averageineverything | sticksandbones IC Inbox

[senjuro is a dutiful little stay at home pokémon dad and answers the door promptly. granted, his face is... a bit shocked, to say the least, to see genya is the source of the non-boisterous knocking.

still, he is also ever the picture of politeness.]

Mr. Shinazugawa! Please, come in. Is there something I can help you with?

[Rather than coming in, Genya instead shoves the box just... right at Senjuro. It's a little forceful, but not intentionally so. Guy who doesn't know his own strength and is used to hanging out with a bunch of other jocks.]

I just - had extra rice balls from my lunch. That's all. [There is way too many here to just be extra but... Don't worry about it.]

[if it makes him stumble, don't worry about it. senjuro may be small and not talented with a blade, but he still grew up in a household full of roughhousers.

boy, though, he hopes genya doesn't catch that he gets a little choked up at first, his young voice cracking.]

Oh -- you cooked --? [he almost says "for me," but genya clearly just said it was his leftovers...] Well... thank you, very much.

[... maybe if he asks instead of, like "tells" him... just to be sure.]

Would you like to come inside...?

[If Genya does pick up on it, he doesn't say anything about it. Mostly because he'd get flustered and it'd just be embarrassing for the both of them.]

I... like to cook. For others, too. Not that I made it just for you or anything. [He also hoped to beg the clinic staff to let Muichiro have one single piece of solid food. Please.] I help Master Himejima where I can, since, y'know...

[He glances over Senjuro's shoulder, toward the inside, then back to him.]

... Is that okay? I'm not gonna bother anyone?

You do? So do I! [oh, having something in common with genya is so relieving, actually.]

Of course you're not! Please! [ushering him in now, sorry genya there is no escape.]

Yeah. S'kinda one of the only things I'm good at, actually.

[Just dropping that casually. Someone very obviously doesn't have a high opinion of himself, and he isn't going to hide it, either.]

Thanks. I promise I won't stay long. Don't want to be under foot.

[He also doesn't want to run into the resident demon, especially after how their last talk went.]

[ah. another thing in common... :') ]

Then I'm sure you just haven't found many of the things you're good at, yet.

[senjuro guides genya to the kitchen and begins pulling out various condiments and smaller accompaniments for the rice balls. all of this gets laid out next to them and between the two boys. get nourished, idiot.]

You can stay as long as you'd like, Mr. Shinazugawa. You're always welcome here, in fact.

[Genya only snorts at that, but otherwise stays quiet. He finds a seat, and toys with his fingers as he waits for Senjuro to gather everything he needs.]

... You're kind. Guess it's not a surprise, considering who you're related to.

[They really do radiate the warmth of the flame they're supposed to embody, huh.]

What's it like, living here, anyway? I mean, you know, with the...

[He makes a vague motion with his hand. The demon. You know what he means.]

Well, even if he hadn't taught me to be... The world can be very unkind. [it took away his mother before he could get to know her, it took away his father's sense, it took away his brother... and countless others, at the hands of demons.] So, I think trying to counteract that is the least I can do.

[senjuro pours some tea from a waiting kettle and passes it to genya before gesturing him to eat. he'll follow once the older boy begins. this topic requires him to think for a bit.]

It's... strange. He avoids me, but seems almost... polite? the few times we cross paths. [a shudder works its way up his spine involuntarily.] Even so, I don't really understand how my brother can look past... [... well, they both know what.]

Yeah. It can, huh?

[He doesn't say anything to the second half of that statement. Part of him just doesn't believe it changes anything. Being nice to people isn't going to make the demons go away. It just feels like pretending, or burying your head in the sand.

... at least, it does when he tries. Senjuro sounds convincing enough, though. Maybe there's something to it. He turns the thought over within his mind a few times as he takes a rice ball and bites into it. He isn't abundantly hungry, but it's clear that Senjuro won't eat before he does.]

Kinda sounds shitty, living like that. Scared all the time. [He feels a snarl starting to form, and bites it back.] You know you don't have to stay here, right? Even if your brother wants you to?

[As for the last part, Genya can't help but mutter:]

Seems like everyone thinks that except him.

[given the subject matter, senjuro only just picks at the food he'd brought out. what genya prepared, he makes an effort to eat, even if it's slow going.]

Is it strange that I'm not afraid for myself...? I know my brother would never knowingly put me in danger. If anything, I'm scared for him, so I'd rather stay nearby, so that if anything happens... [kyojuro won't be alone.

the boy forces a smile that looks as if it's just barely holding in a flood of tears.]

I've... been used to this sort of feeling for a long time, so it's alright. I appreciate you trying to look out for me. ["rengoku," synonymous with "shove it all down and smile."]

[Senjuro might be used to that feeling, but Genya doesn't have to like it. His fingers clench around the rice ball, tight enough to squash all of his hard work. He doesn't even care about the mess. Instead, he levels a fierce look on the boy.]

That's bullshit and we both know it. You shouldn't have to force anything around him. Especially not for a damn demon.

[He can't help the vehemence. He just doesn't get it. How can the elder Rengoku look the other way when everyone else was clearly around edge around that thing.]

It ain't right.

[ah... it doesn't take a genius to tell he's upset genya, but senjuro doesn't know what else to do about it. without getting too much into genya's personal space, he sweeps up the spilled rice by hand.]

... A lot of people have said similar things about my father. Kyojuro never gave up on him, and neither will I. The best I can hope for is that my brother's judgment is sound, and the -- man who was an Upper Rank can become better, just like my father has.

[Well...

Genya is still pissed by what's happening but. If there's one thing he understands, it's unflinching loyalty to family. Sanemi had tried to take his eyes out, and Genya would still lay down and die for the man if he asked. Wanting to be there if something went wrong, stubbornly standing by when his brother was being equally as stubborn.

It's like looking in a mirror.

Rather than shout anymore, Genya opts to grind his teeth together as he tries to clean up his hand.]

... Sorry about the mess.

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