dumbshow | probably not depressing

[Okay, that's fair. He moves his hand back from Shoot's waist, even if the other stays on his shoulder for now.]

Alright, then let's get going! I'll take you to the best bar in the area! Their booze's so good, even a grim guy like you might crack a smile...

[...That might be a stretch, he realizes on a side thought that distracts him into temporary silence. When he recovers, he pulls back his other hand, finally, and punches his own palm, stepping backwards towards the door. He's still not sure if Shoot can really walk, but he'll probably get pissed off if he hovers by too closely.

He'll just keep his eyes open.]

[Shoot doesn't want to go for drinks, truthfully. He'd prefer going home and lying down, although on some level he has to admit following Knuckle to some bar ("best," how questionable) comes with a bit of normalcy that's nice, after... everything.

But if he's going to be rude, Shoot's just going to give him a look and walk right past him out of the room.

Made it to the hall. Look how upright he is.]

... Let's not tell Morel about this. [He'd take not being invited personally...]

Hm?

[Not really noticing it much, he follows after Shoot in his usual hunched over strolling, pulling a hand out of his pocket to stroke his chin at that.]

Ahh, you're right, he'd be pretty pissed that I beat him to the punch after he was talking about it all that time... That's what he gets, running off like that! [Okay, but he actually does think of him fondly, so he's not going to say anything.]

Haha, don't worry, I won't say a word! [He waves it off literally, grinning. Then, scolding as if he's the one that should be warning of this:] But you can't have too much.

[They can still go out with Morel another time... Shoot will just have to try not to look guilty the whole time, which might not work at all. They're definitely not going to get away with this.

For now he's just going to focus on walking in a straight line. It's still working so far.]

What? [Has he ever had too much in his life? Honestly.] This after you make a big deal about how good the drinks are...

[Sigh.]

Shut up! It's not making a big deal, they are that good!

[Having already been officially 'checked out' of the hospital, it's easy to walk right past all the lines at front desks and nurses stations to just leave.] And I only bring them up cuz you need to loosen up every now and again!

[A pause, and he looks over to him again, surprised at his own realization.] Come to think of it, I don't really know many things you do for fun...

[Bypassing more nurses, his ideal exit. Now where are they going... does he have to hike downtown, or what? That might actually prove difficult.]

Hmm.

[That is a hmm of mild disagreement. He'll never loosen up enough for Knuckle to think it counts, so- this is going to have to do. Just like this next thing he says, entirely casually:]

To be fair, you never asked. I assumed you weren't particularly interested.

[That's because I didn't care before, damn it!

He realizes this and wonders why he suddenly cares now of all times, but what can he do? It's what Morel would want too, probably. And he was a friend in his eyes now. There was no going back so easily.]

Half the time you're off somewhere hiding. [He points this out with a literal point of his finger.] And anyway, I'm asking now, so let's hear it!

[This interrogation is the opposite of what he expected. Knuckle's always up in his face, but wanting to know what Shoot does for fun is so... okay, it's strange. Shoot does wonder vaguely what Knuckle does in his spare time besides pet dogs, but he's not going to ask.

For people who've spent a lot of time around each other, they don't really know much. Although, uh, Shoot may have done that on purpose. Should he not anymore? Now that things have changed, somehow.]

Why, all of a sudden...? [why does he have to do this] I like to read.

[lbr he spends a ton of time braiding his own hair for hours, look at it]

[Reading? At first, it seems surprising, but the longer he thinks about it, the more it fits. Shoot seemed like such a secluded guy, so getting lost in a story all by himself... He could see it now.

And that meant he should probably shift where they were going. It doesn't show. He's still walking in the same direction, but it makes it a lot closer, and a lot more planned out.]

It doesn't matter why! More importantly, you like books, huh... [Hmm, hmmm...] What kind?

[Knuckle, at least answer one question in between all of this grilling. Being put on the spot like this isn't doing Shoot any favors. He looks down as they walk, hunching his shoulders a little like that will stop him.]

Novels. [... It might take a few seconds for it to become obvious that that's all he's going to say. Novels, yes. The kind with pages. And words.

But enough about him.]

What do you do in your spare time?

[Novels... Is this friendship really possible? He lets that awkward silence wash over them until Shoot speaks again, and now it's about him?! This is so awkward. Why are they just now getting to know each other?]

Plenty of things! When I'm not training... [He stares ahead as they walk, looking very, very focused. Maybe like he's thinking too hard.]

I like running.

[Novels. Shoot feels less awkward (minutely) once the conversation is off him, noting only in the back of his mind that maybe that's a thing he should stop doing.

Knuckle is actually trying, after all, so he should as well... Right?

Running, though. Not really a surprise, he expected something physical or loud. He waits a couple seconds, then,] That's one thing.

[This is going well.]

I'm getting there, fool, don't rush me! I can think of tons of things, I'm not having a hard time at all!

[Nothing says back to normal like Knuckle yelling ridiculous things at full volume. It takes him a few minutes to face forward again with his very irritated thinking face on, but eventually, he does come up with more.]

Certain games. Cards or word ones. Going to the park on sunny days [and feeding every animal], the beach, drinking and spending time with friends! Hah, see! There's several!

[Ignore that a few of those are under rare circumstances. How often does he get to visit a beach?]

I was only pointing it out... [Knuckle, chill, it's not a competition. At the very least, Shoot doesn't complain while he thinks about it; the quiet's not bad.

And that's certainly a list. True to form for the sort of guy who can only come up with "novels" for things he likes, Shoot's priority lies in asking about-] You're interested in word games?

[He's sort of surprised... and actually interested, what a dork. Unless it's something like word searches, then he's unimpressed.]

Like what?

Of course!

[He looks very into them, if his expression says anything. Look at him, posing with his fingers in a checkmark under his chin, as if he's cool or something...]

Battles of the mind and reflex alike! To think of one you must have heard of before... Word chain!

[Why is he pointing down the road, no one knows.] You think of a category, like 'food'. From there, one person says the first word, which has to be a type of food, and the other has to think of a food that starts with the letter the first one ended with. There's no repeating words or changing tenses!

[Not word searches, huh— Shoot will allow this. He doesn't actually need the explanation, because who hasn't heard of this one, but he'll listen just for Knuckle's sake. If he actually had friends to... play word games with... maybe he wouldn't patiently endure.]

I don't think food is the most practical example.

[foods don't have tenses Knuckle]

What're you talking about? An example is an example!

[That doesn't actually address the issue, but shut up. How about that. Suddenly, though, he gestures to a building just ahead. A small mom and pop bookstore, from the look of things. What happened to going to a bar?

He holds the door open, pausing just to talk more.]

Come on, check out whatever you want or... whatever you wanna do. [He's so great at this.]

[Maybe 'hobbies' would have been better, but wait, combined they have about 6. Never mind.

Shoot's surprised twice over: first because he didn't think the hospital was this close to any bars, second because it's not a bar but a quaint little bookstore... His eyes go a little wide and he looks at Knuckle, not honestly sure what happened here. That awkward fumbling about liking to read- not even that, but Knuckle is this serious about doing something "fun" with him?

That's kind of touching, and if he were Knuckle he'd probably tear up about it. Instead he just looks at him with that genuinely surprised expression for just a second or two too long, then passes by into the store.]

What happened to drinks?

[No, wait, that's not what he meant to say. But is it weird to thank someone for going to a bookstore with you...? He'll stare at a magazine rack until he decides.]

The hell... Drinks can happen whenever! [He's so annoyed that Shoot is asking this, and it shows in every bit of him. His expression, his posture, the way he's bristling and waves it off even more...

Honestly, he's embarrassed. Who calls out his cheesy move like this?!]

I drink all the time, so it doesn't matter right now! I just remembered there's something I was looking for here, and since you like books it just happened to work out! [Yeah--!!]

[If it helps, Shoot meant to be even more embarrassing but chickened out. At least the outburst is something he can frown vaguely at, at the magazines.

Also, Knuckle is a terrible liar. This time, however, Shoot won't call him out so blatantly. It is a nice gesture, and he does like books.

So with that in mind, he glances aside from the magazines and turns to drift toward the novels. As a whole, all novels.]

Do you want to go later? Running errands all day isn't like you.

You...

[He had automatically been offended by that, but despite trying to find something to yell about it, he goes blank. This, of course, leads to him standing there, pointing aggressively and completely silent for a good few seconds.

When he snaps out of that, he's standing up straighter and crossing his arms again, looking away to a rack of magazines like he cares more about those.]

What we're doing right now isn't an errand! I can't believe you... You think I'm that cold? [...Ah, how does he word this, though.] We can drink later, or we can find something else. It's your big day, isn't it?

[Knuckle, people can see this!! Shoot pauses and looks back at him, like, Don't make it sound like an errand, then? He can tell he must have crossed a line, or stepped very close to a line - there wasn't any yelling - but unfortunately isn't sure what to do about it.]

'Big day' is pushing it. I've been fine for a while. [no he hasn't] Besides, you were busy with something this morning.

[Errand! But no, that's not... He shrugs and looks away again, which is honestly more an attempt to take cover behind his huge collar than a dismissal, because after a pause he adds,] Knuckle.

I know you're not cold.

"Fine" my ass, you idiot! You've been in the hospital this whole time!

[There's only one other customer in this quiet little bookshop, and she's by now cowering in the corner with her nose deep in a book hoping this strange man doesn't start yelling at her, too.

But he stands there, huffy and trying to justify himself in his own mind when Shoot says his name. Startled, he looks over.

And... that's not what he was expecting. His mouth stretches a little further as he stares, not sure if he wants to smile or frown or just be all around confused.]

Uh, thanks. [Awkward. ...But it's a nice thing, he thinks. He doesn't feel bothered by it-- wait.

Was Shoot trying to make him feel better??]

[He may have been in the hospital, but he wasn't- uh- no, he was sort of the worst off aside from Gon... Never mind. He only has a slightly guilty hmm in response to that.

Why he feels guilty for feeling fine, he doesn't know. Habit.]

Hm. [stop humming, Shoot] That is- it's nothing. I'm going to browse the fiction section.

["I'm going to hide behind a shelf." Bye, Knuckle.]

Sure...

[Knuckle stares after him for a few good seconds before looking back to the magazines in front of him. Sports, celebrity news, something about Leorio punching Ging... Okay. But more importantly!! Why was Shoot running off to hide again?!

He realizes this so belatedly that he visibly stiffens before sneaking over along the aisle next to the fiction one. Maybe he's trying to read something gushy?? It's a secret?? He wants to know...

He'll step out into Shoot's aisle suddenly.]

Hey, Shoot! What kind of book are you looking for? I can help! [He knows nothing about book shopping. Hence asking a question like this.]

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