1228/Dine In, Dish Up

From Radiant Heart MUSH

Dine In, Dish Up
Date of Scene: 23 February 2024
Location: Pikarigaoaka Ward
Synopsis: Sugata's finally arrived in Tokyo, and Takuto and Wako are excited to show him Korma Chameleon. A meal of teasing, tasting, and talk of the near and far future is enjoyed by all.
Cast of Characters: Sugata Shindo, Takuto Tsunashi, Wako Agemaki


Sugata Shindo has posed:
"So this is the famous Korma Chameleon you two have told me all about," Sugata says, and he doesn't sound unimpressed. The restaurant is cozy and comfortable, and they've already selected a table by a window. Takuto and Wako have the menus - Sugata has the wallet. "Well? What do you want?"

The plan is clear to him: they'll order, and he'll sample anything they suggest.

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
"I'm getting at least lamb korma, and also garlic naan, and aloo papri chaat, annnnd... matcha lassi!" says Takuto, practically singsonging the last bit. He puts the menu down on the table where it can be picked up easily, then leans over Wako's shoulder to see if she has the same menu, which obviously she does.

Then he sits back and looks overly comfortable with himself, fingers laced over his stomach, hair as wild as ever. "Also, did you all have a good flight? You were on a little plane, right? A puddle-jumper?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako does not protest Takuto's leaning, even though it's obviously the same menu. "Samosas for all three of us," she says, firmly, "and I'll get... the chicken coconut korma, and paneer makhani, and a sweet lassi. And we should get the tandoori platter and the naan assortment basket so we'll have the different kinds!" She could pretend this is for Sugata's benefit, which is kind of is, but also let's be real about it.

With the initial decisions made, she lowers her menu to look with great interest for Sugata's response. "What was it like, flying here? We just took the train when we came, after the ferry. That was exciting enough."

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"I'll add an order of white rice to that, then, along with a mango lassi" Sugata says, hearing all of this, and flagging down a server. Without protest or concern he conveys the full order, adding in that she shouldn't hesitate to come back and ask if they want additional orders or dessert later.

Once the server is gone, he turns to his two curious partners, and says very seriously, "Were it not for the fact that it would destroy this planet, I would have preferred to take Samekh."

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
Takuto's eyes go wide. "It was that bad? I mean thank you for your sacrifice, your timing was incredible, but whoof! I'm sorry!"

The basket of naan comes almost immediately, but it's as the server is coming over with it that Takuto asks even more curiously, "Was Samekh remotely comfortable? I mean I only saw inside his head and a lot of really annoying illusions. Or was it just the bubble? Where would you have put your luggage if it was just the bubble?"

He is not going anywhere near 'okay but Tiger and Jaguar' given the givens.

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"Sugata-kun!" Wako yelps, somewhere between scandalized and laughing. "Was it really that bad?"

She asked it at almost exactly the same time as Takuto, which tips her over into laughter, and she turns in her seat to accept the basket of naan from the server with a half-giggled "Thank you."

And then-- "Anyway!" and she puts the basket down on the table in the midst of the three of them where they can all reach, immediately snagging a piece to nibble on. "Sounds like we'll need to stick to the trains when we visit home for vacations, I guess." She's only very faintly disappointed by the prospect of not trying out the plane trip for herself.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"It was unpleasant. That might have been in part because Jaguar was nauseous and Tiger was anxious."

Not him. He'd been through worse, frankly, though the turbulence was not pleasant.

"You both might enjoy it more," not that Sugata wasn't adventurous, but Takuto was willing to do the most reckless things, and Wako was often up to following. Takuto liked camping, for Wawna's sake. "It was... fine? In theory I'd have had more control. I might have enjoyed the flight more if I was in the pilot's chair."

Oh, so it's because he's a control freak.

A pieace of naan is selected and sampled, a little nod of satisfaction at the toast and buttered flavor.

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
While Wako and Sugata are talking, Takuto inhales (metaphorically) a piece of garlic naan half due to hunger and half due to being firm about getting at least some of what he ordered. It's practically reflex at this point.

When he's almost but not entirely done chewing, he holds a hand up in front of his mouth and says, "So when are you getting your pilot's license?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"You actually could," Wako notes thoughtfully, after swallowing a bite of onion naan. "I bet there's flight schools around Tokyo, if you decided to get licensed. If not right now, then in a couple years."

She nomfs another bite, takes her time savoring it, thoughts working in her head while she chews. "That makes me wonder, to be honest - though it's probably too soon to ask - now that the three of us are all here, do either of you have anything you're aiming for? Like me and singing, I mean." Her smile is just a little self-deprecating, like she thinks she's asking more than she should.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"There are a few piloting schools with lessons available for the summer. Of course, if Tokyo is half as exciting as you two made it sound, that ight not work out."

The self-defensive eating strategy earns a faint smile as Sugata nibbles at his own naan. He's not prepared for the question Wako posits, and it shows in the way his eyes widen, the dip of his mouth.

The future. In Tokyo.

He's spent this long just trying to get to this point, and he's caught off-guard to realize that he doesn't really know what he wants to do with it.

"Line up to attend all your concerts with a large banner," is what he actually says, straight-faced and dry voiced.

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
"Well I don't think we're done singing out our youth, are we?" laughs Takuto, and their drinks and the samosas and the aloo papri chaat arrive. "I mean, if you want to figure we're decrepit while we're still in the flower of adolescence, that's on you, but I plan on continuing to be reckless and enjoying life. Also..."

He leans in a little bit after nodding his thanks-- with a huge grin and a big thumbs-up-- for the appetizers. "...aren't things already very exciting? You haven't seen how often these things happen, Sugata-kun. Wako-chan, how could I make more plans than 'keep going to school and keep fighting'?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Fortunately for both of her boys, Wako no longer has a menu with which to thwap either of them. She promptly sticks her tongue out at Sugata instead, affectionately exasperated. "Hey, I was asking seriously!" Sigh. SIGH.

The look she turns toward Takuto is a bit less wry, and she nods. "--no, you're right, there's still plenty of time to enjoy our high school lives and just being in Tokyo. But... it's something to think about, isn't it?"

She reaches for a samosa. "Besides, if I'm going to have to figure out how to do auditions and things around all this nonsense, you can think about what you want to do in the future a little."

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"I was being serious too," Sugata says, blinking in exaggerated innocence. "Does this mean you don't want us to be your trophy boys?"

What a shame, what a world, his tone implies, how tragic, how cruel.

The tandoor platter, as one of the appetizers, is here, and he takes a piece of chicken and another of lamb, as well as a few vegetables as his portion, leaving the rest to be the site of a one-sided war.

"I do expect that Tokyo will be even more exciting than home, anyway. It will be enjoyable to have the chance to 'let loose' on some more deserving targets."

Sorry, Wako and Takuto! Your peaceful days (?) are over. You're on boyfriend wrangling duty now!

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
Takuto glances at Sugata and his eyes sparkle. He looks back at Wako and the sparkle has turned into an agreeing-with-Sugata face of woe. "You mean we could have been trophy boys but Wako-chan... Wako-chan is... evil? Wako-chan is unyielding?" He leans-- leeeeans toward Wako and clutches ar her arm. "Wako-chan is incapable of love?"

He sits back with his hand over his forehead and looks tragic. "I am running away. I am packing my little cybody and going out to explore the world as a lone vagabond. I can no longer thrive in this household."

And then he snakes a stick of tandoori chicken out from under where it looks like Wako is going to reach.

And then he sits up and looks at Sugata, suddenly worried. "Wait, who decides who's a deserving target?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"You're both impossible," Wako informs them, after giving Takuto a briefly affronted look over the pilfered tandoori chicken. She goes for lamb instead, almost managing to be philosophical about it until Takuto actually asks the question.

Then she gives him a very wry look. "I think it's going to have to be us, Takuto-kun."

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"I do, of course," Sugata says, though he's hiding a smile behind a bite of chicken. "You two are going to be too soft. Especially since you're leaving the household, Takuto."

Oh, so it's definitely not him who gets to make the choice.

"That boy who went after your hearts is still alive, so he'll be first on the list, but I doubt he's the only troublemaker around."

Still alive? Sugata, aren't you taking this all a little too seriously?

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
"You can't just kill them, Sugata-kun," Takuto says almost reasonably, almost like this isn't a tired argument he's used to having with fully half of Glittering Crux, and he slides over the papri chaat to spoon a bunch onto his plate. "You can almost kill them, but when so many people on our side won't, and so many on their side are willing to as long as we make the first move... you can't. And that's just the practical part."

He picks up his matcha lassi and sips, then makes a considering face, and holds it over to Wako to try. "How do you feel about this? I'm still deciding."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"Besides," Wako puts in, "Riventon is a jerk, but he's Firefly-chan's senpai and Mamoru-san's brother. It'd be a problem." She looks between them, brows drawing together for a moment, and nods her agreement to Takuto's argument. "In any case, you just got here, so... can we not talk about things like this while we're eating?"

As if to punctuate the point, she leans over to try a sip of Takuto's matcha lassi. "Hm... I like it." Takuto may not have asked the best person for an opinion here, but on the bright side it means she got to try some of his lassi.

Sugata Shindo has posed:
"Fair enough," Sugata says, though they both know him well enough to be sure this isn't agreement, so much as it is a delay on the conversation.

"You two have been right about this place so far. I'm anticipating a lot of takeout and delivery orders in my future."

It's an apology as much as a compliment. And then he takes the matcha lassi to take his own sip, humming - "That's nice."

He didn't ask! He just took! But... this is nice, isn't it? Sitting here, eating with them, both like old times and nothing like it at all -

"So, why don't you tell me what else I can expect at this school?"