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Who ⬤ Billy the Kid and you
What ⬤ Swimsuit shopping, gun cleaning, cursed objects
When ⬤ Start of the Month
Where ⬤ Everywhere, host club
Content Warnings ⬤ Maybe violence? Nothing I can think of at the moment

I – Cleaning

[All of the recent hubbub had caused a stir of excitement all around, it seemed. Evidently everyone was excited at the prospect of going to a beach. Even an artificial one. Billy couldn’t really blame them. Having something to help break up the overall setting everyone was in with something a bit more natural is really exciting.

Billy supposed he felt a bit of that excitement as well. Something to help bring a bit of levity to everything. For now, his excitement was dimmed with his current task. Sitting in a more secluded area of one of the Tamamo host clubs, he busied himself with cleaning his gun. Taking the tools, oils, and cloth nearby he got to work. The whole thing with the Celestials had drained him a bit, and the outlaw was quick to take some quiet time to himself again.

His fingers delicately worked over the different parts slowly, meticulously, gently. There was a certain zen he could find in doing this as the smell of the pil filled the air. Oddly comforting and pleasant. Working away the carbon from the rifling, cleaning debris from the cylinder. It gave his hands something to work on, and his mind an aid to allow it to better focus itself. It all felt natural and right to him. As familiar as the weapon itself. The same one that had become part of him, an extension of his being.

The sound of the door opening did get him to glance up, but not stop his work.]

II – Cursed Objects

[The Kid’s body was flung out of the door and into the streets, several feet away from the entrance. A hulking, dark mass clambered out of the building. Dark tendrils whipping around it, a single eye embedded in its chest, and a large, gaping mouth sat on its belly.

Someone had broken a Haniwa inside of the club just now. And the result, of course, had been the eruption of chaos in the building. Frightened screams and shouts echoed around the buildings as Billy began to right himself.

Great, so much for an easy day.]

III – Swimwear Shopping

[All excitement said and done, he did figure that he should go ahead and buy himself a swimsuit for the coming party. ]

Does it really matter what I wear?

[Does it? Most of everything looked the same to him. And as far as Billy was aware, he wouldn’t exactly be using the thing ever again after this. Still, Tenkohime wanted them to look good, so he figured that he should at least give a try all the same.

Now, exactly what constituted as “looking good”?]

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[ Strong hands grasp the Kid from behind, hauling him the rest of the way onto his feet with a firm grip. Then a woman's voice comes, low and wry: ]

All in one piece?

[ The badge and insignia she wears identifies her as one of the Department's. Probably just as well — aren't the Enma's agents supposed to be cleaning up this haniwa shit? Either way, she doesn't seem particularly pressed with any urgency, instead taking a slow drag off her cigarette as her gaze follows the dark, one-eyed creature currently escaping from the building. ]

Hehe, yeah ,'m fine. Just caught off guard. Sure weren't expectin' that fella to show up!

[Billy doesn't react to the badge outwardly at all. Enjoying keeping an overall mask to his thoughts. Instead he gives her a thankful smile in return as she helps him to his feet. Taking a moment to grab his fallen hat and place it on his head.

There are more pressing problems to deal with right now.

Like that giant, one eyed blood of darkness, that was somehow squeezing out of the entrance. Tendrils and many, weird hands whipping through the air, grabbing whatever, or whoever got close enough.]

What a day to work as the bouncer. [He should start looking for a raise or different job.] Ya here t' help with it?

[Because Billy himself was already pressing a hand against his gun. Ready to draw at the threat.]

[ The giant monster is definitely a pressing problem. Probably one that she would struggle to manage on her own, stripped of her powers as she is. It'd be a different situation entirely if she were still immortal but — well. Everyone in hell starts at the fucking bottom, don't they?

At least he's got a gun. That'll probably come in handy. ]

Might be. [ Wryly, with a nod towards his weapon: ] Are you any good with that? Trying to figure out what my odds of getting maimed are.

[Dancing blueish-grey eyes move from the woman towards the monstrosity in question as it picks up on large oni and flings them aside. Right, no taking it head on.]

I know 'nough to be comfortable in its use.

[Said in an offhand manner of speaking as he focused himself on the current target at hand. The eye was an obvious choice. The eye and the mouth. With the twisted limbs moving around itself constantly the shot might be difficult. Not that he lacked confidence in his bullets ability to cut through the limbs and still hit their mark.]

Would say odds are awful high of ya gettin' bodied, if ya face it straight on.

[His breathing evened itself out as he began to line up his targets with his mind. A flick of his wrist and an earshattering bang, followed by one of the tentacles being blown off as it reached for another patron. Along with another matching the effect.

They had its full attention now. And the thing lets out a roar of pain and anger.] Might recommend ya make a run for it if ya need.

[ That last comment earns the Kid a wry little look. Yeah, making a run for it isn't really her forte. She hasn't had a proper sense of self-preservation for centuries — and being forcibly made mortal down here hasn't done shit all to change that. ]

Just try not to fucking shoot me.

[ The blade she draws is a standard-issue katana — nothing remarkable, just something she borrowed from the Department's armory. But it's sharp, and it'll have to do. Circumstances dictate that she'll need to trust the stranger with a gun to have her back as she goes in to engage at close quarters, but unless that shot she saw him take was a fluke, she doesn't think she'll have to worry much. Now it's her turn to carry her weight.

She's quick, experience and instinct guiding her movements as she wields that blade with brutal efficiency as she slices a second tentacle clean away. Another angry roar, and the monster swings two more of its remaining limbs at her in retaliation. One, she twists to avoid, just barely. The other — ]

Then keep your damn head down!

[He hollered back at her through a peel of laughs. She's certainly a spirited one, and was quick to get to work. Quick and efficient, someone's done work with a blade before then. That wasn't too strange, most of everyone here has, after all. Proficient might just be selling the woman short, though.

Billy, in the meantime, began to train himself again. No hitting the nice lady with the point, piece of metal. It was difficult, given her position. There was few areas that he could openly fire on without getting in her way, and maybe vice versa. Ah-

But there it is.

His breathing continued on, even and steady as before. The other limb finds itself blown away like the others. One more was sent buzzing towards its eye. Causing an explosion of black ooze and corrupt liquid spraying out. Another roar of anger, louder than before like it was competing over the thundering sound of gunfire and singing of a sword cried out.

The limbs now curled in on itself, forming one massive blob of putrescence. Enough time to let the remaining bystanders clear off. But sharp edges and spikes began to bubble up under its surface as it seemed to ready itself for some form of large explosion that would come in the shape of an explosion of spikes and tendrils from all sides and directions.]

Hey- ready yourself, hon!

[ Guess she wasn't wrong to trust the Kid's aim — not that she has much time to appreciate the effort. It's barely enough warning, but between him calling out to her and the telltale shift in the creature's appearance, Andy manages to throw herself behind a nearby dumpster. The questionable smell of the contents within is a small price to pay to be shielded when the monster sets itself off like a fucking bomb, shooting out spikes and tendrils everywhere.

One spike whizzes by close enough for her to feel the air rush past her before it hits the wall of the adjacent building. Andy makes a face, prodding the imbedded spike with her blade before daring to glance out from behind the dumpster, calling out to the gunslinger: ]

Still in one fucking piece?

[It was a close call as he takes a dive behind a nearby street car. The spikes just barely rushing past him as he hit the ground with a thud. Looks like his luck has held out again! Righting himself once the explosion was over, Billy took a peak around the corner at the writhing ball of anger. Tendrils and spikes jutting out every which way, but largely seeming immobile. Maybe it tired itself out and got stuck?]

Yeah, I'm fine! Don't know 'bout our friend o'er there!

[He shot back in reply. Reloading his gun just in case.]

Edited 2022-06-09 03:07 (UTC)

Guess we'll find out.

[ Better to be safe than sorry. Andy comes out from around the dumpster, approaching the creature with her blade still at the ready. She nudges one of those tendrils with her boot and watches it writhe before slicing it off. A few more steps closer to the main body, until she's standing over that squirming ball of darkness — then she plunges her katana deep into the center. ]

[He peeks out from his own cover in turn. Weapon at the ready. The tentacles writhed and attempt to lash out. The one she cut off would lash its now freed appendage at her, only to come up short. Black ooze leaking from the end. Once she plunges the sword into the creatures core it rumbles, the surface bubbling before slowly stilling and deflating.

The form slowly melting away.]

Well... that's one less thing to worry 'bout now.

[He grinned, gun still out as the dark tendrils began to fade away into a viscous sludge.]

One less. [ She agrees wryly, knowing full well there's probably dozens if not hundreds of haniwa still accounted for in this goddamn city. The Department has its hands full. ] Whatever the fuck that's worth.

[ Swinging her blade to rid it off that black ooze, she sheaths it back at her side before coming over to meet up with the Kid. ]

And you didn't shoot me. So I guess I should be thanking you.

I'd say it's worth one less for someone else, and one more for everyone else.

[That was worth a lot in his own book. It meant one less headache to mull over in the future. Which can go a long way when you think about that one potentially tilting things out of your favor.]

Ain't no need to be thankin' me! Haha! [He laughed and played the part of being bashful over the comment. That said... he does carefully holster his gun, notably placing the hammer down on an empty chamber. Despite his words and how he's acting the young man is more than just a tiny bit handy with a firearm.]

If anythin' I should be sayin' thanks for your timin' there! Would'a been a real mess without the added help.

I doubt that.

[ She doesn't mind if he wants to play it off, but she knows what it looks like when someone's good at handling their weapon. Brief as their fight was, that was more than enough for her to notice that here. It's not as if he missed — and she's had teammates who would have found it more convenient to shoot through her than around her.

Wryly, and maybe a bit pointedly: ]

You didn't need me. [ With a little shrug: ] But I had fun anyway.

[There was a shrug, it was easier to play it off rather than the wrong person thinking there was more to him than what was on the tin. Even if he doubted there were many people here who might recognize him, or care. There was always that bit of habit in the back of his mind.

Best safe than sorry. Best to shoot first and ask questions never.]

Nah, if I didn't have help things mighta been more messy. [He wants decent pay, not to see his check cut because a few patrons got nommed on by some sort of curse-being-thing.] But hey, least you enjoyed yourself, I guess?

[He gave her another look over.]

Don't look like this was your first rodeo either. If ya want, I'm sure the club's gonna be more than grateful for your help.

[ She makes a little noncommittal noise that might amount to agreement. He's not wrong — it wasn't her first rodeo. Not by far. Still, she's not the same as she was before. Mortal now, and without her favorite weapon. This fight could have turned out a lot worse. ]

Yeah? You sure you want to be recruiting some strange woman you just met? [ Her answer is wry, but not unfriendly. ] I'm flattered, but I'm not some Good Samaritan. I'm here on the Department's business.

[ She opens her jacket, tapping the badge pinned inside. ]

Recruit? Pff haha!

[He gave a small laugh in return at that.] Nah, not recruit, more like just give ya some freebies for the help. Probably wouldn't be 'nough, considerin' that ya helped save some folks an' all that.

[He gives a wider, more amused smile.]

...Whether or not you're a "Good Samaritan" or law woman. Somethin' tells me ya ain't gonna be gettin' anythin' extra for this.

[He hummed, giving her another look over. Besides, it was always a good idea to get to know your fellow souls. Even those from different gangs.]

[ Another little shrug. ]

Not sure you can pay someone enough to deal with this shit anyway. [ She lets one hand come to rest on her hip, hanging loosely beside her sheathed katana. ] Maybe the Department is just counting on the fact that some of us might prefer not to let innocent bystanders die.

[ Despite her badge, she doesn't seem like she feels strongly about her faction either way. After a moment, she nods lightly in the Kid's direction. ]

So. Who do I thank for backing me up today?

Can't say you can either.

[His eyes briefly goes towards her sword... and then back to her own.] Hm... were they now? Awful altruistic o' 'em.

[He's very obviously not buying that one bit.]

Ah- as for my name... you can call me Archer, or Henry McCarty. Whichever ya prefer, darlin'.

Well. Archer. Thanks for the back-up.

[ She offers a hand between them to shake — though she seems to be ignoring the usual rules of introductions like this, apparently either forgetting or choosing not to give her own name in return. Darlin' works just as well as anything. ]

The thanks an' pleasures are all mine, darlin'.

[That shall be her name now, darlin'. It's a strong name, a beautiful name that strikes fear into the hearts of all ne'er do-wells and so on.]

[ usually, people are doing other things in a club like this--- not tending to a weapon, and obviously it's going to get someone's attention when it's so drastically unusual compared to the normal goings on.

which is why robin is... cautious. he doesn't want to interrupt billy. he just wants to watch the process. at the same time, robin is helping with the club; though it's not his normal venue to work, whenever the nice lady leader of their clan asks for assistance, he's going to go wherever he's needed.

so... carefully: ]

Hi! [ maybe a little too bright and cheery, a little forced. ] Um... do you need anything? A drink? Company?

[Normally, yes, people would be doing something else. And he knows what this most likely looks like, as well as how odd it appears. But, then again, Billy had chosen this specific spot for how quiet, tucked away, and spacious it is.

It's kind of like hanging around a break room or reading in a café area. The question brings his attention from his task to Robin. He doesn't really recognize him, but they are part of the clan as well. Probably, Billy didn't think members from any other clan would be allowed to work in a Tamamo business.]

Water would be great an' I wouldn't say no to the company if ya wanna stick 'round.

[Said with a soft smile.]

[ a few nods, and robin quietly sneaks off to grab that water. spotless glass, half of it filled with ice, and a bottle of water. nothing from the tap. part of robin doesn't entirely trust it (and who would given the dispositions of tamamo businesses) but also, it's fresher this way too. or cleaner. something like that.

he saunters back over to billy, back into that secluded corner, where no one would bother to find anyone--- again. tamamo. but at least that's not what robin's here for. ]

That's a gun, right?

[ obviously but. hey. it's not the most familiar looking thing to him, but he's sure he's seen one in a movie or television show, or... ]

[Another, nice perk of simply hanging around one of the clubs, the hosts were always nice and fine with bringing you something. Once Robin returns, Billy gives another smile. Wiping the oil off his hands before taking the offered drink.]

Thanks pal. An' yeah, it's a gun alright.

[A very real one. The cylinder had been opened for cleaning and safety purposes. Then- to answer one of the potential questions on the host's mind.]

My place is way too small for cleanin' somethin' like this. [Like, closet small.] I usually work the bar or as a bouncer at the clubs 'round here, and am usually given a spot for myself to clean the tool of my trade. So to speak.

Oh really?

[ robin settles down next to him, already leaning in his direction without a thought--- who needs personal space, really--- and hums in thought. looking at the collection of pieces, the oils, the tools that it takes to properly keep a weapon in working condition...!

it's pretty amazing to him, a boy who has been sheltered for most of his life. ]

I don't think I've seen you around my two clubs... but I've started working at a pretty new bar.

[ a smile, as he wiggles in his seat. ]

Are you good with it? Like, shooting and stuff?

Can't say I've ever rightly seen you around either. So it all pans out!

[He gave a laugh in return. Billy doesn't really mind the other person leaning over and seeing what he was up to. But the outlaw does move the weapon away just a bit. The parts he had cleaned shined even in the low light from the oil.]

I ain't bad at it. An' haven't heard any complaints from the folks I've done guard work for so far.

[A shrug as he takes another drink.]

So, what do ya do 'round here normally? Just a host?

Usually! I'll help with tables and customers, but I'm best at the bar. I've been learning how to mix all kinds of non-alcoholic drinks because I don't really... like the taste of alcohol...

[ and robin looks down and away for a second, trying to hide the look of discomfort on his face. ]

... guard work? Just for places, or have you done it for people too?

[ he tilts his head very slightly, almost looking a little hopeful. ]

That's fair, alcohol ain't really my thing either. Got drunk once, an' that was it for me.

[He gave a small laugh, easygoing and just as inviting as his smile.]

Not really for anyone in particular yet, no. Most o' it's largely just been makin' sure no one's been causin' problems around the Madam's property.

[He taps his glass for a moment.]

Back home's a different story. There I've done plenty o' work guardin' folks.

[ well. that certainly does it. robin has to ask now, for sure. ]

Would you consider being my personal escort? It wouldn't be all the time, just the ones where I don't feel comfortable walking back to my apartment by myself.

[ there's something particularly charming about this man. maybe it's the accent? the easygoing nature he carries so well? or maybe it's just he's kind of handsome and honestly, robin can't help but be a little attracted to him. ]

I can pay you! [ said almost too hastily? ] I certainly have some money...

Your personal escort?

[He looks at Robin for a moment with an eyebrow raised. A cheek scratch follows, an escort is it? He gives a small laugh.]

Trustin' a fella with a gun you just met to keep ya safe on your way home? Awful trustin' of ya.

[Billy gave the other person another once over. Then shrugged.]

But sure, don't got much else to do 'round here. 'Side's the obvious. Wouldn't worry none 'bout payin' me either. Think of it as just another part o' the job.

[ robin tilts his head, one of his own eyebrows raising. ]

Well, shouldn't I? You're in the clan too.

[ they watch their own, right? as it should be with any of the other groups, too. as robin smiles and kicks his feet a few times, he lets out a gentle hum. ]

Are you sure? I can pay you in other ways! Like with company? I'm also a good singer and dancer, and I'm okay at mixing drinks...

[ his expression sours, if just for a moment. ]

... some of the youkai get a little handsy... it's a little scary.

We are, and as your guard I'm gonna go ahead an' say that ya should still be careful.

[His chin rests itself in his palm in return. Relaxed as ever, as he listened to Robin talk.]

Yeah, I'm sure. Chances are I'd get some sort o' pay or recognition from the clan anyway.

[A shrug and nod of his head.]

Mm, some o' the folks who come in aren't the most reputable sort. It must've been hard on ya dealin' with harassment like that. That why ya want someone to be your guard for a bit?

[ he childishly puffs out his cheeks. yeah, he should be careful... he's not going to say that billy's wrong, but at the same time? robin hasn't exactly been fortunate it when it comes to getting all the wrong kinds of attention.

but those cheeks end up deflating once he thinks about the 'why' of needing someone to, on occasion, take him home. ]

Yeah. I'm... you know how some of the Tamamo members are. They're not afraid to do anything. And I'm no escort, but I don't mind sitting with someone and talking and listening...

[ robin lowers his eyes. ]

... I'm not interested in being with strangers in that way.

I suppose that's the motto, yeah.

[It wasn't exactly one he particularly agreed with, but it also wasn't one he'd rail against. Sometimes there was a particular amount of fun to be had in the whole "do what you want" aspect of things. One that he did enjoy to an extent.]

Hm... but yeah, I get ya. So, what times do you usually work?

[ the freedom to do whatever as long as it leads to pleasure. it's something that robin doesn't disagree with either, but... sometimes those ways lead to a discomfort that robin's not willing to test. not yet. ]

I'm glad you do! Sometimes I get weird looks when I talk about it. It's almost like they think I should be happy to use my body like---

[ --- like they do. anyway. robin stops himself before he goes any further. ]

Nights. I used to just help with cleaning and making sure bottles were full in the afternoon, but one of the bars I work at will have me tending until close.

[ which sometimes can end up being way later than the supposed 'last call'. ]

That's usually the assumption that a lotta folks make when visiting these places.

[And something most here seem to have had to contend with. Either embracing it fully or just doing their best to keep on keeping on.]

Got it, I'll be sure to drop by and stay a little later for ya then. My shifts are usually nights too.

[Which shouldn't be too big of a surprise, given the nature of the Tamamo district.]

[ he can only nod. at least this man seems nice and reasonable enough to know... not everyone's down with going down, so to speak. ]

I'm glad! You may need to find me at another place, too. It's called Hemlock. Mr. Shylock runs it... he's a very nice man.

[ it's where robin prefers to work, but he'll go anywhere that he's asked depending on the occasion. he is trying to stick to just shylock's place, because it's the one he feels the safest. ]

Oh, and my name is Robin. Robin Laffite.

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