caughtinanetwork | [video] Rin, Maka and Kid, one week late w/ Star(fish)bucks

(Death the Kid in black, Maka Albarn in green, and Rin Okumura in blue.)

Did you really have to make her do it eight times?
I needed the foam to coffee ratio to be absolutely perfect.

[Three (familiar) teenagers are headed back to the Villa, carrying white take-away cups with green starfish prominently printed on them, backpacks hanging from their shoulders; Maka and Rin are walking together, close in that way that speaks of comfortable intimacy. Kid is leading the way by a stride or two, and it's his SFC that's recording the trio of friends.

Yep, they're one week late returning from their camping trip, bringing Star(fish)bucks. If you look closely enough, you might spy his Eevee, Pip, capering around in their wake. Someone's tied a ribbon around his neck, because he's just so cute.]

Maybe next time we should warn them about Kid's uh... 'habits'.

[Rin would have used air quotes, if his hands weren't full. Maka answers next, sounding resigned enough about their friend's antics, but it seems as though they survived the camping trip without any trauma.]

A warning can only do so much when it comes to him.
Heheh... that's true. He's kind of a handful isn't he?
Well yeah, that's just the way Kid is. I never told you that he actually has two Weapon partners, did I? Obviously it takes two people to reign him in.
Seriously? Geez, they got their work cut out for them, don't they?

[Oh man, lovey dovey couples and their conversations. Kid butts in, changing the subject, because GOSH HE CAN HEAR YOU TWO JUST FINE. Loftily:]

We are recording, you know. Hello, everyone. We're almost to the Villa now, and we're interested in an update on anything important we might have missed--
...Why did this need to be recorded.
Yeah, seriously. We woulda just got home and been like "hi, we're home". Are you really that impatient?
[Without hesitation:] Yes.
... you're somethin' else, Kid.
Whatever at least we're home.
As pleasant as it is to get away now and then, it's always a relief to return ho-- oh good heavens no.
... what the hell happened here?
...

[You know that moment in a movie where the parents went off on vacation and the kids threw a party of truly epic proportions? This is Ground Zero of Party Central. The Aftermath. That is the level of mess visible in the foyer of the Villa, now that they've arrived at their destination. Rin is mystified, Maka looks like she might just break the party responsible in two, and Kid?

Well, just be glad the video ends with his blood-curdling shriek of horror.]

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[Woah now Rin that was really uncalled for. Shiro will at least wait until Maka is out of earshot (because if he feels guilty about upsetting anyone here, it's her) before talking to Rin in an annoyed voice.]

I don't need a babysitter. We just had some people over for cards, that's all. I didn't expect you guys to be back until the afternoon, otherwise I would've cleaned up last night instead of putting it off until the morning.

[By now he's standing up, and he looks over at Kid.]

...Is he gonna be okay?

... just... give him a bit.

[How the hell do their roles keep getting reversed like this? Shiro, Rin is really not buying this bull. At all.

As soon as Maka is gone, Rin approaches and drops his bag down on the coffee table, crouching down and draping his arms over his knees.]

Cards? You really gonna expect me to believe that this was all 'cause of a card game? Dad, it looks like fairies exploded in the livin' room.

Look-- ... yeah, okay, I'm irritated, but honestly I'm more irritated that I finally got Maka in a good mood that lasted an entire week and it's gone now 'cause you decided us bein' gone was a good time to act like-- ... well... teenagers.

Actually, the glitter is because of-

[But he stops in his explanation, and he sighs. It's not worth it to argue, it's just making his headache worse.]

It's getting cleaned, calm down. I'll take care of it before Kid finishes his shit-fit over there.

[To the best of his ability, anyway. He's sure it'll still be wrong in Kid's eyes and he'll go through and change things when Shiro is done, but he's going to do the majority of the work anyway. It's not fair of him to leave the mess for someone else to clean up.]

[Rin huffs quietly, rubbing two fingers against his temple. Yeah, okay, no point in arguing. Whatever irritation he had upon walking in the door is mostly calming down because Kid isn't quite making the wailing noises he was a moment ago. He'll just have to spend time with Maka alone for a while...]

Yeah, alright. Sorry. Just... try not to make such a mess next time, okay? We all gotta live here...

Edited 2013-03-30 22:07 (UTC)

I did get a little carried away.

[He's willing to admit that, since this isn't escalating into a fight. He's also going around and picking up the big trash now. Bottles, bags, those kinds of things.]

It's not going to be a regular occurrence, last night was just special.

Oh?

[Rin stays where he's at, poking a finger at the glitter covered carpet. But his tail twitches in that "I'm curious" manner anyway.]

Why's that?

[He actually stops there for a second. Rin really doesn't remember what happened during this time of the year?

...

Well, there's no point in making him remember, then.]

Liz and Marie showed up. It seemed fitting, to welcome them with a party.

[Rin remembers. He'd been trying to forget. That's why he was fine with the week that Kid chose for the camping trip.

He just didn't think Shiro might have been trying to do the same thing.

He doesn't say anything about what's obviously half a lie. He heard that a few more from Kid and Maka's world had arrived and if that's the excuse Shiro wants to use for the party, Rin isn't going to call him on it.

His tail does stop moving, though.]

Good enough reason. Hope they had fun.

[Now he just sounds distracted, though.]

[See, they're both big dummies here. This all could be settled with an honest discussion and feelings, but nope we can't have that here.

Shiro would rather talk about silly things anyway, he's not very good at serious talk that involves himself. He'd rather bury his true feelings and act like everything is okay than admit that he has problems.]

I'm sure they did. Though watch out for Marie, I wouldn't be surprised if she has a terrible hangover this morning.

[By now he's picked up the bottles and thrown them away.]

Where do we keep the vacuum?

[Apparently they can only have feelings during curses or something like that.

But it might come up later. Rin just sort of had a lot of things shocked out of him by coming home to the house in such a state.]

Hall closet. Why should I watch out for her?

She's got a mean right hook, or so Stein says.

[He goes over to the closet to get the vacuum, and he starts vacuuming around the living room. He makes this neat little circle around Kid, though, not wanting to disturb his breakdown. It doesn't get all the glitter out, but he keeps at it until enough of it is gone that he deems it acceptable.]

Ah. I'll... keep that in mind.

[Not that he can't take a punch, even from a weapon.

And he's just going to... go over and pick Kid up by the collar of his jacket and move him physically in to the kitchen.]

[Actually, on that note.]

You take care of your friends, I'll handle things down here.

...

[Rin nudges Kid with his foot, but he doesn't get much more of a reaction than a wobble.]

... I'm just. Gonna leave him there. He'll snap out of it soon enough.

Lemmie know if you need anything.

[Except that he might be tangled in a cuddle pile with Maka.]

Will do.

[Except no he won't. He's gonna leave Rin alone for a bit so he can be with his girlfriend.

He'll bother Kid, though.]

[At some point, Kid has managed to recover enough to begin his own efforts to return the Villa to its formerly pristine state... starting by dusting every picture frame and lampshade or wall sconce -- and then making sure they're all properly aligned.

Next is the rearranging of furniture.

His silence might be concentration.

Or he might just be too furious to speak.]

[Silence is cool, Shiro is totally okay with working in silence.

Normally he'd try to poke Kid into responding, but he figures today is a bad day, so he'll keep his mouth shut while he works on cleaning. He is humming while he works, though.]