Chapter 2: Hunting Season(ing) Part One

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Are you okay with this?" Mob sat on a bench with Tome, the head of the Telepathy Club. Mob wasn't part of the Telepathy Club, but he had a good relationship with the members since they shared the room with the Body Improvement Club (which Mob was a part of). So naturally, when Tome aggressively insisted that he help her hunt aliens or telepaths or telepaths that were also aliens, Mob felt like he had no choice to agree.

But unfortunately, despite having four investigative meetings (this one was number five), they had thusfar failed to find anything.

Maybe aliens or telepaths weren't as common as either one of them thought.

"Maybe it'd be better for us to try again later in the year. Maybe aliens visit only during certain seasons." It didn't at all seem implausible to Mob. People always hoped for the weather to be a certain way when they went on vacation. If aliens were even a little like humans, Mob was sure they'd feel the same way when they vacationed on other planets.

Comments

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"I-it wasn't anything!"

"Don't worry! Your mom and I support you no matter what!" Mr. Kageyama slapped a hand on his oldest's shoulder. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting you to date until at least high school!"

"W-wait, it's not like that!"

[mp_npc]

“What your father means is…yes, we love and support you no matter what.” Mrs. Kageyama put her hand on Shigeo’s other shoulder. “You don’t have to be embarrassed of any thoughts or feelings you’re having. The most important thing to us is that you’re spending your time with someone who respects those thoughts and feelings.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

33% 34% 35% 36% 37%...

"I know that," Shigeo said, his voice tensing nearly as much as his body.

"Good!" Another familiar pat on the shoulder from his father.

"But Hanazawa-kun and I really aren't dating. I promise you!"

[mp_npc]

Ah, her poor Shigeo was really panicking. Still, she knew her son well enough to know that he wasn’t the type to kiss anyone just because he felt like it. If he wasn’t able to admit anything to them now she could let him know that door was always open. “And it’s okay if you aren’t. Or if you are. Hanazawa-kun is clearly very fond of you and he’s always welcome to visit anytime.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Thanks, I'll be going now." Mob immediately stood up, but his father caught his wrist.

"Even if it's with a man, you still should wear a condom."

38&39%40%41%42%...

[mp_kageyamabro]

“Don’t forget your tea!” Ritsu heard his mom shout when he left his room, followed by a frantic ascension of steps to the second floor. He was ready to peek over the banister when his older brother was already flying into him.

“Whoa!” The tea flew out of Mob’s mug but was returned to its place with his older brother’s power in short order. “You okay?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"YeahI'mfine," Mob spit out. The beads of sweat and the franticness of his movements as he navigated his way upstairs clearly spelled out one thing with absolute clarity:

Mob was not fine.

[mp_kageyamabro]

“Um. Okay.” Mob was like an electric cable that had snapped and was now flailing all over the street. An errant flinch could spell doom. “Did…they give you a hard time about your clothes?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"No, not this time." This time was a lot worse.

[mp_kageyamabro]

That only left one far worse option.

Hanazawa showing up for dinner from nowhere. The weird looks they’d shared all evening. His brother’s cageyness. Mom and Dad whispering in the back room.

All of the action potential in Ritsu’s system was firing off with the need to tear out of the house and hunt the source of this tension down himself. He suppressed all this behind an unassuming smile to reassure panicking brother.

“Mom and dad really get ahead of themselves. Should I talk to them for you?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Don't worry about it," Mob said, trying to steady his voice as to not worry Ritsu. "I'm sure they'll..." Mob wanted to say forget about it, but he got the feeling that wouldn't happen for a really long time. "I'm sure they'll get tired of it eventually."

[mp_kageyamabro]

Before Ritsu could reply the buzzer from Mob’s phone started going off in his pocket. He tightened his jaw and hoped his sense on this one was wrong.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob swiftly pulled the phone out from his pocket and flipped it open. "Hello?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

“Kageyama-kun! It’s Hanazawa. Are your parents around?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Um." Mob looked down the hallway; from his vantage point, he could see the two of them in hushed discussion. "Kind of."

He really hoped Teruki wasn't about to ask to talk to them.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

“I just got home and this cheesecake your mom made…delizioso! Molto delizioso! I really want to send them a gift. Can you give me some ideas?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob turned his back to Ritsu as he spoke in a low voice over the phone. "I don't think that might be a good idea right now."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"Oh." It was suddenly clear to Teruki that it wasn't a good time. Personal matters? Family drama? ...Maybe he interrupted him during some kind of moment? He resisted the urge to ask why in favor of not adding to Mob's burden...whatever it was.

"Gotcha. I'll think of something. Oh! I figured I could come visit you after school tomorrow so we can move forward with the plan. You're gonna be in your club, right? I'll find you."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Yeah, but I kinda have work right after club."

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teruki hummed. Mob was the one who wanted to resolve this quickly, but he was still the one who made the offer. "Then, what day works for you?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Um, well..." Mob shifted his phone against his head and looked over his shoulder at Ritsu. "Maybe we can do something after work, but before dinner?"

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"It should be while people are still at school...you know? So we're not putting her out."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"O-oh.. yeah..." Mob swallowed. He was really going to risk disappointing Master Reigen with this one.

43%, 44%....

But... this was for Tsubomi, wasn't it? It'd be okay for just one day.

"I'll let Master Reigen know I can't be there tomorrow... or that I'll be late tomorrow." The latter seemed like it would be easier to do.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

"You said your Master was a nice guy, right? I'm sure he'll understand. This is your love life on the line, after all! Remember, just be confident. Especially when you're not." Teru sat on his own open windowsill, cheesecake slice still in hand. He wanted to talk to Mob more, even though they had just finished seeing each other, but the other boy sounded like he was dealing with enough. "Get enough sleep! See ya tomorrow."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Y-yeah, I'll do that. Thanks." Mob flipped his phone shut, then turned back to Ritsu. "Sorry about that."