(no subject)

[soulbonder]

WHO: Astral, Kanaya
WHERE: MAC
WHEN: MARCH 16
WARNINGS: N/A
SUMMARY: A couple of friends.
FORMAT: Prose to begin, this was a little too long for action.
What did this measuring even entail? If Kanaya needed to know his height and weight, he could have easily told her. Well, actually, he should've offered, but the thought hadn't occur to him until much later.

Regardless, to make certain her trip wasn't for nothing, he ordered Crescent off of Netflix and purchased horrifically sweet energy drinks, popcorn, and candy the day before. He didn't care too much for popcorn (it often got stuck between his teeth), but the ritual of movie watching required it.

Speaking of Kanaya, she should be arriving soon... He collected Tweema, and returned him to his cage. Bomb and Shanks were a lot harder to corral into the bedroom, and he eventually gave up. The saying was right, it was impossible to herd cats. Tora was with Yuma, so Astral didn't have to worry about her.

Their living room looked somewhat presentable, considering two, occasionally three teenagers and a menagerie of animals live there. Not that he was extra fussy about it being clean or anything. That had absolutely nothing to do with how many times he plucked cat hair from the cushions or moved the couch pillows. He wasn't pacing about the living room because he was nervous either, he was simply practicing walking. And he only tugged on his sweater's sleeves because they were too short.

He had never invited a friend over to their apartment before.

Comments

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya, for her part, had the presence of mind to not just appear in the room. She was trying to teach herself better manners about that, and it had been a while since she last visited the MAC. The room she used to live in was just down the hall from Astral's, and she half wondered if it was still just as she left it, well over a year ago. Maybe she'd stop in some time later.

Aside from her hefty purse hanging from one shoulder, she also brought a better sewing kit than the emergency one she generally keeps on hand, and another bag containing a casserole and some other food. You never know how well boys are going to be feeding themselves, and Astral hadn't been human long, anyway. After giving everything a quick inventory, she went ahead and knocked.

[soulbonder]

Astral took a considerable amount of time answering the door-- well, actually, he took a very moderate and reasonable amount of time to answer. He wasn't rude, simply not-nervous and his perception of time warped by that not-nervousness.

The point is the door has been opened, and a fidgety Astral stood in the doorway. Sheepish and almost embarrassed by the belief that he took several minutes opposed to the few seconds it actually took to open that door.

"Good afternoon, Kanaya." Oh, he should move out of the way so she could come inside, shouldn't he? Or should he invite her first? Goodness, she's a vampire troll. Are there different protocols for that sort of thing? Or are they the same as human vampires? Even so, she should be invited first... "You're welcome to come inside."

He would've got it if he didn't continue to stand there.

[glowsferatu]

"I would love to," she said, continuing also to stand there, quietly waiting for him to move. She blinked a few times awkwardly as they continued standing here, eventually deciding that breaking the silence would be best. She raised her other bag, one made of padded cloth to keep the casserole warm. "Are you hungry at all?"

[soulbonder]

Oh! Right, he should actually be moving now so she can walk inside. Oh goodness. Why is this even happening? He normally doesn't act this way... He finally steps aside, then further into the room.

"No, I don't think so." His stomach isn't making any weird noises, anyway. "Did you bring food, Kanaya?"

[glowsferatu]

She moves inside after him, looking behind her and wondering if she should save him the trouble of closing the door. After considering it for a few silent moments, she does just that, pushing it closed with her elbow.

Turning back to face him, she heads in the foyer a little, trying to remember the way these rooms are laid out. "A bit. I remembered that you weren't sure how to approach the whole issue last time this happened, and wasn't sure how good a cook anyone else in here might have been." She wasn't sure that Shinji was still here, either, not with how withdrawn he's been lately. "I just thought it would be good to make sure you and Yuma had something, if you needed it. We don't have to eat it now."

She glances around the corner. "The kitchen is this way, isn't it?"

[soulbonder]

"Oh, yes." Astral heads in that direction first, intending to show her where exactly the food may be placed in the fridge. While he's hardly ever in the kitchen, he spent an unnatural amount of time online learning how to properly stock a fridge, and he's terribly consistent about it.

"Would you like something to drink?"

[glowsferatu]

She followed him into the kitchen and place the hotbag on the counter, sliding the dish out of its sleeve as she waited for him to do as he must. She found the organization there rather admirable, and far better observed than she might have otherwise expected. Not many people their age seemed to know how to keep a kitchen.

"Sure," she answered, "what options do you have available?" She considered getting her flask from her purse, but she was in human form right now. Whatever he had to offer should taste perfectly fine without even a drop of blood.

[soulbonder]

He places the dish inside the fridge, then turns his attention to see what's there.

"Water. Juice. Milk. Energy drinks... Um, I bought quite a few for tonight." Because everyone likes energy drinks, right..? "I'm quite fond of Bubbleberry personally."

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya folds her bag and places it in her purse as best she can. It isn't easy, there's too much in her bag. Once finished, she turns to face him and leans against the counter.

"I...suppose I could give the Bubbleberry a try, if you vouch for it." She has never had an energy drink before.

[soulbonder]

It's almost frightening how quickly he's able to retrieve two drinking glasses and a single can of Rockstar. A moment later he's handing half a glass to Kanaya. Hopefully she'll like it, because he's absolutely beaming. Sharing things he likes with others is the best!!!

[glowsferatu]

Well, the color is pretty nice, if it's anything like the last pink thing she had to drink, that might be nice. She takes a cautious sip. Her face goes through a series of reactions, first her brows knitting together and the corners of her mouth turning downward and in for a pout, then her brows raise in surprise, skepticism brings them back down as he lips draw themselves out into a thin line, until finally one brow raises on its own as the rest of her face softens thoughtfully. It wasn't easy to manage with how watery her eyes kept getting.

"That's...quite the experience. I think I can see why you like it." She looks back down at her glass, skeptically pouting again. "Maybe." She couldn't, she really couldn't. But she was trying to be nice.

switches to action!!!

[soulbonder]

It's fantastic!! I never knew that a liquid could mimic the taste of bubblegum. [it sure does]

[glowsferatu]

[ she forces a smile, blinking back the the tears from the strong taste overwhelming her senses. ]

Bubblegum. Yes, that's precisely how I would describe the flavor. I've never tasted anything closer to it. [ she has also never tried bubblegum. ]

[soulbonder]

[Fortunately, he's flitting to the main room, so if Kanaya wants to do something with that shitty ass drink she can.]

[glowsferatu]

[ she quickly pours it out in the sink, filling her cup from the faucet before following after him. ]

So, this is where you live, then?

[soulbonder]

Yes, with Yuma and occasionally Shinji... [Absentmindedly:] He has decided he wants everybody to think he's homeless now.

[glowsferatu]

[ her expression hardens a bit as she takes a seat on the couch, drawing up her knees to the side in a way that kept her feet from touching the cushion. ]

He's suffering the aftermath of the past few weeks in his own way. I'll deal with him when the time is right.

[soulbonder]

Oh, I know. He'll come around on his own time, too. But isn't it strange he wants to give everybody the impression he's homeless? I don't understand him. [he picks up the DVD from the coffee table]

[glowsferatu]

[ her gaze drifts away from astral. she understands shinji's position all too well, and not only because he's told her. that isn't to say she exactly agrees with it, either. ]

It isn't that strange. He has his reasons, [ like not trusting himself enough not to ruin your life, buddy. ] he just needs someone to work him through them.

[ or just to shove him back through his own front door. she's had too many prodigals to worry about lately. ]

[soulbonder]

Would you like for me to start the movie now?

[glowsferatu]

Hmm? [ she looks back from the spot in the wall she'd been burning a hole in, taking a moment to catch up on what he was saying to her. ] Oh. Yeah, sure.

[soulbonder]

[She's upset about Shinji? Hm... Maybe it's better if he puts off the movie.] Or if you prefer, we could do something else.

[glowsferatu]

[ she shakes her head. if she were to wait until her problems went away to do anything, she'd be waiting forever. ]

No, it's fine. We came to watch the movie, and I do still wish to see it.

[soulbonder]

If you're certain. [busy doing a billion things to get the dvd into the player and crap that's really boring to write about.]

[glowsferatu]

Today was supposed to be for the two of us. Let's try not to let everyone else ruin it for once.

[soulbonder]

Alright. [settling next to her on the couch. he sits a little weird, holding his knees to his chest. since it's the previews, he's not too entranced by the television just yet, so TALKING IT IS] I have heard this movie isn't entirely faithful to the novels... what do you think they changed?

[glowsferatu]

[ she pays half attention to the previews, taking note of any she might like to see. oh, karkat will probably be interested in that one. ]

Perhaps the subplot involving the Moonlighter's investigation into local robberies. I think the narrative could have done without it, honestly.

[soulbonder]

Really? I thought that was important... I was able to understand him better through the investigations. And really, how else would he learn to not always rely on his powers?

[glowsferatu]

The whole thing rang a little strangely to me. Most of the empaths I've been acquainted with have more difficulty keeping their external impressions reigned than developing an over-reliance on them.

[soulbonder]

Ah, I meant that he would often use them and be lead astray... Remember he believed that somebody else was at fault? They were nervous and were keeping secrets, he felt that, and he assumed that meant they were the robber... [they can talk because lbr dvd previews last forever]

[glowsferatu]

[ and because we're just making up details wholecloth anyway. ]

It's unfortunate that he never corrected the core mistake, as I think the poor judgement it served as a symptom to has been the cause of most of the difficulties they later encounter throughout the series.

[soulbonder]

[shhh. tell no one.] Yes, see, that's why it's very important! If they removed it, how could they struggle with those difficulties later?

[glowsferatu]

What I meant was that his development seems entirely unrelated to that point, as it doesn't have any kind of later ramifications whatsoever. It seemed like pointless filler.

[ or maybe she just didn't care about how they tried to sell the premise of his being a superhero. ]

[soulbonder]

[but he liked that the best...] It had plenty of ramifications later!

[glowsferatu]

[ she just wants her shitty romance without all these fancy trappings. ]

Like what? Do you mean in the second book, when he befriends his brother's spy because he was ignoring what his abilities told him?

[soulbonder]

Yes, I do. It put Crescent in so much danger. [and it was heartbreaking!!]

[glowsferatu]

[ who needs heartbreak in fiction when you get enough of it in life? ] It was a case of applying the wrong lesson entirely to a perceived problem. And he never did learn the correct one from it, either. The plotline was never revisited after!

[soulbonder]

I suppose we must to agree to disagree. [Hmphf]

[glowsferatu]

I suppose they don't have to cut it entirely. [ this, to her, qualifies as a concession. ] But I should hope they at least bring it to a more satisfactory conclusion.

[soulbonder]

[Well, at least the movie's menu screen is finally on. Time to press play and watch it, right?

A convenient time skip, because seriously fuck trying to write actually watching a movie.

He's still engrossed with the screen even with the credits though, but he's finally speaking up at least.] That was...

[glowsferatu]

[ especially when it's a fictional movie.

she leans back into the couch, resting her chin in one hand as she still processes what she's just seen. ]

It was...

Definitively Crescent.

[soulbonder]

It was wonderful!! [oh no he's so doki]

[glowsferatu]

As I said, definitively. The two should be almost synonymous.

I was worried they might poorly prioritize the adaptation, but I'm actually rather satisfied with the results!

[soulbonder]

I can't wait for the other one to come out. [literally touching his face in joy]

[glowsferatu]

But I'm afraid we'll have to. I'm not sure the sequel has even yet been assigned a release date!

[soulbonder]

Shouldn't that information be available online?

[glowsferatu]

If it's been announced already, I would imagine it should be. But we're still waiting on the third book, as well.

[soulbonder]

Hmm... That's true, what if the third book explains an important happening in the second one? And if they made a movie without knowing that, it could be interpreted an entirely different way!

[glowsferatu]

i hadn't considered that! Without close input from Moira March, they could ruin the whole thing without even knowing it!