Welcome To The Doll Shop

He had a calming presence and tone so she couldn’t help but feel relaxed around him. Glancing at him she saw the way he looked at the dolls. She felt happy seeing him happy. She enjoyed seeing those around her content and healthy. Although it was weird that she already felt close to this stranger, in a way, she was glad, she doesn’t remember the last time someone outside her family really talked to her as an equal. She wondered if he would allow her to spend time with him when he wasn’t working. She blushed at the thought.

Hearing him she perked up and thought over what he said. “Well actually…” She laughed shyly. “I was actually going to buy a doll to put in my new apartment, but I don’t know if I can afford it… The dolls here are so well done and I haven’t actually looked at the price-tag yet but…” She looked back at the doll she had been admiring earlier. “I wasn’t expecting them to be crafted so well. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to take up your time.” She feel anxiety start to swirl around in her stomach. Was he going to be upset with her….?

Ryou observed her while she talked, gentle smile painted onto his face like he was one of his precious dolls. She seemed to him awkward and shy, but certainly well-meaning, and he did so enjoy those who appreciated the craftsmanship that went into his dolls. He did hope she would be a repeat customer, and so he put on his best salesman persona and got to work.

“Well, the dolls here can be rather expensive... not much I can do about that, I’m afraid.” He chuckled lightly. “They are all handcrafted and painted down to the last detail, after all. However, if you’re looking for something simpler, I do have a few cloth-based dolls along the back shelf over there” he pointed to a shelf pushed up against the far wall of the dollshop, where indeed a few sewn dolls sat, drooping slightly without any harder material to keep them standing. For some of them, their yarn hair drooped down into their smiling painted faces as a result. 

She stopped herself from reaching out to touch the dolls as her eyes widened slightly. “They…. They look so realistic.” It was as if she was in a trance. “The detail on them…. I mean I have no words to really describe them.” From the detail on the faces to the fabric the dolls wore, it seems so life like, almost as if the dolls would stand and start walking around at any moment. She felt a quiet laugh escape her. “Would it sound tacky if I said they look perfect? I mean they both look so full of life.”

She gazed into the female dolls eyes enraptured by the endless void of that was its irises. The longer she stared the more she felt a strange feeling seem to manifest in her chest. Tilting her head to the side she tried to place the feeling but found she was unable to. “It seems you enjoy doing this. I’m happy that you are creating masterpieces like this.”

There was a faraway look in her eyes and her expression could be described as peaceful. “I guess I haven’t introduced myself, have I? My name is Jenna Tyvanishi. I just recently moved to the Domino area.” She turned to look him and smiled gently. “I agree with you, they are priceless, so please even when time passes don’t sell them. I would hate to see the light in their eyes go away.” She looked away and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound cryptic. You probably can already tell I’m a bit strange.”

Ryou positively glowed at such compliments. It was always the best part of his day when somebody seemed to truly appreciate his work. “Well, thank you very much. While I do truly love every single doll I make, I must admit, my lifesized collection is easily my favorite to design. It’s a bit of a pet project of mine - the techniques used to create dolls of this size are entirely my own invention. I’m working to improve them all the time. It’s always lovely to hear that my hard work has paid off. And I quite agree with you; I have no intention of ever selling them. They are far too precious to me.”

He would love to have this girl as a regular customer. It was always so refreshing to get to have people come in who truly understood the beauty of dolls, and the masterpieces that were his. “I have many more dolls like that, but usually only have one or two on display at a time. If you come back sometime, you may get to notice the display has changed.”

She felt her anxiousness start to lift. Upon seeing his attire she felt a bit under dressed, although that wasn’t abnormal for her to feel. She wore dark blue denim jeans and a plain black hoodie that was two sizes too big for her small frame. It kept her warm, which is the main reason why she wore it, but it didn’t stop others on the street from staring at her.

She walked toward him as she responded not wanting to yell across the store just to make conversation. “No this isn’t the first time I’ve been to a doll maker’s store, but its been more than a decade since I last visited one.” Her gaze was captured by a doll that looked eerily similar to her. “Not to mention the difference in craftsmanship between then and now is indisputable. I’ve never seen such dolls with features so defined or precise.”

Her gaze softened as she looked at the doll. “The one I visited as a child had gone out of business and my parents were often too busy to drive me out to find another one.” She looked back at him her green eyes shining brightly in contentment. “Being here reminds me of those days before….” She trailed off and shook her head. “Sorry I get lost in thought sometimes. I’m just glad that this place exists. You have a beautiful collection.” 

A pretty reliable way to get Ryou to like you was always to compliment his collection. Her compliments quickly transformed his smile into a much larger one. “Well, thank you, I’m glad you enjoy my work.” He stepped closer to her, appreciating the same doll she had been staring at, now seeming to take a much more direct interest in his latest customer. “I learned from my father, you know. It’s a bit of a family trade. My whole life, I’ve been making dolls. I’d not have it any other way.”

The store had taken some time to find. Although not because it was super hidden but rather because she got lost on the way there. Since the store was within walking distance to her apartment she figured she should get some exercise and walk. The air had been cold so when the wind blew into her it made it harder to see. But the snowy walk over had been worth it. Seeing the two dolls on display she felt a smile slowly appear on her face.

When she had been looking for somewhere to live in Domino she had taken into account what stores, and entertainment were nearby and was intrigued by what seemed to a dollmaker’s workshop. She hadn’t been to one ever since she was a little girl so the concept of going to visit one after all these years brought a small pang of nostalgia to her heart.

When she walked inside she heard a bell above her chime and then a few moments later a voice calling to her. Although the latter hadn’t registered in her head yet. The store was comfortably warm, and the scent of Lavender seemed to waft through the store. It was as if she had traveled to a different period in time and instead of it feeling like an antique shop it felt like a parlor selling dolls for the well-behaved girls and boys.

As the cold that had wrapped itself around her slowly began to dissipate she finally seemed to notice the man behind the register. She blinked realizing that she had zoned out and had missed his question. A warmth rose in her cheeks out of embarrassment. “I…. Sorry I kind of lost myself in the atmosphere of this place. It’s better than I had imagined it would be…” Her eyes widened at how she phrased her words. “N-Not that I had low standards for this place! I just didn’t know what to expect, that’s all…"

Ryou was perfectly fine waiting for the girl to get used to the store and shake off the cold. His green eyes fixated on the girl as he observed her apparent wonder with his usual smile carefully maintained on his face. He was always satisfied to watch somebody enjoy his work.

When she spoke he simply laughed lightly in response and waved a dismissive hand. “You’re alright. I’m sure coming in from such a cold and suddenly finding a place so warm can leave you needing to take a moment as everything thaws. I was just asking if there was anything I could do to help you find something.”

Mariku gave the other a once over curiously, before he wrestled a dark chuckle from his larynx. “Touché, Ryou~”

The name dripped from his lips like honey as he slipped from the wooden bench and took up his cape again, which he fastened as he was used to, long jagged parts of cloth trailing behind him, like the writhing darkness all around Mariku as they left the dark sanctuary and walked towards the street again.

“A dollmaker… I see. Your sources for inspiration have to be massive. If you make dolls yourself, all of them, then every piece has to be unique.”

He smirked at the other. “Count me interested.” He mumbled as he saw Ryou leave, got up and fastened his cape again and then followed the other outside. He followed close behind the other and followed behind him.

“How does one start on such a rare and quaint hobby?”

Ryou was pleased to hear Mariku admit interest and follow him. That was the hardest part down. Tonight really was turning out to be incredibly lucky, if not incredibly strange. He was already working on doll design ideas in his head. He needed something truly marvelous if it was going to be worthy of those eyes. He picked up his pace.

“My father was a dollmaker, I learned from him.” He replied idly as he walked. “I suppose you could call it a bit of a family business. He made them by hand, and so do I.”

Somewhere he recognized he probably shouldn’t be just talking so openly about who he was, knowing that this could all be a trap, but he was far too excited to be rational right now, and there was no real harm in talking about his shop anyway, right?

Mariku’s eyes followed the other, seemingly glowing through the dark, as Ryou approached, silently following his every step and by the time, he arrived close, the gaze had become somewhat amused. His every step and move had been monitored and Mariku very slowly tilted his head back and towars Ryou, his aze toughtful and lips pulled into a light frown.

“Hmm… you are right. It seems, so far, all of the environmental advantage lies with me. I guess we need some even ground.” His lips twitched as he looked over the other, head to toe once more, before he let out a low chuckle. “I remember though, that somebody has taught me not to talk to stranger and definitely not to follow them at all.” He grinned at Ryou. “So, my name is Mariku.” He turned around slowly, untangling his legs and using them to push himself higher and lean over the bench towards Ryou, closer towards his face. The dark tunnels that were his violet eyes were ready to eat the other one up it seemed, but he held some distance between them, even though they weren’t far apart at all, less than an armlength. “How may I address you?” He asked softly and his eyes hooded a little as his fingers played over the rough wood of the bench.

Ryou tried to keep his cool as he locked gazes with those eyes once more. This was the closest he had ever been to them, and they were even more magnificent than Ryou imagined. He felt so small in that gaze, like those eyes alone could swallow the dollmaker whole. It was.... enrapturing. Lost, he didn’t even notice when he stepped closer, very easily within arms’ reach now, or when his lips began to move to answer the question posed without thinking through the consequences. “Ryou.”

It was the sound of his own voice that startled him out of his trance. He had to force his gaze away from those eyes just to stay aware. Instead, he took to observing the rest of the doll’s form, gaze lingering over the clearly defined muscles as he composed himself.

“and I think that common sense also dictates when you’re being followed, not to bring the person to a secluded area where they could attack you. I think it’s quite clear if you were worried about your safety, we wouldn’t be talking right now.” It didn’t take much more than a glance to see the physical differences between the two males. Ryou was by far much smaller and didn’t seem to have much in the way of muscle mass at all. If it came to a fair fight, Ryou would most likely lose. Thankfully, Ryou didn’t play fair.

Mariku didn’t seem to notice the male that tagged along behind him and instead merrily went his own way. 

His steps lost themselves in a certain music of the night and the shadows ran over him naturally like a second skin as he left the light of the streets and alleyways, taking a sharp turn to the right and ducked into a secluded thin passage into the inside of the grey, old building. The balconies around them had seen entirely better days and most windows wre either shattered or rotted so deeply, that they barely hung on their hinges anymore.  Signs of gangs were left behind on the walls and a few ripped up pieces of clothes and sleeping bags, additionally to shards of former bottles were scattered. One lonesome metal barrel stood somewhere close to the backwall of the courtyard and two wild trees had lost several leaves to the weather already.  The sandpit stood abandoned and dirty and multiple broken things littered the space. But neither of this seemed to deter Mariku from entering the space.  He also felt that the other was following hims closely and slowly pulled his ripped up cape off, which seemed to seamlessly melt into the dark, before he slipped onto one of the old benches cross legged and closed his eyes. He felt the darkness crawl over his skin as if it was a living thing and the only light in this space was the reflection of pale moonlight, that barely reached to the ground. An eerie space, but a perfect one for an evening like this it seemed. Silence spread through the courtyard as Mariku didn’t move and just let the place soak into his essence, before his smooth voice spoke slowly through the darkness, probably the first time to be heard by the other. “I thought, compared to a crowded bar, this seemed to be the better choice for a meeting.” He had almost spoken this, like he was talking to the emtpy darkness itself, but then his eyes opened and he slowly turned his head to send his dark, piercing gaze through the lightless ruin that envelopped them, searching for Ryou. “I had a feeling you would prever the privacy and calm. I fear it lacks a certain charm and romanticism, though. I beg your pardon.” His lips twitched into a lazy smirk.

Well.... That was certainly unexpected. Ryou was not particularly used to his prey noticing his existence. It appeared he’d been lured here on purpose. Interesting. Perhaps this doll was different in more ways than one. Ryou tilted his head, observing for a beat more while he tried to figure out what to do now. This was a very new situation indeed. Making a decision, and not wanting his doll to get scared and run off from his silence, he stepped out from his hiding spot, the crunch of rubble beneath his foot echoing in such an empty space.

The darkness of this run down building certainly seemed all-consuming. Shadows danced across Ryou’s form as he approached the doll. Very little light from the outside streets filtered in to here, but Ryou seemed unperturbed. It was certainly very obviously hard for Ryou to see in here, and he moved slowly as a result. Though he showed none of the fear or uncertainty most individuals would show in his situation. The only thing that seemed to bother him was the quality of the establishment, and the lack of cleanliness. He made no attempts to hide his disgust as he was forced to step over discarded food wrappers and pools of muck that lingered in this place. As he stepped towards his doll on the bench, he spoke.

Mariku as often enough enjoyed the lean nightly air of Domino City. It wasn’t like the city was ever truly sleeping, but the air was so fresh and unbothered by loud voices or the business during the day and the charm of the Domino Square Park seemed to unfold best in darkness. But he had approached the location for other reasons, too.  The cool breeze was ruffling through his untamed hair, as his eyes found the most prominent reason for his return, but after a short glance, he let them slip off again and his hands planted themselves in the pockets of his light pants the ripped up cape bunched up around his shoulders, as he passed the figure on the bench without sparing them a second glance. The shadows he sent to swarm around the other and check him out more intimately told him though, that he had found the same person, that Mariku had noticed in crowds often. Apparently somebody had gotten aware of his existence and had viewed him with interest and so he had ended up being stalked and not the other way around. He expected thge other male to follow him and smirked. This game exhilarated him. Sometimes he tended to help the other find him, but miraculously, the young man did the deed himself pretty well. So Marku had refrained from digging into the other ones life or backstory. He wanted to be surprised by such a talented spy n his ‘life’ for once. And thus he let the gorgeous male follow him unbothered, still enjoying the light night air around them and was exhilarated for the other one to find out, who he was dealing with. Tonight seemed to be as good a night as any. So he started purposefully to move toward an apartment complex that was old and soon to be renovated, so the other could finally face him in a secured, secluded area. Whatever would happen, he’d deal with from there.

There was a certain art to stalking somebody, especially in the evenings when there were less crowds to hide behind. You had to follow close enough that you could always keep an eye on your quarry, but far enough away that they wouldn’t notice your following. The skill and precision Ryou showed in his actions clearly revealed that this wasn’t Ryou’s first time doing this. For him, it was as easy as breathing; the smiling hunter a natural state to be in. He was just delighted when he realized this was the longest he’d ever managed to successfully follow this doll. Perhaps this night really was lucky.

                                           DO THE THING!

❝ But the starter has already been replied too by someone else! ❞

                                           I don’t care, do the thing.

❝ But you posted it hours/days/weeks months ago! ❞

                                          Do. The. Thing.

❝ But I don’t know if I can… ❞

                                         This is your permission.                                          Do the thing.

❝ But you’re so quality, and I’m not! ❞

                                          I don’t care, do the thing.

Look, there’s nothing more depressing than making a starter, big or small, and having no one reply to it. It just sits there, empty, unused, unloved. If it happens enough the role player will stop posting open starters all together, defaulting instead to people who they know will answer them for sure. Or in some extreme cases leave the community. 

Open starters are open for a reason. Any one of my followers can answer them hours, days, weeks, heck even months after they’ve been posted. That’s why they’re tagged open.

So please, if you ever, ever, see a starter post tagged open that looks interesting to you RESPOND TO IT! 

How lucky Ryou had been to stumble upon this treasure, quite literally. While locking up one night, the boy had come barreling down the street, and had not seen the dollmaker until it was too late. How lucky indeed. It was almost like fate. 

Not one to squander such an opportunity, Ryou had smiled gently, and reopened his shop to usher the boy inside. He was still young, certainly no older than twelve and had been easy to coerce. He had shown the young boy the small kitchen he had in the back, filled with delectable sweets and treats, and just as it had with others, it brought the boy back, again and again.

The room behind the doll shop became their little secret, and Ryou learned all kinds of things about his new doll. He learned that he was alone, and had no one to care for him. He learned that no one would miss him. Perfect.

He made plans, one night, to slip something into the child’s drink next time he visited. He would never, ever dream of trying to subdue a new doll with anything that would have left a mark. No needles, no physical violence. It was important to keep them in as pristine a condition as possible. Gases and poisons were always his method of choice.

He had been careful, and when the boy showed up the next evening, he was ready to reap the rewards of his patience. Watching his dolls’ eyes close was always a thrill. Those last few moments before Ryou would get to play with his new toy. He smiled gently as the boy passed out in his chair, paying no mind to the cookie that dropped to the ground as a result.

With gentle motions, Ryou scooped the body up, carrying him like one would a baby towards his car, careful not to drop him. It wouldn’t do any good to damage precious materials this late in the game.

This child should be thanking him, really. He should feel honored. Ryou was protecting him, saving him. The boy would never become tainted by the outside world. He would remain pure, and clean for eternity. He would be immortal. Ryou gazed down at the boy he had arranged carefully in the backseat, letting his eyes wander over each and every perfect feature once more, and leaned down, briefly letting his lips brush against the boy’s forehead.