[What kills him is that even though he knows about and has talked to Khaji himself, he was never that close. Hiro was, Hiro played games with him a lot. God, he's... realizing a lot of things about his friendships these days.
Thank god this is text.]
says nothing about tomorrow night or the rest of my life here I never know you may decide to play a very long game here
Arrival is closer to forty minutes —she doesn't know the area, cut her some slack— but there's really no mistaking it. Depending on the strength of Tadashi's technopathy, either he'll know she's arrived by the proximity of her communicator or, failing that, the unmistakable rev of an upcoming motorcycle's engine, and the silence that falls when it shuts off just outside.
and, failing all that, there's the buzz for someone downstairs. hm. she wasn't kidding.
[ It takes her a little bit longer to get up there than he might be anticipating——she still takes the stairs after all these years, even though it sucks——but eventually comes the knock knock knock on his apartment door.
Once the door is open (do not make her unlock your door herself, Tadashi, she's broken into your place too many times already), he'll find that she is, yes, just as short as he remembers, dressed for the ride over: leather jacket, still wearing her helmet, but as usual... shorts and strappy sandals which are not at all proper biking attire.
But, most importantly: she hands over a to-go plastic cup of iced coffee, with another tucked against her side. The true reason for the delay. ]
[He doesn't know what exactly he was expecting for her reason to be here. A delayed punch in the shoulder perhaps? Maybe an actual knife in his lung for calling her -chan on the network that one time? Could've been anything.
Iced coffee wasn't it. He takes it and just.. holds it for a second. Then smiles at her and closes the door.]
If I only brought one for me, you'd either steal half of it, or spend the whole time pining for one. [ Her voice is a little muffled at first, by the helmet, but once he takes the drink from her hand it gives her freedom enough to finagle it off. The helmet's mostly red in color, but there's a little green heart stenciled on one side; instead of up in its usual buns, her hair is tied up only to the pigtail stage — it's the only way to get the helmet on, really. Now that she's free, though, she takes a drink of her own coffee and looks around his new digs.
Predictably, it's mostly boxes. She sets the helmet down on one of the stacks. ]
[Okay he feels better seeing her face and not talking to a helmet. While she does that, he just leans against his kitchen counter and sips his coffee.]
Probably. Between my stuff from the last 6 months, my stuff from the three years before, to the stuff Hiro left after I was gone... [He rubs at the back of his head irritated a little. He doesn't mind showing her that side.]
Barely unpacked the clothes I'm wearing this week.
[ It's an irritation she knows well. Her own belongings were things she had to scramble to recollect, trying to find where they'd gone when the chain of custodians had been long broken — and becoming custodian, again, to chains she isn't certain will ever be mended. Even just regular moving sucks.
She'd never really settled in Jeopardy when she moved there on her own. Coming back to Heropa only went as well as it did because she let Jaime handle it all, she too miserable about everything else to care one way or another back then.
Uh-- I've got a few things unpacked to eat and drink out of. [A few plates, a bowl, and some glasses in the sink. There's silverware somewhere in the mess whiel the rest is still packed.]
Hungry?
[Another sip. What if he just lives off this coffee for the next day and a half? He's sure it's fine, he's done worse.]
[ She leans against the wall with her own coffee, but. Well, she is still wearing her shoes, and clearly they both know that whatever Tadashi has in his fridge is not going to be what either of them want right now.
And that... really wasn't a request, was it. Has she always been this bossy? (Yes. She is always this bossy.) ]
[ On the way out, once again Ruka opts for the stairs—is there an elevator? probably. did she pass it on the way to the stairwell? probably. did she even look at he elevator? no—but going down is always the easier trip. She's taken her helmet with her, and once they're outside...
Does Tadashi have a car of his own? Probably, but Ruka just beelines right to her bike where.... of course. She has a spare helmet. ]
Here.
[ It's a monster of a bike — in that, honestly, it kind of looks more like a beast or an animal than most motorcycles do. Custom build, obviously, but the outer chassis masks a lot of the bike's combustive parts, and the mount for the headlamp is more rounded than most. It's a cool machine. ]
[Surprising everyone, he actually does not have a car! He was used to not having one back home, just his little suped up vespa, but here? Never really felt the need to buy one. So he'll take the helmet and gawk at the bike.]
And then some time I'd really like to get a better look at your ride.
[He knows the minute he touches it, he'll understand every single part and customization and how it works, but for the ride there he just wants to enjoy it.]
Sure, but you'll have to be the one to explain it if you change anything.
[ She passes Tadashi the spare helmet——which is probably one of Jaime's, judging by the size—and hops on, slipping her own helmet into place. The seat's long enough for a passenger, thankfully, but before he gets a chance to sit down, Ruka nudges open a side compartment (the chassis, apparently, hides side compartments) in order to stash her coffee. If he brought his, she'll stash that too, but once it's all done, it snaps back to closed easily. ]
You can hold onto the back or onto me, but I drive pretty fast.
[He wouldn't dream of making changes to anyone's ride unless they specifically requested it and whatever changes they wanted. He's not that rude!! But take a seat on the bike he will.]
I'll hold onto the back.
[He's not a homewrecker. He still has no idea Ruka ever had a crush on him, or that that day at the shark park was a date. It's a moot point now anyway as they speed off.]
[ all these guys thinking they can be homewreckers...... the audacity. the ego. they don't have a chance.
At any rate, the bike revs back to life and it nyooms from part to a frankly startling speed in no time at all. And, though she doesn't. technically. probably. break any laws, the speed at which she goes, and how smoothly she weaves between and passes other cars on the road, often without even seeming to look... might be a little nerve-wracking when Tadashi remembers she's blind on one side.
It turns out: if you can always sense when you are in danger, you're more able to take risks.
Eventually the ride slows and they pull into a neat stop in front of the ever-popular Rice Rice Baby. The engine idles, and stills. ]
He's so used to always being the driver that riding is odd. Almost relaxing and exciting in its own way - he has no control over what the bike does or where they go or how they turn, so he's just in for the ride. He isn't scared a bit. He trusts Ruka with his afterlife and knows she wouldn't hurt them. She cares too much about this bike to do that.
When they stop, he gets his helmet off and just holds it.]
Phew. Never doubted you a second, but great driving.
[ The lack of concern at her back is appreciated, but she doesn't acknowledge it during the ride itself. There's really no way to do it, is there? Hey, thanks for not freaking out, or even like, pretending you're not freaking out. Little too invasive. Still... it's nice to be trusted.
(But, okay, nobody tell Tadashi about the time she sabotaged her own bike for attention.) ]
Thanks. [ She finally pops off her helmet, hanging it off a handlebar. She grabs one of her pigtails and starts wrapping it back up into a bun — something she didn't even bother doing when arriving at his place. ] Lots of practice.
[ She does up her second bun while he gets off the bike, and when finished she hangs up his helmet and dismounts as well. ]
Fewer people on the road get nervous, when they can't see who the driver is.
[ Her head cants toward the restaurant entrance. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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presumably in one piece
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Thank god this is text.]
says nothing about tomorrow night or the rest of my life here
I never know you may decide to play a very long game here
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[ SAYS. THE GIRL. GETTING MARRIED. ]
anyway
be there in like half an hour
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Christ if she really is coming he'd... nah he's not gonna clean up, there's nothing he can do about all the packing boxes. At least he has a couch.]
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Arrival is closer to forty minutes —she doesn't know the area, cut her some slack— but there's really no mistaking it. Depending on the strength of Tadashi's technopathy, either he'll know she's arrived by the proximity of her communicator or, failing that, the unmistakable rev of an upcoming motorcycle's engine, and the silence that falls when it shuts off just outside.
and, failing all that, there's the buzz for someone downstairs. hm. she wasn't kidding.
is she ever kidding. ]
Hey.
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Then remembers Ruka has a motorcycle.
Then has the third point realization of oh SHIT she's here. He gets to the buzzer fumbling and-]
Hey-- Come on up? [Buzzes her in because god. His friends.]
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[ It takes her a little bit longer to get up there than he might be anticipating——she still takes the stairs after all these years, even though it sucks——but eventually comes the knock knock knock on his apartment door.
Once the door is open (do not make her unlock your door herself, Tadashi, she's broken into your place too many times already), he'll find that she is, yes, just as short as he remembers, dressed for the ride over: leather jacket, still wearing her helmet, but as usual... shorts and strappy sandals which are not at all proper biking attire.
But, most importantly: she hands over a to-go plastic cup of iced coffee, with another tucked against her side. The true reason for the delay. ]
Here.
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Iced coffee wasn't it. He takes it and just.. holds it for a second. Then smiles at her and closes the door.]
Thanks. Uncalled for, but not unappreciated.
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Predictably, it's mostly boxes. She sets the helmet down on one of the stacks. ]
Besides. You probably need it, anyway.
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Probably. Between my stuff from the last 6 months, my stuff from the three years before, to the stuff Hiro left after I was gone... [He rubs at the back of his head irritated a little. He doesn't mind showing her that side.]
Barely unpacked the clothes I'm wearing this week.
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She'd never really settled in Jeopardy when she moved there on her own. Coming back to Heropa only went as well as it did because she let Jaime handle it all, she too miserable about everything else to care one way or another back then.
Her head cants a little towards the fridge. ]
Kitchen still boxed up too, I take it?
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Hungry?
[Another sip. What if he just lives off this coffee for the next day and a half? He's sure it's fine, he's done worse.]
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[ She leans against the wall with her own coffee, but. Well, she is still wearing her shoes, and clearly they both know that whatever Tadashi has in his fridge is not going to be what either of them want right now.
And that... really wasn't a request, was it. Has she always been this bossy? (Yes. She is always this bossy.) ]
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Got something in mind?
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[ Thinking it over. ]
There's a Thai place, conveyor sushi... and Mexican? I think.
[ None of these places are walking distance. ]
Preference?
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I think conveyor sushi is easy enough.
[Easy to have conversations during, easy to not think so much. He'll open the door for her, grab his keys off the hook, and lock up behind him.]
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Does Tadashi have a car of his own? Probably, but Ruka just beelines right to her bike where.... of course. She has a spare helmet. ]
Here.
[ It's a monster of a bike — in that, honestly, it kind of looks more like a beast or an animal than most motorcycles do. Custom build, obviously, but the outer chassis masks a lot of the bike's combustive parts, and the mount for the headlamp is more rounded than most. It's a cool machine. ]
I'll drive.
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And then some time I'd really like to get a better look at your ride.
[He knows the minute he touches it, he'll understand every single part and customization and how it works, but for the ride there he just wants to enjoy it.]
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[ She passes Tadashi the spare helmet——which is probably one of Jaime's, judging by the size—and hops on, slipping her own helmet into place. The seat's long enough for a passenger, thankfully, but before he gets a chance to sit down, Ruka nudges open a side compartment (the chassis, apparently, hides side compartments) in order to stash her coffee. If he brought his, she'll stash that too, but once it's all done, it snaps back to closed easily. ]
You can hold onto the back or onto me, but I drive pretty fast.
[ The chariot is now ready. ]
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I'll hold onto the back.
[He's not a homewrecker. He still has no idea Ruka ever had a crush on him, or that that day at the shark park was a date. It's a moot point now anyway as they speed off.]
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At any rate, the bike revs back to life and it nyooms from part to a frankly startling speed in no time at all. And, though she doesn't. technically. probably. break any laws, the speed at which she goes, and how smoothly she weaves between and passes other cars on the road, often without even seeming to look... might be a little nerve-wracking when Tadashi remembers she's blind on one side.
It turns out: if you can always sense when you are in danger, you're more able to take risks.
Eventually the ride slows and they pull into a neat stop in front of the ever-popular Rice Rice Baby. The engine idles, and stills. ]
See? Still in one piece.
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He's so used to always being the driver that riding is odd. Almost relaxing and exciting in its own way - he has no control over what the bike does or where they go or how they turn, so he's just in for the ride. He isn't scared a bit. He trusts Ruka with his afterlife and knows she wouldn't hurt them. She cares too much about this bike to do that.
When they stop, he gets his helmet off and just holds it.]
Phew. Never doubted you a second, but great driving.
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(But, okay, nobody tell Tadashi about the time she sabotaged her own bike for attention.) ]
Thanks. [ She finally pops off her helmet, hanging it off a handlebar. She grabs one of her pigtails and starts wrapping it back up into a bun — something she didn't even bother doing when arriving at his place. ] Lots of practice.
[ She does up her second bun while he gets off the bike, and when finished she hangs up his helmet and dismounts as well. ]
Fewer people on the road get nervous, when they can't see who the driver is.
[ Her head cants toward the restaurant entrance. ]
Shall we?
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