Day 37: Sun Room (4th Shift)

[secret_orchard]

There were still too many things on Armand's mind for him to truly relax. The morning with Alec had been a help. And seeing that TK was going to be well helped him know that it was time to work out something else, but what? He'd already, without success again, tried to reach one of the club leaders about his sole idea of something new and different

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[mitase]

[running back from the showers]

Hanatarou returned to the Sun Room with a feeling of distinct (if damp) relief - he'd managed to get in and out without anyone really noticing him, much less deciding he was a good target of torment. He paused a moment to give a wary look around, making certain the one-eyed man he'd met that morning wasn't around, then scurried over to an empty couch.

Of course, now that he'd been so quick about the shower, he was left with...well, nothing to do. Except maybe try to ignore the fact that his hair was dripping onto his shirt, but that wasn't too hard. Just as he started to consider venturing back in search of a towel, though, the kitten from that morning (or one of its siblings, perhaps; he wasn't sure) wandered over. Feeling greatly daring, the shinigami cautiously lifted the furry creature onto his lap, half-afraid it would scratch and/or run away. It seemed amenable to the change in location, though, and just curled up, allowing him to pet it, which he did as a tiny, pleased smile dawned on his face.

[for grown-up Hana Matsuda]

[showtime_matsu]

[Have the other boys been picking on you, Touta Jr.?]

Well, that had sure been...weird, thanks to the sudden stroke of heartburn. Weird and an encounter that had left Matsuda wondering just whether or not he would have to fear for his life. He really hoped Mikami was just a Kira supporter, and not one of the super-crazy ones that like...stabbed people with pens or something.

Reading the bulletin board had made things even more awkward, even. Not only did it look like Ryuk, of all beings was here, but his roommate had passed away the night before. He really should go to that funeral, but he'd already made plans.

Darn. Then...he'd be sure to keep Renji's friends in his thoughts, at least.

He was going to head into the arts and crafts room when he spotted a kid over on the couch, looking like a wet, frightened... "Oh, a cat!" Matsuda exclaimed, honing in on the animal curled in the kid's lap as he passed by. If he really thought about it, it would certainly explain why everyone always said there were big, scary cats at night, but he hadn't ever really seen them around here before. They were sneaky little bastards.

Then again, it wasn't like he paid much attention to the actual room as he did the people.

Regardless, the detective stopped and looked down over the back of the couch at the kid. "He doesn't look half as scary as I've heard they can be."

[mitase]

Were it not for the cat sitting on his lap, Hanatarou probably would have repeated his performance from earlier that morning, when the last person decided to sneak up on him from behind. As it was, he still jumped a little, ducking his head and hunching his shoulders before he realized that this person was interested in the kitten and not tormenting him.

"S-scary...?" he echoed, cautiously straightening again and glancing up at the newcomer. "It's, um. A k-kitten..." They usually weren't terrifying or anything. Except this one was nudging at his hand and demanding that he go back to petting it right away please and thank you, so he obediently obliged.

[showtime_matsu]

Wow, the guy really did seem like a nervous wreck. He sure hadn't meant to scare him, but at least he didn't scare the cat away. That probably wouldn't have.

Cats were good conversation starters, right? If the guy wasn't so nervous, maybe he'd even be good for the band. Demyx had already found one guy, so Matsuda needed to do his part and keep an eye out for another. Except for the part where Demyx was more qualified to look, since he actually knew how to play an instrument, but that didn't really matter right now.

"Oh, hey, sorry to scare you there." Matsuda rubbed at the back of his head before coming around to the other side of the couch, so that the kid didn't have to strain his neck. He didn't sit yet, but he gave the guy a smile anyway. "I just meant that he sure doesn't look like one of those monsters at night. He seems too nice for that."

Because he could totally speak cat.

"Anyway, sorry again for scaring you. I haven't really seen any cats around here before, but they might have just been hiding. I'm Matsuda."

[mitase]

Okay, this person had actually apologized for scaring him, which was both mildly unusual and somewhat reassuring, because it meant he probably wasn't all creepy and disturbing like that one-eyed guy earlier. Hanatarou relaxed just slightly and even managed a small, hesitant smile. "Ah, well, um. It's okay. It...ah?"

Matsuda? Wasn't that the other person Demyx had mentioned? The shinigami blinked several times, almost staring at the man with sudden curiosity. Okay, so, they had the same coloration and kind of the same haircut and, well, okay. Maybe he could see a vague resemblance. "Do you, um. Know someone named Demyx?"

[showtime_matsu]

"Huh?" Matsuda gave Hanatarou a thoughtful look, as if trying to place the face. He didn't seem all that familiar, but in a place like this he probably wouldn't stand out too much.

"Yeah, I do. He's a friend, and we're getting together with another guy to start a band." Matsuda paused, then some small bit of realization spread over his face. "Did he talk to you about being in the band?"

[mitase]

"Um. Yes...?" Hanatarou shrank back against the couch cushions, a little worried that maybe Matsuda wouldn't like the idea of him joining the band. After all, they'd never met or anything before, and he only had Demyx's word that the others would like him, which only meant so much when compared with the last, oh, decades of experience.

Of course, most of the people he'd met here seemed a little more likely to want to get along with him than those back in Soul Society. It was probably just because they hadn't ever heard of the 4th Division, so they didn't know just what it meant or how weak and useless he really was.

He absently continued petting the kitten for lack of anything else to do with his hands, and to hopefully keep from seeming too nervous. "He, ah, asked me about it at lunch. And told me your name."

[showtime_matsu]

It looked like Demyx had beaten him to another one, but they were getting a good little group together, thanks to that.

"Man, he's fast. That's good, though!" Matsuda took a seat next to the kid and smiled again. He was sure polite, even if apparently really nervous. He'd fit right in with the rest of the Nobodies, and they'd show everyone that they were capable. Of what, exactly, was still up for debate. "Well, what do you think? You up for it? Anyone Demyx invites into the band has to be cool, right, ah...?" The detective trailed off and rubbed his chin. "Oh yeah, I don't think I got your name."

[mitase]

All right, clearly something was wrong here - that was the second person today who'd referred to him as "cool" and that just couldn't be happening. Maybe in different worlds that word meant something else?

"Ah! I'm s-sorry, um. I'm Yamada Hanatarou, it's nice to meet you." He bowed his head politely, careful not to move too much, lest he dislodge the kitten. He maybe could have added his rank and whatnot to the introduction, but it didn't really seem necessary. Nobody except other shinigami seemed to have heard of the Gotei 13, so it probably would end up with yet another explanation, and he'd had enough of that with Grell that morning.

"I thought it was, um, very nice of him to invite me," the healer continued, managing to look a bit less timid as Matsuda was being so nice and friendly. "Although I don't know if I can play anything that would really...um...be band...like."

[showtime_matsu]

"Nice to meet you, Hanatarou," he replied, bowing his head in return. The kid really was pretty cool when he started to lighten up, so Demyx had made a good choice. Matsuda would have to remember to tell him that later.

"And hey, don't worry about it," he said, waving it off. "Me and the other guy in the band, Ginji, can't play anything either. Demyx said he'd teach us. I was hoping to get us all together tomorrow night, anyway, so we can all get to know each other better and kinda figure out exactly how we're gonna get practice in while we're here. You think you'll be available for it?"

[mitase]

"Oh. Um." Hanatarou paused to consider that for a moment, glancing toward the bulletin board as though he might see something in large letters that would answer the question for him. "It's...it, er, depends on what Hitsugaya-taichou says. If he has something he wants me to do."

He'd asked for last night off, though, and...well, if he'd been along with the group upstairs last night things might have been different. And tonight he definitely wasn't going to have an assignment, so - actually, he didn't exactly know how these group assignments worked here. He hadn't been here that long, after all.

The shinigami shrugged a little uncomfortably and glanced down at the kitten again. "I can ask, at least." For the band, it would be worth even being glared at.

[showtime_matsu]

Without really thinking about the fact that it might spook him, Matsuda reached over and patted Hanatarou on the back. "Sure thing. If he won't let you, it's not that big of a problem."

After all, a job came first, even in a place like this. For now, the band was just kinda a side thing, since he still had his own responsibilities. If your boss was alive again, it meant you were working for him again, right?

"We can always find some other time to meet up," he assured the kid, nodding.