takemura | ----> INBOX

when we spoke you seemed a man who appreciates finer things

I, a finer thing, have a proposition

If you drink, have procured excellent sake

I see you were able to find my contact information, Youko-san. Did you want so badly to speak to me again?

I am impressed that you were able to find sake here. Even an equivalent is better than nothing.

I did, so I sought you out
Your countenance and demeanor are pleasing

Perhaps it isn't sake but it is close enough to persuade me, was not cheap, am sharing it sparingly

I am flattered, but there is one small issue that you haven't stopped to consider: I am much too old for you. That is no small obstacle.

Haha I like you

I lived for a thousand years before my rebirth

I would say, I am more than old enough... the question is if you are bold enough

You are truly...? Well. This does change matters significantly.

Do you need to be persuaded to share your sake?

Hoho, have you sussed out that the sake is an excuse, I must seem so forward

My goal is to be persuaded, one way or the other. Shall we meet?

Even if it isn't an excuse, it's not hard to imagine where sharing sake might take us.

Are you going to Primavera? We could meet there, if the timing is right.

let that imagination of yours run amok, it will get you far

I am going to Primavera as it happens

the travel pamphlet said their flora is exceptional and their bathhouses are to die for

I enjoy a good bath

I did not need the permission, but it is nice to have it.

My hopes for Primavera are high, but I also do not know what to expect from the people here. Undoubtedly anything will be nicer than the last city I traveled to for work. If ever your world develops a place called Night City, do yourself a favor and never go there. (* ￣︿￣)

I will avoid this night city on your recommendation

but I'm sure I've seen worse, anywhere not in Demon World is a vacation

~~perhaps we ought to stick together~~ [backspace, backspace, backspace]

If it's anything like when I first arrived the people will be friendly and their events somehow designed to get us closer to one another

Hah! A demon world might be the only place worse than Night City.

I suppose we will have to see once we get there. As long as these events don't resemble team-building exercises, I am sure I can cope.

I know some exercises we can do as a team

I think we should meet at the hotel

the nice one with the floral decals on the sign and the rooms with the large baths, very charming

my apartment has a shower

I am sure that you know many of them, given that you are an older man than I am.

It sounds as though we are in the same hotel. That is very convenient indeed.

Heh, The list is long and we have weeks to cover it

I shall happen upon you shortly, dear Takemura

[Haraska is bright, with every corner seemingly lined with flowers. It is a place—on their first few days, at least—that feels idyllic. Bright and sunny and welcoming; absolutely picturesque, and it reminds Dettlaff a bit of “home”. Like Toussaint and its flowering countryside framed by a blue sky hanging overhead.

This brightness and vivid energy wrought from some kind of festival, however, makes a little more difficult to slink about and ignore the attentions of passerby’s. More than once has Dettlaff been accosted by a local trying to hoist a huge array of flowers into his arms, as though he had any use for them. But he is good at what he does: being antisocial to the point of detaching himself into mere observation, and somehow, he’s avoided a flowery fate. His senses are keen, and he can judge the flow of a crowd marching this way and that, looking to adorn strangers with fragrant blossoms in their hair, or around their neck, or stuck in the lapel of a dapper suit.

No, Dettlaff leans against the wall of a building donned in black and unmarred by any such color. But as a man passes by, perhaps in a direction that he would deem very unsuitable for those who wish to avoid a particularly enthusiastic flower-giving crowd, he cannot help but pipe up—]

If you go down this alley, you will come out on the other side looking like a bouquet.

[It’s his nice gesture for the day. Maybe this means he’s reached his quota of nice gestures.]

[By now, Takemura has been forced to accept that nearly every location on this planet would be a culture shock of some kind or another. These new islands were very much like a place out of a fairytale, and if he hadn't already been on the planet for a few weeks, he would've thought he was hallucinating all of it. That some of the cultural aspects were so similar to home was a little surreal, but not unwelcome.

That Takemura was beginning to relax and accept this new reality, despite himself, was mostly down to the fact that all of his initial fears about what the aliens might've intended had gone unproven. He couldn't remain paranoid with no proof that anything shady was going on.

And now, it seemed he had stopped in Harasaka just in time for some sort of celebration. Nearly every gem he saw along the way was adorned with flowers beyond what they could sprout themselves, but it's not until the other gembonded stops him that Takemura has any idea where it's all coming from.]

That is not what I would expect from walking down a strange alley. What exactly are they doing over there?

[He replies easily enough — plainly, even, as though trying to remain purposefully unaffected by the floral celebrations and enthusiasm thrumming all around them. Dettlaff manages to incline his head down the long alleyway, which is not so much shady and ill-lit as it is patched with sunlight and echoing with laughter.]

You will come out on the other end meeting a group who have stationed themselves there. They are creating flower crowns for all who pass by. ‘For free! You look even more beautiful now!’ is what they will tell you, without any regard to asking whether or not you wanted one.

[Truly a despicable (inconvenient) thing. How can one even cope. He's observed it happen at least ten times now.]

You do not seem like a man who wishes to be adorned with flowers.

[Dettlaff’s gaze roves over Takemura’s, any of his visible implants that are utterly strange to the vampire, but not terribly surprising given the whole of their situation.]

Jackie, several drinks in, spots Takemura in one of the bars in the city. They're not the best of friends, but when in a strange place you find that something simple as being from the same time and world makes for enough of a connection to develop an unspoken comradery. Besides, from their previous interaction, he's determined that this particular corpo ain't half bad.

"Que lo que, amigo?" He greets him with a pat on the shoulder to announce himself and settles in the seat nearby. It's getting later and the bar crowd is dwindling, but Jackie can manage a few more drinks with the right company. "I can't tell if you're stressed or if you just always look like that." Jackie laughs, gesturing the barkeep forward for another of what he'd been drinking before.

This wasn't Takemura's first bar of the night, but the previous one had gotten too loud for his tastes, and tonight a part of him stubbornly did not want to return to his empty apartment and the consentacles that had wormed their way inside. They were intelligent, somehow, and while they minded their manners well, he could only imagine that they would somehow look concerned if he returned home drunk. He needed to be deeper into his cups before he could handle pity from a set of tentacles.

He's mildly surprised to be addressed in Spanish, but relaxes again quickly. "Jackie," he says with a nod in greeting, eyebrows drawing together along with a brief look of confusion. "How could I be stressed? I have already had plenty of these," Takemura says, tapping the side of his glass. It was half-full with an golden liquid that looked to have glitter suspended throughout, one of the brews they had on offer that was much like a beer with a harder punch.

Truthfully, Jackie was a welcome distraction from his thoughts. Takemura had decided that it was unlikely that Jackie had some sort of angle to go with his pleasant demeanor, not when it seemed to come so naturally to him.

If it isn't stress, then it must have been the poor bastard's resting pissed face. Jackie smirks but doesn't laugh outright. He looks at the liquid and decides that whatever it is, plenty of them is enough to do a man in. Could just be that Takemura is one of the types that doesn't show their inebriation at first glance, maybe it's a corpo thing? Wonderful poker faces can get someone far.

"I'm getting there myself." Jackie picks up the drink as it's set down in front of him, bringing it to his mouth for a good swing. "And honestly, amigo? Between you and me? There ain't much to be stressed about here." Besides being away from his girlfriend and family, but he doesn't suspect Takemura has those concerns. "Unless your reason for drinking is some internalized homesickness. You alright?"

Takemura snorts, with a brief shake of his head. Perhaps he was homesick to a point, but after discovering how much of Primavera was similar to Japanese culture, that feeling had eased somewhat. He was able to eat the foods he was used to and even wear the clothing, if he so desired.

"There is nothing to be stressed about, because we are expected to do nothing but lounge around and fuck each other," he pointed out. "Perhaps that is fine for some. I do not enjoy having nothing to do. ... Nothing else to do."

Takemura had spent most of his life working for Arasaka in some form or another. Being without direction, without a job to do, had only been novel for the first couple of weeks. He had considered seeking employment at a small store or a food cart, and yet that seemed like a waste of the skills he'd spent years perfecting.

"Tell me, am I meant to go home to my consentacles and disappoint them with my uselessness?" He took his glass back up to make a sweeping gesture with it, and avoided spilling his drink only by the sheer luck of his glass not being full.

There are obviously worse situations to be in than to be in a strange place with the expectation that you fuck to survive—or more accurately, to live a comfortable life. Maybe even comfort is manageable without the sex, though. Jackie hadn’t really given deep thought to whether or not compensation varied based on how far people got, but he’s heard that there is some sort of scale based on compatibility or level of intimacy.

He finds himself staring with raised brows as he considers Takemura’s demeanor for a moment as he drinks. There’s no way he would have difficulty finding interested partners, right? Jackie doesn’t want to assume, but he can guess that the limiting factor has little to do with whether or not people are interested in the other man.

“There are other ways to spend your time that might give you similar results. Don’t gotta put out for plants either—-unless you’re into that shit. No judgement here.” Jackie laughs at the thought of the consentacles coming for Takemura when he’s tipsy and exhausted, but considering his own circumstances, he has an idea for a better solution. “Got an idea. Let me give you a massage. No strings attached, you can keep on your clothes if you want, and we both win. Or dodge boredom for a few moments.”

He holds out his hands as if asking for some sort of evaluation. “Pretty good with my hands, I’ve been told.” At least when it comes to punching things, and repairing his bike. While he’s not sure how well those skills translate, he’s willing to find out.

"Hmph. I am not 'putting out for plants'. I do not need the manna as much as I need something more productive to do."

The idea that this place could be like some early retirement has never once occurred to him, in part because it was an outdated concept among megacorporations, where most people worked up until they died. Takemura had never once expected that, either - he always assumed he'd be shuffled off to work in a training facility once his age finally outpaced his capabilities.

Besides, if he had fewer scruples, he might've had a partner or two lined up already. Still, what Jackie suggested seemed like an easy way for them both to profit from synchrony without much fuss.

"You have large hands," Takemura says, not thinking about it for very long through the haze of alcohol. "And I have not had a massage in years. If you're that eager to do it, then I'm willing to test your skills."

"Hey, I'm sure they could keep you busy if you were desperate enough to kill time." Or painfully curious about consentacles. Left to his own devices and with how little he's been doing lately, Jackie might have considered it seriously at another time.

Once his drink is finished, he waves off the bartender that tries to offer more drinks in the least offensive way he can manage. His manners are usually great, but also become inversely proportional to how drunk he is. "All the better to touch you with." Jackie answers, knowing that it does sound far more suggestive than he intends. "I trust you to give me honest feedback about it. Don't pull any punches." He jokes as he pays off his tab then gets up from his seat at the bar.

"Let's get out of here." He hasn't sorted out where they'll go yet, but the first step was leaving the building. "Should we go to yours or mine?"

"You have a dirty mind," Takemura accuses him before pausing to drain the rest of his glass. After all, he wasn't the one that kept talking about engaging in questionable activities with plants.

"It is fortunate for you, then, that I never pull my punches." He likewise pays his tab, not entirely steady on his feet as he stands. It's a mixture of experience and his own natural stubbornness that keeps Takemura moving without incident as he heads for the door. "Let's go to mine. It is not too far."

One cab ride later, to an apartment building set aside for the gembonded, Takemura fumbled momentarily with his keys before getting the door unlocked to let them inside. His apartment had much the same layout and basic modern style as the others did, though with the addition of a couple of pieces of wooden furniture and some wall hangings brought back from Primavera. There too were the consentacles that had slipped in through one of the windows, which Takemura had to wave away while he was hanging up his coat. They retreated, but continued to hover a few feet away, like an anxious pet.

"You should know that I have a good deal of cyberware installed. Do not be worried about using too much force, should you feel anything under my skin."

"Claro," he laughs, not quite able to deny that fact about himself, but he can't take all the credit this time. "But is it really on me if everything going on around here kind of encourages that sorta thing?"

Jackie doesn't reach out to help steady the older man, but he does keep an eye on him so he'll be ready if it does come to that. If Takemura is steady enough to walk, then he'll let the guy lead the way. "You're not in any condition to be punching things, but I won't hold that against you, amigo."

Once they exit the cab and get to Takemura's place, Jackie notices that the consentacles have made themselves at home there as well. At least he isn't the only one having to deal with cuddly vines when he's half-asleep and most susceptible to affection. He turns away his attention from them when Takemura speaks again and nods in acknowledgement. "That won't bother me. Don't worry."

Jackie shrugs off his own coat, setting it down on the back of a chair on his way to the couch. It seems as good a place as any to do what they agreed on, and he doesn't feel invasive guiding Takemura from the consentacles to the couch since watching the man maintain his balance is both amusing and nerve-wracking all at once. "Take the shirt off, too, I'm suddenly curious about what Arasaka's best looks like under the hood." He's expecting plenty of fancy exclusive cyberware that he wouldn't ever be able to afford in his wildest dreams.

Undoubtedly, Jackie was underestimating the full scope of his abilities even while drunk, but the thought has fled Takemura's mind by the time that they arrive. Jackie was the first guest to have ever stepped foot in his apartment, and Takemura is very much hoping that the consentacles are trained well enough to not interfere.

"You would need x-ray optics to see most of it," he points out, dropping down onto the couch before fumbling to get his shirt unbuttoned. Though signs of aging are inevitable - like his greying chest hair - Takemura keeps himself fit, and that hasn't changed much since his arrival. What's more obvious as he shrugs his shirt off and drapes it over the arm of the couch, is that his torso is covered in cyberware seams. They're narrow ones like the kind on his face, clear hints to what's underneath without much clue as to their function. Unlike his fingers and neck, he's retained his natural skin along with his augmentations, scars and all.

"Most of my cyberware is non-functional at the moment," he says with clear annoyance. "Only the basics are working correctly. I am sure it has something to do with this place."

Jackie knew enough about Japanese culture to know that he should rid himself of shoes before entering, but otherwise he's in new territory now. While he's fully aware of how dangerous Takemura could be, he doesn't really know just how much Arasaka have modded him for his job. So he's admittedly curious to see just what he's dealing with.

"Don't have the bank to afford anything like that, your internals are safe." Jackie's eyes linger over the signs of various cyberware upgrades, but can't figure out by sight just how intricate they are. He can still appreciate that he's looking at a very expensive weapon as well as a very attractive man. "That's good news for any potential enemies."

Jackie puts his hand on Takemura's shoulder tentatively. One first, and then the other, even before getting him to the couch. As if just testing the older male's response to the contact before he starts to apply any pressure to work through what feels like a combination of muscle fiber and cyberware. It seems almost seamlessly integrated into his system so it's hard to discern any abnormalities from touch alone. "You're in pretty good shape for someone your age." He can't help but comment. Always one to appreciate others that work hard to stay strong, capable.

Though he already felt a little too warm, the heat of Jackie's hands was far from unwelcome. Takemura already exposed himself at the hot spring last month, but taking his shirt off here, away from prying eyes, felt far more intimate. This was something of a strange situation to be in, but he wasn't about to back down now.

"I have to be," Takemura responds, with a definite note of satisfaction in his tone regardless. "At times, it is valuable to use cyberware that is subtle and hidden. Saburo-sama would not have been pleased with a bodyguard who was fully outfitted in metal." Not like Yorinobu, who had apparently enjoyed the intimidation value of being protected by a man that looked like a tank with a face. The very thought of it makes him scowl a little.

He's interrupted from his thoughts when Jackie applies a little more pressure, which was quickly becoming a nice distraction. "Wait. We should do this properly." He nudges Jackie back before stretching out to lie face-down on the couch. Takemura's movements were less than graceful, but lying down made his head swim a little less, which was a welcome bonus.

That hotspring revealed more of Takemura than Jackie ever had cared to see in some ways, and hadn't revealed quite enough in others. Maybe since he's seen it all already he's able to maintain a steady coolness when they interact. The alcohol is clearly helping as well.

"Not anymore, you don't." Jackie points out, but has no follow-up if there's pushback. He's kind of in the same boat. Out of habit he still works out and tries to keep himself sharp even if there aren't any jobs to run--not like how he's used to hustling back home. There's no need for it anymore besides keeping himself sane. The rest of the time there's liquor.

Once Takemura is lying down, Jackie's hands find the other man's back again. This time when he touches him his actions are less exploratory and more purposeful. He doesn't know too much about Takemura outside of what V has mentioned to him, but he knows his way around major muscle groups well enough to start down low (as far as Takemura's pantline allows) and work his way up while they talk. "Did you enjoy it? Being his bodyguard."

"I do not intend to stay here for the rest of my life," Takemura counters. He doesn't know how he's going to get back to Earth yet, but as soon as someone discovers a way to leave, he intends on being one of the first in line. It was hard to imagine that there was any place for him here; the gems seemed to have no need for military personnel beyond their own, and he could imagine that the market for elite bodyguards would be slim as well.

The two of them truly had a similar problem, even if the context was a little different. It took more than a few weeks to adjust to living somewhere that was so radically different from the world that they knew.

"Enjoy it?" he echoes, bemused enough by the question to fall silent for a moment afterwards. Takemura has certainly been asked what it was like more than a few times, but never had he been asked how much he enjoyed his work. Starting to fully relax under Jackie's hands, he only manages to partially bite back a groan before saying, "Saburo-sama is wise, but also very particular. And I cannot say that the life of a bodyguard is very exciting. It is half preparation, and half waiting. But serving him was an honor. I only wish that I had not failed in my duty to protect him."

So Takemura doesn’t intend to stay here. Jackie finds that interesting. He must be used to a nicer standard of living than most so he probably wouldn’t fall into that same complacency Jackie has. But when the alternative is death, since he’s apparently flatlined already, this weird ass place isn’t so bad. Even without Misty.

“Not a big fan of Arasaka but I can respect anyone who devotes that much of themselves to anything.”

It’s one of the most attractive qualities he can find in a person. Loyalty, honor, trustworthiness. Things like that matter far more than breast size or hair color. Not that Takemura needed any work looking more attractive in Jackie’s eyes. He could probably manage a good bit of the opposite as he works his palms into the more stubborn muscles to try loosening up the knots.

“Bet he was happy to have someone like you watching his back.” Anyone would have been. Who wouldn’t feel good in safe hands? “Ever think of what else you’d do if you didn’t have to come back to that?”

"I... do not know."

Takemura has practically melted onto the couch by this point, unable to hold back any further little groans as Jackie presses in harder against his muscle. This might not have been an upscale massage parlor, but he's discovering now that he would have paid just as much money to have Jackie's hands on him. It's a dangerous thought, but as drunk as he is, there seemed to be no harm in indulging in it.

"I am a lifetime Arasaka employee. I spent most of my career in the military and special forces before having the privilege of serving Saburo-sama directly. But this place... this planet, it is nothing like the Earth we left behind. The gems have no wars to fight, no conflicts that require soldiers. The populace does not even seem to keep themselves armed. My expertise is wasted here."

Then there was the little fact that the newly-resurrected Saburo, or the engram of him, had rejected Takemura's further services. And why wouldn't he? Takemura hadn't been able to prevent his murder. Did it really matter if he'd done a fine job up until that point?

"And what of you? I hope you do not plan on returning to a life of crime here."

There's something weirdly satisfying about having a man that could easily have him on his back with very minimal effort (due to a mixture of experience and upgrades) moaning and softening like melting ice cream. A man could get drunk off of this sort of power.

"Yeah, so is mine." There's not much for a Solo to do around here. He's not familiar enough with the crime scene to know his way around the sort of crowd that he might get gigs from. But. Takemura is right, though, turning to crime when he didn't have any criminal record to his name made little sense.

"It's one thing to do it out of necessity, but this is different." Or is it? In one way the synchrony going on here, although mild, is also out of necessity. "Doing things like this puts me in a better position financially than any of that ever would here." Jackie rests his hands on the older man's shoulders, then slides them down along his spine, his fingertips dipping into the grooves caused by whatever cyberware he has on the way down to his hips.

"Why? Are you worried about me?"

A little shiver goes through him at the feel of Jackie's fingers traveling down his reinforced spine. It had nothing to do with being sensitive and far more to do with what he'd consider a teasing gesture in any other circumstance. To make matters worse, as relaxed as he was, most of Takemura's blood had decided to rush downward. He knew that wasn't an uncommon response to a massage, but (perhaps childishly) he was reluctant to move, or else risk Jackie noticing it. He was sure that would scare the other man away.

"It would be a waste," Takemura says, turning his head to peer at him from over one shoulder. "You are here, alive, and in a place where no one knows you are a thief. You have been given a second chance, and I would not like seeing you squander it by returning to your old tricks."

It wasn't that Takemura had any particular love for the aliens and their laws, but it was the principle of the thing. Jackie was young enough to find a new trade, if he tired of synchronizing for a living. This planet wasn't a terrible place to live, especially compared to Night City.

Jackie can't tell that the other man is responding to the massage that well, but he wouldn't judge anyone for it. Still, he's only able to continue on as confident in his movements as he is because it hadn't struck him as a possibility. Perhaps it's better for them both that he's oblivious since the temptation to take advantage would have been a distraction from both the massage and this conversation.

"You wanna talk to me about squandering second chances? What about you? Planning on going back to being some bigwig's attack dog?" Jackie's not quite sure of Takemura's official role with the Arasaka corporate dynasty, but he knows it's a bit more than a simple bodyguard.

He's quiet for a moment, thinking about what it is he'll do with himself, and Jackie's had some ideas but nothing he's acted on yet. Just barely getting by with how affectionate he can be is literally just barely getting him by. "You're probably right, though. I need to do something different, but I've just been stuck. Can't figure out what I should do with myself half the time." From running jobs in his usual stomping grounds to feeling like a fish out of water anywhere but home or V's (either) place puts him in an uncomfortable situation.

Jackie shakes his head and laughs at himself for getting lost in thought. He gives Takemura's ass a playful pat and eases up. "Want me to get your front?" He offers, grinning.

[The park is a lovely, if bitter reminder of home, a world away. If he stands near the flowerbeds and closes his eyes, he can almost pretend he isn't trapped like some caged animal. Despite all of its many wonders, the world is dull to him, lacking; there is no Rin, there is no Jakken. Neither of his swords seem to respond to his energy since arriving. There is only the park and his thoughts, and he has grown tired of both.]

[He picks a flower for himself, disregarding the sign asking him to do otherwise. No one is around to see, and he doesn't care anyway. The flower reminds him of bubbly laughter and silly songs, things he took for granted and now was without again. The phone tucked away in his clothes buzzes and beeps, yanking him from his regret and into a fresh misery: Synchrony. He will be required to find someone to sync with soon, if he is to remain at full strength.]

[Takemura still finds novelty in green, growing spaces, even after experiencing the bombardment of flowers on display throughout Primavera. Seeing a lush field of grass never failed to invoke an almost childlike urge to lay on top of it - which he's already done here on a couple of occasions. There were always a selection of people spread throughout the park, picnicking or playing sports or just relaxing. He assumed that most of them took having access to such a large, well-kept park for granted, judging by the way they would run around without a care in the world.

Today, he's arrived with an e-reader tucked into the pocket of the light jacket he's wearing, fully intending on finding a shady spot to sit and enjoy nature. Instead, he stumbles on a familiar face while on his way over to one of the trees.]

It's you, [Takemura says by way of greeting, because he never caught the man's name before.] The newcomer. How have you been since we last spoke?

[It's a small mercy that Sesshomaru runs into this particular human. The man had gained his respect, what little he had to give, and if he was forced to interact then he could do so with worse individuals than the one now stood before him.]

I recall you. My name is Sesshomaru. [Being called newcomer implies something he doesn't like.]

I dislike this place-- that has not changed. Only now, I understand how to maintain my power. [He twirls the flower between his fingers, then casts it aside. It will die; there's no reason to keep it in his possession.]

I am Takemura Goro, [he replies, introducing himself with a brief bow of his head. Despite his youthfulness, something about the other man's demeanor seemed to demand formality. Though he couldn't be sure of any gembonded's background, he'd guess that Sesshomaru came from a wealthy family, at least. He was certainly no run-of-the-mill person.]

Is that what you've been doing when you're not destroying flowers? [He couldn't help himself; even after seeing their abundance, Takemura's knee-jerk reaction at seeing a flower go wasted hadn't completely gone away yet.]

I am happy to hear that you have settled in somewhat. This 'power' you mentioned, do you mean the ones we're given when we transform?

----> INBOX

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

runs in here late!! harasaka things

no subject

no subject

Prior to May Event

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject