<@Ardweden> [Tuesday, March 30, 2004] <@Ardweden> [Yesterday was a fiasco. Given it had a lunch that involved Kaede, Akemi, Yusuke, and Anatoly, it was almost guaranteed to be *some* kind of fiasco, but the surprising thing about it is the real fiasco happened between Kaede and Akemi, ending with Akemi storming off in tears, all because Kaede wanted to help Satoshi.] <@Ardweden> [That may be an all new brand of fiasco.] <@Ardweden> [It stuck around afterwards, too. Akemi managed to avoid Kaede for the better part of the day - made easier by the busy schedules that they both had - and was in bed by the time Kaede had a chance to try to talk to her. This morning, she left early with a note on the counter pointing out a few things Kaede had to take care of, in his capacity as manager (but not boyfriend), in blue ink and with no heart doodled at the bottom. There was nothing in it that had to do with a potential trip to America.] <@Ardweden> [So, Kaede's going about his Tuesday. How's that panning out for him?] <@Ardweden> [Start!] * Kaede is focused on the lack of heart doodle, cause he's a detail oriented person like that. He's been working. It hasn't been going very fast, but he's working. Mostly keeping to his office room. * Kaede probably should have ate something more than instant noodles but hey, breakfast of champions, right? <@Ardweden> [Kaede works. And works. Has time alawys moved this slow? Maybe it's just him. He doesn't feel so great, but maybe that's the instant noodles. Or the work. Or the lack of heart doodle. Or all of them.] * Kaede takes off his glasses and pinches his nose, then gets back to concentrating on emails, web searches, the like. No Arcana stuff today. Well, okay, maybe a brief glance at the hacked Shuffle account to see if there's any hits. But that's *it*. <@Ardweden> [Kaede just manages to see that there are no new posts to his hacked Shuffle account when he hears the apartment door open, followed by Akemi calling, "Tadaima," with less enthusiasm than usual.] * Kaede replies with a quick "Okaeri," and starts to get up, though he hesitates, hand on the back of the chair. With a sigh, he falls back into it again and goes back to focusing on his work. <@Ardweden> [And so Kaede does! Look at his work, anyway. He gets no response out of Akemi, but he can hear her moving about in the main area of the apartment, putting things down, poking at stuff in the kitchen, and so forth.] * Kaede sighs again, quietly in the room. Okay. The chair is scooted back and he's leaving the room before glancing into the kitchen. "...do you want me to make something?" <@Ardweden> [Akemi's rooting around in a cabinet. "I wouldn't want to put you out of your way," she says, not looking back at him.] * Kaede flinches slightly at that, then draws in closer to the cabinet, hands trying to go over hers. "Why would that be out of my way...?" <@Ardweden> [Akemi pulls her hands away before Kaede can make contact, and she steps away as she looks at him. Her eyes aren't hard, like Katie's are when she's upset with him, and she says without Nanami's sarcasm, "If you don't care, it would be."] * Kaede blinks, confused at that statement and looks down. "...since when do I not care?" <@Ardweden> [Akemi folds her arms, looking away. "I can't believe you're asking me that."] * Kaede's hands go up, as if to steady her shoulders but then go to adjust his glasses again, he too looking away. "...but I am. Cause I don't...I don't not care...." <@Ardweden> ["Oh, yeah. You just care about Satoshi *more*. Or- or whatever else is going on with you." Akemi starts walkings out of the kitchen, taking the long way to the living room so she doesn't have to pass Kaede.] * Kaede blinks. Okay. Where did *that* come from? <@Ardweden> [Akemi doesn't answer Kaede's unasked question! She just scoops up her backpack from where it sits by the couch and heads towards her room.] * Kaede pauses. Momentarily. Not moving from his position and trying to catch her before going into her room before saying "...wait. Is *that* what this is about...?" <@Ardweden> ["What *else* would it be about?" Akemi snaps, and oh, yeah, there's a shade of Nanami in there, for sure.] * Kaede looks at the snap and then uses the counter to steady himself, fingers going back to his glasses. "It's not...it's not a more. It'd never be a more...I never meant it to come across that way...." * Kaede frowns, then adds, "...I really should have told you first..." <@Ardweden> [Akemi stops, right in her doorway, and turns to look at Kaede. "Yeah, you should have. Did you actually *tell him* we're going to see him? Without asking me first?"] * Kaede closes his eyes. "...I reacted. Cause he was in trouble. You know I wouldn't do this if it were for anything else...." <@Ardweden> [Akemi frowns a little, which on Akemi manages to be cute, and almost a pout. "What? What's going on that's *so bad* that we need to go to America right away?"] * Kaede frowns. "...Arcana stuff. Followed him there. He ended up in Bangor." * Kaede runs his fingers through his hair. "...I should have come to you with it, probably. But you've got all of the modelling and your classes to deal with. You know. *Normal* things. I didn't want to bother you with things building up in the background..." <@Ardweden> ["Your problems are my problems, too," Akemi points out. "That's part of what being a couple's *about*."] * Kaede pauses, fingers gripping the counter before his voice turns distant. "...my problems almost got you killed once..." <@Ardweden> [Akemi just looks at Kaede like he's crazy. Maybe he is. "Are you *serious*? You somehow think that was *your* problem?"] * Kaede blinks and he looks up at her, uncertain where the communication lines got crossed. "How *isn't* it? If you weren't important, he wouldn't have...it wouldn't have..." Now he's confused. <@Ardweden> ["Kaede, he wanted to turn Shika into a killer! That was not your problem!"] * Kaede nods, then looks at his hands carefully. "I know. Instead he turned me into one...funny that, isn't it...?" <@Ardweden> ["No it's not, and that isn't the point. The point is you helped, but it wasn't your fault. So your problems have never almost gotten me killed."] * Kaede doesn't know. He's being awfully quiet over here. Just going to slip to the floor now. <@Ardweden> ["And this one isn't, either, right? Unless staying in Japan is somehow going to get me killed."] * Kaede frowns but eventually shakes his head. Working on recomposing himself. <@Ardweden> [Akemi waits. By the door.] * Kaede's voice is soft as he finally settles on asking, though there's a small hesitation in his voice. "...do you *want* to stay...?" <@Ardweden> ["I want you to talk to me about stuff," Akemi says, dodging the question, "before making decisions for me. I don't- I don't like fighting, but I also- I don't-" Her voice breaks on the last word.] * Kaede looks up at her now, more direct. "So let's make the decision *now*. I would like you to go to America with me. I'm sure Satoshi would want to see you too. But you're right. This isn't me as a manager. I don't make your decisions for you. So. Do you want to go with me?" <@Ardweden> ["I- I don't know!" Akemi yells, and oh, yup. She's crying. Maybe she's been crying. "I don't know, Kaede, this is all very sudden, I don't know what's going *on*, you can't just- you can't just expect me to- It's not-" She turns and runs into her room, swinging her bedroom door shut behind her.] * Kaede sighs, picking himself off the floor. Well *that* does it. He moves closer, edging towards the door and testing the knob. It's not locked, right? He'll peek on in. Carefully. <@Ardweden> [It's not locked. Kaede opens the door a crack, just enough to see that Akemi's thrown herself onto her ridiculous European-style bed and is sobbing quietly into a pillow.] * Kaede is used to this bed. Millions of fanboys are probably upset that he's used to this bed, but he is. He walks in carefully and sits on the edge. Quiet as he puts his hand on her back. Careful, just in case she balks away. <@Ardweden> [This time, Akemi doesn't pull away. She just keeps crying into her pillow.] * Kaede sighs and relents, stating fairly clearly. "...you're right...I shouldn't..." <@Ardweden> [Akemi says something into her pillow in between sobs, but it's too muffled for Kaede to make out.] * Kaede lets out a breath and then pulls out his phone, dialing away. Yes, this is the best time to call Satoshi now. Probably not too late over there at *all* or anything. <@Ardweden> [On the other side of the world, Satoshi's cell phone rings. His clock blinks 2:13 am.] * @Satoshi had been sleeping soundly, back in his own dorm room after three nights in Albany. The sound of the cell phone wakes him up instantly, though. The only reason why someone would be calling him right now would be an emergency. He sits up, grabs for the phone, checks caller ID, and is out of bed in a flash. "Hang on, Kaede, I'm heading to the lounge," he says quietly, grabbing for slippers and keys and rushing out the door. Has he mentioned how happy he is that he's rooming with someone who's a very deep sleeper? 'Cause he *is*. <@Ardweden> [Speaking of, Paul rolls onto his back and snooooores.] * Kaede can wait. Probably. Probably. * @Satoshi gets into the dorm lounge and sits heavily on the couch. Wasn't he just here last week, talking with Katie and Wataru? And then a month and a half before that... are these middle of the night things going to become a habit? But this has to be important. "Okay, what happened? Are you all right? Is it Katie? Is she all right?" There's a note of anxiety in his voice. * Kaede frowns as he responds. "...no, no. It's...well...It's Akemi..." He pauses. For just a moment. "...we might have to cancel the trip." * @Satoshi sits up. "Oh my gosh, is she okay? What happened?" <@Ardweden> [On Kaede's end, Akemi rolls away from him and fumbles the shelf above her bed until she comes up with some tissue (in an adorable pink hedgehog tissue holder) and blows her nose.] * Kaede looks at Akemi and then back at the phone. "She's...she's fine..it's just..." His shoulders drop. Confession time. "...I kind of forgot to tell her..." * @Satoshi looks completely flummoxed, although of course Kaede can't see that. Probably. Kaede can't see through phones. Yet. Can he? "Kind of forgot to tell her what?" he asks. * Kaede can't unless he activates your camera. Even then with it being this far away, it's doubtful. "...about the trip." * @Satoshi sounds absolutely incredulous. "You... *what*? You didn't... you didn't talk about it beforehand? You didn't *ask* her? How do you not ask her? This is a big thing, Kaede!" * Kaede flinches at the calling out and Akemi can probably hear it too. "It *is* a big thing, which is why when you were in trouble I just...well...you know how I am..." He sighs, leaning back on Akemi's bed, looking up at her. "...I kind of do things without thinking when someone's in trouble..." She knows it too. <@Ardweden> [Akemi is sitting at this point, propped up by a couple of pillows, and she curls her legs up, her skirt falling back a bit. She's accumulating a small pile of used tissues in the wastebin near her bed.] * @Satoshi lets out a sharp sigh. "Yeah, you do," he says, voice quieting a bit. "But this isn't... this is coming halfway across the world, you know? It's not the kind of thing you decide on the spur of the moment and then not tell someone about!" * Kaede snorts and leans back, arm around his head. "So? It's the kind of thing *I* decide upon..." He glances at Akemi. "Apparently..." His eyes close. "I...I still want to go. It's important for someone to be there for you. You're all by yourself over there. But..." His eyes open to look back at Akemi thoughtfully as he adds, "Some things are more important, right? I'll let you know if we're able to go, okay?" <@Ardweden> [Akemi's just watching. And sniffling. Another folded up tissue goes on the pile.] * @Satoshi exhales slowly. "I'm going to be home in a little over a month, you know? I'll be back right after Golden Week." There's a pause. "I mean, it's not that I wouldn't be happy to see you, or both of you, but... yes, some things are more important. I'll send you the flight and hotel information anyway. And... if anything else happens here, I'll let you know right away." His tone softens. "Tell Akemi hi from me. And that I..." He stops, then says, "I hope things go well." * Kaede pulls away the mouthpiece and gestures, mouthing if she wants to talk to him or not? <@Ardweden> [Akemi sighs, a little, and she holds her hand out for her phone.] * Kaede nods and responds into the phone. "You can tell her that yourself." And then hands it over. <@Ardweden> ["" Akemi says over the phone. She sounds less bubbly than usual.] * @Satoshi half-smiles; again, no one's going to see him, but he's not really thinking about his expression. "Hey, Akemi." <@Ardweden> ["Hi Satoshi." Akemi sniffs; she somehow manages to make it cute. "How are you?"] * @Satoshi hesitates briefly. "I'm okay," he says, seeming like he wants to say a little more but stopping himself. * Kaede looks like Akemi and frowns a little bit, but he doesn't want to interject... <@Ardweden> [Akemi stands up and walks out of the room, still talking on the phone. "What's going on over there? Are you back in Maine?"] <@Satoshi> Yeah, we got back from New York this morning. Er, yesterday morning, I guess. Definitely yesterday for you. We won both our games. <@Ardweden> ["Oh," she says, a mild amount of enthusiasm entering her voice. "Congratulations."] * Kaede can't help but smile a little at that too. But only a little. * @Satoshi answers "Thanks!" before going quiet again. Then, he says, "He really should have asked you first." <@Ardweden> [Akemi sighs. "Yeah. Thanks." She sits on the living room couch, sliding off her slippers and tucking her feet under her. "Would things be better for you if I was there?"] * Kaede'll just wait here on her bed. He'll just let her talk. He'll screw it up if he's there. * @Satoshi is hesitant once more. "How much did he tell you about what's going on?" <@Ardweden> ["He said you ran into some trouble, but it's nothing you couldn't handle. But if he's thinking we have to go, then maybe you *can't* handle it, and... something about you ending up in a place called Bangor and Arcana stuff."] * @Satoshi shifts back into the couch. "Okay, well... first of all, I'm all right. I mean, I'm not hurt or anything. And Bangor's just a city that's about a twenty minute ride south of the university. Except that it's also got a ... a Tower Reversed." <@Ardweden> ["A what?" Akemi asks, puzzled. "But that's impossible."] * @Satoshi laughs. It's kind of shaky. "Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But... well... it's there." <@Ardweden> ["So what's it like? Is it Tokyo Tower?"] <@Satoshi> Well, Bangor's a lot smaller than Tokyo. So it's... well, this isn't even a very large building by Tokyo standards at all. It's really about seven stories tall. But it's pretty much a skyscraper here. And, I mean, it's actually kind of neat-looking from the outside. It's an older building. I just... wasn't expecting it to have a Reversed. <@Ardweden> [Akemi is silent for a little while, then she says, "That's weird." Pause. "Maybe it's there because you're close by...?"] * @Satoshi's voice is quiet again. "It is weird. And it might be. I didn't mean to make it happen, but..." <@Ardweden> ["But is there... anything else? Or is it just a place? A weird, creepy place, but a place."] * @Satoshi sighs. "I guess it could be connected to the World Reversed somehow, but I wasn't about to go and try to find out more. Especially since..." The hand not holding the phone clenches into a fist. "...someone else had been there. Temperance, or maybe another Arcana connected to her." He takes a deep breath. "So I kind of maybe freaked out a little." Understatement of the year there, Satoshi. "But I'm okay now!" he adds a little too quickly. <@Ardweden> ["That's good! So Kaede wants to visit - when are your finals? Ours are right around the corner. Can we visit after? I can talk to my teachers about- hmm, it's going to take some rescheduling and stuff, but if my career falls apart I can just fire Kaede!"] * Kaede didn't hear that! Well, maybe just barely. Part of it. But not the whole of it! Probably for the best. * @Satoshi blinks in surprise. "Um, well... the end of the tournament is April 8th through April 10th and I'll be in Boston for that, and my finals aren't actually until the first week in May, which is Golden Week for you guys and I'm coming home right after that and..." Shyness enters his tone. "I don't want your career to go to badly. I want it to go really well." <@Ardweden> [Akemi giggles. "Don't worry about that. Okay, so would it be better for us to visit after the tournament's over? That should help us get better tickets. Prices are going to be awful. Maybe I'll make Kaede pay for them..."] <@Ardweden> ["We really *should* try to make the most out of actually going to America. Oh! Maybe we can stay until you come home! I really do want to see the lady with the torch, in New York City? And the mountain with the faces!"] <@Ardweden> ["If we're lucky with return flights we can even go to the airport together!"] * @Satoshi starts to say something and then he just lets out a laugh. "That's... um, well, I think the mountain with the faces is pretty far from here. And you guys would have to go to New York on your own because I'll have classes, but you can fly there from Bangor pretty easily. You'd actually have to; Bangor is like the *tiniest* airport ever. There are three gates. Total. So you have to come from Tokyo through New York or DC or Chicago." <@Ardweden> ["Wow, okay... can you send Kaede some travel information, then, so we can figure out the route? But does that sound good? We can check out the creepy upside down tower, too- but I don't wanna try to get us outside of it unless we really have to."] * @Satoshi nods and then realizes what he's doing. "Yeah. I'll send him information for here and Boston, just in case. And I wouldn't... well, I'd hope we wouldn't have to do that." More pausing. "Akemi?" <@Ardweden> ["Hmm?"] * @Satoshi leans back into the sofa. "I, um... thank you." <@Ardweden> ["You're welcome! You can thank me in person later... oh! Do you want to talk to Kaede again?"] <@Satoshi> If, I mean... if he's got anything else to say? Otherwise please tell him I'll send over the travel info. <@Ardweden> [Akemi hums on the other side, and the next thing Kaede knows, she's bouncing into back into her bedroom, looking much more like her ordinary self. "Kaede?" she asks, holding his phone in one hand. "Do you want to talk to Satoshi some more?"] * Kaede glances up. "Hmm? No. I..." He blinks. When did *that* happen? "I...I think I'm fine, yes." <@Ardweden> ["Okay! He says he's going to send you travel info." And then into the phone, "He says he's fine!"] * @Satoshi makes an amused sound. "Okay. I'll talk to you both later, then... and I guess the next time might even be in person. Bye, Akemi." <@Ardweden> ["Bye bye!" Akemi hangs up holds the phone out to Kaede, smiling.] * Kaede looks up at her. Huh. A little confused with the smiling. "...how much is this going to cost me?" <@Ardweden> ["We're going *after* final exams and after his tournament is over, and you're buying the tickets. I think maybe we can stay until Satoshi has to come back to Japan, so we'll have to arrange things with our professors. Maybe do schoolwork in America, or take a term off? And you need to fix my schedule, too."] * Kaede was going to buy the tickets anyway but he pouts. "...but why wouldn't we want to watch part of the tournament?" The rest he looks unsurprised at. Except. "...wait, who's the manager here?" <@Ardweden> [Akemi beams!] * Kaede takes in a breath, then shakes his head. "I...you're right. I should have spoken with you first. I'm sorry. And in the meantime, we'll spend extra time with Yusuke, alright? If you like..." He then glances up at her, curious. "...honestly, I'm surprised you haven't fired me." <@Ardweden> [Akemi sighs. "What you did wasn't great." She sits next to Kaede. "But it's because you care about your friends. I'm not going to fire you for caring about your friends." She pushes Mimi into his hands.] * Kaede nods, looking down at the phone. "...some things are still more important than friends though. I meant that...it's hard but...." <@Ardweden> [Akemi tilts her head, slightly.] * Kaede rubs the back of his head, still looking at his phone. "...one of these days, my emotions won't get in the way of my better judgment..." <@Ardweden> ["Maybe." Akemi leans over, kissing Kaede on the cheek. "But I like your emotions. Just remember me, okay?"] * Kaede is still looking down at his phone when he says, without thinking about it. "...how can I forget...?" Then pauses, glancing up again at her. "Um...that doesn't count, Shiraishi-san. It just came out..." <@Ardweden> [She grins. "Okay." And then: "I'm hungry. Do you want to go out? I want to go out."] * Kaede looks at the kitchen. "I can still make something here...I mean it'd be cheaper..." He then sighs and glances at her. "...whatever you want." <@Ardweden> ["That's right," she says with a little giggle, and she leans in and kisses Kaede. "Now get out of here so I can fix my make up."] * Kaede snorts and gets up. "You look perfect just the way you are and you know this." But he goes to leave anyway. *Women*. <@Ardweden> [Women!] <@Ardweden> [End.]