Strong and Delicate

"I hope you realize you need no excuse to drop by," Shoko says as if the infirmary is her own private office, a hand already extended to offer him an unidentifiable treat. Candy or tobacco? He can find out. "Anything new?"

–〖 寝待月 〗–

"Nothing more than a few wandering trainees with some flying zygotes." Perfectly handled, of course, by the team he had shadowed out. They were all eager and young, ready to test their training iut on live targets--he had been there to just observe as per Sakaki's request.

Team leaders often had an affection for the ones under them so fresh eyes were needed on the field. He nods in thanks, taking the mysterious rolled item in his hand, looking it over and twirling it between his pointer finger and thumb.

It looked to be a candy cigarette--but he had bitten one before without thought and tasted the bitter tobacco she often smelled off. She looks at him expectantly though, so he brings it up to press the end of it to his lips.

A delicate sweetness greets him thankfully.

His laughter rings gently in the room that's devoid of true life except for the pair of them-- a near-harsh reminder of the deep envy Shoko has of everyone else who gets to step out for missions or whatever else they're assigned. Babysitting, in Mr. Ha-ha-ha's case.

"Must be nice," she jokes without real malice, her smile growing once he finally dares to give her gifted treat a taste. "Beats filling out paperwork all day though, no?"

Crumbs from her own candy cigarette get flicked into an ashtray like she would a real one, the muscle memory movement more like a tic than a habit now that she's suffering from mild nicotine withdrawals after about a week of dropping it per Sakaki's orders.

Oh. She realizes belatedly that that is likely why she's suddenly so pissed about being cooped up.

"... uh ... party?"

Ugh, well ... yeah, there was Tin Pin Fridays at Sota's. But the last time he had attended, he had dissociated so hard people started gingerly placing straws in his hair like a human game of Operation. His friends still continued to invite him after, but ...

The lights, the music, the noise--everything was at once so much louder and so much further away since he'd come back. Like a constant sinus pressure, except he isn't sick ... is he?

"... yeah, we could ... do a party."

People pleasers are a real perceptive bunch, but in Iris' defense she's known Neku long enough to pick up on some of his hints. Even if he possibly doesn't pick up on them himself.

And he ought to know by now that when she asks about a party involving him, she fully expects a board game party or a LAN party. Which honestly never involves more than four people, at most.

Iris tries her best to keep her cheery tone held at the same excited pitch but fails to keep her smile from faltering. She'll have to pry later about what else is bothering him.

@pyrrhicpaths || in which tomio is successfully baiting stacia

lately, stacia has been PURPOSEFULLY taking her lunch breaks at a different time than other hunters to decrease the chances of being disturbed, needing to focus on the importance that is refreshing her phone screen. this is serious business. she has missed the past three preorder windows for the limited edition lumiere merchandise drops due to working, much to her dismay. the first two occurred while she was out on a mission that took... longer than anticipated, with poor signal (not that she tried to launch the website in the middle of it or anything), and the third one, with the theme she REALLY WANTED TO GET... well, she was just unlucky.

BUT THIS TIME, THIS TIME SHE HAS IT! if she just swipes her thumb across her phone screen enough times, surely it'll suddenly show that the blind boxes are available for purchase, right? (she set numerous alarms just in case, too)

so engrossed she was in the importance that was her phone that stacia didn't notice the sudden intrusion in the break room until she heard a melodious, mocking voice that could only belong to ONE CERTAIN PERSON. her thumb swiping paused instantly as she debated on whether or not it was worth entertaining him; if she ignored him completely, surely he'd leave and she could go back to more grave matters, like her phone. she was just about to fully pretend she didn't notice him whatsoever, but the sound of whatever he brought with him shaking filled the silence of the small room.

she can feel a headache forming.

the temptation to lift her head to see what he brought was increasing —what WAS that sound? — but that'd mean ENTERTAINING him when she clearly had better things to do. couldn't he tell? for good measure, she did one more refresh on her phone, an 'ERROR' sound emitting from the device as she finally looked up to look at him when she heard the shaking once more.

and froze instantly.

stacia was incapable of hiding her facial expression of shock— grey eyes widened, eyebrows rose, mouth agape. WAS THAT... THE LIMITED EDITION BLIND BOXES FROM THE PREVIOUS RUN?!? HOW DID TOMIO GET THEM?! she clenched her phone tightly as it took EVERYTHING within her not to instantly approach and abruptly grab them from his person. THE PACKAGING LOOKED EVEN PRETTIER IN PERSON. WHICH LUMIERE VARIANTS WERE IN THEM!? SHE HAD TO KNOW. she recovered as quickly as she could; shook her head, cleared her throat, fixed her posture, placed her phone on the table, and gave him possibly the fakest smile imaginable.

"t....tomio." she was trying very, very hard to keep her voice even. sound as if he wasn't holding onto the drop she coveted the most. those blind boxes were bait; she KNEW THEY WERE BAIT. she felt her eye twitch as she KEPT STARING AT THEM. if she threw her phone at his head and knocked him out for them with no witnesses, surely she wouldn't get reported to HR? there are no cameras in the break room. no one would know. it wouldn't be the first time she considered beating him up, but this is the first time she actually has a motive for it.

be nice, stacia. you can't just physically assault a coworker for lumiere merch. (a stranger, on the other hand…)

instead, she takes the bait. she approaches him swiftly. she has twenty alarms set on her phone reminding her of the upcoming launch; it's fine.