ahappylie | 057 [ audio & action ]

[Action: Noon, August 21st]
[It's strange to be back so suddenly. One moment he's stuck underground and the next he's waking up, staring up at blue sky and feeling the hot rays of the sun. He's pretty sure he's tanning up here, but it doesn't really matter. It's just nice to see the sun again and feel unrestrained for the first time in so long. After staying like that for a few minutes, he finally sits up and takes stock of where he is.

Which is apparently on top of one of the shops in the town square. Getting down will be problematic.

Before he can call to the people he sees down below, however, he suddenly hears something. The song starts up and keeps playing in the background even as he twists and turns to see where the thing is coming from.]

...I hope I'm not the only one who can hear that.

[Audio]
[In the background, this song can be heard quite noticeably.]

Hm~ I guess it isn't so bad. [He laughs a little.] I've been gone for quite awhile it seems. House 50? How is everyone doing?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He does, doesn't he? When you see someone being so serious, don't you just want to ruffle their feathers?

[The very thought makes Chizuru's head want to explode. She quickly brings her hands up, waving them defensively.] I-I would never..! I'm quite certain I would be signing a death wish at that point..!

And that is why you have to be sneaky about it.

Really, it's for his own good. If he doesn't release some stress, he'll get gray hairs.

[...okay, maybe you have a little more in common with Okita-san than Chizuru had initially thought.]

...is the Hijikata-san you know a lot like the one here?

...In some ways.

[ooooh nostalgia bomb]

He's gruff like your Hijikata-san is, but...Perhaps it's simply because I know him better, but I understand what he really means when he yells at us. It's difficult for him to be the demon they need when it isn't what they want.

[Chizuru's eyes cast down. She knows this. She does know this. But Hijikata has never liked it when she's spoken about the humanity of the vice-commander.] He'll deny it until he's blue in the face, though...

Oh, of course he will. That's why it's our job to remind him of it.

[He smiles.]

Where others can't see. Even he needs a chance to relax sometimes.

[Chizuru giggles, thinking back at that one rare night on the balcony of the Shimabara inn.] Sometimes a little bit of sake helps.

Yes, that does help loosen him up a little, doesn't it? And everyone enjoys it when they can go out for a night.

Perhaps we should do such a thing for the house. Get everyone out together?

[Chizuru's face warms with a smile.] Yes, please! I would really--I mean, I think everyone would like that a great deal!

Do you drink then, Chizuru-chan? It won't be very fun if you don't drink with us.

Eh?! [Erk. One little detail...] ...eheh...n-not often...!

Not even a little?

[He leans in close to her and then whispers.]

It's okay. I don't drink much either. We just don't have to tell them that.

[Chizuru blinks, blushing a bit at the sudden close proximity - well, even if it wasn't the Okita she knew, it was still Okita in a way right? So maybe she could consider him a familiar?]

Ah--that's right, you prefer sweet things, after all.

[She'd have to consider him familiar, if they were under the same roof.]

[he leans away and smiles.]

So he does, too? That's good to know. What does Chizuru-chan prefer?

Eh? Me?

[What does she 'prefer'...?] You mean like foods?

That is one way to interpret the question.

[trololololol]

[Ffffff you're worse than her Okita at making Chizuru blush, you know. Get the most pouty, disapproving face ever, right at'cha.]

That's the appropriate way to interpret it, Okita-san.

[Yup, he's horrible. Welcome to living with trolls.

He is also trying SO hard not to laugh at that face.]

Do you always do what is appropriate, Chizuru-chan?

O-of course! [Chizuru blushes. Well, except for that one time when she peeked in on the men who were undergoing physical examinations--but that was for Nagakura's sake! That's right..! (?!?!?)] You have to, with the situation I'm in!

[...perv.]

Well, you don't have to, but it's probably better for the men that you do.

[Am not!!]

.....[A telling blush serves as a better answer to that than any words probably could, and besides, anything Chizuru says would be a poor attempt at denial.]

[he takes one look at her face and has to turn away to keep from laughing, bringing the back of his hand up to cover his mouth.]

I see. You must be quite popular then.

No, it's nothing like that at all. [And she has no idea where you got that crazy idea, either.]

H~m~? [Yeah, he totally doesn't believe you, Chizuru. He's a dude, he knows what other dudes think.

He reaches up over his head and stretches suddenly, letting out a sigh as the music dies down for a bit.]

If you say so~ Perhaps we should head home then? I did just fall from the roof.

057 [ audio & action ]

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