[ open + closed ] return to wherever

[hitokiri]

🧙 WHO: Okada Izō (and you?!)
⚔️️ WHAT: January Catch-All so: quests + other prompts + whatever??
🕒 WHEN: Throughout January!
🗺️ WHERE: Wherever!
⚠️ WARNINGS: Will add as needed, so check comment headers~


BETA TESTING;

① BODY IMAGE closed to kate

[ izō has no idea when it happens exactly — blacking out for a sec there is totally possible — but at first he just assumes it's because they've been drinking for awhile at this point. that's not even a deterrent, as he reaches for his drink again anyway.

or...

izō notices that it's not his hands that do the reaching. is this his animal magic fucking up again? he's never tried turning into anyone else, but it's probably not impossible... right? drunk as he is, it takes a little longer for it to occur to izō that that's not his drink either, seeing as his drink is still sitting where he left it in front of him. ]

The fuck is this?

[ oh, yeah. that's definitely himself he's sitting next to now. somehow?? ]

Seriously. What the fuck?!

[ despite what he's seeing so far, he keeps checking himself over. you know, just to be extra sure. looking down, he gets about as far as the new set of boobs he didn't have before. it's not like he's ever been a woman before! it's interesting! sometimes you just have to take a sec and take a peek down your own shirt. or play with them a little because the jiggle physics are different.

sorry, kate... ]

② LADYWORLD closed to ryouma

[ izō has to go back to the inn eventually, even without a solution to his new problem. just because he's walking around in kate's body doesn't mean they're swapping everything else too. he has his swords and his key, at least, and he's glad he doesn't have to use the former right now — trying to fight like this would probably be impossible since everything feels weird and all wrong right now for obvious reasons.

he's also done most of the walk back barefoot since his frustration at trying to get around in kate's heeled boots reached its peak at some point, so he's carrying those too. those are the first things to get dropped by the door once he's inside, but he realises that it's late after a moment or two, even if he has no idea what time it is right now. probably for the best if he isn't so loud.

izō shuts the door behind him more gently (and quietly) and sets his swords down out of the way before he starts digging through his things for something to change into. something that fits too big is sure to feel better than the t-shirt and leather pants he's currently wearing.

nothing weird about this at all. it just looks like kate's snuck in here unannounced to rummage around in his stuff. it's fine. ]

③ ROLL WITH IT open to all

[ sooo... this is just izō's life now for the foreseeable future. or for the next week, at least. a familiar face around town even if the person stuck wearing it might not be as familiar (or appreciate the recognition).

izō has no idea how to dress for this body (and hasn't asked...), so he's just chosen whatever fits and doesn't get in the way for now since he's decided not to just hide out until this thing sorts out.

it's the swordplay he's practising that he doesn't want anything in the way for — that's kind of izō's thing, after all — which is maybe strange to anyone expecting it to actually be kate herself.

he's also content to go out drinking still and ruin someone else's liver for once, because what else is there to do when you're stuck in someone else's body?

business as usual! unless someone's looking for kate in kate's usual business; he doesn't know anything about that at all. ]

↳ OTHER STUFF;

④ TAKE CARE OF U closed to ryouma

[ at some point during the day, ryouma receives a text. there's no explanation, only a time in the evening and an address in town. izō didn't send it last minute, at least.

the address is for a little restaurant that — especially compared to the last time izō picked where to go — has a welcoming atmosphere, and the patrons seem to be present for more than just cheap, strong alcohol. it's not like he has a ton of experience with the local dining scene, but at least this place serves the sort of fare that isn't entirely unknown to them altogether.

izō waits outside, squatting down on the sidewalk out of the way of passing foot traffic while he leans against the building's wall. the invitation would be a nice, perfectly reasonable gesture to anyone else, but as usual, izō is busy overthinking it because he can't ever just do something. even though he's waiting, izō isn't actively looking around, seemingly lost in thought while he smokes since he seems to be paying more attention to the smoke drifting in the cold air than actually inhaling it.

in any case, it's been a long few months just since ryouma's been here, and as much as izō prefers not to think about it, he knows things he didn't know before. he has a feeling ryouma probably intended for this day to just come and go like any other. ordinarily, that's relatable because he's done the same about his own day, but it's bothered him too much already to let it stand. it's too sad. enough that he's inclined to at least not look at how any of this might be perceived by anyone else because god forbid anyone should think he cares about anything, but izō is planning on being comfortably buzzed by the time he potentially has to get into any of that.

ignore today and then fuss at him in a month when his time rolls around, most likely. even if izō said ryouma didn't need to do anything at all because it doesn't matter, he'd just talk his way around it, wouldn't he? so izō expects ryouma to do just the opposite for himself. that or agree conditionally like it's just fun for them to go out in general rather than for this occasion specifically. well, that sort of makes this something like entrapment then, but whatever. izō's paying this time, so ryouma is just going to have to deal with it.

at least he looks determined now? so there's that. figures the one time izō decides to participate in something like this he's going to be weird and intense about it, but hey ryouma should just listen and accept things. advice he will absolutely refuse to follow himself but this isn't about him. ]

[ ooc; want something else? hmu @ koutenko or shoot me a PM! ]

[ also: for the open body swap prompt feel free to use any fitting scenario besides the few i suggested if something else works better! ]

Comments

Ladyworld

[amakakeru]

[ Ryouma doesn't think much of hearing the door open while he's in the bathroom. It's probably just Izō coming in from a night of drinking, like usual. He steps out into the main room, freshly showered in his usual dark blue pajamas.

And then he stops. And stares. ]

Kate?

[ How did she even get in here??? ]

If you're looking for Manslayer, he's out right now.

[hitokiri]

Well, yer only half wrong.

[ because his body isn't here. haha, that's the joke. he's not laughing though. ]

I'd say "it's a long story", but it's really not 'cause I don't fuckin' know.

[ hearing kate's voice when he talks is even weirder for him than it probably is for other people. for now, he stands up again and has a moment of shifting his weight around until he gives up and settles into whatever position feels most comfortable. everything just feels so dramatic in tight leather pants. ]

Go on, get it outta yer system before I change my mind...

[ if ryouma's going to laugh, he might as well get it over with. ]

[amakakeru]

[ Ryouma, to his credit, doesn't laugh. He just continues to stare. That sure is Izō's accent and mannerisms in the very wrong body. How on earth is he supposed to deal with this?

He rubs the back of his neck and sighs. ]

Are you alright other than that? [ Ryouma wants to look him over, but it's not Izō;s body -- he doesn't feel like he can touch him in this state. That doesn't stop him from getting closer to him. ] You're...just...in her body, huh.

[hitokiri]

Yeah! And she's just runnin' around out there with mine!

[ this is stressful, to say the least. ]

... What? Why ya starin' for if y'know it's me?

[ that sounds like an obvious question given the circumstances but it's not like ryouma hasn't seen kate before. ]

[amakakeru]

Sorry, I didn't mean to stare...This is just...very strange to deal with.

[ How are they going to share the bed like this?? ]

I know it's you, but you don't look like you.

[ Wait. Ryouma starts to blush suddenly as he realizes the implications. He doesn't say anything; the knowledge of being known is his to bear. ]

[hitokiri]

Oh, yeah? How d'ya think I feel?

[ izō is going to share the bed just fine because ryouma is ryouma and if anything he's more annoyed that even if he'd wanted to do anything tonight he can't now.

he steps closer just because he thinks ryouma is being weird now for no reason that he can see, hands on his hips while he peers up at him. and izō is just going to try and pretend like there's not a whole ten-inch height difference now he doesn't want to think about it. ]

Yer bein' real weird about this, ain'tcha? Hehe, lookin' at girls make ya nervous or somethin'?

[ sure, there's oryou but she's not exactly.. typical? ]

[amakakeru]

Don't be like that.

[ He sighs and...decides to do something impulsive. Without saying a word, he hooks his arms around Izō's waist and lifts him up. ]

Is this better? You must be missing your height now, huh?

[hitokiri]

[ there goes the immediate flailing and squirming at the embarrassing feeling of being picked right up off the ground. how does anyone live like this? ]

I could kick ya right now...

[ and the reason izō won't is that he doesn't want to be dropped. also, that's just mean! but it's obviously not the first time he's made a threat he doesn't intend to actually carry out.

it's also just dawned on him that it's actually... really attractive??? it's stupid because it's only because he's stuck like this and he should be irritated about this on principal. but also, izō is still drunk and has working eyes, even if they aren't his own. it is what it is (and what it is is attractive). ]

[amakakeru]

[ His fussiness is cuter than usual in this body. Ryouma absolutely should not be encouraging this and yet... ]

Are ya really gonna?

[ He puts an arm under his butt to support him probably. This feels really, really weird. ]

Want me t' put ya down?

you know... ;)

[morns]

( has she really drank that much? ugh. weird. maybe that last cocktail was stronger than it tasted. Kate raises a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose and bring her world back into focus—

except... this doesn't feel right. the way the fabric of the clothes she's wearing shift wrong, there are sleeves she wasn't wearing a minute ago. her trousers are too loose. her fingers don't feel right and her nose... nope, that's not her nose.

mostly because her nose, and the rest of her, is over there, with her head down her shirt. )

... You done?

( at least vague irritation is a tone that sounds familiar and normal on Izō... )

:)

[hitokiri]

[ izō looks up because oh, right. just gonna fold his arms here like he wasn't just doing what he was doing. ]

Whatever! Why the fuck are ya so calm about this?!

[ at least he won't be able to keep yelling forever — his own body is used to operating at and maintaining a certain volume. he takes another drink, which is honestly the least helpful thing he could do, but if there's a better idea he'd love to hear it. ]

[morns]

Who said I were?

( oh, trust, she's hating this (there are certain soft bits that desperately need rearranging when she shifts in the seat), but being pissed isn't going to change it. )

The hell did you do?

( seriously, why is she suddenly a manslayer? )

[hitokiri]

What makes y' think it was me?! I oughta be askin' that!

[ look. sometimes people send you magic rocks and ask you to do science for money. that doesn't mean you have to admit it. the whole thing sounded harmless anyway. these long nights of drinking don't pay for themselves, unfortunately. ]

[morns]

( fuck, it is surreal to look at herself and hear Izo's speech patterns spill out of it. )

Wasn't me.

( Izo is much more emotive than she is, his flustering driving her voice to octaves she almost never hears on herself, but his body also seems to react to every twinge of irritation and emotion much more strongly than her own does.

or perhaps it's just not as good at keeping them pressed down. )

Fuck's sake... I wanna punch summat.

( but first? give her drink back, jackass. )

[hitokiri]

[ he's about to take another drink when he realises he doesn't technically want what's in front of him, so he promptly swaps them so they each have their respective drinks again. ]

Yeah? Well. If y' do, ya better not go punchin' anythin' stupid with my hands...

[ he looks down at himself again although this time he looks less happy about it since the novelty of feminine breasts has (for the moment) worn off. ]

The fuck kinda clothes're these anyway? Shit's like painted on...

[morns]

( well, at least she's got her drink back, and a few inches of height she didn't have before.

and Izō is going to get the honest answer for that, because there's no point in pretending those pants are comfortable or practical in comparison to her normal outfits. )

Makes my ass look good.

( s h r u g.

speaking of important questions; )

How d'ya deal with a dick?

( wearing a strap on doesn't really prepare a girl for having a ding dong and two gooseberries dangling between her legs every time she shifts in her seat. )

[hitokiri]

Aight. Fair enough.

[ the pants he just had tailored recently are nowhere near this tight but considering how loose his usual clothing is those western-style pants are definitely uncomfortable. but they look really good... ]

What d'ya mean?! I dunno how t' answer that! I jus' had one all my life ya figure it out... so in that case, ya better figure it out quick!

[ he pauses for a beat, while something dawns on him. ]

An' don't be doin' no weird shit 'cause.. 'cause I dunno how long this is gonna be so there's gotta be... I dunno. Ground rules an' shit.

[ he has drunk and has thoughts. that's never backfired on him before. ]

take care of u

[amakakeru]

[ The text comes as a surprise. It isn't like Izō to plan things, he's generally more spontaneous. As he thinks on it, it dawns on him why. Izō wants to do something nice for his birthday...

He'd rather it come and go without notice, really he would. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself in that way and there's the reminder that he died about a month shy of his last birthday. It's all very weird; he can move past it, though, if Izō went out of his way to plan it.

Swallowing down any of his own discomfort, he gets ready to go. It's been a strange few months and this is progress in their relationship. Neither of them are ready to talk to each other about their feelings, so progress is shown through little actions: agreeing to share a room, Ryouma no longer covering his accent when they're alone, taking and sharing intimate photos, and more. ]

Hey. [ He smiles as he comes up to Izō, offering his hand to help him up from where he's squatting. ] What's all this about?

[ Like he doesn't know. ]

[hitokiri]

[ well, here goes nothing. izō takes one final drag off the cigarette in his hand before flicking it onto the pavement. he grinds it under his heel and accepts the hand up, internally screaming a little now that he's facing this, but his pride won't allow him to go back on it now. it's just going to have to deal with him visibly cringing, though. izō is sure ryouma knows exactly what's going on. ]

I'm treatin' ya, that's all.

[ and there he might've left it if it wasn't for the whole point of all this. ]

…. Somebody's gotta do it. Ya ain't gotta give me a hard time about it!

[ not that ryouma's done anything like that, but could izō be projecting any harder right now? ]

I get it if ya got somethin' better t' do.

[amakakeru]

[ It's one thing to have an inkling about what's going on, it's another to actually hear it. A deep blush spreads across his cheeks as smiles broadly. Izō is full of surprises sometimes and this is one of the better surprises he's sprung on him. Ryouma bows for a moment. ]

I don't know what to say but thank you, Izō. [ He stands back upright, his expression deeply affectionate. ] There's nothing better than getting to spend time with you.

[ He can hear Izō fussing already. ]

[hitokiri]

[ oh. that smile. he's always caught off guard when that happens and he's much more fond of it than he can handle admitting to himself right now. it's cold out here but his face sure isn't. izō looks around, sure that people are staring whether or not anyone actually is because why is he bowing?? ]

Yeah, yeah. Ya say that now...

[ which is to say izō is totally holding onto that statement to mention at an opportune time later on when he gets drunk and does something stupid. ]

[amakakeru]

[ Izō is too cute when he's flustered like that. His expression softens and he beckons Izō to follow him. ]

Come on, let's go inside before we freeze.

[ Ryouma doesn't say that he's starving and this may be a problem for Izō's wallet. ]

[hitokiri]

[ fortunately for izō, what he's saved lately thanks to his magically self-replenishing booze will cushion some of the blow. probably. it's fine. it's not like he didn't know how much they can both eat and drink at a sitting. ]

Er... yeah. Right behind ya..

[ it's exactly as warm and inviting on the inside as it looked on the outside, which is nice because izō is ready to warm up. anywhere else and one could consider it something of a fusion-style restaurant but around here it's just the happy consequence of a lot of people from a lot of different places exchanging things.

someone hurries by with something sizzling away on a plate and izō remembers how shitty his eating habits have been... for a while. no time like the present to make up for it a little, right?

at least when they get a table it's fairly quiet and out of the way, which might end up being more for the benefit of everyone else depending on how this goes. ]

[amakakeru]

[ It won't be quiet for long if a few drinks get involved. Ryouma takes off his coat before taking a seat, happy to be out of the cold. The content smile still lingers on his face. As complicated as his feelings about his birthday are, he's happy to be here with Izō right now. He really is touched by a simple gesture like this. Izō's company is enough of a gift for him, even if he can't say as much out loud. ]

Thanks again for this. [ He wants to take Izō's hand in his own, but he stops himself. ] Time's just kind of flown by, I almost forgot what day it was.

[hitokiri]

[ izō loosens up his scarf a little because the heavier one is perfectly comfortable outside but a little too warm to wear indoors like that and settles into his seat. ]

That's 'cause it ain't really real time, right?

[ he only very loosely understands what goes on around here. ]

But who cares? No reason not t' have a good time anyway.

[ he's definitely found dumber reasons to go out. at least with how ryouma is he knows this effort has paid off, regardless of whatever questions it raises in his mind. if time is fake anyway, he has plenty of opportunities to worry about that later. ]