( IC INBOX / BUSINESS CARD )

[manuscripture]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, ROHAN KISHIBE. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 512.66.730.91 *** USER has joined 512.66.730.91 <AUTOMATED REPLY, DO NOT RETURN:> You have reached the inbox of Rohan Kishibe. I am currently away and unable to answer messages. Leave a BRIEF message with a subject line below. Messages will be replied to in order of importance and subject matter. Advertisements and junk mail will be ignored and blocked from this server.

[ 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]

[ Rohan's arms do the rest of the work, opening the book again in Eddie's lap and idly turning the pages for him to peer at his own work.

Some of them are so old. No artist likes looking at their old shit. No matter how consistent it is. ]

What is it that a Gunslinger does exactly?

[thefuckingbeam]

Uh...it's kinda like a vigilante, Old West-style policeman. A Gunslinger's job is to, I guess, keep order and uphold justice. Roland is the last real Gunslinger, see. So that's why his quest is so important. He's the only one who can do it.

[His breathing slows noticeably. This is the part of the story he doesn't like to think about.]

Anyway. They were basically holdin' my brother for ransom, banking on me to be unreliable. The whole thing...it turned into a shootout. And you already know how that story ends.

[manuscripture]

[ Does he know how it ends--

Oh. Right. He sure does. ]

Ah... Now it makes sense. [ What 'it' is doesn't come up explicitly because--like Eddie said --he already knows. ] For what it is worth, outside of that... I still think it's a badass title.

[thefuckingbeam]

[Eddie chuckles softly, the sound reverberating through his chest and back. He's more than happy to move right past the topic.]

It is, isn't it? Anyway, after that, I didn't have much choice but to follow Roland back through the door, and suddenly I was on the world's worst fuckin' beach. No food for miles, except these awful fuckin' mutant lobsters that had already taken two of Roland's fingers before I got there. Permanently ruined my taste for seafood.

[manuscripture]

We have our own mutant lobsters here.

[ FUN FACT... ]

I even know of a mer-lobster. Ridiculous looking thing, that. [ Fitting that he can't stand the mer-lobster either. ]

You should draw something in this, Eddie. [ He taps at an empty page with a claw. ]

[thefuckingbeam]

So I've heard. That's why I stayed the fuck away from the beach when I was a mer, honestly. [He did not need to be fucking with any more mutated sea life.

He glances down at the empty page, and then raises an eyebrow up at Rohan.]

Me? Aw, I'm no good, I'll just mess up your nice sketchbook.

[manuscripture]

[ Sorry, pal. He's already slipping him the pen... or pencil... or whatever he produces from thin air again. Is it the same one he was using? WHO KNOWS. ]

No, no. I insist.

[ HOWEVER. ]

You were a mer? [ ahahahahahahahaaaaaa~ ]

[thefuckingbeam]

[Great now he has to be responsible for this pencil.]

You asked for it. [He thinks for a moment, and then puts pencil to paper and begins to sketch. He's really not bad. With some practice he could be okay. He's aways been more of a whittler, though. Drawing, again, was too girly for Henry to put up with it.]

Yeah. For the first year I was here, actually.

[manuscripture]

I was for a little while by choice.

[ He shuts his eyes so Eddie doesn't have to worry about Pressure. ]

What were you?

[thefuckingbeam]

Oh yeah? It's definitely a different experience when your legs threaten to fuse together at the lightest spring rain.

[Eddie's pencil stills, just for a moment.]

An eel, kinda. [It's not a lie.] Crossed with a salamander, best I can figure.

[manuscripture]

Don't talk to me about inconveniently fused legs.

[ He perks an eyebrow. ]

One of those goofy pink things?

[thefuckingbeam]

Okay, fair. I'm just saying, going back and forth is such a pain.

[He did enjoy taking long soaks in the tub, though.

He laughs.]

Hell, no. Just your run of the mill fishman. I gotta say, it's much nicer being warm and fuzzy now, though.

[For once in his life, a smooth deflect.]

[manuscripture]

[ Sounds fake. ]

I agree. Mers aren't as comfortable to be near. They're... So unfortunate.

[ But he's going to preen. ]

I was modeled after a betta. Even if my legs fusing together was bothersome and I spent most of my time in the bathtub, I was positively gorgeous.

[ SO MODEST. ]

[peccatore]

I believe you.
I'm just worried about that OTHER part of you.

[thefuckingbeam]

My wife called it 'clammy'.

[Which he, of course, couldn't really argue with.

He grins at Rohan, his hand going back to sketching. It appears to be taking the form of a turtle, thus far.

He grins, hitching his eyebrows up suggestively.]

Yeah? I bet you were.

[manuscripture]

I believe I drew it at one point.

[ Somewhere in his mountains of books. ]

Jotaro told me I looked like a wedding dress...

[ And he remembers being flattered by it. His lips wobble a little. Naturally, he isn't going to let Eddie see that and more or less curls his arms to hug his middle and put his cheek on his shoulder. ]

I almost stayed that way for him.

[thefuckingbeam]

You'll hafta show me sometime.

[The turtle roughed out, Eddie begins to draw something on its shell—something like a compass, with a dark column rising out of the center of the thing, like an axel in the spokes of a wheel.

He purposely keeps his voice light. It sounds like a touchy subject. Just slightly, he snuggles back into Rohan's chest.]

But then where would I sit?

[manuscripture]

[ He lets the touchy subject go. He got rid of all of Jotaro's shit anyway. It's a pile of soot in his fireplace in Dyster. ]

Therein lies why I couldn't keep it. That and I was tired of being dehydrated. [ He appreciates the levity Eddie tries for in his voice and he keeps his chin nestled somewhere in the crook of his neck, cheek to cheek almost. ]

This is nice.

[thefuckingbeam]

[Probably best for both of them if they let that particular conversation go. Talking about your lost loves is awkward at best.

He chuckles, and nuzzles his stubbly cheek into Rohan's.]

Yeah. I think so, too. I think you're nice.

[Not in a nicey-nicey kind of way. In a nice-to-be-around kind of way.]

[manuscripture]

[ The nuzzles gives Rohan the icky twinge in his chest that he always said made him feel like he was going to throw up. That's a good thing, but a weird one to have again.

He would openly laugh if it felt appropriate. He does no such thing. ]

Nobody thinks I'm nice. Unless you're the girls...

[ He decides against turning his head and kissing that cheek. He'll nuzzle back somewhat though. ]

I wouldn't have struck you as the lovey dovey type.

[thefuckingbeam]

I meant in a...nice to be around kinda way.

[Rohan's not exactly what he'd call a nice guy. He's...finicky. Like a cat. But somehow, Eddie likes being near him. He feels like they complement each other well.

He snorts.]

I'm not. Not usually. But...you're nice to be close to. Don't make a big deal out of it.

[manuscripture]

You will mind the inflection in your voice next time.

[ He teases and shuts his eyes again with a little genuine laugh. And with that, he leans more of his weight against his back. ]

But how dare I be presumptuous. You did say that you always want to be near me. I said it was because you like dangerous things.

[thefuckingbeam]

Sure thing, sweetcheeks.

[He means the cheeks on his face. Obviously. Since Rohan doesn't have an ass anymore.]

Yeah. That's true. But things can be dangerous and appealing at the same time, y'know. Like...like heroin.

[Eddie did you honestly just compare your boyfriend to heroin.]

E D D I E NO,,

[manuscripture]

[ He sure....... did............ ]

I can't say that's the worst thing anyone has ever likened me to.

[ And he's going to let it slide. ]

How romantic.

eddie yes

[thefuckingbeam]

[His cheeks might be turning a little pink.]

I didn't...I just meant. Shit. You know what I meant. I liked heroin plenty, when I was doing it, even if it damn near killed me.

[He cocks an eyebrow up over his shoulder at Rohan.]

And considering you actually did kill me...