[open] i'm a dangerous man put some money in my pocket

[slantedcross]

Who: Youji + you
What: Emotional hangover, some god power exploration...
When: Slightly backdated, June 1-3 as needed
Where: Outside his home, let's be flexible.
Warnings: Not so far. Will update as it becomes necessary.

June 1

[It's not really 'liquid courage' if you don't need courage in the first place, but there you go.

Youji is seated in an outdoor cafe area, it is barely past noon, but there's a bottle of wine on the table and he should probably, probably look for someone to share it with, because otherwise he will drink the whole thing. He's got enough in his system to dull his thoughts, but his reflexes are fast behind and if he's talking between glasses...

So to someone at the next table or just passing by (i.e., you), he lifts the bottle as if to pour, and smiles sheepishly.]

I have a spare glass, too... this is too much for one person.

June 2

[Back in that same cafe area... now he's got coffee instead of alcohol. Must have been a rough morning.

He's also got a sketchbook out in front of him, and few scattered pages are ripped and balled up around him. He starts to sketch, but is clearly frustrated by something, and when he's not ripping out more pages, he's very vigorously scribbling over drawings of these three women. He isn't the best artist, but he was passable enough to teach it credibly.]

Meditations on... what, exactly, am I doing? Wish I had that painting to destroy, now...

June 3

[Surprisingly enough, he's back in the same spot. He's already turned the waitress away twice, though, as he checks under the table and all the chairs, looking frantically for something.]

I know I've ripped it half to shreds by this point but is this any way to...

[He knocks a few balled up papers and swears as he bends over to pick them all up.]

Where is my damn sketchbook?

Comments

[slantedcross]

Because the damn things do no justice to the real beautiful ladies they're based on.

[He does drop the pencil, though, even as he turns to a fresh page. Needs to spend some staring at the white blankness before proceeding, of course.]

I'll have to try again, but..

[concasse]

[HM. Well, that is an acceptable answer, enough to wipe away Sanji's scowl. Now he leans forward in clear interest. It's not yet an annoying hover right behind the man, but at a distance that gives Sanji a good vantage point]

You draw for a living?

[slantedcross]

[He chuckles lightly. It's the word "living" when paired with these women that does it, but who can tell?]

Not nearly that good, but I used to be an art teacher. Before they made me the goddess of pleasure.

[Tips his sunglasses lower just so he can roll his eyes.]

[concasse]

[... That is unfortunate.]

Shit, seriously? Just what kind of drawings were you teaching your class?

[Don't the Heavens screen for this sort of thing? Shitty seas]

[slantedcross]

Everything was age appropriate. [All the drawings are clothed! Or from the shoulders up!

He indicates the woman with the ponytail.]

She's a former coworker. Science teacher. Hence drawing her in a labcoat, although I did convince her to model for my portaiture studies once or twice.

[concasse]

Aaaah~! What a lovely vision she is, too~!

[There it is, the real reason Sanji was interested in snooping in the first place. He places a hand on his cheek and just grins.]

Oi, you should draw her with a bright smile~! Bring out the shine in her eyes!

[slantedcross]

The shine in her eyes, huh?

[Youji starts to sketch out her silhouette, mulling over if he actually can bring out the shine in her eyes...]

What would make her eyes shine, I wonder...

['World domination' is his immediate guess, but he doesn't want to admit it, and starts detailing her hair first.]

What should I picture her doing...?

[concasse]

Oi, you're the one who knows her best.

[And in any case, Sanji isn't so lewd as to voice what he'd love for her to be doing. They're in a coffee shop, after all. Gotta keep it classy.]

What's something that makes your lady smile?

[slantedcross]

[It is on the tip of his tongue to say "Strangling me with her bare hands" but he bites it back. Literally closes his teeth on his tongue for just a second.]

Well, I don't think being called my lady would do it. She seemed a bit taken when I surprised her with dinner out after work, however...

[He starts drawing one of her eyes, and it looks a little surprised.]

[concasse]

Aah, so she's available~?

[POOR TASTE, SANJI. And then he has the nerve to take a seat in the empty chair next to the man, tired from all the standing.]

[slantedcross]

I hope she treats you as well as she treated me.

[Can Sanji detect the slight sarcasm in the sentiment...? Youji masks it with a smile and waves to the waitress, in case Sanji would like to place an order.

And sketches in the other eye. Definitely an expression of surprise. Surprise is a different kind of light to the eyes than what really got her going...]

You'll be looking a long time. I haven't seen her on the far shore.

[concasse]

[Sanji would need a few damns to give even if he did hear the sarcasm. Pity he lost them all on the way to the cafe. Besides, he's a fool for every kind of woman out there, no point in discriminating.]

Heeeh... you're not half-bad.

[He offers the compliment between ordering himself a cup of tea - black as midnight and with no sugar]

Not what I imagined but it works.

[slantedcross]

Inspiration is a fickle mistress...

[He pauses to consider how to lay in the rest of the face. All the linework so far is sketchy and unrefined, with stray pencil strokes going every which way.]

And like all mistresses, if you wait for her to tell you what to do, you've already failed.

[concasse]

Oh? And if you go too fast she kicks your ass?

[slantedcross]

Something like that.

Someday, though, I want to meet a new model. Definition of insanity, you know, doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. Without being able to observe that spark of life, they seem to come out rather hollow.

[concasse]

You could always ask for models. [Over the BBS, he means, though he doesn't specify.]

I'm sure there's plenty of young ladies who'd love to pose. Give 'em something new to do.

[slantedcross]

Well, not a lot of doing is involved, typically.

I've also used it as a pick up line too many times... I don't want any underage girls getting the wrong idea.

[concasse]

[Well, at least this guy is a sinner with morals. Sanji can respect that.]

Guess there's always people watching then.

[slantedcross]

[..."moral," singular, might be the word. But at least it's this one.]

Yes, or hoping they come sit with me. [Dry.] I don't draw men often. Keep sitting there and I'll practice.