sword_breaker | Myth!AU

[There's a slight wind to give signs that colder weather was going to hit the city at some point but otherwise the chill didn't faze many much with the sun pouring down rays without any resistance from white wisps streaking across blue. Another busy work day for most people as they packed the sidewalks in order to accomplish whatever the day asked of them to do, some of them heading off towards lunch break even as the afternoon brought along ease in traffic after the rushing around or rather dead still in the morning commutes that always came like clockwork. The towering skyscrapers piercing above while scattered about were busy shops and apartment complexes ranging to the higher end of the spectrum, fortunate for several residents of them being close to where they worked usually.

However it didn't matter much to the man lying face first towards the blue in an alley, red bursts staining his shirt in an act of fatal defiance against the fabric. He wasn't caring about anything anymore. Pools of crimson have congealing into a sticky mess at his side to keep company with the broken body though it was a waste honestly. A barrier of yellow and black tape announcing the crime scene as if the body and the blood weren't enough already to do so. Officers scurrying about to comb through every little thing in order to scrounge up evidence ranging from fingerprints to shell casings while a medical examiner started jotting down notes as though it were a race.

To be fair, it was a race that was ticking away for all of them but yet he didn't exactly have to put so much effort into finding out the who, why and whatnot of this particular case. Never really showed interest in the exact details of a person's death as it wasn't under his job description nor would he if paid enough, more so content enough with the tasks that were scheduled for him to do. He sends a confirmation of his arrival with a quick text before stowing away the smart phone into his back pocket and assessing the fussing police. No doubt Matthieu was going to blow his phone up with messages after getting the answer but that could be ignored.

Passing underneath the tape, the man eased through the scene with no problems coming from the uniformed others. Though that was the point of having such a decent illusion in order to essentially make him invisible, allowing a much easier time accomplishing his tasks without the stupid questions that would be raised at his presence much less what he would do here. He had the slight frown that could've been considered appropriate for the situation but the claw marks and irrevocably damaged right eye would certainly cause a more sinister thought process to occur. Maybe even be considered as a hit man that had down the crime but to be fair he didn't hunt unless told otherwise and certainly not boring humans such as this idiot. Besides a man decked in a suit stood out in this mess with much help to his disregard of everything save for the dead man who certainly was still brimming with the confused energy of a trapped soul. Definitely need to rectify that.

James crouched down right next to the examiner and fished out a knife before making an incision right at the heart before reaching down to draw out the reluctant soul. The reaper was only doing his job and besides no one was going to see him do his work, not the police nor the surrounding crowd of onlookers.

He was looking forward to the break after this one, sneak away towards his usual haunt; a coffee shop that boasted fantastic blends that were more so a necessity at this rate rather than a mere commodity and plus the perfect spot he claimed by the window in order to watch the world keep moving. The energy from the illusion would be easily restored during that. Then it would be another one in midtown before being able to return back home for the day and unwind. That or check with the bar to make sure a friend or two didn't snoop around more than they should. The former was going to be the most probable though so he shows the other idea to the back of his mind before focusing.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kinda interesting that you're okay with explaining all of that offhand huh...

[He at least tries to regain some of his lost cool, but it's only partially successful as he shifts from foot to foot.]

Look...like...just...coffee, and see where it goes?

Look I don't need to be that one to let someone make wrong assumptions about what I do, ok? Usually makes things worse in the end. Saving myself from some of that hassle.

[He rubs the back of his neck with a soft sigh, glancing around before settling back onto the dullahan.]

I can do that. I would suggest following me but you already rather good at that.

[A light joke with the brief appearance of a smirk before he answers a quick text from another. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he offer his hand? His right one flexes at the thought but that was too forward so he forgets about the notion and merely sticks to the other man's side.]

Hey hey, you do what you gotta. I'm not up on reaper politics and everything.

[But that's certainly interesting in it's own right, and oh does that smirk is certainly something. It's enough to give him a little confidence back, and he grins toothily back, making a small motion with one hand.]

I mean, you ki.d of have a pretty unique signature. Pretty hard to miss.

Well why should you be? The only thing that you should really care about is where you are on the list and so on rather than so called reaper politics. Though I ugh think you're safe on the whole list thing. Never see dullahans gain too much warning let alone removal.

[Shit that was probably a tad bit more dark than he should be talking with this guy. Though to be fair what else was he supposed to talk about really? All the guy ever asked about had been the city and his job so of course defaulted to his job.

However the guy is grinning though to be fair when is he not? The only time he had seen it go away was that small nervous blunder back there and to be fair...he kind of liked it. The whole tough act wasn't exactly something he wanted to be around but the blunder made the dullahan a tad more interesting.]

What do you mean? The whole 'light show'?

Hey, we're good at what we do. The whole not staying in one place too long thing helps a bunch too. Dunno what work it makes for all of you though. But hey, you n' I both have jobs to do, yeah?

[He offers a small, genuine grin as he shrugs.]

Light show. With the knife stuff and y'know the dead people. That light shot.

I don't exactly have a basis to go off of your ability to do your job. Who knows, you could be a no name on the list because you suck at it. A very distinct possibility. Others do the tracking since I'm not one of them, mostly do the heavy lifting so to speak.

Yet I suppose yea we do have jobs.

[Any chance of another smile let alone a simple smirk does off at the calling of the process as a light show, The reaper disregards the grin in favor of focusing ahead with the usual frown.]

Figured as much.

Hey, I happen to be pretty good at my job, thank you very much.

[Alright, there's a little bit of insult at that, and he furrows his brows and has at least the decency to look a bit put in his place. Oh, and that's a frown, no, that's not the direction that he'd wanted to go. Abort, abort.]

No, like I'm being serious. What's all with that?

Well I can't exactly see that for myself so I can't be my own judge of that. All I would be going on is your word.

[Whatever, it's no surprise that he somehow managed to tork off the dullahan just like anyone else. He always seemed to be only capable of doing that lately.]

Releasing someone's soul. Someone has to do it. Otherwise you have a lot of restless dead and no one wants that beside from the less savory characters.

Hey, then know that I'm awesome.

[Of course he is. But there's also the matter of the explanation that he's being given, and oh that's interesting indeed. Very interesting. Interesting enough that it makes him furrow his brows, then grin sheepishly.]

I mean...guess I never thought of that. Like...just focus on the whole making work for you guys, not really of...like what actually goes on. Er, sorry about all that. Like, the making work thing. Even if I haven't done anything here yet.

I think I'm allowed to judge that for myself. ...however at least I know you speak highly of yourself.

[So far all he's figured out about this dullahan is that he has quite an amount of pride in himself which wasn't bad but it didn't exactly get any praise from the reaper either. There was still some distance between them and the coffee shop so he pulls out his phone to start taking care of messages and so on in the meantime.

Multitasking though most of his attention was now on the phone honestly.]

Most people don't so it's fine. You have nothing to apologize for though since yes you haven't done anything yet within the city. Everyone dies sooner or later. You and the others like you are another way of making it happen for some.

So you're fine up until you start doing too much too frequently and clustered.

[Oh, the phone is out again. That's not the direction that he'd wanted this to head.]

Well I feel like it's important to be confident, yeah?

[He does raise a brow though, and motions a bit with his head.]

Bored already?

Confidence is good but so are other things.

[Oh he's being called out. That actually forces him to look away from the smartphone and glance at the other man, slightly confused as to why he would care what he did. His eyes flicker down before finishing off the last text and sending it off.

There. The other had his full attention.]

Work. Sorry.

[Easy enough excuse.]

Well yeah. I mean like...it's good to be confident in what you do, yeah?

[The brow is still raised though, and he can't help but grimace ever so slightly. This isn't starting off well. Not as well as he would have hoped for, at least.]

Really that busy in the city?

Fair point.

[Why is he grimacing? Did he say something wrong? It can't be a delayed reaction from the earlier talk because that had gotten him a frown.

The reaper rubs the back of his neck and looks away to try to figure out what next to say. Work was easy but this wasn't exactly a part of it. Think reaper, think.]

Well not always. It ebbs and flows from day to day, month to month, and so on.

[Ok done with work. Call him curious now.]

So what brings you to the city? And especially for so long?

Oh, uh.

[That's actually a good question, and one that he's not entirely sure of the right answer to. The grimace morphs into something sheepish, and he looks away, folding his arms behind his head after a short shrug.]

Call it curiosity got peaked.

Over a little light show?

[He'll regretfully admit to himself that he actually said that but it was easier to go with that concept rather putting up so much of a fuss over it and wasting energy on such a useless concept that has been explained before. That was the thing that came to mind first and foremost. It seemed like most likely that dullahan was interested in other than...

Oh. No that can't be a thing. However he looks away to hide a faint touch of heat creeping into his cheeks. That can't be it.]

Thought it wasn't a light show.

[But he's teasing,and there's actually the slight beginnings of a fond grin, because far from the uninterested figure from before, now he has a reaper looking away from him, and that seems to be far more down the lines of what he'd hoped for.]

Well, I mean that, a few other interesting things that came to light along with it.

It's not but also is at the same time. Look you got the explanation, ok? I know you know it's more than just that.

[Ok so his quests wasn't entirely wrong but that didn't make things any better for him with him wanting to know what exactly this dullahan was up to. Though they managed to get to the coffee shop and the morning rush starting to filter into it.]

And what would those things be?

Alright, alright no need to bite my head off. Not that you uh, really could but...look, turn of phrase, okay?

[But his grin is a bit softer now, even if he can't quite look over. While he may be aiming to be smooth, it might not necessarily quite hit that mark.]

I mean...interesting light show, interesting crowd, really interesting guy...that kind of sort?

I'd rather not do that. Kind of know the whole thing about you guys and your heads. I may be a reaper but I know best to respect that regardless.

[More heat in his cheeks because really he is not an interesting person by far and still didn't exactly understand why such attention was being given to him. So he merely opens the door to the shop for the other to enter.]

Ugh right. I guess.

Really...kinda refreshing to hear that. Too many people with too much curiosity sometimes. Lotta forgetting of personal space.

[It really is something nice to hear, he's being completely honest. But that tint to the reaper's cheeks is certainly something that interests him, and so he grins warmly, nodding in thanks as he makes his way inside. More people around than he'd have expected, but he'd have to make do.]

Bein' honest.

As I said, I know better. You and others might be blacklisters but that doesn't make you any less of a person. You're not toys for others to play around with.

[And he firmly believes in that. Sure dullahans and others on the watch list could be dangerous but that doesn't mean he has to think of them any less. However some of his colleagues made a habit of doing the opposite.

He gets in line and waits for his turn at the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. The color in his cheeks fading but still visible.]

Good to know.

That's...that's uh.

[He's a bit taken aback by that, because it's such an uncommon train of thought with reapers nowadays. And it touches on something very, very deep that he's not even able to quite articulate, beyond looking over at the reaper with newfound wonder.]

Haven't heard someone say something like that in a long time. ...thanks. I mean it.

[He feels a bit sheepish though, and he shoves his hands in his pockets as he slides in behind the other man.]

That's a shame really. But you're welcome.

[That earns of a flicker of a smirk that he was able to provide some form of assurance that not all reapers were assholes. Besides there was almost no trace of the earlier cocky dullahan left which was interesting.

Reaching the counter, he orders his usual and takes care of everything before glancing back at the other. Rather weird for him to follow him in a line where he wasn't going to get anything.]

[It may be strange, but he's courteous as he can be when he declines the barista's inquiries, instead rummaging around in his pocket until he can pull out his wallet and reach over the reaper's shoulder to hand her a few crumpled bills and wave off her attempts at giving him back any change. Then his attention is back on the other man, and with a wry grin and a raised brow, he looks over at the crowded shop.]

You got a favorite place to sit?