(closed)

[rebelia]

Who: rebelia, octoshark & icefallen
When: 15 January/4 June
Where: Cosplay café
What: IV and Ryouga go out for lunch. And then there's Rio.
Rating/Warning: None except for Ryouga's potty mouth

---

[The lunch hour is fast approaching and IV has convinced, if not outright dragged, Ryouga into leaving the comfort of Rio's couch. The way he sees it, Ryouga doesn't have much of a choice if he wants to eat a proper meal: Apparently Rio has gone to work and isn't returning anytime soon. That leaves the two of them to embark on a somewhat guided stroll around the district for an establishment that'll whet their appetite.

One of their stops happens to be a café. IV pays no heed to the "cosplay" written in the front as he leans forward to skim the board propped outside. It's a light menu – nothing overwhelming or too heavy, which suits them just fine. Satisfied, he straightens.]

What do you think, Ryouga? The selection's not bad.

Comments

[octoshark]

[Ryouga grumbles the whole time, of course. Why did his sister have to go and become next-door neighbors with this guy? Wanting to make a big deal out of finding a place when there's probably plenty of delivery service... what a pain. He walks with him past food carts and diners and is sure to make faces at all of the places that he doesn't like the look of. But there's a nice smell coming from this place so Ryouga at least humors IV with a look at the menu.

Not neglecting to glance inside, though, and notice the costume-clad staff. ]

... you would like the selection.

[ He says with a flat look at IV, but only to let him know that Ryouga is judging his taste in ambiance, not to turn down the suggestion. It does look like a decent menu. So Ryouga turns to walk on in, and that's when he's met with a very peculiar sight indeed. Freezing in place, a small, surprised grin crosses his face.]

... you're shittin' me.

[rebelia]

[He wasn't talking about the ambiance and Ryouga knows it, but he knows better than to argue. At least Ryouga's going inside without additional prompting, which means he more or less agrees. Following suit, IV quirks an eyebrow at the sudden stop. What's the guy seeing now?]

What is it?

[He steps up and turns his attention toward the direction of Ryouga's gaze. There, upon crossing the same peculiar sight, both of IV's eyebrows raise and his lips part in astonishment. Color him surprised, too.]

Rio -> Ryouga -> IV from here on out?

[icefallen]

[They go through themes here, anywhere from weekly to monthly, she's found. Sometimes it's maids and butlers; sometimes it's cats and dogs; still other times it's witches and wizards. Most of the time, they have to act the part, too. Today is apparently some sort of burlesque theme, and Rio has been stuck into a corset and a bustled skirt and dabbled with enough feathers to make her feel like a bird. Thigh highs are nothing new to her, since she's quite proud of her legs, but the corset is a bit showy for her tastes, and kind of makes her feel like she's going to fall out of it if she bends over.

...Well, she may as well get her shift over with, now that her break's over. Hearing the bell ring behind her, she whirls around with that ever-so-fake (but still very convincing) workplace smile.]

Welco--

[But then she freezes, the smile morphing into something almost comically horrified. It's not like she wasn't planning to tell Ryouga where she'd picked up so much money (all those tips are worth the humiliation), but she hadn't expected him to come running in here with IV, of all people.]

...Ah.

[Eerily, the smile sticks, becoming something altogether unsettling when she approaches. She's squinting at both of them in a way that says something bad is going to happen soon, eyes traveling from Ryouga to IV and back. Eventually, they settle on her brother; that look on his face has got to go.]

...Pardon me. May I take you to your seats?

sure thing o/

[octoshark]

[… Well.

Ryouga glances up at IV to make sure he's seeing this, too. Judging by the look on his face, he does, so Ryouga shakes his head and outright laughs at the look on his sister's face.]

Hey, what's with the lack of acknowledgement, Bird-zilla?

[Clearly this is a fashion Ryouga is unfamiliar with, but he's grinning all the same, as if he can sense that Rio wants him to cut it out.]

So when were you gonna tell me about this shit?

[rebelia]

[To be sure, the entire situation falls on the comic side. Despite his initial surprise, IV has nothing negative to say about Rio working in a cosplay café (if it were Ryouga, he'd have been laughing five minutes ago), but Ryouga's comments coupled with how she's dolled up don't help anyone. The way Rio looks at them both is the most sobering part of the picture, and so, when he laughs to interject, it's in a stilted manner.]

Before that, why don't we get seated? I'm sure we can hear all about it at the table.

[The tale of Bird-zilla, is it . . . Rio is getting a large tip.]

[icefallen]

Certainly. This way, please.

[There's something a bit too pure and saccharine about Rio's response, and the look on her face. There's a little twitch of her eyes when Ryouga pulls out that remark, but otherwise, she makes no visible concessions for him.

That is not to say she isn't already figuring out ways to pay him back for it, and as soon as possible. The second Ryouga's seated, she ducks in close to his ear and grits in a low tone -- although IV can surely hear her, too, because she's making no effort to keep her voice low.]

I was going to tell you about it. I just wasn't expecting you to decide a cosplay cafe was your taste in dining out.

[octoshark]

[Scowling, he swats harmlessly at her like he's waving off a fly.]

You know it's not! It's this freakin' degenerate that wanted to check it out.

[He gestures across the table before crossing his arms tight over his chest, annoyed that Rio is trying to turn this embarrassing situation around like that. Way to ruin his good time, sis.]

[rebelia]

[Way to ruin his good time, Ryouga. IV raises his chin against the accusation, scoffing at the derogatory address.]

Oh? The way I remember it, you were the one who came inside first.

[They'll never be able to order at the rate they're headed toward – siblings will be siblings, after all, and neither seems willing to back down – so he leans back in his seat and steers the table back on track.]

Anyway, I'm hungry. What about the menu?

[icefallen]

[Rio has two menus stuffed in the pleats of her skirt -- at least they have a practical use as an apron of sorts. She sets them down and smiles that too-sweet smile again, just knowing from experience that her brother is going to make her life difficult again. If she's lucky, IV won't join in, or she might have to punish him too...]

So, can I get you anything to drink while you're looking?

[octoshark]

Tch! Like I was gonna go shopping around all day with you just for a place to eat!

[Ryouga scoffs, setting an elbow on the table and his chin on his palm. He leers at IV before fixing his scowl onto Rio again, looking her up and down. His nose wrinkles, as if he's got something to say, but hasn't quite figured out what it is yet.]

Get me a coke and don't try anything funny with it.

[rebelia]

[On the other hand, a small smile spreads across IV's face as he takes the menu and unfolds it. Ryouga can complain all he likes; that doesn't change the fact that he went in first. As for Rio, IV just wants a drink now.]

I'll have an iced tea.

[icefallen]

[Bowing curtly, she takes enough time to glower quickly at Ryouga -- his first warning -- and then smiles at IV. If he's going to be a jerk, then she'll just have to play favorites with IV to spite him.]

Very well. Just a moment.

[She turns in a flounce of skirts and feathers, returning a few moments later with a tray in hand. Balancing those things is apparently yet another talent of hers.]

Are you ready to order?

[A convenient excuse to stick around and watch the fireworks. Three, two, one...]

[octoshark]

[Giving her a wary look, Ryouga brings the straw to his lips. If he weren't so distracted by how nice she's being to IV, he would probably pause to consider that his drink looks slightly off-color, but he doesn't - not until a bitter and very un-coke-like cherry flavor reaches his tongue.]

Damnit, Rio!

[After a start, he sprays ungracefully, slapping a hand to his mouth on an embarrassed reflex.]

[rebelia]

Ryouga!

[IV raises his menu in time to keep its edges from the farthest reaching droplets of Ryouga's spraying. He clicks his tongue in distaste at the unrefined display, but recovers for his rebuke to be laced with some mirth and more teasing. Oviously, Rio has done something, and her retaliation wasn't unwarranted.]

Good grief, don't you know the rules of basic table manners?

[icefallen]

[A snort comes from Rio in lieu of anything more pronounced. She can't keep the smirk off her face, though, raising her eyebrows at IV's remark.]

Of course not. That's why he has me.

[Without questioning it, she collects the offending drink with the intent to bring back the right one this time and starts wiping the table down. When she's done, she flicks the cloth at Ryouga's nose as a final jab.]

You know better than to taunt me when I'm in control of your food and drink, Ryouga. Be good now, won't you? We won't have any more incidents if you behave, I promise.

[octoshark]

[Ryouga grits his teeth in a snarl. Like he cares about her little life lesson now. As if he could stomach eating anything after having a taste of that!]

Don't act so smug when you're the one fluffed up like some frigid pigeon. And speaking of that, aren't you a little underdeveloped for an outfit like that?

[rebelia]

[It's a good thing that IV isn't drinking anything right now. This squabble has taken a sharp turn for the unthinkable. He lets out a disbelieving huff, the urge to shake his head overpowering – trust Ryouga to be without a single refined bone in his body.]

You don't get the theme at all, do you?

[He gives the menu a light shake.]

Order something already. I didn't bring you out here to snipe at your sister.

[icefallen]

[Shadows grow on Rio's face. Her fingers start to itch for blood, but she quashes the sensation, trying very hard not to do more than curl her lips up for a moment.]

Underdeveloped?

[She sets down her tray on another table, highlighting her desire to murder him right about now. It's such a trivial, worthless thing to nitpick in the long run, and yet...]

Care to try saying that again?

[octoshark]

Like I'm ordering anything that Rio handles when she's all pissed off like that.

[Sorry, IV. It's too late to go back now, for Ryouga has crossed the boundary. He shoots her look between contempt and disinterest, before giving a haughty scoff and turns his head back toward IV, as if he's being the bigger person. by not engaging her. But what he says next contrasts that just a bit.]

I'm just saying, it's gotta be a little gross for people to come in and see that. Don't you think, IV?

[And he levels IV with a look that's daring him to disagree. That'll teach him to drag Ryouga off the couch.]

[rebelia]

[IV turns away in haughty disdain, not in the slightest intimidated by the look. Ryouga just doesn't have that kind of effect on him, so brushing off the implications is an easy task.]

She's not the one who sprayed earlier.

[With his eyes still shut, IV snaps the menu closed.]

And whose fault is it that she's angry?

[icefallen]

That's right. Don't try to drag other people into validating your ridiculous behavior.

[As if she's never done it before, either. Still, feeling justified in IV's response, she takes out a notepad and taps Ryouga on the head with the pen accompanying it.]

Order. Now. If you don't eat, I'm making you dinner when I get home. And I'm sure you know what that means...

[octoshark]

Geez, who knew you guys were such good friends...

[Ryouga sneers. How obnoxious. (That look never does seem to work on anyone, huh…)

It takes a moment to process his defeat, but he just twitches his lips when Rio taps at him before setting his chin back on his hands, sucking at the straw of his correct drink while she gets it out.]

You're the one in the turkey corset and I'm ridiculous. Sure. [He rolls his eyes before finally relenting, tapping the picture on his menu.] Just get me one of these with chicken - but if you put anything weird on it…

[rebelia]

[For how off-handed Ryouga's comment is, IV opens his eyes and stares down at the cover of the menu in a temporary show of pensive thought. "Good friends" is the goal. He lifts his head when it's his turn to order, and he hands Rio the menu while doing so.]

I'll take the sandwich with soup.

[With vegetables everywhere.]

[icefallen]

[Rio has half a mind to whack him with the menu for that one. She deepens her tone and puts on a menacing look.]

If I put anything weird in it... would you like to finish that sentence?

["Or will you be too busy gagging?" is the unspoken follow-up to that. Jotting everything down, she rips the paper off the pad and clicks her pen shut.]

I'll bring them out when they're ready. In the meantime, let me replace your drink... although I'd be perfectly justified in telling you to drink it anyway.

[Then she directs a quick smile to IV and leans in as if to whisper into his ear, although it'd be hard for Ryouga not to hear it.]

IV, you'll help me make him clear his plate, won't you? Ryouga has such a hard time with it...

[octoshark]

Don't talk about me like I'm some kid, Birdbrain.

[Ryouga curls his lips to show her that he's grinding the straw between his teeth. Being annoyed on its own is bad enough, let alone when his sister is going out of her way to make him look stupid.]

Would you go already? You're so freakin' bad at your job!