video; un: kishibe

[penpoint]

[ The video flickers on and Rohan's at his desk. He sets down the pen he has in his hand on the desk in front of him. He looks fairly serious, though his tone has a certain ease to it when he speaks. A cat is perched on his left shoulder, white and a little fluffy and leaning into his space at every opportunity. Rohan makes no attempt to get the cat out of his bubble. ]

Good evening, everyone. Just a couple of quick things.

I finally found a reliable publisher. [ He leans forward, placing his chin in his palm. ] Which means that some of the recent manga I'm working on can finally be more easily accessed by the public as soon as it's ready. I'm considering making it easily accessible in a digital format, too.

That having been said, I am in need of a few models. This is a paid job, and I found studio space that I can use when I need to meet someone. This is a little different from if I weren't drawing you. I like to keep in practice, and I like to use a variety of different people. It keeps my skills sharp.

[ The cat, poised on his shoulder, starts to nudge his head against Rohan's face, wanting attention. He brings his hand up, moving his fingers over the fur. This seems to satisfy whatever attention it was wanting and returns to just settling himself in. ]

And the last is I am also taking commissions. I work very quickly, so if you need it fairly soon, let me know. I'll need to know what you're looking for and how big of a project it is. We can meet either in the studio space I'm using, at a park, or cafe if preferred to just discussing here.

Just drop me a line here, privately, or whatever works for you for any of the above.

Comments

[penpoint]

[ Said cat, seems to know he's being talked about as they do, and nudges his nose against Rohan's cheek. He's happy here, and Rohan of course indulges him. Because of course he can. He likes the little jerk - for what he is. He moves a hand up to pet his head again, two fingers brushing over the fur. ]

He hurt his paw so came over so we could watch him. I'm basically the only person he likes, so he sits with me when I work.

[ What's that look for. ]

What?

[chichichi]

[ The look is... actually morphing into something closer to a pout maybe. Rohan doesn't know, she reminds herself. It's not like with Rin, who knew and went out and got a kitten, anyway. There's part of her that's still very quietly sore about that. For all that she normally encourages hers to be selfish, when it comes to something like this, it's... not quite a mumble. ]

He has good taste, I suppose, but... he's still a cat.

[ And all up where she likes to perch and watch Rohan work when she comes to visit?? Is he going to be there, existing in that space like this? Climbing all over Rohan, distracting him when they're quietly commiserating as they do, nyaaing loudly and rubbing against things, knocking stuff over, demanding attention like it's his sovereign right or something... ]

[penpoint]

What's wrong with cats?

[ And there he is, laying it out like that for Setsura. Because he wants to know what the issue is, and there's obviously an issue. And is she...pouting? He squints, leaning into the camera dramatically as if trying to figure it out. ]

You're giving me a look. What's that look?

[chichichi]

[ Please observe Setsura staring at Rohan as though he has grown a second head because what sort of question is the first?? But also, how dare he call her out like this? She'll turn it!! ]

Rohan-kun, you are one of the most observant people I know.

[ Case in point, but that's besides the point. ]

"What isn't wrong with cats" would be a much more astute question.

[penpoint]

I mean, they're good company and have a lot of personality.

[ Stares at her. ]

You don't like cats, Oneesan?

[chichichi]

[ No?? With the exception of one (1) absentee from home, maybe two. Maybe. ]

Rohan-kun, what sort of [ PROUD ] youkai am I?

[penpoint]

[ An easy to forget fact ]

Alright, alright. Well, he's just a house cat.

But if you don't want him around when you're over, I can put him in my room. He prefers it there, anyway.

[chichichi]

[ She hadn't expected that consideration, not with how certain people in-the-know have responded. Mockery, being shut out are the sorts of things she's been greeted with by her other little brothers here, so to hear Rohan put it like that, and so simply... makes her wish she could hug him right now, not that the cat is an actual issue.

She could absolutely take him, after all. ]

I'm not sure giving a being like that time to reflect upon himself will improve him, but it's worth a shot in my opinion.

[ Like the cat is the one with the problem. Setsura! ]

[penpoint]

[ When you respect his space, and bubble, he respects yours, Setsura. That's how he works. First impressions meant a lot to him, after all. He's raising an eyebrow at her comment, though. Really? Really onee-san? He tilts his head ]

He's not going to reflect on anything. Stinky's going to just keep doing what he wants to do no matter how much time he gets alone or with me.

[ Setsura! ]

He mostly just cries and waits for me if I leave him in a room. What? Are you expecting him to plot my doom via tripping me in the kitchen while I'm holding a knife?

[chichichi]

[ Really, Rohan-kun. Setsura wonders how he can sit there stating the issues with felines and somehow not understand? He must be completely bewitched by this... "Stinky". ]

Are you going to sit there and tell me he hasn't tripped you in the kitchen when you were around sharp objects before?

[penpoint]

Of course he has.

[ he's only judging because this is what you're worried about ]

He's a cat. But he's still not out to get me. You know, don't bite the hand that feeds you.

[chichichi]

Rohan-kun, he's... a cat. That's what they do.

[ They literally bite the hand that feeds them for funsies. He understands cats and yet, he does not... understand cats? He's in danger. ]

I really am going to have to keep a better eye on you.

[penpoint]

He's not going to do anything to hurt me, Onee-san. You absolutely don't need to worry about him with me. He's hopelessly sad without my company.

[ How's that for dramatics. ]

Though I appreciate your concern. Over a cat. A cat with a sore paw.

[chichichi]

You're welcome.

[ She claps back figuratively, recognizing his sass for what it is. ]

Now, your... feline issue aside, [ SETSURA!! ] I believe congratulations are in order. Those are certainly strides you're making here.

[penpoint]

I [ notice that emphasis? yeah ] am not the one with feline issues.

It's appreciated. It's difficult to re-establish relationships with the right people in a totally new place. I already had a reputation at home, so it was much easier. Here, it's starting over.

[chichichi]

[ She's going to walk right past his clarification like the adult she is.

Truthfully, she's thinking more about what he's saying now, his exact wording. Starting over in this place -- ]

Why?

[ She cants her head just so in that way that she tends to when she's curious. Why... now? Why start over? She thinks Rohan will follow and if he doesn't, he'll ask. ]

[penpoint]

Why?

[ He seems to shift, pondering. ]

I have to do something, Onee-chan. And I need to trust someone to work with them. That's hard to find anywhere, especially somewhere completely strange. [ And without skipping a beat ] I only know they're honest because of Heaven's Door.

[chichichi]

I'm sure you've heard before that you probably shouldn't use Heaven's Door like that.

[ But then, she's had access to his ability and used it herself during their time in Nevei. She understands his Stand, its capabilities, how he might think to use it more than anyone else. After all, she indulged. She wanted to understand and what's more is Rohan isn't wrong. Trustworthy people are difficult enough to come by at home. Here on a foreign planet in a much different social environment, any smart individual would be wary.

For an individual like Rohan, though, he generally dislikes people... no, she isn't surprised he used Heaven's Door to garner that necessary security. That person wasn't physically hurt; though, she doubts they'd be thrilled to know their privacy was violated in that manner.

Still, it's done. She isn't, though. ]

But that seems like settling.

[penpoint]

Like what? That's exactly what it's for. I even used it on Reimi-chan when we first met.

[ Should he have said that? Probably not. It's an interesting story, to be honest. And, he's not going to also say that him doing that to Reimi did cause him problems only a few months ago because he didn't know how to get to know someone without it. He won't get into this. ]

And I use it even less here because there are limits to how much I can use it. Still, finding someone trustworthy is exactly the way to use it, really.

[ It's better than nearly murdering his future friend!! ]

[chichichi]

You're going to have to tell me about that sometime, you know.

[ Sometime, but not now, not if he isn't ready or he doesn't want to. Using it on Reimi... is that surprising, coming from Rohan? Not exactly, but he's been scarce regarding details about how he and Reimi actually met in Lunatia. Then again, she hasn't pressed. She hasn't needed to know. Neither Rohan, nor Reimi have been in danger or in a position where it would serve Setsura to know that information, after all. ]

Reconnaissance really isn't a terrible use for a Stand like that.

[ It isn't like she hasn't thought about it and she finds herself thinking once again that it really is a good thing Heaven's Door is Rohan's Stand and not someone else's. ]

[penpoint]

I can. I will tell you any story I want to hear.

[ And if you think about it, it's weird. Rohan typically listens to stories to learn about others for his writing, but he tells a lot of things to Setsura. He didn't really have someone else like that in his life, not before her. And that he didn't mind telling her these things? It was a lot, really. He liked it, though. He liked having someone he trusted enough to tell things. ]

It's my favorite use.

[ you know, inspiration from others ]

It can do a lot, but this is -- most important.

[chichichi]

[ She wonders how using Heaven's Door on Reimi might have inspired Rohan because she knows that's what it is. He probably thinks back to it. Learning about the person he now loves in that way at that time... and it's a funny little thought that pricks at her mind, a quiet sort of wondering about her own person she immediately regrets because that's not a path she desires to walk, not here, now. She shoves it with a quiet, depreciating thought of, "Who could say?" And in the present, she thinks probably no one.

That sort of thing doesn't happen for a being like herself.

She shoves that thought away, too, quirking a brow, setting a smile to tug at her mouth. ]

Reimi-san won't be upset, will she? If you tell me the story of how you used Heaven's Door on her.

[penpoint]

...Well, no. It's also the story of the first time we met. It's not like I'm going to share details about her.

[ Says he. Even though when he used it on her, Koichi was standing right there and he read every detail out loud because he hadn't cared about people finding out things about her. But was very different now. It's weird to think that if he hadn't gone down that mysterious alley, he may not know who she is.

They may never have found Kira, too. ]

[chichichi]

Whenever you're ready, then.

[ She's comfortable and doesn't have any intention of going anywhere just yet if he decides he wants to tell her that story now. She does wonder, though. The first time they met...? Given what she knows... ]