tunasub | OPEN POST 2019

Yeah? Shut up

Why else would u bring this up other than to mess with me lol

[ there are no other reasons . . . ]

Genuine curiosity?
I know you better than anyone, but there are still some things I can't figure out since I'm not you
If that makes any sense

[ the problem with kiryu is that he's so damn earnest that nishiki occasionally feels guilty trying to pull the wool over his eyes. Not that he's doing that, exactly, just... this isn't something he's got figured out, either, and even admitting that to himself is sort of mortifying, that he doesn't know where he wants the line between them to be anymore... and he sure as hell doesn't want to figure it out over text with Kiryu. God help him. He's supposed to be the smart one here, so he'd better figure something out... ]

OK, I get it.
Listen
I'll be honest, i don't remember that at all...
I must have been pretty drunk. Sorry if it creeped u out, for real. I'll make it up to you

?

I already told you I wasn't mad
I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it

[ if anything... this is just making him feel even more lost? damn it, nishiki. ]

I didnt say mad I said creeped out

[ there's a DIFFERENCE. he'd know if kiryu was mad at him, anyway. ]

But ok good
That brand of shochu always makes me all sloppy i gotta stop drinking it.
U mean a lot to me u know? You're the only brother I've got. Not that complicated u don't gotta get confused
Shit don't make me get all sappy explaining this to you

I would have told you outright if you did.

[ . . . ]

Do you have any plans tonight?
If you don't, I think I'll take you up on that dinner offer
We should go somewhere they don't offer alcohol

Gonna be hard to find a place like that in Kamurocho.
But sure I'm free tonight. Let's do it

[ honestly, there aren't that many people he'd call friends in this town outside of kiryu and reina, so his schedule's usually open if he's not doing "business..." ]

Just go easy on my wallet. That new car was no joke

Well, Akaushimaru only has cheap beer
Same with a couple of ramen places on Tenkaichi Street

Worst comes to worst, there's always Smile Burger?

We can't eat dinner at Smile Burger bro... Thats sad

Ramen would hit the spot though if ur dedicated to being sober
Want me to swing by your place tonight? I'll pick you up.

That's why I tacked it on at the end as a worst case scenario...
But cool, sounds like a plan
See you in a bit

[ they have definitely eaten dinner at smile burger before anyway... before they had more money than they knew what to do with. Good times.

By the time evening actually rolls around, Nishikiyama's largely forgotten about the impetus of the original text conversation; in typical Nishikiyama fashion, he's mostly excited about getting to hang out with Kiryu. Even though they just hung out yesterday. Doesn't matter!! Kiryu is the best. Knocking on his door: ]

Oi, Kiryu! You awake? It's me.

[ look, sometimes you're just REALLY in the mood for a smile shake and you figure you may as well just get dinner too since you're already there anyway? that's just what 20 year olds DO.

kiryu opens the door quickly enough, already ready to hit up the town. familiar scents typical of a bachelor pad waft out of the small apartment—cigarette smoke, canned beer residue, flavor packets from instant noodles. he really should learn how to open a window one of these days. ]

Yo. [ he raises a hand in his usual greeting as he steps out to join nishiki and closes the door behind him. ] Thanks for coming out tonight.

[ Nishiki could criticize him, but let's be real, his room is just as bad. These nasty bachelor boys. ]

Hey, someone's gotta get you out on the town at night. Would you even know there were ramen places on Tenkaichi if it wasn't for me?

[ maybe, but he both likes teasing kiryu and making himself feel like he's contributing something, so. He claps a hand on Kiryu's shoulder, as usual, before leading him over to his car, twirling his keys around one finger. ]

Hop in. Oh, man, did I tell you this thing has heated seats? I'll show you.

Tch. You make it sound like I'm hopeless.

[ as nishiki slings an arm around his shoulder, kiryu lightly jabs him in the side with his elbow. he's wearing a smile, though, because this lighthearted teasing is a cornerstone of their relationship. he doesn't know what he'd do if things were any different. ]

Guess they had to pull out all the stops if you dropped so much cash on it. What other tricks is this thing hiding?

[ kiryu you are hopeless.

The shoulder-slinging is short-lived, seeing as he has to actually get in the car; it's just something Nishiki does without thinking, at this point. ]

It's got a CD player, bro. [ a beat. ] I don't have any CDs yet, though.

[ did you know CD players were like, $500+ in the 80s? and CDs cost like $30?? i do now. ]

Whoa.

[ it's a single word, yes, but nishiki should know how enthusiastic the usually-stoic kiryu really is just by his tone alone. like, he is straight up JAZZED as he climbs into the passenger seat and buckles himself in. ]

Come on, let's stop by a music store after dinner. We have to celebrate.

[ his expression brightens instantaneously at the suggestion, and he beams a big smile over at Kiryu. ]

Yeah! Let's do it. No backing out later, okay? We're turning this thing into a mobile karaoke machine on the way back.

[ it's a threat AND a promise.

in any case, driving over to kamurocho now!! woo!! how does he find parking in the big city? when you're a yakuza, it's not hard!! where are you taking him, bro. ]

Heh. How am I supposed to say no to my own idea?

[ he holds up his fist to bump it against nishiki's knuckles. BUT SURE, OK, THEY'RE DRIVING? bold of you to assume i actually looked at a game map for reference. anyway, they find parking on an off-street with relative ease, and kiryu leads nishiki toward a modest-looking ramen shop. before nishiki gets the chance to make any kind of comment, kiryu makes idle chatter as they duck beneath the banner hanging over the restaurant's entrance. ]

Their decor isn't anything flashy, but this place simmers their tonkotsu broth for a whole 48 hours. Their dedication really shines through in the effort they put into making their food, and you can't help but respect that.

[ who knew kiryu was a foodie, apparently??? ]

[ in nishiki's experience, the restaurants with the flashiest exteriors tend to have pretty shallow flavors, especially when it comes to ramen, so he's not judging the book by its cover here. ]

You're really serious about ramen, huh? Macho, as always. Well, I trust your judgement when it comes to basic stuff like this.

[ kiryu may not know many things, but nishiki will believe that kiryu knows good ramen when he tastes it. ]

"Not that flashy, but packed full of hard work" is just your style, Kiryu.

[ his expression may remain the same as it ever does, but a slight change in inflection in kiryu's voice should be all nishiki needs to tell that those comments... really do mean a lot to him. unsurprisingly, though, he is modest as can be—as he takes a seat at the bar with nishiki beside him, he only replies, ]

I thought you weren't a fan of "my style." I still remember you giving me hell for the suit.

Your sense of style is a totally separate matter. Still not a fan of that - or your clown suit. One day you're gonna have to get serious and start looking presentable.

[ he's smiling back, though, even as he teases. It's hard to read Kiryu sometimes - well, most of the time, actually - but he likes to think he's gotten good at it over the years. ]

It seems to be working for me so far.

[ he just nudges nishiki in the side as he places his order... then, after a moment of hesitation, he asks the server to make that two. with a nod of acknowledgement, he looks over to nishiki with a firm gaze. ]

Trust me on this one.

Don't I always?

[ he trusts kiryu more than he trusts himself, honestly. Nishiki instinctively almost orders a beer before he remembers Kiryu said he didn't want to drink. In his experience, that usually means he's got something serious on his mind. Even though he has the singular brain cell of this operation, he's not really putting two and two together. Leaning his elbows on the table, he looks over at his oath brother with a raised eyebrow. ]

So? Am I allowed to ask why you're suddenly having a sober night out?

[ kiryu takes a moment to contemplate his answer, staring into the glass of water before him for a few seconds before picking up and taking a drink. once he's had about a fourth of the cup, he breaks the silence with, ]

I wanted to talk about what happened last night.

[ straight to the point, huh. then again, as nishiki put it, that's just kiryu's style. he isn't always the most attentive, but he turns and pays close attention to nishiki's face and body language with a creased brow. before nishiki can get a word in, kiryu adds, ]

I understand if you don't want to, though. If that's the case, then you can go ahead and order something. Give me your keys first, though.

[ on second thought, he really should have seen this coming. Like, really bad, but he'd been really hoping they could just put this behind them. Why is it that Kiryu is only perceptive at the worst times? Nishiki chokes a little mid-drink, himself, coughing into his elbow a few times, which at least buys him a few seconds to reply properly. ]

Seriously...? You sound like you're my girlfriend or something when you put it like that... [ hahaaaha ha. ha!! He super doesn't want to talk about this, but, as ever, he can't say no to Kiryu, especially when he's looking at him like that. So he just sighs, setting his glass down with a clunk. ] I told you, I was drunk.

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