Who gon' pray for me? [OPEN]

[satanslash]

WHO: Rin Okumura and Open
WHERE: All Over
WHEN: Entire month, including punishment week
WHAT: Punishment week, Rin is burdened with increasing paranoia that he's losing control of his powers and doesn't handle it well at all. Rest of the month, general catch all, feeding folks, possibly helping with quests, etc
WARNINGS: Well it's Rin, swearing is going to happen sooner or later. Sooner more than later, probably.

a. first week - Rin's house in Bluo

[They say 'trust your instincts', that gut feelings are supposed to be the most accurate way to tell that something is wrong and needs to not be ignored.

What happens, though, when your gut is telling you you're losing control even if that's not actually what's happening.

It started as an annoying nagging sensation in the pit of Rin's stomach shortly after things returned to normal and the district populations were all one again. It was distracting, to say the least, but he couldn't put a finger on what was causing the feeling so it went more or less ignored until he woke up the next day only to find it more insistent. Stronger. Persistent.

Again, he couldn't quite settle on what was causing it, and while he became increasingly and unusually quiet even while working in the kitchen, there was a strange thought in his mind that it had something to do with his sword. Checking said sword didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary, and once again it was mostly ignored.

On the third day, however, he didn't appear out of his room until mid afternoon, looking haggard, lacking sleep and twitchy. Even the movements of his tail were erratic. He was certain now - something was wrong with him, with his power, and there was a constant twisting of nerves in his stomach along with the pervasive thought that he was quite possibly losing control. A year of training to prevent such a thing and for reasons unknown to him he was simply... slipping.

Day four, he didn't come out of his room at all.

He feared being around anyone, especially those he cared about, knowing that should he truly snap the way he felt like his mind and body were attempting to do he would absolutely wind up hurting someone. He was terrified, waiting with shaky breaths and exhausted eyes for the moment when he would finally lose it all and burn everything down. Nothing he did to calm himself worked in the least, and his only refuge at that point was to keep himself locked away and hope... pray, even ... that no one would try to come looking for him.]

b. catch all, second week on - "Chroma Cafe"

[Once that paranoid feeling passes and he no longer fears he'll be dragged in to fire and insanity by lacking control of his own powers, it's back to relative normalcy for Rin. Of course it's not easily forgotten, that awful week spent thinking he'll burn someone he cares about. It lingers in his mind, only manifesting as moments of quiet contemplation and distant gazes, but more or less he's the same old Rin working diligently to keep people in Chroma fed from his recently dubbed "Chroma Cafe".

Granted it's a cafe in name only, really just a kitchen where food is passed out to those who ask, but at least now thanks to Vriska it has been adorned with the appropriate signage.]

c. catch all - evenings, at the docks

[The experience left him feeling oddly restless. He never considered himself lazy, exactly, but normally he wasn't against a good long bout of relaxation especially after a day in the kitchen. Lately, though, he found himself needing to take a walk once the kitchen was closed up for the evening, eventually winding up at the docks staring out into the water.

Events back home had, for a while now, left him questioning whether or not he even wanted to return to True Cross. He wanted so badly to help Yukio, or rather the Yukio that he had left standing on that bridge, but he genuinely feared what it was that was holding his brother back.

Now, though...

Well, he still didn't want to face that situation, but that paranoia over his power made him actually miss home, miss his training, miss the classes and definately made him miss his cram school classmates. Were they okay? Was Shura doing alright? Mephisto had been shot, and while he was a demon that should have been able to survive it there had been some hint that he wasn't recovering as quickly as he normally would. He hated that damn clown but even he didn't deserve that.

What a fucking mess. He wanted to be able to focus on other things, on aiding people in Chroma and not stress over the life he'd left behind and yet...]

d. wildcard

[Mainly because I can't think of any more prompts if you want a closed thread, or just have another idea for poking Rin, let me know! rubberfaceokumura

Comments

B

[totheno1]

[He was glad that the effect had passed. Maybe not for himself quite yet, but to know that others were finally returning to normal had put Kei's mind a little more at ease.

His mind off less about other's situation, he had noticed the signage and stepped into the 'Chroma Cafe'.]

Are you planning on making it an official business?

[satanslash]

[The cafe was little more than a kitchen, old and not in the greatest shape but slowly in the process of being repaired. Thankfully the food being made, even with limited resources, smelled and looked much, much better than the state of the rundown house it was in.

Beyond the kitchen was a living room with a worn but usable couch, a small coffee table, and a couple of mismatched chairs around a small wooden table that was in dire need of new varnish.

Bangs pinned back, a makeshift apron of cloth and twine around his waist, Rin looked up as Kei entered and gave a wave with the wooden spoon in his hand.]

Official as it can be, yeah. Vriska told me I should make it more obvious if people gotta come lookin' for me.

c

[moonlitknight]

[ Late into the evening, a repetitive trot can be heard in the distance. As the minutes pass by the sound grows louder, and now it's accompanied by quiet steps. ]

You can't have that water. It sea water.

[ Someone reprimands as the two draw closer. ]

You already ate the last apple I gave you, so stop snooping for one.

[ He continues as horse and man come into view. Zero is pushing Lily's head away from the pockets of his long coat while the mare ignores him completely and pokes at said pocket with her nose only to find it empty. ]

I'll get you some carrots when we get back, now will you stop poking at me.

[satanslash]

[It hits his ears fairly early on, his hearing generally sharper than most other people's, but distracted as he was Rin simply ignored it until the voice joined in. That got his head to turn, looking for the source and eventually landing on--

... a horse.

What.

For a few seconds he just stares, enough time for the horse to harass her owner for treats. Eventually Rin just blurts out loudly:]

When the hell did we get horses?!

[moonlitknight]

[ Both man and horse stop in their tracks to look his way. Lily reacts first, turning her head away from him clearly not liking his outburst. Zero lays a hand on her neck, patting her as he address the kid. ]

They've been here.

[ Lily wasn't the first considering three others had already made a stable for theirs. ]

B

[inheritance]

[With how worn a lot of the buildings in Chroma look, it's very easy to spot the newer sign even when just passing by.

Curious, Izuku pushes the door open and peeks inside, smiling when he sees Rin there.]

Okumura-kun? Are you opening a cafe?

[satanslash]

Yo!

[Of course he's in the kitchen. Where else would he be?]

Kinda? Met someone who said I should make the place more obvious if I was gonna be givin' food out. Guess it's a cafe now!

[inheritance]

That's amazing! [Since it looks like Rin doesn't mind him coming in to investigate, Izuku closes the door behind him.]

I think it's a great idea, Okumura-kun. It's really kind of you to make food for people like this.

B

[anamnestik]

[Eliot has been doing his best to act normally, even when his punishment has left him frazzled. While it may seem petty to some-- and honestly? is super petty???-- he's been struggling with his self-image.

Particularly, Eliot can't shake the feeling that he's hideous. It's taken him a lot of inner strength to leave his home, and then to engage in a conversation.]

... Um? Excuse me? [He stops to examine the "cafe," confused.] What exactly is this? I didn't realize there were restaurant-type establishments here...?

[Was someone's punishment being forced into the food industry? That's so sad.]

[satanslash]

[Oh hey, a new face! Rin looks up with a beaming smile, showing fangs and a swaying fluffy tail behind his back. If he's being punished he's certainly taking it well.]

'sup! It's not really a restaurant like a normal one. I basically started a soup kitchen after I got here.

[And after food wasn't horrible and gray.]

Friend of mine told me I should make a sign so people could find it.

[Really, it's just the kitchen, and a small table in the living room along with a couch, coffee table and mismatched chairs.]

[anamnestik]

What a wonderful idea!

[Eliot may not need to eat, but he knows the majority of the population does. In an instant, he's looking around the 'cafe' with a new kind of interest.]

Well, it's coming together rather nicely... Hm...! Perhaps, is there anything that I can do to help out? Do you need recipes?

B

[pursestrings]

[Hey buddy, guess what!! Okuyasu is actually just here because he saw the word cafe and was immediately interested, but when he realizes it's Rin donning ye olde aprons and cooking some food, he's definitely over there in a second. He has... an important issue to resolve, like, two weeks after it was relevant--]

Yo! Your baby brother is a hardass.

[Give him some free food.]

[satanslash]

[Rin generally wasn't one for sarcasm. He understood it but he generally wasn't good at it himself. That was really more Yukio's thing anyway.

But given that Okuyasu decides to burst in with that being the first thing out of his mouth, Rin turns from where he was in the kitchen and fixes the other teen with a flat, unamused stare and an equally flat voice.]

Really. I hadn't noticed. Please, tell me more.

[pursestrings]

[Don't sass him, nerd. He'll only accept sass if he gets food; is there food and can he eat it??]

Ha ha. He's not like you at all, 'cept that he looks like you, but a bigger dork.

B

[missingache]

[A cafe? Roxas himself is glad that his particular ailment is over now, so trying different foods is definitely a go. But what does a cafe even have? Time to stick his head in the door to see if anyone was here...]

Hello? Is this place open?

[satanslash]

[This one has whatever is available at the moment. It changes from time to time, but all of it is really good.

Rin grins from where he is in the kitchen, waving with a nod.]

Yeah it is! Come in!

[missingache]

[Oh! So there is someone in here after all. Roxas steps in and takes a good look around. Now will come a question that might make him sound like an idiot...]

Uhm... what's a cafe?

b

[good_ideas]

[It's early in the week when Shiho pops her head through the door at a place she's...looked at but never eaten at. Kaoru has good things to say about this place though and besides, she needs to eat food that's had some thought put into its creation if only so it can reassure her that her psychometry is still there.]

...Hey, are you guys open?

[And more importantly, what was the daily special?]

[satanslash]

[Rin is still on the emotional mend from that awful punishment, but being in the kitchen as usual has helped regain some of his energy.

He looks up from the current task he's working on, breaking in to a grin and even wagging his tail a little.]

Shiho! Hey! Yeah, 'm open. Come in.

a

[girod]

[ Clark's been spending a decent amount of his time working with Rin in the kitchens, which is why he's very aware that Rin's been acting a little off the days before he just doesn't show up. He doesn't want to leave the town without some food prepared, so he works up enough supplies for the day before he heads towards the house he's determined is probably Rin's over in Bluo.

He knocks, carefully, and waits.

[satanslash]

[Unfortunately there's no answer. He's there, upstairs in his room, just not responding to anything.

Well, he may have made a noise or two, but to normal ears it would be impossible to hear...]

b

[parodeity]

[ ...it's the sign that drags dave in, honestly. he's looking at the sign a little curiously, and when he spots rin - ]

Do y'all have a menu?

[satanslash]

[Long time no see, buddy.]

You say that like I got a staff or somethin'.

[He's teasing a bit, but eventually he shakes his head in a proper answer.]

Nah but I can tell you what I've got ready to make.

C

[tendershepherd]

[Sorey doesn't often come to Bluo, despite living relatively close to the border between it and Flavo. But, like with many things, exceptions can be made. Tonight seemed like a good night for a walk, especially after that first week.

As he walks he spots the figure sitting at the end of one of the docks. It's dark, but he thinks he recognizes the faint outline as he gets closer.]

Rin? [He only speaks when he thinks he's close enough to be heard, and mainly to see if his hunch was right.]

[satanslash]

[Rin is dragged out of his thoughts by the sound of his name being called, turning to face whoever it was.]

Oh. Hey, Sorey.

[That was a face he hadn't seen in a while. He had been wondering if the other teen was alright during the wolf attacks.]