shit., [RURO!]

[Shingoro Deva]

December 17th, 6 p.m.

outfit!

Shit.

Shit was a good word for the situation he'd gotten himself into. A very, very good word.

Okay, so he'd gone in for his first day of work. Everything had gone great, wonderful, splendid. Coffee and spying. He could definatley make a career out of it, just like his boss had... Did he mention that his boss was cooler than any guy he'd ever met? He was pretty sure that he'd just accidented himself into the greatest position a fifteen year old Terrestrial male could be in that didn't involve women.

So, naturally, he'd headed out from his first day with very little on his mind. It was a short walk to the bus station – he'd taken the school transport shuttle here in the first place, so when he reached for his pocket to pay the bus far and found that his wallet wasn't there, he had scratched his nose and tried to IOU his way into a ride home. The driver had refused, and Shingoro protested. It was raining, after all... Yeah, you can imagine him being kicked off the bus.

Thankfully, he had an umbrella.

His boss had said dress casually – his mother had taken that to mean a five thousand piece suit, but with skill an years of experience, he'd whittled her down to just a button up shirt, his jeans, and his tennis shoes. That were now soaked because he was working on the near two and a half hour walk back to his house.

Go back and tell his boss he didn't have a way home? No way.

Call his mom or dad? No way.

And so, he was stuck trudging through the rain, cursing under his breath in a mixture of Jovian, Venusian, Terrestrial, and even a choice few Martian words, just because they sounded good. There was very little you couldn't learn in public schooling... He could hold a conversation in Jovian decently, though he'd probably get laughed at, he'd get his point across.

He let out a loud half-growl of aggravation – something he'd picked up from his Martian sister – as it started to rain harder. Along with that noise came the urge to kick something – closest thing was a light post, so he kicked it. Wet tennis shoes collided hard with unforgiving metal, and he cursed again, grabbing his foot and dropping his umbrella. He stopped everything in that moment, staring at the nothing that was in front of him as the rain started to soak him. Then he ran a wet hand over his wet face, and was even more annoyed to find out that it did nothing. He picked up him umbrella, sighing.

Well. This was certainly turning out to be a wonderful day.

[Ruro Shoban]

Outfit!

It was odd, working a 'normal' shift at the ER. Nine to five, a normal work day, not an evening shift or a graveyard shift or a double shift, but a normal 'I went to work' type of day. Ruro kinda liked it. Whenever they finally got a full-time Trauma newb, he might actually turn his schedule to a 'normal' one, maybe. Depending on how things went with Riyako. As of right now it wasn't looking likely, or at least not likely that he would change up his schedule. They were taking it slow, better for the both of them. That and it would be much harder trying to take care of the horses when he was working solidly during the day, rather than occasionally having his days free to do some work around the farm.

Rain beat a heavy tattoo against the roof of his truck as it went along the streets. Why no, it wasn't a hovertruck. Sure, he had the money for one if he wanted it, but it didn't make any sense to him - the horses always spooked if a hovercar came too close, since they were so big and practically silent. The beasts were used to the rumble of an engine and the sound of tires on gravel. He sighed, already anticipating a mug of hot chocolate to warn off the chill - it was as much his idea as Mamoru's -his former life had convinced him to not live quite so much on caffeine alone. Fingers tapped idly along the steering wheel as he turned the corner, the rain complimenting his music choice, not overpowering it like it might sometimes for the raccous violin mashups. These he blamed both Murray and Mamoru for. Murray had gotten him into them because he bent to the violin-playing Gwynell's wishes to have them playing in the house and stable, Mamoru because the man like Endymion before him had learned the instrument.

He slowed as he finished the turn, because there was someone standing under the lamp. Who in their right mind would be out in this weather? Unless they dearly had to, which he would doubted many in this median-upperclass area of Telo would have to be. Something (Mamoru) telling him to stop had him stopping and staring at the young man therefore shown next to the truck. Wait just a minute. That was... hunh. That was Riyako's younger brother. Hard to forget a face when the first time you see it is when they're staring with adoration/want/curiosity at the reincarnation of one of your brothers' wives, and your figurative younger sister. Ruro threw the truck into park, lowered the music and the window, sliding himself over on the bench seat so he could stick his head out.

"Hey, Shingoro, right? Want a ride home?" He did hope the boy would remember him as Amisi's brother, because he couldn't quite just say he was Amisi's brother any longer, but he also didn't want to be the one to break it to the boy that he was dating her sister...that would be just right awkward.

[Shingoro Deva]

Maybe something good could come out of this ugly situation. Maybe he'd run a fever and his mother would let him stay out of school. Doubtful... She'd probably make him take some Mercurian concoction that would make his fever vanish. Stupid smart people – why'd they have to go and ruin the only chances a kid could get to miss school?

The sound of tires on pavement made him turn – it wasn't often that one saw one of the land-based trucks that were slowly becoming extinct. He wiped at the water on his face again, scooping up his umbrella so that perhaps he didn't look like a total idiot to whoever was driving the truck.

And then the truck stopped. He blinked, looking around – yep, he was the only person in sight. His mother would flip shit if she knew he'd taken a ride from a stranger – and then the man's voice reached his ears and he laughed, immediately recalling the only time in his life he'd thought that his father would spontaneously combust. What was the dude's name... Dude had told off Raen and then told them a story about the terrorist attack. Ota (of course he remembered her name – she was so uniquely beautiful and so strange!) had been there... And her roommate, Amisi Shoban. Okay, Amisi's brother. Last name was Shoban, then... The first name was still evading him. Hell, Mr. Shoban would work, right?

”Sure, Mr. Shoban, but I might mess up the inside of your truck.” He'd proabably have to tell the whole damn story to the man – but if it got him out of this rain and into a warm, dry truck, he would be more than happy. Plus, if it was a land-based truck... First time! That would be something to tell his dad about – the man used to have one of the trucks, and he talked about it all the time and how the 'new' modes of transportation were strange and unnatural. He didn't know either way, but it seemed to him like the land-based trucks took a lot longer to get where they were going, right?

He had managed to get the umbrella over himself again, foot still throbbing at him angrily. How had he managed to kick that pole so hard? Hell, he'd deal with that later – he was pretty sure that even if he'd broken a toe or something, his mother would have a fix for it. It was great in most instances, but when he was trying to get out of something (like the test he had) it was a major hassle. One had to be quite... inventive... to get around the Mercurian standards and medications without having someone freak to the point of taking you to the hospital. Hey. Dude worked at the hospital. And was... was he? He was pretty sure that the man and Ushriya (though what he saw in that dummy, he'd never know) were dating.

[Ruro Shoban]

His truck was good for the long-haul. It had regularly transported horses throughout the land-masses, had carried a broken-legged, bleeding Marc years ago, a broken-armed and bleeding Mai a month ago, numerous wet and muddy riders from steeplechases and other events, once even a high-ranking Regime member who began giving birth in the middle of her elder daughter's first pony ride. He'd had to deliver the baby on the side of the road, home from med school for the summer.

In essence, the truck could take a little damp.
"No fear, Shingoro, this old clanker has been through a lot, rain's no bother." Ruro swung open the door and slid back across the bench seat to the driver's side, waiting until the teen was inside, door closed and seatbelt on before pulling the truck out of park.
"Your house, right? You're going to need to tell me how to get there when we get closer," he pulled a quick U-Turn to head back toward Pharaida.
The doctor turned the music up a little, switching clips to something a bit more modern and popular, but that he could deal with. It was nothing like the "classic" rock Mamoru preferred, but it was what Ruro had always known as rock music.

"So," the windshield wipers flicked rapidly, wiping the water out of the way with a thwip but no annoying squeak, since it was raining so heavily.
"What were you up to around this part of Telo anyway? You have a job or something?" Okay, inane adult question was inane and adult, but what else was he supposed to talk about with his girlfriend's brother when they didn't know each other? He wasn't about to warn the boy off Ota... Ota could handle herself, and he would rather just keep Jace calm should anything occur, than be seen as the bad one.

[Shingoro Deva]

Well, hopefully this wouldn't be one of those painfully long and awkward situations. Like the time he'd missed the shuttle back to Pharaida after one of the ball games and had had to be taken home by one of the coaches' wives, covered in sweat. The Venusian woman hadn't appreciated her hovercar being coated in the reek of teenage boy – that was obvious by her face. Yeah... that had been awkward indeed.

He nodded his understanding, looking around the inside of the truck. It was pretty nice – had a smell that he couldn't quite identify. Reminded him somewhat of being outside, but there was a particular type of smell that this had – not unpleasant by any means, but he didn't know what to call it. ”Yeah, no problem.” He said, turning his eyes up to the windshield with interest.

”You don't have to change that for me, man. I'll listen to anything, really.” There was a strange connection, it seemed – Shingoro hadn't even spoken to this man the first time they'd met, but it felt like he knew him. Maybe it was just because the older man was dating his sister.

He chuckled slightly. ”Yeah. Actually, this was my first day. Forgot my shuttle pass at school, apparently... I'm an official assistant of Cyorlithe Nitze, one of the heads of the Eye in the Sky.” He grinned brightly. Even soaked, he was still incredibly pleased that he'd managed to get such a great job. His parent's didn't have any influence to get him a job that was quite like that, so the mere fact that he'd managed to get one (and especially one that paid above the minimum) was a shock to his parents. ”Thanks for this, by the way, Mr... Er, Dr. Shoban.”

[Ruro Shoban]

In terms of an awkward car ride, nothing could or ever would beat the Rei-Keiko-Johannes huddle in the back/Serenity-Cyorlithe fighting in the front drive back when he was half Mamoru, half himself and occasionally Endymion. Nothing. Really, considering what he had been through and what this truck had been through, Ruro figured it deserved some valorous medal of conduct for good service.

He had to inwardly grin as the teen stared at his windshield wipers. Hovercars had other ways, didn't they, some sort of shield or something like that.
"Eh, nah, don't worry about it, a change of pace is good for me anyway." Ruro drummed lightly on the steering wheel in time with the drum as they went around the corner. He was for once glad with a law made by the Regime. It made sense, keeping hovercars to a height at or just over where they would be normally with tires, so that there were no mid-air collisions and people in land-based vehicles actually managed to not get killed by suddenly dropping hovercars.

It wasn't quite a snort, nor was it quite a laugh that escaped him on the announcement of Shingoro's boss' name. The laugh was himself and Mamoru, the snort was Endymion.
"Cyor? Cyor-ruddy-lithe Nitze is your boss?" Ruro barked out a laugh, shaking his head before explaining. "He's one of my best friends. Tell him I said hi next time you see him, will you? We haven't gotten to talk for a bit." The doctor shook his head again at the form of address he was given.
"No need to thank me, Shingoro; it's the least I could do, and just call me Ruro. I'm your sister's boyfriend, having you call me Dr. Shoban is just weird." Okay, so technically the sister's soulmate/soulbond/husband, but who was counting? Ruro certainly wasn't at this state. Had to keep it slow to keep her parents calm, that and there was so much for the two of them to learn about each other. It was one thing to just know each other like they did, another thing to experience everything together. He pushed back a memory Mamoru shoved forwards, the Japanese man giving Shingo a ride back from a baseball game; this wasn't like that at all, or well, it somewhat was, but this wasn't Shingo. Or if it was Shingo, Mamoru certainly didn't have his soulname to call the younger Tsukino out. Better to wait and see and find out, really.

[Shingoro Deva]

Well. This was certainly turning out to be an experience, now, wasn't it? He couldn't help but admit that there was some comfort in the sound that this truck made compared to the rather odd purring noise that the hover-vehicles made. He might have to talk Father into getting one – even if it just sat out in the garage, for some reason, he wanted one.

He nodded gratefully at the older man, then was caught off guard with the odd sound that the man made. He stared at him for a second, then once the explanation was made, he nodded. ”So it's a smaller world than I thought...” It was rather strange, he thought... His sister's suitemate was also her boyfriend's sister, and his boss was friends with the man. Either the world had gotten a lot smaller, or there was something strange and questionable going on... He was content to believe that the world had gotten smaller.

He nodded again, sighing. ”Will do. He's a good guy, I think... Since I just met him today, I'm not completely sure how to take him. Any pointers, so your girl's awesome little brother doesn't get fired?” He could hopefully get some good information out of this previously hopeless situation, and maybe it wasn't so awkward after all.

He reached up and wiped a stray drop of water off of his forehead before the thing could get into his eye – he was grateful for the roof over his head, that was for certain. The long walk would have been miserable. And to think, he'd nearly taken off walking. Ruro wouldn't have ever seen him, and he'd have made it all the way back super late, and Mom and Dad would have called the Feet to search for him, and he'd have had to admit his rather middle-school-esque mistake. Suddenly, realizing how bad the situation he'd evaded could have become, he was even more grateful. And he was oddly comfortable, now. ”Speaking of Riya, how is she? I assume you see my sisters more than I do... And how's Ota, do you know?” Well, he'd failed at disguising that subtle inquiry.

[Ruro Shoban]

He couldn't help but snort at the thought that Mamoru threw into his mind. "It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all..." Admittedly, his former had a decent voice, but he didn't need the tune stuck in his head, it was aggravating.

Ruro laughed at the comment. He had to, not only because of the tinny, stuck-in-his-head tune that was now blaring through his mind. It was rather amusing how the connections kept stacking up. Mamoru still seemed to think that Shingoro might be Shingo. That would be... odd. Amusing, and truthfully 'small world' but awkward. Mamoru seemed to think that maybe using his last name would be like a soul name or at least give the younger boy something of memories if Mamoru was right. But it wasn't like he could idly drop Tsukino into a conversation.

"Yeah, he's a good guy. But pointers, pointers...hmm. Be on time, though I suppose that's obvious. Uh. Remind him of what happened when I heard something went wrong with my last girlfriend's younger brother." It was vague and probably fairly confusing, but Cyor would remember what had happened when Mamoru discovered Shingo had gotten into trouble. Yeah, that had been a not-pretty event, but those kids hadn't tried anything ever again. Something about the shitennou coming to back him up, Mamoru was fairly sure. Because there was letting Shingo fight his own battles. Then there was taking things too far. That was when it counted for Shingo to be considered part of the Royal Guard before there was a Royal Guard.

"Those are really the only things I can think of off the bat, beyond that he likes his coffee black. Riya's good, so's Raen. Not that Raen does anything but really growl at me." Ruro grinned, not much he could do about that, despite Mamoru continually bemoaning the fate of his 'twin'. "I've been helping her study; dunno if it's actually helping, exactly, but it makes me feel that I'm trying at least. Raen seems to be doing well gradewise, but I figure that's probably not unexpected." He tactfully avoided the whole "staying at Amina's" that was ongoing, if Raen wanted to say something, she could say something. He was just happy that so far as he could read through Jace, that Mars and Venus were together again. Thank goodness. Speaking of his youngest shitennou, how best to comment on this.

"Oh, Ota, well, Ota's doing very well herself. She's engaged, actually." He left it at that, just because he and Jace hadn't precisely talked about how they wanted to have met in this life.

[Shingoro Deva]

He realized that he was probably staring at his sister's boyfriend like he was some sort of magnificent speaker, an inspiration for all, but he didn't really care. He had the weirdest feeling that he'd done this before, or something like it, at least. He'd been getting that weird feeling more and more since his sisters had gone off to school, but he'd gotten good at blowing it off. He could do the same in this situation. He was mentally taking notes that would have made any college student proud – despite the fact that the older man only said four complete sentences, he was pretty sure he'd remember them. Not that he had problems with forgetting things, of course. Like his backpack. And his shuttle pass.

Mention of another girlfriend made the corner of his mouth twitch a bit – not into a smile, but nearly into a frown. The guy was a doctor, and he was older than Riya (by years, no doubt), but that didn't mean that the idea of the man (despite the fact that he'd met him all of twice, this seemed to have rooted in his brain) with any other woman didn't make him squirm. It just didn't seem right. He could picture the good doctor with all manner of women, from any planet, but none of them looked right like picturing him with Riya did. He swallowed, content to let it pass and ask Cyor about it tomorrow when he got to work. Couldn't have some Venusian floozy coming and crashing his sister's romance. That wouldn't do at all.

He nodded at the mention of his sisters. He was pleased to hear that they were doing well. He couldn't help the laughter that escaped him at the mention of studying. ”More power to you, man.” He shook his head with another chuckle, reminded of times that she'd come to him while he was two grades behind her in school. At least Ruro would be able to help better than anyone else, he supposed... One didn't get to be a doctor for being an idiot.

Ota. His grin spread across his face, and with one more sentence, fell flat off. He swallowed, nodding and once again getting that oddly familiar feeling. ”Good for the pair of them... I guess. He better treat her well, or he's gonna have to deal with me.” He was trying to mask disappointment with gruffness – Raen had told him a long time ago that it didn't work, but he still tried it often enough.

[Ruro Shoban]

If it hadn't been quite so creepy, part of Ruro would have appreciated having such a rapt audience. As it was Shingoro and not one of the clinical rotation interns or even one of the nurses during a case, it was creepy. Too much akin to hero worship; he didn't mind something like that from Amisi, she was his little sister, or even from some of the younger kids when he'd been part of the show circuit. From Shingoro, whose only connection to him was through Riya? It was creepy. Even if this did turn out to be Shingo, a bit creepy. Less so if it was Shingo, because he too knew the feeling of 'there is something I'm missing' that came with the tease of an almost-awakened state.

In a twisted way it was heartening to catch the near-frown out of the corner of his eye as he took the turn onto what he thought was their street. He couldn't do what others would have done, reassured that this past girlfriend was nothing to them now, that she was idiotic or a harpy or anything. It was Usagi. She was his current girlfriend, so to speak. To say anything bad about her would be to say bad about Riya, and no matter what he tried, if he said anything like that he would be screwed, either with the current incarnation of the Moon Princess or with the Neo-Queen dwelling inside her. Both would be bad, so he said nothing about this 'last' girlfriend beyond what he had already mentioned.

"There's power in both refusing to go through with a date if she hasn't completed her homework and promising that whatever she doesn't understand I'm more than willing to help her with during the date itself." Ruro grinned, still in a way surprised that his plans had worked so far. Whether they helped her get actually good grades come finals was yet to be seen, but he couldn't say he hadn't tried.

It almost hurt to see the pain run across Shingoro's face at the mention of Ota's engagement. Almost. This was Jace, his Johannes, his Drystan-with-his-head-out-of-the-clouds. They deserved each other, they were good to each other. He tried to soften the blow further, but knew he couldn't keep the fondness for this life's youngest brother out of his voice.
"Jace is over the Moon about her, as is his daughter Keiko - oh, excuse me, Mai - he would rather die than see one hair on her head damaged." Perhaps it was wrong of him to name-drop Mai's Crystal Tokyo life-name into the conversation, but if it would in some way make Shingoro more comfortable with the pair then he would try it.
"So, is this your street or did I take a wrong turn?"

[Shingoro Deva]

He couldn't help laughing. So soon in their relationship, Ruro seemed to have discovered all of Riya's weaknesses and the like. Really, the man refused to go on dates because she wasn't done with her homework? He hit his hand on his leg, shaking his head. ”That is bloody brilliant. I applaud you.” He nodded.

It was a very bittersweet thing, in his mind, that Ota was happily engaged. And Ruro's high approval of it made it even worse. It was grossly familiar, in a way... Like he himself was the ex who was being replaced suddenly and without much of a bounce back period. He nodded again. ”Good for them, then. She'll be a great mom.” He didn't know why he was saying that... He'd met her all of once, and he hadn't even really spoken to her. It was just something that he seemed to know. He did have to stop and make a face after he had spoken... Those two names, Keiko and Mai, were nothing alike. Not easily confused, and yet the first rang odd bells in his head. More odd bells. So many times, since the day that Ushriya and Raen had moved in and he'd first met this man and Ota... So many odd bells.

He let out a half aggrivated sigh, then shook his head. ”Yeah, sorry, this is it.” It was rather infuriating... It was like his mind knew something that his brain didn't. He was probably going to explode if he didn't either blow it all off (he was good at that) or figure something or that other out. ”Three on the left from here.” He pointed to his house, the front light on despite the rain. Mom was going to be mad.

[Ruro Shoban]

It wasn't hard to know how to get Riya to do what he wanted her to. Perhaps it was wrong of him to admit that, but Ruro knew it was the truth. Hard for him not to know how to get her to do what he wanted, he did only have two additional lives of being with her for him. Made it rather easy, actually.

"Eh, thanks, I suppose." Ruro shrugged, wasn't something he could take too much credit on when Mamoru had been the first to bring up the idea.
He couldn't really think of what to say in concern with Jace and Ota. It was Jace and Ota, they were together even before he'd had the chance to fully awaken his brother himself. His closest brother had become his youngest brother, and still Ruro thought highly of him.
"Sorry if you, well, yeah, she is." He tried to skirt around the issue, knew he was probably failing. Ruro slowed the truck, stopping in front of the right house. Light was on, and the rain had slowed somewhat, so the younger man wouldn't get too wet getting to his door. He shifted the truck into park.
"We're here." Not like he could say that he knew Shingoro would get another girlfriend or something, but he had a very good feeling about that happening eventually.

[Shingoro Deva]

He nodded, suddenly not in the greatest of moods. He was going to be in trouble shortly, he had a headache from nothing at all, and he'd just found out that the girl he'd liked for months was getting married. One couldn't really blame him for his reactions, in reality... His head felt like someone was trying to punch their way out from inside.

The truck stopped at his house, and he looked gratefully to the older man. "Thanks. This day could have sucked a whole lot more if you hadn't picked me up." Not that the raging headache he was getting was a good thing, but it was better than getting home two hours from now, soaking wet and getting sick. He sighed, looking through the window towards the house before nodding at him again. "I'll tell Boss you said hello." With that, he was leaping out of the truck, closing the door just a bit too hard in an effort to keep the water out.

He didn't bother jogging through the yard, but just walked. It didn't really matter anyway, since he was already soaked. When he hit the front door, he turned back and waved at the man again through the glass before heading inside.