overstrain | INBOX

[ Terry still likes straightforward things the most, and answering a question with a question only perpetuates the cycle, but sometimes he feels like he has to do it. He looks over at Kano. But really... he's tired right now, and thinking has never been a strong suit for him, so-- ]

Yeah, because I want to know what you mean by doing that. You gave me a ketchup packet earlier too. Maybe you're trying to convey something, but if I don't get it, then I won't understand. Maybe you're just doing things and not expecting anything in return, but that's not how communication works--you convey a message and hope that the other person will understand it in some way. But if you're not intending to get anything in return, then wouldn't that be just a waste of time?

Nope!!

[ There's your straightforward answer. But Terry probably wouldn't be satisfied with just that, so Kano relents a little, leaning back against the railing and shrugging his shoulders. ]

If I can manage to convey that "thing" in the end, how can I say it's a waste of time? Even if you don't get it right away, I'm sure you'll be able to someday! It's not something you gotta figure out right now, or tomorrow, or by the end of the year. It's okay to take your time with this sort of stuff, you know? It's better if you do! You can do it, Boss! I believe in you!!

Usually people give things as presents or keep things as trophies, no matter what they are.

[ He raises an eyebrow because he's pretty sure Kano doesn't see him as a friend and vice versa. Maybe it doesn't matter. As much as he'd like to use pinpointing to get that info out right away because he's always impatient, he doesn't. It's not for the sentimentality reason that he gave Minato though. He just simply doesn't bother. ]

I'm not your boss or whatever either.

Didn't I already say? Why does the "usual" matter?

[ He'd feel a little insulted being compared to usual people, really, but he just stands and rocks back and forth on his heels and smiles that smile that doesn't reach his eyes. ]

Anyways, here, gimme a boost up to the top of the railing! Don't give into temptation and tip me over the edge, okay?

[ Isn't that how people think?? Or rather, how their social cues are morphed to be? Well, Terry will brush that aside and simply grab onto Kano's sides like longcat again and puts him on top of the railing. He doesn't say anything while doing so either and while Kano is absolutely right about the temptation, he'll stand there, keeping his hands to himself after letting go of Kano. ]

[ Usually?? Yes, probably. But there are times where you have to disregard the usual, and Kano in particular doesn't really like the usual anyways. Got to do things his way, aka the long, convoluted way, that's also not the smartest or best way.

He stands on the railing, hands in his pocket to sacrifice balance for comfort, and shifts his weight so that he can bend and look down at the ground below while still being perfectly balanced on top of the railing. ]

Alright, this looks good! Come on, you come up here too~ You can do it without help, right? I gotcha if you do!

[ He wouldn't put it past Kano to push him off all of a sudden for his act of vengeance or whatever, but he'll still hop up on the railing and stand with pretty good balance.

The breeze feels nicer up here. Maybe if he jumps, he can land on a security guard.

Huh.

That could be a neat game to play--but he doesn't say anything about that. His face does look a little more relaxed though. ]

[ Don't take your frustrations out on a good security guard, oh my god

Kano catches the look on Terry's face, though, and his own expression brightens up in response. This is good? Maybe? ]

Hey, hey, why did the chicken cross the road?

[ Maybe the coincidental Lockdown time can save the security guard in time. :)

Despite it being a classic joke, Terry hasn't heard of it before. ]

It found food?

[ Terry will have to resist his bloodlust for another hour and a half... ]

All the way on the other side of the street? What about the food on its side?

Uh... it found better food on the other side.

[ Yeah. Legit. ]

What's 'better food' for a chicken? C'mon, Boss, think more like a chicken.

[ It's a normal chicken, Terry, not some gourmet. ]

Chickens can eat anything, so maybe they found some delicious bits of scrap meat. Definitely better than the grains they eat every day.

[ He does not think like a chicken and he's going to ignore the boss thing again. ]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a sec!! Chickens eat meat?! It's not just geese??!

[ SUDDENLY IT FEELS LIKE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A CHICKEN IS ]

Yeah, they can also eat broken up oyster shells for calcium. Chickens are omnivores, but they have preferences too, like how not all of them will eat mealworms.

[ There was a time when he was a couch potato, absorbing mundane trivia from animal planet equivalent channel on television. ]

Man, oysters and everything! These birds have a fancier diet than I do!!

[ Who buys oyster shells for their chickens?? God, Terry is suddenly fascinating. ]

What do you know about bearded dragons? Scorpions??

[ It's so weird being on the other end of someone being incredibly enthusiastic all of a sudden when he's not feeling any of that. He's been on the other side for a lot of things lately and it makes him wonder if this is how tiring it is to hang out with him when he's in a normal happy mood.

...

Anyway. ]

Uh... adult bearded dragons can go two months without food because they have lots of fat stores and can lose weight to healthy levels. They like eating live insects like crickets and mealworms, but can also eat sweet potatoes, parsley, and fruit. They also shouldn't eat fireflies.

[ Don't ask. ]

... Most scorpions aren't a danger to humans. The most venomous one so far lives in America somewhere. Meerkats and mongoose are strongly resistant or immune to their venom.

[ He once baited a scorpion by using a mongoose so that he could kill and eat it. Life in the wildlife is pretty wild. ]

[ Kano wants to ask a lot of questions, but he works hard to hold his tongue until Terry's done talking, though the occasional "ooh"s and "ahh"s still slip out. He also has no idea what parsley looks like but all the other things sound pretty easy to get, and scorpions are a problem for a different time.

But yeah! This is great! Terry is acting just like Mav, who also wanted to murder Kano in cold blood the first time they met. It's all very encouraging for him. ]

How cool~ Looks like I gotta take a roadtrip back to America sometime to see!! Do you like bearded dragons? Do you want to pet one? Here, here, say hi to Nightmare! Don't be shy~

[ His bearded dragon that's just hanging around in his pocket- the opposite one from which he stuffs junk into. The lizard's about a foot long from tip to tip, but smaller when curled up. It blinks at Terry. ]

[ Terry looks over at Nightmare and... huh. It's so small. He doesn't quite reach for it just yet as he peers over curiously. He glances at Kano before looking back at Nightmare. There's something about the way Kano acts that lets Terry let his guard down completely. It's as if he's finally seeing something genuine from him. And, well, if this is an act too, then Terry only has himself to blame.

Pets are important to some people. Maybe Kano is one of those people who feel that way. That's probably why he asked about bearded dragons earlier, since he owns one.

...

He smiles a little. Terry doesn't reach out to pet Nightmare, since, well... them standing on the railing in a high place is already a hazard and he doesn't want to disrupt that balance, since Nightmare doesn't look like it's coming out of Kano's pocket. ]

You should keep Nightmare inside, since you don't want him to fall.

It's okay, it's okay~ Nightmare won't fall!! You won't let him.

[ You'd better not!!!

Kano told Terry not to be shy, and here Terry is being shy. So he reaches into his pocket and takes the lizard out to plop onto Terry's shoulder— or onto his hands if Terry reaches out for it. If Terry is paranoid enough to pinpoint the lizard, it's a real lizard. Warm since it's been pressed up against Kano's stomach this whole time, and soft despite appearances, especially on its stomach and sides. ]

Mhm, I won't let him fall.

[ He is absolutely not paranoid at the moment because he has his guard down, so he believes that the lizard is a real one. Despite having killed a lot of animals, Terry takes care not to hurt Nightmare or hold him too tightly as he plucks it from his shoulder so that he can hold it. There's a difference between having to kill one for food or defense and holding a companion in his hands. He's cute--Terry lightly pokes his side as if to tickle. ]

[ The lizard's beard immediately puffs up in reaction to being poked, which just makes Kano snicker, hands back in his pockets and not bothering to save his pet from this apparent threat Nightmare's throwing a hissy fit over. The interaction is cute, or something ]

Hey, Boss. If I jump, would you let me fall?

[ ... ]

Theoretically, you know?

If you stop calling me that, I'll give you your answer.

[ But Terry will pluck Nightmare and put him on Kano's shoulder. ]

No deal~

[ Kano takes Nightmare back and slides him into his pocket so he can go back to sleep. ]

What's up? You hate being called that?

I gave you my name.

[ So maybe you should use it???

Maybe that's his answer the question itself. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject