sugarcube | psl || since the beginning of everything

[it's a good question.

because it's true that mikazuki has always gone ahead with his whims, because they were never so wild and whimsical that he couldn't have done them before, or now. if he wanted to take a vacation in a faraway country, he did. if he wanted to leave suddenly for a trip to see a very specific vase in a very specific museum halfway across the world, he did. but more often than not, he wanted only to sit, surrounded by his loved ones, and enjoy a cup of tea. he's been about 60 years old since he was 19.

in his youth, he supposes that there was only one desire that ever really eluded him. that he gave up on due to circumstance and other responsibilities getting in the way.

he looks to tsurumaru.]

Shall we gaze upon the moon tonight? I retire so early these days that I never get to truly bask in its splendor any longer.

[ah, this is fine too.]

It seems like we are going to have a rather busy day. Hopefully you won't fall asleep on me.

[ he doesn't mean like, literally. but they probably did fall asleep while hanging out together, back when it wasn't strange for them to do so.

but he hums lightly. he figures it's been enough time that the car has been brought over to the front by now. it's better to leave now, before jiji's staff tells him to fix his shirt. ]

But we can look at the moon for as long as you like, you old man.

You've always been so kind about entertaining my whims.

[but he smiles easily at that, moving to exit the room. as he passes by one of his staff members, he mentions that they'd like to save the pancakes for dinner. the staff simply agrees but also fixes a gaze upon mikazuki's shirt, looking like she wants to say something]

Off we go, off we go...

['S-Sir....']

[ tsuru just smiles innocently, walking by the attendant with a wave. nothing to see here.

but once they're outside, he is going to nyoom to the driver's seat. he hasn't actually driven himself in a while, so he's definitely excited about this.

... but. ]

Where are we heading to first?

[he's really walking out like this. at least you can't see the tag on the back of his shirt because he's wearing a coat but my god, i hope jiji accidentally starts a fashion trend for being beautiful and stupid.

but he'll wait for an attendant to open up the door for him (with another soft, 'Sir, your...' before jiji waves goodbye with a smile) and then settle next to tsurumaru.]

Let us get business out of the way before play and stop by the museum.

Mm... do you know where this building is located?

[ admittedly, tsurumaru does not know the city super well. he could once say he could never get lost in it, but so much has changed since he called recolle his permanent home. and not being able to explore as much as he would want to hasn't helped. ]

Do we need the... DPS?

[ close, but not quite ]

[do you need the (tsuru voice) dips?]

I beg your pardon? What is it you are trying to spell?

[i hate that jiji is legit trying to be helpful like he could do anything in this situation at all?

but he just laughs - ]

While the city has changed, I believe I can safely navigate us to the museum, yes, yes.

[the three places that jiji knows how to get to are his personal home, the official family home, and the museum which really might as well be his third home.]

Oh. Good job.

[ don't praise him for doing the bare minimum

but off they go. it's an awkward start, since he hasn't done this in so long. but muscle memory kicks in, and the car moves easily enough.

he is so pleased about this. ]

How familiar....

[ah - mikazuki watches tsurumaru closely at first, though there's not particularly any concern on his expression. maybe there should be? tsuru definitely hasn't driven in a while, and yet here they are in this very nice car about to take a drive into the city....

but it's fine.]

Ha ha ha, your memory seems to be serving you quite well.

Not that I was all too worried.

Some things you never forget.

[ he proceeds to accidentally hit the brake instead of the gas, and then laughs when they come to an abrupt stop before he tries again. ]

I hope there isn't much traffic today.

[ for the love of god, even if his concern isn't for the right reasons ]

[jiji muffles a startled cough behind his hand as they have that hiccup, because he was definitely choked a little bit by his seatbelt. this is what he gets for being safe. stop being such a dweeb, jiji.]

Ah...

Let us hope not.

[they probably have to go through a decently long driveway somehow to get to the gate that releases them into the road but]

Make a left when you are able, please.

Right!

[ i'm so fuckin sorry jiji

well, tsuru isn't. he is so clearly pleased by getting to do this and hopefully the novelty of it will wear off soon, so that they just don't die. ]

I forgot how big your property is...

[ mostly because he. cannot freely explore it. and the experience of driving is different than being a passenger. ]

[don't you dare apologize to jiji this was his idea - he's just going to move to casually pull the seatbelt a little bit away from him, hooking his thumb into the material and giving it a gentle tug. clearly it's just so that the imprint of it won't be left on his nice clothes.

that's all.]

Ha ha ha, it is far too large for just an old man such as myself, but they would not allow me to simply get a... what is it called? Workshop apartment? [studio apartment]

Though perhaps it may be more enjoyable to roam now.

[with these bodies, and with tsuru at his side]

Maybe we can find something you've never seen before.

[ an adventure on mikazuki's front lawn. the chances of them stumbling on something the caretakers haven't already seen isn't too high, but tsuru likes the idea of it anyway.

... although that makes him think. ]

Depending on how long this lasts, I may need to extend my stay here.

Ah, that would be quite a surprise, if such a thing existed.

[though he'll settle himself against the seat then, keeping his gaze on the road in front of them even as the corner of his lips edges upward at tsurumaru's next statement.]

But if you wish to stay, there is no obstacle in your path.

There will always be room for you, wherever I dwell.

[ ... he has to tell himself that mikazuki would probably say that to the rest of their longtime friends, because otherwise the odd fluttering feeling in his chest might get too annoying.

but he laughs anyway. ]

You say that now, but soon your staff will be trying to kick me out.

[ he says as if they don't already want him to leave. even as an old man the amount of jokes he has probably pulled makes them want to fist fight him. and it'll only get worse now. ]

Take me with you when you go?

[he's probably joking - but mikazuki smiles and laughs regardless, because he imagines that in general he'll want to be out of the manor now that he's feeling younger. it's not as though he refrained from the travel bug even as he got older in his years, his regular visits to tsurumaru's farm testament enough for that, but it's... different now

it feels like there's still so much of the world to see]

[ he could point out that his staff would probably grumble about that as well; they can't keep track of the nonsense they get into if they're not around to see it.

but instead he just grins at the question. ]

If I could, I'd take you everywhere with me.

[wow! gay.

even so, mikazuki's smile stretches a bit at that, warming into something closer to genuine rather than the ever-present amusement that normally rests on his face]

There is a large world for us to explore past these gates. We have our work cut out for us if we are to go 'everywhere'.

[please don't die in a car accident first]

[ they are going to die so i can kill tsuru off twice in one weekend. ]

Well... we may have time now, so we may as well use it.

[ maybe. they still don't know how long this may last, whether it's just for a day or much longer, but

even if it's just for a minute, it'll still feel like an adventure. ]

[car crash imminent.

but regardless mikazuki just laughs at that - ]

Was it time that was working against us? Then why did we not go on our adventures sooner than this?

[if time is the great equalizer and they had days regardless... why was it, that they didn't go out and explore the world together?]

A left up ahead.

[but - he will offer the direction, if his question would be a softer blow as a rhetorical one]

[ he makes the turn, using it as a buffer before he speaks again.

because... it wasn't just time, was it? eventually, yes-- because time eventually had gotten ahold of them, and made them slower, and more fragile, until the point where tsurumaru had to come visit because he wasn't entirely sure if he'd be able to make another trip in the future.

but there was something else blocking them before any of that was ever factor. and it's something they carefully ignored, for decades, as if never speaking of it would set it neatly out of view. ]

Maybe we got old sooner than we thought.

[ maybe things would have been easier if they weren't forced to be adults by those around them. ]

[did they?

mikazuki considers it as they drive through the city that they both once knew like the back of their hands, that they commanded with the youthful vigor that only young adults without a care in the world could. many of the shops that they used to visit are closed now, replaced with something newer, sleeker, where the walls don't have evidence of their late nights of dreaming and nonsense.]

A lack of surprises, do you think?

[ - that made them age faster. that stole a little bit of that wonder and delight that came with each day.]

Right, at the next stoplight and over the bridge.

Got it.

[ he follows the direction, and takes a moment to look out the window. he wonders, briefly, if any of the people passing by have also received the app. they all seem like they're having an average, ordinary day, but... so does he and mikazuki, from an outsider's perspective. you can't tell that their lives have been so changed. ]

... but most likely. We should be thankful for this surprise, or else we may not have lasted much longer.

It is a rather extensive one - I suppose it will have revitalized us quite a bit.

[but over the bridge then, they'll be able to approach the museum. mikazuki's pride and joy. he gives tsurumaru the directions to the parking complex, showing his clearance badge to the guard so that they can park in mikazuki's reserved spot. of course, the guard notices nothing.

it's as mikazuki's exiting the car that he reflects - ]

Oh, how fun it would've been if I had this job when we were at this age.

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go to bed binch

no

fuck you

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