Pre-Game Catchall | the grass grows greener on the other side

[graftage]

Who: John Steinbeck + people who are unfortunate enough to talk to him
Where: everywhere and anywhere
When: time is a construct (various)
Summary: pre-game CR catchall time
Restrictions/Warnings: steinbeck is his own warning (will update if needed)

[This log is for pre-game CR closed prompts catchall! If you're interested in getting CR with Steinbeck, just PM or hit me up in a PP over at vampirize and I'll write out a prompt for you!]

Comments

[lotusmesenpai]

I am relaxed.

[He's not. But then, he never really is when he's outside their ship, so this is as close as it gets.

Of course, the damned monk had to go and open his mouth, ask something so damned stupid that Kanda practically chokes on his drink. Coughing and cursing all at once, he shoots the man beside him a venomous glare as he tries to clear his throat.]

The fuck do people keep asking that shit?! We're just fucking partners, moron.

[...maybe not the best phrasing to dispel the need for people to keep asking that particular line of questioning.]

[inksplashes]

[ Timing is a thing and Lavi has it.

Slipping through the throng of people at the bar, the redhead waves over his head to summon Kanda's attention when he pauses, head tilting slightly while he registers the other man talking to him.

Stein!

Grinning, he slinks up behind them at the bar, evidently unaware or just choosing to ignore the obvious tension between them. ]

Hey, it's my two favorite problems. Yo guys.

[ Group hug time? Yep. Slides his arms around their necks respectively and squeezes in one no-personal-space greeting. ]

I didn't know you two were friends. Whatcha drinking?

[graftage]

Oh, well-

[He doesn't have a chance to really fully reply to that little outburst, because the man of the hour is here and now. Steinbeck grins, totally not even caring about the entrance to his personal space. They're all friends here, right?]

Lavi! Hey! [He laughs.] We just met, actually. Where've you been, huh?

[lotusmesenpai]

[Who decided they were all friends here? Certainly not Kanda.

Habit has him automatically leaning away from the other two while scoffing his disagreement, as much as the arm slung over his shoulders will allow as they play nice, do that whole 'old friend returns' thing.

He, on the other hand, is somewhat disappointed that he can't punch the monk's lights out since he is, apparently one of Lavi's friends.

And, despite the move away, Kanda's hand reaches out, automatically lifts the glass to share it with Lavi.]

They got in a new kind of hokk. Figured you'd got lost - again - so I'd have enough time to kill. This one - [ and here he nods his chin to Stein] came in asking around for you.

[inksplashes]

[ Don't deny the power of fake friendships, Kanda.

Accustomed to Yu leaning as far out as the crook of Lavi's arm allows him, he doesn't bat an eyelash at it, beaming down at both of them with the quiet horror that they might actually have become friends and Lavi will have two people calling him on his lies.

Fortunately, Yu makes it abundantly clear that there's limited chance of that actually happening. New hokk? Doesn't mind if he does. Dropping his arm away from Stein, Lavi accepts the drink with his now free hand, sipping at it thoughtfully. ]

I'm a man of the world, you know. I don't get lost. I just go on journeys that last longer than expected. Mm, tasty.

[ Did you want that drink back? He's not offering it. Nor is he giving any direct answer to where he's been.

Sufficed to say, he got lost. ]

What can I do for ya Stein? Everything okay?

[ Just casually keeps hanging off Kanda and stealing his drink. The usual. ]

[graftage]

Journeys, huh? Have sights to see, things to do?

[This is expected of Lavi, really. He watches, smiling, as Kanda and Lavi chat - they're obviously friends, anyone could see that - and justwaves a hand when Lavi turns his attention back to him.]

Everything's fine! Just was bored, wanted to have a chat. We haven't talked in a while. Though now, I admit my plan has changed.

[He points right at Kanda, smiling gleefully.]

You have to tell me who this grumpy guy is.

[lotusmesenpai]

[Kanda knows this friendly tone of Lavi's well enough, and given they're talking to one of his partner's monk friends... some things are best left to the professional liar to explain.

Journeys, huh?

He barely keeps from snorting - especially when the monk turns around and voices his own thought - before reaching to snag his glass back. Habit and long practice has Lavi lifting it back out of his reach and, rather than get into an idiotic brawl here over a damned glass of hokk, he waves the bartender over, signals another for himself.

If the other two want something, they can get it their own damned selves.

Reaching for the quickly offered drink, he hears that description of himself - and it's enough, at least, to have him leaning against the bar in order to glare around Lavi at the newcomer.]

Fuck you, masochist bastard.

[Charming as ever... right?]

[inksplashes]

[ It's all very easy, these sort of introductions. If Kanda isn't telling someone to fuck off, he's trying to cut their heads off, or uttering a low "whatever" with a gaze that conveys much of the first two.

So there's hardly a skipped beat before he squeezes his partner's shoulder a little too much, laughing brightly to cover up that bit of profanity.

Manners, dear. ]

This is him in a good mood. Kanda, meet Steinbeck. Steinbeck, meet grumpy bastard. I hope your plan wasn't to talk to him instead, I might get jealous.

[ Of who, he isn't making any clearer. ]

[graftage]

[Steinbeck laughs at the insult - he's certainly heard worse, and it's said in such a way that Steinbeck can't even take it seriously. What a grumpy man. It's almost endearing, in it's own way. He's beginning to see why Lavi likes him.]

Ha, nice to meet you, Kanda. [He winks at Lavi.] What, you don't want me all to yourself? I'm wounded. I thought you were a good friend.

[He laughs again - ah, it's good to tease.]

How do you two know each other?

[lotusmesenpai]

[The squeeze to his shoulder is enough to deepen Kanda's scowl, though he does grunt in Steinbeck's general direction when he plays the manners game. He even lifts his glass slightly in the monk's direction before taking a sip.

Lavi's tease, however, is utterly ignored. Whether it's meant to get a rise out of him or the monk, he's not sure and so he stubbornly chooses to not fall for the bait. Despite that, however, he cuts a sidelong glance up at the red-head, then down at the man's friend.

Persistent bastard, isn't he?

For a monk, this guy is awful curious about the two of them. A smirk then, as he leans back into that arm over his shoulders a bit, to make it a little easier to ignore Lavi's friend.]

...He reminded me that gutting annoying monks with their own hooks is illegal. He's been keeping me from doing it ever since.

[inksplashes]

[ This is why they can’t have nice things, Yu.

With exasperation that’s both as clear as it is habit-worn, Lavi offers an apologetic smile in some vague attempt to downplay the barely-veiled threat from his partner, sheepishly carrying on with laughing and pointed glares at the mercurial man hiding behind the veil of his arm. ]

We work together. This is my partner, the patron saint of patience and good graces. He’s available for birthday parties on the weekends, if you’re interested.