bakerstreet | 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒

― 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 ( a collection of various settings. comment with your character, tag others, roll for prompts. )

001. a tattoo parlour, buzzing with machinery and walls lined with artwork .
002. a shopping mall, crowded and loud .
003. a cabin in the mountains, taking shelter from the snow storm.
004. an abandoned tea party, occupied with broken dolls .
005. the shooting range, empty casings clinking on the floor and sulphur in the air .
006. a music room, filled with melodies of an instrument .
007. an empty auto shop, hood of a car left open and quiet music coming through speakers .
008. a bright arcade, coins falling from machines and claws grabbing at soft toys .
009. the kennels, filled with barking dogs and excited companions .
010. a restaurant, where everyone is eerily quiet and staff are overly friendly .
011. a riding arena, with trained riders atop proud horses .
012. a mini golf course, sails of a windmill obscuring the path ahead .
013. a zoo, filled with an array of unique animals .
014. the docks of a bay, boats lining the decks .
015. a pond with ducks, seeking food .
016. a museum, displaying ancient bones and pottery of a history long ago .
017. a closed down prison, ghosts of violent history echoing in empty cells .
018. a quiet train station, lights overhead flickering and announcement board displaying errors .
019. the vast desert, scorching heat baring down at high noon .
020. the dark woods, filled with strange hanging symbols made of sticks .
021. a deep hole in the ground, covered by leaves and sticks .
022. a wishing fountain, base lined with copper coins of past wishes .
023. an abandoned picnic in an empty field, flask still warm with coffee .
024. a barn filled with hay and tools, old wood creaking in the wind .
025. a graveyard in the dead of night, wind howling through the trees .
026. a crumbling bridge above a raging river .
027. the refreshing waters of a lake, away from prying eyes .
028. the crossroads, in the middle of nowhere .
029. a cosy bonfire at summer camp, marshmallows roasting on the fire .
030. the top of a radio tower, with the perfect view of the surrounding area .
031. a lone phone box on a street corner .
032. a large elaborate temple dedicated to a deity, offerings still intact .
033. a drive-in movie theatre, cars empty and projector casting only light onto the screen .
034. a strange trail of breadcrumbs on a woodland path .
035. a haunted mansion, ancient paintings watching every footstep .
036. a decrepit mine located out in the hills, believed by locals to have a powerful curse cast upon it .
037. the edge of a cliff, overlooking the rough waves and distant sounds of approaching danger .
038. a road trip across country, music blaring through speakers .
039. a flower shop, filled with bouquets and a sweet aroma .
040. an airport in the early hours of the morning, deprived of sleep .
041. a train on its way to its destination, a sleeping passenger resting on a shoulder .
042. an abandoned shack filled with strange books of the occult and something mysterious bubbling on the stove .
043. an empty throne room, moonlight glimmering through tall windows .
044. an underwater tunnel in an aquarium, fish swimming overhead and sharks looming in the distance .
045. deep within unmarked cave located in the side of a mountain, lit only by a flare .
046. the dusty streets of a western town, watched by wary residents .
047. the back of a vast library, surrounded by books, when a black book falls from the highest shelf .
048. a room of an asylum, an abandoned camcorder left in the middle of the room .
049. the shores of an unknown beach, washed up from the ocean .
050. the deck of an unsteady ship, waves crashing against the haul and rain lashing down from dark clouds .

( stolen from here. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

I see...

[He used "pride" rather than "arrogance" to describe his classmates, huh?]

Do you like them?

[Sakura's voice goes a little softer.]

Yeah. I do. Most of them, anyway.

[Look, the rivalry with Sugishita isn't not a thing, and Suo is still completely opaque to him despite being his vice-captain. But if that's the worst of it? Then he's doing alright.]

[That softer tone didn't escape Usami's notice. So despite everything, he must get treated fairly well at Furin...]

It sounds like you made the right decision by joining them, then.

[This place really is uniquely unified. As scary as it looked at first, for the sole beastman in school to be treated well among his human peers is pretty incredible.

Is that also in part due to Umemiya's influence?]

When I first heard Umemiya talking about wanting to protect others... I couldn't help thinking that he was full of it at first. I've gotten used to that kind of talk being nothing but empty lip-service. Usually, I'd dismiss this whole thing as being pointless violence for the sake of violence.

But Bofurin really does seem special, somehow. I still don't think fighting is always necessary, but... I guess these results speak for themselves.

As far as I can tell, Umemiya means exactly what he says, always. I don't always understand him and how he thinks, but. I don't doubt him, at this point.

I think if he hadn't accepted me, life here would be a lot harder.

[If Umemiya really does mean exactly what he says... Then it's true that he genuinely wants to be friends. Whatever "friends" means in his eyes, anyway.

But Usami still can't exactly figure out why. Usami isn't from Furin High- nor is he even from this town. He can't fight, and when they first met, Usami's behavior wasn't particularly cordial, either.

All Usami can do is assume that Umemiya didn't have a reason at all. From the sounds of it, saving people is simply his thing. And Usami, who had been alone and admittedly a bit lost at the time, must have looked like he needed saving.

...

For some reason, realizing that gives Usami a strange, conflicting feeling in his chest.]

...Friendly people like that... who are always super nice to everyone, and can influence others so easily can be pretty frightening in their own right, though. [He mutters the words; more thinking out loud to himself than anything.]

Guys who lightly toss around words like "friend" to everyone they meet...

I don't get them at all.

[If anything, those are the types that make Usami want to keep his guard up the most. It's fine for this person if he doesn't want to doubt Umemiya's words or actions at all, but Usami can't say that he has the same level of blind trust in him just yet.

Averting his gaze, Usami huffs.] I bet he ropes some new 'helpless' person into coming to see his garden every day...

That kind of thing can give people the wrong idea.

[Sakura listens, aware that he's missing a lot of context. A small frown appears on his face as he realizes he's inclined to try to defend Umemiya. When did he become the kind of person who would defend anyone behind their back?]

I've never seen him bring anyone who wasn't a Furin student to the roof to see his garden before.

[That feels safe. Not making a statement about Umemiya's character, not trying to persuade Usami to do or think anything. Just stating an observation.]

[Never?

Not even a girl..?

A guy as popular as Umemiya objectively is, not pulling a move like that on anyone from outside the school before is literally unbelievable. But when Usami turns to look at that frowning expression on the cat-type beatman's face, he's immediately struck by just how serious he is.

Blinking, Usami belatedly realizes just how mysteriously warm his face has gotten. He looks away and raises a long, floppy ear to his face on impulse, as if to obscure it from view.]

I- I see...

[It's a little unsettling how quickly that mild feeling of discomfort and doubt within Usami's chest is transformed into some bizarre wave of relief(??) instead.]

...My mistake, then.

That was really bothering you, huh?

[He doesn't get it, but he doesn't have to, right? Just that it means something to Usami.]

Anyway.

I never got your name.

Sakura Haruka. And who're you?

[Rude. But Sakura's incredibly used to rude.]

[Usami isn't an open enough person to even acknowledge his own ridiculous feelings on the matter yet- let alone unpack it all with someone he just met. He'd rather just move on than let his guard slip any more than it already has.

Thus the reason why Usami is considered by most to be surprisingly "unapproachable" for a rabbit.]

Usami Kuroto.

[He responds plainly, having recovered from his moment of fluster. But after a beat, Usami's tone softens a bit.]

...Sorry if it seemed like I was badmouthing Umemiya behind his back. That wasn't my intention... but it looked like I made you angry.

Not...angry, exactly.

[But he'll be damned if he could easily name the emotions that were going on there. There's more than one and they're squirmy little buggers. Kind of like his tail, which is doing the agitated swish of a cat doing the math of a difficult jump from the couch to the curtainrod.]

..?

[Usami waits a moment for Sakura to elaborate; eyes flicking down to where his long tail swishes either in agitation or deep thought. But once it seems like the other might just be finished speaking, Usami simply looks forward again.]

...Well, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, then.

[In fact, they don't have to talk at all. Usami isn't the type that feels like he necessarily needs to fill in gaps of silence, so he's just fine with remaining quiet as they walk the rest of the way to Furin High, if that's how Sakura prefers it.]

[Sakura is quiet for most of the walk. But it's not really a hostile silence on his end, either. It's once they're in sight of the school that he pipes up again.]

I imagine he thinks it's nice, to be around someone whose first response to everything isn't to pick a fight. He's good at it, but I'm not actually sure it always makes him happy. Fighting, I mean.

[It's a bit surprising, when Sakura speaks again, and continues on the topic of Umemiya and his feelings. The rabbit blinks at the new insight provided to him; the possibility that Umemiya "roping him in" wasn't part of some routine of his to save someone who seemed helpless- but rather, a genuine desire to get closer to someone who values life outside of fighting.

Is that... Sakura's way of reassuring Usami that Umemiya really does value their friendship?

So that discussion was still on his mind this whole time....]

.....I'm surprised.

You're actually a pretty attentive person, huh.

Hey, you don't need to be surprised by that!

[His ears perk up and he blushes a little bit.]

[A brow twitches.]

-Bit of a loudmouth, though.

[Usami comments bluntly; holding the ends of his large, sensitive ears in each hand after Sakura shouts.

Speaking of...

Unlike the last time Usami approached the school while standing at Umemiya's side, it doesn't exactly seem like the same calm and quiet falls over the surrounding students as he passes through with Sakura this time. Although Usami definitely notices a few individuals stopping to look over curiously, many of the rowdier bunch continue on with their roughhousing.]

I guess I'll have to get used to being around so many energetic types...

If you plan to keep coming around, yeah, kind of. Though not everyone's that kind of intense. One of the second-year vice captains doesn't actually talk at all.

[And yet, Kaji says that Kusumi is the best of that class's leadership at communication.]

And in my class, we've got Sugishita, who's napping unless there's a fight to be had. And Kiryu and Suo, who act the most like gentlemen. Most of the time. Unless Suo is angry, in which case he's just rotten.

Well, I wasn't so sure at first... [He begins honestly, regarding the first half of Sakura's statement.] ...But yeah. I think I probably will keep coming around for a while.

[Although Usami doesn't elaborate on what guided him to that decision, it would indeed be correct for Sakura to assume that his words of reassurance are the primary cause.]

Mh. I guess I'll try to keep that in mind if I happen to come across any of them, but... I probably won't. It's not like I've got plans to insert myself into Umemiya's whole friend group or anything.

As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not exactly the best at meeting new people, so it probably wouldn't go well whether they're rowdy or not. I doubt I'll get along with another human the same way I get along with him...

I thought I wouldn't get along with any humans at all, when I first got to town.

[Sakura shrugs slightly. By this point, they're at the stairs leading to the roof, and it seems this is where his help runs out.]

Anyway, enjoy your vegetables or whatever.

[Is that Sakura's way of encouraging Usami to open himself up to the idea of getting along with everyone else too...?

Usami says nothing in response, but pauses at the staircase to give Sakura a proper fairwell.]

...I will.

Thanks for... [Usami makes a vague gesture with his hand.] ...all of that.

[The walk, the information, the reassurance... Y'know. Usami is sure he doesn't have to elaborate. A slight nod of his head, and then Usami is turning to make his way up the staircase to the roof. Now that Usami can no longer pretend that he's simply going along with the whims of a fickle guy, it feels a bit... different, to be meeting up with Umemiya in the aftermath of his discussion with Sakura.

But unfortunately for him, he is actually looking forward to it.]

[And now for an abrupt tonal shift: it is a warm enough day that Umemiya has taken off his gakuran jacket and rolled up the sleeves of the T-shirt underneath. That man has guns! He's currently watering the bed of herbs, the basil and parsley and dill, and talking to the plants as he does.]

Right, if we're lucky, this weather won't get too bad. Otherwise I may need to figure out shade for the tomatoes to avoid sunscald. But in the meantime, drink up!

[After reaching the roof, Usami nearly hesitates at the sound of Umemiya's voice; assuming that he might be interrupting the other's conversation with someone after all...

But after peeking his head out and looking around, it appears that Umemiya is simply speaking to... his vegetables. Why is that not the least bit surprising...? -Well, maybe because this is somehow the second time today that Usami has stumbled across a Furin boy essentially talking to himself.

It's hard not to feel like a creep approaching Umemiya from behind, so Usami announces his presence with a lighthearted question:]

And if one day you were to actually hear them reply back to you, what would you do then?

I'd hope they have reason to think of me kindly, after all the care I've given them.

[He glances over his shoulder at Usami, his face blooming into a sunny smile.]

You came back.

[Ah...

What an annoyingly effective smile. Usami can almost feel the grip on his remaining doubt and cynicism being forcefully yanked loose.

So he averts his gaze, and regains his hold once more.]

I told you that I was gonna pay you back for treating me last time, right?

...Or at least, that was the plan. But then some things happened on my way here, and kind of threw a wrench into all of that...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I can switch accounts if you wanna continue with Ume?

Sure, I'm down

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject