[Inside, Akutagawa’s widen when those familiar claws pierced through the wood. Finally the lid ripped open, meeting the distinct familiar face almost a week ago before arriving here. Well, the Tiger did what he hoped he’d do, get this damn thing open. The effort paid off, but for a price…
Now, nearly yanked by the collar, he was still within the Tiger’s claw. The grin from earlier still plastered on his face as he kept his gaze upon the other. Much as he light to sight see the area, he had something else to worry about. Despite the warning the other one gave him, Akutagawa continued.]
With his final words said, he spread his arms out and fell back allowing gravity to do the rest.
[After those words left his lips, a tendril from Akutagawa’s coat whipped, attempting to sever the one arm holding him in one swing before disengaging. He remembered the Tiger could generate.]
[Levi's mind immediately goes to excuses...but then he's not sure how old Miller is. He looks pretty old. Old enough to be his daughter could still be an adult.]
[ Toph doesn't need external validation from this entertaining jackass, and in any case she knows continuing to act confident is what tends to piss off people like that the most. She has to brace herself on the wall of a building to stumble over to the fire on her numb feet, slapping herself back down on the ground with her bare, dirty, calloused toes pointing out toward the flames. ]
Cool, thanks, [ she says casually, but with evident relief. The firebending dramatics don't alarm her -- she is friends with Zuko -- and the end result is she gets a fire to warm up by, so she's happy. ]
Anyway. I owe you an explanation, right? You don't have a heartbeat. Or it's, like, really slow.
[ She's still waiting to hear a pulse from Hiei even once. Toph is determined to catch it when it happens. ]
You wanted to know why I was leading the missile toads around? It's all for you, Nura.
[They knew it couldn't have been all that romantic to hear that Morph had gathered up a bunch of toads for him though, so they keep going,]
You pulled a mean trick the last time we talked. That made it easy for you to brush off my feelings, but I'm not letting you wiggle out of it now. All I want is a single kiss. Give me that chance to prove how I feel, and I'll send all these toads on their way.
[Morph is looking pretty smug at this point, since their plain had worked out beautifully so far. If there was one little hitch... it's that they haven't actually stopped to look at the papers the missile toads had thrown at them. But after getting this far, why should they worry about the details?]
That's what I heard too - I've never heard of frogs before, but maybe it's a tradition obtained from other countries?
[Handshake emoji, Yukina. It doesn't help that Ryoji has only been human for a short time and therefore doesn't know a lot about normal customs either. Heck, there's the possibility that this is just an Aldrip custom - and they have to respect that nonetheless, right?]
[Silco knew about the missile toads and even now, he was passing his eyes from Miller's current situation to the hanging mistletoe nearby. He was trying to discern if the little creature was still there, waiting for Miller to free himself or changing angles to capture him as well.
He shifted his weight, trying to avoid having an unfortunate event himself. He hated this time of year because of these little amphibians. He'd rather be chewed on, though for that part, he had experienced it recent enough that he was also not looking for a repeat performance.]
Indeed, I need to pick up the alcohol list to restock from the Last Drop supply.
[He noted Miller's reluctance, which meant fighting or... oh. Silco debated immediately leaving. This was why he didn't venture out.]
[Can't get squished? What does that mean??? And she said it so cheerfully?!
But Scott's not able to ponder that for too long, not as the gun suddenly lodges free from its confines and harshly lands on the ground with a slightly worrying sound. He's pretty sure he felt the vibration from that impact, which makes him wonder just how heavy those guns are. Like, uh wow?? Then the gun starts to float and Scott's mouth parts in awe, just barely avoiding the second gun from landing on his poor feet.]
It's... floating.
[He's so observant. But really, as Scott releases the coffin to step a little closer to the floating gun, he looks curious-- intrigued by the weapon.] Did you make it do that?
[In fact, the throb on his forehead is already dulling away. He's more concerned about the paper, which is...]
Oh!
[Ryoji ends up blushing too, because Aether has been a close friend and a dear confidant and well. This isn't exactly something that's a part of the dates and hand holding they have done, right? A look of concern passes over Ryoji's face.]
[ Shigeru's breath is soft before letting out a sigh. He'll give Mel an awkward smile. ] Maybe the inn? It's not too far from-from here and if we work together we can make it there.
[ He'll push off against the door and come over, green eyes filled with worry. ] I'll see if-if my powers can help then. I can heal but this is...magical in nature so it might only work temporarily until we get somewhere warm.
[ Because fire has to work against ice, right?! That's just how it always is! But okay he gets to work as he silently lifts his gloved hands and his eyes flicker back to their black and gold state. His hands hover over her leg and hip and shadowy wisps flecked with golden light will waft around his person. Mel should feel that relief immediately as the pain, stiffness, and color returns to her skin. Shigeru will take a step or two back as his eyes revert back to normal once more. ]
I could see how that can be uncomfortable - how about this? We promise that whatever we say isn't going to be mentioned outside of this conversation ever again.
[The hard part is picking what secret to go with. Does it count when he practically announced he's Death last month?]
[ There ya go, take all of it. Neve tries (poorly) to hide her little smirk, though she does initially try to help her carry it all. Like, come on, she can at least carry the bottles or something. But she does follow Morrigan as well, no longer distracted by the others milling about. Answers take precedence!
Though, if they'll need two bottles, what she hears is not likely to be of much comfort. ]
Fair enough. And I don't know the 'you' of the present all that well. We were introduced by Lace Harding. [ If nothing else, she thinks that'll potentially assuage Morrigan to know they are allies. ] Lace is working with Rook and I, and while she's spoken highly of you, she's never given details.
[ At least, no details not pertaining to the task at hand, so nothing personal. ]
Though Rook's told me of...some things that I can share when we're in private. [ Things that will definitely require alcohol to process if she doesn't know already. ]
[Mitsuru-senpai is scary as always. The ice-cold tone in her threat reminds Ryoji of a particular execution, and he can't help but feel sorry for the frog a little. But just a little, because they kinda had it coming for trapping them like this.
Ryoji unfurls the piece of paper in his hands, gulping all the while, and he heart practically stops the moment he sees the word 'kiss'.
Kissing Mitsuru-senpai???? Forget about Junpei, the entire school is going to kill him!!
His response gets choked up in his throat, but with the growing blush on his cheeks it's clear on what the paper says.]
[Ryoji giggles back, because that's the kind of response he expected from both of them, really. Even more fuel to tease him with later on! This is definitely a good memory, after all.]
I'm not gonna ask you guys to compare those kisses to mine, but I'll do my best!
[Indeed, it's as if he's been able to put the events of last months to the side. It helps that the festive mood is so infectious, too.]
Sooooo. How do we do this? One on each cheek? Taking turns on the lips?
[ That is commitment to the bit and, frankly, she's impressed. It's not a common occurrence to have someone be willing to help her, let alone to really push the extra mile. Brom, definitely. Rana, sometimes. Rook... Well. It's a breath of fresh air. The moment's flicker of incredulity is swept away by an easy smile as he leaves, and Neve lifts her hand to bid him luck as he goes.
Now, it's time to do her part.
The hour gives her plenty to work with. No small few amounts of people are willing to speak about the dangers in terms of warnings, each of them offering some variation of assurance that there's nothing out at night that'll be worth the trouble. It's saccharine at times, always a bit shallow. It's not scripted necessarily; there's enough deviation and something resembling concern that she doesn't think it's faked. But there's no real impetus for anyone to offer her a real reason as to why she should stay in. In fact, most of them just play up the fact that she's clearly new, so it just would be dangerous in and of itself.
It's not what she wants, really.
But there are little kernels of info, too, that she can glimmer from people: little bits of likes and personalities, names, where they seem to frequent. Easy conversation, and now they know her face enough to know she has a kind heart to be curious even if they might think her a bit of a busybody for asking.
When she swings back, she does stop by a little coffee shop to grab two small cups, which she has when she arrives back at the meeting place just a minute or two after him. And with a smile, she offers one to trade. ]
Kind of you. Come on, the tavern's not far. We can talk on the way and put our notes in order. [ Proverbial notes, though she has a pen and paper stashed in her pocket where she's written down a few minor things - names of streets, things she wouldn't remember.
She sniffs at the bun as she goes, then takes a healthy drink of her coffee. ] Let me guess: a lot of people are very concerned that you should be outside after dark, but not many have good reasons why.
And honestly, as much as Ange loves getting all philosophic about these things, there is a pretty easy answer to this one, she figures. After a slight pause, she just says, very plainly: ] I mean, are you going to eat me the moment I let you out of there?
[ She doesn't sound all that worried about the possibility though, her tone still flat. ]
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expiationlogs2024-12-09 08:17 am
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