Open/Closed Prompts

[perfectdistance]

Who ⬤ Nero and you
What ⬤ Open and closed starters
When ⬤ September
Where ⬤ Various
Content Warnings ⬤ Sex in at least one thread


I. Substory #3 Drifter Grifter

[He looks tiredly at the list of crimes of this grifter and for a moment he wonders if Bradley's out there stealing again? He's probably stealing, but is this specifically Bradley or just some idiot he doesn't have to care about?]

Okay, so what did this guy look like? Did he even have any information or was he just dining and dashing?

[Are there, for some reason, giant windows in your bathrooms? How is this guy getting out so easily?]

II. City of Rain, before hours
[Now more than Ever Nero's grateful to have his shop. An oasis of calm in the middle of the din of Jigokuchou. Of course, the quiet rule doesn't come into effect until the shop actually opens. Sometimes it is nice to be able to talk to his employees without having to write everything down on paper.

He has been cooking a little earlier than usual, but that might be because of the new hire. Bradley? Just somebody from home. At least it's very normal for Nero not to say much about himself.

He does send out a text to everyone who works there.]

Breakfast on Friday at 10 if you want to come early.

Tell me what you want.

III. Wildcard
[Give me another prompt or contact me via discord or PM.]

Comments

[recluserose]

[Amelia says nothing and doesn't move from her spot. Her eyes are closed but her ears are alert, taking in the subtler sounds around them. Her head shifts to glance at the menu with her cheek pressed against her arm.

Everything listed sounds delicious enough. When the witch finally speaks up, she makes a specific request, but not in the way one would expect.]

Can I have something where I can hear ingredients being cut?

[It's asked in a way where it's serious enough, but not totally, like a thought being spoken aloud.]

[perfectdistance]

[First time for everything, he supposes. Of the current menu the pork tenderloin involves the most cutting.]

I'll make you the pork tenderloin. How's that?

[recluserose]

Mn.

[An affirmative noise, followed by a nod.]

Sounds good. Take your time, if you will.

[ There are a lot of thoughts running through her head, but none she can particularly distinguish. Hell, death, living, no magic, magic to earn back, Briar, absent around her heart, for now, the town, the Witch King, her juniors and senior students, their grades, the books, installing new software into their laptops, her coworkers, the janitor whose lower back she was about to address...

Amelia buries her face even further into her arms. Breathes and hones her focus.

There's just her seat, Nero, and his kitchen. That's enough for her.]

[perfectdistance]

[Nero remains utterly oblivious to the turmoil going through Amelia's head at the moment. There's a lot of things to go through there, but his focus is on making a delicious meal.

There's the rhythmic chopping of ingredients, done by somebody who's spent a long time learning his craft. There's not a single wasted motion as he preps all the ingredients, but it's relaxed in a way that a restaurant in a rush would never be.]

[recluserose]

[She thinks too much and always keeps it to herself. Usually out of necessity, another part because she's still practicing, and the other out of fear. Berna cheerfully told her when she was younger to simply just ask about other people if she started to feel sick of herself.

And so she lifts up her head when the sounds of Nero chopping and prepping fill the restaurant. She leaves him alone for a second before finally speaking up, sitting up a bit straighter.]

How long have you been cooking, if you don't mind me asking?

[perfectdistance]

Hm...

[He doesn't need to stop working to speak, it's just that ingrained into his being.]

Since I could be around a fire. [Since he was very, very young, but without any specific numbers.]

[recluserose]

You're rather non-specific.

[Is it a callout or observation? But her being curt has been clear from the get-go.]

When I talked to the locals around the area, they said good things about this restaurant. They've taken to us Lost Souls, haven't they?

[perfectdistance]

[He fully steps over answering anything more about how long he's been cooking. Look he has a new topic to latch onto, and he didn't even have to bring it up himself.]

We're stuck here until we finish our contracts, it seems like. Might as well learn to get along with the newbies... is what I figure they're thinking.

[recluserose]

And it's not as if we came with nothing to offer.

[She sits up straighter now, just to watch him create her meal and not just enjoy the sounds.]

You've created a good place, Nero. I managed to settle my nerves just by sitting here.

[An awkward compliment sure, but sincere.]

I think I've been so focused on blending in with my assigned faction that it got to me more than I thought; which is a little ironic considering how the Alliance composes itself.

[She said so much to her fellow member Naito. They're... Eclectic.]

[perfectdistance]

[He's in the middle of spreading the filling into the pork chop.

Nero gives her a small smile.]

I needed a place like this for myself, so if other people are gettin' some comfort from it, I'm glad to hear it.

[A busy, loud city is a lot for him. There's a reason he didn't settle down in West at home.]

Sutoku, right? It sees like a... collection of people over there.

[He's not sure what's binding them all together, but it seems to be working? For them? Maybe? At least from the outside.]

[recluserose]

A place of comfort... If I work hard, I'll make a personal library to curl up in.

[The smell of the ingredients tickle her nose, faintly stirring her appetite. She really likes this.

Also, the Sutoku are tryin' Nero, really we are]

Any friends in the Sutoku that I should be aware of? I think you're the only Tamamo member I've acquainted myself with so far.

[perfectdistance]

Sounds cozy.

[He's not a big book person, but he's sure there must be a few of them around. Hell takes in all types.]

Hm... most people I know are in the other factions. Talked to the guy who made Ember a few times, but I wouldn't say we're friends.

[recluserose]

So, Shuten and the Enma then. Hm. I'm... Acquainted with two from the Department so far.

[One shady twink kid whose a version of a fictional villain and...]

One of them seems loud and outrageous enough to be Shuten though.

[She mutters darkly to herself.]

Who challenges an old woman to a fight over an app anyway?

[perfectdistance]

[The meat goes into the oven and now he's free to chat.]

... Loud Enma, huh? Was it Barton?

[Seems like Barton.] He likes board games too.

[recluserose]

[Oh, it's all connecting, how interesting. She snaps her gaze towards Nero and nods vigorously.]

Yes! Inspector Barton? That's him.

[Arms crossed she leans back in her seat and taps her fingers impatiently at the thought of their last exchange.]

On the one hand, I've better things to do than accept his meatheaded offer... But... Nn.

[She backed off and refused adamantly because she is tired but another part of her doesn't really like to lose.]

Did he challenge you to a fight too? Though, pardon me for assuming, your demeanor is much more calming and you don't seem like you'd be easily irritated like I am.

[perfectdistance]

[Some people (Nero) have a type. Barton seems like he should belong in Shuten, but there must be some difference in how he conducts himself, or how he views the world to end up in Enma, right? Must be.]

He did give me one of those X things, but we agreed on chess.

[Nero gives a soft laugh.]

No problem. Takes a while for me to get riled up. [Bradley related incidents not included.]

[recluserose]

Hm. That... Is a better solution than what I would have come up with at the moment.

[She argued with him like a Twitter comment section. She tips her invisible hat to you Nero.]

... I can see why you're part of the Tamamo now though.

[perfectdistance]

[May Nero never learn what Twitter is.]

... You do? [He's chalking it up to customer service, but honestly he doesn't know.]

[recluserose]

You're... Calming? I think.

[She rests her cheek in one palm.]

Or rather, there's a different way of thinking compared to mine. I'd imagine that the clan head, Tenkohime, wouldn't be interested in a reckless witch like myself.

That and I'd only imagine offending customers more often than not when it comes to providing service, no matter what form that would take.

[perfectdistance]

[It's not the first time somebody's told him that, but he still wonders about how well people perceive him. Maybe it's better he can come off this way.]

I dunno, it takes all types to get things done.

[And she took in Owen, so who knows about her tastes. (Did anybody want Owen?)]

Did you want some tea or water while you're waiting for in to finish?

[recluserose]

[Being able to lay low and be perceived the way you want could be a quality of the Tamamo, but she hasn't been here long enough nor know any other members to really make strong conclusions yet. She'll learn.]

Tea, if you please. Something on the herbal, floral side if possible, but if not, I'm fine with a black tea.

[perfectdistance]

[A sample size of one isn't much to go off of for any research.]

Chamomile sound okay? I do have a couple black ones.

[He'll go put a kettle on.]

[recluserose]

Even better.

[She'll take out her fresh new notebook (one with more pages) to do some free writing. You know, like a nerd.]

Are there any other places around the Tamamo areas that you would recommend?

[perfectdistance]

Hmm, Hemlock's great if you're looking for a classy place to drink. What are you lookin' for?

[recluserose]

[Classy... Drink... Well, that's more than enough for her. She hasn't had a good glass of wine for a long while now.]

Duly noted. I'll check it out some other evening.

I think I'm just looking for places of note not just Tamamo designations. I know there's the large tower where the Enma himself presides. But other than being very tall, I'm sure there are other places I could peruse.

Oh yes, there is the Underground. You mentioned that to me already.

[Gotta see what the expensive drinks are all about... Someday...]

Well rather than all that, what are the places you like? Not necessarily a recommendation mind you.