隠れん坊・　開催

lAST i checked your heart gave itself out to the world. kousuke seto mekakushihouse citizen ability stealing eyes, occupation: florist

[stolencharm-blog]

captivelines:

Seto was the first person–the first of a lot of things–to break her curious paradoxes. She ends up thinking about this as she follows him, his grip a familiar reassurance in an unfamiliar place.

She’d once been skittish of being touched at all by humans! But he’s the exception, the same as he was the first–the first to offer her a friendly touch, since her mother died, since decades in the woods where there was no one else around but animals.

(Not that the animals weren’t friendly.)

She’d not been counting on finding him either, but that’s Seto for you, showing up unexpectedly right when she needs him most. The boy who knocked.

And he sounds so confident! Like he’s really certain they will help that Ayano, and find everyone else. He’s sure that they’ll be fine. Mary looks up at him and smiles a bit, but she’s still uneasy.

“Ah…Saeru was…in the park area? It’s called…Sector Six?” She thinks. She’s met a lot of friendly people who’s shown her maps and explained the situation, but she’s never had a head for cities.

“S-Seto…I think he already knows where everyone is…I-I got separated from Kido, but…I know…! I shoudn’t keep worrying.”

She flutters her hands, clapping a hand to her face for a moment and pulling in a deep breath. It works, she’s a bit calmer.

“I…um, well, the queen snake can sort of sense him? But that Saeru is hiding under Favoring Eyes…if that makes any sense…!”

Mary’s the medusa here, and even now she still isn’t that certain on just what is going on with their powers.

As bleak as it sounds, Seto’s not one to lose his cool over a situation which more people than just him are a part of. 

“I know where that is. We’ll find a way.” 

He’s been frightened, and directionless - just like the faithful smile, trusting and briefly reassured all was right in the world -- when there was plenty that could be righted. 

He’s got himself lost countless times, -  unafraid of the consequences of getting back. 

He palms her head.

Giving one last ruffle to her hair, in an effort to ensure her that nothing would put him out of her sight. They would go together. -- Since that day he took her by the hand, she never felt like she had to be alone. And ...something he wouldn’t ever bring up, - but anything.

To keep her out of harm’s way.

There’s no question the immensity her warning brings, it wouldn’t all be the same if he learned each time this occurred, and counted. But Seto ...gets reprieve that Mary never will.

They rewrite this story, every time, time and again. He forgets. A little different, each go around, - but one thing always remains the same, she’s always there, and she remembers everything. 

That’s why, when he tells Mary everything’s going to be okay. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t grasp the entire situation, he doesn’t recall -- She’s afraid, of everything. 

Seto pulls her into his grasp, shrouding her way out to the outskirts to avoid the sounds and the carnage --  Choosing a quieter route, where they blended right in. They’d have to keep quiet from being spotted.

Her fears are real to him, as they are to her. He listens to her recounted fears. Understanding, what they’re experiencing right now is shared. 

But there’s always a reason that Mary’s voice shakes, when she’s truly afraid. 

He listens to her recounted fears. Understanding, what they’re experiencing right now is shared. 

“We’ll see them when we get there.” Seto heaves her up into his arms, tucking her near him. “The faster we get to them, -- the more we can help.”

That’s why he can’t lose her. Peering down at her, he’s reminded that this is the cry for help, that called out to him when no one was watching. No matter what happens, it’s Mary that needs to turn out alright in the end.

“We’ll know what to do.”

[x0401x]

sidu sketches >> marry

[eyesbehind]

Seto does a lot of little touches when it comes to her, and it never fails to make her blush. She flutters her hands, clapping them to her nose for a moment, but it’s not longer before he’s away; ah, now he’s building something? She watches him with this wide-eyed stare, realizing what’s going on after a moment or two.

Oh. It’s a staircase. Made from books.

His arm’s around her waist and his dearly familiar voice is here…Seto’s always been the best at reassuring her, but the current circumstance just might prove to be a bit too much even for him.

Mary notes the book he’s carrying, nodding at his words, and he doesn’t have to repeat himself twice! She scales those makeshift steps, mumbling an apology to the poor books she has to trample upon, gripping onto his hoodie.

“U-Um, Seto? We could just use the d-d…door…!”

The last word becomes a squeak because they’re out and about in a rush of movement, the library behind them now. Once she gets her bearings, she’s reminded why she hid in the library to begin with. Nevermind the war in the city! There’s…!

Keep reading

[stolencharm-blog]

Normally, going out the same way you came in isn’t advised, -- and Seto doesnt try to keep it his style. It’s the same when he doesn’t think fast enough for a scene that gets ahead of him, -- he doesn’t know where to stand, he doesn’t know who to catch. 

That’s because everyone is assigned to someone, and not everyone’s Mary. 

He knows exactly where to be when he sees it’s her - an evacuation materializes, coming together on its own. Seto mindlessly pulls the last bits together. 

Their plan is simple, leaving a few last careful touches to show they were never there. --Her foot prints imprinted in the dust, boarding the door one last time, - so no one can get in.

Even after they bolt. It’s better no one gets in, even after they leave. 

He did promise her, -- after all. 

While --suvival certainly wins across the board, every course of action here counts. ...They say everything can be replaced. but -- Seto’s not so sure. 

-- not when they didn’t have the chance to sift through it, in the first place. 

He owes her that at the very least. 

‘It’s scary out here.’ He clutches at her, nodding to confirm her suspicions. 

‘The whole world’s, been turned outside, down and inside up...’ He mumurs, ‘I would have never expected to find Mary.’ 

‘I’m glad.’ 

‘We’ll find everyone. -- We’ll find what you saw.’ He palms her head, cradilng the back of it. ‘the Ayano that he took from us, 

make him give her back...’ He squeezes her back, ‘but we have to find everyone else. If we find him, it might be closer to where everybody is.’ 

‘Can you try to remember?’ 

‘Whatever you’ve seen out here, we’ll ...we’ll tackle it together, okay?’ 

If “together” meant keeping Mary out of reach, - with someone to hold onto her - with someone to run in, when it was necessary -- so that the heads of survival could beat, and defeat the fear greater than all of them.

[hansei-hansui-deactivated201609]

乱

[hansei-hansui-deactivated201609]

Who knows. Giving Hanao attention is one thing – which he does, tapping at the hamster’s nose and smiling when she sniffs at his fingers – but getting the bird to play is another.

He reaches out…

Gets the budgie on one finger…

And guides him over, hovering just a couple inches away.

‘Do you think they’ll like each other?’

The look George is giving Hanao is far from pleasant. Beady, even.

‘… I can’t tell…’

[stolencharm-blog]

Haru’s pal sure is compliant, but there are a number of things wrong with the setup. Hanao is still a ball of energy that stills, -- when Haru draws his budgie near. 

‘...Hanao? ...What’s wrong?’ He curls his palm around her ...final ice cube form. ‘You know? Now that you mention it ...I’m --not sure if they’ve met.’ 

‘The’ve been in the same room together, right?’  That’s as far as that goes...

Like. -- He’d ask, but Hanao’s sniffle and the way her paws close together, - since they’re stubby he’s afraid they don’t go very far! She’s not holding onto anything either, aside from her dignity... 

‘U -Um.’ Seto shifts Hanao just out of reach, to nip the ceasefire and tilts his head adjacent to how George is staring a laser-path across the foor. 

He breets softly in the budgie’s face, ‘Did we wake you up? You sound a little cranky...’ He peeks back up at Haru, ‘...Want to trade?’

Seto reaches around to provide a smaller pack of popcorn, ‘- She likes these! and I know she likes you.’  

Lining up a half circle for George, he shrugs. ...Maybe he’d do a trick for them, if they left him a present.

‘Swap?’ 

[asukashikimoney]

we're going mad in slow motion / asuka n seto

stolencharm​

✜ – there are dark forms – shadows – of the unknown in the distance; perhaps there are more angels beyond the veil, ravenous monsters with the taste of flesh on their tongues, or maybe there are just humans, stuck amongst the crowd. whoever they are, they are merely entertainment for the few moments before they break.

no one stands a chance against asuka and her eva!

fingers dancing along the butterfly controls, asuka can’t say she misses the smell of LCL, even if it’s homely. it only reminds her of the battle to come, of victory, of loss. what if she can’t remember how to pilot? what if she can synchronise? what if –––––––

❝ where the hell is my backup?! ❞

[stolencharm-blog]

it’s scarcely his job to intervene, -- but as is it’s getting worse out here by the minute. -- letting rogues go against the crowd, their instincts fogged up by their will to fight back, 

-- it’s -- easy to just focus on the immediate circle you need to save, let them run in blind and tear your gaze away from these tyes -  but that’s not the kind of people they are. 

he was raised better. it’s easy not to recognize that past the bloodlust, the aching pang to not lose, --- that it’s all human. every last feral lashback,  it’s easy to forget -- there’s a human in there. 

the scream let alone brings him back to his senses, narrowly missing the track of a mecha barreling through the sector -- it’s huge. 

he’s only seen things like it on tv, when his housemates competitively game -- but there’s no denying that that thing is as real as the carnage pouring out from above. it’s a female voice.

-- and she has no help. 

he checks -- first, since he’s not suited up, not suited for the job except seeking out his friends and family members - but he looks above, to survey the panoramic destruction, and? 

she’s entirely alone. 

“did you come out here without help!?” when the piloted machine swerves, he bangs on one of its shins -- clearing out into obvious as day view. 

 “excuse me up there, can you hear me!---” he marches onto its ankle, snagging at one of its defined, shifting joints. “look!-- we don’t know each other, but -- if you’re out here alone!” 

“I can help!” 

[eyesbehind]

It takes her a second to realize that, yes, Seto’s going to skip the stairs and just scramble over the side to reach her. She’s only got time to stammer halfway through a worried protest–he should use the stairs, they’re not just a suggestion!–before he’s got her in such a tight hug that she loses her breath.

And, Mary? She sort of wants to cry, and she might be tearing up, and oh no, she needs to stop being such a crybaby…!

She clings to the back of his jacket and smiles for a moment. You know, she’s only about up to his chest, it’s a little bit funny…Oh, but she feels so much better already.

“S-Seto! I’m so glad you’re here, ev-everything’s been really…” Scary. Overwhelming. She saw Saeru! He could be in danger!

She jolts back in a panic, gripping his hand firmly and staring pleadingly up at him. “W-We really should go you’re right! I, um, I don’t know if we should stay still for too long…” The ends of her hair are twisting themselves in anxiety.

[stolencharm-blog]

There are only a couple of ways to go around this. The softness that combs through his fingers when she shifts in his arms, the small voice that and clings to his back. 

-- It all starts with the faint thudding in his chest, -- reminding Seto that. This way? They’ll never be alone. 

They just have to stay close together, -- and it lasts but a moment. 

He peers down at her, a thin smile parting through her thick bangs, between mounds of hair for a glimpse of Mary. 

‘Hold on.’ a look of concentration takes place as he reaches in -- to cup her cheek briefly, swiping something off the bridge of her nose. 

‘There.’ 

He eases into a smile that looks trusting of their surroundings, ‘You’ve been here just long enough, I take it?’

She’s so tense, frozen to the spot while -- and he could just heave her out of here, but that’s not how it should go... 

She’s more aware of the situation than he is. It’s clearly written on her face, but Seto doesn’t command anything out of the ones in his circle of care. 

Stacking books one at a time, by her feet he props the window up that he came through. 

‘No, we don’t have long.’ He speaks quietly, motioning for her to join him as he draws her near, an arm snugly around her skirts. Three, four, five books... and he stops, pausing to withdraw a volume from the pile. 

‘Mouse and her short stories...’ His eyes scan over the binding, mumbling unheard just under his breath ...wedging it beneath his arm as a short lived secret. ‘Just a sec, Mary.’ 

He releases her, compiling stacks of books as makeshift steps to the high window, -- making sure they’re safe to the step. He offers Mary a hand, to help her up. 

‘Once we find everyone... I’d like to bring you back here. We’ll have more time to ourselves then.’ He says this without flinching, ‘-- We can come back and save this place, too.’

He reaches under her wrist to skim her palm with his fingertips, giving her a thumbsup. ‘We’ll be okay!’

‘I made it up here, -- so there’s a way down!’ It’s now or never, -- though he wouldn’t try to convince her of that. Not when she’s all nerves. Not when he’d just found Mary. ‘-- Just hold on to me!’

[hansei-hansui-deactivated201609]

乱

‘… is this really a good idea?’

It’s really not.

‘We could just put her in the hamster ball…’

stolencharm

[stolencharm-blog]

He might be right.

‘About that...’ It’s the waning hours of the night, keeping the critters’ energy high that neither of them have. 

Haru suggests the least likely, keeping their furry friend practicing cruise control -- containable.  

‘D -do we have to?’ He scoops the pumpkin dollop into his palm, nose twitching as she stands on her hind feet to sniff Haru. 

‘Maybe if we just found her a friend to play with... Is...’ He gestures at the colorful budgie, ruffling itself to an anticipated slumber.

‘Does she want to come out for a bit, and play?’

[eyesbehind]

stolencharm

[eyesbehind]

Unease follows her like a shadow, a silent predator lying in wait, and she…She runs to hide, trying not to think about the forest and what had happened there. 

It’s a stroke of luck that sends her stumbling through the deserted library, but the familiarity of books? That’s what makes her stay. There’s no one else there in the near-silence except for some mice and some moths, and Mary–

Mary hides. She wanders a little, picking up unfamiliar books and trying to calm her nerves. The snakes inside of her are as tense as she is, but she’s going to just read, you know? Read and not worry. It’ll be okay. She’ll go meet up with Kido and Konoha again soon,after she’s calmed a little. Don’t make them fret.

It’s fine.

She hears a window slide up and someone climb in, from outside.

…It’s not fine.

Mary scrambles to hide, but all semblance of grace flees her and she sends a pile of books toppling over the edge of the library’s second floor, where she’d been formerly hidden. They hit the floor below in a telltale clamor. She closes her eyes tight, flinching, before daring to peek down–

She gasps. She gasps and leans over the banister’s side for balance, the smile on her face so bright and wondrous; she knows right away that it’s really him.

“S-Seto!!”

[stolencharm-blog]

Seto knows telling little of every crook and turn made available to hide in, he knows the outskirts better than he does the crowded neighborhoods -- but this is where they need him. 

The dust lifts and the sunlight pours in to settle. 

As soon as he looks up, -- she’s there, a face that lights up with recognition, a whole bundle of a girl worth rescuing. He hoists himself over the ledge, shortly joining her.

Getting back on his feet, he smooths a hand over her white cloud of hair, pulling her into a tight hug when he sees her. It’s no wonder no one’s with her at that moment, -- but perhaps... 

That’s why he found her first. 

“Mary.” 

He’s so glad he checked here. 

They have to be careful. 

“It’s a lot nicer in here, but we can come back. Once we find everybody else, just us.” 

“How about we get out of here?”

[tokakiri-deactivated20140731]

Sentence Starters { Protective Version }

“Watch out!”

“You could have been killed!”

“Run! Hurry up, go!”

“Save yourself, I’ll hold them back.”

“Leave me here! Go! Hurry! I can handle it.”

“I promise I’ll make sure they don’t hurt you.”

“They better not have laid a damn finger on you or I’ll [insert threat].”

“I swear, if they so much as breathe next to you, I’ll knock them out.”

“I’m not leaving you here!”

“And let you get yourself killed?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I don’t trust him/her. They seem off.”

“I’m saying this for your own good!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

“I don’t want to lose you! You’re all I have left!”

[stolencharm-blog]

[bulletsnroses]

“…mmpf!!” Before startled yelps or savage sounds could escape, the Valentine covered her lips to smother her fright. Talking to herself, she hadn’t expected anyone to actually humor her musings, with such a prompt response no less. But there he was, a stranger with a smile, saying say illuminating things. “S.. S-Sounds like – ahem, sorry…” Hands removed from her face, she let out a shaky laugh.

 “Sounds like you’re a little more positive than everyone else around here. You think we could really protect the city like that?” Would they want to? Destroying this place to smithereens seemed like it was on more than several citizen’s agenda. Of course, that’d be too easy. 

And the scientists weren’t so doting.

“No promises from this scatterbrain… but I’ll try to keep a close eye on the giant blood diamond in the sky. It lends me such romantic nights… s’least I can do.”

[stolencharm-blog]

For a whole second, and it’s only a second,

Seto has to remember he’s not taking anyone anywhere. She’s acting like there’s something feared to be kept out of sight. So he tucks them just out of a bypassing view, It’s really by instinct, nothing more. 

Tugging her near a wall, he recalls belatedly that despite the signs, the stars coming into alignment... He’s not so afraid. Neither should she be, but he doesn’t have to tell her that. 

Who wouldn’t be?

The projected sweetheart mannerisms, gestures all reserved, for someone else? She’s committed every cue to being farthest away by negotiably pristine, with the shaky exterior he’s almost sure there’s nothing to be hiding from, but there is something she doesn’t mind hiding herself. 

‘For someone so “scattered”, I think you have it together than most people do.’

, but that’s for another another time.

‘I think if we’re in real need of saving, we’ll pull through.’ They always do.

   ‘If there weren’t people willing to stand up, no matter how small, I think we’d all be in greater trouble than we already are. That’s where we come in.’ By the numbers. He winks, ‘We’re kind of a big deal.

If you can keep that under wraps.’

... You know? That makes such a nice story, I think you’re better off keeping on its good side if it lends you support like that. It sounds, um ...like you two are really close.’

‘I’d really hate to get on its bad side myself.’

[stolencharm-blog]

It's 2 in the morning, and they're a rather sleepless bunch. 

timelostmemories

But they've all gotten better. 

Nobody's made happy when their peers can't sleep, but first things are first, and that's to check if anyone made the teen with the red blazer sleep on the couch.

It's a good indication as any when he flicks on the lights in the living room and no one screams, but even better when Seto sneaks down the hallways to stop in front of Shintaro's shared room; the one that bunks with him is 1., either too excited to sleep, 2., a heavy sleeper and incidentally knocked out - so Seto's visit won't see to any consequences.

And, 3., he could take advantage of the unlocked door and sneak in to see the main attraction on his day, an hour or two late, rather than just set his favors at the door and leave. He could, and let the main grasp for attention sleep. 

He could do all that, but Seto feels terrible, he had called in an order in advance for the handful of girls (the ones who cared) that were due to specify what his cake looked and tasted like : how many candles they could makeshift stick in it without ruining the simple, commendable aesthetic of the cake. 

He’d phoned in for flowers from the shop he ran until close, that he couldn’t nip his shift as this was the night they had to ship out their petering supply of flowers that ran very close to their shelf life. 

The end of the month was a mad rush of sorts to be had, where he, a responsible and hard worker, pawned off all flowers (that he didn’t take home) for further profit. 

Most of them, unbeknownst to his manager’s knowledge he took home any way, but it certainly didn’t drive their shop to ruin. It just so happened that he couldn’t take a whole glass case full of them home every other night, as he could get a little more ambitious with how much he hefted home --

when he was closing early over the weekends. 

Nobody complained, except when they had to be thrown out. All good things had to go, and he’d blanked out after making those couple calls, up until around 11:30 that night -- when he paced and set his feet to go impatiently at the tile. 

That half hour was longest, when he was sure everyone was winding down, - and an outgoing call at this hour from the shop’s landline would look suspicious anyway, - unless it was incoming from his manager, no one would be calling at this hour. 

He would probably be interrogated the morning next why he tried answering a customer back at such a late hour, and that was that. Besides, some of the dan had probably drifted and were starting to fall into a deep sleep. 

So he doesn’t leave the room, he doesn’t let the door slam but latch closed with a soft ‘clack’ and tiptoes over with a hastily newspaper wrapped parcel he slips under the bunk he knows is Kisaragi-kun’s, hovering briefly over the one adjacent to his bed where both their friend is asleep. 

He lets out a breath of relief, tacking his tag, a note on it to let off who it’s from. 

Who knows what kind of commotion might have lived to see the day, if their mutual calmer was awake with lights brightly renewed in his eyes. He doesn’t expect that kind of reaction from the ‘main marvel’ in regard at stake, so he refrains from jostling him just in case. 

As if the flower pinned on like a corsage on the side of the box wouldn’t be a great giveaway, crouching down to secure a multicolored night light, poorly installed because someone bumped it just in between their beds. Seto sucks air in through his teeth and starts to tiptoe out of the room. 

He nods to the recipient of his no-ends met deed, saluting as he leaves them and signals the numbers ‘1′ and ‘9′ with his ten fingers, as if sending him off with the blessings of the one more year he earned. 

It’s not a big deal, but to some point they all want to grow up together, to wherever they get to see everyone around - they might see each other in sparse but if their lucky number seven is going to get ahead of the curb, 

he might as well do it in style. 

[bulletsnroses]

“T-The moon isn’t going to fall on us or anything, right? Maybe it’ll just be huge nightlight for the city?

… Trying to stay optimistic isn’t working…”

[stolencharm-blog]

‘ - Would that be so bad?’ Seto stops at a beat, he lets the sentence hang. A ‘night light’ that never goes out sounds like it soothe a lot of restless sleepers, you know?’

‘Besides, if it really fell.’ That sounds like a powerful ending, to a book he doesn’t want to read to anyone he knows, ‘Maybe we could break it up into pieces before it hits us.’

If that were the case, maybe he might. It would make a seizing sight.  ‘[...Nothing we couldn’t handle.]’  He murmurs, ‘I don’t think.’ 

‘But,’ He trails off, hood falling just short of his head. ‘You might as well keep your eyes up, that’s where the moon is.’

‘We’ll be missing it, if anything were to happen.’

[askboxmemethings]

My muse works at Starbucks. Send me "Coffee!" to see what terrible name/misspelling my muse will write on your cup.

[cittamemes]

[ Bold which of the two traits applies most to your muse! Note that these will not necessarily be opposites! ]

Ambitious // Vindictive

Self-critical // Selfless 

Idealistic // Relaxed 

Loyal // Innovative

Patient // Neat

Kind // Moody 

Fearful // Open

Frugal // Glamorous

Trusting // Confident 

Perfectionist // Patriotic

Methodical // Humorous 

Maternal/Paternal // Callous

[stolencharm-blog]

▀▄▀▄ - ayano

Manual half-singed from a culinary accident? (The one they desperately need.) 

   Some of the pages are – well, melded together and it looks something huge took a bite out of it! 

Tools dispersed this way and that, a handful of them rolled under set stove as a legitimate fire hazard? They’re only semi-equipped, but that’s going to have to do! All things checked in order.

The whole kitchen looks like a rushed evacuation, all current appliances unplugged from the wall. 

It looks like the kitchen on any other day that Mary offers to bake. (Most times they’re able to win her over with an easy bake, but not always.)

It just so happens, today’s a little different, and Mary is nowhere in sight! 

“I think we’re ready!” 

This is less terrifying, but being two of the most accidentally prone people in the house, if they put their capable selves together… Something will come out of it, won’t it? 

Or so that’s how it could go. 

“Aaaah okay I think we’ve got it!” Legs swinging from the table and narrowly missing him in the face, rather, they’ve attached all four legs, checked to make sure the dining surface is even with the ground. And it is. 

There’s just one thing, as Seto holds himself up with the wall’s support - assembly wasn’t the hard part, but making sure this could hold was another! “Are we all good up there?” He checks over his shoulder, looking anywhere else but the decent crop of skirt. if it weren’t for it being Seto, they’d get a view of just leg and nothing else – for anyone else, that’d be a problem, 

   as it was, this was Seto, the only thing worried about keeping himself grounded! 

But he wonders if Ayano’s feeling just as safe up there… 

   From a pressing 6ft up, he’s glad for their high ceiling. “– You think we can start using this?” 

Seto asks in a lilt, for her honest opinion. He trusts Ayano to at least give hers out, hence she’s personally testing it out for him. Face focused for a second as he spots the kitchen for where they might put the thing, he adjusts his grip on the corner of the table. 

“We can seat everyone at the one we have, but it’s a little cramped…”  He muses, not minding the weight placement and barely realizes just at how steep an angle he held Ayano on his shoulder. He wouldn’t have, not until she slid down the table and bumped into the side of his head. “oh -”, He glances back up at her, slightly embarrassed. “Did. 

a whole moment’s worth of distress crosses his face, “do you want me to put you down?”

But how to put her down. Without slamming the newly assembled staple piece of furniture into anything, or making his worker partner startle. They were in a bit of a predicament! On a scale from 1-10, Ayano’s rank of comfort is at an unreadable ??? which he could make more sense of

If he’d just asked. He could’ve thought that one up ten minutes ago. 

[fireferretfighter-blog-deactiva]

Send a ▀▄▀▄  for a peek at our muses working together to build IKEA furnature