards, but was forced to shake his head. ]

Guess ginger's a little too forward-thinkin'. But as for those gift basket requests, I don't see why not.

[ And here, at least, was some good old-fashioned salt and pepper. ]

I've gotten some weird shit before. Like this old sword.

[Kurama's tempted to huff. Next offering he makes, he wants seeds to grow a nice vegetable garden of real ingredients.]

Maybe we can get some Takoyaki, hm? [Not a favorite, but it's still food from home and he enjoys it all the same.] I don't think getting vegetables and herbs will be a problem. North-san indulges my requests.

It's the main ingredients we'll have trouble with.

[And it's not like Kurama actually has many things he wants, aside from getting out, so it doesn't hurt to ask for the frivolous, time to time. He'll need to replenish his reserves, but the flower shop can help with that, maybe.]

I'll have to try it. I'll let you know the results.

[For now...]

I suppose we work with what we have. Let's see... corn starch will do. Just a bit of oil. Is there anything else we need?

Some cooking chopsticks'd be good, but...

[ He doubted they'd find any here. There was, however, a deep cast iron pan and... a metal sieve? Eh, it'd probably work. ]

I'll start the pan. You wanna cut the tofu slices?

[ He set the bag on the counter. This was actually kind of exciting, doing something they shouldn't be doing. HEH HEH okay no ]

Maybe we should see about opening a Japanese restaurant. Surely it would go over well and maybe we'd be able to import things we need.

[And with his ability, they wouldn't need to buy vegetables more than once!]

But yes. I'll cut it up right away.

[Majima, the youko is fond of you. Getting into trouble is one of his favorite things. Kurama turns to the bag, pulls out the package and while he's composed as he finds a cutting board and knife, he's very content. Only three months and he's already homesick.]

Does it make you homesick, making a meal like this?

[ There was a brief pause, then, as Majima measured out the cooking oil and set the pan on the stove. ]

Didn't really do a lot of cooking before I left. Didn't really do much besides work, actually.

[ He answered easily enough, but it had been kind of a grim point in Majima's life -- one that had only started to break up once Makimura Makoto's name started getting thrown around. ]

Eating meals is another thing, though. I'm expectin' a ton of regret that there ain't more Japanese food around here than there is.

Hell, there was a hole in the wall nearby that only sold gyoza. A couple of little old ladies from China ran the place...

[ great now he wanted gyoza ]

[Kurama nods, understanding that. A human's life is quite busy, even if he does only lead that of a high school student. Humans fill their days with more than they can handle, but Kurama doesn't think it prudent to ask just how Majima filled his.]

Yes. With the number of Japanese residents, and the possibility of more at any moment, I'm not surprised.

[He cuts the tofu up into perfectly even pieces, in a nice even number, because Kurama does nothing half-assed.]

Gyoza... you torture me, Majima-san. [He could eat anything right now.] Sadly, while I do not mind cooking for friends and family, I'm not a chef.

But. I think for all of you, I could manage something, once in a while.

[ Dance battles and Space Harrier. ]

Wouldn't say I'm a chef, either, but I ain't too bad at throwing together a dish. Maybe we should throw a party sometime.

[ He took a droplet of water and flicked it into the pan, then nodded, satisfied, as the oil in the pan began to hiss and gurgle. ]

Okay, it's hot enough. Let's start lowerin' some of this tofu in.

[That. Sounds like a really interesting story time.]

Yes, perhaps we should.

[Tofu ready, he brings it to Majima, picking up a few pieces to gently lower into the pan.]

We should have that tea, too, if they have anything good. I suppose coffee will do, if nothing else.

Is there anything else you'd like me to find to go with it?

[ Majima rummaged around in the cupboard for a couple of cups; he wasn't expecting to find Japanese-style tea cups in the diner, and indeed, he didn't find them. But hey, these coffee mugs would surely do the job.

As he filled a well-used kettle, he glanced over at Kurama. ]

Nah, I'll satisfy myself with a taste of home. Anythin' beyond that, it'd be a shame not to call the others over.

So, you got a specialty?

[Kurama frowns at the tea he does find. He's not expecting much, but.]

Yes, I agree. Sharing it with the others would be nice.

[He pulls down a box of tea bags, huffing a little in complaint. Black tea isn't the problem. It's the lack of loose tea that is. He should have gone home and brought some with him.]

A specialty? It's probably okonomiyaki. It's versatile, so I know whatever mood my family is in, it'll be something that they'll enjoy. It's the first thing I made for my step-brother. He won't leave me alone about it. What about you?

Me? Hmm... probably something fried, to be honest with ya. Croquettes, karaage, that kinda thing.

I got pretty decent at fish and rabbit a couple of months ago.

[ He placed the kettle on the stove. ]

Oh, you've got a step-brother? What's his name?

I can hardly judge. Even I have a bit of a weakness for fried foods.

[And he is one to stress about proper nutrition.]

I'll remember to call you when I want something fried, then. What kind of fish do you like making?

[He tilts his head.]

Yes. My mother was to remarry in July. Surprisingly enough, his name is Shuichi, the same name my mother gave me. He's a little younger than I and it shows. Sometimes it feels as if I have a shadow.

There's nothing like a good mackerel or sweetfish, but since we were near a river, salmon was pretty much top of the heap.

[ The kettle began to make those curious tapping noises they always seemed to make when heading towards a boil. ]

So you two get along, then? That's good to hear. What about your stepdad, ya on good terms with him?

It must be nice, being able to catch your own fish. It's such a rewarding experience. In the time I'm from, it's just more convenient to buy it. There really isn't much fishing in my area.

[It's mostly just a fox wanting the reward of killing prey, honestly, but it's still a sad thing, convenience.]

I get along with both of them well. He's actually asked me to come work for his company after high school, if I choose not to go to university. He's a good man, and makes my mother happy. That's enough for me, really.

[Kurama checks on the bits of tofu, turning as necessary.]

Tell me about your family, Majima-san. Any siblings?

As it turns out, I've got a younger brother, too. Not by blood or anythin', though. He's 4 cm taller than me, and a lot bigger.

Out of the two of us, I'm the reasonable one.

[ It seemed so much more believable now than it would be in the future Kiryu had seen. Majima retrieved the tea leaves, as well an infuser that looked like it had seen quite a bit of use. ]

You got an idea of what you want to be when you're done with school?

[Kurama snorts softly.]

Sometimes, blood isn't what matters. You being the reasonable one, though... I worry for your brother, if that's the case.

[He has to. He can't not reach for that opening.]

Not really. I don't know what sort of future I may have. It could turn out that I can't stay with my family any longer. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see.

[He smiles cheerily, still.]

Are you living the sort of life you've wanted to live?

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I AM SORRY i didn't realize i never replied to this

no worries

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wanna wrap this one since december event's here?

sure thing!