( open ) 003

[harimaya]

Who ⬤ Hizen Tadahiro & you
What ⬤ Catchall for May & June
When ⬤ May
Where ⬤ See prompts
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A for now


SUBSTORY 1: MOON MEDICINE

(It was just mochi. How dangerous could mochi be? There's a reason why mochi is up high on Hizens' list of favorite foods and it's because mochi has never done him wrong.

… Yeah, this definitely isn't his brightest moment and in his defense, he never pretended to be particularly smart.

It's a warm, sunny spring day but Hizen is bundled up in his hoodie and a scarf. No matter what does, he can't fight off this chill and even being out in the sun isn't helping. Desperate, he tries to buy a hot drink from a vending machine if only so he can have something to warm his hands with and






it just takes his money without giving him anything. He tries one more time and gets the exact same result! He can be found sticking his arm up the slot, shaking the machine, or punching it. Sensitive to being watched, he turns his head to see you. Yes, you and snaps, teeth chattering,)

What?! (He's defensive,) Stop looking!

(And please don't perceive the fact that he's literally shaking while he yells at you.)

SUBSTORY 2: VEND ME A DREAM

(They had to retrieve a photograph of a certain host and then bring a hitobashira some takoyaki from a particular vendor that required waiting in an obscenely long line that never seemed to move. After getting the takoyaki, they had to go to a cafe and find a kitsune who was actually a very offended tanuki who asked them if they tried the vending machine alley on the other side of the city. When they get to the alley, they find a strange vending machine in the place that should have had the vending machine they were looking for. It looks like it's been replaced with one that just gives ominous mystery items instead.

His body is small and can only hold so much frustration before he explodes. He lets out a yell when he sees the vending machine,)

Aaaaaaaah! (He kicks at it which makes it beep and flicker,) Where the hell is it?!

(An entire floor full of vending machines and the right one isn't even here.

Maybe you were already with Hizen on his quest. Or maybe you were also led to the hall of vending machines. Or you just heard about this weird place and want to try your luck for unrelated reasons.)

SUBSTORY 4: HANIWHAT?

(He isn't the most sensitive person, even back home when he knows what to look out for. It's easy for most things to slip past him if he isn't paying attention, especially in Jigoku-cho where there are so many things happening, a strange occurrence here and there can be overlooked. But these dolls are strange. He isn't an expert on them but he recognizes them for what they are. They're old; far beyond in his time or knowledge. At first, he hadn't thought much of them but the more he noticed them, the more uncomfortable he became.

These things just feel bad to him. They make him uncomfortable and put him on edge and when he hears that the Enma are calling for them, he's relieved. Good riddance. He has no idea what they're up to but it isn't going to be his problem.

But everyone is so nosy. Everyone wants to push their luck and see what they are. They touch them, they move them around, they treat them roughly, and it just makes him feel anxious. When he sees you checking one out, he snaps,)

Oi. Leave it alone.

(He's clearly irritated,)

You're gonna get in trouble if you keep messing with it.

GENERAL: SHUTEN TERRITORY

(Hizen can be found checking out some of the weapons stores in Shuten territory. He isn't looking for a new weapon— he's perfectly content with his own sword, thank you very much. But when your true form is your sword, weapon maintenance is important. He's shopping for oil, cloth, and other things to take care of himself and he's also asking around to see if anyone can recommend a good smith but no one really wants to give out their source. Instead, they keep trying to sell him a new sword,)

I told ya already, I'm not interested.

(Yeah, but they really don't want to give out their suppliers. It's bad for business, you know?)

I don't give a shit about that. I'm just looking for a guy that can fix things.

(Well, if your sword is broken then might they recommend this one here? It's quite popular with the new recruits—)

I'm not broke!

(Kind of a weird thing to yell but yeah.)

OPEN TOP LEVELS

I'll be adding more top-levels and linking them here so they don't end up lost in the other comments,

⟡ Post-Intro Mingle: (It's raining, it's pouring)

WILDCARD

❀ If you have another idea for a prompt or would like to plot anything out, let me know
❀ Plotting comment here
❀ contact; eski | discord: eski#9874 | PM

Comments

[harimaya]

(Wow, so he can kick the machine but Hizen can't punch it? If he had the energy, he'd call him out on it because that's very rude. Really, he just stares and watches the entire thing go down and

crouches down on the ground. Bro, don't talk to him he's tired from shaking ok. Just leave him alone in the street at this point. He's exhausted.)

Told you.

[federates]

[ he glances to see hizen sinking to the ground. it's too bad for everyone that barton is going to keep talking... ]

You gonna pass out? You look unsightly.

[ he's also letting his coat drag against the ground... tsk. he eyes him for another moment, before withdrawing a notepad and pen from a pocket. he scrawls "OUT OF ORDER" on it, creasing an edge of it and sticking it over the money slot. ]

[ after nabbing his canned coffee. ]

C'mon. At least sit on a bench or something. I wanted to finish my coffee, anyway.

[harimaya]

'S cold. (So cold it's exhausting and--) Never felt... like this... b-before.

(Sure, he's felt cold before. He remembers the first time he had an iced drink in the summer. He remembers his first winter. He remembers the first assignment that had him keeping watch and sleeping out in the cold. At least he'd been able to do little things to feel warm. He'd been able to wear more layers, grab more blankets, or eat something warm. At the very least, he'd been able to take shelter and if he couldn't seek that, Kuronosuke or Konnosuke had stayed close, wrapped around his neck or tucked into his shirt to provide some warmth.)

...

(... Ah.

Slowly, he starts to shift, picking himself up. He feels like he can feel his body creaking like he's trying to will a bunch of rusted and frozen parts to move again. He's still sort of huddled over but he takes some shivering steps towards Barton.)

[federates]

[ this is... a pitiable sight, and barton instinctively feels irritated with the circumstances. at least it's not something by choice; few things were clearer than that. ]

If you pass out, I'm calling for a clinic.

[ stated with some finality. he may know his first-aid, but whatever's happening here is beyond the scope of his knowledge (and he'd have to figure out how to call for one, to boot... did hell accommodate that?). typically he couldn't be bothered with this - particularly as it's evident this person isn't enma - but here is, having nosed his way into this situation, and he may as well do something productive. ]

[ barton grabs hizen by his trembling shoulder. he'll steer them both to the nearest bench, and then sit himself down heavily. ]

Here.

[harimaya]

(Stop he was so close except thank you. He might not have much pride left right now but he's holding onto that last piece he can with his cold hands.

There it goes again, though. There's a hand on his shoulder and there's almost instant relief. He feels just a little bit of warmth on his shoulder and unlike the first time when Barton had just swatted his hand away, the feeling stays. It's easy to push Hizen along until they get to a spot and he just

slumps down on the bench

and

leans on Barton. Give him a sec, let him recharge? Maybe? He's still shivering but he seems to be getting it under control maybe??? )

[federates]

[ hizen, may indeed, recharge uninterrupted - barton suppressing any instincts to snap demands of sitting-up straight. it's okay, he won't tell anyone this has occurred if he doesn't... and honestly, the bench is narrow enough, and with how he tends to sprawl, that he can probably just chalk it to a lack of available space. ]

[ in the meanwhile, barton will drink his coffee, keeping a keen eye on the surroundings. ]

[harimaya]

(Hizen would rather die than tell anyone about this.

He leans against Barton, coat still wrapped around him, and he keeps his head down. He knows it's embarrassing. He knows this is weird. He knows but this is working. His shivering stops in time and he can feel his body relax now that he isn't tense from constantly shaking. He's sore from being so tense and honestly a little exhausted.

After a while sitting quietly, he begins to mumble,)

Stupid fucking rabbit.

[federates]

[ with a glance following the mumbling, barton's mouth works itself into a stern frown. he sips his coffee as if in thought - and then hits the fast-forward button on that, deciding to chug the rest of the can's contents. ]

[ he crushes it. honestly. just because he can. and then with a little glint of teeth in the beginnings of a grin (yet, announced with complete seriousness), ]

If some rabbit's out there poisoning people with... [ mochi? ] whatever, sounds like it's time to go hunting.

[harimaya]

(The sound of metal crushing makes his skin crawl and his hair stand on end. It's like nails on a chalkboard and he flinches.)

Said it was testing something out. Makes ya sign a bunch of stuff...

(Which is stupid. God, saying it out loud sounds real stupid but--)

What rabbit fucks up mochi!?

[federates]

[ a pause. ]

[ he bumps his shoulder against hizen's, pressing it flush to his. barton doesn't necessarily like banking on this assumption, but what with the number of recruits he's scolded for not bothering to read briefings or completing what was deemed to be extraneous paperwork, it does jump to mind. ]

And you read what was provided to you, before signing, right?

[harimaya]

(.............................)

Shut up.

(He will not be judged.)

[federates]

Ahhhh!! [ !! ] I don't care 'bout hunting the rabbit, then, you should've read what was given to you!

[ barton huffs and leaps to his feet. he promptly, vigorously, slam dunks his can into a recycling bin. once rounded back to hizen, ]

How long do you think this crap is gonna last? You oughta find someone that doesn't mind holding you for the day.

[harimaya]

I said shut up!

(Stop, come back because the chills are returning.)

I started reading and it got hard!

(The medical lingo. The science lingo.)

[federates]

[ tbh if they weren't already snarling like chihuahuas at each other, barton would probably think the resulting circumstances a bit more funny. instead, ]

Then ask someone to explain it to you next time!

[ though if he'd been in hizen's shoes, he also absolutely would not have done that, either. please... do as he says and not as he does... ]

[ while he's yet to sit back down, barton sticks out his hand--in the manner of offering a stiff handshake--so hizen can take it, if the chills are worsening again. ]

[harimaya]

(Like an angry cat, hissing and yowling loudly,)

You can explain it next time then if you're so smart!

(...

He looks at Barton's hand and mumbles something under his breath before reluctantly taking it and curling back up under the coat,)

... Feeling a little better.

(Just a little. Like, the effects are definitely wearing off. Give it a little more time.)

[federates]

[ barton doesn't need to contemplate that long. who knows, maybe it's overconfidence that leads him to thinking of course he can explain it... without hesitation, ]

Fine. [ he agrees. ] Contact me, then.

[ his mouth twitches. maybe a smile? the beginnings of a shiteating grin? who knows. ]

Name's Barton.

[harimaya]

(Implying Hizen is ever going trust that rabbit ever again.......)

Hizen.

(He'll just vibe here for a bit. He isn't much of a chatter but once he's better, he'll slip out from under the coat, mumble a clearly embarrassed "thanks" and sulk off.)