( stargazing )

[honestypolice]

the stargazing meme

oo1. comment with your characters
make sure to put names, series, & preferences somewhere!
you can use < ! > sans the spaces to make the comment "blank"
oo2. reply to others in character
oo3. use the rng and enter 1-10
oo4. play out what happens—anything goes!
oo5. profit? oh yeah!

prompts

one → meteor shower you just saw a falling star! and another! make a wish!
two → aliens what was that? was that really? omg no way a ufo!
three → lunar eclipse you've been sitting out for hours, waiting for this. it's so cool!
four → comet does it move fast or slow? either way, it's amazing.
five → full moon the moon is so huge! just don't look too long, it's really bright too.
six → star dust anything can happen in space. make up your own plot!
seven → solar eclipse this might be happening in the middle of the day!
eight → planet sighting is that a new star? nope, just a neighbor in the solar system!
nine → constellations do you know the stories behind these odd patterns?
ten → deep space normal stargazing isn't that much fun. you got a telescope!

Comments

[sangaku]

[ If making a wish is supposed to make you feel motivated, then Manami thinks he doesn't really need it all that much? He's motivated enough as it is for the things he's interested in (maybe..), which is pretty much just interhigh or climbing the slopes in general, and he doesn't particularly care about anything else like, say, getting a high score in his class or attending the 100 interviews Hakogaku decides to participate in. ]

Hm.. [ He lowers a hand, shifting the side of his face onto his other palm so he can look at Onoda while still resting his head. ]

Then I guess I'll wish we get to race with each other properly during the Interhigh. [ Even though Onoda doesn't ask what he's wishing for. His excitement never really fades, but it isn't as overwhelming as before. Still, his grin never really disappears. ]

Wishing to win seems like cheating, isn't it? It takes out all the fun.

[uphill]

[What good priorities you have, Manami... Onoda is taking more bites of his bread when Manami's answer reaches him. He meets his gaze, beaming at Manami's answer, swallowing. He gives a small, shy laugh.]

I guess it would, wouldn't it? [He scrubs the back of his neck with the flat of his fingers. Then his hand settles back into his lap.] You make wishes to win while you're racing anyway.

[He grins.] And we'll definitely get to race! I even left my bottle at home so I could bring it back to you during the Inter-High, just like you said. When we finally get to, [he raises a small fist,] I want to race against you with all of my power, and not without a star's help either. A proper race!

[...And that's when he notices. He raises a feeble pointing finger.] Manami-kun, you're not hungry?

[sangaku]

[ Manami's priorities are the best in the world, everyone should follow his lead. Arakita would be so mad.. ]

Ah, I see. [ If it's possible to look even brighter, then that would be Manami's expression right now, supported by his cheerful tone that his sentence sounds almost as if in a sing-song. It's not like he doesn't trust Onoda to keep their promise, but having some kind of reassurance thrills him all over again, like it all comes flooding back. ]

Even just talking about it excites me again. I'm really impatient for our race - ah.[ He's just about to start another tangent related to how much climbing is the best feeling in the world, or maybe stuck in a dead end because what do normal people even talk about? The remark prompts Manami to turn toward the bun, then as he reaches for it, he slowly sits up. ]

I am! Thanks for reminding me, Sakamichi-kun. [ It's too easy to be distracted when talking about a topic one enjoys, yep. He rips open the plastic on the bun, then hesitates no more to start munching on it.. while speaking. ]

It's very considerate of your mom to make these for us, I gotta thank her. [ Or whatever words that can be understood while having his mouth muffled by the bread. ] Is this your favorite food?

[uphill]

[The little rise in Manami's expression has Onoda beaming a little all over again. He lifts his leg to allow him room at the treats, taking some bites all the while and preparing something else to say.

...Until Manami starts talking with his mouth full. Onoda swallows quickly.] M-Manami-kun, you should be careful not to talk while you're eating. You might choke.

[But more importantly:] She actually just bought these for us. She didn't have much time to bake something. This trip was sort of sudden, after all. But she does make my favorite food! I like melon buns, but she makes great udon with meat and seaweed. It's the best. Maybe you could visit and try some? You could thank her then too! What's your favorite food?

[sangaku]

[ Surprisingly, despite his tendency to do everything the way he wants in his own pace, Manami listens to Onoda's warning and begins eating slowly, even going as far as making sure to swallow everything he's munching. He doesn't make any comment until his friend finishes his rambling about foods too. Either he doesn't want to cut him off or he's picking up Onoda's politeness, take your pick. ]

Ahahah, sorry. [ For talking while eating. He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, chuckling at himself as he crosses his legs. ]

Hee, so is udon your favorite food then? Maybe yeah, I could try to visit Chiba sometimes and go to your house. [ He presses his lips on the edge of the bun, but Manami doesn't take a bite.. yet anyway. ]

I guess I really like curry the most - but ah, rice ball isn't so bad too. [ Then, enthusiastically as if he just had some kind of revelation. ] Have you had chestnuts before, Sakamichi-kun?

[ Now he takes a bite. ]

sorry for the wait! focused on game tags for a bit

[uphill]

[Either options work for Onoda!! He's just glad that he won't be dealing with any blocked windpipes anytime soon. His arm strength still isn't all that impressive, so his Heimlich maneuver would have been a little sad. Manami's sheepishness earns a smile and a light laugh before he goes back to eating. Having a friend come over to his house--when was the last time that happened?]

My house is on a big hill, Manami-kun! We could race up to it, if you'd like? It's nothing like the mountains here, but I still think it's fun.

[Then Manami gets excited about chestnuts? After swallowing:]

Chestnuts? [Giving it some thought!] I had water chestnuts in stew before, but that's it. You like chestnuts a lot, Manami-kun?

no worries!!

[sangaku]

Mm. [ He shakes his head while chewing down his food, giving himself time to properly swallow it before speaking up. Hopefully, more of Onoda's politeness starts to rub on him. ]

I like anything you can find from the mountain! But Sakamichi-kun, you've never told me that detail about your house.

[ Clearly that's way more important than talking about foods, and as such, his enthusiasm never fades. It seems to be one of his permanent expression whenever he spends time with Onoda. ]

So that's why you're really good at climbing, huh?

[uphill]

[Likely because Onoda's in that same state when he's with Manami! And here, they're finally finding more things to talk about, if things that are related to biking.

He grins sheepishly, pushing the hair from the top of his head down to his forehead.] It's not that I'm good at it! I just like climbing a lot, but thank you. I just got used to going up hills, so I never actually paid attention to how much I liked it until I joined the Sohoku team. The slope of it is actually pretty high, now that I think about it...

Anyway, um, I also biked from my house to Akiba a lot! So there's also that.

[sangaku]

[ This is a great improvement, even if the topic's still related to biking. But better than nothing!! Manami keeps getting distracted by any little movement Onoda is doing, his gaze following his hand but then he's quick to look at him again, like he suddenly remembers he needs to maintain eye contact everytime he talks. ]

Hmm, that just makes you even more interesting. [ These embarrassingly honest-to-god compliments, Manami doesn't even realize they might embarrass someone from the sheer sincerity. ]

That sounds so fun, I really want to try visiting.. But Akiba, huh. Isn't it pretty far from your place if by bike? [ ... ]

What do you do there if you go there so often?

[ Sure, Manami knows what's in there but Onoda did say "a lot" and specify "Akiba", or else he'd have thought Onoda just likes going to faraway places to train. ]

[uphill]

[Manami's spaciness doesn't go unnoticed. Had he been listening? Onoda's hand follows down, his wide eyes on Manami's cloudy expression, blinking. And then.

Ohhh my god, Manami. Onoda's cheeks flare up in red. He drop the melon bun in his lap (still in the plastic, so it's not a lost cause) and begins waving his hands frantically and shaking his head. He nearly loses all the rest of what Manami says in his fidgeting.]

I-I'm not interesting at all! I mean, I don't think I am, but it's flattering that you think so, but I don't think it's true! I just got lucky, I suppose? And, um- [Another reason to be fidgety. Manami doesn't know about his fascination with anime, does he?] It's far, but I really didn't think about how far when I was younger. I just- I liked the scenery! And a lot of the stuff there! It's an important place to me, I know that sounds weird...

[He's rambling again. He simmers down some, his blush slowly receding. He's still wondering about how easily Manami is getting distracted.] But, Manami-kun, are you alright?

[sangaku]

[ He may not be used to Onoda's rambling just yet, but Manami's dealt with Miyahara for years and her rant is enough for him to getting used to Onoda's rambling. His smile never fades while listening to him, maybe chuckling a little too, and he's using the moment to chew down on more of his bread ー though he glances below when Onoda drops his, but immediately lifts his gaze up again when it's still safe within its plastic.

It's not really that he's laughing at him, it's just Manami finds his reaction entirely too amusing. It's like turning a switch on a puppet, would every little bit of compliment send him off like this? He doesn't seem to care to try though, he did after all, mean his compliment. ]

If it's important to you, then it's not weird, you know. It's the same to me for mountain... I really like the scenery too. [ Enough that he wants it all to himself..! And Manami doesn't know yet about his friend's fascination of 2D magical girls, at this point at least... Imagine the moment when Onoda has to explain he likes anime..

He honestly would talk more about the fellow climber's hobby of riding to Akiba, but a question comes up and Manami looks around before staring back at Onoda again, eyebrow raised. Nothing is happening yet, right? ]

Mm, I'm alright. Is everything good?

[uphill]

[So long as Manami isn't completely guffawing at him, Onoda won't mind a small laugh. That tends to be the general reaction anyway, it seems. He calms down easily enough.]

Yes! Everything's fine. I was just wondering, since it seemed like you were distracted by something. [Or maybe Manami's just always distracted. Ahem. Onoda looks to the same hand Manami had watched, giving it a once-over to see if anything strange had been on it. Then he lowers it back to his lap.] But if things are okay, I must have overreacted! Don't worry!

[He takes his melon bun back into his hands. Despite his smile, he seems a little nervous. He will tell you his terrible secret someday, Manami. But not today. Or next week. Maybe not till next month. Hahahaha.....]

Anyway, Akiba is only about forty-five kilometers from where I live. You bicycle a lot more than that, don't you? [He knows Imaizumi and Naruko bike about that much for training, if not more.] I visited around once a week--sometimes more if I needed to be there for- [AN EVENT] -something!

[sangaku]

Oh! [ Manami appears to be momentarily caught by the revelation, but as per usual, it doesn't faze him enough to affect. Then as if he's confirming Onoda's suspicion, his gaze follows the way Onoda's looking at his own hand before shifts it back up. ]

Hahah, it's alright, Sakamichi-kun! Hmm.. [ He lifts up his head to see the sky for a moment. ] Maybe I'm just impatient for the stars to come.

[ He takes a bite again while listening to Onoda's next ramble, slightly tipping his head to the side when noticing his nervousness. Is it something he had said or the one earlier? But Onoda did say he doesn't need to worry, and Manami wouldn't dwell on something he doesn't want him to. ]

I do! [ Wait, he's still got some of the bread inside. ]

- uh, yeah! At Hakone we have a target of how many kilos we have to bike a day, but sometimes [ everyday ] I end up with a few additional kilos anyway, because I bike from my home to school everyday, and sometimes I spend more time than I planned when passing by the mountain.

[ Doesn't even seem embarrassed by the fact!! Don't follow his example, Onoda. ]

Hmm, do you think aliens have some kind of a bicycle too up there? [ ?????? ]

[uphill]

[Manami.... Are you really okay]

Aliens? [Thankfully he's talking to Onoda, whose imagination has become vivid enough through cartoons that he doesn't see the question as too strange. He looks up, his eyes locking on the moon. He adjusts his glasses.] Um, maybe they could? If they do, they must be invisible, otherwise someone would have seen them... But I wonder what kind of slopes they could even ride? The milky way?

[That's a nice image, riding bikes in the stars. Onoda's nervousness dissipates, and he takes another quick bite of his bread. He smiles.]

Are you anxious for the stars because you want to get back onto your bike?

[sangaku]

[ Somewhere deep in that brain of his, Manami's drawing the mental image of curvy roads connecting one planet to another, only they're of milk flowing instead of.....what Milky Way's supposed to be - defying any laws of gravity and space. Imagining tiny green aliens riding their bikes is much easier after that. And this is why, kids, you shouldn't skip your astronomy class. ]

I think so! Isn't that cool? [ He wiggles his feet back and forth, then lifts an arm to point it toward an indeterminable spot in the sky. He's getting way too excited... ] Maybe they can hop from one star to another so easily, climbing up the hills of planets...

[ Gotta get your head checked there, kid. But at least Onoda's smile returns and it's a reassurance enough, though Manami doesn't follow his lead to take another bite. He lowers his arm, but takes some time to decide where to place it until he ultimately rests it back onto the ground again. ]

Aren't you? ... I mean I'm having fun here chatting with you, Sakamichi-kun, but I can never stay away from my bike for too long.

[ Even though it's right next to them. ]

[uphill]

[Manami.... At least he's getting the gist of it?? Onoda follows the slope of his arm up to the sky, mouth open, blinking at the stars. Even if Manami isnt' imagining quite the same thing, the image of it is beautiful. What would it feel like if one could bike up in space and not worry about its elements? Guess they both need their heads checked!!]

The hills of planets... What if they could? [His voice sounds small and faraway. When Manami answers, he's jarred from his thoughts. He turns his head and blinks at him almost in surprise. His cheeks blush a bit pink and he beams.]

I can't either. Ever since I started bicycling, I can't wait to get back on my bike whenever I'm off of it. [He glances back at their bikes, grins a little more, and then looks back to Manami.] We'll climb more hills on the way back.

[--Ah, so Manami's leaning back on his hands? He figures he should do the same. It might help to relax him a little more as he looks up. He wraps up his bun in the plastic again, sets it aside for now, and sets both hands onto the soil to lean back on. Just then, a single, white comet soars across the top of Onoda's field of vision. He gasps, points, and grins again.]

Manami-kun! Did you see it?