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 Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:50 pm
Kouyo staggers up the steps to Setsushi's house and knocks, glancing over his shoulder as though he is half-afraid he was followed here. He is pretty liberally covered with dust, mostly on his face, hair, and shoulders, as though he has spent the past week lost under Kumoru's sofa.
He still looks quite thoroughly terrified, but also is able to feel a very tiny touch of pride. Running crying back to Setsushi only makes up about ninety-five percent of the reason he is here now; as soon as he can get the dust smudges off of his face and quit hyperventilating, he also really badly wants to tell Setsushi that he has found a job.
While he waits for someone to answer the door, Kouyo huddles up in his dusty drapes and tries to stop shaking.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:26 am
Setsushi rises from where he had been drinking a hot herbal tisane, moseying over leisurely to the door with mug in hand, and poking his head out, "Yes? --"
... Kouyo! eek Setsushi reaches around the smaller Porcelain with his free arm, herding him into the room. What happened to Kouyo? He doesn't look well at all...
Closing the door behind them to keep out the cold, Setsushi pushes Kouyo further inside, towards warm drinks? dinner? a shower? the couch? whatever Kouyo needs after his ordeal.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:57 am
Kouyo huddles close to Setsushi like a wet cat, wide-eyed and shivering. A shower. In a few minutes. Please.
He tries to explain what happened, but his thoughts are still scattered. There was a stranger in the bookstore. Kouyo went with Kumoru to work today. And there was a lot of dust. The stranger dragged Kouyo to a back room, and Kumoru had already left by then. ... The only thing that is really clear is that whatever happened terrified Kouyo out of his wits.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:08 am
Setsushi puts an arm around Kouyo's shoulder, not seeming concerned about all the dust coming off on his own clothes. "Hush," he says; Kouyo has to slow down and explain to him, so Setsushi can help --
Wait, this stranger... did he hurt Kouyo?
Setsushi's muscles tense like those of a tiger preparing to spring. If someone hurt Kouyo, Setsushi will bring him to justice!
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:14 am
Kouyo glances down at himself, then up at Setsushi again. He does not think he is hurt, really, just rumpled and dirty from being physically hauled around the back room of the used book shop. The stranger is the owner - Mister Whitestone is quite scary.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:18 am
Oh, Kouyo isn't hurt?
Setsushi gradually deflates, his expression changing to some twisted combination of a nervous smile and a concerned frown. What happened, then? If Kouyo wishes to tell him before the shower.
Wait, Master Whitestone is scary? Setsushi found him to be a little rude and mean, but... did he bully Kouyo? How reprehensible.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:31 am
Yes, he waited until Kumoru had left and Kouyo was alone and then he dragged the High Priest to the storage room and completely ignored how terrified he was at being shoved around. Aodhagan showed him how dusty the storage room in the bookstore is.
And now Kouyo has a job. He glances up at Setsushi and grins weakly.
... The Porcelain has obviously had a long day.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:02 am
Setsushi scowls. He wishes he had been there to give the human a piece of his mind.
... ... ... And then Kouyo accepted the job? Why would Kouyo do such a thing? It is not right to repay mistreatment with service! If that was a result of bullying, too... Does Kouyo want Setsushi to go argue with that man for him?
... Or maybe he should just take a shower and rest his mind for a while. Setsushi can prepare some warm food or drink for when he's finished.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:25 pm
Kouyo makes his way to the nearest chair and plops down in it, resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.
He had been so terrified at the time that the human was going to do worse to him, away in that dark room where no one would have known. Kouyo had accepted the job because he was afraid to find out what would happen to him if he said no. Agreeing seemed like the quickest way out of being trapped.
He does have a job now.
Right, and he was going to take a shower. The High Priest stands again and heads into the bathroom, asking along the way if Setsushi would mind him staying the night here with him? Kouyo is not sure he can handle going back to Kumoru's on the bus so soon after being handled so roughly ._.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:33 pm
Setsushi sighs deeply and scowls. Yes, yes... Perhaps Kouyo is right; his decision might have been a sound tactic at the time. But there is nothing that prevents Kouyo from mustering his forces and challenging the contract in daylight.
Although... if Kouyo wishes to keep the job, he can do that, as well. Setsushi is just not sure he should waste his time on an unworthy employer.
And Kouyo knows he can stay with Setsushi whenever he needs, as long as he needs. Setsushi put away the blankets, though, so they will have to reconstruct his nest after dinner. sweatdrop
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:06 pm
Wait, when has Setsushi met Mister Whitestone?
Kouyo also reminds his friend that he is not really built for challenges like Setsushi is sweatdrop He already soundly lost the intimidation game once, so he does not feel particularly confident about his chances if he is ever stuck alone with Mister Whitestone again.
Also... he thinks it is strange, too, but Kouyo cannot help but feel a bit proud at having a real job. Even if it is a menial task for an unworthy employer. He has to start somewhere, yes? And ... a free maiden should have a job to support himself, yes?
He gets quiet as he turns on the water and gets into the shower, aside from the occasional bits of surprise at how dusty he got, and also at how many bruises he managed to pick up being manhandled by humans twice in one day.
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:27 pm
When Setsushi was still looking for Kouyo, he went to the shop and encountered the human there. The man said that he had already observed Setsushi and Kouyo when they visited the shop earlier, via scrying. ... Indeed, the more Setsushi thinks about it, the more he seems to be an inconsiderate person. Scrying on innocent visitors without informing them seems awfully... creepy.
In any case, Setsushi brings up an example from his experience in the military: many of the most formidable members of the army are weak themselves, and derive their might from their command of their underlings. Setsushi will lend his body and fortitude to Kouyo if he needs it for a renegotiation.
But perhaps such a renegotiation would not result in a full cancellation of Kouyo's new employment? Perhaps they could obtain for him better terms, better treatment? Indeed, the work might end up being a rewarding experience, but still, perhaps Kouyo needs a... nicer environment, first.
... ... ... Well, Setsushi should stop babbling and let Kouyo have his mental privacy while he bathes. sweatdrop
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:33 pm
Kouyo takes a relatively quick shower, but spends a fair amount of time in the bathroom anyway so he can also wash his clothes. He has a bit of trouble getting everything properly dry, though, as he is still too stressed to use his magic very well.
When he finally emerges from the bathroom, the smaller Porcelain is dressed as he as before, minus the dust, but also still slightly damp. He appears ever so slightly thinner compared to when Setsushi last saw him, and without the dust smudged all over his face, Kouyo looks very tired and a little pale. The bruise over his eye from before he left is completely gone, but Kouyo has a faint new one on his cheek near his jaw. Why does poor Kouyo have to be one of the ones who bruises like a peach? crying ;;
With a sigh, he settles into a chair near Setsushi; he is still shivering a bit, though now mostly because his hair is damp. The priest starts working on braiding it, and tries to huddle up under his drapes again to help warm up.
Kouyo has no idea yet how the job will go, really. The store owner may decide to leave him completely alone. He thinks he will be able to get used to the tiny storage room eventually, so long as Mister Whitestone does not try to trap him inside again. Even if they did try to renegotiate with him, though, Kouyo is not sure how they would be able to find him. The human seemed to be able to come and go from the store without using the door. Also, does Setsushi know where they would be able to find the human if he is not in his store?
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Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:27 am
Setsushi offers a hot tisane to Kouyo, and then asks if Kouyo might like Setsushi to pull the remaining water from his hair? Setsushi's no great mage, but he can handle that.
As he moves over to help, he scowls at the new bruise. Kouyo is really unharmed by these people? Then how did Kouyo get that...? Kouyo does know that if he's not eating enough he could get faint and disoriented, and that might lead him to injure himself?
... ... ... And Setsushi admits he is not sure how they could find the mage again. Though... if Setsushi caused a scene in his shop, maybe he would be forced to reveal himself?
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Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 3:42 pm
Kouyo nods. He will be sure to return the favor sometime when he has better command of his magic. Using it recently has been difficult, with so many other things on his troubled mind. He takes the tisane and holds the cup in both hands, then takes a sip and smiles faintly. Nice and warm.
As for the bruise - Kouyo lightly touches the spot on his face - Kumoru likely gave it to him this morning. This fledgling has been struggling in the Wind Mage's frigid gusts, and got himself battered about earlier today for being foolish. Kumoru had also held him under a spell for a time, but Kouyo assures Setsushi that there is no reason for the Knight to enact retribution upon the mage. ... Kouyo deserved it, though he does not detail why.
... What sort of scene did Setsushi have in mind?
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