233/Everything at Steak

Everything at Steak
Date of Scene:	07 August 2023
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	The long-awaited wagyu beef cookout!
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Koji Silvia, Naru Osaka, Chiyo Sakai, Kazuo Saitou, Usagi Tsukino

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It's summer and campus isn't closed; there are people who live in the dorms full-time, after all. It's summer and campus is slow, because everyone else is gone. That has the fortunate side effect of actually clear clearings, some even wide, in the woods of the school's grounds.

Preparation for this has involved multiple buckets of sand and water being at the ready, as well as a fire extinguisher that is located way over there away from the fire. It has involved smuggling over a table, and a bunch of chairs, and also a cooler -- people have been given options for what to bring if they wanted to bring things, but there's already some canned coffee and iced tea, as well as pineapple soda.

It's a little bit before dusk, in the elongated golden hour of late summer, and the fireflies will be out in less than an hour.

"I should have brought yams," Darien grumbles. In advance of sunset's approaching temperature drop and also mosquitos, the tenth grader's wearing a battered green blazer over his t-shirt and jeans. He doesn't look overheated, though, just hot. "Wait. I brought the steak, I didn't have to being anything else. Bets on who shows up earliest?"

Koji Silvia has posed:
Koji has been a very industrious little magical bo-... I mean... young man.

His set up is two aged but still sturdy clay pots, each filled with charcoal and sitting on metal stands off the ground, mesh grates over their tops. Two camping coolers are there are well, one red one blue, both the kind you'd see on sale at the bigger supermarkets for those who want to get out to summer events but need something for travel. Inside of one is a small treasure trove of veggies to go with a rather sizable pre-packed bag of sliced and marinated steaks.

Those treats include a mound of nicely thick spring onion chopped into easy-grab pieces, a half-dozen halved bok choy, wedges of sweet potato that have the glimmer of salt and pepper, and some Shiitake mushroom caps.

There are also come condiments, spare chopsticks and bowls, and even some korean branded Kimchi... and to one side is a small box of salmon treat tubes for cats, and a little plastic container filled with dry food, just in case.

The other cooler tote has bottles of a craft root beer, ginger 'beer', and some ramune.

"I already thought of that. I just hope I brought enough." He says to his roomie, and then fans the pots before putting his hand over them, "Feels good."

The bag full of pre-marinated steak is obtained and opened, letting Darien get hit with the combined scents of miso, aged soy sauce, sugar, and ginger. A 2-inch long piece is brought out and then places on the left grill.

    *SIZZLE*

The Spring onions come next, and he puts six pieces on the right grill.

    *SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS*

The sounds of summertime.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It is safe to say that there is probably going to be enough food. Especially as Naru and Usagi arrive with a soft sided cooler of their own. Because its just rude to appear to a cook out without something in hand.

Naru also has a bag over her shoulder, a hoodie just peeking out of the edge of it, something to ward against the evening chill if it comes. More likely when it comes.

She lifts a hand to wave to those already there and considers the setup. "You guys are much more adept at cook outs than I am, that's for certain!" She laughs softly, glancing over to Usagi and Luna before back to the cooks. "We brought salad and dessert. I don't think any of us are going to starve around here."

She pauses to look at the two grill set up and then looks at Koji and her expression goes fully into d'aww. "A veggie grill too? That's so thoughtful!"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
The cleared path means that there's not much of a warning when others arrive. No tell-tale sound of leaves or sticks crunching beneath feet. The fact that it's cleared out was also rather good for those who didn't get out into forested areas much---Like Chiyo. While not a city girl she was definitely not a woodsy type, either.

As soon as she catches a whiff of the grilling items and hears the conversation of Koji and Mamoru, she picks up her step until she can properly see the area they've arranged. A large pack is carried on her back burdened with who-knew-what and she clutches at the straps over her shoulders to keep them from digging in too much. She's just wearing a casual outfit of shorts, and a flowy, frilly blouse that seemed out of place in the woods. And comfy slip on shoes, of course.

"Hello!" she greets quietly while pausing to look around the area for a spot she can place what she's brought. "I'm not too early am I?" Even among friends she felt the need to make sure it was okay to be here. It's a work in progress.

The bag is swung off her shoulders with surprising ease in spite of the size only to *thunk* it down ontop of the table. "I brought some things to grill too, if that's okay?" A rather tubby white and orange cat steps to the side bumping into her ankles to announce his presence, too. Grinning she looks down to him.

"Oh, and this is Bonito. I thought getting out for some exercise might do him some good," she adds as if this explains everything.

Her attention turns to unpacking a few large tupperware containers from her pack to open them up revealing in one skewers of firm mochi for grilling, and in the other... Skewers of *bacon* wrapped mochi for grilling.

"I wasn't sure if everyone liked bacon so I brought some of both."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Following Naru and Usagi at a little distance is a tall figure in jeans and a loose white shirt, with sleeves rolled up past the elbow and buttons undone at the neck. The breeze toys with his loose white hair, but somehow manages not to get it in his face or eyes. Somehow. He's carrying, unsurprisingly, white boxes. They are not magneted over to the grill, so possibly they're also some sort of dessert.

Apparently, saying hello is for people who aren't him.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
An evening of summer fun is exactly what everyone needs, and even more so after some particular revalations that Usagi is still - still - contemplating. A day with friends, fully disconnected from secrets and combat and things that need to be revealed (mostly disconnected from secrets and combat and things that need to be revealed) is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Not that Usagi had seen a doctor, but! Still, it's true!

And in complete defiance of even her own expectations, Usagi actually has something to contribute to this cooked out! She and Naru have their own cooler even, carried carefully between the two of them. Usagi has honestly never been prouder of herself - Naru-chan hadn't even had to remind her to bring something! She'd been planning on it even before her friend had said a word!

Sure, the salad was Naru-chan's idea entirely, while sweets had been Usagi's, but still! Contributions! The necessary ingredients for smores, among other things, will make sure this night ends on a sweet note.

Luna's tucked into a drawstring bag on Usagi's back, peeking her head over Usagi's shoulder as they get within sight of everyone, and she waves enthusiastically on seeing Darien and Koji and Chiyo! "Hey! We made it! We're not the last ones here!"

Truly, another accomplishment on her belt! The smell of grilling meat and scallions is a reward unto itself, and Usagi helps Naru set everything down before carefully setting her bag down, helping Luna climb out as best as she can without compromising Luna's dignity. The cast on her foreleg is a bright pink, and her fur has grown back where it was shaved for stitches and wound care. It might be a little uneven, but she looks much more like a proper kitty than a wounded mess now.

"I hope no one minds that I bought Luna!"

Luna meows, quiet, and settles herself atop Naru and Usagi's cooler. She does not acknowledge Bonito's presence in the slightest.

"Kazuo-kun! Chiyo-chan! Have you two met? I'm so glad we're all getting together like this!" Usagi looks around at the whole group. She doesn't take one of the boxes from Kazuo to help, but she looks a little tempted too, more out of curiosity than anything. Chiyo-chan's bacon-wrapped mochi get a particularly wanting look, the memory of a particularly delicious bacon-wrapped mochi coming back to her for a moment. "This is going to be a great summer memory - I brought a camera, so if anyone doesn't like pictures, speak now or forever hold your peace!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"You think of everything," Darien tells Koji with a light, easy little laugh. And then Naru and Usagi come up with Kazuo, and Naru's talking about adept and the veggie grill, and Darien straightens up. He's about to make a further comment, but people. There are people, and he cares about the opinions of every one of them, and that's so dangerous.

He offers Chiyo a slight smile, a little bit crooked. "You think of everything, too. And you're right on time--"

He's going to look at Bonito, but Usagi is being very there, and oh two cats, and one is... is very familiar.

"Of course bringing Luna is fine," he says, startled, but that's really all he gets out. He puts his hands in his pockets and takes a quarter of a step back, and his smile is an absolute breeze of a thing. He takes a breath.

Finally, he says almost entirely normally, "A camera was a really good idea! The summer dreams of young people are precious jewels that promise bright futures, and I-- really. Would like copies, sometime."

Darien shuts up and helps move food items onto the table. He refuses to look at anyone.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Dressed in a blue collared shirt that looks like it's been camping more than once in how faded and rumpled it is, Koji has one a pair of military surplus cargo pants that have a couple permanent scorch-marks on them, but also a pair of walking sandals. Sleeves rolled up, he's still putting more spring onion, some sweet potato, and more steak slices onto the other grill via long chopsticks.

If you could see the world like Koji can right now, you would see that he has the temperature of both grills, and countdown timers for the food to be cooked best.

The perks of a Device.

"Glad I didn't bet. I was going to say Chiyo.", Koji replies finally with a grin at Darien.

He goes over and he actually helps Chiyo settle her things and gives her a brief and friendly hug before saying, "Thanks for coming, by the way."

Then he kneels down and lets Bonito sniff his hand and follows it up with a scritch here and there for His Lordship.

As Naru and Usagi settle their things, the young man smiles and says, "I'm a little camera shy... but okay."

Finally? He goes to the cooler and cracks a ginger beer, and walks it over to Kazuo. Just a quiet way of greeting as much as bringing those white boxes, which he offers with just an outstretch hand to take and move to the table, "Fireflies should be up and around in about an hour, and if anyone sees some feral cats getting close to the fire, that's the locals."

The sight of Luna does make him smile, and he digs back to the cooler again to get a salmon snack, "Can I offer her a treat?"

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"I don't think we have, no." Kazuo transfers his boxes to Koji with a nod in exchange for the ginger beer (they are labelled, for Usagi's and Koji's information, 'nut-free,' 'Euro,' and 'real'), and then turns to bow solemnly to Chiyo. Or at least mock-solemnly. Close enough that it's hard to tell. "Kazuo Saitou. I'm still not entirely sure how I wound up involved in this. The cats probably have a better claim than I do."

Presumably he means Bonito and Luna, but he might mean the ferals. Then again, he might be one of the ferals. Who knows?

A moment's pause to regard Usagi at the camera announcement, and then Kazuo turns his head to Naru. That's when the quick grin manifests at last. "Osaka. Your roommate isn't trying to steal our souls tonight, is she?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I'm so used to being in your photos, Usagi." Naru is wholly resigned to that reality and by her tone, doesn't seem to mind it all that much. She helps get Luna out of the backpack such that it's a little gentler on the poor damaged kitty.

At Kazuo's statement she can't help but laugh. "I make no promises, although if she does steal them, they'll at least be put in a very pretty sparkly box in a shelf in our room. So not the end of the world." She moves over to start helping putting food out on the table. She's a helper. It's not in her not to be doing /something/.

"I think I dragged you along as surrogate sanity, Kazuo." Naru notes calmly. "Good luck with that."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai turns to smile at the others as they arrive as well. Usagi she knew, and she'd breifly met Naru as well though that was during the 'study session' that wasn't. That doesn't stop her from greeting them with a friendly smile and nod. Even the unfamiliar Kazuo gets a greeting! A quiet one. She never did enjoy raising her voice much to be heard. "Hello everyone!"

Her attention turns back to unpacking for now, at least until Koji comes over. His help is accepted with another smile as she feels herself starting to relax a bit with some familiar faces around. Especially Koji. "Thanks. Mochi can be pretty heavy when there's a lot," she explains only to pause for that friendly hug as well. "Of course! I wouldn't miss this."

Bonito for his part sits regally and enjoys all of that scritching. Usually scritchings meant there would be treats given later, too, and he could *smell* that steak. Maybe if he was lucky that meant he'd get some of it. A ressound 'prrrow' is given in his best impression of a real cat--Even if his voice was stupidly, abnormally deep and sounds more like he said 'Brow' with a really rolled 'R'. He was a big cat after all. Deep cat voices were a thing, right?

But then, there's the arrival of LUNA who gets a sharp orange-eyed glare. Right up until Usagi takes Luna out of her bag to reveal the injuries she was still recovering from resulting in a surprised rapid blink from the Bonito. Well darn. Now he felt guilty for teasing her last time. Sort of.

Chiyo glances to Usagi's greeting with a little shake of her head as she lets her gaze flit over to Kazuo as well. "No, I don't think so," she has to admit after thinking on that for a few moments. At least seeing him didn't ring much of a bell. When he bows toward her, mock or not, she's quick to respond in a similar fashion. Only... Only she's quite serious.

"Chiyo Sakai. It's nice to meet you, Saitou-san. Ah... They do have a way of pulling people into their group, don't they?" She adds after his remark with a knowing sort of smile. Usagi was so outgoing and friendly, how could you NOT get pulled into her friend group? Even Darien wasn't so bad once he got over his 'I'm not crushing Usagi, I swear!' mentality.

And talk of cameras? She glances over to give a nod and smile. "I don't really have many pictures of myself. That would be nice to get some of us all."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Everyone here is someone Usagi likes - from her best friend in the entire world to the people who have formed the bulk of her friend group in this new school to Darien, who is something in an entirely different category. One covered with elephant stickers and Hello Kitty bandaids and the smallest little heart stickers. So of course she notices him - his barely-there smile, his step-back, the way he can't quite meet anyone's eyes - and her grin gentles into a smile, because she's guessing he's shy. It's a little funny, because he has a reputation as such a cool, handsome guy (she's heard the rumors, and been informed as much, by some of the other girls in her homeroom), but a party with friends and suddenly he's hiding away -

But it's also a call to action, but she's got a responsibility: to make sure Darien and Kazuo make friends! Which is why she's thrilled no one seems upset about pictures - and pouts when Kazuo asks if she's going to steal souls.

"I would never steal anybody's soul, Kazuo-senpai! Just think of how crowded our dorm room would be with all those people in it, Naru-chan," as if this is the real travesty of that idea. Just for all the teasing, she snaps a series of wonky candid shots - Naru-chan helping take food out, Bonito going brow, Chiyo-chan introducing herself to Kazuo-senpai, and Koji-senpai offering a drink. Some of them are mid-blink, others are going to come out blurry from movement.

"I'll share all the pictures, I promise," she says to Darien, and the room at large, then sidles over to stand by Darien, whispering, "I brought things for s'mores. No one can be awkward over a s'more, you know? It's too messy for that. So even Kazuo-senpai won't look so cool with one in his hands."

She's pretty sure he's not actually intimidated - but it might make him laugh!

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Truly, Darien isn't so bad. Out there, there are any number of people who vaguely orbit him, or who account for his gravity well in their travels, at least. Those people probably have no idea how perfectly and disastrously awkward he can actually be.

These people absolutely know.

Usagi absolutely knows.

Darien's grabbing a ginger beer for himself as Kazuo teases, and he pops the top off with a USB drive from his pocket, and he keeps himself busy with it until Usagi comes over and talks to him directly with a purpose and kindness, and his shoulders relax a little.

Then he does laugh, clearly getting an excellent mental image. "Are you sure? He's very cool, he might be cool enough to withstand s'more attacks," he murmurs, a little bit of a smirk in his voice.

He's talking with Usagi, but his eyes are on Kazuo, and the cooking smells in the air are making him hungry, and, "I like parties, I promise."

Koji Silvia has posed:
Aftering settling and organizing Kazuo's offerings, and pocketing the potential Luna-treat for later, since Usagi is busy being a bright star in the middle of some dim ones, forming her own personal constellation.

Koji turns his head from his thoughts and goes back to his work.

Spring onion is taken off on a plate and put over on the table, replaced with mushrooms, and the steak pieces are flipped, the sizzling noises are heard once more, and the scent of grill hits the air around him. Dipping into condiments, he takes some of that soy sauce he bought and dribbled just a little inside each of the upside down caps so it gets absorbed.

"This was always my favorite part of the summer. We'd go to these summer concerts where they'd have orchestras playing music from shows my dad loved. So... mom would buy the food, dad would bring all the gear, and they'd let me prep and cook."

He pauses, and looks back up at the sky in the little clearing, "I used to burn stuff so bad it was awful, but they always treated me like I did the best of everyone. Honestly, it pushed me to learn how to do it better... but I'd always overcook it just a little bit. Maybe because it wasn't ever supposed to be perfect, and that was fine."

Then he just sighs, "Anyways... thanks for doing this."

To add the final touch to things he goes to where he left a backpack under the table, and brings out a bluetooth speaker. Turning it on, he queues up his phone, and leaves it out, "If anyone wants to put on some music, go ahead."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"That's true. Your room is hardly the end of the world. That's at least fifty kilometers further east." Kazuo's eyebrows twitch upward, eyes laughing, and he adds, "So that means I won't be doomed to doing Tsukino's homework for the rest of eternity. No objection to pictures, then!"

Yes, Naru. Definitely good luck with the surrogate sanity, there.

Kazuo gives Chiyo a mock-helpless shrug, after. Pulling him into their group? "I barely know anyone here but Osaka-san. But I'm beginning to get that impression." And this without his even knowing about Usagi's Cunning Plan. Well, to the extent that she has a plan. Actually, he's probably better off if she doesn't have a plan.

Organizing Kazuo's offerings presents them as two types of baklava - "Euro" being the familiar type, honey and cinnamon, while "real" is diamond-shapes flavored with rosewater-syrup and cardamom - while the nut-free box is squares of a jelly sweet arranged in lines with various flavorings (sweets and spices) handwritten on the box top.

He does not threaten anyone with death if they play Rick Astley again, for the record.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It has now hit an amazing amount of food, and it's a darn fine thing that there's not only teenagers, but teenagers like Usagi around. Amazing amounts of food might be almost enough.

"You know, coming out and being social is an excellent way to get to know people, Kazuo." Naru points out with a gentle smile as she sets out seaweed salad alongside the mango salad.

Not that she's particularly doing well at that, doing more puttering about the food and listening than being an active paticipant in the gentle social chaos that surrounds this crew like a cloud of sparkles. She doesn't even ask permission before bringing Luna a treat. She knows full well that Luna is very much her own kitty and will decline a bit of salmon treat approximately when the world is ending.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai fishees out several skewers of the mochi wrapped bacon, and a few of the regular mochi skewers, to carry over to where Koji is grilling telling his tale of old memories. They're held deftly between each finger like some sort of skilled needle kunai weilding ninja. They're laid out on a corner to start toasting up as well. "You are doing a great job, Koji-kun. It all smells amazing," she assures him before moving back to the table to start looking over the array of other items prepared.

But then...

Sweets? There were sweets that Chiyo didn't bring for once? She doesn't quite catch the s'mores references being whispered over by Usagi and Darien as her focus goes to the boxes that Kazuo has made with her eyes lighting up. If they could sparkle, they would be right now, as she regards them with delight, interest, and just... awe.

"Did you *make* these, Kazuo-senpai? I've heard phyllo dough is very hard to master!" That little quiet hesitance she usually had melts away in light of familiarity: Sweets. "I help my ojiisan make the mochi for the dango and daifuku at our shop but that just takes time." And a lot of strength but she doesn't have to get into that.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The laugh is rewarded with the click-snap of Usagi's camera, capturing the moment - the expression - in time forever. "We'll just have to hope being cute and dorky is enough to win over cool, if even s'mores can't defeat him."

There are delicious food smells in the air, warmth and light from the firepits grilling, the orange-red-purple of a sunset - everything, and she does mean everything, is pretty perfect right now.

And then she remembers, and jerks her head up, half-twisting around to face Koji. "Oh, Koji-senpai! I'm sorry, I totally spaced - of course you can give Luna a snack!"

Sorry Luna! Sorry Koji-senpai! She's so used to Luna stealing her own snacks or speaking up around Ami and Rei that she forgot she can't do either of these two things, right now. Luna, for her part, merely rolls her eyes and stretches, more comfortable with Naru's little adjustments, then gives Koji the bigget most pleading look. Snacks? Give me snacks?

When Naru, truly Luna's favorite non-Senshi human, comes over to do exactly that, she earns a purr of contentment. Yesssssss.... feed her...

Truly, she is Usagi's cat-guardian-friend alright.

Consent having been given, Usagi doesn't even notice the devouring of treats, instead smiling sheepishly as she turns back to Darien.

"Then come on, let's prove it. We've got all our friends here, and we're going to make sure Kazuo-senpai likes us, so we've got to talk to him, right?"

And then, unless he stops her, she'll grab Darien's hand and drag him over to the grill, and the center of the action. She's quick to grab Koji-senpai's phone and queue up Bump of Chicken's Souvenir. "It's really great of you to share this with us, Koji-senpai. My mama and papa would take my brother Shingo and I out on vacation sometimes, but it was always to cities or beaches. This is my first summer cookout in the woods!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
There are so many people with bright summer memories--

It's a good thing Usagi's steering Darien around; Darien's got a terrible habit of falling into his lack of memories and picking at scabs if he can't disengage.

Briefly, Darien's gaze is on Luna's cast, but Usagi's in a good mood, so he doesn't ask. Even if it would only briefly pop the bubbles, he doesn't want the bubbles to pop at all. His eyes settle on the sweets that Kazuo's showing Chiyo, as Usagi tells him he actually has to talk, and then he parses that and gets this deer-in-headlights look as she drags him over.

Naru's advice is sound, too, and then Darien laughs again-- this time maybe there's no picture, this time the picture would probably show the strain of anxiety in the teenager's otherwise friendly expression. But he laughs, because, "This is my first summer cookout in the woods, too. I read a lot of info on fire safety. Koji-kun," he asks, half-turning, "do you allow for bloody steaks? Please say you do--"

He isn't letting Kazuo out of his peripheral vision, even with his hand in Usagi's.

She might be able to feel his pulse, too fast under the skin of his wrist.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Pointing with his cooking chopsticks, Koji replies, "Those are medium rare. I can make some of these rarer for you, though. Just a moment."

The young man in the glasses reconfigures how the steak is sitting on the grill, and has it in a circle away from the hottest point of the grill. Moving over, there's just been enough time for the mushrooms to be turned and the sweet potato to be pulled. So another plate of edibles is set down for people, and as the music starts playing, he sort of steps along to the beat, going back to grill the bok choy.

Time seems to dilate on the grill, and as he gets some salt and pepper on the little bulbs, they don't take too long at all, and soon he's back to having rare steak slices, mushrooms, and bok choy set up for everyone to nibble from, along with a bowl of vegan-marked kimchi. Round three is put on, again with the rest of the sweet potato, the spring onions and a heaping portion of more steak, only small spaces between them so they'll cook a little slower.

Coming over to the baklava, he picks up one of the classic ones, and raises it to Kazuo as a toast before going to sit on the cooler and enjoying the sound and the cheer.

Almost as an afterthought, he fishes into his pocket and rips a salmon treat open with his teeth, bringing it down and squeezing some out in temptation for Luna.

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"My grandmother started teaching me to make it by hand when I was tiny," Kazuo says casually to Chiyo ... then grins again. "She says that if I kept working on it I might do a passable job in another ten years. And she takes it as a personal offense that we use a machine, nevermind that the table she makes it on wouldn't even fit in the apartment unless we dedicated my mother's entire bedroom to it, and even then we'd have to disassemble it to get it in."

Apparently he's proving Naru's point by sharing grandparent stories. With sweets. Granted, he brought sweets because meeting Usagi once was more than enough to teach him on that front, not intending to catch a Chiyo, but as with the Melonpan Incident, he doesn't seem to be complaining. "What shop would your family's be?" he asks.

He hasn't made a point of not looking in Darien's direction. He's just been paying attention to the people he's actually talking with.

And he keeps everyone in his peripheral vision at least most of the time, even the cats. Isn't that normal? It's at least good for lifting his ginger beer in response to Koji and taking a drink, before pursuing the seaweed salad. Apparently Luna and he both get treats from Naru and Koji, one way or another.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
While Koji is away from the gril it gives a stealthy opportunist time to sneak closer. Large though he may be, it's easy for Bonito to remained unnoticed while everyone dotes on the poor injured Luna. He'd vanished into the shrubs, made his away around to the back of the grills, and waited. And now? Now Koji was over by the table snagging baklava. The time to strike had come!

A white paw raises up.... Claws pop out without a sound (though an anime might add a little 'kaching' and pop of light reflecting off the claws for emphasis, if this were an anime), and then deftly one of those 'rare' pieces of steak is snagged. And pulled right off!

Chiyo for her part has lost track, too, though her eyes twitch over to the grill at about that time which makes her eye seem as if she'd had a little muscle spasm. Words would be had later. Yes. The conversation with Kazuo pulls her attention away easily again as she listens grinning until the question is asked.

"Oh, Nounamu Sweets. We're just a bit off campus. I get what you mean about needing practice, though," she admits nodding with understanding. "The traditional wagashi he makes really does take a lot of practice." Her hands lift, one cupping beneath the other as she makes a little pinching motion. "To make it look like flowers, or leaves, or any other design. There's tools to use too but it's all in how quickly you can do it before the mochi cools and isn't as malleable. You should stop by sometime!"

Her gaze flits around to Naru and the others too with a quickly flashed smile. "You're all welcome of course! Ojiisan gives discounts to Radiant Heart students on the more regular snacks."

ZBonito trods out from beneath the table heading toward the little cooler Luna sits on to silently deposit the purloined bit of steak with a little toss of his head to get it up by her paws. Shiftily looking at her, then away again, he turns his back slightly and just... plops his butt down as if guarding her should someone try to take the steak back. In his very broken, bad feline, he Maows: 'Get better.'

Koji Silvia has posed:
As some clear blue feline eyes can be seen on the very edge of the little clearing, reflecting some of the light from the grills, Koji seems to take notice of some little guests.

Prepared for this, he gets the container of dry food and grabs his backpack from under the table before saying, "I'll be back in a little while. Some locals need attending to."

There's no animosity in his voice, and at least Darien and Chiyo are aware that there's an unused and near-abandoned storage shed nearby that has been where a small family of cats are living.

As silently as one of them, and a grin at Luna and Bonito... he slips off into the woods down a smaller off-path.

Naru Osaka has posed:
If Bonito thinks he's getting away with something, the arched brow from Naru as she watches the purloining says otherwise. She does, however, let him get away with it. That sort of feline initiative deserves some sort of reward.

Or she's lived with Luna long enough to be wholly and utterly biased.

"Good luck Koji!" Naru calls after the one with the crunchies, heading off to ensure that everything in the area is getting a treat out of this deal.

Naru nudges the seaweed salad closer to Kazuo as he considers it, while leaning over to snag a piece of sugary baklava to join just about everyone in having dessert before dinner. "My muffin baking skills are rather underwhelming in this company. I don't think you can make muffins fancy without having them become cupcakes."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
As food starts to come off the grill, Usagi rejoices. One hand might be occupied with Darien, but the other hand is available - her camera has a long strap, and she's happily using that as a necklace, allowing the camera to hang free - and is quickly busied, gathering a small sample of grilled delights onto a plate. Wonder of wonders, when it comes to food, she does have coordination!

And what good food it is - the steak is sampled first of course, buttery with fat and grilled to perfection, the char to meat ratio just right. She bounches along to the music as she chews, happy to hold Darien's hand, happy to eat, happy to be in this moment and place. Mushrooms are tasted next, and sweet potato, and she sighs happily, "Koji-senpai, have you considered becoming a chef?"

Once that rarer steak is set aside, she snags a piece with her chopsticks, holding it out to Darien without the slightest consideration for how it might seem for her to be so casually feeding him this way.

She'd treat any of her friends this way, after all! Really!

Especially if they were as nervous as Darien is. She can feel his racing heart thanks to his jumping pulse.

She pauses. Takes in the way he's watching Kazuo-senpai, even when he's not quite looking at him.

There's a little burn, a sting of envy in her heart, and then she takes note of the way the fading sunlight and fireglow warm Kazuo's pale white hair, the way his grin brings life into his face, and, well.

A rueful smile crosses Usagi's face. She can't blame Darien for going dokidoki, not at all. And it's a nice summer day. And it's not like he ever said he liked her - and it's not like she likes him, right? She doesn't! She doesn't. Right?

Luna mrrrows as Koji opens a treat package, creeping forward gingerly and sampling the snack - then taking the full bite offered, because oh that was good. Usagi buys perfectly serviceable snacks, of course, but she's got a budget, and also, has never had a pet. She and Luna have been discovering what makes for a good cat treat together. Koji, on the other hand, clearly has benefitted from the experience of taking care of so many feral cats, because his taste in cat treats is refined.

Luna thanks him by rubbing against his ankles, butting her head against his fingers in the way pet cats tended to, and then treats, snacking. When she senses Bonito approaching, she goes stiff, remembering his parting gift from their last encounter - only to blink in surprise when she's gifted with the delight of a particularly scrumptious bit of beef.

"Mroow," she returns, thank you in the most simple of feline speech she could manage. She is very, very certain that this cat is not what he seems, but - another time. The children are so happy, right now.

"Try the sweets he bought," Usagi whispers to Darien, because she'd promised to help him befriend Kazuo-senpai, and because she wants to get away from her racing thoughts, and the sudden awareness she has of how much she's holding his hand, how warm his palm is, how long his fingers are, how much she's memorizing his hands. "And then tell him how great they are! That will break the ice a bit."

And then, before Darien can answer, she's raising her voice to say, "Naru-chan, your muffins are really good though!! Don't sell yourself short! I bet they're just as good as everyone else's sweets."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
There's some time where Usagi's eating that Darien remembers how much he spent on this beef and by damn he's going to have some of it then, but even if Usagi's really good at holding hands and dishing out and eating all at the same time, Darien is not. So he waits until--

Until Usagi FEEDS HIM?!? a piece of steak? with her chopsticks? Darien has absolutely no script for this, so he just sort of follows Usagi's, second-hand kiss and all. She would absolutely do that for any of her friends. And it's delicious, because of course it is, because there's a reason this stuff is that price, and because Koji is a very good cook, and he definitely needs more of that, and then Usagi's whispering.

Wait, right, okay, w a i t, that's desserts though he has to cooperate with this endeavour in the eating dessert first marathon sidequest?? He has to--

Usagi isn't letting go of his hand, Darien realizes with a start, which takes one weight off his shoulders. It means he doesn't have to let go either!

Instead, he reaches with his other hand (thousand dollars of beef not forgotten but also not currently front and center) to pick up a piece of rose-and-cardamom dessert and try it, looking like he's getting away with something somehow.

And then the flavor and texture actually hit, and his eyes widen. "Oh that's good," he says, honestly delighted. "And I mean. Yes. Go to Nounamu Sweets, those wagashi Himeko-chan and I were eating at the dance were from Chiyo-san's family's shop. But also, Saitou-san, this is really, really good."

His earth-blue eyes are bright and earnest, and his fingers are threading through Usagi's, and he can't look away from Kazuo. His hair's tied back. He takes his glasses off.

His voice is warm. "Your grandmother sounds like she thinks praise is bad for you."

It wasn't an hour: there's still a good forty minutes left before full dark, and there we go-- the fireflies soundlessly begin to signal, and summer evening insect song slowly begins to bring the forest into the conversation.

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"Nounamu Sweets," Kazuo repeats, even as he's snagging some of the nudged seaweed salad into an empty bowl. A little grilled shiitake keeps it company. And then the prize of the evening, or at least a single slice of the prize. "Does he let people watch the work? From a safe distance. Or does he prefer people only see the end result?" Apparently Chiyo's grandfather is his preferred topic ... or at least the one still on his mind enough to talk about intelligently while his attention's momentarily distracted by the eyes on the edge of the clearing, and Koji's vanishing to tend to them.

(Repeat. He is not, himself, a feral. Honest.)

Naru wins an amused smile, subtly different from that grin. "There are advantages to not having cupcakes," he says in agreement with Usagi's call. "And I think you could find a way to make your muffins fancy if you decided you needed to. It's not as hands-on as textile art, but it could be a medium."

And finally, he glances Darien's way. For the first time. Including when Usagi was feeding him steak.

"Thank you," he says. For a moment that's all, dead serious, before the grin abruptly crops up again at Darien's last sentence. "She'd say she's a realist with standards. I think that means the same thing."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Hang on. Was Usagi *feeding* Darien? Chiyo watches the pair a moment before it clicks to her that SHE didn't have a plate yet. She knew Usagi's appetite, and there were a lot of teenage boys here. Procuring a plate really did need to take priority here! Even if the two of them interacting was *so cute* and romantic!

The talk of muffins, and baked goods, and her grandfather's shop go on while she finally obtains a plate for herself. Some yam is put on, a bit of onion, some of that salad that Naru had brought as well. It's all neatly placed with a deft click-clack of her chopsticks arranging them in an unconciously neat and tidy manner. It really was habit working in the shop to make things as visually appealing as possible. Of course, the meat would get on there too, eventually.

"Oh, yes, if you come inside the shop we have a small seating area for eating in. You can see him working from the counter there. Ojiisan says it's a dying art and one that should be appreciated as much as possible, and not just in the final result." Plus putting on a show was a great way to get people to come into the shop. "He wants to do some live demonstrations at the next festival, too. For those who might like to try it themselves."

Kazuo's remarks of his grandmother as well as the smile that brings to him causes her to smile in turn. "You must be really close to your grandmother, Saitou-san! I'm sure she's very proud of you even if she might not say it directly." Her own grandfather was a bit like that. Very gruff and blunt, but secretly very sweet.

Now it's her turn to take one of the baklava on her plate tidily set aside from the savory parts of the meal she was arranging for herself. "Muffins are just as delicious as sweets, though. You can eat them as a meal, even! You can't do that with sweets, at least not without expecting a stomach ache."

Naru Osaka has posed:
It's really not until others have started eating food that isn't dessert that Naru snags herself some food that also isn't dessert. It's a surprise to no one that she doens't aim for the beef, no matter how much it costs. Clearly she hasn't been energy drained today (yet?).

Instead she's aimed at yam, and mushrooms and scallions. Some salad. Nibbles of this and that, and all of her food together is barely a serving of any one thing for anyone else. Let alone Usagi, or the boys.

"I'm not saying there's anyhting especially wrong wiht muffins, but they hardly compare for the pretty or impressive factor." Naru isn't too hard on her poor muffins. "They're a pragmatic food." She laughs softly at Kazuo's proposal. "If I used muffins in my art, then either I'd have mice or mold by the time we got to exams. Perhaps not ideal either way."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi sure isn't letting go of his hand. He'll have to free himself if he wants his other hand back - and if he doesn't, then Usagi will just keep holding onto it, even as she samples and snacks on various things. When Darien takes her advice, sampling Kazuo-senpai's treats, she's tempted to hold back - to not try a sweet, purely because even the most handsome silver haired boy in the world can't stop some of that envy for sitting in her chest - but. Well, she's Usagi. She loves sweets.

So she samples the 'real' baklava too, and groans a little in pure delight at the taste, the texture, the utter difference of the sweet from anything she's ever tried. Flaky layers, nuts, sweet syrup binding it all together -

"Kazuo-senpai, this is amazing!"

She can't eat all the desserts. Especially the ones provided by Kazuo-senpai, who she wants to impress! But oh, they're really good - she tries the Euro version, honey and cinnamon, and sighs with satisfaction at the warm taste.

"I brought things for us to make s'mores too, when all the meat and veggies are grilled."

She brought things! This must be shared! This must be known!

Her chopsticks and sticky fingers are doing work, between sampling baklava and grilled treats, and very occasionally putting bits of grilled delights on Darien's own plate. Shut up. She doesn't like him!

In fact, to prove it, she puts a piece of grilled steak on Chiyo-chan's plate, grinning at the other girl. "Make sure to enjoy it! Dari-kun and Koji-senpai worked hard on this for us."

And then she sees it... the bacon wrapped mochi... and with eyes round with hunger, snags one for her plate. Victory to Usagi kind! So many delicious treats, all in one place!

"They're a good, reliable treat. A muffin can get you going through the day! I mean, think of all the breakfasts we wouldn't have without muffins. Plus, I don't know about you, but live mice could make for a cool art project, right? Like, something something the cycle of life something something."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
A grin back, reflected, and a laugh that's not quite connecting (not quite, so barely not-quite that very few people would be able to tell it's anxious)--

Darien squeezes Usagi's hand, suppresses the random urge to kiss the back of it, and lets go. It is only, however -- and she can SEE it -- it is only so he can eat and hold his plate at the same time.

And then he hooks a chair over with his foot and deposits himself in it to eat what's on his plate already. While sitting next to Kazuo.

After he gets his own hands a little messy eating food without utensils, he glances toward the white-haired boy while licking steak-juice off his fingers. "Remind me," he says to Kazuo, glasses hooked over the collar of his shirt, "to ask you about something later."

His attention's a heavy thing, there, for just a moment -- at odds with the flirting, at odds with the tone, at odds with the party. It's as real as the other things but there's an awful lot more of it, somehow. Almost too much.

There was pleading there a couple of weeks ago. There's still an echo of it.

Darien licks his last finger.

"The question is not 'how do I eat with utensils' by the way."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"The demonstrations sound magnificent," Kazuo agrees to Chiyo. It's a thoughtful agreement, not just a polite one, too. Maybe even a little speculative. Stop by the shop? Visit at the festival? How to arrange the time? Hmmm. Possibly by not getting into trouble at school. That might prove difficult...

The phrase 'really close to your grandmother' makes Kazuo's eyebrows arch, and that's a remarkably different kind of smile, wry and with a little of an eye-roll. Still amused, though. Forever amused, and still joking. "I suppose only being near-terminally disappointed might count as pride. Fortunately, my mother insists on staying in Tokyo, so I don't see her often enough to make it actually terminal. Clearly you do better with your grandfather?"

Naru wins a grin, too. "Ahhh. You are determined to keep your muffins pragmatic. An antidote to the sparkly boxes." Wait, when did teasing Usagi about soul-stealing come back into the conversation? "A clever defense! And clearly effective so far."

The soul-stealer in question was the target for that baklava, and her being pleased with it wins ... not a smile, exactly, not this time. But something bright in silver-grey eyes, and something a little more relaxed around them. "Thank you, Tsukino-san. I'm pleased you like them." And pleased at the prospect of melted chocolate, perhaps. And --

Dari-kun?

Well, it is Usagi. And Shields-san is annoyingly difficult to say. And ... live ... mice ... as an art project. Okay, she's a cat owner, that probably makes sense. And --

Kazuo says nothing at all to Darien. Nothing. Only returns the watching, steady, calm. And, after the words "by the way" are spoken, solemnly hands him a pair of the spare chopsticks.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai glances over with a little bit of surprise when Usagi puts some meat on her plate. It's accepted with a quick grin, and a mumbled, "Thank you, Usagi-chan." She was older than Usagi though so it wasn't TOO abnormal to be given food, right? Exactly. Still... That caused a pause between Usagi and Darien's little love/snuggle fest they were clearly having issues admitting and when Darien pulls away from holding hands to sit next to Kazuo? She can only flash Usagi a sympathetic look.

The peice of grilled meat is plucked up to nibble on daintily to indulge in ever bit of flavor with a sigh. "I don't think I've had grilled meat outside of a restaraunt before," she murmers appreciatively. "Koji-kun really is a good cook. I keep telling him he'll make someone very happy someday." Oh. Did she say that part out loud? Oops.

Quickly changing the subject, or at least veering it off course, she looks toward Naru with a reassuring grin. "I'm sure you're a good cook too, Naru-chan," she adds to the other girl with a grin. "I'd like to try your muffins someday, too. I'm curious now." Naru was downplaying them so much she HAD to try them now!

She's so relaxed right now. Good food. Friends. Some gentle joking and praising of everyone. When Kazuo's remark comes she gives a firm, emphatic nod. "Mmhm! Ojiisan raised me after all, ever since..." The chopstick pause halfway to her plate again realizing she was chatting a bit too much. They dip down to snag some of the salad Naru brought to munch on next.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I am pretty confident that using live mice in a school art project would .." Naru starts to protest and then one can literally see her starting to actually consider it. "Hunh. Time specific for sure. I wouldn't want to be hard on the mice." She shakes her head a little, but the seed has been planted.

The poor art teacher.

Naru quirks a half smile towards Kazuo and nods. "A pragmatic palate cleanser in muffin form." She turns that half smile over to Chiyo next. "Truly, they aren't that exciting. Which is alright. Sometimes that's just exactly what one is looking for."

Naru keeps an eye on the grills, she might not be interested in eating any of the meat, but she's not going to let anything burn while Koji is off taking care of kitties." She sets her own plate down to ensure everyone else has enough food. Including more treats for Luna and Bonito, offering her hand for petting each of them, alongside the treats.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Darien releases her hand and there's an absurd sense of loss. She can see that he just wants to eat, that he's sitting and eating and finally relaxing, and she's pleased with him, really, but -

She grabs another mochi skewer and stuffs a square of it into her mouth, chewing with vigorous effort, crunching bacon, soft mochi -

"I wouldn't put your soul in a sparkly box, Kazuo-senpai," she huffs and snaps a picture of him - of his teasing grin. "What would I put it in though?"

She has to consider this for a moment, humming. "Naru-chan would be in a locket, and Chiyo-chan... hm, Chiyo-chan, I think your soul would go in something for baking, so you could help me... and Kazuo-kun, I think you would be something reliable and steady, but I'm not sure what..."

She's definitely overthinking this a bit. At least Chiyo-chan gives her something to be distracted by! "You do? Uh huh, you think about him making someone happy~?"

She's quiet at least, teasing just for Naru and Chiyo to hear, but she's also definitely teasing. Revenge! For the study night!

And she puts some grilled sweet potato on Naru-chan's plate, then steals another piece of beef for herself, satisfied and pleased. "I bet they'd allow live mice, as long as they don't become ex-mice."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
That calm gaze is meeting his, and Darien doesn't know what to do with the silence. He doesn't know what to do, and the back of his throat is about to close before he gets to 'by the way' but then Kazuo's silence is a couch for teasing in and of itself. It can be. It's graceful to let it be.

Darien's laugh breaks through the last three words as he takes the chopsticks, and then he ducks his head; the laugh is gentler. "Thanks," he says to Kazuo.

He leaves that alone, there, and just exists next to the white-haired boy until one of them moves away. He can be silently aware of him until it's time to clean up; he can stop him before he leaves, maybe. He can't just ask in front of everyone, can he?

(He's so aware of Usagi. He could point out where she is with his eyes closed, spun around, in silence.)

(He finds the same is true for Kazuo--)

The elephant in the little clearing in the woods is here even with Koji getting catpiled by ferals, and it makes things so difficult, but he wouldn't get any of this at all if it weren't for the damn metaphor's practical application. He wants to talk about monsters. About Midnight Tokyo. About what Jadeite did, about what Pyrite really does and really is, about his affection for and worry over Nephrite, about the way Zoisite seems to see him, about the risks he's upset Takashi takes. He can't.

There's so much behind the laughter, too much behind the ask.

"What would you put my soul in, Usagi-chan?"

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
... ever since. The ever since is slithered out of, letting Chiyo turn her attention to the conversation with the other girls. Muffins. Mice. Salad. Soul jars. Quiet gentle things like that.

And a quiet between him and Darien that is somehow more livable than the one before, or the one till now tonight.

Till Darien asks his question, anyway.

"Whatever it is, it has to be better than mine." Kazuo mock-sighs to Usagi. "It sounds like I'm doomed to be a doorframe."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai allows herself a smile as the topic changes naturally on it's own. At least until Usagi's tease. Her brown eyes widen as she jerks them back to look at the blonde turning a bit red-faced herself. "W-well... Yes!" The response comes hesitantly, but then more assuredly, as she clutches her plate in hand with chopsticks still hovering over it not sure where to descend for re-filling yet.

"We all deserve to find our special someone in life, and have a chance to fall in love." This she believed, she really, really did. It was part of why she liked shoujo manga so much. "And even if we weren't really..." Her eyes dart down looking embarassed again. "He was always very nice and sweet and thoughtful. So yes, I hope he finds someone who makes him just as happy." With her little lecture given she sinks down to sit in a spot herself tucking her shoulders inward a bit while eating. It was an excellent way to keep quiet.

"Probably a sweater so you could always keep her warm like a hug," she finally blurts out for a suggestion of what to keep Darien's soul in.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I mean.." Naru starts as she offers Chiyo more salad, passing it around again. Get your vitamins, people! "Isn't that the hope for everyone? That they find someone who makes them happy.. friends or romance or whatever."

Diversity! It's a thing!

"I like the sweater theory." Naru offers on that plan for Darien's soul. "Although that feels not grand enough." Although how to call the young man in t-shirt and jeans grand is beyond the point. Must be the blazer. "A fancy caplet or something."

Naru turns to consider Kazuo as she absently collects herself a piece of grilled mochi. Without the bacon. "Steady and practical.. clearly your soul is going to end up in tupperware."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Everyone does deserve love," Usagi agrees, and there's no more teasing for the moment, her grin softening. "Someone to hold onto and play around with and make you smile - I think Koji-senpai deserves to find someone too. I told him he was good looking, but I don't know if he believed me."

She huffs, because Koji-senpai is sooo determined to live in the background, and she really doesn't get it... but her expressive huff falls to contemplative silence, as she considers the other side of the grill, where Kazuo and Darien sit.

There's a weight, to Darien's laughter and his silences, to the way he just exists quietly beside Kazuo, the weight of Elephant-san in the room, lurking among them, taking up space between the coolers. Usagi considers Elephant-san, and promises, and Mamoru, and friends who are not very good friends right now, and Kazuo-senpai, who is Naru's friend, who looked out for her -

"It wouldn't be a doorframe, Kazuo-senpai! Something more - hm. Like a life alert, maybe?" She cocks her head, thinking, avoiding the thought of what Darien's soul would be, because it inexplicably makes her think of dream and Luna plushes, and things that doesn't seem to properly make sense. "Maybe a cast iron pan. Those things are really sturdy, and they survive a lot, and hit hard too."

She is not entirely sure why it's important Kazuo hit hard and survive, but - the vibes. They match.

She turns to Chiyo-chan, ready to add something else, when Chiyo-chan shoots her in the back like a griefing teammate. She can only stare, face flushing, as the words sweater and warm like a hug settle into the atmosphere.

Even Luna winces, slapping a paw over her eyes.

"Not - not - not a sweater," she squeaks, voice shooting up three octaves easily. Small animals in the area may flee. That Naru doesn't help her, but instead supports Chiyo-chan - "I wouldn't put it in a sweater or a caplet, it would be a te-"

She slaps a hand over a mouth before the words teddy bear can be concluded. Teddy bear would be worse. Teddy bear would be so much worse. She has to find something to play it off -

"A terrible green jacket. Like the one you're wearing. Or a - crystal."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
In and around the silliness, the tension fails to crawl back up Darien's spine and into his neck and shoulders. "A terrible green jacket like this one? It's not terrible, it's just old. What kind of crystal?" he asks, briefly giving Chiyo a Look. SUCH a look. It is the most dubious.

"Maybe just a fancy hat," he says, putting his plate down and twisting his hand in a complicated gesture--

--which produces a collapsible silk top hat, sleight-of-handed into being, which he sets jauntily on his head. His glasses are still hanging from the collar of the band shirt he's got on under the jacket.

He picks his plate back up. "I don't think this jacket is better than a doorframe. Or cast-iron tupperware."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Cast-iron pan. Kazuo mimes swinging something with the hand that isn't balancing his near-empty bowl, and his eyes gleam just a little for a moment - reflected firefly light. And then -

A sweater. Like a hug. Kazuo's grin at Chiyo's suggestion is not merely amused; it's outright demonic. And he turns it straightaway on Darien.

Which means that he completely misses Naru offering the salad around again, because his turn means that he catches Luna slapping a paw over her eyes.

Most people would just overlook that completely. Awww, cute kitty. Kazuo pauses after an instant of demongrinning at Darien, and slowwwwly turns back to look a little more visibly at the cat.

And then get sideswiped by Naru. "... Osaka. What did I ever do to you, to deserve being relegated to the back of the " did that cat just react to the conversation " refrigerator?"

When did Darien get a top hat?

Kazuo (new release! now with baffled expression!) sets down his bowl absently. Just to have both hands free.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai blinks a few times at Usagi's mention of telling Koji that he was good looking. It's here she pauses to slowly turn and look at Darien, and then Kazuo. It's just a breif moment, a flick of her eyes solidly in their directions, before she turns her gaze back to Usagi. "I think Koji-kun may have low self-esteem in that department for..." Another flick of a glance. "Some reason."

Of *course* Koji was good looking but he was around people who looked like models, how else would he feel? There were an abnormally large amount of VERY good looking guys at RHA.

Once the sweater remark sinks in she looks absolutely utterly innocent. Nevermind the bit of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth making it obvious to any who really looked that she had absolutely meant what she said. Naru backing her up gets a quick nod of agreement as well.

"Oh, a crystal would be very pretty!" She agrees easily though she can't imagine the real use of that. Jewelry perhaps? And Kazuo's literally swinging with the cast iron pan suggestion drawing another easy smile from her. "Oh, yes, very functional in many ways," she has to agree with a chuckle at the very talk of 'capturing souls'. How did this topic even come up?

Another skewer of bacon mochi is taken along with another slice of meat. "You don't eat meat, Naru-chan? You can have the rest of the plain mochi if you like."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I like the terrible jacket." Naru is here to defend the jacket with a laugh. Finally, she retrieves herself a fizzy drink, having nibbled her fill of all of the meat free tasties, of which there have been plenty. "Anyone need a fresh drink?" She offers generally.

"Good job, Darien!" Naru cheers on the appearance of the hat. "It needs a fantastic hat band, that's where the crystals could be!"

There's a flash of a smile for Kazuo. "I don't know about your house, but tupperware is a valued thing in the fridge in our room. Usagi doesn't let /anything/ get lost at the back of the fridge. It's a happy and welcome thing to find tupperware! Although I have to admit, a cast iron pan is a better suggestion. I'll withdraw my tupperware suggestion."

Naru blinks at little at Chiyo. "Really? Koji shouldn't have low self-esteem, he seems perfectly lovely. And handsome, although telling the brain that is a challenge as often as not." She nods in agreement to the meat question. "I don't generally. A little bit of fish sometimes, but generally I'm vegetarian." She quirks a rueful grin. "Sometimes I get a brutal craving for red meat, and I give in then, but it's rare." Or at least it used to be. Stupid youmas.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Did that cat just react to the conversation? Surely not! Look, she's just keeping that paw over her eyes, head tilted, and then, slowly uncovering her eyes as she - looks directly at Kazuo. Stares. Doesn't slowly blink for affection, but simply - stares.

Why is she looking at Kazuo? Because something about him is...

Meanwhile, Usagi - doesn't get it. She glances at Kazuo and Darien too - exceptionally handsome of course, but Koji was cute and sweet and liked to take charge of taking care of things and organize and how could people not like that, huh?

He should listen to me, instead of his self-esteem then," Usagi says with a sniff, glancing back at Darien and shaking her head, "No, it's terrible. That color would be better if it was... three shades lighter. Or darker! But not that one. The hat is good though, how did you do that?" All the magic she can do, and THIS is what impresses her so much. "And...hmm... not a silver crystal."

Luna blinks at that, breaking her staring contest with Kazuo.

"Maybe a sapphire?" Usagi suggests, tapping her chin.

Luna returns to her staring contest. What do you think you know, human?

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"S-silver crystal?" Darien asks, suddenly startled into stumbling over the words. He shakes his head, then looks at his emptied plate, and at the more-meat over there, and the veggies over there, and the desserts only just there, and he lets out a laugh that's only briefly thready before he clears his throat and it's fine. "You're right, that's not me at all. I don't think sapphire, though. Maybe citrine, or honey quartz," he muses.

Darien GRINS though. "I could teach you sleight of hand. Take turns with the English and the algebra," he reaches over to gently poke Usagi. "You can have my hat once you learn to collapse and uncollapse it into a sleeve or a pocket or your shirt or whatever."

Then he sits up straighter and puffs out his chest. "I could teach you magic too," he tells Kazuo, and then shakes his head sadly at Chiyo. "But your magic is greater than mine. The things I appear out of nothing are patently inedible."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"Tsukino-san," Kazuo says, and it's a joke, of course it's a joke, of course his voice has laughter in it. It's just that the honorific is drawn out the faintest trifle more than usual. "I appear to have offended your cat. Could you suggest any methods of making amends? Or you, Osaka-san?"

... maybe he could start by conceding the staring contest. This does not seem to occur to him.

Darien's suggestion of teaching him magic almost breaks it, though. Almost.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Bonito's ear twitches. He'd been staring off at the grills, perhaps longingly, perhaps because the flickering flames keeping things toasty were reflecting in his eyes mesmerizing him... Perhaps because he was ensuring they were going nicely with just a little bit of fire spirit magic. I mean, he was related to those flames in a way, cheering them on to keep going even though no one had properly stoked the coals for awhile was hardly troublesome. But he heard Kazuo's remark which causes him to look over at Luna staring so very openly at Kazuo. Hm.

With an almost sigh from the white and orange cat he pushes back to his feet to saunter lazily in front of Luna so that the line of vision is broken. A single paw lifts to bap gently at Luna's not injured paw as if he were trying to instigate some play time... And Kazuo gets an optimal view of Bonito's backside with tail raised up. (*)

Chiyo for her part looks a little puzzled at the very suggestion. "What's a silver crystal? I'm not very up on jewelry, I admit. I usually just look at fashion." She always was stylish if not 'trending fashion' or at least she attempted to be. Talk of other gems at least bring a few known stone suggestions that earn a nod here or there.

But then Luna is mentioned causing her to glance back over her shoulder at Luna. Seeing the positioning Bonito was in she freezes just a moment... But thank god, there's no fart from him this time like when he was last harassing Luna. That was SO embarassing.

Quickly looking away she clears her throat slightly. She already has her suspicions about Usagi.. was the Luna like Bonito was to her? Possible. So with a quick, perhaps forced laugh she points out, "Oh, she's probably staring at your hair, Kazou-san. It's really catching the light now that it's gotten a bit darker," she explains with a hand reaching out to... to... OH god was she almost about to *touch* his hair? The gesture aborts with a little jerk of her hand as if she'd meant to just indicate the loose length.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"When in doubt, Kazuo." Naru sets down her drink and collects up cat treats to come and offer them to him, right in the midst of all the awkward, even if Bonito has already saved the day. "Treats. Same as for most creatures, bribe them with food."

Less effective with her, possibly, but generally with most creatures.

There's an arch of her brow as Darien starts offering to teach magic around the place. She doesn't comment, but does collect up a few more cat treats. "I'm going to go see that Koji hasn't been eaten by the locals."

Exit stage left for Naru, down in the direction that Koji left a little while ago.

Koji Silvia has posed:
When Naru sees Koji, he's just putting down a little cinammon ginger kitten into a group with a blue and a little white sibling, all being watched by a calico that has the kind of heft to it that makes it seem like this one beats up big guard dogs on the regular. They *WHOOSH* into the foliage when the newcomer approaches, as cats are wont to do, and whatever is said in passing is missed by anyone else.

However, Koji does return to the group just in time to go back and salvage the third set of stuff on the grilling mesh.

Another round of medium rare steak, the rest of the sweet potato. This time he makes two plates, one for himself and one for the table, and puts the empty container of food behind as he moves to sit down near Kazuo without saying anything TO Kazuo... for now. But it seems like there's something slightly at ease there for the moment.

"Sorry I was gone so long... sometimes it takes a while before they trust someone who's supposed to be there. I really need to get someone out here for the kittens. They look old enough to finally be away from mom and dad."

Looking around at the group he adds, "So what did I miss?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah," Usagi says, surprised by Darien's surprise, and then Chiyo's interest, "Like selenite or moonstone or white topaz, they're all crystals that are silver. I like a lot of them, but none of them are Darien-coded, you know? But citrine is cute... and ametrine! That one is also cute. And honey quartz is nice..."

She's never had an interest in crystals, but her best friend's family owns a jewelry store, and Luna had told her to find a silver crystal, and - white had she brought that up?

Usagi frowns, but the thought vanishes when Darien offers to teach her magic, especially instead of English or Algebra. "Oh, would you really?! That would be so cool! And thenKazuo catches her attention with the way he faintly draws out the sound of her name - "Eh? Luna?"

And she looks at Luna - blatantly staring at Kazuo - and - Bonito is there.

Luna, meanwhile, blinks at Bonito, having not noticed him creeping up in the midst of her staring contest with Kazuo, who refused to blink first, and now Bonito had made her lose, which she doesn't appreciate, and she baps him back. And then. Considers how things look, hunches down, as if to pounce and initiate play herself, trying to play it all off as normal cat behavior.

Usagi is baffled. What made Kazuo so interesting? Was it... the thing that made Kazuo so interesting to Darien's other friends? "You could give her a treat?"

But she can hear the doubt in her own voice. "Or offer her your hand? This is her first time meeting you, and sometimes she gets funny about new people - "

It's her first time meeting Darien too, but Darien isn't trying to win a staring contest! "Or yeah, like Chiyo-chan said, maybe it's your hair? She has toys that look like that -"

Thank goodness for Koji-senpai coming back, bursting back onto the scene with new energy! "Hey Koji-senpai!! We saved you lots of treats, and we didn't start s'mores without you! Did the kitties eat the treats eventually?"

Luna takes the opportunity to establish some normal cat cred - hopping gingerly and walking between Koji's ankles, meowing for the treats his hands smell of.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
'Darien-coded,' mouths Darien, a little incredulous. He watches Naru leave, and then watches Koji enter, and the corner of his mouth goes up briefly-- it's in contrast to the way he stills when Chiyo nearly touches Kazuo's hair, but both are quickly over and done with.

Then he takes off his hat and puts it even more jauntily on Usagi's head, since it's apparently happy to sit over one odango.

"Not much else," Darien adds Kojiwards. "Except Saitou-san proving he's a cat."

Then he looks back up at Usagi again and grins. "I'll teach you magic tricks as well as English and Algebra," he clarifies. "And Naru maybe, too! I'll even tutor Luna if she wants. Just try not to be as much of a kleptomaniac as I am with your stuff."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Ah. Feline opinions expressed. Kazuo inclines his head solemnly toward Bonito (definitely not looking in his direction), and accepts cat treats from Naru with a quiet thank-you. They are held in reserve for a moment as he considers, and as Chiyo offers an -- he does not bite her hand off. He doesn't. He just tilts his head and offers her a smile, too, instead, and gives a casual welcome-back nod to Koji.

He doesn't get involved in the silver crystal business either. Naru's the one associated with the jewelry store, after all; if she's not commenting, he's certainly not accredited to. And also the one who provided the -- oh. Oh, there's a Luna, stalking a Koji chair, which is conveniently nearby. He does not try to reach down to her. Instead, he slides quietly down out of his seat, and extends a hand. With a treat. That still presumably smells a little like the Naru who provided it. Maybe that will help?

Alternatively, of course, maybe he will have a cat attempt to claw her way up to his hair, possibly via his face. Not necessarily an optimal outcome.

Talking, plainly, is for people who are not cats.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai wasn't in the habit of touching people without reason! That was just rude. It was just in her haste to provide a plausible alibi for the staring that she'd momentarily forgotten herself and almost done something uncomfortable. Both hands return to her lap, and she takes up the plate she'd been working on to set on the table. Most of everything was eaten, except maybe only a little bit of the onion was left. "Welcome back, Koji-kun. It's okay, I know how cats can be," she reassures with a smile quite glad for a distraction for the most part.

Still the talk of gems and jewels does catch her interest just a little bit. "Those all do sound really pretty," she has to admit even if she knew so little about it. "Maybe I should look at some jewelry sometime. I'm curious to see what's out there now."

Suitable distractions aside, now that Luna has dipped down to 'play' with Bonito, he gives a quick lash of his tail as if intending to follow through. At least until Luna leaps down to abandon him for Koji and possibly that Kazuo guy she'd been eyeing. So far no one had given HIM tuna treats. *sniff* Then again he may have had a chunk of that steak he'd also snatched and given to Luna. Clearly not enough for him so he saunters over to join the other humans by bodily THUMPING into Darien's seated leg. He was heavy. He was strongk. And if being cute didn't work he was going to just hit up Usagi or Chiyo. He does give Luna her space to work the crowd though.

Chiyo glances to Darien again at mention of magic with a chuckle. "Magic seems fun too. Even if it's not edible," she has to admit with a little nod. "Though I think I'd prefer just watching it than doing it myself."

Koji Silvia has posed:
Luna is awarded some scritches and strokes for her efforts to wend between Koji's legs, and he's mindful to be along the back of the head and the side, never a cheek or under the chin, or any place the cat might be uncomfortable with him touching... and he leans back up to pick up some steak with his other hand and nibbles half of it down, chasing it with a piece of sweet potato, and then some part of the bok choy leaves, "All five of them got to eat, and I managed to get some flea meds on Macaron. Not good for a momma to have fleas this time of year."

A pause for another bite, and he tries to get back into the conversation, "If magic was real... it'd be just like science. There'd be rules, and there'd be the limits only based on how we understand it. That's the thing that not a lot of people get. Magic and Science do it the same. They test the limits of what we understand."

Standing up after, he goes to get himself a rootbeer, "I think you'd look great with some jewelry Chiyo. Especially something green or maybe pink to help offset or highlight your hair and eyes..."

He starts drumming his fingers on his thigh in thought as he sits back down, "There's a pinkish sometimes purplish gemstone that would be really nice... I'm trying to remember the name of it. I think it starts with a K... Ku... Kun-something..."

Looking at Darien, he asks, "Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"At least the magic would be a fun break from the English and the Algebra," Usagi sighs, deflating a little, though - "Not that your tutoring is bad! It's been a lot more fun than class, and the manga is really helpful!"

She has to make sure he knows that she's very grateful, both for his time and also for the fact that he's actually doing the impossible and teaching her. Then she pauses, and rolls her eyes a little, clearly amused. "I'm not too far behind if I want to catch up. I could start by stealing this hat instead of earning~"

And in the meantime, Luna considers Kazuo, holding still beside one of Koji's ankles, allowing him to pet and scritch at her and rewarding him with a little purr, before creeping slowly, in a little crouch, towards the treat, which certainly does smell like Naru, delicious fish, and the stranger that is Kazuo. She's careful to act as cluelessly as an actual cat would, very aware that she's managed to gain suspicion - even if she's suspicious that Kazuo is suspicious of her. She doesn't think she's done anything strange enough to have garnered attention...

She flicks her tail in Bonito's direction, an invitation for a cat to play - but he seems to be on the hunt for treats, which she can hardly blame him for. Instead, she accepts the treat from Kazuo, delicately taking it between her teeth so she doesn't quite touch him, sniffing daintily.

"Crystals are really cool! I don't think they have any like, healing powers, like some of the websites say, but I used to visit Osa-P with Naru-chan all the time, so I guess I grew up liking shiny things," Usagi shares with a little laugh, grateful that everyone's backing off Luna that little bit. "I'll put on a magic show for you, Chiyo-chan! Once Darien-kun teaches me, anyway."

And - then Koji-senpai is commenting on what jewelry would compliment Chiyo-chan, and Usagi gives Chiyo a significant glance.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
So many things Darien nearly says, and doesn't. He enjoys the flood of Usagi's words, he enjoys the cat butting up against his ankles and reaches down to scritch Bonito, he enjoys watching Kazuo interact with Luna, he smiles lopsidedly back at Chiyo--

Just in this moment, everything feels safe.

And then Koji -- it's like he's fishing, it's like he's pushing, is it a coincidence? Is Koji working for someone? Is Koji controlled? Why is he -- pink and green -- and golden.

Darien's gone completely still. Kun-something. He can't let anyone else say it.

It has to be him. He won't let anyone else say it.

His gaze flickers to Koji, then settles back on Kazuo. He doesn't look away.

"Kunzite."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"It's a gem you have to be careful with," Kazuo agrees, as if Darien's single word were just ... a word. "It's hard and durable in a number of ways, but if it's hit from just the right angle it breaks very easily, and it's better suited to the night than the day; too much light and too fierce and the color breaks down." He doesn't look up to the conversation. His attention is down on Luna, keeping his hand steady as her teeth come close, drawing his hand back slowly and carefully to reach for and offer another. Edible, but not magic.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai actually finds herself considering Koji's suggestions. "Well, purple looks a bit.. It's not bad on me, but my hair is already that," she reasons while reaching up to sweep her fingers back through one curled strand. It was really hard to tell if it was naturally curly or if she styled it every day. It was *always* perfect in her own little half-up one bun hairstyle.

The apparent remark of kunzite doesn't seem to bother her. Or doesn't seem to catch on, really, as she's considering the possible other colors he suggested. Even Usagi's little look only earns a sheepish grin from her before she blurts out, "Maybe Jadeite? Or regular jade, at least? It's classic for jewelry and could look very pretty, and such a nice shade of green."

Koji Silvia has posed:
"You know what?" Koji says as he stands up once more, his dinner finished off and licking his fingers, "We've got lots of dessert... but someone promise s'mores."

Going to the table, he picks up one last piece of bok choy to nomph down and then one more of Kazuo's delicious phyllo-dough treats before he smiles to Usagi, "Let me get some wood to build the flames up proper for toasting those marshmallows and get some sticks."

Moving away from the group a moment, he hides an... ashamed expression. For what, it would be unclear, but there is a snap of some wood, and he comes back a few moments later with a half-dozen cut spring wood poles and some firewood from where Darien stashed the safety stuff.

In his hands is a very short-bladed pocket knife, which he uses to quickly shave the tips for piercing, and then uses one to get the mesh off of the pots so he can drop the wood in. In short order they begin crackling and sending up smoke proper, attracting some of the fireflies and lighting the area just a bit better, "Some people like their marshmallows just toasted... some like just the end burnt. Me? I want it to look like a space rock. then you get all that crackly-burn flavor AND you get a melty marshmallow."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi sits back, the jaunty hat on her head not feeling quite so jaunty, as Darien says that name. It's a coincidence, isn't it? Kunzite. It's just a stone, lots of those ends in -ite. The fact that Jadeite is the name of an enemy - that Jadeite is Fire Eyes, that Darien knew people, people who hurt people, who wanted Darien to hurt people, because sometimes he hurt people, and Jadeite and -

And Kazuo-senpai doesn't react at all. And Usagi doesn't relax, exactly, but she says, not quite managing to sound casual, "I've never heard of that one. But there are lots of stones out there - you might look nice with some amethyst, Chiyo-chan - or peridot! Those come in pretty shades of green, and they shine really nicely when they're shaped."

Elephant-san feels like he's in the room. She would like Elephant-san to kindly back off, a little. And then Chiyo-chan continues, with Jadeite and Usagi says, on pure reflex and thinking back to the man who threatened to kill her best friend, who was going to make her tell her secret now - "I think that one's ugly, plus, everyone has jade. It's old-fashioned and uninteresting and totally common."

Luna at least is playing it cooler than Usagi, sniffing gingerly at Kazuo, taking note of his complete lack of reaction too. There's tension in the air, but there's nothing - wrong that she can sense from Kazuo. He smells like ordinary boy. And the treats he offers, straight from Naru-chan, are equally normal. This time when she takes one, she allows her muzzle to gently brush his hand, mostly to see how he reacts.

And then Koji is taking that tension and smashing a rock into it, jumping up the way he is, suggesting s'mores. Usagi leaps for that like a lifeline - "You're right! Now that we're all fed, we should have s'more; the sun is down now, see, the fireflies are coming out -"

And there are indeed finally some fireflies beginning to sparkle in the sky. "I like to set the marshmallow on fire, then smash it onto the chocolate. It melts better, and the fire makes the graham cracker warm before it goes out."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
And-- Darien relaxes, he relaxes when Kazuo doesn't react visibly or audibly to the name.

There's still all the truths he chose to impart about the stone itself, and the fact that he had the stone's uncommonly-known properties right there off the top of his head, but there's plenty of plausible deniability. It'll be okay. Things will be okay.

"Thanks," he tells Koji when handed a stick,and then he regards it for a long moment. And then regards Kazuo, and recalls what Usagi promised at the beginning, and he gets a devilish look this time. "How do you like your s'mores? I'm gathering data."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Luna's muzzle brushing Kazuo's hand wins a careful stretch of his other hand - not reaching to touch. No. Just held out with a placement that implies the offer of behind-the-ear scritches if they happen to be desired. If not? Treats. Treats till she gets bored with them and Bonito starts stealing them for himself. Treats and an utter lack of random peridot facts, thankgod.

And then a blink as he's addressed.

"I don't know," Kazuo says, and braces just a little, because Usagi when distressed may possibly make small animals flee. "I've never had one."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Oh." Chiyo blinks a bit as Usagi assures her of the 'old fashionedness' of jade and jadeite. Maybe it was a bit too 'old' for someone her age? It was certainly classic but... She trusted Usagi's opinions some as well. "Really? I hadn't thought of that. Obaasan had some jewelry with that, but... I guess that only proves the point that it's old fashioned," she has to admit looking just a bit embarassed. "I don't know though. It might be nice to look at but I don't think I could ask Ojiisan to pay for something like jewelry for me. Maybe if I save up some on my own." Nevermind she doesn't mention her parents at all as a possibility for reaching out to for that.

The conversation does shift though, perhaps thankfully so, for even she felt an odd tension settle around them all. Or most of them. Koji's suggestion earns a smile in turn as she can only shrug a little faintly. "To be fair, I've never had them either. I want to try them, though!" She's quick to add before anyone gets the wrong idea about her desire to try the new treat. She wasn't going to stop herxelf from enjoying what should be a good snack! "I can help make them!"

Koji Silvia has posed:
As Koji proceeds to demonstrate the necessary techniques to toast, crisp, burn, and outright violate a poor marshmallow into black oblivion... the group gets to see the fireflies dance around the flames and up into the moonlight.

And Usagi has two new pictures on her camera. One of the group all together taking their first bites of s'mores... and the second of them all sans Naru standing close and just BEING.

An hour after, a smother pit is dug, the pots are dumped, the sand is applied... and soon all are left to go their separate ways alone or together... with one comment made, but unknown by whom...

    'We should all do this again.'