[open] open 24 hours

[metafictions]

Who ⬤ Kamui and you
What ⬤ The extremely cursed 7/11 night shift
When ⬤ throughout May
Where ⬤ that one Sutoku/Shuten 7/11
Content Warnings ⬤ n/a for now, will update
Notes ⬤ please see Kamui's permissions to opt into having him sense your character's criminal power!

A. convenience store;

[It's 2 am, or thereabouts, and you are on a street where Shuten and Sutoku territory just barely overlap-- so it's a bit of a dodgier visit tonight. However you managed, you've finally bypassed the oni punks squatting outside the automatic doors and made your way into the waiting fluorescent arms of the 7/11, only to find...]

Welcome.

[this guy, dispassionately welcoming you to the store. Like, has he even blinked? It's like they've seated a cryptid behind the counter in a silly uniform. His lack of enthusiasm, his unbroken stare, and the strange presence his silver left eye seems to radiate all combined make this late night convenience store visit feel especially unnerving.

Sometimes, he pauses to stock the shelves, but it always sort of feels like he's watching you. Not that he's a rude cashier, or treating you like you're going to shoplift: he'll ring you up just fine. It's just his terrible vibes. Sorry.]

B. toilet dungeon;

[There's also a public restroom in this 7/11... if you can find it!]

Oh, welcome back. [says Kamui breezily, as his customer emerges from the 7/11 back door for the second-- or third?-- time.] Did you find the WC yet? I'm sorry for the inconvenience, it was cursed last week, so the hallway has gotten longer. You need to follow the directions exactly or you'll just be sent back here right away.

[In one long, breathless sentence, Kamui repeats the directions:]

Go through the door in the back, take a right, go through the fourth door, turn through the first hallway on the left, then keep going straight until you take a right at the intersection, go through the second door and you'll get to a staircase, so go all the way down and through the emergency exit on the right, take the stairs all the way up to the top, and you'll hit a T-shaped hallway, and you'll find the WC just past that.

[He blinks, head canting ever so slightly to the side.]

Please take your time.

C. hani-uhh???;

[There's a haniwa figure that has cropped up right next to the magazine aisle. Fortunately, this is one of Kamui's earlier shifts, so he's not the only employee around and won't be abandoning the register for this-- but they've still got to figure out what to do with this distinctly-cursed looking little guy before one of their oni regulars kicks it over, right?]

Erm...

[Except that, especially with his ability reactivated, it really, really feels like a bad idea to touch the clay figurine. And yet, he definitely can't just leave it there, can he?

Kamui's brows knit together with concern as he stands over it, armed with one of the tongs for hot food. He clicks them together, uncertain, before he crouches down to get a better look at it. He might be poking it with the tongs. Give it a few moments-- he's making up his mind.]

D. wildcard

[here for a vending machine substory task (or another substory)? just wanna generally harass your friendly neighborhood 7/11 cryptid? go wild my dude]

Comments

[aceslow]

Well... yes. It would do that.

[ That's a purely practical way of looking at it. And while Kim may moonlight as a practical man, he is not nearly as practical as he pretends to be; he's a firm believer that things ought to have a sense of style, and he himself is prone to being insensible in an effort to maintain that style. It just so happens that nobody dares to point out that Kim sees fit to run about icy, snowy terrain wearing nothing more than a thin V-neck shirt underneath his short bomber jacket. But what else is he supposed to wear underneath it? A sweater? Perish the thought.

He can't exactly lecture Kamui into a fashion sense, but... maybe he can gently guide him there? ]

But if all you're looking for is a way to keep your hair out of your eyes, you may as well just shave it all off.

[ Actually, that would be an improvement on the bowl cut. Depending on how funnily-shaped Kamui's head is. ]

[metafictions]

[I'm obligated to inform you that getting powers that also turn you bald is plot relevant, Suda51 why do you do this shit to me]

I don't think I have the head shape for that one. [Or... does he? He's never actually seen himself bald, or even close-cropped, so.

The fact of the matter is that Kamui-- a man who went directly from school uniforms to police uniforms to suits-- has never really cared to pick out off-hours clothes that were really him. Ergo, he hasn't got a fashion sense to speak of. Kim can't win over something that doesn't exist, so the man's got his work cut out for him.

Or... maybe he doesn't, entirely.

Kamui turns to him, eyes earnest and attentive. Just like so many other things about the human being he's allowing himself to become, Kamui is building his taste and opinions from the ground up. At this rate, he's not simply laying groundwork, he's laying down the dirt upon which the groundwork will lie: if Kim's got any ideas about what would look good, it's a hell of a lot more than his approximately no ideas.]

So what are you suggesting then, Kim? I'm listening.

[He turns the page; there's a few more fashionable men's looks on the page, with a variety of slightly trendier cuts. A lot of them are a little, well, boy band-y, but it's definitely an improvement on what is actually on Kamui's head.]

[aceslow]

Honestly, that's what I was getting at. You said that all you wanted was to keep the hair out of your face. Function over style. But if you're not willing to shave your head, then surely you have some opinions.

[ While it may seem counter to Kim's usual demeanor, he has thoughts about fashion. Moreover, he has thoughts about self-expression through fashion. He's unwilling to let a colleague make unwise sartorial decisions out of a lack of regard paid to their own appearances alone; if they're going to make bad decisions, then they'll damn well do it because they like the looks of it. It's important, Kim thinks, to at least try to like how you look, or at lesat dress in a way you like. ]

You don't have a uniform here. You may as well find a style that speaks to you. [ He leans back, studying him with as much seriousness as though he were studying a crime scene. A round face, cheeks still soft with youth, gentle eyes with a subtle slope, a small, soft nose. He could either complement it and lean into it, or try to work against it. Kim with his long, lean face and sharp Suresne nose had decided to lean into it, everything else about his fashion sense made severe, with defined shapes, a stern silhouette.

Perhaps Kamui should do the same. ]

Assuming you don't want to waste too much time styling it... one of these, perhaps? Or this one, right here? [ He taps his finger against the page, pointing out some of the more modest, unstyled haircuts. ] Which appeals to you?

[metafictions]

[Ouch. It sounds a little mean, but it's a kick in the ass-- maybe a slight nudge with a foot?-- that Kamui knows he needs. He can't just keep the same hairstyle and same office casual wardrobe forever. Part of figuring out who he is outside of what he is means learning what he wants that to look like, and you've got to make an effort to do that, don't you?

Like Travis, Kim's got a defined style already. That bomber jacket is the man's signature, just like Travis' shades and leather jackets are a part of his look. He'd like to look that cool too one day, but... hair, first. Baby steps.]

No, you're right. It's been a long time coming.

[Kamui leans against the counter, elbow on the tabletop and his chin in his hand, humming thoughtfully as his eyes drift back to the magazine spread. It's a relaxed posture, one that Kim's slowly beginning to see more of on the days their shifts overlap: he always looks young with the softness of his features, but right now, he certainly feels very young.]

This one's not bad. [The one he points out is short, a bit tousled. Altogether, pretty cute.] I'm not opposed to having to style it, though, I just haven't really done it before. [He runs a hand through his hair, envisioning himself with something slicked-back, too.]

[aceslow]

[ Kim peers down at the one that Kamui's pointing out and makes a pleased noise in the back of his throat. ] Yes, all right. That's a good start!

[ Honestly, it's a good start that he's even thinking about it. Kamui has lived a full life, clearly, but sometimes Kim gets the impression that he hasn't quite found himself yet. Sometimes doing something for your own benefit is where that begins. ]

Take this with you to a hairdresser and you can go through it with them as well. If you watch them style it, you'll catch on quickly enough.

[ Maybe even to the point at which he can cut it himself. Kim generally cuts his own hair. He doesn't the time to go see a stylist and besides, it's money that he could squirrel away for better things. He's had the same hairstyle for quite some time, admittedly - and is in denial that it may not be the best hairstyle for his receding hairline - but to hell with it. He likes it. Recarving out the shaved hair at the nape of his neck has become a rather comforting tradition, over time.

He's pretty sure that their employer wouldn't like them doing this on the job. But when they had employed them in the first place, two sober-faced men who gave them short, professional answers, they probably didn't envision them chatting about fashion while they ought to be restocking the freezers. Kim whips out his phone, turning on the front facing camera, and hands it to Kamui. ]

Go on, tug it back. See how you like it.

[ If Kamui has problems coordinating that much, Kim will just pull it back himself. He's not too shy to assist Kamui in the matter of finding a personal style that's not...

Well. That's not that. ]

[metafictions]

You think so?

[A shy, uncertain smile tugs at his lips. Much as he wants to figure this whole look thing out for his own sake... there's no denying that the approval from Kim makes the style he's picked now a front-runner.

He fiddles with the ends of his bangs, nodding at Kim's advice. Somehow, he hadn't actually thought about just picking a page out of a magazine and bringing it to a salon. It seems so obvious, now that the option's been presented to him.]

I used to have it even shorter, actually. Honestly... it didn't look all that great. [He grimaces thinking of it. The bangs were too short, too floppy. Like some soggy-looking small animal. How on earth had he managed to not care back then?] Going back to that length, but with more thought in it, might be nice.

[And as long as their manager's not around-- which he isn't-- he's content to goof off with Kim. It's comforting; it feels almost normal. No time loops, no trans-dimensional travel. Just a friend to pass a boring shift with.

Taking the phone in one hand, he pushes his hair back with his free one. In his reflection he sees... the look of every tough guy on the force, ever, but on his gentler face. At last, the smile bubbles into a laugh.]

Okay, maybe not like that. Reminds me way too much of my old coworkers.

[aceslow]

It's not the length. It's the style. Though... admittedly, it's easier to style when it's a bit longer. My hair used to be longer too.

[ Back when he was younger, working in juvie and pretending to be a kid, more often than not. His round spectacles and his hair did a lot of the work for him, a messy, unkempt fringe making him look as though he's a shabby high schooler instead of a man well into his twenties. It was a joyous day when he finally got to shear that mess off. He touches lightly at his own head, hair shellacked with an ample amount of hair wax.

Still, he's glad to see that Kamui is feeling a little encouraged by all of this. The kid - no matter what he's been through, it's difficult for Kim to look at him and see anything but kid - deserves some fun, some contentment when he looks in the mirror. He gets the impression he's been too busy with the job to be able to muster it before.

He clicks his tongue, feigning offense, though the crows feet at the corners of his eyes give him away. ] Yes, yes, I get it. You don't want to look like us old guys.

[ That's his hairstyle, Kamui! Just with a fashionable undercut! (And some irritating cowlicks, but he'd thank people not to point out.) ]

Just be careful about what you choose, [ he teases, tapping at a particularly pretty boy on the page. ] Otherwise you'll look like you belong to a boy band. What's this one called...? 2 BeCum 1? But there's six of them... and the spelling.

[ ... ]

I'm vetoing that one.

[metafictions]

You're not old, Kim. I promise.

[His hand falls away, sending his hair messily back into his face. With a wry expression, Kamui brushes the strands away from his face once more. If anything, he's older than Kim by... who knows how long, though he doesn't make the comment: he's having fun being a normal 27 going on 227 (maybe?)-year-old right now.]

And, at any rate, the shave-- [He gestures to the location of Kim's undercut on his own head.] Makes it look much cooler. A bit younger. It's hardly the same as half the men in the HCU slicking back their hair and simply calling it a day. [It's only now that he's discovering he found that... boring? Huh. He'd much rather wear his hair down then have to look like the rest of them.

Kamui squints at the prettyboy skeptically. He looks handsome, in an unsettling and almost manufactured way.] No, no. You should veto him. All six of him.

Do girls really like this? He sort of doesn't look real.

[aceslow]

ReputationGrows("kim")

Yes, well. It doesn't do to be lazy about it.

[ It's a pain in the ass, is what it is. Every time he has to go away for work or gets too wrapped up in things to adhere to his ordinary schedule, his hair, while thinning, still grows like a weed; the downside of undercuts is that they require too much maintenance. But Kim's too vain to ever do as Kamui says and simply give up on the ghost, even moreso whenever someone acknowledges that it makes him look cool. Which it does. If it didn't, he wouldn't bother.

Pleased, but dutifully pretending as though he isn't, he leans down to squint at the pretty boys on the page. They're not his type. His type is... well... one of those strict Dolorian women who helped run the home where he grew up just thought Kim was getting really into sports and had considered wrestling at a certain point in his life. He had told her, bald-faced, that he felt that he thought that girls would like it if he were to get fit, and she hadn't questioned his sudden predilection for fitness ever again. ]

I'm afraid I don't know much about what young ladies are genuinely into, [ Kim admits. ] Maybe them not looking real is the point. I think it has something to do with them being... how should I put this... non-threatening?

[ He glances over at Kamui and his round, non-threatening face. ]

I suppose style also depends on what you hope to achieve with it. If it's picking up women, that's another thing entirely.

[metafictions]

[yes good give him the Good Boy Points.

With his very newly burgeoning self-image, he can't relate much to any sense of vanity-- but he has, in turn, also landed on the fact that these men aren't his type either. He'd lived in a sort of neutral haze for most of his life-- going through the motions of his existence, counting the days until what he is and was would at last kick in-- that his love life's taken a spot far, far back on the furthest burner from the front. He's never really considered what his tastes might be there, either.

But the logic here holds. A boy so pretty he's more like a fantasy than a prospect. Still scrutinizing the boy band, Kamui hums thoughtfully, as if Kim has just uttered some deeply foundational philosophical truth. It makes a lot of sense.]

So they are.

[He tilts his non-threatening head inquisitively.]

Oh, no. I'm not trying to pick up women at all. [A beat of silence. Speaking of a burgeoning self-image, perhaps he should... clarify?] I am interested in women, but I'm just a bit more focused on myself at the moment is all.

[aceslow]

Thank you for that, Kamui. For a moment I was petrified you were not attracted to women. I don't know if my heart could deal with the shock, [ Kim says dryly, though he's not going to give him too hard of a time, considering the circumstances. Still, what a way of putting it. He places one hand flat on the magazine and rips out the page that Kamui had been considering it with a long, clean sweep, folds it in half, and hands it to him. ]

In that case, you can focus on looking good for yourself. And if you happen to pick up any women along the way, that can be a happy accident, hm? Best not to rule anything out. [ He pauses. ] And if you want my advice, try to find a hairdresser that at least looks human. I shudder to think of what one of those ladies with snakes for hair would do to you.

[metafictions]

[He quips back, equally dry:] Don't worry, Uncle. Your health is my utmost priority.

[Either way, Kamui takes the magazine page, folds it one more time, and stuffs it into an inside pocket. They've wasted a lot of work's time, but maybe he'll have something to show for it if he can, at last, change up his look. Any potential happy accidents aside.

He smiles sheepishly:] Thanks, Kim. I don't usually have anyone who'll be a sounding board for stuff like this. It's really nice to talk to you.

[A bit overly earnest, maybe, but he means every word. He glances up at the clock, though, chuckling softly to himself.] And really nice to make the shift go faster, too.

[aceslow]

[ Kim pauses, oddly touched by Kamui's earnestness. He's had a fondness for the man from the day he had first met him, a refreshing taste of normalcy in a world gone mad. Though his initial impression couldn't be any more incorrect, he does not regret the assumption; if he had thought otherwise, he doubts he would have given Kamui the chance that he deserved. It's been a long time since anyone had expressed such genuine gratitude towards him for something so small. He's not sure if he is simply unaccustomed to normal human interaction after so many years being ground down into dust by the streets of Revachol or if Kamui simply has low standards for what amounts to kindness and companionship. Or low standards for what would drive him to call someone Uncle. Uncle.. Honestly. ]

It's nothing, really, [ he says with a flick of his fingers. Then he pauses, offering Kamui a small smile. ] But... the company is nice, yes. This job would be a great deal less pleasant without it.

[ He looks away, suddenly. ]

Khm. Speaking of which, I should really get on restocking, hm? If we don't get things done between the two of us, we'll never hear the end of it.