expiationlogs | (catch-all/open) hold up, i'm invincible

(mikey has always enjoyed being near water. back home, when he was alive, he took his time to think listening to the push and pull of the waves by the bay, took trips to the beach with the members of toman to behold the sunrise - take a moment to remember how they were going to the take the world into their own hands. a new era, it's all he ever wanted.

his memory isn't often great, scarred by trauma, by dissociation and losing his ego, but it's worse now. there's no reason he wouldn't think this place is just one more step in the afterlife cycle. he had been old when he died, and his memory fragmented into so many pieces he can't put a coherent picture in place. yakuza, white hair - why? he lost so many people, why? how did he get into that?

he knows the answers. he just doesn't like it.

smoking isn't good for you, much less when you're a teenager, but he has always found that the smell reminds him of shinichiro, how he used to smoke while fixing bikes in his shop, relaxing in the living room, hiding from their grandfather...

a sigh leaves his lips as he exhales, looking down at the fish below and the person who isn't that far from him fishing into the context. well... might as well take his mind off of things.)

Oi, can I try?

(due to the fact that can nobody tell manjiro nothing, he steps into the cave without much care or even a single drop of worry. there are people in his head, whispering into his ear, so he is always confident he'll find a way out of anything.

so, he's even whistling as a foot follows the other deeper into the cave. startled he becomes once his foot almost rolls from stepping on a bone, and wow, he has to see this. bringing his lantern closer, he can properly discern what it was that he had stepped on - a skeleton, that's what.

a fifteen year old has two settings. 'wicked', 'gross', but in mikey's case, he just makes a face.)

Wow, what an end this fucker got. Is there a lunatic up in this cave?

(echo, echo, echo. come closer and his leg will automatically lift to hit one's temple in defense, the sheer force producing a wooshing sound until it stops a few inches from their head. incredible body control right there.)

Wait. You didn't do this, did you?

(mikey's used to dojos, he grew up in one, lived in one, breathed martial arts from birth on. here, however, there is no such a thing, or at least not one where he feels appropriately close enough to bring nostalgia. back in the netherworld, even if they didn't exist either, the door to his existence was his home, he remembers rather briefly.

here, one improvises. flexibility tends to be the one skill he focuses the most, so it's in an open field he does this before he practices his kicks.

his spine is definitely made of jelly, and the angle deepens when he tries to reach for the candy he left nearby.)

Ah, fuck. Kick me that, real quick.

Edited 2023-03-06 19:13 (UTC)

(prince mikey, prince mikey, prince mikey. after eating so much at the inn, there really isn't much to do but sleep. a miracle that he didn't just find a wall to support his back and fall asleep on the hallway itself.

rooming with takemitchy isn't bad perse - but there are a few key differences that can drive the other a little annoyed. while mikey is organized, he detests work of the cleaning nature. while takemitchy listens well, he has a penchant for mess. those little things aside, it's nice to be near him again.

perhaps not so near when he zombies his way through the room, just free-falling onto bed. the wrong one. the one where takemitchy was sleeping. the one mikey is sleeping on. right now. snoring.)

[Vi had been lurking for a while, poking and prodding at some of the bones when she noticed that another boy had joined her. if he didn't say anything, she wouldn't, but when he gets closer and tries to kick her, she attempts to grab his ankle with a growl.]

Oh yeah, I eat people like you would chicken wings.

[:|]

What do you think? You're just going to wander around and kick just anyone??

[says the girl who would. also just punch anyone who disturbed her.]

[To say Kisara has spent a decent amount of her free time since arrival in this world fishing would... possibly be an understatement. She's spent almost all of that free time doing such a thing. If not that, then surely busying herself with other things for those native to the town. It's a lot easier to help out others than it is to give an excess of thought to her own situation, or to that shared with those from her world.

When she hears Manjiro speak up, she realises she's been so caught up in her thoughts that she's not sure how long she's made him wait. When she gets into fishing, at a point it becomes all muscle memory and her mind takes her somewhere far, far away. Usually some place in which she drowns in contemplation and formulates how to move forward or tackle situations.

She wishes she could say she had the answers.

Looking over to him, she raises her eyebrows.]

Oh, yeah! Of course.

[It doesn't take her much time to reel in her line and once she's made sure everything's secure, she offers the rod over to him. Seems like it's already baited up.]

You like fishing?

(she manages to grab him, but only because he is allowing it. it's just to see the grip, she looks like a fighter, after all. the way he pulls his leg back is with all his strength, however, a by no means easy feat for her not to stumble. motherfucker really strong.

he just wants to see how much.)

If it's someone who might want me to look like that, yep. Cracking their head open is as easy as one-two. You clearly ain't it, though.

(he's been through this before, the shock of not being recognized, not being known. back in the afterlife it had been the same, although his memories of it come, go, melt, dissolve, and are pulled back into smaller, coherent pieces if he tries to think about it so much. he just knows that - if this had been his territory back at home, there is not a person who hasn't heard of him, wouldn't take this long to reply, but he's at a point of acceptance.

so, he'll sit, a little further than one would due to the cigarette smoke that he's holding on the corner of his mouth. how does one do this, he has no idea - just throw it in the water and wait?)

Nah, this is my first time. You look like you're into it, though.

[she stumbles when he pulls his leg back, though thankfully doesn't fall completely.]

Clearly.

[she huffs.]

I've been hanging around here for a while. There's nothing here.

[To say the least. Fishing might just be to Kisara what air is to most people. And as easy as it would be for her to jump right into that, all of the benefits to fishing, and how that can help the mind, she manages to refrain. If she keeps that up, the only thing people will associate her with is fishing.

Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. There's certainly worse to be defined by. Besides, fishing gives her the perfect opportunity to talk about Migal.]

I am. It's something I did a lot of back home with my free time with my brother. It can be tricky to get into for someone who hasn't done it before. Is there a reason you wanted to try it out?

(huh. so it's not just the looks. mikey doesn't hit girls, but it's good to know, right? right?)

Well, then what the fuck are we doing here?

I dunno what you're doing here, but I figured I'd kick some things until I find something.

[because that'll work.]

You can go ahead and go, pretty boy.

No need to state the obvious.

(he's very, very pretty, thank you so much for using those two working eyes.)

Ugh. And you didn't kick me why?

[Caitlyn is prettier

she snorts.]

'Cause you hadn't pissed me off. Yet.

[she's just saying. he does have a punchable face, now that she's actually having a conversation with him.]

Though it's awfully tempting since you tried to land a blow on me first.

I don't hit women. You can pipe down now.

(WHICH PROBABLY MAKES IT WORSE.)

(takemichi seems to have escaped a morning mikey, he is on his own in their room, little snores, little disconnected words escaping through his lips as he makes a nest out of the blankets, nice and warm.

sleeping is important, after all, and there is little that he loves more than it. well, aside from when it's interrupted by a knock. mikey's mood is awful in the morning, his blond hair all messy, puffy, and he rubs one eye as he opens the door.)

Whatchu want--oh.

[Kotone had asked Shinjiro in no uncertain terms if he's Making Friends, and that's a difficult question, but he'd told her that he has— people to deliver homemade hand pies to. Whether those people count as friends is, frankly, up to them...

So. After their first meeting in the woods and how much of it hinged on making each other eat bread: Mikey is one of those hand pie delivery recipients. Shinjiro has stopped by practically on a whim; he's genuinely on his way back from the bakery kitchen, and so while he's holding a few neatly wrapped packages with pastries in them, he is also still wearing his (pink) kitchen apron and has a smear of flour on his cheek.

It's a look. Hi, Mikey.]

Are you just waking up now?

[Shinji some people like to sleep, actually--he shakes his head, holding out the little parcel of sweets. They are... still warm in there, and there are two delicious fruit pies once it's inevitably unwrapped.]

Never mind. .....Here. These are for you. Just take 'em.

(what a sight to behold, a grump in an apron, but his nose breaks the thought, the nice aroma of dough and delicious sugar awakening him more than anything else would. manjiro's not even going to make fun of that apron, as it is.

besides, he really does look like a kid right now, so who is he to judge-- ah, yes, manjiro sano. he is judging! positively.)

Yeah, come on in, come, come...

[Hold on, actually going into people's rooms wasn't part of the plan... Shinjiro stands there for an extra few seconds just looking at him, like - Mikey has clearly just woken up? Is this really the time for guests? Uhm.]

Uh...

[.........]

....Sure. [He glances down at himself - the goofy apron, ack - but... sure. He'll come in? And he will continue to stand awkwardly by the door, anyway.]

They're both for you. You can't make me eat one this time. I already did. ......They're blueberry.

I don't share sweets, nothing to worry about.

(even though he did back in the forest. it was a moment of weakness, nothing to see here, and mikey jumps takemichi's belongings on the floor to make it to the table... where there are more belongings, and he facepalms at the mess.)

Well, my roommate's punishment is to not get any blueberry pies for all this mess, and you're gonna have to get over here if you want me to have them.

(just come inside, shinjiro. he doesn't bite.)

[He's getting a raised eyebrow for that one, although it's functionally lost under Shinjiro's hat, so he's really getting a couple seconds of a pointed look. He was there, in the woods... they don't have to talk about Mikey's double standards.

Now, meanwhile, the mess of this room... Shinjiro eventually manages to cross the room to the table. The herculean effort of a) being social, and b) navigating this mess. He puts the cute little package down and folds his arms over his chest.]

I didn't know you had a roommate. [Implication: maybe he would have brought more pies?? Who can say.] ....Well, go ahead and try one.

[Playing it cool... playing it casual... try these sweets and rate and review, thanks.]

Yeah, Tokyo Manji's First Division Capitan, Takemitchy Mess-agaki.

(which should tell shinjiro that the mess is definitely not on the smaller blond's side. mikey was raised by his grandfather, a dojo master, under a very rigorous rule! diligent martial arts prodigy in the dojo, delinquent in the streets, you know how it is.

he almost wants to look around, kenchin always does his hair, but alas, no kenchin here, so he'll tie his hair with itself, a very messy bun of golden strands on top of his head as he reaches for one. much like he would a dorayaki, it sits between his teeth and he'll just eat hands-free, like a hamster.)

Eh-- good, pretty good. You make these?

[Making a mental note of his first Mikey-Class Nickname to keep track of and ask this guy his actual name if he ever meets him, ahem... Shinji can ignore the mess, once he's waded through it; he doesn't... own enough things to be messy, himself, but he grew up in a cramped orphanage and then moved into an unsupervised den of teenagers. He's used to mess.

He watches Mikey make a mess of his hair, hah, mostly still waiting for this review of his delicious treats. Good is mediocre, but pretty good perks him up like, one whole iota. Ooh, pretty good, hmhmhm...]

I did, yeah. A friend of mine pitched in for the crust.

[And lo, this is the thing he has visible pride in, unlike being handy in a fight or his appearance. The pies.]

They need to use up the perishable foods, so... Well, these are pretty easy to make.

That's a good look on you.

(manjiro's not smart in terms of tests, books, all these things one would have to dive right into to make it in Japanese society. it had never been him. school is just a place kenchin takes him to at lunch time to eat and nap at, but there's something else other than fighting that he excels in - reading others, his intuition as honed as his fighting skills.

so, he can see it from a mile away, a smile creeping from the corners of his lips as he eats, taking the pie in his hand to grab himself some water.)

I'm spoiled rotten, so I can't cook. It's nice you can. Yo, you want some water?

[Ah, and this time, he doesn't light up like a stoplight - so it really is the genuine article here, being pleased with even the smallest compliments on his cooking. It took him ages to come around to admitting that he likes to cook for other people, so.

This is huge. The tiny little smile he manages is not so huge, but it's leagues above his usual. Good job, Mikey.]

I had time to learn when I was a kid. ...Watched a lot of cooking shows.

[Hm, is there somewhere free of stuff where he can sit, here... he's looking around subtly for this.]

....Water's fine. You're spoiled? Your guys do everything for you, huh?

(catch-all/open) hold up, i'm invincible

i don't need lukewarm kindness

we laughed at each other's swollen faces

it was so boring that it made my eyes water

(closed to takemitchy)

LET'S DO THIS

How can I resist a fishing prompt.

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yessssss

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pies (closed to shinjiro)

he arrives

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