Mostly closed

[triggerhappytraitor]

▶ WHO: Tachibana, Hajime, Kenzaki, Isaka and possibly other bystanders.
▶ WHAT: Blade cast shenanigans in various flavors. Mostly comedic drama.
▶ WHEN: End of April into May
▶ WHERE: Tachibana & Hajime's apartment and elsewhere
▶ WARNINGS: None yet

Comments

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[That damned box Isaka had been trying to give him a month ago was still sitting in his room. Taking up room. Making him wonder why the heck he hadn't just left it at the old apartment if he wasn't gonna open it.

...which he wasn't.

Finally, he sends Isaka a text]]

That damned box you left in the hall is still here.

[fusionjack]

[ Tachibana does not need to wait long to receive a response. ]

What? Is it still in the hall? Why is this my problem?

[triggerhappytraitor]

It's in my closet.

The hell is even in it anyway.

[fusionjack]

You haven't even opened it?

Open it, you idiot!

[triggerhappytraitor]

Of course I didn't open it! I don't want it!

[fusionjack]

You don't even know what it is! How can you even know that you don't want it?!

[triggerhappytraitor]

Because you wanted to give it to me!

Why the hell should I just anything like that?

[chalicejoker]

[A - Backdated to Sanguis Moon because I do what I want]
Hajime's really, really done with this whole Moonblessing thing. So done with it. This is mostly because at some point during the proceedings, he ends up stuck as a big black wolf. It's terrible; he either has to stay inside and wait for his thumbs to reappear or go running around outside...while waiting for his thumbs to reappear. And it's not like he can talk all that well as a wolf, which would probably be even worse for a more social individual. It's still a pain in the event he needs to communicate with someone beyond woof woof.

He's too restless to be cooped up indoors the whole time, so going out for a run, even if it's late at night, because what's going to bother a large wolf?

Besides, it lets him quietly indulge himself in a little bit of hope, that he'll catch a familiar scent, that a certain someone hasn't actually left.

[B - Day Job]
At least after the effects of the Sanguis moon wear off (or even during the moon, if all he's dealing with are the wolf's ears and tail), Hajime can be found working in Dakki's diner. He's not particularly touchy-feely, and he's got to make rent somehow.

He's fine with the arrangement though; it gives him something to do, and he enjoys the work even if he may be living for the day when a fight breaks out in there and he'll get to break it up. Cooking agrees with him, and there's no denying the sense of satisfaction he gets from being able to produce the best takoyaki on this planet, thank you.

Woe be unto those who approach him with special requests--the menu's just fine, how can you not find something you like on it?

A

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki knows he should seek out the others. He's lost track of time (ahem, again) because time doesn't really mean all that much when you're wandering.

He has a job, now, at least. And yeah, it's in the maid cafe, but it's a good living, and he has just enough contact with people to quieten one particular buzz, but nowhere near enough otherwise. He's restless and twitchy. Needs a fight, or a walk, and a walk is a lot easier just now.

So he heads out for a while in the cool night air, and after he's been going for an hour or so, he feels a little better. He settles himself down in a sprawl on the grass in a deserted park. Looks up at the stars above.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime had been just about to head home, when--

wait. The scent! He'd found Kenzaki's scent! He started following the scent without thinking about it, his furiously wagging tail the only outward sign as to how he really felt about that. And where the scent was, maybe there would be--

Yes! Kenzaki himself! This plan had worked before, it would work again. Ryo wasn't even there to blow his cover. Hajime put on his best harmless doggy grin (nevermind that he was a large wolf, it's fine, fine, he's clearly friendly and banking on Kenzaki not being observant enough to be able to tell a dog from a wolf under these conditions) and trots right on over to Kenzaki there in the grass.

There would be no stopping the wagging tail. Hajime wasn't even thinking about it.

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki puts a hand behind his neck and stretches, then leans forward again, elbows on his knees. He should probably get back home at some point. He doesn't really need to sleep, not like when he was human, but it's still good to keep up some pretence of a normal human routine. Makes him feel less weird.

Not yet, though. Maybe -

He grins. That's a dog, right? The tail gives it away. He pats his knees. "Hi! Here, boy! - girl - whatever you are!"

[chalicejoker]

Hajime's doggy grin widens, that tail wags even faster, and he trots right on over there, the picture of a giant friendly dog. Normally, this would be beneath his dignity, but. Well. Kenzaki gets a pass, as hard as it is to pin down the other man. (Besides, with the way touch works on this world, getting petted is going to be amazing, Hajime figures.)

[kenzaki]

Oh, it is a dog. A beautiful dog.

Kenzaki offers his knuckles to sniff, then buries his fingers in the thick coat.

"You're so soft," he says earnestly, marvelling at it.

He likes dogs well enough anyway, but here it's something extra, with how touch seems to function. He keeps stroking and rubbing enthusiastically. This is exactly the kind of thing he can actually cope with. Simple interaction, with someone who's just as happy to see him as Kenzaki is to see him.

"Where do you like it best, boy? Around the ears?"

[chalicejoker]

Hajime whuffs a little because yes, around the ears is very nice, this does indeed feel amazing, and he is having the best day he's had in quite some time.

No one could blame him for flopping down next to Kenzaki and trying to go in for a belly rub, right?

Meanwhile, back at the Garage...

[triggerhappytraitor]

The best way to not think about something was to think of something else, or to just be so busy, there wasn't any time for the heavy worries and doubts to sneak into your mind.

Which was to say Tachibana was currently hard at work in his garage, working on repairs to an engine he had salvaged from the scrap yard at work. With the modifications to Red Rhombus 2 complete (for now) he had started on plans for the bike for Hajime. (Did Hajime's bike back home have a name? ... probably not. Hajime didn't strike him as the sort to bother with that sort of thing.)

Various parts, including the semi-intact frame of a similar style of bike to what he remembered Hajime riding before. Said frame still needed quite a lot of work, as whatever had powered it previously looked to have combusted spectacularly, but now that he had an engine to work on, that was less of an issue.

With the bay door of the garage open, he's easy to spot, especially with Red Rhombus 2 parked just outside. He's just a bit deep into his work that he may not notice anyone peeking in.

[kenzaki]

[after the thread with Hajime...]


Where had Hajime said they lived? It was somewhere around here, right? Kenzaki shoves his hands in his jeans pockets. Not particularly cold, even though he's, er, lost his jacket.

He ambles along, saying hi to the occasional person he passes. It's a nice neighborhood. There's a garage door open just up ahead, and he double takes when he looks inside.

"Tachibana-san!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana paused at his name, blinking up from the mess of grease coated metal on his bench before smiling warmly.

"Kenzaki," he returned, peeling off his work gloves as he got to his feet. "Hajime told me you'd come back out of hiding," he greeted, tone fond.

[kenzaki]

Tachibana was working hard on something, but he'd always been like that, hadn't he. It was quite reassuring to see.

"Ah, that's how he put it? Yeah, he found me in a park," Kenzaki said, smiling back. "Time passes more quickly than I expect it to, sometimes. Sorry. This is a nice place!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

"He put it in a far more Hajime way than that," Tachibana corrected, unable to help the small, fond jab at his friend, "But yeah."

He reached out to put a fond hand on Kenzaki's shoulder. "As long as time getting away from you doesn't mean you're keeping away from us, it's fine," he assured, giving his kohai's shoulder a light squeeze (and an added little burst of Chroma) before letting his hand fall away once more.

"It's not a bad start, yeah," Tachibana agreed, looking around the garage with a hint of pride. "Still working on getting all the tools I need, but some of the more specialized ones, I can borrow from work."

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki's eyebrows went up, and his face flamed. "Probably best that I don't know the details!"

Tachibana's hand was warm on his shoulder, and that small surge of Chroma felt good. (This place was so strange...)

"Ah, where are you working again? And can I help with anything?"

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana couldn't help the small laugh at Kenzaki's reaction. "Nothing that bad," he assured warmly.

(and it was so strange. That that little shoulder squeeze could pay for a cup of coffee...)

"I picked up a part time at the scrap yard, over by the quarry," he explained before nodding to the bits and pieces of machinery and metal all around the garage. "It's been a great help, finding parts for projects."

[Video] Post Battle!

[spoiledbugboy]

[That sure was... something Haga just witnessed in the quarry. He was just kinda exploring Lunatia, going to spots he usually didn't visit to see if he could find places to hunt for bugs. He haven't done that since he got to this place. And then ended up wandering into the quarry.

And then he heard explosions not too far from where he was standing when he was about to leave and, despite all common sense telling him not to go check it out, he went to see what was going on. And there it was, two guys in costumes just duking it out, like they were super-heroes. OK...

One of them has this really cool beetle theme going on, which Haga can certainly appreciate, so he finds himself watching the whole fight from behind some rocks.

When the dust settles and all is said and done, they go back to who they are. One guy Haga can't remember ever seeing before, but the other is so familiar, maybe if he squints from where he's watching...

!!!!

He recognizes Tachibana just standing there, like it's no big deal, and Haga has to fight the urge to call him out right then and there. He leaves the quarry in a rush and later on Tachibana receives a very loud and inquisitive video message.]

When were you going to tell me you are a super-hero????

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[There is a pause, and a blink before Tachibana leans forward to cover his mouth, a near silent laugh shaking his shoulders for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he looks up again, smiling warmly.]]

I'm not anything like that. Just a Kamen Rider.

[[he says, as if it isn't even a big deal.]]

[spoiledbugboy]

What you mean "just"???

[Don't downplay this like it's nothing!]

I just saw you exploding things! This is a big deal! And who was that guy fighting with you? Were you some kind of villain? And what even is a Kamen Rider? [You better stop him before he asks even more questions...]

[triggerhappytraitor]

A Kamen Rider is what we -- myself and my allies-- are called.

[[Cause, ya know. The armor masks their faces and they ride bikes. Simple, no?]]

When our world was threatened with destruction, we took on the risks that came with transforming, and did our best to stop it. That's all that it is.

[[As for the other question...]]

The other person you saw is just someone from my world.

[[Just is the understatement of the year, really, buuut...]]

It wasn't a serious fight, just one so he could get some aggression out of his system. That's all.