The Park; Monday Afternoon [07/15].

[sake_shinigami]

Shunsui Kyōraku floated back onto Fandom Island in the manner in which he floated through his afterlife in general, idle, oblivious, mildly amused and faintly buzzed. He wasn't sure exactly where this particular whim had come from; where did such things truly originate, anyway? A thought, an idea, a gentle whisper on the wind or a faint scent in the air that captures the imagination just so? Whatever it was, he felt that funny little island off in the sea calling to him again, as he found himself bored and restless in the halls of the Seireitei, where there was little to do but sit and wait for the next threat to come. Normally, he wouldn't mind such a thing, but perhaps he knew that something was just around the corner, so the need to get away before it really went down was what drove him to consider a blip of his past.

He wasn't doing anything else, after all. And that book of his clearly wasn't going to write itself in the Soul Society. It probably wouldn't write itself in Fandom, either, but, from his experience, it was significantly more likely to do so in Fandom than pretty much anywhere else.

How long had it been, anyway? When one had been around for hundreds, if not more than a thousand years, it didn't seem that long at all, but clearly, the place had gone through changes, some of them so subtle he might not even really notice, others much more significant and substantial...that he still might not notice, because he'd never been one to pay much attention or bother to remember. But there were also some things, still, that would be the same, and Shunsui was incredibly pleased to find himself back at the park, discovering that one thing that hadn't change was the comfort of the benches there by the pond.

Perfect still for naps!

What? He'd had to plan all that portal business himself, because he thought it would be exciting if he didn't alert Nanao-chan to his intentions; she loved fun surprises like this! And...maybe he knew she wouldn't let him go if she had known, but that was such a middling little detail! Planning those things was far more exhausting than he had ever imagined they would be, and he had this brand new gigai to get used to! That was awfully tiring on its own, too....besides, now that he was here, he wanted to make sure it was good and rested if he really wanted to give it a good quality test run for the....important things later on...

...heh.

So, flowery pink haori spread out beneath him, wide straw hat pulled over his eyes to block out the sun, using his arm as a pillow, Shunsui was pleased to discover that, yes, the park benches were still quite comfortable for naps. He dozed there lightly, while pondering if the old Bachelor Pad was still available. Wouldn't it be so...serendipitous if it was? And wouldn't it be even more so if it wasn't, but instead was occupied by a lovely, beautiful woman who would be ever so interested to hear about all his previous exploits and adventures in that nice little apartment...

This, he decided, as he gave into that last bit clinging to wakefulness, was going to be a great decision ♥.

[[ cautiously, optimistically, maniacally churns out posts while the oppressive weight of the inevitable workload hangs precariously overhead! But I couldn't not have Shunsui show up during no-sex week *cackles* open park is so totally open! ]]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had this whole plan for her afternoon. Get one of those dumb iced coffees from the Perk, then make her way to the park so she could sit by the pond for as long as it took for her to get through the coffee. Just watch the birds and think for a bit.

Well, at least the first part of her plan had been successful? But she'd really counted on there not being anyone in the general vicinity of the pond, for the second part. And definitely not napping. And so she stopped, awkwardly, when she got there. For a moment. Which was exactly as long as it took for her internal debate to tip over to how there should probably be some kind of a limit to her antisocial tendencies, and also, get a grip, O.

Still took a seat at the far end of the next bench over, though. With her gaze towards the pond and the flamingos, and not the man.

[sake_shinigami]

See, now, when it came to naps, Shunsui was an expert, especially when it came to napping when he wasn't exactly supposed to be. Granted, he wouldn't imagine anyone would take an objection to him napping now (except, perhaps, those who would take an objection to him even being here to nap in the first place!), but part of being an expert napper was knowing when someone else was around, because then you could prepare yourself for a rude awakening...or even sometimes prevent it, but the rude awakening was half the fun.

Either way, though Shunsui might not yet be fully awake, he was certainly aware of another presence there by the pond with him, and that roused him, slowly, into wakefulness again. Somewhat reluctantly, at first; it had been such a nice nap, really, but the moment he cracked open one eye and tilted up his hat for a better look at this presence, he was reminded that some things far surpassed even the pleasure of a good nap.

"Ara ara," he said, his low voice emerging softly as to not startle the woman, pushing the hat up a little more to offer a faintly sleepy smile, "I hope this vision isn't merely a dream, because all dreams, alas!, eventually end ♥. But surely, I must be, because such beauty could not possibly exist beyond the realm of dreams ♥."

Because regular hellos were for chumps.

[okteiviakom]

It got Octavia's attention, for sure!

Even if it was her vaguely baffled, vaguely wary attention. She blinked, before turning her head slowly to look over at the other bench.

"Hi," she said, flatly, because it seemed like the thing to say. "I'm Octavia." Just in case he thought she was someone else? Because Octavia didn't tend to encounter a lot of that kind of language directed at herself.

Basically ever.

[sake_shinigami]

And it was pretty much the only language that Shunsui spoke.

Well. And Japanese.

"Ahhhh, Octavia ♥ ♥ ♥!" And he said the name as if it were a delicacy meant to be savored with the utmost care and attention. His hand danced a little in the air as if to add to the flourish, and he grinned, pulling himself up a little on his elbows, far too comfortable and lazy to sit up much more than that, and, besides, he always felt he looked his best when reclining. "I should only expect such a radiant vision to have an equally beautiful name ♥! But, before I get into something so droll as my own name, let me ask you something, dear Octavia-chan ♥...do you believe," he paused, for the effect of it all, to look particularly thoughtful as he flashed her a little something more in his grin, "in the serendipitous nature of coincidence ♥?"

[okteiviakom]

"Coincidences are just that," Octavia replied dryly, after a beat. "Coincidences."

She... did not speak his language. Though at least it was less like she was purposefully being dry at him, specifically, and more like this was just her way of interacting with strangers.

[sake_shinigami]

"Now that's too bad hearts;," Shunsui drawled, though he didn't seem in the least bit bothered by it. Or by her dryness. Or by anything, really. He was on a beautiful island, on a comfortable bench, speaking with a beautiful woman. How could anything come even close to touching him right then? "Because Octavia means something like eighth, does it not?"

Apparently, he also knew a passing hand at Latin, too. Lucky you, Octavia!

"And back home," his thoughtful, curious expression melted easily into a proud sort of beam, "I am the Captain of the Eighth Division ♥ ♥ &hearts! Already, we have something in common ♥

"And my name," he offered, bowing his head a little, tipping his hat, "is Shunsui Kyōraku ♥. Believe me when I tell you that it is an absolute pleasure to meet you, Octavia-chan ♥"

[okteiviakom]

if he paid close attention, after he said his name, he might've caught Octavia's lips move as she repeated his name silently to herself. Because she might've been acting kind of like an asshole but that didn't mean she was one. (... Entirely, or all the time.) And it wasn't a type of name she was familiar with, and maybe, maybe she was curious, too.

Skipping a returned pleasantry was still to be expected, though. "I wasn't named after a number, though," she said, and yup, the dryness hadn't budged. Though maybe it was a touch more mild? "The Roman emperor Augustus had a sister called Octavia. That's why I'm called that."

Because, Bellamy.

[sake_shinigami]

"So a bit more...regal in origin than a mere number," Shunsui mused, his smile going a little wistful in its approval. "So much more fitting ♥! Though you must admit, if you are to have an association with a number, eighth puts you in excellent company ♥."

At this point, conversing in his current position was more of a nuisance than a comfort, so he shifted, moving with surprising grace for all those robes, making a bit of a show out of stretching his limbs without even so much as disturbing his hat. One arm settled, draping itself over the back of the bench, while his other hand went to fetch a jug that had been hanging from his wide pale blue belt.

"Now," he said, leaning a little toward the other bench, and nodding toward the cup in Octavia's hand, "I see you've already gotten a beverage, Octavia-chan, but might I be able to interest you in a bit of sake &heart;?"

And he gave the jug a little shake, sloshing around the sweet rice wine within, as if to make the offer just that much more enticing.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia felt stiff, in comparison, on her own bench. Not that she wanted to be anything else, but -- it was just an private observation she was making, for herself, from watching him.

She was somewhere between biker and Grounder in the way she looked, all blacks and dark grays and the tough, practical material of her pants, though at least she'd ditched the jacket in favor of a tank top, today.

"Sake?" she asked, eyebrows drawing up just a tiny bit. Look, she'd learned all of one phrase of Japanese from Nathan, so that wasn't included in her vocabulary. "What's that?"

[1000yearstoolate]

Since today seemed reasonably normal so far, Seivarden had decided to take a rather restless cat to the park. Issa was of course disappointed that her dog friend wasn't there and let her displeasure be known through loud wails. Seivarden sighed.

"Can't you be happy somewhere? she said, with the combination of love and frustration you might feel for a cat.

They both ignored the sleeping person nearby.

[sake_shinigami]

Well, Shunsui wasn't technically sleeping; he was napping, and there was a distinct difference, especially for a man who practically made his career out of knowing when to nap and when to sleep. Napping required a certain awareness of one's surroundings still, a dull sort of recognition of energies and presences that allowed for him to slip out of his nap quickly if he needed to, or slowly, as he tried to access whether or not it was worth waking or not.

Typically, Shunsui wouldn't deem it worth it except in the case of a more...conventionally feminine voice than what he was hearing now, but he was still so amused by the comment and by the complaints of the cat that he couldn't help himself.

"I," he stated, though he knew quite well the comment was not directed at him, but what an opening!, and he wasn't even sure if the person was even close enough to hear him, anyway, or to even care, "just so happen to find happiness anywhere ♥."

Then he dropped his arm lazily to the side, dangling off the bench, waggling and snapping his fingers a little in an attempt to distract the cat over to him, making little kissy sounds to sweeten the deal. There were clearly pets and cuddles in it for the cat if she would be so obliging, and, Shunsui thought idly, perhaps some sake, too. Was sake good for cats? Probably not. But that sounded like something he should simply let the cat decide on her own.

[1000yearstoolate]

Issa cautiously approached the person on the bench, stopped, then continued, stretching out her head to sniff at his fingers.

"That," Seivarden said, sounding a bit doubtful, "Is a useful skill, I suppose. You're new here, I take it?"

If this person could be happy with monsters at night and everything that went before, Seivarden would question his sanity.

[sake_shinigami]

Shunsui grinned a little to feel the little breaths of curious cat sniffing against his fingertips, pleased to see that perhaps this kitten wasn't too shy. He stopped moving his hand entirely for the time being, to just let her get familiar with his scent, to help her not feel threatened, to let her know there was a hand there open for the nuzzling if she so decided there was nuzzles to be had.

It was a nice distraction as he considered how best to answer the question.

"Not new," he decided, "but perhaps...newly returned ♥."

Still keeping the cat hand still, he moved his other hand so that he might lift his hat from his face a little and take a look at the person he was speaking to; he didn't bother to hide his faint disappointment.

"Shunsui Kyōraku," he offered. "Perhaps you've heard of me ♥?"

He...might be underestimating just how long he'd been gone for.

[1000yearstoolate]

"I haven't."

Seivarden frowned a little at that disappointment, but didn't make too much of it. She bowed slightly.

"Seivarden Vendaai."

This Shunsui probably hadn't heard of her.

[sake_shinigami]

"So ka," Shunsui sighed a little, pulling his hat back down, though mostly to hide a grin, "then you must not hang out with many beautiful women ♥."

He twitched a finger to give the cat a surprise, playful little boop on her sniffing nose.

"Do you drink sake, Seivarden Vendaai?" he then asked, the question drawling out from underneath the hat, in an almost bored sort of tone.

[1000yearstoolate]

Issa took a step closer and leaned the side of her head forward, clearly wanting to scratched behind the ear.

"Beautiful women? I mean..." Seivarden didn't know what to say about that so she made a gesture with her hand.

"And I don't think I've ever had sake."

If this not-quite-newcomer offered to share some decent booze - that was what sake was, right? - she wasn't going to complain.

[sake_shinigami]

And if it was behind-the-ear scratches the cat wanted, then it was behind-the-ear scratches that cat would get! For the moment, anyway, as Shunsui decided he would dole out his lazy affection toward her first, hoping to get her purring, even if just a little, before he responded.

And that response came with a few disappointed clicks of his tongue, a few saddened shakes of his head. "Both of those responses are unbearably tragic," he decided, "but at least one of them I can fix."

Pulling back his hat again with his free hand, Shunsui leaned over the side of the bench a little, moving a finger to scratch under the cat's chin for a moment as he offered her an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, my dear ♥," he said, "you must forgive me, but there are very important matters that must be attended to. Surely, you'll understand ♥."

As he was close to the cat and admiring just what a pretty cat she was, he gave his head a small shake to send the long trendril of curly hair dangling forward a shake to catch her attention, gave her one last departing scratch behind the ears, and then rolled back up until he was sitting on the bench now, one small bowl of a cup already in his hand while he unfastened his sake jug from his obi. "What a beautiful creature ♥," he noted, as he poured, already terribly fond of the feline, but he was like that with nearly all females, really.

"Is she yours?" he asked, as he handed out the cup of sake for Seivarden to take.

And if she didn't? Well, then, more for Shunsui!

[2_old_for_this]

It was finally less ash-like and less likely to cause Peter unpleasant flashbacks, so he was taking advantage of the day to wander through the park's greenery.

He took a moment to determine that the man on the bench was relaxing, not injured or dead, then nodded politely. "Hi."

[sake_shinigami]

Oh, not injured, yes. Not dead? Well...

"Mmm?" It was a half-groggy sort of rumble that slipped out of Shunsui at the greeting, and he reluctantly lifted a hand to push back his hat to peer at the person who'd offered it, confirming what he'd deduced from the slight syllable of a word, so slight there there might have been a faint glimmer of hope...

...but alas...

"I don't remember the park being quite so busy," he noted. He was pretty sure he could sometimes spend all day out here on one of these benches and have nothing to show for it but some leaves in his hair and a moustache drawn on by some squirrels (who seemed to think it was actually funnier since he already had facial hair) before. Not that this was too bad, of course, though he would have liked if there were more ladies around to interrupt him. Better luck next time, he supposed. He had only been back for a few hours at this point, after all.

[[ I am about to crash hardcore, but wanted to slip in that one pre-sp ping while I could! <3 ]]

[2_old_for_this]

Well, not currently an ex-person, anyway.

"Is it?" Peter asked. "Are you sure you're in the right place?"

It was a genuine question. This was, after all, Fandom.

[sake_shinigami]

"Oh," that question made Shunsui grin a little, chuckling a bit to himself, "yes ♥. I'm quite sure of it ♥. Even if this is not the place I intended to go, I have no doubts that it will be the place I will want to be ♥."

He had, after all, already met two beautiful new ladies. Sure, one of them was a cat, but Shunsui was hardly one to let something as middling as species get in the way of an appreciation for the loveliness of any given female.

"There are changes, though," he added, a bit more thoughtfully, with a bit of a musing hum, "but what remains the same is too significant to imagine this is an entirely different place altogether." He sat up a bit, pushing back his hat before resting on his elbows and considering the man with a curious tilt of his head. But just to put all of our little duckies in a row, this is Fandom Island, right? Or have I just...."

He waved a hand, to indicate having drifted somewhere else in the breeze or perhaps having missed it by that much or perhaps even the suggestion that they were all just bare figments of dust anyway...it didn't really matter what he was indicating, for the most part, because it didn't really matter. Whether it was Fandom or not, he decided he liked the women and he liked the park benches, and that was more than enough to decide to stay for a bit.

[2_old_for_this]

"Yes, this is Fandom," Peter agreed. He stuck out his hand. "Peter Octavian."

[sake_shinigami]

"Mmm?" Shunsui regarded the hand somewhat sleepily before remembering to sit up a little more and take it; it was a loose grip, a lazy handshake if anything, and not just because the gesture was something a bit unfamiliar to him. But it seemed to gain a little more oomph toward the end, as if he'd stopped just going through the motions, and the greeting became more genuine. "Shunsui Kyōraku. Charmed ♥."

And his retreating hand drifted to his obi. "Do you enjoy sake, Mr. Oct--" Another eight! Was that a sign? If it was, he was far less inclined to comment on it this time around, but it was still rather amusing, wasn't it? "--avian &hearts?"

[2_old_for_this]

"I don't mind it, but it's not a favorite," Peter said. "Are you new here? Or newly back, I suppose, if you remember the park?"

[sake_shinigami]

And I don't mind it, but it's not a favorite was not a no, and so Shunsui had retrieved his jug, procured a shallow cup from somewhere within his robes, and was pouring a little of the sake within the jug to offer out to Peter.

"Newly back ♥," he confirmed with a faint smirk. "Very good ♥! Things back home were getting a bit..." He made a vague sort of gesture, a dismissive wave of his hand, a distasteful scrunch of his nose, "...so I thought perhaps I'd go revisit one of my old stomping grounds. Take some time off! Enjoy the beautiful....scenery ♥. Write another book! You know...that sort of thing..."