action/text

[cosmo_call]

Who: aoba and you, everyone's favourite children's tv show~
What: general settling in catch all.
When: augustish. you may think i've been in the game a month and done nothing but you'd be wrong, i was merely biding my time... watching... waiting... (i was being a flake, but shh)
Where: all over town!
Warnings: none, but aoba's got a permissions post here if you wanna check up on what he's capable of and opt out as required!


first impression.

[ After everything that's gone on there's this air of needing to sleep about him, like he's been awake for a week, or seen too much in too short a span of time, which is probably not the best look for someone just about to start a holiday to have.. but here we are. Perhaps this is the perfect place for a guy who looks like he does, to finally disconnect from everything and take in some fresh air, some fresh faces, some new scenery.

He steps off the bus with a bulging messenger bag slung over his shoulder, a bag that looks like it's weighing him down as he navigates himself through town and toward his new house with the air of a guy who's not entirely used to following maps without any outside assistance. He turns it around once or twice after he realises that he's following it upside-down, eventually setting it right and continuing on his journey. Perhaps you run into him here, maybe help him with that bag of his, though he'll offer a poor first impression if you do.

Probably best to wait till later, when he's had a nap that feels like it lasted a week (and for all he knows, it might have) and emerges from his abode with a whole new aura; he looks refreshed, energised, and even though there's a hint of trepidation loitering in his movements, he seems ready to take this new life with both hands. ]

shopping trip.

[ Eventually he'll get used to it here. Once or twice he finds himself falling into a rhythm, his feet stepping in time with everyone elses, his day-to-day lining up pretty well with the sunlight and the habits of the other residents... but more often than not Aoba looks and feels the outsider he is.

This particular occasion has him staring up at the signs above the stores in central Pelican Town, his eyebrows knitted together just slightly in the middle, his mouth muttering as though he's talking to himself... though the large pink headphones over his ears create the impression that he might be murmuring along to a song he knows. Without warning he moves off from his spot having seemingly decided on a target, but of course goes wheeling into someone's side as they pass a little in front of him. ]

U-Uwah..! [ He can't really blame them - because really, who expects a blur of blue to come shooting out across the road? - but nevertheless he's rubbing his side where he collided with the stranger as his expression goes a little sour, as if on impulse. ] Ooi! Look- [ Then he seems to catch himself, like a child does when they're trying to act grown up, and his face goes from angry to apologetic in no time at all. ]

Ah... Sorry about that. [ He takes his headphones off next. ] I wasn't paying attention.]

[ That much is obvious. Hopefully whoever he bumped into is forgiving.... ]

pick me up.

[ After a week or two, though Aoba thinks of and misses home a fair amount, it becomes easier to think about it. He's even managed to be able to think about Granny for longer than a few minutes, and has made a determined effort to raise a tomato plant like she has on her windowsill.. to no success as of yet, but still he tries.

On his way to pick up some fertiliser in the hopes that it'll get the fruit to grow beyond the size of Aoba's thumbnail, he's distracted from entirely amateur gardening thoughts by a soft doof of feeling to his lower leg. Looking down he sees an energetic-looking border collie puppy with it's teeth in the plush fabric of his oversocks.

Rather than reacting in anger at the iminient destruction of his clothes by this little weilder of terror, Aoba delights in the sight of the dog and is instantly crouching down to pick the puppy up. ]

Hello, where did you come from? [ He asks, but the puppy merely yips happily at him, wriggling it's legs as if it's trying to swim through the air to get closer to him. There's no collar that Aoba can see, so instead he brings the dog closer as he stands, looking around for anyone who might look like they're looking for a dog.

He taps the nearest person turned away from him on the shoulder, right as the puppy starts gnawing on the cuff of his coat. ]

Ah, sorry. But, do you have any idea who's dog this is?

network post.

hello, out there..

[ His awkwardness is readable, isn't it? He would have made this a video, only Aoba really doesn't fancy seeing if his phone-trick works over video cameras too. If he still.. has his phone-trick. But that's an issue for another day. Right now, Aoba is sitting somewhere - maybe at home, maybe outside, maybe somewhere secluded or maybe he's in the middle of a crowd - trying to figure out how best to word this to the public at large, in a way that doesn't make him want to dig a hole for himself in the ground. ]

so, basically.
i'm really bad at this growing crops thing. i gave it my best shot, i tried to do what i've watched my granny do for years, but she makes it look easy. and i can tell you all right now, that for someone with very little experience in organic things, it definitely isn't easy.

sometimes i work with technology, back home, but it's mostly poking around in things i don't entirely understand. i've got enough knowledge to make it work, but nothing like some of the more

[ Pause. ]

extreme people out there.

[ Another pause. ]

what i'm trying to ask is, does anyone know where i could maybe get a job, or something like that? i work in a store where i'm from, i answer phones and do deliveries, i'm quick and handy and i guess i'm pretty strong? and..

... haha, jeez, it's been years since i had to sell myself like this for a job, and even then it was a five minute phone interview followed by me sending my work history over in an email.. this place sure is different from what i'm used to.

wildcard.

[ feel free to wildcard me something between these prompts, or something new entirely! aoba will be wandering around trying to find his feet for uh, a lot of the first month he's here, so he'll be around looking lost should you need him.

if you'd like to hit me up, i can be found at mirobug or by pming this journal o7 <3 ]

Comments

shopping

[terraria]

[ At the feeling of someone bumping into him, Aspen falls off-balance and stumbles, crumpling onto the ground. He's careful, falling back on one arm to protect himself from falling directly onto his white wings as they protectively curl around him, but that ends up in a long scrape up very fair skin.

He winces as he raises his arm, watching the blood slowly pool and then start to bleed.

This is exactly why he sticks to flying. ]

Ah... i-it's alright. [ Aspen looks at Aoba from underneath silver lashes, sheepish and unsure as he brings himself to stand, closing his wings behind him. ]

I'm not very used to walking about, so it was likely my fault. I apologize.

[cosmo_call]

[ Aoba has seen his fair share of things that most people might consider strange - laser megaphones, talking animals, a floating multi-armed figure with soft female features and a voice deeper than his - but somehow despite the technological advancements of the world he lives in and the constant search for the next big thing, he's never seen someone with wings. At first he doesn't really notice them, which sounds ridiculous; his brain automatically assumes they're some kind of cloak, so only when they flutter to a close behind him does Aoba do a double take. He can't tell which matter is more pressing to him - apologising and feeling awful over the nasty looking scratch on the delicate skin of the stranger in front of him.. or the fact he has wings.

Wrenching his priorities into order, Aoba holds out his hands like he's surrendering, and trying his best not to stare - wings!! - he gives the stranger a quick once over to check that's the only place he's been injured. ]

Shit, I'm sorry-- You're hurt..!

[ Uh, duh. Aoba seems weirdly rattled, looking around wildly as though he's expecting a sign to crop up telling him what to do in an awkward situation like this one. He spots the clinic, and nods toward it looking relieved. ]

Let me help you, huh? Can you walk okay? Hold on to my arm if you want.

[terraria]

[ Aspen looks at Aoba with his lips rounded in a surprised 'o'--it's not usual that someone besides his own guard would fuss over him like that. He almost rejects the offer, given how skittish he usually is with most humans, but... this one seems pretty harmless.

So he reaches out to hold onto his arm. ]

I can walk fine... I don't really think this is necessary, really, but I thank you for your kindness.

[cosmo_call]

Are you for real? That cut's pretty bad, you need to get it cleaned up at least, or you'll-- Ah, what?

[ He makes it to the clinic door, pushes it with his elbow and meets resistance. When he looks up, the lights inside are off, and when he peers at the opening times he sees that the clinic is only open till 3pm. A glance at his watch tells him it's almost 4, and Aoba groans. ]

Medic centers aren't 24/7 here? What if someone needs help in the middle of the night? [ He grumbles, already looking around to try and figure out how to fix his mistake now that there isn't a professional to help him soothe the guilt. He spots a bench tucked beside a hedge and guides Aspen over to it carefully. ]

Can you, uh.. Can you sit with those things? Your.. wings? [ He asks, painfully awkward. ] My granny taught me first aid, I can at least make sure nothing gets infected.

[terraria]

[ For all the bulk of his wings (and only that, considering Aspen himself is small) take up, he's relatively easy to guide around. He mouths Aoba's words to himself ('for real?') before quickly answering-- ]

Yes, I can sit... [ And he does so. He does have to rearrange--his wings open again so there's no bulk at his back and he can just sit comfortably--but it doesn't seem to otherwise bother him.

Still, Aspen holds a quizzical expression, and his eyes are focused solely on Aoba. ] What will happen if this cut isn't cleaned up?

[cosmo_call]

Uh... You know, it'll get gross. [ Aoba waves a hand dismissively, while his other rummages in the messenger bag slung across his shoulders. ] Like when kids fall over and scrape their knees? They just carry on and most of the time it scabs over fine, but if there's any dirt in there it gets black and nasty-looking.

[ Aoba has the fleeting thought that this guy looks much too.. perfect? pure? to have anything like a scab or a blackening cut marring his appearance. ]

Haven't you ever scraped yourself before?

[ He isn't really expecting an answer because.. well, everyone's fallen over at some point, right? He seems to have found what he was looking for - a bottle of water and a small roll of bandage - and gently takes Aspen's arm, stretches it out, and pours the water carefully over it to wash the wound. It's splashing on his jeans as he sits sideways on the bench, but he doesn't care much. He's just trying not to splash Aspen and make himself look like even more of an asshole than he already does. ]

[terraria]

[ The tilt of his head is birdlike along with his clueless blink. ]

There's always been a healer nearby, so I've never...

[ He pauses, something occurring to him. Well, most of his wounds are on his back, so of course he'd never recognize what they looked like. He purses his lips momentarily, hissing softly--he almost pulls away from the water, but a short moment later of fidgeting he stays still. ]

You're getting wet.

[ What a smart birb. ]

... I'm Aspen.

[cosmo_call]

[ Healer makes Aoba think of video games where a specific character can heal others with a spell or the touch of their hands.. and given what he's seen of this place so far and the strange people in it, he figures it's probably not all that unlikely for those kind of people to be real. So he nods like he knows what Aspen is talking about.

The only thing he does continue to wonder about is the reason for Aspen needing a healer. He doesn't look like he fights all that often.. maybe he just falls over lots? The way he wriggles is reminiscent of Aoba himself when he was younger, always wriggling away from his Granny trying to patch up his bumps. ]

I'm Aoba. [ He smiles, genuine and soft. It's always nice to make friends, after all. ] Good to meet you, Aspen. Though I.. wish I hadn't literally bumped into you.

[ He laughs only a little awkwardly, then sets the half empty water bottle aside and starts to fold the bandage around Aspen's hand, and down his wrist and arm. He's clearly got some skill here, like he's done it more than a few times. ]

[terraria]

[ Aspen laughs, warm and fond. ]

Aoba... [ He repeats the name after a moment and then nods firmly. ] My meetings are usually much more coordinated, I'll admit... but it was not a horrible stroke of luck. You seem gentle, so I'm happy to have met you.

[ His eyes fall back to the way Aoba folds the bandage around him, letting out a noise of approval. ]

Do you do this often? Your motions are experienced. I hope you don't get into scrapes like these. Not even when I'm dancing do I injure myself overmuch.

[ He fixes Aoba with a slightly concerned edge to his gaze, now. ]

pick me up

[gatescostmoney]

[ Congratulations, you've tapped on the shoulder of a ninja in forest camo. You sneaked up on a ninja. (Well, he's been distracted as of late.) ]

Huh? Oh, nope. There seems to be a lot of dogs without masters. If you want take care of it, I think you can just adopt it.

[ Seriously, why are there so many dogs out? And they aren't even wild ones but domestic breeds he's not used to seeing. ]

[cosmo_call]

[ As a kid who grew up watching cartoons and reading comic books about ninja, Aoba is all too familiar with the countless iterations shinobi can take, so when the stranger turns around and immediately looks like something from one of Aoba's childhood manga, he makes this weird half-gasp noise and takes a step back. Being surprised by the assortment of people wandering around this place is.. probably something he's going to have to get used to.

Luckily, the half gasp can easily be disguised as surprise over the comment about the dog, so Aoba latches onto it. ]

What, just like that? [ He looks more.. concerned than he does delighted. While the dog is cute and very friendly, Aoba doesn't actually know the first thing about looking after an animal; Ren doesn't exactly require a great deal of looking after, unless opening him up and fiddling with his settings or installing replacement parts counts. ] Isn't there.. someone in town, maybe, who'd be better off looking after them all?

[ There has to be, right? If there's a lot of unclaimed animals. Right? There better be, at least, otherwise Aoba's going to end up furiously googling and starting a dog shelter. ]

[gatescostmoney]

[ Just wait until Aoba finds out he's face to face with THE Sasuke Sarutobi. That's going to make things all the more confusing. ]

Ther's the woman who runs a ranch near Pelican Town. However, I only see traditional livestock on her land. There's a dog fenced up in town by the strange metal house with wheels, but I can't really call that being cared for, you know? So, for that dog, it's either the wilderness or whoever wants to take it in.

[ Better start searching for that shelter. There's nothing quite like that local unless he wants to start up one. ]

[cosmo_call]

[ Now he looks doubly concerned. Not only are there surplus dogs running around without any discernable home, but there's also a dog chained up in the middle of town, obviously not being cared for? The ultimatum of either being left to fend for itself or being forced to take up living with Aoba doesn't seem like a very fair set of choices for this little guy, as far as Aoba is concerned, so he kind of just... looks incredibly torn. Between a rock and a hard place, so it would seem. ]

You... you don't want a dog, do you? I honestly don't know the first thing about looking after an actual dog.

[ Halp. ]

shopping trip

[anappleaday]

[ that switch from irritation to apology was probably a good idea, anyway; the woman he's collided with looks like she could give Mink a run for his money, between her scars, her height, and the fact that she didn't even budge from the impact.

fortunately, she seems pretty even-tempered; the slow blink of surprise she offers is mild, and after a moment of considering him she tips her head, visibly amused. ]

It's fine; no harm done. ...Better me than perhaps someone carrying their groceries.

[cosmo_call]

[ Aoba, being Aoba, doesn't really look at the stranger till they speak. And then... because of who he is as a person, he makes a sound like a punchbag being hit - a kind of oof sound, and murmurs, quietly: ] ...holy shit.

[ She's... tall. Like, he's not exactly a short guy and yet she still seems to tower over him as though he were. And the way she stands there, too, immovable like she's not completely of this plane, her eyes taking him in in a way that makes Aoba skin prickle a bit, as though she's either not seeing him at all, or perhaps seeing him a little too much.

When she looks amused and speaks, he's even more surprised by the voice that comes from her. Call it habit, but he'd been expecting her voice to be low or devoid of emotion completely, and he'd definitely been assuming she'd blame him with a little more force than that. ]

A-ah. [ He sounds disarmed, because he is. ] I guess so, but.. are you alright? [ He asks the woman covered in scars. He's a disaster. ]

a million years later orz

[anappleaday]

[ eh, she's seen worse as far as disasters go. most of them were even people she was fond of, so it isn't as though she considers it a reason to dislike someone.

her voice is low— at least in terms of pitch, with a gravelly rasp to it that would probably be an outright rumble in a man. there's no lack of emotion to it, though, even if it's somewhat understated; she's making no attempt to hide her dry amusement, though there's enough warmth to it to be obvious she's not really laughing at him.

...or. well. not being mean about it, at least. ]

You didn't give me that much of a bump. ...Really, I should probably be the one asking you that.

[ both to politely call him out on his reaction, but also because she is aware that running into her can be like running into a brick wall. he's skinny enough she's almost surprised he didn't bounce. ]

shopping

[fuckthisnoiz]

[for a second there, Noiz doesn't feel particularly forgiving - it's not like it hurt, but he was on an errand and the unexpected impact of some asshole running into him out of nowhere made him drop the bag of produce and stuffed rabbit he was carrying.

he kneels down immediately, his first priority being to pick his rabbit up off the ground, and then--

well, then he recognizes the stranger's voice.

the scowl melts off his face, whatever he was about to say completely forgotten as he looks up at Aoba. and just sits there, staring, at a loss for words.

he looks different from the last time Aoba would've seen him; he's dressed in casual blacks rather than his usual over-the-top look, and he's sporting new piercings: a matched pair of black dahlia bites.]

[cosmo_call]

[ Naturally Aoba's instinct is not focused on the rabbit but on catching some kind of berry as it tries to roll from them both, eyes pinned on the ground rather than watching out for anyone else who might be walking around, which only puts him in danger of further run ins with more innocent bystanders. It's good that there's no actual road in this part of town. You'd think a city kid would know better. Luckily he causes no more harm and manages to lean down and catch the berry, so he might look juuuust a little proud when he stands up and offers the fruit back.

It takes him that long to actually look at the strangers face, so when he does his expression drops like a stone. And he almost drops the berry again. ]

N.. Noiz?!

[ The last time he saw Noiz was.. well, he's not actually sure. Everything in that regard is a little muddled and confusing, and Aoba feels a frustrating tightness sinch his chest as he realises that his whole idea of taking a break from it all to clear his head is rendered a little moot if a portion of it is here with him. The fact that Noiz looks distinctly different registers with him, but he's too shocked/overwhelmed/indignant to allow himself to stop being selfish for the moment. He'll get to it later. ]

What are you doing here?

[fuckthisnoiz]

[good job on your valiant berry rescue, Aoba. sadly, Noiz hasn't noticed, his foraged produce now the furthest thing from his mind.

his expressions are nigh-unreadable as always - if Aoba's not paying close attention, he'll probably miss the shocked little intake of breath when he says Noiz's name.

he stands up, carefully, slowly squeezing the stuffed rabbit to his chest. for comfort?]

Could ask you that.

[cosmo_call]

[ Aoba isn't sure if Noiz's reaction (or lack of one) confirms or denies everything he's dreamt about, if on the one hand Noiz might be acting a little cold because to come here Aoba basically disappeared without telling anyone except Granny, or on the other if it's because this is how they are to one another in reality. He doesn't know which he prefers, only that it makes his head hurt to think about it. ]

No, I asked you first.

[ He feels kind of dumb holding the berry out, so he drops his arm, his other propping on his hip. ]

And what's with the outfit? Who's funeral are you going to?

[ He's clearly kidding, quirks his eyebrow and even smiles a bit, though once it's out of his mouth he kind of realises that the air doesn't quite feel right enough to be joking around. ]

[fuckthisnoiz]

[if only you knew how bizarre the truth really was, Aoba. IF ONLY YOU KNEW.

Noiz, on the other hand, knows only too well. and it makes him keenly aware of the distance between them. this is the first time he's seen Aoba since before the forest, shouldn't he feel happy? shouldn't he feel-- connected?

he wants his team, he realizes with a pang. he wants Dahlia, and the sense of their emotions over the bond. he doesn't know what Aoba's feeling or thinking. is Aoba happy to see him again? angry? indifferent?

he hates the uncertainty. and when Aoba makes that comment about his clothes - about Dahlia's color - it nettles him enough to speak without thinking.]

Mine.

[cosmo_call]

[ Aoba is pretty used to Noiz saying weird things, usually reiterating the same bullheaded point or evading questions completely to say something strange and seemingly unrelated, but this particular brand of blunt weirdness sets Aoba even more on edge than he knows is smart to be around Noiz. This isn't the usual noncomittal grunt or bored autoresponse, this is.. is Noiz pissed off at him? ]

Yours? [ I-- He's about to say he doesn't understand, but that's. Pretty obvious from the look on his face. If he's honest, he's pretty sick of the uncertainty too, though he has no way of knowing the torment Noiz has inside his own head, because Aoba has that ridiculous habit of waiting for things to clear up instead of grabbing them by the collar and shaking them into place. That's why he's here in the first place, instead of owning up to his weird 'dreams' and asking what really happened, he just peaced out to work it out. Or at least that's what he's telling himself.

There's only so long he can withstand it though, apparently, so he exhales through his nose, tilting his head to one side. ]

Are you alright? Has something happened?

[fuckthisnoiz]

[it takes Noiz a moment to recognize Aoba's concern for what it is, and then - if he understood pain, he'd say the sudden nostalgia was painful. Aoba's concern, the first of its kind he'd ever experienced, insistent and pointless, given with no expectation of repayment...

he gives the stuffed rabbit another little squeeze, and looks away.]

... Yeah.

[cosmo_call]

[ Aoba blinks. Is Noiz confirming the weird thing he said about the funeral, is he saying he's alright, or is he telling Aoba that something has happened? He pushes another frustrated breath from his nose, but it's less... forceful this time.

Whatever it is, Noiz doesn't seem entirely okay. It's hard to read him at the best of times, but he hasn't made any effort to tease him yet, and there's something about the way he holds the stuffed bunny that makes Aoba's heart ache a bit. It's definitely not Noiz as he remembers. ]

I know asking you if you wanna talk about it is probably wasting my breath, but I'll ask anyway. If you want to talk, I'm here to listen.

[ Aoba doesn't look away, watching him closely as if doing so will make any of this make sense. ]

If not, I.. can help you with your bag, if you want?

[ I'm not leaving, seems to be what he's saying. ]

[fuckthisnoiz]

[the realization of what Aoba is offering - not just the offer to talk or to help with the bag, but the underlying willingness to stay - brings a pang of gratitude, and for a moment Noiz trusts himself only enough to nod, blinking his eyes rapidly.]

Okay.

... I gotta get this stuff sold.

[he bends down again, shifting his grip on the bunny to tuck it under one arm as he starts collecting the assorted summer berries, flowers, and fiddleheads that represent this morning's work.]