[He pauses for a moment, lips faintly quirked in that inscrutable smile, glancing over at Hizashi before looking away.]
Nothing wrong with a little weird, but 'I could have done worse' isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, especially coming from you. I wasn't married to Tom--
[He pauses for a moment, a mildly puzzled frown coming over his face. Why was he about to say that name? He wasn't over there, he doesn't remember that life or that world, except...no, it's lost again.]
No, he'd probably be the 'worse,' wouldn't he? [The words are accompanied by another little shake of his head as he clears his thoughts. No sense thinking about things that didn't happen and probably aren't going to. Instead:]
So what was the other you up to in that world? If I was the first person you saw, must mean we haven't gotten sick of each other yet.
Tomura's like ten years younger than us dude. Almost anyway. I'd be calling you a cradle robber and everything. Also yeah, that'd be real weird, I wouldn't have kept my mouth shut about that.
[There's another laugh but the next question gets Hizashi to stop. He doesn't like lying to Shouta, not even by omission, so instead he just sort of watches him for a minute.]
I was helping you and Tomura out. You know, doing the renegade dj gig. Got married, fed a bunch of farm animals, that sort of thing. Turns out you're just kind of stuck with me, dude.
Good to know my other self hadn't completely lost it, at least.
[He's quiet for another long moment, picturing that image Hizashi's painting. Not even figuring Shigaraki in there, not even considering that weirdness--just...him and Hizashi. Living on a farm, both renegade heroes, married--and still together after all those years. Still together. (Together again, a small voice in his head reminds him, again because for a few years there, hadn't he just vanished? Left Hizashi alone because he was hurting, and too selfish and young and stupid to realize maybe he wasn't the only one. He'd almost ruined something irreparable. One of the very few friendships he had.)
It's funny how easy it is after a moment to picture it, even if he can't quite come up with a spouse for either of them. Those figures are faded and fuzzy and faceless, but Hizashi is as bright as he always is. And after a long moment, his lips quirk in that smile again, along with a huff of quiet laughter.]
Guess I could be stuck with worse.
[He's still grinning after his own fashion when he reaches out with a hand, pushing at Hizashi's shoulder.]
Come on. Where are we going? Where's this errand of yours?
[Could be stuck with worse. Hizashi laughs. They could both do worse for best friends, couldn't they? Even with that small gap in time, Hizashi can't think of anyone he'd be closer with. He hums thoughtfully, almost missing the question that he's asked -- but it doesn't matter. Hizashi's already strolling over to a set of double doors, fingers curling around the handle.]
Just here, man. We've got about an hour and a half.
[he nods his head in the direction of the name of the establishment splayed across the large glass window. "Purrs and Tea", it reads.]
[Shouta's eyes find the window just as Hizashi reaches the door, and his eyebrows lift high enough to almost disappear under his hair. Purrs and Tea, huh...Leave it to Hizashi to find a place like this in a country like this. There's a warmth at the thought that he can't really deny, and even as he sighs and shakes his head, he's smiling.]
I should have known.
[That's Shouta for 'thank you,' but Hizashi already knows that, doesn't he?]
[Turns out these places are kind of hard to find in the states, but hey, he found one -- that's what matters right? What actually matters is the soft looking smile on Shouta's face and that very appropriate response.]
Hey, I'm not that predictable. Happy Birthday dude. [He's still holding the door open and gestures enthusiastically for Shouta to go in first. Honestly, he's rather pleased that Shouta seems so content with the gift, the effort of hunting this place down and locking in the time well worth it.]
[It's not a bad thing. A little predictable is okay. Comforting, even.
Shouta only pauses briefly before he enters, moving past Hizashi to stand just inside the cafe. It's cute, homey, quiet. The kind of place he'd like no matter what the circumstance, which really only goes to show how well Hizashi really knows him.]
Only to you, dude. Only to you. [He shakes his head. They've known each other for half their lives, it'd be hard to be unpredictable in that context. He follows Shouta inside, letting the door shut behind him gently before he walks up to the counter where one of the employees is waiting to greet them.]
Yeah! Like I said, an hour and a half. Food and time with the cats. Pretty sure most of em are up for adoption too.
[he turns to give the employee his name, and after a moment and a second to grab single-page menus they direct the two men towards a table in a sunny, plant-filled room. There's plenty of little cubbies and cat furniture in corners and along the walls, and it's hard to miss the content, comfortable-looking cats curiously peering at both Hizashi and Shouta.]
It'd be irresponsible to adopt a cat right now, given everything. Impractical.
[And yet, that doesn't stop him from casting a soft eye on all the curious residents as they enter that sunny room. Calico, tabby, a giant orange monstrosity holding court in a sunlit window...kittens and older cats alike.
Yeah, this is exactly the right place to bring him. He can't even look as grumpy as usual as he takes a seat, holding the menu he's offered but not even looking at it, instead looking around the room and feeling oddly peaceful.]
How did you even find this place? Have you been holding out on me?
Yeah, it's not like we've got a huge house or the time or resources to spend on a cat.
[he's looking at Shouta flatly here, resting his chin in one hand, the other reaching down to twirl his fingers around the hooked tail of a curious tabby that has already padded over to sniff at Shouta's pants leg.]
But haha, you think I could keep a place like this secret from you? I'm actually surprised you didn't know about it already.
Or instability, or power-swaps, or sudden missing chunks of memories.
[He can look right on back, though that flat look warps into something pained, as a set of tiny claws hook into his leg and the kitten attached to them begins to scale him. Not that he'd ever dream of stopping said kitten.]
Honestly, I haven't really spent much time in the neighborhood the last month. Or...much before that, even. Has it been here a while?
[He'd been trying not to laugh at the dry, sarcastic response honestly. The laughter escapes him though when Shouta's expression twists into something pained. Ah, cats.]
Mm.... a few months I think they said. Definitely popped up after you showed up here, and before the whole month of weirdness yo.
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[He pauses for a moment, lips faintly quirked in that inscrutable smile, glancing over at Hizashi before looking away.]
Nothing wrong with a little weird, but 'I could have done worse' isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, especially coming from you. I wasn't married to Tom--
[He pauses for a moment, a mildly puzzled frown coming over his face. Why was he about to say that name? He wasn't over there, he doesn't remember that life or that world, except...no, it's lost again.]
No, he'd probably be the 'worse,' wouldn't he? [The words are accompanied by another little shake of his head as he clears his thoughts. No sense thinking about things that didn't happen and probably aren't going to. Instead:]
So what was the other you up to in that world? If I was the first person you saw, must mean we haven't gotten sick of each other yet.
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[There's another laugh but the next question gets Hizashi to stop. He doesn't like lying to Shouta, not even by omission, so instead he just sort of watches him for a minute.]
I was helping you and Tomura out. You know, doing the renegade dj gig. Got married, fed a bunch of farm animals, that sort of thing. Turns out you're just kind of stuck with me, dude.
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[He's quiet for another long moment, picturing that image Hizashi's painting. Not even figuring Shigaraki in there, not even considering that weirdness--just...him and Hizashi. Living on a farm, both renegade heroes, married--and still together after all those years. Still together.
(Together again, a small voice in his head reminds him, again because for a few years there, hadn't he just vanished? Left Hizashi alone because he was hurting, and too selfish and young and stupid to realize maybe he wasn't the only one. He'd almost ruined something irreparable. One of the very few friendships he had.)
It's funny how easy it is after a moment to picture it, even if he can't quite come up with a spouse for either of them. Those figures are faded and fuzzy and faceless, but Hizashi is as bright as he always is. And after a long moment, his lips quirk in that smile again, along with a huff of quiet laughter.]
Guess I could be stuck with worse.
[He's still grinning after his own fashion when he reaches out with a hand, pushing at Hizashi's shoulder.]
Come on. Where are we going? Where's this errand of yours?
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Just here, man. We've got about an hour and a half.
[he nods his head in the direction of the name of the establishment splayed across the large glass window. "Purrs and Tea", it reads.]
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I should have known.
[That's Shouta for 'thank you,' but Hizashi already knows that, doesn't he?]
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Hey, I'm not that predictable. Happy Birthday dude. [He's still holding the door open and gestures enthusiastically for Shouta to go in first. Honestly, he's rather pleased that Shouta seems so content with the gift, the effort of hunting this place down and locking in the time well worth it.]
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[It's not a bad thing. A little predictable is okay. Comforting, even.
Shouta only pauses briefly before he enters, moving past Hizashi to stand just inside the cafe. It's cute, homey, quiet. The kind of place he'd like no matter what the circumstance, which really only goes to show how well Hizashi really knows him.]
Did you make reservations?
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Yeah! Like I said, an hour and a half. Food and time with the cats. Pretty sure most of em are up for adoption too.
[he turns to give the employee his name, and after a moment and a second to grab single-page menus they direct the two men towards a table in a sunny, plant-filled room. There's plenty of little cubbies and cat furniture in corners and along the walls, and it's hard to miss the content, comfortable-looking cats curiously peering at both Hizashi and Shouta.]
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[And yet, that doesn't stop him from casting a soft eye on all the curious residents as they enter that sunny room. Calico, tabby, a giant orange monstrosity holding court in a sunlit window...kittens and older cats alike.
Yeah, this is exactly the right place to bring him. He can't even look as grumpy as usual as he takes a seat, holding the menu he's offered but not even looking at it, instead looking around the room and feeling oddly peaceful.]
How did you even find this place? Have you been holding out on me?
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[he's looking at Shouta flatly here, resting his chin in one hand, the other reaching down to twirl his fingers around the hooked tail of a curious tabby that has already padded over to sniff at Shouta's pants leg.]
But haha, you think I could keep a place like this secret from you? I'm actually surprised you didn't know about it already.
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[He can look right on back, though that flat look warps into something pained, as a set of tiny claws hook into his leg and the kitten attached to them begins to scale him. Not that he'd ever dream of stopping said kitten.]
Honestly, I haven't really spent much time in the neighborhood the last month. Or...much before that, even. Has it been here a while?
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Mm.... a few months I think they said. Definitely popped up after you showed up here, and before the whole month of weirdness yo.