recolle | [open]

WHO: Koutarou & YOU!
WHERE: Various Recolle locations (animal shelter, buddhist shrine, university, library, etc)
WHEN: March
WHAT: Secrets, birthdays, anniversaries, books
WARNINGS: n/a

library and thereabouts (5th)
[ Things calm down somewhat regarding the secret that was spilled just the other day, and he doesn’t have to avoid people as much. That means that he can go to an activity he had intended to go to, because he always does.

He drops by the library with some books he’s read and won’t read again anytime soon. He hopes to be able to find some poetry (or maybe art books) among the books that had been dropped off. Something he has not read before, or something he doesn’t have yet. He buys some baked goods, too.

He also intends to go read whatever he picked up, and ends up sitting on the steps leading to the library front door, and eventually some stone wall a fair bit up from the ground. How did he even get up there? Jump? It’s not the easiest wall to climb.

Meanwhile, he feels stares at his back but tries to ignore them, chalking it up to the previous incident. He’s wrong, because there is a paper with some secret or other taped on his back. (He thought he managed to avoid that.)

> I was disowned.
> I went to Vesuvius with someone important that wasn’t my girlfriend.
> I won’t go on blind-dates because a girl scared me.
> I have not spoken to my father in nine years.
> I am horrible at technology and still barely knows how to use a computer.

At least when he sits up on the wall they’re less visible, but while he browses the books and sits on the stairs, they’re easy to read. ]

the animal shelter (13th)
[ He got a rare call from his youngest older sister early in the morning. So early that it was still the middle of the night. Wishing him a happy birthday, telling him his other sisters were doing well, not really mentioning anything else. He’s been in Recolle for nearly ten years now...

He (unintentionally) takes the day off to wander, starting from the early hour he was woken up by Naoko’s call, away from the memories, the knowledge that he needs to go other places at the end of the week. He even forgot his sketchbook, which doesn’t usually happen. This time of the year was his least favorite, and he couldn’t go be with Ashlee because she left for a short vacation with some friends just the other day. How many days had it been since he last saw her in person now, anyway?

Eventually he ends up in the area of the animal shelter, and he decides to go to visit it, to hang out there and see if there might ba anything he can do during the day, play with the animals and stuff. ]

a university art classroom (16th)
[ His students and anyone else he’s met at the university today may have noticed that he’s seemed a bit absent today. But finally the lesson is over and honestly, despite being a bit distant he did his job well. It’s just an off day- (Off week, really.)

He’s staying longer though, putting away tools of the trade and cleaning everything up. He’s not about to go home in quite a while and the light is on in his classroom even as it becomes late in the evening. ]

your local buddhist shrine (19th)
[ Saturdays are zumba. He started going with intentions on continuing to go. But this saturday he didn’t go. His mind was too filled with other things. And the day after he goes to clear his head a little bit. Best as he can, at least, for the time being.

He doesn’t go very often to the shrine. To buy incense, sometimes. To offer a prayer, once in a while. He doesn’t really offer prayers at the small home shrine he has in his apartment, and the picture of his mother is turned toward the window, so he doesn't have to feel her accusatory stare (which really only is in his imagination). So he goes to the shrine on the anniversary of her death - nine years already - to offer a prayer mostly out of obligation. He missed his family, but he knew it wasn’t his fault she died even if his father had said so on her wake.

He offers some incense at the memorial altar, prays for some minutes, then buys some more incense to bring home because he enjoys the scent. He strays among the lit incense sticks for a while, then heads to leave the shrine and go for a walk before heading home to his apartment in Birch Hills. ]

your local wild card (?th)
[ you know how this one works. i’m open to anything. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Togusa can never quite accurately predict what Koutarou's mood will be on his birthday. Family is a sore subject to bring up, and Togusa doesn't want to be a social bother, a burden to make Koutarou have to hide what he's feeling.

But if Koutarou needs a distraction, and he is in the mood for company and a celebration, then leaving him alone on his birthday would be a worse idea. And, besides, he's been meaning to catch up to Koutarou and show him an odd book he found in his collection.

So, it starts off with a texted animated birthday greeting. He'll gauge Koutarou's reaction from there.

Koutarou would never think of Togusa as a bother. If anything, Togusa is the one that knows the most about all the circumstances around his family relations. He's the one he needs to hide his feelings to the least. That's what he could tell him if he mentioned it, but as it is, Koutarou doesn't know to say that.

He stops and leans against a wall when he sees that the message from his friend is not a normal text. He gets some glances directed his way as the music plays, and he rewatches the video a few times before he sends a reply.

Thank you, Hitori.

He starts with that, and then types a second message.

Do you know if there is any way to make sure someone remembers the time difference between Japan and here?

To be sure to remember? I keep a clock with the difference. Should be...12 hours ahead? 13? Did we just start on daylight saving's time? American time is strange.

But this is a good sign! Koutarou will take the time for a birthday call home, but then what? Togusa took the time to clear off his schedule, today was either going to be spent with his friend or his dog.

So after you call your sisters, what are you up to today? I'm not working, the weather's pretty nice, we should do something.

I don't know, I think the time on my phone automatically changes.

And the battery on the wall clocks - both home and in the atelier - are long dead since he forgets to change them.

I already talked to Naoko-neesan, she called in the middle of the night.

Which was why he asked about the time thing in the first place. He doesn't think she cares very much if she calls while he's sleeping or working or is doing anything else and throws him off completely, she just wanted it done. Though they still talk sometimes, it's clear since a long time ago that all his sisters took his father's side in this supposed fight. Though Koutarou wishes there were no sides or arguments at all. So much trouble just because he chose to follow his dream instead of his parents'...

I was just thinking of taking a walk, but nothing beyond that.

Ah, so both, then!

At least she did call.

Togusa is going to bite down on all the remarks he'd like to make about Koutarou's family for right now. They're foolish, and they're going to come to regret how they're treating Koutarou.

Then I'd be glad to come along, if you wouldn't mind the company? Double the company, if there's room for Daisuke.

Also, you know, I might have something for you.

At least she did, yeah. I can't expect it.

Sometimes they forgot, sometimes one remembered, sometimes if he was lucky, at least two of them remembered. Never three. He supposed that they might remember and not call anyway, or they might not remember because they had their hands full with their own families.

I don't mind.

He doesn't need anything though, really. But saying that isn't going to work, he knows that from trying before.

Nope, too bad, too late, Koutarou. You're getting something for your birthday. Togusa will track him down, wherever he wants to meet up, one hand occupied with Daisuke's leash, and a brightly-wrapped present tucked under his arm.

Daisuke is very calm about approaching Koutarou and immediately sitting down right in front of him. He looks up at Koutarou with big eyes expectantly. Okay, you can pet me now.

Togusa has a good-natured smile on his face. "Good to say Happy Birthday in person, then."

How many years does he have to try to tell him not to give him anything...? It's time to give up on that, he supposes. His friend is also a very stubborn person.

He stayed by the wall, and crouches down to the dog's level when the animal stops in front of him. "Hello to you, Daisuke," he greets the god, petting him on the head and moving on to scratch him by an ear. He looks up at Togusa. "Thanks, I guess. Hi, Hitori."

Ah, yes, there we go, right there, Daisuke is tilting his head into Koutarou's hand. He lets out a tiny happy whine and flops partway onto his side, letting one leg wag in the air. Togusa laughs at the sight. "I think that means you're doing it right."

Togusa hands over the package. "One of these is a joke. I couldn't quite help it."

On top is a new set of drawing charcoals. It's always been a format that Togusa has appreciated with Koutarou's art, some things just come out more beautifully in the stark black and white.

Behind it is a book of art by Katsuhika Hokusai. He's well-known for his woodblock prints, and other work that Koutarou is undoubtedly very familiar with. But there is a bookmark stuck in the page depicting one of the paintings. Because, of course, the picture is changed, with the woman on a pure white chocobo instead of a horse. Written on the bookmark, in Togusa's neat kanji: "for the day when it changes back."

He smiles slightly at the dog's antics. "It would seem like it." He has to pull his hand away to accept the package, despite any whines of protest.

Because it's Togusa, it's not very awkward to open the package in front of him. His smiles widens upon inspecting the contents. He always was a great fan of Hokusai. "Thank you, Hitori."

It certainly is different to wash charcoal from face and hair than normal paint, after hours and hours of immersion that accidentally caused some smudges here and there--investing in anything to hold his hair out of his face while he works is not an option since he would forget it either way.

He picks up and turns the bookmark in his hand. "Do you think it will turn back?"

Togusa is relieved when he sees the smile on Koutarou's face. At least he gets the joke and the fonder sentiment behind it. "Happy Birthday."

"I do," Togusa asserts, and he nods firmly. "Whatever's going on here, I think everybody's very afraid because it seems like all these changes are happening, and we've got no control over it."

"But anything that changes can be changed back. I'm sure of it."

Togusa's gaze lingers on the bookmark for a second, then he scratches the back of his head and laughs. "Maybe not the lightest conversation for a birthday."

With a shake of his head, he sighs. "It's fine, it doesn't really matter that it's my birthday." He never really cared before America, since birthdays got no attention.

"But we don't, right?" He slips the gift into his bag, then returns to petting the dog. "Have control over it, I mean. So we can't change it back by our will."

[open]

The 13th

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