puppycrush2 | week two

[ They absolutely are. Who doesn't want takoyaki in this weather? He'll follow Mark through the stands and then lower himself down just as gingerly for similar reasons. But once they're settled, he's taking a big bite of one of his hot dogs before speaking.

Yeah, he's talking with his mouth full. ]

The Yomiuri Giants! They're a Tokyo team. The other Tokyo team is the Tokyo Yakult Swallows but they're not as good.

[ And then, of course — ]

What's an oriole? Isn't that a cookie?

[ It's kind of gross, kind of endearing that Ryuji's talking with his mouth full? Like, on the one hand— yeah— but on the other hand, his excitement is infectious. This is one of the reasons why they hit it off so easily.

Mark's taking a bite out of one of his hot dogs, chewing, and swallowing before he answers. ]

I— no, that's Oreos. Maybe they have some here, actually... [ he's glancing back at the concessions area from whence they came before, wait, no, that's not the point. ] Orioles are birds. They're black and orange and they're from where I'm from, so they named the team after them. The mascot's a bird and everything.

... What's Yomiuri? Shouldn't they be the Tokyo Giants?

[ This is why they're friends!!! Look, forgive his horrible manners, it's okay. He's chewing on his hot dog as he listens to Mark and then looks excited when it comes time to answer. ]

Oh! The Giants are orange and black too!! That's so cool. I wanna see an oriole now.

[ But ah, easy to explain. ]

Japanese baseball teams are named after their owners like the Hanshin Tigers or the Orix Buffaloes. But most people just call them the Giants.

[ Sage nod... he totally knows baseball things. ]

[ He's just helping remind Mark what manners are. He'd never point out Ryuji's shortcomings because that would be very unchill of him, but he's also... helping make sure Mark does not do the same thing himself.

Especially when he's on dates with potential matches. He hopes. ]

Oh, I can— [ Mark reaches for his phone before, wait. That's right. No phones here. He can't look it up... ] — maybe we can ask production to pull up a picture of one sometime?

[ You know, when they're not. At a game. ]

Huh... I didn't know that. [ It sounds weird to him, but he doesn't want to be offensive maybe, so?? ] That's what we do in the States a lot too, though. Just call them the Giants. Or— the Orioles, in my case. Or the O's...

[ which has nothing to do with anything, so Mark tilts his popcorn bag in Ryuji's direction as it looks like the pitcher is done warming up. ]

Popcorn?

[ You know what? They're learning a lot here. Both about each other and about baseball. Ryuji wonders what it'd be like to go to an American baseball game. It's gotta be fun, right?

He looks at the popcorn offered and grins brightly, taking a handful and popping some kernels into his mouth. Chew, chew, chew. ]

What's your favorite sport?

[ Just a curious question here as his eyes focus on the pitcher and the rest of the field. It looks like things are about to start. ]

[ Baseball in Japan hadn't been on Mark's mind at all, but maybe it should have been... maybe it will be now, going forward? Whatever happens after the show, surely he could still go to Japan, check out the Yomiuri Giants...

He's just happy Ryuji likes the popcorn. Mark takes another bite of a hot dog; he's gotta finish at least one of these first.

Chewing, swallowing, and, ] Oh — this one! Baseball. I grew up playing it and going to games, so it's what I'm most familiar with... The only other team we have in Baltimore is football, the Ravens, so I like football too.

[ He pauses because here it is! First pitch! ... A swinging strike, and Mark lets out an impressed little noise before turning back to Ryuji. ]

What about you?

[ Football, huh? Ryuji immediately pictures what he would consider as football first before remembering Americans call it something else and pivots. Oh, football. He has no idea how football works. ]

I like football too but, uh, the other kind. I dunno much about American football. They wear those really bulky uniforms, right?

[ The game is off to a start then and Ryuji watches a little mindlessly, more of his attention on the food and the conversation than whatever is happening on the ground. ]

I've never played baseball though. Track's always been my sport even since I was a kid.

Oh, yeah, with all the padding and stuff... They hit each other a lot in football. Like, a lot... it's probably totally opposite from soccer, now that I think about it. Huh, I wonder why they're both called football...

[ Big Questions™. But Mark will pause to finish off his first hot dog, chewing thoughtfully as he listens to Ryuji and watches the game settle into its rhythm. ]

Really? You never played baseball, though? [ That earns a look of surprise. ] I thought you would've... I mean, there's still lots of running in baseball.

[ A beat, as he goes digging into his popcorn bag. ]

Did you do short or long distance? Or could you kinda just do it all?

[ Big questions indeed and none that Ryuji has the answer to. So, he just solemnly nods along as Mark questions it because he agrees, why ARE they both called football?

At the surprise about him not playing baseball, he ducks his head a little shyly. ]

My parents weren't really big on sendin' me to do stuff that wasn't studyin'. Track I could do without their permission 'cuz you don't really need gear for it. You just show up and run.

[ The idea of his dad giving a shit about Ryuji's extracurriculars is a joke. He'd probably have beaten the shit out of Ryuji for even asking. Hell, he probably did beat Ryuji the few times he did ask. Track is something he took on himself as a result, and it was freeing. ]

Both! I mean, I tried everything. I liked long distance the most but I couldn't do it much after my leg got broke. So, if I do run these days, it's more short distance. I'm getting better though, getting my stamina back.

[ DO WE NEED TO HAVE A TALK WITH RYUJI'S DAD...

After he'd asked the question Mark was a little worried that he might have overstepped, but since Ryuji seems comfortable with answering, he relaxes. Eats a handful of popcorn as he listens to his answer. ]

That's awesome. Practice makes perfect, right?

[ He looks back at the field in time to see that the top of the first is over. The home team's pitcher had a good inning, yay! But still thinking about what Ryuji said earlier... ]

My parents wanted me to be active. I think my mom's the one who got me on team sports, actually. I can't imagine what I would've been like if I was only studying...

[ It seems antithetical to his everything. It seems like a weird call for Ryuji, too.

Mark gives him a friendly little nudge. ]

I'm happy you did get to find something for you, though. And that it was just what you needed, it sounds like? That's awesome. You're definitely going to get back there.

[ We might need to have a talk with Ryuji's dad....... 😔

Ryuji is comfortable with answering though because honestly, he's an open book about these sort of things. When the story of his abusive dad broke out all over school and he got made fun of for it, that was hard, so he's kind of expected people to know of him before they actually know him at this point. It's nice to reveal things at his own pace instead.

He'll bite down on his hot dog for now, chewing idly and listening to what Mark says. His mouth tugs into a smile at the thought of Mark only studying too. It seems as wrong as Ryuji only studying. They're just not those type of guys. ]

Yeah.... yeah. It meant a lot back then and it still means a lot now. But I'll get there again, I know it.

[ This was a little heavier than he expected so he distracts with food, offering up the takoyaki now to Mark. ]

Want some?

week two | dates

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