late bloomer jokes [feb catchall - open & closed prompts]

[siriusly]

Who: Manabu & others
What: Misc hijinks
When: February
Where: Misc locations

Content Warnings: Will be marked in tls/comments as needed

February is weird. Manabu feels...weird. He's always an impatient kind of person, needing to always be moving somewhere or doing something, but this is a different kind of impatience. More and more, he's noticing the way couples interact, double-taking at public displays of affection which he'd typically fluster and look the other way at. He pines for a lot of things here in Trench: his family, his coworkers, his job... but he's not used to pining for things like...y'know, hand-holding.

So goes Manabu Yuuki's 24-year old awakening to romantic pining; it's going to be coloring a lot of the month for him! And that's weird and confusing for him, so you bet this'll be coloring the way he interacts with folks he runs into! Lots of word spaghetti, lots of hair frizzing with static, and some apple-red cheeks...at least he has the cold weather to blame for that.

...Even if he's a coldblood.

Shut up. It's nothing!!!

---

open prompts

o1. Willful Machine: Errands and Odd Jobs
[regardless of these roiling, blood-based feelings throwing him off his game, Manabu still throws himself into work of all sorts. he does errands and handiwork around the Roost for Diluc, but also picks up the occasional odd job for locals - Sleepers and natives alike. he's a jack of many trades and definitely master of none, but what he lacks in expertise he makes up with patience and determination.

perhaps you see him replacing tiles on a store's roof, or maybe he's hauling a wagon full of winter supplies, or part of a small squad lifting some heavy furniture by pulley up to a second floor, or simply carrying someone's groceries! either way, prime encounter opportunity.

also, Magnet is always there: that little mutt's noisy, but friendly, and always apt to bounding away from Manabu to sniff out a friend or potential friend...or at least some pets.]

---

o2.The Gate: Gunswordplay
[maybe it's too much to bank on, but smacking around the unsnake last month's given Manabu a boost of combat confidence (never mind the concussions)! that said, he definitely needs to get better at this gravity saber business; swords are really archaic, but seem to be quite a common thing here! and look, he wouldn't admit it, but he wants to be cool with the swords, too.

here Manabu can be found a couple hours before sundown after busy workdays, stretching and then trying to master balanced, repeated strikes on dummies with slashes or sparks of flame...boring stuff, but he knows it builds results. still, if anyone's itching to spar, he'll jump at that.]

---

o3. Gaze: Research
[if things are too slow as far as work goes, Manabu will veer off and go to the Archives - a place he actually hasn't made a point to visit much before! he's not a big studying kind of guy, but he knows the plans he has in mind require a lot more research and thought than just running on hunches and rumors.

also? he wants maps. an atlas feels like a reach, but if he can cobble together some maps...

so that's what he's up to: cringing and veering away from ickier aisles of oddities, picking at the spines of assorted books in increasingly lessening hope.

what's it take to find a map of the world around this place...!?]

Comments

[siriusly]

No! The-! [the other thing! he goes red again, starting to visibly steam as he huffs loudly from embarrassment.

while reaching up and clutching at tufts of frizzy hair:] This is stupid. I, I shouldn't even be thinking like this! I got work to do!

[spiritwalks]

[Gently:]

It's not stupid.

[Vyng steps through the threshold, gesturing to the bag at his side.]

How's about we talk about it over some tea? I won't laugh. Promise.

[siriusly]

[Manabu peers between his hands, and the dubiousness is plain.]

Why?

[spiritwalks]

Because we're friends.

[Also, Manabu puts up with a lot of their shit. Vyng actually feels a little bad sometimes.]

[siriusly]

...

[are they? sometimes Manabu isn't sure. he's a bit oblivious to nuance as it is, but even the obvious things like...facts stated to his face...seem to not fully click depending on what it's about.

hesitating, uncertain:] A...um...okay. S-sure...

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng can be pretty thick in that area too, so he doesn't blame the man's uncertain silence. Instead, he grins and tilts his head toward Manabu in a playful way.]

Pine needle tea?

[siriusly]

Uh, mn. Okay. Is it...I mean, I never had that kind before, I don't think, so...sure. That's fine.

[Manabu's uncertain response is given background noise by the clicky-clack of Magnet's toenails on the floor as the dog follows along with invested interest; anything to kill this anxious, frustrating vibe that's throwing the omen off, too!]

[spiritwalks]

C'mon. [He nods toward the kitchen.] Let's go.

[And then Vyng gives a happy little yip Magnet's way: "You want a treat too, buddy?"]

[siriusly]

[Magnet echoes the sound, tail wagging, and hops ahead of them to beat them to the kitchen. Manabu trails behind Vyng, feeling both somehow a little better being distanced from a mirror and his own stupid face...and rather apprehensive of the prospect to speaking to his own stupid face.

he'll position himself near the table, out of the way of any tea prep. he won't sit down 'til Vyng does, however...it's only polite!]

[spiritwalks]

[Prep is minimal. Heat a little hot water, add some pine needles to steep, and...voila! Of course, it takes a solid 20 minutes if you want to properly infuse the water with that needle-y goodness. So while they wait on that, Vyng cobbles together a lil snack for lil Magnet too: Some diced hard-boiled eggs and a dollop of pureed pumpkin.

With a yipped bon appétit to Magnet, he politely sets the plate down on the floor. And then he sets both tea cups on the table for him and Manabu.]

You gonna sit down?

[siriusly]

[Magnet has a lot of favorite people - most people are his favorite people, so it's just a matter of where and when. so right now? right now, Vyng is his favorite. the food is happily accepted and quickly polished off in true dog fashion.

at the question, Manabu startles a little, double blinking.]

A--oh. Right. Okay. [he hesitates a beat more before sitting down, fidgeting and struggling to find something to do with his hands while having to sit still. he winds up deciding on tightly folding them in his lap under the table until tea is served. it leaves him feeling a little childish, but he can endure it.]

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng strains the tea into Manabu's cup, and then his own. A cloudy, green tint colors the still-warm water. As he sets the pot down on the table, he asks:]

Who're you wanting to ask out on a date?

[siriusly]

[Manabu jolts a little, static rushing up to fluff out his hair again, a few split ends crackling like a fizzled-out sparkler. the blush on his face lasts only a second before he shivers and he's cold all over again, his hands stuck mid-grab for the cup.]

A...auh... [he fumbles for a few seconds before he can clear his thought, staring in distress at the mug just shy of his hands.] That's, um...that isn't really relevant, is it...?

[yes it is.]

[spiritwalks]

[Damn. That is one visceral reaction.]

Your shocked-up expression sure says otherwise, pal. What's going on?

[siriusly]

[futile, exasperated:] Hell if I know! This isn't normal. Something's...something's messing with me. Has to be.

[spiritwalks]

You mean like blood stuff?

[siriusly]

Yeah! [he perks up, immediately convinced.] It's gotta be! I don't think about date-things or, or holding hands or that kind of stuff!! Never!

[spiritwalks]

Because you were busy playing around with your gun-swords?

[No, that is not a euphemism. Probably.]

[siriusly]

No, [ >:T ] I keep busy with training and work! There's too much to do and work on to be thinking about other stuff that won't help anybody. Whether I look stupid or people don't-- [grimace.] Or whatever, either way, that doesn't change that there's stuff to be doing instead...!

[spiritwalks]

What, you're saying dating people doesn't help anyone? Tell that to the town's Nightwalkers, pal.

[siriusly]

[flushing again:] Not me! Jeez, Vyng! [why can't you just automatically get what he means!!!] Not, not people like me, okay? I'm--I'm an officer, a soldier! I mean--I was. And that's...that's what I know, okay?

[spiritwalks]

So, you're a fighter. But not a lover.

[siriusly]

I'm-! [aaaaaa

the little puff of exasperation fizzles as he slumps back in his seat.] I'm just...just me, okay? And I don't know anything about that kind of stuff-- [quickly:] And I shouldn't! Be-because running around not knowing what you're doing can hurt people. We got enough problems without me getting all, all off-kilter, you know? What if something happens? I gotta stay alert and capable to help! Not just fuss about...about that kind of stuff. Let other people worry about it!

[spiritwalks]

"Off-kilter"? I think that's called puberty, Manabu.

[siriusly]

[his hair re-fluffs with a flash of indignation.]

That's years past, okay?! I'm twenty-four! Twenty-four!!