[open] two yakuza for the price of one

[perfectstrike]

Who: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu impheired, Peko Pekoyama perfectstrike, and you!
When: December 18-19th
Where: Various
What: Pekoyama and Kuzuryuu doing Pekoyama and Kuzuryuu things including (but not limited to) playing darts, handing out sweets at the cosplay café, and hanging out in the dojo. Also a post in which Peko has a million costume changes while Kuzuryuu has none.
Rating/Warning: None yet

---

Kuzuryuu
A. Gardens
[If you happen to be visiting the gardens today, perhaps enjoying a nice walk, you may notice this kid sitting on one of the benches. He doesn’t really appear to be doing much of anything though...he doesn’t even have that look that people sometimes get when they’re waiting for somebody. Maybe he’s just here to enjoy the scenery? Or is he people watching, it’s kind of hard to tell. Maybe it’s both. Because he may end up glancing your way at some point if you seem to be doing something interesting.]

[Or you may run into him by the edge of one of the lakes, where he’s looking curiously into the water. What are the chances of koi fish living in a weird alien colony pond? He’s guessing the chances are not high, but who knows. Maybe he’ll be surprised.]

B. Game Center
[While Kuzuryuu and Peko tend to work at the casino on the same day, their hours don’t always perfectly line up. And that’s fine, since they’re trying not to be too attached at the hip anyway. Though sometimes it leads to the situation Kuzuryuu finds himself in now: his shift is over but Peko’s isn’t. It almost just seems rude not to wait for her when she’ll be done in a just a few hours.]

[So after he inevitably gets bored of leaning on a wall by the entrance to the downstairs casino, he decides to while away the rest of the time by playing a very rousing game of darts...alone. Because there’s nothing more fun than that, clearly. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his aim is just the tiniest bit off, though he does seem to be trying to figure out how to correct for that.]

Pekoyama
C. Cosplay café
[Whether or not your character is the type to frequent this kind of establishment, there’s no missing one Peko Pekoyama standing awkwardly a few feet away from the entrance, near the street. Normally she works inside, where she can safely assume that only a scattered few of her classmates might wander in. Not so today -- it seems that, from the tray of cutely decorated snacks in her hand, she’s there as advertisement.

Though the choice of costume really leaves something to be desired in the advertising department. People are going to get the totally wrong impression from her French maid outfit, and she’ll be quick to correct anyone who might assume that she’s working at a maid café. It’s a cosplay café. Because that somehow makes it better.

When she thinks no one’s looking, she might reach up every now and then to touch the fake black cat ears nestled between her braids, as if adjusting their position. A more careful observer might notice that she’s not fixing them -- she’s petting them. And that’s a little sad, though if she catches anyone looking, she’s quick to resume her professional demeanor.]

Would you like a free sample?

[Her cute outfit doesn’t match her expression, though. Her lips are curved downward into what seems to be a severe frown as she offers the tray to anyone who might look at her too long. Please, oh please, be a complete stranger. It’s fine to retreat, too, since that sure does look like a sword in the bag on her back. What kind of maid carries a sword...]

D. Various bookshops
[Now dressed normally(?) in her usual sailor suit uniform, Peko seems to be gravitating toward two specific areas in each bookshop she enters. In spite of the sword in the bag on her back, she doesn’t seem to be paying any attention to technical manuals or anything having to do with swords or weapons in general. Instead, she seems torn between two different sections -- one is cookbooks, the other is animals.

Either way, she seems to be giving these books a more intense stare than any piece of literature really should be given. Like seriously, what kind of loser reads an animal encyclopedia with that kind of fervor? Save Her.]

Double the Yakuza, Double the (No-)Fun
E. Gymnasium Dojo
[With Kuzuryuu’s arrival, there’ve been a few changes to Peko’s schedule, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, not too many. There just happens to be an extra person present for some of her routines. One of which is her frequent visits to the dojo to practice kendo, wearing her usual black kendo uniform. She didn’t get to being the Super High School Level without actually working for it, after all, and with Kuzuryuu here, she has even more motivation to improve.]

[And Kuzuryuu...well he just seems to be here because Peko is, because he’s certainly not training or anything. He’s just sitting on the sidelines while she practices, keeping absolutely quiet and just watching. Feel free to join him or perhaps ask Peko if she’s willing to spar, because he’s clearly not busy and that’s obviously part of the reason she’s here.]

[Or maybe you run into them a little later on while they’re taking a break at the juice bar. Peko looks a little sweaty and out of breath, but probably happier than most people have ever seen her. Someone glancing in their direction just might notice the elusive small Peko smile, or hear a weird noise that-- actually sounds like a fairly pleasant, if quiet, laugh. Who knew Peko could make those kinds of noises. Who knows what they’re talking about over there, but clearly they need to be interrupted.]

F. Wildcard
[Or, feel free to run into the two of them elsewhere. Maybe as they’re heading back to their apartments after a shift at the casino, or hanging out at the food stalls trying to figure out what to do for lunch. Quite possibly you found them just wandering aimlesssly around the shopping or entertainment districts, who really knows.]

Comments

athena -> peko -> kuzuryuu

[perfectstrike]

[Peko's turning to offer a greeting at the sound of Athena's voice -- so she's granted a perfect view of her topple to the ground. A slightly-apologetic glance to Kuzuryuu, and Peko slips off her seat, moving to quickly help the other girl up if she needs it.]

Are you alright...? Please watch where you're going.

[impheired]

[Kuzuryuu is really beginning to worry that Peko doesn't have any friends that aren't at least halfway as serious as her. So far, they all seem to be goofballs and weirdos...it's becoming slightly alarming. Assuming this girl actually is one of Peko's friends, that is. It's a little hard to tell if this is friendly interaction or Peko just being a considerate human being interaction.]

[So he opts to stay seated for now, waiting to see what happens next before deciding if he should go over there too or not.]

[psycholawgy]

[ Wow, Kuzuryuu, don't be rude! Athena is a serious goofball!! Don't judge people by their covers, etc etc.

She takes Peko's offer to get up, and once she's standing again, she brushes off her jacket and shorts with a sigh. ]

Aww, that hurt a lot...! [ She's not crying that much, but she may have teared up a bit. ] Peko, you're my hero!

[ Athena jumps in for a quick embrace. At least she's not sweaty! Her jacket absorbs the sweat! ]

[perfectstrike]

[Oh no, don't cry... Peko doesn't really know how to comfort someone who's crying, because in the past when a certain loser would hurt himself and cry, she'd try to smile to make it better and just make him cry more... wonder who that could be. And then there's a hug on top of it and Peko goes completely still, just kind of awkwardly patting Athena's shoulder and glancing toward Kuzuryuu again -- this time in a please help kind of expression.]

It was nothing. [It really wasn't, Peko just helped her up... but before Athena can pull back from that embrace, there's a rushed whisper of,] do not talk about cosplay! [before her voice returns to normal.]

You are not injured?

[impheired]

[TOO LATE, JUDGING A LITTLE. But only a little. And since Athena is obviously a friend, and not just some random stranger, he'll even slide out of his seat and come over to join them. Look, see! It's possible for him to be not rude.]

[Also he guesses he needs to help Peko, if that look she's giving him is anything to go by. Not that he...has any idea how to do that.]

Oi, Peko...who's this?

[Perhaps talking and standing in their general vicinity will dislodge Athena?? He has no idea what you really expect him to do here, Peko. He wants to help but...he is not sure how to make hugging stop short of pulling Athena off of you, and she is a complete stranger. You can't just grab a girl you don't even know!]

[psycholawgy]

[ Peko, what was that? Athena just freezes there for a few good seconds, not exactly knowing what to say. Is Peko keeping the cosplay cafe business a secret? Well, okay... she will not talk about it, but she's a pretty bad liar and secret keeper.

When she pulls back, she just looks at Peko in a rather stunned way, not saying anything. But her attention quickly shifts to Kuzuryuu when he speaks. ]

H- H- Hello...! [ Having to keep a secret is nerve wracking, okay. ] I'm nobody! I don't even know who this girl is!

[ Though maybe she's going a bit too far now. . . ]

[perfectstrike]

[She is keeping it a secret! Kuzuryuu is too prudish for life, so he cannot know under any circumstances. Unless Athena can't manage to keep it under wraps, in which case, well, at least Peko tried.

Athena's outburst just makes Peko look like she's getting a headache, though... why...]

That's not necessary. [Too much of a lie! Just follow her lead...] Athena Cykes, this is, ah, young master Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. [It's a little weird to say his name in Western order, but she tries to do it for non-Japanese as much as she can.] Athena is the lawyer I had mentioned... we work at the café together.

[impheired]

[What a strange girl... Well at least she's keeping to Peko's theme in strange an unexpected friends and is clearly not up to anything suspicious at all. Nope. Definitely nothing like Peko trying to hide something from him. There are no secrets here.]

Ah. So this is Cykes, huh? [He offers her a short bow.] Nice to finally meet you.

[Peko's mentioned you a few times. So has Trucy. He was wondering when he'd finally run into her.]

[psycholawgy]

[ Young Master??? She blinks curiously as Kuzuryuu bows to him, and she does the same. It can't get any more awkward than that. ]

Well, that's just unfair! I don't know anything about you, but it looks like people have been talking about me. [ She glances at Peko when she says 'people', but she isn't insinuating anything... much. ]

[perfectstrike]

[She'll explain about young master later... for now, Peko can't help but relax with a little bit of relief when Kuzuryuu doesn't say anything about her friend's suspicious behavior. Not yet, anyway.]

Ah, forgive me. The young master and I have known each other since we were children, and he is also part of the same class as myself and Hinata. I told him that we were... friends.

[Any further introduction is up to Kuzuryuu himself, since she doesn't want to speak for him. Peko's just going to put a hand on Athena's arm for a moment, then go to fetch her orange juice for her. She probably needs it after falling like that... and Peko just feels a little awkward using the word 'friend' aloud like that, so give her a second.]

[impheired]

[In a weird way, he's actually kind of relieved that Peko apparently has one friend who actually knows nothing about him. Amazing. She managed to form a friendship without bringing him up even once. You go, Peko. You go.]

[...you go literally, apparently. Okay. Bye Peko... Have fun with the juice...]

Yeah, don't worry she didn't say anything bad. It was more of a mention than anything.

[He's just really glad Peko has been making friends, okay... It's important...]

[psycholawgy]

[ Oh. That was far too kind, Peko. SHE MIGHT END UP CRYING AGAIN BECAUSE YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND EVER. But, no. Congratulations, Peko, you evaded this one. ]

I'm glad more of Peko's friends have been saved. I hope you're settling in well.

[ Because she will aggressively befriend you, mister. Prepare your butt. ]

Hinata said he's twenty-one, though. How old are you?

[impheired]

[His butt is so not prepared. Not even a little.]

Well enough...

[Something about Athena's first comment seems to vaguely bother Kuzuryuu, but apparently he's not going to elaborate on that. Athena doesn't need to know that as much as he WANTS to be friends with Peko, he can't honestly say that he is. OH HOW HE WISHES THAT STATEMENT WERE TRUE, but it's not. They're complicated]

[That uncomfortable look is replaced by a grimace at the question, though. Because that is one of his least favorite questions in the whole world, since it's almost always a comment on how he looks way younger than he actually is.]

And I'm seventeen. [Okay so he's not exactly lying, but he's also not exactly telling the whole truth. Can Athena pick up on truthful lies? Because that's kind of what's happening here. Like his relationship status with Peko, his age is complicated.]

[psycholawgy]

[ ... the last time Peko introduced her to a male friend of hers, it was some guy whom she thought was her crush. But then he says that Peko likes somebody else. And now she's picking up some uneasy feelings... WELL, whatever. Maybe Kuzuryuu is just shy since he's only just met Athena. Those feelings could mean anything. ]

That means... [ The grin on her face can only get wider. And now she's addressing both Peko and Kuzuryuu: ] I'm your sensei— no, wait. Senpai.

[ She's only just begun learning Japanese. Don't hate her for a teensie mistake! ]

You guys gotta follow my orders!

[impheired]

Funny. [He's not laughing though... Do you think his face hurts being that deadpan?] Obviously if neither of them mentioned me, you wouldn't know this: but you're talking to the Super High School Level Yakuza. I don't take orders from just anybody.

[NOT A HIGH ENOUGH FRIEND TIER YET, ATHENA, NICE TRY. Come back when you have more hope shards. Or a stylish ahoge. Either works, but he still won't call you senpai.]

[psycholawgy]

[ Wow, bro, way to take things too seriously. ]

I don't even know what a yakuza is!

[ Take that! ]

[impheired]

[He does that sometimes...]

...I thought you were a lawyer. Even if you're not from Japan, how have you never heard of the yakuza? It's Japan's organized crime syndicates.

[You know, like the mafia. Only slightly different. And also better.]

[psycholawgy]

[ Why you gotta be like that... she's only been a lawyer for a year! ]

Wh- What?! (Then why are you talking about it so openly?!) No— I— [ Now she feels like a total noob. It feels REALLY AWFUL. ]

I know what you're talking about now.

[perfectstrike]

[It's about this time Peko returns with Athena's orange juice in hand. One look at Athena's face and she's suddenly a little uneasy. What happened while she was gone... you guys okay over here...]

What was that?

[impheired]

[BECAUSE HE'S PROUD OF WHAT HE IS. THAT'S WHY. Also he's the heir and it's his super high school level talent; he's allowed to be stupidly open about it. Especially since...normally he doesn't have a choice. Just saying his name is usually enough for most people to know.]

[He was about to tell Athena to relax because it's not like he's going to hurt her or anything, but then Peko came back. Crap. What...amazing timing...]

I was just letting Cykes know about my talent, that's all. It's nothing.

[Look, he wasn't TRYING to make her uneasy...it just happens...always........]