Look around, look around

[toremainbehind]

Who: Izumo and Open
When: Early August
Where: Far Shore, possibly Near Shore.
What: Post-Ablution stuff. Coping with missing friends and returned memories. Izumo doesn't appreciate haunting season.
Warning: N/A


A. Cnoc Áine - After Shizuo’s Ablution

[After performing the ablution on Shizuo with Chikusa and Goten, Izumo has decided to stick around Yona’s temple to keep an eye on the two. Normally he wouldn’t be around the temple so much, only ever coming and go briefly to visit Shizuo or Yona. He usually sticks to the room that ended up being his, but he’s actually out and about in the temple now.

If he looks a little tired, just pretend that he isn’t instead.

However, anyone around the temple might spot him in the halls or somewhere outside. Come and talk to him? Drink with him?]

B. Double Cross Bar - Memories On A Wall

[The moment he’s learned that Sora and Roxas are gone, Izumo felt a bit—not sad, per se, but something close to it. While he wouldn’t exactly call himself sentimental, he’s decided that putting up a photo wall can be at least one way of keeping memories alive.

So, after a day or two, he puts up a post on the BBS:]

If anyone has any photos of Sora and Roxas, mind if I have a copy? I’m working on a project right now, so I thought it’d be good to start with those two first.

[Anyone who does come to the bar will find Izumo leaning against the counter, focused on a blank wall to the side. He seems thoughtful, though he does glance over at anyone who comes in.]

C. When Will Dreams End? [Closed to Totsuka]

[He sent a text to Totsuka earlier that morning upon awakening. It’s not like how he reacted when he first remembered Anna, but now some things the man has said the few times they’ve met makes sense.

Choosing his bar instead of Mikoto’s temple or Totsuka’s temple was a good place to talk. With it still closed, it gives them the proper privacy they need.

Really, Izumo didn’t enjoy waking up suddenly remembering people from his past life, but it’s even worse now because this time, he’s aware of one fact about the god: he’s dead.

By the time Totsuka comes to the bar, Izumo already has a drink in front of him.]

D. Fade to Black

[It’s August.

It’s summer and it’s haunting season.

So, it’s not surprising that Izumo is being haunted by some ghosts that decides to play with him. Which is why he’s looking fairly unimpressed at a floating lighter, the sounds of childish giggles heard around him.]

E. WildCard

[Feel free to make up your own prompt if nothing here interests you!]

Comments

[toremainbehind]

It has.

[Shizuo, what kind of person do you think he is to do that?]

When we're finished with the second floor, Goten wants to start decorating it with both of us.

[bartenderizing]

[ Hey, he's sure you wouldn't do that. Despite that, some of it might be embarrassing. ]

Does he? Ah, guess I should get to work on finishing the rest of this stuff, then. He's not gonna want to wait for very long.

[ Especially when it's been how long before he was finally showing up at the bar again? ]

[toremainbehind]

He's been patient so far. Just take your time with it all, Shizuo.

[bartenderizing]

Yeah, but he's also shown up with bottles of milk during this, and it went to how he wanted us three to do prayers together.

[ Goten's way of hammering in the fact that Shizuo's not allowed to distance himself out of guilt, or shame, or anything like that. ]

[toremainbehind]

Goten just doesn't want you to isolate yourself after what's happened. You're still our friend in the end.

[bartenderizing]

It's not like I was gonna do it forever.

[ But yeah, he was clearly aware of his self-imposed isolation from everyone. ]

Just... Figuring things out.

[toremainbehind]

You'd anger a lot more people if you did.

[Don't isolate yourself.

He raises an eyebrow.]

And did you manage to figure anything out?

[bartenderizing]

Which I've done enough of as it is...

[ Given how many people went to 'check up' on Shizuo after the ablution. Yet at that question, Shizuo leans on the door frame to the back room.

This will sound like a joke, but he's serious. ]

Yeah, actually. That when Sharak offers something, it's never that simple.

[toremainbehind]

Best to avoid doing so in the meantime.

[A mixed expression of curiosity and amusement.]

And why's that?

[bartenderizing]

It's not like I've been trying to.

[ Look, don't be amused. He's serious, dammit. He'll take out his phone to read one part of a text. ]

'I might have something for you, and you won't be found by anyone here.'

[ Which was the quote in its entirety before he pockets it again. Really, Shizuo should realize that lack of context could only help how that sounded. Then again, with his tone, it's obvious that this wasn't some indulgence on his feelings. ]

Apparently, even if you were talking about meditation before, that was an open enough offer.

[toremainbehind]

...I might need some more context to that, Shizuo. Otherwise, I'll think it's something else.

[Like a booty call.

He hums a bit.]

So Sharak is offering? Why not take her up on it in the meantime?

[bartenderizing]

The context is that I asked her the difference between meditation and just being really relaxed.

[ He wishes it were a booty call. Unfortunately, the only person offering that is someone who isn't his type. (Niles. It's Niles, and no one's surprised.) ]

And I did- that was... Yesterday? That or the day before. By 'open', I mean I wasn't expecting to be inspected or anything when I went there.

[toremainbehind]

[The amusement grows.]

You were inspected?

[Sorry, Shizuo, but that's almost laughable.]

Sharak really has an interesting way of doing things.

[bartenderizing]

I mentioned- Dammit, here.

[ He'll just lightly toss his phone to Izumo. Well, lightly for Shizuo. It's fine- his phone is Nokia-made. It's not like he has anything to hide. ]

And yeah, I don't count the people connected through Yona as friends. They're just people I'm pretty much stuck with knowing.

[toremainbehind]

[He catches the phone easily enough to read the text.

It's nice to know you actually trust him to read it, Shizuo.]

Like her other shinki or those other two people I see stop by her temple every so often? [Izumo peers over at him.]

[bartenderizing]

[ It's way easier to show instead of explain, which trumps whether or not he trusts Izumo to go through his texts. Surprise. Most of his conversations are with you ]

Yeah. It's just because of Yona, though.

[toremainbehind]

Yona does seem to attract those types of people.

[Protective/bodyguard types, he means.

After he reads the text, he tosses the phone back to Shizuo.]

[bartenderizing]

[ He catches it just as easily, pocketing the phone without even checking to see if Izumo did something mischievous. Mostly because there was no reason for him to. ]

... What do you mean by 'those types'?

[ His tone suggests that he knows, and that he too is a part of that group. ]

[toremainbehind]

[He's not that type of person.]

You know exactly what I'm talking about.

[bartenderizing]

It better not be what I'm thinking, and having you lump me in the same group as all of them.

[ Shizuo, this is exactly why you belong 'lumped in' with them. ]

[toremainbehind]

But you fit in that group.

[Izumo doesn't look at all apologetic about admitting it either.]

Especially since it all boils down to one basic thing: protecting Yona.

[bartenderizing]

[ There's a moment where it was clear he didn't have anything to say against that. Mostly because he didn't want to get into an argument of his intentions versus the actions that came out of it. So instead he goes into the back room to collect some of those materials to bring upstairs.

Pushing the door open with his foot, he does have something to add. Despite all those heavy materials in his arms. ]

For a while, don't count me as part of that group. I've got a lot of work to do before I can even pretend to be a part of it. Also, if you lump me in with them again, I'm gonna kick your ass.

Ah, and lemme know if you need me to take over down here. I'll be down later either way.

[ Okay, now he's gonna go upstairs. He'll really be back down later, and this shouldn't be the loudest of things. Not compared to the actual construction, at least. ]

[toremainbehind]

[He doesn't say anything to break the silence, more than content to let Shizuo do his own thing. When Shizuo pauses to speak, he can only smile.]

Duly noted.

[As if he ever comments on that sort of thing twice.

But he gives him a wave as he goes upstairs. It's definitely not the worst commotion he's heard, so it doesn't really bug him much as he goes to do his own work.]

[bartenderizing]

[ 'More than content' because he 'won' in a way, huh? Well, Shizuo will show him. By... Doing an excellent job upstairs. At this point, it shouldn't be a surprise that there's a bunch of noise, anyway. People had to get used to it for about a month, after all.

Of course, it's not like there's anything to worry about. If the bar is anything to go by, Shizuo can at least be trusted with these sorts of things. Plus, even if he misses the head of a nail, he won't feel the hammer. Or the blade from a saw. It's handy. Of course there's a point when, no matter how much or little you do, you can't do more until things set and dry.

Which is when he finally comes back down- half of a total mess. He couldn't change or anything, but he's washed his hands, arms, face and neck at least. The clothes are full of something. Leftovers from sanding or something, probably.

He was about to sit on a stool before stopping himself. If he did that, there'd be stuff all over it. ]

... Next time remind me to bring a change of clothes before I go to work on upstairs.

[toremainbehind]

[Do tell how doing an excellent job upstairs will show him. With all the renovation being done in the bar, it's amazing how it's simply become background noise at this point. Always something to listen to, but never too far to not be heard.

Whether Shizuo realizes it or not, Izumo will.

He peers up when Shizuo comes down, sliding a smoothie he made over to him, and he chuckles a bit.]

Will do. You might want to leave some pairs of clothes here, too, while you're at it in case of emergencies.