video, un: j.k. [post-butterfly effect]

[aeturnus]

[ On the screen is one Cain, also known as Romulus, commonly known in the city as Jacob Kane. He looks normal. Normal as he's ever looked, really, but the confidence that he lacked during the recent event is back in full force and he's very nonchalant about it all. He's at a flimsy-ish table with a laptop off to the side where the camera is obviously his propped up phone instead. ]

Hey! Long-time no talk, Riverview Quarantine. Just a few things. If you met me over the last week and a half or so, that was... technically me but not. You know that thing that was going on? Yeah, that. Don't worry about it. Forget about all that.

Quick catch-up for those who have (or haven't!) met me, I go by Jacob Kane nowadays. [ Not Romulus. Nope. This total 180 is completely normal considering he hardly looks any older or different at all. ] My job while I'm here is designing phone apps. I've been here for about two months now and I think this is my first actual post on the network. Anything interesting happen while I wasn't looking?

to Doom; Still good for lessons?

to Shai; Thank you. For everything you did.

to Natsume; Seen anything like our colorful friend lately?

Comments

[mingling]

[WELL,]

Yeah
Definitely
Of course
It's okay
Thanks

[...?!?! Even texting doesn't quite save him from the carbonated bubbles disrupting his heart.]

[aeturnus]

[ How could Cain possibly just throw this poor kid away? Romulus got attached and now Cain isn't gonna betray that, excuse you. Natsume definitely needs it, too.

He can't help the amused smile, nor the growing fondness in it. ]

You're welcome, Natsume-kun. How have you been?

[mingling]

I'm well, thank you

[He says that precisely because he'd like to consider this man a friend... It'd be no good if he were to say, I'm tired, and I'm still not really sure what to do. It wouldn't be right to tell those things to anyone, so—"I'm well."]

Are you okay, too?
That day
When we had tea
[He shouldn't pry.]
Even if it's not relevant right now, that tea was pretty good.
I went back there once afterward, even

[aeturnus]

Glad to hear it.

[ Ah, issues. He knows them well. Practically owns his own magazine rack. They'll get to that point. ]

Doing better now that I'm myself if we're being honest.

It was good tea, definitely. What about that day?

[mingling]

I just thought
I kept thinking
It would be nice if you were doing well
If you feel better like this, then
I'm glad, I'm really glad

[aeturnus]

Trade secret is I'm always doing well.

[ He pauses, because this poor kid seems to have some issues with even calling someone a friend but... ]

You wanna go for tea again sometime?

[mingling]

Yeah
Me too.

[It's either... something flagrantly disingenuous, or Natsume giving a textual side glance—Sure, okay, I know how that goes. But he won't press too hard. Instead...]

If there's a time you wanted to go
We could go

[A far cry from how he would respond even just a few months ago... He remembers, sheepishly, sulking when Natori asked him over to a cafe. The circumstances were a little different (and he can hear Sensei calling Natori shady just thinking about him), but Natsume can look at himself and see he's more receptive. It feels better than bad.]

[aeturnus]

[ No, you see, he's physically incapable of not being fine. It totally counts. ]

I'd be up for whenever you are. My schedule is pretty malleable.

[mingling]

I try to go to school during the day but
Usually I'm at the animal shelter
I can always take breaks when they don't need me

[aeturnus]

Like on lunch? That could work. We should meet up for lunch.

[mingling]

And catch up?

[Like friends do, they say.]

[aeturnus]

Yeah, catch up. About whatever's been going on, or just get to know each other better.

[mingling]

Okay

[Anyone getting to know him still sounds like risky business, but if someone here can know him a little bit, it's probably this person.]

I'll take my lunch break at 11:45

[aeturnus]

Then we'll meet at the tea shop at noon.

[mingling]

I'll be there

[And, in fact, it's not hard to get the volunteers and coworkers to let him leave; they practically push him out the door. You're always here, one tells him, go have a nice lunch. Go have fun. It's super embarrassing, but he's grateful for it (but it's super embarrassing).

At least he's mellow when he's waiting by the tea shop, standing next to its outdoor railing. His eyes are at the middle distance, not at the bird that's sitting atop the railing, awfully close to him. With a second glance, that's no ordinary pigeon. Its eyes are a vivid amethyst, and its feathers look like real gold.

Those kinds of creatures really like him, it seems.

He looks like he could be caught up in the breeze, far from sturdy, while he watches whatever he's watching, if he's watching anything at all.]

[aeturnus]

[ Cain isn't late at all when he shows up, but he doesn't make the effort to get around early, either. Kid doesn't need to be spooked or anything like that, and he's had plenty of other things to catch up on in the meantime. Missing a week on the internet is hard but missing a week in your own life entirely is harder.

That said, he's dressed very casually and not making a big deal of it when he arrives, glancing over to the bird nearby. Huh. He wasn't kidding about seeing a lot of those himself, was he? Cain doesn't linger there and instead raises a hand in greeting. ]

Natsume-kun?

[mingling]

Ah, [says Natsume, and only then does he turn his head to look at Cain. For half a moment, his face is very clear: a retreaded hope, and a little self-conscious. Then he lets out his breath, and he's smiling. He ducks his head, its own sort of bow.]

Hi, Mr. Kane. [That's what he should be calling him now, he thinks?] Thanks for coming all this way.

[This is maybe a bigger deal of it than Cain himself is making, but Natsume's a lot less flustered than he would have been a while ago, too. It will take him a little bit to get more comfortable, but he'll get there. He can see himself getting there, which is amazing on its own.]

[aeturnus]

Jacob is fine.

[ There's a big difference in their ages now, but it doesn't really look that way and Cain isn't much for formalities anyway. If Natsume wants them to feel more comfortable, that's a different story, but being respectful because manners say you should instead of actually respecting someone is... weird for him. ]

I wasn't about to ditch you or anything. So, have you found any other good teas here?

[mingling]

[Conversely, it feels weird to Natsume not to address an adult with clear cut respect. Even Natori-san is... Natori-san. A big goof, and frequently exasperating, and someone Natsume treasures, but... Natori-san, regardless.

Natsume lets out a little bit of laughter, on a short breath. It's a light touch of anxiety and it's relieved, both at once.]

I haven't come since that day with you. I don't do things like that by myself very much. But last time, there was this peach oolong on the menu, and I thought it sounded good... [He lowers his eyes, both fond and bashful.] I drink a lot of tea at home, usually barley tea.

[aeturnus]

[ That's something he understands, and Cain doesn't intend to push it. Either way, he laughs lightly in return and shakes his head. ]

Peach oolong sounds interesting for sure. When we were here last, I couldn't exactly read the menu so I'll have to see what else is on offer.

[mingling]

[Natsume nods, accepting that—and he does accept it, and he won't ask questions, but there are a lot of questions he wants to ask. He knows what that's like, though. He knows people are always wanting to ask him questions, and it's foreboding, so he'd like to be courteous when it's his turn to wonder.

He opens his mouth, but it takes him just a second to actually say anything—] They have cakes. If you like cakes. I don't know if you do. I don't eat a lot of them, but I've gotten good at picking out some nice ones. [He's pushing away from the railing. He hasn't paid the bird any mind until now, and he still doesn't really glance at it, but he does reach out his hand and give its head one scritch as he leaves it.] We can go sit down, and... you can tell me about it. If you like cakes. What you like.

[aeturnus]

[ Okay, the thing with the bird is really cute and he doesn't comment on it, but keeps it in mind. Definitely glad he reached out after everything was over. Not someone he wants to bury away with the memory of Romulus, that's for sure. ]

Hey, I like cake. Sounds like a great plan to me. [ He pauses, takes a breath. ] You've gotta be curious, huh?

[mingling]

Haha, [says Natsume, and it's filler laughter, a way to buy time. Not fake for the sake of it, and not actually fake in the first place, but he needs a moment to gather his thoughts, his words, and his courage.

The courage comes first: he lifts his chin and smiles up.]

I don't know about you, but curious people make me kind of anxious. So you don't have to think of me as a curious person if you don't want to.

[aeturnus]

[ That's cute and a little sad and Cain takes it for what it is, filler in the conversation and lets Natsume sort out his thoughts. ]

I'd rather have people who are comfortable. I'm an unfortunately curious person myself so I can understand it even if that's not always what I want. So, it's cool.

[mingling]

[Natsume nods to that, more than once, and the way he nods makes it clear he's paying close attention to every word Cain says. Hanging on to them, perhaps, of which he is self-aware and self-conscious (pathetic!), but he doesn't really know how to fix it. Learning about people has made him want to learn more and more and more about people. It's made him want to be less and less and less alone.

He squares his shoulders in an attempt to feel at least a little less small.]

I'll get you that cake. We can just learn things as we go. [Instead of asking directly about tragic backstories or... whatever. He's pretty sure there's bad potential there for both of them.] You know, my... One of my guardians says that "baby steps" are okay. To go "bit by bit". And I'm starting to think she's right, so...