[open/mingle] in which cats reign

[espansivo]

WHO: pretty much anyone, leo, and like twelve cats
WHERE: park
WHEN: 20th-22nd
WHAT: a three day cat concert..! it's just a log about cats (for cats by cats)
WARNINGS: n/a

i.
[the cats are always out and about to greet people before it's time to begin, cute colorful ribbons tied around their neck or tail (depending on which was easiest, frankly), and they... are not actually shy of human contact despite being strays one might's seen around the city.

they will beg for food though. give them food. they will literally mob people if they see them with food, meowing and pleading and getting underfoot. stealing things from picnics and the like as well.]

ii.
[the actual concert performances are conducted by leo and

honestly they sounds like a bunch of cats singing sound.

there is a certain cadence to it that's actually songlike, the cats are actually singing to what leo is playing on his keyboard and they're sitting very nicely on the steps he's got for them too, but their attention spans aren't good enough for performances and, without fail, at some point of time they start to just... wander off... sitting in people's laps or rolling on the ground without a care.

the conductor doesn't seem to mind and just gestures for people to take their places, which can be your character or some npc, and yes he will bean cat treats at whoever is singing as "rewards". complain if you want or try and catch them, laugh at your friends or encourage them to go up and try!!]

iii.
[otherwise, there's apparently plenty to do..! leo has makeshift profiles of all the cats next to their resting spots (the big sign drawing anyone to it says star hall despite there not being a hall in the middle of the park and they're apparently all up for adoption... with papers to show their vaccinations and the like.

there's toys! there's treats! there's a space dubbed the "sleeping corner" where you can curl up with the cats and doze in the afternoon sun! it's a paradise!

play with the cats and enjoy the company of them, they're all named after different flowers and are all kinds of colors and personalities! it's really just a log about cats in the end.]

Comments

[espansivo]

[tsukasa's getting pinched!!!!]

Just when did you become so cheeky, huh~? We parted on good terms, good terms! Maybe you'll even get to meet them someday.

[stressweets]

[ EVERYONE PINCHES HIM!! why ]

Aren't you the one who wanted me to be cheekier, Leonii...! [ implying he wasn't cheeky At All when he was a kid. ] I'd like that, though... I kind of want to hear about Leonii from the perspective of people who knew him really well.

[espansivo]

[easy to pinch. he'll just rub tsukasa's cheeks now.]

Ah, in that case, I never want you to meet. They'll tell you all kinds of things about me. [it's lightly said, in the way of joking around, but they really could. all his embarrassments... all his mood swings..!] But I guess that's fair since I never could shut up about you.

[sorry,]

[stressweets]

[ so cruel..... ]

I'd tell them all your embarrassing childhood stories too... [ --wait wait ちょっと待って ] What did you tell them? I mean, I'm not that interesting of a conversation topic, so...

[espansivo]

Every time you sent me a new water color, I'd gush about it. I talked a lot about Baba too, about how you were doing in your emails and stuff, just things like that. You weren't so much a conversation topic as a daily routine. Sometimes, they'd even ask about you before I said anything!

[that. that is how much.]

[stressweets]

[ th-that much-- ]

Leoniiii....!!

[espansivo]

Tsuka~. You're getting a nice color in your cheeks, how cute~. Like you haven't talked up a storm about me?

[say no. hurt his feelings. dare u.]

[stressweets]

[ ........aaaah, mmm.....

he's. back to not looking at leo, the color slowly receding from the back of his neck and his ears ]

...Not really, no. I mean, to certain people--who end up saying I have a sibcon--but otherwise...

[ ...he feels bad about it. ]

Sorry, Leonii. I think... I thought it was better if I didn't, because otherwise our parents might find out we were still talking, I guess...?

[ yep, just that reason, absolutely. ]

[espansivo]

[... mm. okay. yeah, that's-- that's fine, sure. leo's gonna go back to playing his keyboard.]

Makes sense. Didn't really have to worry about that in Japan, so. It's fine if you have a sibcon around a few trusted people.

[stressweets]

I don't have a sibcon--! [ huff, you. ] I wanted to talk about you more, but...

[ ...no, truthfully. with all that's been happening, with the restricted contact...

leo didn't even really come to mind. not a lot, not always. it's a terrifying thing to realize, but in that quiet, passive way. something you knew but hadn't pulled back the curtain on yet.

tsukasa carefully lifts the cat off his lap and lays it on his shoulders instead, letting it adjust to them before he pulls his knees up to his chest. ]

...Can you play that song again? The one we used to sing with Baba.

[espansivo]

[... but what?

the same reason as before, or something else?

curiosity prods at leo's mind, dragging the worse reasons forward, but his fingers start on the notes anyway. baba's favorite song... or so she claimed, because she sang it with her favorite grandsons. he smiles despite his thoughts and glances aside at his little brother.]

You remember how it goes, right? I'm not gonna have to hold your hand for the whole song like I used to?

[stressweets]

Of course I do. I sing it when I brush my teeth.

[ which, in a shocking turn of events, is not the most embarrassing thing he's ever admitted. ]

...You never had to hold my hand anyway. I just let you because I knew you liked being the lead singer. [ c: ] Leonii's always been that way, after all.

[ but

he still can't look at his older brother, not even as he starts to sing the song softly. ]

[espansivo]

[awww. he has the sweetest brother, and he's careful when he leans their heads together, not wanting to disturb the cat as he plays and joins in in the singing.

it's empty without baba's tones, but it's always nice to sing with tsukasa. with anyone. leo honestly feels like he connects best with others when there's music involved. he relaxes, he lets his worries slip away, and it's like they're children again, but this time leo's letting tsukasa lead and harmonizing gently with his pretty voiced, not that great of a singer brother.

it never mattered to him the way it does to tsukasa.]

[stressweets]

[ it didn't matter when he was younger.

...it mattered after leo left, after he realized he couldn't do it right without him. he only started again because of some stupid chore list, he didn't want to sing...

true. he did it willingly with hinata, but that's different. it was his birthday, and he wanted to treat him to something special, like a birthday boy deserves.

so he sings because leo's here and that's special, and it's not so easy not to be nervous about this but if he keeps his voice quiet, it isn't as obvious that he's bad or average or anything like that.

and slowly, he starts to smile, too. warm and gentle. ]

[espansivo]

[by the end, he's still playing the refrain over and over again, but he's quiet and pleased. relaxed. it's truly the way to unwind.]

... You're getting better, you know. Those vocal lessons we're doing will pay off in the end, bit by bit. Just don't get frustrated that it's not overnight, or even overfortnight. Hard work always shows more than a rush job.

[stressweets]

I know. [ he has all year to do this too. ] You really think I'm getting better though~? You're not just saying that because you're my older brother who likes doting on me?

[espansivo]

Can't it be both~? I love love love you so much, Tsuka, but it's not like I mince words when it comes to music either. ♪

[... or at all. god, has he ever minced words with anyone. also: enjoy your noogie tsukasa.]

[stressweets]

[ first pinching and now!! nooging!! he's whining ]

F-fine, Leonii..! [ kuaaaah ] I'm sorry for doubting you...!

[espansivo]

That's right, that's right. ♪ Never doubt your older brother. ♪

[noogie noogie noogie..!!!! okay, he's done, smoothing tsukasa's hair again.]

I think you'll be ready to sing within the next decade.

[stressweets]

[ he's the worst........


wait— ]

I have to be able to sing way sooner than that though—! [ mrrrg ] Let's practice more. Right now. That's okay, right?

[espansivo]

[pfft--]

Yeah, yeah~. Don't worry, Tsuka, we can practice whenever you'd like. ♪ Un, deux, trois..~

[and he'll start on the scales for proper warm up, then move into his actual voice training, which is mostly just getting tsukasa to hold notes and repeat.]

[stressweets]

[ it's fairly boring training, but tsukasa's attentive... he wants to get better! a lot better!! he has to!!!



but he's singing fairly softly, because he still doesn't want anyone to hear...~ ]

♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪

[espansivo]

[he'll let it slide for a little bit, but he'll nudge tsukasa with his elbow.]

Louder, Tsuka. We have to work on volume versus pitch; throw your voice out, but try not to go higher. It's tough.

[even skilled singers have trouble with it at times, because the body has a natural inclination to go higher when the volume needs to be raised too. tsukasa sounds fine like this... but it's most likely definitely his problem.]

[stressweets]

[ ah... ahaha......... ]

Do I have to...? [ he's going to sound terrible? he knows it? ] I guess your cats'll sound much better by comparison though, huh.

[espansivo]

Do you wanna get better or not? You have to push yourself in order to do that, especially in music. Forget the cats and think of the person you're singing for. How happy he'll be to hear you sing next year, the kind of face he'll make.

[that sort of bullshit, that... leo actually sounds very serious about yes.]

And then sing. Music's about fun, you know? It's about connecting to someone.