It is. I'm glad you've realized that as early in life as you have. You wouldn't believe how useless some other people your age can be...
[ And with that, they're looking up some outdoor stairs leading up to a block of Stellari's business lofts. Maruki cranes his neck to look up at them, then back to Shinjiro with a beaming smile. ]
Here we are! Shall we? Hopefully at least one is empty.
[ Oh, horrifying. Sometimes Eren just drinks a bunch of raw eggs, so he gets it. Jocks, man...
Up they go, then! There are signs of life in a few of the apartments – movement caught through parted curtains, a handmade woven mat outside one door – but Maruki knocks on one that looks conspicuously plain and hears nothing.
With nothing more than a polite we're coming in! he pushes it open, and thank god it's not inhabited by a person who's too trusting to lock their doors. It's empty. Small, and certainly in need of some TLC, but empty.
He holds it open then, extends his free arm to gesture into the space. ]
[Shinjiro is almost disappointed it's actually empty. There's no reason not to choose it beyond stubbornness, really, and the fact that it was so easy makes a perverse part of him want to make up something wrong with it to go somewhere else and justify Maruki's effort in even coming out here when Shinjiro couldn't have been bothered to go looking.
He doesn't, though, shuffling in after the doctor and taking a brief look around before he rolls a shoulder in a shrug.]
Yeah, this is fine.
[If anyone comes to check on him later it's just going to be that r/malelivingspaces situation of a guy sleeping on a mattress without even any sheets or anything, though. If furniture wasn't already provided in these apartments it would be even more dire.
There's an awkward beat of silence. It seems kind of obnoxious to just send Maruki on his way after like, ten minutes of searching, though, and the man already picked up on the cooking thing, so...]
[ On the contrary, Maruki's all too pleased by how simple it was. It only serves to reinforce his earlier point. Not everything about this reality comes so easily, but by god, some things really are simpler here than they ever would be back home. You can simply walk into an unoccupied domicile and poof, it's yours! It never ceases to amaze him...
He's busy inspecting the lights in the living room, ensuring that they work when Shinjiro asks that question. ]
Hm? Ah, well, I miss a lot of food from home, as you can imagine...
[ One of the end tables is wobbly. Maruki pulls his journal out of his satchel, tears out a couple pieces of paper and begins folding them to stick beneath the uneven leg. ]
[Shinjiro's actually genuinely strategizing in the back of his mind whether he could make tempura without a deep fryer and what he might be able to use as a substitute for dashi stock while Maruki's busying himself making sure the apartment is nice and livable, when the older man innocently asks that question and he freezes like a deer in the headlights. The doctor ... didn't catch the implication there, did he.
He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. He might actually die (again) on the spot if he has to say it out loud. He can't do this, actually. Shinjiro rubs at his neck, looking for a believable lie.]
...No reason. Just wondering, since we were talking about cooking.
[Ah, he's gotten away with his bullshit. It's a relief, in a sense, even if he still feels a sense of discomfort in leaving a kindness unrepaid, strong armed into accepting the help as he might have been in the first place.]
...Mm, not sure if I have a favorite, exactly. Or rather, learning new recipes is probably the best part, for me.
[It's probably the most earnest Maruki's heard him up to now, that reluctant teenage grouchiness absent entirely -- in its place is only a trace of flustered embarrassment in talking to someone about something he genuinely enjoys.]
Sushi can be pretty fun, though. Especially mixing and matching the fillings and toppings and all. Any reason you wanted to learn that specifically?
[ Oh, Maruki certainly catches the shift in tone and attitude there! Good, then they'll stick with food as a topic, see if that won't get Shinjiro to lighten up.
From the bedroom, he laughs a bit at that. ]
Mm? Ah, well, that's a good question, isn't it...
[ What did start it all? A few Tokyo transplants commiserating on Sleepr. It feels like ages ago. But what kept him doing it once he got started...
Maruki emerges from the bedroom, mid-jotting down a quick list of things to drop off for Shinjiro in his journal. That bed needs thicker blankets at the very least. ]
At first I wanted to learn so those of us from various realities of Japan could have some creature comforts from home, but then I discovered it's probably my housemate's favorite food. So even though there are plenty of others who enjoy it, truthfully, I've kept at it so I can treat him.
[Ohh it's a good thing Shinjiro's distracted enough by food talk that he doesn't register what's being written in that journal, or he'd be right back on the defensive again.]
...Makes sense. Sounds like he's got a good friend.
[He rubs at the back of his neck. It's too uncomfortable to offer directly, especially after Maruki didn't catch his drift before, but--]
[ Unfortunately for Shinjiro, Maruki does pick up on it this time, and his smile brightens into something nearly beaming as he tucks his journal back into his jacket pocket. ]
[Shinjiro all but startles at the sudden brightness of that smile, expression just a bit deer-in-headlights.]
S-sure. Why not.
[He stares at Maruki a moment, as though it'll solve some kind of mystery in his own mind. Then, self-consciously, looks off to the side. He hesitates.]
[Mmmm...it doesn't quite feel like a proper repayment if the ingredients are provided, but he also doesn't exactly want to deal with the crystal himself...
Compromises must be made, he supposes.]
That works for me. Just let me know when you want to, I guess.
[is that a social link raising in here, he's so rusty at this.]
hehe dassawrap from me.... see you in the event :3c
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[ And with that, they're looking up some outdoor stairs leading up to a block of Stellari's business lofts. Maruki cranes his neck to look up at them, then back to Shinjiro with a beaming smile. ]
Here we are! Shall we? Hopefully at least one is empty.
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[Akihiko you might be bestie but your eating habits are a disaster and he's perpetually horrified 💔
Good thing they reach the apartments before he can dwell too much on said absent bestie. He nods.]
Right behind you.
[He's not sure how hopeful he is about it, but, well. They're here. So he's doing this.]
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Up they go, then! There are signs of life in a few of the apartments – movement caught through parted curtains, a handmade woven mat outside one door – but Maruki knocks on one that looks conspicuously plain and hears nothing.
With nothing more than a polite we're coming in! he pushes it open, and thank god it's not inhabited by a person who's too trusting to lock their doors. It's empty. Small, and certainly in need of some TLC, but empty.
He holds it open then, extends his free arm to gesture into the space. ]
After you. I see a kitchen!
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He doesn't, though, shuffling in after the doctor and taking a brief look around before he rolls a shoulder in a shrug.]
Yeah, this is fine.
[If anyone comes to check on him later it's just going to be that r/malelivingspaces situation of a guy sleeping on a mattress without even any sheets or anything, though. If furniture wasn't already provided in these apartments it would be even more dire.
There's an awkward beat of silence. It seems kind of obnoxious to just send Maruki on his way after like, ten minutes of searching, though, and the man already picked up on the cooking thing, so...]
There anything specific you like to eat?
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He's busy inspecting the lights in the living room, ensuring that they work when Shinjiro asks that question. ]
Hm? Ah, well, I miss a lot of food from home, as you can imagine...
[ One of the end tables is wobbly. Maruki pulls his journal out of his satchel, tears out a couple pieces of paper and begins folding them to stick beneath the uneven leg. ]
Tempura udon is my favorite, though.
[ Not strictly true, but close enough. ]
Why do you ask?
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He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. He might actually die (again) on the spot if he has to say it out loud. He can't do this, actually. Shinjiro rubs at his neck, looking for a believable lie.]
...No reason. Just wondering, since we were talking about cooking.
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Maruki only grins at him before moving to look down the hall at the singular bedroom, make sure it's outfitted appropriately. ]
What's your favorite thing to cook, then? I've actually spent most of my time in this reality learning to make sushi, if you can believe it...
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...Mm, not sure if I have a favorite, exactly. Or rather, learning new recipes is probably the best part, for me.
[It's probably the most earnest Maruki's heard him up to now, that reluctant teenage grouchiness absent entirely -- in its place is only a trace of flustered embarrassment in talking to someone about something he genuinely enjoys.]
Sushi can be pretty fun, though. Especially mixing and matching the fillings and toppings and all. Any reason you wanted to learn that specifically?
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From the bedroom, he laughs a bit at that. ]
Mm? Ah, well, that's a good question, isn't it...
[ What did start it all? A few Tokyo transplants commiserating on Sleepr. It feels like ages ago. But what kept him doing it once he got started...
Maruki emerges from the bedroom, mid-jotting down a quick list of things to drop off for Shinjiro in his journal. That bed needs thicker blankets at the very least. ]
At first I wanted to learn so those of us from various realities of Japan could have some creature comforts from home, but then I discovered it's probably my housemate's favorite food. So even though there are plenty of others who enjoy it, truthfully, I've kept at it so I can treat him.
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...Makes sense. Sounds like he's got a good friend.
[He rubs at the back of his neck. It's too uncomfortable to offer directly, especially after Maruki didn't catch his drift before, but--]
There anything else you wanna learn how to make?
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Are you offering? That would be fun!
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S-sure. Why not.
[He stares at Maruki a moment, as though it'll solve some kind of mystery in his own mind. Then, self-consciously, looks off to the side. He hesitates.]
[...]
We could start with tempura udon. If you want.
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[ And also he has an infinite amount of shards to spend on mundane things like panko and dashi. ]
I appreciate that, Aragaki-kun. I'll look forward to it!
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Compromises must be made, he supposes.]
That works for me. Just let me know when you want to, I guess.
[is that a social link raising in here, he's so rusty at this.]
hehe dassawrap from me.... see you in the event :3c
I will. Once you're settled, we'll get together. Provided things don't take a turn before then, of course...
[ Ah, well. And with that, Maruki waves the little list from his journal. ]
I'll be back to drop off a few more things, and then I'll leave you to it, Aragaki-kun.