He makes note of the collar first. That's pretty weird, but plenty of the fighters in attendance have their gimmicks. A couple of the members of Noroshi are particularly annoying with theirs, so though he flags it as worthy of looking into, he files it away for later — or at least that was the plan, before the first fighter runs up to the guy and botches his punch so thoroughly, it almost seems as though an invisible force field turns it back on him. Upon seeing that, Endo's brain starts moving very quickly, trying to make sense of the technique, catalogue the guy's abilities and non-abilities, and figure out how the collar might relate. He spends that first (non-)fight being intrigued but not quite entirely sold on what he's witnessing.
The second fight, however, confirms that whatever this guy is doing is on another level entirely. That really gets his interest piqued, in a way it hasn't been in a long time. He wants to test it for himself: poke, prod, determine the limitations and how much power this guy truly has at his disposal — and maybe, just maybe, keep him to himself. By the time he's standing in the street, his hands are trembling with barely contained excitement and his grin is a little too wide — his eyes a little too focused. It takes immense self-control not to call off the member of Noroshi before he makes contact, but he forces himself to wait; he wants to see just how quickly this guy will put him down. He brings his thumb to the infinity tattoo on his neck and presses it there as he watches —
— the worst punch he's ever seen.
Somehow, it's effective, but the whiplash that Endo experiences is almost as bad as the kind he inflicts on others when he's genuinely irritated — or outright angry. He goes from approaching a near-point of no return in the amplification of his interest to deflated, albeit not entirely. Just enough to keep him from cajoling this guy into a brawl of his own, in order to experience how thorough that "power" of his really is — and maybe also to see if he can get his hands on that collar. For fun.
Now, though, Endo finds himself standing in a middle ground, which is unusual enough for him to take a few seconds to decide how to approach this. Normally, if he's truly taken by someone, he burns hot, consumed entirely by the need to possess. Otherwise, people aren't worth his attention — at least not enough of it to warrant giving a fight his all. But a feeling that is simultaneously greedily curious and unimpressed? Talk about mixed messages from his own brain. He'd rather be all or nothing.
It's too late to blend back into the fray now that he's surrounded by all this fighting, especially since he's a suspicious sight himself: all these brawling teens, and he's standing in the middle of the action entirely untouched. One even swings in his direction, but upon realizing who he's swinging at, immediately pulls the punch and hurries away.
So Endo clicks his tongue in a chiding manner while he sticks a hand in his pocket, revoking his overinvested stance in favor of being relaxed: Tsk, tsk, tsk. Then, when he's sure he has the guy's attention, he says: ]
I heard there was gonna be a massacre. No one said anything about cheating.
[ His tone is bored, though his eyes are still a little sharp. If nothing else, he has learned that this guy is capable of destruction — it just doesn't seem to come from his own hand. ]
[Accelerator ambles on through the fighting, his brain quietly taking in his surroundings - both through his normal senses and his ability - to filter and analyze what he's seeing. It's less the move of the fighters and more identifying people who aren't just low level grunts. If he can pick out the leaders, the idiots at the top of the food chain, then beating them up would be a faster way of ending this whole brawl.
(It'd also be a lot less effort for himself.)
So yeah, picking out the guy who happens to just be standing there in the middle of the fight like it's no big deal definitely qualifies. He stops, narrows his eyes, and recognizes his own words being thrown back at him. Guess this guy wasn't lying about the brawl, and maybe by normal standards some of the people here are strong fights.]
Only a completely talentless third-string would call it cheating.
[His tone is very dry and if anything, he just looks irritated. As he responds, he casually lifts a boot up and taps the back of some delinquent's leg, the slight touch sending the kid tumbling to the ground.]
I take it you were talking about yourself.
[He should've figured that out earlier. It seems obvious in hindsight.]
[ Endo's self-confidence is impervious except when it comes to one very specific matter, and since that matter is irrelevant here, he's entirely unfazed by this guy's attitude. Talentless, third-string, blah blah blah, at this point he's heard anything and everything delivered in the form of bluster, and while he will allow his gaze to drop in order to witness the way that light boot-tap has such a drastic impact, his stare is calm and unaffected as he raises his eyes again.
This guy is no Takiishi. That isn't a disappointment so much as a fact. No one can match his power; no one can hope to stand alongside him. But if he had demonstrated even a small hint of that fire, then Endo would have easily made a space in Noroshi for him. But this? This is something else. Something he assumes is external — probably technological, given the collar, although there's got to be more to it. Where would that tech have come from in the first place? Not anywhere near this town. He'd have heard if there was anything close to it being handed out behind closed doors. ]
Aah, this is troublesome.
[ He scratches the back of his head as though he's puzzling his way through this. And he kind of is, if you count navigating this new space of near-uncertainty, which still feels entirely foreign to him. He isn't afraid, nor is he worried about himself, but this is a lot less cut-and-dry than he wanted it to be — to the point where he's starting to feel like it's not worth the hassle. ]
I had a whole welcome party planned, but now I wanna go back home to take a nap.
[ None of this is confirming (nor denying) the guy's statement; he's essentially having a conversation with himself, which is more or less par for the course, albeit for more complicated reasons than simply trying to irritate a person.
Sounding bored: ]
Magic tricks look a lot cooler on TV.
[ Just like jumping off second-story buildings. He would know! There's no real oomph in using force fields or whatever it is that the guy's got going for him. That's what's talentless.
But Endo is still curious. Maybe not so much about the guy anymore, but about what he can do — and why. He's not exactly inclined to get into a fight with someone who might actually be able to kill him with a well-aimed, super-powered punch, but if there's a limit, somehow — if Endo can rival him in speed and dodging, would he be able tire him out? Could he get his fingers around that collar to see what happens if he pulls? There are a lot of possibilities but he doesn't know how likely any of them are. None of the fights lasted long enough for him to guess, and no one else will be able to go head-to-head him. Endo is the only one in attendance who could try, but without more information, it would be a risk.
[Throughout his life, Accelerator has only gotten a few reactions regarding his ability. The main one has always been fear; once people see that such a skinny twig isn't so much a fighter as he is a force of nature that can crush them like an ant it's as if their entire life flashes before their eyes, and they succumb to fear. It's a normal reaction, honestly, and something he's very used to by this point. Another one is anger, though that occurs in more specialized settings. Often it's some scientist with million dollar equipment they assume can handle his ability, and when he inevitably breaks it they get pissed off.
Aside from that there have only been a few other special reactions from specific individuals. A Magic God who thought he was amusing, or that Level 0 who, despite being completely outclassed, kept on getting up until he managed to win each and every fight they had. Fear and anger occurred often enough that they blur together, while these reactions have always remained clear in his mind.
But he's never gotten disappointment before. His brain stalls out a little as he stares, reminded of his own nonchalance when he's gone up against most opponents. It isn't that he has much in the way of pride, so there's only slight offense at his esper ability being called a magic trick. Mostly, he's bewildered, and he inclines his head as he tries to puzzle this out. Does this guy have a deathwish? He sounds bored, so that doesn't seem quite right. It can't be that he's just used to esper powers, because even by those standards his own is an outlier, and from his words it's unlikely that he's a magician.
So what is it? Accelerator's stare is enough to bore holes at this point, and he purses his lips.
Okay, well. He should at least do the responsible thing, get that out of the way.]
Did you start this whole mess? [He waves a hand at the fighting then steps closer. In spite of being shorter and smaller, his posture and tone are turning more authoritative.] Shut it down.
[ Under the force of that stare, Endo grows a little amused — a small, lazy smile working its way across his face as he anticipates a response that will be far from an amicable departure — but won't lead straight into violence, either. He's amenable to that, his interest hooked enough that he could be convinced to stick around and play this out for a while, though he's still leaning toward this enounter not being worth the amount of effort it'll take to get his questions answered.
Nonetheless, he decides to approach this a little more carefully than he might otherwise. Endo's dangerous and he likes to provoke, but he isn't stupid. Too much anger may cause the guy to reactive erratically; too harsh a push might encourage him to deliver than mere bruises — as well as no answers. There's a balanced to be struck, and since Endo is at an informational disadvantage, he needs to ensure he doesn't put himself so far on one side that he has to text Takiishi, of all people, to (hopefully) pick him up.
He holds both his ground and his languid demeanor as the guy steps closer. The guy clearly isn't afraid, and why should he be, with that false power at his disposal? But Endo isn't intimidated either, and backing down in the face of an open threat isn't part of his repertoire. Besides, this isn't the first time he's been on the receiving end of firm instructions that he chooses not to follow. ]
Oh, that's right. You said you could read people right away.
[ And assign them as asshole.
He shakes his head just once, as though disappointed. ]
But you didn't even give me a conversation first.
[ Not even a short one! A few words barely qualifies. If the original text message jumped the gun, this guy took off before the race was even set up.
Of course, his assumption is correct, but that's hardly relevant. ]
[His order being ignored doesn't go unnoticed. Accelerator narrows his eyes, his mouth a thin line. He could be within range to fight fast enough, but this guy isn't putting out any kind of aggressive body language, so there's no point. He isn't even sure how something like that would go - normally it's easy enough to predict how a run-in with him will end, because most of the time it ends with whoever he's facing down broken and terrified if they aren't simply dead.
This guy is still remaining so casual Accelerator is having trouble predicting that outcome, and that makes him want to be a bit more cautious.]
... You seriously want to talk?
[He's sounding a bit incredulous, and not just because this guy going from starting a massive mob fight to being bored to wanting to chat is weird. Socializing? Definitely not his strong suit.
More importantly, he's acutely aware that every second spent drawing this out means being one second closer to his choker's time limit. He needs to be careful about that. The last thing he needs is to hit his thirty minute limit before he can get somewhere private.]
[ Interacting at this level with someone who is entirely unknown to him is a little unusual. Endo likes to collect information first, whether by observing for himself or sending in a satellite gang to gather details for him. If he has at least minor background on a person or their involvement in an important matter, then Endo can guess at what buttons will be most effective when pushed — and figure out how to elicit specific reactions and turn tables in his direction. But when it's a total stranger — especially one that is far from the typical fair around his district — there's always the possibly of something going awry. Endo could hit a nerve or go too far, and while he is confident in his ability to twist things back in his favor — or put an end to an impromptu fight — there's always the possibility of a slipup.
And he is, by his own admission, not a great judge of character.
But this feels like a hook slowly working its way into a catch: the disbelief in the guy's tone and the ease with which he is distracted from his authoritative demeanor. Endo can't help but feel a little thrill — a little pleasure in capturing the guy's attention when he seemed so keen on ordering him around. He has to be careful not to seem too eager, since the guy's (more or less) acceptance of this path means that he may get an answer or two after all — without having to lift a finger. But even as he keeps his demeanor nonchalant, his lazy smile becomes a little more alive — approaching genuine, though it's colored only by his own selfish interest. ]
Why're you surprised? Talking is what you do when you meet new people, isn't it?
[ He did say meet, after all. Not fight. Which is, of course, splitting hairs, since this was all predicated upon fighting, but why get lost in the weeds? ]
Come with me. It's quieter over here.
[ As he says this, he spreads his arms in a warm, inviting gesture, before turning toward a building adjacent to their location. It's an industrial structure, long abandoned, but it has roof access — and all good conversations seem to happen on roofs these days. If the guy doesn't try to stop him, then he'll approach and enter the building without looking over his shoulder to see if he is following, confidently assuming he'll do just that. ]
[God, any reasonable person would have stranger danger alarms blaring in their head at this. Accelerator is aware of the increased potential danger here, but he's also finding this guy's very relaxed demanour more and more bewildering. Is he getting under his skin? Maybe a little, that happens sometimes. He's grateful he's learned how to be more patient after that first fight with that Level 0, because that makes it easier to appraise the situation and decide if he wants to a) follow him, b) leave or c) punch him out.]
..................................
[There's a long period of silence in which Accelerator stares hard, practically burning a hole in the guy's back. Still completely casual, acting like it's not a big fucking deal to turn his back on someone who could kill him just by touching him. He clicks his tongue and there's another noise - the feet of his crutch hitting the ground as he starts following.
Information gathering is something he also places a lot of importance on. You don't wind up being named after particle accelerators if it isn't in your nature to learn and understand the universe, even when the universe happens to be some cocky asshole with no sense of self-preservation. He can't deny it's an irritating quality to have sometimes, though.
The building is run down, abandoned, and the interior of it is dark and musty. It's enough that Accelerator keeps his reflection up as they make their way through it to the stairwell solely to reflect any particles in the air that could make him cough, though as they head up the stairs to the roof he uses his free hand to fiddle a bit with his choker, checking on his time. This is more time than he expected to spend in esper mode tonight and thirty minutes total isn't a lot, but he should still be alright for now.
Once they reach the rooftop he spares a moment to look around - it at least looks stable, so that's good - before glancing back over expectantly. The sounds of the fighting continuing on below cause his scowl to remain plastered all over his face.]
[ As Endo walks into the building and makes his way to the stairs, he listens for the sounds of the guy following him — the belated opening of the door, the footsteps that resound in the run-down stairwell as they work their way up. He doesn't spare a glance behind him, satisfied by what he hears. There's no outright aggression in those steps, no quickening pace to grab him from behind. Hence, there's no reason for Endo to turn around, not even when they reach the roof. While the guy examines the state of it, Endo walks toward the parapet to look down below. There's still chaos in the streets, although not nearly as much as when the brawl started. Somewhere in the middle, the remaining members of Noroshi are waiting for his signal.
At the question, Endo turns around, but he makes no effort to retreat from parapet. Though it forms a low barrier around the perimeter, he could easily be thrown over, a fact that doesn't influence his chosen spot at all. His smile has not faltered, but it shifts marginally — still not conveying his internal enthusiasm for how this is playing out, but easing out of the lazy quality he's been maintaining. ]
I figured we'd introduce ourselves to start.
[ He is, after all, perfectly capable of being polite when he needs to be. Charisma is a tool he's honed since childhood, strategically employed when necessary — and this is a prime example. He does not go so far as to bow, but he does offer his full name: ]
Yamato Endo.
[ After which he sits on the parapet and gestures for his guest to do the same. ]
[It'd be really, really easy to kick this asshole off the building.
That thought crosses Accelerator's mind as he hangs back at the stairwell entrance for a few moments, and he has to shake it off. They're up here to talk, not for whatever violence is lurking around in the back of his head, so he heads on over towards the edge of the roof.
Hitting a switch on his crutch, the cane portion of it retracts into the arm cuff. Standing on his own two feet isn't an issue with his ability going - he can run the calculations to reinforce his leg muscles no problem - so there's no point in keeping his crutch out. After dropping down on the parapet, he removes the entire thing from his right forearm and sets it on the ground. It's a lot more comfortable not having that thing attached to him, and he absently rubs his arm as he glances over, looking this guy - Yamato Endo - up and down with a critical eye.
The tattoos are what stick out the most, particularly the infinity symbol due to its placement and his own knowledge of its meaning of potential infinity in mathematical history. Numerous formulas that utilize it pop into his head all at once, as well as formulas that use the notation for actual infinity. Not that he's the type to have opinions on tattoos, but he thinks that one is in good taste.
The next thing that sticks out to him is that Endo's a lot bigger than him. Not really a big deal, he's had to deal with people like that before. Komaba was a fucking tank of a person and a lot smarter than he looked, so that's something to keep in mind. The final thing he notices are his clothes, that the brand is a high end one. That gets filed away in the back of his mind, though he doubts it'll be useful information.
His own introduction comes bluntly.]
Accelerator.
[That's it. No first or last name, just a strange English word despite him being Japanese. The way he's reciting it though, it may as well be a real name and not something like a nickname or other kind of moniker. As far as he's concerned it may as well be the former and not the latter.]
Endo does not repeat the name out loud, though he does roll it over in his mind, stretching out the syllables. He may technically still qualify as gifted, and he may be naturally good at everything he tries, but he is not fluent in English. Going to a school that primarily consists of delinquents (and poor test scores) and then dropping out doesn't exactly lend itself to picking up a second language, and since he never bothered to try to learn it on his own, it's an area that remains out of his intellectual repertoire. He knows some basics, as well as some pop culture references, and he has enough knowledge to identify the guy's name as a probable English word in the first place, but not enough to define it.
That won't be the case after today. Endo will spend some time digging into the language on phone later.
But for now, he lets it go, even though it sounds less like a name and more like a title, especially since it's only one name instead of a first and last.
He's more interested in the crutch, anyway. Namely, how important it is to the guy and how much he really needs it. Endo considers the possibility that it's more for show and creating an image of himself as weak while he hides his true strength, but that can't be it. With the amount of (still false) power at his disposal, there's no point in tricking people into underestimating him. He doesn't need that kind of advantage. Which leads Endo to believe that it might relate to the collar somehow — or at least to his abilities overall. Maybe the exertion of such extreme power exhausts him by the end of a good fight, or maybe the strength he has at his disposal doesn't aid mobility the way it needs to.
Ah, but polite behavior first. He needs to be a gracious host now. ]
It's nice to meet you.
[ He offers a bright smile, as though he's now truly happy to be in his company. And he is — there's so much potential in these upcoming moments that Endo already feels close to seizing it. ]
Can I see that? [ He indicates the crutch that now lies on the ground. ] I broke my leg once, when I was a kid. It was real nasty. I almost needed surgery, but I got lucky and got a cast and crutches instead. They were the kind that go under your arm — man, those hurt after a while.
[ This is a true story, although not a complete accounting of facts. Endo did not break his own leg, and the real reason he found the crutches to be so painful is because he accompanied Takiishi everywhere — and Takiishi did not slow down, nor make it easy on him to follow.
But it is a story that serves a purpose — and he would like to look at the crutch. ]
[Accelerator furrows his brow at the request. His crutch, really? He wants to look at that thing?
It isn't the subject of conversation he was expecting, and it takes him a beat to realize that story is an attempt at relating to his need for the damn thing. That in turn only confuses him more, and he glances down at it. It's an expensive piece of equipment, but he supposes it can't hurt. If Endo throws it off the roof it won't break, and he wouldn't stand a chance if he tried to take it (though, why on earth would he bother?). So... it likely can't hurt to let him look at it. Maybe he's actually a huge nerd and thinks mechanical engineering is neat.
Glancing back up, he shoots Endo a warning glare.]
If you do anything with it I'm beating the shit out of you.
[Grabbing his crutch, he holds it out for Endo to take.
It's far nicer than the kind of typical elbow crutch one would receive from a hospital. This thing is custom. The elbow cuff has a modern embossed design on it, and two metal straps to attach to Accelerator's forearm so it stays there. There's a switch that extends the cane portion, which ends in four small feet that can also act as grabbers, like a claw from a gachapon machine. The materials used to make the thing are durable and high-end, and there are gyroscopic stabilizers built into it so it can stand on the four feet on its own.
There are also switches in the cuff to turn on and adjust a built-in wireless signal jammer. That's the most important part of the entire thing and the most dangerous, though Accelerator is doubtful Endo could figure it out quick enough to jam the signal his choker is receiving.
He watches him for a few moments before glancing at the fighting below. It's tempting to stop what's remaining from up here, though for now all he does is jab a finger in the mob's direction.]
[ In response to the warning, Endo holds up his hands in a reassuring manner. Of course he isn't going to do anything with it — does he look like the kind of guy who would mess with someone's mobility aid? (Probably.) He's an instigator but he's really not one to make the first move — he invites it, and then waits for the other guy(s) to get pissed off enough to come at him. Besides, it'd be a waste of this opportunity to learn more about Accelerator's abilities (and limitations) if he were to to chuck it into the street.
But as for holding it out and casually dangling it over the edge as he engages in an expressive conversation? That may have crossed his mind, just to see what kind of reaction it would draw forth. But hey, he's a fair guy — if it's off limits, then it's off limits.
For the most part.
When Accelerator finally hands it over, Endo begins examining it, turning it over in his hands and getting a good look at everything. He goes so far as to press the most obvious switch, the one he saw Accelerator use earlier, to extend the crutch. By the time Accelerator makes his demand, Endo is busy tapping the ground with it.
He looks up with mild, feigned surprise, as though just remembering that there's a violent brawl beneath them. He has the impulse to laugh, because it's obvious that this guy doesn't do polite conversation, but he chooses instead to say: ]
Oh —
[ He glances down at all the chaos. ]
You know how it goes. [ A sweeping motion of his hand. The free one, since he's nixed the idea of precariously dangling the crutch. ] A group of guys come around, cause some trouble, and then someone's gotta clean it up. That's what we do. It's like a hobby.
[ They're the troublemakers. Not the cleaning crew. This centers around a specific job and the opposing gang has been putting up quite the fight, hence Noroshi's direct involvement.
[ There are a few things that suck about having a broken arm. Not being able to punch is one of them, but it's at the bottom of the list. Endo doesn't take most fights all that seriously, so the impact isn't as significant as it could be. He'd rather dodge around and play with an opponent than get all worked up for someone weak and unimportant, anyway. But there are other complications, the most annoying of which is how uncomfortable it is to fold his hands behind his head so he can walk around like he prefers. He still does it, but the effect isn't nearly as satisfying.
That's why receiving the news that his cast isn't getting removed any time soon nearly puts him in a rare bad mood.
Only nearly, however, because he finally has Accelerator in his presence again. Granted, it hasn't been too long — and Endo has been bothering him over text plenty — but nothing beats needling him in person and slowly building to his goal. He's tired of making his plans take a back seat, thanks to broken bones and pain medication. Those wings are on his mind a lot — and therefore so is his future with Accelerator.
Besides, Noroshi is already working on obtaining a way to fix his situation. It's easy to stave off annoyances when there's an (illegal) answer to this setback.
So! Endo stops thinking about that — and refrains from folding his hands behind his head — while he and Accelerator make their way to a small restaurant. Before Endo had an idea of Accelerator's deep pockets, he would've been prepared to spend a pretty penny on wining and dining him for the sake of the future. Now he's angling for Accelerator to pay instead. It hits different when the guy who said Endo (and his bedroom exploits) were a waste of money ends up being the one who funds him after all.
The walk itself has been a little quiet, between Accelerator's normal deep thinking sessions and Endo being a little distracted by the news he received at his appointment, but when they get to the small, chic, and very high-end restaurant, Endo announces: ]
This is it!
[ He holds the door open for him because he's such a gentleman. ]
I figured you'd prefer something nice and quiet.
[ It is quiet inside. But that's because it's also very intimate. All the booths are private. The atmosphere is more romantic than it is two frenemies eating lunch because one of them supposedly needs cheering up. ]
[Accelerator has been busy since he stormed out of the hospital. Thankfully, being in town on business (or rather, "business") is a great excuse to compartmentalize extremely messy feelings about everything surrounding one Endo Yamato. It gives him something else to focus on, something important.
At least, it does when he isn't getting texts from Endo. This, this is why you never lend your phone out to other people. They acquire your number and then start socializing with you relentlessly. And Accelerator, against his better judgment, responds to at least half of those texts. One part of him is convinced it's a terrible idea, another part figures it can't hurt (they had, after all, sort of gotten along in the hospital, however briefly), and a third part is just bewildered by the fact that he's doing something as normal as texting someone who isn't Last Order back for reasons that don't include world-ending catastrophes.
Look, he has a couple of names in his Contacts List, but he does not consider any of those people friends. Not even that Level 0. So this is new and strange behaviour for him. He's glad Last Order is back home, because if she stole his phone for the umpteenth time to take photos he'd never hear the end of it.
He'd definitely never hear the end of it if she knew he was going for lunch with Endo, too. But... it's fine, he's hungry, and he doesn't mind the company. Of course, he's expecting somewhere fast and casual, so when they finally stop at the restaurant Accelerator can only stare.]
..... I would've preferred fast food.
[Or a shitty chain restaurant, or even a convenience store. The idea of somewhere quiet is nice, yes, but he's never been a fan of high-end cuisine. When you grow up in a research facility you don't exactly develop high-end tastes, and he's vaguely uncomfortable as he steps inside, looking around.]
Is this the kind of place you normally eat at?
[He feels sorely underdressed for a place like this, having shown up in a long-sleeved shirt with a monochromatic geometric design on it and dark jeans. Oh well, too late to go change.]
[ From food, from company, from business. Every audience requires their own setting — and their own approach. In the end, it's less about the food and more about the impression — or creating a little discomfort, depending on his angle. Though, if he were to get too into the topic, he'd admit that he, too, eats a lot of fast food. It's what Takiishi prefers.
He gives the host his name. She confirms their reservation, then leads them to a booth in the back, even more private than all the others. It's the only seat completely hidden from the door, which gives the sense that aside from the comings and goings of a waiter, they'll be completely alone.
Sliding into the u-shaped booth, Endo says: ]
Don't worry, this place is good.
[ According to critics and those with sensitive palates, though the menus the host hands to them might suggest otherwise to someone unaccustomed to eating in such places — especially because the listed meals are a mix of American and French, rather than the high-end cuisine associated with Japan. But Accelerator can worry about that once he's nice and cozy in their shared booth.
[It's a perfectly normal, fancy restaurant, but as they follow the host further inside Accelerator starts to feel a mild, stifling feeling. It isn't as if the place is outright suffocating him, but the walls feel too close and he's getting the distinct sensation of standing out rather than blending in. He chalks it up to his own tastes not being anything close to this. If they were back in Academy City he wouldn't be caught dead in a restaurant this upscale. It's only a restaurant, though. He can tolerate it, especially since Endo appears perfectly comfortable.
.... Still. When they reach their booth, Accelerator squints and looks around, appraising their surroundings. The sheer amount of privacy they have doesn't escape his notice.]
...........
[He stares down at the spot Endo patted, his gaze so intense it's almost boring a hole into the seat. Then he moves to slide into the booth across from Endo, going through the whole process of retracting his crutch, then removing the arm cuff and setting is down next to himself so he can give his arm a break.
After taking the menu that's handed to him, he skims it over, and as he does his expression gradually drops. Parmesan lavash? Romesco glazed orzo? He doesn't know what half of this stuff is.]
[ The worst of Endo's pain may be in the past, and he may no longer be on medication that lowers his inhibitions and affects his finesse, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying the way Accelerator reacts to the slightest provocations. Endo pokes, prods, and even pushes at times — because those are a few of the many tools at his disposal, and he uses them to shape a desired result. If he erodes Accelerator's defenses, if he offers all the gestures Accelerator finds disagreeable or embarrassing, and if he keeps paving the way for future conversation, then one day Accelerator will wake up and think of them as friends. He may not even want to kill him anymore, though Endo takes no issue with the potential for the sentiment to remain.
But whereas Accelerator glares at the seat and then defies Endo's suggestion, Endo himself remains completely calm and in control. Only the slightest smile touches his lips — a far cry from his near-uncontrollable laughter at the hospital — though this is subject to change. He does shrug, though, a lazy suit yourself roll of his shoulders as he opens his own menu. ]
I picked right when I reserved these seats, huh?
[ Given the commentary. Accelerator is free to criticize as much as his heart desires, because no one's going to give him dirty looks over it — since they're all alone.
He glances up from his menu to say: ]
Just watch what you say in front of the waiter. They might throw you out of here.
[ He's kidding! They wouldn't, even if Accelerator were outright rude.
[It may be an overly charitable read of the situation, but Accelerator is chalking his discomfort up entirely to his own personal baggage and not something calculated by Endo. It would be hard to argue that, given the guy doesn't even know what his food preferences are, and the fact that he made a concentrated effort to reserve a table that would be quiet is downright conscientious of him.
He slouches a little in his seat at the pestering, scowling over his menu.]
Tche, I can be civil.
[He'll behave! Even if Endo is only teasing him he wouldn't put it past such an upscale restaurant to be willing to kick customers out if they ruin the atmosphere of the place. It's much easier to just have a quiet meal than to be a nuisance and start trouble for no real reason, so he can reign himself in to an extent. His behaviour? Sure. The swearing is a little harder to tamp down on, thanks to it being more of a verbal tic, though he can at least try.
He turns his eyes back to the menu, rereading it again closely.]
What's good here? Do they have any coffee?
[Coffee will definitely help his mood out. And he figures that if he doesn't know what half of the options on the menu are it'd be a lot easier to simply get Endo's opinion. That way he won't be floundering like he is right now.]
[ Endo, having long since decided what to order, sets his menu down and sits back in the booth with a slight quirk of his lips.
When he thinks of Accelerator's outburst in the hospital, he treats it like a fond memory — a gift of insight that slipped through the limitations he faced at the time. Endo has mapped another of his boundaries and now has a sense of how much pressure it will endure.
At the time, he'd been messing around and enjoying their interaction mostly on a surface level, but he's since poured over their conversation a few times. There are thresholds to Accelerator's reactions, and Endo is keeping tabs on all of them, even this one — this shift from criticism to compliance.
This is natural for him — as natural as drawing Accelerator into the gang fight was at the beginning of all of this. But Endo doesn't always do it quite as consciously as it may seem. He was speaking the truth when he told Accelerator that he fell for him — that godlike side of himself, whose memory he revisits each night before bed. That means he harbors a desire to pull him closer, to keep himself entrenched in his life, to remain a permanent factor in Accelerator's mind. It also means that Endo has both a conscious and subconscious need to set a stage and shape the narrative toward his goals.
In short, Endo doesn't want to let him go. And he'll make sure he doesn't have to.
Sometimes that means testing temperament, and sometimes it means ordering coffee. ]
'Course they do. It's usually for dessert, but we'll order it early.
[ The key to restaurants like this: they just want their well-paying customers to leave happy. If a guy with a foul mouth asks for a coffee before food, they aren't going to give him weird looks. ]
What's good really depends on the kind of meat you like. What're your preferences?
[ This, too, is both natural and orchestrated. Endo wants to know what Accelerator enjoys and doesn't enjoy. His interest is in the whole package, even if his focal point is specific. ]
[The prospect of getting to have some coffee causes Accelerator to visibly relax. Chances are it'll be a lot more high quality than the canned crap he usually chugs, but that isn't a big deal. As long as it isn't being loaded down with sugar and cream and god-knows-what he'll happily take it.
What throws him off is Endo asking him about his preferences. Honestly, he was expecting Endo to just give a dish he likes, or call the waiter over so they can rattle off a list of whatever is ordered most often by other customers, not ask what he likes. That isn't something people usually ask him.
But... he supposes it's a normal thing to do, even though nothing about this is normal.
There's a little pause from him as he tries to push that thought to the background of his mind, then realizes he doesn't have much of an answer. The addiction he has to canned coffee only extends that far; when it comes to actual food he has always followed the precept of 'eat whatever makes you happy.' That means it was rare for him to seek out healthy meals. If Yomikawa served a salad as part of dinner then whatever, but it wouldn't be his first choice in a restaurant.]
I don't know, I'm not picky. I'm just more used to eating stuff like fried chicken or tonkatsu.
[In other words, cheap comfort food one can get at family restaurants. He scratches his head, giving this some more thought. Even though he's been out of the country a few times it was always on business, and he never gave much consideration towards the food. One incident in England is sticking out to him though, so he may as well mention it.]
I had a lamb burger, once. It was shitty. [He shrugs, aware the answers he's given around super helpful.]
[ Luckily for Accelerator, Endo's accustomed to tastes like his. That tends to be the diet he and Takiishi indulge in at home, as Takiishi's palate is, it seems, similar to Accelerator's. Cheap comfort foods, fast food, American-style burgers — and bubble tea. That's what he's really into now.
So, as Accelerator struggles, Endo smiles — and it's a smile that's a little too soft about a conversation about food. He doesn't make any effort to suppress it, because why should he? Anything that reminds him of Takiishi is going to get at least a hint of fondness from him. And there's more to it, too. He's always been drawn to people who exhibit qualities similar to Takiishi. Accelerator is already a god, to some extent — but him having have similar tastes in food to Takiishi is, to Endo, further proof that he's absolutely worth pursuing.
Looking a little too delighted — especially after that comment about the lamb burger — Endo says: ]
I know just what you should order.
[ And he can say that with confidence, because of his decade of experience.
He spins his own menu around so that Accelerator can read it, and then points to a specific dish: the filet of beef. Essentially, an extremely well-cooked and fancy steak, though the waiter would probably blanch if Endo labeled it that way. ]
I'm gonna get the quail. You can try it.
[ This is also how he usually does things with Takiishi — he buys him the tried and true dish, or at least as close to it as possible, and then gets something different for himself so he can try it. If he likes it — that's one more dish on the long mental list that Endo keeps for him.
It's clear that he's a little more overtly invested now — a bright quality to his eyes, though once he loses the fondness that was taking over his smile, it probably comes across as too self-assured. ]
[He leans over, staring down at the part of the menu that Endo is indicating. Filet of beef? That sounds relatively normal, just expensive, and while he has no idea what 'mushroom essence' is supposed to be he does at least know mushrooms go with red meat. It doesn't seem like it's supposed to be a joke of a choice, so he's going to trust Endo on this one. Setting his menu down, he gives a small nod of assent, quickly glancing around for the waiter before turning his attention back to Endo.]
... Fine.
[To both of those things, though that word comes out a bit awkwardly. He isn't used to sharing food, and he definitely isn't used to it being a method of trying something new. It seems more... personal than it should be. Maybe it's because they're in a fancy restaurant and not somewhere cheap, maybe it's because the ambience is so private. Maybe it's because the look on Endo's face is so warm for something that's as basic as lunch.
Accelerator shifts, unsure of what to think about that. Does he have some kind of sentimentality attached to having meals with other people or sharing food, or something? Now that he's thinking about it, Last Order brought that up with him before. The first meal they had together and the first time she ever ate a hot meal — even though it was shitty, reheated garbage she had been happy to have it, since sharing a meal made the food taste better.
Sentimentality at its finest, though he can't deny he preferred eating with her, Yomikawa and Yoshikawa rather than all the times he ate alone at a restaurant or in his dorm. As sappy as it is, he knows there's something to her logic. He's guessing Endo would agree.
[ This could be a bit of a loaded question, if they were to take their entire limited history in context. Technically, Endo wasn't wrong about a lot of things — his decision to involve Accelerator in the gang fight, and then his decision to push him to the brink, were both good gambles. His thoughts about the collar were mostly correct, as were his ideas about its limitations. Endo didn't believe he would escape being harmed by the wings, so in a roundabout way, he was right about that, too. Throughout most of their first day together Endo made a lot of inferences and assumptions that proved to be correct — and if they really look at what that means, the end result is that Accelerator suffered for it.
But Endo hadn't exactly predicted how all of it would play out, and there were a few things he got wrong along the way. He certainly hadn't expected Accelerator to transform into a god, nor did he expect that he would fall for him as a result. Endo's wrong plenty; he just happens to be right when it counts.
And while, arguably, a fancy dinner doesn't matter as much as, say, getting to see those wings again, it's important when it comes to continuing toward his goal. So that fine that Accelerator utters? Both accurately predicted and another sign of progress. That threat? Easily expected, and also proof of gaining ground. It's dry, it's playful, it's as much a promise as it is banter.
Just like Endo's subsequent question, because there's so much more to come, and he doesn't intend to be wrong about anything that matters.
And this — the new space taking shape between them — is what matters to him. ]
Don't worry. You'll love it. And you'll love dessert even more.
[ The waitress comes at that moment. Endo takes care of the entire order and throws in an oyster appetizer — though that's for his own selfish fun. Then he hands the menus over with a smile, which leads to a short flirtatious conversation about his "poor arm."
When that's done, he turns to Accelerator again, and asks: ]
Whaddya think?
[ He inclines his head toward the waitress as she walks away. ]
[It's definitely a loaded question, one that makes Accelerator frown and click his tongue. No, Endo hasn't been wrong about very much, which is honestly impressive given how short of a time they've known each other, it's just a combination of his skeptical nature and surly personality that makes him want to be a little combative. At least this is only lunch. It isn't actually a big deal whether it's good or bad. Logically speaking, it has a better chance of being good, since an upscale restaurant such as this isn't going to get away with serving people garbage for absurd prices.
Liking dessert seems harder to believe, since he isn't really a sweets kind of person, but he'll try it.
So he's quiet, handing his menu over, giving their surroundings another scan as Endo chats with the waitress. They seem to be getting along, though the mention of the arm sends a pang of guilt through him, making him curl his lips and awkwardly try to keep his attention on anything else. His focus only snaps back to Endo when the waitress leaves.]
About -?
[It takes him a second to clue in as to what - who - Endo is talking about about. When it clicks in his brain he blinks a few times, turning and glancing at the back of the waitress quickly, then back at Endo, at a total loss. Is this normal conversation for boys his age?? Not once has he ever felt any kind of attraction towards girls. Those kinds of feelings have always felt beyond him, and he's never had any motivation to reach for them. Girls are just girls, that's it.
So how is he supposed to respond to this? Well, it's Endo asking him, and thanks to their (horrifyingly embarrassing) conversation the other day he's got an idea of what his preferences are....
He sighs, reaching up to rub his temples.]
I don't think waitresses make that much money.
[A generic comment about her attractiveness based on popular societal beauty standards would be a bit much, so he decides to focus on the part of Endo's dating habits that would likely cause problems. That seems a lot more reasonable, in his mind.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@levelshift
[ Endo has never seen anything like this before.
He makes note of the collar first. That's pretty weird, but plenty of the fighters in attendance have their gimmicks. A couple of the members of Noroshi are particularly annoying with theirs, so though he flags it as worthy of looking into, he files it away for later — or at least that was the plan, before the first fighter runs up to the guy and botches his punch so thoroughly, it almost seems as though an invisible force field turns it back on him. Upon seeing that, Endo's brain starts moving very quickly, trying to make sense of the technique, catalogue the guy's abilities and non-abilities, and figure out how the collar might relate. He spends that first (non-)fight being intrigued but not quite entirely sold on what he's witnessing.
The second fight, however, confirms that whatever this guy is doing is on another level entirely. That really gets his interest piqued, in a way it hasn't been in a long time. He wants to test it for himself: poke, prod, determine the limitations and how much power this guy truly has at his disposal — and maybe, just maybe, keep him to himself. By the time he's standing in the street, his hands are trembling with barely contained excitement and his grin is a little too wide — his eyes a little too focused. It takes immense self-control not to call off the member of Noroshi before he makes contact, but he forces himself to wait; he wants to see just how quickly this guy will put him down. He brings his thumb to the infinity tattoo on his neck and presses it there as he watches —
— the worst punch he's ever seen.
Somehow, it's effective, but the whiplash that Endo experiences is almost as bad as the kind he inflicts on others when he's genuinely irritated — or outright angry. He goes from approaching a near-point of no return in the amplification of his interest to deflated, albeit not entirely. Just enough to keep him from cajoling this guy into a brawl of his own, in order to experience how thorough that "power" of his really is — and maybe also to see if he can get his hands on that collar. For fun.
Now, though, Endo finds himself standing in a middle ground, which is unusual enough for him to take a few seconds to decide how to approach this. Normally, if he's truly taken by someone, he burns hot, consumed entirely by the need to possess. Otherwise, people aren't worth his attention — at least not enough of it to warrant giving a fight his all. But a feeling that is simultaneously greedily curious and unimpressed? Talk about mixed messages from his own brain. He'd rather be all or nothing.
It's too late to blend back into the fray now that he's surrounded by all this fighting, especially since he's a suspicious sight himself: all these brawling teens, and he's standing in the middle of the action entirely untouched. One even swings in his direction, but upon realizing who he's swinging at, immediately pulls the punch and hurries away.
So Endo clicks his tongue in a chiding manner while he sticks a hand in his pocket, revoking his overinvested stance in favor of being relaxed: Tsk, tsk, tsk. Then, when he's sure he has the guy's attention, he says: ]
I heard there was gonna be a massacre. No one said anything about cheating.
[ His tone is bored, though his eyes are still a little sharp. If nothing else, he has learned that this guy is capable of destruction — it just doesn't seem to come from his own hand. ]
I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed.
ty for continuing!
(It'd also be a lot less effort for himself.)
So yeah, picking out the guy who happens to just be standing there in the middle of the fight like it's no big deal definitely qualifies. He stops, narrows his eyes, and recognizes his own words being thrown back at him. Guess this guy wasn't lying about the brawl, and maybe by normal standards some of the people here are strong fights.]
Only a completely talentless third-string would call it cheating.
[His tone is very dry and if anything, he just looks irritated. As he responds, he casually lifts a boot up and taps the back of some delinquent's leg, the slight touch sending the kid tumbling to the ground.]
I take it you were talking about yourself.
[He should've figured that out earlier. It seems obvious in hindsight.]
np!
This guy is no Takiishi. That isn't a disappointment so much as a fact. No one can match his power; no one can hope to stand alongside him. But if he had demonstrated even a small hint of that fire, then Endo would have easily made a space in Noroshi for him. But this? This is something else. Something he assumes is external — probably technological, given the collar, although there's got to be more to it. Where would that tech have come from in the first place? Not anywhere near this town. He'd have heard if there was anything close to it being handed out behind closed doors. ]
Aah, this is troublesome.
[ He scratches the back of his head as though he's puzzling his way through this. And he kind of is, if you count navigating this new space of near-uncertainty, which still feels entirely foreign to him. He isn't afraid, nor is he worried about himself, but this is a lot less cut-and-dry than he wanted it to be — to the point where he's starting to feel like it's not worth the hassle. ]
I had a whole welcome party planned, but now I wanna go back home to take a nap.
[ None of this is confirming (nor denying) the guy's statement; he's essentially having a conversation with himself, which is more or less par for the course, albeit for more complicated reasons than simply trying to irritate a person.
Sounding bored: ]
Magic tricks look a lot cooler on TV.
[ Just like jumping off second-story buildings. He would know! There's no real oomph in using force fields or whatever it is that the guy's got going for him. That's what's talentless.
But Endo is still curious. Maybe not so much about the guy anymore, but about what he can do — and why. He's not exactly inclined to get into a fight with someone who might actually be able to kill him with a well-aimed, super-powered punch, but if there's a limit, somehow — if Endo can rival him in speed and dodging, would he be able tire him out? Could he get his fingers around that collar to see what happens if he pulls? There are a lot of possibilities but he doesn't know how likely any of them are. None of the fights lasted long enough for him to guess, and no one else will be able to go head-to-head him. Endo is the only one in attendance who could try, but without more information, it would be a risk.
He keeps it on the table anyway. Just in case. ]
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Aside from that there have only been a few other special reactions from specific individuals. A Magic God who thought he was amusing, or that Level 0 who, despite being completely outclassed, kept on getting up until he managed to win each and every fight they had. Fear and anger occurred often enough that they blur together, while these reactions have always remained clear in his mind.
But he's never gotten disappointment before. His brain stalls out a little as he stares, reminded of his own nonchalance when he's gone up against most opponents. It isn't that he has much in the way of pride, so there's only slight offense at his esper ability being called a magic trick. Mostly, he's bewildered, and he inclines his head as he tries to puzzle this out. Does this guy have a deathwish? He sounds bored, so that doesn't seem quite right. It can't be that he's just used to esper powers, because even by those standards his own is an outlier, and from his words it's unlikely that he's a magician.
So what is it? Accelerator's stare is enough to bore holes at this point, and he purses his lips.
Okay, well. He should at least do the responsible thing, get that out of the way.]
Did you start this whole mess? [He waves a hand at the fighting then steps closer. In spite of being shorter and smaller, his posture and tone are turning more authoritative.] Shut it down.
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Nonetheless, he decides to approach this a little more carefully than he might otherwise. Endo's dangerous and he likes to provoke, but he isn't stupid. Too much anger may cause the guy to reactive erratically; too harsh a push might encourage him to deliver than mere bruises — as well as no answers. There's a balanced to be struck, and since Endo is at an informational disadvantage, he needs to ensure he doesn't put himself so far on one side that he has to text Takiishi, of all people, to (hopefully) pick him up.
He holds both his ground and his languid demeanor as the guy steps closer. The guy clearly isn't afraid, and why should he be, with that false power at his disposal? But Endo isn't intimidated either, and backing down in the face of an open threat isn't part of his repertoire. Besides, this isn't the first time he's been on the receiving end of firm instructions that he chooses not to follow. ]
Oh, that's right. You said you could read people right away.
[ And assign them as asshole.
He shakes his head just once, as though disappointed. ]
But you didn't even give me a conversation first.
[ Not even a short one! A few words barely qualifies. If the original text message jumped the gun, this guy took off before the race was even set up.
Of course, his assumption is correct, but that's hardly relevant. ]
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This guy is still remaining so casual Accelerator is having trouble predicting that outcome, and that makes him want to be a bit more cautious.]
... You seriously want to talk?
[He's sounding a bit incredulous, and not just because this guy going from starting a massive mob fight to being bored to wanting to chat is weird. Socializing? Definitely not his strong suit.
More importantly, he's acutely aware that every second spent drawing this out means being one second closer to his choker's time limit. He needs to be careful about that. The last thing he needs is to hit his thirty minute limit before he can get somewhere private.]
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And he is, by his own admission, not a great judge of character.
But this feels like a hook slowly working its way into a catch: the disbelief in the guy's tone and the ease with which he is distracted from his authoritative demeanor. Endo can't help but feel a little thrill — a little pleasure in capturing the guy's attention when he seemed so keen on ordering him around. He has to be careful not to seem too eager, since the guy's (more or less) acceptance of this path means that he may get an answer or two after all — without having to lift a finger. But even as he keeps his demeanor nonchalant, his lazy smile becomes a little more alive — approaching genuine, though it's colored only by his own selfish interest. ]
Why're you surprised? Talking is what you do when you meet new people, isn't it?
[ He did say meet, after all. Not fight. Which is, of course, splitting hairs, since this was all predicated upon fighting, but why get lost in the weeds? ]
Come with me. It's quieter over here.
[ As he says this, he spreads his arms in a warm, inviting gesture, before turning toward a building adjacent to their location. It's an industrial structure, long abandoned, but it has roof access — and all good conversations seem to happen on roofs these days. If the guy doesn't try to stop him, then he'll approach and enter the building without looking over his shoulder to see if he is following, confidently assuming he'll do just that. ]
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..................................
[There's a long period of silence in which Accelerator stares hard, practically burning a hole in the guy's back. Still completely casual, acting like it's not a big fucking deal to turn his back on someone who could kill him just by touching him. He clicks his tongue and there's another noise - the feet of his crutch hitting the ground as he starts following.
Information gathering is something he also places a lot of importance on. You don't wind up being named after particle accelerators if it isn't in your nature to learn and understand the universe, even when the universe happens to be some cocky asshole with no sense of self-preservation. He can't deny it's an irritating quality to have sometimes, though.
The building is run down, abandoned, and the interior of it is dark and musty. It's enough that Accelerator keeps his reflection up as they make their way through it to the stairwell solely to reflect any particles in the air that could make him cough, though as they head up the stairs to the roof he uses his free hand to fiddle a bit with his choker, checking on his time. This is more time than he expected to spend in esper mode tonight and thirty minutes total isn't a lot, but he should still be alright for now.
Once they reach the rooftop he spares a moment to look around - it at least looks stable, so that's good - before glancing back over expectantly. The sounds of the fighting continuing on below cause his scowl to remain plastered all over his face.]
What the hell did you want to talk about?
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At the question, Endo turns around, but he makes no effort to retreat from parapet. Though it forms a low barrier around the perimeter, he could easily be thrown over, a fact that doesn't influence his chosen spot at all. His smile has not faltered, but it shifts marginally — still not conveying his internal enthusiasm for how this is playing out, but easing out of the lazy quality he's been maintaining. ]
I figured we'd introduce ourselves to start.
[ He is, after all, perfectly capable of being polite when he needs to be. Charisma is a tool he's honed since childhood, strategically employed when necessary — and this is a prime example. He does not go so far as to bow, but he does offer his full name: ]
Yamato Endo.
[ After which he sits on the parapet and gestures for his guest to do the same. ]
Please, have a seat.
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That thought crosses Accelerator's mind as he hangs back at the stairwell entrance for a few moments, and he has to shake it off. They're up here to talk, not for whatever violence is lurking around in the back of his head, so he heads on over towards the edge of the roof.
Hitting a switch on his crutch, the cane portion of it retracts into the arm cuff. Standing on his own two feet isn't an issue with his ability going - he can run the calculations to reinforce his leg muscles no problem - so there's no point in keeping his crutch out. After dropping down on the parapet, he removes the entire thing from his right forearm and sets it on the ground. It's a lot more comfortable not having that thing attached to him, and he absently rubs his arm as he glances over, looking this guy - Yamato Endo - up and down with a critical eye.
The tattoos are what stick out the most, particularly the infinity symbol due to its placement and his own knowledge of its meaning of potential infinity in mathematical history. Numerous formulas that utilize it pop into his head all at once, as well as formulas that use the notation for actual infinity. Not that he's the type to have opinions on tattoos, but he thinks that one is in good taste.
The next thing that sticks out to him is that Endo's a lot bigger than him. Not really a big deal, he's had to deal with people like that before. Komaba was a fucking tank of a person and a lot smarter than he looked, so that's something to keep in mind. The final thing he notices are his clothes, that the brand is a high end one. That gets filed away in the back of his mind, though he doubts it'll be useful information.
His own introduction comes bluntly.]
Accelerator.
[That's it. No first or last name, just a strange English word despite him being Japanese. The way he's reciting it though, it may as well be a real name and not something like a nickname or other kind of moniker. As far as he's concerned it may as well be the former and not the latter.]
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Endo does not repeat the name out loud, though he does roll it over in his mind, stretching out the syllables. He may technically still qualify as gifted, and he may be naturally good at everything he tries, but he is not fluent in English. Going to a school that primarily consists of delinquents (and poor test scores) and then dropping out doesn't exactly lend itself to picking up a second language, and since he never bothered to try to learn it on his own, it's an area that remains out of his intellectual repertoire. He knows some basics, as well as some pop culture references, and he has enough knowledge to identify the guy's name as a probable English word in the first place, but not enough to define it.
That won't be the case after today. Endo will spend some time digging into the language on phone later.
But for now, he lets it go, even though it sounds less like a name and more like a title, especially since it's only one name instead of a first and last.
He's more interested in the crutch, anyway. Namely, how important it is to the guy and how much he really needs it. Endo considers the possibility that it's more for show and creating an image of himself as weak while he hides his true strength, but that can't be it. With the amount of (still false) power at his disposal, there's no point in tricking people into underestimating him. He doesn't need that kind of advantage. Which leads Endo to believe that it might relate to the collar somehow — or at least to his abilities overall. Maybe the exertion of such extreme power exhausts him by the end of a good fight, or maybe the strength he has at his disposal doesn't aid mobility the way it needs to.
Ah, but polite behavior first. He needs to be a gracious host now. ]
It's nice to meet you.
[ He offers a bright smile, as though he's now truly happy to be in his company. And he is — there's so much potential in these upcoming moments that Endo already feels close to seizing it. ]
Can I see that? [ He indicates the crutch that now lies on the ground. ] I broke my leg once, when I was a kid. It was real nasty. I almost needed surgery, but I got lucky and got a cast and crutches instead. They were the kind that go under your arm — man, those hurt after a while.
[ This is a true story, although not a complete accounting of facts. Endo did not break his own leg, and the real reason he found the crutches to be so painful is because he accompanied Takiishi everywhere — and Takiishi did not slow down, nor make it easy on him to follow.
But it is a story that serves a purpose — and he would like to look at the crutch. ]
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It isn't the subject of conversation he was expecting, and it takes him a beat to realize that story is an attempt at relating to his need for the damn thing. That in turn only confuses him more, and he glances down at it. It's an expensive piece of equipment, but he supposes it can't hurt. If Endo throws it off the roof it won't break, and he wouldn't stand a chance if he tried to take it (though, why on earth would he bother?). So... it likely can't hurt to let him look at it. Maybe he's actually a huge nerd and thinks mechanical engineering is neat.
Glancing back up, he shoots Endo a warning glare.]
If you do anything with it I'm beating the shit out of you.
[Grabbing his crutch, he holds it out for Endo to take.
It's far nicer than the kind of typical elbow crutch one would receive from a hospital. This thing is custom. The elbow cuff has a modern embossed design on it, and two metal straps to attach to Accelerator's forearm so it stays there. There's a switch that extends the cane portion, which ends in four small feet that can also act as grabbers, like a claw from a gachapon machine. The materials used to make the thing are durable and high-end, and there are gyroscopic stabilizers built into it so it can stand on the four feet on its own.
There are also switches in the cuff to turn on and adjust a built-in wireless signal jammer. That's the most important part of the entire thing and the most dangerous, though Accelerator is doubtful Endo could figure it out quick enough to jam the signal his choker is receiving.
He watches him for a few moments before glancing at the fighting below. It's tempting to stop what's remaining from up here, though for now all he does is jab a finger in the mob's direction.]
Explain what the hell is up with the fighting.
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But as for holding it out and casually dangling it over the edge as he engages in an expressive conversation? That may have crossed his mind, just to see what kind of reaction it would draw forth. But hey, he's a fair guy — if it's off limits, then it's off limits.
For the most part.
When Accelerator finally hands it over, Endo begins examining it, turning it over in his hands and getting a good look at everything. He goes so far as to press the most obvious switch, the one he saw Accelerator use earlier, to extend the crutch. By the time Accelerator makes his demand, Endo is busy tapping the ground with it.
He looks up with mild, feigned surprise, as though just remembering that there's a violent brawl beneath them. He has the impulse to laugh, because it's obvious that this guy doesn't do polite conversation, but he chooses instead to say: ]
Oh —
[ He glances down at all the chaos. ]
You know how it goes. [ A sweeping motion of his hand. The free one, since he's nixed the idea of precariously dangling the crutch. ] A group of guys come around, cause some trouble, and then someone's gotta clean it up. That's what we do. It's like a hobby.
[ They're the troublemakers. Not the cleaning crew. This centers around a specific job and the opposing gang has been putting up quite the fight, hence Noroshi's direct involvement.
They're winning now. ]
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omg I read Banjo's chapters he's hilarious
i'm so glad you know & appreciate him - he's such a trip!
I'm reading Endo's chapters too he's such a little weirdo lol his faces are amazing
he's SO unhinged, you're in store for some good (aka crazy) stuff!
unhinged lil guys are the best
absolutely! also "maybe they're all just nuts" < real
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np at all! i don't mind late edits
thkssss also omg I feel bad for Endo lolol
he's a complete menace but he only wants (1) thing in life....
brb having Accy break Endo's arm so he can take him to the hospital
he should break it bc it's what endo deserves for being Like This after that genuine effort
oho we could do that!! either via reflection or Accy's black wings
let's do it! endo deserves to be humbled a little and that prob won't happen with anyone else
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I loled
he's ridiculous lol. also tysm for letting me fully embrace endo's insanity
Endo should always be living his best toxic life
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accelerator is so cute lol
they're both doofuses omg
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Post-Doctor's Appt + Eventual Rain
That's why receiving the news that his cast isn't getting removed any time soon nearly puts him in a rare bad mood.
Only nearly, however, because he finally has Accelerator in his presence again. Granted, it hasn't been too long — and Endo has been bothering him over text plenty — but nothing beats needling him in person and slowly building to his goal. He's tired of making his plans take a back seat, thanks to broken bones and pain medication. Those wings are on his mind a lot — and therefore so is his future with Accelerator.
Besides, Noroshi is already working on obtaining a way to fix his situation. It's easy to stave off annoyances when there's an (illegal) answer to this setback.
So! Endo stops thinking about that — and refrains from folding his hands behind his head — while he and Accelerator make their way to a small restaurant. Before Endo had an idea of Accelerator's deep pockets, he would've been prepared to spend a pretty penny on wining and dining him for the sake of the future. Now he's angling for Accelerator to pay instead. It hits different when the guy who said Endo (and his bedroom exploits) were a waste of money ends up being the one who funds him after all.
The walk itself has been a little quiet, between Accelerator's normal deep thinking sessions and Endo being a little distracted by the news he received at his appointment, but when they get to the small, chic, and very high-end restaurant, Endo announces: ]
This is it!
[ He holds the door open for him because he's such a gentleman. ]
I figured you'd prefer something nice and quiet.
[ It is quiet inside. But that's because it's also very intimate. All the booths are private. The atmosphere is more romantic than it is two frenemies eating lunch because one of them supposedly needs cheering up. ]
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At least, it does when he isn't getting texts from Endo. This, this is why you never lend your phone out to other people. They acquire your number and then start socializing with you relentlessly. And Accelerator, against his better judgment, responds to at least half of those texts. One part of him is convinced it's a terrible idea, another part figures it can't hurt (they had, after all, sort of gotten along in the hospital, however briefly), and a third part is just bewildered by the fact that he's doing something as normal as texting someone who isn't Last Order back for reasons that don't include world-ending catastrophes.
Look, he has a couple of names in his Contacts List, but he does not consider any of those people friends. Not even that Level 0. So this is new and strange behaviour for him. He's glad Last Order is back home, because if she stole his phone for the umpteenth time to take photos he'd never hear the end of it.
He'd definitely never hear the end of it if she knew he was going for lunch with Endo, too. But... it's fine, he's hungry, and he doesn't mind the company. Of course, he's expecting somewhere fast and casual, so when they finally stop at the restaurant Accelerator can only stare.]
..... I would've preferred fast food.
[Or a shitty chain restaurant, or even a convenience store. The idea of somewhere quiet is nice, yes, but he's never been a fan of high-end cuisine. When you grow up in a research facility you don't exactly develop high-end tastes, and he's vaguely uncomfortable as he steps inside, looking around.]
Is this the kind of place you normally eat at?
[He feels sorely underdressed for a place like this, having shown up in a long-sleeved shirt with a monochromatic geometric design on it and dark jeans. Oh well, too late to go change.]
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[ From food, from company, from business. Every audience requires their own setting — and their own approach. In the end, it's less about the food and more about the impression — or creating a little discomfort, depending on his angle. Though, if he were to get too into the topic, he'd admit that he, too, eats a lot of fast food. It's what Takiishi prefers.
He gives the host his name. She confirms their reservation, then leads them to a booth in the back, even more private than all the others. It's the only seat completely hidden from the door, which gives the sense that aside from the comings and goings of a waiter, they'll be completely alone.
Sliding into the u-shaped booth, Endo says: ]
Don't worry, this place is good.
[ According to critics and those with sensitive palates, though the menus the host hands to them might suggest otherwise to someone unaccustomed to eating in such places — especially because the listed meals are a mix of American and French, rather than the high-end cuisine associated with Japan. But Accelerator can worry about that once he's nice and cozy in their shared booth.
Endo pats the space beside him. ]
Don't be shy.
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.... Still. When they reach their booth, Accelerator squints and looks around, appraising their surroundings. The sheer amount of privacy they have doesn't escape his notice.]
...........
[He stares down at the spot Endo patted, his gaze so intense it's almost boring a hole into the seat. Then he moves to slide into the booth across from Endo, going through the whole process of retracting his crutch, then removing the arm cuff and setting is down next to himself so he can give his arm a break.
After taking the menu that's handed to him, he skims it over, and as he does his expression gradually drops. Parmesan lavash? Romesco glazed orzo? He doesn't know what half of this stuff is.]
Fuck, this is actually food?
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But whereas Accelerator glares at the seat and then defies Endo's suggestion, Endo himself remains completely calm and in control. Only the slightest smile touches his lips — a far cry from his near-uncontrollable laughter at the hospital — though this is subject to change. He does shrug, though, a lazy suit yourself roll of his shoulders as he opens his own menu. ]
I picked right when I reserved these seats, huh?
[ Given the commentary. Accelerator is free to criticize as much as his heart desires, because no one's going to give him dirty looks over it — since they're all alone.
He glances up from his menu to say: ]
Just watch what you say in front of the waiter. They might throw you out of here.
[ He's kidding! They wouldn't, even if Accelerator were outright rude.
Endo already warned them. ]
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He slouches a little in his seat at the pestering, scowling over his menu.]
Tche, I can be civil.
[He'll behave! Even if Endo is only teasing him he wouldn't put it past such an upscale restaurant to be willing to kick customers out if they ruin the atmosphere of the place. It's much easier to just have a quiet meal than to be a nuisance and start trouble for no real reason, so he can reign himself in to an extent. His behaviour? Sure. The swearing is a little harder to tamp down on, thanks to it being more of a verbal tic, though he can at least try.
He turns his eyes back to the menu, rereading it again closely.]
What's good here? Do they have any coffee?
[Coffee will definitely help his mood out. And he figures that if he doesn't know what half of the options on the menu are it'd be a lot easier to simply get Endo's opinion. That way he won't be floundering like he is right now.]
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When he thinks of Accelerator's outburst in the hospital, he treats it like a fond memory — a gift of insight that slipped through the limitations he faced at the time. Endo has mapped another of his boundaries and now has a sense of how much pressure it will endure.
At the time, he'd been messing around and enjoying their interaction mostly on a surface level, but he's since poured over their conversation a few times. There are thresholds to Accelerator's reactions, and Endo is keeping tabs on all of them, even this one — this shift from criticism to compliance.
This is natural for him — as natural as drawing Accelerator into the gang fight was at the beginning of all of this. But Endo doesn't always do it quite as consciously as it may seem. He was speaking the truth when he told Accelerator that he fell for him — that godlike side of himself, whose memory he revisits each night before bed. That means he harbors a desire to pull him closer, to keep himself entrenched in his life, to remain a permanent factor in Accelerator's mind. It also means that Endo has both a conscious and subconscious need to set a stage and shape the narrative toward his goals.
In short, Endo doesn't want to let him go. And he'll make sure he doesn't have to.
Sometimes that means testing temperament, and sometimes it means ordering coffee. ]
'Course they do. It's usually for dessert, but we'll order it early.
[ The key to restaurants like this: they just want their well-paying customers to leave happy. If a guy with a foul mouth asks for a coffee before food, they aren't going to give him weird looks. ]
What's good really depends on the kind of meat you like. What're your preferences?
[ This, too, is both natural and orchestrated. Endo wants to know what Accelerator enjoys and doesn't enjoy. His interest is in the whole package, even if his focal point is specific. ]
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What throws him off is Endo asking him about his preferences. Honestly, he was expecting Endo to just give a dish he likes, or call the waiter over so they can rattle off a list of whatever is ordered most often by other customers, not ask what he likes. That isn't something people usually ask him.
But... he supposes it's a normal thing to do, even though nothing about this is normal.
There's a little pause from him as he tries to push that thought to the background of his mind, then realizes he doesn't have much of an answer. The addiction he has to canned coffee only extends that far; when it comes to actual food he has always followed the precept of 'eat whatever makes you happy.' That means it was rare for him to seek out healthy meals. If Yomikawa served a salad as part of dinner then whatever, but it wouldn't be his first choice in a restaurant.]
I don't know, I'm not picky. I'm just more used to eating stuff like fried chicken or tonkatsu.
[In other words, cheap comfort food one can get at family restaurants. He scratches his head, giving this some more thought. Even though he's been out of the country a few times it was always on business, and he never gave much consideration towards the food. One incident in England is sticking out to him though, so he may as well mention it.]
I had a lamb burger, once. It was shitty. [He shrugs, aware the answers he's given around super helpful.]
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So, as Accelerator struggles, Endo smiles — and it's a smile that's a little too soft about a conversation about food. He doesn't make any effort to suppress it, because why should he? Anything that reminds him of Takiishi is going to get at least a hint of fondness from him. And there's more to it, too. He's always been drawn to people who exhibit qualities similar to Takiishi. Accelerator is already a god, to some extent — but him having have similar tastes in food to Takiishi is, to Endo, further proof that he's absolutely worth pursuing.
Looking a little too delighted — especially after that comment about the lamb burger — Endo says: ]
I know just what you should order.
[ And he can say that with confidence, because of his decade of experience.
He spins his own menu around so that Accelerator can read it, and then points to a specific dish: the filet of beef. Essentially, an extremely well-cooked and fancy steak, though the waiter would probably blanch if Endo labeled it that way. ]
I'm gonna get the quail. You can try it.
[ This is also how he usually does things with Takiishi — he buys him the tried and true dish, or at least as close to it as possible, and then gets something different for himself so he can try it. If he likes it — that's one more dish on the long mental list that Endo keeps for him.
It's clear that he's a little more overtly invested now — a bright quality to his eyes, though once he loses the fondness that was taking over his smile, it probably comes across as too self-assured. ]
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... Fine.
[To both of those things, though that word comes out a bit awkwardly. He isn't used to sharing food, and he definitely isn't used to it being a method of trying something new. It seems more... personal than it should be. Maybe it's because they're in a fancy restaurant and not somewhere cheap, maybe it's because the ambience is so private. Maybe it's because the look on Endo's face is so warm for something that's as basic as lunch.
Accelerator shifts, unsure of what to think about that. Does he have some kind of sentimentality attached to having meals with other people or sharing food, or something? Now that he's thinking about it, Last Order brought that up with him before. The first meal they had together and the first time she ever ate a hot meal — even though it was shitty, reheated garbage she had been happy to have it, since sharing a meal made the food taste better.
Sentimentality at its finest, though he can't deny he preferred eating with her, Yomikawa and Yoshikawa rather than all the times he ate alone at a restaurant or in his dorm. As sappy as it is, he knows there's something to her logic. He's guessing Endo would agree.
His tone is dry when he speaks up again.]
If it's terrible, I'm blaming you.
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[ This could be a bit of a loaded question, if they were to take their entire limited history in context. Technically, Endo wasn't wrong about a lot of things — his decision to involve Accelerator in the gang fight, and then his decision to push him to the brink, were both good gambles. His thoughts about the collar were mostly correct, as were his ideas about its limitations. Endo didn't believe he would escape being harmed by the wings, so in a roundabout way, he was right about that, too. Throughout most of their first day together Endo made a lot of inferences and assumptions that proved to be correct — and if they really look at what that means, the end result is that Accelerator suffered for it.
But Endo hadn't exactly predicted how all of it would play out, and there were a few things he got wrong along the way. He certainly hadn't expected Accelerator to transform into a god, nor did he expect that he would fall for him as a result. Endo's wrong plenty; he just happens to be right when it counts.
And while, arguably, a fancy dinner doesn't matter as much as, say, getting to see those wings again, it's important when it comes to continuing toward his goal. So that fine that Accelerator utters? Both accurately predicted and another sign of progress. That threat? Easily expected, and also proof of gaining ground. It's dry, it's playful, it's as much a promise as it is banter.
Just like Endo's subsequent question, because there's so much more to come, and he doesn't intend to be wrong about anything that matters.
And this — the new space taking shape between them — is what matters to him. ]
Don't worry. You'll love it. And you'll love dessert even more.
[ The waitress comes at that moment. Endo takes care of the entire order and throws in an oyster appetizer — though that's for his own selfish fun. Then he hands the menus over with a smile, which leads to a short flirtatious conversation about his "poor arm."
When that's done, he turns to Accelerator again, and asks: ]
Whaddya think?
[ He inclines his head toward the waitress as she walks away. ]
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Liking dessert seems harder to believe, since he isn't really a sweets kind of person, but he'll try it.
So he's quiet, handing his menu over, giving their surroundings another scan as Endo chats with the waitress. They seem to be getting along, though the mention of the arm sends a pang of guilt through him, making him curl his lips and awkwardly try to keep his attention on anything else. His focus only snaps back to Endo when the waitress leaves.]
About -?
[It takes him a second to clue in as to what - who - Endo is talking about about. When it clicks in his brain he blinks a few times, turning and glancing at the back of the waitress quickly, then back at Endo, at a total loss. Is this normal conversation for boys his age?? Not once has he ever felt any kind of attraction towards girls. Those kinds of feelings have always felt beyond him, and he's never had any motivation to reach for them. Girls are just girls, that's it.
So how is he supposed to respond to this? Well, it's Endo asking him, and thanks to their (horrifyingly embarrassing) conversation the other day he's got an idea of what his preferences are....
He sighs, reaching up to rub his temples.]
I don't think waitresses make that much money.
[A generic comment about her attractiveness based on popular societal beauty standards would be a bit much, so he decides to focus on the part of Endo's dating habits that would likely cause problems. That seems a lot more reasonable, in his mind.]
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