estoria | ( OPEN )

[ haru blinks in mild alarm at the sight of the familiar black ribbon, but then his mouth quirks faintly. ]

Spoils of battle, huh?

[ he curls it around his hand to keep it out of the way, then returns to his braiding, hands careful and surprisingly quick. but then, he does have three younger sisters, after all. ]

I saw Iwa-san earlier. If I'd known the two of you were arriving together, I would've put you in the same room. [ as it is, he'll have to place ima somewhere else, at least temporarily. ]

[ he makes a displeased noise at the comment. 'worse things'.. ] That may be so, but that doesn't mean I want you to be hurt. [ he hates it when one of his spirits is injured, particularly because there's nothing he can actually do to stop it. the only thing he can do is take care of them when they come back to him, bandage their human bodies and repair their vessels. ] .. Please take better care of yourself, Yamato-kun. You're very important to me, you know.

[ that said, he's quiet for a few moments as he glances back up at the spirit, brows drawing together slightly. ] I-- I had a feeling it might be difficult. Did you want to sleep in my room until you get used to having him around..? I don't.. want to push anything on you..

[ haru watches kousetsu with some alarm. the samonjis stay with tenka and sousei, so he doesn't see them every day the way he does the other spirits.. but even so, he knows that this exhaustion isn't normal for kousetsu. .. weird, mutsu and dotanuki have been like this, too.

he marks his place in his book and sets it aside, then turns and gently pushes kousetsu back to rest against the cushions a little more. ]

Just.. try to relax for a while, Kousetsu-san. [ he finds the remote, lifting it to flip channels. ] I don't really watch much tv, but I'm sure we can find something..

[ haru doesn't smile at kasen, because haru probably has no idea how to actually smile, but his eyes warm fondly at the greeting. ]

Sure, I don't mind. [ rolling his sleeves up as he watches the other man, he glances up at the question. ] Mm.. sort of? I can practice a few times to make sure, I guess. [ he'd suggest that even his screw-ups will still taste fine, but he knows how kasen is about aesthetics. he can just save his practice pieces for his lunch tomorrow. ]

You didn't waste any time starting work.. [ he appreciates it, but he also wouldn't have been unhappy if the spirit had taken a few days to acclimate. ]

.. It can't be helped, I'm always going to get hurt because I have to protect you and everyone else. Please don't see the pain that I go through as a bad thing. [ Besides, what they all do is for each other, for the Saniwa and for some motive that they each have placed in the back of their mind. For Yamato, looking at the places where he got hurt — he isn't so fond of them but they'll pass. ] As long as I can continue to do what I do now, I think that is taking care of myself.

[ There's a nod of his head as he smiles, maybe he doesn't know what he's saying or perhaps he does — but he's never been so scared of getting hurt of dying. It is understandable that Haru was the one who made the living arrangements and maybe he did guess how Yamato would feel or thought something would be off. ] Huh? .. He's always been there for me, there were moments where I thought I could hear his voice — even no.. [ Maybe he should stop talking about Souji as if he's dead, his cheeks are slightly red as he clears his throat. ]

He said he wouldn't sleep in a bed unless I was there.. I cannot allow him to sleep uncomfortably.. but.. if I need space, moving away when both he and Kiyomitsu are asleep is an idea I have in mind. [ Even when he probably won't actually follow through with it. ] But I am glad you are thinking about his [ Okita-kun's ] well-being. If I become too burdensome for him or too much, I will gladly stay in your room. [ Ugh Yamato, you're not suppose to make yourself sound like a problem? Either way in his eyes, Okita-kun comes first! ]

Mm, you can, yes. Just let me know how many, just to be sure that there will be enough.

[ Not that it's really a question, though. Kasen is used to cooking for the entire Citadel, so he also tends to make way too much... It works out well though, all things considered, since it does mean more food. ]

And of course I'll make you a bento, Kashuu-kun. I'll make it extra cute just for you.

[ Since Kasen is enough of a mom to know that's more what Kashuu cares about than the actual food... ]

As am I. Though this may be quite an... odd place otherwise, at the very least I am glad to have comrades here by my side. It makes it feel much more familiar, at the very least.

[ He makes a soft, affirming noise at that, but it's followed by a gentle laugh when Namazuo half whines about the cooking time. WHY ARE SWORDS SO FAT... they don't even need to eat. ]

Really. You don't want to eat undercooked food, now do you? If you get sick, it would be terrible! [ for everyone tbh since I don't imagine swords take getting sick well ]

[ He finishes dipping up the bowl to his satisfaction, and then offers it to her with a bright, warm smile. It's clear that he puts a lot of care into his food, not only with the detail in it, but also with how happy he seems to share. ]

Then please, enjoy.

[ Once she takes it, he looks around, then nods. ]

...Which I do think that very well may be the last of people to get their bowl. Would you mind terribly if I joined you?

[ Well he can't promise that is why he stays quiet, making sure his vessel is back where it needs to be and begins to hide his hands into the sleeve of his outfit. With a tilt of his head, he takes a moment to think if he really wants to have a pet animal by his side. He isn't so sure what this would mean for him but he points towards the window that he almost fell out of. ]

What about the twenty that followed us home, I could just keep them? [ He guesses Kashuu and them just pick up cats off the street. ]

[ YAMATO DOESN'T LIKE MOVIES! HE LIKES READING BOOKS AND STUFF.. HE MUST HAVE MISSED THEM. *eyez the thread of ishikimaru praying to TV, i guess he missed movie night too* ]

Huh? I thought you said it was just a moving picture? [ UGH NAMAZUO, WHY DO YOU CONFUSE HIM!! Turning on the faucet that's nearby, he puts a cup underneath the run of water so he can carry the glass over to the TV, slowly pouring the water over top an electronic device......

Where is the fire extinguisher? ]

We need a bigger bowl?

[ Ugh because that fire ate up the water and this just isn't going to work! ]

Then thank you! Even you practice will look good, I'm sure.

[ Maybe... Kasen may be a bit biased for his saniwa, and his biases are a terribly blinding thing. For his part, he's cutting the shapes deftly, which is no surprise, since there's a sizable bowl of them already made. ]

But no, I did not... It's just what I needed, I think. After the terrible welcoming that CERES gave me, I was very upset! But ahh, I woke this morning and had the thought that I might as well make a meal, since you know, I did see Kashuu taking a truly sad lunch the other day. [ It was probably perfectly fine... ] And have you been eating well? I hope someone has at least been making dinner.

[The comment earns Haru a laugh, and Kashuu releases the hair he'd been tugging so he can smooth it back down instead. His hand lingers there, gentle; the feel of Haru's hair beneath his fingers is familiar and welcome.]

It looks good on you, y'know! Pink's way cute.

[And Haru is cute too, so it fits! But for that-- There's a pause, and he lapses into a somewhat thoughtful silence.]

It's gonna take that gloomy guy a while to adjust, but I think he'll be fine. Okita's always been real good at dealing with him, anyway. Try not to worry too much, 'kay?

I will, I will! I'm super excited to invite one guy especially, 'cause getting him to agree was way hard. [TECHNICALLY HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY AGREE, EITHER... Alas, this is what he gets for befriending Kashuu.

He also basically sparkles with delight to hear that, too. KASEN, HIS FAVORITE MEMBER OF TEAM MOM.]

Thanks! All of my coworkers are gonna be way jealous. No one else has nice lunches like that and some of 'em don't even eat lunch at all, y'know? [LAME.]

[ Haru's rewarded with the lowest rumble of a contented sigh and the slowly sagging shoulders of a fox who for the longest time, was tense. Not that Haru would lie about having done the same thing for his siblings, but at least it's undoubtedly confirmed. ]

They are. [ He wiggles back into those hands... Kogi could get used to this. ] It brings me a lot of relief, knowing they're present.

[ He brightens up at the mention of Mikazuki. That's easily felt in the room. ]

Yes. It's been a very big worry. I hope you are equally relieved.

[despite his quiet, he really enjoys company...but people don't always stay unless you talk to them. it's a dilemma. and it's even harder to talk with those fingers in his hair...naki leans into the touch, enjoying the feeling as he tries to get his thoughts in order.]

Everything's new.....[so sometimes it's] Confusing.

[he opens his eyes slightly to look down at his lap, lacing and unlacing his fingers together.] ...I like it, though.

[YAMATO WHAT THE SHIT. No. No, they don't just pick up cats off the street...]

They might belong to someone else, duh. [Or they might be defective! Defective robot cats!!]

A-ny-way! Shishiou brought us ours back when he was here 'cause he worked at a CyBuddy shop. We can probably still use some coupons there.

[ Pitch smirked and bent to pick up the rolled futon then seamlessly slid into a tight circle around Souji. His shadow left his signature of being a bit disjointed. As though it was slow to follow him. ]

As long as somebody is afraid of those "scary stories" then yes.

[ Ending up where he started, Pitch waited for his shadow, like a streak of ink in the floor, to catch up with him. Alright so maybe he was showing off a bit. ]

Nightmares, though? That's something else...

Thank you very much! Ah, it's beautiful.

[She takes the offered bowl, and really it does look like an artwork. There's a lot of care in his ingredients, something that she wholeheartedly can respect.]

It would be an honour to be in your company, after you have made and shared this.

[With the bowl cradled in her hands, she'll stand and wait for him to ready himself his own serving first.]

( Every knock makes his heart beat a little harder in his chest but he doesn't worry! He's called for help and he's safe inside where Yamato can't reach him. But wow, this sure is like a scene from a horror story. There's a demon outside the door, knocking to come in, and saying his name in the most cryptic way but suddenly it all stops.

He holds his breath and listens, waiting to see what will happen next. Yamato wouldn't give up. He's a Shinsengumi sword and those guys never give up. They're far too stubborn. But he doesn't hear a thing and this is very concerning. He felt safer when Yamato was making a scene because at least he knew what was going on.

And then it happens.

Fwip!

Right through the door, right through his hair, ah.... he hits the ground flat on his stomach before his hair can even fall. An electronic beep signals an incoming message on his Ceresvice and he fumbles to read it.

Ah... all he can hear is Yamato's maniacal laugher in the background. )

Ya'll never catch me! Never!

( He's going to escape... he'll find another window. )

Edited 2015-09-30 06:26 (UTC)

( It's a strange title for a book, he thinks, tilting his head some to see the cover. With a title like that, he can't really guess what the story is about. Perhaps, it's a book of poetry? Luckily, he doesn't have to think too much about it. He let's Haru brush back his hair but as soon as he asks if he's fine, he begins to sit up.

He doesn't want Haru to worry. He's fine. He'll prove it. )

I'm okay! ( Exhausted but okay. ) Everything's okay so don't worry. I'm guess I'm just a li'l under the weather right now, haha... Something's probably going around.

( Because there's Vietnam and Kousetsu and Doutanuki... of course, he and Vietnam have begun to figure out Ceres might be behind this. Granted, it's just a hunch but...the timing and order of things made sense. But there's no reason to worry Haru. )

I have tried...many things here as well. Humans are very good at making sweet confections I have found out. [ Kousetsu looks down once before digging in. He'll take a scoop and taste it, surprised at the flavor. It was...really good. ]

It is...very good, Dotanuki-san. [ He'll eat just a little more. Sweet but not too overpowering. ]

Do they have ice flavors similar to donuts? [ He was just curious is all. Since they're both sweet it would make sense to combine their flavors, right? ]

[ Kousetsu is taken by surprise at those motions. He wasn't really expecting Haru to...push him back into the couch like that. But once he's done it, Kousetsu can't really find the energy to sit back up. So he'll nod in acknowledgement. He does look distant and deep in thought before he turns to regard Haru again. ]

...I am sorry. For making you worry. [ About literally everything this month. Between Souza leaving and now this. He didn't like to make Haru worry if he could help it. ]

[It doesn't take that long for Souji to settle in, really. If he's to be honest with himself, he'd always been more comfortable and happy whenever he was staying over with the swords, even during his first stay here. It was just that he hadn't wanted to intrude, hadn't wanted to get in the way. Now that he was invited on no uncertain terms, with the implication that he was going to be picked up and carried back if he tried to live somewhere else, he didn't have to worry about that anymore.

He enjoys sharing a living space with Kashuu and Yamato, but since they obviously can't stay in their room all day, neither will Souji. He's made himself a little spot on the floor of the living room with a futon and some pillows and a hidden stash of candy, and the frequency of someone walking past and talking to him for a while is enough not to make him fretful.

His eyes widen a bit when this time around, the person entering the room is Hijikata - but then again, he shouldn't be surprised. Haru does have a tendency of opening this home up to people, especially those who have a connection with spirits or with his swords. So after a moment, his face lights up with a smile, and he waves his hand a bit to draw the other man's attention.]

Hello, there. I wanted to have a quick word with you, if you don't mind. [How about we pretend that the whole self sacrifice thing never happened?]

Yes! So long as we're together, I'm sure we can handle whatever this place has in store for us. [MY LITTLE SWORD ~FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC~

And look, he just really likes eating okay? IT'S DELICIOUS. Who wouldn't enjoy delicious food??]

I'm sure a bite wouldn't make me sick! If that's even possible for us. [What if it isn't and Kasen is denying him for nothing? He's gonna starve for no reason...]

[ Mikazuki is not unfamiliar with such a reaction though he usually gets that instantly on a first meeting but he suspects that Souji's only respectfully bowing because they hadn't really introduced each other until they were already friendly. Not that it changes anything for the tachi, smiling politely prior to a well meaning laugh as he thanks Souji for all the formalities since he does enjoy the attention but he (kind of) hopes he won't be spoiled by him too much since Mikazuki can get very used to such things! There are already a few other swords and one certain Saniwa that spoil this old man but he'll never have the heart to turn any of it down.

He's careful to stay still amidst their talking, only answering when Souji moves from one section to the other or just finishes up tying sashes together. ] You would guess right, aha. The tea house sometimes feels like a host club on some days...though I don't do anything quite like that. [ Frankly speaking, Mikazuki enjoys the company as much as the customers probably do which is why he may be so highly requested. He seems to have a genuinely fun time when he entertains and his charms and habitually flirtatious attitude probably help a lot. Not to mention his beautiful face but of course he is well aware of all this. ]

Ah but, you are my work Senpai! When you get back to working at the tea house I would be very pleased to learn from you. [ It's obvious that Mikazuki is still over the moon that he technically has a superior. He's had masters sure, but there's just something so endearing about having a work friend and it's Souji Okita of all people! He thinks that he'll enjoy working at the tea house much more now. ]

( OPEN )

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UGH YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL WHEN IM BEHIND!!

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YOUR NAPS NEED U THO

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For Hijikata (backdated to a little while after the intro)

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