overjoyed_logs | People Who Make Good First Impressions Usually Suck

[The voices of hecklers blended in with the chatter of the crowd around him as Takasugi roamed one of the many allies full gaudy lights and food smelled of nothing but grease.

A shout of 'Sir! One eye one free chance!' went ignored, left to fold in with the distorted music and incomprehensible mix of voices. Takasugi lowered his head and kept walking. The fireworks display was about to begin. There was no announcement, no fanfare, simply a thinning crowd as everyone found their viewing locations, to herald the show's beginning. Light flashed over the street and Takasugi stopped walking, turning his gaze towards the sky.

His teeth clinked soundlessly on the mouthpiece of his pipe, half-smoked tobacco reignited by a small flame that paled in comparison with the fire above him. Explosions loud enough to make the ground tremor called everyone, even the vendors, to watch the display.

When the last shimmer of color faded from the sky, however, they were back to preying on any passer-by they saw. It seemed he was a target again, a beckoning voice urging him to come try 'just one toss.

Takasugi removed his pipe from his mouth and rolled the shank between his thumb and forefinger. He'd intended to avoid gratifying the hawker with a response, but more shouting followed him, each yell describing him more than the last. 'Pipe smoker!' 'Eyepatch!' 'Swordsman!'

Heads were turning towards him, and a smirk not born from elation but from exasperation spread on his face. At that moment, a child passed by - and Takasugi seized the opportunity. He nodded at the invitation, and then looked down to the boy.] He wants you to play his game. [Takasugi spoke quietly, as if a secret, not a meaningless suggestion, was coming from his lips.]

[...He'd only paused for a moment. Just long enough to watch some old geezer spin a bunch of noodles and set them into the middle of a plate while his sister cooed excitedly over the bright burst of fireworks - the official opening to the festival before the grand display (according to his father), and debated asking his mother to try those.

(They were the first kind of food he'd seen that wasn't coated in sugar, fried, or both since they'd started wandering the streets for this festival.)

On the one hand, he didn't often ask for things while there were out, but on the other... he knew joy was tight and his dad worked himself to the bone for it. It felt wrong, almost, to ask for something so selfishly, knowing that.

Another long moment of debate, before he'd finally turned away, resolute.But when he'd glanced back, both mother and sister were gone.

Shit.

This was definitely going to get him yelled at.

He'd been walking for several minutes now, his gaze intent as he looked for the flashes of black and white that marked his mother's dress when a man stopped him. Glancing up at the staged whisper, Yu blinked, shifted his blue glare at the game vendor, then back again... right before scowling up at the man rather fiercely.]

The fuck would I want to play that dumbassed game for?

[Hope you weren't expecting a cute kid, because that's the one thing you're not getting.]

That shit's for babies or idiots.

[The boy should have asked for those noodles. Giving in to primal desires didn't always mean trouble - sometimes they were trying to tell you something.

Though, distract yourself or a weird guy is going to try to strong-arm you into playing a carnival game might be a bit beyond what instincts could communicate.

Takasugi's smile spread, teeth flashing against the biting response. A ghost of a laugh escaped his mouth in a slow exhale as he turned his head to get a better look at the child.

He saw a specter.

A boy who thought he was above child's play, a boy who didn't know what he'd be missing the moment it was taken from him. Because it would be taken from him.

Takasugi had no desire to help a child like this, but he didn't balk or back away.] Even if they're easy, surely there's someone who would like whatever prize you win. [He gestured to the hanging stuffed animals and toys with the end of his pipe.]

[Especially observant kids can learn all too soon the price of thoughtlessly voicing desires. A bowl of noodles here, joy to play a game there - it'd all amount to the same thing.

His mother's forced smile as she waged an internal war between her own desire to make him happy and the necessity of feeding him tomorrow.

He's done that before, before he'd heard her cries, realized her fears - now, he's older and knows better. Kanda would rather deny himself now, than force her to do it later. which is why, even now, he only gives in enough to cast a childishly longing look one the panda hanging there, before his expression hardens and he shoots the one-eyed man a dirty look.]

Of course they're not easy. How else would they get all your joy, stupid cyclops.

[He knows the stories about one-eyed monsters that eats humans. He's not going to trust you so readily.]

[What felt like a secretive glance to a child seldom registered that way to an adult, and Kanda fell in with the rest of the stubborn boys in the world as his hesitation went noticed.

Takasugi echoed the boy's gaze, looking to the panda long enough to make the fact that he'd seen obvious.]

The game is free for a cyclops and his companion. You only stand to win. [The vendor had promised ~~almost~~ as much in his heckling moments before, and Takasugi would be holding him to it.

Keep those stories close to your heart, child, there's more truth in them than you know.]

[Oh yeah, he sees you silently calling him on his weakness. It makes him scowl all the more and almost leads him to kicking the man - he even draws a leg back to do so - before he stops.

Blue eyes narrow as they glare up at the man, his suspicion writ large on his face.]

So what do you win?

[He still has the story in mind, sure. But his sister had looked so sad when their mom told her she couldn't get that panda. If he could just make her smile now...

But first, time to let the man know one thing, to protect himself, for now.]

You try any weird shit and I'll bite your nose off!

[The spark of violence, incomplete though it was, only lit up Takasugi's eye with anticipation. A little boy full of pride with nowhere to direct himself but outward.

Suspicion would be met with a softer smile. There was no warmth, but the way his head tilted and the way his posture shifted was a practiced display of welcoming.]

That depends on how good you are. For a large prize- [A vocal reminder of what the boy coveted.] -you can't miss any of your shots.

[With the threat he rose, chuckling to himself as he re-lit his pipe and walked alongside the boy to the kiosk.] Tell that to the vendor, since you've said he's a cheat- [Spoken, of course, within ear shot of the attendant.]

It can't be that hard, even if it is rigged.

[Muttered words, defiant, towards the man - but then he had to involve the game vendor. If looks could kill, Takasugi would be dead ten times over if Kanda's expression is any indication.

Since the bastard is still standing, however, Kanda focuses his attention on the man waiting to bait them into his stupid game.

Two can play that way though, and so Kanda looks up with a childish pout so like his sisters when she begged their mom for something.]

I'm sorry - my dad's a drunk. He's always this mean, but I supposed I could play your dumb game if it'll shut him up.

[Pride barely bitten back between teeth waiting to sink into something to prove their worth seeped from the boy's reply. If he turned that defiance towards himself, rather than those around him, maybe he'd find a satisfying morsel to sate his appetite.

Takasugi returned the glare with a more thinly stretched smirk. No matter how dark the eyes, a child could only appear so dangerous.

His expression didn't change when the boy turned the charade on him, his annoyance (pride was mutual between them) veiled behind a heavy blink. Takasugi leaned against the stand, his 'balance failing him' in his 'drunken state'.] Be sure to get the big one, I don't want to hear you crying yourself to sleep tonight- [He gestured to the panda, then looked to the vendor expectantly.

And a gun was placed in Kanda's hands.]

[There's something definitely off about this man - of that, Kanda's sure. He hadn't really expected to catch the man off-beat, but still - he was quick on his feet, and quicker to adapt. Kind of like his real dad, actually. Not that the two are anything alike, really, but much as the stranger sets him on edge a bit, he's long since lost sight of his mother and sister, and there's a challenge on the table that he doesn't quite feel like walking away from.

Especially once the gun was in his hands.

Small, sure fingers adjust the mock-weapon as he casts one last glare up at this stranger, his 'dad' for the moment, before his head tilts down.

Breaths slow and steady, he closes an eye and sights down the barrel just the way his dad had taught him. Faint traces of the scowl linger as he finally squeezes the trigger with a steady force, aiming not at the center of the stacked target, but the lowermost edge of the top one.

Way he figures it, is the base looks thick, heavy, so hitting the top won't have enough force to knock it down. He's going to have to take his shots to force that top one back, until it unbalances off the other two.]

[The boy's participation was sealed long before the gun was placed in his hands, Takasugi was sure. A challenge of skill - in demonstrating his marksmanship, but - in meeting the stranger's pressure without faltering the boy could prove himself.

To himself.

He watched the child plan his shots, eyes trailing from the target to the tip of the gun to the way breath filled and emptied from the other's chest. Even. Focused. A light note of exasperation was taken when the boy closed his eye - depth perception wasn't to be underestimated.

But the target was hit as intended, and Takasugi figured he could give the child some encouragement.] Ah. You missed. [It was so much more satisfying to prove someone wrong than to hear praise for something simple.]

[Depth perception, says the man with one eye. There's a moment of satisfaction, before the stranger had to go and ruin it. ]

Bastard, I didn't miss. [Glaring up at the man, Kanda actually sticks his tongue out at the stranger before turning back to take aim once again.]

It's called strategy.

[That said, he takes the shot a second time, striking the same spot as the first and sending the base of the topmost bottle kicking out, falling between the other two to knock them over as well. Triumphantly, he half turns to smirk up at the man.]

See? It worked, dumbass!

Edited 2017-01-16 22:30 (UTC)

[You don't know what you've got til it's gone, kid.

Eyebrows raised in mock offense, Takasugi is genuinely amused to see the kid's tongue peek from between his lips. As tough as he tried to sound, he was enjoying this, at least a little.

Even if he wouldn't admit it to himself.] Ah, right. [With absent acceptance of the correction, Takasugi pulled himself from his leaning posture, standing with hips forward to observe the final shot.]

So it did. [He turns to the vendor, gesturing to the panda but not taking it when presented.] Will you need help carrying that? [No congratulations, only another incendiary question to keep the boy from puffing his chest in victory.]

Of course not!

[Clearly, Kanda plays right into the man's trap, because he's all too quick to shout rather than brag. He does, however, step up to take the oversized stuffed animal, only to realize it's quite nearly the same size as he is.

Even so!

The glare he shoots up at the man makes it clear that he's got this. No need to help. He'll just have to walk blindly through the crowds to find his mom and sister...]

She better a'preciate the shit I do for her. Damned brat.

[He hesitates, small face twisting in annoyance before he looks up again. ] ... thanks, old man.

[The boy's predictable rejection of any help was only met with a smile, which only splayed wider on his lips as the panda nearly overtook the child's size. Not that Kanda could see, with the plush fur in his face.]

Aa. [He'd done nothing other than use the boy as a distraction to keep vendor eyes from lingering. But he supposed he was being thanked for his patience, the ability to guide a no-good kid through his pride well enough to have some fun.] Brats need to look after each other-

Find her quickly. [With that, he watched the stuffed animal bob through the crowd, before he turned from the vendor and to linger between two extinguished stalls.

Remorse was far from him as Takasugi's blood ran hot, the only sign of the adrenaline that was coming to a boil under his skin. The first explosion lit up the sky with fire and ember only minutes later - for the first time that night his breaths came easy.

Among the flames that rose, weaving their path through the festivities, people in their stampede to escape blurred, but for a boy. Not the obstinate youth of moments before, but someone far more familiar. A ghost of himself - he supposed he'd killed another of those memories tonight, sent off with the bang of a pellet gun.]

People Who Make Good First Impressions Usually Suck

kanda ✿

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