Chapter 76 - 在带有Nori的中餐厅

The two descended, soon making their way back to the red panda.

At the door, Nori was scratching the door frame with one of his metal claws in his boredom, whistling.

Their approaching footsteps alerted him, and the two offered him a casual wave.

Nori's ears perked and he blinked. "Back so soon? What'd ya find?"

"Diddly squat," Pina said, plainly. "You have fun scratching?"

"No," Nori frowned. "Door duty sucks."

Louis laughed. "Then why did you do it?"

"Because, dummy! Ichi made me!"

"You've been here forever. Get your pal Roku to cover," Shichi suggested.

"What? Why would I?"

"You look like you could loosen up a bit."

"Loosen up? How?" The red panda blinked.

Pina crossed his arms and swayed his hips back and forth. "Relax? Take a chill pill?"

"I can't even get Roku to replace me. He's out with Ichi and Ni," Nori huffed.

"There's Kyuu and San and Hachi. Hell, even Juu. Does she ever do door duty?"

"No." Nori shook his head. "She's still pretty new and if something does happen at the door, she'd be too inexperienced to handle it."

Louis scratched his chin. "I think Hachi would be fine doing door duty."

"Why do you guys suddenly care?" Nori squinted.

"Because you're so standoffish and we wanna mend that?" Pina smiled sheepishly.

"Mend? When did you two become friends?" He titled his head.

Pina shrugged. "Oh, us? We knew each other when we were raised here, kinda, even if we didn't see much of each other. Add in the fact that we're both newcomers and we just sort of hit it off."

Louis nodded. "Yeah. We have a good dynamic. You should text Hachi."

Nori tapped a claw on the door frame. "Mm...I dunno..."

"Man, when Shi told me they can still write and type I was floored. Have you talked to them before, Go?"

Nori nodded. "Of course I have. Anyone with a brain could realize you could text them. Duh."

"Do you get along with them?"

"They get along with everyone," the herbivore shrugged.

Louis nodded. "I agree. They are very approachable."

"Well, if you get bored out here, get someone to cover you and hang out with us," Pina continued. "We're gonna go get something to eat."

Nori's ears perked. "Oh! Oh! I wanna come!"

"Pff, what? We were gonna just go up to the kitchen..."

"No, let's go out! It would be awesome!"

Pina laughed. "Wow, you changed your mind quickly! We'll go get someone to cover you and get dressed."

"Ooh! Yes!" He fist-pumped. "I'll be back!" He ran off.

Louis laughed as he disappeared up the stairs. "Lonely."

"He's kinda cute," Pina admitted.

"I know...Circumstances are really unfortunate for him. He loves murder."

"God, when you say it like that and then look at his face it...Wow...You've seen him in action, too..."

Louis nodded. "I'll never forget seeing those claws dug into that carnivore's eyes..."

"And here he is, acting like a little kid at the prospect of going out to eat..."

"Yeah...I think he more wants to be away from here...with us," the buck suggested.

Pina nodded and smiled. "So I guess when he gets back we'll go and get dressed? He kinda just took off."

"He's excited, give him a break. Too bad you'll be out of that getup so soon."

"It's close enough to my normal fashion, I think." Pina reached up and felt his horns. "Haven't polished these bad boys since being here, though. I didn't bring any product with me."

"I can bring you some next time I come if you'd like."

"Mmm, you don't have to..."

Louis smiled. "But I want to."

Pina's hands went on his hips as he looked down at his feet. "The Meteor Festival is in a few weeks."

"You remembered?" Louis tilted his head. "Goodness, it's been forever since I've had anything to do with Cherryton."

"Yeah. I hope I can make it there without anyone making a fuss. I wanna be with him."

"I hope so too. You two deserve one another."

"Are you gonna go with 'Gosi?"

"I hope so. Who knows where we'll be then..." Louis pursed his lips. "We don't know when this Okamigumi thing is happening."

"We'll probably get more info on that when Ichi gets back."

"Of course. So...any word from Bill at all yet?"

Pina shook his head. "I guess he's respecting my space. I just...I really hope he's doing alright."

"Wait, there's really nothing...? God..." Louis blinked. "I was sure he would have sent you a ton of messages..."

"Yeah...either he's handling it well or he's having a meltdown or..." the sheep's already white face went pale. "...I think I'll text him tonight."

"Don't have those kinds of thoughts," Louis said. "They'll eat you away."

"Yeah...yeah..."

"Bill's not that kind of guy," Louis continued. "He would call you crying before even considering anything like that. He may be strong physically, but he's soft as a person."

"Heh, don't I know it."

"So don't worry. I'm sure he's fine. But really...try and message him again tonight. I can reach out, too."

"Thanks, Louis." Pina turned and hugged him. Loud footsteps boomed ahead, clearly an animal rushing down the stairs. The two separated and turned to greet the other animal.

Nori ran forward, blatantly having thrown on his clothes on quickly. His shirt was backward. "Don't tell me you guys are going out in that!"

Pina laughed. "No! But if you had listened to me I said we would go up and change and find your replacement, since I guess you didn't do that."

"Oh don't worry! Hachi is just being slow! You guys are buying, yeah?" Nori grinned.

"Guess so. We'll be right back."

Soon enough, the odd trio was walking in the city, donning their casual clothes, worn correctly now.

Nori hopped along. "Ooh, what kinda food should we eat? I'm so fucking starving!"

Louis scratched his arm. "I'll pay. Just try not to eat too much..."

The red panda turned around and smirked. "No promises."

Pina stretched his arms above his head. "Welp, what are you all in the mood for? I could go for something fried myself..."

"Fried?" Louis blinked. "I've never made anything fried before. Or...eaten it, really."

"No wonder you're so skinny," Pina chuckled as he jabbed his side lightly.

"But you're skinny, too," the deer answered.

"Fair." He turned to the smallest one in the group. "What kind of food is your favorite, Go?"

"Ah, um...I really just like...well, everything!" The panda responded. "I'll eat whatever Shi buys for me!"

Pina reached out and hung off of the buck's shoulders. "Well, I guess if Moneybags is buying it's up to him."

The deer snorted. "Ugh, don't call me that. My father just wants to make up for the past."

"Alright, Shi. Not like that's your real name, either. Also, I just want some fried rice."

"Sounds good to me," Louis said.

Nori scoffed. "What? That's it?! No way! We gotta get an appetizer and a meal, and maybe a dessert or two...Oh, and drinks, of course!"

"Of course we'll get more, Go! I'm just saying for me, I want at least fried rice. So we should go to a place that serves it." Pina reached down and ruffled his head.

Nori blushed a bit and looked to the side. "Blegh...You're lucky Ichi isn't here or you wouldn't have even touched me."

"Oh? Is he protective of you?" Pina snorted.

"Not at all."

"Cuz you don't need it, right?" The taller herbivore winked.

Nori nodded, turning around again. "Yeah. That's why."

They perused around the streets, the light drizzle from before coming and going, thankfully not moving beyond that.

Louis looked at the sky. "Do you guys think it's going to rain?"

Nori shrugged. "Who cares? Rain is cool."

"Rain fucks up my wool," Pina pouted.

Louis wanted to make a comment about how Pina looked funny when he was wet, but he remembered they had an act going. Even if it was Go, they shouldn't risk it.

"How about here?" Pina pointed up to a restaurant with a particularly elaborate sign.

Nori looked up at the sign, then into the window. "Oooh! The atmosphere is really nice!"

Louis blinked. "Reminds me a little of...Nevermind."

The smallest animal turned and blinked at him. "What?"

"No, it's nothing."

"What were you gonna say?"

"Nothing!"

"Some place you've been before?" Pina offered.

"Yeah...I'm not going to talk about it."

Nori rolled his eyes. "Weirdo."

"Let's just go in," Louis pushed.

The three strolled in, enjoying the smell that hit their noses. An employee approached them and guided them to a table by the window.

Nori immediately picked up a menu and buried his nose in it, beginning to gasp and name things he was interested in.

Louis and Pina were sitting across from him on the other side. The buck found what he was looking for quickly. "Well, they have fried rice."

"Fried rice, some veggies, some tea..." Pina listed. "I don't think either of us will be able to eat as much as Go can, though."

"I'm always hungry," the panda said, nonchalantly.

Pina looked up and cocked his head. "There's enough food at the tower, though."

"But this is new."

Louis blinked. "Huh?"

"Food tastes much better when you go out."

Louis leaned his head on his palm. "I'm not going to make a joke about your name."

"Yet you don't go out much," Pina pointed out to the panda.

"That's because I just found out we have as much freedom as we do! Plus..." He looked back at the menu, pausing for an oddly long moment. "I don't like going out by myself."

"We should try to do this more often, then. Maybe bring others." Pina traced a finger in circles on the table.

Nori swallowed. "I didn't realize you two were so chill..."

Louis shook his head. "It's an awful situation I'm in, but as I said in the beginning, sulking about it the whole time gets me nowhere. Plus, Shichi and I are natural friends now."

"Yeah!" Pina agreed. "What, you didn't think I was chill, Gogo?"

"Ewww, no, don't call me that," Nori groaned. "Yucky. No. Bad Shichi."

Pina held his chest. "Ooh, how will I recover from such admonishment! I apologize for the transgression, sir!"

Louis paused. "Have you figured out what you want yet?"

"Mm...Like eight things," Nori stated.

"Get more cuz Shi's paying," the sheep said, smugly.

"Everything on the menu?" Nori looked at Louis with innocent eyes.

"Um..." the cervid took a moment to think about how to respond.

Pina snickered.

"Go, I don't think you want to waste all of that," Louis said.

Nori shook his head. "No, no! I can eat it!"

"Oh shit, you're serious?" Pina asked through his laughter.

The red panda slapped the table. "Yes!"

"How about we just start you off with like, six things?" Pina suggested.

Nori frowned. "Dessert first. Ichi skimped out on it last time."

Louis raised a brow. "You love dessert."

"Look at him! Of course he loves sweets!" Pina crooned.

Louis blinked. "Are you calling him fat?"

"Nothing wrong with being fat, but I said it because he looks so sweet!" Pina smiled at the animal across from them.

Nori half covered his face. "Ichi would never talk to me like this."

"What does Ichi talk to you about?" Pina asked.

"Nothing. Missions, how I should be better. Ni probably hates me."

"Really? Better? And why would Ni hate you?" Pina asked, curiously.

"Because I'm annoying. They always tell me."

"Well, I think he has a stick up his ass!"

"Or a Ni," Louis inserted.

Nori squinted. "Ewie."

Pina turned back to Nori, some concern in his features. "Is anyone else mean to you?"

"I mean...Sometimes Roku gets mad at me or tells me to leave him alone..."

"He's just a grumpy old man," Pina assured.

Louis raised his hand. "I can attest to that. What about the others?"

Nori frowned more. "I don't think they really care about me. I'm sure it would be better if I was just gone."

An awkward silence fell over the table as the server came back. They gave her their orders. Nori had indeed ordered the most food.

"The look on that waitress's face when you told her everything," Pina laughed. "Well, I've only been here for a little bit and I like having you around, Go. You're funny."

"I am?" Nori blinked.

"Yeah! And you got a certain charm to you, and your claws are super cool!"

The red panda rested his head in his arms, blushing more. "Sh-shush..."

"Okay." Pina made a zipping-lips motion and stayed quiet.

Louis stared at him, unable to stop smiling. "It sounds like the others don't treat you very well..."

"...Mm," Nori nodded.

"I can't see San or Kyuu being mean, though!" Pina pondered. "Well, not San, for sure. And don't discount Hachi just because they're nice to everyone!"

"But they don't...like me. They never reach out to me or invite me to hang out when they hang out together all the time. I bet Roku only hangs out with me because he likes talking about Yahya, or he has no one else to talk about the show with..."

"Have you tried talking to them yourself?" Pina asked.

Nori groaned. "I can't change my outlook on things...how I act..."

"It can get better, buddy," Pina reassured. "I mean, I know that always sounds hollow but I believe it."

Louis nodded. "I'm always here if you want to talk, too."

"Shi actually messaged me the other day," Nori revealed. "Can you believe it?"

Louis' mouth opened a bit. So much for keeping that a secret.

"Oh?" Pina leaned his chin on his hands. "Well, he's nice so it doesn't surprise me."

Nori rolled his eyes. "He...is...He really is."

"What about me?"

"You're cool, too. But I feel a little safer with Louis. He knows some stuff about me you don't...Plus, I feel like he'd stand up for me."

"I would," Louis said. "Now that I know you don't really hate me."

"And we're...friends?"

"And we're friends."

Nori looked down at his lap, smiling.

"Hey, I can be your friend, too!" Pina whined.

"Do you really want to?" Nori blinked, eyes purer than ever, despite his interests.

Louis put an arm around Pina. "We're both here for you, even if the others aren't. And you don't have to hide from us."

"And I'm sure we could get everyone getting along!" Pina said, excitedly. "Like that dinner we all had only a lot better!"

Nori buried his face in his arms and his body shook a bit, then he sniffled.

Louis' smile disappeared at this. "Go?"

"Oh..." Pina reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey..."

He sniffed louder, body shaking even more violently. He could feel the warm tears stream down his cheeks as he had finally hit his breaking point with everything.

Louis and Pina exchanged a look before getting up from their seats and sitting on either side of the red panda.

The buck rubbed his back. "It's okay. You're okay."

Nori's ears were flat and he still didn't respond.

Pina rubbed a shoulder with one hand and tried to hold one of his hands with the other. "We can leave if you want. I'm sorry if I upset you or anything."

"N-n-no..." Nori got out but that was as far as he managed before sliding off the table and leaning against Louis.

Pina let go of him and simply observed the two. He felt something in his eyes.

The deer looked back at him. "Not you too..."

The ram wiped at them. "Ah, it's nothing."

Louis gave the warmest smile then. "What is it?"

"J-just comfort him. I'll be sitting here."

"Come here."

"Does Go want me to?"

"Please..." Nori sputtered.

Louis nodded. "We want you to."

Pina smiled softly and moved forward, slinking his arms gently around Go's midsection and pressing his forehead against the top of his head.

The three just sat there, enjoying each other's company. Louis let out a breath. "It's moments like this that make life worth living..."

Nori squeezed him tighter at these words.

There were animals staring at them, but no one really said anything and it wouldn't have mattered if they had.

Once the food arrived, they broke apart to eat it, but still stayed sitting next to each other, despite Nori's portions taking up nearly the whole table.

The red panda hadn't said a word, but he stayed close to Louis as he ate silently.

Nori barely ate anything before going back to his Louis safety blanket.

The buck looked at Pina with a rather sad look. The small herbivore was obviously past his boiling point.

"Well, we can wrap this up and bring it back," Pina said, quietly. He placed a hand on Nori's shoulder again. "Are you gonna be alright? Do you wanna spend the night with me once Shi leaves to go back home?"

"He's leaving...?" Nori looked up at the buck.

Louis blinked. "Well, yeah...I need to return home to my husband."

"He leaves every night."

"I know...Sorry...Sorry..." His ears flattened again.

"How...do you feel about his husband?" Pina ventured.

"...Legosi? I don't know much about him. I wish I did...kinda."

"You don't hate him like some of the other members might? I know I don't, of course I never met the guy, but Shi feels like some of the others do. Especially Ichi and Ni."

"I don't...hate him anymore."

"Maybe we'll meet him someday..." Pina mused quietly.

"Mmm..." Nori squeezed Louis again.

The deer laughed. "I honestly never saw this coming from you."

Pina popped some food in his mouth. "You've never had the chance to be close to someone like this, have you, Go?"

Nori shook his head. "Not for a long time..."

Louis rubbed his head. "I hope you're not embarrassed by all of this."

The red panda sunk more. "How'd you know..."

"It's obvious."

Louis and Pina finished up eating, and the server came around to pack up the remaining food.

"Gonna have to make sure nobody else eats this stuff, eh Go?" Pina joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Mmm..." The small animal shrugged. "Call me Nori..."

The sheep grinned. "Alright. Well, I'm Pina! Nice to meet you, Nori."

His ears perked. "I never would have guessed that was your name."

"What were some of the guesses?"

"Uhhh...I dunno, Hamlet maybe?"

Pina barked out a laugh. "Hamlet! You hear that, Louis? Hamlet!" The sheep ruffled the fur on Nori's head.

Nori blushed. "We all knew his name was Louis."

"Yeah, he told me after we became fast friends. And now we both know your name!"

"And we're all friends now..." Nori whispered.

"Yeah. So what do you wanna do now, friend?"

"I guess go back and talk more..."

"Sounds good."

They gathered up their leftovers and left the restaurant, the sun peeking out from the receding storm clouds.