Waking the Dead 2.0 || May 16, Shin Yamatai || Coming Home.

[icarusalsoflew]

[He had been... vague, whenever they had asked him exactly where they were going. Lenneth had known the moment he had oh-so-casually mentioned a detour now that the Hounds were done with their route. It had been in her eyes.

At least she is loyal. At least she respected him enough to say nothing.

He leads the War Hounds through a forest in the far reaches of the island, and they end up stepping out to a waterfall. A little further down, along the river, there's a beautiful house there. It's been restored to its former glory, properly furnished, renovated and modernized wherever it had to be. There's a garage, for one.

He takes just one moment out take the sight of it in, and try not to think of the ghosts. It never gets easier, coming back here, and yet...

Turning to them with a smile now.]

So. This was my old house. I think we can take a break here for now.




[OOC Notes:
+ The Shinta House is your typical traditional Japanese home from like, centuries back - furniture is all old and traditional. Yes, there are photos from lots of different life times here and there; if you want deets, lemme know. There's a garden out back, a small training hall, and a path into the forest that actually leads to the graves of his parents.
+ Feel free to make your own threads if you guys want to explore on your own and talk to each other! You're also welcome to tag Hikaru's thread, which I've put down there just because.]

Comments

y! lol Taning water u doin up there u stalker u

[icarusalsoflew]

[He could take the stairs to the rooftop, but he's choosing to free run his way up there instead. It's easier, and also a little less boring.

Anyway, here he is, not bothering to hide his presence as he comes around to plop down beside Taning. He has an offering, though, for disturbing the man's alone time: a rather large gourd whose contents slosh around, and two cups.

Pouring sake for them both now.]

Enjoying yourself?

trying not to creep that's what

[bladeweaver]

Hello, Hikaru-san. This is a nice house you've got, here. And a nice neighborhood.

[He turns off the attainment so he can have a decent conversation with Hikaru, not Hikaru's pores.]

Oh, are we drinking? Excellent! I've never gone drinking on a roof before.

horrible

[icarusalsoflew]

Seriously? Until now, then, you were missing one of the simple joys in life.

[Handing a cup over, then taking his own.]

And thanks. Kawamura did a really good job with getting this place fixed for me.

you know it

[bladeweaver]

You know those Arrows buildings, always had pointy roofs.

[He takes the cup, sees Hikaru do the same, and offers a toast.]

To home, then.

[icarusalsoflew]

To home.

[And taking a nice, good sip. Sake is one of his forever drinks. Japanese, go figure.]

Have I ever told you how much I love Adamantine Arrows?

[bladeweaver]

[Oh wow, this is some smooth sake. One of the fringe bennies of being the Blade King, he supposes. Good. He deserves all of the fringe benefits ever.

He grins at Hikaru's remark.]

You might have said something about it once or twice. [He laughs.] I'm sure if I stick around you'll tell some stories?

[icarusalsoflew]

It's more of a general sentiment, really. I mean, Aidan was an Arrow. He sort of set the bar, and fortunately? I haven't been disappointed.

[Arrows were just so... so honest. And earnest. And sometimes completely insane in all the best ways.]

[bladeweaver]

Heh. I'm glad you've not had much reason or chance to know the worst of us. We Arrows make the worst fundamentalists. Especially Obrimos Arrows. [He half-yells in a stentorian voice.] OBEY ME FOR I AM MIGHTY, AND THE FACE OF ELAINE SMILES UPON ME!!!

[He shakes his head smilingly.]

Man, those guys are the worst.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Laughing now, both because it's funny and so fucking true, and also because it's nice to see Taning this way.]

Hey, some of the other Mages can be pretty bad too.

[bladeweaver]

Oh I don't doubt it.

[He refills both their cups.]

There was this Mastigos mage I went on deployment with, along with some rookies, who a week into the engagement was, oddly, doing all of the maintenance and logistics duties. And then I'd noticed they were reporting to the Mastigos chick with an odd little quack at the end of every sentence. [He gets a fond, nostalgic look on his face.] So of course I confront her about it, and of course she says "If they neglect their mental shielding, they've got to know about the consequences." Man, gave me the goddamned heebie-jeebies. She made our target run off a cliff shouting the lyrics to the Canadian national anthem, you know?

[Downs his cup and fills it again, chuckling as he did so.]

Your turn!

[icarusalsoflew]

[Jesus, okay, that is pretty crazy. Even crazier than crazy usually goes for the Awakened.]

Hmm. I'm going to need some time to think if I want to be able to match that one.

[bladeweaver]

It doesn't have to be too crazy. I'd settle for a fun story, Hikaru-san.

[Or... he's going to test something out.]

Hikaru-kun.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Well, that was slightly unexpected. But actually kind of okay?

Chuckling now.]

You know, I can count on one hand the number of people who call me that.

[bladeweaver]

It's a good thing you have another hand then, right? [He grins cheekily.]

Now if only we can get Yulia to use a familiar suffix with you... [He laughs now.] She really admires you, you know? I'm actually kinda glad she's seeing you now for the human that you are.

Though if Yulia loved the Blade King first, I think Kaz was the first to love Hikaru Shinta first. Wouldn't you agree?

[Takes a sip of excellent sake, radiating waves of Innocent Concern (TM).]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He sees what you're doing there, man.

Have an amused shake of your leader's head.]

And when did you end up falling in love with me?

[bladeweaver]

[Have a round of rich laughter from Taning. Oh you, Hikaru.]

I meant it more in an "I love you, man" kinda way, but I'm sure you knew that, you dog you.

[Hikaru is an excellent drinking buddy.]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Also a tease. Have a tiny pout.]

That's all? Bromance? Whatever happened to kneeling before me and telling me that you'll follow me?

[bladeweaver]

[Really? You went there?

Taning is startled, but quickly recovers. Now he is wearing a sheepish grin.]

I did, at that, didn't I? It's true anyhow; it's just you keep jetting off to strange places to hide from people and well. Bros respect that, man.

[Better than drama. Drama, ugh.]

[icarusalsoflew]

But sometimes bros need some special bro time.

[If you know what he means. :3

Yes, Taning.

He's still there.]

[bladeweaver]

[Playing along now, feigning innocence, because what the heck else can he do huhu.]

I don't know what you mean by that, Boss. [Rolling his eyes smilingly.] Besides, Sabina would brain me with her axe.

[Wait...]

You're gonna say something about sharing is caring, aren't you.

[icarusalsoflew]

Thank you. Now you've saved me the effort.

[:D!]

[bladeweaver]

[Chuckles, offers a toast.]

You have a way with words, my friend.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Tapping his cup to yours, then, and taking a hearty sip. This one loves his alcohol, and not getting drunk easily for him just means that he can enjoy it for longer before something's got to give.]

You're going to do something about that one, I hope.

[Sabina, he means.]

[bladeweaver]

[On the other hand, Taning is beginning to feel the need to pace himself, lest he be too wobbly to get down from the roof without his drinking buddy's help. Embarrassing, and avoidable, so.

At Hikaru's question, he ducks his face a bit, a soft smile on his face. No need to hide his emotions from this guy, after all. If someone gets it, it's him.]

... Yes.

[Some hesitation, then...]

Although I'm not really sure what we are, at this point.

[icarusalsoflew]

Ah, well.

[Smiling a little, with just the right amount of sympathy. (Also moving the bottle closer to him, because yes, he's noticed that you should probably stop soon.)]

Mind if I give you some advice?