November Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: Hajime Iwaizumi + YOU!
What: November catch-all log
Where: Various locations
When: The month of November
Content Warnings: None thus far; will add as needed

((ooc:This catch-all will also serve as Iwaizumi’s introductory post! Please feel free to hit up any of the open TLs found below. I will likely be adding them as the month goes on! Please feel free to add me on plurk @ pantheraliam for plotting/updates on TLs being added!))

Comments

Re: Brawl at the Merlaut Apartments (Closed to Participants of That Thread)

[bluecastleace]

[It’s been a few days since the Great Neutering of Seto Kaiba (and the consequences of such), and Iwa has managed to make it out of his apartment a couple of times with no issue. He’s been around, found food to eat, the occasional piece of furniture washing up on the beach(?), etc.., but for the most part he’s taken to locking himself in his apartment and avoiding his neighbors as much as possible - and can you really blame him after that whole circus?

[How he’s managed to avoid a run-in with any of the brawl’s spectators is beyond him (though he tries not to question it), but he’s hoping to continue that lucky streak as he exits his apartment today. He’s got too much pride to stick his head out the door and glance around like a frightened little schoolgirl, but he does take a glance through the peephole before exiting. The coast looks clear, so he ventures outside—

[Just in time to see a familiar face approaching him - a face he’d seen just days ago in that God forsaken crowd. He mutters a quick curse to himself, then quickly turns his back and attempts to make it out the floor exit before they can flag him down.]

REST IN FUCKIN PIECES IWA-CHAN

[menaretrash]

[ It's been a few days. Tension had been high at the time, and yes, Ann realizes that she did, in fact, overreact. If they hadn't just awakened from a month in nightmare hell she'd have probably reacted a little differently. She'd already felt guilty before Ren and her other friends had lectured her endlessly about her temper, she's heard it all, and yes, she understands that she deserves that and more.

She's planned on apologizing to the young man at some point, of course. She's just sort of... trying to wait until the time is right. Fate has dictated that today is the day of all days, and it's apology time apparently as she rounds the corner and spots Iwa. He's quick, too, trying to flee, and she can't really blame him. ]

Hey, wait! [ She swears she isn't going to try and kick your ass this time! ] Wait, I wanted to... I need to apologize to you for the other day...

[bluecastleace]

[He hears the Hey, wait!, and thinks to himself, The fuck I will! Isn’t that that crazy fan girl that attacked him the other day? Tensions may not be as high on this random afternoon, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less crazy—-

[He...can’t keep himself from stopping when he hears the tone of her voice though, the way she says she needs to “apologize”. He inwardly groans as he feels his feet stop dead in their tracks. Why am I so goddamn nice, he wonders as he sighs, then turns around to face her with a cautious glare on his face.

[What to even say here? He definitely doesn’t want to be talking to her right now - so why am I? Iwa’s a nice guy deep down, and it has gotten him into endless frustrating situations. That, and he doesn’t really know how to handle girls in general - especially when they’re crazy and take flying leaps at people?

[She wants to apologize, he reminds himself. So...]

Say what you need to say then. I’ve got somewhere to be. [He lies.]

[menaretrash]

[ Oh, good, he actually stopped and she doesn't have to stoop to leaving a note on his door like some sort of bizarre stalker. ]

I'm sorry for the other day. I'm not normally that quick to jump... and it was wrong of me. We'd just... been through something really bad, and emotions were running high. But that's no excuse for what I did to you, because you were going through something really shitty too, having just arrived.

[ She's sincere, at least, and she means everything that she's saying. So, she takes it a step further and offers the poor young man a small bow of apology. ]

I'm really sorry about that. I hope that you've been able to relax since, and that you've had a better experience since.

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi does a pretty decent job of maintaining his irritated, guarded glare for most of the girl’s speech, but when she literally bows in apology, he...starts to feel a little bad. His expression softens into that of weak exasperation, and he stands there for a moment, lost for words.

[She does sound sincere, and that makes it hard to stay angry - even if she was practically kissing Gamer Boy’s ass the entire time they were trapped in that hallway (when she wasn’t trying to beat Iwa’s ass, that is).

[He sighs. What is he even supposed to say to that?]

It’s...whatever. [That should work, right? So he can leave now?

[Ughhhhh. Another long pause. This is so awkward. He shrugs a little, averts his gaze - anywhere but Ann.]

You know, you kept mentioning that - that something shitty happened, I mean. [However:] You should know that it was your friend who grabbed me first, and I’m not about to let just any asshole have their way with me without fighting back.

[He wants to say that there’s no need to worry about his experience, that he’s just fine, and that he’d really like to stop talking all and any of that, but—- well, that would be talking about it, wouldn’t it? Best to just let the conversation move past his own emotions.]

[menaretrash]

[ Ann finally straightens up a few moments later, shoulders drooping slightly because honestly, this entire ordeal has been... A Thing. ]

It's not 'whatever', I screwed up really badly and almost hurt you, and it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened.

[ She should have just grabbed Seto and pulled him back to his place and get some ice for his balls and let that be that. Should have, would have, but didn't. ][ She's not about to go into Mementos right now, now's not the time or place. ] ...He failed to mention that, but I'm not surprised. He did that to me once, too. [ And she'd had to fight the urge to flip Seto across the room and beat the shit out of him that time, too, if ONLY because of how sensitive things had been at the time. Now, they're close and it's very strange. ] ...I'm sorry about that, I'll try and talk to him about it. He's just... got a way about him.

[ He's a jerk, she knows it, everyone knows it, but... he is who he is. ]

My name is Ann, by the way. Ann Takamaki, and I'm really sorry we didn't get to meet on... better terms.

[bluecastleace]

[Iwa (or rather, his pride) is about to argue that, no, Ann did not almost hurt him, that he would have been fine, but then she mentions talking to Kaiba, and—-]

No, do not—- [Easy, Iwaizumi. The girl is just trying to be nice. He tries again, adjusts his tone, though he’s still clearly agitated as he speaks.] Please, do not bring my name up to that guy ever. I don’t want anything to do with him, and I’m not lying when I say I don’t give a shit what he thinks about me.

[It’s the God’s honest truth, and he hopes his tone conveys that clearly. Here’s another topic of conversation he’d like to slide past as quickly as possible.]

Whatever you think about the rest of it, it’s fine. [His tone is a little more gentle now at least. He doesn’t want this girl beating herself up over defending a friend, even if it was a pretty shitty fucking friend to have to defend.] Nothing came of it, right? So it’s fine.

I’m Iwaizumi. Hajime, but just...Iwaizumi is fine. [Another pointed look.] But keep it to yourself. Seriously. [As in don’t tell that asshole anything about me and I mean it.]

[menaretrash]

Ah... [ Okay, yeah, she gets it. She raises her hands in a complacent gesture and nods. ] Sure, no problem. I'll keep it to myself, then.

[ Even though it's very likely he's going to bump into Seto again, this place is... only so big. But, he'll probably figure out how to handle that when the time comes. ]

It's not fine, I screwed up. And I'd like to make it up to you somehow.

[ Because that's only fair, isn't it? ]

Iwaizumi-san, then. I know, I know, I promise I won't tell Seto-kun anything. It's good to meet you on better terms.

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi sighs again. Why this girl is suddenly being so nice is beyond him - she must really be sorry, and that’s only making him feel worse about the whole situation.]

Listen.

Ann or Takamaki-san? Which do you prefer? [Since we’re on the topic of names, let’s get that out of the way first.]

[simulatio]

[Now, Iwaizumi hadn't exactly seen Akechi during that brawl -- Akechi was, for better or for worse, still comatose from his stint as a corpse in the dreamscape during that whole affair. But Akechi is nothing if not nosy, and considering the lack of usual entertainment in the Void, of course it had come up.

Akechi isn't exactly a barista; he'd forced Ren to teach him, back when he'd been too injured to explore the Void and hadn't had anything else to do, but now that he's back to full fighting shape, he's back to sitting at the bar chatting with the actual barista. His high school uniform is still kept painstakingly clean in spite of all current events, and he has a rather large (boring-looking) book of philosophy on the bar beside him.

No, the person Iwa might recognize is Ren. Akechi glances toward the door at the sound of the bell, quirking an eyebrow at the sight of the stranger, sweeping his eyes over him in appraisal before glancing to Ren as if silently asking for confirmation: this the guy?]

It's... Iwaizumi-kun, isn't it? [he remarks with a pleasant smile, returning his attention to the stranger by the door.] Care to join us? I believe Ren's just finished another batch of curry.

[forethinking]

(Ah, routine has been better established now, with time being something that can be counted and accounted for. It should be no surprise that Ren spent what could be considered months in Heavenly Blanc, simply because time went so slowly or didn't pass at all to their understanding and well - sleep was nowhere to be found.

Now they have actual scheduled shifts and what not, and it's Ren's turn. At least he has his favorite person to keep him company while he stirs the pot - nevermind whatever philosophical discussion they were having. Both have had their nose on that book as the sole source of entertainment... And it's not even that entertaining to Ren.

The bell, the side eye silent question and Ren nods shortly as he pours the curry onto their plates before tip toeing to reach for one more on a top shelf.)

Welcome. (If Iwai got annoyed at Ren's quietness when he first came to see him, he's about to be real annoyed now. Whenever Akechi is around, Ren just lets him run his mouth endlessly while Ren watches from the background unless directly spoken to. He doesn't talk as much as the other, so...)

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow when he’s greeted by what appears to be a perfect stranger. The “Iwaizumi-kun” is entirely too familiar, and it brings about an irritated scowl - but, when he sees that Ren is in Akechi’s company, he does seem to ease a bit. If only to maintain whatever awkward but amicable rapport they’ve built thus far, he approaches the table, hands remaining stuffed in his pockets, expression flat.]

Iwaizumi. [Drop the “kun”, stranger.] My reputation precedes me, I guess.

[He offers Ren a short nod in greeting, then puts his eyes back on Akechi.]

Who are you?

[simulatio]

[Ah- one of those types. There's a beat as Akechi mentally reshuffles how he wants to present himself, then just inclines his head in a nod of both apology and acknowledgement.]

I should say so. A brawl almost loud enough to wake the dead, hm?

[He smiles, but only Ren can catch that it's a joke. Considering that, well. Akechi was comatose through the whole thing. Such a pity; he'd have liked to have see that. Maybe tossed in a few choice words to see if he could escalate it, just for fun. At least Ann had done that for him. Maybe he should get her a thank-you gift for the entertainment.]

My name is Akechi. Ren tells me you had a rather unfortunate encounter with one of his friends during that whole... incident. I simply wanted to make sure there wasn't any bad blood between us.

[forethinking]

(Oh dear LORD, Ren forgot how Akechi sounds like to outsiders. Not only do they have an agreement, but also, it's rare that they talk to someone new when they're together as of late. After all, the people who hang out with both of them got to see Akechi at least be a little less...

Fake.

Ren does catch the joke and he smiles just a bit. Hadn't Yoshizawa ran to his room to get him, Ren wouldn't have witnessed it, since he was staying with Akechi all this time. He almost wants to snort when he hears "his friends", Akechi already separating himself from the general group... While attempting to make sure he's not in trouble for being a part of it. Confusing, but merely out of curiosity, he's not jumping in to correct.

Instead, he just puts a fresh plate of curry in front of both, along with the cups of coffee that complement it.)

[bluecastleace]

Ann? [Weird how Iwaizumi loosens up just a little when she’s mentioned. That bad blood had been quelled pretty quickly, it seems.] Not sure why one of Ren’s friends attacking me would make me give half a shit about you.

Anyway, Ann’s fine. I don’t hold it against her.

[In fact, if he had to pick out one person in the Void that he actually liked, it would probably be Ann. Having a desperately needed volleyball partner can do that to a guy.]

Honestly, the entire thing was bullshit, and I’d really rather everyone drop it. It was just a stupid fight.

[Also? Kaiba totally deserved it.

[He throws Ren another quick nod - this time in thanks - when he sees the curry.]

[simulatio]

Ren and I are quite close, after all. Some people might make the mistake of assuming that I'd hold similar antagonistic feelings, were I involved.

[Akechi rests his chin in his hand and gives Iwa another one of his winning smiles, the kind that only hints at touching his eyes, even as he studies his posture.]

So it's a relief to hear you're not the type to hold grudges. Kaiba-kun, [and he already knows Kaiba doesn't like that familiarity either, but hasn't point-blank asked him to stop, so he doesn't,] can be difficult to get along with, but considering the current state of things in this Void we've found ourselves in, it's in our best interests for everyone to get along, no? After all, there's not currently a system of checks or balances to ensure things don't get a little... violent.

[begetblue]

[ Turing had been a bystander at best during that whole ordeal, but their reaction was similar to Ren's: sympathy. Poor Iwaizumi had just seemed so defeated by the end of it, and they could only imagine how lonely it must have felt to be a newcomer in a strange place and feel like nobody was on your side.

...Plus, they weren't on the greatest of terms with Kaiba either. Ahem.

Obviously, all of this meant they had to make an effort to help him feel a little more at home, or at least more comfortable with a temporary home. If they had access to the mesh, trying to figure out a proper housewarming gift would be so! Much! Easier! Alas, it was not to be. Food seemed like the safest bet here, and the final result reflected that as well. They had a slice of lemon cake from the church's bakery, and if Iwaizumi didn't like sweets, they also had some of the Korean BBQ from the Wall Market.

Despite all of that, they did not plan for him to do an about-face before they could do anything. ]

Please wait! I just have something I'd like to give you, and then I'll be on my way!

[ Whether he liked it or not, Turing was following, though their short strides also meant Iwaizumi could probably outspeed them regardless. ]

[bluecastleace]

[Luckily for Turing, when that first passing glance fully registers, Iwa stops in his tracks and does a double take. That’s...a tiny...robot (maybe)? Certainly not the larger one he remembers getting in between he and Mr. Gamer Boy. It’s enough to cause him to stop and stare long enough to hear the little thing’s plea, which is only more baffling. This is like Ren’s curry delivery all over again. That had been done with the best of intentions, maybe this would be too, but...

[He frowns, stuffs his hands in his pockets.]

Not necessary.

[Also, what...are you???]

[begetblue]

Not necessary...?

[ They were indeed a tiny robot, but after being turned down by Iwa, they looked more like a tiny robot who had just been scolded. After all, they couldn't make him accept it. If they tried to force him to accept it after he had already refused, that would do little other than soothe their own conscience, and that wasn't what they wanted. ]

May I ask why?

[bluecastleace]

[...good...good question, actually. He...wasn’t prepared for it.]

May I ask why you’re trying to give me something right now?

[Said with irritation, because!!! Why are you even trying to be nice right now? He doesn’t understand! Just let him be mean and leave him alone!]

[begetblue]

[ Turing braced themselves at that irritation, as if it was a strong gust of wind coming straight at them. Well, they weren't expecting this to be easy. Might was well be honest. ]

I wanted to offer this to you as an apology. I didn't step in to help you when the situation took a turn for the worse, and for that, I'm sorry. However, if you would rather be left alone, I will honour that.

[bluecastleace]

[Damn is conscience. It’s really hard to be an asshole when everyone decides to be so nice all of a sudden. He sighs a little, but maintains his grumpy expression.]

There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s not like I wanted anyone stepping in in the first place.

That’s not your responsibility.

[I don’t even know you.]

[begetblue]

[ Turing was still a fairly new (and more importantly, impressionable) being. So when one person had called them a coward in the past for not stepping in to help someone while another said it wasn't their responsibility, it was confusing! Why were humans so confusing sometimes? ]

I suppose you're right. No one assigned me with that responsibility. [ A pause. ] I would still like to offer my aid to you if you ever need it. In that case, it's not a responsibility; it's my own choice.

[ That makes things better, right...? ]

[feale]

[ Yoshizawa has been spending time "today" at Heavenly Blanc and is on her way back to the apartments, the air starting to slowly dim around her despite the small, absent-minded smile on her lips. Tired, but happy. Apart from the mess that was the brawl, things seem to be looking up since they woke from the nightmare; Akechi has woken up, she has an apartment, and even if she's stuck here, she's at least with people she cares about a lot.

Of course her mind is thinking briefly over the brawl as she stops in front of the figure who is suddenly in front of her, and she stops abruptly, pausing awkwardly for a few moments.

She remembers him. They met on the beach, first. And then later, in the apartments... he kicked Kaiba-san, and was tackled by Takamaki-senpai in return... She doesn't know much about his situation, but she does remember that he's new, even moreso than she is.

Yoshizawa was lucky enough to walk into a situation here with friends. But in his case... well, it seems like his arrival was less than ideal.

Her frantic expression softens into a small, embarrassed smile, something hopefully welcoming. ]

O-Oh! You're... you're Iwaizumi-san. Is that correct?

If you want we can wait for the beach thread to go further before continuing <3

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi stops, sighs, and eventually turns around when he hears his name. He’d seen this girl in the brawl, yes, but how does she know his name? Upon closer inspection, he realizes that, oh, this is that girl he’d met on the beach a few days ago. He softens a little at that. As he can recall, she wasn’t really part of that whole scene - though she did make it a bit more crowded by dragging someone else into it.]

Uh. Yeah. Hi.

We met on the beach, right? [Please associate him with that and not that stupid fight. Maybe they can just avoid that topic altogether - if he has it his way, maybe she’s forgotten, but that seems greatly unlikely.]