Trash Squad Day 2: Yusuke Date

[truthstranger]

[This is actually a pretty lucky date assignment, overall, since Shuichi is pretty comfortable around Yusuke and the greenhouse is really a pretty good date location. Relatively. Shuichi has also brought along some rice balls and tea.

He still looks a bit nervous, though.]

Well... it looks like its just the two of us. What should we do?

Comments

[truthstranger]

That sounds good.

[he shifts to pull out the food and tea]

[artisticliberty]

Did you prepare all of this?

[truthstranger]

Ah, yes... it's really not that much.

[artisticliberty]

It looks delicious. I am humbled by your generosity.

[truthstranger]

T-Thank you.

[he passes him a rice ball and some tea]

I can't do anything fancy, but... I like cooking.

[artisticliberty]

[he takes it]

I enjoy it myself, though my lifestyle does not allow for anything extravagant. I used to cook much more often.

[truthstranger]

Ah, what happened to change that? Just spending more time on other things?

[like art or phantom thieving]

[artisticliberty]

Well, my financial situation changed. Formerly, I lived with Sens--with... my foster father, Madarame. He provided for me, and I did most of the cooking around the household. After moving into the dorms, I did not have nearly as much money to spend on food, so I have not been cooking since.

[truthstranger]

I see.

[he feels like there something fairly substantial he's omitting there, but he doesn't want to pry]

...Maybe we could cook something together while we're here, too. There's plenty of supplies.

[artisticliberty]

That is true. Perhaps we could make dinner together one evening.

[truthstranger]

Yeah. It's always more fun with two people. Ah, that's true of a lot of things, though.

[he blushes a little at that too. for some reason.]

[artisticliberty]

Indeed. I did not realize how much more enjoyable certain activities could be with a partner until I met Akira.

[truthstranger]

Ah, did you mostly... work alone, before then?

[artisticliberty]

Yes. I... did not have any friends before that. There were others at Sensei's atelier, but they all left eventually.

[truthstranger]

I see... Akechi-kun was like that too. Ah... though i know that was a more complicated situation.

He's pretty amazing, though. Kurusu-kun, I mean.

[artisticliberty]

He is. He has touched our lives in tremendous ways, and I do not know where I would be now without him.

[truthstranger]

Me too. Ah, that is...

[he tries to figure out what words he wants here]

When we were here before... it was pretty bad for me. Ah, that's an understatement, obviously. I knew I had to continue playing the game, but I wasn't sure how I could possibly do it, after... everything. He... supported me, even when it was at the worst. And he encouraged me to get close to Akechi-kun. To support him, too. So... haha, I suppose I literally don't know where I would be, without him.

[artisticliberty]

[that sounds like akira, alright]

I see... if it helped you, then it is good you and Akechi grew close that way.

[truthstranger]

Mm... spending time with Akechi-kun was... something good, among everything.

[“spending time”]

[artisticliberty]

I wonder what it is like to see him the way you do.

[truthstranger]

...He makes it hard, I know. I think it’s only because... he was in such a vulnerable state, that he was willing to open up to me. I wish he would do it more, but... I think he still thinks that if he does, no one will like him. So he pushes people away himself, so he at least has control.

[artisticliberty]

He seems very insecure to me. I do not know how to approach him sometimes.

[truthstranger]

...Neither do I... I guess.

[frowns.]

Sorry... we had a bit of an argument, earlier. We don’t have to talk about Akechi-kun.

[artisticliberty]

Oh. I am sorry. I do not mind changing the subject.

[truthstranger]

Mm, it just seems a bit rude for me to focus on that during our date.