soul_logs | [OPEN] Earthquake Event

Ling's expression was one of rapt daydreams. For another by it might have been the sort of face one would make at imagining living in a video game or a comic book. The life Kanji spoke of living was so very exotic and curious. He made Western sweet things, worked on his own, saw people on dates. These were all things that Ling had no experience in doing.

"A public eatery," he sighed, longingly. How romantic, how novel this all seemed! Eating in such a place was always fun and exciting. The more stuffy and crowded the better, as far as Ling was concerned. There was nothing lonelier than being served your dinner while the only other people in the room simply stood there to guard you. And if one was around a crowd of people, there was always something interesting or funny or beautiful to notice about them.

"Turtle-shaped danish?" Ling repeated. "I don't know what a danish is, but turtle-shaped sounds really cool. Especially if your manager likes them, you know they're good. What are they?"

[ooc: what's there to see/react to in the room?]

To look at Kanji was one thing, but to see his living arrangements was another entirely. The room looked very much like a guy lived here: The furnishings are simple yet comfortable in dark, unassuming colors, a couch that made you just want to sink in and nap (Kanji himself having succumbed to the couch's call now and again), and atop was a fuzzy little gray and white kitten, alerted by the sound of the door opening and the light flicking on. Little paws stretched and extended claws, mouth opening wide in a fangy little yawn before the small cat greeted them with a squeak and approached.

On the walls were large canvases, each one a window to some part of the world the painter had seen: One in particular was a peaceful, rural riverbank, while another was a golden shrine of sorts... and if you looked closely, there was a fox with a little bandana hiding among the gold and trees somewhere.

In one corner, something was covered with a sheet, an object on a small table trying to look inconspicuous.

Overall, it was a tidy little place that Kanji worked hard to make cozy.

"You serious? ...'s a sweet pastry. Shape it into a bowl n' put cheese or fruit on it. I just shape it different," he answered, rather distracted. He managed to close the door before the cat would get the idea to slip out.

Edited 2012-03-07 18:06 (UTC)

"Aiya--" Ling breathed, even dreamier than he'd been a moment ago. His face lit up like the neon lights of the buildings outside that he hated so much. "Wooooooooooooooow, your place is so niiiiiiiice. Oh my gosh, you have a kitty!"

He trotted right over to the small cat and plopped down on the floor, excited enough to burst. "Hi, hi sweet kittyyyyyy. Hi! Oh, I have--" He dug into his pocket and pulled out some dried mackerel wrapped in a napkin, that had been part of a snack earlier in the day. he held this out to the kitten, wagging it around in the air. "Here, it's dried fish. You can have it."

The little cat seemed startled by the sudden (and loud) approach, and darted behind the safety of Kanji's leg. Ling blinked at this, confused by the reception he was getting. "Here, cute kitty, take it," he urged.

"Her name's Iza," he supplied as the kitten hid behind him. Now that he thought about it, this was only the second time he'd had someone over, the first since he got the kitten.

Kanji hunkered down, carefully taking up the little gray cat in his hands. She was given a scratch between the ears, and not three seconds later she was purring loud enough for both of them to hear.

"He's okay. Go say hi," he spoke softly to the little one, and set her on her paws with a parting pet or two. It wasn't long before the kitten cautiously toddled on over, leaning her head forward and sniffing the air, watching Ling as she seemed to make each careful step count. The fish smelled interesting, and perhaps it would be tasty, too.

He stood and went to hang up his coat before crossing into the kitchen. "I don't usually have people over, but uh... y'want a drink or somethin'?"

"Hi, Iza," Ling was cooing, getting down on the floor at eye level with the little cat. He kept his hand back just in case. Could it be that animals still had aversions to him because of having housed Greed? He didn't think so, but... who knew. He watched the kitten with eager eyes. "Hi sweet kittycat. D'awww, hahaha. Yeah, I won't hurt you, I promise. There, that's for you, give it a sniff."

He looked up when Kanji addressed him. "You don't? Why not, your house is awesome. I love it! And oh, water? Tea? Anything is fine."

"I dunno anybody who'd wanna come over," he answered with a shrug, not sounding entirely sure.

Kanji put the kettle on the stove and got the burner going, taking two mugs out of the cupboard. He'd lost two during the earthquake among his glassware, but at least he had enough for himself and a couple of guests...

But Ling was right. Kanji liked the cozy little place he'd made for himself. Maybe he should just invite people over sometime... but not now, not when there was damage to clean up.

One would be amazed how perceptive animals are, Ling, but Iza seemed to be warming up to him. Eventually the mackerel was taken and curiously chewed on.

"I would," Ling volunteered. "Your place smells nice. Plus you have these paintings. Those... they're beautiful. It kind of reminds me of my room back home. But, more natural? More realistic in style."

Ling didn't want to leave the cat on the floor now that he'd gotten so close to one, but he turned to look up at the canvases. "Is that a Ja Pan house?" he asked, pointing to the golden building. "Or perhaps a temple of some sort?"

Iza was busy learning of a new flavor and texture, chewing away on the dried fish as Kanji stepped out of the kitchen and went to have a look.

"Oh, that? 's the Tatsuhime Shrine! Sits right next to where I live. It was all run down until last winter when it got renovated. Had people from school comin' up to pray for luck when an exam was comin' up, wish for a girlfriend or whatever..." He glanced back at Ling quietly.

"Y'see anything else?" The first big test since he'd completed the painting. Somewhere in there, he'd hidden a few things: The strange female fox that guarded the shrine, and her litter of kits tucked away here and there.

Ling got to his feet as noiselessly as Iza might have, and crossed over to the painting. His arms folded in his gesture of thinking, hands tucking into his long sleeves. "Tasu Hime Shrine, hmm? It's quite charming."

Ling looked carefully at the painting in the courtly way in which he had been taught to appreciate fine art by his tutors. It's a formula, really, but the object is not to look like it. He observed the painting from five feet way, eyes sweeping the whole canvas. Then he stepped in, fingers on his chin and elbow supported on his left arm, to carefully examine each sixth of the composition in turn.

"Hmm," he nodded, taking note of the brushstrokes. If he'd been holding a folding fan, this was the point at which he should make a gesture at something that he particularly found interesting. As he was right now, he used his open hand. "This small creature here.... a fox perhaps? What is it wearing?"

Edited 2012-03-09 17:16 (UTC)

"I dunno why, but every time I saw her, she was always wearin' an apron," he replied, scratching his head. Kanji wasn't too keen on his mythology, or he probably would have had a better answer for that.

"Friendly, though. This is gonna sound weird, but I think she keeps watch over it." He himself didn't go to the shrine much, save for feeding the fox and her family every now and again. There wasn't much to wish or pray for, he felt, that one couldn't work to accomplish on one's own power.

Hmm. Ling was okay with the paintings, right? Maybe some drawings would be okay to show off, too. Kanji went to get his sketchbook off the coffee table and flip through it: A sketch of Amaterasu snoozing under a tree in the park, some people he'd met and others from home including a boy in a cabbie hat, Death City's moon and sun...

"I ain't a pro, but puttin' up stuff like this helped the room look less like 'a dingy box' as you put it."

"Aha, a guardian spirit, it sounds like," Ling breathed, impressed. "We have tales of such things in Xing, though I've never witnessed it. This looks like a rural area-- it wouldn't have been acceptable for me to go there."

He studied the panting once more. "I really admire the way the light hits the shrine from this angle, here," he commented, gesturing politely with his hand as he had before, not pointing. "The shadows are falling so nicely on the other side. I feel that it captures the atmosphere of time of day quite well."

"So... you did these, didn't you?" Ling realized, looking back at Kanji with newfound respect. "These drawings in this book are yours as well?"

Kanji only watched as Ling gestured to the painting. He remembered lingering on how the light fell on the structure, how it cast shadows... but really, he went by the picture in his mind's eye. He would always pass it by on his way to and from school, but it was after school that he usually stopped to observe the shrine before heading on home.

He nodded, then. He did the paintings, the drawings, and he wasn't the least bit ashamed.

"It's somethin' I like to do," he answered, and lifted his head when he heard a whistling from the kitchen. He handed Ling the sketchbook and went to attend to the tea.

"You take it straight or d'you put anything in it?"

"Straight and quite strong," Ling answered. "I'm Xingese," he added, as if that was supposed to tell Kanji something.

"You're very talented," he said, perusing the drawings with a careful eye. "Oho? These are people and creatures I've seen here in this city. I can recognize them. You've captured them well."

Ling looked up and grinned. "If you'd lived in Xing, you could've studied the art of painting," he commented. "Court painters are extremely well off, especially if you can draw dragons or peonies, in the proper style. If you can do those, you can get all the way up to the top."

Whatever you say, Ling.

When Kanji got to pouring and steeping their drinks, he made sure Ling's tea would have the proper punch. There was a sketch of you in there too, Ling, brandishing your own weapon form.

"I can do dragons n' peonies," he noted, looking through his cupboard for honey. Tonight called for a little sweetened tea, at least for him. He'd put a little dollop in his own mug.

"I could even put a dragon weavin' around on your wall, make it big as hell." He'd seen Kohryu, one of Senpai's Persona before, and always thought it looked badass... and when was an eastern-style dragon NOT badass!?

Ling smiled a rather tight smile. "Ah, I didn't mean for me. I meant... the Emperor of Xing. He favors dragons and peonies, as that's the symbol of his particular family line. So... all of the warring clans, as they try to curry his favor, will pay great sums to commission art to give to him as gifts."

"Basically... bribes," he explained, his voice dry in his throat. "If they want seats in government, they send many beautifu maidens and painted screens which are to be placed around their beds for the... Emperor's pleasure." Ling looked away, at the riverbank painting, feeling shame gripping him, as well as anger. "If they want a certain law to be passed to allow them to commandeer land or food to fuel their war effort? Some fine carriages or pleasure boats, painted with millions of dragons and peonies."

"...Sorry," he managed upon listening, bringing out their tea and handing him his mug. Between the two of theirs, the contents of Ling's mug was a bit darker as he'd brewed the black double-strength. Dragons and peonies, symbols of wisdom and masculine power. He wasn't surprised an Emperor like that enjoyed them.

"The offer's for you, though. It ain't a bribe or nothin', but a friend offering to do somethin' for another friend."

Ling huffed and shook his head as if it didn't bother him one bit, shrugging a shoulder in an attempt to appear flippant. "It's the Divine Emperor, and my father, but, he's just another man, with many faults. It doesn't matter to me. Not at all."

His eyes were crinkled a bit as he accepted the tea, hoping to smooth things over. "Ah. Thank you. It looks just right." He gazed into his cup for a moment, appreciating the familiar, comforting brown color of the liquid. "You'd.... do that for me?" he asked, more to his cup than to the other boy, his usual outer shell discarded for the moment. He repeated it, a bit of disbelief coloring his syllables. This certainly wasn't a thing Ling had heard often. "As... a friend."

Edited 2012-03-10 22:07 (UTC)

"Well, I haven't known ya long, but... I think you're pretty damn cool," he replied with an awkward smile, despite everything that had been happening around him lately. It faltered when he turned his eyes away, focusing on drinking a bit of his tea, using that as an excuse to try and hide that stupid blush. He never really had friends until about a year back, so this was all still so new to him in a way.

"Uh, so... I'll leave the offer on the table. You tell me whatcha want when it pops into your head n' I'll see what I can do, yeah?"

Ling put his tea down and launched himself suddenly at Kanji, knocking the other boy over with reckless abandon. He grabbed him in a big hug, rubbing his bleach-blond hair vigorously with his knuckles. Kanji's tea was probably going to spill everywhere but Ling didn't give a care.

"Awwww!" he exclaimed, his grin huge and wide and shining brilliantly. "You're my friend! Even though you know all of that stuff I said about the Emperor? That's my father-- you don't care? You still wanna be my friend?"

Kanji watched as the tea was set down, and for a moment he wondered if Ling didn't like it. Well, if it wasn't Xingese enough for him, he could make his own damn--

"Sh-SHIT--" The teen hadn't any time to react, stumbling backward a few steps before losing his footing, his ass hitting the floor with a thump. The mug fell away from his hand and spilled tea, the dark liquid spreading across the carpet as Iza ignored the fish to trot over and have a taste. Troublesome kitty.

Okay, try to peel the prince off of him. He'll try to unglue himself from the other as he spoke.

"Ngh-- I meant what I said, damn it! Besides, you n' your dad are two different people."

Attached to Kanji like some kind of silk-dressed octopus, Ling let out a squeal of excitement, as if Kanji was a cute bunny that had just cleaned its ittybitty face. The larger boy's struggling only served to make him hold on tighter and noogie harder, supporting arm tight around his back and slippered feet locked behind him.

"Oh my god, you're thinking of people according to the philosophy of individualism, kyaaaa!" he exclaimed, clearly finding the idea exotic and appealing. "How modern you are, my poor little heart just can't take it! Eek!"

Edited 2012-03-11 15:42 (UTC)

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Ugh, what he being mocked now? Why won't he get off!? Kanji struggled some more, trying to peel off any of Ling's limbs in an attempt to free himself. The tea was going to leave a stain at this rate!

"Get off!" Good lord, this guy was good at holding on tight, but Kanji was getting so flustered at this point his options were quickly beginning to change from 'struggle' to 'start punching until conditions improve', but he wouldn't resort to that just yet. Not when he just called the guy his friend...

"It means I think you're a really, really great guy!" Ling exclaimed, snuggling his cheek vigorously to Kanji's and then letting go to crawl off of him. His smile was ear to ear. "You'd never be able to see my that way if you were Xingese-- we're much too collectivist. Yay for individualism! I wanna be more than what's simply in my blood or in my name."

Edited 2012-03-12 00:18 (UTC)

Kanji looked and felt positively grumpy when Ling finally let go and got off of him, the teen managing to get back to his feet. The impact smacked his tailbone real good and would smart for a while, but Kanji could deal.

"You do that," he said gruffly, moving quickly to get the paper towels and clean up the spilled tea, gently nudging the kitten out of the way before sinking to his knees and getting to work.

Hmm, may as well clean up the mackerel bits, too.

"This Xing place seems pretty damn stuffy," he remarked. Most of what he described sounded like things Kanji had heard in the history classes he only occasionally paid attention to.

"Oh, it kind of is," Ling agreed, using his own silken sleeve to sop up the mess he'd made despite Kanji's paper towels-- which Ling had never seen the like of. "But in other ways it's a lot less stuffy! You have to get away from the nobility. I used to sneak out of the palace in disguise," he admitted, with a crooked, rogueish smile. "In the people's markets there's shouting, clanging, fish flopping in your face, dogs wandering around trying to get a bite to eat, and more people than you'd ever see in that shopping building they have here." Ling didn't like the mall, and that was no secret. He'd nearly been arrested there not once, but three times!

"You have to push your way through and yell loud if you want some service. And the vegetables are way more fresh. And when you walk by the noodle stands or the steam trays-- the aroma you can smell! The chubby-cheeked babies with mangoes on a stick... the beautiful wrinkly smiles on the old grannies making dumplings....." Ling sighed deeply, his eyes getting misty as he remembered people he'd seen on his secret jaunts. His people.

"Do you have that in your country, Kanji?" he asked, straightening and placing his chin in his hands. "That kind of feeling? The kind of place where you feel like everything is so much more real."

Edited 2012-03-12 06:01 (UTC)

[OPEN] Earthquake Event - Clinic

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I was getting to that, silly. :3

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