[Futurelandia] The Thanksgiving and Early December Post

[generalflirt]

[ It's been around a month since everything started to change. And frankly, a damn sure more things have changed even in that month. There's simplistic ones, such as Masaomi getting a vasectomy which even if he tried to keep it on the downlow, everyone found out about because of what a whiner he was for his week of medical abstinence and everyone felt after that for how he proceeded to fuck every relevant woman in the house and who would sleep with him out of the house into submission for the next two or three days. Everyone sort of had a rude awakening there.

But then, some changes were bigger and more serious. A new member joined there pack (Veroncia) not all that long ago, and it was much to everyone except some of the adult's surprise. Everyone had to learn their new pecking order and where she fit in with the rest of them. Masaomi and Nariko continued their rituals and continued their seeing other people, to mixed results from both. Audrey was hanging around the house more, though she hadn't had the recommended Talk with Masaomi about joining, despite making this something of a second home for her. And of course, Junko's training continued despite the week long hiatus from it.

Everyone was changing, and everyone was adapting. Yamato even had a sexy car now. And at the culmination of everything, a sort of milestone in the midst of everything, there was Thanksgiving, the lead up to it, and the follow up after it leading into December. A time when a lot of people hung out in one house, and then things got weirdly tense for a variety of reasons. God bess us, every one. ]

Comments

[boobielife]

It's... it's a whole thing. We had this big... talk thing and - [ He shrugs ] It's just kept going like that. It's probably weird. Or something.

[ Actually he knows it is. but still.

He rolls his shoulders as he waits for the earring options, looking a little bit flustered to have to confront it directly. He didn't realize what a habit it had become. Still- he can't help but rib Junko with- ]

Besides, isn't dad Master for you?

[ Though she hadn't been doing that since studying started... and ended. ]

[prettiestremix]

[It's not the difference in name calling that really strikes her as odd, rather it was that only Yamato had been afforded that to begin with.]

I did, but I still don't call him 'Masaomi'.

[It would just be weird, though every time she'd had little fantasies about being more important to him, more than just his daughter (because that sure as hell wasn't a position that earned her much affection), it had included doing normal couple things which might also reasonably include first names.

The necklace comes out and she pays for it without thinking too much about it. ]

[boobielife]

[ was it that weird? It might be that weird. He'll ask Mom - Nariko? whatever. He'll ask her tomorrow maybe. Still - ]

Did? What, is it over now?

[ He probably shouldn't be this casual about it. But oh well, he hums a little at this and he picks out the matching earrings and pays for them - ... wow. Okay, so he has to use credit already. Okay, so he'll just charge and go from there. ]

[prettiestremix]

I've been busy with school. [They were let out over a week ago.] And then he had the whole thing with our weird grandmother. [Masaomi probably would have made time if she'd expressed an interest.]

It's just. Y'know.

[She looks over options for Tom and points out a tasteful men's watch, one that wasn't too bling-y but remained suitably manly.] It doesn't matter either way. The whole point of all that was to make me less prudish about sex and that's what happened.

[boobielife]

But you were all excited to be getting along better with dad. I know you were.

[ Or at least, he thought she was. Thought she could read her better than that. If dad was really that busy... did he need to confront dad to try and make more time for Junko? He frowned a little, looking at the watches too, but in all honesty, he's mot distracted by Junko ]

[prettiestremix]

I was. But I don't want to be the house whore like Audrey, either.

[Rare was the situation that such a thing could be said and it wasn't an insult. If Audrey was happy with how things were? Great. But Junko liked the sexual freedom, not the complete inability to function outside of actually having sex. Logically there could be a compromise between those two extremes, but it seemed to go against her fathers overall goal.]

Look, I know it's weird or whatever, we really don't need to go over that again.

[She's going with this watch, and picking up the set of cufflinks for Sullivan that she'd seen a week and a half ago. ... And since Yamato's paying more attention to her now he might notice the she does look a little - sad, actually. ]

[boobielife]

[ He does notice that, and he frowns a little. Was Junko not happy with it then? Maybe she was, and maybe she wasn't. He's pretty sure she wasn't, based on the expression and the result. The boy frowns, and he looks down at his hand before he looks back at Junko. Not wanting to be the house whore... huh ]

No one said you had to be.

[ But... ] I'm sure he could be reasoned with. I mean. He's our dad.

[ But she also said she didn't want to talk about it. Should he drop it? He frowns, and hr reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder ]

[prettiestremix]

[When he touches her shoulder she looks up at him, and it's the whole thing or maybe the way he says it, the fact that he's showing concern but her eyes well up with tears almost instantly.] You're right.

[She manages to reach up and squeeze his hand but she's quick to turn away and try to hide her sniffle under the sound of getting their purchases. It doesn't really work, but there's an attempt!]

Come on, we're already about done!

[Junko does her best to sound cheerful, but her voice is a little too thick for that. She'll be fine, dammit.]

We have to return the cookie cutters, finish up Octavio and Audrey, and then mom should be last.

[boobielife]

[ ... Did he seriously just have a breakthrough with her in like five seconds there? Or was she faking it for his benefit? He's not sure either way, but he just accepts it as that, squeezing her shoulder and pulling her into a half-hug. But she quickly brushes past him, and he nods, putting on a smile for her as he says, warmly ]

So am I on my own for dad and Koji? Oh wait, dad was the tablet, duh.

[ But he nods, if they're returning, he can lead this time, tugging her with a held hand ]

Probably gonna stick with these two for the rest of the night tbh

[prettiestremix]

[He did, but she doesn't like crying in public! It's embarrassing and ridiculous, and they've already gone over some of what she'd inevitably talk about. There's no use in having the same conversation twice. Besides, the way he holds her hand is more comforting than anything else.]

Oh, I actually wanted your help with Koji. What systems does he have?

[And the tablet was for their dad, yes. She squeezes his hand and steps in a little closer than she might need to even with the crowds. Don't judge her.]

Oh really? Okay, cool!

[boobielife]

[ Junko are you really that out of the loop on video games... Still, Yamato leads them now, making sure to firmly hold her hand and laughing a bit. ]

He's got a PS4 and I guess he's got the old 360 too? But that's not going to have anything new for it. [ Hr shrugs ] Mom bought him a Wii-U but he returned it when no one was paying attention.

[ which is a shame, Yamato liked the Wii-U. Also she's mom in this context because this is a mom-thing that she did. Obviously. ]

[prettiestremix]

... What a little shit.

[Koji's usually a little shit but, wow. If he didn't like it why didn't he just ask Yamato or Junko if they'd like it? She's going to punch his arm when she gets home. And, really, Junko just mixes up what a PS4 and Xbonx One are because they're both black and kind of big looking and she doesn't care what a game is running on anyway. She can remember the Wii U because of the gamepad.]

So it'd work out better if we got him an Xbox One, then?

[boobielife]

[ Hmmm. He considers that... and then nods ] It'd cost less than getting him some gaming PC anyway. We'll just get him the new Halo and point out it an an exclusive and he'll probably like it.

[ That seems about right. ]

... But yeah, seriously. I miss the Wii-U.

[prettiestremix]

I wanted to play Mario Maker.

[She likes Princess Peach the best. Sigh.]

If he returns it I'm kicking his ass, though. They're on sale but that's still pretty damn expensive! [Koji's fucking game console costs more than what she's getting Emily and Octavio for goodness sake. He's her brother so of course that warrants a little more spending but.]

[boobielife]

We could just go cheap on him and get him a soccer ball and by a Wii-U for ourself.

[ He says this with a bit of a smirk. ... He never would. But still, it's a fun thought. He should do that.

... He won't. ]

[prettiestremix]

We'd never hear the end of it, and mom would give us judgy looks. [But she smiles too, very briefly considering it as they make their way to the right store.

But there's no reason they can't just get their own Wii U, right?]

We should go get his when we're done here. [It's just a little ways down so it benefits them in the end.]

[boobielife]

He's been a particular shit this year, mom might actually forgive us. [ A beat ] But Veronica wouldn't.

[ Speaking of, they're making headway on getting to where to return the cookie cutters! .... And they should go splitzies on their own wii-u. That sounds nice. ]

[prettiestremix]

Mm [She squints a little.] true. And I actually like her. I have no idea why she's so enamored with Koji, of all guys, but it's not my fault if she doesn't love herself enough.

[It is kind of a shame, though. Oh well, as long as she was happy, right?]

Speaking of that [She looks at him a little sharply.] are you and Audrey alright?

[boobielife]

I dunno, I think they've both got a little shit in them - I mean, the two times I've done it with her I'm pretty sure it's to make sure he saw it.

[ He says this with a shrug. This is a theory on his part but... Oh. Uh- ]

I think?

[prettiestremix]

I guess they'll basically be weirdoes together. [She was the jealous type? Huh. Junko wouldn't have ever guessed it.

The store is sort of crowded, though, so they might end up in line for a while. It's a good thing that no one is likely to expect them home anytime soon. Even though she was the one to bring the topic up Junko doesn't say anything for a minute, but eventually:]

You are. I'm glad she decided to join.

[Even without any sort of promise to Yamato or Junko.]

[boobielife]

I guess? I mean, they seem happy.

[ Almost in a ... weird way. There's something different there, different than the connection that a lot of the members of the pack have with each other or even with others. Yamato can't quite put his finger on what it is. Still, he hums a little and smiles at Junko answering his own question.

... the truth is, because she asked, he was worried. ]

I am too. Do you know if she's been enjoying herself? No problems or whatever?

[prettiestremix]

Mmhm. She's been elated. I was kind of worried that she was putting up a front or something so I thought I'd ask but [Hand wave.] every time I talk to her she's smiling. To be honest I didn't even know she could be this ... Light.

[Audrey was still a rather serious person, she tended to think ahead and somewhat pragmatically, like Junko, but a lot of her more natural cheerfulness had been bogged down by her home life. Junko just hadn't realized how much it was all weighing on the girl.]

I was convinced you guys were going to be spending Christmas attached to one another.

[boobielife]

You were? But we're not even like a couple or... anything. I mean. I rejected her and. All that.

[ Though it is true they had been getting along as friends and packmates arguably even better than this did when they had been awkwardly going out on dates. That was something even he had noticed and he really liked it. He shrugged a little, his smile not quite fading, but getting a little lop-sided in the course of it. Because he did still worry about it sometimes.

... Fuck there is a big crowd here. Let's wait for this group to pass ]

[prettiestremix]

I guess I just hoped it for her sake.

[Or something along those lines. She probably tried to steel herself for the 'inevitability' of it.] Mostly I'm just glad she didn't have a mental breakdown between the both of us.

[The discussion Junko had meant to have with her went surprisingly well in the end! Audrey wasn't too pleased and they both accepted the idea of still sleeping together but ... It was all less intense now. Although the sneaking, mean part of Junko just wished that Audrey had been born a guy, and then none of it would have been a problem.]

[boobielife]

I mean. [ . . . Err. ] She is okay, right? If she needs more like -- you know. Focus or help or whatever. I can do that?

[ Fuck why is he so bad at noticing when people are in trouble. He really is so bad at this. Yamato laughs a little sheepishly, worried in spite of himself at things that he knows he has no control over. ... both of them. Ah, so Junko actually did it. That's good. ... Well not good-good. But like. Good?

... It's for the best that everyone is being honest now because Junko obviously isn't still dating Ethan behind everyone's back. There! That works ]