001. every story is a song // open post.

[kyriff]

Take a prompt, take some time, drop in whenever you like.

Comments

[ktotheatothez]

Umm... I guess all us Hounds are gonna be there, then the Brennans, J, Kitty... I dunno if Nico can come around... But this is Josh's party so I guess Cindy's got a handle on the invites.

[kyriff]

All right. [Hmm.] I suppose I will have to ask her if it's okay for me to bring Aidan.

[Husband. Go figure.]

Anyway, when are we going to your house?

[ktotheatothez]

Well, I'm meeting Cindy after class on Monday, so I can tell her you're coming with.

[He pauses to take a sip pf hisnjuice, kind of realizing that he's totally at ease just talking to Rethe, all fanboyisms locked in a box.]

[kyriff]

Okay. I'll clear out my schedule tomorrow, then.

[Or, more like, he'll tell Aidan that he'll be out for a bit longer than usual.]

Um. What do you think I should get Josh?

[He'll need a present...]

[ktotheatothez]

[Kaz nods, but when Rethe asks what he thinks about getting Josh a present, the satisfied smile on his face drops a bit. Cue the clueless puppy look.]

I... actually dunno. I know he likes old things, but that's probably like half of what he'd get from most of us, and he seemed to like that time we rode bikes on patrol. But... From you, maybe something a lot more personal? Like maybe a mix just for him?

[He shrugs, a look on his face that clearly says "I'm just throwing that out there, really."]

[kyriff]

A mix, huh?

[Thinking on that for a while, and then...

Ah.]

Okay. I think I've got something in mind now. Thanks.

[ktotheatothez]

[The smile on Kaz's face is pretty satisfied, even as he downs the rest of his food. Actually, he has no idea what to get Josh either. So he digs out his phone and starts looking up stuff before pausing and glancing at Rethe.]

Rethe? Um... Is liking old things just a Sin Eater thing?

[kyriff]

Yeah. It's got a lot to do with their geists, since geists tend to be very, very old.

[Glancing over Kaz's shoulder, just a little.]

Looking for something too, huh?

[ktotheatothez]

Y-u-u-p.

[He says that as he's scrolling through things that Josh might like.]

So. Old. How old are we talking here?

[This is nice, actually. It's like talking to someone around his age, but actually isn't. Those comfy silences were okay, but this is pretty cool too.]

[kyriff]

As old as you want. Most Sin-Eaters aren't too picky. Although, with Josh...

[Thinking about it now. Hmm.]

An "old" that would kind of suit his personality? I guess?

[ktotheatothez]

Um.

[Well, he looks kind of helpless, Rethe. Kaz gets quiet for a litte bit, eyes flickering across things on his tablet. There's a few minutes of quiet before he smiles and pokes Rethe on the arm.]

What about this?

[He slides his tablet over to Rethe, open to a listing for a deep red Ducati... That's broken.]

It's a bit of a fixer-upper though, I figure he wouldn't want me getting him a new bike, and... This probably won't burn a hole in my paycheck.

[kyriff]

[Oho. Looking through the list now.]

Do you know anyone who can fix one of those for you?

[Because he can... if ever...]

dese puppies uwu

[ktotheatothez]

[Kaz gets an Idea when Rethe asks him that. He fixes you with his shenanigans face.]

What about if we get it as-is and figure out how to fix it together? Maybe?

DESE PUPPIES!

[kyriff]

[Oho.]

I think that's a great idea!

[Oh wait.]

Um. Yeah. The two of you can do that.

[...Shy to ask, shy to ask...]

Y E P.

[ktotheatothez]

[He looks at Rethe with a smile and an eyebrow raised.]

Two? I was actually thinking you, me and Josh could fix it up and go on a ride when it's done, really.

[He shrugs, because uh, yeah, why not?]

[kyriff]

R-really?

[Yeah that just tickles him all sorts of pink inside. uwu]

Okay. That's... that's going to be really nice.

[ktotheatothez]

Well yeah, of course it is!

[Truth be told, he couldn't see himself trying to fix a bike. And... the more hands, the better.]

Besides... I don't see much of him, lately.

[He sets aside his tablet and polishes off the rest of his food. Only a little embarrassed that he blurted that out loud.]

[kyriff]

[Noticing that, but he's... not sure what to make of it?

Time for leading questions, just like how Hikaru Shinta taught him, centuries ago.]

He has been rather busy lately, hasn't he?

[ktotheatothez]

[He huffs out a breath and lights up a smoke.]

Yeah... But then... We've all been busy. I just... I didn't expect things to change this quickly.

[kyriff]

[Watching him do that, and taking this as a signal that he should probably grab a cigarette for himself too.

Once he has lit up:]

Is it the kind of change that you like? Or...?

[ktotheatothez]

Both, I guess. I dunno, maybe it's just that I'm being clingy. I miss all of them when they're all off doing their own thing, and Josh working at Rhiannon is pretty amazing, but he's rarely ever home.

[Considering Kaz has actual siblings, this is different. Family you were born with is totally different from the family he's found. He loves both unconditionally, but at the same time...]

[kyriff]

Maybe you could go and visit them? Sometimes, it's a matter of making time rather than waiting for a good moment to come around.

[Or so Calintz and Rilea have told him. It's a bit difficult for somebody like Rethe to understand, but it works?]

[ktotheatothez]

Mmh, I dunno... I don't want to bother them just 'cause I'm a clingy little thing.

[Oh there is a note of sadness in his voice, he doesn't like being clingy, but he is and that's kind of the worst.]

[kyriff]

[You're only going to have a gentle smile from Rethe at that.]

We cling to the things that matter to us.

[It's as simple as that.]

[ktotheatothez]

[At that moment, Kaz feels an overwhelming rush of affection for Rethe, because he's right. So he knocks his head against the Angel's shoulder, as if to say Well, you matter to me now too.]