thebastion | Day 88:: Can you hear me, I know I'm just a whisper...

[ Departing from his tumultuous exchange with Kelly, Seimei's shikigami heads back towards the house. He was supposed to be working on the roofing, but since he'd finished early he snuck off. He could still help with other tasks, and by now ol' foxface knew he was gone. It was nice of the guy to let him run around for a while at least. Careless, but decent.
That didn't mean Taisan was prone to returning the favor, but he wanted a nice home, too. Still, there was opportunity for amusement on the way home - and there it was, bobbing along with all that "sunset" colored hair.
Ugh. Poetry. Gag him with a spoon.
Time to shake things up a bit.

Sliding around and catching up without hurrying and drawing attention, the shikigami sidles up behind Kaoru and swings a hand in for a hard clap across the kid's backside. ]

Hell~o boyo! Gettin' in all your social activity before you have to batten down the hatches and go all steady with Boss Foxface?

[What kind of greeting was that?! What civilised person slaps asses in this day and age?! He'd certainly done nothing to deserve it, had been going his own merry way without a care in the world until that very moment. Thank goodness Tama-chan was safely in her sling - if Kaoru had been holding her he most likely would have dropped her in shock. He clutches onto her though as he whirls around.]

What the heck was that? [really, Taisan. That's private property.] A simple Hello would have sufficed, you know. You don't just... run around slapping things in places.

I didn't slap a thing in a place, I slapped your ass. And anyways, it was more of a greeting little love-tap. Don't go into hysterics, princess. Oh - carryin' the egg, sorry 'bout that. Genuine there, I'd feel kinda bad if the egg took a tumble on my fault. ANYWAYS.

So. Wanderin' around on your own? At...whatever time of day this is. Kinda...dangerous....for uh...girl like yourself to be out alone and all.

[ A lazy smirk to indicate he was playing, then hands held out. ]

Mind if I hold her? I promise, I'll be good.

You slapped me in a place. I don't know about where you came from, but in my world that's harassment and generally not the way you want to start a first meeting. [a little twitch of the eyebrows drawing together] ...forgive me if I don't take your advice, given that it's broad daylight and you just manhandled me. I'd wager I was quite safe until you came along.

[and after all that you want to hold his baby? Watch those eyebrows creeping higher...] Do I get to know your name first?

Sure! Taisan. Pleased to formally meetcha. [ The shikigami grins, cocking his head to the side. ]

I can tell you now, in America, baseball players slap each other on the ass all the time. Its as good as a pat on the back. Don't get bent out of shape, kiddo. Better than some greetings. I mean...what if you guys get some alien up in here, who where they come from, making out full on the mouth is how they say hello? You gotta adapt, man.

And by the way, I came from everywhere. And everywhen, really. Modern Japan, ancient Japan, future Japan, America, Russia, the moon. Nowhere is unavailable to the likes of yours truly. [ He states, with more than a small measure of pride. ]

[blinks. That's it? Just Taisan?]

American baseball players are an entirely different thing. I'm prepared to bet that they are at least passingly acquainted with one another. That is a team-spirit thing. This is not. In short - no more ass slapping, please.

[with a small smile] ...now. Why do you feel qualified to hold my child, Taisan?

Well, first off its not really your child unless you lay eggs - which I would love to see. And second, I've held little ones of all sorts. The egg is the least troublesome of many. No squirming and squalling.
But, if you don't want me to, I get it. No offense taken. Its cool.

[ He sniffs, folding his arms over his chest after dusting off his yukata and scuffing geta in the dirt. ]

So...I don't even get a proper greeting? Nothing? I see you over at Boss Foxface's house over and over, you never say hello when I'm working or anything. What...you don't recognize me without that silly face and stupid hat? 'course not...you're a normal human. Can't see through all of this to the little paper man underneath, huh?

[puffs up a little indignantly] She might as well be my child! I've been carrying her for weeks! I mean, yes, I get that she doesn't exactly carry my DNA or anything, but still. She's not just baggage. If I can't call her my child then what other word do you suggest?

[all right, even Kaoru will admit that's a little remiss of him but - wait] Boss Foxface... you mean Seimei?

[processing, processing] Paper man? [he's trying, he is. But Kaoru just does not get this voodoo stuff...]

Yeah kid. Abe no Seimei, Merlin of Japan, only like...the greatest onmyoji of all time and one of the handful of great minds the Earth has to offer? That guy. The squinty-eyed guy you're gettin' all cozy with. That guy. And I'm the paper doll in his pocket. Or so that chippy Kelly tells me. People don't seem to get than I'm always here, even when I'm not. The paper is just kind of a focus. A means of materializing for the less aware - like yourself.

[ He clears his throat and yawns, raking a hand through his hair and casting his gaze sidelong as he offers up a crooked grin. ]

You really don't get any of this stuff, huh kid? You're like, totally left behind in the dust even though you're centuries ahead of him. That's so crazy. I've never really experienced that since...you know...universal constant and all. What is like, talking to him and feeling so out of your element? You two have no idea how much you're both alike. Its cute.

...a yes would do, you know. I already get who he is. [also, that... that is kind of creepy, Taisan, that you're always there, even when you're not there. Always watching] [draws up a bit, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks] W-we're not... "getting cosy", at least not the way you're making it sound. [not that it wasn't kind of edging in that direction, but... somehow it's more awkward, now that someone else knows...]

I'd say talking to him is a good deal easier than talking to you. At least Seimei goes easy on me. [and keeps his hands to himself...] He never mentioned having a sassy ghost for a sidekick, though. Or whatever you are. [well, he did mention shikigami. But never mentioned the certain... fabulousness you have, Taisan...]

I'm not a ghost I'm a God. There's a difference. I was never human, kiddo. Try and remember the facts, it'll get you far in life.

[ He smirks faintly and clears his throat, gesturing vaguely before putting a hand in the natural dip of Kaoru's back to guide him on his walk. ]

Going easy on you is part of your problems. He's not going easy on you, kid, he just doesn't know any better. His impression of modern times is a bunch of scantily clad barbarians running around and being hateful towards one another, with you being some sort of strange exception. After his little tiff with Rin, he's fairly certain he's going to fail abysmally at this whole thing, but he's still trying.

He likes you, and since he does, its my responsibility to be as delicate as necessary with you both, but I'm not interested in doing everything I'm told, all the time. His depression is why I'm here. He can't hardly control me anymore.
You know...a less dedicated shikigami would kill him for its freedom. Technically I'm going against the grain. I could eat him, if you'd prefer I behave more like a stereotype. That's your call, kid. I'll do what you want, you've got the choice - this me, or that me.

[pouting now] Well forgive me if this stuff isn't exactly the custom in my time, but I'm trying.

[meekly allowing himself to be guided, though, arms around Tama-chan, despite having the sling to hold her up, chin resting on the top of the egg. With a sigh -] ...and I have told him, you know? That he doesn't have to adapt - or, or be the only one adapting, I'll be adapting right there with him and trying to figure all this stuff out. [he has no idea where it's going, or what he's doing, and he would normally be running back to his twin to help him "figure all this stuff out". It's hard forging ahead all on his own, but he's trying.]

...why is it about what I want? I thought Seimei was your boss. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be okay with being eaten, though - I'm certainly not.

((the interwebs ate my first one ;A;))

Kind of the point, kid. he doesn't really have control over me anymore. He's been the boss forever; now I'm the boss of me. When I want. He hardly even cares now. Way we both see it, bygones are bygones. Anyways, he never treated me like the others. If they were here, I'd eat them. But not Foxface. He's practically one of us, anyways. Toeing that line, barely human.

[ He sniffs and folds his arms, tucking his hands into his sleeves as they walk. ]

Its not that easy, you know. Not sure how familiar you are with your own history but, do you realize that you two lived over a thousand years apart? This ain't a Meiji love story, kid. Foxface is from an era of Japan when people over in Europe were still scratching their asses and sniffing their fingers. Just because Japan was so extraordinarily advanced, doesn't mean there's any parallels from your age and his. So if you want to do this, you really gotta understand where he's coming from. Right now he's avoiding doing so many things that seem natural for him just because he thinks they'll alienate you.

I might be a wretched bastard and a terrible lecher, according to some people, but there's one thing I take seriously, and its that kid. Pretend you're talking to his big brother right now, 'kay? And pretend I studied abroad, so I'm more culturally fluid. That oughta help.

[...gosh, he wishes he had his big brother to back him up right now] That's just the point though! We don't both have to change, or stop doing what's natural to us.

...as uncertain as I am about this, I... I want it to work. But it's not going to work as long as he'd holding back. Believe me, I get that there's a generation gap - that's putting it mildly - but I get it, I expect him to do things that, to me, seem a little weird or unusual. He can accept it from me, why can't he trust that I'll accept it of him?

I would have thought our best chance would be to try and approach this as equals... or am I just stupid for thinking so? I mean, I'm new to this myself...

Nah kid, not stupid. You're both a little naive. I mean, under normal circumstances you'd never have met. But hey, who knows. Maybe this is the universe trying to smash two otherwise star-crossed lovers together. Soul-mates that never would have met. I don't really care how you see it.

[ He huffs a sigh, kicking a pebble as he strolls alongside Kaoru, eyes rolling to the side. ]

He's holding back because he, like you, wants it to work. He doesn't want to seem too overbearing. See uh...under normal circumstances, he'd visit you pretty frequently - but he's a pretty solitary person and that's hard for him on his own. Then, he'd be giving you gifts after every visit, writing you poetry - the fan was an example.
You'd be leading him on a little more strongly, if you weren't adverse. See but, because neither of you really knows what the other is expecting, neither of you are really doing anything.
Which I guess isn't bad, really, because it means you're less likely to spook each other, right?

[ He reaches up, scratching the whiskers on his chin and blinking slowly as he thinks. ]
Alright, you tell me. What do you feel feel groovy with right now? You tell me what you want out of him, and I'll tell you how to get him to stop holding it back. Be clear though. I ain't gonna blush, kid. You can't imagine the things I know.

I-I... [...you may not blush, Taisan. But Kaoru sure will. For now he's going to just... try to side-step the question. That seems like a good idea.] But I'm already visiting him quite a lot already. And besides, even when he does come up he never seems to want to spend long in my place anyway... it's not as if my place is very visit-worthy so I'm quite happy visiting him.

[wait a second...]

But... but if I'm the one doing all the visiting and bringing gifts a lot of the time, then... then doesn't that mean...?

Well, would you want to spend a lot of time in a place where you weren't sure where you stood, the whole time? You're always a welcome guest in Foxface's house because he has the security of a home field advantage. He knows how to be polite and delicate and restrained.
But uh...see, kid. In his time, if you're invited to the home of the person you're courting, the insinuation is intimacy. And he knows that's not what you intend to imply, but that's how he was raised to be. So you invite him in, and one, he's in a building full of other people's homes that he hasn't gotten permission from to enter. There's not a lot of communal living where he's from. Two, where he's from, if you invite him in that's like saying you want to get horizontal.

[ He laughs and arches a brow, then smirks as he regards Kaoru. ]

You're not doing anything wrong kid. You guys are just having some cultural differences. Dating is way, way more simple in your time. Hanging out at someone else's house isn't that big a deal. But to him, he's not living up to expectations. You following?

[huffs a quiet sigh. Tama-chan, give him strength]

...just barely. Why does this stuff have to be so complicated?! [really. He's shocked that people even managed to procreate with all of these rules...] Is it too much to just... want things to work themselves out over time? If something is supposed to come of it, it will, surely?

[a slight twitch and a blush] ...given all of that, "getting horizontal" is the least of my worries, believe me.

Nah, its not too much, kid. You guys are being pretty honest about everything. You've just got hang ups. Everyone has problems making relationships work for some reason or other because people aren't carbon copies. Anyways, if you were both on the same level, you probably never would have entertained the idea in the first place.

[ He smiles faintly at the blushing and reaches over to ruffle Kaoru's hair lightly. ]

Definitely the least, considering Foxface is fairly certain you're not even that sure about being courted by a man in the first place. See, in his time its pretty commonplace. More so later on. Modern Japan wrote it all off and pretty much abolished the practice over time and only recently in your era has the whole thing garnered a little more respect. He doesn't know there's any kind of stigma but he knows there was a certain level of discretion always expected and supposes its the same.

Honestly kid, he's just scared, but don't tell him I told you that. He might seem a little older and more together, but really, he's just a kid. In kitsune years he's a baby. I mean a baby. He's never had a romance or anything. I don't wanna spook you or make you more anxious, but you're no worse off than him. You're both going into this blind. I'm just tryin' to help.

[dipping a little under the hair ruffle - pouting, but secretly just the littlest bit happy about it.]

I used to always have my brother to talk to, you know, I'm not used to figuring out things on my own, least of all things about myself. But I think... I am sure about it, though. I may not have been about Seimei in the beginning - or myself for that matter. I mean I... I was worried that I might just have been kind of... latching onto him.

[because he's always so kind to him and because Kaoru's not good at dealing alone. At least it`s kind of reassuring that they`re as nervous as each other.]

[ He smiles, teeth showing in the grin as he leans away and runs a hand through his hair with a chuckle. ]
Man, you two. See, this is why I don't bother offin' Foxface. He's never made me do anything particularly bad or that he wouldn't attempt to do on his own, and he provides me all this entertainment. Demon and human lives are so neat. You people just have so much energy.

[ Scratching the back of his head, the shikigami eventually leans in close and arches a brow. ]

I'd tell you to look at me like a brother, but if I were you and Foxface's brother the implications would be even more weird for you. Not so much for me. I think expression of love is beautiful in all forms as long as nobody is hurt emotionally by it. Twincest, man. You don't even know how elegant that is sometimes. [ He grins knowingly and winks at Kaoru before leaning back and shrugging. ]

I am a fountain of knowledge and advice. As long as you don't ask me for answers about the future or the meaning of events occurring around you, I will ever be pleased to offer assistance. I've slipped the noose of obedience, but that doesn't mean I can't serve because I want to. And I do. I like hanging out with you people. And I like Foxface, and if I can help you two get over your little thousand year gap and emotional hiccups, well, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't try?

...you`re starting to sound like someone I knew - know - from home. Jeez...

[glancing away a little awkwardly. He only has one brother and he has no plans on replacing him any time soon. Or ever.]

Well, it`s only a thousand years. [rubbing a hand over Tama-chan] When you put it like that, it`s not so bad - it doesn`t seem so long if you don`t count all the days.

Day 88:: Can you hear me, I know I'm just a whisper...

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