highly new, slightly improved open post

[appliances]

assorted morons

☆ @ the muselist

optional prompts/ideas

☆ caught in the rain meme ☆ little steps meme ☆ affectionate physical contact meme ☆ picture prompt also acceptable but link them so it's tidy ☆ AU ideas: soulmates AU, reincarnation AU, Bad End AU, canon divergent/roleswap AU, dorky college AU, crossover AU, super indulgent high fantasy AU ☆ melodrama is ultimate tier ★ SHIPPING AND FUCC: ☆ non-fluffy relationship types I'm down for: codependent, master/servant power imbalance type ships, "we're bad for each other but worse for anyone else," other things I am failing to think of tbh ☆ things I am not into: noncon (includes "dubcon"), incest, tsundere shit if your tsundere is just verbally abusive, gratuitous torture porn, you'll probably have to ask me about harder kinks and they will vary by character ☆ I don't have a kink list so pitch me an idea if u thirsty ☆ if you would prefer a locked post I can also make that happen

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[trivialpursuit]

I— I don't know.

[And he doesn't, not really. Before recently it was just the Lotus Petal, it was Edo, it was some kind of home. Now, though, that feeling is still there; fondness and familiarity and some degree of safety, despite his own role as a dangerous boy who works for dangerous people. He still feels it, but it's like looking at something through a fog now. Different. False.

So where the hell is this? He looks at Polnareff, brow furrowed.]

I know where this is supposed to be. [But it almost physically hurts to think about, like someone's torn a hole in his mind that's not large enough for all the information flooding into it, which, well-- who knows, that might be literal, to a point.]

Where... [No, no, he's a foreigner either way, that means nothing. Better:] What year is it?

[silvercrusader]

[He should lie. Lie, tell him it's 1610, and then run and get some park official and tell him that there's something freaky going on with the hosts. Apparently they're sentient, maybe we should knock off the whole murder and rape thing?

But they won't. He knows that already. Why would they? The money this place must bring in is off the charts; god, he's pretty sure there's plenty who'd be fine with this being populated by real people, so long as it didn't get them in legal trouble. Why stop because a host questioned things? Way easier to just wipe his memories-- or worse, just put him out of commission.

It's easy, when you think of it like that.]

2019.

[The year slips off his tongue far easier than it ought to.]

We're in the United States. America, you know? Halfway round the world. Not Japan.

[trivialpursuit]

[2019.

Well.]

What the fuck?

[Good thing he's supposed to be a nasty boy, otherwise he might have trouble swearing about how completely impossible and bullshit this is. It isn't - he remembers waking up on the operating table in that glass room - but what the fuck?]

Why? Not-- What is this place for?

[He's been gleefully murdered by random strangers, so like, he can guess. But make his day.]

[silvercrusader]

. . . anything you want.

[It's not that he's ever really done anything immoral. He's mostly in it to fuck around and maybe kill some bad guys (which isn't, by definition, immoral, because they were bad guys). But it's still wildly uncomfortable, facing a host and having to explain what this place is.]

Anything. That's the point. You go in and you can play along with a bunch of different stories, or you can fuck around, or just--

[Christ.]

Do things you wouldn't be allowed to do in real life. Legally, morally . . . anything.

[trivialpursuit]

[...At least it's an honest answer. Kakyoin can give him that much credit - he's not trying to gloss over this place. Kakyoin remembers the things people have done to him and the things he's witnessed people do to the others-- the girls outside, his fellow thugs...

He shifts uncomfortably again, and tucked behind the fold of his sleeve, his opposite hand closes around the handle of his knife. He has this. He probably deserves to use it by now. Would it even work? Should he try?]

...Anything. [He repeats it darkly, then, eyebrows raised,] You keep coming here to drink and play hero.

[It's only a criticism in the, like, Kakyoin way. Polnareff could be Worse.]

[silvercrusader]

[He flushes dully. There are far worse things he could do, it's true, but there are also far better. But he's left at a bit of a loss; Geil is dead, and that's all well and good, but now the journey that's propelled him for years is gone, so what does he do with himself? Save play hero, and drink, and-- and this is important-- seek out one host in particular.]

And so what if I do?

[trivialpursuit]

[Oh, the speed at which this reaction makes him feel better is probably something to watch out for. He smirks and, still mercifully behind folds of fabric, lets go of his knife. There will be no misplaced revenge stabbings here, congratulations.]

Just a reminder. Now that you don't have to tell me the stories over again, maybe we can get something done.

[silvercrusader]

[--what?

He blinks at him, honestly taken aback, because they've just gone from hey, everything you know is a lie to hey, the joke is actually on you, Polnareff! It's jarring, and he's almost certain that isn't the end of the conversation, but still, jeez.]

Like what?

[trivialpursuit]

[Kakyoin may have skipped a few steps in the middle without looping Polnareff in, such as the part where he's decided he'll trust him in a... limited sense, for now. And the part where he's probably going to need someone else who's aware of what really goes on here, because—]

I can't believe you have to ask. [figures..... SO fleshy of him] I'm not going to stay here and let these people do whatever they want to me anymore.

[He raises an eyebrow, the question unasked. Help him break out of prison, buddy.]

[silvercrusader]

I don't even know if you can survive out of here.

[It's not a no, but at the same time, they probably should think about this for like . . . three seconds.]

And this place is expensive, I can't just sneak you out, they're gonna be watching.

[Hmmm . . .]

We're gonna have to do this right. With a Plan.

[trivialpursuit]

[This is thinking time-- Kakyoin is immediately ready to object to these, uh, very valid points, but never mind, he's going for it. A plan... Well, he's doing this, and maybe later he'll go into full dramatics about how he'd rather die on his own terms than the same way, again, for someone's pleasure, but not now. Focus.

He looks down at himself. Well they've dressed him conspicuously, there's no way this is the fashion in 2019 very-much-not-fucking-Japan, so-]

How do I get something else to wear? That sounds like a good place to start.

[silvercrusader]

I can bring you some. I . . . guess I'll buy some, you'll just swim in mine.

[Thank god for the endless wealth of the Joestars and the careless generosity of Jotaro; he'd never be able to afford this many trips here if it wasn't for them.]

And we could always . . .

[Hmm.]

They're gonna see me go in with just me and then come out with a guest. But what if I came in with somebody? Then I leave with somebody, maybe we disguise you a little-- and when my friend tried to leave, he'd prove he was-- you know-- human, so he could just go.

[There's a very awful implication stitched up in there-- you know, as opposed to you, totally inhuman-- but he breezes right past it.]

How do you feel about dying your hair?

[trivialpursuit]

[Don't wait up for a single objection from him about buying him things, you know, after buying his attention and company over over in this hellscape. It's fine to buy him jeans.

The rest of this, though, he has nothing to contribute for. He's never been outside of this little world— hell, there are so many jumbled memories knocking around in his head, he doesn't even know how long he's been here at the Lotus Petal. The in and out logistics are, sadly, all up to Polnareff.

Ah, but.] I'd rather not. I'll... wear a hat.

[silvercrusader]

We can dye it back.

Look-- I wouldn't insist, but I'm gonna walk in here with a black-haired Japanese man. It'd be a lot easier if I could walk out with one too, you know?

[trivialpursuit]

Why can't I wear a hat?

[PLEASE... just look at these luscious locks. And on principle, after getting stabbed a lot, there's a level of physical autonomy he's very suddenly interested in, but that would be, like, vulnerable to admit. He tugs at the end of his hair, frowning.]

...I'll think about it. What else?

[silvercrusader]

That's . . . about it, really.

[That's it: the plan. The Plan, capital letter, because it needs all the help it can get.]

And then, you know, you can stay with me.

[trivialpursuit]

What?

[Sorry, says who? The blank look on his face also isn't a no, but it's really not a yes. This was... not part of Kakyoin's own, more violent plan for his great escape.]

Why?

[silvercrusader]

Where else are you gonna go?

[Mr. Sensitive.]

[trivialpursuit]

[You mean he can't just live in the forest, the way a young thug might if they were run out of Edo? Hmm... 2019 sucks.]

I— Fine. But I don't owe you anything for helping me.

[Maybe a thank you. That's all.]

[silvercrusader]

Did I say you did? Jeez. Just . . . give me some time, all right? It's gonna take a bit to set this up.

[. . .]

How, uh . . . how far back do you remember? How detailed?

[trivialpursuit]

I'm telling you.

[Look at him, exercising his newfound desire to Set Boundaries. It's great. He pauses, looking pensive, then hums.]

All of it, as far as I know. I remember you complained the yukata was hard to put on, one of the first times.

[silvercrusader]

It was.

[Just saying. It was foreign, all right, let's see Kakyoin struggle with a pair of hot pants, god. But his quiet sulking is interrupted when he realizes, oh, wait, yeah, he asked for a reason. And that's--]

How many times were you--?

[trivialpursuit]

[Please let him wear sweats. His expression darkens then, but it's not at Polnareff, at least.]

Enough. A few days ago. That's going to be the last time.

[Anyway, talking about his brand new, horrific self-awareness is great and all, but ngh. He stands, brushing dust off his knees.]

I need some air. Come on.

[silvercrusader]

[He stands up, stumbling just a little, catching on the yukata. Christ.]

So now what? You wanna get drunk? I mean-- I dunno if you have before, but we can do whatever you want now, and we can just say it's whatever I want.

[trivialpursuit]

[hah.....]

You did say you were going to buy me a drink. But not here.

[There are Quests everywhere, but they're harder to avoid when he's technically supposed to participate.]