Shinjiro Aragaki (荒垣 真次郎) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
themortalhalf) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
destinystrings2013-08-13 11:37 pm
themortalhalf) wrote in destinystrings2013-08-13 11:37 pm
Entry tags:
Every year, at this time / I'd look over at some friend of mine
Who: Shinjiro Aragaki + OPEN
Where: Naganaki Shrine + Iwatodai Dorm
Summary: Shinjiro tries very hard not to celebrate his birthday. He goes looking for lost watch instead. (Backdated to Sunday, August 11)
Warnings: Shinjiro's language habits. Not much else. Will update as needed.
[Naganaki Shrine]
[If Shinjiro could have his way, the eleventh of August would pass by just like any other. It would just be another mark on the calendar, and would end just like the tenth had before it: with no real significance—he saw no reason to make a big deal out of it (there were enough festivities in Hinoto-Ri already. Last thing he needed was another day). He didn't need or want the attention for just surviving another year. The eleventh had come and gone uneventfully last year, for the most part, when he only had one person to worry about meddling in his affairs. That person was gone (for five months and counting—shit if that still didn't feel more unnatural than anything else here), but Aki had certainly left even more tenacious replacements.
So when the sun rises that Sunday, he leaves the dorm early and heads out into the city. He has something that needs doing, anyway. He needs to retrace his steps: his watch is gone. He noticed it was missing far earlier. Even though he has a connected theory or two regarding its disappearance—other reasons to explain why his pocketwatch suddenly went missing, besides his being careless—he's not about to ask, because if it turns out it hadn't been taken it for some nefarious purpose that certain people shouldn't waste their time and goddamn money on, it would mean that he had lost it. It wouldn't be the first time. And the last thing he wants is for other people to go searching for it because of his own carelessness. And if there is a reason, he'll get it back eventually. …But he can't not look for in the meantime, can't leave it to some alleyway or god knows where. He worries that it's maybe stuck in that goddamn maze, and he won't be able to get it back.
So he takes the time to pass through the places he locations he frequents, searching. It's a good distraction, if nothing else, and before long he passes into Capricorn mid-afternoon and walks into the Naganaki shrine—one of the few remnants of his world, and thankfully empty. There, he begins searching for the watch he won't be able to find, ducking in and out of the playground equipment, searching the sand for something that may have accidentally gotten buried, even approaching the main shrine itself to look if it had maybe dropped in one of the offertory boxes, moving and cleaning any debris he finds that remains from the minor rainstorm a week before.]
[Dorm]
[Regardless of the outcome, he'll come home to the dorm eventually, as he always does, once the afternoon has passed into evening. He had intended to stay out longer, but in the end he gives into obligation and whatever else driving his return home. He can stand a few hours of nagging and actual socializing. Possibly. Maybe. Not really.]
Where: Naganaki Shrine + Iwatodai Dorm
Summary: Shinjiro tries very hard not to celebrate his birthday. He goes looking for lost watch instead. (Backdated to Sunday, August 11)
Warnings: Shinjiro's language habits. Not much else. Will update as needed.
[Naganaki Shrine]
[If Shinjiro could have his way, the eleventh of August would pass by just like any other. It would just be another mark on the calendar, and would end just like the tenth had before it: with no real significance—he saw no reason to make a big deal out of it (there were enough festivities in Hinoto-Ri already. Last thing he needed was another day). He didn't need or want the attention for just surviving another year. The eleventh had come and gone uneventfully last year, for the most part, when he only had one person to worry about meddling in his affairs. That person was gone (for five months and counting—shit if that still didn't feel more unnatural than anything else here), but Aki had certainly left even more tenacious replacements.
So when the sun rises that Sunday, he leaves the dorm early and heads out into the city. He has something that needs doing, anyway. He needs to retrace his steps: his watch is gone. He noticed it was missing far earlier. Even though he has a connected theory or two regarding its disappearance—other reasons to explain why his pocketwatch suddenly went missing, besides his being careless—he's not about to ask, because if it turns out it hadn't been taken it for some nefarious purpose that certain people shouldn't waste their time and goddamn money on, it would mean that he had lost it. It wouldn't be the first time. And the last thing he wants is for other people to go searching for it because of his own carelessness. And if there is a reason, he'll get it back eventually. …But he can't not look for in the meantime, can't leave it to some alleyway or god knows where. He worries that it's maybe stuck in that goddamn maze, and he won't be able to get it back.
So he takes the time to pass through the places he locations he frequents, searching. It's a good distraction, if nothing else, and before long he passes into Capricorn mid-afternoon and walks into the Naganaki shrine—one of the few remnants of his world, and thankfully empty. There, he begins searching for the watch he won't be able to find, ducking in and out of the playground equipment, searching the sand for something that may have accidentally gotten buried, even approaching the main shrine itself to look if it had maybe dropped in one of the offertory boxes, moving and cleaning any debris he finds that remains from the minor rainstorm a week before.]
[Dorm]
[Regardless of the outcome, he'll come home to the dorm eventually, as he always does, once the afternoon has passed into evening. He had intended to stay out longer, but in the end he gives into obligation and whatever else driving his return home. He can stand a few hours of nagging and actual socializing. Possibly. Maybe. Not really.]
no subject
I know you do.
[He's also not sure he's technically qualified to refuse much of anything anymore. He feels the weight of the small box in his hand, shoots her a quiet, furtive glance a second long, and starts to carefully unwrap the box, opening it at its seams and folds. He all ready has a good idea what it is—the weight is familiar—but it's only when the wrapping paper as been pulled away and the box opened that his shoulders relax and he feels an abrupt sense of relief. (He also feels foolish, looking for something, when he knew where it had been all along). You shouldn't feel so anxious over an old pocket watch. He's better than that. He should be able to grow up and leave old pieces of his past behind.
The pocket watch looks different now. More like it used to and less like it did. It doesn't bear the same trauma it had been carrying from the forth. He clicks the face open—no longer worried that he might break it—sees clears class and and easily readable face. It actually tells time properly now. He thinks he can hear it tick more steadily than its labored, struggling beats had been not so long ago.
His face softens, and there's a certain fondness to his stare as he watches the second-hand tick around the watch face before carefully closing it it. He never liked seeing it broken.]
You… didn't have to fix it.
no subject
[Of course, she has a cheeky reply. She was just glad that it turned out looking as well as it did. The bullet really had done a number on the case. It was a miracle it had still been ticking at all.]
It's been almost a year, and I thought it deserved to run properly again. I'm sorry I made you worry about it, though. The shop had to keep it overnight.
no subject
[Taken it.
He runs a thumb carefully over the watch case. He's also surprised the watch looks as good as it does. The case had took the brunt of of the bullet, but he had no idea what had done to its insides—to the fragile clockwork pieces that kept it running. He'd always imagine it'd stop on him one day. It probably shouldn't have been running to begin with.
He's... not sure what to say. His gut reaction is to tell her she shouldn't have spent her money on something so old and obviously broken. No matter how much sentimentality it held for him, it was only a watch. He knows how much it costs each half decade just to ensure the watch still runs properly—to take it apart, clean, oil, and wind it. Scrub away any rust that had impeded the time-keeping process. But to replace the glass fix the case, smooth away the scars on the marred the outside, and then move on inward to repair the damage you couldn't see without looking deeper, the damage that was slowly killing it, was something he hadn't even tried estimating.
It's just a watch. He tries to tell himself that. It's nothing that would kill him to lose.
Just... part of him still feels like he would.
And, like almost a year ago, there's still a sense of relief to have it in his hand again.
So maybe those kinds of words aren't right.
He leans back against the bench, leaning slightly in to where the living warmth is. Goes quiet for a second or two.]
...I got it from one of the orphanage workers when I was young. [Was he seven then? Eight? It was a long time ago. Counting those days and hours are harder.] She said it was my dad's. Never found out if it was true or not, but it's not a bad lie to tell a kid, if you're gonna tell them anything about their parents.
no subject
[She reaches over and covers the hand holding the watch, squeezing gently.] You gave it meaning, so now it's important to you.
no subject
[Though it would be nice if he knew. Somehow. Even if you were the one that gave meaning to what was important to you, because then it would be a clue as to what type of person he was.]
Guess I owe you twice now, huh?
no subject
If you want to owe me, I won't say no! But I'd call this more of a thank-you to the watch. [For saving his life.]
no subject
He has to hold back a small laugh.]
Don't think the watch had much choice.
[He's sure it would be grateful if it had the capacity to, however.]
no subject
[She falls quiet momentarily, leaning her head against his shoulder.] It really is hard to believe it's been a year. Summer's already almost over.
no subject
That isn't something he's been used to worrying about.
A smile tugs at his lips, and it manages to stay for longer than the thought that had created it.]
Almost.
[Give it another couple weeks. September 1st. He hadn't thought he'd be around for a year. Now he has good watch to count the minutes by.
He gently threads his fingers around hers—difficult with the watch in the in-between, but he's not inclined to pull away. Or do much moving really. He's always liked it here.]
Not gonna drag me back to the dorm now, are you?
no subject
[She stretches out her legs in front of her.] It's too nice of a day to go inside already.
no subject
Hell no.
[Last thing he needs is Miki ganging up on him, too. He doesn't stand much of a chance after that. She's just as unabashed and shameless.]
Last thing you need is incentive.
[She's driven enough, without cause driving her forward and giving her a motive.]
no subject
[she smiles brightly.] I'll just find one myself when I need one though.
no subject
Sometimes he wonders if she's too bright for someone like him—or rather, that he's not bright enough for someone like her, being so ingrained towards the pessimistic sort of realism. He enjoys quiet moments like this, likes being here in a way that's hard to put into words, especially when enjoyment used to be much harder to come by, but a part of him still doesn't expect it to last very long. Because nothing ever really has.
Nevertheless, a small, fond smile still manages to crack its way through, and he glances down to where the watch is before kissing Minako's forehead.]
Thank you.
[For a lot of things.]