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]

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...

[aeturnus]

[ There's intent and attention in those motions and Cain just smiles to see it. He can't do everything to fix what the world's done to wrong this kid, but he wants to try and help in whatever ways he can.

At the mention of family who's helped him in the past, Cain nods. ]

Wise person, that guardian. There's not really any rush. We can just have cake today if you want.

[mingling]

[Natsume can't help but smile. Touko-san is definitely one of the wisest individuals he's met, and he's talked with gods and very old spirits. She's wonderful, and his belief in that shows clear in his soft face.

There's softness, too, in how he tilts his eyes downward, the hesitance in the parting of his lips. He takes a little breath, and he's still smiling, but the way he glances back up is demure.]

You don't mind if it takes a while? I'm just— [He's not used to having "a while". And he's still getting used to people being patient with him.] It's okay. I want to... [He doesn't know how to articulate what he wants. Not without that vulnerability, again, at least.] I want to try the whole menu of cakes. Eventually. Maybe that's asking a lot.

[Being alone was okay for a long time—or, he'd convinced himself it was. Now that he knows what it's like to be otherwise, he's scared of receding back into that loneliness.]

[aeturnus]

Whole menu, huh? Then we'll have to make a list. Plan out our attack.

[ Cain just grins for the request, not put off at all. ]

I will tell you time is no issue for me. It taking a while doesn't scare me, it's nice to have projects.