2014-07-26 - There Is Such A Thing
| Title: There Is Such A Thing | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Certain concepts seemed inconceivable, too ridiculous to exist. Concepts like 'having too much chocolate', or 'the existence of Mikoto Minagi'. But now Mamoru has proof that both these things can and do happen... | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Mamoru's Apartment | |
| OOC - IC Date: 17 February 2014 - 7/26/2014 | |
An exchange of text messages:
- MAMORU: what has four wheels and flies?
- MAI: I really hope the answer isn't 'your car', because that's not acceptable driving habits.
- MAMORU: A GARBAGE TRUCK
- MAMORU: which is how much chocolate i have, come over and take some
- MAI: ...on my way, please let me know what mad fool let you have a joke book.
<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Having taken quite a beating from Mikoto a couple of days after a fight that took way more out of him than he expected, Mamoru's been scarce. He was in school but sort of zombied reservedly through it, dragged himself to the Midori-ya afterwards to meet with Ikuto, and then came home and finally actually parsed how much chocolate he had.
It's serious because there's actually too much chocolate for Mamoru Chiba.
So he texted Mai. He'll text Eri later. Then he'll find a way to get half of the rest to Usagi without making it look like he had a whole lot of chocolate from a whole lot of people, because every once in a while, he understands the fact that tact isn't just a dictionary entry.
When Mai shows up, he's already squirrelled away his and Usagi's favorite kinds of chocolate; he's still in his school uniform, and the smell of coffee permeates the air of the spacious penthouse apartment. Once she's in the door, he gestures widely with one arm. The living room has boxes and boxes of the stuff, and Mamoru has an embarrassed expression he is trying hard to suppress. "Take your pick. Pick a lot."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
For her part, Mai has had a much less exciting couple of days. After helping with a certain cake delivery, it's just been Linden Baum shifts and one notable hospital visit for Takumi's latest checkup. Plus, of course, a surprisingly exciting dinner.
When she shows up - and knocks, properly, waiting for a call to enter before doing so - she has a smile badly concealed between a false glower. That joke was terrible, and Mai is ready to let him know so.
And then she sees the chocolate.
Box after box, some storebought, some lovingly handcrafted, all certainly sweet and seasonal. Mai just kind of stares for a moment, completely incredulous. "...well. I'd hate to see what the Student Council got."
By now, she's surely heard of Touga Kiryuu's popularity. Tearing her eyes away from the mass of chocolate, she instead holds up a plastic bag with a Linden Baum takeout box - though there's no official fancy seal. "I think I'm going to need a coffee. And here - some leftovers from tonight's supper, so you can eat something that isn't chocolate, flavoured."
He's embarrassed, and she clearly not only knows it, but is kind of embarrassed by proxy. Still holding up the bag, she turns to stare at this year's cocoa bounty again. Even Takumi didn't get this much.
<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
... it can't be helped. Even with Mai's lack of teasing -- possibly expressly because of Mai's lack of teasing, and just STARING -- Mamoru flushes a bright red. One hand snakes out to take the bag with a mumbled thank-you, and he swiftly turns to get himself to the kitchen.
"Probably double the amount they would normally get, due to people wanting to support their campaigns," he calls back over his shoulder, sounding somewhat disgusted. "That's half of why this is always kind of aggravating. It's the same people who made fun of me as a kid, and they also admire the Council. And I have to be proper and pay it back threefold. I'd rather just feed Kyouko another night. Coffee?"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Before seeing this, Mai had had plans of teasing. But upon seeing the mountain of chocolate gifts, she'd just needed a moment to come to terms with it. That this is actually real.
...once Mamoru's in the kitchen, and Mai is able to get her shoes off, some of the possibilities come to mind again. She calls over to the kitchen as she starts examining boxes, to figure out what kinds of delights are here. "I guess sometime between then and now, you became handsome enough to be a target. Still, three times this..."
Lifting a box of gourmet chocolate truffles - more money, less love from that one, likely - Mai continues musing aloud. "I think a repeat of Hurricane Kyouko would be worse for your budget, but by little enough that you'd probably win in sanity. Oh, and I'll have my coffee with cream, if you have any handy."
...there is a lot of chocolate to go through. Though this box looks good...
<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"I wasn't weird-looking," comes Mamoru's indignant retort from the kitchen, "I was just... weird. I learned to hide better, is all."
It's just verbal confirmation of the constant stream of visual evidence that Mamoru Chiba takes pride in his appearance. And, to be fair, is a bit vain.
Just a bit, though. Really.
"Yeah, okay," he answers the last absently. It's a moment before he comes out with two coffees, one black and one light, and sets Mai's down on the low table near her. "I just... the place gets to me sometimes. The attitudes and outlooks of so many of the students, and their motivations..."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
"Oh, I never said you were weird before - just that you look better now~" A singsong in Mai's tone, followed by audible laughter. "But it sounds like your ability to hide has failed you. What are you going to do?"
Absently, she adds a second box to a small pile near her. It's not that she's picky, it's that she's not sure how much chocolate she can hope to consume. "But yeah, Ohtori is...well, I was at Juuban for a while before transferring in. The difference made for a bit of a shock, you can imagine, and that's-oh, thanks." Mai pauses in her sorting to take a sip of the coffee.
<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"No, I'm still pretty good at hiding how weird I am," Mamoru says with a smile, then sips his own coffee and surveys the stacks with a certain level of regained detachment. "Or I had been until New Year's, anyway." He pauses, then glances down at Mai. "Take a bunch for Mikoto-san, too."
He wanders off again, once more headed into the kitchen. Mai did bring him real food, after all. There are sounds of preparation for fooding. Reheating if necessary, portioning if there's enough for two people, et cetera. "Unless giving her chocolate is asking for a crazy sugar rush."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
There isn't that much food in Mai's little care package - one serving, consisting of potato wedges and fried fish cakes. Another experimental recipe, perhaps? But at least it isn't chocolate.
Mai for her part, is giving the pile of boxes a worried look...before finally letting out a sigh, and just picking out a few more. "Giving her chocolate is grounds for embarrassment, but I can handle the sugar rush. The trick is to not give her anything spicy, ever - sorry if dinner's ever a bit bland, on that note."
She starts a separate pile for things that her roommate might like, and it soon dwarfs her own personal pile. Pausing for another sip of coffee, she comments anew. "I did have a word with her, let her know to count you as a friend in future. Sorry I didn't do that sooner, but in fairness, I did warn you to watch out for the cat."
