IC INBOX / BUSINESS CARD ( ARCHIVE AS OF 12/13 )

[manuscripture]

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[ Somewhere around town-- at the bookstore, the Tomoe-Kaname Bakery, attached to posts and notice boards --you find a small white notecard. On it is printed a little message and some numbers in ornate lettering. If you look closely, it reads the following: ]

Rohan Kishibe, Mangaka & Visual Artist
Owner Pro Tempore of Ebony Threads Tailor Shop
Highly Experienced.
Commissions & Advertising For Hire
Pay Negotiable.
Contact At: 512.66.730.91 for inquiries
Castle Lüvchaque - Directly North of Bavan per appointment ONLY.

(( feel free to use this as an action-based prompt too. any random interactions will MOST LIKELY take place in the form of walk-ins at the tailor shop unless it's pre-planned. just drop a starter in here! ))

Comments

[manuscripture]

[ Guess who isn't looking flustered.

This is rich. ]

If I said yes?

[pomaded]

Th-then I wouldn't give a shit-! [He would- it'd be hella awkward.] I'm not gonna tell you who you can and can't like, Rohan, it's none of my business.

[Never mind that literally everything about how he is behaving suggests that he thinks that it is his business. Look, it's Jotaro they're talking about, okay?!]

[manuscripture]

It looks like you want to make it your business. [ He taps at his cheek with a finger. ]

You're not my mom. I can like whoever I want. [ He's gonna push it just a liiiiittle more and make a gesture with his other hand. ] If I said that we were a-- [ AIRQUOTES. ] --"Mutual Thing"?

[pomaded]

[Josuke's about half a second away from a snappy comeback- probably not a good one but whatever- when Rohan drops a bombshell. Well, not so much a bombshell as a platoon of fighter jets attacking all at once.

His jaw drops.]

No way.

[Well. It's hard to tell whether that's a good or bad reaction when he's still too stunned to form an opinion.

Jotaro and Rohan. An item. Is this really happening right now?!]

[manuscripture]

[ Rest in every piece, Josuke. ]

We've discussed it.

[ Which is an equivalent of Guess Who Your New Stepdad Is on a smaller scale. ]

Is that a problem for you? [ You know how his eyes do the flickery light thing when he's fucking with people? They do that on and off just once. ]

[pomaded]

[For a few moments, Josuke does nothing more than gawp at him, mouth still open and normally sleepy eyes wide with disbelief- and then, suddenly, he drops right back onto the mattress and sinks into the cloud of blankets like a wrecked ship beneath the waves.]

Holy shit. [There's a low sound that might be a groan.] Are you kidding me right now?!

[At least he doesn't seem to be addressing Rohan directly???]

No wonder I felt like a third wheel...!

[manuscripture]

[ Rohan staaaaares... He leeeeans a little over the descending goblin. ]

A third wheel? Seriously? You think you're a third wheel?

You're such a drama queen. We aren't kissing in front of you. Get over it.

[pomaded]

[Aaaand he'll find Josuke flopped back with one hand clapped to the side of his face.]

I'm not complaining, dude, I'm just- [Maybe he's complaining a little bit. Please don't kiss in front of him.] - just amazed I never noticed it before. I'm so stupid.

[There's a beat.]

Don't you say a goddamn word. I know you want to.

[manuscripture]

[ Note to self: Kiss in front of him. Hold hands at the VERY least. ]

Don't say what?

That you just admitted that you're stupid? I would never... [ He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling. ]

Is that all you needed to know? At least I'm treating him right and giving him a place to stay. I worked three jobs to pay rent and support his ass. I'd say I'm a saint.

[pomaded]

[Well, he's obviously not distressed enough to stay languishing in his little pile of quilts. Josuke snaps upright and jabs a finger accusingly into Rohan's chest.]

You better be treatin' him right! That's my nephew we're talking about- I'd kick your ass if you weren't!

[Might as well get in some practice before Shizuka grows up and starts dating, right?]

[manuscripture]

[ want that finger broken, my dude? ]

I could kick yours out of the water and you know it. [ Gonna make a point by bringing up the tip of his tail and wrapping it around Josuke's finger. SQUEEZE. ]

What do you take me for?

[pomaded]

[Ow. Yeah, he's not in the mood to get into a dick waving- do nagas even... no, don't think about it- contest about this, particularly not when he's three seconds away from a snapped finger and Jotaro can take care of himself. Making a face, Josuke jerks his hand back.]

This is insane. Since when?! [Wait, more importantly-] Who else knew? Was I seriously the only one out of the loop here?!

[manuscripture]

Since always.

[ HE LOST THAT ONE TIME BECAUSE OF A FLUKE.

He lets go the moment Josuke changes the subject. ]

No one. Do I look like the kind of person who wants to slather my marital status on everything?

You're making it sound like I kicked your dog. Why are you so offended?

[pomaded]

[Well, that's something. Josuke's shoulders drop back down as he relaxes again. Sort of.]

... guess that's better than being the only one in the dark. I just didn't want everyone to think I was totally blind or whatever.

[With a short sigh, he gets back to his feet and fetches his bag to set it next to the mattress instead. At least while he's fumbling around inside it, setting out various nail polish bottles in neat little rows, he has an excuse not to look him in the eye.]

So... are you two... you know... serious?

[manuscripture]

[ Rohan's hands busy themselves with memorizing how he's arranged his box without breaking his Josuke-ward stare. It's meant to come off as unnerving. What about him ISN'T unnerving...? ]

We might be. [ He looks away from Josuke only when he starts pulling out his little vials of nail polish. ] We went out to the beach during the Fog. It was nice.

I don't think he would have gone if he didn't feel the way I did. [ Ew, that sounds ALMOST like fondness. Almost. Careful. ]

[pomaded]

[How is it that he can make looking through make up an intimidating task? At least his stare lifts when he starts talking about Jotaro again- and if he didn't know better, he might say that his voice even softens a little.

But that can't be right.]

So, am I invited to the wedding? [He grins. The shock's mostly worn off and he's shaking the last of it away with a playful dig that will probably end with Rohan getting a dig in of his own- with those fangs.] I figure I should be the one to give Jotaro away, you know?

[And, before he can answer, he snatches up a pearly white nail polish and shakes it at him.]

Think this is bridal enough?

[manuscripture]

[ Eh, the fangs will stay out of this. The last foot or so of his tail will try knocking Josuke upside the head. ]

Shut up. [ He looks from his nails to the bottle... ] I have been keeping them black because of how often I file them. Would it pop enough without looking too gross when they start growing out?

[ He splays his hand in the air riiiight in front of Josuke as if offering it. ]

[pomaded]

[Ow. That thing's more mobile than it looks, huh?

Next thing he knows, Rohan's thrusting his hand under his nose, making him jerk back in surprise... and smack his head straight back against Rohan's tail again. Ow x2.]

Jerk. [Nose scrunching up in thought, he takes hold of Rohan's wrist and turns it this way and that so that he can inspect his nails more carefully. Josuke Higashikata, PhD, is in the house and ready to perform manicure wonders.] Hmm. You could go for half moons. Like... if you left the top part, close to the cuticles unpainted and filled in the rest it could pass for a design when they grow out.

[manuscripture]

[ The literal last person he would ever go to for advice on fashion aesthetics is making up a hella nice idea. The extra bonk to his head with Snakebutt is satisfying enough that he sets it back down. His fingers still maintain their artists' daintiness in the wake of scales and claws. They wiggle as if to say 'Hop to it and use that white'. ]

Do you know how hard working with fabric is with these things...? [ He asks one-sidedly. ] What have you been up to lately? You've been scarce.

Not that I care.

[pomaded]

[Why does he suddenly feel like a lowly handmaiden attending to the queen?]

About as hard as it is working with mine, I guess. They don't grow as fast as yours, though.

[But he seems dexterous enough, unscrewing the bottle and picking up the brush with the same ease that Rohan might a brush; they both have their own artistic leanings, it seems, even if Josuke's are motivated by vanity. Starting with the thumb, he carefully begins to paint in the curve of the semi-circle at the top of the nail.]

Nothing as exciting as big, romantic dates. Shit, I still can't believe you got a boyfriend...

["... before me".]

[manuscripture]

It was the least-romantic thing I had ever seen in my life.

[ His eyes are going to keep hopping about from his hand to Josuke's face, and then to his elbow or somewhere in between to be sure that he isn't going to tear it off while he has his guard lowered. ]

Really? You can't? [ HE can't either. ] Believe me, it wasn't what I was gunning for. I don't like romance, Josuke. I never have.

I'm lucky that Jotaro is about as romantic a doorstop. [ A DOORSTOP HE CAN DEFINITELY LITERALLY BE. ]

Are you jealous?

[pomaded]

[Does he think he's gonna draw a dick on them or something? Come on, man, he's not in middle school anymore, he's mature.]

You wouldn't know romance if it smacked you in the face. [because josuke's such an expert] So, you two are a perfect match.

[He doesn't get to bask in his joke long though- Rohan's next question turns his face red with embarrassment. Is he that transparent???]

No way! Why would I be jealous?!

[manuscripture]

Why do you think I don't write it? [ talking to yuzu about her Teenage Romance Exploits has been enough for him. ]

Because you can't believe it. [ Beat. ] You're also raising your voice and if you skew that nail, I'll make you wish you never said a thing. [ Why does everything need to be a project? ]

Just say it, Josuke. [ Oh-oh-- ] When was your last romantic blunder? With... Whomever you're into. Or are you as pure as fresh-fallen snow?

[pomaded]

[There's a pause. For a few moments, he seems conflicted as to whether or not he should even dignify that with an answer. Of course, he could brag about being popular back home but he's never really cared about it that much and it would sound totally lame anyway. It's not like he's ever had a girlfriend- or boyfriend for that matter- and he's not exactly a skirt chaser either so where does that leave him?

The silence goes on for a few moments more and then, primly, he looks away and says:]

I'm waiting to meet the right person.

[manuscripture]

Hmmmm?

[ Rohan acts like he didn't hear it the first time. Making Josuke say it again would be rich. ]

You seem the type. [ Since he is the expert now. ] Is that embarrassing?

[ To admit to his frienemy, most likely. ]