TIGER ☆ 002

[fiveminutefail]

Who: fiveminutefail and somarium!
Where: Somni, in a random park
Style: I’ll match!
Status: OPEN ♥

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[selfmotivations]

After work, he'd detoured to the shopping district to pick up some more clothes. Much as he hated to treat this like a long-term stay, he couldn't set aside practicality. There were necessities to be considered (and lots of the same black t-shirt were one of them) for the duration of their imprisonment here. What mattered, he reasoned, was that he didn't get too comfortable.

So coming across a man sitting on a park toy was almost surreal to Barnaby, because he knew before he even really looked who the man was. And on the tiger, of all things.

For a moment, he wondered if he shouldn't just continue on his way and leave the old man to it, whatever it was. But instead, somewhat against his better judgement, he found himself walking over to him, stopping a few steps away and folding his arms.

"You look ridiculous," he said, looking down at him. "Isn't that a little small for you?"

[fiveminutefail]

Kotetsu had thought of doing the same thing, even after a month he only had the outfit he had arrived in, a few scattered articles of clothing he picked up one day on a whim, and a pair of pants to wear to bed. He hadn't gone for a real shopping trip yet though, as he didn't think that he'd have been there as long as he had been. An entire month, it was still something he couldn't yet wrap his mind around. He didn't want to think about it.

At this rate, he'd have to go and purchase a mask. If anything like that crazy mob happened again, he'd have to be able to use his powers and still keep his identity hidden. It only made sense to him to conceal his identity even in a place where Wild Tiger had no celebrity status, it was what he always did and he'll continue to do it

[selfmotivations]

"Children use them all the time," he corrected, supposing it was befitting. For all Kotetsu was getting on in years, for all he was old fashioned, he could still be remarkably childish. Which was a bit rich coming from Barnaby, to say the least, not that he was thinking along those lines. Tutting, he rolled his eyes, long-suffering wherever his partner was concerned.

He watched Kotetsu pat the one alongside him with disbelief apparent on his face, as if Kotetsu had just proposed something absolutely proposterous. To Barnaby, that was an accurate way to put it. Scowling, he glared at him. "You've got to be kidding me." A rabbit, of all things. He was almost certain the old man had planned this.

[fiveminutefail]

"Details, details," he quickly offered in response to that, simple and straight forward. Children use them, but no where on the toy does it say that it was restricted to them. Actually... it might've, now that he thought about it, but he wasn't about to check and prove his partner's point. He'd surely never hear the end of it, and he didn't want his trip to the park to end on that note.

And he hadn't planned it, it was mere coincidence. Of all the parks for him to visit that day, it had to be the one with the tiger and the bunny. It was perfect placement, but he still hadn't registered the irony. His mind was on other things, and he patted the toy once more. "I'm being serious," he answered with a determined frown."You're not really going to stand there the whole time, are you?"

[selfmotivations]

Unyielding, he peered down at him through his glasses, as if he could - and would - stand there all night, rather than sit on the rabbit. The way it steadily rocked back and forth seemed like a joke at his expense. He spared it a glare, then fixed the expression on Kotetsu again.

"I'm going to go back to the apartment," he said, because he could never call it home. Not here. "How long have you been sitting out here for? I'm not sure I should be seen with you."

[fiveminutefail]

He just had to sigh at that, his partner once again proving how insufferably un-cute he could be. It really wouldn't kill him to be a little more loose, he thought to himself as he retracted the hand that was rocking the toy bunny next to him, leaning the elbow on the head of his tiger and resting his head in his hand.

"I've been here for a while," he responded, a little aloof. "So if you're going back, don't wait up, okay?"

He liked this park, and he liked the little memories he could attach to certain objects scattered around. He gave his partner a half-hearted nod, before training his gaze on the park swing-set, a little smile on his lips as he watched the breeze rattle the seats gently.

[selfmotivations]

"Are you intending to be out here all night, saying something like that?"

He had a mind to leave there and then, but something stayed his feet. The shopping bags were dropped by his boots, a sign, perhaps, that he would hang around for a little while. Maybe he wasn't sure he should be seen with him, an old man hanging out in a kid's playground, but he was curious, too. His eyes followed Kotetsu's line of sight, wondering what had so drawn his interest.

The significance of such a place was largely lost on him. He shifted, almost sat down purely out of habit, before realising that would have meant sitting on the rabbit and deciding to stand.

"What are you doing here?" The scorn in his voice had largely faded, replaced with a genuine sort of curiosity.

[fiveminutefail]

"I'll be out here long enough, I just don't want you to worry."

He couldn't have phrased it better, really. He didn't know when he'd be ready to leave these images behind, didn't know if he'd ever be. At the same time, though, he didn't want to hear it from his partner about coming in late without warning, and he didn't want to worry either of his roommates with his actions and decisions as well.

He noticed the shift from the corner of his eye, the attention focused elsewhere almost diverted, eyes almost beginning to gleam with the anticipation of the other possibly sitting with him. When he stopped and stood still, he huffed almost childly, cheek sagging further onto his knuckle.

"You're never too old for the park, Bunny," he offered by way of explanation. He had ulterior motives, but those motives would do nothing but instil the worry he was trying to avoid, and so he kept them to himself.

[selfmotivations]

"You certainly are," he shot back, and for once it looked like Barnaby was the one pouting. "And I'm not a little child anymore either." This place almost made him uncomfortable. The longer he stayed here, the longer he considered his own memories of such places. His mother, pushing him on the swing. His father, sitting on the slide with him. Sometimes, he'd go too high on the climbing frames, and they'd have to lift him down. Sometimes he did it just for that reason.

He realizes he's staring at nothing and turns his ire back on Kotetsu.

"To think you called me childish. What an insult."

[fiveminutefail]

He took his partner's words lightly. He was right, neither of them were children anymore. Neither of them could rightfully deem themselves as such, aside from small observations like the one he had made in the past, and the one Barnaby had made just now. Holding a toy robot received as a child near to the heart was a childish gesture, but it was also a meaningful, sentimental one, much like the way he was currently enjoying the park.

"When was the last time you even enjoyed a place like this?" He couldn't help but ask, the words flying out of his mouth before he could even process what they meant, what they could mean. It was, ultimately, a stupid question to ask. That much was now slowly catching up to him.

Someone so set upon revenge couldn't possibly think that a small break to visit the park, or to even have fun, would be time well spent. Upon realizing his error, he quickly stood, a hand reflexively shooting out before him in silent apology

[selfmotivations]

He was about to respond that he didn't remember, that he'd had no reason to enjoy a place like this since his parents were still alive and well. But Kotetsu's hand moved, his expression changing, and Barnaby found his argument stilling, the anger that had risen as a reflex abating into sullenness. Uncomfortable, he abruptly wanted to get away from the place, from his partner.

Once again, Kotetsu stopped him, this time by the proposition. He turned to look at him again, his immediate surprise brushed aside by his skepticism. "You say that like I'd enjoy it," he said flatly, then shook his head. "Don't try and project your childishness on me, old man!"

But he still made no move to leave.

[fiveminutefail]

"I know you would," he stubbornly huffed out, determined to not leave the park until they'd done something together. That much could be gathered from both his stance, and his tone. He had seen his partner's childish side, a lot more of it now since he'd finally had the burden of revenge lifted from his shoulders. He still had to remind himself that this wasn't the same Bunny from back home, but that still couldn't change what he'd witnessed of Barnaby in that time.

At the accusation of projecting his childishness, he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit offended. He knew he had no right, since his own question had been offensive in every way, but this was his way of fixing it, and damn it would he fix it.

"I'm not projecting anything, Bunny! Just hurry up and pick something!"

[selfmotivations]

He just stood there, arms folded, scowling, in an attempt to look unyielding and make the old man go back to riding his bouncy tiger. But the effect was somewhat off - the sullen pose and pout made him look more like a disgruntled teenager, thus shattering illusions of maturity. Barnaby seemed to catch onto this, however, because he started looking around the place, sighing.

He knew full well his partner would not leave him alone about this now. He knew he could activate his Hundred Power and flee home in a blink, and Kotetsu would doubtlessly be there just to bug him about it. Which made not a lick of sense to Barnaby, but he decided to relent just this once (it's never just this once) in the hopes that he could get it over with quickly

[fiveminutefail]

He stood rooted in his spot as he watched his partner stubbornly glare, and then walk toward the last toy in the park he would've guessed. He couldn't help but snicker at the size difference, even if he had no right, considering what he was just perched upon only moments before. He grinned as he finally made his way over, his strut obviously displaying his amusement and his pride in winning the argument

[selfmotivations]

That strut only served to further incite Barnaby's ire, almost tangible as Kotetsu's smug amusement was. Of course, it was clear that his teasing wasn't designed to mock - his grin was warm, open, as usual. Barnaby wasn't appeased by the subtle nuance, however. Like a cat splashed with water, he bristled, fixing the old man with another glare as he ventured closer.

Though the idea of two grown men climbing up a playground toy was completely farcical, the challenge made it a little more bearable to Barnaby's common sense, so easily swayed to competition as he was. He eyed the park, gaze sliding from frame to swings to slide, before it fell to Kotetsu again.

"It's on, old man!"

[fiveminutefail]

He wasn't expecting it to be that easy. His partner was always so insufferably independent and stubborn, much like he himself was, and he knew that a mere challenge would only get to him under the right circumstances. The fact that his offer of competition was so eagerly accepted where park toys were concerned had to have meant something. Perhaps Barnaby would have done it regardless, perhaps he even wanted to from the very start, or maybe Kotetsu was simply looking too far between the lines.

Regardless, he couldn't help but briefly peer over his shoulder at the blond, expression once again warm and simple. "Ready when you are," he chuckled quietly before lifting his finger to point to the top. If he really stretched, he could tap the pad of it to the bar, but he refrained.

"First person to the top wins, and then we can do the swings."