[Open/Catch All] What do they call love in your reality

[satanslash]

WHO: Rin, ALL Y'ALL
WHERE: All over
WHEN: August Catch All
WHAT: Pit fighting, flower crowns, and honest emotions? This sure is an interesting month...
WARNINGS: It's Rin, he can't go five minutes without swearing at least once. But also, gross mushy feelings. Ew.

i. meet me in the pit, scrublord (Quest 21)

[Rin wasn't actually that fond of fighting, despite being pretty decent both with his sword and his fists. Fighting back home meant getting in trouble, losing jobs, getting suspended and having so much of the burden of his actions fall on Father Fujimoto's shoulders. He tried so damn hard to avoid it as much as possible, but his anger would always flare at the sight of bullies and assholes picking on those weaker than themselves.

Of course he had been called a demon for such actions, especially given that even as a small child he was capable of breaking bones in adults three times his size, but it was only later he learned he really was what all those parents would whisper to one another in fear and disgust.

Just his luck, right?

As an exorcist he was far more at peace with lifting a sword to protect those who couldn't protect themselves from his kin, at least the ones that deserved it, but even then he was always hesitant to go full tilt against them. Learning that his flames, when controlled, could actually exorcise demons back to Gehenna rather than kill them had been a great weight off his shoulders.

If there was a good reason for doing these things, he was all for it. Which is why he was questioning, silently, why exactly a fairy tale-based town needed pit fighting for a quest. Especially pit fighting among their own numbers.

It was requested, though, and he had already put himself out there as a willing contestant. He was there in the so-called pit without his sword, stretching out his arms, legs, back while waiting for the next opponent with a determined expression. If he was going to do this he was at least going to take the situation seriously.

But that does beg the question, who is willing to go up against a super strong, blue-flame wielding half demon?]

ii. I pray for the wicked on the weekend (Quest 20)

[Every so often, when Rin is feeling the restless urge to take a walk and wander about the town, he finds himself back at the church in Flavo that he had once spent a night with a bunch of other residents at Kaoru's insistence. While the memories of that were pleasant, it was more because the location even in it's somewhat rundown state reminded him heavily of home.

Not the dorm that he had been given the chance to visit last month, but home. The place he had lived for fifteen years. Granted this place didn't have a living space like the boy's home Shiro ran attached to it, but he had spent more than enough time in the church proper to have the place feel like that piece of his life that had been so quickly taken away from him in one fateful night.

If someone went looking for him at Chroma Cafe only to find him absent from it, they would have more luck finding him there. It was a good place to have conversations about honest feelings, whatever feelings those may be. It was a church after all.]

iii. A gentle beating heart (Quest 23)

[Somewhere in the town you might come across a sheepish looking teen holding box. What's in the box, you might ask? Well, approaching him would give an answer since the low sides of said container allows it to be seen in to easily. There's a stack of flower crowns, surprisingly well made and a good number of them as well. He might mutter something about having spent 'way too much time' on them, and Rin clearly doesn't give two flips who should and shouldn't be considered 'worthy' because really weren't flowers supposed to be for everyone?

Not that it does anything for his embarrassment. It's not like he's ever done anything like this before.

Whatever his thoughts on the matter don't be surprised if he, red faced as anything, attempts to hand you one.]

J-just take it, okay?

iv. Wildcard!

[As always, I'm up for anything ever. Hit me up on Discord (Rin#0768) or Plurk (rubberfaceokumura

Comments

ii

[troubadamsel]

[Maribelle sometimes comes to the church, mostly to remind her of her good ally, Libra. Like many of her friends back home, she misses them terribly. She's a little surprised to see someone else there.]

Hm? Rin?

[satanslash]

[He was usually here alone, too, so the footsteps immediately get his attention. He turns and gives a lopsided smile.]

Hey.

[troubadamsel]

... Is everything all right?

[He tends to be a smidgen more cheerful than this.]

[satanslash]

Ah, yeah. Just... thinkin'.

[He gets why she's asking, though.]

It kinda reminds me of home. Where I grew up, I mean.

[troubadamsel]

I see... Do you want to be alone?

[satanslash]

Huh? Oh, I don't really care if anyone else is here.

[He gives a half-shrug.]

I can take off if you wanted to be alone, though.

[troubadamsel]

No, it's quite all right... I actually came here because I was feeling a little lonely, and this place reminds me about one of my dear companions from home.

[satanslash]

Yeah? Who's that?

[Might as well make conversation then. He doesn't mind listening.]

[troubadamsel]

... His name is Libra. He's a priest that wields an ax and healing magic. He left the sanctity of church to aide us in our darkest hour... his heart and soul are the purest I've ever known.

[A wistful sigh.]

... And he's so beautiful you'd think he was a woman.

[... yes, she had to add that.]

i

[tropism]

We should have a dance-off instead, like in Footloose. I think that's more interesting.

[ giorno dusts off the dirt from his uniform, sighing. ] Anyway. Hello, Rin. I'm Giorno. I've introduced myself before.

[satanslash]

... I don't think I've seen that.

[Sorry, Gio. Rin is young. And Japanese. And grew up in a church.

Perfect mix for the most media-deficient childhood ever.]

Hey. Yeah, I remember. Not the way I usually make friends but...

[Here we are.]

[tropism]

[ giorno frowns. ] You haven't seen Footloose? .... do you at least know about Les Miserables? Madonna? And I don't mean the picture.

[ he's fifteen and he knows of this masterpiece, why don't you? is it the church thing? we gotta get the lord out of you. ] Alright, we need to raise the stakes here.

Whether you win or lose, you will have to come over my place so I can give you a proper musical education.

That being said, if you do lose, I will teach you how to dance.

[satanslash]

Uh, that's... probably before my time?

[Yes, and he was born in '95. That's the perfect combo for having zero media knowledge.

Well, maybe not zero. He's gotten some exposure since going to True Cross. Mostly manga and JPop though.

Also how is that a punishment for losing? Honestly, he kind of wants to lose now? Just a little bit.]

Right well uh. Let's go then?

[tropism]

[ giorno gives him a kind of look, that, had he been the type to rudely retort over someone's lack of musical knowledge, he would've said infant. that being said he's not directly rude so rin is just going to get that judging look. it's fine (it's not fine) to not know about les mis, but madonna? madonna's eternal. she's definitely had a religious phase at some point.

giorno just sighs. ] Sure. How do you want it to end - first one to go down, or first one to draw blood? Assuming we're not playing for a funeral.

[satanslash]

[Sometimes kids are sheltered, okay? He's not rejecting the idea of those lessons, though.]

I don't wanna kill anyone! ... I mean, uh. First to go down?

[Because he really does hit hard. Be ready for that.]

[tropism]

[ he shrugs. ] Fine by me.

[ he can hit as hard as he wants, giorno cheats anyway. as an opening stance, he .... folds his arms over his chest and taps his foot on the ground. ] Let's begin.

[satanslash]

[... really?

Rin's eyebrow quirks up high, hands already in fists in front of him.]

Uh.

... you... sure?

[Because he certainly doesn't look ready.]

iv

[queenofminiskirts]

[Kaoru's always been a very tactile person but she's been downright clingy since the rescue. Which is why she was pretty much latched onto his arm the moment he was back.]

You're really all right? Nothing took a bite out of you or anything, right? [Look, she heard about the stuff you said when they had those apple shooting quests.]

[satanslash]

... about that.

[That's. Actually exactly what happened. He received enough healing after getting back to Chroma that it was little more than an abrasion on his arm now, but he had absolutely gotten chewed on by one of the sirens.]

'm... okay.

[Ish.

Physically, mostly. Mentally? That's up for debate.]

[queenofminiskirts]

["About that" isn't reassuring. Her grip tightens just a little and if anything wanted to take him again it'd have to fight her for him.]

Tell me what happened. Please?

[satanslash]

O-ow. Easy, I'm still pretty sore...

[His own healing hadn't completely kicked back in yet. He wasn't feeling as sick as he had on the island, but that was the only thing that had recovered thus far.]

It's... a long story. You sure you wanna hear it? Knowin' how fucked up this place is ain't exactly good for your health.

[queenofminiskirts]

[She loosens her grip but kind of sidles closer instead.]

I want to know. Especially if it concerns my friends.

[satanslash]

Mn...

[He was still hesitant, but eventually a sigh left him as he nodded.]

It was... sirens? I think that's what Zelda called 'em. They got us out to that island... like, I heard my friends and I knew it wasn't real but I still followed.

[queenofminiskirts]

...I don't think anyone could blame you for that.

[After all, she can't say for sure she wouldn't have done the same.]

What happened on the island?

[satanslash]

They... they tried to eat people. They were fuckin' relentless. I... I dunno what happened to him after I ran off but I think... I think they got Nyx. H-he fuckin'... god, Kaoru, he put himself in front of me to keep them away!

[It was Shiro all over again. He had been so powerless...]

I didn't have my sword, my powers were all fucked up, I was sick a-and weak--... !