[SEMI-CLOSED] wretched and wild, all glory and trash.

[killtime]

⬤ Permissions Post ⬤
⬤ Open TDM Thread ⬤

Who ⬤ Andromache of Enma & likely questionable company!
What ⬤ Bastard woman desperately seeks naps and other thrilling tales
When ⬤ Catch-all for late June, after the events at Kaigo no Bou, and throughout July
Where ⬤ Andy's apartment (derogatory), various other locations in Jigoku-cho
Content Warnings ⬤ Profanity, violence, substance use, sex, etc. To be updated as needed!


PM or whaler#7695 if you'd like a starter!
Existing CR is welcome to drop wildcards.

Comments

ANDY & EMILY

[killtime]

[ She's been sleeping like the dead for almost two full days. And in that time, the waking world has started to feel a little unfamiliar — half because she's barely been conscious since returning from Kaigo no Bou and half because everything looks a bit foreign now without the constant downpour of blood rain. But she can't hibernate forever. There's things to do. People to see. Her people.

Andy stops by a cafe on her way to the clinic. Two black coffees, with a few sugar packets and creamer in the bag, alongside a couple assorted pastries. She doesn't know if Emily has a sweet tooth or not, but today is as good a day as any to find out. Hands full like this, she nudges the door open with her hip when she arrives, making her way past patient rooms in search of their resident doctor. ]

Em? You in here?

[medicative]

[to her credit, Emily looks marginally less tired when Andy shows up. her people are home, the curse is broken, and she's keeping the new promotion under wraps for the time being. it means the clinic will have more money, and she thinks she can persuade someone in the Alliance to potentially set up enough assistance to at least give the volunteers a stipend. so she's in the middle of paperwork, and looks up from it all to give Andy a smile, an honest one to see her awake.]

I was wondering when you'd come back to us. It's wonderful to see you.

[and to see her intact. not in that hospital with others.]

[killtime]

[ Feels like it's been ages since she's seen Emily smile. It makes her pause a little before she finally answers with the usual wryness: ]

I was barely gone.

[ As if she'd gone out for a stroll. But Andy has to be allowed her little deflections. Though, maybe some part of her means that too — what's a few days to her anyway? She's almost seven thousand years old by now. And even mortal, she made it out of that cursed tower better than most of the others. Largely unscathed, by some miracle — and thankful. Her pride wouldn't have stood for troubling the doctor. Might have been preferable to bleed out in front of Kaigo no Bou.

Either way, it's done. More importantly: ]

Did you get a little sleep?

[ She lays her offerings out on the corner of Emily's desk before taking her own coffee, still black, into her hands. ]

[medicative]

I did, as it happens.

[hardly long enough, when the exhaustion has settled in , but at least it was comfortable and deep and she doesn't need to do anything where she'd doubt her fine motor skills. instead she pauses on the paperwork and takes her coffee, adding a bit of creamer and sugar to make it right. honestly, she does want one of the pastries, and the look that flashes over her features is considering it.]

Whatever comes next, we can handle it without the curse overhead. So, Andy, thank you for your bravery in going after it.

[she knows there were teams, but Andy is the one in front of her that she can personally thank for the efforts.]

ANDY & IZO

[killtime]

[ It's not that Andy's been avoiding Izo on purpose. He was gone — and then she was called to the tower. Days were lost to the empty sleep of the truly exhausted after that. And if she's honest, none of what happened to him felt like it was her place to ask about. Majima said he'd been found. And she knew that he and Emily would take care of the rest.

In the end, things just kept going. And she didn't try very hard to fight that.

But she's hardly a stranger in Shuten territory either. And they're both creatures of the same vices. So it was probably inevitable that they would run into each other, eventually. Maybe literally. She nearly bowls right into him outside one of the local bars, getting a face full of feathers that leaves her cursing in tongues. ]

Enma's crooked fucking cock —

[heretic_blade]

[ Izō had been making himself scarce, mostly leaving the apartment for the sole purpose of satisfying his various vices. It's not like he was particularly avoiding anyone either, not anymore. With how taxing the past month had been on everyone, not seeing anyone as often didn't feel out of place.

But he's not expecting to run into anyone today, especially not in the literal sense. Izō yells and whirls around, ready to fight until he sees who it is. ]

Watch where yer fuckin' goin'! [ Recognizing her doesn't stop him from yelling at her. Dawning embarrassment spreads across his face as he remembers the unfortunate string of texts. ] ...Wasn't expectin' t' see ya here.

[ May the ground swallow him up where he stands. ]

[killtime]

[ Truthfully, she hadn't thought much of it. Though, to be fair, it wasn't her being ganged up on — and she's nearly seven thousand years old by now. You try a lot of things when you've lived that long in a body that regenerates. This woman's been around the block a few times and then some. At this point, she's half-forgotten what it's like to have that kind of shame.

So, it takes her a second to understand the embarrassed look on his face — but when she realizes it, she huffs out an amused little breath, the corner of her mouth quirking up wryly as she looks at him. ]

Don't tell me you're still feeling shy over that. [ That. They both know what she means. ] If you don't stop being so obvious about it, you'll keep getting teased.

[heretic_blade]

[ Izō's inferiority complex runs very deep. Being mocked over anything triggers it pretty badly. All he knows how to do about it is yell and fight and push back.

He glares at Andy. ]

Shut up...Ain't never let anyone get away with makin' fun'a me over nothin' and I ain't about t' start now.

[ He's incapable of just letting shit slide. His life would be easier if he could just ignore little things instead of escalating them to a ridiculous degree. He's not that kind of person, though, and it's a problem. ]

ANDY & KAMUI

[killtime]

[ He'd been the first one to see her, that night after the tower. She still remembers the quiet relief she'd felt, stepping outside, dirty and tired and aching — seeing the sky clear felt like being given permission to finally breathe, just a little. Standing there in front of Kaigo no Bou, she almost hadn't known what to do with herself. The fight was done. She was exhausted. But then Kamui had come to her. The blooming warmth of recognition, then a brief moment to be embraced by someone she cares about, to feel them solid in her arms — she hadn't realized it was what she needed until it was happening.

It's a small blessing that there hadn't been time for him to linger. Another second, and she would have struggled to let go.

Sleep was all she knew for days after that. Not nearly enough sleep to make up for the bone-deep exhaustion, but enough to get by. Andy has always been good at forcing herself to bounce back — ignoring the demands of her body is all but habitual now. But the one thing she can't ignore is the nagging need for a goddamn cigarette. In the absence of anything more pressing, the craving is insistent, and it's as good an excuse as any to get back to her routine of stopping by that one 7/11 at odd hours. The bell on the door dings when she nudges it open with her hip, stepping into the familiar fluorescent lights. ]

[metafictions]

[He should be grateful to Tamamori and Minakami. If not for the favor he'd owed Mina, he might not've been at Kaigo no Bou the moment the parties had emerged from their mission. With the two of them safely reunited, he'd been free to make a beeline for the only other friend he knew was in that tower.

So of course he'd hugged Andy. Why wouldn't he have? She'd been worse for wear, but she was whole, alive. A moment later she'd been swept away to report back, but they'd managed to keep their promise-- to see each other again. And if that embrace had felt much too short, then, well, he's keeping it to himself.

It's funny, though, how quickly the routine reestablishes itself. Days pass, and the curse's damage to the 7/11 is almost entirely repaired by oni teams; in time, his shifts feel like normal once again, watching over the convenience store in the dead of night.

Like always, he feels Andy's presence before he sees her. That exact wavelength of criminal power would be worrying, if he weren't already well aware of the source. He leans an elbow on the counter, offering the familiar face in the doorway a wave.]

Hi, Andy. Good to see you around here again.

[He's already grabbing her usual pack off the wall behind him.]

[killtime]

[ It's comforting — how everything seems more or less back to the way it was before the blood rain started pouring out of the sky. The same headache-inducing lights. The hum of the freezers in the back. And Kamui, waiting behind the counter. She comes up to the cash register to meet him, automatically taking out cash for the pack of cigarettes. Feels like they've done this a hundred times before. ]

Yeah? [ Wryly, with the corner of her mouth just faintly upturned: ] Almost sounds like you fucking missed me.

[metafictions]

Maybe a little.

[The money trades hands, the action thoughtless and nearly reflexive on both their parts by now. Just part and parcel of this same routine, really. There's a small smile on his lips too as he slides the pack of cigarettes across the counter towards her:]

At this hour, not even the oni come around much. [And it's one of his shifts that hasn't overlapped with Kim's: it's just the white noise of the convenience store and Andy herself in here.] It was quiet without you.

sapphism ... early july lets say

[everblooms]

[ It rolls down like this: Aerith has a wandering mind, a need to get what she wants, and universally speaking, has a type. It's people who know their way around a sword, who know how to make the clash of steel sound melodic— and it helps a lot when they banter and tease with her, too. (Maybe it's a piece of herself that never quite healed from a childhood in captivity. The sound of another's voice is heavenly, to that regard.)

Sidequests are no problem for her, so in the early days of the month, she goes on one looking for a woman named Andy. It turns out that, a bit unsurprisingly truthfully speaking, her savior that night had been a high ranking figure within Enma, among the Lost Souls, and a few of the people she asks pucker their lips in a way that makes her wonder if they pity her or not. It only heightens the mystique around the woman, and she casually tilts her head this way and that way as she listens to people speak about where you could find her.

Aerith decides to wait along a patrol route. It seems the most likely at some point— a woman with a sword who leaps into action to save a perfect stranger is going to pick up her stuff and go hunting if it kills her, she thinks. She can hunt all she wants: The woman she'll find is a familiar sight, wanting half under recently re-installed sodium lights and nightfall shadows. She's got a look on her face like she's ready to be Andy's problem for the rest of the day, or evening, or however long she'll have her.

When she swivels at the hip, Andy may get the immediate hint of Aerith's intention: she's traded her old pink dress for a new pink dress, left the jacket at home, and replaced her heavy soled boots for lace ribbon sandals. A wrap-around, dusty pink dress adorns her, just flowy enough for the fabric to sway in the wind. It cuts off at the thighs— a strategic decision for summer heat only, surely. Maybe. ]

Well, well! [ Aerith crosses the distance, coming out of the shadows to show she's got a little wicker basket on her arm, only a scant few flowers remaining inside. Her voice is a tease, the smile mischievous— she's definitely someone who likes to get her way. ] Look what the cat dragged in. What are the chances of me finding you here!

[ Hands on her hips, she leans forward, and beams. ]

Miss me?

[killtime]

[ Aerith is a problem Andy's willing to have. She's a sight even from a distance, standing underneath the lights in a pretty pink dress that falls just so it teases at a hint of her thighs. As Andy makes her way up the street towards her, she can make out that mischievous smile. She's always liked a girl with a smile like that. ]

Hell's a small world. [ She answers back wryly, coming up to meet Aerith. There's a stark contrast between them as they stand there together — Andy with her long hair in untamed waves down her back, her dark jeans and combat boots, the masculine fit of her black jacket. ] Don't tell me you're out here by yourself.

[ A little tilt of her head, and a faint upward quirk at the corner of her mouth. There's this knowing look in her eye when she goes on mildly: ]

Were you waiting for someone?

[everblooms]

[ She drags a cheeky smirk out of Aerith with her remark. "Don't tell me you're out here by yourself," Andy says. Aerith plucks a bit of fondness out of it, even if it's not there, just to please herself with. Without thinking about, a response follows. ] Okay.

[ She's out here, alone, all by her lonesome, looking like she's ready for a tumble through the city. It'd be strange if suits weren't the normal for Enma's workers. Women from Tamamo probably roll through here all the time, kept as secret lovers or friends. ]

Here. [ Aerith plucks one flower out for Andy, and nearly holds it out for her. She thinks better of it at the last moment, and tucks it into one of the belt loops of Andy's pants. It'd be a daring move if she weren't already wholly too forward as is. ] It's thanks, for saving my bacon that night. I finally had something to reward you with.

[ She was waiting for you. But they both already know that, don't they? ]

[killtime]

[ She obliges Aerith by holding still for her as she tucks that pretty bloom into Andy's belt loop. Through the fabric, she can feel the light brush of Aerith's fingertips at her hip for that fleeting moment — an anchor for her attention until Aerith withdraws, leaving her with that little memento.

This one's bold, isn't she? And not intimidated by Andy at all. Not like some of the others. She teases with familiarity, as if they were meeting for the hundredth time instead of the second, and Andy finds herself more charmed by that than she really should be. ]

Oh? So that's what this is? A reward? [ Wryly, in a way that's half-invitation and half-challenge: ] And here I thought maybe it was because you like me.

[SUBSTORY #2] ANDY & MONTS

[killtime]

[ It stands to reason that eventually someone from the Department of Enma would be called to deal with this little problem. They are the supposed police force in this city, even if their overall effectiveness might be up for debate — and it's only Andy's misfortune that, as one of the Department's highest ranked offers, she can't very well say no when a nuisance like this falls into her lap. At least she isn't the type to be much bothered by a dirty-talking, tighty whitey-wearing man. She just wishes he would stop running.

Goddamn, that pervert is fast.

Maybe his semi-nakedness makes him more aerodynamic? Fuck if she knows. But even as athletic as Andy is, she's barely keeping up. She turns sharply around a corner in a sprint as those tighty-whiteys disappear around it ahead of her — only to slam full-bodied into someone else, toppling them both over. ]

Fuck — [ A snarled curse, as she tries to untangle herself. ] Enma's crooked cock —

[nerine]

[Now Monts is sure that must have caused a bruise somewhere. Before she can even react to the pervert sprinting past her in his underwear, she's down for the count.]

Ooph—!!

[She is consequently-slammed and falling backward onto her bottom. Definitely a bruise there, but she just blinks away the impact and wrinkles her brow at Andy.]

Uhhh... Well, I don't think that guy would have what the Enma does and I really hope he doesn't.

[killtime]

[ Honestly, she has half a mind to just leave her victim there sprawled on the ground and continue giving chase — but the Department has a bad enough reputation as it is right now, and she should probably try harder not to cause any problems for their legal department. Fuck's sake. Mr. Libido's about to become a mostly naked speck in the distance.

With an impatient huff of breath, Andy hauls herself to her feet, then offers a hand to the young woman. ]

He could have three crooked cocks for all I fucking care. Are you hurt?

wildcard!!

[lemoncandy]

Um... Excuse me...

( It's with great nervousness that Shealtiel approaches Andy. She seems busy, though he can't quite see what she's busy with currently, and he's wanting to make a good impression! This is someone in his faction, someone he's been told has a title, and so that must have some significance, right? Besides that, any time he's tried to ask for assignments or things to do (overly eagerly, in fact), he's been sent on pointless missions, given menial tasks doing basic labor in law enforcement, so on and so forth.

He's used to being an awkward, unwanted presence with no real place in a group, though! He's totally used to this.

Clutching a journal to his chest, he leans to try and see Andy and what she's up to. )

Miss... inspector... ma'am? ( Such formality. )

My name is Shealtiel. I'm a new member of the faction, and I was wondering if you might have anything I could help you with.

[killtime]

[ To be fair, at least a little nervousness is probably warranted where Andy is concerned. And her strong resting bitch face certainly serves as a deterrent for most. It's hard to tell if her expression just looks like that by default or if she's truly annoyed with whatever work she's doing. Probably a bit of both. And to Shealtiel's credit, it takes some measure of balls to approach her either way.

She glances up when he addresses her, one eyebrow arching like she's skeptical that anyone could possibly be referring to her that way. Miss Inspector? It's a shame the manners are mostly wasted on her, but maybe it earns a bit more of her patience than she might offer otherwise, if only because it's obvious this brand new officer has no idea what he's getting into with her. ]

Shitty time to get stuck with the Department. We're not exactly popular around here right now.

[ Judging by the dryness of her tone, this is not a woman that cares much for her faction. Despite the inspector's badge and Department insignia that she wears, Andy has her own motives, and loyalty towards the Enma isn't one of them. ]

You don't have to call me "Inspector." Andy's fine. [ She eyes him up and down blatantly, her attention heavy as she scrutinizes him. ] So. What are you good for?

[lemoncandy]

( He hears that she says he doesn't have to call her that, but there's no way he can call her anything more familiar. For now, he's busy freezing at the next question. What is he good for?

Nothing, right? He's almost never given missions, and when he has been given them, he fails. Now, he's not even sure if he can return to Paradiso, he hasn't killed a single demon, and...

He's got to focus on the now. She's waiting! So he stands a little straighter. )

I can fight. As an angel, I'm sent out to kill demons. Um, and also getting the other angels coffee, or organizing books on the shelves, or labeling the profiles by alphabet, or replacing dead flowers with fresh ones... You know, things like that.

( He smiles a little nervously. Is he a great recruit??? Yeah?? Please he'll do anything, he can be a secretary. )

( wildcard! ) night out

[mortelix]

[ to be honest, a lot of this world was unfamiliar to mort. it had a certain hustle and bustle to it that he wasn't accustomed to; though perhaps that could have been expected of anyone who hailed from region as remote as dragon valley. he had, personally, always viewed those who simply adapted as those who were too weak and feeble to actually exert any sense of a will, but for the first time, he debates rescinding such a statement. in that sense, while there were frustrating and maybe even (mildly) humbling aspects of being in such an unforgiving land, he also found a new semblance of a spark here.

unlike home, there weren't just dragons and humans. while back in his own realm, only tales of the heir of covenant, the archdemon, or even the protector had fueled him, but it was different here. ... and he found himself liking this stark difference.

perhaps, that's why he feels some vague sense of delight in being able to analyze the town and all its colorful residents. it's in this that andy had somehow caught his eye. perhaps, it's her demeanor, or purely passing fancy, but he approaches her in a bar.

it's rowdy as one can expect, but it doesn't particularly bother him. he gestures to her drink, before continuing. ] What are you drinking? [ in light of this approach, it could seem like the kind of banter one makes when they're picking someone up, but the concept is lost on mort. ]

[killtime]

[ She likes the noise. There's a comforting sort of familiarity to it — no matter how much time passes, people always like to come to a place like this to get drunk and make noise. It was the same back in the old days as it is now, and besides the nostalgia of a busy bar, Andy's been an alcoholic for centuries now. Having her immortality taken by the powers-that-be in this city hasn't changed that about her. So, there she is, a creature of habit at one of her local haunts, nursing a cigarette and a drink by herself when someone approaches.

His question earns a sidelong look as she exhales a mouthful of lazy smoke, eying him up and down curiously before finally offering her answer: ]

Whiskey. [ She gestures in the direction of the bar stool next to her. ] Seat's empty, if you want.

[mortelix]

[ the offer is simple and seemed to come easily to the other individual. it's a surprise for a variety of reasons, but it isn't an unwelcome shock by any means. while there's a brief raise of his brows as he seems to study her a second longer than the average man should, he eventually settles in the seat beside her.

while he was normally the contrary type that, he finds himself oddly agreeable tonight. ] So you enjoy a darker liquor. [ more of a comment than it is a question. ] I admit I haven't drank in centuries. [ or so he thinks? he's lost track of time, if you also count... frozen time as time. ]