thenearshore | [closed] dress up the vanguard

Entry tags:

[closed] dress up the vanguard

Who: Shun and Ren
When: July 4th
Where: A shopping district in Tokyo. waves hand vaguely
What: Shun finally gets his kick in the ass to actually buy clothes that aren't what he was wearing when he arrived and his work not-a-uniform. Since Shun's garbage at this, Ren gets dragged along. "Dragged" probably requiring about five sets of quotation marks either side.

[When he'd raised the possibility of potentially buying more clothes in future, Shun hadn't expected the time to do it was going to be not even two weeks later. But while it being annoying having to wash things every day when he doesn't always have time for that between things he considers more important is one thing, the Heavens arbitrarily deciding that everyone needs formal clothes is another one entirely. Given Shun doesn't even trust the Heavens to offer safe food, he certainly doesn't trust them to make any kind of formal outfit that he's actually going to wear, so it's about time he cuts his losses and lumps all this shopping into one day so he only has to do it the once.

The extent of the time Shun's put into this preparation-wise is looking up wherever has a good amount and variety of stores, because the last thing he wants is this taking all day while they screw around all over the city. At the very least, it means he has a location to text to Ren, and now all he really has to do is wait for him to show up.

Shun, for his part, is taking up altogether too much of a bench in what he considers an obvious enough place on the street to be easily found. He's dispensed with his coat today, instead just wearing what's easiest to get in and out of: his normal pants, and the incredibly plain black v-neck shirt he bought a while ago when he got sick enough of having just the one shirt between his normal and work outfits. From the way he's sitting, one leg resting on the other and twitching slightly as if in impatience, he's already restless with the idea of having to dedicate time to this, but at least having someone who knows what they're doing might make it less painful.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[When Shun admitted that maybe he actually could use more than two sets of clothes after all, Ren hadn't exactly expected him to take him up on his offer to help. After he he hadn't been very enthused by the idea of a very enthusiastic person getting his enthusiasm everywhere while he was looking. Ren wouldn't have been surprised to show up for training one day to find that Shun had already gone one his own to find something.

He also hadn't expected him to want to go out and take care of it so quickly, but he's very glad fro Shun's sense of timing. Today would have been a particularly restless day otherwise, but at least this gives him an opportunity to put that restless energy to good use.

Ren didn't waste any time in setting out, and Shun is, of course, exactly where he said he'd be and not difficult to find, so he doesn't have to wait long for Ren to appear, waving as he makes his way up the street. Ren isn't dressed nearly as sensibly for the weather, in the same thin, white cardigan he wore to visit Iraq and his usual black and red underneath, including half a skirt. But he also doesn't seem to be bothered at all by the already warm weather as he stops next to Shun and gives him one lass, cheery wave.]

Hi~! Where do you want to go first?

[Even without the waving, Ren is about as far from difficult to spot as it's possible to be, and Shun stands up as he gets closer, crossing his arms. It's pretty obvious from his body language that he doesn't really know what he's doing in this kind of situation, but that is kind of why he invited Ren.

The obvious overdressing for the weather does get a bit of a raised brow as Shun looks him over.]

You're going to give yourself heatstroke. [It's only after that he elects to actually answer Ren's question...or at least try to, because if it wasn't already clear why he had to ask Ren in the first place, his answer makes it abundantly so.]

I don't really know where to start. I at least need something formal so I have something to fall back on if the Heavens turn out to be making something ridiculous for all of us, but I haven't looked for that sort of thing in a long time. That's why I asked you to come. [And also maybe because Ren had seemed so enthusiastic about the idea, even if Shun wasn't sure why himself. It might make the whole thing wear on him less if at least one of the two of them is enjoying it.]

[Ren smiles and waves one of his half-covered hands again.] I'm fine!

[Then he eyes Shun critically and taps a finger against his lips. It is pretty clear that Shun still has no idea what he's doing, but that answer did kind of give them somewhere to start. He would have been surprised if Shun had a particular store in mind anyway.]

Do you want something that's traditional or something that's more Western? I think finding something Western would be easier for me...

[Not to mention, it would probably suit Shun better. Although with luck, Orihime's group are working on making him something super traditional and he'll get to see it anyway because damn would he like to see Shun is traditional clothing at least once too.]

[That reassurance doesn't really seem to do much for Shun, who spends another few moments squinting somewhat disbelievingly at Ren before deciding arguing about it isn't going to get them anywhere and letting it go.

That question, at least, he's thought about, and can answer immediately. He doesn't like having things that are redundant, and he'd be willing to bet that regardless of what it is the Heavens are making, it's going to be traditional, what with how most of the older gods and shinki dress.]

Western is probably easier for both of us, and ridiculous or not, whatever the Heavens are working on is going to cover traditional. I was going to look for normal clothes while I was out as well anyway, so that might be quicker if we use the same style for everything. [Implying Shun actually remembers whether Western-style and traditional-style clothing stores usually cross over. Not to mention that however many people there might be in the Heavens who can do it and as much as some of it might be used in certain styles of fighting, Shun is pretty sure it'd be easier for him to fight in Western formal wear than traditional. He doesn't need to waste the extra time tying up his sleeves, for starters, and too much loose fabric provides more to grab. For all the disadvantages it might have as well, he's used to the closer fit.]

[Ren nods along as Shun is talking, and about halfway through his attention seems to drift as he starts looking around, already scouting out the best place to start looking. He has actually been through this part of Toyko once or twice, but not enough to have more than a vague idea of where to find things.]

We should be able to stay in this area, at least... [They might be able to find one place selling yukata here, but definitely not anything fancier than that.] But we're probably not going to find formal clothes and normal clothes at the same place, so it still might take a while...

[Ren looks around for a few more moments, before he finally nods in a direction and sets off.] Let's start over here, first.

[Hey, if Ren's figuring out where they need to go quicker, then Shun isn't complaining. On one hand, it's good to hear that they probably won't need to go further out than just this district. On the other, he lets out a slight, annoyed hiss at the idea that they don't just keep all kinds of clothing in the one store, because that's definitely how stores work.]

I don't see why they can't put them both together. It's all the same thing. [So there might be another reason Shun invited Ren along for this, that being that he can't really identify what constitutes formal clothes anymore.

In any case, Shun isn't going to question Ren's choice of direction, instead just following along without complaint. He does, however, figure one thing bears asking given how much more into the whole clothing thing Ren seems to be than him.] Have you been here before?

[Ah yes, he can definitely see why he needs to be here.] They're not the same thing unless you're a yakuza boss or a salaryman or something, and they're still probably going to wear something else at home.

[And most people aren't going to be wearing a tuxedo every day either.

The way Ren is still looking around like he's scoping out the place, even now that they're on the move, is probably answer enough to that question, but that isn't going to stop him from actually answering it anyway]

Only a couple times. So I'm not sure where everything is either...

It's all still clothes. [As far as he's concerned, if people want something really fancy, that's when they can start going to special stores. Entry-level formality, to him, isn't something that warrants its own locations. It doesn't sound like he's all that interested in arguing the point, though, since his tone is more that faint exasperation he gets when he runs into something he doesn't quite get anymore and everyone else is insisting it makes sense.

And true, Ren might be scoping the place out, but Ren has also been known to not be able to identify a door that's a few feet away, so he's not exactly going to bank on that meaning Ren's never been here. And thus, he's not all that surprised when it turns out that isn't the case.]

A couple of times is still something. [It's a couple of steps up on Shun, at least.]

[It's probably good that Shun gives up on understanding this particular nuance of civilian life, since it's not going to be the only one today and he needs to pace himself. (Wait until he sees how much the formal clothes alone are going to cost. For just one outfit.)

Having been here before might be helpful compared to having never been here before, but he isn't sure it's helping any more than knowing what type of store to look for. Oh, but there's something else he should know before they get as far as walking through racks of clothes--]

You know what sizes you wear, right?

[Given the shirt he's wearing today is not his old one, he had to have figured out some of it, but it's safer to make sure.]

[Thankfully, Shun doesn't put all that much stock in money outside of how much he needs to be able to eat. And it's not like he hasn't been sitting on a pile of it basically since he started working given how little he buys.

He does frown a bit when Ren asks that question though, because...well. About that.]

Not really. I mostly guessed with what I've bought before this. [Granted, he's managed to guess pretty accurately by comparing it with what he was wearing at the time, but it's still guessing. On the other hand, he seems to have realised this was going to be an issue, because he gives a somewhat resigned sigh.] I figured I wasn't going to get away with that today anyway.

[Why did he have any faith at all that Shun had figured out anything to do with this...

Ren actually looks a bit sorry for him as he glances over and shakes his head...but only a little bit sorry and more like he's trying not to be too amused. he probably should be more sorry since Shun is probably going to regret that, but...] You can get away with that with regular clothes, but definitely not with this. It's okay, it shouldn't take too long to figure it out.

[It's just going to take a bit more trying things on that Shun was hoping for, probably.

Ren briefly darts over to a window to look inside and shakes his head a gain as he moves on.] We'll have to look in there later.

[Shun would probably be wondering the same thing as Ren if he knew he'd even had the thought that Shun would have bothered figuring this sort of thing out.

There's a brief scowl in answer to Ren's part-sympathetic, part-amused expression, though Shun can't really argue too hard given he'd suspected he'd need the information today. Nonetheless, he still doesn't look or sound terribly impressed.]

It'd better not. I don't want to be stuck doing this all day. [Then again, it'd probably be taking longer if he hadn't invited Ren one way or another, so he lets out a long breath and goes on slightly more reasonably.] I hope you know what you're doing. [Because Shun sure doesn't.

As Ren runs off to go look at a shop and comes back with that judgement, Shun's brow furrows a bit.] Why?

Because I think that'll be a good place to look for normal clothes.

[The inside looked pretty dark and severe, so it suited Shun's image pretty well and it's probably a good place for both of them to look later. Maybe they could even tip Yuto off about it if it ends up being a good place.]

Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. [Ren flashes him a victory sign and smiles cheerily, but his voice is still his normal, less goofy tone than the chipper one he'd usually use with a smile like that.] I've had to do this a lot. I could get away with wearing whatever I wanted with a lot of our sponsors, but some of them wouldn't see me if I didn't dress up.

[Well, Shun's not the one who actually looked at the shop, so while he glances back briefly in the direction of it, he shrugs slightly and decides to take Ren's word for it. It's not like he'll have to worry about it until later, anyway.

At the very least, the more normal tone in conjunction with that sign reassures Shun a bit that Ren actually does know what he's doing, even if he does look a little curious at his explanation. However, he does vaguely remember Ren mentioning something about a company when he'd talked about his history, so he doesn't so much look confused about it.] Something to do with that company you said you made your team into, then. It sounds like a lot of unnecessary messing around to me, but people with that kind of status always seem to like those sorts of ridiculous things.

[He's mostly commenting on the "refusing to see him at all unless he dressed up" thing there, because to him, that sounds patently absurd.]

[This is definitely one of those few times where Ren absolutely agrees with Shun's more pragmatic view of things. He likes dressing up well enough, but only if it's what he wants and not because of some stuffy businessman.]

Yeah. I don't know if it was status as much as age--it was always the older guys who got really particular like that. And our school's board of directors. [Ren wrinkles his noses and goes on with a not very serious whine.] They were always a pain to deal with, and Tetsu would never let me get out of it even though he was always much better at that kind of thing than me.

[Still, that whining is only superficial, especially now that he hasn't seen Tetsu in four months. He really had needed Tetsu to make sure he didn't blow off his responsibilities, particularly while he'd been lost to his Psyqualia. It's been a lot harder having to push himself.]

Shouldn't the people who run a school just be fine with you wearing a uniform anyway? [Given they're presumably the people who decide on the uniform. If they didn't consider it acceptable, then why make anyone wear it? Either way, Shun sounds faintly exasperated with the entire idea of it.] Sounds like if your friend was that interested, he could have just done it himself.

[Granted, if Ren is supposed to be in charge he should be taking some responsibility, but refusing to see people who imposed stupid rules on dress for meeting them is something Shun considers to be reasonable.]

At least most people here don't seem to care anyway. [Emphasis on the most, because Shun wouldn't be doing this if he didn't know full well someone would likely take issue with informal dress for certain occasions.]

Oh, they were okay with that, but I only started wearing it like I was supposed to this year. [Don't ask why his teachers were fine with him strutting around the school in his leather coat like an asshole those days he decided to actually go; he still doesn't know.] Tetsu did take care of most things, but he didn't want me to forget that it's still supposed to be my company.

[So yeah, this would probably sounds far less sympathetic if Tetsu were the one telling it. Too bad he isn't here right now.

The store they're passing now looks promising, so off he goes, assuming Shun will follow him once it's clear he isn't just heading over to look this time.]

I bet it's the same kind of people who will care, except you'll only know they're old if they tell you. [And he's super glad none of them are around to hear him calling them old.] But it's still fun to dress up sometimes anyway.

[That makes a lot more sense, admittedly, and Shun definitely can't imagine Ren would've been all that interested in wearing a uniform. So he simply gives a short nod of understanding in answer to that part of it, because he feels like he can pretty well relate to that.

Speaking of relating, it's much easier to see where Tetsu would have been coming from put like that.] That I can agree with. If you put yourself at the head of something like that, then you take up everything necessary to keep it running. [Shun's dealt with too many people who are terrible at heading up large organizations to have a great deal of patience for it, though it sounds like Ren didn't have the chance to slack whether he wanted to or not.

Though Shun does continue walking for a moment or two, when Ren actually heads more in the direction of the door of this particular shop, he turns back to follow him. It's not like it takes much for him to catch up, nor respond to the next remark with a faint snort.]

I thought Suijin would, but I had a meeting with her the other day and she didn't seem to care. The other two advisors seem enough like prideful busybodies to make a point of it, though. [It's probably telling that while Suijin's name involves no change in tone from Shun, as soon as he starts talking about the other two advisors, a strong hint of derision creeps in.] I don't see what would be fun about it. It sounds more like extra trouble than anything.

I didn't think I'd have to do much when I started it. [Since he'd been a 14-year-old edgelord. But to his credit, he does look somewhat sheepish about that. At least he'd figured out that it was a lot of work eventually.

The atmosphere inside the shop seems to get more oppressive and serious and exactly like that stuffy board of directors the further back it goes, which tells Ren that they should have some luck here. He immediately heads over to one of the racks of shirt to start looking for something to use as a starting point to narrow down what sizes to actually look for.]

That's interesting; I would have expected it from all of them....What is she like? I haven't met her yet.

Running a company competently was hardly going to be easy. [But since Ren's clearly realised that already, he doesn't press on it - even that remark is more a passing one than anything.

Even Shun can feel the general air of stuffiness inside the shop, and he frowns a little. It reminds him a bit too much of situations he'd been shoved into back in his world for him to be entirely comfortable with it, though it's not like he's terribly comfortable in clothes stores normally, either. For now, he just stands to one side and lets Ren work.

At the question of what Suijin is like, Shun considers for a moment before answering.]

Sensible and much more reasonable than the other advisors. I wouldn't say I trust her, but I've dealt with her often enough to know she can handle things competently. And unlike half the other gods, she's actually trying to figure out what the problems are between the old and new gods and shinki and bridge the gap - we've discussed it a few times so far. She still doesn't seem to entirely understand humans and what we're like, though, which makes me wonder how much hands-on work the Heavens were actually doing before we got here.

[Maybe Shun can take heart in the fact that Ren is at least as uncomfortable in here as he is, despite knowing what he's doing.

Ren has three whole shirts folded over his arm and another in his hands by the time Shun is done, and he tilts his head to the side a little as he considers the shirt and what he was saying.]

Well, I'm sure most of them were never human in the first place. There's only one I can think of who's important who started human and was deified later. [And he really only knows about Michizane from overhearing some of his classmate's woes during exam time and having his name pop up in textbooks.] I'm surprised he hasn't shown up to see how we're all doing...

[He spend a few more seconds looking over the shirt, and then adds to the pile on his arm.] Anyway, she probably doesn't have a reference point, and if she spends most of her time helping Amaterasu-san run things...

[She probably hadn't been doing much hands-on work before they started showing up.]

[It is a bit of a reassuring sight, weirdly enough. Since Ren is usually more comfortable with this sort of thing, it at least means it's not just Shun.

For all that uncomfortableness, though, it doesn't seem to be stopping Ren from gathering shirts up at what, to Shun, is a rate of knots, and he raises an eyebrow slightly at the small pile and the one Ren's considering as he speaks.]

Some of them still have more of an understanding, or make decently regular contact with humans. Bishamon and Yato are more like that. [But then, Yato's supposedly some kind of absolute low-tier god given the issues Shun had accidentally pulled up when they last talked, and though Bishamon is a God of Fortune, that's still a different role to the advisors.

There's a very faint snort at the mention of helping Amaterasu run things, though.] Obviously that's not the whole job, considering Amaterasu mentioned to me at that ridiculous beach thing that the advisors grounded her "for her safety" between that and the picnic fire.

[Hey, Shun is they one who said he didn't want this to take all day.

Oh dear, Shun has met Yato...Ren is immediately heartbroken that he wasn't there to see it. He's only met Yato once, but it had been An Experience. He can only imagine how Shun must have dealt with him, and he has to hold make a laugh at the thought.]

Yato-san is really funny, isn't he? He does seem a lot like us, now that you mention it.

["Us" being the humans turned gods in general not. himself and Shun. Yato and Shun aren't anything alike.

Amaterasu being grounded by her advisors is a pretty funny image too, and he almost feels a bit of kinship there...except that also reminds him of something he probably would have brought up back with he and Yukine had run into him, if he hadn't only seen it after that.]

Oh, that's right, someone mentioned she's a kid on the board the other day...

[It probably speaks enough to Shun's opinion of Yato that his expression momentarily shifts to one of mild incredulity at the concept of him being funny.]

Not the word I'd use. I don't know how that kid tolerates him, for all the complaints he seems to have about him. [He's both heard Yukine lauding his and his god's ability and complaining about his god, so really, he's not entirely sure what to think of that.] From what he said last time we spoke, he doesn't have many followers and had to work for what he does have, so that's probably why he seems more like us.

[And Shun definitely remembers that outing of Amaterasu's form on the network - there's a sharp hiss of irritation as Ren mentions it.]

That idiot. I tore into him for it in a private chat, but he didn't seem to care that he'd just done her far more harm than he had good when he was the one raving about how we should all be trying to help her. Neither coddling her or revealing her identity was ever going to do that.

[Why doesn't it surprise him that Shun only found him annoying and not funny at all...]

I think Yukine-kun likes him more than he lets on.

[Yukine is the type of kid who'd be embarrassed to say so, but most of that complaining doesn't have much of a bite to it, and anyway, he had said once that they get along.

Ren grimaces slightly as soon as Shun makes that annoyed sound. That alone tells him it was true; he doesn't even need the small rant afterward. Although he definitely agrees with Shun's annoyance here; it's only going to make her more vulnerable if that news spreads too far.]

It could have been worse. He could have said what she looks like too.

[Aaand he has a fifth shirt, so it's probably time to go try things on. He nods his head for Shun to follow and heads of to find a dressing room.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject