March 7th (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bowtography) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synflux2024-04-12 08:29 am
bowtography) wrote in synflux2024-04-12 08:29 am
[OPEN] Lost in paradise
WHO: March 7th and anyone who wants to witness this
WHAT: Post-upgrade Problems...
WHERE: Around the base, around Japan
WHEN: April 12th and up to a week after that
WARNINGS: None so far!
A. Post-Surgery
B. Compass Required
C. Bah Hummingbird
[ OOC: Also fine with doing custom starters if nothing catches your interest! ]
WHAT: Post-upgrade Problems...
WHERE: Around the base, around Japan
WHEN: April 12th and up to a week after that
WARNINGS: None so far!
A. Post-Surgery
[ Choices were made. March may or may not regret them a little, but upon remembering things like how badly injured so many of the Outsiders had been and Ishmael gritting her teeth while struggling to walk, she'd ultimately decided it was worth it.
Maybe not right now, though, not when she's kind of staggering around the base, looking very much Still In Pain and sheet-white. Of course, that's one thing. The other thing is that she looks completely disoriented and depending on where you find her, it's pretty obvious that it's not where she was trying to go. Maybe it's a non-Redemption wing. Maybe it's the cafeteria.
Maybe it's the rec room?? Maybe she's actually heading outside when she clearly shouldn't be??
If you're still not entirely sure what she's up to, she can be heard quietly muttering to herself in a shaky voice, definitely rattled-- ]
W-why is it so hard to find my room??
B. Compass Required
[ It's a day or so later! And she is.
... Not doing any better. Though at the very least, she's had some time to get the style upgrade implemented and is comfortably clothed in her much more familiar (to her) outfit from home.
But she hasn't actually been seen on the base all day, which probably isn't terribly strange, since March likes to go out and experience life, but at this point it's dark and if you're out at night, you might spot her. Talking to a few people who seem either amused or flummoxed by her current level of vexation. ]
No, sorry, I've definitely been to Shinjuku, and I know where it is on a map, I just--
I'm not drunk! Look, just tell me "this way" or "that way" and I'll figure it out from there!!
[ ... She has apparently been dealing with something similar for hours, given that she really does sound like she's on the verge of frustrated tears. ]
C. Bah Hummingbird
[ At this point, March has given up leaving the base on her own, so you can spot her in the greenhouse (though it's arguable whether she meant to be there or not), a cute little hummingbird perched on her shoulder. She's taking pictures of the plants, though she pauses to glance up when she realizes she's got company, offering a smile that is definitely a lot steadier than the mess she's been over the past few days. ]
These little guys are pretty cute, aren't they? I'm more of a dog person, but I gotta admit, they've got a lot of appeal!
[ OOC: Also fine with doing custom starters if nothing catches your interest! ]
no subject
Maybe it's fine, this time.
But she stays silent, both because she's still at the risk of crying if she starts talking before she has the chance to calm down and because she's not even sure what she would say right now. Izou knows where he's going, which makes one of them, and it's not hard to trust him at this point. ]
no subject
izou ushers them into a fairly traditional-looking mom-and-pop pub and away from rain-filled clouds that're beginning to dim the streets, with smoke curling 'round seating and humanoid staff going about their usual as tend to an array of artificial meat from behind the bar. from the look of it, he's got to frequent this place frequently, a far less robotic server casually calling over to ask if he wants the usual. izou dismisses the suggestion with a wave of the hand, more worried about avoiding the... )
I'm takin' a seat near the back.
( —avoiding the curious eyes of the staff as they lock onto who he's dragging behind him. he gives them a furrowed look, with a "don't even think of asking me shit" attached to it, and dammit... he would've taken her somewhere else if this joint wasn't so affordable for a guy like himself who was always tossing money down the drain.
it's a fixed area in the back with raised tatami that he leads them to, and he'll even have a seat next to her all crisscross if she'll allow it, only now realizing how tight his grip must've been. here he'll relax his hand and slip it out of hers, but only if she wants to. if she lingers, he'll curl a finger into her palm, firm if only in this moment. )
Take all the time ya want. No one's gonna bother you back here.
( all the time to come down from whatever's going on, and izou breathes in through his nose and out his mouth in an attempt to disperse this flicker of frustration he doesn't understand. )
no subject
Truthfully, even though there had been chatter, murmurs and the like when they'd entered the pub, Izou's voice is the only thing that really registers now. That scratchy, growl-like sound has only grown more comforting, the longer she's had to get to know him, and March closes her eyes to draw in a slow breath and then release it. Similarly, unintentionally, she matches him: in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Okay. Explain. She needs to explain.
Slowly, she opens her eyes again, after a few carefully measured breaths. ]
I decided, after talking to a few people and seeing how bad things got with the mission, to get that procedure that let you heal injuries. And even without anesthesia and... with how busy they were, I managed to get in the other day, but...
Since then, I... keep getting lost. I couldn't even find my own room, heading back, and I thought it might be better today and I had work and--
[ A shiver ripples through her and March exhales miserably. ]
I-it's been hours. No--no matter what I do, even if I can picture it, I can't get back, and it sounded so stupid to call someone and be like "Oh hey it's March so you know how I don't have any memories well NOW I don't even have a sense of direction" like some kind of disaster, I just thought I could handle it, but--!
[ Well. Here they are. Clearly she couldn't. ]
no subject
letting her hold onto his hand might be all he can do in the moment, but if he could do anything else, he...
... no. the first thing that comes to mind is giving LILITH a talk-to when it comes to their methods, as if they'll listen to him, and the second thing, is. well. all he can think to do for people he's taken a liking to is to draw his blade and kill in their name, and this is the first time since arriving here that the thought of offering that up to someone is so soul-crushing. so utterly useless, the weight of the realization almost shaking him out of his focus on her.
he lets the dread settle, keeps his rough hand steady even if it has no life in it. )
You sure this is really March I'm talkin' to right now? The same girl who told me I was worth the trouble even when you don't trust easy?
( and while izou's words may be accusatory, his tone isn't, the pad of a thumb rubbing into her palm. it's what one of ryouma's older sisters used to do while fussing over him, izou simply an accessory to their family on the occasion. )
All it seems I've done lately while recoverin' from our recent mission is get introduced to all sorts of folks you've befriended on base, and I don't think a one of them would think it stupid for you to ask for help findin' your way back.
no subject
[ It's said with a bit of half-hearted humor, and she even manages a tired little laugh. It's weak, but honestly, he has a point. She'd meant what she'd told him, so technically, she ought to believe that people would be willing to help her. And she does believe that, just...
March is quiet for a minute, focusing on the sensation of a rougher thumb rubbing her palm, and then she slowly shakes her head. ]
I guess maybe I wanted to come off as someone no one had to worry about. Even though...
[ Even though she'd been scared, fifteen steps away from the med bay and suddenly realizing she could no longer remember how to get to her room, brought back so sharply and abruptly to awakening to unfamiliar faces in an unfamiliar place. For those few minutes, she'd frantically cycled through faces and names to make sure she hadn't forgotten any of the people here. The crew. Her journey.
She hadn't wanted to lose any of that. She hadn't wanted to go back to being a mystery to everyone, including herself.
Thankfully, it hadn't led to that, but there's no point in mentioning it. ]
... There's something to be said about not going it alone, huh. [ When she hates being alone in the first place... she'd definitely panicked, hadn't she?
Her eyes, still a little watery despite her best attempts, flick up to his. ]
Thanks for finding me, Izou. I'm glad you're here.
no subject
clueless as usual, izou didn't even consider that he would be implying such.
but any panic in the moment is completely crushed anew by the weight of her gratitude and that misty-eyed expression. his heart lurches forward, glad to hear that she's glad for the company and that maybe he did something right in pulling her away from all that. it's all but muttered under his breath, but: )
'Course I'd be... —everyone'd be worried about ya.
( phew. maybe he should've gotten seating a little less closed-off from the rest of the pub, because what little privacy they have is starting to make his throat tight.
it's here where he'll let his hand slip away from march, here where he gets a little more self-conscious as it lifts into the air a little awkwardly when he isn't sure what to do with it next. )
Don't go forgettin' you can rely on me, too. Bet I know these streets better than the rest of 'em, and I can... can take you back whenever, if yer up for it. Still, goin' through with one of their risky practices like that...
( his eye levels with her, a little critical. )
We got others who can tend to people. You don't gotta do it all.
no subject
Thank goodness she hadn't said anything about liking the feel of it, her fingers instead lightly clasping and curling around each other to continue to try to ground herself.
But then something sharpens in her own gaze; her chin lifts, slightly. ]
I know that.
[ She does, but-- ]
But seeing Ishmael in so much pain and needing someone who had that skill and my own skill not being enough was... really awful. And frustrating.
I don't want to do it all. But I do want to do more. And if I'm useful, I...
[ ... Won't be left behind.
March doesn't say that, just lightly bites her lip as a reminder to herself that some thoughts should be swallowed back. ]
... Well. Um. Yeah, if you could take me back eventually, though, I...
[ One hand lifts, to wipe away any moisture clinging to her eyelashes. ]
I know you won't let me be lost.
no subject
every shuffle of her knees, the nonchalant sweep of a tear from the corner of her eye, the determined confession of putting herself through suffering for her comrade before segueing straight into speaking of her faith in him—
the seams holding his composure together are unraveling again, growing clumsier by the second, and he just barely manages remain steadfast. collected.
because right now, this isn't about him, and he gives march a firm pat on the back. )
And here Ish told me she couldn't handle you and yer high energy. I bet she appreciated that a good deal, long as you don't make it a regular thing.
( his hand lingers heavy, afraid to trail down. )
You hungry? Thirsty? Sipping on somethin' after a hard day always does me good.
no subject
[ With a rueful tug of her lips. It's not going to really change anything, though. She may try to ease back a little on the pushy front, but ultimately, her personality is what it is. Izou's come to accept her for it and it feels like Ishmael's slowly, tiredly, allowing it to be that way too. She can't change herself to be acceptable to someone else and she's fine with that. ]
But, I think... [ The contact helps still, as surprising as it is. She's not about to question it. ]
... I guess a drink's supposed to help calm you down, right? [ Right? She truly does not drink enough to know if this is legit. But maybe just something to take the edge off her nerves, frayed as they feel. ]
no subject
( something he's an expert on... thank god. he leans back on his other hand, turning back towards the bar. )
Hey, Pops! Get me a bottle 'a nigori. The pink one.
( they give him a look, and he juts his chin out as if to dare them to challenge him. he's got the KRYPTOS today, okay? don't even worry about it. that tab, too, is also going to be paid off any day now. any day now...
a bottle and two ceramic cups arrive swiftly, and izou pours a glass for march with the practiced nonchalance of doing this nearly every other couple of days at least. it's well into and past their dinner hours, but the hustle-and-bustle of locals stopping and going is at least a little ways behind them.
then he thrums their table with a finger lightly, trying to settle when he's the one leading her into trying to relax. )
Might not go down as easy as those cocktails we had before, but it's got its own charm.
no subject
She swallows back a grimace at the thought of that discussion, carefully holding the cup in her fingers and pondering it. This doesn't look like the kind of drink one should toss back and it likely wouldn't end well for her if it was anyway, so instead she takes a careful sip.
... He's absolutely right, it's strong. A little goes a long way and even as she coughs a bit on the first swallow, sips were the right choice to make. It's easy to note the flavor that way, the way the warmth seems to coat her throat after a few subsequent sips.
But it seems to do the trick; it's easier not to get stuck in her own jumble of thoughts after some minutes pass. ]
It kind of reminds me of looking at the blossoms, actually...
no subject
izou's heartbeat feels too slow, and then too fast. the memory of that night... of that petal nestled carefully against his photograph and of his promise to her when it comes to hana-mi. he'd said it in the moment, but he'd meant every word of it. )
Yeah?
( and he can't stop his curiosity, doing his best to seem casual about it. )
You must've taken' plenty of people out to watch 'em, what with how you're tryin' to fill up that wall.
no subject
[ She's speaking a little slower, pink darkening her cheeks a bit. Someone truly is a lightweight. ]
It was either doing the walk when they wanted us to do the survey or showing Netzach what the trees looked like because he had, like... monster trees back home or something.
[ Yeah. She pauses to sip thoughtfully at the sake again. ]
But you, on the bridge... that was different. That was the first and only time I saw 'em at night...
... When you said you'd go with me again, I felt... really warm about it. [ Happy. ]
Maybe they're... the sakura, I mean... they're becoming more of an Izou memory to me? [ Like how ballroom dancing was a Wriothesley memory, sleepovers were a Malkuth memory... ]
1 /
to hear that their shared moment was that significant to her...
pulls the thread out entirely, and it's in that moment that his heart finally tumbles completely out of his chest.
the frankness, the kindness, the importance she's attached to him. the way she looks at him earnestly and not in that way that most tend to do, like they're going to laugh. sees right through him and his insistence on being alone, showing up and then staying... the staying part being what's made him stumble thus far, too far, where he would want to flinch and bury these feelings before they can grow too strong. and, while he can ease into companionship and all that, he isn't smart enough to pretend it'll last.
despite himself, he falls, helpless—
straight into a heavy realization, the corners of his mouth tightening, that he likes this girl far more than he thought he did, and that maybe those vulnerable impulses from before were real. )
2 / straight off a cliff
( softer than he's been with anyone so far, he mumbles, and the sudden surge of affection running from his fingertips to his head is so quick that it almost makes him dizzy.
watching her take those cute little sips was gradually making it hard to concentrate. it's not like he felt this way the last time they drank together, so why... why did the drum of his heart have to pound so hard now, dammit?
without even meaning to, he starts to get bolder. his hand tightens into a fist on the table. )
I wanna... make more memories like that together. Just the two of us.
no subject
I remember... you were alone. And I said I didn't want you to be.
[ His voice is so soft, in a way she doesn't think she's heard from him before, and March finishes her cup, setting it down on the table. She doesn't want to forget the way his voice sounds, like this, because what are the chances she'll ever hear it like that again?
Her own voice is quieter, almost drowsy. Her eyelids feel heavy and she can't help but think back to Izou falling asleep on her shoulder on the train. Well, she'd known alcohol could make you sleepy, but it also feels like he's saying something important. Something...
With a little more difficulty than she'd like, March lifts her eyes from the table to his face. Just the two of us, he'd said, and that makes perfect sense, because hadn't things between them always been the two of them at different times? Not like a big party or a smaller group, and she slowly nods.
He's being really earnest right now and she doesn't want to jar him out of that. Not when she can answer him in kind, even though the words feel heavy on her tongue. ]
Anytime you want. I told you, I like spending time with you...
... Holding your hand was really nice, too. I missed it, when you let go. [ So much for not saying it. Sorry, Formerly Sober March. ] It was rough but gentle and warm... You're so much warmer than me, Izou.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzMewM6WmMQ&
izou's chest swells as he holds his breath, as he tries to process everything she's saying that just about makes his head spin. he's the one who blurted out his wishes, but for her to return them in full and so blatantly... for him to struggle with a reckless need to pull her into that supposed warmth and taste the floral sake straight off her tongue as he turns in all his clumsiness to face her properly, is honestly, too much to handle right now.
he's about to lose it, the heat from his blood rising to his hands and toward her wrist, when something clatters behind them from the bar, jolting him back to reality.
colors rises to his cheeks, relentless, and shit. what is he...
he can hardly discern the intentions of others, and it was only recently that he had apologized for an outburst of his own. ruining this... budding friendship they had or whatever, is the last thing he wanted to do at the moment.
friendship... right. he holds his palm out for her, the grooves in his hand hardened by all that blade-wielding. )
O-Oh, yeah? Never had anyone tell me that before, what with these hands belongin' to a killer and all. But if you... if you say there's somethin' kind about 'em, I might just be able to believe it.
( he'd ordinarily offer to pour another glass for his companion, always eager to party, but maybe... that's not the best idea at the moment. )
STOP ATTACKING ME
Something irrepressibly fond tinges her smile, just looking down at their hands. ]
You're being kind right now, you know. I think you've always had that in you, even when you didn't have the chance to show it. That's just...
[ Always. He'd been abrasive, but always, always, he'd let her come closer. Told her to worry more about herself. Told her to be careful. To not put herself down. To do what she wanted. Even his rougher motions had protected her.
March continues to gaze down at their joined hands, letting her eyes slip shut after a minute. The contrast is there, but even she has light calluses in her fingers. And this feels... safe. ]
... I like your hands.
[ It's a very simplistic statement and it's also the last one she'll be saying for a while, because after a few more seconds, her chin droops towards her chest and yes.
She has fallen asleep sitting up. ]
no subject
maybe the drink was too strong, or maybe march was simply just exhausted from all that running around. either way, it's good. it's good that she's relaxed enough to doze in front of him, and that, too, sinks deep into him as he plays lightly with her fingers. they're so much smaller and softer in comparison to his, but the calluses here and there remind him of how tightly she palms the grip of that bow.
little hands trying to hold what's beyond them in the past, and in comparison, he...
march says his hands are kind, and he says he might believe it while she's awake. ryouma, too, probably said something similar once, something about how grateful he was that the strongest man he knew was also the kindest, and the disbelief that someone could smile at him like that weighs heavy even now.
as he glances down at their hands again, the circles under his eyes are somehow darker.
their hands joined, but his, entirely red.
not for the first time, izou struggles with something fragile. maybe even afraid. )
You like 'em that much, huh.
( izou's gruff voice is little more than a murmur as he mulls on march's comment, leaning closer to where his forehead almost touches hers, slowly brushing an invisible red from his thumb across her hand.
... that said, he can't spend all night studying her at the back of the establishment like a weirdo, and so he stops. leans back and away and onto his sneakered feet, making sure his hips and knees are straight when he goes to lift her. this isn't his first time lifting a woman in neo tokyo onto his back since LILITH saw fit to give him a second life for their cause, and maybe it wouldn't be the last, but this time he's trying a good deal more to be gentle so as not to wake march. up on his back she goes, knees tucked over his arms, and his gut lurches warmly as fingers brush over her thighs.
after an unsteady breath, he's making his way out of the pub, head tilting forward and a bit more weight on his back. a chef from behind the bar starts to jeer in good fun, but only long enough for izou to regard him with the teeth-bared glare he can muster right now. shit. he might have to frequent a different joint at this rate.
with steam rising from the equipment of various street vendors setting up shop for the night, izou steps out and on towards headquarters, the sun taking no time at all to depart as the constellations start to flicker on and join their artificial brethren down in the city below. )