inbox

[paperpusher]

Please leave a message after the beep.

options:
✶ text
✶ audio
✶ video
✶ paper doll notes

✩ please don't leave curses on the answering machine ✩

Comments

[paperpusher]

[He thinks about not answering... but c'mon they both know he's going to answer.]

Terrorizing your Sutoku kouhai?

[worldbent]

Playing with Natsume-kun 😻

[paperpusher]

What

now it's a phone call

[paperpusher]

[RING RING, MOTHERFUCKER]

:)))

[worldbent]

[riiiiiing]

[riiiiiiiiiiing]

[riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing]

[click.]

You have reached the voicemail of-- Matoba. Please leave your message at the tone.

BEEEEP

[paperpusher]

[Immediately hangs up and dials again.

And also starts tossing paper dolls up into the air to scope out the festival grounds.]

text/image/action?? whatever this is now

[worldbent]

[About a minute and a half after Natori's missed phone call, and his ensuing panic, another text finally pops in.]

[(Sending photos over data in a crowded festival is hard, okay! The service here is so throttled.)]

[It's a selfie of Matoba, giving a little V with his fingers while in the other hand is perched this extremely handsome gentleman. (In the back of the photo, he might be able to just make out a quarter of Minakami's very, very confused face.)]

Isn't he cute?

[The paper dolls find Matoba quickly enough- alone, in full festival yukata, and lapping at a candy apple in the thick of the crowds. He watches one of the paper dolls do a loop-de-loop around his head, and holds his hand out for it to land, smiling at the warmth.]

Hello, there.

[paperpusher]

[Natori keeps one eye on his phone as he pushes through the festival, trying to figure out how he's going to spot Natsume and Matoba in a crowd of ayakashi. He slows to a stop once the picture pops up, catching his breath as he looks down at it and puts the pieces together.]

...You've got to be kidding me.

[As Natori starts to hunt-and-peck his way through a cranky reply, he suddenly straightens up as he feels the spiritual ping from the doll. A few stands over, the doll briefly settles on Matoba's outstretched palm. After a moment, it alights again and starts drifting leisurely through the crowd, without any sense of urgency and always at eye level. Easy to follow.]

[worldbent]

[Ah, and there goes his little leader.]

[Matoba smiles to himself, stroking his thumb along the animated paper before it takes off in front and makes his way strolling through the festival. He was sure Natori couldn't be too far with how long it had taken the dolls to find him, but he sees that his message was read, and even briefly saw the bubbles of a reply.]

[But one doesn't come, and instead Matoba follows the servant back to its master, looking grumpy as ever in the glow of the lanterns. Oh, and even dressed for the occasion. He smiles to himself from behind his treat. What a rare sight.]

You're not working today? [He mumbles from around mouthing about the candy apple. It has his lips stained red already. The brat. He probably isn't even going to finish it. He never does.] The perks of fame, hm?

[paperpusher]

[He can tell that the doll is coming back with company, so he doesn't bother sending his response over text. Instead, he waits, arms crossed with a small frown of annoyance.

It doesn't occur to him how long it's been since Matoba saw him looking like this-- in a yukata at a festival, no fake glasses or hideous bucket hat, a romance star in full summer inaka boy mode-- but he does notice that Matoba looks a little different than normal. It takes him a second to place it. Once he does, he blinks, momentarily distracted from the scolding ex shtick.] ...Isn't it even easier for an ayakashi to grab your hair if you have it up like that?

[Which isn't to say it's bad, just that it's different.]

Anyway, very funny. You got me. [translator's note: he uses 'wagahai' here just to show he gets the joke, and also to express that it isn't funny or clever.]

[worldbent]

Hm? [Matoba looks up from his candy to glance behind him, with the effect of flicking the ponytail with the jerk of his head. It sways.] What about it?

...Ahaha, you don't seriously think any of the smallfry here would dare something so rash, do you? [To attack an Alliance Lieutenant in the midst of another Sutoku-hosted event... He nibbles at the edge of his treat, cracking off a piece.] Though it would amuse me to see them try. And start another war.

[He walks until he is close enough for them to be side by side, and beams merrily at the wording.] Oh, but did you see that charming smile~? I was going to buy Nana-kun a grilled squid, but it seems he's more interested in chicken skewers. Alas...

[Matoba seems to truly lament this fact, and sulks into his candy.] ...Anyway, since you have nothing better to do than chasing me down with dolls, shall we? [Meaning: You're free, right?]

[paperpusher]

No, I suppose not. Especially not after we've just negotiated the end of one. [And everyone gets to play around in the stinky sewers again. Insane, but whatever.

He rolls his eyes in exasperation (and just exasperation, if asked) as Matoba starts cheerfully baby-talking about someone else's cat, and doesn't notice that they've fallen into step alongside each other until Matoba just invites himself along.] Shall we what, buy food for a cat you met? [that is NOT A REAL SUGGESTION, SEIJI] ...Well. I guess it's nice to have the opportunity to go to a yatai while we're here. [Meaning: yes, let's.]

[worldbent]

[Shouldn't have asked, then.] Oh, did you see a grilled squid stand? [His head swivels this way and that.] I suppose I was just going to get more yakiniku for him instead, so I hope Suizenji-san has not gone too far...

[Yakiniku, then. That's where they're headed.]

[They can follow the trail of grilled meat quite easily as they walk. The Shuten clan has a great many grilling yatai set up throughout the festival, big-shouldered oni with hachimaki about their horns stuffed into the small carts and turning the skewers. Matoba invites himself up to one with empty seats, and considers his candy apple for a moment before helping himself to set it stickily on the side of an empty dipping dish.]

--Oh. That's right. [Before it's crushed at his waist when he sits, Matoba plucks a vividly fuchsia pinwheel-striped petunia from his obi, and holds it out to Natori. It's already looking a little battered, like he's had a number of adventures with it tonight already.] Here you go.

[paperpusher]

I've bought enough snacks for cats. [Like Natsume's fat glutton (affectionate). The last time he's been to a festival like this was with Natsume and the cat, in fact, though that was within the human world with the ayakashi on the sidelines. It is an interesting experience, watching the reverse. Natori finds himself enjoying it, even if they're apparently going on a mission for a stranger's cat.

Natori pulls his nose as Matoba plops the half-eaten candy apple down in a viscous mess, pausing as he takes his seat.] Ugh, are you going to keep eating that? [Never mind going from candy to yakiniku, he's already accepted that shift, but going back? He makes a mental note to 'accidentally' knock it off the counter. He's eyeing the options when there's a very colorful, slightly crumpled flower suddenly thrust in his face.] --What is it?

[worldbent]

[A nasty laugh wracks Matoba’s body.] That "kitty" is not a cat. Letting yourself be dragged around by something that low-class is pretty sad, you know.

[But whatever, Natori is the expert in wearing shameful behavior like a badge. He ignores the daggers from both Natori and the stall-runner, who reluctantly and eventually acknowledges them with a grunt.] What? I paid for it, [He scoffs as the menus are tossed at them, a Sutoku Lieutenant and a Tamamo nobody, both nothing impressive to an oni, both humans with the stench of exorcism. He takes it, and then stares at Natori’s question like he’s stupid.]

… A flower. [Squint.] Have you been drinking?

[paperpusher]

Mhm. [Except for how Sensei is more powerful than anything Matoba (or Natori himself) could hope to obtain!! But there's no need to argue it; he and that fat beast have settled into... more of an understanding than he'd have expected.

Also excuse you, yatai-san, Natori is not a nobody.]

No. [He scowls, and does not blush. It's simply the cast of the lanterns around them.] I mean, why do you have it? Why are you giving it to me?

[worldbent]

Oh, I bought it on a whim. But you know I’m not very good at keeping things alive, so it seems to me that it would suit you more.

[The flush of purple suits the blue of Natori’s yukata perfectly, if he were to say it plainly. He glances at it with a smile, and then returns to his menu.]

[Hmmm…. Would Nana-kun prefer chicken livers or thigh pieces…? Matoba mentally maps out a meal for a cat he’s probably not going to catch up with the rest of the night, half listening to Natori grumble beside him.]

Four chicken loin. Four liver. Two beef tongue, four negi, and two bacon-asparagus.

[Take a guess how many of those are actually for him.]

[paperpusher]

...Alright. [Natori looks at the flower again before tentatively taking it. It doesn't feel like there's anything particularly magical about it, so for good or not it seems like it's just a flower.

...He doesn't have his bag on him, but tucking it into his obi feels like making a particular kind of statement. He puts it down on the counter alongside the menu before putting in his own order (one grilled chicken, one bacon and quail eggs) and waits for the oni to turn back to the food.]

...You must really be sucking up to this cat. You know the bakeneko have started to talk about you?

[worldbent]

[So cagey… Matoba sighs to himself. Just a flower, and he even overthinks that. That said, he wonders if he really doesn’t know where it came from. Aerith-san was one of his colleagues, after all.]

Nana-kun isn’t a bakeneko, [Matoba sulks, then turns in a hushed and serious tone, leaning towards Natori.]

Really….? Do they like the snacks? Should I bring more salmon or chicken? Which one do they like better?

[paperpusher]

[The earnestness of Matoba's reply makes Natori hesitate to tell him what the bakeneko were saying-- there's a creepy one-eyed exorcist who will give you free food if you tease him! Matoba is so rarely earnest about anything. After a moment:]

They haven't mentioned. Just that a man that matches your description will give out food. [Pause.] So they must like whatever you bring them, if they're telling each other to look for you.

[worldbent]

I see…

[Phew… What a relief. Well, good word of mouth among the cats would certainly help them get past whatever reservations they had about the curse’s aura, right…?]

[Matoba gives a little puff of relief, and watches the skewers turn on the grill.]

Then, perhaps even after the curse’s increased influence, it will not be too difficult to get close to them again…

[He gazes into the glow of the charcoal, looking a little more peaceful. This night was going quite well so far, all things considered.]

[paperpusher]

[The curse, huh... Matoba hadn't outright confirmed that it was here the last time Natori asked, but that seems to settle it. Of course it would come up when he's worried about the impact it had on the cats. Natori sips at the glass of water that the oni apathetically shoved their way, and considers asking about it. Instead, he gently pushes the flower over to make room for the skewers, especially since he knows Matoba won't be eating most of them.]

I guess not, if you always bring this much food with you. So that's what your promotion money goes to, huh?

[worldbent]

Don't be ridiculous. I have a number of ventures to spend that on.

What the clan invests in me, I invest in the clan. [He tugs over his own lukewarm water, and sips.] I pay for these with the money from my side job.

[Which was also... from the clan, but at least it wasn't what was directly coming from his promotions.] Of course, you don't have any need of, ah, good luck charms.

[A smile curls his lips. It is hazy and warm, even hotter in the yatai than it is outside of it. But he doesn't mind it, somehow.] And you are just plugging away, hm? Coasting off work that was already done and not much else.

I wonder when Tenkohime will put you to work, a little.

[paperpusher]

Excuse you. I work hard at the host club, you know. [Because it does take some effort to keep up the act when Matoba arrives, though maybe working "hard" is a bit of a stretch. It's always come easy to him, the pretending.] But I suppose she values this face of mine more than anything else.

[He's wondered, sometimes. If his abilities were still limited for a reason. If there was something about him not giving it his all that caused her to hold back his techniques in exchange. Or if it was truly just more profitable to have the actor instead of the exorcist.

He doesn't have to ask the same question of Matoba. Like always, Seiji was surely giving his all to the clan.]

...Does the Daitengu meet with you? When they return something to you.

[worldbent]

Are you really shameless enough to call that work. [Matoba scoffs, gulping water to stave off the heat, and happily makes room on the counter when the first set of skewers is pushed towards them.] ...And yet you put the least effort into it. Even foxes are fooled by your cheap smile, I suppose that is worth being impressed by.

[Matoba picks up one of the asparagus skewers and blows on it gently, taking a bite.]

Mm? ...Yes, when they can. Haha, well, they have been "dead" or ...incapacitated for a few of them, though, so I have had some unorthodox meetings.

[Actually, the most unorthodox of them all have been the ones the Daitengu was present for. The tennis up on the roof was quite fun, though.]