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Those were new, I haven't seen them before. Hard to tell if we'll see them again or if something caused it.

Not to be dramatic but I will off myself if I turn into that again.

[ That is dramatic. ]

I think you'll recover, and I'm glad you weren't hurt.
Do you need anything?

You should know better than to ask me that question after the last time.

You would never use the same joke on me twice, I think you have better comedic timing than that.

You're right, and I do.
Doesn't mean my previous answer doesn't still stand, though.

[Taking a RISK here.]

If you'd like to see me you're welcome to say so, I might even be compelled to buy you a drink.

Then yes, I'd like to see you. [Naked, even.]

Where should I meet you?

Proud Jewel, in the Sapphire District. Let me know if you get lost, some of the side streets are easy to miss.

[He does a quick search, looks at the place's website, and is immediately pleased.]

See you soon.

[He shows up in something slightly nicer than the last time; slim-cut black jeans tucked into motorcycle boots with a long black tee that falls halfway to his knees. Topped off with a black leather jacket and a black silk scarf, he strikes an edgy but expensive figure as he sits at the bar perusing the drink menu.]

[ The scarf gets him. It reminds him of Nick Ogata and considering Daigo lived in Nick's penthouse for a couple of years while in hiding, that's a positive association: funny in a biting way and too openly flirtatious for his own good. That was how Nick had gotten him, found him in an out of the way gay bar in Tokyo and flirted his way right in.

Daigo's probably in trouble. Is he ready to be in trouble when he's already in a lot of that? Huh. He runs a hand back over his hair once in contemplation, then goes to join David. ]

You made it.

[ A mild smile. Noticeable only because of the magic of Noctium, Daigo isn't quite the same as the last time they met. His energy is lower. Someone he had integrated deeply into the fabric of his gem has left the city and he is lonely without the connection. ]

Find something you like?

[ The Proud Jewel is one of the many bars in this part of the neighborhood. Daigo doesn't live far away from here. He likes the raucous entertainment district because it reminds him of the entertainment district in Tokyo where he came up. The Proud Jewel is relatively small, always Daigo's preference, and he greets the bartender by name. ]

[David looks up in time to see Daigo coming toward him, and smiles as he sets his menu aside. There's something...a little different about him, and David isn't quite sure how he knows, but he just does.] I like this place. It's quiet.

[His smile turns into a smirk.]

Yes, but I didn't need a menu for that.

[Smooth, David, very smooth.]

[ A small smile in kind. Daigo is assuredly friendly, but he is also ultimately inscrutable. He has a great deal of control over his own poise. He's mostly ignoring how he feels about the lost love situation. Loss is the cornerstone of the yakuza life. He's done this before and there's nothing for it but to keep living his life, even if a little sadder than before.

His expression warms a little when he notes dryly, ]

I walked in to that one, didn't I.

[ It probably sounds different in Japanese though. He leans in to the bar to put in an order, glancing towards David midway through, ]

If you don't mind taking my recommendation?

[ Some Proud Jewel special, sure to be poured in some gemtoned color. ]

You did, but it's okay. I won't hold it against you.

[He gestures with an open hand, intrigued to see what Daigo orders for him.]

By all means.

[ The drink that appears has a brilliant grapefruit color. Daigo describes the flavor as fresh, tart, but also slightly spicy. An 'Aurora Stinger', named humorously after the prime minister. ]

It's one of Najee's more interesting drinks.

[ He's lived nearby for a few months now, he's tried most of the bartender's specials by now. He gestures loosely towards one of the sets of velvet booths. ]

[David takes the tumblr with interest, lifting it to his nose to take in the scent of it. He raises his eyebrows in interest, and then takes a sip as he follows Majima over to that booth.]

That's very refreshing. [He sinks into one side of the booth and sighs as he feels the velvet beneath his fingers.] I really like this place, too.

Me too. I live a couple of blocks from here, it's an easy stop.

[ He shrugs his jacket off as they settle into their seats. His style clearly isn't as dressy as David's, but he has his own way of it. Clean lines that accentuate the shape of his body and few nice accessories. The yakuza requisite gold chain around his neck, a very nice watch, good shoes. He loves no longer having to wear a suit every day but isn't willing to descend into scrubdom either. ]

Tell me how your first month went.

[ A little less fatherly of an inquiry than their first outing, he gets the hint. ]

I appreciate your choice in neighborhoods. Location is truly everything.

[David does love where he lives in the Emerald District, but he's also sort of constantly eyeing up real estate. Taking another sip of his fancy cocktail, he swirls the glass around a little while he thinks on it.]

Um...eventful. The curse thing, which again I could have gone without. But I also, you know, met a few people. I went on a date, and it did not suck. Worked on curating my apartment.

It's loud here at night, I like that.

[ But it also means the rent is a bit lower here. Most people actually want to be able to sleep at night, no matter how much they might enjoy the bars themselves. Daigo finds it comforting, nostalgic. ]

I saw a few rounds of apologies from the cursed on Radia.

[ A small quirk of his mouth as he acknowledges this. It's difficult to know what to do when any member of the gembonded could be infected or turned feral at any given time. Do you berate them for their lack of control in a situation that no one has any control over? His eyes lower as he sips his drink. He doesn't mention that he may or may not have shot an infected in order to escape their manna-starved pursuit. He's sure Geralt is fine, besides. ]

But dating already, you are settling in nicely.

[ He has no opinions on how long one should be in the city before beginning to go on dates, he is entirely joking. ]

Mmm. Me, too. I like city noise.

[Even after two years in rural Canada, nothing puts David straight to sleep like traffic sounds and honking horns and drunk people yelling. His arms fold in front of him, leisurely leaning back in his seat with his drink in hand.]

Some people really popped off, it sounds like. I was just in my apartment. [By himself! Nothing happened! Nobody had weird tentacle sex.] I was far too fucking hideous to be seen.

[The corner of his mouth quirks up.] Besides a few roadbumps, yes.

[He's really just letting himself have fun for the first time in a very long time. Most certainly taking advantage of the fact that he's stuck here with no way back through no fault of his own.]

[ I was far too fucking hideous to be seen... A pinch to the way he's smiling; small, brief. He remembers holding someone in his arms while they'd said something similar. It was one of the last conversations he had with Mine before the other man was gone. His former lieutenant, once an emerald, lingers in him like a toxic plant even now. Mine is something thorny that lived in him for 10 years before Noctium and his leaving did not change that fact. ]

Your friends and loved ones won't think that way. [ He knows there are certain personality types where that reassurance is meaningless. He'll have to take David as one, he suspects. ] But there are plenty of people who spend their first transformation that way. Some of the Amethyst transformations are difficult to walk in, may as well stay home if you can't fly yet.

[ He returns to his subdued humor for this observation. He idly fiddles out a cigarette from the pack in his jacket pocket. He toys it distractedly in his hand without lighting it for a while. He raises his glass briefly, ]

Well, here's to your future dates.

[ Daigo doesn't assume he is one. He would state definitively that he does not date. He has resisted updating his point of view from what it had been in Tokyo, where he did not have the time nor the personal discretion. The people he's dating might argue with his assessment but Daigo short circuits any time the word 'boyfriend' is uttered within earshot of him. ]

Edited 2021-11-12 03:45 (UTC)

I couldn't walk at all. I floated around my apartment with this mass of...tentacles hanging out of me.

[David pulls a face, seeking out comfort from the memory in his glass. He's grateful for the change in subject, at least, and raises his own in salute.]

Yeah, I'll drink to that. [He tilts his head at Daigo.] Your turn. What have you been up to?

Ah, well... I won a few lessons on mountain survival from the cultural festival. I spent a weekend out on the mountain with some friends. They teased me quite a bit about what a spoiled city boy I am.

[ A fleeting expression on his face of humorous resignation to that fact. ]

We came back just in time for things to get strange for Draugtide. My employees and I ended up clearing out the garage as a refuge again and had one of the local mages come ward the building so it's safe for people. [ He finally actually lights the cigarette, curling his hands together. ] Got chased across some rooftops by an infected, shot him, which I am sure he wasn't particularly amused about in the morning.

[ A slow exhale. ]

And then taking stock of who came and went in Malachite's latest batch. We lost a few friends and family members among us.

[ It's much easier for him to talk of himself and his circle as a group, rather than just about himself. ]

Edited 2021-11-15 00:53 (UTC)

[David listens with his chin propped in his hand, eyebrows raising higher and higher toward his hairline, prompting the appearance of the worry lines he's so self-conscious of. At the last part, he hisses out a soft, sympathetic sigh.]

Sorry to hear that. You certainly had some adventures, though, didn't you?

I'm... not very good at the katagi life.

[ Noctium will translate. Katagi is to the effect of 'respectable' and implies 'non-yakuza'. ]

I was born into the yakuza, trying to live like a civilian doesn't really suit me.

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