songerein | Some day we'll put it together and we'll get it all done

Entry tags:

Some day we'll put it together and we'll get it all done

Who: Joshua (

firebrandish); Joshua & Kazuya (

bellheir)
Which: Closed Log(s) – Mini catchall
Where: Joshua’s home (guest starring his desk)
What:
- Clive is getting married to Jill, and Joshua has started turbo planning. Clive asks him a very important question.
- Kazuya is coming for a friendly visit (and to chat more about what happened at their sparring match a few months ago) where he uncovers something Joshua is hiding.
Warnings: FF16 spoilers maybe? Will add as necessary

Finding the best man for the job

[Joshua sits at his writing desk, a flurry of activity surrounding him as he meticulously organizes piles of parchment filled to the brim with neatly scrawled annotations—and that’s the only sign of tidiness within his vicinity. Whatever documents or lists aren’t placed into haphazard piles lay crumpled on the floor surrounding his seat. His brow furrows in concentration as he reviews his latest endeavor, his quill resting against his cheek.]

[Tap tap.]

[Tap tap.]

[Tap.]

[Then, a heavy sigh. As determined as Joshua is to help make this wedding a success, a celebration worthy of his beloved big brother and his soon to be sister-in-law, there are certain stressors involved. He enjoys planning. Excels in it. Thrives, even. For some reason, however, the stakes seem and feel higher now than with any espionage mission or war strategy he’s partaken in.]

[Still, this is an important moment. One that Clive and Jill will remember forever. He can’t afford to slack or to fall prey to trepidations. Everything will work out, because he will be there to make sure of it.]

[With a decisive nod, Joshua scribbles down a few more notes before reaching for another document.]

Snoopy isn’t just the name of a dog

[Joshua stands outside his treehouse, the crisp air marking winter’s end enveloping him as he takes hold of Alder’s reins. He’d invited Kazuya over for a hangout, hoping to catch up with his friend amid the welcome chaos of his family’s arrival, but his chocobo had other plans. The steed was entering his adolescent months, chock full of rebellious tendencies and endless energy. While Joshua was waiting for Kazuya indoors, Alder saw it fit to cause a ruckus in his stable. And so, Joshua ran outside to help quell the latest in what’s sure to be a string of rambunctious antics.]

[As Alder trots beside him, his feathers ruffled and his demeanor restless, Joshua can't help but feel a twinge of frustration. He'd been looking forward to spending time with Kazuya, and now his plans were derailed by his unruly chocobo. He reminds himself that, intelligent as they are, chocobos are still animals. He can hardly blame the bird for whatever instinct is driving him.]

Easy there, boy.

[Joshua’s tone is soft as he gently tugs on the reins.]

What’s gotten into you?

[Alder lets out a squawk in response, his beak snapping at the air as if he's eager to be free of his constraints. Joshua sighs, knowing that Alder's energy needs to be expended somehow, or else he'll continue to act out. Disappointment aside, he has a responsibility to take care of.]

[It’s at that moment that he notices a familiar figure coming close, and Joshua waves.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Truthfully, he's always happy to hang out somewhere other than the house with Naoya, especially with his elder sibling getting on his nerves more often than not. Not that he dislikes him, even when he's being a giant pain in the ass, but being cooped up too long with Naoya can lead to frustration on both their ends.

Also because he feels like he's reverting to how he was as a kid, always toddling after him even now that he knows better and is far more independent. So yes, being invited over is something he eagerly takes Joshua up on, especially as he's aware of what Kazuya is now, and it leads to something a little more relaxed out of him. Less pretending.

And... Admittedly, he's also done some thinking about their little sparring match and the consequences that had come from it. It's something he does plan on talking with him about now, and the invitation proves the perfect reason to bring it up. Granted, he doesn't expect to come by Joshua having a hard time with Alder. While he's been told that the big bird is technically domesticated, Kazuya values his fingers. If Macaws can take off fingers, he'd hate to see what a bird of that size could do to a hand when it's being that rowdy.

He waves back, picking up speed as he sees Joshua struggling a little, concerned for his hands potential well-being.]

Having some bird problems?

[It doesn't help that the problematic bird (the yellow one, not the human-shaped one) has started his growth spurt. Once waist high, Alder now comes almost face to face with Joshua, who's fairly tall in his own right. His hands aren't the only body parts in danger.]

[Thankfully, the 'bo's beak is nowhere near Joshua's nose or eyes, although if Alder had any intention on causing harm, he certainly could. Knowing this fact more than well enough, Joshua maintains his kinder approach. With his fingers running through Alder's feathers, he finally regards Kazuya.]

Some, yes. He's taken to disobedience for nearly a sennight now.

[Now that the chocobo is quietly trilling under his palm, Joshua reaches into a pouch full of greens hanging from his hip.]

It would be hypocritical to chide or punish another for rebellion, but I also cannot condone the behavior.

[He sighs.]

How have you been, my friend?

[... A sennight.... Kazuya has no clue what that means, but he can figure it's long enough for it to be an annoyance.]

I've been alright... [He pauses, definitely watching the bird a little warily. While he doubts that said animal could leave any lasting damage on him, he still very much does not want to experience being pecked himself.]

I'd offer to help, but I honestly don't know too much about birds. Or really pets in general, since I never had any. Though if you tell me what to do, I can definitely do that?

[Though the bird seems under control, if only for the moment.]

[Joshua holds out the gysahl greens for Alder to cheerfully munch on from his palm.]

Thank you for offering, but we should be all right now.

We’ll circle the tree a few times before I stable him again. Then in the evening, I’ll take him for a run.

[The chocobo seems to be content with the compromise (easy enough to convince him when presented with his favorite food), so Joshua nods in satisfaction. Crisis averted for now.]

It would be poor form to allow you to stay out in the cold while I finish working with him. Please make yourself at home. There is nobody else there at the moment, and I’m happy to say my food situation is far less dire nowadays.

[He says with a grin that’s as genuinely happy as it is amused.]

[It is interesting to watch how Alder heels more or less as the greens are offered to him, how confident Joshua is around a beak that could absolutely be deadly in an instant. There's definitely a little relief when Joshua tells him not to be worried about helping him out in the way his shoulders slacken slightly.

Still, he doesn't really want to just hang out inside Joshua's house if he's not there? It might feel a little weird.

Are you sure? I don't mind at least walking with you.

[Just one more offer, to be polite.]

[He catches the relief in Kazuya's posture and smiles knowingly.]

I'm positive. It won't be long.

[Joshua reaches out and places a hand on his friend's shoulder. The grip isn't tight, but it's firm enough to hopefully convey his warmth.]

You're always welcome in my home. Please do not feel as if you are intruding.

If you're sure.

[ It still feels a little odd, to be granted such lofty permissions after what he did, but it's not as if he doesn't appreciate it either. Especially not when it comes with such a reassuring gesture that Joshua gives by way of a gentle but firm grasp on his shoulder.

If anything, he deflates the rest of the way under the touch, though his nod is still a little apprehensive. ]

Alright. I guess I'll make myself at home then?

[ He returns that grip on his shoulder, though it's just to Joshua's arm in turn. Brief, only lingering a few seconds, but something thankful all the same. ]

[It's a welcome gesture! One that lifts Joshua's otherwise tired eyes as he chuckles.]

Please do.

[With that, Joshua turns around so he can start guiding Alder now that the bird's finished his snack. All the better to get done as early as possible.]

[When Kazuya does finally enter Joshua's home, there's a busier feeling to it. If his nose is sensitive enough, he'll catch the faint scent of a recently made meal, and the slightest hint of dog (but not in an unpleasant way). Joshua kept his humble abode orderly before, but that was more due to unintentional minimalism. Nobody else lived there, so he had little to fill what space he had. Now, however, although not messy per se, there are blankets thrown haphazardly to drape along his couch, chairs that have been moved around, and a kitchen that's clearly seen more use than it ever has before.]

[Before, Joshua had a house. Now, it truly feels like a home. Someplace filled with warmth and love.]

[Among that wholesome mess is Joshua's writing desk just beyond the entrance. A hastily bound book--one clearly meant to act as a manuscript rather than a finished product--lays open on its surface and Joshua's quill hangs precariously tilted against the side of its inkwell. It's clear that he'd left in a hurry in the middle of a project to handle a more pressing matter. Giant, yellow, and feathery, perhaps?]

[Even with Joshua's permission, it sort of feels like he's breaking and entering despite given permission. Maybe it's just him in feeling weird in being in someone else's house without them present, but it's a feeling he has all the same.

The changes he sees now before him though quickly sweep that sensation under the rug the further he gets inside. It looks... Much more lived in, and yes, much more like a home. From the blanket thrown haphazardly over the couch, to the chairs that aren't quite tucked in, just a little ajar. It doesn't really take much more exploring than that for him to see it, that Joshua is no longer alone. He'd said that his family was here with him now, and honestly? Kazuya is relieved for that. Even if it's only Naoya is here, he still has someone he can rely on, even if he doesn't see eye to eye with him... Most of the time.

It's probably the same for Joshua. It's fine to make friends here, but there's just something inherently different in having someone you know, having someone who knows so much about you present that's easier.

Kazuya's instinctual reaction is to tidy the blankets, or at least set them right so they're not messy. He's sure that Joshua would appreciate that, since it looks like he just hasn't had much time to do it himself. Either that, or he just hasn't really been home to do so. Either way, its when he's tidying this that he notices the writing desk, the quill laying so precariously that it looks like it might fall at any moment.

Well. Kazuya doubts he'd want that mess to deal with. He's had pens explode on him in the past, and that's always a nightmare to clean. So he'll just set that right--

He doesn't really mean to look through the journal, it's not really any of his business, but he glances at it as he's moving things to a proper and less dangerous position, he can't help but read the writing-

"I cannot write in great detail, but during a training session today, I gained more evidence that nostilium is not necessary for darkness to manifest.

This is a flimsy hypothesis at best, but I wonder if there is a link between Phoenix and attracting nightmares. There is no way I can test my theory. Not without causing harm to others.

Another dead end."

A hand runs against the page, and his expression falls. It's what he wanted to talk to Joshua about today, even. It seems like there's a lot to discuss, just from this page alone, and an uncomfortable feeling settles back into his gut as he resumes tidying. It's not Joshua's fault. He knows better than to snoop, that things are never what they seem at a glance, but it still doesn't give him the best feeling in the world either.

When it's all said and done, Kazuya moves back to the living room, to make himself comfortable on the couch until Joshua returns.

The first thing he should do is apologize.]

Edited 2024-04-05 05:17 (UTC)

[Kazuya won't have to stew for long before Joshua manages to make his way back into the house. The door opens with a barely audible creak as he steps through and into the small foyer. He bends down to pull off his boots, eyes not on Kazuya just yet.]

All done with Alder! He was far more amenable after the greens.

[As he steps into the living room proper, Joshua pulls off his gloves and his mantle, putting the former away and hanging the latter. It's then that he catches how the space has been organized. With a grateful smile, he glances at Kazuya.]

Did you tidy up? Thank you. I app--

[Wait. Something is wrong. Joshua's grin wavers into a concerned frown.]

...Is aught the matter?

[It's good that he doesn't have to stew in his own thoughts too long. They're already tumultuous at best as he tries not to think too hard about the journal page he saw. He nearly jumps as Joshua calls out, it hadn't been long, but it's still enough to startle him into sitting straight up again, and he lifts his head to watch Joshua for the moment, taking in the sight.

He's already concerned. Well, it's not as if he doesn't look a little distraught himself, so it's probably natural to be a little concerned by that, right?]

I didn't mean to snoop, but your journal was open- [He nods his head in it's direction, still open on the page he'd seen.] And it looked like your stuff was about to fall over, and I didn't want you to have to possibly clean up ink from everywhere.

[He exhales, slow, trying to steady himself.]

I saw what you wrote. About your power possibly attracting darkness and nightmares.

[At first, Joshua feels a bristle run through his body. The hairs on the back of his neck stand, and he needs to take a couple of deep breaths to calm the anger that bubbles from within him. A couple deep breaths more than he normally would.]

[Such are the effects of the darkness he'd written about.]

[His brain moves fast, however, leveraging logic against that surge of emotion. Kazuya meant to help. Joshua was the one who left his book open. Eyes wander. The entry, one that he was referencing for more current notes, directly pertained to Kazuya. He arguably had a right to view it.]

[Another breath and Joshua closes his eyes. Then, he nods, more to himself than anything, and speaks.]

It's all right. I can hardly blame you for reading something left out in the open.

[He strides over to his table and picks up his manuscript. A few moments pass where Joshua scans his own writing before he turns to face Kazuya again. Jill told him to stop holding everyone at arm's length. That the convoluted paths of the walled garden he'd built around his deepest thoughts would lead to his ruin. The book he's clutching to his chest, face-to-face with his friend, is filled to the brim with vulnerability. With darkness that extends beyond the nostilium that plagues him.]

I... I imagine you have questions.

[It's not like him to falter with words, but it also isn't like him to allow anyone into the inner workings of his mind. Publication allowed for a barrier. As much as Joshua intended to allow these thoughts to make it out in to the world (an honest chronicle of his thoughts could help others who may find themselves in a similar situation), he would be removed from it. Questions could be controlled, assuming anyone ever had the chance to ask them of him.]

[With a friend, someone who's managed to peek a little bit below Joshua's surface, the stakes are much higher.]

[And there's of course the matter of Kazuya's feelings.]

And I apologize if what I wrote was unacceptable. I will change it.

Edited (icon choice and extra stuff!!!) 2024-04-06 23:36 (UTC)

[The anger is something he catches almost immediately. Not through how Joshua holds himself, or any other vague barely noticeable changes, but through scent. As a demon, those sorts of negative emotions, or even any emotion felt strongly enough carries it's own smell, and he winces a little at it, especially as it's directed at him.

Joshua has every right to be upset. Hey may not have meant to look, but he had all the same.

He says that he can't blame him for reading something left out in the open, but it's clear that a part of him does. How much of that is that nostilium and how much of that is Joshua, he wonders?

Kazuya averts his gaze somewhere less judging. The floor feels fine.]

I do. But my questions don't mean anything to your comfort. You didn't willingly share that with me, so I won't expect you to answer them.

[Even if it was just one page. Just that single page is enough to make him nervous, and he only glances back up momentarily from where he's looking when Joshua apologizes for what he wrote.

Another wince. Another flinch back.

You don't have to apologize either. Like I said, it wasn't for me to see. It was private.

[And therefore, Josh's personal thoughts on the matter.]

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