ArchivedLogs:Vignette - Been a While

Vignette - Been a While
Dramatis Personae Toru
In Absentia	2013-07-11 Toru lets the family know what he's been up to. Note that all dialog is in Japanese, but quote marks look nicer than squigglebracks.
Location <NYC> Woodlawn Cemetery - The Bronx
. 鈴 原 Kazuo 一 Suzuhara 雄 1989 - 2006 The granite headstone that Toru approaches is fairly simple in design; smooth-topped, just a bit too tall to be a square, with a simple inscription across the front in a basic script. The teen is hauling a cloth bag full of assorted tools as he walks across the cemetery; his bicycle is parked a respectful distance away. It's placed, gently, on the grass in front of the stone, as he assesses its state; given that it's fairly new, it's in good enough condition, though some moss has started to creep up the sides. This, the boy gets to pulling at, cleaning off what he can with bitten-down fingernails, before removing a cloth and bottle of water from his bag. The cloth is wetted until it's dripping, and he proceeds to start wiping down the gravestone; the bottom, first, to remove visible dirt and any moss he missed, and then the rest of the marker follows. Finally, the water bottle is emptied over the top of the grave, the cloth squeezed out off to the side somewhere, and both items are returned to his bag. "You know," Toru notes, slipping into Japanese seeing as how they're alone anyway, and shaking his head a little. "You've been here for seven years, you'd think you'd have figured out how to take care of yourself by now." He manages a faint smile at his little "joke", resting his hand on the front of the stone; a finger brushes gently across the kanji making up his brother's name, just taking a moment for quiet contemplation now that the snark, such as it is, is out of his system. He sits on folded knees in front of the stone, running a hand over his hair to try and straighten it out a bit more respectfully - the fact that he's putting in any effort at all may be surprising to people who know him; he's even come dressed in a black t-shirt and shorts. Not the most appropriate attire, but at least it's an attempt. "I know I haven't been around for a while." He's shaking his head, looking off to the side for a minute, and expels a little sigh. "Sorry about that. There's been a lot of shit getting in the way, y'know? Parents shoulda come by around Children's Day, at least, so you haven't been lonely, yeah? And they'll be by in September. You know I ain't gonna come around with 'em but y'know, I'll visit again eventually, you know I always do. Sorry it's only ever when I want something from you." That cloth bag is dug through again and Toru comes up with a pair of clear plastic cups - ceramic might shatter - and a bottle of sake. One cup is filled and set on top of the headstone, the other filled and set aside until he gets the bag back in order and brushed off to the side. He takes the cup and then pushes himself up to the stone, resting his back against it and idly brushing his knuckles against the engraving, sipping from his cup and tilting his head back. "Actually I guess if I make it that far I might come by and say hey next month. I'll be fuckin' 19, man, I don't even know how that's happened. I mean... I guess usually I'm kinda jokin' about that but things ain't been good around here lately, y'know. Lots of anti-mutant shit going on, and I mean... I can hide it but sometimes y'don't know who you gotta hide it from. A bunch of pigs had this like... cock-fighting ring they put up with a buncha guys they just pulled off the streets. ... Yeah, yeah, I got stupid. I mean, I came out pretty ok when it got took apart but obviously I ain't sayin' that means I'm gonna sign up to do it again." Another sip, there, and a thoughtful silence. "There's some guys who's tryin' to make things better for us, though, and I've been helping them out. I, uh... I may have done some stuff you wouldn't be proud of. I don't wanna make you worry or anything. I'll be okay. And if I'm not, that just means we get to hang out again that much sooner, yeah?" There's a forced chuckle at that, but he shakes his head soon enough. "Seriously, though, don't worry about me. Maybe I shouldn't have told you, but... well, you know me, I don't got that many people to talk to." It is at this point that Toru turns so that he is resting his side against the gravestone, all but hugging the marker with one arm looped up to grip the side, his head rested against it. He just sits there quietly for a minute, eventually setting the remainder of his sake cup on top next to the full one, his hand lingering again by his brother's name. "Actually, uh, that's kinda the real reason I came by today instead of like, earlier. Or later, I guess. I don't really know, like... I know I've told you before about how I ain't so great with the ladies and all. I mean, I dunno what it is about it, I always kinda figured I just always picked the wrong babes. I dunno. But like... there's this dude, like. He was at that cockfight thing I was talkin' about. Weird guy. Not like bad weird, just... I guess I accidentally went on a date with him the other day, and he ain't... bad, like he's my kinda guy y'know, friend-wise, right? I just... I can't stop thinkin' about 'im. I don't really get what a dude would see in me, y'know? I mean I totally get what the ladies like about Satoru but this is somethin' else." With another sigh, he reaches to pull over his messenger bag, pulling out a carton of cigarettes, and tamps the box against the heel of his palm. "You mind if I smoke?" He actually pulls a cigarette out of the box, but after a moment, shakes his head. "I guess I prob'ly shouldn't. Mom'd call me up and go on a rant, man, you know how she gets. Somehow she always finds that shit out." Cigarette is returned to carton, carton to bag, and bag off to the side again. "I ain't really talked to them since I moved out, I guess you can figure. Ma's called a couple times but I just let it go to voicemail. I mean, I'll listen to it, I ain't that cold, I just don't wanna do that shit in realtime. I might give 'em a call around Christmas. I mean, she knows I ain't dead, there ain't really much I gotta update her on." "Plus I mean... I guess I wouldn't tell her like, pretty much any of what I'm tellin' you, but I know you pretty much ain't gonna do anything about it. For all I know, mom'll find some way to send me to a rice farm in Japan or some shit, way she freaks out about everything. But like... if I do end up likin' guys, or at least that guy... is that okay? I guess you probably don't really wanna think about your kid brother doin' that stuff anyway but I mean... well, for all I know I'll get sick of the guy before the weekend's over, but... but think about it, will ya?" For a while after that, Toru just sits against the stone, occasionally giving it a gentle tap with a knuckle, but generally just silently introspecting. Eventually, though, enough time passes that either he comes to some personal conclusion or just otherwise decides that he's spent enough time on that endeavor, because, apropos of nothing, he eventually pushes himself away from the stone and back at a more respectful distance away. Knees folded back under himself, he digs through his bag and comes out with a newspaper and a small notepad. "Man, I didn't really mean to dump all that heavy shit on you, Kazuo, but like I said, I ain't got a lotta people to talk to. I mean, I could if I wanted but there ain't a lotta people worth my time outside-a you and I guess Trib now. But anyway, I ain't gonna make you deal with my stuff without givin' you anything in return, and I know this stuff's all you really care about, so let's see..." "The Royals beat the Yankees yesterday, 3 to 1 - what the hell kinda name is Royals anyway, though, man?, friggin' presumptuous if you ask me, but the Yanks did win on Saturday against the Orioles. They're gonna be playin' at home against the Twins tomorrow..."