stick with me baby, i'm the guy that you came in with [closed]

[sweetdeath]

Who: Tsuzuki Asato, Jae-Ha, Kija, Gojyo and Ronald Knox
What: Poker night!
When: May 1, evening
Where: Tajimamori's temple
Warnings: Booze, gambling and probably stupid arguments?

[Looks like it's a buffet style dinner! Some of that food over on the sideboard looks like Tsuzuki got it from a supermarket deli and reheated it. The deep-fried sugar-glazed sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are too burned and the sauce too drippy for them to be anything but homemade. And nobody would deliberately sell that gorgonzola spaghetti he's got in the center of the spread.

There's a couple of six-packs of beer in the fridge and a battered flea market poker set in the middle of the kitchen table, and Tsuzuki's hovering by the front door ready to greet his guests. Kija's going to have a fun night out! Tsuzuki'll make sure of it.

And hey, with any luck, the rest of them will have a good time too.]


[ooc; feel free to make top-levels and tag around mingle style! it's a party: go wild.]

Comments

[bighand]

But... [He's staring forlornly at a playing card now, Jae-Ha, look what you've done. Think about this.] I will do my best to win, for the sake of all the kingdoms.

[razzledazzles]

[This is just fine, Kija is cute like this. Jae-Ha puts a hand on his shoulder.]

You haven't even met the rest of the kingdoms. Don't look so down.

[bighand]

[Jae-Ha, please.]

Should I not do my best for them? It does not matter when I meet them.

[razzledazzles]

[A laugh slips out, he can't help it.]

You should always try your best. [He pats the table, like come on, again!] Each card has a role, but you should focus on how they work together. Now, the ones to look out for...

[He'll try explaining a little bit more about Actual Poker.]

[bighand]

[Okay, but is he doing it with kingdom metaphors? Because,]

How will anyone fortify their defenses if we continue to throw the cards back into the center...?

[razzledazzles]

Think of it like a reset! It starts a new match. A new challenge.

[Kija likes the word challenge or something, right? Maybe. This should work fine.]

[bighand]

[He does like that word, look how starry-eyed he is about it. Moderately starry-eyed.]

I see... Then I will allow it! Let's begin!

[razzledazzles]

[See, now they can play poker even if Kija treats it more like risk, and Jae-Ha can pretend he's bad at poker too and actually win each time. Has Kija learned not to show his hand all over?? He hopes so.]

Are you enjoying yourself?

[bighand]

[He has mostly learned, but he still has moments. Bear with him while he adjusts and invents all these risk rules in his head.]

My kingdom will come out on top, surely.

[razzledazzles]

In a way, I've given you a great strategy with this.

[All of these rules... People won't understand what he means at all. Maybe Kija can win a few rounds.]

[bighand]

Yes! I am sorry that I will soon crush you at every turn, but this is very exciting.

[Ah. RIP.]

[razzledazzles]

You won't crush me at anything if you keep showing me your hand.

[He bets he could ask Kija to show it to him and he would... Gosh.]

[bighand]

I could crush you with my other hand if you insist.

[He would just show him his card hand, yes, but.]

[razzledazzles]

It's not cute at all when you say things like that.

[Don't crush him... Anyway, because Jae-Ha is perpetually thirsty, he's going to reach across the table and grab a beer or something. Hah!!]

I hope I haven't left you alone for too long, Kija. [Just out of nowhere at this party,]

[bighand]

[Ah, the forbidden drink. Just wait til he melts into a couch from half a beer later.]

I am not— what? [he's not trying to be cute!! But hmm, what is this brotherly concern... he's already touched. It's been two seconds.] I am alright, Jae-Ha. Besides, now that we are all here, I feel better than before...

[razzledazzles]

[Jae-Ha will be there to put a blanket over him then, too. He lets that cute comment fall away without explanation to focus on this more serious thing, instead.]

But none of your problems were solved, were they? [He would have heard about it.]

[bighand]

[Gasp, big bro... That's so cute of future Jae-Ha. Kija will cry on him drunkenly, but in a happy way.]

Well... I suppose not. [He looks down to pluck at his cards, sheepish again. Sheepish and disappointed.] We are going to answer a prayer, but he is not enthusiastic about it.

[Like, he made this plan and now is letting it gather dust? When will Kija be allowed out to his job??]

[razzledazzles]

[Jae-Ha shifts to lean an elbow on the table, sipping at his drink as he looks to Kija.]

He still hasn't done anything with you? It's been ages since he's said he'd try.

[bighand]

[This isn't playing poker anymore... oh well.]

After that fire, he called me to speak about someone he knows from his home. Then he suggested answering a specific prayer and asked what I thought of it, but we have not gone yet... How long must this girl suffer because of us?

[He's not even patient about good things, this is killing him!!]

[razzledazzles]

[Well, Hazel can wonder in the middle of his night of old man relaxing why Jae-Ha is getting so angry. Honestly, the heat from his anger at this might even be felt by Kija, with how Jae-Ha is glaring into his beer.]

Is that so? Do you need me to have a word with him?

[Not that Kija can't take care of himself, but more like a subtle extending of an offer if he wants backup...] Anyone who can stand by and do nothing as a girl suffers is absolutely despicable.

[bighand]

[Somewhere, Hazel looks up from his book and wonders. But Kija just continues to look sad about this poor girl, while he fiddles with the corner of a card.]

I... do not know what to do. He is so reluctant, he seems to think those people praying to him would be better off if he did not even try.

[Now he looks at Jae-Ha, just to look confused. Who even thinks this way??]

[razzledazzles]

So his excuse is low self esteem?

[What a load of crap, Jae-Ha thinks, still stewing here angrily.] He's mistaken if he thinks sitting around and fishing for pity is any sort of effort.

[bighand]

I cannot even be certain of that much. [It is truly amazing how little they actually exchange words, and yet maybe not so amazing, considering Kija's efforts are all met with annoyance at best. He doesn't want to give up, but...]

It's... hard to handle.

[razzledazzles]

Kija...

[His fingers curl around his beer a little tighter as he frowns at him. Why can't he do anything...!!] I'm sorry you have to deal with this. If he's really like this, it may be best to consider your options.

Have you thought about finding a god on your own? [Tsuzuki suggested this, so... He'll try offering it.]

[bighand]

[Mm... Konzen had suggested that too, but before Kija woke up on Youji's floor. He's uncertain about it, especially after everything he's been told about how a shinki's duty is to guide their god - is he doing his duty at all if he quits to be with someone else? They did not quit Yona, even when she refused to use their weapon forms—]

I— want to be useful.

[Jae-Ha: let's make sure Kija has a good time
also Jae-Ha: brings up what makes Kija sad on purpose]