The Father, The Son, And The Holy Litter (Tomomi / Yuri)

Another day on the job, and this time he was back helping out the church with their litter problem. Well, it wasn't as bad as the rest of the city could get, but, litter was litter, and the church was one of the places that especially needed to be kept clean. That's where the street sweeps and the trash boys came in, Tomomi having had his assignment to this section of Sunlake Palms early this morning.

So, there Tomomi was, in a bright red shirt with his usual jeans and belt, walking boots treading softly over the grass near the graveyard. His hands were covered in latex gloves, and his face concealed with a hygiene mask from the nose down. In one hand was a collection of black bags, while in the other was a singular stick with a claw on the end, and a mechanism that enacted the claw to open and close at the handle where Tomomi held it. There, he walked back and forth, being careful not to step on anything important to the church as he worked to keep the area surrounding it clear.

It was a wonderful morning to attend mass, just as every one is. 'I must know, what is it I should do with this power you have bestown upon me? Perhaps I should find that answer myself.' Yuri stepped outside. The sound of plastic came alongside his step. He reached down and picked up the empty bag of Itz

Bar-B-Q potato chips. Absolutely disgusting. 'For a human to desecrate the house of God in this manner? Such vile inconsideracy.' Even worse, it was not the only litter. Eleven meters away was a used napkin laying on the grass. He strode over, swooping it up, and added it to the bag in his hand. One by one, he added small pieces of trash to his arms. The trail he was on lead him to the church's graveyard, where he saw another individual collecting litter, with all the necessary items. The remover of litter must have been of the most beautiful character to be spending their free time on such benevolent labour that would ultimately go unnoticed by others, Yuri thought. "Let me help you with that. I can do the rest, if you would accept."

At the sound of someone speaking behind him, Tomomi turned around. Rather than gratitude however, Tomomi's first thoughts were to panic, Tomomi quickly dropping his gear and hurrying to grab the items from the stranger's hands and quickly shoving it in the black bag. "A-ah! S-s-sorry but, um, pl-please don't do that!" The boy declared, before quickly remembering he was at a church and falling quiet, reaching down to pick his picker back up.

Letting out a light exhale of relief, Tomomi shook his head and continued. "Um... A-anyways, I um... A-appreciate you wanting to help, but, um... I'm a-afraid that you don't have the p-proper safety stuff... So um... P-please wash your hands at the nearest convenience... So um... I appreciate the offer but, I'm going to have to, well, decline."

After the picker upper of the trash took the trash from Yuri, he used his now spare hand to pull his hair out of his mouth. Too long, it was now, and loose strands would make their way in when he opened it, on occasion. Perhaps he should cut his hair, but that wasn't important right now. A stickler for procedure... To want to always go by procedure may seem responsible, but sometimes to ignore it is best. "Don't fret, I would never let myself be so careless as to cut myself and get tetanus." If it were to happen, it would be for the best, a part of a chain of events far to grand for a human to comprehend, as planned by Him. 'Yes, nothing bad could ever possibly happen to me without having a greater purpose. I'm too wonderful to let bad things happen to myself. Were I to not assist in the cleansing of this location, I would not be that wonderful, and something bad would happen.' He went to pick up more litter. "We'll get it done wonderfully, and in a most timely manner." Hopefully the picker upper of the trash would let things proceed without interruption.

That Tomomi was ignored and the stranger went to pick it up again regardless certainly caused a bit of panic, Tomomi once more leaning down to reach for the litter and stopping the stranger from taking it. "D-d-didn't you hear me? I-I can't let anyone else touch this stuff due to s-safety stuff! I-I really do appreciate you helping me with my j-job, but, I'm not insured to let you put yourself at r-risk doing that, b-because it's more than just c-cuts, but also you don't know if an-anyone put an acid in or on a bit of rubbish like h-h-h-hydrofloric or something and you also can get diseases through co-contact if it was a germ based thing rather than j-just dirty, so, um, p-please allow me to handle this!" The boy sighed, slightly exasperated from his panicking as he put the rubbish in the bag.

How bothersome. "Do not attempt to prevent my service." He crouched down, and ran his hand through the grass. 'It's so very lush.' He turned over his hand to reveal half of a cracker. "Neighbour... I speak in general, in reference to no situation in particular. On occasion, it's better to accept someone's help with a small task when you don't need it. They deserve a chance to do good." He raised his hand towards his mouth, and ate the cracker. 'It's a horrible sin to waste food.' "I will assist in the cleaning of this ground, regardless of what you say."

As the person rather sternly said not to interrupt him, Tomomi's eyes went wide in absolute horror. This went further when they spoke as if reciting a sermon, declaring that he deserved a chance to do good. Even more horrifying was that this man suddenly picked up a half eaten cracker from the ground and ate it.

It took everything Tomomi had not to scream and run off, instead staring in bewilderment and horror. "O-oh god, y-you need to get some medicine now, and d-disinfect yourself, and p-please stop, I'm not insured for this I don't want to lose my job so please j-just stop, if you want to poison yourself then d-don't drag me into it, p-pl-please!"

"You underestimate the human body!" He stood back up and licked his lips, giving the picker upper of the litter a silent stare, before walking a few meters away, swooping up a plastic bag, shoving several more pieces of trash into it in the same motion, ran forward, spun around, and threw it moderately high into the air, landing just behind a stone wall, creating a muffled pwaf. The sound confirmed it. Whether it was due to sheer luck or Yuri's self-proclaimed "infinite aptitude" was debatable, but it had most certainly just landed in the open dumpster he saw earlier. He turned round back towards the church. 'I suppose it's time I take my leave. I've done my share.'

More bizarre actions. Tomomi... Yeah, Tomomi didn't get paid enough for this. He'd met eccentric people, he'd met scary people. But to meet a combination of both that was so far from reality was absolutely terrifying. If his boss complained or cut his pay for today, then Tomomi would just accept the consequences for it then. With that thought in mind, Tomomi just turned, holding on to his stuff, walking respectfully out of the church's area, before taking off into a sprint away when not in the church grounds - even the mask over his mouth and nose could not hide the panic in his eyes.

[Tomomi ran away.]

Yuri stopped where he was upon hearing that boy run away. It made him chuckle, but it grew into fierce cackling. 'How wonderful. Naturally, I'd be more thorough than anyone, even completing the task quicker. Everything truly turns out for the best, doesn't it?' He spent the entire day cleaning the church grounds, til the sun started to set. 'That's everything, isn't it? There's no more? Yes, of course, I made sure of it. What a beautiful day.'

[Yuri exit]

On this Journey of ours we will often meet other individuals, such is the way of Life and it's workings. And we may find them very different than us, they take steps we do not, paths we dare not follow, and yet we may find that we Journey together toward the same destination. The High Road and the Low Road will meet in the end and cross in the middle, entangling our paths...

Tomomi Jomyaku of the Lovers and Yuri Ivanov of the Tower have established a bond...

» Litter Sequel: Return to the Casino! (Tomomi / Gabe)
» Father/Father/Daughter [Trinity]
» The Great Father
» A Father's Dread [Closed]
» Holy Orders [Albrecht]