minutemen | 7 ❀ Assignments

7 ❀ Assignments

1. Internal Affairs Perhaps the most mundane of assignments but someone has to help keep this citadel running, right? There are hoses to be fed, fields to be weeded, and don't forget the other odd duties here and there. With this many spirits inone citadel, someone has to help make sure everyone has dinner and the laundry is done! Hopefully you have a good partner helping you today but as some might know, sometimes the bigger question isn't who they are but where they are... Someone has to do the dirty work! So where are you?!

2. Expeditions Not everything is about fighting. Sometimes there are assignments to gather intel or help clean up after another squad. There are small things that can be done to make sure history follows its course and some fo those things include feeding the hungry after a disaster or just making sure the right people meet after their paths were thrown off. Expeditions are perfect for the new addition that needs to be eased into missions before being sent to the frontline.

3. Frontlines - Before Whether you're ready or not, it's time to go out to the frontlines. There's a big mission everyone needs to do and history is wildly off course. A squad is gathered up and sent to a difficult time and a battle is inevitable. Is this moment painful for you? Well, such is the nature of a touken danshi, right? Don't get too close to "That Person" and don't get any funny ideas. ... Also, where's [insert name of problematic sword boy that was assigned on this mission for some god unknown reason]? Or maybe it's been 20 years and you're still on this mission! Sometimes missions last longer than a few days or weeks. They can drag on for months and those months sometimes become years. How have you been keeping your cover and making a living in this era? Remember, don't stand out or cause too much trouble. Are you homesick? When was the last time you saw the saniwa or your friends back home? Will this mission ever end?!

4. Frontlines - Battle Finally, it's time to fight! Everything you've done has prepared you for this moment and it's time to resolve it once and for all. Did you gather enough information to prepare for all of these enemies? You didn't get any funny ideas that might put you on the wrong side of this assignment, did you? Regardless of what happens, it would appears that [That Person You Keep Losing] has finally decided to show up when you needed them the most so at least you don't have to worry about that anymore.

5. Frontlines - After The battle is finally over and it's time to go back home. Was the mission a success or a total failure? Maybe you're coming back home with a +1 in your party. Regardless, it's time to get yourself checked out now. You've worked hard and it's time to get those repairs in. Hopefully they aren't too severe! But those with heavier injuries can expect to be down for a few days. Don't worry, there will certainly be plenty of bedside visits.

6. Wildcard This is basically an open post to deal with swords doing miscellaneous assignments whether it's mundane chores or mission based assignments. Feel free to come up with your own prompts for things like "babysitting the problematic sword boy," "have you seen Mikazuki Munechika?," and anything else you can think of.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That gives Uguisumaru a pause.

“Oh, well. That’s fine then.” He waves a little at some of the hula dancers passing them by, and continues, “I don’t find any of this unwanted.”

He’s fine and totally blending in. This mission won’t end in disaster, probably.

Ichigo just sighs.

Well, that least he's stopped Uguisumaru from making a scene on the dance floor for now (??). And he makes a mental note to keep him away from all alcohol in future.

After watching Uguisumaru for a while longer to make sure he's going to at least stay in his seat, Ichigo quickly looks away to scan the room for the presence of their target. Surely, Uguisumaru will still be there when he looks back??

That soft laughter amid the languid sounds of a ukulele would be Ichigo’s first clue.

Because of course Uguisumaru vanishes the moment Ichigo turns his back on him, only to reappear on the dance floor between a couple of lovely ladies attempting to teach him how to dance. He’s already waving his arms and swaying his hips in time to the pleasant beat, laughing along to a joke cracked by one of his companions and looking utterly unconcerned with their mission objectives at the moment.

Hey, a grandpa like him needs some youthful hobbies.

... these troublesome Heian grandpas...!!

"Uguisu-" Wait, where did he go?? Ichigo urgently scans the dance floor as he just knows that is where he's slipped off to, and it honestly isn't hard to spot him as he's making such an scene! Whyyyy??

Ichigo marches over, snatches his hand and tries to drag him back to their table. Their cover is so going to be blown! He just knows it! They should retreat while they still can, contact Aruji and plan their next step.

Oh come on, Ichigo!! Aren’t you even the least bit curious about what the humans outside of Japan are up to? They’ve been cooped up in one country for so long that it’s nice to take a little vacation to parts unknown every once in a while.

And hey, consorting with the locals counts as blending in, doesn’t it?

“Ichigo?” Uguisumaru isn’t trying to blow their cover, for the record—Ichigo does have a properly convincing human name. With a chuckle, Uguisumaru tries to tug his arm away—or at any rate, keep Ichigo here with him. Why is he even stubbornly standing his ground like this?

“Why not dance with me?”

This is not a vacation, Uguisumaru!! We are on a mission! A mission!

“We need to go now!”

He tries to pull him off that dance floor and when Uguisumaru tugs back, he tries even harder. Then he abruptly stops when he notices people starting to stare. He really really doesn’t want to attract even more unwanted attention... He keeps a firm hold on the other sword’s hand though, as he tries to figure out what to do next, only to sigh, defeated, when he hears the offer...

“.... fine. But only one dance.”

Oh, good. He’d been worried that Ichigo might cause a scene—but after all, his trust in the other sword comes through, and he laughs lightly in response.

“Mmn, we’ll make it a long one, then.” he mutters in the affirmative, not at all minding the tightness of the other’s grip as he draws Ichigo further into the dance floor. Everyone else around them has cleared away, clapping and hooting encouragingly at the pair as the musicians strike up their instruments.

“Are you ready?”

Of course, Ichigo won't make a scene...

"Eh? A long one...? Wait, Uguisumaru-dono! Wait! I didn't agree to-! Uguisumaru-dono, stop!"

But it's too late, they are most definitely the centre of attention now! Everyone is cheering excitedly and looking at them in anticipation. Ichigo's cheeks are immediately flushed with embarrassment as he stands there rather awkwardly.

"I..."

“Just sway your hips to the beat,” Uguisumaru chuckles as he takes both of Ichigo’s hands in his, entwining their fingers together just in case Ichigo has any funny ideas about backing out now. But isn’t it better for him to have a handful of Ichigo rather than his cocktail?

Although the latter’s done its work regardless. There’s no escaping it now!!

“But you know, if you’re really that embarrassed, you can always come closer and hide your face in my shoulder.”

Just a thought.

And he's completely trapped now! There's no way he can escape without making a big fuss...! Help!

"S-Sway my hips...??"

But that sounds utterly... indecent!! That offer to hide against Uguisumaru sounds extremely attractive right now, but...! But... it seems wrong to stand so closely and intimately with someone who isn't one of his two husbands or his not-boyfriend.

Yet, Uguisumaru isn't exactly a stranger and is one of the very few people that he's known for a long time after his amnesia. There's nothing wrong with dancing so closely with an old friend, right? Also, why is everyone still watching them?? Aaah, what should he do...??

Hide. Yes, he should use Uguisumaru as a shield against this increasing embarrassing situation. That's the only good option right now. And so he does just that and presses his burning cheeks against the other sword's shoulder.

Uguisumaru can’t help chuckling as he leads them toward the first few steps of the dance. All around them there’s nothing but music and the drunken cheering from the crowd as other couples join in. It is a party, after all!

“You’re really cute when you’re like this,” Uguisumaru remarks cheerfully. Age might just be a number for their ilk, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t dote on his juniors every once in a while. And Ichigo’s attitude clearly shows that he hasn’t yet the maturity to tackle even such things as this.

“Maybe we should go on vacations more often, hmm?” Missions, dammit. “It’s not often that we get to spend time together like this, after all.”

Ichigo just follows his movements for now, still hiding against him as he mumbles, “Am not...”

He would be lying if he said he doesn’t like this though. This is kind of nice and he loves being doted on, especially by someone older. However, what Uguisumaru says next does make him look up with a frown.

“This isn’t a vacation, Uguisumaru-dono! We are on a mission!” But he doesn’t mind spending more time together.

Uguisumaru feels warm enough, after imbibing more alcohol than is certainly advisable, but there’s just this certain coziness to coddling up to Ichigo like this. Did they ever get the time to do something like this before? It sort of makes him nostalgic.

“Yes, yes we are,” he replies with an indulgent smile, even reaching up to give Ichigo a nice, drunken headpat. “You’ve grown to be so responsible too…I’m glad.”

Somehow, Ichigo has a feeling Uguisumaru isn’t really talking to him? The headpat is nice and all but... now he’s a little worried that the older sword might be hallucinating.

“Uguisumaru-dono, what are you talking about?”

“You, of course.” Never let it be said that Uguisumaru has lost his presence of mind despite inebriation!

“Or is it that you’re unused to being doted on?” Pat. Pat. “There, there. You really should learn to relax more. A party is really just what you need.”

((And I might have misread your earlier tag during my late-night tagging session... ^^;; Sorry! Anyway, let's just roll with it then...!))

"Me?"

It feels a little strange to hear Uguisumaru talking about him 'growing to be so responsible' like he's talking about a child, since he was already all grown up when they first met. Though he was rather child-like when he first awoke again at the Imperial Collection after his retempering. He was very much a blank slate during those first few years as he dealt with his amnesia with the help of his fellow Imperial Treasures... It feels so long ago now though, and his memory of that time is a little hazy.

"Well, it does feel a little strange to be the one being doted on..." He rests his head back on Uguisumaru's shoulder as he's given more headpats. "... but it does feel rather nice." And he let himself relax a little more.

[ It’s all good! I’ve been there myself, lol ]

“Doesn’t it? Usually, it’s the youngsters who have to take care of their elders, but I’ll make an exception for you, since you’re being so cute right now,” Uguisumaru prattles on cheerfully, oblivious to Ichigo’s own confusion. Age might still just be a number for their lot, but that doesn’t mean that Uguisumaru hasn’t picked up a few human habits or two.

And the humans know what they’re about. For a sword, after all, a human hand is such a vital thing. Indeed, it is perhaps the first and the only kind touch their like has received in their lifetimes.

And Ichigo…might not have remembered the moment when he’d first been held by human hands.

“And it’s good to be cherished every once in a while, isn’t it?”

“Youngsters caring for their elders? I suppose that’s usually the case. Unless the youngsters in question are children, in which case, it’s the other way round?”

In any case, Ichigo is often stuck in the caregiver role... first, with his brothers then with those two grandpas he loves dearly.

Hearing that he’s the exception does make him feel quite embarrassed, and he’s not quite sure how to respond to that.

“.... oh, er, thank you for making an exception for me, Uguisumaru-dono.”

And he doesn’t remember the first time he was held by a human, but he can vaguely remember the loving way his late master handled him.

“... yes, it is. It is... a very enjoyable thing.”

How he misses being his master’s favourite.

“Don’t work too hard, all right?” There’s a final elderly admonition for you, Ichigo. Already, the music is slowing down, and it won’t be long before they have to take their cue and exit the dance floor.

Or, they could go on all night…these humans have more stamina than they give them credit for.

“When we’re through with all this, you can come see me any time on the veranda.”

“I’ll try not to...”

He can’t really promise anything. He feels perfectly comfortable leaning against Uguisumaru now as they sway to the music and he doesn’t really want to leave.

“That sounds like a good idea. I look forward to that.”

“Heh, look at you. You don’t seem like you want to leave at all.”

And in some ways, Uguisumaru might just be a little too good at figuring out other people’s weaknesses. But hey, he’s gotten Ichigo to relax! That’s the most important thing. This is a vaca—mission, after all!

They’ll be fine. Probably.

“Would you like another dance?”

... he was hoping Uguisumaru wouldn't notice, so now he's feeling quite embarrassed again! Time to hide against his shoulder once more as he mumbles.

"... this is very relaxing."

Are they on a mission? Ichigo seems to have forgotten about that for now...

"I would like that very much."

Such a good boy! Uguisumaru feels ever so lucky that he got partnered with this one for this little getaway. But speaking of—

“How about we dance all the way over there?” he remarks, nodding in the direction of some shadowy secluded corner as the music for the next dance picks up. After all, Ichigo looks like he’s in dire need of some…privacy.

This is not a getaway!! But their mission objective has already become a distant memory... so maybe this is a vacation after all...

Ichigo looks up to see where Uguisumaru wants to go, and he doesn’t see anything wrong with the suggestion. In fact, it seems like a rather good one. That looks like such a nice cosy spot.

“Sure.” And he’ll let the older sword lead him there.

“Isn’t this much better?” Uguisumaru remarks once they’ve finally reached that spot—just a secluded little area hidden away by palm trees, and away from the general bustle of the party.

“This way, we can even dance all night.”

Well, so much for their mission that isn’t anymore.

7 ❀ Assignments

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