internalized homophobia - mikejima-my-mom-is-dead

Moricchi would have scolded him if he knew that he was skipping an UNDEAD practice for this, but he really couldn't find it in himself to fuss too much about that at the moment. He'd managed to slip under the radar with a little white lie about practice being cancelled. ...And it wasn't as if he was missing anything terribly important anyway. Anything he did end up missing would probably be communicated to him through their group chat, and (not to forget) Koga fussing at him in their next practice. He justified skipping (at least this time, anyway) by telling himself it was a good chance to hang out with some of his closest friends. He hadn't had the opportunity to spend time with them in a while, and he'd missed being able to be stupid with the two of them. ...It would have been an even better opportunity had he not slipped away with a girl he'd barely met to go try and impress her. Of course, he'd given some brief excuse to Izumi before he'd done so and had quietly slipped away. The girl, if he was being completely honest, wasn't particularly interesting. He had no real interest in her, but she was a pretty face and he didn't particularly mind just using her as an excuse to slip away for a little bit. Plus, he had a reputation as a playboy to keep up. If he didn't have that, what did he have? Well, at the moment -- not even a shitty little game prize to show off for it. Kaoru liked to think of himself as pretty good when it came to most of these games, after all -- a lot of them were rigged so it just came to beating the game in a certain manner. He'd gotten the girl he was with a little prize at some other game (some shooting thing that he'd mastered when he was a kid), but the current one was giving him a bit of grief. It took a little more coordination to throw something than it did to point and shoot a gun. He was more than willing to laugh it off and keep flirting with her, but that didn't stop him from trying on the game. (edited)

2:10 AM

She didn't seem to mind it, thankfully, almost a little amused by his attempts. Huh. Maybe he should suck at these more often. He managed to get one in, shooting the girl a smug grin. She just laughed at him, holding her hand out so she could try her hand at it. ...She wasn't any better, to be fair. (edited)

a loud crash rang from the other side of the stall, indicating that a very self centered and obnoxious individual who seemingly can’t read the room, had won himself a prize. That individual was none other than Mikejima Madara himself, who pumps his first up in the air in victory, then dares to flash a grin at the blonde. His goal was a very simple one, one he knew he’d succeed in carrying through. It came to him on a whim; --------------------------------------- Nothing could beat the feeling of adrenaline rolling off of his body in waves after a MaM performance. On stage, the world was his. All eyes were on him and him alone. Smiles, cheers, laughter and music mix into something he called his own symphony. Euphoria fills his lungs with every breath, every step and dance signifies his own excitement. Even with that time coming to a close, Madara could not bring himself to grieve over it, as his performance was part of a festival program, and he wouldn’t be Mr. Festive if he wasn’t just as excited for the rest of the day. With haste, he changes out of his MaM uniform into a yukata, then rushes towards the summer festival crowd. He spends a good amount of time scouting, spotting some kids a few sparklers tricks, then indulging in some takoyaki. His day was going pretty well so far. Until he spots a familiar head of dull golden hair. His beloved classmate who seemed to have some company. Chewing on his food, Madara thinks back on some words he heard from Rei about Kaoru’s womanizer behavior. And just as any good friend does, he decides to step in and help him! And that’s how he ended up here, shoving his advantage in stall games in Kaoru’s face to embarrass him in front of his date. He was such a great friend.

On one level, the girl walking away from him (what was her name again? Something forgettable) was a relief. He'd grown tired of conversing with her and hadn't been able to find his own escape from her life stories. She had made some shitty excuse about meeting up with her friends, and he was barely left with a new number in his phone for all of his efforts. Ugh. How frustrating. On another level (past the relief): It was mortifying. What felt like years of crafting that playboy persona had gone to waste and for what? Some obnoxious bastard on the other side of the stall? Absolutely not. Kaoru rolled his eyes, intending to say something as he turned to face the man when he processed just who he was dealing with. Maybe it was for the better he'd abandoned Izumi a bit ago? He knew his friend would not have taken any interaction with Madara well at all. Sighing, he pushed a hand back through his hair before he took a step over to Madara. He kept a safe distance between the two of them, about five or so feet, and quirked a brow at him. "Well, look who's showed up~" Despite the grin on his face, he really didn't sound all too amused. "Any reason you wanted to swing by and embarrass me in front of a girl?" God. He really didn't like some of the guys in their year. Although.... compared to some of them, Madara could have been a lot worse. "Or are you just here to mock me~?"

with a side glance, Madara watches the unnamed girl walk away from her date as he’s handed a big orca plushie. “Oh? Kaoru-san! I didn’t see you there!” a small lie that Kaoru had no way of disproving. “Was that your date~? I could’ve sworn Rei-san told me about a scheduled practice today…” he trails off, tapping his index on his chin. He couldn’t exactly rat Kaoru out to his leader, Rei would’ve probably made an educated guess on Kaoru’s whereabouts. He could, however, rat him out to his juniors, and although Adonis was too kind to do anything about it, Koga was a completely different story. He keeps that thought in his back pocket. “Sorryyy~ I didn’t mean to scare her off! Here– take this as an apology.” he pushes the plushie in his direction, then quickly retreats it back into his grip. “If you could beat me at three stall games! Who knows~? Maybe some other girl will be impressed by your skills!” It was mostly an excuse to spend the day with someone. Just as food tastes better with others, festivals aren’t enjoyable to the fullest alone.

Somehow, Kaoru had a difficult time believing that Mikejima hadn't done that on purpose, but it wasn't as if he could call his bluff without solid proof on the matter. How unfortunate. "Scheduled doesn't mean I have to go." Of course, Kaoru also didn't have to explain himself to Madara of all people. He had nothing to do with the unit practices, and for all he knew he could have gotten this pre-approved with Rei for the purpose of going to the festival. ...He didn't, yeah, but he could have and that's what mattered. Madara's extension of the plush took him by surprise, but his wariness caused him to look a gift horse in the mouth -- and he wasn't surprised at all by what he saw rotting away in there. Of course it had been a ploy to try and get him to stick around. Ugh. An awfully tempting ploy given that the Orca was adorable... and he'd like to put it up in the Marine Bio Club room (anonymously). Still, something itched in the back of his mind about that, nose scrunching up in disgust at the idea. "You're a guy, Mikejima-kun. Doesn't that sound far too similar to a date for your comfort?" And his own, but that much was implied by his statement. "Hate to disappoint whatever expectations you had, but I'm not into guys~ You have to know that."

an amused smile spread across his face, his prey was approaching the bait at a good pace. “Eh? Scared your fragile masculinity will be crushed when you lose at every game?” he taunts in a sweet tone and a smile to accompany it. “Besides, you’re not really my type, Kaoru-san.” another clear lie, one that we won’t get into now. “I understand,” Madara places the plush underneath his arm and makes mocking gestures with the other, all the more to entice the blonde. “It’d be pretty embarrassing if you lost in front of aaaall of these cute girls. What would become of UNDEAD’s Kaoru Hakaze if he makes an utter fool of himself!?” He could say more, and he will for as long as he needs to get Kaoru to bite. living up to the title of a busybody was his favorite pastime hobby for a reason.

Okay, yeah, he was a tiny bit offended when Madara said he wasn't his type. He was a damn good fish to reel in, and he was surprised at how much that tiny comment had set him off. Paired with the comment about his masculinity... he almost bit. He was right on the edge of taking his shitty bait, even if he knew this was all a ploy on his part. "I wouldn't lose to you. Not in every game." He thought he was right on that, at least. There were a few of these games he was surprisingly good at. "It's just... weird. Isn't it? Like, ugh. If someone saw? They'd totally think it was a date and not whatever you want it to be." Crossing his arms over his chest, he shifted his weight over to one foot, eyes focusing back on the plushie. It was... unfortunately tempting. "Fine. Whatever. But if anyone gets the wrong idea I'm out immediately."

for a second, Mikejima ponders on what extent Kaoru was willing to go through just to not be seen with a guy. He also ponders on just how much he could push before breaking that fragile barrier Kaoru seems oh so careful to keep standing. You’d think Madara gets off on making people wary of him with how many of his relationships stand on a thin thread of white lies and empty promises. However, he won’t benefit from making Kaoru hate him. Not only was he close to Kanata, but Madara was no stranger to the Hakaze’s themselves. Any spec built on this side of the coast was built on Shinkai territory after all. If they were to revitalize their influence, it’s no question they’d need the help of a big head around these parts. But that’s for another time. For now, they’re two classmates on a platonic date. “You have my word!” no, he did not. “Let’s go catch some goldfish!” Madara exclaims, taking hold of Kaoru’s wrist and dragging him to another stall.

Kaoru was a little embarrassed at the almost undignified noise that sprung from the back of his throat, halfway between surprise and confusion as he was suddenly yanked forward by his wrist. He twisted his hand quickly, trying to get it out of Madara's grasp. He was not a kid. He could walk just fine on his own. Not to mention, there was a reason he didn't have much physical contact with men. It was odd and weird and he didn't like the inevitable crisis that came with it. Wait- Not crisis. The inevitable annoyance. He was quick to try and keep an eye on everyone around, making sure that no one was looking his way while Madara had a hold on him. Of course, no one even seemed to bat an eye at this platonic d- Not a date. He wouldn't even call it that platonically. As they came up to the stall, Kaoru scoffed, brushing his hands off on his front as if ridding himself of Madara's touch. "Yeah, yeah. Lead the way." He muttered. He was actually pretty decent at this one, so he'd just have to see how good Madara ended up being.

Kaoru indeed did not need to be dragged by the hand like this, especially when their destination was two stalls over. But what’s the fun in doing what the blonde had asked? Madara will make this as enjoyable as possible for the two of them, and the deal included embarrassing his classmate a few times. As a treat. Now, catching goldfish was not a hard game at all. No festival game was hard, since they were meant to be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. The key to winning is simple: be swift, not strong. Madara understands that very well, yet he’d lose. It was a good tactic, lose at a game where strength is your weakness, and Madara was known to be quite the brute so it wouldn’t look suspicious at all. “Whoops–” the net continues to break with every swing, his brows furrow in frustration yet his lips curve in a smile. It was a good tactic to give your opponent a false sense of security, so that they’d let their guard down. After his utter defeat, Madara would turn to Kaoru raising both of his hands, one in a fist and the other with his index up. “one for Kaoru-san, zero for Mama! How unfortunate~”

Kaoru was stubborn to a fault, and that extended even into things like games. He had a wicked competitive streak, and even if the game was something silly and purely designed for kids he had the urge to win it. Of course, this made sense when he was playing against someone like Madara who seemed to have the same sort of level of competitiveness underneath the surface. He was a little too focused on the game at hand, having won this probably dozens of times against his older sister. But, naturally, Mikejima should also be good at this one. So Kaoru was more than surprised when he came out of the game with a win. Confusion crossed over his expression as he turned to look at Madara, a prize having been shoved into his hands. It was a little... plush animal. That was just a bit bigger than his hands. What the fuck was it? A little brown creature with horns and the oddest little stature. He swore he knew the name- "It's a... bison..?" He asked, staring at it rather than Madara, caught off guard for a moment. "Sorry- Whatever. Next game." He kept the plush in one hand, shaking his head. "Surprised you seemed to suck so badly at that one. What, lose your confidence, Mikejima-kun~?" His cockiness was beginning to bubble right back up again.

Madara threatens to step into Kaoru’s personal bubble (intentionally, of course) by leaning forward to look at his prize. “Awh what a cute little guy! It almost reminds me of someone!” he laughs, and leaves Kaoru’s font lines just as quickly as he barged in. Now, with Kaoru’s confidence boosted, the next step was to get him to play a game he was good at. And what was better than a simple shooter game? “Kaoru-saan~” he called out as he began departing from the stall to head to another, halting once he reached his object of interest. He turns around with a (fake) gun in his hands, aiming it with one eye closed and his tongue sticking out. Then he makes a BANG! Sound, throwing his hands up for effect. He laughs, a bit too obnoxiously and too in character for it to be disgusting, then tosses Kaoru his own plastic gun. “Think you can beat a cowboy at a shooting game?”

Kaoru's jaw clenched as his personal space was invaded, and he seemed to relax soon after he was left alone. He was left standing with the bison plush in his hand, rolling his eyes before choosing to follow after him to the next stall. The fact that it was a shooter game drew a little more confidence to him, and he was quick to grab the gun out of the air. He hadn't reacted to the fake shot taken at him, instead focused on analyzing the game. He spun it around his finger, shooting a smug grin at his opponent. "We'll see." He hummed, turning back towards the stall. He tended to be pretty decent at these, but he knew Madara would likely have a similar level of skill to him here. "Winner takes the cowboy title?" He joked, "Not that I'd give up my playboy role~"

“I think you’d make a good cowboy, Kaoru-san. But I’m not willing to give up my title either!” Madara’s obnoxious laugh sounds out, it may or may not have startled the stall owner. Taking his place a few ten inches away from Kaoru, Madara assumes a stance with the gun in his hand. The game was simple, themed after the western game Duck Hunt with some special golden ducks that would give you more points if you were to hit them. It consisted of three rounds where you accumulated the total in the end, and the one with the highest score wins! Pretty simple, eh? Based on how many points you get, the prices vary in size and shape. But that’s not what either of them were after, all they cared about was the cowboy title and bragging rights. So, Madara had no plan. Purely reliant on his skills and years of stall game knowledge.

Madara's laugh certainly would have scared him were he not prepared for it. The man himself was more than a little loud, but he'd grown used to that over his years at the school. It seemed half of their classmates were far too energetic anyway. Taking his position, Kaoru readied himself. He was surprisingly good at the game, but, unsurprisingly, Madara managed to edge him out by just a few points. Barely three points won over by one of those golden ducks. However, he found that he wasn't all too upset by it, rolling his eyes with a chuckle as the gun was put back in his place. "Yeah, yeah-" He reached out, snatching the hat off of his head anyway and stealing it for himself. "I think I deserve this for pretty much nearly outshooting you." He shot him a smug grin, leaning back against an empty part of the stall.

Madara felt cheated! if it weren't for that one lucky shot, Kaoru definitely would've bested him here! his scowl doesn't stay on his face for long, he's… actually having fun? That's weird. anyway, his plan was still in action, and he won! “Well Kaoru-san.” he places the toy gun down, receiving a cowboy hat in return which he’s quick to place on his head, showing it off to the other with a wink. “Looks like this town really isn’t big enough for the two of us~♪” he jokes, chuckling as he tips his hat. Only for it to be snatched off of his head. He’s surprised, for a brief moment his front breaks, cyan eyes going wide at the blonde, before he laughs, loud, again. “Well, I have to give credit where credit is due!” Madara claps his hands together. “I’m impressed, Kaoru-san! Really, reallyy♪” he repeats the other’s phrase as a light jab.

Kaoru noticed that slight slip up. The way it took a moment for him to laugh, even if he did end up having to deal with that obnoxious laugh again. He would be proud of himself if he could really be bothered. Kaoru hadn't put down the little fake gun, shooting at Madara with it and giving him a grin (and almost a wink before he caught himself). He set it aside quickly after, taking off the hat and tossing it back lightly at Madara. "You won because of a lucky shot. So what? One to one, now?" He glanced around at the stalls around him, choosing to continue to let Madara choose their next game. He didn't come to these often, anyway. "I'll follow." He reached up to fix his hair, the hat having fucked it up just enough to bother him. "Ooor, I could trade you the bison for the Orca~?"

amusement dances on his features, and he puts on an act of clutching his shirt with a groan. Laughing away Kaoru’s attempt at playing cowboy. What an interesting one you’ve found yourself there, Rei-san. Catching the hat with ease, Madara slips it over his head, letting the thin yarn strap hang on his neck as the hat dangled on his back. He smiles a thanks at the stall owner, before jumping back on the move. He spots a yoyo tsuri stall close by.. It wasn’t too crowded, which is good because Madara did not want them to miss the fireworks, it was the highlight of the festival after all! He’s about to walk towards it, when Kaoru speaks he stops in his tracks to face him. Madara humms, folding one arm and tapping his chin thoughtfully. “That’s a tempting offer! However, how about we bet on both and dinner. All or nothing.” there’s a glint in his eyes, mischievous and challenging. It’s obvious he wasn’t going to be swayed that easily.

Kaoru had barely taken a step when Madara stopped, confusion blooming over his expression. Huh? Well, that wasn't too bad. But he did want the Orca. "I'll buy you stall food anyway." He nodded his head back towards the other stalls, not really understanding this part of the bet. His dad had more than enough money for it, and his monthly allowance was far more than enough to cover something small like dinner. He began to walk towards the stand that Madara had been eyeing, not wanting to lose too much time on the bet. "Dinner's not too strong of a bet token, you know?"

“it’s mama’s favorite~!” he exclaims, with no ulterior motive. The guy just genuinely wanted to eat some stall food. Madara doesn’t waste time before following suit, catching up to Kaoru in no time. “Glad you’re sooo confident in my victory, Kaoru-san. But I’m not here to rob you off your money! We’re hanging out as friends, riiight~?” He motions for the stall owner to prepare the balloons, turning to face the blonde in the meanwhile. “Hope you’re good at this one! It’s our tie breaker. I have to warn you though, Mama’s preeetty good at this one!” This game held a lot of memories for him. Mostly of him and Kanata recreating it with whatever they could find. He’d always felt bad winning, so he’d always lose. But not now. He planned to win.

Kaoru had played this game a few times. His older sister had shown him some strategies, but he was so young when that happened and he hadn't played it in... years. He knew Madara was already a step ahead of him with these games, given that he definitely played them more often, but this was one of the few he felt comfortable with. Maybe not enough to beat him, but enough to have fun. Not to mention, some part of him desperately wanted that orca to be his. He knew Souma would love it, even if he didn't want to admit that he wanted it for him in particular. "Hm~ I think I could best you." He grinned at him, perhaps a little too smugly, turning back to look at the balloons being prepared. This whole situation was almost bordering on odd, but he couldn't complain. He'd had a strange amount of fun so far, even if he knew he'd have to run off and find Izumi and Chiaki before they could head out. He hadn't gotten a text yet, so he assumed that they thought he was still out on his little date. "Even if I can't~ It's my dads money." A slight reassurance that Madara wasn't taking any money from his own pocket. He chose not to linger on the idea of being friends, not yet at least. That was an issue for later Kaoru.

to say Madara was frustrated would be a huge understatement. Of course he would be, with the way the hooks seemed to break under his fingers like straws of hay, giving away at the slightest bit of strength. Combined with the wetness and the weight of the water balloon, Madara could only stare wide eyed at the only balloon he managed to get. Shameful, very shameful! Kaoru really did manage to best him this time! His eyes darted over to the blonde, who seemed to take the slow and steady route –the smarter route– taking his time to hook the rings out of the water. He already had three balloons, making him the obvious and true winner. So it wouldn’t really hinder him if… Madara splashes him with water. Not enough to absolutely soak him –he still wanted to attend the firework show afterwards– but enough for the chill to shock the blonde. “Whoops–” Madara laughs, scooting back in preparation for a counter attack.

Kaoru was mature. He was mature and he could hold himself back from reacting irrationally to a provocation like that, really. And so he acted completely rationally. He splashed Madara right back. He shot him a glare, although it was more playful than it was truly malicious, a grin playing on his lips for the briefest of moments as he watched the water splash over him. He may have gone for a bit more than Madara had, but it certainly wasn't enough to soak him. Maybe a little bit. Still, he'd won. As the game wrapped up he stepped back from the stall, reaching up to brush some hair out of his face. He scrunched his nose up a bit at the feeling of the wet hair brushing against his forehead. Ugh. "You owe me a plushie, Mikejima-kun~" And dinner, but he wasn't going to say that. Especially not when it made this interaction seem even more like a date.

having expected the counter attack, Madara comes out less scathed than he was supposed to. His upper body took the hit, leaving his bangs stuck to his face which was plastered with an annoying smile. How is the water this cold in the middle of summer!? What did they place in those balloons? ice? He runs a hand through his hair to push it out of his face, laughing as he pretends to get up. “Right, right. You won fair and square, Kaoru-san!” He swiftly moves behind Kaoru, hands ready in front of him. “But y’know what they say, revenge is a dish best served cold.” With that, his hands push against Kaoru’s shoulder blades, forcing him face first into the pool. Immediately, he steps back, one to avoid the splash, and two to grab his safe card: the plushie! Kaoru can’t drag him down if he’s holding it hostage. His laugh is loud as always, and maybe, just maybe there’s some truth to it.

Kaoru let out a noise of surprise as he was suddenly shoved, stumbling over his feet before he splashed face-first into the water, soaked from head to toe. Oh Kaoru was going to get him. He immediately went to go try and drag him in, but the plushie in his hands gave him pause. He knew that Madara had done it on purpose too, and he was trapped. Sitting freezing in the pool of water. Seriously -- it was hot out, how did the water feel like a block of ice? He scowled, pulling himself out of the pool and shaking his head. He had to reach back to squeeze some of the water out of his hair, frowning a bit. He was already getting cold as the air hit him, shivering a bit. "There was no need for that." He glared at him, although it wasn't as harsh as it really could have been. He wrung out his shirt a bit, but it didn't change the chill that had washed over him. "I think~ That's the opposite of playing fair, Mikejima-kun."

Too bad for Kaoru, Madara hadn’t even offered a hand to get him out of the poo, fearing the consequences of showing even the slightest bit of kindness. However, he does feel slightly bad when he notices the cold breeze on his face. It must be way worse for Kaoru. “Okay okay let’s say truce hm? I’ll give you your grand prize! After we dry you up, that is~” without any regard for Kaoru’s opinion in his decision (or the fact that he’s leaving him completely in the dark) Madara begins to walk away with the plush secured between his arms. He walks for a minute or two before pausing and turning around to face Kaoru. “Ah! How could I forget!? You’re probably freezing!” Madara’s quick to shrug his jacket, shedding it off and throwing it in Kaoru’s direction. “Here!” He exclaims, as if it was the kindest act in the world and not his own doing. “You can have Mama’s jacket! He doesn’t need it~”

Kaoru caught the jacket, eyes widening a bit as he looked at it in his hands. He wouldn't want to get the jacket soaked, it did seem rather nice, but he was freezing and he didn't want to have to take off his t-shirt in order to layer the jacket overtop. "Uh- Are you, like, sure?" He asked, furrowing his brows a bit. "I wouldn't want to get it wet." Not to mention, the jacket was almost certainly going to be too big on him and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with the taunting that would likely come with that. As soon as he got the go ahead, he looked around cautiously (making sure Izumi and Chiaki were out of the way), slipping the jacket onto his shoulders. The warmth was a breath of fresh air, and even if it did feel too big on him (and probably looked it too) he could just pray that it wouldn't be commented on so he could just sink into the warmth. "Fireworks are soon, yeah~?" And then he could go home and.... deal with his dad and get changed out of these soaking wet clothes.

“looks really nice on you. It fits ya!” He snorts, eyeing Kaoru up and down. As soon as he made sure Kaoru had the jacket on, he would turn around and resume walking, having put his mind at ease. Kinda. He’d actually feel really bad if Kaoru ended up with a cold because of this. The sight of Kaoru in his jacket does leave a smile on his face for a few more seconds. “Mhm~ I know a really good spot! The perfect spot! Though, I think a date expert like you would certainly know about it~” he throws one hand up, the other holds the plush at his side. Leaving the noisy festival behind them, they start to hike up a small hill not too far from the crowd. Madara’s motorcycle is parked next to a young tree. “Heeere we are!” He skips a few steps ahead then turns on his heels to face Kaoru. “Best spot to watch the fireworks!”

The comment wasn't as frustrating as Kaoru had expected it to be, glad he didn't have to come across completely on the defensive over something as simple as a jacket. He just rolled his eyes at the compliment, muttering something under his breath about not wanting that to have been told to him by a girl. He'd much rather "Perfect spot you say?" He was curious, mostly so he could note the location down in his mind for the future. Stepping away from the crowd was comforting, and it was a little easier to loose some of that tension from the hangout because he thought it would avoid any 'it's a date' misconceptions (it should -- it probably wouldn't). Coming across the little area, he looked almost amused, chuckling softly as he looked over to the tree and back to the motorcycle. How cute. Had he set this up for a reason? "What, this looks like a date set up~? Expecting to get lucky, Mikejima-kun?" He taunted, moving to go lean up against the tree. He hadn't bothered to stay and watch them since he was young, so he doesn't quite know the location, but this one... seemed nice. "Unfortunately, you got stuck with me~" (edited)

“not really~” he steps further away from Kaoru, staring off at a specific spot in the distance. “Convenient parking —good way to sneak in and out of the crowd without having to go through that stuffy entrance~” his eyes flicker from the horizon to his wrist watch, humming patiently. “I’d say it’s fortunate~” he doesn’t elaborate on that, he simply looks back at Kaoru to send him a wink before facing away from him once again. “Do you come to festivals often? I doubt it’s only date related, your skills were pretty impressive!” Despite his tone and the slight laugh that followed his words, there was genuine curiosity hiding behind his question. His expression falls, lips pressed into a small frown. It’s almost time. “Say, Kaoru-san. Your place is pretty far, yeah? Why don’t you swing by mine for a change. And dinner! I at least owe you those two~”

Kaoru wasn't quite a fan of the comment, wanting to roll his eyes at that. He knew that Madara had less qualms when it came to hanging out with guys, but that didn't mean he really had to enjoy it at all. Especially not when the commeng was bordering on blatantly romantic like that. It was easier to relax into the conversation once Madara continued speaking, pushing his mind away from whatever it had just been on (especially that wink -- he didn't wanna think about that wink). "Hm? My sister used to come with me when we were younger. And my mom if she felt well." A simple explanation, one he didn't bother to expand on foo much. The next question forced him to pause, halfway through tucking the jacket a little tighter around him. It was tempting. God was it tempting to go somewhere that wasn't home. Somewhere he could just relax. But that felt odd. He hardly knew Madara well enough, but he was offering. Kaoru shrugged, tearing his gaze away from his fellow idol to focus back on the horizon. "Sure -- why not." He tried to sound indifferent. "You can cook, yeah? I don't want to deal with another blown up stove~"

"mom and sister.." he echoes at a lower volume, which should be the standard volume, if we weren't talking about Madara Mikejima here. "Man, I'm almost jealous! I'd love to take my mom and sister here~" if his voice carried any sort of lingering regret, then he hid it with a loud laugh, bringing his volume back to the max. It doesn't escape him how quickly Kaoru seemed to avoid the topic. maybe they had a lot more in common than either of them had anticipated. "'course I can! What kind of Mama would I be if I didn't!?" he says, a bit too dramatically, swaying his hand in the air in protest, offended by Kaoru's assumption. How dare he! Madara had survived this far thanks to his cooking skills, which he unfortunately gained from the need to travel and the lack of someone who cares enough at home. but hey! it came in handy here! "Kaoru-san, Kaoru-san! come closer, the show is about to start!" he waves his hand at the blonde, urging him to come closer. The first high pitched whistle causes him to stop his frantic movements, turning to face the sky with a big grin as colors explode and spread across the starless sky.

The name he gave himself did draw an eye roll from the blond, but he chose not to make any sort of comments on it. He should have expected as much from him anyway, even if it did tug at the corners of his lips and make him feel a little uncomfortable. He wouldn't want a guy to be that close to him anyway, but that didn't mean he had to snap at him for it. He'd just refuse to think of him like that. The sudden call of his name did shock him a bit, causing him to nearly jump up. He stayed in his spot against the tree, able to see the fireworks just fine from the position he'd taken up. He saw no real need to move any closer, not all too fussed about the tiny little bits he'd miss through the leaves. "Huh?" He looked a little confused, following the firework up with his eyes. He did flinch a bit at the sudden loud sound, a memory rushing to him that he had to fight to stamp out like a fire before it spread in his mind far too easily. "Loud and bright... right up your alley, Mikejima-kun~" He joked, a little amused as he kept his gaze on the sky. Every loud pop did make him wince or flinch a bit, but that was fine. It was pretty anyway. His dad would hate it -- so he loved it even more.

It doesn't bother him that the blonde remained still –not really still but– in his spot and refused to come to his side. It wasn’t the biggest deal and Madara was more than used to standing alone. The explosions were loud enough to distract him Even if they were enough to rapture his ears, right as rain he was, and a hundred festivals have prepared him for even the loudest and brightest of firework shows. Heck, he’s even been in charge of shooting them before. He loved fireworks. The bright lights, heat, sudden explosions, burning out and falling apart at the end of a short lived journey, it all reminded him of something. It’s almost as if Kaoru read his mind. “You think so?” he calls out, loud enough to reach the other over the sound of the firework, placing a hand on his hip and swaying on one leg to tilt his head. 18 minutes, 20 with the preparations, but 18 minutes is how long it lasts. Isn’t it too soon to burn out? “doesn’t seem like you’re used to this~? Did you usually leave before the show?” he cranes his neck to look back at Kaoru. “It’s the height of the festival, y’knoowww~?”

Hearing anything over the fireworks was a pain, but Madara's voice reached him far too easily over the explosions. It was surprising to be able to hear him despite everything, but he knew he probably shouldn't think too hard on it. He talked as if he was always a mile away from everything. He'd never liked loud noises anyway, but it wasn't as if he could force him to speak quieter. Moricchi was loud too. It was something he'd had to get used to at Yumenosaki. He pushed himself up off the tree. Such a small motion shouldn't have had so much meaning behind it, but some part of his brain felt bad leaving him alone and another part knew that his mom would have wanted him to see these. He didn't think he'd ever stayed, his mothers stamina wearing out earlier in the day. His father never came along to these either, and so he was normally gone by the mid afternoon. The thought of his mother made him clench his jaw, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. He swore he could hear her voice still, laughing brightly as she pointed at different things. She would have loved these. Even as she got weaker, she'd talk to him about festivals and all the things she loved. He forced the thoughts down quickly. Not wanting to show that weakness here. Another explosion caused him to wince, although it was less prominent than before. He was getting used to it. He stepped up by his side, arms crossed over his chest even as the jacket hung down over his palms. "Hm? No, we never stayed." He didn't expand on that either, just shaking his head as he chuckled. "Don't know if I'd have liked them as a kid, though. Too loud." Everything was too loud. He could crack an egg in a pan and it was too loud, his father catching the slightest creak from a few rooms away. "Height of the festival... Hm." He hummed, keeping his eyes on the sky. "I'll keep it in mind~"

if Madara had Not kept his composure, he wouldn’t let some sort of shock slip onto his expression as Kaoru drew closer. Out of all people, he expected the blonde to be the one he’d have a lot of trouble getting closer with, considering his reputation and the fact that he practically had to drag him by the arm to spend some time with him. Well, it wasn’t a bad thing. No, not at all. Madara found himself smiling at the other. He loves humans because they’re different, unique and different, weird in some instances. Kaoru was one of them. The way he acts so confident, yet seemed so conflicted by the mere sight of Madara’s jacket on him. It confused him! And he considered himself to be a master at getting along with people, so Kaoru was like an anomaly to him. He talked so lightly, yet Madara could sense the lingering sadness in his tone, hiding just beneath his surface. But who was he to talk? “You should come more often then! Even helping with the organization and staff is plenty fun~”

If anyone had asked, Kaoru had only gotten closer because it was a little easier to see the fireworks from this angle. It had nothing to do with how Madara was treating him. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Madara didn't seem to hate him. That the man wasn't treating him like some nuisance for his affection towards girls or his habits of taking on dates when he should be working. It was just because of the fireworks, that was all. His hands curled into the fabric of the sleeves, thumb brushing against the hem almost absentmindedly. It was far too cold on top of this hill, and given that Madara's form of transportation was a motorbike? Oh, he'd be surprised if he wasn't an ice block by the time they got to Madara's place. Where did he live anyway. "No thanks~" He was back to his normal attitude in a heartbeat, the grin playing on his lips somewhere between smug and mischievous. "I'm not a big fan of any sort of work, unless there's some girls there to m-" He was cut off by a firework, flinching before he was right back on his sentence. "-motivate me." He tugged the jacket a little closer around him, praying Madara didn't mention it. It was already getting late, he wondered how late he'd end up getting home. He knew his dad locked the door after two, but... well, a night on the porch again wouldn't kill him.

he tries not to let his gaze linger on the blonde, worried he’d scare him away if he were to stare at him a second longer. Even if the light reflecting in Kaoru’s eyes, flashing against his warm skin catches his attention and makes him want to admire him just a moment longer. He occupies himself with the actual fireworks instead. He listens intently, expression remaining a big grin, eyes focused on the sky. That was, until Kaoru flinched. Mikejima couldn’t help but laugh at him. “I’m sure girls are very fond of skittish foxes too. Huh, Kaoru-san~?” he teases, glancing up at the sky before he turns his back to the lights. “C’mon!” he swings the hat he had tied around his neck onto Kaoru’s head. “You look like a wet cat! Mama would feel mad if you up and died like this~!” he flashes a smile at him, before proceeding to walk towards his motorcycle. Securing the plush on the back, Madara tosses Kaoru a helmet before he puts his own. “I take it you’ve been on a bike before?” he cocks his head to grin at Kaoru, then swings his leg over the vehicle. “C’mon! Don’t be shy~”

The fox comment treaded too closely to something Rei would say, and Kaoru was beginning to understand why he was Rei's successor. However, he didn't think he could deal with two Rei's. One was more than enough. At least Madara was incredibly different. "I'm not a fox-" He was cut off by the hat being placed back on his head, furrowing his brows in confusion as he reached up. He shoved it off of his head, letting the hat fall back and rest against his back. He managed to catch the helmet with surprising ease, rolling his eyes. He tucked the helmet under his arm, tying back his hair as best as he could so it wouldn't get too messed up. The ponytail was a bit messy, but it worked. "Of course I've been on a bike before." He grumbled, slipping on the helmet. He didn't care too much for safety, but whatever. It wasn't his bike, so he'd listen. The issue, however, came with getting on it. "Eugh. I don't want to have to hold onto a guy -- it's so much better with girls.." He trailed off, staring between Madara and the bike. What was he meant to do?

“yeah, yeah~ just hurry up and get on! Unless you like being shriveled up like that.” he motions with his head at Kaoru’s shivering form, a smug smile plastered on his face. Tilting to the side, he digs through his pocket for the key, immediately interesting it to the vehicle. And with a practiced twist of the wrist, the engine starts, sounding out a low noise that easily gets covered by the fireworks. He places the jet black helmet on his head, flicking the eye shield up to glance back at Kaoru. “Eh? Don’t wanna hold on to a guy?” he echoes mockingly. “I mean, unless ya wanna sit in front of me, you have no close but to hug me tight, Kaoru-san!”

He wasn't quite a fan of being mocked. Past it just being a dickish thing to do, it put that insecurity right at the forefront of his mind and Kaoru had to think even harder about the fact that he'd be holding onto a guy. He wondered if falling off would be a better option. He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he approached the bike. Cautiously, he got on, swinging a leg over and sliding in behind Madara. He struggled with where to put his hands for a few moments. He thought about it, sighing softly and giving in. He wrapped his arms around his middle, grabbing one wrist with the opposite hand. "If you tell anyone about this, I'm gonna be so pissed." He mumbled, getting a bit more comfortable in his spot.

Madara’s grin spreads wider across his face as Kaoru admits defeat and waddles over to the bike. He couldn’t hold back the small chuckle that escaped him. He really was stubborn! Unphased by the touch, Madara presses his one foot firmly on the ground as the other kicks the kickstand up, tilting their weight slightly to the right. “Your secret’s safe with me, Kaoru-saan! Now hold on tight or else you’re gonna go flying! We are on a hill after all.” Pushing the vehicle forward, his feet plant on the rests on the side as he rolls the handles, slowly picking up speed. He adjusts the mirror to look back at Kaoru, relieved that the blonde wasn’t stubborn enough to be careless. Maybe he should’ve warned Kaoru a bit more,because acceleration is a bitch and in a matter of seconds they’re rolling down the hill and onto the main road at a maybe not so safe speed. It’s safe once they hit asphalt though! Madara takes another quick glance at Kaoru through the mirror, a mischievous grin adoring his face before he fixates on the road. “Whaddya want for dinner~?” he asks, picking up a normal conversation like nothing happened.

Despite being one stubborn son of a bastard, he wasn't an idiot. He'd been lectured enough by his dad about motorcycles, and although he didn't care enough about half of the lectures, he'd rather not fall off of one anytime soon. The acceleration caught him off guard, his arms tightening their hold on Mikejima, and for a brief moment he simply didn't care that it was a dude. He was just focused on not dying in this moment. A sigh of relief escaped him as they hit the asphalt, but his grip on him didn't loosen much. Despite it being a tight grip, he didn't have much leeway in his arms. Was he really that built-? Not the point. "Something sweet." He groaned, leaning his head against Madara's back. Sweets would be good, some way to try and relieve stress, but he had a feeling he'd be told that it wasn't a 'real' dinner and be told to pick something else. "Sweet and warm. Thats it."

flicking the wind shield up and off his eyes as they settled on a slower street, Madara scans the road lazily, keeping their speed just under the limit. More for Kaoru’s sake than any need for him to abide by the law. “Something sweet?” he repeats, slight confusion laces his voice. “HAH! You’re just like a spoiled kid, huh~? You can have something sweet for dessert, but I won’t let ya go to bed with nothing but freshly baked cake.” Scolding came naturally to him, his sister had a sweet tooth as well. And as much as it hurt him say no to her cute, cute pleas, he had to be a good mama— or, brother, and keep her well fed. Especially with her deteriorating health and all. “I think some oden would do you well~ I doubt you’ve eaten much today.” (edited)

Kaoru loosened his grip on him as they settled onto a slower speed, sitting up a bit so he wasn't as awkwardly close to him. He was already regretting this. Being close to a guy was weird. Especially with the guy fussing over him like this. "Breakfast for dinner is a real thing." He grumbled, shaking his head. As much as he'd like something sweet, he had a feeling Madara wouldn't budge at all on the idea. Ugh. What a pain. "But yeah. I was meant to get lunch and dinner with Moricchi and Senacchi. But I kinda got pulled away." His tone was a little bit accusatory, pulling that younger sibling card on him with the tone. Not that he really needed to. "Sure, though~ Whatever you're making works."

“you eat things like that for breakfast?” His tone is a mix between a taunt and disbelief. “No wonder you’re built like that~” Even though they were idols and what not, it’s not like Madara kept check on his diet or anything. And he liked sweet food! It just wouldn’t make a very good dinner. Or breakfast. Or a meal overall. He runs over a list of the ingredients mentally to make sure they wouldn’t have to make any stops along the way. They should be fine as long as one of his didn’t decide to hog half the fridge for some god awful reason. He hated when they did that cause they never brought the right food for poor little— Not the point. “Make sure to give them a call then~ tell them Mama is gonna take gooood care of ya!” he stops at a red light, placing one leg on the floor to support their weights. “Almost there! Hope ya haven’t turned into a popsicle yet

"Tons of people eat pancakes and pastries for breakfast?" Kaoru was immediately on the defensive, the slightest pout on his lips before he pushed that aside in favor of a more annoyed look for him. He didn't see what the point on ragging on his eating habits was, after all, it wasn't like he was eating them all the time. They were just his favorite type of food, and he enjoyed being able to treat himself once in a while. "Nah. They knew I was on a date-" He paused, realizing how that sounded. "With a girl, of course. Then you had to go and interrupt it." He grumbled, shaking his head. "They half expected me to go home with the chick anyway." And that was that, loosening his grip even more as he leaned away from him. "Got a hair dryer? I don't want my hair or clothes to be all damp."

“hmm… I guess that’s true! Doesn’t make it right though!” He thinks back to the track club and how, even though he doesn’t show up as much as he should, Mitsuru has always handed out anpan to the members before their warm ups. He really should check on them again. Madara laughs at Kaoru’s miserable fate as if he had no hand in starting this horrible domino effect, shoulder’s shaking slightly as the sound of the slow traffic around them fails to cover his hearty laughter. “It didn’t seem like you were enjoying yourself at all! Didn’t you have more fun hanging out with Mamaaa~?” it wasn’t exactly a question. It was just another taunt. Upon hearing the question, Madara cocks his head with a hum, kicking his foot off the ground and nudging Kaoru’s to warn him before he rolls the handles. “My sister has one~... don’t think she’d mind if I borrowed it since she’s not home.” he bites the inside of his cheek, already planning some sort of diversion from the ‘why is your house empty’ question in the back of his head. “For your clothes, we can just use the dryer!” Their ride stops just a block or two after the traffic light. Mikejima parks in front of his house, swiftly kicking the kickstand down. “Here we are, Kaoru-saan~!”

The taunting question drew an eye roll from him, and Kaoru simply chose not to answer it. He wasn't going to admit to him that he had enjoyed their time together. Gross. That was just flat out admitting that he'd enjoyed his time with a guy, and he was not a fan of the implications of that. Especially because he had a feeling Mikejima would taunt him over it. Arriving at his place, Kaoru failed to think about what his clothes needing to be dried truly meant. He slipped off of the bike as soon as it was parked, taking off the helmet and holding it out to him. He subsequently took out that low ponytail, shaking his head as if to get his hair back to normal. Once the helmet was out of his hands, he could slip off his jacket, proceeding to hold that out to him as well. Kaoru wasn't a judgemental person, really, and Madara's house looked nice. But it really just cemented the idea that he could never have anyone over. Not when his own house was so much different. And for what? His father's shitty ego. "...Thanks for the jacket, I guess. But we'll be inside soon. I don't wanna be stuck wearing a guy's jacket for hours."

Madara swings his leg off, stretching his arms up as if it was a 2 hour flight and not. Like a 10 minute drive. He takes the helmet off, running a hand through the front of his hair and ruffling it lightly to bring it out of the tame shape of the helmet. He takes the helmet off of Kaoru, securing it with a lock along with his own. “Hm? What, are ya gonna strip in my house?” he laughs, taking the jacket and walking off without giving Kaoru a chance to react to his comment. He swings the keychain in his hand as he walks through the small front gate and through the yard, slotting the key into the door with ease then pushing it open with his foot. “No one’s here, so make yourself at home!” He steps out of the way for Kaoru to enter before he kneels down to shed his shoes and step into the wood floor of the house. They’re immediately greeted by the eerily quite, dim light of the living room, lit by the light of the kitchen. Madara doesn’t care to show the blond around, instead immediately heading towards the stairs and up to his room. “Do you wanna shower? Can’t imagine the water feels nice. I’ll get ya that blow dryer after.” He drops the jacket on the floor of his room —which wasn’t messy or anything, but he wasn’t about to drop a wet jacket on his bed— and moves to open his closet, rummaging through it to find something that wouldn’t look ridiculous on the blond.

Kaoru had opened his mouth to protest the statement, but found that Madara had walked away much too fast. He couldn't exactly stop him, but it cut off his train of thought rather rudely. He was quick to catch up to him, sticking his hands in still-damp pockets as he followed him inside. He struggled a bit with his shoes, still damp from everything, but managed to get them off easily enough before he stepped into the house. Although the comment had been rather welcoming, he found that it didn't... quite feel cozy. He'd expected a different atmosphere from Madara, but knowing what his parents did quickly quelled that thought. "Hm?" He followed him upstairs, keeping close to the edge and making sure his footsteps didn't creak. More out of habit than anything. He hovered by the door, just a little awkwardly, thinking over the question. "Huh? No, I'll be alright." He waved it off dismissively, "You're doing enough just having me over." He explained, shaking his head. Formality slipped through his tone, and he tried to squash that down. "But, like, thanks. I'd rather not turn into an icicle, Mikejima-kun."

after his brief search, Madara makes a satisfied hum as he pulls a long sleeved shirt out of his closet. He hangs it on his forearm before diving back into the closet. “Eh? Wouldn’t a warm shower help you thooough~?” The tone catches his attention, earning Kaoru a small side glance for a moment, then a small laugh. “Whatever you say, Kaoru-san.” he pulls back, but the angle makes it hard for Kaoru to make out what he’d found on his hunt. That is, until a towel is thrown straight at Kaoru’s face. “Suit yourself!” After picking up the jacket off the floor, Madara approaches him, pushing the change of clothes into his arms. “Just give me those wet clothes quick! Bathroom’s to your right.” he nods his head in that direction. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. Water should be hot if you change your mind~” With his wet jacket in hand and his own change, he flashes Kaoru a grin before walking past him and down the stairs. Skipping his way to the kitchen, he opens the fridge relieved to see that he won’t have to make a trip to the grocer down the street. He nudges the door closed with his foot, turning on his heels to go back out to the living too. …he sighs, flicking the light switch to the living room on. He can’t even recall the last time he’s seen this room lit by electricity. Or the TV on for that matter. He shuffles his way to the room under the staircase, throwing his jacket on top of the dryer and leaving it for later use once Kaoru brings the rest of the wet clothes. He slides his —slightly wet shirt from earlier contact— over his head, throwing it as well to form a small pile. Finally, he leaves to the downstairs bathroom to change into a simple shirt and cargo shorts.

Scowling as the towel hit his face, he was quick to catch it in his hands after that. He took the change of clothes, tucking them close to his chest as he left, and made his way to the bathroom. As he glanced to the right, he half expected it to be in the room before he decided better and walked to where it actually was. Stupid. As Kaoru stepped into the bathroom, however, he found that his willpower was slowly being worn away. The prospect of a warm shower sounded too good to him, and Madara had technically offered twice and... Well, it was too good to pass up. Especially if he'd skip out and go crash at Senacchi's or something. He gave up. Willpower caving in. He closed the door behind him, not locking but not caring. He stripped soon after, dropping wet clothes into the sink so he could come back and grab them to put into the wash -- or just the dryer. His shower wasn't especially long, but it was nice to sink into the near scalding warmth for a bit. He stepped out after a bit (after scrutinizing shampoo and body wash ingredients) smelling a little different. How odd. His own stuff was less strong. Whatever. He managed to find the blow drier easy enough, towel tucked around his waist as he dried off his hair. As soon as he was finished, Kaoru moved to get dressed. He scowled in the mirror at himself, noticing how small he looked. The spare boxers were too big and annoying, so he went without them. Leaving him in an oversized sweatshirt that hung off his shoulders and a pair of joggers that did the same when not tied up. Whatever. He pushed the sleeves up his arms, grabbing his things and heading downstairs, feeling a lot better. "Ah- Mikejima-kun? Where should I... put these..." He trailed off as he noticed he wasn't back in the kitchen yet, so he was left just awkwardly standing. He took the time to observe the house he'd found himself in. Child pictures and trophies, though he found that Madara had less photos of himself here. How

12:18 AM

odd.... He finally paused as he heard footsteps, turning to face them.

After changing his clothes, Madara takes a moment to look at his reflection in the mirror. He stares at his dead expression, hollow eyes look back at him and dig a hole in his chest. How nice. He blinks and reaches down to run his hand under cold water, splashing his face with a subdued hiss. He runs his hand through his hair, easily undoing the braids in the process. He ruffles the brown mess, tilting forward to let it fall over his vision before flinging it back, lazily parting his hair to redo the messy braids. The muffled call catches his attention, and he quickly abandons the bathroom (with his clothes inside. It’s not like anyone would bother him about it anyway) to check on his guest. “Kaoru-san?” he calls out, picking his head into frame as he continues braiding the other side of his head. “You’re out early.” he laughs, finally tying his hair. “Glad you found the dryer! I guess M– she left it in there~” stepping closer, he spares Kaoru a glance then very horribly subdues a laugh with a snort. He takes the clothes out of Kaoru’s hand to distract him from the obvious shit show that is the grin spreading across Madara’s face. How unfortunate. “Mama will take care of this, so you can sit down and relax~”as he heads out, he side eyes the living room. It wasn’t a mess, so Kaoru could at least hang there until the food’s ready. Oooor “you can sit here! Or go back to my room.” With that, he walks back to the small room with the dryer, taking his jacket and shirt then dumping the pile into the machine. Scratching the back of his neck, he sets the time foooor… forty five minutes. Yeah, that should do it.

Kaoru caught onto the poorly hidden laugh rather quickly, and he had to bite back the snarky comment that threatened to burst out of him. He already felt emasculated being so small in his clothes. Even worse, he was in another guy's clothes. The thought was enough to draw that annoyance back into his expression, and Madara's shit eating grin was doing his attitude no favors. All of the options he was given, however, weren't quite what he was looking to do, but he just nodded along, not wanting to intrude in a house that wasn't his own. Still, manners had been ingrained into him young, and he felt odd just letting Madara do all the work. "Need me to help with anything in the kitchen...?" He asked, moving to go peek at what was being made. He couldn't help himself, just a little nosey. Moricchi and Kanata could barely use a microwave, and Senacchi sustained himself off whatever private chef of the week his parents provided. So it was... nice to see someone do something so mundane. He ended up leaning back against the counter, taking in a deep breath. The kitchen felt a lot more homey than the rest of the house, and he was enjoying this small area. He felt as though he might actually fit in here, which was always a positive in an unexpected place. "Or like, would you even let me? Promise I'm better than Moricchi~"

“nope~!” Madara responds rather quickly, stepping back into Kaoru’s view once the dryer is taken care of. The nail of his thumb is caught between his teeth as he walks into the kitchen, grabbing an apron off the hanger next to the entrance then sliding it over his head. “I’m used to cooking alone, so you’ll only get in the way if you help!” While it was true that he didn’t need a hand, he could still use the company. His head tilts back with a laugh, which would’ve looked fond if not for the way his face seemed to scrunch up. “Don’t even remind me of Chiaki-san. Came up one day to help, didn’t end up with anything done, had to clean out the entire kitchen and part of the hallway.” he rolls up his sleeve, shaking his head at the unfortunate memory. “Plus I’m not making anything complex,” he runs his hands under sink water, shaking them to get rid of excess water then flicking the faucet shut. “Just gotta boil a bunch of already made ingredients together~! How convenient.” he fails to include the part where he prepared said ingredients and light foods beforehand a day or two prior for his sister to eat. She’s never around anyway, so he doesn’t think she’d mind. Picking out a big pot, he carries it over back to the sink to fill half of it, then easily carries it to place it on top of the stove. “Shouldn’t you give your parents a call?” he barely makes eye contact, already on the move to pick out multiple containers from the fridge to place on the counter.

Despite wanting to, Kaoru didn't protest when he was told he wasn't allowed to help out. He did just shake his head, but kept his spot leaning against the counter. It was nice to relax for once, letting the tension fall out of his shoulders. This wasn't his house, so he didn't have to be on edge for the sound of a car or a slamming door. Not tonight at least. "I stepped into Moricchi's kitchen to help cook something and his mom freaked out. Thought I was as bad as him." His fingers curled over the edge of the counter, and he laughed softly, just shaking his head again at the fond memory. She was one of the few parents he could get along with, and he wondered just how anyone could be so lucky. Briefly, the thought of Madara's family flicked through his mind and he was reminded of the fact that he only knew brief facts. He wouldn't press about the topic, b- Oh. Parents. Huh. The question made him pause as he struggled to come up with his answer. He sighed softly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and staring at the screen. "Dad won't care. It's fine." He explained, watching over what he was doing for a few moments. "Won't take too long to cook, yeah?" He tried to push for a time, popping open his texts with Izumi and Chiaki, sending a quick text to ask if he could crash at either of their places for the night. He set his phone onto the counter behind him, ignoring the two unread messages he had from his dad

A soft breath escapes him, a small laugh unlike his usual, obnoxiously loud howls. Maybe it was the effect of being inside his own house, or just the comforting atmosphere, but he didn’t notice it, too occupied with perfecting his soup with the right amount of soy sauce and mirin. “I worry for him~ we’re almost adults, y’know? How is he gonna fare in this big world?” He pulls out a cutting board from one of the cabinets, then takes a knife off the wall. “Actually– I worry for half the people in our year! I don’t think Leo-san knows how to use a microwave.” with precision, he cuts the radish into even, medium pieces. The almost stiff reply earned Kaoru a slow blink from Madara. He didn’t know the guy nearly enough to analyze the answer, but he somehow knew not to press further. Maybe because their boats were similar. “What about you, Kaoru-san?” he spares the other a quick glance over his shoulder, redirecting their conversation. “What do you plan to do after graduation?” it might’ve been too early to talk about something like their life after high school, and Madara knew he was dancing on landmines here, but that's all he knew how to do.

Kaoru had to pause to think about the question, trying to avoid the stiffness in his voice that had come when talking about his father. It was a bad habit of his, something he couldn't quite shake no matter how hard he tried, but that didn't mean he had to make it everyone else's issue. "After graduation...?" He echoed, giving himself another moment or two to think on it. If Kaoru was being honest, he wasn't quite sure. He pushed himself to sit on the counter, hoping Mikejima wouldn't mind too much, and his phone was gently nudged aside, still on the screen where he'd been asking for a place to crash. "Dad wants me to run the live house." He was sure Madara knew the one he was talking about, so he didn't bother to clarify. "That and his other business stuff." He shrugged, not really thinking too hard about it. It's not what he wanted to do, that much was obvious in his tone, but it's what he was supposed to do. "I kinda wanna keep going with UNDEAD though. We'll see what wins." "Could ask you the same, though~" It was an easy way to throw the question back without having to think too hard about what he'd said. "What are you doing after... everything?"

the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board grows into a steady rhythm, dragging Madara back to fleeting thoughts and possibilities. He should be more careful, blood could stain radish easily. Thankfully, Kaoru speaks up and grounds him, causing him to pause. He frowns, some of the pieces he cut ended up a bit too small.. “Eh? That'd be a great shame, y’know~” he lifts the cutting board, dumping the pieces into the boiling broth. “Kaoru-san has some real potential, I’m surprised you haven’t made a name for yourself last year~” surprised is an overstatement. It’s easy to say he was swept away by the current, struggling to stay afloat in the middle of a roaring storm. Isn't it too early to say the worst has already happened? Redirecting the question back at him? Smart. “Dunno~ it’s much easier for me to move around, being a solo artist and all. Who knows! Maybe MaM will have a grand world tour!” he throws his hands in the air (with the knife in hand, yes) spinning on his heel to face Kaoru with a big smile. Letting his expression fall for a brief moment, he turns to the stove, stirring slowly with the knife. “Mm~ give it a good 7 minutes and it’ll be ready!”

A notification on his phone caught his attention, gaze flickering down to the counter with his phone on it. Just a message from Chiaki. A far-too-excited statement that he'd ask his mom if Kaoru could crash. She usually said yes, but Kaoru saw no harm in letting him ask, especially if he was here while his clothing dried. He shifted his gaze back up to Madara, brows furrowing just a bit at the redirection. That wasn't any sort of answer at all. No plans, no idea where he was going. Somehow, he felt the same, even though he'd given a more concrete answer -- he wasn't too keen on taking over the live house after all. "Seven minutes?" He echoed, forcing his mind to focus back on the situation at hand. How long had he set the clothes for? The sun was already going down, and he didn't want to bother Chiaki's family too late... nor would he bother Izumi's. Should he just go home then...? No. That was a stupid idea. Maybe some hotel would rent to him even though he was only 18. That was probably his best option, even if it'd blow some of the savings he'd had built up with his own money. Ugh. "Easy enough~" His gaze darted around the kitchen absently, "Right. Solo unit. So all this graduation stuff isn't affecting you as much?" His voice had an almost teasing lilt to it, back to his typical tone. "It's a bore trying to figure everything out with the school." Read: It was stressing him out because he hardly felt mature enough to move on.

placing the utensil down then running his hands under the faucet one last time, Madara takes this brief moment of silence to decide his next move. judging from the stiff reaction he gave off go the mention of his parent — his dad, Madara corrects — he could deduce that his home situation was tense at the very least. He couldn’t exactly decide if he was the type to have some sort of curfew, but he guessed it didn’t seem far fetched. The faint ping noise barely sways his attention, but he busies himself with taking a towel and drying his hands properly. “Nope~” he hangs the small towel back on the handle of the oven, then turns to face Kaoru with his usual bright grin. “No juniors to worry about, no legacy to hand over.” for a second, he thinks about being in Ryuseitai, and how that would’ve put him in an entirely different situation… But he’s handed off that role long ago. He places his palms on the counter, leaning back and crossing a leg over the other. “I think it’s more boring to have nothing to figure out! Everyone’s so busy nowadays, I barely get any chances to wedge myself into the crowd!” Even if his voice carried some sort of regret, his expression masks it well.

Kaoru made note of the barest hints of regret creeping into Madara's voice, and he couldn't help but focus on that for a brief moment. He'd have asked about it if he was any more confident, but when he would likely just flip the question on its head towards him... Well, it wasn't worth it to be interrogated. So, instead, he made a little mental note of it. He chose to just brush past it for the time being. If Madara really wanted to share (which he doubted he did) he'd do so on his own terms. Not with Kaoru hounding him for an answer. Kaoru's phone had gone silent for now, and he almost wished for another ping to distract him. Senacchi was probably busy, and Moricchi was... apparently asking his mom if he could crash. So he had time to wait before he got another reply back. The idea of seeing Chiaki's family made his heart hurt a bit, but he shoved it down. As envious as he was, he knew Chiaki deserved that kindness far more than he did. "Uh huh." He paused, "So, what? You spend your time at festivals interrupting dates~?" He was back to that lighthearted tone, fingers tapping on the counter as he tried to keep his mind occupied. "Do you do that to everyone, or just blonds with really gorgeous girls~?"

Madara’s head sways as he laughter bubbles out of him, it wasn’t exactly forced, yet it felt as if it was. Maybe because he didn’t allow himself this type of vulnerability, or maybe because sharing a simple interaction with no ulterior motive was foreign. Back to Kaoru’s comment, he flashes him a sheepish, innocent grin. “Eh? When did I ever do that?” In his defense, he didn’t spare the girl a glance. “I’m a cowboy, Kaoru-san. I only redirect the stray sheep~” Pushing himself off the counter, he rummages through the cabinets to start his short task of arranging the table. “Say, whaddya gain out of it?” He cranes his neck to look back at the blonde, vaguely motioning with the spoon in his hand. “This whole.. Play boy thing. Doesn’t seem like your unit mates are fond of it, and it seems like it could attract scandals…” “Oh! Do you want yours extra spicy~?”

Kaoru felt a little bit useless as he watched Madara set the table, and he pushed himself off of the counter to stand up. Even though that left him sort of... hovering awkwardly, it was better than just sitting around and doing nothing. "Nah, hold the spice-" He was definitely more of a sweets person, and while he didn't hate spice, he certainly wasn't the biggest fan. "Not too much of my thing." Also, maybe his spice tolerance was a little weaker than most. Side effect of a sweet tooth, he supposed. Not to mention that answering the question gave him a bit of a pause and let him properly think about how he was meant to answer that. "Well, you did~ Sent her running back to her friend." He shrugged his shoulders, not feeling all too strongly on it. "She wasn't my type anyway, really." He glanced over the table, instinct kicking in. Was he meant to sit down yet? This was all a lot more casual than he was used to at a table. "What they think doesn't matter all too much, does it~? UNDEAD is fanservice beyond fanservice. Girls like it, they like me~ I don't see too much of an issue, especially if I get to mess around a bit." He moved over to the table, tossing back and forth between his options before finally taking a seat.