( open ) 001

[harimaya]

Who ⬤ Hizen & you
What ⬤ Catchall for March. Open prompts in main post for substories. Closed starters in comments.
When ⬤ All of march!
Where ⬤ See prompts.
Content Warnings ⬤ TBA

SUBSTORY: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT PARADE (I)

("Outta the way, outta the way!"

A group of smaller youkai yell. They might not be big but what they lack in size, they make up for in number in spirit. They push their way through the crowd carrying a portable shrine. It's a diverse group made up of smaller youkai and spirits— little oni, cats walking on hind legs, a one eyed umbrella, something with a face as large as its body, and fish-looking creature that flails across the ground as it makes its way through.

Do you get out of the way? Or do you miss the warning in all of the hustle and bustle?

In the case of the latter, you can expect one of several things to happen…)

A.
(Hizen loudly snaps at you,)

Oi! Pay attention and get out of the way!

(You probably don't want to get caught up with these little guys. Their patience is as little as they are. The shorter the person, the shorter their temper. If you'd like to avoid confrontation, Hizen can suddenly grab your character by the arm and pull the aside. Alternatively, you can just let the crowd crash into you. Maybe he'll help?)

B.
(Or maybe you're helping Hizen with setting up for someone's game stand. Have you noticed that the owner won't actually let either of you help with getting the game part together? Leave that part to them (so they can rig it). You and Hizen can set up the prize wall made up of different masks and toy weapons.

As the little procession goes by, Hizen stops for a moment to stare and mutters,)

The "parade of a hundred demons," huh...

(He sounds like he might know something?)

SUBSTORY: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT PARADE (II)

(It's security detail!

… Or really, it's more like crosswalk duty.

On the night of the parade, you and Hizen will be expected to keep the pedestrians from crossing the street before their turn. Instead, you'll wait for scheduled stops in the parade that will give enough time for people to get to the other side.

Before the parade begins, you'll have to help set up the barrier using cones or barrels or what have you. And the person in charge of overseeing? It's a long-necked woman that keeps looking over your shoulder and telling you the barriers are too close or too far from the street. The crosswalk openings are too narrow or too wide. She keeps picking at everything you're doing! Is this your first night parade? Do you have any idea what you're doing? She asks for help and she gets sent a bunch of fresh lost souls who have no idea what they're doing!

She doesn't even have the courtesy to say this behind your back. She's right there with her long neck, complaining right in your ear. Or Hizen's ear.

And he looks like he's going to snap. )

SUBSTORY: LOOK AT THIS SWEET JACKET

(The first step to any assignment is gathering information. It's time to get to find the bridge in question and meet the client. Hizen checks the writing on one of the columns at the end of the bridge and looks over to you,)

This is it. (This is the bridge.)Looks pretty normal.

(He's unimpressed. But because timing is comedic, as soon as he finishes speaking, a man gets tossed back across the bridge, rolls like a ball, and stops right in front of them.)

...

(Hizen looks down and... looks away. He sure is going to make you take care of the talking first)

WILDCARD.

❀ Hizen is in the Shuten Clan.
❀ If you have another idea for a prompt or would like to plot anything out, let me know
❀ You can check out my intro comment for some ideas, too.
❀ contact; eski | discord: eski#9874 | PM

Comments

[diesuki]

[Dazai has followed along with the rest of the new crowd for a while, but there are limits to how much he can learn from that - and there is a lot he needs to learn as soon as possible about this place and how it functions, the big players, the delicate (and not so delicate) power balances, etc. There was something to be learned from how newbies like him were treated, but undoubtedly the meatier stuff can only be found out in the wild.

Er, out in the urban jungle, that is.

And so Dazai has found himself a small place where he can drink and chat up the waitstaff (no suggestions about strangling him, this time; he doesn't know if this crowd might take that seriously!), and get some solid intel in the process. He's just about winding it all down, and considering whether to go to another bar or to sleep it all off, when a familiar face shows up, and he just about beams. (So sorry, Hizen. You have been spotted.)

Leaving his empty glass behind, Dazai walks over and slides into the seat next to Hizen, leaning his elbow on the bar and resting his head in his hand. He's not that intoxicated, really, but he's in flirting mode from before, and honestly, why not?]

Hello, Mr. Babysitter~ Fancy meeting you here.

[Or don't fancy it, but meeting you sure happened.]

[harimaya]

(He orders his drink, he gets a snack to go with it, and he make a point to not look at Dazai. He will just sit here. At the counter. Glaring at the grill on the other side like it's the most interesting thing in the world right now.)

There's nothing fancy about it.

(They are in a whole in the wall. They are nobodies.)

[diesuki]

[W O W speak for yourself, Dazai is definitely a somebody! Still, and much to his regret!!]

Isn't there?

[Asked as if it's a totally rhetorical question. Because of course it is.

Dazai orders himself another drink, too, with a gesture that suggests he'll have whatever Hizen's having... or something like that.]

You never did give me your name.

[harimaya]

(The drinks slide over! A single bottle of sake and two cups for them to share. Because that's clearly what Dazai meant right? A cup for him, too?

Hizen's eyes narrow and immediately, he starts to take count. One cup for Dazai so far.)

I didn't want to give it to you.

[diesuki]

[That is an interpretation Dazai can roll with, and so that is definitely what he meant, sure. Listen, he'll be a nice person and pour Hizen a cup, so no complaining.]

How fortunate for me, then, that that has changed.

[You used past tense, Hizzy! Deal with it!]

[harimaya]

(Well, fine, if Dazai is going to pour, he'll take it but he sees what Dazai is getting at and--)

No.

(Just. "No.")

[diesuki]

Come now, I can't keep calling you Mr. Babysitter, can I?

[He pours himself a cup, too, because yeah he's not going to expect proper etiquette here, and he wants to get his drink on yet again.]

Oh, I got it! How about Sit-chan~?

[Give him a name to use, or he will make this even worse.]

[harimaya]

(Sir?)

Call me that one more time.

[diesuki]

Taking a liking to it, are you?

[Is he going to do it? Is he?

Yes, of course he is, slowly and deliberately, with the most innocent of expressions.]

Sit-chan~

1/2

[harimaya]

(HE GETS UP TO HECKING LEAVE.

He pushes his chair out from under him and slams both hands on the table. It's enough to make the other customers start and look over.)

[harimaya]

(But then the owner stops juuuust in front of the counter in front of Hizen, his food on a plate and





Hizen sits down. God damnit the things he does for food. The owner just slides it over awkwardly and Hizen takes a bite of a meat skewer. Between bites, he growls,)

That's not my name.

[diesuki]

[Other customers may be startled or outright terrified, but Dazai... basically shows no reaction at all. If the game's up already, so be it. He's just sitting there, sipping his sake, because if shit is about to hit the fan, he at least wants to have gotten a drink out of it.

But everything simmers down again quickly enough. Ah, those volatile people... Almost too predictable, really.]

Then what is? I can't call you by your name if you don't give it to me, you know.

[harimaya]

(He sure is predictable.

He focuses on eating and pours himself another drink once he finishes his skewer. To his credit, he does look like he's considering Dazai's words and finally, after a long delay, he grumbles,)

... Hizen.

[diesuki]

[It's fine; most people are, to Dazai. Sometimes, he doesn't even mind it.

He offers a beaming smile when he finally gets a name. Oh, he could have done without, but sometimes petty victories are still pleasant, you know.]

Hizen-kun, then.

[If Hizen is only pouring himself a drink, poor drinking companion that he is, then FINE! Dazai will pour his own drink, too.]

[harimaya]

(Angrily drinks.)

Hizen.

(No -kun.

Also he never asked for a drinking partner in the first place!!!)

[diesuki]

[Zenzen on the -kun, Dazai gets it. He chuckles.]

Well, it's true that being drinking buddies makes you awfully close~

[No, actually, Dazai feels kind of annoyed at this suggested closeness, which solidifies his alreadypretty solid plans to stick Hizen with the bill in whatever way he can, just because he can.]

[harimaya]

We aren't buddies.

(Usually this would be the part where Hizen complains about people being so dang friendly but



... Dazai gives him vibes. Like maybe this isn't friendly... )

[diesuki]

[Wow, rude! Dazai is totally being nice! He just. Doesn't feel like paying.]

That just means you haven't drunk enough yet~!

Or! Could it be you're offended because you're my senior?

[Now he's just messing with him. More for the "offended" part than the "senior" part, but still.]

[harimaya]

I'll never be drunk enough.

(He doesn't make friends!! He's a boring drunk. He only gets a little more chatty before going the fuck to sleep. Hizen freezes,)

... Senior?

[diesuki]

That sounds like a challenge.

[Haha! ... No, it really does. But a fun one!

Still, if Hizen is so difficult for alcohol to affect, that certainly limits Dazai's options of sticking him with the bill. (Limits! It's still possible.)]

Mhm, senior. [The freezing is noted, but ostensibly ignored.] How old are you?

[harimaya]

(It's a lot easier than it should be which Hizen is about to find out. Again.

Even when he's comfortably tipsy though, he isn't so impaired that he's going to let just anything slip! Instead of answering Dazai just



drinks

very

slowly.

He's not answering that.)

[diesuki]

[Sometimes silence really does speak the loudest.]

That old, hmm?

[Or that young, of course, but that's certainly not the vibe Dazai is getting - and the drinking is only a small part of that. (It would be pretty rude if hell had an age limit, anyway. Presumably one doesn't age after death, after all!)

In sympathy - apparent, genuine, or possibly both (listen, every year lived is one too many, clearly!) - Dazai refills Hizen's cup, before refilling his own.]

[harimaya]

(It's funny because while he's older than any ordinary human, he's one of the youngest swords.

He let's Dazai fill his cup and makes a point to not look at him,)

Don't talk about things you don't know.

[diesuki]

[Sword-senpai noticed me~! ... Is what Dazai would think full of regret whenever Hizen eventually tries to make him pay for tonight, if only Dazai knew about sword people. That's a little out of his range of experience as yet, though.

He smiles, but it's kind of bitter this time, though that's not aimed at Hizen, nor at Dazai himself. Maybe at humanity in general..?]

If I did that, I'd never learn anything new, would I?

The same goes for you.

[harimaya]

(Maybe some day Dazai will get the lore,)

What're you supposed to be? Some sort of teacher?