[Ah, well that gets his tenuous grasp on being in control to deflate. How long as he known? He doesn't know! Does Knuckle think he's been keeping count, or even noticed before it was suddenly too obvious to ignore-!
He can't even say when that was with certainty. Maybe in the hospital...? He doesn't have enough social reference points for this task.]
I wasn't! Don't make it sound so— [He frowns; so YA lit, wow.] Does it matter how long, as this point?
[No, it doesn't. Just for his pride's sake, but why does he even care why. Well, he wants to know, who's the werewolf here?? Important YA lit questions.]
You're dodging it again! Come on, are you nervous or something? [Hm, maybe he's not making him comfortable. Slowly, his yelling peters out over those sentences, and he squeezes their hands lightly as they walk. By now, he's looking elsewhere.]
[No, this is the worst. Knuckle calming down barely helps, mainly because Shoot really doesn't know. That's probably not the answer Knuckle wants to hear, as (way too) seriously as he takes these things— "Oh, I dunno, whenever"?
He's cringing a little just thinking about it. God, this is ridiculous - it was probably in the hospital, so he's just going to go with that.]
In the hospital, I guess... [yep that sounds as bad as he imagined.] I mean, I had a lot of time to—think about things.
[That actually gets Knuckle quiet again. His mouth flattens into a line as he stares forward, trying to consider. Maybe Shoot was right. Maybe it doesn't matter. (Now that he has to think of it for himself, at least.)
Scuffing the ground with his feet a bit as he walks, Knuckle's shoulders hunch over some more.]
[Why is he quiet now? Shoot gave him an answer, was it wrong? There isn't a wrong answer, that's stupid, but— ugh, he didn't want to say anything for this reason!!
He couldn't have said something, of that much he's sure for a variety of reasons (first of all, he was in a full body cast for a couple days), but he squeezes Knuckle's hand and tries to make his voice sound light and casual,]
I could hardly say anything today. It wasn't because of you. [he's a loser... man does that sound bad too, probably] I'm not good at this...
[He's surprised at first. Shoot... He must be struggling with this more than he even thought. He's always so nervous-- maybe there was a way he could help with that? His own nervousness falls to the wayside as he grins suddenly, bringing his free hand in a fist to his chest. Over his heart.]
...Well, it's true that you could have said something [thanks Knuckle] but it worked out in the end anyway. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, either...
But we're partners. [You can probably feel the shonen sparkles.] If you ever have something you don't know how to say, I can figure it out! You always do the same for me, right?
At least they can both admit they have no idea what they're doing, even if nothing else comes out smoothly. Shoot thinks it's probably a bit... lame... to be comforted by this, but he still is. He squeezes Knuckle's hand again, more determinedly this time.]
Mm. Alright. [One word in response to that shonen speech, yes, typical Shoot. But he looks relaxed again, which says more than his awkward verbal replies could, anyway.
[Oh. His mouth flattens at that and he looks forward, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. Haha... He had to think back to remember what questions at all, since he was so busy just trying to understand Shoot, but.]
Hell yeah, I want to! [He's looking forward and not at Shoot as he says this, now, but he's just embarrassed, even through enthusiasm.] But don't think this means I'm all sappy or anything, I'm not gonna get emotional...!
[Why does Knuckle make everything so emotional (he definitely is) when his answers are so simple? Shoot has to wonder this, not for the first time, at that reply. Hell yeah - he's never been hell yeah'd in his life. What a new experience...]
Good. It's good that you want to. [nice save... not calling him out on being a crybaby this time] So—I don't care if Morel knows, or anyone...
[He will Try not to sweat nervously too much, at the very least. Is that everything settled?? For now?
good because he has a very important subject change]
[He's grinning a bit, even as he asks that. What can he say? Shoot's replies to that make him feel good. This is becoming gradually more normal and acceptable, and not as if it'd happened out of nowhere after a night of drinking. When he wasn't busy trying to deny it, small realizations came to him so easily. Little things he'd notice when all three of them were out, or small things that would bug him or make him excited...
Now that he notices it, he just hopes no one else had beat him to the punch. (Hah.)]
I hadn't really thought about it! [His lack of plan revealed. But Knuckle doesn't seem ashamed by this. In fact, he looks overly proud, his chin up and his free hand scratching at his cheek like he's clever or something.] A little exercise is probably good for you, but we can't go too far. How about the arcade? Ever played a video game?
[Of course he hadn't thought about it... Typical, but endearing this time because they're not in mortal danger. That part is important.
But that's a strangely phrased question, enough that Shoot actually gives him a look like he can't understand why that's a question Knuckle would ask in the first place. Has Knuckle ever played a video game?]
Um... Yes, but not in a while. [Who has that kind of time? And before the shame of realizing they will probably be super out of place among The Youths in the arcade sinks in, he adds,] I didn't know you were into games.
[He doesn't believe Knuckle is into games in the slightest.]
he sure is... by uploading more icons I may have ruined all the old ones, ignore that
Heheh... Oh yeah? Well, there's a lot you don't know!
[He's stroking his chin with that free hand, now, stop him. To be honest, he's not 'into games' that much. He sometimes has played them before, and found the concept of fighting without fighting really cool. He probably lost to a kid and got sore about it.
But right now, he's not feeling sore about it!!]
Think of it as a warm-up before you can spar again!
[Ah, fighting... If Shoot were in top form, he might not say no to a date that was really just sparring with some hand holding afterwards, but not while he's still fresh out of the hospital!
Still, it's something to do. He's not one for games much either - people can watch in public arcades, first of all, he doesn't need that kind of performance anxiety... and there are only so many games that go smoothly when played with one arm.
He's keeping that detail to himself for Knuckle's sake, so he doesn't just frown away every idea for things they can do together. Maybe he'll pretend to have two arms, if he needs to. Hmm...]
A warm-up? Sure. [a beat.] If we're going to play against each other, do you want to make a bet? The loser buys dinner.
[Shoot knows what a Real Date is supposed to be like.]
[A competition? On their first date? Shoot must know him well. The atmosphere changes as Knuckle's eyes get fiery and he laughs, eager beyond words. He even lets his aura spike a little. He will not chill.]
That's what I'm talking about! Hell yeah, fool! You're buying me dinner, tonight!
[How romantic.
But... He's already thought of the arm issue, believe it or not. It's the one thing he manages to think of between everything that goes on with him and Shoot. There are a lot of one button games, or a racing game, or those speed based whack-a-mole types, or, as he is going to insist, the claw machine.]
Prepare to get your ass handed to you! I'm all fired up, now...! Let's do a best three out of five!
[Aw, he does care. Although the claw machine, is that really a "game" necessarily...
Shoot isn't put off, at least - Knuckle getting too excited about this thing is more contagious than frustrating. He's not about to get super fired up, but- it should be fun! Probably-!
Well, he's also already resigned himself to buying dinner, just because he has that feeling... but it should be fun.]
Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself? I won't go easy on you.
[Giving It My All and etc, the story of two nerds taking a claw machine too seriously.]
[He's unstoppable, now, picking up his pace and dragging Shoot along by the hand.]
It's not too far from here! [Maybe they'll even beat the rush of actual children that go there in the afternoon. Maybe.] We'll decide on which games together, but I've already got a few suggestions in mind. Haha, I hope you're ready to lose! I'm going to buy the most expensive meal on the menu!
Are you sure you didn't plan this all along? [The arcade, not the rest. He doesn't complain about being pulled, mercifully; if it keeps Knuckle happy, so be it...
Anyway HERE'S AN ARCADE after an unspecified amount of dragging Shoot down the street, the usual, standard. He looks around once they get inside like he's looking at the games, but it's just as likely that he's looking to see how many children they're going to embarrass themselves in front of soon. This is fair, okay.] Which one did you have in mind?
[He laughs cheerily and assure him it was just coincidence the whole walk there, along with talking about how great it's going to be to see Shoot playing video games.
By the time they get inside, Knuckle seems to have the answer to this prepared, as he's turning around and holding up two fingers with a smile.]
You have two choices! First, that one over there. [He jabs a thumb backwards over one shoulder, and it should be clear he means some really old school fighting game in the back there that's just one button on each side. Each person hits the button to knock the other out. Timing and speed.]
Orrr, those cars. [He switches to point across to the other side, at the typical racing game.]
[Shoot looks between the two games, considering. Well, if he has to gauge his own competence in speed and accuracy against driving a vehicle (even a fake one), it's pretty obvious.
It helps that it's in the back, while he builds up some shallow confidence about button mashing in public. Aha. He doesn't let go of Knuckle's hand just yet, so he nods toward the ancient fighting one.]
That one. You can be Player 1. [y'know before he insists, like a child.]
[There's not even a character selection screen on this game. You're just either the street punk looking guy or the blonde muscle man with sunglasses. They're still holding hands... Which is kind of cute, Knuckle thinks, focusing more intently on the game when it comes across.
Embarrassing thoughts... He tries to hide them even from himself, honestly.]
It's easy! A good warm up game. Just hit the button to punch, got it? [A little regretfully, he releases Shoot's hand so he can ready himself, holding the coins in front of the slot with an excited grin.]
[That pixel punk looks as much like Knuckle as it can, maybe. Shoot has nothing to say about his little character (was Morel blonde when he as younger??), giving Knuckle a sideways look.]
There's only one button, Knuckle. [JUST saying. Infants could figure this out. He's ready, though, with his hand on the button and tapping it a little without pressing it down. Suddenly he's impatient to beat the shit out of that pixel punk, come on...]
[Calm down Knuckle. But no, he does not calm down. He puts the coins in and stands up, readying his own hand over the button as the screen begins to countdown. 3...2...1... FIGHT!
This little box isn't big enough for two grown men to stand side by side comfortably, but that doesn't stop Knuckle from gripping the side of it with one hand and smashing the other down into the button repeatedly. His character is probably moving faster than the graphics can load... They're going to wreck this game together.
His shoulder probably bumps with Shoot's tattooed one more than a few times during this button mashing. But most notably of all, he is yelling as he does this, and everyone in the arcade is slowly turning their way.]
[why is he always yelling... Shoot, by contrast, is not yelling or making any noise at all - he's very, very intently mashing the button and staring at the screen, all the same. He's so into the game once it starts that he hardly registers being bumped or the yelling (although that could just be a sign that he's Used To Knuckle).
The game is somehow surviving this very intense nerd battle, and while Shoot's little character is not going out of its mind like Knuckle's, he's managing to keep up with more ~strategy. This is dumb... When will it end...
Given all of the yelling and attention they're getting, it's only a matter of time before someone else in the place comes over to at least ask if something is going horribly wrong. Not that they manage to get the question out - the mere presence of another body and a throat-clearing noise seemingly out of nowhere!! are enough to get Shoot to jerk his hand away from the button and recoil abruptly away from this Strange Interloper, smacking right into Knuckle's side.
[After just yelling to yell, some substance was added to Knuckle's speech, but it's pretty much the usual. His mashing next to Shoot's attempt at strategy... Knuckle seems more focused on why he's not getting as many punches out. It's a simple arcade game! There's no strategy to it!]
You trying to back away? HUH? Fool, just try and--
[Just when he was revving up to increase his mashing speed, Shoot smacks into him from the side. Knuckle hadn't heard the man show up at all, so his own hand slips off after one last "FINISHING BLOW" to Shoot's defenseless character, and he grips his friend by the shoulders to steady him.
By now, the screen is flashing in Knuckle's 'victory' and he's giving the both of them a confused look.]
Huh? What's goin' on? [Why did they stop, did he miss something. A careful squint at the stranger has him lifting one hand to point in his direction accusingly.] Hey, is this guy bugging you?
[He came here to play video games, but he can always beat up punks...
He was too wrapped up in his gaming for any of this, really.]
for ironic purposes i'm not going to announce my return
[Shoot hears the victory music follow the lame, sad tune that plays when his character finally falls, but he's already stopped paying attention. The stranger who approached them switches gears from curious and slightly concerned to definitely concerned (possibly for himself), though whether it's Shoot's sudden panic or Knuckle's manner or both isn't clear.
Shoot blinks, looking between Knuckle and the other guy, waiting for someone else to do something so he doesn't have to. But, ah, don't start fights in the arcade—]
No! He's— I don't know what he's doing! [yes, this helps]
[The stranger, meanwhile, has taken to shuffling backwards, before some old punk hits him... don't harass teenagers]
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no subject
He can't even say when that was with certainty. Maybe in the hospital...? He doesn't have enough social reference points for this task.]
I wasn't! Don't make it sound so— [He frowns; so YA lit, wow.] Does it matter how long, as this point?
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[No, it doesn't. Just for his pride's sake, but why does he even care why. Well, he wants to know, who's the werewolf here?? Important YA lit questions.]
You're dodging it again! Come on, are you nervous or something? [Hm, maybe he's not making him comfortable. Slowly, his yelling peters out over those sentences, and he squeezes their hands lightly as they walk. By now, he's looking elsewhere.]
You can say... It's just me.
no subject
He's cringing a little just thinking about it. God, this is ridiculous - it was probably in the hospital, so he's just going to go with that.]
In the hospital, I guess... [yep that sounds as bad as he imagined.] I mean, I had a lot of time to—think about things.
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Scuffing the ground with his feet a bit as he walks, Knuckle's shoulders hunch over some more.]
You could've said something.
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He couldn't have said something, of that much he's sure for a variety of reasons (first of all, he was in a full body cast for a couple days), but he squeezes Knuckle's hand and tries to make his voice sound light and casual,]
I could hardly say anything today. It wasn't because of you. [he's a loser... man does that sound bad too, probably] I'm not good at this...
no subject
...Well, it's true that you could have said something [thanks Knuckle] but it worked out in the end anyway. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, either...
But we're partners. [You can probably feel the shonen sparkles.] If you ever have something you don't know how to say, I can figure it out! You always do the same for me, right?
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At least they can both admit they have no idea what they're doing, even if nothing else comes out smoothly. Shoot thinks it's probably a bit... lame... to be comforted by this, but he still is. He squeezes Knuckle's hand again, more determinedly this time.]
Mm. Alright. [One word in response to that shonen speech, yes, typical Shoot. But he looks relaxed again, which says more than his awkward verbal replies could, anyway.
Wait for it.]
... You made me answer all the questions. [bruh]
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Hell yeah, I want to! [He's looking forward and not at Shoot as he says this, now, but he's just embarrassed, even through enthusiasm.] But don't think this means I'm all sappy or anything, I'm not gonna get emotional...!
[He already did.]
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Good. It's good that you want to. [nice save... not calling him out on being a crybaby this time] So—I don't care if Morel knows, or anyone...
[He will Try not to sweat nervously too much, at the very least. Is that everything settled?? For now?
good because he has a very important subject change]
Where are we going?
crawls out from my inbox jesus christ
[He's grinning a bit, even as he asks that. What can he say? Shoot's replies to that make him feel good. This is becoming gradually more normal and acceptable, and not as if it'd happened out of nowhere after a night of drinking. When he wasn't busy trying to deny it, small realizations came to him so easily. Little things he'd notice when all three of them were out, or small things that would bug him or make him excited...
Now that he notices it, he just hopes no one else had beat him to the punch. (Hah.)]
I hadn't really thought about it! [His lack of plan revealed. But Knuckle doesn't seem ashamed by this. In fact, he looks overly proud, his chin up and his free hand scratching at his cheek like he's clever or something.] A little exercise is probably good for you, but we can't go too far. How about the arcade? Ever played a video game?
[He thinks he is Young and Hip.]
old man knuckle......
But that's a strangely phrased question, enough that Shoot actually gives him a look like he can't understand why that's a question Knuckle would ask in the first place. Has Knuckle ever played a video game?]
Um... Yes, but not in a while. [Who has that kind of time? And before the shame of realizing they will probably be super out of place among The Youths in the arcade sinks in, he adds,] I didn't know you were into games.
[He doesn't believe Knuckle is into games in the slightest.]
he sure is... by uploading more icons I may have ruined all the old ones, ignore that
[He's stroking his chin with that free hand, now, stop him. To be honest, he's not 'into games' that much. He sometimes has played them before, and found the concept of fighting without fighting really cool. He probably lost to a kid and got sore about it.
But right now, he's not feeling sore about it!!]
Think of it as a warm-up before you can spar again!
[Even on dates he wants to fight.]
for the sake of small dorito, i will
Still, it's something to do. He's not one for games much either - people can watch in public arcades, first of all, he doesn't need that kind of performance anxiety... and there are only so many games that go smoothly when played with one arm.
He's keeping that detail to himself for Knuckle's sake, so he doesn't just frown away every idea for things they can do together. Maybe he'll pretend to have two arms, if he needs to. Hmm...]
A warm-up? Sure. [a beat.] If we're going to play against each other, do you want to make a bet? The loser buys dinner.
[Shoot knows what a Real Date is supposed to be like.]
thank
That's what I'm talking about! Hell yeah, fool! You're buying me dinner, tonight!
[How romantic.
But... He's already thought of the arm issue, believe it or not. It's the one thing he manages to think of between everything that goes on with him and Shoot. There are a lot of one button games, or a racing game, or those speed based whack-a-mole types, or, as he is going to insist, the claw machine.]
Prepare to get your ass handed to you! I'm all fired up, now...! Let's do a best three out of five!
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Shoot isn't put off, at least - Knuckle getting too excited about this thing is more contagious than frustrating. He's not about to get super fired up, but- it should be fun! Probably-!
Well, he's also already resigned himself to buying dinner, just because he has that feeling... but it should be fun.]
Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself? I won't go easy on you.
[Giving It My All and etc, the story of two nerds taking a claw machine too seriously.]
no subject
[He's unstoppable, now, picking up his pace and dragging Shoot along by the hand.]
It's not too far from here! [Maybe they'll even beat the rush of actual children that go there in the afternoon. Maybe.] We'll decide on which games together, but I've already got a few suggestions in mind. Haha, I hope you're ready to lose! I'm going to buy the most expensive meal on the menu!
[kNUCKLE THAT IS NOT A GOOD DATE PLAN]
no subject
Are you sure you didn't plan this all along? [The arcade, not the rest. He doesn't complain about being pulled, mercifully; if it keeps Knuckle happy, so be it...
Anyway HERE'S AN ARCADE after an unspecified amount of dragging Shoot down the street, the usual, standard. He looks around once they get inside like he's looking at the games, but it's just as likely that he's looking to see how many children they're going to embarrass themselves in front of soon. This is fair, okay.] Which one did you have in mind?
no subject
By the time they get inside, Knuckle seems to have the answer to this prepared, as he's turning around and holding up two fingers with a smile.]
You have two choices! First, that one over there. [He jabs a thumb backwards over one shoulder, and it should be clear he means some really old school fighting game in the back there that's just one button on each side. Each person hits the button to knock the other out. Timing and speed.]
Orrr, those cars. [He switches to point across to the other side, at the typical racing game.]
Which'll it be? Huh?
no subject
It helps that it's in the back, while he builds up some shallow confidence about button mashing in public. Aha. He doesn't let go of Knuckle's hand just yet, so he nods toward the ancient fighting one.]
That one. You can be Player 1. [y'know before he insists, like a child.]
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[There's not even a character selection screen on this game. You're just either the street punk looking guy or the blonde muscle man with sunglasses. They're still holding hands... Which is kind of cute, Knuckle thinks, focusing more intently on the game when it comes across.
Embarrassing thoughts... He tries to hide them even from himself, honestly.]
It's easy! A good warm up game. Just hit the button to punch, got it? [A little regretfully, he releases Shoot's hand so he can ready himself, holding the coins in front of the slot with an excited grin.]
no subject
There's only one button, Knuckle. [JUST saying. Infants could figure this out. He's ready, though, with his hand on the button and tapping it a little without pressing it down. Suddenly he's impatient to beat the shit out of that pixel punk, come on...]
Ready when you are.
no subject
[Calm down Knuckle. But no, he does not calm down. He puts the coins in and stands up, readying his own hand over the button as the screen begins to countdown. 3...2...1... FIGHT!
This little box isn't big enough for two grown men to stand side by side comfortably, but that doesn't stop Knuckle from gripping the side of it with one hand and smashing the other down into the button repeatedly. His character is probably moving faster than the graphics can load... They're going to wreck this game together.
His shoulder probably bumps with Shoot's tattooed one more than a few times during this button mashing. But most notably of all, he is yelling as he does this, and everyone in the arcade is slowly turning their way.]
am i real i whisper as i slam these all down
The game is somehow surviving this very intense nerd battle, and while Shoot's little character is not going out of its mind like Knuckle's, he's managing to keep up with more ~strategy. This is dumb... When will it end...
Given all of the yelling and attention they're getting, it's only a matter of time before someone else in the place comes over to at least ask if something is going horribly wrong. Not that they manage to get the question out - the mere presence of another body and a throat-clearing noise seemingly out of nowhere!! are enough to get Shoot to jerk his hand away from the button and recoil abruptly away from this Strange Interloper, smacking right into Knuckle's side.
this poor child (which one)]
you are the realest and shoot is precious
[After just yelling to yell, some substance was added to Knuckle's speech, but it's pretty much the usual. His mashing next to Shoot's attempt at strategy... Knuckle seems more focused on why he's not getting as many punches out. It's a simple arcade game! There's no strategy to it!]
You trying to back away? HUH? Fool, just try and--
[Just when he was revving up to increase his mashing speed, Shoot smacks into him from the side. Knuckle hadn't heard the man show up at all, so his own hand slips off after one last "FINISHING BLOW" to Shoot's defenseless character, and he grips his friend by the shoulders to steady him.
By now, the screen is flashing in Knuckle's 'victory' and he's giving the both of them a confused look.]
Huh? What's goin' on? [Why did they stop, did he miss something. A careful squint at the stranger has him lifting one hand to point in his direction accusingly.] Hey, is this guy bugging you?
[He came here to play video games, but he can always beat up punks...
He was too wrapped up in his gaming for any of this, really.]
for ironic purposes i'm not going to announce my return
Shoot blinks, looking between Knuckle and the other guy, waiting for someone else to do something so he doesn't have to. But, ah, don't start fights in the arcade—]
No! He's— I don't know what he's doing! [yes, this helps]
[The stranger, meanwhile, has taken to shuffling backwards, before some old punk hits him... don't harass teenagers]