ざわ. . .

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗘 .ᐟ.ᐟ

[debtswon]

Visit Original Link

.✦ ݁˖ㅤ #DEBTSWON: ㅤㅤindependent / selective / private 𝗶𝘁𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗮𝗶𝗷𝗶 of gambling apocalypse: kaiji r̲e̲f̲a̲s̲h̲i̲o̲n̲e̲d̲ for the 𝗷𝗼𝗷𝗼'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 universe. written by 𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐢. (established february 2026.) 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏: wanting more out of life and knowing this can't be all it has to offer, doing it scared is just as brave, subversion of toxic masculinity, banding together to fight the real enemy, being bled dry but knowing you still have so much more to give, being way too damn stubborn to die, & not letting the bastards get you down!!!ㅤㅤ 21+ followers only & crossover friendly. ㅤ DUE TO DARK SUBJECT MATTER, I DO NOT FOLLOW FIRST.

ㅤㅤㅤ¹ PROMPTSㅤ ² PROMOㅤ ³ PINTERESTㅤ ⁴ INTERACTIONS CALL

＊in affiliation with...ㅤ @20ways 💙ㅤ & ㅤ@determinazioneㅤ & ㅤ@crocifissioneㅤ & ㅤ@rottingkiss

[debtswon]

will try and get to some drafts here today <3

[debtswon]

i'm not gonna lie, i think if kaiji redirected and focused a little bit more on his political alignment and associated priorities/perspectives... he'd definitely be one of the most left, most woke, most aggressively activist people you'd possibly meet. he would in the frontlines fighting it out and would have no problems whatsoever taking down The Man.

all of that to say that in even without a clear and concise political path, this tiktok is something kaiji would make unironically.

[rottingkiss]

❝We fight through FIRE and ICE forever.❞

@rottingkiss. IND. SEL. MULTIMUSE FEAT. VERGIL FROM DMC. KISSED BY PARIS. @macabrecrxw INDIE. MULTIMUSE FEAT. DANTE FROM DMC. GIVEN WINGS BY KORV. * promo credit by @quirofiliac

[crocifissione]

“ is that what you want the most, for there to be significant stakes?  ”

there’s that spark again.  it’s undeniable now.  the mere mention of a gamble, regardless of stakes or bets, transformed kaiji into a different person. whatever facade of vagrancy came before it bowed to the determination burning within.  what a fascinating thing to see, and … caesar found it contagious.  ever since his wedding day, the thrill of gambling had buried itself deep beneath the earth, so that it may not tempt him. the joestar family’s wealth was not his to gamble away, regardless of marriage stipulations—   so the choice hadn’t even been his to begin with.

so, why did it almost feel nostalgic to grab that now-ancient deck of cards?  what was this exhilarating sensation flowing through him as he showed each 60-year old card by laying them flat on the table first?

“ as you can see, this is a complete deck. one i acquired through my own playing no less, when i was a mere teenager. ”  it’s useless information, but maybe it’ll give kaiji some context—- in case he were curious, anyhow.  caesar no longer felt compelled to conceal the tragedies which had made him, thinking of them as … unfortunate facts of life.  so, questions were welcome. any and all.

he restructures the cards, stacking them in an ambiguous order, and shoves them to the middle of the table. despite his usual cool, caesar finds himself incredibly interested in kaiji’s next steps, his next words. it’s no surprise his gaze doesn’t wander far from the young man’s visage, examining each micro-expression through thin grey plumes of smoke. 

“ how about you choose what we play.  you name the stakes, if you have any in mind, and i’ll comply. ”

[debtswon]

"Well, what's th'point in playin' if there's nothing to play for?" came the immediate counter with maybe a pinch of pretension-- but it's all in good fun, promise. It's part of why he's still managing to hold onto that grin for as long as he did; it's subtle enough, apt to be considered as mere enthusiasm and not much else. "I hate to say it, but..." he began, purposefully letting the initial statement hang (a bit like dead air. reminds him of the movies or... hm.) before continuing, "...where I come from? People usually don't play "just for fun"."

Cigarette's formally discarded after wards, crushed into a nearby ashtray with very little fanfare. One, final plume of smoke's exhaled from his nose, its size an overall decline compared to the previous. Kaiji doesn't comment on the blond's comments, merely sniffing lightly and slinging an arm around the back of his chair. Position's adjusted accordingly, allowing for him to achieve something a bit more... relaxed. Something -- it's a gut feeling, shaking hands with that itchy feeling from before -- tells him they might be here a while.

He wasn't going to complain, though... especially when some sort of reward would be involved. There was an assumption from Kaiji's perspective: Caesar would understand.

"... Yeah?" Kaiji mumbled thoughtfully, other hand coming up to curl a few of its fingers at his chin. A low hum's next to come, gaze having since followed each and every one of the other's movements-- he's good at shuffling. That was one thing Kaiji couldn't deny. "If that's th'case," he drawled out, reaching over the table to hover his hand above the deck with a blink, now looking back at Caesar, "then you've probably played a few card games in yer time."

A light jab, something as gentle as nudging somebody else in the gut with your elbow. Kaiji doesn't mean much by it, promise. In fact, there could be an argument speaking to his sincerity-- there's definitely an amount of fondness held towards this deck, a chunk of... history, almost, could be gleamed from it. They weren't cards Kaiji was necessarily unfamiliar with, but they had a distinct type of "wear and tear" to them that he normally didn't see... nor could he.

Everything was brand new in his world, consistently sterile in a way that held little care for the "love of the game". Rather, it was all about survival-- proving a point, lording their superiority over those lesser than... their idea of "love" was dominance. Which, unfortunately, Kaiji played into purely because he had to.

"You ever play blackjack?" came the next question, palm lightly resting atop the cards with a slight tilt of head, almost as if to ask This okay? before slowly reeling them in towards himself. "We don't really get t'play it much here... anythin' dealing with bettin' money's a slippery slope in normal casinos. Blackjack's one a'those slippery slopes."

Shifting within his seat, Kaiji began idly shuffling the cards even further. His attention dropped down, focusing on the motions in their entirety before, eventually, glancing up at Caesar intermittently. There's a vague twitch in his brow, he can feel it.

Play it cool... play it cool.

"I'm pretty good at it, though; it's one of those games ya can make whatever th'hell up about it... at yer leisure, 'course." He shrugged with a smile tugging halfway across his lips. "I'm thinkin'... one hand, no splittin'. None of that. Instead...?"

The shuffling stops, any sort of rhythm that's since started coming to an abrupt halt.

"Th'dealer -- you or me, dependin' on the turn -- can call whether or not the next card's gonna be a bust, no matter what. If it is a bust? They win double the bet. They're wrong? They cough up th'dough. Simple, right?"

[swagvo1d]

[stardstschlar]

Had he said something to make the guys' nerves flare up?

That wasn't his intention. But then again; his presence had always caused such a reaction in people. Jotaro understood that people were easily intimidated, especially when you were a hulking mass of 6'5 stature - with muscle for days. And had a reputation of beating the shit out of people, sending them to the hospital within minutes.

The stranger - he would have to find out the guy's name, simply because he could not be constantly referred to as 'the stranger' or 'some guy.' Normally, he didn't care about other people whether they sat next to him or not, whether they stayed long enough to ignore him or not. Often letting bygones be bygones. Silently, he raised a hand to wave the bartender over to order his drink; a beer on tap, his favorite.

Finally, the other had chosen to take the seat beside him. There were words being said, an apology trying to form but wasn't coming out? Something of the sort. The ravenette had waited while words continuously spilled from the other man's mouth, stuttered, spaced out - hesitation? Jotaro wasn't sure, and he hadn't really bothered to care, either. As long as the other had calmed down enough to sit and enjoy a drink.

Hell, he'd even buy the man a drink.

As long as he just chilled out.

A single, thick brow raises at the apology that was given. The stand user had simply waved it off, not in the least bit angry with him. Once the bartender had stood in front of them, their orders had been given; beer. The tender eventually returned with the order, passing off the drinks to each man. a mumbled thanks is given from the Joestar. The lower murmuring vibrating around them had been enough to fill in the quiet space.

Teals shifted towards the other for a moment. Something he'd mentioned moments ago; missing. There were people missing? How had he not heard about this? Normally, any case that included a missing person would always grace Jotaro's desk. Had the Speedwagon Foundation been slacking? Or, were they just holding back for the moment?

"You mentioned people were going missing." The man mumbled, tilting his head as he kept his focus on the other, not bothered entirely by the bumbling anxiety. "And don't worry about it. I know someone who is just like you in that regard."

[debtswon]

Kaiji wasn't what some would call a supremely religious person, but he'd be lying if he wasn't thanking some sort of higher power right now. Things were awkward, sure, but usually... usually, "awkward" was easy to fix. Most of the time, Kaiji could figure out a way (when there's a will, there's a way. always.) to weasel out of it, even if it involved, err... unsavory methods, sometimes. That wasn't important, though! What was important, however, was the ratio of successes to losses. Obviously, Kaiji would never state outright exact numbers because, pffft, that was nobody's business.

As long as he could "show his work" and prove that he'd garner more successes over losses then, well... nothing else mattered. That was a fact, plain and simple.

It's part of why, admittedly, he was thankful for another "success" within this very moment. While it wasn't his original intention, it was by no means an unwelcomed situation. He didn't know how much longer he could stand (yeah, yeah... they weren't standing, they were sitting. it's just a thing people say, alright?) being next to this guy and hoping that he didn't make too much of an ass out of himself. Sometimes it's better fading into the background. The bar being even a little busier than usual definitely helped matters, adding a sprinkle of much... much needed ambiance.

It worked to soothe Kaiji's nerves, giving him something else to focus on. Splitting his attention sometimes helped, allowing for him to actually be distracted... which, contrary to popular belief, sometimes being distracted was a good thing. It kept certain things-- certain thoughts, actually, at bay.

Yeah... he could get used to this.

"Er, yeah..." he responded, taking a quick swig of his beer as the tension within his body both ebbed its way out of him yet back into him all the same. At least, though, it seemed to be a bit more manageable than before. Yeah... yeah, he could work with this. "I dunno, I could've... uh, misheard or whatever--" his free hand raised to scratch the back of his neck, letting him his turn his head away for a brief moment before returning, "--just reminded me, 'cause... I don't live here. That much is pretty obvious."

The reassurance wasn't necessary, Kaiji thought, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. Maybe it was this guy's way of saying "Hey, it's okay" without... being terribly obvious about it? He wasn't sure but decided he wasn't going to think too hard about it. After all, people weren't perfect. Not everyone were masters at public speaking, Kaiji included. That's something he sucked hard at in school.

"I'm, uh, Kaiji by th'way. If that makes this whole thing a bit less... weird, I guess. I kinda found this town by accident with a..." His grip tightened around the glass, squeezing his fingers so hard that it almost could've eked out a noise... whatever that'd be, anyway. "... A friend, I guess."

Shortly after, his grip relented.

"Heard through the grapevine 'bout a killer being run over a few months or so ago? Said he killed some girls or somethin'..." Kaiji mumbled, attempting to keep his voice low with his other hand now coming up to halfway cover his mouth. His gaze averted with furrowing brows. "Guess seein' things about those missing people reminded me of it."

[rottingkiss]

❝NO WAY!❞

There isn't a single moment of HESITATION from Misa when it comes to loudly declaring that she's not, in any fashion, going to work alongside HIM.

This guy is an absolute freak of nature! It SCARES her quite a bit that she CAN'T see his death date accurately. Why would she ally with someone that might drop dead in the next few seconds? Even worse if the weirdo has a heart attack out of nowhere during the middle of a game where it MATTERS. Like, that would put her in SUCH a mess. It's way too risky!

But wait-- Before coming here, Light told her she needs to be CLEVER about this. Misa ought to play smarter, not harder. Her beloved said something like that, right? That means she should use others as a stepping stone to achieve goals. Ack, the model hasn't exactly been making FRIENDS. Maybe she DOES need someone to do the heavy lifting for her.

That's when she purses her lips together, tapping her pointer fingers together as she glances away coyly. Light would lecture her so much right now if he was here . . . Misa wants to be a GOOD girl! Therefore, she'll play a LITTLE bit nicer. That's when she speaks slowly, unsure of herself.

❝What I MEAN is-- Like, what would be in it for me to be your PARTNER?❞

[debtswon]

Kaiji wouldn't think to admit it out loud (at least... not in this very moment. later on might be an entirely different story, though.) but seeing the way she squirmed... it was enough. For a brief moment, there, it actually made him feel like dealing with... well, whatever the hell all that was prior to actually worth it. It sent him back in time -- not when things were simpler or easier, per se -- to his "customer service" days; being able to tell an asshole customer "no" was one of the best feelings on planet Earth. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Releasing her was an easy task, because it's not like he wanted to have his hands all over her anyway. He has no idea where she's been, after all. Daring to take one step closer, Kaiji's gaze averted and, steadily, honed in on another proposed duo further away. Rubbing his lips together, he's deciding it's best to ignore her little playing dumb (she's a good actress, he'll give her that. a stupid guy thinking with just his dick would fall for it, definitely.) act and to, instead, move on.

They had to be quick and efficient, especially if he -- and... ugh, her too... -- wanted to get out of this hellhole in one piece. In theory, it's an easy task. In execution, however...? Kaiji knew better than that.

He'd hope she'd know better, too.

"Heh," he couldn't help but let loose a laugh, be it out of relief that she's catching on or he didn't have to resort to anything less than ideal with her. She's a tough customer, but he'll get her yet. "I'll let you in on a secret... Misa," he began in a low voice, cramming his hands deep inside their individual pockets.

"See where I'm lookin'?" Kaiji posited, expression slowly working itself into one of incomplete serenity as he attempted to muffle the sounds of his heart pounding in his ears. Head nodded before lightly motioning towards the aforementioned men he spotted earlier. "Those guys... I've seen 'em before-- they're repeaters. They're like vultures, pickin' at first timers... like sharks... or leeches."

It's not a lie. Kaiji's lucky in that sense: he recognizes them. Doing shit like this... it's a gig to them. It's easy money.

"To them, you're like..." a momentary pause, allowing him to glance back at her with that same smile, of which only wavered a centimeter, "...blood in the water. They can smell it-- worse 'cause you're a chick."

Adjusting in his spot, Kaiji moved so half of his body was facing towards them and the other towards Misa. It'd add to the illusion of them still fighting, still negotiating... It'll curb a bit of suspicion, that way.

"They'll target you, plain and simple. Me, though? I don't give a shit 'bout all of that; I just wanna win... it doesn't matter what someone's got in-between their legs. Losers ain't gonna get special treatment, and we could lose without thinkin' about it." He probably could've worded that a bit better, but whatever. "... What we can do, however..."

A light gesture, shrugging her attention away from the duo and to, instead, the grand expanse of the Espoir's guts... clientele and all. They're all fresh meat, ready to be digested at a moment's notice.

"They won't know you're here to play, they'll just think you need help. Could use that to buy some cards, buy some stars... or, hell, maybe even get a few matches outta them. And I can play 'em."

[determinazione]

“ i couldn’t tell you over the phone. ”  @debtswon speaks, instigating a surprise visit. 

who else could be there?    kaiji’s genuine suggestion nourishes an uncomfortable thought, a justified measure inevitably beckoning some degree of paranoia.  it was healthy, for now—-  the industry giorno fist-fought his way into required a clear mind, sharpened by vigilance; yet, one must remember it is poison first and foremost, that surrender to madness is to accept unfounded suggestions as truth. it was no slippery slope;  it was a crumbling edge, plummeting a vulnerable mind into its untenable abyss. 

thus, giorno approached this concern with compassion.  telephone line hijackings, radio-wave takeovers, computer viruses;  there were a plethora of ways for an enemy to interfere, and although the odds were in their favor, keeping important details of their objective hidden for the sake of public secrecy was dangerous.  transparency was key. the large, wooden doors are shut, and the sound of their joining echoes throughout the room, signalling their privacy.  it’s silent, oddly so.  the slightly opened window lets in a pleasant breeze, and the sun’s rays, spanning a blush gradient, illuminate the room.  what a shame this subject is so sensitive, giorno thinks, as he rises from his chair and maneuvers towards the framework, locking its dark wood panes and pocketing its key. 

one brief peek outside, an examination of their environment, was the last thing giorno granted it before shutting the voile curtain and reducing them to mere silhouettes through mesh. 

silent footsteps, at a glacial pace, stick to kaiji’s trail.  stoicism subdues all visible emotions simmering underneath giorno’s youthful features, save for a hint of concern, which stubbornly clings to his gaze.  kaiji is now sitting on one of the twin sofas placed at the end of the room, and giorno follows his example—- taking place opposite of his guest.  elbows press onto his thighs, spine bends, and his body angles down; half-folding, leaning forward, all to listen.

“  ... what happened?  ”

the largesse of the sea maiden. / accepting.

[debtswon]

In this moment, Kaiji feels...

Wait, what did he feel like? This was a question that, on the surface, was incredibly simple. Only a few answers remained-- of which that made any amount of sense, anyway. He could visualize them, too; they wandered around in the recesses of his head, dragging their feet with both arms folded behind their backs in a meek display of submission (it makes him feel... inadequate, like a dog with its tail tucked between its hind legs.) that's been perfectly punctuated with a downturned gaze. It's picture-perfect, really... or, well, it should be.

There was still one, particular conundrum: Kaiji couldn't quite pinpoint what he was feeling in this very moment. It wasn't necessarily imperative for him to figure out, but shouldn't that be one of the very first things to figure out? He was meeting with the goddamn Don of Passione, for crying out loud! Expectations were put into place, and even Kaiji knew that. He should have been better prepared.

Instead, though, here he was-- sitting quietly on a sofa that felt way too luxurious for someone like him (just by looks alone, kaiji wagered it was probably, at least, in the hundreds of thousands. shit... it makes him feel sick even thinking about it: accidentally scuffing it, scratching it, poking a hole in the leather... aaaahhh!! let's stop thinking about it... now.) with both his hands "resting" atop his lap. Fingers plucked and pinched at one another, tugging halfheartedly at any loose hangnails that might've remained in the meanwhile. There wasn't. But Kaiji could still pretend there was, for sake of his rapidly pounding heart and his heaving chest.

All he needed to do was to calm down. He's safe now... wasn't he? That's what he was told.

There was no reason to not believe Giorno. They've made enough of a rapport with one another that, by now, Kaiji surely would've been made into mince meat were this anybody else. If not that, there was more than enough reason to trust in Giorno that he wasn't with Teiai. That should've been enough.

"I, uh..." the words come out, but it's a voice Kaiji can't quite recognize. It's soft, on the verge. There's an active war raging on within him, struggling to maintain a certain amount of stability within his tone. "There's... ssss-- someone was followin' me, I think. I shook him off."

He doesn't look at the other man, unsure if it's out of an inherent abundance of respect or an unnatural lack of confidence. All he could stomach to do, in its stead, was stare down at his fingers and silently count out the remaining number of each digits in-between pauses. One, two, three... four... five, six... seven--

"Shit, I'm sorry, man."

Eyes squeezed shut, and a rather violent shake of the head comes soon right after. Frustration, anger, irritation-- it's all the same fuckin' thing. A hand comes up to slap itself over a part of his face, only partially able to conceal the grimace that's started to take shape. He grumbled, an overly complicated mess of both expletives and inflammatory remarks.

"I screwed up," he mumbled, head sinking lower and lower until he's got both elbows digging holes into his thighs and his hands squeezing around the back of his head. "I dunno if he was gunnin' for me or--"

A pause. Deep breath.

"--if it was fer you, but I just... I ran. He just felt... he felt weird, man!"

[wholahayola]

[yukikorogashi]

❤️💕❤️ Happy Birthday @debtswon!!! ❤️💕❤️

This is a little late but aaaaa I realy wanted to draw you a little something after missing out on the past few years 😭 Love you lots, my friend! And hope you had a wonderful birthday!!! ❤️🫂💕

[debtswon]

crocifissione asked: “ you feel like playing some cards? ” 😈

@crocifissione ／ unprompted ／ always accepting.

For as long as Kaiji's been alive, there's always been this certain... itch. It's hard to explain, something akin to what might lurk beneath the skin yet, at the same time, feels even deeper than that. There's a distinct difference between feeling itchy and lightly scratching at the spot to alleviate whatever "symptoms" there were that remained and... well, feeling itchy. For anyone that understood the difference, it never had range-- instead, it was always an extreme.

There's a familiar buzzing in the back of Kaiji's head as he spots Caesar's approach, but it's easy to ignore. At first, anyway. Usually that's all it takes to keep a steady momentum: a head start, a leg up... an advantage.

So, obviously, he's got this in the bag.

"Hah?"

Or, well, so he thought. Oh, c'mon! Nobody's perfect.

Displacing the cigarette that was previously dangling from his mouth, Kaiji pinched it betwixt index and middle fingers. Gaze was scrutinizing, squinting vaguely at first before slowly (but surely.) fixing itself into a hard, firm stare. Silently, a plume of smoke was exhaled out from his nose with his lips having since formed into a thin, straight line. Play it cool, play it cool...

"Whaddayamean?" That wasn't even a sentence, though it could maybe serve as one in a pinch. Kaiji's deciding to let it go, instead forcing a grin and turning his head away from the blond. He takes his time by allowing himself another drag of his cigarette. "Playin' some cards... with you?"

A snort.

"Like, are ya askin' to play for fun?"

Remember that itchy feeling from before? It's still there.

"Or are ya thinkin' of upping the stakes?"

It's always been there.

"'Cause I'm game for whatever... Well, I mean--"

Cocking his head towards the man, Kaiji offered another grin. Though, this time it's proven to be confident. There might even be a hint of arrogance lurking beneath... but it's all in good fun. Promise.

"--as long as you are."

[debtswon]

"Aaahhh..."

Don't mind him-- he's just... considering... if he has enough money to maaaaybe, perhaaaaps... buy his mom something. Even if said something was something small.

[debtswon]

extorris asked: “ i'm not from around here. you? ” from EDEN !!!

@extorris: eden dell'amore ／ mask of the deer woman prompts ／ accepting.

A long, singular drag of the cigarette was all it took for a response to come to Kaiji. He's still a bit... casual about it, however. After all, he shouldn't get too "chummy" with a girl he's maybe known for all of... what? A few weeks, give or take? He wouldn't necessarily hold it against her, though, because (but he couldn't deny it: he's a beast of habit.) she hasn't done anything to him to warrant its sudden erasure. That should count for something, right? Right.

"Nah," he said right before taking another drag, cigarette nearly dangling from betwixt middle and index finger with a few specks of ash breaking off with the wind. "If I was from around here..." he began, an almost thoughtful approach heard within his tone as his gaze raised, glancing skywards, "... mm."

Well, what would be different if he was "from around here"? Probably a lot of things-- maybe too many things.

Some of those things would be good, at least. On the other hand, though, many of those things would be just as bad. If he were born somewhere (maybe even in another year, another time... would his mom still be the same? his dad? his sis?) entirely different, would that have been enough to "fix" things? He wasn't sure about that. Optimism definitely would've been preferable, but he's found himself in the same hole time and time again in different places, surrounded by different people, watching different weathers soar by...

If he wanted to be optimistic at all about it, maybe the metaphorical shovel he'd be holding would be different. A different brand, probably... One that he could actually afford, maybe... That would've been nice.

"... Nah, never mind," Kaiji murmured, turning his head to breathe out a steady stream of smoke. A light breeze soon comes after, as if the God of Irony himself decided it apt. Barely any reaction spawns from the downturn, however, with only Kaiji turning away and feeling the briefest "sting" of his cigarette's stink. "It's not that bad here... I guess," he offered after with a vague shrug.

Head lowered, cigarette's brought back up to his lips to allow for one more drag.

"Dunno if I coulda manage bein' born here, though." A dry smile tugged across his lips, punctuated with a light snicker. "It's a new thing every day, feels like. Wasn't like this back from where I'm from-- it was... eh, quieter back home."

[debtswon]

liiiike... i wanna say kaiji has aspirations, but these are aspirations that are achievable. i think part of this definitely has to do with his own sense of self-worth-- he doesn't want to reach too far because the inevitability of falling and crashing, hard, is very fucking scary and weighs too heavy on him. on the other hand, though, he's trying to keep it nice and practical. realistic and grounded. if possible, he has no reason not to aspire for more and hope for so much more, but i think the topmost priority for kaiji nowadays is to simply live. and this will reflect heavily in his aspirations, even if some of them may seem "lesser than" comparatively.

[debtswon]

i know in my heart all kaiji wants is a simple job that just lets him live tbh i don't even think he wants anything extravagant-- just something that lets him have control over his life, a job he doesn't have to take home with him, and one that pays the bills and allows some semblance of extra comfort. this i know.

[debtswon]

yukikorogashi asked: “who even smokes anymore, bro? gross. 8(“

@yukikorogashi ／ mask of the deer woman prompts ／ accepting.

"Haaah?!"

It was a remark that, evidently, caught him unaware. Had Kaiji been even a smidge less prepared, he might've managed to swallow his tongue and choke on it. Now, where did that come from? Curiosity undoubtedly tickled at the tip of his tongue, but he's doing all he could (it didn't take much, but she didn't need to know that.) in order not to say anything. Honestly, he thought she knew...

One hand instinctively came up to slap itself against his chest, flattening shortly after with its fingers ever so slightly spreading out. Lips formed into a thin, straight line before gaze averts. Looking off to the side, Kaiji contemplated. There was an attempt, anyway... at contemplating, that is. He wasn't sure how good of a show it was, but it couldn't have been that hard.

He's done this time and time before-- granted, that was more-so when his life was on the line but... hey, that shouldn't matter. No way!

"I mean, uh..." he heard himself mumble, expression somewhere in the middle of both a grimace and a nervous grin (okay, now he's feeling the pressure.) as a bit of shirt's fabric was pinched betwixt index and thumb. With a faint sniff, Kaiji cleared his throat and in the world's probably most nonchalant attempt yet, raised the cloth up to his nose for a quick whiff. "... I don't smell anythin'..." came the disgruntled grumble, uncertain of if she heard him or not.

For his sake, it would've been better if she hadn't.

"I mean--!! Geez," he then went on, tone building up momentum in its excitement before his free hand came down to muss up the girl's hair. Right after, a grin began to form with a few crinkles found at the corner of his eyes. "What? Heh, yer nose sensitive or somethin'?"

[debtswon]

"..."