coastal | voicemail.

[Caaaaaake.

Admittedly Lili was nervous for a moment, waiting for Mutsu's answer for Kashuu. But when he seems to agree enough, that manages to get her to perk up even more. Cake even for her fav? Oh good!!

So she's delighted enough to gently pick up Cupcake and put him back on the cushion nearby, just in time to turn back around to be greeted with a giant piece of cake?!

Oho.

But... there's only one... she tilts her head at that.]

Did you bring two forks?

[Is Mutsu a service dog now?]

[That cake really does look good?! It's cute... But there's one plate.]

Wow, are you really gonna make Lili share her piece?

[Because he's going to eat some of it if there's only one!! Maybe if it was anyone but Mutsu giving it, he'd have no qualms with turning the whole thing over, but no... Now, Lili's cake is just unfortunate collateral in this weird battle.]

... Why?

( He can feel it. He's a no good trouble making troublemaker sword by reputation. He can sense something abou tot happen. )

He lives here. You're the guest.

( . . . )

He can get his own.

[RECORD SCRATCH.

Immediately, all look of neutrality drops from Lili's face as she quirks a brow and her tone sharpens at the speed of light.]

Excuse me?

The least you could do is bring two forks after he'd expressed his interest in partaking in some, even if you're so stingy that you don't wish to bring an extra slice when you've already made the trip to retrieve me one. What's the point in extending hospitality and dismissal in the same breath?!

[0 TO 100 REAL QUICK.]

[EVEN KASHUU LOOKS A LITTLE SURPRISED... Mostly because this is the first time he's actually seen Lili poofing up like a hissy cat in action. It's kind of endearing?! It's also kind of hilarious ah... But he knows better than to even hint at laughter because then she'll just turn her laser sights on him instead. NOPE, NO THANKS.

So instead he just glances back over toward Mutsu...

...

Actually, he won't say anything just yet. MM-MM, NOPE. NOPE!!]

( UGH HE SAW IT COMING AND HE'S READY. )

He knows where the forks are if he wants some.

( Nope, nu-uh, he's not budging on this. )

And I never said I'd get him a piece or not. I said I'd think about it.

[THE POOFING UP CONTINUES.

It's so irritating when Mutsu gets like this and it's what has Lili march up to him, all indignation and trying to make herself taller than the 5'2" that she really is as she tries to throw around more weight than she really has.]

And you clearly didn't think about it enough!

Why are you always like this over him? It's unacceptable, you oaf!

[Though even now, it's not as cutting as it would've been before the mirrors..... except she's still pretty displeased.]

[UGH... UGH!! That dark place was awful in more than one way because on a normal day, he'd be jumping right in on the Insult Train, but as things are... It's still kind of sore and weird and awkward after the mirror room, and hearing something like that just kind of Reminds him in a way that isn't super pleasant.

SO, TIME TO ABANDON SHIP--]

Hey, it's fine. I'll just get myself something else later, 'kay? I don't really feel like eating anything from that guy, anyway.

[PLEASE DE-POOF LILI.]

( He takes one step back from Lili when she comes up to him! Gee, she’s difficult… He leans back and looks down at Lili some— not for the sake of looking down at her but just because he’s taller. He raises an eyebrow a bit at her accusations and then gives Kashuu and off glance.

Why is he always like this with Kashuu? Well, Kashuu knows. )

Why don’t ya ask him? ( Since Mutsu sure isn’t going to do the explaining.

Meanwhile, he’ll just shove the plate right at Lili for her to take. ) Here.

Ya can share with him if ya wanna share so bad. ( And he’s just going to ollie out now. He’s good at making escapes so just try and stop him or catch him. He's already out the front door!

If Lili looks at the plate carefully, she’ll see that there’s only one plate but two forks on top of each other to look like one… that large slice of cake is even cut into two slices! Though, one half is a bit smaller than the other. And the strawberry is missing from said smaller slice…

If Kashuu checks Mutsu’s Cerealian Snapchat, he’ll see Mutsu’s latest picture is that of a strawberry green on a small dessert fork with the caption,

Worth it! ☆~~ヾ(｀∇´)ｼ｡･☆ )

[ . . . . . Bye?!

Lili's taking the plate even as she glowers at him as he races back out the door. When she moves to shut it behind him she might use a little bit too much force, aggravated as she still is. HE POKED THE TSUN. HE POKED THE TSUN AND HE SURVIVED and that in itself is also kind of unacceptable.

SHE IS NOT YET DE-POOFED.

Which is why she's wandering back to Kashuu with the plate in hand and is now shoving it at him.]

Take it!

[AS SHE PERSONALLY PLOTS MUTSU'S DEMISE]

[WHY DID MUTSU LEAVE AT THAT MOMENT. WHY DID HE LEAVE AND SHOVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY OFF ON HIM...

At least he left two pieces of cake but Kashuu doesn't even notice at first, since he's fumbling to make sure he doesn't drop it on his floor.]

...If he bothered you, I can try to find him and punch him.

[Even though historically he has NO LUCK when it comes to catching Mutsu... Ah, well. He's feeling pretty calm now either way, like Lili's poofy catness is sucking up all the irritation in the room.

(This will definitely change whenever he checks his phone.)]

He didn't bother me!

[Okay but he so obviously bothered Lili.

Except for once, Lili's not personally offended by Mutsu?! That happens plenty enough, given how loud and rambunctious he is and how she Cannot Handle That. Except no, he was rude to Kashuu right in front of her and now she's just going to huff and pace around the room rather angrily with her hands still balled into fists. She may punch whoever irritates her next?!

Good luck, Kashuu.]

But he talked to you like that! I hate it! I hate it!

[ah.]

[Kashuu can Sense The Violence and is currently living in fear, honestly. He doesn't want to get punched?! HE'S IN THE DANGERZONE. Mutsu invoked a wrath and then abandoned him?! This is why they're frenemies.]

I mean, it didn't really bother me either. That guy's always like that, so it's no big deal.

[Is that better? Worse?? He's grateful that Lili is offended on his behalf, but he isn't even sure if it's safe to say that right now. What if she takes her shoe off and throws it at him or something??]

[Wherever Lili was pacing, she is now STOPPING SUDDENLY so that she can face Kashuu squarely and meet his eyes.]

He is always like that and it's still not fair. I don't understand what it is between you two but you're never especially rude about him!

[Or she's blind to it. God. These bias glasses that she has.]

But he always insists on proclaiming himself better than you to me and it's absolutely the worst! No one should ever talk about you like that!

[GRAAAHHHH

give her like 2 minutes to realize what she's saying]

[AHHH NO SHE'S TURNED HER ATTENTION ON HIM--

But oh, it's just to point out something that he totally agrees with. He's the one being bullied here!! (Though the only reason he doesn't seem especially rude to Mutsu is because he's kind of rude to everyone.)

His nose also wrinkles in response to that...]

Well, it's not like it's true! All he can do is go I'm the best, I'm the best but it's not like he actually is, so it's all just big talk.

[Obviously!!]

...Thanks, though.

[Ah, he can't keep himself from being embarrassing forever.]

[ . . . . . . . what is he thanking her for.

That's what manages to stop Lili's rampage then as she has to take a moment - a serious moment - to realize that she was defending Kashuu loudly and proudly...... right in front of Kashuu.

Her face turns red. She stops breathing for a second. She freezes.

Suddenly, it dawns on her:

He knows.]

[aaaaAAAAAHHHHHH

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

Her hands fly to her face then as if to hide, her sleeves hopefully obscuring the rest of her red face (and for a moment she misses her robes because really, they're so much more effective than the sleeves of this uniform blouse) and turning away from him as if that'll solve anything?!]

No! I--

[SHE--?!]

I didn't--!! ["mean it" is what she wants to say BUT THAT'S A LIE SO] It wasn't-- ["for you"?! Who is she? Leon?!]

D-Don't thank me for that...!!

[she might pass out from how embarrassed she is]

[GOOD BYE, LILI... Finally reaching the pinnacle point: death by Being Overwhelmed By Kashuu. It's okay, it was bound to happen eventually. Better her than Leon or... or something.

But Kashuu won't tease her this time, at least!! Mostly because he really is grateful that she stuck up for him loudly and proudly. It was cute, okay! Cute and touching. His heart felt a single doki that day.]

I dunno, I think it's pretty important to say "thank you" for something like this. [IT IS. Even if Lili turns into dust, ah... Someone help her. Someone stop him?!]

...Here-- [Setting the plate down for her!

And when he does that, the top fork slides off of the one it was hiding and clatters onto the desk. Oh...

DAMMIT MUTSU.]

It's not, it's not...!!

[Augh don't make her throw a five year old tantrum where she stomps her foot on the floor or something, Kashuu.... But no, she has too much dignity for that even as she lowers her hands and keeps her gaze on the floor and says with fierce honesty:]

It's only natural, isn't it? It speaks ill of someone who is rude to another who doesn't deserve it.

[As if she doesn't break this rule every single day? Also wouldn't this rule only apply to friends, Lili.... but she's going to glance over when she hears the clatter now and just fuss some more?!]

Th-That guy....!

[did he do this just to embarrass her

is mutsu some evil mastermind conspiring against Lili

what is it]

[IT IS, IT IS!! But he's not going to argue at least, since he's feeling marginally merciful...

Mostly because he's focusing on this second fork and now he can see there are two pieces and his expression just screws up briefly like he wants to punch someone. MUTSU, SPECIFICALLY. But alas, he's probably long gone by now... All the way down by the dojo or something.]

He's always doing stuff like this!

[Being a jerk!! But then not being as jerkish as he seems... BUT STILL BEING A JERK.]

Do you mean going out of his way to be troublesome and annoying?

[Because regardless of Kashuu's answer, she clearly agrees.

Except.... it does make her feel a little bit better to know that there are two pieces on the plate now, at least. So upon further inspection, she sighs.]

The smaller piece is likely intended for you, right? Such immaturity....

I'll take that slice.

Pretty much!

[Still rude to Mutsu... But clearly he has leeway this time since Mutsu was rude to him first when he was just minding his innocent business!!

He'll shake his head in response to that, though.]

It's fine, you can take it. I can't really handle a lot of sugar in one go, anyway. It's too sweet for me.

[Honestly, he's not much of a fan of sweets at all... He just wanted to SPITE MUTSU AND HIS CAKE, so the smaller piece works out just fine for him.]

[ . . . . what. Lili fusses a little bit at that. And here's a bit of where the angry politician comes out because-]

He clearly wanted you to have the piece without the strawberry though.... That's unfair! I'll take it so that you can have the one he intended for me. That sounds infinitely more satisfying.

[EVEN IF MUTSU'S NOT HERE AND DOESN'T KNOW......]

[ON THE ONE HAND

He can certainly understand the need for petty revenge... He does it all the time? It's supremely satisfying!! Her angry politician is basically on the same page as his tantruming 5 year old. ...But on the other, he really doesn't like sweets enough to be able to enjoy a piece that large, so this is truly a conundrum.]

I can just get another strawberry, y'know... [He'll STEAL ONE FROM ANOTHER PIECE--

As long as they're not labeled and as long as there isn't only one piece left because then it's definitely Haru's.]

[ . . . well.

He's not wrong.

So Lili moves to procure the fork that's still on the plate, carefully picking up the strawberry from her larger piece and then depositing it on top of Kashuu's smaller piece.

. . .

And then she wordlessly turns to go back and study now, good work team.]

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