[closed] STRIKE OUT

[horrifictie]

Who ⬤ Harry, Kim, Kamui, Andy
What ⬤ Bowling Match
When ⬤ Early July
Where ⬤ Sutoku Region Bowling Alley
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A




With the blood rain and cursed nightmares gone, there's a promise that must be fulfilled. The bowling match of the century: Harry & Andy vs Kim & Kamui. The prize: the right to brag and sneer over the losers. The most important thing isn't winning, but that your enemies *lose*.

Comments

[killtime]

[ She gives Kim a pointed little look, like she knows there's something here and she wants him to know that she knows. Not that it would take any great detective to figure that out. He might say the subject isn't worthwhile, but he's already offered a rather specific opinion — and more words on the matter than he might for something else. ]

Can't say I feel strongly about it either way. [ Dryly: ] But you make it sound almost personal. Like pinball pissed in your cereal.

[aceslow]

It's just a stupid game. Nothing more. Surely you've thought the same about some of the foolish things that youths get into over the years.

[ Youths, he says, as though he's not currently the youngest one here. But if they're talking about who's older in spirit, Kim wins that competition handily. A part of him has been ancient since he was a small child, and that part of him is usually reserved for the sort of disdain he reserves for things that personally offend him. ]

It's really not worth talking about. Besides, last I checked, we're here to play a different game.

[killtime]

[ This may be the most times that Andy has ever heard the lieutenant call any one thing stupid. As if pinball itself as an entity is so offensive as to warrant reiterating that point more than once. She probably shouldn't be so charmed by that, and it definitely speaks to her sense of humor that she absolutely is. ]

You know trying to change the fucking subject only makes me more curious. [ She tilts her head at the lieutenant in a considering way. ] We can play and talk at the same time, can't we?

[aceslow]

We can.

[ Which is to say, that doesn't mean that he wants to. ]

You're a clever woman, Andromache. Surely you can think of a more interesting topic than that. Like what you had for breakfast this morning.

[killtime]

Fish. Rice. Natto. Two cigarettes.

[ She lists off the things she had for breakfast carelessly, as if to dismiss the topic as uninteresting — which, to be fair, it is. In the way that comfortingly familiar routines tend to be. ]

What's it going to take for you to tell me this story, huh? Because we both know I fucking know there is one.

[aceslow]

[ Kim just levels her with a look. It's the sort of look that tells her damn well that she's going to need to do more than just incessantly badger him to get this story out of him. He left Kimball back home which is, perhaps, the only good part about being here; there's no way in hell he's going to share now.

Certainly not through these methods. ]

There is nothing interesting to tell, [ he says plainly. ] A man is allowed to have his opinions. [ ... ] And you should really cut down on smoking. Bad for the lungs.

[killtime]

[ Brute strength would have done the trick with most people. She's more trouble than she's worth with these things, antagonistic and relentless. When Andy insists, she insists. But Kim Kitsuragi isn't most people. Unstoppable force, immoveable object. ]

Pot, kettle. [ She quips back readily. ] Tell you what though. Let's bowl a little — say, best of three. I win, you tell me why you fucking hate pinball. You win, I'll cut my smoking in half.

[aceslow]

I don't see why I should sacrifice my dignity for your health.

[ No, she's got him. He's just not going to fess up to it yet. And besides, she hasn't got him -- he fully intends to win, thank you very much. ]

You need to have a story ready to tell too. In addition to cutting your cigarette consumption.

[killtime]

Fine. Deal.

[ Probably not an entirely smart bet on Andy's part, considering that bowling isn't really one of her skills. But she's competitive, and worse than that, she's stubborn. Contrary too. So maybe she isn't exactly the type to pry with most things, but she's beyond that with Kim by now, and the more he refuses to tell her, the more she wants to know. ]

Hope you're not a sore fucking loser.

[aceslow]

Of course I'm not. Losing just means that I have room for improvement. I am, however, a very sore winner, so you'd better prepare yourself for that eventuality. Because I intend to win.

[ Andromache is by far the more athletic out of the two of them. If this were a fight, or a footrace, or a competition to see who could do the most push-ups, Kim would have his ass handed to him quite soundly. To win at bowling is almost as much an insult as anything else, cementing the fact that Kim only seems to manage to achieve specialty in things that he considers to be stupid and meaningless.

He wins nonetheless, largely thanks to his devotion to winning: he had done his research before coming here, made every move with quiet, intense deliberation, and managed to eke out a win as a result. Stupid game or not, he can't help but toss her a look absolutely dripping with smugness. ]

What was that you said earlier...? Ah, yes. [ He smiles at her. ] I hope you're not a sore fucking loser.