Lonely, I'm Mister Lonely...

[diehardreaper]

Who: Ronald Knox (diehardreaper) and anyone looking for a free snack.
What: Someone looks a little desperate for company...
When: April 22nd, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Where: Around Tokyo and by the bridge of the Meguro river
Warnings: none

A. On the streets and about town...

Good afternoon!

[ You might have been wandering around or just arrived from the Far Shore when this perky voice attempts to get your attention. He raises his hat in greeting as he comes over before replacing it back on his head. ]

I was wondering if you could spare a moment? We could have a coffee you and I, or anything you fancy. My treat!

[ He seems almost desperate. Despite the cheerful smile, there's an almost pleading look in his eyes as he waits for your answer. Brush him off? Accept his offer? He's waiting. ]


--


B. By running water waiting...

[ He's probably had enough of socializing for the afternoon but maybe you've seen him earlier, offering his company or a free snack. Right now he's alone, sitting on the railing of a bridge and staring out into the river below. ]

They've been gone too long... prolly best they went home.

[ He flops his empty sleeve uselessly. ]

Who knows... maybe I'll see them out and about in this town if I looked hard enough!

[ His momentary cheeriness disappears, replaced instead by his drooping shoulders. So much for trying to cheer himself up. ]

Comments

A

[clothes_make_the_man]

[Forrest has been out and about on the Near Shore a lot more since opening his clothing business, gathering supplies and doing fashion research. And today, he happens to be passing Ronald's way.]

Oh! Ah... yes, if you'd like.

[He's sure he doesn't know this guy, but he seems fairly insistent.]

[diehardreaper]

Brilliant!

[ And totally offering him his arm because what is escorting pretty young things when you've asked them out, right? ]

Hope I wasn't pulling you away from anything important. Just fancied a bit of company this afternoon, is all.

B.... And I'm so sorry.

[talkbirdytome]

[Hiyoko is out for a walk when she spots him sitting on the railing. The slump of his shoulders, his downtrodden expression, the way he's staring down at the river.... clearly they can only mean one thing. She rushes forward.]

No, don't give up! You can still learn the true meaning of Christmas!!

[He was totally gonna jump, right?]

shhh it's okay that was great

[diehardreaper]

[ A pause.

A blank stare. ]

If you were thinking I was going to jump, I've actually already done that! Ages ago, really. This river's hardly going to make a dent.

[ But congratulations. You got him to laugh. ]

What's this about Christmas then? It won't be for a few months, at least!

A

[sweetdeath]

... Ronald?

Hey, yeah, sure! [There's something about his expression... Tsuzuki sobers, frowning worriedly.]

What's wrong?

[diehardreaper]

Wrong?

[ A laugh. ]

Nothing's wrong, mate! I just... didn't fancy spending the afternoon alone, is all.

[ Some people deal with grief in different ways clearly. ]

A

[cleanmemory]

[ He'd been out and about on the Near Shore to see if he could buy himself a new Yukata since he suddenly had an influx of new followers (and it was nice to keep up a godly appearance, right?), when suddenly a stranger stopped him in the middle of his walk. Watanuki was incredibly surprised, as someone actually noticed him... but this meant that this person was either a god or a shinki or something supernatural in nature. ]

[ He shied away when he got too close. Mainly because he was taken by surprise, and, he didn't know if he could control his powers if he was surprised like that. Best not to accidentally touch him. ]

[ But then the offer of coffee, or... anything, sprung up, and it would have been in his nature to decline a stranger, but... ]

[ He was the God of Mercy and Compassion now, wasn't he? So... ]

Ah, that is... [ A faint pause. ]

...All right. If you... need to talk. We can go somewhere. [ Maybe he needed to sit down and say something. ]

[diehardreaper]

[ Just make sure it isn't a yutaka with a plunging neckline, okok?

But the reaper just blinks at his reaction, pausing a moment to consider his options. He'd just been happy to have someone to have tea with just to keep his mind off things all the way to supper before stumbling back to his own temple but...

It's strange seeing someone so astute. ]

S'not that big a deal, really. Just... needed a bit of company for the afternoon, is all!

[ A shrug though. ]

Let's just say I'd rather not have to go home to an empty temple just yet, eh?

A

[fullcowl]

[He's pretty sure he hasn't met this guy before, but he can read that look pretty easily.]

Um... coffee sounds fine. Are you okay?

[diehardreaper]

Fine? Oh, sure, more'n fine.

[ And a friendly swinging of his only arm around this guy's shoulders. ]

Were you off somewhere before I absconded you, by the by?

a

[skycutter]

[He's definitely just wandering around, the strap of a backpack that looks like it's seen better days slung over one shoulder, and he's not expecting to be called to.

But because he's been seen, and he's not actively trying to be seen here in the Near Shore, Hope immediately comes to the conclusion that this man is from the Far Shore too. And his eyebrows furrow a little in curiosity.]

Uh...

[He's too young for coffee, isn't he?]

Okay? What for?

[diehardreaper]

[ There's a grin and a small shrug as he sticks his hand in his pocket. He's not about to turn away any company really. Or maybe he's just projecting a bit to think that people shouldn't be alone. ]

No particular reason. S'just been a quiet afternoon and I fancied a bit of company, is all! Call it an old habit.

[ Because it's totes almost tea time and he's not about to take it alone. ]

B

[revolutionfalcon]

[As someone who has trouble not keeping himself occupied as much as possible, Shun's taken to doing ayakashi patrols of an evening, relatively short things that nonetheless take him to a variety of places around the city. This time, he's crossing the bridge in question, and though he's pretty sure the person sitting on the railing is a Far Shore resident, he's about to pass them by when he hears what the guy's saying.

It's not hard to tell that he's trying to convince himself of those last words, and Shun pauses for a moment before sighing quietly and stepping up to the railing.]

If someone's gone, it's better to take it as it is and work from there, not pretend there's nothing wrong and fail anyway.

[diehardreaper]

[ He'd be more productive himself but he's kind of... un-armed right now. But he does appreciate the bluntness. If anything, it reminds him of home and the boss that's bound to dock his pay when he gets back. ]

I ent sayin' nothing's wrong, mate. S'just... my way of staying positive, is all!

[ He's trying to, at least. ]

Loads of chances I'll see them again. Just not right now.

B

[hyuuga]

[As much as she enjoys her temple, Hinata almost enjoys exploring Tokyo more. Big metropolises like this don't exist in her world, after all. She has a bag filled with candy and other snacks she thinks her shinki might like as she strolls across the bridge.

At seeing another person, she slows down, eventually stopping right next to him. While she doesn't know him, she's still concerned. Being lonely, it's something she recognizes.]

Um... Is everything ok?

[diehardreaper]

[ There's a blink when he realizes he isn't alone. So she has his attention, as well as an eager little grin back. ]

Ah, yeah. Everything's fine! Right as rain, darling, no worries! I take it you're one of us too, if you can see me?

[ He's just steeled himself though. Yup. No use moping now. The Okumuras wouldn't want him miserable, after all. ]

A... they haven't flirted in forever

[deniles]

A moment?

[Ah, wasn't this the guy who had flirted with him before? So, no limits? Perfect.

He slides in closer, hands behind his back with a grin.]

Anything I fancy? Anything?

[Run.]

....no they haven't.

[diehardreaper]

[ He does give a small smirk back. ]

Maybe. Depending on what exactly you do fancy at the moment.

[ Well, you were looking for a distraction, Ron. ]

A

[twiceinhabited]

[The person he called out to is a teenage girl. Amane's out in Tokyo, mostly to familiarise herself with the surroundings. She pauses and glances at Ronald with a blink.]

Ah, me? [From the looks of it, he did address her. The look in his eyes are what influenced her answer. She nods.] I don't mind at all, sir.

[diehardreaper]

No need to be so formal, sweetheart. It's Ronald. Ronald Knox, if you please.

[ There's a tip of his hat as he introduces himself. ]

Hope you don't mind the sudden invitation. Just fancied it a good way to get myself acquainted, is all.

a

[moonlitknight]

[ His steps come to a halt when he's called over and his eyebrow rises at the offer. ]

I don't like coffee.

[ Always the difficult one, Zero. ]

[diehardreaper]

I'd always been more for tea, myself. It's just about time, too.

[ He can work with difficult ones. His boss is totally difficult, after all. ]

Snack? Did you say snack... [A]

[jocularly]

[How can he resist? Joker is drawn in by the offer almost immediately, expression bright and cheerful.]

How kin I say no to that face? [He will slap a hand on Ronald's shoulder, good natured.] I'm happy with whatever you like, friend. My stomach don't make much a fuss over anythin' as long as it's edible!

Free noms, good company, how could you go wrong?

[diehardreaper]

[ Ah yeah, now here's some company he's missed. The shoulder slapping's all good. It's actually going to earn Joker an arm around his own shoulders. ]

If this town had a decent chippery, that's where I'd take you but as it happens, it doesn't. Just about time for tea, too, so I'd thought you'd be in need of a spot of something.

Decided to take a bit of a dekko about town then, did you?

A

[chuugi]

[ Ron please. Harklight is totally taken by surprise at the sudden stranger asking him to get coffee with him. ] I...don't mind, but isn't this something better suited for someone you're more familiar with?

[ They literally just met?! ]

[diehardreaper]

[ Unfortunately, that isn't how this boy works. He's torn between distracting himself with company and deciding to make good use of this socialization chance. ]

Everyone's a fair target, mate! S'just as good a time as any to get to know everyone else, if you ask me.