estoria | ( OPEN )

[They're in the same boat there, at least. Kashuu sounds sure of himself, but he sounds so sure because there is no secondary option. Things will have to be okay, and they will have to succeed, because it's impossible for him to imagine a scenario where that isn't the case. Failure is simply not a part of the equation, because if he let it be, it would poke and prod at the weaknesses in him until failure became the only part of the equation.

So he just gently pets Namazuo's head and smiles in a fleeting but sincere way, like that will be enough of a promise to reaffirm "we can do it".]

Nah, not really. [Silly is Kanesada showing up and being forced into a pink dinosaur costume... This makes sense to him.

That second statement gives him pause, though...]

Eh? [A quick... glance down...]

[No, Kashuu, he didn't suddenly lose his robe while you weren't looking... but there's a reason he hadn't changed immediately after bathing, and it's only partially because of his dumb arm.]

...When I came back, my clothes were still ruined. I scared people on the street, so... I had to change into the first thing I could find.

[With his good hand, he points at the pile of shiny fabric and ribbons. He'll hang it up eventually...]

[He was kind of concerned for a second, okay. Weirder things have happened...

But he'll look over toward said pile of shiny fabric and ribbons when it's gestured to, both brows raising. Huh... Actually - doesn't that look pretty familiar?]

Where'd you get that? And where're your ruined clothes?

[If the damage isn't too bad, he doesn't mind washing and fixing them up. It's the least he can do, really... Even if it hardly matters either way since their clothes just poof back to normal after repairs, regardless.]

[UGHHH KASHUU WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ASK THAT... Namazuo sure is attempting to bury his face in the space between Kashuu's shoulder and the sofa now.]

I... in a shop... [Mumble, mumble, hey, they should really clean this couch sometime.] I'll go back and pay for it tomorrow.

[As for his ruined clothes, he points towards his bedroom.] They're in the laundry bin. I didn't know what else to do with them.

[HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE AN EMBARRASSING STORY BEHIND THIS.

But his gaze follows Namazuo's finger as he points over toward his room, and his nose wrinkles a little.]

You don't have to pay for it, it's fine. It was gonna be for you eventually, anyway. [Robbing his boutique... PUNK. But instead of explaining that, he just bounces to the next point of conversation like a bumblebee.]

The rest of that can probably be thrown out, yeah?

[WHAT THE HECK KASHUU DON'T JUST CHANGE THE SUBJECT!! Now Namazuo's looking at him in surprise and slight concern.]

Kashuu-kun! Stealing is wrong! I'm touched you thought of me, but you don't need to do something like that...!

[Maybe Namazuo should've visited Kashuu's boutique before this, oops. But now he just thinks Kashuu was planning to start a life of crime?!]

[WHAT THE HECK NAMAZUO he's a police sword??]

I mean, you could pay me for it if you wanted, but you'd be the only one who would...? Like I said, it was gonna be for you eventually!

[He doesn't even realize that 1) Namazuo's never been to his shop and 2) he never actually mentioned his sewing plans to anyone...]

[KASHUU STOP YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR, DON'T BECOME A THUGGER MUGGER]

What?! I'm not going to pay you! I'm going to go to the shop and pay for it properly!

[IT'S TOO LATE, he's turned to a life of crime...]

The money would be going to the same place in the end, since that's my shop. [Or "the shop I work at" since he doesn't own it but CLOSE ENOUGH.] I made that, y'know? It was gonna be a surprise but I guess it found its way to you first.

[Through really unfortunate means...]

[Wait.

What.

RECORD SCRATCH--]

...Your shop?

[Oh god. WHAT HAS HE DONE. HE ROBBED KASHUU HOW COULD HE]

--I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was yours!! When did you get a shop? Why do you have a shop?!

[Lord, lord, lord!! They have more important things to focus on than his shop!!]

You don't need to apologize! Geez! The circumstances were totally out of your hands. [And really dire?!]

Anyway, it's the shop I work at as a designer and salesperson. It's not my shop, technically... But that outfit was mine. I made it!

I could've run home faster...!

[Okay, yeah, he'd just gotten back from being dead and he was a little lost and disoriented, but still. HE STOLE FROM KASHUU he's gonna have to buy so many frog hats to make up for this...]

Oh... it's like my painting job, then. [Well, at least he's not bursting into tears.] Heeeh... I didn't know Kashuu-kun was so talented.

Don't be dumb.

[Namazuo is being WAY TOO HARD ON HIMSELF for a guy who just got back from being dead and all, god.

But he'll just nod in response to that, since yep, it sure is. Just way more refined...]

What do you think I use my free time for, huh? I practice sewing every day! ...Eh, nearly.

[LOOK... are you really gonna hold it against him if he wants to be ridiculous right now? He died, and it hurt, and it's a little bit terrifying to think about where he'd been, and where he hadn't. Namazuo may be one of the more "human" swords, but that certainly doesn't mean he's great at talking about his feelings. Not the negative ones, anyway.

So he'll focus on the sewing, and let himself be distracted by the inane as long as Kashuu will humor it.]

But don't they have machines that do that?

[Tsukumogami sewing machines...]

[Kashuu of all people - swords - swordpeople - knows what it's like to run away from the negative, unpleasant things... So even though he wants to prompt a little more (holding in feelings about death will never really help, he's sure), he also respects Namazuo's apparent desire to keep away from those darker sentiments.

Maybe later, when it isn't as fresh, he'll bring it up again.]

Sewing machines, yeah. That's just one of the things I learned how to use, but a true tailor's gotta know how to do things by hand, too.

Hmmm... have you made one for master already?

[Namazuo is not a devious sword. He's not even really that clever, not in a nefarious sense. But he is intelligent. And he might not be Kashuu's dearest friend, but he knows what sorts of subjects make him happy.

Kashuu had a difficult time too. Can Namazuo really be blamed for shifting the focus onto those subjects? Isn't it better for everyone this way?]

I hope he's not too shy to wear it...

[A TRULY DEVIOUS SWORD--

Except no, just a caring one. And who's Kashuu to say that it's a bad idea to set things to the side to deal with later? That would just be an entirely new level of hypocritical.

That said, it's not really an act when his expression lights up at the mention of making one for Haru...]

D'you think we could talk him into wearing it? He'd need something extra special!

[Thanks for not being a hypopotamus, Kashuu. Namazuo appreciates it! And maybe in the future, when all of this is less tender, he'll be more willing to open up and talk about it. Or maybe they can all just move forward from here. He'd be fine with that.

But for now, he just fiddles with the empty sleeve, nodding and smiling.]

I bet we could. Something pink, maybe? Or white?

[YOU CAN'T ESCAPE HIM FOREVER NAMAZUO...

He's giving this some serious thought, that said.]

Mmm... Pink might clash with what's in his hair unless I made it in a really close shade. White might be nice, though! Maybe white with pink accents? Y'know, I asked him what his favorite color was once and he said he didn't have one.

[Okay but is Kashuu gonna remember this or will his offended rage at bouncy house shenanigans wipe it from his memory]

Oh, that would be cute! He'd look kind of like Imano-kun that way... maybe pink and green, to match his eyes. [--wait hold up] What? Of course he does! Everyone has a favorite color.

[He'll remember it at some nebulous point and time in the future, maybe... Ages from now when no one else remembers.]

Green and white would be better than pink and green. He'd just look like a watermelon, then. [Not that that'd be a bad look for him...

BUT--]

I know, right? That's what I said! He was totally wishy-washy about it though, so I don't think he was lying.

What's wrong with looking like a watermelon?

[HE WENT THERE what does Kashuu have against food and fashion, honestly... but more importantly, why doesn't Haru have a favorite color. What is this.]

Do you think he just didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings?

Why d'you wanna look like a food so bad?

[Literally what the fuck Namazuo, STOP TRYING TO MAKE FASHION INTO FOOD. They're two separate categories, let them live!!]

Mm, I don't think so. He seemed kinda surprised by the question, almost? Like... I don't even know if anyone's ever asked him before.

Why not!

[Kashuu thinks cherries are cute, okay, he's just trying to understand this complex web of contradictions!! Gosh!!]

Really... [Aww, Haruji.] Then I suppose you have to make him an outfit in every color and see which one he wears the most!

It's just not a good look!

[CHERRIES ARE CUTE. Cupcakes and sweets are also cute! Not sandwiches or potatoes or fish, good lord.

He's also looking a little disbelieving at that. HE LOVES HARU, BUT STILL.]

That'd take a pretty long time...

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