open | i think i'm prone to getting blinded when it's bright

[nemuru]

Who 🌙 ritsu & whomever
What 🌙 a nice neat little catch-all
When 🌙 the night parade + april in general
Where 🌙 night parade + here and there
Content Warnings 🌙 n/a; adding if it comes up


≫ THE NIGHT PARADE :: ペストリー

( There's a ton of different stalls set up for this event—and Ritsu's set up one of his own. Did he get clearance for it? ... It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission, okay. Anyway, there's a number of different wagashi, cakes, and so on that look very appetizing...

And then some stuff that looks a little less nice—the type that if it was on television, it'd have to be pixelated or blurred out because it just looks way too gross to bear. The taste is all the same though: really, really good. In fact, maybe the fact the last ones look so terrible makes them taste all the better...!? If you can get past how, uh, unique their composition is, anyway. )

Welcome one and all to Ritsu Sakuma's Confectionary Carnivale...♪ Heheh. Wanna try some? I'm not chargin' tonight, seein' as it's a party. If you want a recommendation, I'd go with... ( ... He taps the gross-looking sweets. ) These ones. I put my whole heart and soul into makin' them.

≫ THE NIGHT PARADE :: 花見

( Ah yes, cherry blossoms... Spectral they might be, they're still a familiar sight for Ritsu; their whispers not so much, but he forces himself not to pay them any mind by putting his focus elsewhere: mainly, scaring people.

Maybe that's not really the right word, but it's probably what happens anyway when someone suddenly steps out from behind a tree in the grove the Alliance has set up and puts their arm through yours. Hi! Partners now. Ritsu has a drink with him, thogu given where he is, it probably isn't Tamamo-spiked. Sutoku's refreshments are a little less... risqué. )

Yo~ ( Sooo friendly-sounding, like he didn't just materialize out of seemingly nowhere (he's just quiet). Ritsu smiles languidly, all the world a cat in human form. ) Let's walk together~... How about it?

( ........Like he is just asking for courtesy's sake, honestly. )

≫ THE NIGHT PARADE :: 花火

( Before everything goes to hell (haha)—

Ritsu's tired of being on the ground, but too many people have taken to higher spots to watch the fireworks... so he's with the crowd instead, a little more on the edge rather than in the middle of it. Less elbow brushing and bumping that way. He watches the sky, thinking of sea spray and the flicker of something in his chest at the sight of tears shed on a stage shared, and nudges the person next to him. )

Hey, did you know? If you share a kiss with someone when the fireworks start, your lives will allllways be entwined... Think that even applies in Hell?

≫ AFTERMATH :: 隠し

( Those in the Sutoku Alliance get a little more from the Kappa than other factions, given they're under the same banner, and after listening to a few frenzied youkai Ritsu's decided they're probably (probably) not at fault here. Actually, he's almost certain of that; the Kappa wouldn't have anything to gain from killing the Alliance's leader, so it just plain doesn't make sense.

The other factions, though... Well, there's probably something in it for them.

Ritsu'll be doing his best to hide kappa in his place of stay (sorry roomie), in any of the several hiding places he's found since coming here (sorry, people he's shown them), and even calculating the risk of throwing himself into a struggle between someone getting arrested or taken in and, well, their arrester—before doing it anyway. He's not one of the noble, gallant Knights for nothing, even if that is just supposed to be a stage presence; it's something that's ended up seeping into their very being.

Besides: it feels wrong to just sit back and watch people get blamed for things when nothing's actually be investigated yet. It smells just like someone finding someone else to pin the blame on to get rid of them—he doesn't like it, and he resolved, once, to take more action when he can.

...Even if it's going to earn him a few broken bones.

Help him out, scold him, or be the one fighting him—all's good. )

≫ APRIL GEN :: ステージ

( When none of ... that ... is happening, when things are calmer(?), or as calm as they can be, Ritsu can be found performing in a Sutoku-aligned bar; normally, he's part of a pair with Emily as La Force—and they even have matching outfits, too—but some nights, he just wanders up on stage to play piano. Most of his experience lies in being classically trained, though he just as often will play whatever melody comes to mind, not paying attention to any particular work or composer.

He also pauses to take requests, and if he likes you enough, he might agree to teach you—if you're interested in that kind of thing. Just don't mind how careful he is when he moves, and if his fingers catch on the keys because he stretches too far and too fast and it hurts like a bitch... No he didn't! You saw Nothing. )

≫ WILDCARD

( If none of this catches your eye, or we've made other plans, just toss me a starter! Alternatively, you can hmu on Plurk or PM this account to make some plans. )

Comments

April Gen

[sleepinglyra]

[Things were tense among the clans after the Daitengu's assassination but luckily Sheliak didn't look like a member of Shuten. It allowed him to wander more freely and he was very curious to hear what the alliance thought of all this. It was coincidence that Sheliak chose the bar Ritsu preformed at but after hearing him play, Sheliak kept coming back. The classical music reminded him of home. It was a nice break from everything, almost as good as sleeping.

Unfortunately for Ritsu, a dear friend of his was also a musician that foolishly liked to push himself. He saw that. Sheliak waited until Ritsu was done playing his current piece before walking over to him with a charming smile.]

You play beautifully. Would you care to join me for a drink?

[nemuru]

( Oh, is he getting hit on...? )

I try not to drink with strangers, but I guess my fingers could use a little rest... ( ...he hesitates still, stretching them against the keys before he slides out of the seat. ) Lemme just find someone to take over the mood music since I'm steppin' off.

( That's the least he can do for his employers, really. )

Pick a table and I'll meetcha—mm, and order me an apple cider or somethin', too. I'll pay you back.

[sleepinglyra]

[That wasn’t exactly his intention, not that Ritsu wasn’t attractive, especially with his music, but he was merely giving him an excuse to rest. He doubted that Ritsu would have accepted if he asked him to take a break directly.]

If you would prefer we can just talk.

[Making him rest was important but not at the cost of Ritsu's comfort.]

[nemuru]

( It's sort of his job, so maybe not—but most of all, playing the piano is a break for him, if he has to be out and among people. He kind of wishes Chongyun was here so he could sleep in his lap though,

but company is nice either way. Ritsu shrugs. )

Might as well make it worth your while. Besides... ( ... ) I don't mind meetin' new people as much as I used to.

( Drinking with strangers can just be a little weird, like how do you even know what kind of drunk they are!! Mostly that. )