open 🌙 july catchall

[nerine]

Who ⬤ Monts and Various
What ⬤ July Sub-stories and Catchall
When ⬤ Throughout July.
Where ⬤ Here and there in Jigokucho, mostly in Tamamo Territory.
Content Warnings ⬤ The Amazing Mr. Libido and perhaps some sauciness because of Stardust. Will be added as needed.

Notes ⬤ Prompts in the comments!



"Meet me like I'm midnight."

Comments

[getting_better]

Ah, damn and I thought I had that down.

[ Every scolding he's seen or heard was done by a woman and it was always over something stupid. How he let himself get dragged into it, he'll never understand. ]

Future discussions? [ A beat. ] Ah, like finding a husband or some such thing?

[ Another memory comes up, one that gets him to laugh a bit as it plays in his head for a short time. ]

[nerine]

[She nods in confirmation.]

Yes, that one you're right about. Outside of them, I don't have anyone else I care about as much in my family.

[Again, she thinks about her father and brother and how little they want to do with her.]

The job I had at the time paid me decently, even for a barista. But to be fair, I was working for a witch so she needs to compensate me well for me to stick around. I guess I'd have to think about another long-term career if I want to take care of my grandparents until their time comes.

[getting_better]

Oh, well, that's incredibly sweet of you.

[ A beat. ]

...Did you just say that you were working for a witch? As a barista?

[ Concerns. ]

You didn't make coffee in a cauldron, did you? Wiggling your fingers and saying things like bubble, bubble, toil and triple espresso latte, things like that?

[nerine]

You sure are a presumptuous guy Bishop...

[She says that with some degree of fondness since it is kind of fun to dispel his assumptions about her life and the people she knows.]

It's a very normal cafe. Well, it can connect to other universes, but we prepare most of the items very normally.

[getting_better]

Hmmm. I don't know if I'm relieved or disappointed to learn there was no cauldron involved.

[ He would have liked to have seen that. Cauldron coffee. Sounds interesting. ]

I don't know if you can say normal and be a dimension linking caffee.

[ A beat. ]

Does that mean it can link to here??

[nerine]

[She crosses her arms, contemplating his question.]

That was one of the first things I thought about as my way out. But no easy escape for me since I'm still here with everyone.

[And linking the Grind to Jigokucho... Well, it's part of her contract for a reason, but she won't say anything about that.]

[getting_better]

[ Escape. That's curious. Not the want to escape but the idea that escape was even an idea. Hell had been his reality long before Jigoku-cho that coming here seemed to almost be a vacation. Almost. ]

Anything that's difficult is worth doing, right?

[ He says with a weak smile, attention quickly drawn away when he sees the two oni's who called him melting like ice in the hands of the other hostesses. ]

I can see someone is enjoying the ceasefire. Wish I could say the same. [ A beat. ] No offense. I just haven't really been able to cut loose since....shit when was the last time?

[nerine]

Are you a workaholic, by chance Bishop?

[She pours him another drink, just some sparkling water this time.]

Or are you thinking our groups should be slapping each other over territory again?

[getting_better]

Maybe. I was told my work ethic was one of my most attractive traits. Are you falling for me yet?

[ Said by his CO, and only his CO. She's also free to hit him. ]

No. I think it's good that we're not trying to stick dangerous things inside each other, and have gone back to....trying to stick other things in one another.

[ She's free to interpret that however she wishes, but he knows a certain clan mate of his is happy over that. Not that he thinks the turf war would have stopped him he thinks. ]

I'm just the type to always expect the unexpected. Stay frosty at all times. [ Says the guy who literally an hour ago was hung over and wanted to murder his own subordinates. ] Really relaxing is just something I never learned to do. War would do that to a person, I suppose.

[nerine]

Oh, you. It's challenging to fall for someone who can leave me dry in the dust at any given moment!

[Monts won't hit anyone for their bad jokes but she will smile in a very strained manner; it's still pretty and presentable, but yeah.]

Hm. Well, it does take some learning to switch from work mode to relaxation mode. Although maybe some people just don't do so well because that whole time you're trying to calm down, your brain is yelling at you to do more instead.

As for me, I rarely feel guilty about doing what I want!

[usually]

[getting_better]

[ She's not exactly wrong about that statement, but he's got nowhere to run if he did. Otherwise, his smile finally broke into a chuckle. ]

Sorry, I was really certain you were gonna snap with that one. I've been making bad jokes this whole time.

[ He covers his mouth to keep himself from laughing. ]

Sorry, that was wrong of me. Couldn't help it. Old habit.

[ He fans himself to calm down, taking another mouthful of water. ]