[ she almost starts typing isn't it obvious, but. it isn't. is it. it's a strange thing to butt against. sure, jaime's secret identity is shot now, and if tadashi looks he'll find it easily, but... it's always strange to be reminded that it was a secret, to other people. ]
oh, maybe he got it while you were gone his favorite car is the blue one
[ probably???? it's probably his favorite?? he's awfully smug about the pun, at least. ]
[ she arrives by cab because, look, there might be drinking later, she doesn't know, she wants to be prepared. tadashi is an easy figure to spot, between "is stupid-tall" and "hasn't aged since she last saw him, a relative two-ish years ago."
ruka, on the other hand... well, there's no mistaking that hair-and-eye-patch combo for literally anyone else, but the passage of time has made its mark, too. the hairstyle is different, cute, and less of a forest to hide behind; gloves remain, and her propensity for shorts-too-short for the weather, but it's white sneakers instead of her usual heeled boots. A small backpack, a light jacket — it's fashionable (not that tadashi likely has any knowledgeable eye for that), but it's a lot more functional than she usually dresses.
it is the end of the world, after all.
there's difference in her posture, too, and in her face — a less tense, less thin, less sallow. all in all... An Improvement.
even her expression is warm, smile edging into her cheek on the one side. ]
[Much fewer waterworks. Tadashi may not have an eye for fashion, but he at least knows when not to comment on how much better someone looks compared to the last time you saw them. He smiles at her, giving a wave and shoving his comm back in his pocket.]
Hey. I guess long time no see is an understatement, huh?
[Don't mind his burn scars, Ruka. Otherwise he's unchanged.]
[ She sees them, of course, and her gaze flicks from the damage to the look on his face — but there's no real look of confusion to her expression. No question, no anxious demand for information.
It's new, and he is her friend, but Ruka had known the shape of Tadashi's fate since before they met. She knows what it means. She knows, too, the ordeal of others picking over your hurts, your surface traumas, and the agony of all else being ignored.
Her thumbs hook into her belt loops. ]
Relatively speaking. At least some of our lost time overlapped.
Yeah? Come on, don't tell me you missed me or anything.
[ It's a teasing tone, a little more joking than Tadashi is used to hearing from her. It's a useless question, after all; someone who leaves but does not go has no heart to be missing anybody, and even if Ruka left twice-over while Tadashi was around before, they weren't exactly close. That was more her own doing, her own failings than any fault of his, of course — Ruka hardly wanted to be known back then, forget like, forget cared about.
She was pitiable, and he was always too kind for his own good, and she was too selfish for anyone's good. And, so, friends, in a way, but it's hard to imagine anyone actually missing her.
Ruka orders her drink — something strong, and fussy, and not too sweet; once Tadashi picks what he wants, she'll lead them to one of the wall-pressed tables, taking the chair that will leave the cafe visible on her good side. A tendency as natural as breathing. ]
It takes time to adjust, [ she says, easing her chair forward, letting her arms cross and rest along the edge of the table, ] so... it'll probably feel overwhelming, for longer than you'd like.
[Why would Tadashi not miss one of his friends? Sure, Ruka was more withdrawn and a little reclused, but that didn't change who she was or his friendship with her. But he sits with his drink and lets it cool for a bit.]
Probably. It was overwhelming the first time, and then the... directly after time. So maybe it won't be so bad.
[He's smiling and he genuinely means that. He likes to think he knew Ruka.... okay-ish before everything. It's enough that he can see the difference. He sips his coffee and sighs relaxed.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text - before the apocalypse
i didn't expect to be brought back just to watch the world end
it's tadashi by the way
yes i remember you
no subject
to tell the truth
it took longer than i expected
the reality crashing down thing
thought it would have been last year
no subject
wouldn't be someone whose name starts with j ?
why last year?
no subject
last year was five from the other ending
but i suppose patterns like that don't matter right now
i'm sorry it's like this now
no subject
hm. usually patterns mean things here. that's weird.
it's not your fault. we'll just have to make sure things work out
no subject
oh, maybe he got it while you were gone
his favorite car is the blue one
[ probably???? it's probably his favorite?? he's awfully smug about the pun, at least. ]
no subject
3 years
it's weird being back because it feels like i wasn't gone at all
no subject
both times
i was gone for a year and a half, the second time
got back feb of last year
not as long, but
pretty much nobody i recognized was left, either
no subject
we both got the raw end here huh ?
yeah
from what i can tell the only ones i recognize is you jaime and nico
no subject
i had Hundred
jaime recognized me, but he didn't know me
we weren't friends
other people knew my reputation, but that's it
no subject
[he means that, genuinely]
least I'm here now?
what's the protocol when waiting for the end of the world?
coffee?
no subject
[ she doesn't need empathy to know he means it; tadashi has always been sweet, and genuine, and maybe a little bit of an idiot sometimes. ]
usually it's day-drinking wine in the attic
but coffee's good
where'd they stick you?
no subject
now worrying about your day drinking ?
no subject
no subject
fine
coffee
go from there
pick a place thats still open because it looks like my aunt's is closed
no subject
hang on
[ a moment later, he'll get a map ping for a place called Harborside. it is nowhere NEAR a harbor. ]
i can be there in 30
no subject
see you then
[All it takes is a little coaxing of his comm and - fastest route mapped!
when she gets there he's standing outside, just. holding his comm like he's waiting for a response to something, but the screen's dark.]
no subject
ruka, on the other hand... well, there's no mistaking that hair-and-eye-patch combo for literally anyone else, but the passage of time has made its mark, too. the hairstyle is different, cute, and less of a forest to hide behind; gloves remain, and her propensity for shorts-too-short for the weather, but it's white sneakers instead of her usual heeled boots. A small backpack, a light jacket — it's fashionable (not that tadashi likely has any knowledgeable eye for that), but it's a lot more functional than she usually dresses.
it is the end of the world, after all.
there's difference in her posture, too, and in her face — a less tense, less thin, less sallow. all in all... An Improvement.
even her expression is warm, smile edging into her cheek on the one side. ]
Hey, Tadashi.
[ significantly fewer waterworks here. ]
no subject
Hey. I guess long time no see is an understatement, huh?
[Don't mind his burn scars, Ruka. Otherwise he's unchanged.]
no subject
It's new, and he is her friend, but Ruka had known the shape of Tadashi's fate since before they met. She knows what it means. She knows, too, the ordeal of others picking over your hurts, your surface traumas, and the agony of all else being ignored.
Her thumbs hook into her belt loops. ]
Relatively speaking. At least some of our lost time overlapped.
Coffee?
no subject
[It's almost a desperate plea. He holds the door open for her before he follows; that said, he's going straight to the counter to order.]
...It's really good seeing you, Ruka. [To see her in reality. To know she's there and he isn't just... dreaming some weird afterlife thing.
To know for sure he really exists somewhere.]
no subject
[ It's a teasing tone, a little more joking than Tadashi is used to hearing from her. It's a useless question, after all; someone who leaves but does not go has no heart to be missing anybody, and even if Ruka left twice-over while Tadashi was around before, they weren't exactly close. That was more her own doing, her own failings than any fault of his, of course — Ruka hardly wanted to be known back then, forget like, forget cared about.
She was pitiable, and he was always too kind for his own good, and she was too selfish for anyone's good. And, so, friends, in a way, but it's hard to imagine anyone actually missing her.
Ruka orders her drink — something strong, and fussy, and not too sweet; once Tadashi picks what he wants, she'll lead them to one of the wall-pressed tables, taking the chair that will leave the cafe visible on her good side. A tendency as natural as breathing. ]
It takes time to adjust, [ she says, easing her chair forward, letting her arms cross and rest along the edge of the table, ] so... it'll probably feel overwhelming, for longer than you'd like.
no subject
But he sits with his drink and lets it cool for a bit.]
Probably. It was overwhelming the first time, and then the... directly after time. So maybe it won't be so bad.
But you seem like you've been doing better.
no subject
[ ... he's not wrong, either... but...... ]
Is it really that obvious?
no subject
[He's smiling and he genuinely means that. He likes to think he knew Ruka.... okay-ish before everything. It's enough that he can see the difference. He sips his coffee and sighs relaxed.]
Where have they got you living now?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)