tabularasa_rp | (open) where have you been? been searching all along 𝅘𝅥𝅮

(With the new addition of hunger and the fact Ren feels hungry all the time, it's only natural he'll be cooking a lot while he's hyped to do so.

This time, however, it's not exactly out of hunger - it's an experiment. There are three plates in front of him while he sits on a booth, all containing a different secret ingredient:

Cardamom - for a refreshing aroma, sharp spiciness, and slight bitterness.

Coffee - for a bitterness and complexity, enhances the curry.

Coriander - for sweetness and delicate softness to the flavor.

Ren takes note as to which is which on his notebook. His goal is to make sure he can actually replicate what he can do back home with what he is provided here, and should the taste be the same through and through. He is about to take his first bite when the door opens.)

Welcome!

(The door to his room is always open when he's there, unless he's actually busy. It's a pleasant space, now that he cleaned to bits and decorated it with several flowers that he has picked from the setting.

It's nice to have company and while he won't directly invite anyone, should they want to join him, they're more than welcome to. His door is (almost) always open.

Maybe you've noticed the Phantom Thieves early logo drawn on the door, or maybe you saw him with this enormous book between his hands and his dismayed look while he tries to get through it, or maybe you just wanted to say hi.

Either way, he's here. All yours.)

(Now that there's light, it gives Ren a better chance of proper recon. After thorough inspecting of the wall market, they finally reach the final destination - the Bathhouse.

The laundromat clearly doesn't work yet, although the buttons and functions seem to light. Ren has his first outfit in a bag that he just drops in a locker. They can handwash their clothes after they're done.

As Ren removes the gray coat and paces towards where he thinks the bath products are placed and frowns with the glimpse of the baths.)

... I wonder why the fish.

(Thank God for lights! Ren can finally check the Wall Market without being frustrated out of his mind that his sight abilities don't work.

At this time, Ren can be found in one of the food stalls, munching on the available snacks as he takes a look at the bottles. Sort of wish they had soda.

What's so special about alcohol, anyways?)

Edited 2020-08-18 14:42 (UTC)

(It's just a walk, an opportunity to gather thoughts and review them. The different settings might do wonders for one who sat in the darkness for What Is Time long.

In the distance, he can see her sitting and resting. He hasn't seen much of Rinoa since she met her new companion and he has meant to ask her about her success in training the little creature... Maybe now would be a good time?

So he approaches, much less sneaky than their first encounter.)

Hey, Rinoa. Where's the...

(She named it, didn't she... What was it?)

Edited 2020-08-18 14:51 (UTC)

(Ren and Leo haven't hung out in a while, so it felt like it was time to go exploring. Both of them have been clearly bored and surely it felt nice to do something different that isn't sitting and talking with Leo.

With the new things happening, he also expected there to be a new place to explore, so guess that's where they're headed! Ren leaves the coat in the Heavenly Blanc attic, just taking the knife with him before he gestures with his head. Let's get going!

Leo already knows what Ren can do with the knife, so he's not much to hide it, spinning it in his hand while they walk.)

Stop by the church for cakes and we can keep exploring?

Edited 2020-08-18 16:18 (UTC)

(Ah, the bathhouse! Just the place he needed. Whatever it is that is controlling the void certainly was kind by providing Ren with two familiar places where he feels comfortable.

Minus the fish. The fish is news.

Ren separates his (01) one piece of soap, ignoring most of the other products because really, who cares? It is when he hears the a noise coming from the door, and he jumps a little in place. Just... Wasn't expecting company?

Did I mention he's in a towel? Because he is.)

... Hi.

Edited 2020-08-18 14:59 (UTC)

(With two containers of curry in a plastic bag, Ren knocks on Tifa's door a few times. Now that he can cook, it felt only right to share it with his partner... He hopes she likes it? Aerith mentioning never having had curry, so he wondered if she was the same.

When she opens the door, she will be greeted by a smiling Ren lifting up the bag.)

Made some food.

Edited 2020-08-18 16:45 (UTC)

[ wow, look at ren show off. leo watches that knife spinning with some mild amusement, as if pleased that ren was allowing some of the hidden sides of himself show through, before he moves his focus back to their current shenanigans.

( it's true that something resembling monotony was digging into his sides, but perhaps that was more a sense of homesickness than anything else.

hmm, nope, don't focus on that one! ) ]

Sounds good to me! ♪

[ he's staying by ren's side, hands in his pockets as they walk. this world sure did enjoy developing randomly, suddenly, and leo's... not sure if he likes all of it, given the following: ]

Ah, man, I've sure got a like-dislike relationship with this new-old hunger thing! Of all the things to come barreling back in, it had to be punishment for forgetting to eat...!

(It's nice not having to conceal it - they don't know what to expect in their journey and well, it is a pain to walk around with it tucked in the coat. It's not nearly cold enough to wear that thing around, so just the black turtleneck with pants seemed like a better outfit.

It's with a happy smile that Ren nods to the words! ♪ Here's to you, Leo.

His eyebrows raise at the words though. Makes sense that Leo forgets to eat, with how focused he seems to be...)

I can pack some curry for you to take.

[ ah!

he should've expected that one, huh? there's a hint of fondness that cuts through his enjoyment at the offer. it's... mm, he's not sure if it's been a while since he had curry, but the thought of it is nice.

not that the fondness is due to the type of food. more like, it's just the offer of it...?

he laughs lightly. ]

Are you always on Mom Mode? You're like: beeeep, need detected. Boooop, gotta fulfill it.

[ god. the way leo says it and how he looks when he says it doesn't imply that that's a bad thing. it's one of the reasons he likes ren. the way he attends to the needs of others may be a bit softer than some of the people he knows intimately, but it's still an attentiveness that ren shares with them.

he grins. ]

Buuuut, sure, sure! I don't think I can pass on a lunchbox packed for me by Ren-mama!

(Leo gets a laugh from Ren, who shakes his head 'no' and moves a hand to the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Honestly, is it really mom like?)

Truth be told, I am not the mom back home.

(That's Makoto!)

I'll get to it when we come back.

I guess if you were, you wouldn't be letting me have cake before dinner!

[ it's true. sena might go something like: "are you crazy?", and then talk about how many calories are in that cake he'd shovel into his mouth... ahahaha.

with a curious little look tossed in ren's direction, leo continues on. he recalls how ren had been happy to talk about his friends from home, and he truly is curious... ]

So, if you weren't mom, who was? They must be a, ummm... Super-Mom!

[ that's the only word he can think of for the one who dethroned ren ]

Student Council President.

(He smiled. It made sense, right? She often made sure they had the best plans, cared about them deeply and risked a lot to help them in their journey.)

Were you friends with yours?... If you had time for school.

(Wondering how Leo was on that part. Akechi seemed to barely have time to go, imagine having an idol group?)

[ hahahaha!!!

there's something in leo's gaze that shifts a little at that. that question's complicated?! a little? though there's no true animosity that he has towards eichi -- as the reason for everything he went through was truly just rooted in his past self's own distorted mindset, he knows that -- that's. still A Question. ]

... I had time! School and work were mixed up together, kinda. [ idol school and all ] I just didn't really show up for classes a whole lot until the end of it...

[ it took some supplementary classes and some soul-searching, but he still graduated.

that's the easier thing to respond with, as he tilts his head just the slightest at the second part of ren's inquiries. ]

The other thing's... Mmmmm... All I can say for sure is our school's Emperor sure wasn't a mom!

[Ding-aling.

Parsee walked in, staring over at him quietly before making her way and sitting down right in front of the three platters. She was not drooling. She was absolutely not drooling. Her fingers clenched the side of this thing.

Normally food like this didn't make her mouth water, but this place was one-size-fits-all. Probably for the best. Her old hungers were ... problematic under the circumstances. Her stomach growled loudly and she glared at him.]

You're not eating all of this are you?

[ Sitting and resting. It feels like there's little else to do in this place. Although things do seem to be returning to a certain degree of normal; hunger struck her a short while ago, and Felix too, if his nibbling at the leather of her boots was any indication. Remembering the stalls in the market, she was able to pick up some food for each of them, and now while she rests, she's letting her companion do a little hunting, insofar as her throwing small chunks of meat for the creature to run after can really be called "hunting".

She looks up at the sound of her name, and smiles when she sees a familiar face approaching. ]

Hi, Ren.

[ The trailed-off question makes her smile. ]

Felix? Wait just one second...

[ And just like that, the animal tears into view, a piece of meat clutched in his mouth. He drops it on the ground in front of them and chirps before eating it in a single snap of his beak. Rinoa smiles, eyes bright, and turns to Ren, holding out a piece of the meat. ]

Hungry?

Oh! Greetings~!

[Wuxian wasn't expecting anyone else to be here, either, but unlike Ren, he isn't shocked. It probably helps that, unlike Ren, he's still fully dressed.

Then again, maybe that doesn't make a difference to him after all, because he sure is starting to undress then and there.]

Come to freshen up, too?

(Ah, so Parsee came to see him this time around.

He laughs at her words, shaking his head 'no' and gesturing so that she could take a seat in front of him.)

No. Taste test. Want to help?

(Of course she did. Her stomach said as much.)

[She went straight for the coffee plate. There was a split second after the first bite where she froze and just sort of stared at it quietly. She'd start shoveling at some of it almost immediately after, the feeling of satiation ... a relief.

She motioned for water and managed to remember to chew thankfully. It took a little before she settled down.]

Seriously... thanks... but did they have to make our bodies remember to be hungry now? Last thing we need is a hungry youkai, and if this is going to be like the wind, gah.

...

Wish I could cook like this.

[Even Tifa, who's been Around and likes to think she's well-versed in the land of drinks and cuisine, has never had the opportunity to treat herself to some otherworldly delicacies, so even if there had been curry on Gaia somewhere, chances are she hasn't had it. Which is why the smell of the food surprises her when she swings open the door, and her eyes dart to the bag in his hand.]

Wasn't expecting you to be there, but great! I'm starving.

[Thankfully, she's been eating on the regular regardless of whether she had been feeling hungry or not. She's gotta maintain her shape somehow, and she didn't think she'd do that without eating... strange how, looking back, it wouldn't have made a difference.

She steps aside to let him through.]

Come on in! We can sit at the desk.

[This may just be Ren's first time in her apartment since she moved in—she's been busy cleaning and decorating it so that it was up to snuff enough to have company over—so he'll notice a few things: the handmade punching bag in the middle of the room being the most obvious, but smaller decorations are scattered around as well, including a white board with one thing written on it: "Get some rest."

Important life lessons.]

Don't you get hungry?

(She had been so adamant about how much booze there was in hell that he sort of expected there to be food as well. After all, isn't it a healthy way to drink?

... Even if it seems like they don't drink healthily at all...

Either way, he leaves the table to return with a glass of water and sits back, handing it to her with both hands. At the compliment, he tilts his head and hms. She mentioned once that she was a housewife at some point...)

I thought you'd know how to cook.

... I'm from the country. There aren't many schools like that. Can you tell me more?

(Again, it was not like he was school-hunting whatsoever back in Tokyo. Shujin was the only school that accepted him after he was expelled and honestly? Maybe it had been for the best. He wouldn't have met his friends if he went to any other school - save Yusuke's or Akechi's.

But maybe taking a look at how Leo's life was like back home was a way to glimpse at how he translates himself here.)

Eh. How so?

(He snorts.)

I'm not even sure if our schools exist in our respective universes, speaking of.

[ hahahahaha, wait a second here. ren's certainly getting a look from leo with his questions as he stops walking -- something resembling muted playfulness written on his face as he turns to face his companion.

now, leo's... not against divulging details about his life. not at all! he's something of an open book, in some respects, but some of these questions were more intimate. isn't that a little unfair? when all he knows of ren is just about the people surrounding him, kind of, and that's he's good with a knife? ]

Hey, Ren. You're the giving type, but... In this kind of situation, you really do like to just take, don'tcha?

[ not that he's truly mad about it. it's just something he has to say, something he's noticed. leo's gaze is sharp, vibrant green eyes observing ren carefully, though there's still the same smile on his face.

he tilts his head a little. then: ]

I'll let you know now -- I'm not gonna cut myself open for someone who's only ever gonna give me scraps!

(Eh?

Ren haults, brows furrowed in response to both the expression and the fact that they were no longer going ahead in their journey. What surprised him the most was the comment, like he couldn't understand exactly what Leo meant when he mentioned just take. Is he talking about the cakes--

Ah. That.

Leo has a very interesting way of twisting the knife, it's playful and it seems in good nature, but Ren definitely can see through it. He takes a deep breath before he sighs.)

... What would you like to know?

(There's your opening, Leo. Use it wisely.)

(open) where have you been? been searching all along 𝅘𝅥𝅮

moments of calm (curry taste test)

📚 apartments;

🛀 closed to akechi (ALSO IT'S A BATH)

🍶 closed - blue

closed - rinoa!

closed - leo!

open bathhouse (hijacking a-ok!) ALSO, NAKED PEOPLE HERE. IT'S A BATH.

closed - dinner date between friends w/ tifa

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