thenearshore

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Who: Ken Kaneki

savor and you.
What: Word is you all like cat cafés...
When: 4/16 - 4/30
Where: Cat Café Calico
Warnings: Felines.

[There's talk of a new cat café having just opened in town. Sharing the name of an already popular business, it seems they're expanding to a second location. As with the original, the café occupies two stories of a building in the shopping district. Taking the stairs or elevator to the fifth floor leads one to the front doors of this new establishment, name bright and bold.

This first floor is the actual café area, offering beverages and snacks for purchase. Treats can be bought for the cats as well, who mill about the location in great numbers. Taking the stairs up to the second floor, yet more cats can be found, along with televisions and video game systems. If someone wants to spend time with cats, they've found themselves the right place to be.

Now, the thing is — they're really understaffed. And walk-ins may be encouraged (if not outright coerced) to fill out a job application. The business is doing well enough that they're hoping to get more hands on deck, so those wandering in or playing with the kitties a bit too long might just find themselves face to face with an application]

[ooc: Treat this as a cat café mingle. Toplevel and tag around to your heart's content, become an employee or a customer. Or try to smuggle cats and see what happens]

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Thanks... I'm here too, if I can help.

[Sure, Kaneki knows that he's the one who was crying. But as the god Ion works with, he feels that he's inherently responsible for her well-being and ought to do better that looking after her than he's managed so far. If anything it seems more like she's the one taking care of him.

Being looked after that was is foreign, though at least he can chalk it up to her having the tendencies of a caretaker. He's been sure from the onset that Ion is a very kind person]

Hana's never really given me much indication... So I'm not sure if I just haven't figured out the right things and she doesn't want to say so, or if she just doesn't know what she likes yet. [It's harder to get conversation out of Hana than Ion by far, and the contrast is stark] As for me, I've liked Hamburg steak since I was a kid, but I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble on my account.

[Besides, maybe this eating normal good phenomenon was some kind of fluke, somehow...?]

Mn, of course. We're partners, after all. [And partners help each other through thick and thin. And Kaneki's right about her disposition, although she also wants to understand him a little more as well. Bonding is important for a team. So they both got really lucky to be assigned together, and Kaneki has the advantage of feeling her thoughts (even if she hasn't realized that yet).]

I'll try asking her at some point too. [TEAMWORK!] Hamburg steak sounds like a fun recipe to learn though, so it wouldn't be any trouble. Do you have any preferences about what goes along with it?

[Now that they've returned to a calmer atmosphere, Ion digs back into the bento's rice for another mouthful.]

[Partners... Kaneki knows that's right, but it's really the first time anyone has talked about sharing anything with him on those terms. As his best friend, Hide has always looked out for him, but he wouldn't have said they're partners in crime or anything like that, exactly. And this situation is pretty different in so many ways, so he might not really have anything to compare it to]

Oh, um... Anything is okay with me, so long as it's not too much trouble. [Would he even be able to eat it? Maybe he'll wind up sick later after eating some of this bento, but it's a relief to not feel like he's eating something rotting. Food hasn't tasted right in what feels like such a long time now] Have you come across any favorites of your own yet?

[Surely a relevant question to ask, although he's not sure he can cook as well as she can. They're a team, like she said, right?]

[While Ion literally has nothing to use for comparison, having a partner (especially as someone as mindful as Kaneki) is almost an essential lifeline for her. She can turn her thoughts outward, so it helps that she doesn't wallow in the sadness of losing herself. Caring for others comes naturally, but having a supportive relationship right from the starting gate is certainly a plus. She may not have put her finger on it yet, but Ion does not like to be alone. Thus, her god really is a blessing in disguise.

So really, nothing is too much trouble.]

Hmmm...I don't think I've found anything in particular. I've enjoyed most things so far, but nothing really stands out as my favorite. [Sorry, Kaneki. But she'd probably be happy with anything he made her since he would be putting in the effort.]

[With the sheer variety of food available, Kaneki supposes it isn't surprising that Ion hasn't found something that she particularly favors yet. It's only been a short time since they became partners, and there's plenty of time to figure something like that out. And it seems like she isn't a picky eater, so that's good to know too]

Maybe we just haven't come across the right thing yet.

[But he hopes they do, at some point. He knows what a comfort those favorites can sometimes be, considering the memories that are tied to his own. Even without the memory, would a favorite of hers still be comforting in some way...?

Hopefully so]

We've got time though, right?

That's a strange question. Of course we do! [Infinite timelines and possibilities, but she doesn't quite understand that yet.]

Since we're on the subject of favorites-- I want to know more about you, Kaneki. I know you like reading, but what else do you enjoy?

[On one hand, she's purposely trying to move the discussion away from herself since she doesn't have much to talk about. On the other, she really would like to learn more about him. Hopefully it doesn't sound like some sort of interview.

Also, should she be embarrassed about eating that baby tomato in one big bite? They're so small though.]

[What else does he like, other than reading...? Reading has been such a comfort and a solace to him growing up that it's often how he's ended up spending his time. Others had more clubs and pursuits, but not being much for groups, he preferred to spend his time with a good book instead.

Kaneki has to consider that for a few moments, not wanting to deny Ion some kind of answer rather than anything noncommittal]

I liked being a student, before all this. Um... sometimes I draw, although I wouldn't say I'm the best at it. [He is talented, but he'll never think as much] And I used to cook for myself, since I lived on my own.

[Once more, before all of this. Boy, he doesn't sound very exciting...]

Let's see... I like coffee, and working with my hands, I guess? It's only lately that I figured out I could do more than I'd thought.

[Kaneki can take as much time as he wants since Ion continues to nibble away at their lunch. Still, she's an attentive listener when he talks about himself. It may not sound exciting to him, but Ion's not one to judge.]

Hmm...we seem to be close in age, so maybe I was a student as well. [Although he may guess otherwise considering the severity behind the reason of her death.] Heheh, you should try drawing a robot sometime and I can try making it. That would be exciting!

[Her definition of exciting.........Anyways--] But what do you mean you can do more now? Do you mean your hand-eye coordination is better?

[Kaneki isn't too sure about her being a student, considering what little he'd seen, but fortunately the subject slides before he can come up with something to say about it]

Drawing robots...? I guess I could, although I don't know much about engineering.

[Well, what young man hadn't drawn a robot at least once? Although Kaneki's surprised by the suggestion that she'd try to make one. Does that mean she's interested in things like garage kits? Then again, she brought home all those machine parts, so maybe she means just what she'd said]

When I started working at a café I learned a bit, and then I started reading up on martial arts so I could be more capable.

[And less useless in a fight, for that matter]

That's okay! As long as it looks like a stable design, I can figure out the rest. [When she sets her mind on making a machine, it's hard to stop her too. A collaborative project sounds like fun!

At the mention of martial arts, Ion tilts her head in a confused manner:]

Will you be able to learn it just from reading? I think that's something you would need a teacher for, right?

I had people who trained with me too, but you can get a lot out of reading about principles behind techniques.

[And for some reason, reading feels far more intuitive to him than watching a demonstration. He feels more like he grasps those concepts when he's able to see them put to words]

What do you mean by stable design though?

[Because he's not too sure what that would mean, as someone who's never drawn a design so much as doodled a robot]

Hmmm...I think I get it. [Emphasis on 'think' but that's mainly because she's clumsy to begin with. Reading to understand techniques makes sense, but she can't see herself actually putting any of it to practice.]

Oh, just that it can walk around easily enough and with proper weight distribution so it won't fall over. Also keep in mind that weapons can be very heavy, so I may have to adjust the size if you wanted to include any!

[.......Does that sound weird coming from a pacifist? Ion doesn't seem to notice because robots.]

Oh, and if you want me to develop an AI for it, that would take me a little bit longer but I could make it have a super cute personality!

[By the end of her explanation, Kaneki is staring. He can't help it, when she starts talking about coming up with a design that could walk, and the possibility of weapons and giving it a cute personality... Could Ion really do something that elaborate? It's hard for him to imagine]

I don't know if I'd be very good at a technically sound drawing...

[He admits, regrettably, because she can plainly see how excited she is about the idea]

But um. Maybe I could help you brainstorm?

Oh, I don't mean that it has to be technical! It just shouldn't look lop-sided. [Sob, she didn't mean to scare him away with that sort of explanation.]

And it would be more fun to collaborate anyways! So brainstorming is good too...

Oh, I see what you mean now.

[Do people draw lopsided robots? Kaneki's never really compared with others before, so he can't be sure himself. But since Ion seems so excited about this particular subject, maybe it has something to do with her past? It's clearly an interest]

What kind of robot do you think would be the most fun to build? I don't know much about that part.

[And by much, he means anything whatsoever...]

Anything, really! It's more fun if it's challenging. [But thinking of robots Kaneki would be okay with around the temple...]

Maybe a small companion robot? It could help with chores and accompany you places-- that's why some sort of weapon would be good. To scare away any bad guys, right? [Because a robot with an AI and loaded with weapons always ends well.]

But we should be energy efficient too, so I'd need to make it big enough to include a battery AND use solar power. It think the size of a small dog would be a good size.... [She could just go on and on.]

[Energy efficient and having weapons... Kaneki can't even imagine how to build something like that, but Ion seems confident as she discusses it. He wouldn't have assumed she wanted to build something for his uses either.

Ion already helps him as his shinki, and she even made this nice lunch for them, though]

Would it be good to start out with something that could help you? That way, if you want to build more, you might have a sort-of assistant.

[It could be easier for her with a helper, right? Not that he knows too much about how it would work]

Hmmm, that's a good point. I could get the AI to recognize different tools so it could hand them to me when asked. [Although she was kind of figuring Hana could help her since...she doesn't do too much on her own time.]

Would you want it to have any specific features? I could program it to organize books as well, but I figured I could make a special bookcase for that purpose.

[Please give Hana more to do, Ion... Goodness knows Kaneki tries but she's not the most receptive. Or perhaps is just so outwardly placid he struggles to differentiate]

I guess I should read up more on this, so I have a better idea, but... What do you mean about a special bookcase?

[Because when talking about machinery, he's surprised to have that come up]

Oh, oh! I can't believe I forgot to tell you! [She was debating on keeping it a surprise until she got the parts to finally build it, but this is fine too.]

I was thinking that once your book collection gets large enough, I could make a bookcase that would act like a mini library. You would be able to give it books, and once it scans them, it'll put return them to the right place on the bookshelf so you don't have to go through all the trouble. It would be a lot easier to make than the companion robot, so I thought it'd be a good starter project.

[A good starter. Yup. Ion's pretty confident, especially when most of the engineering books she's flipped through are a breeze to understand.]

Something like that...as a starter project?

[And here's Kaneki, staring owlishly at her. Something that advanced as a warm-up of sorts is shocking to him, where he's never seen or heard of something so elaborate. In fact, he doesn't think he's even read any science fiction in which any device kept books organized like that.

Granted, it could be because it wouldn't seem all that cool to most people. But to Kaneki, it sounds like a pretty remarkable innovation. He might take a while to accumulate that many books, but it's fun to imagine]

You really seem to have a mind for this kind of thing...I never would've imagined something like that.

[Okay, the staring manages to get to her a little bit. Her cheeks pick up a faint blush, especially with the compliment, and she has to glance away shyly.]

Ehehe...Is that so? I just think about what sort of things might be in a sci-fi world. It's not that hard once you start imagining things.

[And she's got a big imagination to go with it.]

A-anyways, I still need to aim for a job so I can afford the parts. So there's a lot of work I still need to do. Still...I'd be happy if we could have times like this more often. [Which means more bentos.]

Would that be okay with you?

[It seems to Kaneki that Ion is a very earnest person, and he's still trying to figure out how he should respond to that. The last time a pretty girl talked to him with anywhere near so much interest, she'd been intending to kill him and eat him. He knows, because of the strange connection that he and Ion share, that her intentions are harmless and genuine...

But in a way, it's almost surreal to him. Of course, that's something one can safely assume he will not say]

I'd like to spend time together too- [He starts, wondering if it's perhaps weird that he's phrasing it that way. It didn't seem odd when she did, but...somehow, it's a little embarrassing when he answers] I mean, we're a team, right?

[Though since she's mentioned jobs...]

I'm not sure what kind of work you'd like to do, but I know this place is hiring, too.

[Thankfully Ion is oblivious to any awkward implications, so she brightens back up from her bashful demeanor rather easily. Really, she's so happy to have a god like Kaneki. She wouldn't know what to do if he stayed distant from her.]

Yes, yes! We're a team...so I really want to learn more about you too!

[Yeah, Kaneki isn't wrong about her being earnest. Working and living together-- it's best that they understand each other so things don't turn out miserable. Not that that will be the biggest issue.]

It's very relaxed here, but I'm a little afraid of tripping over things and the cats. Besides, I don't want you getting sick of seeing me~ [She chuckles a little even if she really does mean it.]

Why would I get sick of you?

[Kaneki asks before he can quite catch himself, though he feels foolish for it afterward. People could start to feel stressed if they had to see someone constantly, and he should've considered that for Ion's sake before. As someone who tended to crave companionship, even if he wasn't the best at seeking it out, it wasn't the sort of thing Kaneki would've considered.

But he can see her point, and he wouldn't want to take up so much of her time that it became burdensome. So he's quick to sweep the notion under the rug and move on]

Well, maybe there's something around here that'd let you work with machinery? You've got a mind for it and all.

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