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fabrications2021-02-15 11:19 pm(no subject)
It starts off with a pair of gloves.
Or rather, it starts off with a singular glove, one missing its mate. Mid June of his second year of university finds Akechi in the middle of packing up his meager belongings in order to move out of his current apartment and into a a significant upgrade. The new place is closer to his university that actually has a bedroom, rather than simply being a studio. It turns out that freelance work, while rarely as interesting as assisting Sae and the police, is a lot more lucrative even without the regular stream of interviews and appearance fees to keep him afloat. The ad and affiliation revenue from his blog helps out.
It also turns out that most of what he has to pack is clothing, and it's in the middle of shuffling through the closet that he finds the lonely glove. He goes looking for the other one for a moment before he remembers, oh yeah. He gave it to (threw it at) Akira, who never got a chance to give it back.
If thoughts can be derailed then surely they can also collide, and a veritable train wreck occurs in the wake of that realization. Akira 'never got a chance' to give it back? No, that doesn't make sense. Akira 'had chosen not' to give it back. Right?
Right...?
It doesn't feel right. Akechi picks up the glove and wanders away from his task, turning the it over in his hands and his thoughts over in his head. Half of him is going over the many logical reasons Akira still had the other glove. The challenge had never been settled, not really. Even if they're dating now it's not over yet, and likely never real be. It was a symbol, a promise, a reminder, and Akechi expected Akira to hold on to it for the rest of his life.
But the other half of him just can't get past his earlier assumption.
'Never had a chance'.
He finishes packing, moving, and unpacking by the end of the day, and collapses into bed alongside Akira as soon as the bed is in a position to be collapsed into. He's in the middle of drifting off, content to slip into unconsciousness almost immediately, when a sudden compulsion grabs him. Without thinking, he speaks.
"Do you still have my glove?"
Or rather, it starts off with a singular glove, one missing its mate. Mid June of his second year of university finds Akechi in the middle of packing up his meager belongings in order to move out of his current apartment and into a a significant upgrade. The new place is closer to his university that actually has a bedroom, rather than simply being a studio. It turns out that freelance work, while rarely as interesting as assisting Sae and the police, is a lot more lucrative even without the regular stream of interviews and appearance fees to keep him afloat. The ad and affiliation revenue from his blog helps out.
It also turns out that most of what he has to pack is clothing, and it's in the middle of shuffling through the closet that he finds the lonely glove. He goes looking for the other one for a moment before he remembers, oh yeah. He gave it to (threw it at) Akira, who never got a chance to give it back.
If thoughts can be derailed then surely they can also collide, and a veritable train wreck occurs in the wake of that realization. Akira 'never got a chance' to give it back? No, that doesn't make sense. Akira 'had chosen not' to give it back. Right?
Right...?
It doesn't feel right. Akechi picks up the glove and wanders away from his task, turning the it over in his hands and his thoughts over in his head. Half of him is going over the many logical reasons Akira still had the other glove. The challenge had never been settled, not really. Even if they're dating now it's not over yet, and likely never real be. It was a symbol, a promise, a reminder, and Akechi expected Akira to hold on to it for the rest of his life.
But the other half of him just can't get past his earlier assumption.
'Never had a chance'.
He finishes packing, moving, and unpacking by the end of the day, and collapses into bed alongside Akira as soon as the bed is in a position to be collapsed into. He's in the middle of drifting off, content to slip into unconsciousness almost immediately, when a sudden compulsion grabs him. Without thinking, he speaks.
"Do you still have my glove?"
unbetraying2018-08-10 01:33 pm(no subject)
The empress is coming to visit, an honor that most common engineers would rarely be afforded. Outwardly, Lotor has made a show of being nervous but excited - but internally, all he feels is relief that things are finally progressing the way he'd hoped they would. Because no matter how patient Lotor is, the wait has been terrible.
It probably would have helped if he hadn't been stationed somewhere so dull at first. Working near a mining outpost without even half a dozen assistants in 'his' lab wouldn't have been so bad, but having nothing to do but work on a new engine for a mining ship made things drag. It had at least been interesting to find the right balance, creating something useful enough to catch the higher ups' attention without being useful enough to give the Altean Empire more of an edge. And in between work, at least it had taken a similar amount of energy to perfect a similar balancing act for his personality. Building a reputation without making yourself famous is tricky, and doing it while seeming hardworking but not ambitious, intelligent but not condescending, and passionate but pliant just complicates things further.
But even with so many things to occupy his time, even with his overarching goal still in mind, even without any regret or annoyance over his decision weighing on him, it's still not a fun or enjoyable situation. Even someone that understands the merits of patience can still want for things to hurry up.
And then suddenly, his careful balancing act pays off and things hurry up all at once. One day he's told that he'll be transferred to a brand new laboratory closer to the heart of the empire to continue his work there, and then just a few quintants after that the transfer is completed. Just a few quintants after that he's told that Empress Allura herself will be taking a personal look at the new labs. In particular, there's yet another ship prototype they've been working on. While it's supposed to be revolutionary, they haven't quite managed to make it run for more than a few ticks yet. It seems that Empress herself has heard about the troubles with it and wants to come observe their progress.
Of course, the person telling him this - a snide Altean that had not been happy to have a half-Galra engineer, no matter how brilliant, added his crew - only gives Lotor about a varga's notice to get ready. Lotor is sure it's a measured gesture meant solely to fluster him into embarrassing him front of his 'betters', but instead it gives him an idea. It's certainly a risky one, but he needs to make a strong first impression.
Thus, when Allura shows up that afternoon the entirety of the dozen-strong laboratory staff is there to greet her - minus Lotor himself. The lead engineer clearly isn't expecting this degree of embarrassment and fumbles through an apology, making excuses for Lotor's lack of decorum and promising he'll keep him in line in the future. Lotor isn't essential for the tour, at least; even if the lead engineer is an ass, he's competent and intelligent, and he knows his projects well. The rest of the staff is dismissed to resume their work while the man in charge leads the tour group to the engineering bay that holds the ship in question. He explains that as dire as the progress report may have seemed, there's really just a few kinks to be ironed out. It's very close to being done but it's still going to need another few movements of work before it'll be flight worthy, maybe even a phoeb.
The timing couldn't be more perfect. Right as the engineer finishes explaining, the ship (safely suspended in a construction rig, well out of reach of any visitors) springs to life. Its engine kicks on, coughs once, and burns steadily for several moments. When it finally cuts off again it's slow and gradual, like it's being properly powered down instead of just dying again.
Then and only then does Lotor make an appearance, popping out of the top of the ship's maintenance hatch with an excited, "It worked!" The excitement isn't even feigned. He really wasn't sure if his idea for a solution would have worked until just now, and he's relieved he hadn't got a chance to put it to the test until just now.
What is feigned is his apparent obliviousness. He doesn't seem to notice that he has company as he pulls himself out of the maintenance hatch, but underneath his work goggles his gaze is firmly on the lab's visitors, making sure their attention is on him.
It probably would have helped if he hadn't been stationed somewhere so dull at first. Working near a mining outpost without even half a dozen assistants in 'his' lab wouldn't have been so bad, but having nothing to do but work on a new engine for a mining ship made things drag. It had at least been interesting to find the right balance, creating something useful enough to catch the higher ups' attention without being useful enough to give the Altean Empire more of an edge. And in between work, at least it had taken a similar amount of energy to perfect a similar balancing act for his personality. Building a reputation without making yourself famous is tricky, and doing it while seeming hardworking but not ambitious, intelligent but not condescending, and passionate but pliant just complicates things further.
But even with so many things to occupy his time, even with his overarching goal still in mind, even without any regret or annoyance over his decision weighing on him, it's still not a fun or enjoyable situation. Even someone that understands the merits of patience can still want for things to hurry up.
And then suddenly, his careful balancing act pays off and things hurry up all at once. One day he's told that he'll be transferred to a brand new laboratory closer to the heart of the empire to continue his work there, and then just a few quintants after that the transfer is completed. Just a few quintants after that he's told that Empress Allura herself will be taking a personal look at the new labs. In particular, there's yet another ship prototype they've been working on. While it's supposed to be revolutionary, they haven't quite managed to make it run for more than a few ticks yet. It seems that Empress herself has heard about the troubles with it and wants to come observe their progress.
Of course, the person telling him this - a snide Altean that had not been happy to have a half-Galra engineer, no matter how brilliant, added his crew - only gives Lotor about a varga's notice to get ready. Lotor is sure it's a measured gesture meant solely to fluster him into embarrassing him front of his 'betters', but instead it gives him an idea. It's certainly a risky one, but he needs to make a strong first impression.
Thus, when Allura shows up that afternoon the entirety of the dozen-strong laboratory staff is there to greet her - minus Lotor himself. The lead engineer clearly isn't expecting this degree of embarrassment and fumbles through an apology, making excuses for Lotor's lack of decorum and promising he'll keep him in line in the future. Lotor isn't essential for the tour, at least; even if the lead engineer is an ass, he's competent and intelligent, and he knows his projects well. The rest of the staff is dismissed to resume their work while the man in charge leads the tour group to the engineering bay that holds the ship in question. He explains that as dire as the progress report may have seemed, there's really just a few kinks to be ironed out. It's very close to being done but it's still going to need another few movements of work before it'll be flight worthy, maybe even a phoeb.
The timing couldn't be more perfect. Right as the engineer finishes explaining, the ship (safely suspended in a construction rig, well out of reach of any visitors) springs to life. Its engine kicks on, coughs once, and burns steadily for several moments. When it finally cuts off again it's slow and gradual, like it's being properly powered down instead of just dying again.
Then and only then does Lotor make an appearance, popping out of the top of the ship's maintenance hatch with an excited, "It worked!" The excitement isn't even feigned. He really wasn't sure if his idea for a solution would have worked until just now, and he's relieved he hadn't got a chance to put it to the test until just now.
What is feigned is his apparent obliviousness. He doesn't seem to notice that he has company as he pulls himself out of the maintenance hatch, but underneath his work goggles his gaze is firmly on the lab's visitors, making sure their attention is on him.
fabrications2018-03-29 11:06 pmʙᴜᴛ ʙᴀʙʏ ɪ·ᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟᴇғᴛ ʏᴏᴜ
A year ago, Akechi had died.
He hadn't actually died, of course, but he bets he's the only one who realizes that, even though he can barely remember the incident himself. He'd been shot, and then he'd shot the door controls, and then there'd been a rush of water, a lot of cold, a lot of dark, a lot of noise--
And then there he is, soaking wet, exhausted, and bleeding on the lawn of the Diet Building.
He's not sure how he manages to get himself to the hospital. He's not sure how he keeps enough of his wits about him to give a fake name, and definitely doesn't stop think about why Akira Kurusu is what he blurts out. He stays in the hospital for a while, intending to lay low for a while, and then he witnesses Shido's change of heart on the news. Something changes and all he can think about is leaving.
So he does. He asks a nurse for a sweater, claiming to be cold, and then he pulls it on over his bloodied uniform and walks right out the door. He rushes home without looking back, packs the few things that he needs and cares about without looking back, withdraws every last bit of cash from his bank account without looking back, and boards the first Shinkansen for Hokkaido without looking back. In the end he leaves with just his bike, some clothes, and a few hundred thousand years. When he finally makes his way to Sapporo he feels empty, yet strangely relieved.
He's Goro Akechi in official papers only, and even that's only until he can legally change his name. He starts to go by Ren Kurusu instead, continuing to ignore the questions of 'why that name?' He enrolls in the local university, rents a simple apartment, works various odd jobs even when he lands a more stable job at a secondhand store. He still solves crimes, still uses the Metaverse to investigate them, but he doesn't take the credit this time. People undergo changes of heart and confess their crimes, and the lingering impact of the Phantom Thieves gets the credit. Any other tips his has to offer to the police are made anonymously.
And just like that a whole year passes without any drama or interruption, until a suddenly a big one walks into that little secondhand store.
Not that Akechi notices at first. He hears the owner talking about something but doesn't really worry about it. He's too focused on backing through the storeroom door, two boxes stacked in his arms and obstructing his vision. The owner calls out a simple order to him - Oh, Kurusu-kun, just set those on the counter. - and he chirps back an affirmative, turning around and glimpsing the curly black hair and glasses without really seeing either of them before the boxes are blocking his view. The boxes are set down and steadied, and then 'Kurusu-kun' finally looks up.
"--Joker?"
He hadn't actually died, of course, but he bets he's the only one who realizes that, even though he can barely remember the incident himself. He'd been shot, and then he'd shot the door controls, and then there'd been a rush of water, a lot of cold, a lot of dark, a lot of noise--
And then there he is, soaking wet, exhausted, and bleeding on the lawn of the Diet Building.
He's not sure how he manages to get himself to the hospital. He's not sure how he keeps enough of his wits about him to give a fake name, and definitely doesn't stop think about why Akira Kurusu is what he blurts out. He stays in the hospital for a while, intending to lay low for a while, and then he witnesses Shido's change of heart on the news. Something changes and all he can think about is leaving.
So he does. He asks a nurse for a sweater, claiming to be cold, and then he pulls it on over his bloodied uniform and walks right out the door. He rushes home without looking back, packs the few things that he needs and cares about without looking back, withdraws every last bit of cash from his bank account without looking back, and boards the first Shinkansen for Hokkaido without looking back. In the end he leaves with just his bike, some clothes, and a few hundred thousand years. When he finally makes his way to Sapporo he feels empty, yet strangely relieved.
He's Goro Akechi in official papers only, and even that's only until he can legally change his name. He starts to go by Ren Kurusu instead, continuing to ignore the questions of 'why that name?' He enrolls in the local university, rents a simple apartment, works various odd jobs even when he lands a more stable job at a secondhand store. He still solves crimes, still uses the Metaverse to investigate them, but he doesn't take the credit this time. People undergo changes of heart and confess their crimes, and the lingering impact of the Phantom Thieves gets the credit. Any other tips his has to offer to the police are made anonymously.
And just like that a whole year passes without any drama or interruption, until a suddenly a big one walks into that little secondhand store.
Not that Akechi notices at first. He hears the owner talking about something but doesn't really worry about it. He's too focused on backing through the storeroom door, two boxes stacked in his arms and obstructing his vision. The owner calls out a simple order to him - Oh, Kurusu-kun, just set those on the counter. - and he chirps back an affirmative, turning around and glimpsing the curly black hair and glasses without really seeing either of them before the boxes are blocking his view. The boxes are set down and steadied, and then 'Kurusu-kun' finally looks up.
"--Joker?"
lotusbloom2018-03-06 11:41 pmᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ sᴏɴɢs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴏʟᴅ ʀʜʏᴍᴇs
[ The four months since the castes were reversed have been... strange, mostly because of how strange it isn't. It was easy to adjust to walking around Tanagura freely, since he'd done it in Midas all the time. It was easy to adjust to the way he and Eichi's responsibilities and schedules had changed. It was easy to adjust to being actually in charge of Eichi now, instead of just managing his life for him.
Truthfully, it's actually kind of nice to be an Elite instead of a Mongrel, and that's what makes it so strange. Because Eichi is miserable, because Eichi can't adjust, because he's never felt quite so helpless about actually fixing a problem that Eichi is facing. Giving him the majority of his monthly wage hadn't helped. Letting him keep his bedroom hadn't helped. Leaving the apartment exactly the way it was (except for his) bedroom hadn't helped. Making it easy for Eichi to keep in touch with his other Elite (well, Mongrel now) friends hadn't helped - if anything, Tori's miserable sobbing coupled with Yuzuru's thinly veiled mania in the face of the swap probably made things worse. It's frustrating and he hates it and that's why he's shopping.
Not because shopping make him feels better, mind, but because Eichi's birthday is soon and maybe a gift with more meaning to it beyond 'please feel less depressed soon' will be helpful. Thus, Keito has tracked down and traveled the one pottery shop in the whole city that still makes their wears by hand. A cute new tea set will definitely make him happy, and if it doesn't then Keito will just throw him off the balcony and--
Why is Eichi here?
It takes Keito a second to realize that it is Eichi standing across the street from the shop (it's been so long since he's seen Eichi fully if a bit sloppily dressed), and once he does recognize him Keito is staring at him with a mix of confusion, horror, frustration, and somehow also relief. Because Eichi is up and moving around and not full starfish on the floor, but of course he decided to celebrate his return to normal function by immediately putting himself in an incredibly dangerous situation. Of course.
Keito charges across the street in a flash, heart racing just from anxiety. He grabs Eichi by the wrist, gentle enough to not hurt him but firm enough that he won't be wiggling away any time soon. ]
What are you doing here?!
Truthfully, it's actually kind of nice to be an Elite instead of a Mongrel, and that's what makes it so strange. Because Eichi is miserable, because Eichi can't adjust, because he's never felt quite so helpless about actually fixing a problem that Eichi is facing. Giving him the majority of his monthly wage hadn't helped. Letting him keep his bedroom hadn't helped. Leaving the apartment exactly the way it was (except for his) bedroom hadn't helped. Making it easy for Eichi to keep in touch with his other Elite (well, Mongrel now) friends hadn't helped - if anything, Tori's miserable sobbing coupled with Yuzuru's thinly veiled mania in the face of the swap probably made things worse. It's frustrating and he hates it and that's why he's shopping.
Not because shopping make him feels better, mind, but because Eichi's birthday is soon and maybe a gift with more meaning to it beyond 'please feel less depressed soon' will be helpful. Thus, Keito has tracked down and traveled the one pottery shop in the whole city that still makes their wears by hand. A cute new tea set will definitely make him happy, and if it doesn't then Keito will just throw him off the balcony and--
Why is Eichi here?
It takes Keito a second to realize that it is Eichi standing across the street from the shop (it's been so long since he's seen Eichi fully if a bit sloppily dressed), and once he does recognize him Keito is staring at him with a mix of confusion, horror, frustration, and somehow also relief. Because Eichi is up and moving around and not full starfish on the floor, but of course he decided to celebrate his return to normal function by immediately putting himself in an incredibly dangerous situation. Of course.
Keito charges across the street in a flash, heart racing just from anxiety. He grabs Eichi by the wrist, gentle enough to not hurt him but firm enough that he won't be wiggling away any time soon. ]
What are you doing here?!
unbetraying2018-03-06 01:54 pmfor jams // Progress City AU
Lotor's thoughts on today can best be summed up with a very confused and very loud, What?
This isn't any place he's ever heard of. This isn't even quite like any place he's ever heard of. His name, his father's name, and even the words 'Garla Empire' had elected nothing more than politely confused looks from the employees. Queries about his weapons, his location, and way to return had all been met with a variety of dead ends, even after exploring every last inch of the city he could manage before exhaustion crept up on him. Ultimately, all he was left with was more questions, a key, and directions to his new residence.
He can barely remember the last time he was stationed in proper barracks, though the more he looks around the lobby and hallways the more he's convinced these aren't barracks at all. They look too... cushy. Too nice. This seems more like the sort of place some sort of high ranked military officer, aside from the part where the units are obviously too small for such a thing.
Still, despite the passing similarities to barracks he's not expecting a roommate - so when he puts unlocks his door (though it takes him a moment to figure out how such a simple, purely physical lock works) and pushes it open, he's once against caught off guard to find someone very familiar waiting inside.
"You're--" Huh. This is either going to be very good or very bad.
This isn't any place he's ever heard of. This isn't even quite like any place he's ever heard of. His name, his father's name, and even the words 'Garla Empire' had elected nothing more than politely confused looks from the employees. Queries about his weapons, his location, and way to return had all been met with a variety of dead ends, even after exploring every last inch of the city he could manage before exhaustion crept up on him. Ultimately, all he was left with was more questions, a key, and directions to his new residence.
He can barely remember the last time he was stationed in proper barracks, though the more he looks around the lobby and hallways the more he's convinced these aren't barracks at all. They look too... cushy. Too nice. This seems more like the sort of place some sort of high ranked military officer, aside from the part where the units are obviously too small for such a thing.
Still, despite the passing similarities to barracks he's not expecting a roommate - so when he puts unlocks his door (though it takes him a moment to figure out how such a simple, purely physical lock works) and pushes it open, he's once against caught off guard to find someone very familiar waiting inside.
"You're--" Huh. This is either going to be very good or very bad.
sewneurotic2017-08-17 12:53 am(no subject)
[ Despite his many (many) oddities, Shu is perfectly capable of comporting himself with elegance in delicate political situations - and, in fact, that could be safely called his sole redeeming feature. He stands with his back straight, head held high, wings tucked close and his tufted tail, for once, perfectly still behind him.
That doesn't mean he's immune to irritation, however. It's just he and Mika waiting in the private sitting room to meet their guest - their new partner - which means that he's given up on trying to hold his hands at his side. Instead he has them crossed over his chest, his foot taping impatiently against the ground. Irritation is obvious in his posture and expression, but even if it weren't it's still crackling along his bond with Mika like so much static. His second bond, the one that connects him to this newcomer, is kept carefully muted. ]
They're late.
[ They're not late. They just aren't ten minutes early the way Shu wants them to be. Not that Mika could quite do anything about it even if they were, but Shu still feels the need to comment. ]
What makes them think-
[ And then, several minutes ahead of their scheduled meeting time, the doorknob turns and the door cracks open. Shu gives a startled jerk and immediately responds but drawing himself up higher. His foot stops tapping, but his arms stay crossed, and whoever it is that's been escorted through the door by two palace guardsmen and a single church official is getting such an icy, aloof look from him right now.
His feathers are a little fluffed out no, but not too much. Hopefully not enough to notice, at least. ]
That doesn't mean he's immune to irritation, however. It's just he and Mika waiting in the private sitting room to meet their guest - their new partner - which means that he's given up on trying to hold his hands at his side. Instead he has them crossed over his chest, his foot taping impatiently against the ground. Irritation is obvious in his posture and expression, but even if it weren't it's still crackling along his bond with Mika like so much static. His second bond, the one that connects him to this newcomer, is kept carefully muted. ]
They're late.
[ They're not late. They just aren't ten minutes early the way Shu wants them to be. Not that Mika could quite do anything about it even if they were, but Shu still feels the need to comment. ]
What makes them think-
[ And then, several minutes ahead of their scheduled meeting time, the doorknob turns and the door cracks open. Shu gives a startled jerk and immediately responds but drawing himself up higher. His foot stops tapping, but his arms stay crossed, and whoever it is that's been escorted through the door by two palace guardsmen and a single church official is getting such an icy, aloof look from him right now.
His feathers are a little fluffed out no, but not too much. Hopefully not enough to notice, at least. ]
(no subject)
Being yanked from his world and trapped in that bizarre school for several months on end had been bad enough. Finally escaping said school only to end up in a third, completely different world had been an annoying and highly unwanted second helping of bad luck. Yet despite that, Kimizuki has gotten oddly lucky since arriving.
For one, Tokyo apparently exists in this world, and it apparently isn't too different from his own. So when a vampire gets a little too pushy on his first day on this new town, and when Kimizuki responds a little too aggressively for this world's standards, he's quickly arrested and hauled off from interrogation. But then when the police (he's extremely alarmed to learn that one of them is also a vampire) hear that he's from Tokyo they go from alarmed and suspicious to considerate and understanding. For a human from Tokyo to have such a bad reaction to a vampire makes sense, after all, with how bad things are down there. The police had taken down Kimizuki's information (name, age, current lack of residence) and released him without anything more than a lecture and a warning.
For another stroke of luck, his skills and Kiseki-ou are both apparently considerable and rare enough to attract positive attention. A different member of the police force (and another vampire, he's annoyed to realize) flags down Kimizuki before he leaves and gives him an offer: if he's new in town and looking for a place to stay, why not consider the school? They're always accepting new students, especially such strong human students, and refugees are given free room and board.
Kimizuki doesn't accept right away of course. He takes a few days to raid the library and learn as much about this world as possible, but in the end he doesn't see an alternative. Admitting he's from another world doesn't strike him as wise, and finding work outside of the school is apt to take a while. So he applies for the school and passes the entrance exam, then applies to be an 'enforcer' for the student council and passes that exam, too. Both tasks are surprisingly easy and, what's more, he gets in right before the start of the fall trimester. That's plenty of time to move into his dorm room, and thus plenty of time to meet his partner in the student council room the day before school starts. Whoever it is will be a vampire, which is annoying, but when he steps into the room he gets yet another lucky break.
"Yuuki?" Kimizuki manages to sound startled, relieved, and accusing all at once. He wouldn't say that he like Yuuki, per se, but when it comes to vampires he's being forced to work alongside and play nice with she's definitely in the top five. Probably even number one. He just hopes it's actually her, and not some other version of her that has no idea who he is.
For one, Tokyo apparently exists in this world, and it apparently isn't too different from his own. So when a vampire gets a little too pushy on his first day on this new town, and when Kimizuki responds a little too aggressively for this world's standards, he's quickly arrested and hauled off from interrogation. But then when the police (he's extremely alarmed to learn that one of them is also a vampire) hear that he's from Tokyo they go from alarmed and suspicious to considerate and understanding. For a human from Tokyo to have such a bad reaction to a vampire makes sense, after all, with how bad things are down there. The police had taken down Kimizuki's information (name, age, current lack of residence) and released him without anything more than a lecture and a warning.
For another stroke of luck, his skills and Kiseki-ou are both apparently considerable and rare enough to attract positive attention. A different member of the police force (and another vampire, he's annoyed to realize) flags down Kimizuki before he leaves and gives him an offer: if he's new in town and looking for a place to stay, why not consider the school? They're always accepting new students, especially such strong human students, and refugees are given free room and board.
Kimizuki doesn't accept right away of course. He takes a few days to raid the library and learn as much about this world as possible, but in the end he doesn't see an alternative. Admitting he's from another world doesn't strike him as wise, and finding work outside of the school is apt to take a while. So he applies for the school and passes the entrance exam, then applies to be an 'enforcer' for the student council and passes that exam, too. Both tasks are surprisingly easy and, what's more, he gets in right before the start of the fall trimester. That's plenty of time to move into his dorm room, and thus plenty of time to meet his partner in the student council room the day before school starts. Whoever it is will be a vampire, which is annoying, but when he steps into the room he gets yet another lucky break.
"Yuuki?" Kimizuki manages to sound startled, relieved, and accusing all at once. He wouldn't say that he like Yuuki, per se, but when it comes to vampires he's being forced to work alongside and play nice with she's definitely in the top five. Probably even number one. He just hopes it's actually her, and not some other version of her that has no idea who he is.
fabrications2017-05-17 03:06 pm(no subject)
The first thing Akechi becomes aware of is that he feels like garbage.
It's not like he isn't used to feeling not-so-great. He's been in his fair share of scraps in the Metaverse, and he hasn't forgotten the bone-deep exhaustion that comes as a result of extended exploration of the same. So even with that experience under his belt he doesn't think it's an exaggeration to say that he's never felt this bad in his life, and it's not much of an exaggeration to say that every last bit of him hurts.
The second thing he becomes aware of is that he probably shouldn't be alive. He remembers returning to the metaverse, the fight, getting shot, the rush of water... each recollection growing increasingly fuzzy until there's nothing at all until..
Well, until now. And until now his breathing had been steady and rhythmic, the even breathes of someone that's deep asleep or, in his case, thoroughly unconscious. As he wakes up, however, he suddenly lets out a ragged, unsteady sigh. He lifts his head just a few inches, his movements sluggish and brown eyes unfocused, and tries to stand. Tries being the operative word because he's... tied up? It takes him half a moment - it's surprisingly hard to think, though maybe that shouldn't be surprising - but finally alarm registers. He gives his wrists a hard yank, jerking his head upright as he does. He's too tired to not panic for a moment, heart hammering in his chest, until-
"Joker...?"
It's not like he isn't used to feeling not-so-great. He's been in his fair share of scraps in the Metaverse, and he hasn't forgotten the bone-deep exhaustion that comes as a result of extended exploration of the same. So even with that experience under his belt he doesn't think it's an exaggeration to say that he's never felt this bad in his life, and it's not much of an exaggeration to say that every last bit of him hurts.
The second thing he becomes aware of is that he probably shouldn't be alive. He remembers returning to the metaverse, the fight, getting shot, the rush of water... each recollection growing increasingly fuzzy until there's nothing at all until..
Well, until now. And until now his breathing had been steady and rhythmic, the even breathes of someone that's deep asleep or, in his case, thoroughly unconscious. As he wakes up, however, he suddenly lets out a ragged, unsteady sigh. He lifts his head just a few inches, his movements sluggish and brown eyes unfocused, and tries to stand. Tries being the operative word because he's... tied up? It takes him half a moment - it's surprisingly hard to think, though maybe that shouldn't be surprising - but finally alarm registers. He gives his wrists a hard yank, jerking his head upright as he does. He's too tired to not panic for a moment, heart hammering in his chest, until-
"Joker...?"
inhairited2017-01-15 10:47 pm(no subject)
Daku is someone that, by nature, wants to know everything. About a person, about their Quirk, about a place and it's history and its environment... This desire is only reinforced by the knowledge that going into situations blind has, historically, ended poorly for him. It's already bad enough that all they know about this murderer is his choice of target. Showing up to a fresh murder scene without even knowing the name of his new partner is just an extra layer of nerve-racking on top of anything else.
And yet... there's something kind of invigorating about it. Like walking into his first day of class and not knowing who his teachers or classmates will be, but now he has more experience, more confidence, and more of a reason to believe he won't completely wreck his own arms and legs trying to use One For All to accomplish the most basic of tasks. He's a (rookie) Pro Hero now, debuting right after his high school graduation alongside people with amazing Quirks he'd never thought he'd measure up to - people like Iida and Bakugou and Ochako from his own school and certain others from different districts.
So as he arrives at the crime scene he's feeling confident. He confers briefly with the lead detective, ensures that someone is in the process of seeing to the victim's family, and gets a rundown of what they already know before he's directed towards the alleyway in question. He rounds the corner, ready to get to work, and-
"Shotan?!"
-calls one of the most promising rookies of the year by a silly childhood nickname in front of a bunch of strangers.
Nailed it.
And yet... there's something kind of invigorating about it. Like walking into his first day of class and not knowing who his teachers or classmates will be, but now he has more experience, more confidence, and more of a reason to believe he won't completely wreck his own arms and legs trying to use One For All to accomplish the most basic of tasks. He's a (rookie) Pro Hero now, debuting right after his high school graduation alongside people with amazing Quirks he'd never thought he'd measure up to - people like Iida and Bakugou and Ochako from his own school and certain others from different districts.
So as he arrives at the crime scene he's feeling confident. He confers briefly with the lead detective, ensures that someone is in the process of seeing to the victim's family, and gets a rundown of what they already know before he's directed towards the alleyway in question. He rounds the corner, ready to get to work, and-
"Shotan?!"
-calls one of the most promising rookies of the year by a silly childhood nickname in front of a bunch of strangers.
Nailed it.
the sun, the sky, the moon will fall apart
[ Well that had been... bad.
Kimizuki hadn't exactly been expecting it to be a fun wedding. Even so, last night had exceeded his expectations. It doesn't seem like the morning after is shaping up to be any more enjoyable. His mouth feels dry and fuzzy, his head feels jammed full of cotton, and his entire body feels heavy and sluggish - all the linger effects of whatever had been slipped into his drinks, he's sure. All he can do at first is lay in bed and stare at the wall, trying to recall what exactly it was that woke him up.
His phone, he finally realizes. His phone had buzzed, just once, and that had been enough to pull him out of his groggy sleep. Realizing that lets him realize they, his 'family', must be contacting him about Mirai, and that's all it takes for him to suddenly lurch forward, hand darting for the nightstand. All he manages to do at first is knock his glasses to the floor but his hand closes on the phone just a moment later. The email he's been sent is short and sweet, but it's from Mirai's address and even has an attached picture of her looking alive and well - and though there's still the usual message about how the doctor's say she can't accept visitors, this time there's an addendum that she should be well enough for them soon.
It's more than he'd expected, and the sudden relief leaves him in a slightly awkward position. If he knows that Mirai is okay and similarly knows he can't go visit her, he's got no choice but deal with the situation he's in right now.
He leans over the edge of the bed to pick his glasses back up, but that's the only time he can buy before he sits up and glances to his side. It might be kinder to let this guy - Yoichi, right? - either sleep or continue pretending to sleep. ]
Hey. Are you awake yet?
Kimizuki hadn't exactly been expecting it to be a fun wedding. Even so, last night had exceeded his expectations. It doesn't seem like the morning after is shaping up to be any more enjoyable. His mouth feels dry and fuzzy, his head feels jammed full of cotton, and his entire body feels heavy and sluggish - all the linger effects of whatever had been slipped into his drinks, he's sure. All he can do at first is lay in bed and stare at the wall, trying to recall what exactly it was that woke him up.
His phone, he finally realizes. His phone had buzzed, just once, and that had been enough to pull him out of his groggy sleep. Realizing that lets him realize they, his 'family', must be contacting him about Mirai, and that's all it takes for him to suddenly lurch forward, hand darting for the nightstand. All he manages to do at first is knock his glasses to the floor but his hand closes on the phone just a moment later. The email he's been sent is short and sweet, but it's from Mirai's address and even has an attached picture of her looking alive and well - and though there's still the usual message about how the doctor's say she can't accept visitors, this time there's an addendum that she should be well enough for them soon.
It's more than he'd expected, and the sudden relief leaves him in a slightly awkward position. If he knows that Mirai is okay and similarly knows he can't go visit her, he's got no choice but deal with the situation he's in right now.
He leans over the edge of the bed to pick his glasses back up, but that's the only time he can buy before he sits up and glances to his side. It might be kinder to let this guy - Yoichi, right? - either sleep or continue pretending to sleep. ]
Hey. Are you awake yet?
middaymoon2015-09-14 01:52 am(no subject)
[ Exhaustion is part and parcel of fighting against vampires, even if you happen to be really good at it. Doing so all day long takes a toll like no other, and Mahiru had been honestly surprised that she managed to shower without falling over and change into sleepwear before she'd collapsed into bed - though she'd been unsurprised to groggily realize that she'd managed to pull on her own shirt, Guren's pants, and what's she's pretty sure are Shinya's socks, rather than any sort of coherent outfit. She looks like an absolute mess, she's sure. It's not something she could risk letting other people see.
But with these two, it's fine. With these two it doesn't matter that there are bags under her eyes and she can barely sit up straight and it takes her a full second longer than usual to answer simple questions. She feels relaxed in a way that's strange and unfamiliar as she sleeps (or dozes, really, never letting herself enter a sleep deep enough for dreaming), laying still and content and warm.
So of course she notices when one source of warmth suddenly shifts and moves away, and even feeling half-dead with exhaustion she's quick to lift her head and glance over her shoulder. Ar some point she'd rolled over and wrapped both her arms around one of Guren's, but she grip relaxes as she props herself up. ]
Shinya?
But with these two, it's fine. With these two it doesn't matter that there are bags under her eyes and she can barely sit up straight and it takes her a full second longer than usual to answer simple questions. She feels relaxed in a way that's strange and unfamiliar as she sleeps (or dozes, really, never letting herself enter a sleep deep enough for dreaming), laying still and content and warm.
So of course she notices when one source of warmth suddenly shifts and moves away, and even feeling half-dead with exhaustion she's quick to lift her head and glance over her shoulder. Ar some point she'd rolled over and wrapped both her arms around one of Guren's, but she grip relaxes as she props herself up. ]
Shinya?
aswimmetric2015-06-06 09:52 pm(no subject)
[ Of the few rules of operating within Rin's fleet, one of them is very simple: take no prisoners.
Unless the captain feels like it. And in this rare instance, Sousuke does feel like it. Usually he's perfectly content to put the survivors of a defeated ship on bits of flotsam and send them on their way. Someone would pick them up before long and Sousuke's crew could pick apart the remains of their ship at their leisure.
But then he's finally, after months of begging, let Momotarou take command of the cannons during battle. The results had been... rather predictable. Rather than systematically take out more and more of the ship's mobility until it was dead in the water Momo had focused too much firepower on the ships center, and a solid ram from the Sano had been more than enough to break the military vessel clean in half. Sousuke ultimately blamed himself. Momo had already been worked up over the fact that the navy ship had attacked them, rather than the other way around; he should have known better than to let him have his way.
Sousuke's position on his own ship as it lazily saws through the remains of the enemy frigate puts him near the other ship's bow, which allows him to see several very important things. First, that the captain is dead. Second, that the second in command is not. And third, that the second in command is very rapidly sliding down the sharply tilted deck as his half of the ship floods with water. And with their prize rapidly sinking, Sousuke decides that the next best thing to plunder from this outing is information.
So in a flash he's swinging on a rope (how dramatic), kicking off from the side of his own ship, and plunging halfway into the water to seize the flailing, brown-haired captain by the back of his shirt. He's laughing as he hauls him up. ]
Easy there, 'captain'! Flail too much and I'll have to drop you again!
Unless the captain feels like it. And in this rare instance, Sousuke does feel like it. Usually he's perfectly content to put the survivors of a defeated ship on bits of flotsam and send them on their way. Someone would pick them up before long and Sousuke's crew could pick apart the remains of their ship at their leisure.
But then he's finally, after months of begging, let Momotarou take command of the cannons during battle. The results had been... rather predictable. Rather than systematically take out more and more of the ship's mobility until it was dead in the water Momo had focused too much firepower on the ships center, and a solid ram from the Sano had been more than enough to break the military vessel clean in half. Sousuke ultimately blamed himself. Momo had already been worked up over the fact that the navy ship had attacked them, rather than the other way around; he should have known better than to let him have his way.
Sousuke's position on his own ship as it lazily saws through the remains of the enemy frigate puts him near the other ship's bow, which allows him to see several very important things. First, that the captain is dead. Second, that the second in command is not. And third, that the second in command is very rapidly sliding down the sharply tilted deck as his half of the ship floods with water. And with their prize rapidly sinking, Sousuke decides that the next best thing to plunder from this outing is information.
So in a flash he's swinging on a rope (how dramatic), kicking off from the side of his own ship, and plunging halfway into the water to seize the flailing, brown-haired captain by the back of his shirt. He's laughing as he hauls him up. ]
Easy there, 'captain'! Flail too much and I'll have to drop you again!