estoria | ( OPEN )

[ The ridiculous "gamer tag" had worn off and disappeared a few hours after he had found himself dumped so unceremoniously in this place. At least once evening set in Pitch could make use of the lengthening shadows. For once being pleased to be unseen as night swallowed up the day leaving only the tiny pinpricks of stars as reminders.

The number and address were crumpled in one hand, long since memorized. Pitch Black had, at first, tried to convince himself that the invitation meant nothing. There was no way Haru, or anyone for that matter, would just open themselves up to dark dreams. so Pitch stayed away... but then his curiosity got the better of his judgement.

so with that damnable slip of paper in hand he peered out from one of the closets used for storage and extra bedding. You'd think it would be cramped for someone as tall as he was, but in truth he was oddly agile. It's actually something out of a Gieger painting, so be glad if you miss the creepy closet monster. Peering very cautiously around the door, the bedroom looks empty...]

[ and it is, right up until the door opens to a pile of laundry and a small figure carrying it. haru steps inside and sets the basket on the floor, then straightens-- and shrieks in surprise, both hands clapping over his mouth to muffle it (and to keep his swords from hearing and charging in). ]

Pitch-san! [ holy shit you almost gave him a heart attack. he finally lowers his hands, pale eyes wide and still-startled. ] .. Why was I expecting you to use the door..

[ he hesitates, then makes a gesture to the room. ] Did you already know this was my room, or was it a lucky guess?

[ Pitch just answers with an obnoxious grin. ]

Why you silly boy. Though, if you prefer, there is always the shadow under the bed~?

[ So it was a lucky guess. But it's far more fun to imply otherwise. Being seen is such a new novelty too, especially since if this is Haru's room, it might be worth it to
snoop.

Like with this laundry basket for instance. The question on everyone's mind is boxers or briefs? ]

[ haru pauses, then shakes his head, shifting to show that there's.. no actual bed. ] I sleep on a futon, Pitch-san. It's in the other closet right now. You're more than welcome to the closet if that's comfortable for you, though, or I can get out another futon. [ sure, he's not at home now, but habits are hard to break.

and the laundry seems to be a mix of his and the swords', so who knows..

he gestures him out of the closet, coughing into his sleeve as he does. (he's.. still sick, but he seems to finally be getting better.) ]

You should introduce yourself to everyone when you get a chance. Please try not to scare them, though. Some of my spirits are.. actually really traumatized.

[ See, this is what you get for trying to be a sarcastic git. He hadn't quite meant it literally, but okay. We'll just call this awkward pause...listening. Yeah. Listening. ]

'Introduce myself'? Who do you think I am? No, if they wish to meet me they can say so. But if it's the closet, then so be it. I don't sleep as you mortals do. Or eat. Or otherwise behave in a way you deem 'nice'.

[ Strolling around, Pitch curiously picked at various things throughout the room. Sorry, Haru, but he's really not very nice. ]

I am no stranger to battlefields if that's what you're worried about.

I'm not asking you to be like everyone else. I just want my spirits to know who they're sharing their home with now, that's all.

[ he folds himself down neatly to kneel on the floor, beginning to take the laundry out to fold it. to be in the presence of the boogeyman, haru's remarkably comfortable around him. but then again, that happens once he's decided he's adopted someone into his weird family. ]

.. It's not just battlefields. Some of their trauma comes from old owners, or from things that have happened to them outside the battlefield. Some of them-- [ he pauses with a shirt in his lap, staring down at it, teeth digging into his lower lip. ] Some of them are really.. really damaged, and I'm doing my best, but-- [ he takes a shuddering breath, seeming to shake himself and then glancing back up. ] A-Anyway. This is a home if you need it. All I really ask is that everyone here treats everyone else with respect.

[ Sitting right down and folding laundry as if there isn't a seven foot, creepy guy in black blending a bit too well with a corner of the room. This, right here, is the reason Pitch decided he'd be better off haunting the shadows of this very busy, very noisy, very alive home.

Bad dreams were a pittance compared to this, and Pitch knew it. He privately thought it was a shame Haru was mortal, and that if anyone knew about his affection for a mortal, he'd probably never hear the end of it.]

Respect is earned. But I take your meaning.

[ He can't really help but smile for the next bit; ]

I am what I am. Sometimes I just can't help myself~

Oh. [ a pause, blinking back up at pitch again as he finishes the shirt and sets it aside. ] Well.. you know.. jump-scares and things like that are one thing. Like I said, we get them from Tsuru-san a lot. But.. just.. be a little more careful with them than me, okay?

[ haru's had a shitty childhood and he has a lot to have nightmares about, but he has very little actual trauma. and he loves and wants to protect his swords, just like he loves and wants to protect jack, and just like--given a little more time--he'll love and want to protect pitch. that's just.. how his personality works.

he glances back down as he picks out some complicated looking garment--probably one of the newer swords', since they haven't had time to get new clothes, yet--beginning to fold it neatly. ]

I know you don't really have to eat like we do, but if there is some food you like, if you tell me, I'll make sure to keep it. [ he keeps ice-cream for jack, after all. ] I'm not usually home until later in the afternoon, since I take Sousei-san's class, but there's always someone here. Umm.. [ a tiny line forms between his brows as he tries to think of anything pitch might need to know. ] I guess.. that's all of the big stuff. You already know that Jack-kun comes by sometimes.

[ Pitch...didn't answer that. He was silent entirely, in fact, he just looked at Hsru folding laundry, making it clear on no uncertain terms that he would not tolerate anything more than the most superficial kind of fear. There was to be no exploitation of past trauma.

It was like putting a steak in front of a hungry dog. Then warning the dog so it understood if it went for the steak, it would lose it's nice, comfortable home. Then one steak becomes several. The similarity didn't escape him, either, and honestly he didn't know whether to laugh st the irony or hate it.

For the moment he canted his head, birdlike, and actually ended up showing a fair amount of concern. ]

Are you completely sure you still want to do this?

[ It's an uncharacteristic display of concern, Haru. If you want out, don't want to deal with the nightmares, or just plain don't want to deal with Pitch, this is your last chance. ]

( He's tired. Ugh, he's been tired all month and this is really frustrating, you know? The last thing he really wants to deal with is surprise guests hiding in closets. Like, who even does that?

He'd been given one task. One simple job. Get some extra blankets and such from the closet and set them up for the new sword spirits that would be moving in. Easy, right? So how come when he gets close to the closet, he just gets this feeling? Is he sensing a spirit? Or just another body in the apartment? It's hard to tell and he sort of just... stands there for a moment, watching the closet warily.

Look, if this is supposed to be some elaborate prank from someone, he isn't going to fall for it. He's too tired for this.

Your move. )

[ Close or far it's probably a better idea to make certain that when that closet door does start to ever so slowly start to creak it's way open a bit...there's nothing there.

Because the creepy closet monster has crawled his way out via the ceiling and trying to creep past a certain sword spirit without him noticing. ]

( What is this... a horror movie...??? Mutsu is not so familiar with this genre but that's creepy. And if there's one thing Mutsu is hyper sensitive about, it's the dark. He really doesn't like being unable to see. His old master was killed at night, you know. So he focuses his senses and it really doesn't take him long at all to notice something moving. )

Alright, real funny. ( Except he doesn't sound amused at all and he steps back towards the bedroom door, shutting it. He then places one hand at the grip of his sword while the other moves to turn the light on. ) Who's here and why're ya hiding in the dark?

[ To Mutsunokami it likely seems like something out of a horror movie. Or at the least a little creepy? (Pitch can only hope after all) but since he honestly would have to make peace with the spirits already here, Pitch kept his distance and spoke up before the light came on. }

I'd rather you didn't. And for the record, I'm not hiding, I'm trying to be polite.

( Despite his fatigue, he draws his sword in an instant and aims it defensively towards the direction he heard the voice. It came from above him but all he sees is darkness. He doesn't like this... he really doesn't like it. )

Polite? Skulkin` around in the shadows? ( What is he dealing with? ) How about ya show ya'rself since ya're such a nice guy.

[ At first it's just light reflecting off golden eyes shining back like cats eyes in the night. Then the eyes come down the opposite wall, and though there' a blase between them the eyes come closer until their owner resolves out of the gloom.

He's ridiculously tall, ridiculously thin, and ridiculously dark. Honestly it's a wonder anybody would see him in a dark room. Everything is black, or grey. Except his eyes, his eyes are so bright, they almost glow.

That blade is also still between them. ]

I did not use your shadow, and low light means I don't have to a shadow of my own to use, but I never did well in the light.

Edited 2015-09-22 13:07 (UTC)

[You know, he's only in here to get a spare futon for his, Kashuu's and Yamato's room, in case either of them thinks sharing beds is too crowded some nights. He actually leans right past Pitch at first, wrestling with the unwieldy roll, his clearly emaciated body not making it entirely easy on him.

And then... ah. Ahem. A really tall, not entirely human-looking guy is standing around in the closet? Okay then. Somehow, this isn't nearly as surprising as it should be.

Of course, Souji does jerk back away from him, the startled breath he expels immediately starting a minor coughing fit, and he waves a hand feebly at the surprise wardrobe lurker as if to say he'll soon be done. Sure enough, he is wiping the blood away from his lips with a handkerchief only a moment later, smiling bleakly and apologetically.]

Ah, sorry. You startled me a bit. [A short bow follows. His voice is still a bit shaky and harsh.] I'm guessing you're one of Haru-kun's friends? I see no sword on you, so...

Edited 2015-09-23 23:04 (UTC)

[ Pitch really is trying to be polite, and ingratiate himself here, so as he seemed to unfold from the closet, he brought the futon roll out for Souji. He wasn't sure about linens, though... And just imagine if someone saw him now. The great King of Nightmares humbled to thinking of bed linens.

Physically he was still the same; tall, thin to the point of wiry, and a bit more than "human-strong". Though at the moment Pitch seemed as stooped and tired as an old raven. He shrugged, gold eyes flashing. ]

I wouldn't say 'friend', exactly. But Haru did invite me.

[Souji's eyes light up a bit in gratitude as the futon follows the latest addition to the household out. It's frustrating and humiliating, of course, that he can't even seem to gather the strength for such simple things anymore - but it's also easier to humbly accept help here in Cerealia, when he knows that he'll be getting better with time.]

Ah, thank you. I'd rather not have to go ask my former swords for help with that - they'd probably scold me for trying to do it by myself.

[A light laugh, casual and bright.] Ah, but then we're in a similar position right now, I suppose. I was invited to live here rather recently as well, though I've been staying here quite a lot before. [He tilts his head thoughtfully.] Though on different grounds, most likely. You're some other sort of spirit, I'm guessing?

Edited 2015-09-24 08:02 (UTC)

{ Extraordinary.This mortal ws weakened, but was still able to see him with perfect clarity. Pitch did incline his head briefly. since having the futon roll in hand did mean he could not execute the sort of dramatic and courtly bow he wanted to. ]

You guess correctly. I am another kind of spirit altogether.

[ And since Souji was already having to look way up at seven feet of creepy and thin, Pitch put the roll by hi feet and straitened up up to his full height. ]

The Boogeyman.

[Souji is quite unaware of the strangeness of the situation, apart from the more obvious strangeness of Pitch himself. Back home, it would be strange, because he doesn't have any spiritual powers the way Hajime does, and the only supernatural creature he's ever seen was one which rather specifically was haunting him. Then again, as it's Pitch... who can say? Souji does at least in some ways have the simplistic mind of a child.

Now he gazes up at the spirit with obvious respect, even a bit of excitement, but also some puzzlement.]

Ah, I take it that the name is a more Western phenomenon, then? I don't think I've ever heard it - but then again, I can't say I'm the most well-educated person around. [He laughs a bit apologetically.]

[ Strange? Oh you sweet summer child you haven't seen anything yet. Pitch gives that far too knowing grin and spreads his hands. ]

It is western. You likely know me as the Namahage. Which, while fun to steal the odd small child while the household is busy laughing and chasing those in costume, it's not a good look to keep year round.

[ Not that he could have. He'd tried before. But Pitch faded no matter how his appearance had changed. East or west. ]

[Souji's eyes grow wider still, looking practically haunting in that hollowed-out face. He remembers being afraid, as a child, of being taken away. He wasn't a good kid, after all. He had made everything so hard for his family.

But that is only the memory of old apprehensions, there for a moment and gone in the next. He even smiles only shortly thereafter, childish and adult beyond his years all at once. Fear is a constant in life, after all.]

So you scare children all around the world wearing different faces? In scary stories and bad dreams, that sort of thing?

[ 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...

[Strangely, it's not so hard for him to accept. Of course, darker spirits have to accept as well as lighter ones, that only makes sense. It's just how the world works. As someone who has been called the child of an oni, and who has prided himself on doing very bad things so that other people don't have to, it's what he has always believed.

He gasps a bit at the trick with the shadow, but honestly seems more delighted than intimidated - certainly impressed.]

That's something even adults have - but I suppose it's easier to make a child believe a dream. When we grow up, we tend to dismiss them as soon as we wake up.

Still, everyone has something they're afraid of, is that what you're saying?

[ Pitch sneered at first. He didn't much like the reminder that it was apparently easy to dismiss him as a 'bad dream'. But after a moment his lip curled in a smirk. ]

Yes. Though with adults it's altogether different. Children are frightened or brave by equal measure. They ear children they know no better.

[ And showing off a bit again with parlor trick magic, Pitch's shadow detached from him and both he and his shadow seemed to bow to each other. Then It came back an simply became a shadow again as Pitch faced Souji. ]

With adults, by and large, it's secrets.

( OPEN )

03/05

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slides in here

sliding out up here .-.

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