[ The statement makes Keita laugh softly, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. ]
That is somehow reassuring, actually.
[ It's certainly a nice sentiment from Hiyori, even if Keita isn't completely sure it's the same. While he doesn't know either Loki or Senku, he does know Seimei, who is thousands of years old as well—but of course, Keita is nearly halfway through his natural lifespan, while Seimei is functionally immortal, so there is a bit of a difference.
Still, he's not here to debate the various merits of mortal versus immortal lifespans! He's here to eat cake and get to know Hiyori a little better. ]
Ah, that's right. It was around the time of the tanabata festival, wasn't it? [ So it makes sense that the birds would be magpies. Keita has never seen a red magpie before, but he's long since learned that truly anything is possible in this place. ] I would be honored to meet your bird. I'll look forward to the uncanny resemblance.
[ There are other cakes in the display that Keita looks at, filing them away for later—not because he necessarily has an occasion to buy them for, but it's always nice to know things about places, in case he comes to need them later. But he eventually comes back to the one with the bird, which is pretty cute along with being the one Hiyori identified. ]
Then we'll get slices of that one, and would you like anything to drink?
Great! I'll be sure to introduce you. Just as a warning, though, he likes to make nests of people's hair. So don't be afraid to bat him away if he gets too obnoxious.
[Keita might escape that fate since his hair isn't too fluffy, though. Baizhu, alas, did not escape that fate.
With Keita having decided on a flavor, Hiyori starts making his way in line for the register.]
I'll have some hot tea. Not hot cocoa, though—my rank went down from 8 to 7, and just the other day, someone denied me marshmallows! They said, "Due to a shortage, complementary marshmallows are reserved for ranks 8 and above!" It was a total outrage. But hot cocoa with cake would be too sweet for me, so I'd rather just have tea anyway!
[Then why did he bother complaining about this? Who knows. But he's in a good mood by the time it's time to order, informing the cashier that he'd like to sample that "red bird cake"!]
[ Sometimes it's just nice to air your grievances! Keita can understand that. And on principle he thinks that complimentary marshmallows should be available to sevens as well, not least of all because he himself is a seven during normal times, despite being an ace at present. ]
We can boycott the cocoa, [ Keita says, ] partly in protest of unfair treatment, but mostly because it would be too rich with the cake. Do they really not offer marshmallows to sevens? I'm in trouble when all this rank swapping business is over.
[ Truthfully, Keita prefers tea anyway, although he's slowly come to appreciate cocoa as an "every now and again" treat. He'll never understand coffee, that much Keita is certain of, but cocoa isn't so bad albeit a little rich for everyday.
Once they've ordered the tea and the cake, and been reassured that it will be brought to them at their table, Keita glances around again before identifying an open table against the front windows that will allow them to peoplewatch as they wait for their tea. He touches Hiyori's elbow and gestures toward it, offering Hiyori his choice of seat before occupying the other. ]
Aside from the mess made of your room, have you been well since we last spoke?
Not the other day, they weren't! But if we swap back and they still won't let you have any, I'll be sure to pass along some marshmallows!
[Finding marshmallows in a shop will almost certainly be less time-consuming than finding a clear jar in a giant supply room. That's for sure.
He allows Keita to pay for the order just this one time and follows him over to a table, taking the opposite seat. He hangs his bag over the back of the chair; that's still got the jar inside. But he supposes it can stay there while they eat.]
I've been alright. I did get cursed once, but that's over now. And I finally managed to find Rinne-senpai's things, so that's put me in a somewhat better mood. Then I've just been visiting my birds, buying new Christmas things, and spending quality time with my partner.
[Then, after rattling all that off, he reaches into his jacket pocket.]
And I got my phone back, which has pictures from home on it! Want to see?
[He... seems to be holding a flat rectangular object inside his hand. It's what people from the modern age call "smartphones"!]
[ There's really no urgency about the jar, so Keita doesn't mind that it stays in Hiyori's bag as they eat. As long as one of them remembers it by the time their get-together is done, that's enough. Instead, Keita focuses his attention on Hiyori, brows furrowing briefly at the mention of a curse before smoothing into a smile at the rest of it.
If there's a flicker of sorrow at the thought of getting to spend Christmas quality time with someone, well, Keita doesn't say anything about it. ]
Birds and Christmas things and quality time all sound like lovely ways to spend the holidays, although I'm sorry about the curse, [ he says instead. ] Your partner, meaning—business? Or perhaps a lover?
[ Maybe in the idol industry, like Hiyori and Rinne? Or something more romantic? Either it'll tell Keita a little more about what Hiyori does for a living, or it'll give him an opportunity to gush about someone he cares for deeply—either way, Keita considers it a win. ]
[His smile softens when Keita asks about Jun. He sets his phone down on the table and answers cheerfully.]
Both! Jun-kun's my stage partner, but we also have "that" kind of partnership.
[His eyes are warm. There'd been a brief period where he hadn't wanted to talk about their relationship—afraid that someone, the House or other people, would try to tear them apart. He'd hated the thought of them ending up like Steve and Victoria, and he still hates it. But that was when things were still new, and he's not so afraid of that happening now (even if he still has plenty of other fears).]
We've been sharing a suite since May, so we always have plenty of time together. But this is our first-ever Christmas as a couple, so that feels special ♪
[Nothing can truly ruin that feeling. Not even Rinne's disappearance.]
[ Honestly, even if Hiyori hadn't answered so straightforwardly, Keita thinks he would have been able to tell by the warmth in his eyes and the softness of his smile that he's talking about someone he loves very much. Although Keita himself has very little firsthand experience with such romance, there's something about a person in love that's impossible to mistake. ]
That's wonderful, [ Keita says, and means it with nearly his entire heart. ] Well—I wish you two hadn't been trapped here, but if you are, then I'm glad that you have each other.
[ It also seems that it would make the entire premise of this place that much more difficult, unless Hiyori and Jun go about it the same way that Keita and Midnight had done for the two months they'd had each other—but that isn't Keita's business to pry into, and he certainly doesn't want to bring down the mood.
Fortunately, he's forestalled by the arrival of the server at the side of their table, bearing a tray with their cake and tea. Keita sits back to allow the items to be deposited, and then once the server has gone back toward the counter he says, ] I hope the bird is sugar and not fondant. It would be disappointing if it didn't taste good.
[Hiyori hums, still smiling warmly. Keita's response is as expected and there's nothing to add to it.]
Mhm ♪ I feel the same way.
[Of course it's been difficult: from the beginning, when he'd been paranoid about Jun getting "stolen" from him, to now, where he's more worried they'll never get out—that they'll turn to stone like Rinne-senpai before they have a chance. But would it be better if they weren't together, so they could collect cards more easily?
No.
He remembers Jun saying he doesn't know how he would've survived here without him. He thinks about that, and he thinks about himself: how lonely he'd be without Jun, and how he might've fallen into old habits. Seeing people as tools and relationships as transactions, spending money and having meaningless relationships to try to feel something... He could've easily ended up like that here, but instead he found happiness and love.
He's still worried those things will be stolen from him, but that's not a fear he feels like voicing out loud right now. All that would accomplish is spoiling the mood. So their server couldn't have arrived at a better time, really. Their drinks are set down in front of them, and two identical slices of cake are set down, also.
Well, almost identical.]
They look like sugar cookies!
[Hiyori plucks his little red bird off the cake, smiling with approval.
Though Keita's cookie is decorated a bit less sloppily, and also has sparkly flecks of crystallized sugar sprinkled on top of the icing. A concession to their (temporary) difference in rank, maybe. Still, Hiyori isn't bothered by that.]
I'm glad they didn't reserve these for Ranks 8 and above. But they're almost too cute to eat, wouldn't you say?
[ If the only difference between their slices of cake is the quality of decoration on the bird-shaped cookies, honestly, Keita will take it. One of the things that frustrates him ceaselessly about this place is how stark the differences sometimes are between ranks, even when those ranks are only 1 or 2 numbers apart—while he may be an ace now, he's normally a seven, and therefore positioned perfectly to see the discrepancy in either direction.
But saying this aloud would also only serve to bring down the mood, so Keita banishes thoughts of ranks and instead plucks his own cookie from the cake to admire it. A sugar cookie is certainly a better outcome than fondant, that's for sure. ]
It is very charming. Almost enough to make me feel bad about eating it. [ Operative word being "almost," as Keita fully intends to eat his too. ] I'm glad you introduced me to this place.
[ Back home, Keita wasn't much of one for desserts, but he's learned since his arrival at the resort to appreciate them a little more, particularly in combination with tea—his own being a fragrant green blend. ]
I'm not entirely sure I could find something like this in the time or place I come from.
[Hiyori hasn't fared too badly under the rank system. Of course it's been an adjustment; his family was fabulously wealthy at home, and so he could carelessly shop all he wanted without ever worrying about finances. Not the case here, and he almost ran out of money during his first month, before he and Jun started sleeping together and replenishing their chip supply.
But he's used to living in a small space, since he's been sharing dorm rooms at home for the past two years. And thanks to being a Rank 8, there isn't too much he's deprived of. In some ways, it's probably best that he ended up only slightly higher-ranked than average. Being an 8 means he can slide under the radar without an army of groupies following him around, enabling him to do things like sneak into storage rooms or skulk around the Roost without much difficulty. And it means he only got booted down to a 7 during this mix-up, instead of a 4 or a 2. That's certainly for the best.]
Mhm! ♪ I've never had a cookie shaped like Mary before, but now I want to bake one.
[Then he clarifies:]
That's my dog from back home. She's the cutest thing on Earth! I have so many pictures of her...♪
[On his phone, which is still sitting on the table. But he'll leave it be in favor of taking a bite out of the sugar cookie.
He smiles, glad to hear Keita likes the place too, before he questions him about that last bit.]
What time and place was that? I know someone here who said they hadn't invented chocolate yet in his world.
[ The idea of a dog named Mary makes Keita smile, genuine amusement lighting up his eyes. ]
I find pets with people names terribly charming, [ he admits. ] I'd like to see the photos later, if you don't mind.
[ To see the charming face of the charming dog! Not that Keita is really a pet person himself, owing largely to the fact that the moment he got a pet he would already be able to remember the moment of its future passing, but he can still appreciate a cute animal.
Before answering, Keita takes a brief sip of tea, still hot, and makes a quiet noise of satisfaction at the taste. This was a good pick by Hiyori. ]
I was born in Japan in 1845, in Hagi, [ he says. From Keita's understanding of what Rinne had told him, Hiyori should also be from a world that has a Japan, although whether it's the same Japan, Keita couldn't say. Rinne hadn't seem to recognize the name of the samurai clan to which he was born, but that could be equally attributed to Rinne being bad at history. ] But when I arrived here I came from London, 1884. Fortunately for all those with sweet tooths, chocolate has indeed been invented.
Actually, her full name is Bloody Mary! But that can be shortened to just Mary! ♪
[He... doesn't offer an explanation for why she's called that. Though there is one, and he'll give it if Keita asks. As for his phone, that stays on the table. He'll wait if Keita would rather see the pictures later, but he fully intends to show off Mary!
For now he just takes another bite of his cookie. Which doesn't fall out of his mouth when Keita tells him the year he was born, thankfully. He's the one who asked if he was from the past, and he expected the answer to be "yes!" Still, that's well over a century ago. The mind truly boggles.
But all he says at first is:]
So you're even older than I thought! ♪
[He just can't resist teasing, apparently. He finishes off his cookie and then comments:]
And well-traveled, too~♪ There must be a lot about the future that surprised you. Not that this place is very representative. We don't all become totally shameless in the future, at least in my world. But out of all the modern inventions you've discovered, which one is your favorite?
[ Well, then. That makes Keita blink, then tilt his head curiously. ]
Not after Queen Mary I, I assume? [ It seems patently unlikely that Hiyori would have named his dog after a daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, but owing to Keita's time period he's a little too early for both the cocktail and the game with the mirror. ] Bloody Mary seems like an inauspicious name for a pet, but if you aren't worried then I suppose I shouldn't be either.
[ The revelation of from exactly how far in the past Keita hails seems to take Hiyori by surprise, but he recovers well at least. It makes Keita smile into his teacup as he takes another sip. ]
The culture shock began nearly immediately, [ he admits. ] I'm a watchmaker by trade, but it was pocketwatches I was making in London, so you can imagine my surprise when I woke up to this being called a watch.
[ He lifts a hand to indicate the one still firmly attached to his wrist. Where Keita's from, watches are clever bits of clockwork that interlock and turn to tell time; he had never in his entire life conceived of a watch that might also take photographs and films and compose letters to others. ]
As for my favorite... I've recently become fond of record players. I know there are more "modern" options for music, but... [ He trails off and shrugs. Record players are just nice in his opinion. ]
He isn't offended by her name being called "inauspicious." But he does decide to give a quick explanation, since they're about to get on the subject of differences between their worlds, anyway.]
In my world, there's something called the "legend of Bloody Mary." It's said that if you chant "Bloody Mary" three times in front of the mirror, a woman's face will appear! But the reason we named her that is because her fur was all matted with blood when we found her. She'd been abandoned by her previous owners, so she had to fend for herself on the streets.
[It's sad. People can be so cruel. His eyes, however, are bright as he concludes:]
But thanks to us, her story has a happy ending! ♪
[And now it's time to hear about Keita's life.
Hiyori takes a sip of his tea while he listens. Apparently Keita's profession was "watchmaker." So given what's strapped to their wrists, well, no wonder he felt some culture shock. Hiyori lets him finish and then replies back,]
That's a good pick ♪ You should already know this, but me and Rinne-senpai made music back home. We mostly sold CDs, but those are basically just smaller versions of records.
[He picks up his fork and starts cutting himself a slice of cake.]
As for the watches, not to worry! That kind of watch does exist in my world, but they're not that common. When most people think of a "watch," they're imagining the same kind you're talking about. Even if you can check the time on your phone, some people wear them as fashion accessories. Like me sometimes! ♪ And Jun-kun, and Rinne-senpai.
I see. In that case, I'll retract my previous statement, and my apologies for casting aspersions on your dog's name—it sounds as though she's lucky to have found you.
[ He takes the inauspicious thing back... What's more auspicious than a lost creature finding someone who will take care of it? ]
Yes, I did know that. When Rinne-kun and I had only been acquainted for a few weeks he gave me a sort of—well, I suppose a one-man concert, is how it might best be described.
[ The memory makes Keita smile. It was really ludicrous now that he thinks back on it, Rinne dancing and singing alone in Keita's room, and yet Keita had found himself captivated by the performance. He's certainly in no position to know everything that goes into an idol concert, but what he'd seen of it was impressive.
And fortunately, thanks to some guidance from more technologically-savvy friends, Keita does also know what a CD is! ]
Do they? I was under the impression that the wristwatch is more common in your time.
[ Mirroring Hiyori, Keita also picks up his fork so he can eat as they talk. ]
What I made back home were pocketwatches, the kind that attach to a chain and sit in your waistcoat pocket. Like this.
[ And he withdraws his own watch, a complex but elegant golden contraption with a front plate that opens to reveal the clock face. ]
And in my spare time, I made all sorts of other things. Octopi and hummingbirds and the like.
[To have been found by him, raised by him, and loved by him. And maybe he's rather lucky to have them, too.
Even though being separated from Mary is painful. And being separated from Rinne-senpai is rather painful, too. He's sure it must hurt just as much for Keita, considering their marriage. It doesn't mean they can't reminisce on the good times, though.]
A private show, huh? That must've got your heart-racing~♪
[He smiles as he issues another little tease.]
We did a summer concert together at the beach one time. The one that sprung up next to the Cloud-Dwelling Garden. Then I know he also danced at House Finch some nights, but he warned me off of going to those shows. I'm about two years younger than him, so I guess he wanted to shield my innocent like a big brother.
[In reality, he knew Hiyori well enough to know he wouldn't approve of those shows. Idols have a squeaky clean image they're meant to uphold, and while giving fanservice is one thing, performing at an adult club is another. This was soon after Hiyori arrived, too, and he was more uptight back then, more prudish. More naive, too. He still believed he could escape without caving into the resort's demands, and he may have even looked down on Rinne for capitulating so easily and going along with Game 52.
But it wasn't capitulation, was it? Rinne adapted to his environment in order to survive. That's something everyone has to do, even outside of the resort. If Hiyori had approached things more like Rinne, how would that have turned out...?
But Rinne's gone now, and he's still here. And he's left to grapple with what that means, if anything. He thinks about that as he chews on his slice of cake, tasting cinnamon and sugar and cream cheese.
The pocketwatch provides at least some distraction from those thoughts. He leans across the table to get a better look, stroking his chin as he appraises it. No doubt about it, he likes fancy trinkets!]
Now that's a classic! ♪
[He looks up from the watch and back at Keita, finally, and smiles.]
People might not carry pocketwatches these days, but I still think it's nice. Even if something isn't "useful," as long as it's pretty and spreads joy, then it still has value!
[Spoken like a guy who loves shopping for stuff he doesn't need...]
I'm even more curious to see your animal designs, since those sound awfully cute. I'd love a magpie that looks like Hina-chan! Or an adorable puppy like Mary, of course.
It certainly did, although it was at least partly because he threatened to make me join in.
[ But nonetheless, Keita's smile is fond, a little wistful. He misses Rinne, as he's sure Hiyori does too (perhaps even more so), and although it feels good to reminisce, there's a bit of an ache to it too.
It does sound just like him to disallow Hiyori from attending the more adult shows, though. He certainly had a set of morals all his own, rules about how to live his life... although Keita hadn't always understood where they came from, he did at least understand that in his own way, all Rinne wanted was to love and be loved, and to make sure the people around him felt cared for. ]
Thank you. [ A classic, huh? Keita made this one only a few months ago! ] I suppose its utility is diminished, in that the watches we've been made to wear also serve a timekeeping purpose... but it's familiar to me, and I like having it with me nonetheless.
[ And while Keita isn't much of a show-off, he does take pride in his work—not only his pocketwatches, but also the other, more avant-garde creations that he puts together in the little workshop he's made in his bedroom upstairs. For a long moment, Keita thinks, his expression gone thoughtful and a little faraway, as if he's looking into a different timeline altogether—but then his gaze returns to sharpness and alights on Hiyori's face. ]
I'm not sure I could manage the puppy, at least not without several years to design and prototype it, [ he admits, ] but a magpie would be easy. Shall I make you one?
[*That was supposed to be "shield my innocent eyes."]
Now that sounds just like Rinne-senpai...♪
[Both the dancing and the use of threats. Rinne's always had a way of pulling people into his own pace, sort of like Hiyori himself, even if it means using underhanded methods. Hiyori's smile is also a bit wistful, and it's probably no secret that he misses Rinne, too.
He'll just have to hope that Rinne and Keita can share a dance someday.
He notices Keita's eyes become unfocused, and it isn't hard to guess what he might be thinking about. Carrying something familiar with him, and practicing the same skills he practiced at home, must surely be a comfort. It's like how he and Rinne couldn't abandon being idols, even though this place has no need for them. Maybe that's why Hiyori doesn't try to deter Keita when the older man volunteers to make him something.
Though he is surprised, his eyes flaring at the offer, before he smiles again and accepts.]
If you really feel up to it, then sure! ♪ Though what's your going rate? I don't mind paying with chips, unless you'd rather make it a gift exchange.
[ It's so refreshing that Hiyori simply accepts, without first trying to demur or convince Keita not to expend the effort. Not that he doesn't appreciate that people try to look out for his time and energy, but still! Keita offers these things because he wants to. ]
I won't decline an exchange, nor an offer to assist with purchasing parts, [ Keita says, ] but truthfully I intended to offer it as a gift, without expectation of recompense.
[ His smile is warm, thoughtful, and Keita regards Hiyori for a moment before he continues. The people he's met here who have lives to return to—Keita wants to be of use to them, and since he can't offer Hiyori his card, at the very least he'd like to do something to make his time here more bearable.
He doesn't say all that aloud, though. It's too strange a train of thought to explain without also getting into the facts of Keita's own death and his clairvoyance and everything else. ]
Besides, I've no idea how to do the conversions. It would have cost about ten pounds sterling in 1884, but how that would translate to chips in this place...
[ Keita shrugs expansively, as if to encompass how he absolutely is not going to even try to do that math. ]
Just agree to have tea with me once in a while and I'll consider us settled, unless you object.
[He smiles warmly back. It isn't rude to accept the offer; it'd be more rude to reject it, when it's being made so earnestly. And he'd love a clockwork magpie to call his own!]
Right, you're from the old days, when everything cost less!
[... he's not too worried about being rude to comment on Keita's age and him being from the past, though. Gomen. But he takes another sip of his tea, and he's still smiling when he lowers the cup, nodding along to Keita's last words.]
Nope, no objections. I love a good tea party, so I know all sorts of places we could go. And I can't wait to tell Rinne-senpai that I'm on excellent terms with all his spouses. When he hears we've been talking about him, he'll be so embarrassed...♪
[There's a mischievous gleam in his eye as he portions himself another piece of cake. Does he truly believe what he's saying about Rinne returning? It's hard to tell with him, but he moves on from the subject soon, anyway.]
But for the bird, since we're already out, we could purchase the parts together. I'm not sure where you shop for that sort of thing here, but I know they have craft stores. And if it's a shop I've never been to before, then I'd love to see it. I always like finding new places. Just like when I went to that nightmarket! That was a fun new experience.
[ Hope springs eternal, as the saying goes. Keita knows better than to trust his own clairvoyance in these matters—after all, he hadn't foreseen Rinne's disappearance, so he has no reason to believe he'll forsee Rinne's reappearance should it come to pass. Better to just be optimistic and believe that no matter what, at the very least Hiyori, but ideally both of them, will see their friend again. ]
I think we should refuse to tell him what we said about him, no matter how much he sulks, [ Keita says, with a flicker of mischief in his smile before he hides it behind his teacup. ] As his punishment for leaving us.
[ Although he doubts that either he or Hiyori would ever be able to convince Rinne that they gossiped about anything too crazy... Still, the idea of that sort of low-stakes prank on Rinne is amusing, even to a guy from the old days like Keita.
Hiyori's suggestion of a shopping trip earns a nod and a smile. There are places in the Nest that sell the kind of things Keita needs, although the supply isn't always regular and sometimes they cost more than he thinks they should. If Hiyori is curious, Keita is more than willing to show him around. ]
The night market? The—ah, what's it called. Rookery? [ Keita's brows lift a little at that. ] Did you find anything useful? I'm told that place is full of blessings and curses alike.
Perhaps it's for the best that Hiyori doesn't know Keita is clairvoyant; he'd be asking him all sorts of questions to which he doesn't know the answer, no doubt. About what'll happen to him and Rinne and all of them. Though he'd also be interested in hearing how he used that ability at home. But to him, Keita is just a worldly older gentleman and watchmaker (and Rinne's husband). Nothing less and nothing more.]
Right, that's what it was called!
[He finishes eating a bite of cake and then waves his fork in the air with a flourish.]
Quite honestly, I did not! But there was quite a bit to choose from. Some of it looked like junk, but others looked like priceless treasures. I didn't want to spring for anything too big, since I didn't have as many chips at the time, and I didn't want to risk getting cursed! All I bought was a folding fan, since we were coming up on summer and I thought I might want to fan myself! But if it had any magic properties, I didn't exactly notice.
[He sips his tea again.]
I did hear they sold items to help deal with those monsters, though. The ones that ran amok during October. You could buy pills that cure zombie bites, or so I heard. I considered trying to find the place, but then I thought it would be not be worth wandering the halls at night when things were so dangerous, so I passed!
[ The mention of the zombies from October makes Keita pull a face, an expression of subtle disgust and also embarrassment. He'd been an unfortunate victim of a zombie's attack, back then, and the results had been... well, suffice to say that thinking back on them fills Keita with a certain amount of mortification. ]
That's wise of you. I've never been myself, but everything I've heard about that place suggests that it's quite easy to find yourself cursed by some artifact or another. [ Really, lucky thing that the fan Hiyori picked up didn't have any secondary effect other than just being good for fanning yourself... ] If you do decide to go shopping, let me accompany you? I have a bit of a sense for magic, as it turns out.
[ It's not a well-honed skill by any means, but a relic of the kitsune blood that flows in Keita's veins means that he's more sensitive than the average human to the presence of magic, benevolent or otherwise. It might be of use to Hiyori to have him there, if for no other reason than to stop him picking up anything too obviously cursed. ]
And I do hope you managed to make it through October without suffering too badly?
[He notices that flicker of discomfort cross Keita's face, like he remembered something awful, and wonders briefly if Keita also had an unpleasant monster experience during October. But the thought is quickly tossed aside when Keita drops a fascinating new piece of lore about himself. "I have a bit of a sense for magic."
Hiyori blinks.]
You do?
[Then his face dawns with recognition and his eyes gleam. Uh oh.]
... that's right! The fireworks jar! ♪ I thought it might have been an optical illusion, but those are magic fireworks, no? Which means Mori-san belongs to the group known as "magic users"! ♪
[It's a broad category. A group that includes beings like Hua Cheng, the immortal ghost king, and Loki, the god of mischief. It includes people like Baizhu and Esikko, who use plant magic, and people like Topaz, who can shoot fire. Shapeshifting, summoning magic, blood magic... there are all sorts of different kinds. And he's curious as ever, eager to know more about Keita's, even though his interest in magic has simmered down to more of idle fascination rather than a burning curiosity.
No one's magic seems strong enough to bust them out of the resort, after all. Which means he's not as enamored with it as he used to be. But he is still interested.]
In that case, I'd love to go shopping together. Having you around sounds very handy. Plus I'm good at talking, and I know a trick that works on the staff, so hopefully we can both benefit. As for October, well...
[His own expression flickers with distaste as he flashes back to a certain memory. One that involves being pinned against the wall of a treehouse by a firebreathing lizard-thing. Yet he managed to escape, talking his way out of things with his big mouth once again, so he doesn't get into it; he merely sips his tea.]
Things turned out alright. I hid in my room most of the month. And nothing happened to Jun-kun, either, so that's what I call a win.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
2/2
But he's full of love, so you should come see him sometime! ♪
no subject
That is somehow reassuring, actually.
[ It's certainly a nice sentiment from Hiyori, even if Keita isn't completely sure it's the same. While he doesn't know either Loki or Senku, he does know Seimei, who is thousands of years old as well—but of course, Keita is nearly halfway through his natural lifespan, while Seimei is functionally immortal, so there is a bit of a difference.
Still, he's not here to debate the various merits of mortal versus immortal lifespans! He's here to eat cake and get to know Hiyori a little better. ]
Ah, that's right. It was around the time of the tanabata festival, wasn't it? [ So it makes sense that the birds would be magpies. Keita has never seen a red magpie before, but he's long since learned that truly anything is possible in this place. ] I would be honored to meet your bird. I'll look forward to the uncanny resemblance.
[ There are other cakes in the display that Keita looks at, filing them away for later—not because he necessarily has an occasion to buy them for, but it's always nice to know things about places, in case he comes to need them later. But he eventually comes back to the one with the bird, which is pretty cute along with being the one Hiyori identified. ]
Then we'll get slices of that one, and would you like anything to drink?
no subject
[Keita might escape that fate since his hair isn't too fluffy, though. Baizhu, alas, did not escape that fate.
With Keita having decided on a flavor, Hiyori starts making his way in line for the register.]
I'll have some hot tea. Not hot cocoa, though—my rank went down from 8 to 7, and just the other day, someone denied me marshmallows! They said, "Due to a shortage, complementary marshmallows are reserved for ranks 8 and above!" It was a total outrage. But hot cocoa with cake would be too sweet for me, so I'd rather just have tea anyway!
[Then why did he bother complaining about this? Who knows. But he's in a good mood by the time it's time to order, informing the cashier that he'd like to sample that "red bird cake"!]
no subject
We can boycott the cocoa, [ Keita says, ] partly in protest of unfair treatment, but mostly because it would be too rich with the cake. Do they really not offer marshmallows to sevens? I'm in trouble when all this rank swapping business is over.
[ Truthfully, Keita prefers tea anyway, although he's slowly come to appreciate cocoa as an "every now and again" treat. He'll never understand coffee, that much Keita is certain of, but cocoa isn't so bad albeit a little rich for everyday.
Once they've ordered the tea and the cake, and been reassured that it will be brought to them at their table, Keita glances around again before identifying an open table against the front windows that will allow them to peoplewatch as they wait for their tea. He touches Hiyori's elbow and gestures toward it, offering Hiyori his choice of seat before occupying the other. ]
Aside from the mess made of your room, have you been well since we last spoke?
no subject
[Finding marshmallows in a shop will almost certainly be less time-consuming than finding a clear jar in a giant supply room. That's for sure.
He allows Keita to pay for the order just this one time and follows him over to a table, taking the opposite seat. He hangs his bag over the back of the chair; that's still got the jar inside. But he supposes it can stay there while they eat.]
I've been alright. I did get cursed once, but that's over now. And I finally managed to find Rinne-senpai's things, so that's put me in a somewhat better mood. Then I've just been visiting my birds, buying new Christmas things, and spending quality time with my partner.
[Then, after rattling all that off, he reaches into his jacket pocket.]
And I got my phone back, which has pictures from home on it! Want to see?
[He... seems to be holding a flat rectangular object inside his hand. It's what people from the modern age call "smartphones"!]
no subject
If there's a flicker of sorrow at the thought of getting to spend Christmas quality time with someone, well, Keita doesn't say anything about it. ]
Birds and Christmas things and quality time all sound like lovely ways to spend the holidays, although I'm sorry about the curse, [ he says instead. ] Your partner, meaning—business? Or perhaps a lover?
[ Maybe in the idol industry, like Hiyori and Rinne? Or something more romantic? Either it'll tell Keita a little more about what Hiyori does for a living, or it'll give him an opportunity to gush about someone he cares for deeply—either way, Keita considers it a win. ]
no subject
Both! Jun-kun's my stage partner, but we also have "that" kind of partnership.
[His eyes are warm. There'd been a brief period where he hadn't wanted to talk about their relationship—afraid that someone, the House or other people, would try to tear them apart. He'd hated the thought of them ending up like Steve and Victoria, and he still hates it. But that was when things were still new, and he's not so afraid of that happening now (even if he still has plenty of other fears).]
We've been sharing a suite since May, so we always have plenty of time together. But this is our first-ever Christmas as a couple, so that feels special ♪
[Nothing can truly ruin that feeling. Not even Rinne's disappearance.]
no subject
That's wonderful, [ Keita says, and means it with nearly his entire heart. ] Well—I wish you two hadn't been trapped here, but if you are, then I'm glad that you have each other.
[ It also seems that it would make the entire premise of this place that much more difficult, unless Hiyori and Jun go about it the same way that Keita and Midnight had done for the two months they'd had each other—but that isn't Keita's business to pry into, and he certainly doesn't want to bring down the mood.
Fortunately, he's forestalled by the arrival of the server at the side of their table, bearing a tray with their cake and tea. Keita sits back to allow the items to be deposited, and then once the server has gone back toward the counter he says, ] I hope the bird is sugar and not fondant. It would be disappointing if it didn't taste good.
no subject
Mhm ♪ I feel the same way.
[Of course it's been difficult: from the beginning, when he'd been paranoid about Jun getting "stolen" from him, to now, where he's more worried they'll never get out—that they'll turn to stone like Rinne-senpai before they have a chance. But would it be better if they weren't together, so they could collect cards more easily?
No.
He remembers Jun saying he doesn't know how he would've survived here without him. He thinks about that, and he thinks about himself: how lonely he'd be without Jun, and how he might've fallen into old habits. Seeing people as tools and relationships as transactions, spending money and having meaningless relationships to try to feel something... He could've easily ended up like that here, but instead he found happiness and love.
He's still worried those things will be stolen from him, but that's not a fear he feels like voicing out loud right now. All that would accomplish is spoiling the mood. So their server couldn't have arrived at a better time, really. Their drinks are set down in front of them, and two identical slices of cake are set down, also.
Well, almost identical.]
They look like sugar cookies!
[Hiyori plucks his little red bird off the cake, smiling with approval.
Though Keita's cookie is decorated a bit less sloppily, and also has sparkly flecks of crystallized sugar sprinkled on top of the icing. A concession to their (temporary) difference in rank, maybe. Still, Hiyori isn't bothered by that.]
I'm glad they didn't reserve these for Ranks 8 and above. But they're almost too cute to eat, wouldn't you say?
[He fully intends to eat his anyway, tho.]
no subject
But saying this aloud would also only serve to bring down the mood, so Keita banishes thoughts of ranks and instead plucks his own cookie from the cake to admire it. A sugar cookie is certainly a better outcome than fondant, that's for sure. ]
It is very charming. Almost enough to make me feel bad about eating it. [ Operative word being "almost," as Keita fully intends to eat his too. ] I'm glad you introduced me to this place.
[ Back home, Keita wasn't much of one for desserts, but he's learned since his arrival at the resort to appreciate them a little more, particularly in combination with tea—his own being a fragrant green blend. ]
I'm not entirely sure I could find something like this in the time or place I come from.
no subject
But he's used to living in a small space, since he's been sharing dorm rooms at home for the past two years. And thanks to being a Rank 8, there isn't too much he's deprived of. In some ways, it's probably best that he ended up only slightly higher-ranked than average. Being an 8 means he can slide under the radar without an army of groupies following him around, enabling him to do things like sneak into storage rooms or skulk around the Roost without much difficulty. And it means he only got booted down to a 7 during this mix-up, instead of a 4 or a 2. That's certainly for the best.]
Mhm! ♪ I've never had a cookie shaped like Mary before, but now I want to bake one.
[Then he clarifies:]
That's my dog from back home. She's the cutest thing on Earth! I have so many pictures of her...♪
[On his phone, which is still sitting on the table. But he'll leave it be in favor of taking a bite out of the sugar cookie.
He smiles, glad to hear Keita likes the place too, before he questions him about that last bit.]
What time and place was that? I know someone here who said they hadn't invented chocolate yet in his world.
no subject
I find pets with people names terribly charming, [ he admits. ] I'd like to see the photos later, if you don't mind.
[ To see the charming face of the charming dog! Not that Keita is really a pet person himself, owing largely to the fact that the moment he got a pet he would already be able to remember the moment of its future passing, but he can still appreciate a cute animal.
Before answering, Keita takes a brief sip of tea, still hot, and makes a quiet noise of satisfaction at the taste. This was a good pick by Hiyori. ]
I was born in Japan in 1845, in Hagi, [ he says. From Keita's understanding of what Rinne had told him, Hiyori should also be from a world that has a Japan, although whether it's the same Japan, Keita couldn't say. Rinne hadn't seem to recognize the name of the samurai clan to which he was born, but that could be equally attributed to Rinne being bad at history. ] But when I arrived here I came from London, 1884. Fortunately for all those with sweet tooths, chocolate has indeed been invented.
no subject
[He... doesn't offer an explanation for why she's called that. Though there is one, and he'll give it if Keita asks. As for his phone, that stays on the table. He'll wait if Keita would rather see the pictures later, but he fully intends to show off Mary!
For now he just takes another bite of his cookie. Which doesn't fall out of his mouth when Keita tells him the year he was born, thankfully. He's the one who asked if he was from the past, and he expected the answer to be "yes!" Still, that's well over a century ago. The mind truly boggles.
But all he says at first is:]
So you're even older than I thought! ♪
[He just can't resist teasing, apparently. He finishes off his cookie and then comments:]
And well-traveled, too~♪ There must be a lot about the future that surprised you. Not that this place is very representative. We don't all become totally shameless in the future, at least in my world. But out of all the modern inventions you've discovered, which one is your favorite?
no subject
Not after Queen Mary I, I assume? [ It seems patently unlikely that Hiyori would have named his dog after a daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, but owing to Keita's time period he's a little too early for both the cocktail and the game with the mirror. ] Bloody Mary seems like an inauspicious name for a pet, but if you aren't worried then I suppose I shouldn't be either.
[ The revelation of from exactly how far in the past Keita hails seems to take Hiyori by surprise, but he recovers well at least. It makes Keita smile into his teacup as he takes another sip. ]
The culture shock began nearly immediately, [ he admits. ] I'm a watchmaker by trade, but it was pocketwatches I was making in London, so you can imagine my surprise when I woke up to this being called a watch.
[ He lifts a hand to indicate the one still firmly attached to his wrist. Where Keita's from, watches are clever bits of clockwork that interlock and turn to tell time; he had never in his entire life conceived of a watch that might also take photographs and films and compose letters to others. ]
As for my favorite... I've recently become fond of record players. I know there are more "modern" options for music, but... [ He trails off and shrugs. Record players are just nice in his opinion. ]
no subject
[Him and Jun, that is.
He isn't offended by her name being called "inauspicious." But he does decide to give a quick explanation, since they're about to get on the subject of differences between their worlds, anyway.]
In my world, there's something called the "legend of Bloody Mary." It's said that if you chant "Bloody Mary" three times in front of the mirror, a woman's face will appear! But the reason we named her that is because her fur was all matted with blood when we found her. She'd been abandoned by her previous owners, so she had to fend for herself on the streets.
[It's sad. People can be so cruel. His eyes, however, are bright as he concludes:]
But thanks to us, her story has a happy ending! ♪
[And now it's time to hear about Keita's life.
Hiyori takes a sip of his tea while he listens. Apparently Keita's profession was "watchmaker." So given what's strapped to their wrists, well, no wonder he felt some culture shock. Hiyori lets him finish and then replies back,]
That's a good pick ♪ You should already know this, but me and Rinne-senpai made music back home. We mostly sold CDs, but those are basically just smaller versions of records.
[He picks up his fork and starts cutting himself a slice of cake.]
As for the watches, not to worry! That kind of watch does exist in my world, but they're not that common. When most people think of a "watch," they're imagining the same kind you're talking about. Even if you can check the time on your phone, some people wear them as fashion accessories. Like me sometimes! ♪ And Jun-kun, and Rinne-senpai.
no subject
[ He takes the inauspicious thing back... What's more auspicious than a lost creature finding someone who will take care of it? ]
Yes, I did know that. When Rinne-kun and I had only been acquainted for a few weeks he gave me a sort of—well, I suppose a one-man concert, is how it might best be described.
[ The memory makes Keita smile. It was really ludicrous now that he thinks back on it, Rinne dancing and singing alone in Keita's room, and yet Keita had found himself captivated by the performance. He's certainly in no position to know everything that goes into an idol concert, but what he'd seen of it was impressive.
And fortunately, thanks to some guidance from more technologically-savvy friends, Keita does also know what a CD is! ]
Do they? I was under the impression that the wristwatch is more common in your time.
[ Mirroring Hiyori, Keita also picks up his fork so he can eat as they talk. ]
What I made back home were pocketwatches, the kind that attach to a chain and sit in your waistcoat pocket. Like this.
[ And he withdraws his own watch, a complex but elegant golden contraption with a front plate that opens to reveal the clock face. ]
And in my spare time, I made all sorts of other things. Octopi and hummingbirds and the like.
no subject
[To have been found by him, raised by him, and loved by him. And maybe he's rather lucky to have them, too.
Even though being separated from Mary is painful. And being separated from Rinne-senpai is rather painful, too. He's sure it must hurt just as much for Keita, considering their marriage. It doesn't mean they can't reminisce on the good times, though.]
A private show, huh? That must've got your heart-racing~♪
[He smiles as he issues another little tease.]
We did a summer concert together at the beach one time. The one that sprung up next to the Cloud-Dwelling Garden. Then I know he also danced at House Finch some nights, but he warned me off of going to those shows. I'm about two years younger than him, so I guess he wanted to shield my innocent like a big brother.
[In reality, he knew Hiyori well enough to know he wouldn't approve of those shows. Idols have a squeaky clean image they're meant to uphold, and while giving fanservice is one thing, performing at an adult club is another. This was soon after Hiyori arrived, too, and he was more uptight back then, more prudish. More naive, too. He still believed he could escape without caving into the resort's demands, and he may have even looked down on Rinne for capitulating so easily and going along with Game 52.
But it wasn't capitulation, was it? Rinne adapted to his environment in order to survive. That's something everyone has to do, even outside of the resort. If Hiyori had approached things more like Rinne, how would that have turned out...?
But Rinne's gone now, and he's still here. And he's left to grapple with what that means, if anything. He thinks about that as he chews on his slice of cake, tasting cinnamon and sugar and cream cheese.
The pocketwatch provides at least some distraction from those thoughts. He leans across the table to get a better look, stroking his chin as he appraises it. No doubt about it, he likes fancy trinkets!]
Now that's a classic! ♪
[He looks up from the watch and back at Keita, finally, and smiles.]
People might not carry pocketwatches these days, but I still think it's nice. Even if something isn't "useful," as long as it's pretty and spreads joy, then it still has value!
[Spoken like a guy who loves shopping for stuff he doesn't need...]
I'm even more curious to see your animal designs, since those sound awfully cute. I'd love a magpie that looks like Hina-chan! Or an adorable puppy like Mary, of course.
no subject
[ But nonetheless, Keita's smile is fond, a little wistful. He misses Rinne, as he's sure Hiyori does too (perhaps even more so), and although it feels good to reminisce, there's a bit of an ache to it too.
It does sound just like him to disallow Hiyori from attending the more adult shows, though. He certainly had a set of morals all his own, rules about how to live his life... although Keita hadn't always understood where they came from, he did at least understand that in his own way, all Rinne wanted was to love and be loved, and to make sure the people around him felt cared for. ]
Thank you. [ A classic, huh? Keita made this one only a few months ago! ] I suppose its utility is diminished, in that the watches we've been made to wear also serve a timekeeping purpose... but it's familiar to me, and I like having it with me nonetheless.
[ And while Keita isn't much of a show-off, he does take pride in his work—not only his pocketwatches, but also the other, more avant-garde creations that he puts together in the little workshop he's made in his bedroom upstairs. For a long moment, Keita thinks, his expression gone thoughtful and a little faraway, as if he's looking into a different timeline altogether—but then his gaze returns to sharpness and alights on Hiyori's face. ]
I'm not sure I could manage the puppy, at least not without several years to design and prototype it, [ he admits, ] but a magpie would be easy. Shall I make you one?
no subject
[*That was supposed to be "shield my innocent eyes."]Now that sounds just like Rinne-senpai...♪
[Both the dancing and the use of threats. Rinne's always had a way of pulling people into his own pace, sort of like Hiyori himself, even if it means using underhanded methods. Hiyori's smile is also a bit wistful, and it's probably no secret that he misses Rinne, too.
He'll just have to hope that Rinne and Keita can share a dance someday.
He notices Keita's eyes become unfocused, and it isn't hard to guess what he might be thinking about. Carrying something familiar with him, and practicing the same skills he practiced at home, must surely be a comfort. It's like how he and Rinne couldn't abandon being idols, even though this place has no need for them. Maybe that's why Hiyori doesn't try to deter Keita when the older man volunteers to make him something.
Though he is surprised, his eyes flaring at the offer, before he smiles again and accepts.]
If you really feel up to it, then sure! ♪ Though what's your going rate? I don't mind paying with chips, unless you'd rather make it a gift exchange.
no subject
I won't decline an exchange, nor an offer to assist with purchasing parts, [ Keita says, ] but truthfully I intended to offer it as a gift, without expectation of recompense.
[ His smile is warm, thoughtful, and Keita regards Hiyori for a moment before he continues. The people he's met here who have lives to return to—Keita wants to be of use to them, and since he can't offer Hiyori his card, at the very least he'd like to do something to make his time here more bearable.
He doesn't say all that aloud, though. It's too strange a train of thought to explain without also getting into the facts of Keita's own death and his clairvoyance and everything else. ]
Besides, I've no idea how to do the conversions. It would have cost about ten pounds sterling in 1884, but how that would translate to chips in this place...
[ Keita shrugs expansively, as if to encompass how he absolutely is not going to even try to do that math. ]
Just agree to have tea with me once in a while and I'll consider us settled, unless you object.
no subject
[He smiles warmly back. It isn't rude to accept the offer; it'd be more rude to reject it, when it's being made so earnestly. And he'd love a clockwork magpie to call his own!]
Right, you're from the old days, when everything cost less!
[... he's not too worried about being rude to comment on Keita's age and him being from the past, though. Gomen. But he takes another sip of his tea, and he's still smiling when he lowers the cup, nodding along to Keita's last words.]
Nope, no objections. I love a good tea party, so I know all sorts of places we could go. And I can't wait to tell Rinne-senpai that I'm on excellent terms with all his spouses. When he hears we've been talking about him, he'll be so embarrassed...♪
[There's a mischievous gleam in his eye as he portions himself another piece of cake. Does he truly believe what he's saying about Rinne returning? It's hard to tell with him, but he moves on from the subject soon, anyway.]
But for the bird, since we're already out, we could purchase the parts together. I'm not sure where you shop for that sort of thing here, but I know they have craft stores. And if it's a shop I've never been to before, then I'd love to see it. I always like finding new places. Just like when I went to that nightmarket! That was a fun new experience.
no subject
I think we should refuse to tell him what we said about him, no matter how much he sulks, [ Keita says, with a flicker of mischief in his smile before he hides it behind his teacup. ] As his punishment for leaving us.
[ Although he doubts that either he or Hiyori would ever be able to convince Rinne that they gossiped about anything too crazy... Still, the idea of that sort of low-stakes prank on Rinne is amusing, even to a guy from the old days like Keita.
Hiyori's suggestion of a shopping trip earns a nod and a smile. There are places in the Nest that sell the kind of things Keita needs, although the supply isn't always regular and sometimes they cost more than he thinks they should. If Hiyori is curious, Keita is more than willing to show him around. ]
The night market? The—ah, what's it called. Rookery? [ Keita's brows lift a little at that. ] Did you find anything useful? I'm told that place is full of blessings and curses alike.
no subject
[Said with a beaming smile.
Perhaps it's for the best that Hiyori doesn't know Keita is clairvoyant; he'd be asking him all sorts of questions to which he doesn't know the answer, no doubt. About what'll happen to him and Rinne and all of them. Though he'd also be interested in hearing how he used that ability at home. But to him, Keita is just a worldly older gentleman and watchmaker (and Rinne's husband). Nothing less and nothing more.]
Right, that's what it was called!
[He finishes eating a bite of cake and then waves his fork in the air with a flourish.]
Quite honestly, I did not! But there was quite a bit to choose from. Some of it looked like junk, but others looked like priceless treasures. I didn't want to spring for anything too big, since I didn't have as many chips at the time, and I didn't want to risk getting cursed! All I bought was a folding fan, since we were coming up on summer and I thought I might want to fan myself! But if it had any magic properties, I didn't exactly notice.
[He sips his tea again.]
I did hear they sold items to help deal with those monsters, though. The ones that ran amok during October. You could buy pills that cure zombie bites, or so I heard. I considered trying to find the place, but then I thought it would be not be worth wandering the halls at night when things were so dangerous, so I passed!
no subject
That's wise of you. I've never been myself, but everything I've heard about that place suggests that it's quite easy to find yourself cursed by some artifact or another. [ Really, lucky thing that the fan Hiyori picked up didn't have any secondary effect other than just being good for fanning yourself... ] If you do decide to go shopping, let me accompany you? I have a bit of a sense for magic, as it turns out.
[ It's not a well-honed skill by any means, but a relic of the kitsune blood that flows in Keita's veins means that he's more sensitive than the average human to the presence of magic, benevolent or otherwise. It might be of use to Hiyori to have him there, if for no other reason than to stop him picking up anything too obviously cursed. ]
And I do hope you managed to make it through October without suffering too badly?
no subject
Hiyori blinks.]
You do?
[Then his face dawns with recognition and his eyes gleam. Uh oh.]
... that's right! The fireworks jar! ♪ I thought it might have been an optical illusion, but those are magic fireworks, no? Which means Mori-san belongs to the group known as "magic users"! ♪
[It's a broad category. A group that includes beings like Hua Cheng, the immortal ghost king, and Loki, the god of mischief. It includes people like Baizhu and Esikko, who use plant magic, and people like Topaz, who can shoot fire. Shapeshifting, summoning magic, blood magic... there are all sorts of different kinds. And he's curious as ever, eager to know more about Keita's, even though his interest in magic has simmered down to more of idle fascination rather than a burning curiosity.
No one's magic seems strong enough to bust them out of the resort, after all. Which means he's not as enamored with it as he used to be. But he is still interested.]
In that case, I'd love to go shopping together. Having you around sounds very handy. Plus I'm good at talking, and I know a trick that works on the staff, so hopefully we can both benefit. As for October, well...
[His own expression flickers with distaste as he flashes back to a certain memory. One that involves being pinned against the wall of a treehouse by a firebreathing lizard-thing. Yet he managed to escape, talking his way out of things with his big mouth once again, so he doesn't get into it; he merely sips his tea.]
Things turned out alright. I hid in my room most of the month. And nothing happened to Jun-kun, either, so that's what I call a win.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
lmk if this works for u!!!
Totally works! 👌
(no subject)
(no subject)
i feel like we can wrap this one up pretty much whenever (or continue market date) - up to you!
Am fine with wrapping it up + assuming they had fun Christmas shopping!