[Open] + Catchall

[yokunaru]

who: Yuuri and anyone!
what: Training and exploring the city
when: Early May
where: All around the city
warnings: None so far



A. Perimeter Guard Barracks

[Anyone training in the late morning will notice an unfamiliar face in the area. Though Yuuri does his best to keep out of everyone's way, he doesn't realize he's probably drawing attention to himself just by being there and not going with the flow of things. He's not holding a weapon, for one, nor does he seem inclined to find one to practice with. Instead of approaching anyone, he opts to study people's forms as they practice instead. Feel that prickling sensation at the back of your neck? If you turn around, you'll probably find Yuuri standing a little ways off, watching you intently.

Once he realizes you're actually looking back, his eyes will widen and he'll stammer out an apology.]

I-I'm so sorry! I'm not bothering you, am I?


B. Community Center, Ice Skating Rink

[As always, the ice is a familiar haven to him, a place where he can skate some of his anxious thoughts away. After weeks in the city, Yuuri's managed to figure out the center's schedule and find a perfect time to practice. It's just a break between the classes, and while the rink is still open to the public, he's found that it's usually not very crowded at this time of the day.

Yuuri glides across, alternating between skating some compulsory figures and practicing a jump or two. While all this is normal for him, what isn't normal is the thing that comes rushing out toward him suddenly, making him squeak in surprise, flail his arms, and then go crashing onto the ice. He rubs at his hip with a groan.]

You really have to stop doing that... [Who is he talking to? There's no one there, but if you squint hard enough, you might catch a metallic glint out of the corner of your eye, accompanied by a hollow sounding snicker.]

C. Library

[Ever since picking up his first aid lessons with Dr. McCoy again, Yuuri's tried to stop by the library's medical section to brush up on his knowledge. He vaguely remembers a few things from the mandatory biology courses he'd taken in university, but that's nowhere near what he needs to know if he isn't going to be a burden on the doctor.

Even with his determination to learn, Yuuri finds himself drifting off during one such library run. At first, it's quiet for a while, Yuuri simply dozing at the table. Then, it all happens in a chain. The book he's reading slips out of his hand, falling to the floor with a loud thump. Yuuri jerks awake, startled by the noise, and his elbow just happens to catch the pile of books next to him. Though he tries his best to catch them, the books all go tumbling down to the ground, one loud noise after another, until most of the people around the tables are staring at him.

Turning a brilliant red, Yuuri sinks down in his chair a little before deciding the best way to escape is to slip onto the floor and start picking up the books he's knocked over. Hopefully nobody was reading those!]

Comments

Gladio

[yokunaru]

[Alternatively, when Yuuri isn't busy trying to absorb knowledge by people-watching in the training area, he remembers that someone had actually promised to help him with his survival skills.

This time, when he heads to the barracks, he scans the area until he spots a familiar figure. Yuuri heads over to him, tingling with nervousness.]

Gladio? [He calls out, once he's close enough, hoping he isn't disturbing him.]

[leatherdaddy]

[ Don't mind him, he's just shooting the shit with a random guard when Yuuri comes in. He's hard to miss given his height and way too much leather. Still, the Perimeter Guard seems to attract a type so he probably doesn't stand out too much compared to, say, sullen ninja baristas (which are STUPID).

Calling his name gets his attention. Gladio peers over his shoulder and down to Yuuri, then turns to face him, hands on hips. ]

Hey, you're here.

[ A half-gloved hand is offered. ]

Yuuri, right?

[yokunaru]

That's me. [He takes that hand, shaking it gingerly while giving Gladio a hesitant smile.]

Eichi's mentioned you a few times--it sounds like you're keeping him busy.

[leatherdaddy]

[ Be prepared for a stronger grip and a more manly shake, Yuuri, but at least he doesn't try to crush anything or jostle him around embarrassingly. ]

Hey. [ Thankfully the handshake is brief, as Gladio requires that hand to scrub at the back of his neck. He hopes he didn't also hear about his hospitalization. ]

...Did he? Hah, we're neighbors so it's only natural we hang out. How do you know him?

[yokunaru]

[Considering who it is, the strong grip doesn't surprise him at all.]

We're friends. [Yuuri pauses. Now that's a loaded question, even if Gladio doesn't realize it.] Ah, did Eichi ever mention some place called Eluvio to you?

Eichi

[yokunaru]

[Since their run in with the Honedge had essentially messed up parts of the weapons shop, Yuuri had eventually gone back with Eichi to properly apologize to the owner.

...which is how they end up sitting together in the back of the shop, clumsily but carefully trying to help Mr. Agi clean some of the weapons that had gotten dirty in the whole mess.]

I guess it could be worse. [Yuuri says to Eichi, setting a newly polished sword to the side with a sigh. He knows that the grumpy Mr. Agi's prone to checking in on them, so he keeps his voice low.]

[finethanks]

Fufu, this is the first time I've gotten in trouble quite like this before. What a bad influence you are, Yuuri~.

[He's teasing, of course, but he is actually trying to help here! Working like this isn't so bad if he's paying off a debt and helping Yuuri. So, he'll slowly clean off the blades and set them aside as well.]

But you know, it was that strange sword that caused all of this, so I feel as though this is a little unfair. Should he be selling such strange wares to begin with?

[yokunaru]

[It's not his fault, he swears!! Instead of protesting, though, Yuuri just sinks down in his chair and lets his head rest on the table's surface.]

To be fair, I don't think Mr. Agi even realized what the sword was. [Yuuri turns so that he's facing Eichi, his cheek still pressed to the table.] I ran into this one professor when the sword kept following me--apparently they're magical creatures from his world.

[finethanks]

Magical creatures... This isn't a video game or an anime, so why is something like that happening?

[He's skeptical, and yet... A sword did fly at him.]

(C)

[signifies]

[ Clark is seated at one of the other tables, near the corner, reading books for Bucky and brushing up on some idioms to practice with Illya. He looks up when he hears the noise and recognises Yuuri.

There's a lot of books and aside from a disgruntled librarian, Yuuri's alone in picking them up. Clark bends to help him. ]

Here you go.

[yokunaru]

Thanks. [Yuuri says, head still ducked. It's only when he's looking up to put some of the books back onto the table that he realizes who's stopped to help him.]

Oh! Clark! [This time his expression lightens a little, even if he still looks embarrassed.] Thank you--you didn't have to.

[signifies]

It's not a problem. [ He can't use super-speed out in public unfortunately. ] Are you all right?

[yokunaru]

I'm fine. [Yuuri rubs at the back of his neck, sheepish.]

I should just start checking the books out instead of studying here and falling asleep at the table again.

A

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky usually trains at a small gym near the community housing building, which is normally quiet and free of spectators. He prefers to work through his routines alone, or with someone close. Today, though, he's between assignments for Search and Rescue, and has volunteered to help out a couple of new recruits in the ring. He runs the kid, barely nineteen or so, through some easy combat routines, pulling his punches. The gleaming silver of his left fist never connects with the kid in more than a gentle tap, though it seems to make him nervous anyway.

After he's gotten the recruit winded, he sends him off to hit the showers, and makes his way to the bench to retrieve his towel and water bottle. Bucky quirks a brow over at Yuuri.]

It's not really a spectator sport.

[yokunaru]

I know. [Yuuri winces, only realizing now that he might not have been as easy to ignore as he'd thought.] I just wanted to see how the members of the guard were training. For, um. Ideas.

[It's how he's always learned things before, watching others and then adapting them to his own purposes.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky has a hard time ignoring anyone. He's far too aware of his surroundings, it's been utterly ingrained in him from his teenage days on. Entrances, exits, escape routes, possible weapons, potential enemies, suspicious behavior. He has to know all of it before he can feel remotely secure.

He pops the cap off his water bottle and takes a drink, watching Yuuri with a hint of curiosity.] Are you a new recruit?

[yokunaru]

Me? Oh, no, no, no. [That answer comes quickly enough, accompanied with a shake of his head.]

I'm trying to learn self defense, but... I figured I should try to find other ways to train and practice on my own time, too.

3

[redoublement]

[ When Laurent wasn't working, or exploring with Damen, Laurent liked the solitude and familiarity of the library. He could devour books by the armful, and had been more than overjoyed to find that Riverview had a significant and expansive library of it's own.

He had been minding his own business, nose buried in a book, his legs folded underneath him in one of the larger armchairs in a far, lonely corner when the clatter of noise began. Interest piqued, he shifted to set down the book he had been reading, and sought out the source- coming around the corner to where Yuuri had made his mess, and leaning elegantly against one of the book cases. ]

In some places, I imagine they would consider that an act of literary abuse. [ Laurent murmured, his voice smooth and low. Enough to carry for the other to hear, but not enough to raise the librarian's ire.

If Yuuri had paid any attention to fashion magazines, or advertisements as of late- he might have recognized Laurent's face. After all, he was one of Current's newest editorial models; a rising star for his striking good looks.

He didn't just watch the other struggle, though, and instead moved towards the other,
dropping to one knee and beginning to gently lift the books from the floor, carefully smoothing out creased or bent pages with his fingers with great care, before snapping the spines shut and placing them back upon the table. ]

[yokunaru]

I think this might be one of those places. [Yuuri gives him a smile, slightly wobbly from embarrassment but there's a pinch of amusement in there, too.] I can still feel someone glaring at me. [While he would guess the librarian isn't too happy with him, Yuuri wouldn't put it past the guy at his table, either. He hadn't seemed too happy about sharing his space with Yuuri earlier.]

Oh, thank you. [This time, his smile brightens when he realizes Laurent's helping him clean up. Clueless as he is about fashion, Yuuri has no idea who he is, though he appreciates his help all the same.]

I hope I didn't disturb you too much with this.

[redoublement]

They'll survive, I'm sure. [ Laurent chuckled, returning a small stack of books to the table, before moving to begin collecting another pile. ]

If I wanted to read in total silence, I would have done so at home. [ He smiled a little, raising a fine blond eyebrow at the other. ] What I like about the library- it's quite easy to people watch. And it's different than observing someone upon the streets. So no, you didn't disturb me. As a matter of fact, you simply made my day more entertaining.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri pauses, like he isn't sure if that was a compliment or not.]

Um. I'm happy to help...? [He's just going with compliment, to save himself a headache. Yuuri smiles, though, at Laurent's other words.] You people watch a lot, then?

[As if he doesn't do the same when he can.]

A

[fingerstripes]

[ For the most part he keeps his training regimes to the rooftops these days. It's safer there, far from prying eyes that might connect a man in a mask with one hitting a strong beat every day. Today he's in the mood for something that calls for unpredictability. That extra edge driving him be different. To be creative. To be new.

He's aware of the young man hovering somewhere in his periphery as he's dodging, darting, and flipping up and over obstacles, imaginary and real. He stops himself mid-strike when he realizes he's being hailed. ]

-No. You're not. [ He leans a little on the staff, more genuinely curious than fatigued. The young man gets a broad, unguarded smile. ]

There's room for one more if you need to practice.

[yokunaru]

[There's no shortage of awe in Yuuri's eye when he looks at him. Unskilled as he is at combat, he's also been an athlete for most of his life, and he knows athleticism when he sees it.]

Oh! [Oops, he was staring at little. Yuuri breaks his gaze away and stares down at the ground instead.] No, no, it's fine. I--I was just trying to get some training ideas by watching the people here.

[fingerstripes]

Well, you came to the right spot for that. [ His eyes drift to the others practicing a short distance away. Nearly everyone here has been training for years, it seems. ]

Anything in particular you're looking to brush up on?

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri bites his lip for a moment, and then somewhat meekly says--] Um...anything?

I'm still really new to combat. [He shifts on his feet uneasily.] I've been trying to learn how to use batons, but I don't think I'm picking it up very quickly.