[semi-open] how many hugs will be in this log? place your bets

[thesettingsun]

WHO: Shuji Tsushima and all his friends who were out of the city and are back.
WHERE: Recolle, which is 100x safer than wherever everyone else was.
WHEN: February 15th.
WHAT: Shuji has one day to check on everyone he knows and he's not going to waste it.
WARNINGS: Nothing as of yet!

[A: text]
[As soon as Shuji learns that people who had volunteered to leave the city are back for a brief period, he wastes absolutely no time. Everyone he's friends who's back is getting a text, something to the tune of:]

Where are you? Can I come see you today?

[B: somewhere in Recolle]
[But if you don't want to thread that part, and just skip to the inevitability of Shuji getting his friend to agree to meet up - and it is inevitable, he has to make sure they're okay with his own eyes - this is the prompt where Shuji spots your character after arranging a meeting and rushes up to them.]

Welcome back!

[He looks like he could hug them at any second. This is probably only a little due to his heartstone's influence.]

[closed to Oda]
[Of course, he'd promised Oda curry, so his lunch date is Odasaku for sure. He's all smiles when he meets Oda outside a really, really nice curry place.]

Welcome home, Odasaku. I hope this place is okay?

[It's probably one of the more expensive places to get curry in Recolle, but sure, ask if it's 'okay'.]

[wildcard]
[You know me, I'm easy. Hit me at Misheard for anything else.]

Comments

[odasaku]

[ howard will definitely be suffering, and odasaku's gonna have to be the one to apologize for his stupid feelings. especially when those stupid feelings are amplified by shuji's happiness.

oda chuckles, trying to ignore the fact that his cheeks are definitely a shade of red. calm down you idiot! ]

If you say so. [ odasaku thinks that's way less than he deserves. he's already thinking of how to repay him in the future...]

Then, uh, should we go in?

[thesettingsun]

Let's.

[They get a nice quiet booth where Shuji sits down across from Oda, plus some menus where the prices are higher than Oda would like.]

I'm glad you returned home safe and sound.

[odasaku]

[ he glances at the menu and feels his blood pressure drop at the sight of the prices. this is fine, he tells himself, he's not forcing shuji to do this. ]

I told you it was a nice place over there. [ you know what...he'll just...close the menu and let shuji choose. ] You've come here before?

[thesettingsun]

I know you did, but you know how I worry...

[He's happier now that he can confirm with his own eyes that Oda's alright.]

I haven't, but it has good reviews and I was told the curry is some of the best in Recolle.

[odasaku]

So have I...

[ he won't tell shuji, but he's been wanting to go for a while now. the fact that he's actually able to go...and with shuji no less... he can't help but to feel excited. he also feels bad, sure, but...

he opens the menu one more time and has to hold himself back from wincing at the prices. this is fine. ]

How've you been these days?

[thesettingsun]

[The prices are completely okay. Everything's normal.]

Aside from fussing about everyone, I'm fine. People in the city have been randomly getting heart-shaped pupils or creating showers of rose petals when they make eye contact. It's a little inconvenient, but not harmful or anything.

[odasaku]

[ at least shuji can manage to pull a chuckle out of odasaku. heart-shaped pupils and rose petals? ]

Probably those in Retrospec think that was a good way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Sounds like a mess, though.

[thesettingsun]

[He's so glad to hear Oda laugh, and it makes him smile, warm and fond.]

I don't envy whoever has to pick roses off the street, but otherwise it's not a big deal. Don't worry about me.

[odasaku]

Speak for yourself. [ don’t worry about me. as if it could be as simple as that. especially when shuji does the exact same thing: worry too much. but, then again, shuji’s not the one that nearly got shot and broke his leg in the span of two weeks. but...but still!!

the waitress comes by and asks for their order. oda’s gaze hovers for the least pricy main dish and orders that. curry’s curry, after all. no need to spend twenty dollars on a dish. ]

[thesettingsun]

You can order something more expensive than that, you know. I wouldn't be taking you here if I couldn't afford to get you something you'd really enjoy.

[He didn't mean to make Oda feel bad about the prices...]

[odasaku]

[ ah. he's been seen through. the tips of his ears turn red in embarrassment, but he remains firm and doesn't change his order. instead, he decides to propose an idea. ]

You order it. Then we'll share both of them.

[thesettingsun]

You drive a hard bargain.

[But Shuji knows how stubborn Oda can be. So he orders something from the more expensive end of the menu. It'll cancel out in the end.

Once the waiter has left...]

Do you want to talk about your adventures?

[odasaku]

[ oda huffs when shuji comments, as if there's no other way that he should be acting.

once the waiter leaves, and shuji makes his question, he hums, as if thinking. ]

It wasn't much of an adventure but, sure. What do you wanna know?

[thesettingsun]

Hmm... Tell me about the best, most useful thing you did while you were out there. The one that your group desperately needed and you got done.

[He's going to make Oda say good things about himself, or die trying.]

[odasaku]

[ shuji.... why are you doing this to him...

he looks down at the table, trying to think about anything "useful" or that the group "desperately needed". nothing comes to mind. ]

It wasn't...desperately needed or anything like that but...I helped talk to this guy that wanted to tear the town down, I guess. I wasn't the only one, though, so it's not something I did on my own.

[thesettingsun]

It sounds desperately needed to me. You helped save the town from being destroyed. I'm sure the people there are incredibly grateful, and I think that makes you a hero.

[He loves you, Oda, but you really need to learn to be able to take pride in your own accomplishments.]

[odasaku]

I wasn't the one that put the guy in jail however. Shinji and Atsushi were the ones that found the proof, and other people showed it to the mayor. [ he huffs, amused ] Hell, I even got late to the meeting.

[ sorry shuji, but oda's stubborn in putting himself down. ]

[thesettingsun]

So you think you didn't do anything important, just because of that?

[Fite him IRL, Oda.]

[odasaku]

[ you know what shuji? you know what?

he has absolutely no come back for this so he's just going to drink his water and accept his defeat. ]

[thesettingsun]

[Victory~~

Though he can't feel too great about it.]

...Sorry, I don't mean to hassle you on your one day off. What would you like to talk about instead?

[odasaku]

[ oda shakes his head, holding back a sigh as he takes a drink of water. ]

Don't worry about it, it's fine. [ what to talk about, though...] How's the city been while we've been gone?

[thesettingsun]

Not bad. There's monsters outside of town, but they haven't come inside the city. And I've been dealing with hearts for pupils sometimes, which is weird but harmless.

The most annoying thing is that on Valentine's Day some of us got stuck to other Retrospec users. I couldn't be alone with my boyfriend.

[He likes Anya and all, but not enough that he isn't bothered by not being able to have the Valentine's Day he'd planned for all month.]

[odasaku]

[ oh, right. valentine's day. oda nods while shuji talks, feeling bad for his best friend, but also decides not to say anything about that subject.

besides, there's something that worries him more than shuji's love life. ]

I think that's a hundred times more dangerous than the town I was in. Are you sure that I'm not the one that's supposed to be worried here?

[thesettingsun]

I only deal with the ones right outside the city limits. I don't look for trouble I can't handle, Sakura would freak out if I got hurt.

[So he's fine.]