devil's coffin

“Yep! Before you came home I unpacked my things, though I’m not finished arranging everything yet.” Yoichi made a mental note to ask Kimizuki later about where to hang the photos they’d taken with the old film camera they’d found some months back.

“Oh, do you want to see the welcome gifts the city gave me?” He got up and jogged to his room where faint rummaging could be heard until he emerged back into the living room carrying a sun sticker, a plastic bow and arrow set, and, most prominently, a t-shirt with the words “Kimizuki Apologist” printed in big, bold letters.

“I’ll cook lunch right now. You can show me while I do that.” He watched the other run off to his room and started focusing on his work.

Preparing his cooking utensils (which he was glad he was smart enough to unpack first), the pink-haired male tied an apron on and picked out a few ingredients. Hearing the the younger male return with the aforementioned items, he turned to look at the welcome gifts Yoichi had received.

...Only to sputter out in surprise and shock.

“The police? You and Yuu-kun got into that much trouble so soon?” He doubted that Kimizuki wanted to discuss the details, but his mind was already starting to run through a few guesses.

“Tch. It was his fault.”

The pink-haired male merely grumbled and sat down on the couch. The other male came back from the kitchen with two cocoa mugs, offering one to him. He nodded and graciously accepted, hoping it would ease his mind as he took a cautious sip. They drank their cocoa in silence for the next five minutes until he spoke up again. 

“So... Yoichi...”

He’d spent the past several hours unpacking his belongings and browsing with the cell phone the city had given him (his own world no longer had internet). A brief blurb on the local news site mentioned a case of reckless driving that resulted in a handful of damaged fire hydrants the other day. “Even in a peaceful city we still need to watch out for things like that, huh?” Reminded of the time Yuu knocked down a light pole with a car Kimizuki had just fixed, Yoichi let out a small chuckle.

In the kitchen, he spotted a box of hot cocoa mix that was still full, probably acquired recently. Hoping his roommate wouldn’t mind, he made himself a cup and soon heard the front door open.

“Oh, welcome back-” Yoichi widened his eyes and stopped in his tracks when he saw who it was. “Kimizuki-kun! You’re my roommate?” Surprise turned to joy as he ran up and threw his arms around his friend. “I’m so glad I’m living with someone I know! Are any of our other friends in this city too? Where were you today?”

He had only took one step inside when his squad member, now apparently roommate, threw himself on him. Awkwardly, he patted the other’s back-- he was still unused to affections of others, his ill sister not included. Yoichi was one person who could be extremely affectionate and threw random hugs towards him or the others.

The gentle brunet being his roommate was rather unexpected, but he wasn’t really surprised at all by Yoichi’s appearance, considering he found out Yuu was living in the same apartments. Speaking on the same topic, the smaller of the two inquired about their squad and suddenly Kimizuki felt a vein almost pop, reflecting on the events that had happened this week.

“Yeah, some of them are here.”

Oh. Maybe he had taken this joke a tad too far. His own family situation wasn’t far from the typical one, but he knew only far too many people who had lost precious ones. For one this young to be in such a situation?

The salmon-haired boy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, awkwardly looking in another direction.

          “ … ”

Nope. One grown child sounds like enough hardship to deal with, he’s not having another one as well. Are there really two kids running around out there who looks like him?

             The seamless formation of a toothy grin naturally occurs on his visage in response to this most fortunate discovery. Although he expected the thrilling journey to last much longer than this, only a fool would complain about good luck when it does not appear to be fueled by sheer trickery. Bare hands immediately take hold of the open door as if to prevent his weary comrade from forcibly shutting it, and he quickly proceeds to illuminate the metaphorical crossroads that has made itself known to the pair of argumentative males. 

▲ Today just really wasn’t his day, was it? He clenched his teeth, restraining all urge to whip out Kiseki-O and knock Yuu unconscious with the Devil’s coffin. But no, as much as he wanted to beat some sense into his poor excuse of a friend-slash-family member, it would just make things worse and history would repeat itself.

Kimizuki took a deep breath to consider his choices.

A) He could ditch Yuu right here and right now, but the other would infuriatingly taunt him for the rest of his life and he wouldn’t be able to take that. And leaving Yuu all alone with an unlocked car was all by means a very terrible idea. (Though the pros of this was letting him drive by himself and maybe possibly getting himself dramatically hospitalized and then he would laugh in his face.)

B) He could teach Yuu how to drive. Maybe, just maybe with the slimmest possibility, the idiot would actually learn how to drive correctly and all would be well for the future. However, undeniably, there was also the high possibility that his driving would either kill them or summon law enforcement on their asses. Or maybe even both. (He was pretty sure stealing a car was definitely against the law).

It was his own pride versus his own safety. He absolutely wanted to punch Yuu in the face.

“Alright! Fine! I’ll teach you, idiot! If you don’t listen to a single word I say, I’ll kick your ass out of the car and never teach you again, Yuu!" Roughly letting go of the other’s arm, he pushed away his friend to get into the car and wire it.

Much to his annoyance, said owner not only left their car unlocked, but the key was still secure in the key slot.

         Combined with the sudden whack that his head receives, the inquiry intensifies the flickering flame of agitation that presently dwells within. He would gladly return the ‘favor’ in a heartbeat, but even he must admit that the apparent difference in height is a troublesome obstacle that cannot be overcome easily. 

          ❝  What THE HELL kind of a guess is that? ❞

    Seriously. 

     In a place as pretentiously luxurious as this, can anyone actually be ( f o r c e d ) to seek shelter in such an inexpensive and uncomfortable thing? Any cardboard boxes that are owned by those who dutifully ensure that the radiant shine in each window remains visible - those responsible for keeping this truly enormous city functioning properly - are more likely than not being used to store costly goods destined to be made use of by deserving inhabitants such as himself. 

He sighed, adjusting his glasses. It really was near to impossible for them to be civil. He almost made a bet with himself that the rest of the squad were taking their sweet time to come here — just for the two of them to suffer being within the proximity of the other.

And just as he lingered over that thought, he froze when his comrade announced he lived in the Cappuccino Apartments. A palm went over his forehead and a loud groan escaped from his mouth.