In This Crooked Little Town What Is Lost is Never Found

[pervy_kappa]

Who ⬤ Sha Gojyo & YOU
What ⬤ April Catch All - Festival, Underground Explorations, Shopping, Partying, and Overall Shenanigans
When ⬤ 4/8 - 4/30
Where ⬤ All Around Jigoku-Cho!
Content Warnings ⬤ There Will be Smoking, Cussing, Drinking, Fighting, Nudity & Sex (Perhaps More? Perhaps More. That will be Updates as it continues)

Comments

[pervy_kappa]

[Sorry Monts. It's not that he means to clam up like this he just... Hates being reminded of things he'd rather not remember.

He had a reason he grew his hair out so long and kept it hanging over his face like he had. After all, there were very few ways to otherwise hide such an obnoxious and ugly thing.]

... Nn?

[Damn. He was so close to bailing too. Which admittedly made him feel pretty shitty. But he also knew things would probably only continue to go further south if he stuck around longer.

But for some reason or another he found himself stopping, turning to face Monts in response to her calling his name.

Yeah?

[nerine]

[When Gojyo turns to face her, Marianna's expression is fairly neutral. She's about to say something but she pauses.

Thinks.

Evaluates.

She moves to stand directly next to him. And suddenly out of nowhere, with her uninjured arm, Monts ruffles Gojyo's bright red hair once.

Twice.

Three times even!]

[pervy_kappa]

Wha-! Ak!! Hey!

[Okay. Yeah. Whatever Gojyo was expecting to happen just then, that wasn't it. His expression startled as he throws up his arms in surprise, lightly batting her away as he felt his hair get completely messed up.]

Oyy, come on, it's gonna get all knitted up an shit.

[Do you have any idea how much time he puts into it with how long it's been getting??? Finally managing to reach out, he grabbed hold of her wrists. Eyes once more seeming to meet hers in challenge through his now messy mop of crimson before playfully sticking out his tongue in challenge.]

Meeeeeh!

[nerine]

[She laughs at his indignation and only stops when he grabs her wrist. Her smile is a combination of both warm and relieved.]

Good! You're looking at me again.

[That was her intent after all.]

Still awake and with me, Gojyo?

[The crowd nearby is already moving with youkai trying their best to get a good spot for...]

You still have to look at the fireworks with me, remember?

[pervy_kappa]

--Eh?

[Retracting the silly little expression he was making, Gojyo blinked as he processed her words.]

Ah.

Right.

Guess I did say that, didn't I?

[Looking away, he at least managed to let go of one of her wrists as he scratched awkwardly at his cheek. You know, the side that isn't all mangled up. Damn, so much for his smooth getaway.]

Well! Guess I have to keep my word then, huh! I'd be a pretty shitty date otherwise!

[He says with a casual announcement as he grins out finally.

See?

All better.]

It should be starting up soon, yeah? Think we can find a nice spot?

[nerine]

And we wouldn't want that, would we?

[Grinning she pulls off one more hair ruffle (noticeably, her fingers gently run through his red strands before she puts it down). Monts points to a bridge where there were the least amount of buildings hindering the view of the sky and not many youkai had crowded it yet.]

Over there! Let's nab it quick!

[And very timely of her too. The surrounding youkai are already filing past them, their excited chatter indicating that the fireworks show is about to start soon.]

[pervy_kappa]

[Gojyo's smile settled with that. His eyes softened as he watched her pull her hand away, catching some of his hair in the process.

Heh. Monts couldn't seem to help herself, could she?

Well, whatever. Gojyo knew better than to react this time. Instead, he nodded his head slightly before turning to look outside towards the bridge Monts seemed to be pointing to.]

So there, huh?

[With that, he gave another broad smile, shrugging his shoulders as he looked back at her.]

Well then, be better to go before too many people steal it from us, yeah?

Shall we?

[With that, he gave the wrist he was still holding (the one she had hurt earlier) a soft reaffirming squeeze before lightly trying to lead her on. Trying his best to be gentile still as he weaved and dodged through the hurrying crowds in hopes of getting him and Monts to her chosen spot.]

So how fancy do you think they're going to make it?!

[He had to yell a bit with that, amazed at how loud the surrounding crowds outside had been compared to the abandoned pharmacy they had just committed petty crimes within.

Surely it couldn't be as extravagant as the show a certain bomb enthusiast back home gave him way back when.]

[nerine]

[She's able to make two spots at the railing of the bridge so that Gojyo can stand right next to her.

Before she can answer his question with a guess about what the show is going to be like, a celebratory explosion bursts in the sky and it becomes a sea of scattered lights and whisps of smoke. The crowd cheers as the fireworks show officially begins and Monts turns her attention upwards, her eyes shining.

There was no doubt that their time here was questionable and foreboding. Jigokucho is a form of hell and they didn't have the freedom to find a way to leave should they desire it.

But in the here and now, Marianna is existing in a colorful world, surrounded by youkai who are in sync with each other's emotions. There is joy, awe, and some flickering hope— Hope that these carefree moments can be found in the near and far future and that their lives here aren't solely defined by the battle of prestige and power that wages above them.

The fireworks burst and bloom one after the other. Monts turns to look at her current companion, admiring how the lights make his blood-red hair gleam and she calls to him over the noise.]

Aren't you glad you kept your word? It's beautiful, isn't it?

[pervy_kappa]

[Gojyo was startled at first. Which felt strange because he never thought something as simple as fireworks could throw him off-kilter. Perhaps it was because everything that had happened up to that point left him on edge?

His eyes grew wide as he suddenly turned to look up at the forms as they came to life. It was like they were telling a story. At least, for that fleeting moment, they were stories for the world to see—figures of miraculous youkai amidst ferocious battles and magical splendor dancing along the sky bewilderingly.

He leaned into the railing, admiring the show, if even only briefly. But Monts's words quickly caught his attention, even over all the noise.

Slowly he turned to look towards her, only to capture just the moment another firework went off. The contrasting glow of red and blue light reflected off her tanned skin, making her appear to shine beside him.

Jeez, did he deserve to be here? Indeed a moment like this was too perfect for a guy like him.]

Huh?

O-Oh. Yeah.

--Beautiful.

[Especially reflected in her eyes as they had been.

Damn.]