Come to play, Aoba-san?

"I guess I could think it over," Aoba shrugged, wondering if Koujaku would be able to keep it from hurting. Maybe he had fancy oils that would smooth it out and that would work well with sharp scissors?

"If we ever do try and it hurts too much I'll just run away."

Eyeing his friend who was now going through the song choices, he tilted his head. "Your face is all red. Are you drunk~? That's not like you." But, to be honest, Aoba hadn't really been keeping track on the drinks. Well, he was certain that he had just finished his second drink but maybe Koujaku was ahead of him and feeling the effects, too. It made sense he would have to drink more to be on Aoba's level of tipsiness.

Aoba poured himself another one and downed it just like the second. Heh! If Koujaku wanted a competition, he'd get one! Not that he'd even hinted at that being his intention, but it would be fun!

"Mhm, you should sing a nice song for me. Something swoony." Aoba was feeling all warm and comfortable as he settled against Koujaku again. However, this time he ended up seated in his lap without really realizing it. Taking the karaoke controller back, he skimmed the options again.

"Or should we do a duet? What about that real old one? I think it's called 'Where The Heart Belongs'.'"

#and now he's just panicking #acba

"You'll run away with a half-finished haircut?" As someone who took pride in his work, the idea was slightly horrifying, but he couldn't make Aoba stay if he was hurting him. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to act as though an incomplete haircut wasn't a big deal. "Well, maybe we can start on an area that would be easy to blend in, just in case you do need to stop. That way we won't need to pick up another time just to even it out." As much as he would love for Aoba's haircut to not be a one-off thing, spacing one out over multiple sessions would be less than ideal. Either way, the whole experience would take some adjustment to alter it from a more typical haircutting session and everything that went with it.

But he should have known better than to turn back toward where Aoba could see before he was sure his face had cooled off. Apparently he hadn't waited long enough. Koujaku gave him a slightly chagrinned half smile and tried to shrug it off with a light laugh. "Well, I guess I was drinking it a little faster than usual, but that just means I'll be keeping up with you, right?" he teased. A little white lie on his level of sobriety wouldn't hurt if it meant his friend never found out how just getting this close to him was getting him this flustered. Brushing against anyone else's hair wouldn't have had such a striking effect...

"H-hey, wait a second!" Koujaku's eyes widened, and he half reached out a hand as if that would do anything when Aoba downed yet another drink. While it was true that Koujaku had been drinking faster than usual, maybe it wasn't the best idea to let his friend think that he was just red from drinking, after all. Koujaku watched the rim of his glass press against his lips skeptically. "Is that your second or third drink?" Was Aoba intending on getting trashed tonight? Koujaku didn't have a problem with that sort of thing, and with how close his friend was getting, it made him want to have a few more himself to steady his nerves; he just hadn't expected it when he ran over with emergency noodles.

But if he'd been close before, that was nothing compared to Aoba settling straight into his lap and taking back the controller as if it were the most casual thing in the world. Koujaku's heart was slamming in his chest, and it suddenly occurred to him that he had no idea what to do with his hands. Was he supposed to put them on his legs, somewhere behind him, somewhere close to Aoba? What would Aoba think if scarred hands brushed against his legs when he wasn't expecting it? Would he even notice, or would he think Koujaku was trying something? Leaving one behind him and one on the table seemed like the best course of action.

And here was Aoba suggesting Koujaku sing something swoony to him or that they duet a love song. Sure, he'd do that in a heartbeat on one of his dates without batting an eyelash, but when Aoba asked him for it, he found himself completely tongue-tied. He swallowed hard to try to keep his composure, managing a fairly minimal pause before he forced a light laugh and replied airily, "You already know songs like that are my specialty, but aren't you supposed to be starting us off? You never struck me as the type to want to sing something like that, even as a duet." And despite the warmth he was already feeling from his first few drinks, he shifted a bit under Aoba to better reach the sake and pour himself a little more. If nothing else, it would keep his hands occupied for another minute.

Clear nodded to the leader of the Rib team, relieved that the other would be showing him where the base was at. It wouldn't do to have no clue where to meet back up at with Koujaku again after the fight. Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary to scatter and they could all go back in peace after they were done.

"Thank you Koujaku-san, I greatly appreciate that. Ah, what time shall I meet you there? Or should I just come by whenever before evening falls?" Perhaps it would help the Benishigure team to recognize him better if they get to know him better.

While Koujaku is pulling up the information, Clear was pulling up his own screens. He watched as the other coil brings up the information and he quickly copies it down before sending a little message, 'Hello this is Clear :D', to the other man. He then double checked that everything was saved properly before closing the screens down once more.

"We'll leave at 9:00 tomorrow night," Koujaku replied. "I told the rest of my team to be there at least a half an hour before, so as long as you're before then, it'll give us enough time to introduce you."

He wasn't sure how his team would react to having an outsider join them, but if Koujaku vouched for Clear, he couldn't foresee any complaints. Benishigure was a friendlier team than some of the others who prided themselves in how tough they were rather than their relationship the community. Of course, strength was important, but Koujaku had instilled the value of both in his team.

When his coil alerted him of Clear's message, he tapped a few buttons to save the other man's contact information. He couldn't help the slight smile that played over the corner of his lips at the whimsical emoji Clear had left at the end, but somehow it seemed to suit him. Satisfied that they would be able to contact each other, he closed his coil down and returned his arm to his side.

He raised his eyes back to the glass globes covering Clear's eyes. "Why don't I show you where we'll be meeting up while I have you here? It's not too far of a walk from here." They may as well get that part of their preparations done today in case one of them were busy later and they didn't get a chance to show Clear.

#translucentxjellyfish

Sorry I'm a little slow right now. It's been a rough week, but I'm hoping writing will help when I can get back to it. I'll try to get to replies soon!

#ooc

"Ehhhhh? Sounds boring." Even if he had apparently sang a song like that before, Aoba was now in the stage of tipsiness (or was this bordering on drunk now?) where he was being stubborn for no good reason. Why would he sing about some faceless girl? He wasn't women-obsessed like Koujaku. Why was he like that anyway? Always looking for his next date or one-night thing. Jumping from one woman to the next must make it all so dull, right? Was there even any excitement left in it?

With a huff, he ran his hands through his hair, feeling the ends slip between his fingers. "You sure do talk about women a lot." Not that he cared or anything. It was just an observation. Like, wasn't there anything else they could talk about? Aoba fixed his hair in place, feeling the sensation through his body as he accidentally pulled some strands harder than he intended. He wished he could cut it properly sometimes, but it was just too painful to do any more than quick cuts just to keep it at a manageable length.

Already forgetting that he was meant to be singing karaoke, Aoba turned back to Koujaku, not picking up on his sudden crisis. "Do you think they'll invent scissors that won't hurt my hair?" He didn't know who he was meaning when he said "they" but there must be some sort of job where people invented tools like that. Maybe? He reached for his glass and downed it in one. It was only his second drink and yet it was taking a swift effect.

"I sorta wish you could could cut my hair, at least a bit. It annoys me sometimes." He was used to it, of course, and he did like it most days, but there were those times where it felt like it was in the way and he got frustrated. He supposed everyone had days like that, though.

"Call it an occupational hazard," he replied, trying to keep his tone light. Aoba did have a point that Koujaku talked about women a lot. But that was just daily life for him, trimming hair, entertaining women both during and after work, maybe having someone spend the night. He knew with that lifestyle, the time he spent with any of them didn't really mean anything, but with his casual affairs and dates being so frequent, of course it would come up in conversation. Did that bother Aoba? Maybe he disapproved of that sort of lifestyle, but some small part of Koujaku found himself wishing that maybe there was a reason behind it. Maybe...a hint of jealousy? Unlikely. He quickly dismissed the idea. Of course Aoba wouldn't have any interest in that sort of attention from him. But Koujaku still couldn't meet his eye.

But then came the words that Koujaku never thought he'd live to hear. That Aoba actually wanted for Koujaku to cut his hair. It struck him like a bolt of lightning, and his eyes widened slightly as images of blue hair, soft and smooth between his fingers, flashed through his mind. No, he just said he wished it, not that he would do it. But even with that nuance, it was hard to dismiss. "Well...if you ever want to give it a try," he offered, still keeping his face averted, "I'll do my best to keep it from hurting. We'll need the scissors to be sharp if you want it over as quickly as possible," which was the exact opposite of what Koujaku wanted, "but that'll make sure it's a smooth cut anyway." He'd kept his tone even, right? No hint of nerves about the idea of that sort of trust and intimacy a haircut for Aoba would equate to? Aoba wouldn't noticed that letting Koujaku touch his hair meant significantly more than just any old haircut, would he? If he couldn't see the color in Koujaku's face, maybe he wouldn't have to know.

This was ridiculous. They were just sharing a drink and have a casual conversation. Still, Koujaku downed the rest of his drink as if that would help to steady his nerves. Quickly - and uncharacteristically - changing the subject away from haircuts to something a little safer, he took a deep breath to pull himself back together, and reached over for the karaoke machine controller, finally turning back to face forward and flip idly through without really looking at the song titles. "There's gotta be something here worth singing..." he half-mumbled. He was beginning to feel the alcohol starting to hit, but considering he was drinking it significantly faster than usual, that shouldn't really come as a surprise.

#acba

Clear nodded in understanding at the more direct instructions. It did make sense as well since if they all scattered the police would have a hard time grabbing them all at once. It was the being shot at that he was worried about but maybe that would only happen if that crazy captain police officer guy showed up. Though hopefully that wouldn't happen at all.

The question over where the base was located at has the white haired man shake his head. "I do not Koujaku-san, sorry about that. I do recognize your tag art though thanks to wandering around the city but I don't think I ever found your base." Now that he'd been told about the tag art he did recognize seeing it in a few places with one or two traditionally dressed men around it but never had he found a large group of them.

He nodded when Koujaku confirmed that the targets would be more modernly dressed people and that the leader was off limits. Those sunglasses were indeed very identifiable after all. He hummed in thought over something but didn't voice it. While he would respect Koujaku's desire to take on the leader himself he would try to help if his friend was in serious danger.

"Understood! I'll leave him to you Koujaku-san!" It was pretty obvious that he was smiling behind his gasmask then it dawned on him as Koujaku asked about his Coil that he should give his information to the other. "Ah yes! I have one that my Grandfather gave me in case of an emergency. I just don't have many reasons to use but this is a good time to!" He held up his wrist that looked to have a normal old fashioned watch on it.

#that's...probably how a coil works? i think? maybe they don't have phone numbers?#translucentxjellyfish

Well, he hadn't really been expecting Clear to know where his team gathered, but it was better to know that now than for them to get separated later on with no way of knowing if something had happened to the other man. Though he did find Clear a bit strange, Koujaku would be responsible for him if he came to fight on his side, which meant knowing that nothing had happened to him if the fight was broken up so chaotically.

"Alright, I'll show you where it is then," he responded decisively with a nod. "We'll be meeting there tomorrow before we go after them, so better to show you tonight so you can join up with us then."

Clear certainly seemed enthusiastic about this for someone who'd never been involved with Rib before. But if that meant a dedicated ally, Koujaku wouldn't question it. He could certainly hear the smile he couldn't see. If nothing else, it confirmed that the other man had every intention of doing what he said and following the rules that had been laid out.

Koujaku glanced at the old fashioned-looking coil and took a step closer for a better look. Though a bit odd, somehow he suited him. Koujaku raised his wrist and opened his coil, tapping a few buttons on the projected screen to transfer his contact information. "Here. That's how you can contact me. Send me a message so I can save yours, too."

benefitcrhazard-blog

Send in Kinks and My muse will rate them.

#in case you want to bother koujaku

"Maybe I'd get better with practice," Aoba looked at his glass, lost in thought. Is that something someone could really learn, though? Was there a way to train a stomach to handle more alcohol? He knew that drinking without food to absorb it was bad, so it was good they'd just eaten.

"Yeah, I don't need Grams charging in here and giving me a lecture." She didn't hold back even when they had guests! If anything, Koujaku would also get an earful if he was joining Aoba in any rowdy behavior. Aoba grinned and stretched his arms, feeling the sake warm him. It was actually pretty nice but probably not something he'd have too often.

"Hey, you never know... I might just surprise you and be totally fine."

---

Aoba wasn't totally fine.

As expected, he was tipsy in no time and hummed cheerfully as he looked through the options on his old karaoke machine. He'd gotten it from his work when he first started and, after a bit of fixing up, it had become a favorite possession. While searching for that perfect song, he'd ended up the same side of the table as Koujaku.

"Ehhh... what song...?"

He rested against his friend's shoulder, using him as a sort of back support. Koujaku had nice strong shoulders, huh? Actually, he was strong all over now that Aoba really thought about it. Was it because of that sword he carried around? With a huff at the screen, Aoba leaned his head back to look at Koujaku's face, nearly falling back into his lap in the progress. He pouted.

"Koujakuuu, I can't find any good songs..."

"Practice drinking?" Koujaku asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "It's not that important to have a high tolerance, you know, but if you want to have a drink together more often, I don't mind." The key being a drink. Sure, Koujaku had more then one from time to time, but it was more to relax or have fun than to really get smashed. He wasn't particularly comfortable with the idea of losing control over his actions, but just a drink or two with a friend or date could be enjoyable. Maybe one more than that on occasion, but not often. But if it was one more reason to spend a little more time with Aoba, they could break out a bottle now and then.

He couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Tae rushing in to break up their karaoke night. "Then keep your song choice away from anything too aggressive or explicit. I think one lecture in a day is enough." It was unclear how much she would care about lyrics, but he wouldn't be surprised if she had something to say about volume if things got too rambunctious. Not that Koujaku could see things turning out that way. They had more self-control than that.

---

Not long after, however, he could see the sake starting to hit his friend. Koujaku poured himself a second glass while he watched Aoba skimming the list for the perfect song to start them off with. He hadn't thought much of it when Aoba came over to sit beside him until his friend was leaning up against him.

He was...surprisingly close, much closer than Koujaku had anticipated. Despite how long the two of them had been close as friends, he found his heart pounding a steady rhythm at the unexpected contact. It was fine. Aoba was just a little drunk and using him for support like anyone would lean against a wall or the back of a chair, right? They were just comfortable with each other, that was all. Nothing to spark slight nerves that had him lifting his cup to his lips for a slightly longer sip. As soon as they started singing, he wouldn't even notice anymore.

Unfortunately for Koujaku, it didn't quite work out that way, with Aoba instead leaning his head back to pout at him about not being able to find settle on the right song and nearly falling back into Koujaku's lap in the process. As blue hair lightly brushed against bare skin exposed by his open kimono, Koujaku felt his heart jolt and slight heat rising in his face. Shit! This wasn't good. The hairdresser quickly turned his head away, avoiding his gaze and hoping Aoba wouldn't notice the light flush he was sure was there. Sure, he couldn't deny his fascination with Aoba's hair and the desire to touch it that he'd had to resist more than once, but he shouldn't be having any sort or reaction to such minor accidental contact. It must just have been the alcohol.

Willing himself to calm down before Aoba suspected anything or got the wrong idea, he sipped idly at the drink he'd just set down seconds before, eyes remaining averted. "What about the one you sang last time?" he suggested, keeping his voice even. "I think it was about fighting for a girl's heart over a street fight? Something like that. I don't remember the title."

#acba

"You act like I'm forgetful!" Which he wasn't! Well, only sometimes. But he remembered things that mattered. And Koujaku's favorite sake was one of those things, it seemed. Grabbing it from its special spot in his bottom drawer, Aoba set two glasses on the table. He didn't drink it on his own — he was way past those hectic years of his life where he'd get drunk and make bad decisions. This sake was for Koujaku anyway, so it would be wrong to have it without him.

Sitting himself down, he gestured for Koujaku to join him. "Maybe if I get you tipsy enough, you'll do karaoke with me later." As if Aoba wasn't the one who was a lightweight and would probably be singing after a glass and a half. He slid Koujaku's glass over to him before lifting his own. He wasn't actually all that big on alcohol (probably after having too much of it of it back in the day) but he could enjoy it every now and again if it was with friends.

"You're pretty good at holding your liquor, huh? You even drink strong whisky without any problems." Aoba shook his head and took a sip. After swallowing, he set it down again. "I'd hate to think what I'd be acting like after something strong. I know I used to get pretty crazy when you weren't here. Not that I can really remember any of it." Which was bad. He knew that now. But back then he hadn't cared. Numbing himself and forgetting what was going on around him was the only thing that kept him going. It hadn't been a good way to live and he eventually realized that. A lot of those memories were hazy and, honestly, Aoba was in no rush to recall them.

He wondered if Koujaku would have even liked that version of him. It was hard to say and Aoba was pretty ashamed of some of the things he used to do. He lifted the glass and took another sip. He supposed there was no point in getting too worried about any of that; it was in the past and he had no intention of returning to that way of existing.

"Oh? Karaoke, huh?" Koujaku chuckled and settled down on the other side of the table, eyeing his glass as Aoba filled it and slid it over to him. "It's been a long time since we've done that." He reached for the cup and sipped at it thoughtfully. "Well, you'll be tipsy faster than I will, but I'll follow your lead if you take the first song."

Koujaku occasionally went to karaoke bars if a date asked him to, but otherwise it was reserved for Aoba. But alcohol was always involved, even if the hairdresser was fairly confident that he could pull it off. Granted, when he went with whoever he would be spending the night with, the excessive eye contact and choice of ballads made it more of a serenade, but of course Aoba wouldn't be interested in that, right? Even after a few drinks, it would likely be nearly impossible to meet his friend's eye doing it, even if he tried. Some part of him that he quickly dismissed did want to, but it probably wouldn't be welcome in the first place, so it was better to keep to the safety of something more poppy.

He took another sip and set his glass back down on the table, though his hand kept a light hold on it. "It does take a few drinks before I feel it too strongly, but someone has to keep up with Mizuki when it's just the three of us," he teased with a slight shrug. Considering the Black Needle doubled as a bar, their friend had a fairly high tolerance himself, and they once or twice they had gone through a full bottle when he invited them over for a drink. Their nights were typically more controlled and limited a few drinks each, however.

Raising an eyebrow curiously, Koujaku nodded a bit as he let Aoba muse over the effects harder alcohol might have on him. Koujaku didn't hear much about the time that he was away - probably because Aoba didn't seem to remember it - so that little bit of insight piqued his interest. He wouldn't push for more but offered a reassuring smile. "Well, it's good that you know your limits now. Why don't we keep it light tonight? Or at least until you don't mind Tae-san overhearing whatever your song choice is."

#acba

The white haired man watched and listened to the leader of Benishigure taking all the mental notes he could about the rules given to him. It made sense in a way... It sounded almost like the childhood game of capture the flag just... Just more violent and sometimes there's no capturing the territory.

"You explained that very well Koujaku-san, I only have one question. Do we all meet back up in the case of policemen showing up or do we stay scattered for the time being?"

Clear could see it going either way as there were safety in numbers but they'd also be larger targets. Was there an emergency exit strategy in place? He wanted to make sure so that he wouldn't be a casualty of the event, either by being arrested or shot. Preferably neither would happen and it would go smoothly in the fact that no police would show up.

"Regardless I would be following you and your team's leads, correct? I would just target whomever is not in traditional clothes?" That was a good thing about Koujaku's team, they all seemed to be in kimonos.

"If they show up, just scatter," Koujaku replied firmly. "They're less likely to get someone if we all split up. We want to wait a little while before we meet up again in case they're looking for us, but we will meet up later that night to make sure no one's been arrested or shot. Do you know where Benishigure's based? If you've never been, I'll show you tonight in case we get separated tomorrow."

He doubted Clear had ever been spent any time there or he would have heard about it, but it was possible he'd walked by at some point and seen a handful of men in kimonos milling around.

Koujaku nodded at the other man's additional questions. "Right. It'll be easy to identify who's on our side by what we wear, so you can target anyone else except the leader. He's mine." His eyes narrowed at the thought of the man he'd be squaring off against. Siren's Thralls's leader had done nothing to prevent his team members from making threats against Benishigure and likely even encouraged it. Koujaku wasn't about to let him escape the responsibility for it.

"You'll know who he is when I issue the challenge directly to him, but if you see him before then, he's the guy with stupid reflective wraparound sunglasses and a bearded dragon Allmate." Koujaku didn't know him well, but he was aware of Ilyusha's trademark sunglasses that honestly didn't look good on anyone and he insisted on wearing at all times, even in the dark.

But then another thought occurred to him. He and Clear didn't actually have a way to contact each other. "So do you have a Coil? If we get separated or there's a change of plans, I should have a way to call you."

#translucentxjellyfish

Clear nodded in agreement of teaching the other team a lesson in manners. Though he did know this would require a bit of violence on Koujaku's team's part. He wasn't that naive though others could argue that point, especially when it came to most subjects that were common knowledge to others.

Then the android hears Koujaku's question as to whether he wanted to help and he perked up, "of course! I can't really walk away knowing that you and your friends are about to fight now can I?" He smiled to the other man though he knew that it wouldn't be seen. Perhaps it was heard in his voice. While waiting for the answer, Clear adjusted his mask a bit so it was fitting upon his face more comfortably once more. It wasn't too often he had to do that but when he did it always felt much better. He'd grown used to the discomfort of it on his face long ago and now he didn't pay it much mind.

"Wonderful! Thank you Koujaku-san! I'll do my best to help you and your team!" Oh this was exciting! Despite the fact he wasn't exactly keen on violence he did want to help Aoba's friend out so he would tolerate it. Then he notes the frown that forms on Koujaku's face and hears that question and chuckles a bit awkwardly. "Ah, no I don't actually. I know it's a game taken very seriously and that there are territories but that's about it. Would you mind explaining, Koujaku-san?"

#here we go making (some) rib stuff up!#that got long. don't worry about matching length #translucentxjellyfish

Though of course he couldn't see Clear's smile, it did come through in his tone. He did seem to mean well, and though Koujaku still found him a bit strange, he could appreciate his intention to help. It would be the first time someone outside of his team had joined a fight - in fact, he hadn't heard about that with any team - but considering Clear had fought by his side once and seemed to do alright, he doubted there would be any problem with the two of them fighting together a second time.

As he should have expected, however, the other man didn't seem to have much of a working Ribsteez knowledge. Well, if he was going to join in for the first time, they should start from scratch to give him a better idea of what he'd just agreed to.

Koujaku sighed. "So you're offering to help when you don't even know the rules? Fine. I'll start from the beginning." He stepped closer to the wall of a nearby building and pointed down an alleyway toward a graffiti tag on the wall with a flower and bird surrounding vertical text denoting Benishigure. "Each team marks their territory with tags like that one. That's ours. You'll find tags like it throughout the area we control." He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "When another team wants your team's territory, they'll cover the tags with their own, trying to claim part of that territory as theirs. Siren's Thralls hasn't tried that yet, but at this rate they'll probably try it soon. Normally that's done after the defending team loses a turf war, but it's been known to happen as a precursor to a fight when the attacking team is trying to establish dominance immediately."

Covering a tag without warning never went over well, considered to be a direct sign of disrespecting that team. Battles that started that way were usually more heated, and it was harder to come to a truce afterward.

"We're not looking to expand our territory in this fight, so we won't be making a claim, but we will be invading theirs instead of letting them take us by surprise," he continued. "Our full team is going to walk into to wherever they're based out of, and as head of Benishigure, I'll directly challenge their leader and tell them to keep off of our turf. That's when the fight begins. There aren't many rules to the actual fight except that no one kills someone. Most teams don't have the same number of members, so not everyone's going to be going on-on-one. All you have to do is beat the shit out of anyone on their side until they back down. The fight ends when the leader yields."

There was only one exception to this, one that all Rib teams dreaded. "Normally it ends there, but there have been times where a fight's been interrupted. If Akushima and his bastard cops show up to break it up, it doesn't matter which side it winning. You just run. Arrests are one thing, but he'll order the guns to come out and sometimes it's more than just an empty threat. The fight can start again another day, but it's not worth having someone on your team get killed."

Koujaku looked Clear over carefully to see if what he was saying made sense, but without a clear view of his face, there was no way of knowing. "Any questions?"

rhymaticdesires

To be fair, he really was expecting a drunk-filled night.. but of course, Koujaku isn't about that kind of life. He's grown into such a mature gentleman. Aoba on the other hand is, just an angsty teenager who likes to cause trouble everywhere he goes.

Looks like he doesn't have a choice huh? Then again he could have gone back home on his own, but he just got here.

"Mm~ suuuurre that sounds like a good idea. Wow, I already feel safe with a big, strong man! Kyaaaaa!"

Yeah, he's making fun of his friend here. In all seriousness though, he would rather have stayed with a friend anyway. Normally he would be sleeping in with a sexual partner for a night but in this case it is different.

Koujaku burst out laughing at the imitation of his fans. "Is that really the way people talk about me?" he asked, knowing full well that it absolutely was. "Well, I don't think even I can keep you safe from a hangover, but I can at least give you water and aspirin in the morning if you need it."

Rising back to his feet, he looked over his friend with a hint of amusement still tinting his smile. "Anyway, I'll go get those blankets and pillows for you. I'll be right back." And he turned away and strode to the next room to pull them out of the closet before returning to the couch and setting them down between them.

And now that that was settled, he still had that leftover cup of sake waiting for him. With one last look at his friend to satisfy himself that Aoba really was okay - which he did seem to be - Koujaku finally reached for the second cup and sipped at it slowly. "You're really missing out being more of a whiskey guy, you know," he teased.

#rhymaticdesires

It really bothers him, huh? Aoba struck a pose to lift the mood again. "You haven't seen me in my fighting prime, Koujaku. I could take on a bunch of guys at once!" Not that he wanted to be in a position to do that, but he could do some serious damage if it came to it.

"And if things got too much, I'm a fast runner. Ren can attest to that." Ren's ears perked up and he lifted his head. The robotic voice replied, "Aoba is surprisingly nimble."

Aoba's brows furrowed, a pout forming. "Hey, what do you mean by surprisingly? I've always been nimble!" Okay, apart from the times he was drunk and trying to brawl, but that was a whole different story. And he didn't get like that anymore, so there was no point in bringing it up.

"Anyway, if I ever need backup, you'll be the first I'll call. You just have to promise not to be too eager with that blade of yours. We don't need any murder charges against us."

Aoba stretched, shivering when the cool air tickled his stomach as his shirt lifted just slightly. Man, he might actually have to grab his jacket again. "Anyway, you want a drink? I've got the good stuff in." Meaning he had Koujaku's favorite.

#acba #i love his brief interaction with ren <3

"Your fighting prime?" Koujaku gave a snort of amusement at Aoba's attempt to lighten the mood. "If you can really take on a bunch of guys on your own, maybe Mizuki should have some competition trying to recruit you. I'll even buy you a kimono myself," he teased. He was well aware of Aoba's disinterest in joining a Rib team and wouldn't push for it like their friend did, however.

He nodded at Aoba's reassurances, trying to convince himself that that would be enough to keep his friend safe. He was probably overthinking it, but he wouldn't forgive anyone who hurt Aoba in any way. So Aoba wasn't completely exaggerating with his warning not to use his sword even if he wouldn't actually stab anyone through. "Fine. I'll keep the sheath on," Koujaku assured him, waving his hand to dismiss the insinuation. "But if anyone lays a finger on you, they're still finding out where a hard hit from that will get them."

Luckily, Aoba shifted the subject away from what Koujaku would do to the men harassing him before Koujaku could settle on any more serious threats toward a situation that may not even happen. Though the matter wouldn't just fade from his mind completely, he let the subject drop for now and readily nodded at Aoba's offer. "The good stuff, huh?" Koujaku's eye shone with interest as the tension faded away. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ash tray and turned back toward Aoba's room.

A smile finally returned to play over his lips at the thought of a quiet, relaxed night together. "It's been a while since we shared a drink. Does that mean you remembered that sake I like?" Koujaku's drink of choice was as traditional as his kimono. He stepped toward the door and slid it open, reentering the room and waiting a few steps in for his friend to follow.

"Ah I see, I see. That's rather rude of them to attack your guys in such a way. Perhaps we do need to teach this other team some manners. It is your territory after all." Clear of course did not know the rules that Rib teams abided by but it was clear that this other team shouldn't be allowed to get away with hurting Koujaku's friends!

"Koujaku-san, would you like help? Even though I am not a member of your team I don't like the idea that these people hurt your friends. I promise to not get in the way." It wasn't like he couldn't find but he didn't prefer it. But this was Aoba's friend and he was hoping to make friends with him as well... Despite the rocky first impression.

#clear helping out beni-shigure in a turf war though #and no one even knows how well he can fight if he needs to!#translucentxjellyfish

Koujaku gave a decisive nod. "We'll teach them some manners, alright," he agreed, punching one fist into his opposite palm. "Siren's Thralls isn't a big team, but they've been recruiting a lot of members lately, and that growth has made them cocky. We'll make them think twice before they raise a hand in our territory again."

Clear's offer, however, caught him by surprise. The hairdresser raised an eyebrow and looked him over curiously. "You want to help?" He'd seen Clear throw a pretty impressive punch once, but other than that, the other man didn't strike him as much of a fighter. Still, he must have some fight in him if he was offering at all, and it wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of hands to even the odds. He wasn't worried about the members of Benishigure being able to hold their own, but there was no reason to turn Clear down if his intentions seemed to align with Koujaku's.

Finally he nodded. "Alright. You can fight on our side. I'll let my team know so that they're aware you're fighting for us." Clear stood out easily enough that no one would mistake him for as part of the opposing team once Koujaku pointed him out. Then another thought occurred to him, and he frowned slightly. "Do you actually know anything about Rib, though?" He assumed most people at least had a passing knowledge even if they weren't actively involved, but Clear did seem a bit naive to what he considered common knowledge from time to time.

#translucentxjellyfish

Continued from here

translucentxjellyfish

"... That we will Koujaku-san... Though I do wish we could avoid violence. Was it another Rib team that attacked, or do you think it was Morphine again?" While he wasn't a part of any Rib team he did want to help Koujaku even the odds if it was. It wasn't like those guys had given them any choice after all, they hadn't asked before attacking after all. The white haired man looked over to the darker haired man curiously, cocking his head to the side to show it further. After all, wasn't like the hairdresser could see his facial expression.

"No, it was definitely another Rib team," Koujaku replied with a slight frown. "There were no disappearances this time, and some of my team recognized the man leading the attack. We just weren't expecting it. They shouldn't have caught us off guard considering there have been threats to our territory lately, but they caught a few of my guys on the way home from the bar, so they weren't expecting it."

A sharp grin slowly spread over Koujaku's lips. "But we know who they are and where to find them. We're ready for them now, and tomorrow night we're taking the fight to them." Koujaku wasn't particularly interested in expanding his own territory, but he and his team would defend what they had fiercely, and he wasn't about to let any attack go unpunished.

rhymaticdesires

Right, he felt guilty for ruining their time together. If only he weren't so reckless. But he is a young man, he doesn't know any better. It doesn't mean that he isn't learning though.

Lips curling to a smile. "Sure man. Thanks." At least he doesn't seem agitated anymore, thanks to Koujaku's patience. He never had thought that he would be able to see him again after those several years of being separated. Koujaku really is a caring gentleman. And he always cared for the young Aoba, delinquent or not.

"Next time I won't fuck up though. Just watch."

#sorry it's late!#rhymaticdesires

Koujaku smiled back at him and nodded, relieved to see that Aoba had calmed down. "Take your time with it. I'll get you more if you need it." Even if Aoba had managed to drink that much whiskey in such a short period of time, that he was willing to let Koujaku take care of him now reassured him that his friend would be alright.

"It's alright," Koujaku reassured him with a slight shrug. "We can just take it a little slower next time, but we can still enjoy tonight." He believed Aoba that next time would be different, and he didn't feel like their evening had been ruined. He'd just gotten a bit worried and protective seeing his friend like that.

"Why don't you stay over tonight? I've got extra blankets and pillows, and the couch is pretty comfortable. You can just send Tae-san a quick message to let her know where you are so she doesn't get worried when you don't come home tonight." Koujaku expected that Aoba would be fine, but it was better not to risk him walking home in case the alcohol hit him hard.

"I'd say Ren did it." Aoba joked, laughing when Ren's ears perked up. He grabbed the ashtray and joined Koujaku outside. He'd tried smoking before, back when he behaved, for lack of a better description, off his head. He didn't miss it but he didn't mind that Koujaku smoked.

"I somehow get the feeling that she doesn't buy it anyway. I bet once you leave, she'll say that she knew it was me all along." That was just what Granny was like. Aoba was certain that she just played along in certain cases just to humor him. Stretching his arms above his head, Aoba took a second to enjoy the cool breeze. He always liked it when it was a bit cold out; it meant he could get all cosy later when he went to bed.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue, though. Such a loyal friend!" He was teasing, but he meant it at the same time. It was good to know that he could rely on Koujaku, even when it didn't involve anything serious.

"But you got all serious when I spoke about those annoying guys who call my work." Aoba leaned on the railing and glanced down the street to see if there was anything going on. Nope, it was as quiet as ever. He and Granny lived in a peaceful area. "Are you worried one of them will try something?" Like what? The one that had come into the shop had been weird as hell, yeah, but he hadn't tried anything.

"Don't worry, I won't let myself be bullied like when I was little." Anyway, it was different in a lot of ways. He was an adult, for one, and he'd learned a ton about self-defense and taking care of himself. Not that Koujaku had been around to see that part of his life, and Aoba was glad he hadn't been. He really didn't like thinking about how extreme he'd been. Violent, mean, and getting himself into all sorts of bad shit.