don't think--

[sunshrouded]

Who: single dad (sunshrouded) & widow chaser bakudanma
When: march 14th!!
Where: katsura's apartment
What: 2 guys who pretend to be samurai and 1 bottle of sake -- what could possibly go wrong?
Rating/Warning: should be none! probably some dumb



[Okay so, it's been rough.

Souza disappeared. Chuutarou disappeared. Most recently, Peko and Kuzuryuu disappeared. Tenka spent the better part of his day looking for them, unable to keep himself focused on anything else as he realized that he lost even more of his family. Sousei's had to deal with a lot of his angst lately and you know what, Tenka doesn't want to be lectured!!

He wants to laugh.

So that's why he picks up a bottle of sake from his still pretty demolished bar and makes his way to Katsura's apartment rather unannounced.

Adult friendship.

Then he's banging out the door and--]

Kotarooouuu!! You home?!

[it's late at night, do you know where your katsura is?]

Comments

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ Kotarou is home. He was also in bed like the old soul he is. The loud banging on the door stirs him awake— it wasn't like he had been sleeping well anyway. Sakamoto was staying at his ladyfriend's apartment tonight— so it was just him and his cat. He was in his sleeper yukata which was a neutral tan color with leaves on it and his hair was tied off to the side.

Coddling her close as he slipped out of his futon, he made his way over to the door and opened it to look at Tenka blankly. ]</sub>

Tenka.
_{[ squints ]}

Are you wanting to watch late night commercials?

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . . Cat.

Tenka snorts a little when Katsura opens the door because c'mon man, live a little, stay up later. Why are you so ancient already? But then he's distracted because. Cat.

So he's reaching out to pet the cat and responding automatically, not registering the question.]

Yeah, sure--

Wait, no! Definitely not. C'mon, stay up and drink with me, Kotarou!

[bakudanma]

_{[ He sleepily rubs an eye because... he sleeps with his eyes open and this one is a little dried out. ]}

A warrior doesn't need to waste his energy on such frivolous things. Sleepless nights should be spent playing Super M*rio Brothers 3 or reading Archie when there are no good commercials.

_{[ Larry welcomes pets by closing her eyes and... not purring just yet. ]}

[sunshrouded]

[Creepy as always, Katsura.]

We can do that if you want -- but I think they'd be greatly improved with a drink.

[And even as he continues to focus on petting the cat--]

So are you gonna invite me in or what?

[Tenka, stop inviting yourself.]

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ A dull look.

Zura has sat back and watched his friends drink themselves to oblivion. It's not a good habit to fall into. People like Gintoki who carry such a burden; he understands that is Gin's way of escaping sometimes, but it shouldn't dismiss it as a habit that isn't bad.

Zura drinks. He had been known to, but he's more conscious of it and how much he should have other than people he knows who drink and drink.
Though, things have been rough lately with all of these new discoveries about this place-- and he cannot help but worry about Takasugi missing-- even if their friendship broke long ago...

An exasperated sigh. ]</sub>

What is it you have?

[sunshrouded]

[Tenka always wins.

But honestly that manages to get him to light up -- and it's a lot like looking directly into the sun. It's not that he doesn't want to be home, but it's been a while since he's gotten to loosen up and just drink for a night without worrying about Sousei throwing a slipper in his face.

He's hopeful that Katsura won't do that.]

Sake!! The good stuff -- just like what I used to get back home. C'mon, just knock one or two back with me. What could it hurt?

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ of course it is sake. they have plenty of sake as it is. Have you seen Sakamoto lately? There is usually sake in this apartment.
A weary look at Tenka: he seems pretty stoked about doing this.

Firmly: ]</sub>

One glass. Then I am sleeping. As should you.
_{[ He steps aside so Tenka can enter. ]}

[sunshrouded]

[Sshhh, this is sake that Tenka brought to share with Katsura. It's different and also vastly more important!

But he's just laughing at the firmness of it -- it's hard to imagine Katsura being the one to scold him.... But he's still in a good mood despite it. He wanders in and claps a hand on Katsura's shoulder.]

How big are your glasses?

[sneaky little shit]

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ Katsura nearly jumps when Tenka puts his hand on his shoulder. So forward. Not like Zura minds; he likes it. Tenka just marches in here like he owns the place and somehow has persuaded Zura to drink with him.

????? ]</sub>

Well, it depends. They are in the kitchen if you'd like to see, Tenka.

_{[ he knows Sakamoto probably has some big ones... whoops. ]}

[sunshrouded]

[Tenka is destined to always get his way.

But he's laughing then -- loudly, despite how late the hour probably is. Sorry, Zura's neighbors. At least it's a sound full of amused warmth?]

Bahahaha! Of course I do!! Do you want to put on those commercials or something, Kotarou?

[If he actually wanted to watch those.... Meanwhile Tenka is definitely looking for the biggest glasses that he can find.]

[bakudanma]

_{[ Zura is accustomed to loud laughter. It is all good. However, the idea of watching commercials seems to interest so he goes into the living room to turn on the television, calling out: ]}

You may help yourself, but I cannot help but wonder—
—Why are you so keen on drinking tonight?

_{[ Tenka has never asked him to drink before. ]}

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . It's a good question.

It's a good question that deserves a good answer. It's probably only because he's barging in after waking up Katsura and now making demands that he actually gives the genuine, honest answer.

He fills up two of the biggest glasses in the cabinet and then moves to sit next to Katsura and he says honestly:]

My littlest brother and Souza-kun both left not too long ago. Now it's Peko-chan and Kuzuryuu-kun.

[ . . . . He takes a drink about it before attempting a smile -- it's not as confident as his others.]

I can't think of anything more [heartbreaking, soul-wrenching, painful] difficult than when people leave.

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ ... that's a big glass. That's definitely a Sakamoto glass. Katsura doesn't seem to question it. It's been difficult for him too; he knew Peko and Kuzuryuu pretty well too.

Not to mention, Takasugi vanished too. Zura isn't sure if he's concerned about Takasugi himself or the place that Takasugi eventually ended up at.
Nevertheless, Katsura takes a drink too.

Katsura watches the floor. ]</sub>

—When they die.
_{[ Katsura remembers watching his teacher leave in handcuffs, surrounded by authority.
...watching his head whirl through the air in decapitation was more painful than seeing him leave in handcuffs. ]}

And when they change.
_{[ Takasugi used to be his close friend.
..Now he's an enemy. ]}

[sunshrouded]

[Tenka thinks of kneeling in the mud, not even noticing the cold of the rain, because he couldn't fixate on anything besides the graves of his parents in front of him.

Tenka thinks of the words "He has betrayed us" and the anger that ran so shockingly through his veins that he broke the metal shackles around his own wrists.

Then he looks up to the ceiling and thinks of a chiding, yet amused, laugh and the smell of sweets prepared for him with his tea.]

.... That's a form of leaving too.

Maybe getting left behind in general then.

[His hand reaches up to clutch the front of his shirt.]

It hurts so bad that I almost can't breathe.

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ Katsura watches Tenka for the longest time as they both fall into their musings. Tenka is beginning to air out some things, it seems, and Katsura isn't the type to pry since he enjoys his own privacy too on the matter of things— so he doesn't ask, but he'll listen if Tenka wants to continue.

Zura leans forward to place his drink on the table and reaches over to gently place his palm over the top of Tenka's; the one that is drawn near his chest before tipping forward to get a good honest look at him in the face. ]</sub>

There are things and people presently that can help you breathe so you can survive.
_{[ A very small and soft smile. ]}

Never forget, but don't linger either.
_{[ He gives him a comforting pat on his hand before withdrawing completely and bowing his head before taking another drink. ]}

I remind myself of this everyday.