#▹ IC ⌜ ◉ ⌟ second division captain of the shinsengumi ¸ nagakura shinpachi.

[nigiyakaken]

Tsukiko manages to come up to him and shoves aside his arms so that she can sit down on his lap. Her arms and soft press of her body wraps around his broad chest and that's when it's fairly obvious that there's been a little too much drink in her petite frame. ❝Ne, Shin-chan,❞ she nearly purrs, peering up at him with pleading eyes as her hands slowly crawl up his back. Her nails dig lightly when it drags down his back. And then she whispers, ❝can we sleep together?❞

❝ ↪ @lacedmagic submitted an ask !!

It's right when he's about to bite into his piece of paradise he'd been waiting on for what felt like ages at this point. ( Really, it has only been a matter of minutes, the man is starving, he's well earned this meal between his sake. ) Before he's even granted the chance, not only is his feast replaced by another pair of hands, they're being shoved to the side and it's the feeling of warm body now against his own which prevents him from snapping as quick as he desired.

It's because he's realized who is now sitting and where she's decided to place herself that any action or thoughts he might have had suddenly go blank. ( Perhaps the amount of drinks might be hitting harder than he anticipated. ) And after her voice soothes against his ear like the sweetest song he's believed he's heard, the question forces him to freeze - despite his arms already wrapping around her in a protective grasp on instinct. A shiver up his spine that goes unnoticed by him.

Her scent draws him in, nose dips into the crook of her neck before he's finally responding. It's laughter. The man is lost to the realm and has already long forgotten the bowl of rice he had been mourning the loss of but a few moments prior.

" If y'tired or something, we can nap later - gotta keep up with Sano and show him I can hold my own! " He can't. He's gone. Gone to the world and to the implications of what those touches and whispers heating his skin actually mean.

[nigiyakaken]

❛ they’re just gonna keep taking, and taking, until you’ve got nothing left. ❜

❝ ↪ @unmeiha submitted an ask !!

" Until you've got nothing left. . . " he finds himself repeating, leaning back against the wall before he slides down to meet where they've been sitting across the room. A brief moment of silence floods the room, so quiet that he swears he can feel it. He contemplates what it might mean, her statement, their battle, everything.

" Let them try! "

Confidence is loud as he slaps his hands over his knees before leaving them there to rest and shooting her a boyish grin. He still has fight left in him, he's still going to press on - so long as it's the right thing to do. So long as they stay on the right path.

". . .until the final swing of the blade takes me, I'll keep going. "

[nigiyakaken]

❛ how did you find me ? ❜ Tsukiko's voice is soft, quavering, and she peers up at the taller from where she's hiding, curled into a ball. The doctor-in-training's eyes is bright with withheld tears and she shrinks a little more. Or at least, tries to. Her long hair is in a disarray and her doe-eyes glistening with question.

          He’s wasting zero time with moving his obstacles out of the way. Wasting no time to make sure that he can get to her, that he can uphold his promise.  (  Is he not a man of his word damn it all?!  )  His heart sank, upon hearing through the grapevine that Tsukiko had gone missing, that she’d been nowhere to be spotted after they were forced to move and make way to their new sanctuary. A better secluded spot, best fit for planning and handing out tasks and orders when best fit. But when he heard that she was missing, he made it his personal mission to stop at nothing until she was discovered.

The recent explosions should have taken her out, he hears.  (  Bullshit! He refuses to believe she’s down so easily.  )  And so he searches. Searches and searches more until he finally finds her! Secluded, hidden, away and......crying?

“  I wasn’t going to stop until I found ya again, turned over every single stone in my path.  “  Comes his reply when he moves in, arms careful to sneak around until he can lift her from the ground, hoping that she can’t feel the worry hammering hard against his ribs.

“ Ya gave me a scare! Thought I wasn’t gonna see ya again! “

Don’t you start crying! Stop those tears! It isn’t cool. Be a man and accept your heroic moment damn it all! Those no denying as they fall from his face and he’s moving, leading way to where he started his hunt, to find someone to help, to get her aid as soon as he could.

“  Let’s get you looked after, are you hurt? I’ll take out whoever caused you harm!  “

@lacedmagic,  unprompted.

[nigiyakaken]

Tsukiko knows better, she does, but she can't help it. Just a little, she thinks as she surprises Shinpachi where he sits. Alone, it's easy when it's just the two of them as her hands touch his shoulders before sliding up to his neck from behind. She leans forward, now tall enough to ghost her lips over his neck that her breath tickles his ear. ❝Just a kiss, hm?❞ She hums, and then she's gone, pulling away with a sad smile. ❝Just kidding.❞ Maybe one day he'd stop seeing her as family.

" Make sure you eat up before we head out! Got a long day ahead of us and ━━━━━━━ "

. . .

He finds himself stunned silent when she’s suddenly in his lap. Finds himself attempting to process despite the wires not seeming to connect. The way her hands touch his shoulders, the feeling of soft, delicate fingers dancing towards the back of his neck prior to staking claim of where they stop. His eyes can’t help but keep focus against the pair of lips which move dangerously close to him and he suddenly hears something about just a kiss.

“ J-J-Just a kiss for what?! “

His face burns a dark shade of red when seeing her so close to him suddenly starts placing together the pieces of a puzzle he hadn’t even realized he’d been working through. All while he can hear the mental bullying of Sano saying something along the lines of you really are a moron, Shinpachi.

His head tilts upward that he stares at the ceiling and contemplates what he should do next. What move he should make. Those lips dangerously close to his ear that he might be willing to jump off the deep edge if she’s blunt enough to make the next move. It makes him shiver. Makes his body shake with a sudden want he never realized he needed until now.

Just kidding.

The way she pulls away, the way her expression seems so sad while he’s standing there, just about falling over as a blubbering mess. Trying to find something he can say. Anything if it means he can get her to realize that perhaps he’d been a lot more blind than he’d realize.

“ What’chu go and do a thing like that for?! Wait a second here, I wan ━━━━━━━ GAH! “

He stumbles over himself in a failed attempt to shift and grab her, makes his way and ends up falling over Tsukiko, crash lands and is stuck there for a moment trying to register exactly what happened. Until a hand plants firm against the side of her head, until he’s finally able to shift and move to pick himself up but doesn’t move away from her, is hovering over top of her and staring her down, taking in the features he never really noticed until now.

Had her eyes always been so vibrant and alluring?

He gulps, fingers flex against wood but he doesn’t look away.

“ I think we should revisit the whole kiss thing from before, you know, if you wanted to that is. Like was that really a joke? “

The blush spreads, suddenly his heart is hammering and he’s uncertain if it’s the moment of adrenaline spike or the final round of sake hitting him. Either way, he finds himself sinking in, pressing his lips against hers to test the waters with a soft kiss, feels himself melting against her when he presses more, her arms wrapping around him being all the invite he needs to deepen it.

Today’s the day he sees her in a new light.

@lacedmagic , unprompted asks always accepting. ♥

[nigiyakaken]

" N A G A K U R A. " gravelly voice creeps up from behind. turn around and there stands the sour-faced vice commander with arms crossed and a brow arched , " what's this i hear about a ' quest ' for ozōni , eh? was it a ' mess '? "

          Whatever bowl had been in the samurai’s hand had now fallen onto the floor, splattering against his feet. Not certain which fear he should place focus upon now. The fear of no longer being able to eat for the rest of the night due to the tragic loss of his meal, or the sound of the demon commander himself sneaking up on him making him question every single life choice building up to this exact moment. 

“  H-Hijikata-San?!  “

Foot attempts to scoot away the remains ( rest in peace, a delcious feast well missed! ) just as he turns to face him, hands quick to shoot up and all he can do is laugh. “ A mess?! Who has time for messes?! Nah, someone is tellin’ you stories, I’m sure!  “ don’t look down, don’t look down, DON’T GIVE AWAY YOUR POST! Stay calm, he can smell fear.

@miburoni, RIP NAGAKURA SHINPACHI YOU WILL BE MISSED.

[nigiyakaken]

❛ Ah-- that one is mine! ❜ Her words are clearly slurred as she protests the last bowl of ozoni that he snatches from the low table covered in empty sake bottles. She reaches over him, kneeling on the long sleeves of her New Years' furisode and falling into the large man's lap. She, of course, simply rolls over, completely oblivious to the neckline loosening, and reaches upwards for the bowl, shifting to (continue to) lay more comfortably across his lap. She is completely, undeniably smashed.

            “  It’s survival of the fittest and I’m a growing man!  “  cheeks flushed red with the amount of alcohol which made way through his system. Honestly, it’s a miracle they were even still up the way they were with how much they consumed. But it’s a special occasion and Shinpachi was more than ready to consume all of the ozoni and drinks set up before them. Holding the bowl up and over his head, he yells out, eyes trying to place focus against the other over his lap with the swift shaking of his head. Someone help these two fools, they’re both long gone to the world.

                                                     “  Gonna have to do way more than that, I’m tellin’ ya, to get this bowl from me that easily!  “  he challenges, even if he doesn’t even realize the position they’re now in. Anyone who walked in could get the wrong idea from Koharu’s position alone, especially after one arm moves down to keep her held to her spot, a smug look on his dumb expression while the ozoni is still held above his head with the other.

                       “  SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, THE BEST MAN LEFT STANDING!  “

@unmeiha, unprompted new years shenanigans, OZONI DAISUKI!

[nigiyakaken]

' nagakura - san !! ' you call from behind , chasing him down once you'd finally saw the bigger build of one of the generals. the expression on your face is anything but pleasant. / mi kyong

          Maybe it’s the familiar tone of voice that has him not entirely wanting to stop in his tracks to turn and look the other down. But yet there he was, fingers toying around the hilt as a swift source of comfort before finally deciding to meet his maker and turning to face such an expression. There’s a gulp before he nods and looks them dead in the eyes. He wouldn’t go down so easily, he already had his stories playing in the back of his head. Whatever would get him out of this situation, maybe he’d even toss Sano under the bus. What a fantastic friend. 

                ��                             “  I was on my way for training, you wanna join?  “                                             Maybe that would be enough to keep him safe?   

@applewished​ , unprompted ask.

[nigiyakaken]

“  if  it  was  down  to  me  to  save  your  life,  would  you  trust  me  to  do  it ?  ”

          Just as he was about to down the remainder of the rice from their meal, he about choked as her question came out. So straight to the point that he wasn’t prepared for it. Though to be fair, that was most things tossed in his direction from her. She was strange. But strange in a good way! Oh, was he overthinking things again? His thoughts racing what felt like many, many miles per seconds. He felt adrenaline pulsating through his veins, heart racing harder than ever before against his rib cage. He knows this feeling. Rather he’s familiar with something similar. This is the same excitement he feels on the battlefield. It’s the same surge of energy when his blade is in hands and he’s taking out those who threaten what he stands for. Though why was he feeling it right now? Weird.

          How long was he just staring at her? With such a dumbstruck expression and his face darkening in that embarrassing shade of red. He finally remembered how to breathe after dealing with the swift choking session mere seconds prior. Clearing his throat, he inhales deep. Did this have to deal with the whole rasetsu thing? She didn’t deserve to have anything to happen to her because of what was dealt to him for his own protection, he supposed. He remembered -- despite claiming otherwise.   “  It’s all a blur to me, ya know? Can’t remember a thing!  “  he didn’t want to think about it. He couldn’t think about any of those things. The expression on her face though told him all that he needed to read in the moment. Oh, that wasn’t what needed to be said then and there?

           “  No way in hell are we going to have to worry about any of that!  “

          His usual grin returns to his face. He’s back in control of his emotions. Even if he knows she’d be able to look after and protect him, it wounds his pride a bit. Not that he’d come out and openly admit such to her, though his face more than likely did all the talking for him in return to her own. He clears his throat, gesturing to the food still in her own bowl. “  Say, we have a long trip ahead of us in the morning, you should eat up and ready for bed. I’ll be keeping watch tonight, so you sleep well alright?  “       

          Even if he trusted her with his life. He was more than that. He was more than what happened. Getting up and quick to turn his back, an arm rises up so he can wave her off and before he can put his foot right back in his mouth ----  he’s making his escape. Grabbing what he needs to move outside and prep for standing guard. The sounds of night being his source of company, his distraction to not have to think twice about the topic. Good job, now he probably made her more anxious than she needed to be. DAMN IT. She didn’t deserve that at all. He could have handled that so much better.    

@unmeiha, sent from this meme.  

[nigiyakaken]

“ i’m not a hero. ”

          I’M NOT A HERO. The words he could overhear from the other couldn’t stop ringing in his ears. Thinking back to the events which would lead to the encouragement of him and Heisuke to make a stop at Shimabara for some drinks, he certainly took notice to the effects it was having on the other. The very statement alone made his blood boil. And for what reason? It’s not like those things were important. Provided they were doing the right thing. Did it really matter if they were given any titles as a result? His cheeks burned red while the heat of the latest round of sake was shot to the back of his throat, slamming the small container down onto the table, one of the girls already pouring him his next round as he points to the more quiet of the two currently sitting across from one another.

          “  ACC’SHEPT CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE, DUN TALK LIKE THAT ANYWAYS! WHAT’S IT MATTURRR?  “  his words were slurring together. Maybe he had one too many to drink himself and wasn’t fully processing what the other was venting and responding about but it had been too late for him to turn back now. Where had the others who had joined them gone to anyways? When did it become just him and Saitou? How long had they even been there? Many questions flood his thoughts as he sips at his next drink, other hand pointing over to the third division captain as though adding emphasis to whatever drunken point he was attempting to make with him.

          “  Say  --  “  he looked around and that’s when it fully hit him.  “  Where did everyone go anyways? They should be helping me with this pep talk!  “ 

@hitofuriken, sent from this meme.

[nigiyakaken]

❛ how has it never occurred to you that what you’re doing is gonna come back and bite us in the ass ? ❜

. . .

. . .

. . .

!!!

          If he had been wearing any sort of footwear when the dawning realization finally hits him, they would have somehow flown up and smacked him right in the head. He’s convinced. He turns to look over his shoulder and see the other standing nearby, leaning against the frame and watching him like some observant cat fully prepared to pounce when he deemed fit. It’s enough to make him wanna teach him a lesson sometimes!

“  I’ll simply swap I need before anyone else takes notice and then we’ll be fine! Besides, he’s not even around right now, busy on some important outing with Kondou-San!  “

Yeah, he can figure this out. One step at a time and he simply needs to...

Shit! When did he lose his footing? When did he suddenly find himself on the ground, when did the very item he was trying to replace shatter before his very eyes and thus steal the rest of his soul from his body?

“  . . . okay, so it might be hitting me hard now how screwed we are.  “

[nigiyakaken]

❛ The sun is rising already, I’ve got to go ❜

How did a late night of chattering turn into....whatever happened during the night that he's still absolutely trying to process. Tries to think back to what was supposed to be another round of their typical game they’ve been taking on for....how long now? Time’s an illusion and trying to place such thoughts upon such is enough to make his head hurt. At some point garments were tossed to the side and he’s looking over to the other male basking in the after glow of what the previous night must have consisted of.

......oh that’s a thought to make his face burn an extremely dark shade of red.

There’s something in the way he’s trying to reach for his robes and move up from the bed that leads something in his chest to scream out. Just a little bit longer. Let him have this for a bit longer now that it’s been discovered. Souji had a way with words and actions that it’s difficult to see where he actually stands with things. He’s only ever been able to read his moves on the battlefield and even that’s pushing it depending on the day.

Just a little bit longer. The thought repeats and he’s reaching out, hand snakes around his waist and yanks him back. Souji might be swifter, but he has more muscle and he’ll take advantage if it means pinning him beneath again, fingers curl against his jawline and start painting over features, sees the way that cat-like smirk both infuriates him but is strangely drawing him in at the same time?

“ It’s too early even for morning rounds. “

He points out, thumb traces against his bottom lip, mind is battling over what to do next. He....absolutely didn’t think this through now that he has him where he wants him.

Until he feels arms moving around him, until he hears the sly tone in his voice edging him on, teasing and messing with him along the lines of if you’re going to do it, do it.

He’s in so deep already that he might as well dive in head first and that’s what seals the deal, that’s what leads him to press forward and claim the other’s mouth with his own, takes the kiss while he can in full hopes that it means that just for a little bit longer it can be only the two of them. They still had time. He’d make sure of it.

@hanahaken​, i’m too lazy for the meme but here we go have some gay. ♥

[nigiyakaken]

❛ ...A new game, hm? ❜ Souji sips at his boba, a bored look staring down at the Crossing from atop the 104 building. It's once he spots another familiar set of wings below that his expression perks up mischievously. With a little hop off the edge, he glides down one hand in his pocket, the other still holding his boba to his lips. ❛ Areh~ Getting a head start without me, Shinpachi-san? I'm wounded. And here I thought we'd agreed to make this next game a competition. ❜

Hell yeah! It's a new game which meant fresh meat to come in and shake things up! He might not be the biggest fan when it comes to how they're meant to get the job done but one thing is certain ━━━━━━━ he still knows how to get the job done. The game has taken off and the prompts are already being sent out.

Shinpachi hadn't gotten up in the ranks from being eye candy alone after all! Not that he really placed much thought into it. It wasn't until the person who had been above him made his way down that he's almost caught off guard. Wings spread when he jumps up and summons arms up as if he needed to defend himself for a moment. Until it dawned upon him who the voice belonged to.

" It's never too early to get ya' head in the game Souji! You of all people should know that! "

Finger brushes over his nose and his ridiculous grin is one for the books. His noise having finished removing his latest of his task as his chest puffs with pride.

" Ya gonna keep snoozin' or make this a competition for the books?! "

@hanahaken, YOU ATTACK ME WITH THE TWEWY AU AND LEAVE??? RUDE.

[nigiyakaken]

“ i’ll admit, this looks bad. ”

          He could already hear Hijikata-san’s yelling at the sight before them. Maybe if they could clean up the results of the explosion in the kitchen -- he’d never be able to tell? Though the smoke and damage might have resembled a war zone compared to a place to make food. This was why Souji should have been kept away from the kitchen. Cursed. The male looks at the setting then right back to the only other person around when he spoke up, making a face while trying to figure out what they could do about it. He didn’t want to envision what the commander would do if he got his hands on them.

          “  What did you even add to the pot?! Oh man -- this doesn’t just look bad, we’re so gonna lose our heads!  “

          The bigger male moved to grab the remainder of the mentioned pot, bits of the spilled out food which didn’t burn to a crisp stuck to his fingers and he already feared trying to get it off without it burning him some how.  “  Do you think -- do you think they’ll notice?  “  

@hanahaken, sent from this meme.

[nigiyakaken]

tag drop: ic.

▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     second division captain of the shinsengumi ¸ nagakura shinpachi.

▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     open starter : mutuals only. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     closed starter. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     replies. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     answered.

▹   THREAD     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     URL  ¸ MUSE   :   001.

misc. verses ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     free form ¸ undetermined. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     free form ¸ crack. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     free form ¸ dash commentary.

no romance route(s)     reimeiroku / kyoto winds / edo blossoms ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     first round! vs : turn your virtues into power. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     second round! vs : turn your power into hope. ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     third round! vs : turn your hope into victory.

shinpachi romance route     kyoto winds + edo blossoms ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     final round! vs : don’t worry. i won’t say goodbye until we’re old as heck.

au verses     sweet school life ▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     rematch! vs : ssl.

    Despite his tracksuit attire, Shinpachi teaches Math & Science at Hakuou Academy. He is just as vivacious & boisterous as is his Edo period counterpart. He also has a nasty habit of betting on local horse races, even when he's supposed to be in class, although he never seems to win.

▹   IC     ⌜ ◉ ⌟     rematch! vs : au verse.