but can you swing from a good, good rope?

[seebeck]

[ rock, paper, scissors is a game that requires basically no skill. it's stupid and childish, and though he knows that sulking outside the convenience store is being childish, too, he can't bring himself to go home. that rock, paper, scissors tournament the teacher held in class had a limited edition candy as the prize (the teacher's attempt to occupy an easily distracted class), and he didn't win it.

murasakibara crams another piece of pocky into his mouth, almost jabbing the inside of his cheek, and chews aggressively. not getting that candy was another disappointment on top of the trouble of practice and things at home.

having momentarily pacified himself with strawberry pocky, murasakibara is still standing outside the store when the patter of raindrops starts up on the awning of the store. he scowls at the fat droplets now hitting the pavement in front of his feet. mostly to himself, he mutters, ] This sucks...

Comments

[well_centered]

[ The main thing was to get set up for an evening of studying. No interruptions! Just get some snacks and drinks and maybe an instant dinner at the convenience store and get ready for cram night. English exam! First thing in the morning!

Kiyoshi is gonna nail it!

Determination simmers in his pleasant expression. Even the first few raindrops don't bother him. It's just a few more steps to the store anyway. But what does halt him in his tracks is a flash of purple just under the awning of the shopfront. He comes to a halt in short order, heedless of the swelling downpour.

See, he doesn't usually have to look up to see people, and when he does have to look up, it's usually... ]

Murasakibara!

[ Of all the people... If he has mixed feelings about this, they don't show. Kiyoshi smiles and waves. While standing. In the rain. ]

[seebeck]

[ it's started to rain pretty hard and murasakibara has resigned himself to staying under the awning until it calms down slightly. he certainly doesn't have enough pocky to last him that long, though; he's already on the last couple of pieces. just as he sticks the tip into his mouth, he catches sight of a familiar figure—though it's less familiar off the basketball court. ]

Hi. [ murasakibara doesn't wave back, though the other end of the pocky stick twitches slightly, which might mean something. ] What do you want?

[well_centered]

Heh?

[ He throws a hand up to block a ridiculously small amount of the rain. In his guileless face there's nothing but happy recognition. Murasakibara's Pocky language unfortunately escapes him. ]

Want?

[ He laughs. ]

Nothing, nothing! [ Well, it's enough of a greeting for him. He ducks under the awning with Murasakibara, wet and cheerful, his button-down translucent with rain over his shoulders. ]

Great weather, huh!

[seebeck]

[ "happy recognition" doesn't come across very well to murasakibara, who merely narrows his eyes in suspicion. ]

No one would come out into the rain for no reason. [ he pushes the pocky stick further into his mouth, mowing it down to nothing. ] Unless you're stupid.

[ murasakibara's disappointment with events in school, combined with fatigue and frustration, make him even more disagreeable than usual. ]

You're already wet. [ said as he looks down at kiyoshi's soaked uniform shirt. ]

;;

[well_centered]

Eh?

[ He looks down. It's not like he's surprised; it's more like it just occurred to him now to think about it. ]

Oh, you're right. Well, can't be helped.

[ About the wet, less about the stupid. Without further adieu he joins Murasakibara under the awning, impervious to his lip. While he stands a comfortable distance away, it's clear that he's not particularly anxious around his former rival. ]

How about you, Murasakibara? How come you're out today?

[seebeck]

[ murasakibara makes a sound of acknowledgement. it is too late for his shirt to be saved, which is part of why he isn't going to bother shoving him back out from underneath the awning. ]

Wanted snacks.

[ in addition to the pocky he's still eating, there's two full plastic bags of more food hanging from his wrist. ] And Muro-chin was busy, so...

[ he shrugs. usually he wouldn't come out alone; it's too much trouble. ] Now everything sucks even more, though.