Yesterday's holiday [Semi-open]

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

An appetizing aroma drifted out of the kitchen of the Susono Inn this afternoon, making its way up to the second floor. Not one that was particularly familiar, for Zouichi, but one Howard might recognize from the time he'd spent before the FAYZ had cut Perdido Beach off from the rest of the world. Though it might not be Thanksgiving anywhere else in the multiverse, Howard had decided it might as well be Thanksgiving now... and he'd coached Zouichi on the basics of the holiday as he remembered them.

[First thread is for residents of the inn only, characters passing by that notice something's up can show up in the second thread]

Zouichi had spent most of the morning setting up for the surprise meal while most of the others were out and Howard, in a gesture of unusual magnanimity, had offered to share some of the food he'd been stockpiling. They'd even found a nice tablecloth to drape over the table in the main hall, upon which each of foods was set: turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin bread -- even some homemade Swedish meatballs for Allenby (they weren't really a Thanksgiving food, apparently, but she'd requested them some time ago).

Of course, many of these had been canned or created from mixes -- easier to store, and much easier to make. But food was food. Now it was just time to wait for everyone else to show up.

Comments

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"You're also...wait, what?" Howard blinks a bit, suddenly certain that he's actually just been dreaming up a best case scenario where Zouichi was not only cool with it but also understanding it it. "Are you serious? But I thought you and Alastirra..."

Now it's Howard's turn to connect the dots. Huh. So Zou must go both ways. "Really?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi gave him a look. What, did Howard think he'd just make something like that up? "Yes. I don't have a strong preference between men and women. But I can see how you might think I did, I guess." After all, most of the men on board the ship seemed to be straight. Or not his type, either age- or personality-wise.

And before the ship, well. He'd just never had any time at all to pursue a relationship.

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"...You're not just saying that to make me feel better, right?" Because if so, that's awful nice, Zou, and Howard's totally fine believing a lie to feel less isolated over all this. "I mean, who do you even like on this ship? I mean like that?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Jeez, Howard, that was kind of a personal question. Especially since Zouichi distinctly remembered you mocking him about relationship things earlier.

"I wouldn't say I like anyone. Tim is fairly attractive, but a little too young." And judgy. "That Lockon guy in Celestial Being is, too. I haven't seen much of him around lately, though."

Plus he was in Celestial Being.

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

But that was friendly mocking! All in the name of fun! And yet if you make fun of this thing about Cedric Howard's going to pluck Alan bald and slash your bike's tires. You've been warned.

"Tim?" He guesses he can't say Tim's way too young when Zou's technically only one. But, well...if Howard were into ranking, Tim wouldn't be too far behind Cedric. "I've never heard of the other guy."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi marked off a spot near his shoulder. "Shoulder-length brown hair, teal eyes, pretty tall. He's a Gundam pilot."

Also, Tim was Red Robin, so that was a thing.

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"'Teal'? Seriously, Zou?" Who the heck calls eyes 'teal'? Maybe it's accurate, but it's still, in Howard's opinion, flowery. Partially because he's not sure what color teal is. "A Gundam pilot sounds up your alley, though. He straight?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"What? Is there some kind of stereotype about teal eyes I'm not aware of?" They were teal, Howhow!

"I really don't know. I only noticed him in passing, and Celestial Being tends to keep to themselves."

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"Yes. Everyone with teal eyes is a bodysnatcher. Careful, Zou, I don't want you incubating any teal-eyed chestbursters," Howard says oh-so-dryly. "What even is a Celestial Being anyway?"

And honestly, as much as he's being sarcastic, he's glad that he and Zou can talk about this. It makes him feel like less of a freak. He knows that being gay should be fine, that it's no one's business but his, but it's difficult to shake the way he grew up, where it would be a giant bullseye painted on his forehead. Or a kick-me sign on his back. Being able to just joke about it makes it feel normal.

So it's with some genuine warmth that he's smiling.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Ha ha. They're sort of a separate organization that helps out Starfighter Command. That Setsuna guy is one of them."

Well, it looked like Howard was feeling a little more comfortable at least, but Zouichi did have to wonder: why did Howard think that liking men would matter more to Zouichi than... oh, being part of a murder cover-up?

Equally dry: "Have any more dark, terrible secrets I should know about?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Because, Zou. Because.

Because getting ripped on for something he already feels bad about just fuels his belief that the regret he feels is deserved. It hurt when Zou held that kid's cover-up against him, but it felt like the situation merited it. Were he to feel attacked over something he can't change, something he had no say in, something he's trying very hard to not feel awful about because he knows it's illogical to be ashamed, it would feel both hurtful and intrinsically unfair.

Howard pauses a second, caught off guard for a moment into thinking Zou's being serious. "No, I don't think so. I think that's just about all of them." Except what went down with Orc and whatever, that's not anything that Zou ever needs to know.

"You know. Except for the fact that I'm secretly a Skrull."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi still didn't know what a Skrull was. "Oh, yeah. That. Hate to break it to you, but my secret network of spies already ferreted that little secret out. Sorry."

Well, at least Howard had felt bad about it. That was something.

"Are you going to ask Cedric out?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"Darn. And I went to so much trouble to cover my evil shapeshifting tracks."

Yeah, the dead kid probably felt pretty bad about it too. Given the deadness.

Howard looks surprised. "Oh God no. Do you think I'm stupid?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"So you're just going to nurse a crush on him forever?"

TURNABOUT, HOWARD. IT WAS FAIR PLAY.

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"No, I'm going to nurse it for like a week, and then I'll get over it and go back to thinking everyone's ugly. Obviously."

And there is no way that your biting jibes will get him to consider the other option! No way no how, Zou.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

No way no Howhow

"Right. Are you the same person who got on my case about confessing to Alastirra? Or was that non-Skrull Howard?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"Yeah but...that's you. You can stand to get taken down notches. I don't have enough notches."

Come on, Zou, like you haven't figured out Howard can dish it more than he can take it.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Sure he has. He just likes turning the tables now and then.

"Taken down a few notches? What did I ever do to you?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"It's all in fun, man. I didn't say you did anything to me. Besides, I back off when you get squeamish." Howard's tried to make a point of not taking the teasing too far since Galilee. Or maybe even as far back as Epicurea. It's hard to tell; it's starting to feel like he and Zou have known each other longer than just six-ish months, and the timeline of events is starting to get all noodly.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"I know; it was a joke. But in any case, you should tell him. If only to follow your own advice."

It was funny how time worked, wasn't it?

"So how long have you known?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"How about no? I mean, there's no way that won't end in total disaster. What if he says no? And worse than that, what if he goes on and tells everyone about it? Or gets freaked out and hexes me? Not everyone on this ship is as cool as you." And of course, Howard's real long-term flame is Worst Case Scenarios, so that's exactly what he expects to happen.

"Known what? That I liked Cedric or that I like guys, period?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Either. Both. I didn't even know you knew him, honestly."

Zouichi frowned. "You really think that'll happen? If he hexes you, that would be assault, wouldn't it? And I don't remember anyone kicking up a fuss when Fate and Nanoha got married."

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"Five hours for Cedric and maybe two months for the other thing. I figured out I didn't like girls before I figured out that I did like guys, so." He shrugs.

"Yeah, well, they're girls, and people like them a lot more than people like me, and worrying about what counted as assault didn't stop that one medic guy from trying to shoot me with tranquilizer darts on my second day here. So yes. I do think that might happen."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"You've been sitting on this for two months? I had no idea." Apparently, he hadn't even noticed this had been bothering Howard. Granted, Howard was probably working to make sure he didn't suspect anything, but still.

"You might be right. But I think in this case, the people on board may be better-behaved than you're giving them credit for." It was Howard's choice, though. Perhaps people were much less forgiving in the 21st century.

Actually, that was pretty likely.

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"I was afraid you wouldn't be cool with it." And he's going to get to sleep 15% easier knowing that Zou is. "And I didn't want to deal with that if you were."

He twitches the corners of his mouth side-to-side, thinking about it. "Maybe. I don't know. Have you told anyone besides me?"