[open] a cat's the only cat that knows how to swing

[limbical]

WHO: Daan (limbical) & YOU!
WHAT: July catch-all. Event, non-event prompts, you know.
WHERE: A bank! A restaurant! Maybe the clinic!
WHEN: J-July
WARNINGS: Severe depression, alcoholism. CSA mention in the thread with Midnight, marked.



A. IN THE VAULT [event]

[With the possibility of a new place to explore reveals itself, it's only natural for the floodgates to open; there are plenty of people here, and Daan is but one of them, nosily investigating for any clues. Though typical as ever, there is nothing to reveal whatever secrets the city holds, or whoever their captors might be. No useful files, no names, nothing.

Then there are the keys.

Sorting through them is interesting at first, as he recognizes some of the names that they go to. They're names to people currently in the city. Which also means...

Yes. There is one for him too. Daan | Daniël is embossed on the tag, clearly indicating him. It's bothersome enough that the name he goes by mostly is there, but the other...

He scowls, plucks his key free without a word, and marches into the vault to find where it belongs. There are rows of safety deposit boxes, but finding the corresponding one isn't much effort at least. He opens it, and inside is a note. Something or other about sharing, which he pockets for now in case it does end up important. But the item inside...

How could he forget?

A little box is inside, which Daan delicately pulls out, his eye wide. His shoulders bunch, and he swiftly walks to a corner, as if he could steal the semblance of privacy. Lips quiver as he opens the box, revealing inside polished tools for sewing.

The sight of it almost seems to bring Daan pain and he shuts the box swiftly before he presses his forehead against the wall, shaking his head to himself. He always tries to keep his mind even and cool, even if it is a pretense, but it seems that this has successfully shaken him to his core. Absently, he whispers to himself:]

How the hell did they get this?

[And then the vault door slams shut, jolting him out of his thoughts.]


B. DRINKS ARE ON ME [post-vault]


[He couldn't rightfully call these his worst days. After all, Daan has lived through those; he's remarked that his time in this city so far has been more like a vacation in comparison, and frankly that is still true. However, that doesn't mean he isn't still miserable.

The weight of the little wooden box in his pocket indicates as such.

In one of the restaurants, Daan is behind the bar, mixing a drink for himself. By how much the whiskey bottle has been emptied certainly indicates how many he's had, but he isn't in the mood to stop. The bank and the dreams he's been cursed with both haunt him alike, along with everything else he's ever put up with, and he's had enough.

He almost misses the Pocketcat's ever closing in steps and rotten promises.

When you enter, he forms a smile that looks too sharp, almost cruel as he lifts a glass in some toast that only he knows.]

Shall I pour one for you? [And then he proceeds to drain his glass.]


C. WILDCARD [choose your own adventure]

[If you'd like a specific prompt, hit me up and I'll make it happen!]

Comments

[fanstheflames]

Oh, the boxes? Yeah.

[ Is that why he looks as though his edges are all razor sharp today? He's softened around her, or at least that's how it seems, but Tsuruno pauses, then reaches into a pocket to place a mug on top of the counter, beside her glass.

After a pause, she picks up her glass again for another healthy swig o' Shirley. Clearly she doesn't mind sweet things. ]

It got a little complicated, but it worked out in the end.

[limbical]

[The mug is a cute little thing, he muses. You wouldn't usually see something decorated in the Kingdom of Rondon unless you had the shillings to pay.]

It's endearing. [He says it quietly, his fingers resting on the counter but not quite touching the mug. As if he would defile it somehow. Here you are again, Dannyboy, old friend.]

Is it yours?

[fanstheflames]

Yeah.

[ She gazes at the mug, fondly but there's something bittersweet about her smile for a few seconds. ]

A friend of mine--her grandma had a villa. She lives there now and kind of takes in people who need it [ i.e. other Magical Girls who definitely can't go home for several reasons ] and in our immediate friend group, everyone has their own mug. Sort of like a little family, you know?

[limbical]

[No, I don't know are the words almost on his lips. Does he? Doesn't he? That's part of the problem, isn't it? He doesn't even know what was real for him anymore. And he still lacks all of the answers he seeks, lacks closure. That's part of the problem of being stuck here, but would he do any better back in his own world? Prehevil only gave him more questions. He never should have bothered with any of that.

He blinks once, as if that knocks him out of his disassociation, then has a quick drink from his glass. The familiar burn wakens him, at least a bit, to realize her expression. Bittersweet. Something happened.]

...That is considerate of her.

You miss them. [It's not much of a question. It's a statement.]

[fanstheflames]

Yeah. [ Easily. Because it's an accurate statement, and Tsuruno stares down into what remains of her Shirley Temple (which isn't much, Daan is very good at mixing drinks apparently). She's unsure of how much to say here, because she doesn't want to worry him, but denying that she misses them has never crossed her mind. It's just never come up. She'd never bring it up. ]

I've traveled before, but never this far. And I've never been--alone. Without anyone entirely, that I already knew. I could still contact them, if I wanted to. But here, I...

[ Her fingers drum lightly against the counter. ]

It's like I--that everyone's been completely cut off here. There's no real way of knowing what's going on back home.

[limbical]

[It sobers him somewhat to watch her. To listen to her. It's so easy to get wrapped up into his own head, words that echo from the past, lost to his own wonderings and wanderings. But Tsuruno, no matter what she's experienced, is still young. And no child deserves to be ripped away from all they knew and found comfort in.

First, he goes to refill her Shirley Temple. Second, he sighs and pushes aside his own glass before reaching for the bottle of water she's brought him.]

...It's difficult, to not have those you know and trust. And love. I do truly wish you could have them at your side.

Miss them. Love them fiercely. But you won't be alone, Tsuruno. Though I hardly expect to fill in the gaps of your fellow teenagers.

[fanstheflames]

[ Wow, look at that. He's driving her to drink.

And she picks it up without hesitation to sip at it a little more slowly, despite the fact that yes, it's non-alcoholic. It's just hard to drink and talk at the same time.

But look at him, drinking water! She's so proud of this grown adult man! ]

... I wouldn't want you to fill the gap, anyway. I don't think I'd have anyone I'd want to fill the gap of my doctor-ish friend who's also seen some weird things happen and is nice enough to hang out with me when he wants to drink.

[limbical]

[he's doing it, he's doing the hydration thing]

Hm, well, someone has to. After all, how many doctors do you know here? Our numbers are quite few.

[fanstheflames]

I think of you as Daan-san before I think of you as a doctor, though.

[ Wow. After a pause, she rests a hand over her heart. ]

But... thank you. I know I'm not exactly alone here, and I'm really grateful about it.

[limbical]

[Ah. That would make sense, wouldn't it? Considering how they met. Somehow it's touching, though.]

I can't promise I'll be good company. But... I'm here, and I will do what I can for you. I hope that's enough.

[fanstheflames]

[ Tsuruno offers him a smile, nodding. ]

Yeah. And I'll do what I can for you, too. Since you looked like you were kind of upset when I came in.

[ A little. Maybe a little bitter. Perhaps. A tad. ]

[limbical]

...Yes. Well.

You weren't the only one who found something a touch personal in the bank. I just handled it much more poorly than you.

[fanstheflames]

Was yours that bad?

--Okay, that might be a stupid question...

[limbical]

No, it's fine. You couldn't know. No one could.

[He rubs his eye, then reaches into his pocket, revealing a little blue box. Upon opening it reveals elegant sewing set.]

...This was my wife's. My late wife. Elise.

[fanstheflames]

Your--oh.

[ Her eyes go a little round, owlish but concerned. ]

Well, of course you'd be upset!

[limbical]

[There's a lot he can't tell her. In part because he doesn't understand all of it himself, but primarily there are grim details he would spare her.

But this much is true:]

Yes. ...I miss her dearly, and I can only hope she's resting peacefully.

[fanstheflames]

...

Daan-san, am I allowed to hug you?

[limbical]

[The fact that she asks actually puts him at ease a bit. If it'd come out of nowhere, he might have stiffened up and froze on the spot.

But this is better. Daan gives her a small nod.]

I stink of whiskey. But if you can tolerate that... then sure. You can. If you want.

[fanstheflames]

[ Tsuruno is, thankfully, a little more polite to adults than fellow teens who don't usually get warnings unless she gets the impression they dearly need it.

But she slips from her seat, trotting around the side of the bar to throw her arms around him in a tight hug. ]

I can tolerate a lot!

[limbical]

[For a moment, he holds still before he gently places an arm around Tsuruno's shoulders. Just enough to return the affection. She's a good girl, and as much as he wants to leave this city he wants to make sure she can too.]

So I see. Silly of me to think otherwise.

...Thank you, Tsuruno. I'll have to do a better job of being more reliable for you.

[fanstheflames]

[ She offers one last squeeze before releasing her grip. ]

That's not what it's about, you know? I don't need you to be reliable, I need you to know you don't have to be weirdly strong for my sake.

[limbical]

Is that so?

Well then. That goes for you too, all right? Don't have a double standard about it.

[fanstheflames]

Sure, if you don't have a double double standard. Should we shake on it?

[ Ideally he's not one of the adults who agrees to rely on someone a little and then proceeds to continue to shrug off his own problems anyway. ]

[limbical]

[SWEATS. that depends.]

Very well. A true gentleman doesn't break his word.

[Daan holds out his hand to her.]

[fanstheflames]

Is that what makes someone a gentleman?

[ Legitimately curious, as she clasps his hand for a firm shake. Still maybe a surprisingly strong grip for a teenage girl, but it's not like she's aiming to crush his fingers or anything. ]