BBS | Video

[thevanguard]

From: Misaki Yata
Posted: July 10

[ The video turns on to a shot of Yata looking... well, that's a little harder to tell right away because he's trying to appear as neutral as possible at the moment. Despite that, inwardly he's panicking a little.

He rubs a hand against the back of his neck awkwardly as he addresses the BBS. ]

So, uh. I'm guessing waking up to find your god's temple missing is a bad sign, huh?

Comments

[thevanguard]

[ That gets another blink, suspicion wavering with confusion. ]

Working? Doing what? I don't know anything about bars.

[ He feels like he's missing something here. ]

[lionhearrt]

I need you to keep an eye on someone.

[thevanguard]

[ What.

Does he look like a watchdog to you?

Wait, don't answer that.

But still. ]

What? Who? Why?

[lionhearrt]

[ You'll be surprised how well you're suited to the task. ]

They're scared of me.

[ And no one is surprised.]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata just snorts at that. ]

That's because you're really weird.

Why am I keeping an eye on them? Are they supposed to be scared of you?

[lionhearrt]

[ His eyes sharpen, just a fraction. ]

You might need to be a bodyguard.

[ He looks at him. ]

So, are you up to it?

[thevanguard]

Depends.

[ Yata stares at him for a moment, shifting from one foot to another as he considers his answer. ]

How long are we talking here? Because if I do get reassigned, I might not have a say in what I keep doing after that.

1/2

[lionhearrt]

There's no time limit.

[ Once HOMRA. Always HOMRA. ]

2/2

[lionhearrt]

[ That answer stirs his temper. ]

You always have a say.

[thevanguard]

[ But he doesn't, and he knows it. When it comes down to it, he's still just a shinki. And even if he'd been lucky in being paired up with Nami, who looked at him like a partner instead of a tool, he knew that that wasn't all gods here. He had no idea if his luck would hold for round two.

So he narrows his gaze at this guy, because as irritating as he might be, he'd also observed how he was with Izumo. ]

Are you offering me a room or are you offering to name me?

[ He needs that answered before he agrees to anything. ]

1/2

[lionhearrt]

[ He grows silent. Name him? He was already one of his clansmen, already carried his mark. But he knows that's not what he means, not what he needs here anyway.

He hadn't named Izumo. In the end, he didn't want Izumo to feel obligated towards him. He had a chance to start over here without the burden of stemming the flow of the inevitable. Red Kings were never meant to last. Izumo was better off without him. Totsuka too. Sometimes, he found himself wishing Totsuka had been a shinki too. That way he could start all over. Just like his clansmen. They'd gotten a second chance at life without the added burden of the Red Crown. Naming Izumo was something he didn't want to burden him with, and yet, that feeling didn't stem entirely from unselfish concern. Mikoto hated being a King. He couldn't see how being a god would be any different - How making Izumo his shinki would be any different. ]

2/2

[lionhearrt]

...............

[ He looks at Yata. It was worse for them wasn't it? Without their memories to fall back on, they were at the mercy of their god. A god they didn't get to choose. ]

Freedom. [ He finally answers. ] To choose who you serve. What you do.

To stand tall.

[ That was his offer. ]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata makes a noise of frustration because getting a straight answer out of this guy was like pulling teeth.

He jabs a finger at him in annoyance, even as something inside him sinks a little. ]

That didn't sound like a yes. [ He's not sure it sounded like a no, either, but what does he know? He's had terrible luck at understanding this guy so far.

Which has him sighing and burying his head in his hands, grinding the heels of his palms against his eyes for a moment to work at the headache growing there. ]

...Fine. I'll bodyguard who you want. Until I get reassigned. I can't make any promises after that.

[ Because it didn't sound like Mikoto planned on giving him a name. And freedom sounded all well and good, but he was still a shinki. He wanted a name. He wanted to be useful, he wanted a purpose. The fighting he'd gotten to do with Nami had been exhilarating and satisfying and he wanted more of that. ]

[lionhearrt]

[ Satisfied with his answer, Mikoto brings a cigarette up to his lips. ]

Eric Surt.

[ He lights the end. ]

He's your responsibility now.

[thevanguard]

[ That name sounds familiar and Yata looks perplexed for a moment as he tries to figure out why.

The guy with the puppy. His name was Eric, right? ]

What's your deal with him? What am I supposed to be watching for?

[lionhearrt]

Keep him alive.

[ Simple enough. ]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata blinks. ]

Is someone trying to kill him?

[ Come on, man, give him something to work with here. ]

[lionhearrt]

[ Yeah. How about no. ]

Take any room you want. [ He taps off the ash at the end of the stick. ] So long as its empty.

[thevanguard]

[ Yata rolls his eyes because you can't make anything easy, can you?

But there's one more thing before he can agree to this... ]

Uh... Is it... alright if someone else stays with me too?

[lionhearrt]

[ He looks at him and shrugs. He can guess who it is. ]

You'll have to share.

[ Because you're still only getting one room. ]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata looks relieved, the first hint of a smile finally appearing. ]

Yeah, okay. I don't think he'll mind. We have been for the past few days anyway. Uh. Thanks. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this Eric guy for you. [ Even if he doesn't know why. ]

[lionhearrt]

[ The faint smile slows the churning magma making him irritable at his own reaction. ]

The food's free just don't get into the liquor without Izumo's okay.

[ He might bite your head off. ]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata makes a face. ]

I already know better than that. That guy can be scary.

[lionhearrt]

[ A dark grin. ]

You have no idea.

[ /fans the flames ]

[thevanguard]

[ Yata swallows at that, but drops his skateboard to the ground, shoving his hands back in his pockets. ]

I don't think I want to, either. I'll go find this Eric, guy. But you meant it, right? We could stay until we find a god who wants to give us a name?