'no' is the saddest experience you'll ever know.

[awooligan]

♥ Who: Cliff Norman and whoever wants to put up with him.
♥ Where: various.
♥ When: Early November.
♥ What: A sad wolf is a bad wolf.
♥ Warnings: Cursing, Hell content in Héctor thread naturally.


[ one - the loneliest number. teen house. ]

[He doesn't know why he hasn't taken Kaito up on his offer before, especially since he's made a point to walk by his house a couple times to check on it or make sure it existed in the first place. The damage done by the worms isn’t enough to take out the place or make it unsafe, thankfully -- and it even leaves the task of quietly getting inside through a window even easier! Not that he couldn't use some difficulty as a good distraction from feelings he's trying very hard to ignore. Before he goes to climb inside, he makes a quick pass to see if the garden is likewise a survivor from October’s big wormy mess.

And then he's in a home that isn't his. It's weirdly soothing for someone that never relished the idea of spending time in his own home growing up, even if it's far from the window he'd really like to be climbing through. Nothing to do about that...and at least here he could feel vaguely welcome. Both Kaito and Shinji had invited him in the past! It's fine. Cliff is several steps across the room and listening for signs of anyone else being around before he calls,]

Hellooo? Anyone home?

[...decidedly not from the front door.]

[ two - just as bad as one. héctor. ]

[hahahahahahaaa fuck everything about this. He honestly hadn't meant to avoid Héctor all month, but with the worm drama on top of his dumb tender feelings, there hasn't been a good time. That's what he's choosing to tell himself so that he doesn't get frustrated all over again thinking about all the thinking he's had to do.

In the end, Héctor is still Héctor, whether he's the one Cliff knew or not. He knew he wasn't the same and had plenty of reason for that. What mattered most right now was that they were both, more or less, doing okay -- something Clifford had been able to be sure of without getting too close, thankfully, because of his nose.

Now he's getting close. So close, in fact, that he's right at the door and scratching at it with his claws, full wolf. He's...fairly confident that Héctor would be the one to answer any call to the door in this household, from what little experience he's had with Nekane, but if not? He's leaning into the anxious hope that one of the things shared in this -- bleh -- marriage is not the fact that Cliff is a big dumb werewolf.]

[ three - dog night. open. ]

[The scariest part of the worm attack, surprisingly, was not the worms. It was that moment he went to become the wolf and felt like there were hooks on the inside holding him together, refusing to let him change without a fight. He'd fallen to the ground in agony that only lightened when he finally stopped trying to shift and let that part of himself go. Cliff didn't flaunt the fact that he was a werewolf -- basically, anyway -- but not being allowed it, even on his own? Terrifying. He'd barely managed to get his head back on straight enough to shuffle citizens and helpers back towards the safety of the town center, and had been grasping at any chance to help defend.

It's still screwing him up a little, but Cliff’s making the most of getting himself back, going around the city as a red, juvenile wolf watching life get back to normal and honing in on interesting sights and smells.

Of course, the boy in the red hoodie with eyes like an animal can be found wandering as well. Usually out running at any odd hour or stuck behind a counter doing his best to act like someone who knew how to be polite.]

Comments

[daikonrose]

[ Kyoko was still in space. She barely registered what the boys were saying, numbly taking that cup and holding it in both hands.

Did... did anyone besides the three of them know she was dating Kaito until just now? She knew she hadn't mentioned it to anybody yet, not even actual friends that she knew better than Cliff. And now it was just out there! It's not like she'd wanted it to be Forever A Secret or something, but! But!!!

Head swimming as the lighthearted chatter bounced off her, Kyoko lifted her cup for a deep swig. ]

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Knowing this isn't a wholly unique thing to them is... comforting? It's kind of comforting, but Shinji's really too busy trying not to combust to truly appreciate that information.

But the drinks are distributed by now, and while he's not exactly pleased about it, he can't help but be a little curious on what the verdict on drinking the sake from their replicator actually is. Good? Bad? Weird...? He peeks cautiously over his shoulder, giving away more of the blush that's stubbornly stuck to his cheeks in order to sneak a look at any reactions the other three might be giving.]

[whenyouneedme]

[Seeing that Kyoko was just going for it, Kai snorted and lifted his glass towards Cliff's for a little clink. They were spitting in the face of tradition every which way, but y'gotta at least cheers a little bit.]

Kampai~

[Kai lifted his glass for a deep sip of his own and. Paused. Ah. This was. Perhaps. The salt of the earth filling his mouth. The deceptive smoothness of the sake was still there, which was what made the salt all that more Present. He just stood there, a mildly disconcerted look on his face the only indication that he was possibly contemplating the steps that had brought them here to this moment.]

[awooligan]

Cheers.

[Tradition sucks anyway. Onward to new adventures!

...This adventure tastes kind of awful. Like, it's not as bad as coffee or anything, but still. Yuck.]

Wow. This sucks. No wonder you use it for cooking.

[Too salty!!!]

[daikonrose]

[ Kyoko just keeps standing there there stunned, without swallowing, for a few moments, until the saltiness becomes so much that even her horrified psyche has to come back down to earth and confront it. She gulps, then gasps and sputters, a haunted look on her face. ]

The scientific method is so harsh and unforgiving...

[whenyouneedme]

[Wordlessly, Kai took all of their cups and turned back to the replicator. Time for a different adventure. No more salt. Only opaque, white liquids that smelled like fruit now. Take this, Cliff. Put this in your hands, Kyoko.]

Shinji, do you want any calpico?

[Wow just not even talking about it at all, huh.]

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[He had thought it was a bad idea! But at least.... they all know now. That's all that's important. Nobody needs to say anything else. With that out of the way and everyone's curiosity sated, Shinji will go back to minding the business of preparing dinner.]

I'll take some, sure.

[awooligan]

[The problem is that now Cliff is giving the calpico a mistrusting look. It passes the sniff test, though... Definitely sweeter, so it should be better.]

So what is it?

[daikonrose]

Fermented milk and water.

[ Interpret this information however you like, Cliff; Kyoko reports it with zero emotion, before taking a prim sip. There, much better--it's not a special favorite of hers, personally, but a nice, sweet, childish sort of drink is just the thing to wash out the lingering bad taste. ]

Well, more or less.

[whenyouneedme]

Yeah, more or less.

[Beep beep here he comes, Shinji, gently delivering his drink to the counter near him. Nice cheeks, by the way.]

S'just sweet and kinda citrusy.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[He takes the glass with a soft,] Thank you, [but please do not call attention to him and/or his blushing. That might actually kill him at this point.]

If you end up not liking it, Natchan's an orange drink, and there are a few other juices and sodas in there too. We could make tea or coffee if you'd prefer, too.

[One way or another, something here has to be to his liking.]

[awooligan]

[More or less???? That's so sinister, after the sake... It sounds like a weird combination to begin with. Then again, he'd been unsure about Coco's description of Atole the first time he heard about it. There's less scandalized looks and declarations, though, so he assumes the goody-goodies aren't punking him. Besides, the coffee offer feels almost like a threat, for him. Here goes...]

Huh. [It's like...watered down yogurt, but much more appealing than those words make it sound.] It's fine. Thanks.

[That's indeed a good amount of options, though.]

So you guys cook pretty often? Is that something you knew before here?

[whenyouneedme]

[Sip.]

I knew shit all. [He could make cup noodles.]

These two have been giving me pointers though, when they let me do anything.

[daikonrose]

[ Having sipped enough to wash out everything except the r e g r e t, Kyoko turned back to her cutting board. Time to drown out all her anxiety with vegetable chopping. ]

It's not like you're banned from the kitchen, Kaito, it's just that four hands is already plenty for everyday meals. [ A beat, and then she remembers to answer the question. ] I started learning a long time ago.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Perhaps he will have to remember to duck out a little more and let Kai and Kyoko take over meals a bit more often. Hm. Well, nothing to really ponder on too deeply when he's already making himself busy for the sake of a guest.]

I picked up some stuff while I was growing up, but getting good at it kind of became a necessity a little while before I got here. [Havenwell's restricted menu made being good at cooking a very helpful skill when he first got here, too.] But having a meal button without having to cook is really nice, too.

[awooligan]

What are you complaining about, man?

[Take the win, Kai. Be spoiled.

Like, Cliff is thinking about sneaking in when people are asleep so he can eat the leftovers because they apparently have meals like this all the time, with these experienced chefs over here (and also Kai, who hopefully would be the one to catch him if he did get caught.)]

I bet. Even easier than a microwave... Kind of ridiculous they don't give everyone at least one meal. There's kids here. [Or at least one kid. What are they supposed to do about all that raw fake meat!!!] It can't be that hard with the tech here.

[whenyouneedme]

Just wanna help sometimes is all.

[This was Big Mumble Energy, seeing as there were three points to being spoiled so he was outmatched. He just wanted! To help!! Let him also spoil people gosh. Geez. But whatever. He's just gonna grab himself a kitchen chair, plopping in it backwards to rest his arms over the back. Feel free to grab another one, Cliff.]

Yeah... Probably they just kinda didn't think about it? The replicators were real shit when we first got here 'cuz they sorta forgot how food even worked. Nothin' like a cup of neon green coffee in the morning.

[awooligan]

[Find your own way to spoil, if you're gonna mope about it. Not that Cliff would have suggestions... Or at least not good suggestions.]

Ew. [He grimaces, but he's laughing a little, too. That's just? Absurdly gross?] Glad I missed that. I don't even like normal coffee, no way am I drinking the radioactive kind. Why not install upgrades in all the units now, though?

[Cliff's first job was in Havenwell, if it wasn't obvious. His luxury purchases were mostly illegal or pure sugar, basic needs were always covered.]