dumbshow | probably not depressing

[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.]

[Meanwhile, Shoot is- not happy, exactly, but less nervous once he disappears into the rows of shelves. Whatever he just said back there about Knuckle not being cold went as poorly as he imagined it would and now he wants to just be... elsewhere.

This isn't hiding, though. This is most definitely avoiding, but it isn't hiding.

His conversation fumbles are actually bothering him enough that he's not really looking at books as Knuckle creeps up. Well, he's facing books, and he is making eye contact with books, but he isn't really seeing them. Which is why it's exactly when he finally reaches for one at random, just to look busy, that Knuckle pops out of nowhere.

Shoot drops the book.]

Knuckle-? [Please go look at bookmarks, this is ten times the Knuckle he's precariously used to.]

I hadn't picked anything specific to look for. Why don't you look for something that looks interesting?

Hmm...

[Interesting? Interesting. He's not sure why Shoot is dropping books, especially when he has like four hands, but he'll keep that to himself for now along with other speculation. Something interesting, though...

He's going to hang out here, in the same area, and start skimming the titles. Eventually, he pulls out something that looks to be the equivalent of Twilight and skims the back of it. Is this something Shoot would like?]

Here, what about this? [Shoving that at him, he abandons it there and moves a few steps down the aisle, crouching. From here, he'll skim through some more, and--

Oh, one of the titles grabs his attention, and so he pulls it out. Some type of fantasy Kung fu book...]

[Okay he only has one hand right now because he only needs one hand to pick up books, come on.

Now Shoot is in a tighter spot than before (as if he can actively pick up books he might really want to read with Knuckle hovering around like this!!), and simply goes back to staring at the shelf in front of him... Occasionally he'll shift a few inches to the side, like he's really looking.

They should have gone to the bar. They should have. Shoot isn't mentally prepared to casually hang out somewhere it's not too loud to hear anything clearly.]

What? [Oh, a book shoved at him, thanks. He doesn't drop this one, to his credit. He turns it over to look at what it is, although-]

Knuckle, this is for children.

[YA is kiddie lit when you're pushing 30, clearly.]

Huhh?

[He looks up briefly from his little squat, eyeing the book in Shoot's hand.] No way is that for kids, it's a novel! Look at it, it's like 400 pages.

[What Knuckle pictures when Shoot says children: 5 year olds.]

Don't be embarrassed by the whole werewolf thing! Think of it like it's Meleoron or something. [Because that helps.]

[That's... not how books work! Shoot frowns down at him, like he might even put forth the effort to explain, but why is Meleoron suddenly involved?]

What? No, Knuckle- [knuckle??] I'm not embarrassed, it just isn't to my tastes.

[It's not novel enough, clearly.]

... Like it's Meleoron, really? [No, he's stuck on this.]

Not your taste? So you're too good for it, now?

[What the hell!! He's trying here, since Shoot didn't tell him anything he did like, so--! Standing up with the Kung Fu book in one hand, he moves over to snatch that Twilight wannabe away.]

But yeah, like him! Part human, part something else... [Shut up he's embarrassed and he feels its unjustly so.] What's wrong with it, anyway?

That doesn't make any sense.

[Seriously, not liking a book doesn't mean he's too good for it, what? How?? Take the vaguely defined parody, take it all.

And Meleoron isn't anything like a werewolf... Don't say that too loudly, what if he's here somehow.]

There's nothing wrong with it, in any case, I just don't think I'd like it... Why don't you read it? [Is he serious, is he "please shut up" serious, who can say.]

Ahhh, fine, I will!

[He waves the book a little between them.] You're just judging it by the cover! [no] I'll read it and find the story myself! If it ends up good, I'm gonna rub it in your face, you hear me!

[Shake shake shake... Okay, that's enough shaking, so he stops. Stacking the second book on top of the first, he looks down at his pile of 2 proudly.]

I've already got two! What's taking you so long, Shoot?

[he's going to what]

[Shoot blinks, considers telling Knuckle not to read the Twilight ripoff, and decides against it. He'd probably start- or continue yelling, so maybe it's just not worth the effort.]

If it turns out to be better than it sounds, I'll read it. But I doubt it.

[This as he ignores being rushed, ugh. He looks studiously at the shelf, maybe willing it to give him a suggestion. Seconds pass.

A whole minute passes. Then he looks back at Knuckle, and he's... distressed?? About this book thing??]

You're hovering.

[Fine, he thinks! He will read it. It will be better than it sounds, or than Shoot thinks, and he will hear about it!! That's that. And so, he stands like this, books in one hand and the other at his hip as he watches this very seriously.

Really, it's just creating tension.

Tension that snaps when Shoot finally speaks again, and as the words settle in, Knuckle goes from surprised to offended and angry. Hunching over and bending in front of Shoot to share up at him, he shakes his books at him like they should be threatening.]

Hahhh?! Hovering?! Is that what you think?!

[HE'S HERE FOR SUPPORT. He stands up straight, again, books coming with his hand as the other swipes in irritation at the air between them.]

So you don't even want company for something like this, is that it? Fine! I don't give a damn! So call me when you're done, already!

[Like a child, he storms off to the front of the store, scanning through the gadgets by the register instead as he fumes. (Really, it's all just confusion coming out as anger.)]

[Oh, he shouldn't have said anything. Knuckle overreacting isn't anything new, true, but his way too emotional reaction still leaves Shoot standing there stiffly, pointedly glancing away at some advertisement posters visible above his head. Can't he browse in peace, is that so much to ask...?

It takes him a moment after Knuckle stomps off to realize the disconnect between what he actually meant and what Knuckle apparently assumed. Shoot frowns after him, a little guilty; it's Knuckle's own fault! for overreacting, but at the same time... 'It's your big day.'

Is he actually a terrible friend?? It's true, isn't it, he's making this whole outing awkward and frustrating. He turns his fretful staring back to the bookshelf and makes it a few minutes before he grabs a book at random - it's probably not embarrassing, he hopes it isn't - and turns to go find his wayward buddy.

But not without a detour, at the last minute, awkwardly veering behind a new arrivals display when he spots Knuckle by the register. He'll appear very suddenly at his elbow in another minute, putting his book down on the counter and Very Calmly sliding a bookmark on top of Knuckle's mini book stack. It has a tassel.

And a picture of a puppy.] You probably don't have any real bookmarks, right? Don't forget one.

[But also don't look at him too closely right now or everyone will know he felt terrible, and it will be terrible.]

[He was screwing things up for sure, wasn't he? But how could he help it when Shoot was so damn weird?! It's still amazing for Knuckle to think that they've been partners like this for so long and he still didn't understand him one bit. In a lot of ways, it was frustrating. Before, he didn't give a damn, but now--! Why was that?

In other ways, though, it pressed at him like guilt. He was a kind-hearted guy, so why hadn't he spared just a little more of that for someone who's been fighting and training at his side?

Shoot appears out of nowhere about now, and it startles Knuckle out of his thoughts. Geez, the guy really doesn't make a noticeable impression, so he can pop up from behind anywhere and give you a shock... At least he doesn't jump or anything. It's just a quick glance to the side that he appears on.]

Huh?

[He'd been staring at these little book keychains with names on them looking for his own for too long, probably. Straightening himself, he moves his eyes back to the stack of books, and sees--

The cutest bookmark he's ever seen.

Granted, he hasn't looked at very many bookmarks. Now, though, he's unsure of how to react. First, there's his pride. Embarrassment, why did Shoot give him one with a tassle and a puppy like that, did he think--]

It's-- [His expression is morphing between disgusted and in love, save him. He can't resist this, damn it! Damn it!!!] Okay! [Taking that whole stack, he slams it down on the counter, looking away like he's just set down something heavier than he can bear.]

I'll take all this!

[At least he didn't look at Shoot very much.]

[Well, Shoot knows that much about Knuckle, after being around him for this long... He looks dutifully elsewhere, at some tiny desk calendars, while Knuckle no doubt has some kind of puppy-related crisis beside him.

Honestly, he doesn't need to look. Knuckle's reaction is practically coming off of him in waves, and Shoot is equally deeply embarrassed and sort of pleased. The bookmark had been a whim and he'd wondered up until giving it to him whether or not he'd be laughed or yelled out of the store... Luckily, Knuckle is still as predictable about cute animals as he thought.

It's endearing. He has to admit he's thoroughly endeared, although only to himself and he's definitely not smiling, that was a twitch.

The cashier mercifully doesn't make it worse by so much as blinking at how embarrassing they are, so they can ring up and get out of there without incident. Shoot makes it to the sidewalk before he sighs and mutters,] Sorry.

[like he didn't just deliver a puppy peace offering...]

Do you still want that drink?

[The apology seems to come out of nowhere, seeing as Knuckle hadn't noticed the bookmark was any sort of 'apology' either. Honestly, he'd been so lost in his own thoughts and worries that he'd stopped blaming Shoot almost immediately after he started blaming him. It was his own fault for misunderstanding his own partner so much.

Shoot says a lot that he doesn't get, though, and so he puzzles on that 'sorry' instead of saying he doesn't have to be saying it. By the time the question comes up, he eagerly shoves confusion aside and grins.]

Feeling more outgoing after spending some time with me, huh? [Knuckle no..... that's not what this is at all.....] Hahaha, of course I'd like it!

[A pause, and he looks at Shoot more directly. How to phrase this straightforward without scaring the guy off...] We should get to know each other a bit more. And what's better at loosening you up than alcohol? When it goes down, words come up!

[And well, he and Morel have both learned that that's not the only thing that could come up, so.]

[Awkward moments seem to slide off Knuckle effortlessly, which Shoot appreciates. He couldn't ever be that genuine, so at least one of them has that going for them. It makes him feel a little better; he's still unsure of how to proceed with this whole... this thing, ever since it stopped being "get a drink and then go home," but he thinks he can manage.

Probably. That it's Knuckle helps; familiarity helps, even if it's still longevity over knowing each other as well as they could.

Which, well. There is that suggestion. Shoot doesn't actually look opposed to getting to know each other - it's the rest that makes him slowly look more and more hesitant. Why is this awkward? It's only Knuckle. Out of everyone, Shoot feels he can be around him the easiest.

Even with the yelling and the hovering. Pros, cons.]

You're really persistent about this... [sigh.] Alcohol isn't necessary to have a conversation.

[... And belatedly remembering this isn't an interrogation... ah, damn,] I want to go.

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