![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
6 ❀ Summer Citadel
|
'Of course not', huh. Funny— he wouldn't have minded being called fearsome, but this is valid as well.
The question prompts a surprised sort of half-hum, one that's quickly replaced by his natural effervescence.
"Gahaha! Dry others' hair? Not at all!" Straight-shooting as usual. He ruffles Tonbokiri's hair a little more roughly this time around, speaking to the affection he's putting into the gesture. "It's not every day that I'm given an excuse to, after all!"
Imanotsurugi is an exception to his rule, but it's not as if any of the other tantous or swords rush to him for help.
The question prompts a surprised sort of half-hum, one that's quickly replaced by his natural effervescence.
"Gahaha! Dry others' hair? Not at all!" Straight-shooting as usual. He ruffles Tonbokiri's hair a little more roughly this time around, speaking to the affection he's putting into the gesture. "It's not every day that I'm given an excuse to, after all!"
Imanotsurugi is an exception to his rule, but it's not as if any of the other tantous or swords rush to him for help.
(Tonbokiri is just thinking in practical terms. Like, Iwatooshi wouldn't be able to open his mouth that wide. Or something.)
His head rolls around with that extra exuberance, Tonbokiri giving in a little more to how nice it feels.
"Ahh... Well... Thank you for the favour of your attention. I suppose it's not every day I am in this situation either. It's been..." His voice trails off softly, as he seriously tries to remember the last time someone dried his hair for him.
-- He remembers.
And his face immediately warms.
His head rolls around with that extra exuberance, Tonbokiri giving in a little more to how nice it feels.
"Ahh... Well... Thank you for the favour of your attention. I suppose it's not every day I am in this situation either. It's been..." His voice trails off softly, as he seriously tries to remember the last time someone dried his hair for him.
-- He remembers.
And his face immediately warms.
??? What is this hesitation about, Tonbo!!!!!!!!!! Iwatooshi is an old soul, he's every much a jiji as Mikazuki is...
Which means that he sometimes doesn't choose his words very wisely (or, well, he doesn't think to choose them so delicately). As much as he knows how to read the atmosphere, he is, after all, Musashibou Benkei's naginata.
"Hm? Ah, was your previous master the last one to stroke you properly?"
So, so earnestly....................... he means well...............
Which means that he sometimes doesn't choose his words very wisely (or, well, he doesn't think to choose them so delicately). As much as he knows how to read the atmosphere, he is, after all, Musashibou Benkei's naginata.
"Hm? Ah, was your previous master the last one to stroke you properly?"
So, so earnestly....................... he means well...............
Tonbokiri moves his head abruptly in reaction to that question, trying to look around- which of course doesn't go well with him as the naginata is still drying his hair. Ahhh, he let his guard down, being in this mood!
"That is--" Yes, and no... But there will be no getting away from this without an explanation, will there. Why are the old blades solewd difficult to understand sometimes?
"S-speaking casually about such things as humans is improper... However as a Touken Danshi, you will understand... Yes, my former master handled me well. However, on the previous, long, mission that we were on... ... ... My wife was the last one to dry my hair for me."
That's the point of this conversation, right? (It also leaves out a lot of details. RIP, Tonbo.)
"That is--" Yes, and no... But there will be no getting away from this without an explanation, will there. Why are the old blades so
"S-speaking casually about such things as humans is improper... However as a Touken Danshi, you will understand... Yes, my former master handled me well. However, on the previous, long, mission that we were on... ... ... My wife was the last one to dry my hair for me."
That's the point of this conversation, right? (It also leaves out a lot of details. RIP, Tonbo.)
Thank you for understanding. ... It would have been sad to leave you here after saying 'you're not alone', wouldn't it.
[Tonbokiri settles against a pillar of the balcony and loosely folds his arms as he looks out over the flowers for a long moment.]
... If I may press upon your good will further, Ichigo-dono, I do have something of a favour to ask in regards to this topic. However if it is something you would rather not speak of, I shall not ask anything further.
That there are comrades who carry some trauma, that is enough to know. But... [Tonbokiri looks down at the floorboards, sadness and concern clouding his expression as he murmurs,] but when he wakes from dreams of fire...
If you are willing, is there anything you would wish to convey, that might help me understand your situation better?
[Tonbokiri settles against a pillar of the balcony and loosely folds his arms as he looks out over the flowers for a long moment.]
... If I may press upon your good will further, Ichigo-dono, I do have something of a favour to ask in regards to this topic. However if it is something you would rather not speak of, I shall not ask anything further.
That there are comrades who carry some trauma, that is enough to know. But... [Tonbokiri looks down at the floorboards, sadness and concern clouding his expression as he murmurs,] but when he wakes from dreams of fire...
If you are willing, is there anything you would wish to convey, that might help me understand your situation better?
A waist? Nonsense... As long as you enjoy yourself and you give it your best effort, it'll definitely show in the food you make.
[ He turned his head a little to face Tonbokiri and gives him a gentle smile. ]
[ He turned his head a little to face Tonbokiri and gives him a gentle smile. ]
[Ichigo listens from where he still stands still looking out into the rain.]
... fire? Does your comrade suffer from amnesia as well?
Two of my brothers were engulfed in the flames with me and they, like me, have lost their memories... Our memories of our life at Osaka Castle are lost. I do not know the full extent of my brothers’ amnesia but I... only remember fragments here and there.
However, unlike my brothers, I was retrieved from the ashes and... retempered... Shokudaikiri-dono knew me from before and from what he’s said, it seems like my appearance and personality are now a little different from what I used to be like.... While Mikazuki won’t really tell me what the other me was like. I suppose he wants to protect me and doesn’t want me to think that he doesn’t love me anymore because I’m different now... He loves this me and I know that, but sometimes, it feels like he misses the other me...
Anyway, after my retempering, I think I fell asleep for a long time for when I finally awoke again, I was at the Imperial Collection. I could barely remember my own name.... It has taken me many years to remember what little memories I now have of my past and who I am. From time to time, I still have nightmares of that fire. The fire that took everything away from me.
[It’s better now that there’s someone to hold him at night, but that’s a private matter so he’s not going to disclose it.]
... fire? Does your comrade suffer from amnesia as well?
Two of my brothers were engulfed in the flames with me and they, like me, have lost their memories... Our memories of our life at Osaka Castle are lost. I do not know the full extent of my brothers’ amnesia but I... only remember fragments here and there.
However, unlike my brothers, I was retrieved from the ashes and... retempered... Shokudaikiri-dono knew me from before and from what he’s said, it seems like my appearance and personality are now a little different from what I used to be like.... While Mikazuki won’t really tell me what the other me was like. I suppose he wants to protect me and doesn’t want me to think that he doesn’t love me anymore because I’m different now... He loves this me and I know that, but sometimes, it feels like he misses the other me...
Anyway, after my retempering, I think I fell asleep for a long time for when I finally awoke again, I was at the Imperial Collection. I could barely remember my own name.... It has taken me many years to remember what little memories I now have of my past and who I am. From time to time, I still have nightmares of that fire. The fire that took everything away from me.
[It’s better now that there’s someone to hold him at night, but that’s a private matter so he’s not going to disclose it.]
Y-yes yes I'm fine. I was... just thinking ahead in the recipe and got lost in thought.
[ He hoped that sounded believable enough. ]
[ He hoped that sounded believable enough. ]
Oh... okay. Well, I’m all done cutting the strawberries.
[He just going to idly pick up another strawberry to eat and lick his fingers again afterwards as they’re just so tasty~]
[He just going to idly pick up another strawberry to eat and lick his fingers again afterwards as they’re just so tasty~]
"I am very confident in my skills. You might even doze off you're enjoying it so much."
He really was feeling pretty confident too as he reached out to grab the mirror and comb from him and giving him that dumb grin of his before he gets up and moves around. He gently unties what Tonbokiri already had in his hair and let his fingers work through it to fan it all out.
"Mm, your hair is very soft, Tonbokiri."
He really was feeling pretty confident too as he reached out to grab the mirror and comb from him and giving him that dumb grin of his before he gets up and moves around. He gently unties what Tonbokiri already had in his hair and let his fingers work through it to fan it all out.
"Mm, your hair is very soft, Tonbokiri."
Thank you, Ichigo. Honestly that makes it a lot easier for me.
[ He's going to turn around and find all of them gone, isn't he??
Mitsutada chuckles softly as he starts to mix up ingredients for the outer part of the mochi. ]
I have some red-bean paste sitting on the side there if you'd like to cover the strawberries with it.
[ He's going to turn around and find all of them gone, isn't he??
Mitsutada chuckles softly as he starts to mix up ingredients for the outer part of the mochi. ]
I have some red-bean paste sitting on the side there if you'd like to cover the strawberries with it.
You’re welcome!
[Well, not all! There are still hopefully enough left as he stops eating when he’s given his next instructions.]
Okay.
[He washes off the residual sweet stickiness from his fingers then goes about covering the strawberries with red bean paste.]
[Well, not all! There are still hopefully enough left as he stops eating when he’s given his next instructions.]
Okay.
[He washes off the residual sweet stickiness from his fingers then goes about covering the strawberries with red bean paste.]
[ With him taking care of that, it made it a little easier for him to stop letting his mind wander too far and so he was finally able to finish mixing up his dries and wet ingredients to make a nice mochi outside.
He was even humming a little to himself.]
He was even humming a little to himself.]
[After Ichigo was done with the mixture, he decided to try a bit of it to make sure it tasted all right. At least he's using a spoon this time? Then he scooped a bit and held it out to Mitsutada.]
Mitsutada-dono. Does it taste okay?
Mitsutada-dono. Does it taste okay?
O-Oh.... well, alright.
[Husband, wife... in the end, it's all the same, isn't it?
In any case, Gokotai is interrupted by a yawn. He did wake up in the middle of the night to look for his little furry friends.]
[Husband, wife... in the end, it's all the same, isn't it?
In any case, Gokotai is interrupted by a yawn. He did wake up in the middle of the night to look for his little furry friends.]
[Ichigo smiles at the yawn, ruffles Gokotai's hair again (for who can resist ruffling that hair really) then he scoops his little brother up.]
Let's get you to bed. It's way past your bedtime. Have you brushed your teeth yet?
Let's get you to bed. It's way past your bedtime. Have you brushed your teeth yet?
[ He leaned over to the spoon and without thinking took a taste of it from there as if being fed by Ichigo. ]
Mmmm yes. That's perfect. It'll taste even better when the whole thing is put together.
Mmmm yes. That's perfect. It'll taste even better when the whole thing is put together.
T-Tonbokiri-saaaaaaan!
[Gokotai isn't sure how he manages to get on the Yari's shoulders but once he is there he'll cling on for dear life. One of the tigers ends up on top of Tonbokiri's hands and the others are scrambling up and probably scratching him up as they go.]
[Gokotai isn't sure how he manages to get on the Yari's shoulders but once he is there he'll cling on for dear life. One of the tigers ends up on top of Tonbokiri's hands and the others are scrambling up and probably scratching him up as they go.]
[Ichigo was slightly surprised Mitsutada just ate it from the spoon like that. He didn't even hold it up to feed him, but he didn't feel quite as flustered as the first time he'd accidentally (?) fed Mitsutada. Perhaps this was their thing now - him just casually feeding Mitsutada!]
Is it ready to be put together yet?
Is it ready to be put together yet?
Hm. Well. That's.
Rambunctious and effervescent as Iwatooshi may be, he's still an old soul; it takes him a bit to wrap his mind around the concept of swords having wives. Since when?
The expression on his face says everything Iwatooshi doesn't. His eyes widen, then flit from surprise to confusion.
"A wife?" A low hum, considering. "Haah, that's an auspicious event, to be sure! But how?"
Rambunctious and effervescent as Iwatooshi may be, he's still an old soul; it takes him a bit to wrap his mind around the concept of swords having wives. Since when?
The expression on his face says everything Iwatooshi doesn't. His eyes widen, then flit from surprise to confusion.
"A wife?" A low hum, considering. "Haah, that's an auspicious event, to be sure! But how?"
[And he just sat down too, god. LIFE IS HARD... But he'll do it! He'll do it for the watermelon.
Pushing himself up, he dusts sand off of the back of his pants and hands and then extends one down to his watermelon-based partner in crime.]
Let's go, let's go. Maybe we can take a look at that ice cream stand up on the boardwalk while we're up, too. Have you seen it? They've got like, a million different flavors.
Pushing himself up, he dusts sand off of the back of his pants and hands and then extends one down to his watermelon-based partner in crime.]
Let's go, let's go. Maybe we can take a look at that ice cream stand up on the boardwalk while we're up, too. Have you seen it? They've got like, a million different flavors.
[To be fair, even people who know Kashuu well have trouble telling when he is or isn't joking. It's a true skill, honed through years of being a punk to the core and previously owned by a man who is also a punk to the core.
He waves a hand, apparently unbothered by what Ichigo finds at least mildly concerning.]
Eh, I mean, he can. It's just that that guy's head is seriously as thick as a rock, so reason only gets through like, half of the time.
[Isn't he just describing the entire Shinsengumi...]
Don't worry about it, he'll be fine once he can get back outside and burn some of his energy off. Probably.
He waves a hand, apparently unbothered by what Ichigo finds at least mildly concerning.]
Eh, I mean, he can. It's just that that guy's head is seriously as thick as a rock, so reason only gets through like, half of the time.
[Isn't he just describing the entire Shinsengumi...]
Don't worry about it, he'll be fine once he can get back outside and burn some of his energy off. Probably.
[Well, there's definitely a generation gap or two or several going on here as Ichigo can't really understand these younger swords. Maybe that's why he prefers to hang out with grandpas (especially of the Heian variety) or children/his brothers. At least he's now besties with Shoukudaikiri who's actually around his own age and they are similar in many ways too.]
... do all of you behave like that?
... do all of you behave like that?
Edited 2019-09-26 09:48 (UTC)
Now that he can see Iwatooshi's face... Tonbokiri starts to realize just how much deeper he's dug himself by saying something so confusing and abnormal. At least he saw it as auspicious?
"It is a very long story." It was a very long mission. "At least let us dry off further while I explain?"
He slips away from Iwatooshi for a moment to get the towels (small and full of horse hair, but dry), and hands two to the naginata. He uses one to dab at his yukata, and therefore only glances at Iwatooshi occasionally as he speaks.
"We were on a mission recently to restore the history around Ieyasu Tokugawa. All the men who were to father Ieyasu's great Generals had been killed so... In brief, we accepted the idea to take on the roles of those men ourselves, and protect Lord Ieyasu as he grew up." Perhaps Iwatooshi-dono can see where this is going now.
"Although full of misgivings about being able to live that great man's life, I took on the role of Honda Tadakatsu. But what I hadn't thought ahead to at that time was the fact that I would have to live his entire life-- That is, including his personal life." Despite the powerful encouragement that Monoyoshi had given him, Tonbokiri still could not entirely shake the nerves of walking in that great man's footsteps. Especially the steps where he hadn't been literally at Tadakatsu's side.
"That is how this spear came to have a wife. It was Tadakatsu... but it was me."
"It is a very long story." It was a very long mission. "At least let us dry off further while I explain?"
He slips away from Iwatooshi for a moment to get the towels (small and full of horse hair, but dry), and hands two to the naginata. He uses one to dab at his yukata, and therefore only glances at Iwatooshi occasionally as he speaks.
"We were on a mission recently to restore the history around Ieyasu Tokugawa. All the men who were to father Ieyasu's great Generals had been killed so... In brief, we accepted the idea to take on the roles of those men ourselves, and protect Lord Ieyasu as he grew up." Perhaps Iwatooshi-dono can see where this is going now.
"Although full of misgivings about being able to live that great man's life, I took on the role of Honda Tadakatsu. But what I hadn't thought ahead to at that time was the fact that I would have to live his entire life-- That is, including his personal life." Despite the powerful encouragement that Monoyoshi had given him, Tonbokiri still could not entirely shake the nerves of walking in that great man's footsteps. Especially the steps where he hadn't been literally at Tadakatsu's side.
"That is how this spear came to have a wife. It was Tadakatsu... but it was me."
Hold tight, Gokotai!
[They probably make for quite the sight: Tonbokiri with a tiger in each hand, Gokotai upon his shoulders clinging to his head while trying to secure the other three tigers, one of which has taken to trying to climb the side of Tonbokiri's face to get closer to Gokotai.
Indeed the claws are out as the cubs search for a grip on Tonbokiri's skin, yet such tiny scrapes do not trouble him in the least. Although, it is amusing to think that five tiger cubs fleeing waves are drawing more blood from him than a full-on battle with the HRA would.
With all the tigers clinging to him in some way or another, and Gokotai still safely (?) upon his shoulders, Tonbokiri moves forward more confidently, leaving the now slowly sinking mattress behind. It is no strain on his stamina, but it is a bit of a mental exercise to keep his balance with everything that is going on. Especially when they get to the shallows where the waves pull at his legs.
But, eventually (perhaps too long by his passenger's reckoning), they get to shore.
Tonbokiri slowly kneels so that everyone can get off him more easily.]
Are you all right?
[They probably make for quite the sight: Tonbokiri with a tiger in each hand, Gokotai upon his shoulders clinging to his head while trying to secure the other three tigers, one of which has taken to trying to climb the side of Tonbokiri's face to get closer to Gokotai.
Indeed the claws are out as the cubs search for a grip on Tonbokiri's skin, yet such tiny scrapes do not trouble him in the least. Although, it is amusing to think that five tiger cubs fleeing waves are drawing more blood from him than a full-on battle with the HRA would.
With all the tigers clinging to him in some way or another, and Gokotai still safely (?) upon his shoulders, Tonbokiri moves forward more confidently, leaving the now slowly sinking mattress behind. It is no strain on his stamina, but it is a bit of a mental exercise to keep his balance with everything that is going on. Especially when they get to the shallows where the waves pull at his legs.
But, eventually (perhaps too long by his passenger's reckoning), they get to shore.
Tonbokiri slowly kneels so that everyone can get off him more easily.]
Are you all right?
Page 30 of 77