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[He laughs and shakes his head. He's certain Ryunosuke is over thinking this. But then, hadn't Manabu done the same when they had talked?] He asked you because he enjoys your company and likes you. It seems to me, he has this planned out as something for you to enjoy. Perhaps let him take the lead.

Should it lead to something more, a second date, then you can arrange something he'll enjoy.

[He can't help but wonder when he became the relationship expert among them, but here they were.] You don't have to thank me. I'm you're friend; I want to see you happy. Listening to you and giving advice is the very least I can do in that regard.

Right. That's probably true. [He sighs, rubbing the back of his head.] I'm really over thinking this, aren't I?

[Now that it's settling in that this is a date he's realizing that he can't stop thinking about it. All of the what if scenarios popping into his head and questions about what he should be doing race through his mind. He was absolutely over thinking it, but he has good reason to, he thinks! This is a first for him.

Maybe Ange was right about how he was feeling and who to hope for.]

I hope I don't screw this up so he doesn't want a second date. [He laughs lightly.]

You are. [A confirmation, but gently given. He understands that nerves can and would be at play. Especially with this being a first, as far as Ryunosuke considers the experience.]

It's understandable...To be nervous. Though I don't think there's anything you could do to make him forgo a second. He'd be a fool to let it end with a singular date.

Thank you for the confirmation.

[He sighs, crossing his arms as he stares at his uneaten food.]

If he doesn't want to go on a second date that would be his choice, you know. [He looks up at Kazuma.] I do kind of hope it goes well enough for a second one, though.

It may be his choice, but it's my opinion that he'd be foolish to make it. [Very matter of fact. Hell hear no argument and take no notes, thank you.]

I'm sure it will be fine and go as well as, if not better than, you hope it to. You honestly are worried over nothing, Ryuu.

That's very kind of you to say. [He'll take it and not argue on this one.] But we'll see how it goes.

I hope you're right. [He smiles as he lifts up his fork finally.] I mean you usually are. [He points out.] But what if you're wrong this time?

[Ugh, thinking about the "what if"s isn't getting him anywhere.]

Don't answer that. [He jabs at his food.] I'm going to keep positive about this.

Exactly. I usually am, so just assume that's the case.

[But he knows Ryunosuke, and all the positive thinking in the world isn't going to keep him from worrying until the whole deal is done and over.]

If I'm wrong about this, I'll eat my own boot.

Really? Your boot? [He sticks out his tongue at the thought, but he laughs all the same.] I don't know, I might pay to see that.

Not a price high enough. [He responds with a grin.] I may only do so in retribution for a dear friend's suffering. So, if all goes well, I will not be eating my own boot.

Let's hope not anyway. [He shakes his head, chuckling as he finally takes the first bite of dinner.] Mn, so, [He starts.] You at least feeling better from last month?

[Because sir, you were like a whiny toddler.]

Can we forget last month existed? [Said with a bit of a pout, and followed quite quickly by a bite of his dinner. He knows he was a bit ~~one hell~~ of a prat.] I'm feeling much better though. You?

I don't think we can. [He teases lightly.] I'm feeling better as well. The whole month was troublesome. Between the pain and being lost in the catacombs...

[Which he did not really want to talk about.]

Goodness knows you and Manabu won't let me live it down. [Nor should they. Please, continue to razz him for it.]

Wait. Did you say catacombs? And here I was lost in a jungle for the better part of the month...[Not that he's too keen on discussing his ordeal either.] Were you...alone?

We won't. You were like a child. [He chuckles a bit before the subject changes to the catacombs.

He sighs, finding himself frowning.]

Yes, I was alone. I did meet someone briefly but for the most part, I was by myself. What about you?

Edited 2022-04-15 00:06 (UTC)

[Kazuma does not dignify that retort with a response. Though that frown he has might be more akin to a childish pout if one wishes to make the argument.]

Ah...[He isn't too certain he likes the idea of Ryunosuke being in somewhere like the tangled tunnels of some catacombs by himself. Even if we're more than capable of handling himself.] I was by myself up until I ran into Tanya...A friend of mine.

Tanya? I don't think I've met her. [He smiles though, glad that Kazuma seems to have made a friend outside of the people he knew.] I'm glad you weren't alone.

What happened in the jungle? [He asks, mostly curious.]

She's been on the network, that's how we started talking. Competent, well-versed. A bit serious, but--[But he liked her, was fond of her. After the stint in the jungle, maybe even a little protective.] She's a good sort...

[A frown at the question, if only because there was a lot to answer for with it.] What one could expect from a jungle, I suppose. Wild animals, unpredictable weather--flooding. There was a hunter, though his game wasn't the animals but other men. Tanya was one of his targets.

Wait, a hunter of men?! [That didn't sound like a pleasant thing in the least.] I'm sorry she became a target. What about you though? If you were there with her would you have become a target yourself?

[What if he had gotten hurt, or worse, died during that encounter? It's clear from his worried expression what he's thinking.]

I happened upon her. He had caught up with her once, she was injured. [And he couldn't leave her like that. Alone. If Ryunosuke knew him at all--and he knew him better than anyone--then he would recognize that conviction without it needing to be said.]

We kept off the pathways, in the foliage...we didn't engage, at least not unnecessarily. It wasn't Tanya's fault the game gave her bad rolls.

You two didn't... you were okay, right?

[Kazuma would tell him if he actually died, right? After what happened with Manabu and how he found out he...didn't need someone else announcing on the network that they had to kill him.]

I'm here, aren't I?

[Kazuma had yet to personally see what resulted from death here. It was only through research in the archives and word of mouth that he knew much about it at all really.]

I'm fine, Ryunosuke. I wouldn't--[He wouldn't do that to him again. Not if he could help it.] I would have told you sooner if something had happened.

Yes but... [He sighs, looking relieved. So he was okay. He didn't die in the jungle, so he didn't need to worry about how he'd come back from the dead. He'd likely wash up on the shore again... which wasn't ideal but at least he'd know where to look.]

I'm glad you're okay, then. [He rubs his face.] It sounds like it was a difficult time though. How did you get out?

[But-- There was more Ryunosuke wanted to say. Wanted to ask, maybe? Whatever lingered on Ryunosuke's mind would come up eventually. Either now or at some point when it's compounded with other concerns.]

Ah...Right. [Speaking of concerns.] We played the game. It was all about having the right rolls. [A frown. A thought.] And you? The catacombs?

A game? [That doesn't sounds pleasant at all.] Well I'm glad you managed to escape.

[There's a pause, before he shakes his head.] I managed to escape. I'm not entirely certain how I found the way out, but it wasn't an easy road to get there. [Another pause.] Being so far under ground was not... it was surreal as it was terrifying.

Mm. [A non-committal noise, one that does not leave room for additional conversation on the matter. Much as he survived the jungle and the trials that came with it, the less he relived the better.

He suspected it was about the same for his friend and the catacombs.]

Seems we both had our share of luck.

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