OPEN; THE NEIGHBORS CLUB WELCOMING PARTY

[mishaps]

Who: Anyone interested in attending the party announced a few days ago. Hosts of the party include Kodaka (mishaps), Sena (meatshields), & Yozora (playerkills). This also includes those who signed up for the speed friend making activity and other club members! Anyone who is even slightly interested in the club may post in the log (but please, only those who signed up for speed friending event participate in it!)
What: The Neighbors Club is having a welcoming party/practice party! Hooray for activities and welcoming back Kodaka to the club. Please ignore my fail of typing the event as speed dating as it is speed "friending" my bad!
When: A few days after it the initial party announcement post.
Where: The Neighbors Club Room located in Sigyn.
Rating: PG-13 AFAIK!


[Kodaka had left most of the event planning to Yozora and Sena as it was actually something that kept them busy. Kodaka knows when those two are idle and bored, bad things happen and they just end up fighting. He's actually surprised how much Yozora has taken this party thing seriously... and he's still shocked that it's technically meant for him. He's had birthdays with family members and school members, sure, but nothing like this; he's never had friends throw a party for him. He assumes Yozora throws the party for practice mostly, though.

He places a tray of onigiri (with various stuffings such as salmon, chicken, and picked vegetables.) down on a table next to a bowl of punch. There are cups and plates also on the table. He hasn't made this much food since he was back at home, and he actually doesn't mind. It's something for him to do, and without school and Kobato around, it feels like chunk of his life is missing.

He looks at his bracelet and realizes people should start coming in soon.]

Comments

[giver]

I'm sure one of those club members convinced you to come, unfortunately, [ he continues on absently as he stops to gather a plate for them

he only takes up one plate, but he piles up enough food for the both of them ] but they at least provide provisions. I came because I was interested in that. And for someone who likes his friends too much to actually call them friends.

[silentmode]

... [ Her eyes search his eyes for a moment, as her lips part into a small, confused "o". Her brows furrow in a moment of confusion, before she glances over to the plate, instead.

So that word must be meaningless to him for some reason...? Is that what he's insinuating? Or perhaps it's too conventional for him...

Her mind rummages quickly as she peeks over his shoulder at the food he's collecting. And she does notice that it's only one plate, now. Not two, like she had thought upon first sight. ]

[giver]

[ he has little interest in explaining the loser that is kodaka and his friendless state to her, but he does quirk a smile when their eyes meet, an instinctive reassurance, as he piles more than humanly possible on the plate ] It's confusing to me, too.

I like the chicken more than the vegetables, since the vegetables taste wilted, but if you like the latter more, then you should take some. [ he balances the plate between them easily as he already takes a bite into a chicken one kanba stop eating ]

[silentmode]

[ Her lips close as her eyes soften, and she gives a noncommittal shrug, signifying that she doesn't mind that it's confusing. Half of her emotions don't make sense to her, anyway.

And it's at this moment that she realizes communication with this guy is... pretty easy. She's definitely not used to that, outside of with a couple of choice people, and so she has to keep herself from drifting off with that thought and analyzing it too much.

Besides, chicken. Chane goes for that, instead. ]

[giver]

[ he balances the plate between them so she can take as much as she likes, elbow on his knee as he leans against the table. he does nod with slight approval at the chicken, and tests out the salmon gingerly, obviously slightly affronted at the amateur food-making ]

There's more people here than I expected. They should have at least given us topics... The weather, maybe, or the poor choice in food. Most people love to talk about themselves, but for those of us who don't, it's unfortunate... [ he nudges more of the food closer to her side of the plate ] It's comfortable to talk with you, though.

[silentmode]

[ she takes a tiny, clean piece off of the chicken as she listens, and she realizes with his words that he hasn't talked much about himself at all. They don't even know each others names, and she doesn't feel very bothered by this at all.

The last words cause her to give an apprehensive look elsewhere, away from their source, as she gently settles the bouquet to rest between her hip and arm. Observing the others in the room for a moment, Chane feels quite distant from all of them. Most were kind in their own ways to her, and she appreciated it, but she didn't really feel accepted into their worlds. She nudges a bit of the food back to the middle of the plate, going back to watching him. ]

[giver]

[ he stops eating (for once) when he picks up something else about her silence than normal, and he tilts his head, studying her and meeting her eyes directly as he goes over the possibilities.

he tilts his head towards where she had been looking for a clue, still half-frowning in thought. there is little that stops kanba from consuming everything, but there is always that. ]

They're not dangerous. [ said almost conversationally; he assumes she's being wary, given her last responses to his approaches ] I haven't seen anybody who's carrying a gun. Most of them are just... strange. That's all.

[silentmode]

... [ Her chewing slows and her line of visions falls once again on the crowd. She understands that he's trying to put her at ease, and gives him an appreciative look. She feels compelled to repay him -- his manner of kindness is a strange one. Unprovoked, without any declarations of intent or sentimentality. She sets the bouquet down for a moment, pulling away from the plate and reaches rests her knee on the table. She reaches up at the holster on her thigh, taking a small dagger out. ]

[giver]

[ he doesn't slow his chewing as he watches the dagger, or seem startled at all. but he does look, for some reason, sad. ]

I can't account for smaller weapons. That's harder to see at first glance. [ he seems to have decided something, and he shoves the rest of his rice ball in his mouth. looking at the crowd, anywhere but her or himself, he lifts up his jacket to show the butt of a gun barely sticking out from his belt. ]

I should ask you why you have that. It'd be nice if you said self-protection, and not because you're an assassin. But I don't want lies.

[silentmode]

[ When she glances at his gun, she's entirely unfazed -- why wouldn't someone be armed at a place like this? And as he speaks, she begins to hold the dagger out to him, since it was meant to be a gift for his kindness. The look on her face -- though it's an almost perpetual poker face usually, looks dejected once he's finished speaking, and she quickly drops her hand back to her side, clutching at the dagger. She had been...well, a terrorist. An assassin. Currently, she was a temporary bodyguard, but held on to such weaponry for self-defense. If he didn't want anything to do with her because of who she was, she felt it was his right.

She begins gathering the bouquet again, matching him in his...ability to not look someone in the eye. ]

[giver]

[ he remains quiet because it upset him more than he understood, because he hadn't been kind to her out of need. he didn't flirt with her like most girls he met, didn't try to use her like all the other people he knew. he would have certainly sacrificed her for his sister, but there was no need to use her or lie to her. now, something ugly stirred inside him, the pressing knowledge that he knew she could fight and possibly fight well, and he was the leader of a terrorist organization who could use that power. no, needed that power, because he needed to save his sister and he would discard people like trash and plant bombs under their cars without a second thought.

but he hadn't met her to use her, and it was ugly to see the only person so far in the godforsaken city who he'd shown, for a second, parts of himself that weren't manipulated, created, fictional, not the joking schoolboy and not the cold murderer running the city, but the parts of himself that were good, was someone he would need to use.

he calms himself, though, and touches her elbow again in a sign of apology, and keeps his voice calm. ] Sorry, I didn't mean to overreact. May I see your dagger?

[silentmode]

[ Upon contact, she retracts her arm, eyes holding a more serious light to them. Her body language, however, remains mostly unguarded, as she nods with a neutral look in acceptance of his apology. Since her entire body was armed beneath the fabric covering her, she felt no lack of security in holding it out once again. However, she's turning over his reaction in her head, trying to make sense of it, so her look is cogitative and absorbed. ]

[giver]

[ his guard is down, for a moment, as he examines the dagger. it would be easy to kill him in the distracted state. he turns it over his hands, and runs his finger along the hilt in a way that says he knows daggers, at least. not so much to be an expert, too much to be an amateur. ]

It's very nice. You have good taste. Which brings to question why you're here in the first place. [ a half-smile as he twists the dagger in his hand ] With power like this, you don't need friends.

[silentmode]

[ She leans against the table, lightly, crossing one foot in front of the other as she stares. His remark almost makes her sad -- though she's not sure why, or for whom. It's a distant, barely accessible feeling, and she shakes her head in polite disagreement, before casting her glance down at the dagger in his hands. She does hope he keeps it -- and wonders if she can offer her protection. She wondered if he truly believed what he just said. ]

[giver]

[ he pauses for a moment, creasing his brow slightly at her disagreement. he never had true friends, and he never felt himself wanting for them. then again, he corrects himself, he always had his sister. that was all he ever needed.

as he weighs the dagger carefully in each hand, he tries to find the right way to ask his question without scaring her off. finally, he gives in to the most direct way, though he asks very carefully: ] Are you here because you're lonely?

[silentmode]

... [ The look she gives is placid, eyes sharp, as she shrugs her right shoulder up a bit and tilts her head towards it in a small gesture, holding the bouquet more tightly, but loosening her grip once she hears the...soft crinkling sound.

Her expression, and her answer, conveys uncertainty. She's not sure if she's lonely or not. ]

[giver]

There are good people here. [ better people than himself, he means, and he lets himself motion vaguely towards the crowd ]

If you're lonely, let me introduce you to them. They don't know what it means to kill, and they'll be good to you.

[silentmode]

[ She wills her fingers not to tense against the paper once more, and she takes a step in to close quite a bit of the distance between them, giving him a disbelieving, serious look. ]

[giver]

[ he meets her gaze head-on, hand still light over the dagger. ]

Isn't that what you want? They like me as much as anyone can, and they'll trust me and they'll trust you. They won't be useful, but I thought that was what you wanted. [ there is a sense of challenge in his words, but it isn't antagonistic towards her. testing the waters, trying to see what she meant behind her gaze. a last, desperate attempt to help her before he needed to use her. ]

[silentmode]

[ She nods, resigned. Of course, it is what she wanted. She still felt mistrustful of being let into anyone's world, and she had felt aimless in many ways since her arrival. There's a brief flash of defense in her eyes before it dies out into something far more dim, and she finally breaks eye contact, looking down once more at the flowers. For the first time today, she wanted to know his name, and not just for the sake of conversation. But she also had the urge to leave, so she gives a glance at the exit. ]

[giver]

If you don't like it, then tell me. But if you don't mind it, then give me your name. [ he sits with his hands crossed over each other, and the way he looks at her says that it's the first time in the entire conversation that he's actually looked at her, scrutinized her, tried to see who the person who he was talking to beyond himself.

every nerve in him tells him to interrogate her about her skills, but ] You can go if you want. But it'd be remiss of me if you left unhappy.

[ adding, in a far quieter voice: ] I didn't mean to upset you.

[silentmode]

[ She turns her back to him quickly (to hide a mildly flustered look at his apology) and begins typing once more. Casting a glance over at her shoulder, she then turns to face him and displays another message for him. ]

My name is Chane. Thank you again for the flowers. I will leave now.

[giver]

[ he begins to nod, but he stops for a second, and then parts his mouth and seems to suddenly to give in to impulse. ]

Wait, you have... [ he leans forward slightly, touching her on the wrist lightly and staring into her eyes. ]

[silentmode]

[ She's receptive to the touch this time, and looks at him with full attention, though her body's turned slightly away. ] ...?

[giver]

[ he leans forward, and kisses her lightly. it isn't something with romantic intent, and not familial intent (both include more tongue) but despite his obvious experience, there is something chaste and innocent about it. he doesn't hold her wrist, just touches it, but he draws back after only a brief moment. ]

... something on your face. Chicken. [ he instinctively licks his lips, and looks away. ]

Chane. [ he drags out her name a little, in a way that was both a good-bye and a test on his tongue, but he apparently likes what he hears, because he turns around, takes a salmon rice ball, and walks back into the crowd. ]