🎧 homophonic | pcs | yukichi (fukuzawa)

[silicone]

There's no need to fear the past. The past is just a memory.

(in retrospect i regret my choice of filter name)

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[silicone]

I'm a little past the age of a young stray, don't you think?

[allmenare]

While most of my strays have been children when I found them, a couple have been adults. Dazai wasn't much younger than you when he joined the Agency.

[silicone]

[ he tilts his head a bit. dazai is definitely an author he's heard of but i think icly he's not going to put it together... ]

Huh, you have a lot of strays it sounds like, Fukuzawa... maybe this is a hobby?

[ with a little fondness ] It's okay, I kind of have strays of my own back in Klein.

[allmenare]

That's not the word I would use for it.

[But then Eiden mentions his own strays, which catches Fukuzawa's attention.]

Do you now?

[silicone]

You're a fascinating guy, Fukuzawa...

[ offering him a small smile. ]

And yeah. It's... complicated. But they're all great guys. Good hearts. [ he pauses, thoughtful. and then. ] For the most part?

[allmenare]

There's always that one who is a bit persnickety, isn't there?

[silicone]

That's... such a nice way of putting it.

[ but he snorts a little. ]

[allmenare]

Brevity is the soul of wit.

[Also it's important to be at least somewhat polite.]

[silicone]

Ultimately, it's all about learning where they're coming from.

[allmenare]

Oh? Is that how you win them over?

[silicone]

That and proving that I want to be there for them. Making sure I'm there for them when they need me.

[ he glances down at his hands. ]

[allmenare]

That sounds like a good way to win people over, yes.

[He follows Eiden's glance down to his hands.]

[silicone]

[ there's nothing there made you look—no jk, he's just rubbing at an old pencil-tablet pen-pencil callus, gazing downwards because he's uncertain. of everything. he feels weirdly vulnerable, but it's somehow okay here in fukuzawa's presence to be just that. ]

I'll never be the old Grand Sorcerer, but I'll always give them everything I have.

[ he shifts and moves to nudge fukuzawa in the direction of the museum steps, reaching and if allowed, taking his hand. ]

It's big, don't get lost on me, okay?

[allmenare]

[Insecurities...he has difficulties talking about it, but he totally understands. He won't press Eiden about it, but he'll be there to offer support regardless.

An offered hand, though. That gets him to look at touch embarrassed as he takes it. he's not one for most physical contact outside of comforting someone when needed, so this is surprisingly new to him.

His hands are calloused, strong. He does a lot of work with his hands and it shows.]

Of course.

[Up the stairs and into the museum they go!]

[silicone]

[ oh... eiden definitely kind of shifts his hand a little to get comfortable and feels these calluses. his own hand is a little softer by contrast, calluses at his fingertips instead.

once he's settled, he begins to just start a nice circuit around the place. museums always lead to meandering. ]

This place isn't so bad. Kind of peaceful actually.

[ this first room is maybe some kind of collection of ceremonial japanese teaware. i rng'd a local museum for this bc i'm running out of ideas. ]

[allmenare]

Museums aren't usually a popular destination, so there will be smaller crowds here.

[ooo look at all that ceremonial teaware. Unfortunately Fukuzawa knows how to do a tea ceremony.]

Have you ever done one of these before?

[silicone]

[ "unfortunately" i'm laughing ]

I've only ever read about them, never had the chance to do one before. It looks beautiful up close like this.

[allmenare]

They're beautiful in person too. But there's a lot of formality involved, your movements have to be perfect during it.

[silicone]

Amazing, so you need a lot of coordination and a steady hand to really master it.

Are you trying to tell me that you're a pro at it, Fukuzawa...?

[allmenare]

Not a pro, necessarily. But I do have experience. I was taught many traditional things as a child.

[silicone]

That's really impressive. Diligent even as a kid!

[allmenare]

...yes, but...

[It's true but now he's kind of embarrassed by it. TIME TO MOVE ON

RNG says the next room has bronze era stuff. Time to learn about Roman history IG]

[silicone]

[ bye ig! eiden just blinks quickly and moves with him. that was kind of cute and he's making sure to do it again.

in any case now that they're here, he's also enthralled. there's lots of cool stuff in this exhibit for eiden to peel away from fukuzawa here or there to peek at. of course, he's never gone long, he's not even far, always kind of hovering within fingertip's reach. ]

... This museum really has everything. The skill required to make these is insane.

[allmenare]

It's a collection of mankind's achievement. So much can be done when people work together.

[Says the guy who's scared of strangers and avoids large groups when possible.]

[silicone]

[ sir ]

It's true. I wouldn't be able to do half of what I have to do in Klein without my clan members. Same probably even goes for you with your work, right?