IC-Inbox ~ City of Ariel

[takenwithhim]

IC-Inbox ~ City of Ariel



“Leave a message.”

TEXT / VIDEO / VOICEMAIL

Comments

[sharkmaid]

Hnn... what's today, anyway?

[He's too lazy to try and remember or look, shush. Do things for him, bae.]

[takenwithhim]

August 10.

[Poor guy. Work work work.]

...I've been here two months...

[sharkmaid]

Haah... That long alre–

[Wait.]

–Hey, that means your birthday's in almost a month.

[takenwithhim]

[He doesn't want the reminder--

Oh. Right.]

Aa.

[Wait.]

...does time work like that here?

[sharkmaid]

I'm... actually not too sure.

[He leans back in his chair in thought.]

But either way, the dates are sort of the same, aren't they?

[No don't think he's going to miss it.]

[takenwithhim]

We weren't that far into the school year when I left... I don't know how far when you came back.

[Rin said they got as far as regionals again, so over half the school year? Nationals would be after the Spring break...]

I guess, depending where you came from.

[Admittedly, he might be hoping for that "miss it" chance. For... a stupid reason.]

[sharkmaid]

It was a little into summer when I left. Well, when I left again.

[He gently rubs at his temples. Talking about the time changes and differences always hurts his head.]

Anyway, maybe that's more reason to put this off for a while. You know, sort of like a birthday present to you.

[takenwithhim]

[Summer? But wasn't that... He's starting to understand why people try not to talk about dates in this place, especially from back home.

Frowning a little, he tries to wave the conversation off.]

Aa. Let's just put it off. [Ixnay on the "for a while" part.] Thanks. [We'll return to this topic never.]

When are you coming over?

[sharkmaid]

[Blink]

What, you're that eager to see me now?

[takenwithhim]

[Shrug.]

More like I know you wanna see my puppy.

[sharkmaid]

You sure your puppy wants to deal with anyone after how you just gave him a rude awakening like that?

[takenwithhim]

[That would be the sound of plastic crinkling and a bad of puppy treats appearing in the side of the video.]

Oof. [That'd be a puppy on his chest again. Apparently all's forgiven.]

Of course.

[sharkmaid]

[Ugh. Stop being kinda cute.]

You're gonna spoil him, I can tell.

[takenwithhim]

[Guess who he learned it from?]

And I bet your cat's rotten.

[Someone's gettin' a treat too.]

[sharkmaid]

She is not.

[And speak of the devil, from the side there's a quite meow and sure enough an orange and white tabby cat leaps up onto the table to pad over and block the view between Rin's face and the mirror.]

Oy, oy, Aki, I'm talking to someone right now.

[Meeeow! Mrreow. Meoooow.]

Tsk, come on, get away from there. You shouldn't even be on the table.

[Nuzzle nuzzle purr purr... and notice how he does not stop her]

Aki.

[takenwithhim]

[It really should shame him that this is the first time he's seen Rin's cat. Then again, it's not like he's actually been to Rin's place. (For an obvious reason.)

But that's... a pretty cat, and adorable puppy licking at his fingers or not, he's got the urge to be a cat person for a moment.]

Go on. I think you were say something funny. About spoiling.

[Totally notes cat on table and "go away" and neither of those getting any sort of reprimand.]

[sharkmaid]

[Hopefully her purretty blue eyes don't offend you, Sousuke.

After a moment, Rin eventually concedes, wrapping his hands around Aki's waist to pull her up and over into his lap with a huff. Stupid princess cat. Thinking she owns everyone in this apartment.

She does.]

Shut up. I don't spoil her. She's just a brat. And if you're not careful, your dog's gonna be the same way.

[takenwithhim]

[Can't help it if he's partial to red. But her's are just fine.

Sousuke chuckles at the notion.]

You spoil her. And you know you can't train a cat.

[He reaches up to pet the pup's head, then has to do that "finger dance" to avoid those sharp puppy teeth. Since they still smell like puppy treats after all.]

Richisuke's gonna be a model citizen.

[sharkmaid]

Hey, she knows some things.

[Like when to go to him when called! ... Most of the time.]

And I'll be the judge of that when I see him face to face. I'm good with dogs, you know.

[takenwithhim]

Cat things.

[He knows how cats work, Rin. She'll come when he called, if she feels like it.]

Right, 'good' ignoring that shiba inu that tried to take the seat out of your pants?

[No really, Rin's good with dogs.]

[sharkmaid]

AH–! D-DON'T BRING THAT UP!!

[He almost got in trouble with his mom when she found out he'd been teasing the neighbor's dog so much. And somehow it's more embarrassing to hear it when his kitty is perched comfortably on his lap, totally able to understand everything he's talking about.]

H-hey, it tried going for your shoes after, you know!

[takenwithhim]

[Yep, still there. He's just about to lean back on a job well done when someone had to bring up the second half of that story.]

It was possessed!

[Right, because he really wants to remember being perched on the fence like some kind of cat and yelling at Rin to go get a stick or something.

Such a tough guy.]

[sharkmaid]

Oh, come on! It was mad 'cause it thought you were laughing at it!

[As he says it, Rin picks up Aki in his arms and cradles her a bit against his shoulder where she promptly curls up and meows happily. Well, at least he has a cat to calm him down and keep him front throwing things.]

[takenwithhim]

I was laughing at you-- ow!

[Puppy got his finger. Sousuke jerks his hand back, giving it a shake, and then very lightly scratches Richisuke behind the ear. Right, because affection's that's the greatest way to reprimand.

And crams the bag of treats back into the couch cushions so he won't keep giving them out.]

[sharkmaid]

Yeah, but how was the dog supposed to know that?

[And when he sees Sousuke get bit, he sighs softly... mildly amused.]

And even now you've still got work to do.