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[OPEN] WATCH THIS MADNESS
WHO: Baren & YOU!!
WHERE: by Recollé Woods, or somewhere in the city, wherever your chara is!!
WHEN: forward-dated to September 7th, and ensuing time periods after!
WHAT: a ) Baren becomes a literal walking dumpsterfire. that's the log. But also b ) Baren Kaiyou: Found Dead in Miami (jk) and c ) tanuki deliveries!
WARNINGS: fire trauma in prompt a. possible mentions of child neglect, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation but those can be avoided and will be marked in threads if/as they come up.
[ A : JUST LIKE FIRE, semi-closed to existing cr ]
What he'd received instead, what was bundled in his arms now as he makes his way out of the bright lights of the city, was a reminder of a past that he'd long since tried to hide. The cloth of the haori feels natural against his fingertips, it fit around his shoulders perfectly in the brief minute he'd allowed it on his person, and everything about it feels like fate. Certainty. Home.
He feels like he could retch.
It's on the outskirts of the forest that he parks his car and gets out, makes a haphazard fire pit, and throws the haori into the dirt along with pieces of brush and dried grass. It sits upon the mess, the kanji for 'Kumou' obvious and stinging Baren's eyes before he even finds his lighter. He scoffs. The words leave his mouth like every syllable is dripping with poison.]
Who's a Kumou anyway, huh?
[How could he face his mother and sister like that?
When he lifts his hand, flicks his lighter open and watches the flame dance in his fingertips, he feels the swirling pit of hesitation in his stomach. Something - his conscience? when had he last listened to that - warns him that this is a bad idea. Don't set this cloth aflame, because it meant something. In the end, he's meant to be a Kumou, no matter how far he runs or how hard he tries.
But those feelings aren't his.
He drops the lighter and watches the embers begin to burn.
ii ) For those who won't travel to the woods at night by themselves, they're in... luck?
Wherever they are, whether it's at home, they're on a walk, or otherwise, Tanuki will find them. If they've met Baren even once, he thinks that's good enough. He's still small, going up to their legs and grabbing on. The noises he makes are distressed, short, worried. His breaths come in quick puffs and he starts to wander off, looking back to make sure they follow.
A shake of his whole body, then his teeth nipping at their clothes or briefly at skin to grab their attention if they're still not.
Hey. Pay attention to him.
His family is in trouble.]
[ B : THE AFTERMATH, open ]
[As soon as September 8th, the magazines and tabloids cover the announcement in a series of headlines: Baren Kaiyou Ditches Modeling, Baren Kaiyou Says Bye-Bye, RIP Baren Kaiyou.....'s Career?!, and oh his favorite.
Baren Kaiyou - Leaves Modeling to Join Traveling Circus.
In all honesty, Baren Kaiyou is actually standing in front of the magazine stand, musing over it all. He wears dark sunglasses today instead of his eyepatch, his hair done in a bun instead of the classic ponytail with feathers and bells. The only extremely odd bit is that he seems to be wearing a long cardigan in the still warm early days of September, hands shoved in his pockets. Otherwise, he still looks every bit the ex-model that's featured on the covers.
He reads over them one more time.
Tilts his head, muses out loud:]
Well, who wouldn't leave modeling for a traveling circus? Better that than some shitty meme about being found dead in Miami....
[ C : THE BEST PROMPT, open ]
[Sorry, make way!
As you walk about your day, it looks like there's a furry tanuki friend crossing through the sidewalks, dodging this way and that between people's legs. In his mouth he carries a wrapped up box in a handkerchief. He's on a mission.
But he's still a tanuki.
Did he bump into you? Is he about to run into a busy street? Want to try picking him up?
Where's his owner anyway?
This version has considerably less trauma.]
WHERE: by Recollé Woods, or somewhere in the city, wherever your chara is!!
WHEN: forward-dated to September 7th, and ensuing time periods after!
WHAT: a ) Baren becomes a literal walking dumpsterfire. that's the log. But also b ) Baren Kaiyou: Found Dead in Miami (jk) and c ) tanuki deliveries!
WARNINGS: fire trauma in prompt a. possible mentions of child neglect, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation but those can be avoided and will be marked in threads if/as they come up.
[ A : JUST LIKE FIRE, semi-closed to existing cr ]
( content warning: threads that fall underneath this prompt will include reference to fire trauma.[ i ) And here Baren thought that he and Retrospec had some kind of truce.
they might mention child neglect, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation. if you'd still like to engage in this prompt, but would rather one of these topics be left out of the meta, just let me know! they will be dodged. will mark subjects if these arise in any thread regardless. feel free to hit me atevergrace if you want to work something out. )
What he'd received instead, what was bundled in his arms now as he makes his way out of the bright lights of the city, was a reminder of a past that he'd long since tried to hide. The cloth of the haori feels natural against his fingertips, it fit around his shoulders perfectly in the brief minute he'd allowed it on his person, and everything about it feels like fate. Certainty. Home.
He feels like he could retch.
It's on the outskirts of the forest that he parks his car and gets out, makes a haphazard fire pit, and throws the haori into the dirt along with pieces of brush and dried grass. It sits upon the mess, the kanji for 'Kumou' obvious and stinging Baren's eyes before he even finds his lighter. He scoffs. The words leave his mouth like every syllable is dripping with poison.]
Who's a Kumou anyway, huh?
[How could he face his mother and sister like that?
When he lifts his hand, flicks his lighter open and watches the flame dance in his fingertips, he feels the swirling pit of hesitation in his stomach. Something - his conscience? when had he last listened to that - warns him that this is a bad idea. Don't set this cloth aflame, because it meant something. In the end, he's meant to be a Kumou, no matter how far he runs or how hard he tries.
But those feelings aren't his.
He drops the lighter and watches the embers begin to burn.
ii ) For those who won't travel to the woods at night by themselves, they're in... luck?
Wherever they are, whether it's at home, they're on a walk, or otherwise, Tanuki will find them. If they've met Baren even once, he thinks that's good enough. He's still small, going up to their legs and grabbing on. The noises he makes are distressed, short, worried. His breaths come in quick puffs and he starts to wander off, looking back to make sure they follow.
A shake of his whole body, then his teeth nipping at their clothes or briefly at skin to grab their attention if they're still not.
Hey. Pay attention to him.
His family is in trouble.]
[ B : THE AFTERMATH, open ]
[As soon as September 8th, the magazines and tabloids cover the announcement in a series of headlines: Baren Kaiyou Ditches Modeling, Baren Kaiyou Says Bye-Bye, RIP Baren Kaiyou.....'s Career?!, and oh his favorite.
Baren Kaiyou - Leaves Modeling to Join Traveling Circus.
In all honesty, Baren Kaiyou is actually standing in front of the magazine stand, musing over it all. He wears dark sunglasses today instead of his eyepatch, his hair done in a bun instead of the classic ponytail with feathers and bells. The only extremely odd bit is that he seems to be wearing a long cardigan in the still warm early days of September, hands shoved in his pockets. Otherwise, he still looks every bit the ex-model that's featured on the covers.
He reads over them one more time.
Tilts his head, muses out loud:]
Well, who wouldn't leave modeling for a traveling circus? Better that than some shitty meme about being found dead in Miami....
[ C : THE BEST PROMPT, open ]
[Sorry, make way!
As you walk about your day, it looks like there's a furry tanuki friend crossing through the sidewalks, dodging this way and that between people's legs. In his mouth he carries a wrapped up box in a handkerchief. He's on a mission.
But he's still a tanuki.
Did he bump into you? Is he about to run into a busy street? Want to try picking him up?
Where's his owner anyway?
This version has considerably less trauma.]
no subject
There's a million ways he can respond to Baren. He goes through them all, dwells on one and moves on to another.]
Do you want to?
[Hate. Do something. Kill or curse or hate or anything. Zoro couldn't allow it but neither could he blame him for it.]
no subject
[It's a little lost, a little confused. Baren doesn't hate anyone in this world except for his father and even then, that's a distant, faraway hatred that he's not sure how to purge when it was instilled in him from birth.
But even for this....]
I don't - think I can.
[Baren can do a lot of things, can teach himself to do anything he doesn't already know how to, but apparently learning how to sincerely hate another person never quite made it onto the list.]
no subject
... You're a better person than you think, Baren.
[The fact that he doesn't realize has always amazed him. Made his actions have even more worth in some cases.]
Sounds like this other you was too.
no subject
Even if Zoro's words make him scoff and he shakes his head.]
... almost set you on fire, Z.
Don't feel too good right now.
no subject
[He shifts a bit. Pulls Baren closer.]
You want to do that again, you call me. Won't be of much use to you if you keep stealing the only thing I can do.
no subject
[That's what gets Baren to tense again, because even in his panic, he can recognize words that he doesn't like to hear. They cut through the haze of sadness and ignite a spark of - something, eh can't quite name it. Anger? Disbelief?
He lifts his head to narrow his eye at Zoro and grumbles.]
Hey Z, can you punch yourself for me?
no subject
I'm your tool. Not your blind slave.
[Punching Baren with his burned arms would be cruel so he nudges him in the shoulder instead.]
There has to be a reason.
no subject
I have a reason and the reason is that I can't punch you myself right now.
I don't want any of your "this is what I'm here for" bullshit - do you think you're some kind of expendable guinea pig to me....?
no subject
[neither are quite what he has in mind but the former is better than the latter.]
I think I'm your shield, Baren. Your shield and your friend.
[And hey...]
When did this get about me, anyway? What do you want to do about your arms?
no subject
It got to be about you when you started saying stupid shit, obviously. Moron. I'll figure out my fucking arms, how am I supposed to figure out you being an idiot over something dumb again?
[Baren knows a healer - it hurts like hell right now, but he knows this isn't forever.
Scars might be, but.
He can only handle so much right now.]
no subject
[Just. Saying it. Point blank.
And then patting down his pockets to try to find his phone.]
no subject
Say that again, stupid.
[tell him he's not dumb when he just fucking burnt the shit out of himself]
no subject
You do stupid things but you're not something dumb.
[Leaning a bit closer.] There's a difference. It pisses me off when you combine the two.
no subject
[ - and his friend, but he doesn't know how to touch that yet.]
You're not, Z.
You - [He grits his teeth, tries to find words for things he doesn't know how to express out loud.] Fuck, just don't think of yourself that way, jackass. Or I'll throw myself into a fire again just so I don't have to hear it.
no subject
You stop doing stupid shit like hurting yourself, I stop saying that. [To Baren's face, at least.] Deal?
no subject
It's not like I did it on purpose.
[Fucking hell.]
Fine.
no subject
... Good.
[Then that's that, right? Zoro untangles himself and stands. He scoops up Baren as he does so, cradling him as he walks over to his bike. He shifts him to one hand so he can stand it back up again.]
Now's the time you tell me what you want to do about your arms. Otherwise I make the decision.
no subject
He feels unbalanced this way, considering the fact that he's not moving of his own accord, but otherwise doesn't seem to argue aside from a surprised little noise.
There's still an inherent need to be close, so he might lean more willingly against Zoro for a bit. Just - a little bit.]
... I know a healer. I'll just - figure it out until tomorrow. Whenever.
[Except he also realizes he can't quite use his phone this way so....]
... Yu Narukami.
no subject
The phone rings and he pins it between his shoulder and his ear, gently placing Baren on the back of his bike.]
Stay here.
[He's just going to walk a short distance away.]
no subject
Tanuki returns then, large and with the remaining parts of the haori in his mouth, wandering closer to the bike and brushing against Baren's legs in a reassuring fashion. Baren can only manage a short, apologetic mumble to the creature as he leans down to bump his head against Tanuki's.
The weight of what he did slowly settles on him.
But for now he'll just wait for Zoro.]
no subject
He'll come tomorrow. Whenever you want. I didn't tell him it was for you. [He doubts a bit of fire and trauma has made Baren any less private.] You want to go near or far?
[Familiar or foreign. Back to the apartment, the garage, some place by the docks or drive and drive as far as they could and stopping at the nearest motel.]
no subject
Near first, then far.
[Because he needs a first aid kit - for his arms. He at least can recognize they're not third degree burns, which means it's not likely to cause permanent damage aside from scarring. But leaving them out like this might invite infection.
But after that.
After that, he wants to go as far as they can, just because they can.]