psychedelica | (no subject)

(no subject)

[ sometime later, when Belph is camping out at his and Steph's room... Hikage will be gone for an hour or two, leaving them time by themselves, but he does return eventually! Not only that, he returns wearing an apron and with some oven mitts on. The reason for this? He has a crock pot in his hands, which he sets down on the table in their room. ]

Here. I made too much for just me.

[ as if it wasn't on purpose... ]

I have to go get the rice, so hold on.

[ and just like that, he's... leaving again?!? BYE.

in any case, if they peer inside, they'll see some kind of stew-type thing in there - one sniff makes it clear that it's curry. There are plenty of different vegetables in there, along with what appear to be shrimp. ]

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[ she makes a displeased expression at what hikage actually says. ]

I'm used to you just making sweets.

[ a lot of sweets. ]

It is?

[ he seems a little surprised at that... but maybe a little happy that he accidentally made something Belph likes?! Not that he's about to say that. ]

... Well, I'm not that confident in my cooking, so don't expect anything amazing. [ a beat. ] And I made those because you were sad.

[ gotta cheer up those sad girls. ]

What, did Hikage bake for you, Steph? How sweet.

[also hikage you dork]

[ oh... hearing that he made those because she was sad actually makes her sad. ]

I'm sure the curry will be fine.

[ he is... actually feeling pretty relieved that Belph's attempt to turn that into teasing somehow ended in failure?! This is a momentous occasion. He joins Steph in ignoring the comment, handing Belph's plate to him, instead. ]

I followed the recipe exactly, so it should be. I'm just not a chef or anything.

[ he's a simple dead rich orphan. he hands one out to Steph, too. Hope yall know how to use chopsticks. ]

S'cool, neither am I.

[belph isn't an uncultured swine (okay, so he kind of is), so we're going to say that yes, he can use.

taking a bite!]

[ look. she was too busy being sad at learning about hikage's cheer up attempts to respond to the teasing.

she also knows how to use chopsticks because she was raised on takeout. it's fine. ]

I can't believe it took you this long to make me actual food.

[ as Hikage said, it's not blow-your-mind amazing... but it's pretty damn good nonetheless. It was obviously made with love and care. ]

Shut up. It's not like you ever asked.

[hikage lurves them.]

What about you, Steph? Can you cook?

I kind of had to learn. I would have missed too many meals otherwise.

[ she takes a bite of the curry. ]

[ he does... but he doesn't know how to express it... so take his curry of love and taste his feelings!! ]

Oh, I'm the same way.

[ before he got adopted into his dad's family, but he had to cook for himself anyway because his stepmom would put bugs in his food ]

[...

belph says nothing and just keeps eating.]

[ belph: pls change the subject i beg you ]

I'll make us waffles tomorrow morning before trial!

Seriously? You always want to sleep in.

[ he sounds a little amazed... ]

Character development! It's amazing.

If you guys keep making fun of me then I'm just going to make it for myself.

I didn't say I wouldn't eat them.

[ he's innocent... ]

I won't say no to free food.

... good. They're my favorite breakfast food.

... They're not really a breakfast food where I'm from, but I guess I'll try it.

[ he hopes he doesn't get a tummyache. maybe Steph doesn't put bean jam or ice cream in them if she eats them in the morning?? But he'd eat them anyway. He wants to try her cooking. ]

Then think of this as broadening your horizons while you still can.

I think it'll be nice to make some happy memories while we can.

[ since god knows the trial definitely won't be. ]

... Yeah.

[ he sounds rather solemn, a shadow coming over his face; he eats another bite of curry in silence.

There are so many things he hasn't told them, still, because he's too weak and dishonest. But... ]

... I didn't have many happy memories until recently. [ he murmurs, quietly. ] Maybe not since I lost my sister.

[ he can't say it directly. but meeting them is what made him happy again. ]

If I hadn't met you, I would have kept hurting people and myself. I think I would have tried to ruin this game. ... The two of you probably saved me. So...

[ ... thanks. ]

[this is probably the only time belph has ever made someone's life better than worse.

... in any case, after a moment of staring, belph realizes... he has no idea how to respond to that! so, it's up to steph.]

[ thanks belph.

the admittance makes her look up at him. steph was already more or less aware that hikage probably would have gone down a different route if they hadn't gotten through to him; he basically admitted that he wanted everyone here to suffer. but hearing him confess this is... ]

I'm really, really happy that I was able to meet you. [ she looks at belph. ] Both of you. I know that the circumstances are... pretty terrible, and there's a lot that I wish we could have done differently, but... if there's one good thing to come from it, it's that I now know you.