Chapter Text
Ramuda kicks the door open, hands in his pockets as he announces: “I’m here, so hurry the fuck up and tell me what the hell you want me here for already.”
Part of him is already expecting one answer, though he hopes it isn’t what will actually happen today. He only has so much patience, and being this close to Amayado is already testing it. Unfortunately.
He didn’t even want to be here in the first place, but it’s not like he has much of a choice when his life is on the line. As much as he would want to think otherwise, he’s still reliant on his candies to continue living, and only Amayado now can supply those lollipops. So he’ll have to put up with Amayado’s bullshit for just a little longer.
(He’s not sure how long he’ll have to keep waiting.)
Amayado leans back in his chair like he has all the time in the world—his white lab coat irritatingly bright against the black of his chair—and looks at Ramuda with a smirk on his face. He waggles a finger at Ramuda. “Ah, ah, ah~ Naughty kids don’t fly around here. Chill out, Ramuda-chan—”
Ramuda doesn’t hide his grimace, and Amayado’s smirk only grows wider.
“—where would throwing a fit get you, huh?”
‘Still get me stuck here.’ Ramuda doesn’t say, but he certainly shows it in his expression and glare. He hisses out an exhale through his teeth to calm down. A breath in, and he speaks with a bite to his voice. “You’re the one who wanted me to come all the way out here. Get to the point already.”
Amayado laughs for a moment, before he clarifies with: “You’re here to give some lessons to the others, Ramuda-sensei~”
Ramuda’s brows furrow in both annoyance and confusion. Obviously Amayado’s talking about the clones, but what kind of lessons would need Ramuda as a teacher when Amayado didn’t seem to have any intentions of replacing him?
Besides, at this point he’s certain that any replacements wouldn’t be able to fool his posse, and he knows Amayado knows that. So what the hell?
… Or… is Amayado just too lazy to properly teach the clones, so he’s dragging Ramuda over here to do the work instead?
Bastard.
Still, Ramuda crosses his arms and frowns. Playing dumb would get him more answers than assuming. “Lessons? Don’t they already know how to rap? What do you need me for?”
Amayado snorts, hands in his pockets and appearing completely casual for whatever bullshit errand he’s passing onto Ramuda. “You get the honorable job of teaching your siblings how to maintain the lab and take care of Eve.”
“What, you’re not bothering to do any of that yourself so you’re making them do it?” Ramuda scowls, but his interest is piqued. Who knew that Amayado would actually trust him and the clones enough to be fine with them taking care of his comatose wife?
… Hm. Now that he thinks about it, why does Amayado want him to teach the clones that now? Before now, it’s been mostly Ramuda, and when he’s not here it’s reasonable to assume that Amayado had the time to maintain everything. But now Amayado wants him to teach the clones, so wouldn’t that…?
“... What are you planning?” Ramuda’s eyes narrow, gazing at Amayado in suspicion.
With the sort of irritatingly charming smile that he’d probably give to people he’s about to scam, Amayado answers: “I’m leaving some of the menial jobs to them. I plan to be away for a while, y’know? There’s work to be done and I was only born with two hands, so it’s time to teach them to earn their keep. Plus… they’re probably bored.”
Ramuda raises an eyebrow. “They’ve got enough of a sense of self to be bored now?”
Away for work… that can mean anything, and Ramuda knows better than to try and get more details. If it’s something that’ll take that much time, then… wait a second.
He frowns. “You’re not going to make me teach them how to cook too, are you?”
“You catch on quick.” Amayado’s eyes glint in amusement as he maintains eye contact. “I can’t feed that many mouths on my own—”
“Bullshit, they’ve been here this entire time so you've been feeding them just fine!”
“—and you need to teach them how to be more self-sufficient. That includes cooking.”
“Absolutely not.” Ramuda shoots back immediately. “Sure, lab maintenance and all that, but you teach them how to cook. Or just have them order takeout!”
What’s left unsaid is that Ramuda doesn’t… exactly know how to cook. Sure he’s helped out Ichiro and Samatoki whenever he drops by their places, but he’s never cooked by himself before. Takeout’s been working just fine for him.
Though… he wonders if baking desserts would make enough of a meal. He can do that by himself, at least.
“How cute,” says Amayado, in the sort of tone that makes his amusement towards Ramuda’s defiance obvious, “Anyway, I have work to do. Be sure to fix dinner tonight.”
Amayado leaves no space for rebuttals as he stands up, and with a swish of his lab coat (entirely for dramatics, Ramuda’s sure) he walks further into the lab. The automatic door slides shut and locks behind him.
Fuck, did Ramuda want to poison Amayado’s food. He wouldn’t, because he still needs his damn candies, but boy does he want to.
But as for what to make for food… he mulls it over, slowly walking into a separate room as he does so.
The interior of this room is plain and smoothly tiled. Ramuda strips off his clothes one by one, starting from the bottom and working his way up until he finally takes off his shirt and folds them all neatly on the wallside table. His ribbon is placed next to his clothes, and he walks to the middle of the room to turn on the shower there.
The water is lukewarm, like always. Ramuda takes his time showering, considering his options. Since he knows the clones’ tastes, and Amayado probably has all the ingredients Ramuda needs stocked up somewhere…
Okay, cake it is! He likes it, the clones like it, and none of it’s gonna be left over for Amayado!
With that thought in mind, he finishes washing himself and dries himself with mid-quality towels (maybe he should bring some of his own, he bets 024 at least would like more things to curl up under). Putting on the boring white hospital gown and slippers provided for him (if he has time he should make more colorful ones to bring next visit so the clones can have more color in their lives, but he doesn’t know if Amayado would allow them), he crosses to the other side of the room.
Opening the door that leads further into the labs, he steps through and watches as thirty pairs of eyes immediately turn to his direction.
