CONTACT | Call me, maybe

[intercalaryninja]

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[speedweed]

It truly does, which might be why he's fond of it in most color combination situations. Green's important, after all.

"Depends on how long you let it steep, too. Kind of the same concept of coffee." It isn't remotely the same concept, but he likes to pretend he knows how this works when in reality he only really ever made tea on his own, though he understands the concept of coffee well enough. "Irish coffee?" Oh boy.

Perhaps it's for the best that he doesn't know, for now, there will be plenty of other things to be embarrassed over later, after all. Once they're done here. While his mind may be somewhat wandering, he can pull it back to remember and recall this training at the very least. He does better when he's doing, anyway.

"Ah, at least there's that much. I do learn quickly once I'm doing something, so it shouldn't take that long." Or at least he hopes it won't, a trial by fire at the end of the day tends to be more of his speed.

[intercalaryninja]

"Oh, is it? I didn't know that. Learn something new everyday," Tsukikage covers his mouth like he always does when he's laughing. It's a bad habit, especially when he wears a mask, but he's so used to hiding his emotions it manifests in little quirks like that.

With the confirmation that he was ready to learn anyway, Tsukikage teaches him. How to keep stock. How to take inventory. How to deal with customers. Tsukikage explains patiently and eloquently, practice developed from teaching children and teenagers in his home. He even shows some of the more hands-on parts of the job when a little old woman pops in to buy a couple of bottles of milk.

"I think that's enough for today," Tsukikage says when he's finished. "Would it be too much if you help me clean up?" Any questions you want to ask, Speedy? "And are you still up for looking at cafes around here?"

Tsukikage hopes so but a part of him is worried that Speedy's tired or bored and wants to go home. He wants to give him a smooth out if he does. Otherwise... well... he really hopes they can go get a coffee together.

[speedweed]

"I suppose one does," he's musing quietly to himself, not... quite realizing that he's laughing. It's probably for the best that he remains oblivious to that whole mess.

Thankfully he's a fairly quick learner even in the worst of times, filing everything away neatly in his brain to bring back up later. And the hands-on parts is even more helpful for him to understand exactly how it all works. It seems easy enough for him to pick up on with a bit of practice, luckily.

"I wouldn't mind, it's certainly another aspect of it I should learn anyway, right?" He's learning, and also quietly milking as much time out of him as he can get. Even if it's for actual work related reasons and totally subtle. Mostly.

Until he's remembering the cafes thing and is internally screaming for a brief moment. Oh god, okay, that's actually still a thing. He can absolutely get on board with this and he certainly isn't bored of him by any stretch of the imagination and has energy for days.

"Y-yes, I'm still up for that."

[intercalaryninja]

It's nice to have company. Tsukikage always does like helping newcomers but the larger man is so nice that Tsukikage can't help but warm up to him. They haven't had time to actually talk about themselves but now was his chance. Just a getting-to-know-you session. Nothing weird.

"Sounds wonderful," Tsukikage says, cleaning up, unable to help but smile sheepishly as he hears the cute stutter in the other man's voice. He works a little faster now, taking advantage of his arachne speed to get the job done.

Closing up didn't take too long and soon they're outside. Tsukikage locks up and puts the key in his coat before he looks up at the blonde.

"Any preference on what kind of cafe you want to visit? Bavan is a big city. It has some selection."

[speedweed]

How dare that mask be in the way of him seeing that sheepish smile, but he's unable to hide a small smile of his own. It's fascinating, that speed, but he's going to focus mostly on whatever tasks need to be done, knowing full well that there's something better on the horizon once they're done.

For a brief moment he hums to himself as he contemplates it, not really having any particular preferences that he can think of. "Whatever you think might be best? Honestly, I'm not that picky." It's actually a lie, after his trip around certain parts of Asia, he's become particularly picky with tea of all damn things. But that's to be expected at this point.

[intercalaryninja]

It's gonna be a while before you see his face, Speedwagon. Tsukikage has a few tricks up his sleeve and even if you're cute, you're no exception to the rule. His face remains concealed when in 'uniform' at all times.

"Alright. We'll go to one I like that's not too here. I usually recommend customers that way if they ask."

Tsukikage hopes he'll like it. Even if he's been to four dimensions, technically he's never left Japan so he doesn't know what such a worldly traveler would like. But he had some English friends with high expectations in Ryslig so he scuttles ahead, letting Speedwagon follow at his own pace.

"So tell me more about yourself, Mr. Speedwagon. I admit you have me curious after your resume earlier." This is the flirting, right?

[speedweed]

A man can dream and hope for the future, but for now he'll be content in trying to figure out the puzzle that he is. It's more fun that way if he figures it out for himself, anyway.

"A subtle hint," he can't help the smile to his tone at that particular juncture. Mostly if it's good enough to recommend to locals, then it has to be a good spot, right?

He may be a picky man, but he's also a man that can understand that things aren't going to be the same everywhere. Some places don't have the same technologies or knowledge on how different things are prepared or have their own methods they vastly prefer. The good thing about being as well traveled as he is is that you learn to roll with the differences.

Oh gods, he's bad at talking about himself. But he can... try. "There's not too much to tell outside of what I've already said. Grew up in the streets of London, primarily having to fight and claw to make sure I could eat. Ended up leaving in my early teens to travel and... I suppose survive on the streets proper. Ogre Street had become my home and somehow I'd ended up leading what was essentially a gang." He's sighing for a brief moment, none-too-happy to admit that particular backstory.

"Had some morals, of course, wasn't the type to take advantage of the others in the streets with us, unlike others in my position. Let the ladies work as they pleased but not get involved unless someone was out there threatenin' them, can't be having that. Children off the table, only go after those who were very clearly well off. They wouldn't have missed what they had, anyway, at the end of the day..."

There's far more to tell, but he's not too sure if he's already put him off simply by that. And he's made it rather clear in his tone that that's not the full story.

[intercalaryninja]

Tsukikage listens patiently and attentively, doing amazingly well keeping one eye on the road and a few pairs on Speedwagon as they walk. He tries to imagine the city of London, or what he assumed of old London with the media. He could see a young fighter and imagined him getting caught up in the wrong crowd. A tough past for sure, and one some Bavan people could relate to, but a courageous one at that to have pulled out of that somehow.

"A thief, huh? At least you sound like someone who had to do it to survive. As a ninja, I had to learn how to steal things by trade to earn my place in my family," Tsukikage says. He doesn't really want to bring the conversation to him but he can sense the unease in his voice. He wanted to reassure him that he was fine and he could do much worse.

Tsukikage knows he had.

"Did you end up breaking up the gang?" He asked, gently trying to encourage the man on.

[speedweed]

It perhaps could explain the scar on his face, not that he's seeming too keen on bringing it up in casual conversation. London was a shithole as far as he was concerned and he wouldn't be wrong in the slightest, but if you could survive on Ogre Street then you could survive anywhere. Wits, cunning, the strength to keep going despite all of the shit being against you, that sort of thing.

"Thieving was only part of it, we weren't above murder if we had to." He doesn't sound particularly proud of that part, tipping his hat down with a soft sigh. "Though, I suppose, thievery wasn't just a London thing." It's actually helping a bit to hear that he's not being judged for this sort of thing.

But he's slowly shaking his head in turn. "Not exactly. I left to follow after someone after seeing how he reacted, we tried to rob and kill him when he resisted, but he put us on our asses fairly quickly. He could have killed us then and there, but he didn't, a true gentleman that one. I ended up getting his name and following him, there was just... something about him, that my destiny intertwined with his. I was correct, in that assumption.

As for the gang, as far as I'm aware, they were still doing what they had done. But I still spoke to the two closest to me fairly frequently. Good men, Tattoo and Kempo Master, despite."

[intercalaryninja]

"You really aren't familiar with what ninjas do, huh?" Tsukikage says in response to what Speedwagon says. "Thievery differs between people and their needs. As is murder." Tsukikage holds his hand up and flicks his wrist. As easily as a playing card could be flicked out of a magician's hand, a knife appears. And then Tsukikage pulls it back and it's replaced with a kunai. And then it's gone in a blink of an eye.

And then he waits for the man to continue. And he feels a familiar, old ache in his heart. He almost laughs, if not for his poker face.

Right. This is why he didn't wish too hard. This is why he wasn't supposed to jump into things. He was glad he wasn't too forward to the point of where it couldn't be mistaken for workplace friendliness but it didn't soften the blow.

"Destiny, huh? Must be someone special," Tsuikage says, levelly as he usually did. "It's good to hear you keep up with old friends. I don't hear much from mine anymore."

[speedweed]

"I... had heard the term before, but never encountered one to my knowledge." He wouldn't have known if he had, anyway. But that's a lot smoother of hidden weaponry than he had expected, a smile pulling at his lips. "Ah, hidden weaponry. I can't say I'm not familiar with that, had a bowler hat at one point with sawblades hidden in the brim. Quite a feat, that one."

Good thing for Tsukikage that letting him continue with his story might actually clear some of this mess up. In fact, he's actually letting out a bark of a laugh at the someone special comment.

"Good god, you're making it sound as if I pine after this man. I did, once upon a time, but he was far more interested in a woman from his childhood and went on to marry her. I backed off, of course, being a gentleman about the whole thing. Now he's merely a close friend that I would gladly assist if he needed me to." He sounds far too amused by all of it, jeeze.

"When I said destiny, I meant more that we ended up on an adventure with another man as well, to deal with a supernatural situation. It taught me things that I hadn't had learned otherwise and despite all of it, I certainly wouldn't have traded it for the world."

[intercalaryninja]

"... Well, it must have been a very neatly hidden tool but a hardly practical one." Tsukikage does want to try the mechanics of that though. It would be interesting to dabble with the blades and cloth without ruining the integrity of each one.

Tsukikage's never had hope thrown back at him so fast after giving up. He's so scarred by past relationships that he always assumes he's got to give up before he got in the game. The man nearly gets whiplash from how his heart went from wilted to up and alert at Speedwagon's words and he somehow gets a laugh out, though in part it was to match Speedwagon's tone.

"Ah, so that's it." He feels bad he feels so pleased. Damn his own selfishness. "Sounds like a hell of an adventure. Supernatural, you say? I take it that it's not common in your world, huh?"

[speedweed]

"When you learn to use it properly, it certainly was practical enough to cut into bone." He had years of experience learning to perfect the damn thing, because he's Speedwagon and he's absolutely ridiculous and would have a ridiculous weapon if given half a chance.

Whiplash truly seems to be his greatest gift when it comes to dealing with people, from one emotion to the next as if it's absolutely nothing to switch between them. He's a ridiculous man that sometimes needs to learn how his words come out, but he certainly doesn't mind explaining if it seems it was taken in anything but the intended manner. Which isn't necessarily a bad trait and he also hasn't realized what he's just disclosed about himself, either.

"Not in the slightest. Dio was certainly the first of his kind I had ever seen outside of stories and his zombies were certainly the same." He is pausing for a moment with a soft hum, ah...

"Speaking of, however, perhaps it might be best if you did meet him at some point. It would seem fortune brought my friend and I here at the same time. Jonathan's a... kind man, if not a little oblivious to certain things, but to be expected from a sheltered rich kid, I would think."

[intercalaryninja]

It does occur to Tsukikage that he slightly misheard the bowler hat statement. Speedwagon didn't just know someone who had it... he was the one who had it. Tsukikage gives an impressed nod, about to ask a bit more before he stops himself. He feels like he shouldn't start blabbering about sword and metalworking. He knows he can get super specific about that sort of thing and it wasn't much of a good conversation topic as much it was a good lecture topic.

But hey... this was a good man. An honest one. And Tsukikage wanted to talk to him.

"And what kind of monster was he?" Tsukikage asks, assuming that Dio must be a monster in order to control zombies.

There's a beat for a second before Tsukikage turns his head so quickly to Speedwagon he could have broken his neck. Wow.

"I believe I must have met him briefly at the museum gift shop. A newcomer called Jonathan... Joestar? Tall man? Very well-mannered?"

[speedweed]

Honestly, he wouldn't turn down that conversation, either. He had been considering on finding a way to remake that particular weapon, as a sort of backup if it were necessary. No one would expect a hat with blades in it, after all, that much he had learned time and time again.

Certainly he would keep talking if given reason to, there's no reason to hide things from him, as far as he can determine.

Oof, well, this might not go over very well. "A vampire. Created of a stone mask, of which I made sure to destroy before coming here, fortunately." An old mask that he'd rather never see again or hear about ever again.

Tsukikage, are you okay over there? He's blinking slowly at him as he comes to a stop, not too sure what caused that reaction. Until he's speaking and he's starting to understand all of it. Luckily his response is a small laugh. "That would indeed be him, I suppose you have met him, then." Under what context, he's not too sure, but he's assuming well enough?

[intercalaryninja]

Rarely people trusted people who couldn't even trust others to see their face. However, Ryslig has made Tsukikage believe more of the opposite and Speedwagon's warmth and comfort around him only confirms that further.

"So different to the vampires of this world. You cannot stop them by destroying a mask, unfortunately. But most seem to be pleasant in my experience."

He's alright. Admittedly this was an overreaction but... what a small world.

"Yes, at the museum when he first arrived in the gift shop. He was rather calm and cool headed despite picking up human finger." Tsukikage gives a little laugh. "He must have been quite frightened since was in my Fog Form and Chikage was with me. But he really was quite the gentleman."

[speedweed]

If someone wants to cover their face, then that's fine by him. He tended to focus more on body language, tone, and eye contact more than anything else to begin with. Words are cheap, after all.

"Ah, it... wasn't to destroy him, unfortunately. That was... handled by Jonathan, the mask was destroyed to keep that from happening again." As far as he's aware, he doesn't know the entire story behind the stone mask at this point. Maybe in the future.

Somehow he can't stop a small smile from settling on his face, slowly shrugging in a smooth motion and starting to walk once again. "Sounds about right, after all that we'd seen, I wouldn't think him the type to frighten easily anymore. ... Chikage?" Of course he focused on that.

[intercalaryninja]

Words are cheap but it's the metaphor, really. Ninjas weren't supposed to get attached... though that's something Tsukikage's long discarded. His shoulders are relaxed and he's even comfortably slouched, finding Speedwagon's company putting him at ease even despite his racing heart.

"Oh. I see. That's very curious. Something unique to your world, I suppose. There's nothing to stop us from turning into monsters here," he says, bitterly.

"Chikage is my assistant. I can commune with them from anywhere using my magic. Perhaps I should have them at least briefly introduce themselves. You may end up working with them in the shop and I'd like Chikage to take some muffins home for the kids."

[speedweed]

To be perfectly fair, he should be far more wary and far more guarded with everything. And yet he doesn't feel like he has any reason to be doing any of that, having long since forgotten the consequences of his actions. Or, well, what would have been the consequences of them if he'd been back home. But here is not there and he's fairly safe in that regard and far more comfortable with the not remotely subtle flirting moments mixed in with just pure idiocy.

"Unfortunately, I've noticed." He wishes it would be as easy as that, but maybe it won't be too bad. Hopefully.

An assistant? Wait. Kids? God, he's just getting more questions instead of answers. "Perhaps it'd be for the best, yes. And... kids?" He's so confused, send help.

[intercalaryninja]

Tsukikage looks over and stifles a laugh at the bewildered expression from the other man. Right. Speedwagon was a newcomer. He probably didn't know about some of the other nuances of monsters, really.

"They're other people who have been taken from their worlds to Ryslig. I run a halfway home near Lake Dala but these days I only host kids and care for them. There's three of them now... ranging from ten to... sixteen, I think Narancia is at the moment?" Well, Narancia is the age when he came to Ryslig but he classes him as a kid all the same.

Tsukikage's left hand smooths over the joints of his... other left hand. At the base of his thumb, Tsukikage digs his long nail into the weakest part of the joint, forcing out blood-like lymph. He doesn't even flinch from the prick of pain. Instead, he brings his lower arm to his lips and mumbles something quietly before he pulls his arm away and acts like nothing ever happened.

Sorry Speedwagon. He's... definitely a bit weirder than one would give him credit for. And it only gets worse from here.

[speedweed]

Certainly he had no clue what-so-ever about the little details outside of the pamphlets he'd looked through when Jonathan was paying no mind. Better to hold onto that information, after all.

A halfway house for kids? That... made more sense than where his mind had immediately ran off to. But that's what happens when you give him any room to let his mind wander, it'd immediately race to the dumbest idea possible and refuse to move form there until proven otherwise. Hopefully something to learn in the future. "I see. Admittedly, that's not what I had thought the case was, but it makes more sense." Instead of them being... like his own kids or whatever.

EXCUSE YOU, TSUKIKAGE, YOU CAN'T JUST GO DOING THAT AND NOT EXPLAIN TO HIM. Because his instinct is panic.

"W-what! Are you okay? That looked like it hurt and you're just... ignoring it entirely?" Are you sure this is the man you want to have a crush on?

[intercalaryninja]

It's a halfway house for anyone but people wanted to stay in the city or with other friends. It's a sanctuary for anyone to come and go as they please.

"Ah... you thought of them as my own. Monsters aren't fertile here, so such a thing would be impossible." Well, he did adopt one but he's long gone. Tsukikage gives a nostalgic smile at the thought of his son.

And then suddenly Speedwagon is panicking. Tsukikage blinks, wondering just what he was talking about before he looks at his hand.

"Oh... please do not worry. I'm used to doing that. I can communicate with people via their blood and I can speak to Chikage directly using my own. It's all part of Blood Magic, Mr. Speedwagon. I'm fine, really."

They're both idiots. One reacts too much. The other doesn't when he should.

[speedweed]

It would make sense, at least in his case he'd never want to impose if he didn't have to.

And now he feels like an absolute idiot for remotely assuming that and is just coughing softly to himself to cover all of that. Good grief. "I see, good to know." Even if it doesn't remotely matter to him, it's fine.

Blood... magic? He's not sure if that really helps, but if it doesn't... hurt, then he supposes it's fine? God.

Deep breaths to calm down, thankfully it comes quick enough. "I... suppose I do have a lot to learn still."

[intercalaryninja]

Speedwagon could never impose as far as Tsukikage's concerned.

It does hurt as any other prick of the finger too but it doesn't really register as pain for Tsukikage. He gives an apologetic smile up at Speedwagon though.

"Don't worry. Blood magic is unique to me. I'm the only practitioner as far as I know. It is a long dead Ryslig art. You'll get used to the strangeness of Ryslig and everyone here in time."

[speedweed]

He might change his tune about that later on, but that's a might.

One of these days he'll be better at hiding his emotions behind a mask or something to that effect, but today is not that day and he's a good tint of red as soon as he's giving him that smile. God, how could he honestly be this stupid and this ridiculous at once? It's a mystery how he survived.

"It just depends on how long that takes, I suppose? I still can't quite wrap my head around the idea of turning into something I'm not, to something very much not human... And yet there's no choice and I will need to deal with it, head on."