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[demarcates]

wesley.gibson@compass.net (3) is2g (╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . \) D55 63:19PM first.last@compass.net (6) Re: Mission D11 8:01PM first.last@compass.net (12) [text] D10 9:35AM

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<span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">TO:</span> first.last@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">CC:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">BCC:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net, firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">FROM:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">DATE/TIME:</span> Day Twelve, Night. 63:19PM <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">SUBJECT:</span> (no subject) <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">MESSAGE:</span> No message.

<span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">CONTACT:</span> first.last@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">MESSAGE:</span> <span style="font-family:courier; color:#000000;">text</span>

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w12, day something

[conceded]

Toshi! I need you to do me a favour!

[ Like he'd ever say no. ]

[demarcates]

[ wow what he is perfectly capable of that word with kondou, thank you X(!! ]

Of course.

[conceded]

[ When did he last say it to him? ]

I need you to come somewhere with me. Can I come by in about ten minutes?

[demarcates]

[ the last time, obviously... ]

Ah? [ he wanted to stay in his room he's working!! but... ] If... if it's that important...

[conceded]

It will be worth your while, I assure you! Please?

[ extreeeme puppy dog eyes... ]

[demarcates]

All right. I'll get ready.

[ oh man. ]

[conceded]

Excellent! I'll be there soon!

[ And sure enough: knock knock, are you ready, because Kondou is here. With a suit on. ]

[demarcates]

[ you'd think he'd be more ready for things that he's not expecting, especially here.

So when he opens the door about ten seconds later, he should take it in stride because eventually it was bound to happen, right?

...nope.

Hijikata certainly looks surprised, but if that wasn't enough to get the point across him accidentally dropping his (thankfully empty) mug to the ground just might.

...ah, good enough distraction to get some of his senses back and he looks away to crouch down to pick it up, looking for some words okay. ]

Wh—Kondou-san...

[ he never thought he'd see circumstance of kondou ever wearing anything remotely western again without fussing like a baby. culture shock. ]

[conceded]

... surely it doesn't look that bad, Toshi!

[ There had been fussing, but he'd also had some help, and it was mostly fussing over something that he found comfortable to wear. These suits seemed to fit the bill, at the moment, and he found that he did look quite sharp too.

Though if he was going to cause Hijikata to drop things, that wasn't exactly a good thing. ]

[demarcates]

It doesn't look bad at all, Kondou-san, I didn't—

[ no crap he doesn't know what he meant augh it was just surprising, okay! It...! he ducks his head slightly even as he goes to get back to his feet, his voice a little quieter as he fumbles for something to say. ]

...It looks quite good on you.

[conceded]

Do you really think so? I'm glad, Toshi.

[ Because it's not like he was trying to impress him, or anything. There may be a slight blush on Kondou's cheeks as he talks too; suddenly it's hard to focus on what he'd come here for. ]

I just wanted... Ah, anyway, are you ready to go?

[demarcates]

[ yes you blush for them both, kondou, so he doesn't have to!!! dokidoki. ]

Yeah, I just need my coat.

[ and to do something with his mug but you know what he'll just put it down where he retrieves the jacket and will deal with it later. at least he won't wonder where the hell he put it when he goes looking for it again.

so ok he's coming he's ready and he looks a little expectantly at the other even as he steps out and closes the door behind him because does he get to find out now where they are going? ]

[conceded]

Well, there's a carnival in town that I thought we could go to together. It seems fairly harmless, and we could both use a break...

[ The way that Kondou is rambling, you'd think that he was nervous, or something. But he feels as though there's a great need to convince Hijikata that this is the best idea ever, otherwise he might just turn around and go back inside. ]

[demarcates]

[ he's absolutely right, though. there is so very much a great need to convince him, and Hijikata is almost ready to tell him to find someone else he'd at least have a better time with because they both know this will be a chore for Kondou more than a break.

...but, he feels like at the same time it would be extra poor of him to disappoint kondou, especially with how excited he seemed and the apparent effort he— ]

Is that why you dressed up?

[ sorry, he's a little distracted by this still, he realizes, leaning forward slightly with a curious expression before reaching up to give a small tug on the other's shirt collar folded above the suit jacket. he does look rather charming in it, doesn't he. ]

[conceded]

That, and I thought that it may be nice to try something like this. After all, the store did just open up.

[ And he had finally given in to the fact that he couldn't wear that clothing forever. As much as he wanted to stay in his comfort zone, the time had come for Kondou to take a step outside it.

Now he seems nervous, however, and he rubs at the back of his neck anxiously, not sure if he'll be able to convince Hijikata after all. If he says the wrong thing, it might just convince him to turn tail and run instead. ]

[demarcates]

Ah.

[ well that's true. Hopefully it won't be out of his comfort zone for all that long, though. Hijikata glances up now, noticing just how nervous the other is and he can't help but let out a small sigh as he smiles a bit, letting his hand move from the shirt to press the back of it against Kondou's cheek before slipping back to brush at some loose strands of hair. ]

I should say no to save you because your taste in company for a good time really sucks, but how can I resist?

[ even though sulking is preferable it's definitely impossible to say no to that face, after all.

...but all right, there, he is done nitpicking and touching Kondou's hair and outfit and idly tweaking so he drops his hand away back to his side. ]

[conceded]

I protest that! I would say that my taste in company is perfectly fine, thank you. I've always enjoyed being in your company, Toshi.

[ The smile on his face only seems to become brighter after admitting that, but also because of those light touches. Part of him isn't exactly sure what to do other than smile, what he can do, but in the end he finds himself reaching over and gently squeezing Hijikata's hand before letting go. That might just do it. ]

[demarcates]

Well, I'm touched that you feel that way.

[ Hijikata glances down at the squeeze, his smile softening before looking away when Kondou let's go. ]

All right, then. Guess we're going.

[conceded]

I hope that you didn't seriously expect me to say anything else...

[ Get it together, Toshi! He still smiles though, and seems content upon leading the way, his hand brushing against his friend's on occasion the whole way there. Completely by accident, of course. ]

You never had much choice in the matter, anyway.

[ As much as he's teasing, there's an element of truth to it too. ]

[demarcates]

[ he wants to say something to the first but is instead rather distracted, he realizes with the simplest of brushes touches against the other. it's brought back up, however by the following commentary. ]

Is that so? Then I expect you're planning to make this one hell of a night.

[ joking but not really; it's spending time with kondou, hijikata knows they could do absolutely nothing and not speak a word between them and he would be happy all the same just by being in his presence. it's simplistic, but it's true. ]

[conceded]

You know me all too well. I don't think that I could forgive myself if I gave you anything less, especially after dragging you out here!

[ Of course, Kondou never mentions the effort that he's gone to as well. To him, that much seems inconsequential; it's Hijikata and his wellbeing that is at the forefront of his mind right now. ]

[demarcates]

[ and hijikata's not learned very much despite trying so hard to do otherwise with kondou, so he's a bit oblivious that there's been a lot of effort here done for him but it's not that he isn't grateful for the opportunity presented, anyway. his gaze falls to the ground eventually, idly tracing steps before looking back up ahead.

he actually hasn't been over this way since last week and it feels a little unsettling, but at least there's absolutely nothing around him to remind him of that. he won't complain. ]

It's really just a carnival? [ huh... ]

[conceded]

Ahaha, did you think that I would lure you out with the promise of a carnival only to end up giving you something else?

[ ... okay, so it's not entirely beyond Kondou to do something like that, but only if the situation was truly dire! This hardly counts. But he does want to try and help Hijikata unwind; he knows that he's had a rough time of it as of late. ]

[demarcates]

I expect you to have promised me something way more desirable if that was the case. I just wasn't sure if you conveniently forgot to tell me about the part where two-legged demon cats try to claw our hearts out while we're there, thinking it might be a deal-breaker.

[conceded]

Um... Toshi? What do you mean, two-legged demon cats?

[ Did he miss the memo? If so, that was a rather important memo to be missing! ]