LOCKED TO preybeforemeals

[greatestcool]

[Ryuunosuke kind of hates work. He doesn't mind the stealing or the Pokémon training, but he does mind having to wait tables in the game corner. It isn't a difficult job and most of the time he's as cheery as usual despite his distaste for the job. What he really hates is the downtime. When he's not working with customers, he's at a loss for what to do. Sometimes he thinks about which customers would make for the most fascinating sculptures, but the majority of the time he's stuck sweeping areas of the floor and hating literally everything his life has become.

Who would have imagined he'd be here, dressed in one of those snazzy uniforms all the game corner employees wear (with leopard-print shoes; he's been scolded numerous times for them not meeting regulation, but it's not like he cares), looking bored out of his mind? He certainly wouldn't have, but then again he's never really held a real job for any length of time. One might even say that he's grown up during his time here in Johto, but that would be a horrible mistake. He's only here for the money, after all. It's not like he's really matured any.

Once he's sure his manager isn't looking, Ryuunosuke fishes his 'Gear out of his pocket and begins to flip through the recent network posts. That's also not allowed, but it's not like he cares about that. Worst case scenario, he'll get fired and he'll get a job at the Pokémon Center or something.]

Comments

[preybeforemeals]

[Well, that's interesting, isn't it.]

What would you rather be doing, Uryuu-san?

[greatestcool]

You don't have to call me that, you know!

[He leans on the broom he's supposed to be sweeping with and stares upwards at the ceiling as he thinks.]

Anything else? I'd much rather be outside, even if it's just to train or window shop or something.

[And by "window shop" he means "steal shit" but you know.]

There are plenty of things I'd rather do, but unfortunately I'm stuck in here for the time being. It's such a pain.

[preybeforemeals]

Perhaps I can bring a bit of the outdoors to you, non?

[And with that he reaches out, still holding that flower he's been toying with, and with zero hesitation whatsoever just threads it gently through Ryuunosuke's hair, tucking it behind his ear.

...Well, okay, then.]

[greatestcool]

[Ryuunosuke allows it, ducking his head a bit before laughing as Tsukiyama draws away.]

You didn't have to--!

[He reaches up to touch the flower though, smiling widely. The expression doesn't quite reach his eyes, but then again, his expressions rarely do.]

[preybeforemeals]

[dear god, you are a creepy little thing, aren't you.]

Ah, but I wanted to!

[...you are a creepy little thing and WHO CARES, apparently]

[greatestcool]

[You understand!!]

Well, I appreciate it! It's so nice to have someone come to visit me at work!

[...god this flower probably looks hideous with his hair oh well.]

[preybeforemeals]

[...You're probably going to have like five more joining it by the end of the visit if you don't stop him, but for now he's content to just pull another one out of the bunch and play with it like he was the other one.]

Is your shift terribly long? I can't imagine being made to stay inside all day.

[Tsukiyama.]

[greatestcool]

It's awful. I mean, normally I have customers to wait on and all, so it makes the time fly by faster, but today...

I'm here for another three hours. I'm really tempted to just leave and see if the boss even notices I'm gone.

[preybeforemeals]

[...Hmmmm.]

Well, if you've been here longer than five days, they can't legally do anything about it, can they?

[greatestcool]

That's a good question! I never bothered to figure out how employment works here, but it really wouldn't be the end of the world if I was fired. I can always work in a Pokémon Center or something!

[Do we really want this man handling others' Pokémon.]

[preybeforemeals]

[Honestly? No. Whether Tsukiyama cares, however, is a different matter; as it stands, the entire situation just gets another laugh out of him, and another flower threaded into Ryuunosuke's hair.]

Dolce, Uryuu-san! Exactly the sort of optimism you should be showing right now.

[greatestcool]

There's probably no reason to worry anyway, since I've been working here since the first time I was in Johto and I just sort of vanished before, so I'm sure they won't mind!

[That's not the same at all and you know it, Ryuunosuke, stop that.]

So c'mon, let's get out of here before my boss shows up!

[He's just going to drop the broom right there and head toward the exit, checking to make sure those flowers are still in his hair.]

[preybeforemeals]

[...

honey

he's pretty sure that

that isn't

how you

anything...

...

AGAIN, WHO CARES]

Excellent, excellent - let's, then!

[My god, he's just going to follow you wherever the hell you want to go, you realize.]

[greatestcool]

[THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T TALK TO RYUUNOSUKE

...EVER, TBH

Anyway, he's just going to head in the direction of the closest park!]

You wouldn't believe how dull it can get there! It's the Game Corner, you think there's be interesting people addicted to gambling in there all day, every day but no, we normally get a lot of normal people and it's kind of sad. I'd rather see the odd ones, you know?

[Are you talking about yourself?]

[preybeforemeals]

[Parks are perfectly fine; decent for watching people, for one thing.

That said, he sort of smiles a bit at that statement, though the expression is a little vague.]

And what do you consider odd, Uryuu-san?

[greatestcool]

Well... like... I guess maybe that's not the best way to word it. I guess I mean people who do or say interesting things? As opposed to the usual polite customers with really stereotypical drink orders and things like that.

[He frowns. He's not doing a very good job explaining it, is he?]

I guess I'm just looking for things that are different.

[preybeforemeals]

[Come sit on this bench, Ryuunosuke, we may be here for a while.]

People like you, then?

[Not that he thinks that's a bad thing, mind.]

[greatestcool]

[Sure thing, he'll sprawl out on his side of the bench, reaching up to mess with the flowers again, though he's not pulling them out.]

Yeah! As they're interesting people, I'm perfectly fine with them! It's the normal, boring people who annoy me.

[Though people who do agree with what he does would be nice too, but that's kind of ridiculous to hope for here.]

[preybeforemeals]

[Ridiculous indeed.

Tsukiyama doesn't seem to mind the topic, however; he just settles those flowers in his lap and sets to weaving them together, his fingers deft against the stems.]

Even the mundane people have their charms, I think - they're just a bit harder to find. But then, my own life back home tended to be very busy; once in a while it's nice to see people just going about their daily lives without a care in the world. It makes me wonder what they do with themselves all day - what sort of things they think about at night, what images float through their heads on a daily basis.

After all, those thoughts and images must be satisfying if people like that are content to be so boring in the first place, don't you think?

[greatestcool]

Huh, I guess so, but why bother wasting time on the boring people? I guess they might have something interesting to say or something interesting in their lives if you give them a chance, but there are plenty of more interesting people out there! If I gave every mundane person a chance, I wouldn't get to meet the truly fascinating ones, like you and Bluebeard and Kimblee!

[...By "fascinating people" does he mean "murderers"????]

[preybeforemeals]

I'm flattered, Uryuu-san - to think that I was selected to enjoy such exclusive company...!

[Well, whatever he means, Tsukiyama clearly doesn't mind it, um.]

[greatestcool]

[Just be glad you don't know Caster.]

Well of course! You're one of the most interesting people I've met here, sir! You even came to visit me at work, how kind!

[preybeforemeals]

[...he'd probably be offended if he knew Caster, yes.]

It can hardly be considered healthy, staying caged up all day in a place like that - what made you decide to work there in the first place, anyway?

[greatestcool]

Well, to be honest, I thought it would be more interesting than working at a Pokémon Center or a mart. I kind of did the mart thing back home, actually, so I'd rather avoid that.

I thought working there would be way more interesting than it actually is, but I guess that's what I get for thinking work could ever be interesting.

[preybeforemeals]

I think most would probably tell you that you're doing the wrong jobs, if you feel that way.