soul_logs | [Closed] "The burgers are really good"

Entry tags:

duo maxwell,
haruka

[Closed] "The burgers are really good"

Characters: Duo and Haruka

Location: Outside Casualty Communal -> an out of the way diner.

Rating: G

Time: 20th of February, middle of the day.

Description: Haruka and Duo meet, chat and eat.

[Haruka sat on a bench outside the Casualty Communal, crutches resting against the side, softly humming a tune while she waited for Duo to arrive. She had so many things she wanted to talk to and ask him about and that combined with the prospect of great food had filled her with a great deal of anticipation. But the weather was great, she thought as she soaked up the sunlight, and made patience come easily. Not only that, it was more than warm enough for her to wear her regular clothes from home - a major plus. She liked the clothes she'd gotten from the arrival basket well enough, but her few possessions grounded her. No matter where she went, if she had something familiar with her, it put her just a little bit more at ease.]

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[Her mouth becomes dry, making her current mouthful of burger impossible to swallow comfortably. A sip from her drink solves that. Haruka puts the cup down and places her elbows on the table, resting her chin on the back of her hands. She stares at the bar, her gaze vacant and her mind a million miles away.]

...I can't do anything that will damage the reputation of my family. I owe them for raising me.

[She ~~stalls~~ takes another long sip of her drink, then continues.]

It must sound silly, since I'm so far away from home. But... I'm here to help win a war. I might not like this place, but I still don't want to bring everyone else down.

Besides, [Her smiles returns at this.] I've managed for this long. I can keep on managing for quite a bit longer, I think. And isn't it important that more people than just myself are happy?

[ In a way, he could understand. He as a child would have never done anything that might have permanently damaged the reputation of the Maxwell Church and Sister Helen, if he actually thought about the repercussions before hand. But on the other - he was all about self determination, and the understanding that while others may not be at their happiest while a singular person is, individual happiness is just as important as the whole, so long as the individual's happiness doesn't negatively affect every one else's. ]

Maybe it's just because I never really had a family, but - [ He waves his hand, making it clear (as far as he's concerned) that the no family thing wasn't a big deal. ] - Who cares? If you're happy, and that isn't negatively affecting everyone else in the family, I say go for it.

They can deal with it, if it chafes their ordeals a little, and eventually they'll get used to it. But individual happiness is really, really, important..

Wha...

[Duo, why is your luck so bad? Haruka frowns unhappily but otherwise refrains from expressing her dismay.]

Maybe...

[A point of view so vastly different to anything she's ever heard is hard to take in. A noncommittal response is the best she can give right now.]

I want... to make them proud, though. And I don't think that... I can truly be happy if my family and the people around me aren't happy. It would hurt.

[...She felt trapped and sick and increasingly like there was something wrong with her. She needed to set the conversation back on a better path. Haruka shakes her head, straightens up and starts to smile again before she says brightly:]

Well... well I think there's a happy medium! When I get home, if I just win the Johto Grand Festival, then everybody can be happy! I love what I do, and my parents... if I win, there's no way they can't be proud of me for that! It's a prestigious festival, and it's only my third and I'm still a young adult and I'll be a Top Coordinator and, and... i-it's truly an accomplishment worthy of a Gym Leader's daughter! Th-they might even say I can finally live at home again! I... I...

...I'm a mess, aren't I?

[ He just lets her spill and talk her way through things, patiently nibbling on fries while she gets it all out, so to speak. Things like this sort of made him glad that while he did have a family they were so accepting and understanding of him. All the families he'd run in to.. well.. hadn't exactly worked out all that well when they were all together. But then again, that might not be a very fair assumption to place on every one.

Still, he has to give a little honest smile after that, shrugging lightly. ]

... Yeah, just a little. But that's alright, we all have our moments. [ He gives a little smile, though, shrugging for a moment. ]

But it seems like you want to be happy, even though doing what makes them happy doesn't really... fit you the best.

...I want to be happy, yeah. But...

[She felt so guilty.]

I'm sorry. I've never really told anyone any of this before, and I'm sorry for dumping it all on you. You shouldn't be any different, it isn't fair.

[Something in Haruka shifts. Her face takes on a determined look and she pumps her fist once for emphasis.]

I'll make it up to you! And don't say anything like I don't need to, because I want to! So, Duo Maxwell - what is it you want to do more than anything else in Death City?

[...Dramatic, yes. But that was how Haruka rolled.]

Dude it's really okay. I don't mind. I've heard heavier things, I promise you're not ruining my day by telling me you want to be happy but you want every one else to be happy too.

[ He seems a little bemused by the dramatic declaration, though at the same time, he doesn't really know how to respond. The one thing in Death City that he wants...

He takes a moment to pause before laughing, shaking his head at himself, as if it's silly. ]

Unless you can kick me back to where I'm from, don't worry about it. I'm content with what I've got. A roof over my head and food in my belly and I'm content enough.

[Whoa hey don't laugh, she's in Full Serious Mode! Or at least she was. Now she's just flustered, her cheeks quickly heating up.]

H-hey! I'm not wrong for wanting to thank you! You shouldn't make fun of a girl's feelings, you know!

If I was making fun of you, you would know. [ But he does stop his chuckles for a moment, taking another bite of his nearly finished burger. He wasn't the type to really need a lot, so while he concern was nice, he'd rather she focus on other things, if that was entirely possible for her. ]

Either way, thanks for the sentiment, but I'm alright. Scout's honor.

[Haruka makes sort of a begrudging 'mmph' sound of concession before digging into the remaining half of her burger. It was rare for conversation to distract her from a meal and Haruka ate quickly, trying to catch up.

Being stubborn and a little strange however, she isn't letting go of the idea of doing something nice for Duo. She just won't mention it again.

When her lunch is finally demolished, she wipes her hands on a napkin and gets out her wallet from her pack, ready to pay.]

[ Duo's quite capable of woofing down food in no time flat, used to demolishing his daily calories before going on long missions, but at times like these he likes to take his time. That doesn't stop him, however, from making a little sound of distress around his mouthful of burger, quickly swallowing his mouthful. ]

What're you doin'? This one's on me put that away.. [ Such a gentlemen, at times. ]

[She can't help but grin cheekily at his reaction.]

Paying!

[You know what, just for that, she's going to try to pay for his meal as well. She speeds up, quickly adding up the amount of bills she needs before slamming them triumphantly on the table. And the tip, of course.]

I never end up spending all of the allowance they give us anyway.

[ Duo manages to give a little sour expression, nose scrunching up in a pout. He likes to at least pay for these sorts of things, but if it's already on the table... ]

Fine. But I'm paying next time.

[Her grin softens, both at his expression and the promise of a next time.]

Deal.

[Now, time to get down from her seat. Okay, if she turns around, takes a hold of her crutches, positions herself and gently swings down...

...Or not. What if she slips and hurts herself? She wants to be brave and self-sufficient, but she doesn't have any confidence in what she's about to do. And there's a much safer option at hand, even if asking is embarrassing.]

Um... Duo? Do you still feel like being a gentleman?

Uh? [ He looks over, for a moment confused about what she would be asking him that for, but when he realizes, he just smiles. With a nod he gets off his stool, holding out a hand in order to help her, or to offer whatever help she needed. ]

Yeah. Come on, tell me how I can help.

[She sets her crutches to the side again before gingerly taking Duo's hand, placing her good leg forward.]

Just... please don't let me fall.

[Her grip tightening, she moves off the seat and lands safely on the ground.]

Thank you.

I won't, promise. [ He holds on to her hand with a light pressure, enough to ensure that she had a nice support, other hand at the side just in case. But he smiles as she thanks him, giving a little shrug but waiting to release her until she has her crutches in hand. ]

No problem. Got a good footing?

Mm-hm!

[Haruka nods once in confirmation, letting go of his hand once her crutches are positioned securely under her arms.

She's having fun though, and she doesn't want to split up just yet.]

Hey, do you want to go to the park? The paths that run through it are smooth, so they're easy for me to walk on. And besides - today's a beautiful day.

Uh - [ Well, he really doesn't have much else to do, does he? After all, he wasn't in war time and no one else was here that he knew. ]

Sure. I just have to keep a watch out because this whole real sun thing is a new element for me.

[His hesitation is hard to miss, so naturally she tries to reassure him.]

Don't worry. It doesn't have to take long. And there's plenty of shade in the meantime!

[It's not until they're outside again that Haruka brings up a topic she's been itching to ask about, her expression neutral and her tone inquisitive:]

So, I was kinda wondering about, from your post... what were the debatably illegal things you were considering?

[ Duo looks a little bemused at her asking that, one brow raising as he turns to look at her. Of course he would tell Haruka all of the gruesome details about what he'd been trained in before the war and during it, what he'd learned on the streets verses from the Doctor, but well, there was always a way of glossing things over. ]

Don't get yourself tied up in what I'm plannin', uh?

Aw, why?

[She sounds more curious than disappointed.]

You wouldn't do it if it wasn't for a good reason, right?

No, I wouldn't. Don't worry about that.

I just don't trust coming in to a place and then falling in line with whatever powers that be without... investigating first. [ He turns to give a little smirk, but well, this is Duo and at the moment it's hardly as threatening as it could have been. ]

[She hums contentedly.]

Mm~ then that's all I really need to know.

...Could you do me a favor, though?

[Her expression turns very serious.]

If you find something, that isn't quite right... please, let me know.

Let's put it this way - if it's pertinent and might pique your interest, I'll let you in on it, mm? [ Duo still seems as relaxed and almost playful as ever, hands in his pockets and laxly walking beside her. He's been there done that with so many intelligence missions that it doesn't really phase him outwardly, anymore. ]

Sounds good to me. Thank you.

[And with that, she returns to smiling. She thinks it's funny, how relaxed and... happy? cheerful? kinda? he's stayed, regardless of whatever. But then again, if he'd lived through a war, then... maybe it was like when after you rode a giant roller-coaster, the smaller ones just weren't that scary anymore? Sorta. It made sense.

And for a while, she's content to just walk on in silence towards the park.]

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[Closed] "The burgers are really good"

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