monthly catch all!

[odasaku]

WHO: Sakutarou Oda and you. Plus an added thesettingsun Shuji Tsushima in one prompt
WHERE: Dreamscapes! And beach time!
WHEN: Throughout July.
WHAT: July Catch-all!
WARNINGS: To be added as they come

1. Dreamscape

[ oda himself never seems to show much emotion when he finds someone visiting his dreams. at most, his eyes will widen if it's someone he knows-- he's not very into the idea of those he knows peering into his thoughts.

but oda will stay quiet and continue to spectate into his own dreams as you're pulled in. have fun. ]

a. [ it's raining.

even inside the bright café, the rain seems to bring down the mood of the establishment as it falls continuously. the scents of tea and coffee are strong, but not overwhelming. it's a peaceful place, in a melancholic sort of way.

but what stands out over everything else is the young teenager that speaks to a mustached, middle-aged man. on the boy's side of the coffee table are two books-- one closed, the other open. ]

Then, you write it. [ the voice is the older male's, who looks sternly at the teenager. ] That is the only way the novel can retain its completeness. Writing novels is about writing people. How people live and how they die. The way I look at it, you have that qualification.

[ the teenager looks at the mustached man with a surprised, yet empty, gaze ] Who are you?

[ what the mustached man says, nobody hears. not you nor oda. it might be the answer, or maybe it isn't. either way, the man leaves after that, leaving you and the boy alone in the coffee shop. ]

b. [ this dream is much different.

the giggle of children is the first thing you'll hear. five children rounded up and tied up in what seems to be a makeshift rope made out of a blanket. most of them giggle but the oldest, the ringleader, does not.

oda stands over him, expressionless. ]

You give up yet?

[ the answer is immediate ]

No I won't!

Then, let's have some Port Mafia-style torture. [ but before anyone thinks that it's going to be an awful dream, oda actually just...begins to tickle the boy. between tears and laughter, the boy surrenders almost immediately. the children are untied, and oda moves to the door to leave. ]

Next time we'll definitely beat you!

[ oda scoffs, lighthearted despite the lack of emotion in his expression ] I'll look forward to it.

2. Beach! (ft. thesettingsun if you'd like!)
[ with summertime finally here, oda's going to take the time to visit the beach at least three times a week.

sometimes he'll be seen actually bathing in the beach, but most of the time he's just sitting on the sand, staring at the horizon or reading. and sometimes, shuji might be there, too, if you'd like to talk to the both of them! ]

Comments

[thesettingsun]

You'll understand the power of hugs when you're older.

[But Shuji obliges Oda, hopping down from the bunk bed and stepping outside so that Oda can 'talk' to him.]

[odasaku]

[ the kids scurry off back into their room, closing the door. even so, their giggles still filter through, including some comments like "what kind of weakness is hugging anyways!?"

oda glances at the door, and then at shuji ]

Do you usually break into dreams?

[thesettingsun]

Not when I can help it.

[But Oda knows this is a dream... that's good. He probably won't shoot Shuji for showing up uninvited, then.]

Sorry. Your future self is a good friend of mine and I wouldn't willingly intrude on his subconscious, but it's not under our control.

[odasaku]

Ah. That makes sense.

[ oda nods. it makes absolutely no sense, but he'll buy it. ]

And who are you?

[thesettingsun]

[Nothing makes sense anymore anyway.]

Shuji Tsushima. It's an honor to meet you.

[Even if he knows Odasaku already, they aren't the same - so this is a first meeting.]

[odasaku]

There's not that much honor in meeting me.

[ he shakes his head. all he is is a low ranking member of the port mafia, not some celebrity ]

Oda Sakunosuke. Although I guess you can call me whatever he goes by. I don't mind.

[thesettingsun]

Then, Odasaku. And you can call me Shuji.

[It'd be too strange if someone with Oda's face were to call him Tsushima-san.]

Your kids are cute. What are their names?

[odasaku]

Shuji.

[ he nods. when posed with the question, he looks at the door of the children's room, and shakes his head. ]

I can't tell you, even if I wanted to. [ because oda has yet to remember their names ] Sorry.

[thesettingsun]

It's alright.

[He won't try to ask them themselves, because this is a dream, in the end.]

I'm glad I got to see them anyway. They're important to you.

[Even with the present Oda - they're important to him, too.]

[odasaku]

...I wonder.

[ odasaku seems more hesitant to admit that he actually cares about the children. he looks down at his feet, thinking about the intentions he had at the time he had begun to take them in.

does he regret it, though? no. ]

Every life is important.

[thesettingsun]

That's true, but there's no shame in caring about some people more than others. If there was, no one would ever fall in love, you know?

[And even if Oda wishes he didn't love Shuji, and Shuji wishes he could return it like Oda deserves... love itself is a beautiful thing.]

[odasaku]

I guess that's true.

[ oda won't admit it, but if that's what shuji wants to think, then he won't argue either. ]

[thesettingsun]

And, I think these kids would be happy to hear that they're special to you.

[Either that or they've already assumed that of course they're the most important people in Oda's life, or the whole world.]

[odasaku]

I...guess that's true, too.

[ because that's yet another thing that oda doesn't think is true. self esteem where? ]

[thesettingsun]

You don't believe me, do you.

[Shuji reaches out to try to pinch Oda's cheek because he's being self-deprecating again :|]

[odasaku]

Hey-

[ oda's?? going to pull away??? he's not used to this sort of thing!! ]

I just think that they have other things to worry about.

[thesettingsun]

[affection!!]

You think you caring about them is something to worry about?

[odasaku]

Maybe.

[ it's a LOT to worry about, but he'd rather not talk about it. mafia life is hard ok ]

[thesettingsun]

You're a lot like your future self, aren't you...

[with the whole let's not tell people I care about them even if I will literally die because of that thing]

[odasaku]

Huh?

[ well, it seems like oda doesn’t get it.... ]

[thesettingsun]

You worry a lot about burdening people with your feelings, even when those people wouldn't consider them a burden at all.

[odasaku]

Am I really like that...?

[ nope he’s never noticed it until now ]

[thesettingsun]

Who's the one who would have rather risked death than willingly tell me you had a crush on me?

[oda is not very self-aware]

[odasaku]

...

[ well THANKS SHUJI. oda looks a little bit like a kid that got yelled at by his parents. even dream oda doubles as some sort of doormat. ]

Well, I guess that's a way to look at it.

[thesettingsun]

[Oda's gotta Oda, even in dreams. ...But now Shuji feels bad.]

I don't dislike the part of you that's always concerned about others, but... You're not a burden like you think you are.