thenearshore | [open + 1 closed + 1 semi-closed] a pocket full of posies

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[open + 1 closed + 1 semi-closed] a pocket full of posies

Who: A + B: Shun and anyone! C: Shun and Ren, D: Shun and existing CR
What: Shun attempts to relocate a substantial portion of his temple garden to his Near Shore shrine. This goes about as well as you'd expect.
When: June 22nd
Where: A: Nekhbet's Temple and surrounds, B + C: A seemingly innocuous Near Shore park (a.k.a. Nekhbet's shrine), D: Network/anywhere!

A + B: Open

[A: Morning, Nekhbet's Temple]

[There are a lot of things Shun could say about having a rapidly growing garden of funerary and death-themed flowers, and most of them are some form of complaint. However, with recent events on the Near Shore and disappearances on the Far Shore, he's decided it's about time he made his shrine look a bit more lived-in, and if there's any good way to do that, it's hitting two birds with one stone and thinning out his garden to use for decorative purposes. Ignoring the fact that he has no idea how to decorate anything these days, because he'll deal with that hurdle when he reaches it.

The strange hill-shaped temple isn't difficult to spot even from a distance, and the large, tree-enclosed garden to one side even less so. The dwelling vultures are a little agitated today, rustling wings and hopping from tree to tree as they try to get a better look at Shun, who's moving along the edge of the garden with a dagger in hand. With how much the flowers have grown out, there's only an incredibly narrow strip for Shun to walk on between them and the shallow pools flanking the main path, but as always, he walks as if his every step is certain.

At certain plants, he'll stop, either taking one flower stem or a few at once and pushing neatly through them with the knife in his hand. Apparently nobody ever told him pruning shears were a thing, or he just didn't want to bother with that.

There's already a budding line of flowers down the middle of the garden path, loosely arranged by type and then colour, which Shun goes back to add to each time he cuts more. It's probably obvious to most people that he has far too many cut for any purpose other than maybe starting a florist's, but he doesn't seem to care, and the garden barely looks like it's been pruned.

He'll acknowledge anyone who comes to the mouth of the garden...just maybe try not to do it while his back is turned, since he is still holding a knife.]

--

[B: Afternoon, Park/Shrine]

[There's a lot of nice parks around on the Near Shore, and the quiet ones can be especially nice. This one in particular is off a small and relatively low-density street, the entrance flanked by currently unlit lanterns, and looks like the kind of spot someone might elect to have a picnic. There's tables, a large and venerable-looking tree over near the back...and, of course, the tiny shrine building (more the size to house vultures than any kind of human) that looks like it was made by some very dedicated follower, built and painted simply and surrounded by offerings of flowers. Today, there's also a very eye-catching one lying across the shrine "balcony"; a large arrangement of purple and orange flowers, done with not the skill of someone who actually knows what they're doing, but the care of someone determined to do it anyway and make it good.

Also in the park today is Shun, who's commandeered a picnic table with his excessive amount of flowers and is currently sorting through them with a rather critical eye. When he comes across one that looks on the dead or dying side, he runs his fingers carefully up the stem, focusing intently on the flower, and after a few moments, the petals liven up and heal, the natural decay reversing to return them to full bloom.

Unfortunately, the need for focus means Shun isn't in a particularly welcoming mood towards distractions right now, so any Far Shore residents hanging around the park may or may not feel upon them the kind of stare that could probably bore through concrete given long enough.]

If you're just going to be a distraction anyway, you might as well put it to some use over here. [Translation: he's...asking for help. Kind of. Not really, but still.]

[C: Closed to Ren, late afternoon/early evening]

[After several attempts at putting together certain flowers and getting the impression they just look wrong (and that if even someone like him who doesn't really give a damn is noticing, then others certainly will), Shun decides to cut his losses and text maybe the one person he can trust to help with this and be a tolerable presence for the amount of time it will probably take.

So sometime later in the afternoon, Ren gets a text containing a picture of the table overflowing with sorted flowers, and Shun's shrine in the background in the hopes that he'll recognise it from that evening they walked back there.]

Need someone who knows more about how flowers go together than me. I'll explain why if you help.

[D: Closed to existing CR, evening]

[So as it turns out, Shun absolutely cut way too many flowers, and though he definitely knows one person who'll want them, there's still a ton that aren't really spoken for. So anyone Shun knows the name of (or god name, in those cases) and doesn't hate stands a chance of getting a very brief text containing an image of a table still covered in flowers, but with vastly less than there were earlier. There's quite a variety - roses, lilies, crysanthemums, orchids, and so on - and it might be hard to pick up on the funerary and death associations of every single one of them unless one is very well-versed in flower language.]

Trying to get rid of these. Pick some out and you can have them.

[[Any kind of death or funeral-associated flower is fair game to request, even if it's not listed there.]]

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[Ren blinks a little as he carefully takes the bunch of flowers from Shun and looks them over. It obvious that he put a lot of thought and care into this, considering how nice it looks and how it matches his wardrobe. And the lilies...Ren smiles and brushes his fingers over the petals of one of the white lilies. Did Shun know those were his favorite?

Well, it doesn't really matter, because he put plenty of thought into otherwise.]

Yes. It's beautiful; you did really well putting it together. Thank you.

[He gives Shun one more smile, looking like he'd really like to hug the flowers if he didn't know that would ruin them, and then finally turns his attention to the rest of the set-up. His expression softens a little as his gaze falls on the orange and purple flowers Shuns was trying not to look at. He can definitely guess who that one is for, and he pointedly doesn't linger on it too long either.]

Of course I'll help. What do you need me to do?

[While Shun was expecting Ren to appreciate the attempted bribe material, he was also expecting something more like Ren's typical excitement about this sort of thing. For all he tends to disparage offers of thanks when given them, the entire response sounds...remarkably sincere, and Shun can't quite bring himself to smack it down by rejecting the thanks. For a moment, he even looks a little unsure how to react, the instinct to distance himself from it struggling with the remains of decency he has left.

In the end, he compromises by not responding at all, instead passing over in favour of the much less complicated topic of why Ren is here and turning his focus back to the flowers.]

Like I said, I don't know what goes together. Colours or flowers themselves. I mostly need you to match things up so I don't end up making five attempts at one of these and have to undo all of them because by the end even I can tell they don't look right.

[Thankfully for Shun and his pride, Ren either doesn't notice or doesn't care that he completely sidestepped the thanks and moved right on to the topic at hand. In fact, he's quite looking forward to helping with that, although...he'll have to find somewhere to put his flowers...

While Shun is talking, Ren takes the opportunity to look around for a good place to set his flowers down, somewhere not on the ground...he finally picks the closest table not covered in flowers and quickly walks over to carefully set his bunch down and then heads back over to Shun.]

A lot of flower arranging is trying different things until it looks right. And I'm not really an expert...

[There's no denying he probably is better at this than Shun, though, so he gets right to work looking over the selection of flowers.]

...Are we making them for anyone in particular?

You're still better at it than me. [Shun appears to have followed the same train of thought as Ren there, because he knew from the start he wasn't asking for an expert so much as someone less garbage at it than him. And also someone who might make doing the rest of it marginally less frustrating, because by this point he's been out here all day and this has taken much longer than he was expecting in general.

At Ren's question, Shun, without looking up, points in the direction of the little shrine.]

Not for a person, just for that. Even if I can't answer all the prayers of people here, if there's something clearly alive and maintained on there it might at least tell them there's someone listening. [And after the most recent incident, any remaining illusions Shun might've had about less death-ridden ayakashi breakouts in future have well and truly vanished.]

[Ren absently toys with a lock of his hair as he looks over the flowers and nods a little to show he's listening, and by the end of that, there seems to be a fond smile fixed firmly on his face. Shun had never seemed completely comfortable with his responsibilities--and really, who could blame him--but he really cared a lot about doing a good job and helping the people who needed him. The people who make their way here are really lucky to have someone like him looking out for them.]

Well, that makes it easier.

[If he can just pick whatever looks good without having to worry about it suiting someone, he'll have a lot more options. He twists his hair around his finger a couple more times and then finally starts picking out flowers, going for various shades of pink to start with.]

I'll make sure they're as nice as we can make them.

[Sometimes it can be kind of hard to tell whether Ren's actually paying attention to something, so the nodding is actually useful...and so, in a way, is the smile. Though Shun isn't really sure what he's smiling about, and shoots him a bit of a confused look in response, it does seem to have coincided with what Shun was saying enough to provide confirmation he was listening.

When Ren starts selecting flowers, Shun's eyes follow the movements, as if trying to establish exactly what method he's using to decide what to put together. For now, the abundance of pink is rather obvious.]

That's why I asked you. [He knew well enough Ren would help with something like this to the best of his ability, and this is an ability Shun certainly doesn't consider himself to have.] You're already going a hell of a lot faster than I was.

[Well, he had made it sound like he'd taken hours to finish Joker's tribute. He'd hate to think how long it had taken Shun to put together his own bouquet, since it looked even better.]

I'm just picking out ones that go together. Oh, for the record, right now that means anything that's pink.

[He did consider, for half a second, to leave Shun in the dark about what he was doing so Shun will invite him to do this again sometime, but Shun is probably going to do that anyway so he might as well learn the basics of color matching.

For the moment, though, that color matching is pretty mindless and gives them plenty of time to talk about something else too, like that orange and purple elephant in the room.

...How are you doing?

[Ren pointing out the matching method here momentarily turns Shun's attention, but he takes it in stride and goes back to watching the movements with a slight sound of agreement.]

I at least noticed that already. [It'd be harder not to, even if colours might as well not exist in situations like this for all the good it does him.

One of Shun's hands is rested in one of the very few flowerless spots on the table, and thus the tightening twitch of his fingers when Ren asks that question is obvious. He wasn't going to raise the point himself, but since Ren's obviously chosen to do so, he lets a little of the lingering upset onto his face, even if his tone is firm in the usual manner it is when he's trying to turn away worry.]

I'm fine. [Even so, that isn't going to be a satisfactory answer here, he thinks, so after a moment he lets out a breath and elaborates.] I keep thinking I'm used to it. That it'll hurt less the next time I lose someone important.

[The "it doesn't" there isn't something that really needs to be spoken out loud. It's been about a week and a half now, and while it's dulled a lot, it's still hurts.]

[Indeed, he picks up on what Shun left unsaid as easily as if he'd said it after all. It was why he'd asked, because he knew that losing his shinki had to have hit Shun hard, no matter how much he tried to act like it hadn't. Shun hadn't even been all that great at hiding it right after it happened. He knew Shun wouldn't have appreciated being prodded about it right then, but he also hadn't intended on leaving Shun to suffer by himself forever.]

As long as you really care about someone, I think it's always going to hurt to lose them. I'm not sure it's something to get used to... [He pauses in picking up another flower before slowly adding it to the bunch in his hand.] Well, I know I don't really understand what it's like either...

[And that bunch of flowers is getting to a little too big to hold without damaging some of them, so he sets it down next to Shun's hand and gives Shun a very small smile.]

But I'm glad you're doing okay, and you know I'm always here if you need something.

Edited 2017-03-08 10:09 (UTC)

[For a moment or two, Shun just watches the movement of Ren's hands in picking flowers, seemingly more at ease with that right now. While he's certainly listening, he's also mulling on the words a bit even as Ren says them, so he's focused on the conversation at hand despite looking somewhat distracted.

It's not until Ren puts the flowers down next to him that he refocuses his attention on his face, and though he isn't really in the mood to smile back at that right now, he does give an understanding, appreciative nod.]

I know. [And though he also knows he can't make Ren understand what it feels like to have lost so many people, he does think it's worth elaborating on the problem to try and make it easier to relate. So as he reaches for the little roll of ribbon on the assumption this group of flowers is big enough to put together, he tries to put words to what had been on his mind just now.] Maybe I was never used to it, but I coped with it by using it to fuel myself. I always knew where to direct that pain back home, and who deserved to bear it for taking those people away. Here, we still don't know. I don't even understand why it is he's gone, let alone trying to channel vengeance out of it.

[It might be an unhealthy coping mechanism, but it's the only one he had for years. With that gone, he just has to try and deal with it on its own.]

[It might be an unhealthy coping mechanism, but it's one Ren is also intimately familiar with in a way. And he doesn't really see why he can't still do something like that if he needs to. The biggest problem with the way Shun had done it before was that he'd lost himself to his anger and started attacking anyone who got in his way, even friends and people who had nothing to do with what had happened. But it seems unlikely that he'd let himself fall that far again, or that his friends would.]

I do understand a little of what that's like.

[He presses a finger against his lips as he eyes the rest of the flowers for a moment, and then starts picking out pink and white lilies.]

Couldn't you still use it to fuel yourself? who don't know who's doing it or why or if there's anyone behind it at all, but we could find out. Or maybe it could be extra incentive to protect your friends who are still here. Or even for doing something like this. [He emphasises that point by waving a little as he picks it up.]

Edited 2017-03-08 11:56 (UTC)

[Shun had thought framing it that way might make it easier to express the problem given Ren's own history, and there's a knowing nod when Ren mentions his understanding. It's good to have someone to talk to who can actually relate to that rather than judging him for it, even if he's unwilling to express the sentiment that openly right now.

As Ren starts picking out lilies, Shun takes up the large pink arrangement and begins weaving ribbon between the stems to keep them together more firmly than just wrapping a few layers around. It's not something he's done before today, but his fingers still move in careful, deft motions that speak of experience with perhaps rope or string or whatever else had to be used to keep things together on the battlefield. There's a somewhat thoughtful look on his face at Ren's proposition, but he doesn't look entirely convinced.]

I'm already trying to find out. But until I do that, even if I try, there's no guarantee I can protect who I want to protect. [There's a bitterness, or almost a tiredness to his voice there, because not being able to protect everyone he wanted to is nothing new by now.] That's the problem. I want to be able to do something about this, but until whatever enemy this is leaves a trace, until we have some kind of sign of their existence beyond what they choose to give us, it feels like there isn't anything. I still feel idle even when others say I'm overworking myself.

[He's making it sound a lot like it's purely his responsibility to resolve this problem.]

Maybe I should get into more trouble to give you something else to do.

[Despite sounding like he's joking, this isn't actually the worst plan he's ever had. Shun probably wouldn't have a hard time protecting him, so he could feel a tiny bit better about that, and it might help him feel like he's doing something despite it probably not being much work. And he does always like it when he has someone chasing after him...

Ren ends up spacing out for a few moments, absently twirling the last lily he picked up in his fingers, as he thinks about what a great plan that actually is. But he also snaps himself out of it, because if he does that for too long, Shun might get suspicious (like that bit of spacing out isn't already suspicious).]

I'm really envious of how driven you are all the time. But you don't have to fix everything by yourself. [Although he does get why Shun seems to think he does, even if it only subconsciously.] And if you ever need someone to tell you when you're definitely overworking yourself until you believe it, I can do that.

[Even if Ren sounds like he's joking, that lengthy lapse in focus is enough for Shun to suspect that he might be seriously considering the idea, and his eyes narrow slightly.]

Don't even think about it. Knowing you did something like that just to give me something to do wouldn't help me.

[Especially when his record when it comes to protecting his friends isn't exactly stellar. It's not a promising thing to consider in the wake of even a joking suggestion like that.

For just a moment, when Ren mentions being envious of how driven he is, Shun's expression flickers into something like confusion, or perhaps just thought. Normally he'd take something like that as simply a statement of fact, with how plain he likes to make his force of will, but for some reason, he feels...something about it. Nothing he can place, but it's noteworthy for something he usually wouldn't react to at all.

In any case, he moves on after a moment, shrugging slightly, and with a note of something like disbelief to his tone that implies he doesn't think this is a problem. And like he hasn't passed out or crashed from exhaustion at least once before.]

Making me believe it isn't the problem, because I never do, and I doubt even you could change that. But on the off chance it does, being there is enough. [Tellingly, his gaze slides for a brief moment over to those purple and orange flowers. Joker had always been very adamant about trying to keep him out of battle in those circumstances, even if Shun had never done more than make some kind of compromise for after the fight.] If I feel like it's unnecessary fuss, I'll just get annoyed and it's a waste of time for both of us.

[It wouldn't be anything Shun couldn't protect him from. Maybe a tiny ayakashi or two. But Ren still smiles and waves his hands in defeat--but not too much, lest he damage the flowers he's still holding.]

I won't, I promise. I can think of some other way to keep you busy.

[He places one last lily with the rest of the bunch in his hand, and then starts picking out a few of the smaller, clustered flower to fill out the bouquet and make it more interesting. It just so happens to give him an excellent excuse for apparently not noticing Shun glancing at his arrangement for Joker again.]

I can't be there all the time, so you'll have to trust your shinki some too. But i can be there for a lot of it.

[Like...maybe he can casually drop by on days after things get a little too exciting as they seem to so regularly, just to make sure Shun didn't exhaust himself, or something.]

[In the meantime, Shun's still weaving the ribbon through the first group of flowers that was put down. It's repetitive work, and not difficult for him to keep up once he gets into the pattern of it, but it still takes a little while to form as extensive a pattern as he's been using for this. He is definitely still eying Ren off for a moment or two after he says he's not going to do that, though.

At the mention of trusting his shinki, Shun lets out a short breath that could be frustrated or amused, but probably still more on the side of frustrated.]

I already had to talk him out of obvious fussing the day we decided to pair up. I doubt expecting him to point out that sort of thing is going to be an issue. [Especially given how insincere he'd sounded when he said he'd try not to worry.] But I'm not interested in dragging everyone's focus away from what's important. Like I said, it's not likely to happen.

[It's definitely likely to happen, and has happened before, but good luck reminding Shun of that.]

[Yeah, good luck convincing anyone of that one, shun, especially the person standing right in front of you. In fact, Ren hums the most obnoxiously disbelieving sounding hum he's ever made at that.]

Is it not? Haven't we had to stop our lessons a couple times because you couldn't stay on your feet?

[That said, he's not interested in antagonizing Shun enough to make him really annoyed or even feel like kicking him out, so that's all he's going to say on that topic for now. Maybe reminding him that he has overworked himself to that point in the pass will make sure it's on his mind in the future. At least for a little while.]

By the way, what he is like, your new shinki?

[Damn it. Shun's already throwing Ren an unimpressed look just at the disbelieving noise he makes in the wake of that, though he turns his attention back to the flowers as if he doesn't actually care enough about it to do more than that.]

Once. [Technically twice, but the other time Ren hadn't been in much of a mood to fight either.] That was exceptional circumstances.

[Decaying zombies counts as exceptional circumstances, right.

Shun doesn't appear too swayed by the reminder, though to his mind it just makes him think he needs to work more on getting used to extending himself so it doesn't happen again. Apparently the possibility that he is a person with limits that can't just be continually pushed outwards isn't quite clicking.

The change of topic is welcome enough, though, and Shun gives a somewhat noncommittal hum as he starts tying the ends of the ribbon.]

Inexperienced. He's been through at least two gods, as far as I know, but apparently neither of them did much with him combat-wise, and he definitely doesn't have any carried-over experience with it even if he seems interested in learning. [It's a moment later that Shun seems to remember there are things to people other than combative stats, and he goes on.] He's sincere and inoffensive enough, even if he worries too much. I wouldn't have asked him if he wanted to pair up with me rather than wait for the Heavens to reassign him if I couldn't tolerate him.

[...Okay, he really isn't going to keep picking at this point today, really, he promised himself he wouldn't, but exceptional circumstances...

Shun really needs to learn to take breaks for even the next rung down from "exceptional circumstances". Maybe Ren could just lie on him one day and not let him up without a nap--

Nope, nope, before that thought distracts him too much, they're moving on. It was his idea to move on to something else, and so he's going to move on to that something else.]

He sounds a lot like me. Am I going to have to start worrying about having competition?

[He places one last sprig of flowers in his bouquet with a satisfied smile and turns to watch Shun finish with the ribbon as he waits to hand it off.]

I'd really like to meet him sometime. Maybe I could stay late after a lesson again.

[It may be a little unlucky for Shun that Ren had that distracting moment of thought a few seconds earlier than he could have used it, because as Ren waits with the second bunch of flowers, it might be a bit more clear the focus Shun is dedicating to tying the ribbon. It's certainly natural for him to give full focus to whatever he's chosen to give it to, but the slight narrowing of his eyes reveals lines under them etched just a little deeper than they normally are.

It's not a mark of extreme sleep deprivation, but it's indicative of something.

However, he still finishes tying the knot after only a few seconds, and places the flowers carefully down on one of the picnic table's benches before taking the second bunch from Ren with a somewhat sharp look at the remark he'd made beforehand.]

It might sound like it when I say it like that, but he's not like you at all. [His tone itself isn't particularly sharp, nor particularly emotional in any way, and yet he finds himself wondering why he feels the need to make the point at all. Somehow, the idea that he might be "competition" for Ren feels ludicrous for more than just the idea of people competing over Shun in the first place (outside the context of dueling, at least).

However, he doesn't linger on the thought, just moves on to start weaving the ribbon through the stems of the new arrangement.] I've told him to avoid us while we're training so he doesn't distract from it, but if it's something like that then I don't see why not.

[As Shun takes the flowers from him, Ren hesitates in moving right on to starting another batch. He intended on eyeing Shun for a few moment moments to see if he could figure out what seemed off about him, but actually, Shun manages to successfully distract him from that.]

You didn't ask him if he wanted to join us?

[That seems like it would be the practical thing to do, so he wouldn't have to add more lessons into his schedule. But while he is a little surprised, he definitely doesn't sound upset at the missed opportunity. He's really come to enjoy spending that time alone with Shun, and he's just happy he won't have to share--and that Shun didn't even think of making him share. He really doesn't want to share, especially not with someone he doesn't know. Maybe if it was Yuto, if would be okay...]

That's probably a good idea. I don't think I could concentrate if someone else was there.

[That's definitely a lie, but he's just going to pretend it isn't as he finally reaches out to start collecting flowers again.]

You've developed quickly in a short time, so you'd both be at different levels. I'd have to split my time between training you in different ways anyway, so I might as well just work with you both separately. Not to mention I doubt he'd bear the methods I use with you nearly as well.

[The explanation is made in a rather calculating, measured manner as Shun continues his weaving, though he glances over as he notices Ren hesitate. He isn't entirely sure what the cause of it is, though Ren's follow-up comment makes him nod slightly in agreement, apparently satisfied as Ren goes back to his work.]

I thought it was better to keep it one-on-one. You do seem to pay more attention as things are now.

[So it's still for entirely practical reasons, or at least it is to Shun's knowledge. And while the level of focus Ren's been giving to training recently has him doubting that it would take anything as simple as one extra person to destroy that, he does still feel it's better as is.]

[Shun can be as practical about it as he likes, it doesn't make Ren any less happy about it, or about the compliment. Tetsu had always been so stingy with praise, and while he didn't really mind, it's still nice to get it a little more often and unprompted like this. He even bounces a little as picks up various flowers.]

I was always paying attention. But I'm really glad you think I've been doing well. I've been working really hard, and I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere too.

[In his defense, Shun doesn't really consider it a compliment so much as a statement of fact, as ever. Though he is still mostly focused on his weaving, Ren's bouncing catches his attention and makes him stare for a moment or two before he raises a brow and goes back to his own work.

Somehow, he feels a little more satisfied with his work today. Maybe it's just work that's more enjoyable with someone else around.]

You were paying less attention than you could have been, though. I know you had your reasons, but it's still a lot different to the kind of attention you were paying before.

[With a slight nod, Shun goes on.] Good. Not thinking you're getting anywhere would just make things harder on you.

It's definitely more satisfying.

[That, and he's been trying to be better about recognizing when he's made progress so he doesn't lose himself again. Of course, he'd asked Shun to watch out for that too, but he doesn't want to only rely on Shun.

He spends a few moments concentrating on picking out flowers, as he's decided on a more difficult combination of purple, red, and yellow this time and there's a fine line between looking good and looking like a mess with that. And it's really nice to just hang out with Shun like this even without talking. When he does speak up again, it's much quieter, like he feels bad about breaking the silence.]

When do you think I should sleep over? I'll make sure to bring along my toothbrush.

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