[ He's standing in te kitchen making tea because clearly being contemplative means it's tea time. Going through the process of making royal milk tea by scratch on his own.
Teshima picke up a recipe book a couple of days ago, so it's open on the counter close to him as he followed the directions. ]
[ Give it a minute and Hong Kong hurries past to check the living room at one point, completely missing Teshima. He then backtracks (literally) as though doing a double-take. ]
Oh hey, there you are. [ He turns, walking slowly into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets. ] Good choice.
[ Ah, there he is. He smiles and waves at him. Teshima was finishing up the process of making the tea. The milky mixture was now properly steamed and ready to be strained. ]
Afternoon royal milk tea is the best. Want some?
[ The stove was being turned off and the pot was being moved from the burner to a cold one to make sure it stopped while he grabbed a second cup. ]
I'd love it. [ Look at this, graced with such a good kid. He's so undeserving. Where's Iceland, he needs to cry to him about what a good kid they have.
If you could grab the strainer, that would be great, thanks.
[ Sitting the other cup down next to his on the counter. ]
Iceland said he doesn't remember what happened after you kissed him. [ It wasn't to poke at anything. He was just curious. Their relationship with each other was so weird. ]
Sure thing. [ He meanders over to the cabinet, rooting around, and then returning. ]
Did he? [ He says it in such a way that it sounds like, 'oh really now, so that's what he said.' ] I guess it must've been pretty bad. I wonder if I'm a terrible kisser. [ He almost sounds amused, which means he probably is. ]
I didn't get that impression. Given how I'm grounded now, I think he's just embarrassed.
[ He winked and smiled while using the strainer to strain out the tea leaves as he poured it into the cups. Really, that's what he got out of that. Even if he's wrong about it, he's pretty sure Iceland is embarrassed regardless. ]
I didn't realize it was something that actually happened.
Yeah, that's not super specific. Maybe I better talk to him about it.
[ Iceland is like the king of the tsuns. Hong Kong will mediate. He does that. ]
Y'know, I'm not even sure what 'better' would be, yeah? Not to get all existential on you, but I don't think he has me figured out at all. Anyway, we were gonna talk about you.
Doesn't that mean 'better' could be as simple as knowing you even a little? The way you two communicate is like something gets lost in translation, but yeah. We were going to talk about me.
[ Pulling away from the now filled cups, taking the pot to the sink to put water in it and the strainer to the trash to clean it out. ]
I guess I should start with why the kiss happened. I got a lot of money for Christmas from the landlord and gave him part of it. I guess he got a little excited and then the mistletoe pushed it further.
When someone looking at it from the outside comments, it makes it sound a lot worse. [ He actually looks sort of amused by this. He has a warped sense of humor, this parent of yours.
Does that mean he can carry the cups to the kitchen table? ]
So you think he kissed you over money? [ And mistletoe, he hears that part, but he's poking at something. ]
[ Hong Kong can indeed take the cups to the table while Teshima does a little cleaning up. It wouldn't do to leave it a mess. Doing the dishes can be left for when they're done with their cups. He was mostly done with the cleaning since he was doing as he went, though ]
Back at home, we did bicycle races. When we came here, we got jobs so we could save up and buy new bikes but road racers are really expensive, so it was going to be a while. When I came into the money, I gave him part since he wouldn't make sense to get a bike on my own when we race a partners. He got excited over the money, since it meant we could race and train like we use to.
[ Teshima is such a studious kid. Bless him. He fits in very well with Hong Kong's neatnik tendencies and Iceland's... Nordic austerity. Taking out the carpet, good grief! It's cold.
Okay, back on topic... ]
Oh.
I think I get it, yeah. So he was showing his gratitude. [ Augmented by the landlord interfering. ] What happened next, yeah?
[ He tries. He really does. They're the strangest parents he's ever had, but they aren't bad people. ]
He started getting jumpy and unsure. At first, he was really embarrassed about the kiss, but then communication got disconnected between us. That doesn't usually happen between us. I couldn't read what he was thinking for feeling for a while.
I tried to explain to him that a kiss like that isn't going to stop us from being friends or anything, and I thought that was what he was worried about. In truth, I have no idea. He kissed be again in thanks but...
[ He motioned to his cheek right at the corner of his mouth with such a confused and concerned look.
With everything in the sink and straightened up, he moved to the table to sit down now.]
[ Not all the time, anyway. Hong Kong does like trolling people an awful lot. ]
D'you think- [ He actually cuts himself off, taking a seat at the table and waiting until Teshima joins him to go back to replying. He's quiet for a moment even so, running his finger around the rim of his glass. ]
I guess a kiss like that can get you stuck between two places. Being friends and being something else. [ He points to Teshima. ] You might wanna figure out what 'something else' he could be thinking of.
[ Not... the most straightforward advice, but Hong Kong's not always known for making sense. ]
[ Sometimes the need to be a shit-talking troll trumps the need to be a nice person. Teshima knew that feeling well too.
But 'something else'? The sound of it was so ridiculous, but it would be the one thing he wouldn't be able to read. It's never something he's seen in him before.]
'Something else' gets pretty messy, doesn't it? If you say it like that, I doubt he even knows what 'something else' might be.
[ He looked down at the cup, taking it in his hands as he spoke. ]
Last year my clubmates won a really important race and left me in charge of keeping the crown with us. I decided in order to become serious about keeping up their legacy, I didn't need 'something else' with anything else but the race.
Wow. That's pretty serious. [ He looks at Teshima, a bit flummoxed. Dad has new respect for you, kiddo! ] I admire your dedication.
[ With his hands cupped loosely around the mug of tea, he shifts it back and forth in his hands, careful not to spill any. He then raises it to his lips, blowing softly and sipping. He hums softly to show he approves, then lowers the cup again. ]
[ He had to think about it before answering. It wasn't his relationship with just anyone that he was considering. The sound of approval was good, at least. If Hong Kong approved of it, then he knew it was good. ]
On the side of positivity, Aoyagi is my vice-captain. It doesn't endanger anything since the race is important to the both of us. I depend on him more than anyone else. He's the confidence that I don't have in myself and the push I need to go all of the way.
All of that aside, I don't want to risk our relationship. I don't want my half-hearted 'anything is fine' attitude towards 'something else' to be the reason our friendship could collapse.
[ Hong Kong sort of... stares at Teshima over the rim of his cup. ]
Are you sure you're a teenager? You're so responsible. I'm 170-something and I'm way less responsible than you.
Seriously though, I think you're a trustworthy person, when it comes to the feelings of other people, yeah? You picked up on what was going on with Iceland and me right away and you've had better advice on that than most people.
[ Well. He hasn't gotten TOO much advice about it. But he's gotten some suspect suggestions. ]
It sounds to me like you really trust him, too. Between that and how dedicated you are to what you both love, I'd say you're like, light-years from half-hearted. That's just what I'm seeing, anyway.
You're going to make me blush, dad. I just do what I have to. Living with you and Iceland gives me something of an edge.
[ He was chuckling at everything Hong Kong said. It was nice to hear praise over it, and that he was, at least, this trustworthy. If only his skills could match his will, then he wouldn't need to worry so much about his ability. ]
What you're saying is you think I'll make the right choice, or the dumber, safer choice. Whichever ends up coming out first.
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and no worries this is what dads are for
[ Gonna get up RIGHT NOW and locate you, son. ]
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Teshima picke up a recipe book a couple of days ago, so it's open on the counter close to him as he followed the directions. ]
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Oh hey, there you are. [ He turns, walking slowly into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets. ] Good choice.
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Afternoon royal milk tea is the best. Want some?
[ The stove was being turned off and the pot was being moved from the burner to a cold one to make sure it stopped while he grabbed a second cup. ]
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I'd love it. [ Look at this, graced with such a good kid. He's so undeserving. Where's Iceland, he needs to cry to him about what a good kid they have.
Maybe not the best idea. ] Need any help?
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[ Sitting the other cup down next to his on the counter. ]
Iceland said he doesn't remember what happened after you kissed him. [ It wasn't to poke at anything. He was just curious. Their relationship with each other was so weird. ]
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Did he? [ He says it in such a way that it sounds like, 'oh really now, so that's what he said.' ] I guess it must've been pretty bad. I wonder if I'm a terrible kisser. [ He almost sounds amused, which means he probably is. ]
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[ He winked and smiled while using the strainer to strain out the tea leaves as he poured it into the cups. Really, that's what he got out of that. Even if he's wrong about it, he's pretty sure Iceland is embarrassed regardless. ]
I didn't realize it was something that actually happened.
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[ He doesn't see why Iceland has to ground people for asking questions though. Golly. ]
Yeah, totally. I really laid one on him.
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[ This is what happens when you get a tsundere dad. Oh well, at least it was kind of amusing. ]
Maybe te future will yield better results for you.
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[ Iceland is like the king of the tsuns. Hong Kong will mediate. He does that. ]
Y'know, I'm not even sure what 'better' would be, yeah? Not to get all existential on you, but I don't think he has me figured out at all. Anyway, we were gonna talk about you.
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[ Pulling away from the now filled cups, taking the pot to the sink to put water in it and the strainer to the trash to clean it out. ]
I guess I should start with why the kiss happened. I got a lot of money for Christmas from the landlord and gave him part of it. I guess he got a little excited and then the mistletoe pushed it further.
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Does that mean he can carry the cups to the kitchen table? ]
So you think he kissed you over money? [ And mistletoe, he hears that part, but he's poking at something. ]
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[ Hong Kong can indeed take the cups to the table while Teshima does a little cleaning up. It wouldn't do to leave it a mess. Doing the dishes can be left for when they're done with their cups. He was mostly done with the cleaning since he was doing as he went, though ]
Back at home, we did bicycle races. When we came here, we got jobs so we could save up and buy new bikes but road racers are really expensive, so it was going to be a while. When I came into the money, I gave him part since he wouldn't make sense to get a bike on my own when we race a partners. He got excited over the money, since it meant we could race and train like we use to.
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Okay, back on topic... ]
Oh.
I think I get it, yeah. So he was showing his gratitude. [ Augmented by the landlord interfering. ] What happened next, yeah?
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He started getting jumpy and unsure. At first, he was really embarrassed about the kiss, but then communication got disconnected between us. That doesn't usually happen between us. I couldn't read what he was thinking for feeling for a while.
I tried to explain to him that a kiss like that isn't going to stop us from being friends or anything, and I thought that was what he was worried about. In truth, I have no idea. He kissed be again in thanks but...
[ He motioned to his cheek right at the corner of his mouth with such a confused and concerned look.
With everything in the sink and straightened up, he moved to the table to sit down now.]
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D'you think- [ He actually cuts himself off, taking a seat at the table and waiting until Teshima joins him to go back to replying. He's quiet for a moment even so, running his finger around the rim of his glass. ]
I guess a kiss like that can get you stuck between two places. Being friends and being something else. [ He points to Teshima. ] You might wanna figure out what 'something else' he could be thinking of.
[ Not... the most straightforward advice, but Hong Kong's not always known for making sense. ]
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But 'something else'? The sound of it was so ridiculous, but it would be the one thing he wouldn't be able to read. It's never something he's seen in him before.]
'Something else' gets pretty messy, doesn't it? If you say it like that, I doubt he even knows what 'something else' might be.
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Maybe that's why he's confused. It sounds like he's pretty confused, anyway. But you'd know better than me.
[ He taps his forefinger against the rim of his cup. ]
What about you though? What d'you think about 'something else?'
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[ He looked down at the cup, taking it in his hands as he spoke. ]
Last year my clubmates won a really important race and left me in charge of keeping the crown with us. I decided in order to become serious about keeping up their legacy, I didn't need 'something else' with anything else but the race.
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[ With his hands cupped loosely around the mug of tea, he shifts it back and forth in his hands, careful not to spill any. He then raises it to his lips, blowing softly and sipping. He hums softly to show he approves, then lowers the cup again. ]
And what about now?
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On the side of positivity, Aoyagi is my vice-captain. It doesn't endanger anything since the race is important to the both of us. I depend on him more than anyone else. He's the confidence that I don't have in myself and the push I need to go all of the way.
All of that aside, I don't want to risk our relationship. I don't want my half-hearted 'anything is fine' attitude towards 'something else' to be the reason our friendship could collapse.
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Are you sure you're a teenager? You're so responsible. I'm 170-something and I'm way less responsible than you.
Seriously though, I think you're a trustworthy person, when it comes to the feelings of other people, yeah? You picked up on what was going on with Iceland and me right away and you've had better advice on that than most people.
[ Well. He hasn't gotten TOO much advice about it. But he's gotten some suspect suggestions. ]
It sounds to me like you really trust him, too. Between that and how dedicated you are to what you both love, I'd say you're like, light-years from half-hearted. That's just what I'm seeing, anyway.
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[ He was chuckling at everything Hong Kong said. It was nice to hear praise over it, and that he was, at least, this trustworthy. If only his skills could match his will, then he wouldn't need to worry so much about his ability. ]
What you're saying is you think I'll make the right choice, or the dumber, safer choice. Whichever ends up coming out first.
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[ No comment about the other part, because it's a little funny and also kind of sweet? In a strange way. ]
I'd hope for like, the former. For your sake. Also, I dunno if I wanna take credit for "dumber." Did I say "dumber?"
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