estoria | ( OPEN )

[Kashuu's judgment is right. Oh, he'd thought about it, yes. He's not sure he has the energy for anyone else right now, and the thought of seeing so many worried faces has him feeling sick with shame. But Namazuo is a social creature by nature. He knows what will happen when he's left alone with his thoughts, and he doesn't want to deal with that either.

So it's not quite relief, but it's certainly not dread that fills him, when Kashuu sits down. Namazuo doesn't stir, and for a while, he doesn't say anything at all.

...But this is Kashuu. Kashuu, who's been here for so long, who was one of the first to help him figure out this strange, terrible place. Namazuo wants so, so badly to go home, but if he feels like this, then how must Kashuu feel? Out of all of them, Kashuu deserves to know what happened.]

...I saw people. [When he finally does speak, it's in a soft voice, like talking itself hurts.] A lot of people.

[He'll sit in silence for however long Namazuo wants it, since sometimes, that's the best thing that can be done. Sometimes it's too much to be left alone, but it's even worse to be forced to talk, so a delicate balance needs to be struck - and he's not very bad at finding out where that line is, so he can walk it.

But when he does talk, Kashuu's attention zeroes in keenly and quickly, like he's been waiting the entire time for those first words. He's not sure what he expected to hear, and the strange softness in his voice makes his heart twist in a sore way, but... it's better than Namazuo's absence, by far.]

...Were they all strung up? [He has been here for a long time. As long as Mutsu and Haru, though not quite as long as Kousetsu. It's a weighty thing to carry, but at the same time, it means Kashuu is usually one of the last to find things that are surprising.]

You were probably in the Code, if that's what you saw.

[...Though that does beg more questions about the altar, and the lack of other swords in that space. Questions that can wait until later, though. He's quiet and soft in return, giving Namazuo as much space as he does or doesn't need to continue talking.]

[A nod. It had been a frightening sight, far more frightening than the dark nothingness of death. He'd expected that. He hadn't expected to see... "the code", whatever that is. Even if it hadn't been for very long. The one thing that might've brought him comfort was the lack of familiar faces, but after the altar they'd found, even that unsettles him.

But... it's important. More important than him, by far. He'd died a perfectly normal death, fighting to protect a comrade. No one should be worrying about him.]

What is it? ...The code.

[Similarly, when he'd first heard of the code, he had been grateful for the lack of familiar faces there. After finding that altar, though, the implications of their absence weigh more heavily on him than he'd like.

He pauses for a second, attempting to properly organize his thoughts. It's not that he's forgotten to ask about Namazuo himself, but that can come later, after he's answered the questions as well as he can (which incidentally isn't really well at all. He's been cursing himself for his inability to understand things quite often lately.)]

...I still don't really get it, but it's the place where they fish us out from. Kinda like a soup or something, I guess...? We're like, pieces of data that were destroyed when those Flamine guys apparently wiped out everyone's worlds, and that's basically the place where they're fixed and restored and - stored, I guess. Maybe for repair later.

[Maybe not. He doesn't know that much.]

[But that... doesn't make any sense. If it's where they all came from, shouldn't he have seen some of their comrades there? Someone he recognized? His brothers? It's probably a huge place, so there's always the chance he simply hadn't been there long enough to see them, but--

--but that would be far too simple. Namazuo's been around a long, long time, but this is the first it's ever truly weighed on him.]

Did you... tell anyone? About that place.

[There's a crease of guilt in his face, then, because he does feel awful about focusing on the superfluous aspects of city life just because things hadn't seemed that bad. He should have been sharing what he knew, instead of assuming things were okay.

He shakes his head.]

This happened before you got here, but there were still a lot of us around at the time, you know? So people came and left but I never really thought like, right, now there are swords here who don't know about this stuff. [He shifts, discomforted.] Plus, it was kinda like... If they weren't there, it was probably better, since that place had such a bad feeling and all.

[Which was a foolish assumption to make, as he's realizing.]

Um... I'm gonna talk to a few people later this week, but we should find a safe way to sit down and share info after that so we can all be on the same page.

[Foolish, maybe, but Namazuo just nods. He gets it. He gets why Kashuu would want to believe that, why he'd tried so very, very hard to focus on the positive. Isn't that what Namazuo always does? Most of his brothers have never even been here, but Kashuu has had to watch his loved ones come and go for so long...

What's foolish is this. Lying here, being useless, making people seek him out like this. He died, and it was terrible, and he's caused enough pain and worry as it is. Isn't he the one who should be doing the comforting? Isn't that how it's supposed to be?

Slowly, he sits up, but it's only to lean over and rest his head on Kashuu's shoulder. It's meant to be a gesture of reassurance for Kashuu, but he'll quietly take what solidarity he can get from it, too.]

...We need to find out where they are. [Had he been with them when he died? Or had he simply ceased to exist?] ...and how to save them.

[Even if it's a gesture of reassurance, Kashuu reads it as solidarity first and foremost, because it's not like he feels like he needs to be reassured about anything. He isn't the one who died, though he can sympathize. He isn't the one with scraps on that altar, being used for god-knows-what. He may be upset, but he's still around and conscious and alive enough to be upset and to fight back, and that's truly key.

He leans a little against Namazuo in turn, then, reaching out to rest a hand against the top of his head.]

Mm. We will.

[He doesn't know the all-important how yet, of course, but he knows they will.]

So let's work hard together, okay?

[More than anything, Namazuo wants to believe him. He wants so badly to cast aside all pessimism and believe that they'll succeed, no matter the odds. But he isn't that naive, and after what he'd seen, fear and doubt are clouding out his bright, forward-facing determination.

But... "together". Out of everything, that's the word that hits him the hardest. Together. They aren't dealing with this alone. Haru is here, they're here, and somewhere out there, so are the others. He can't believe anything else, or he'll break.

So he nods. He doesn't say "I know we will" or "We can do it", but he nods. He trusts Kashuu. And he trusts in all of them. And for now, that's enough.]

Heh... this is kind of silly, isn't it.

[The fact that Kashuu is the one comforting him, when he's the brother/grandpa waki/more mature one of the two (you know it's true). But it helps.

He sniffs, turning his face just a little more into Kashuu's shoulder.]

I lost my clothes.

[They're in the same boat there, at least. Kashuu sounds sure of himself, but he sounds so sure because there is no secondary option. Things will have to be okay, and they will have to succeed, because it's impossible for him to imagine a scenario where that isn't the case. Failure is simply not a part of the equation, because if he let it be, it would poke and prod at the weaknesses in him until failure became the only part of the equation.

So he just gently pets Namazuo's head and smiles in a fleeting but sincere way, like that will be enough of a promise to reaffirm "we can do it".]

Nah, not really. [Silly is Kanesada showing up and being forced into a pink dinosaur costume... This makes sense to him.

That second statement gives him pause, though...]

Eh? [A quick... glance down...]

[No, Kashuu, he didn't suddenly lose his robe while you weren't looking... but there's a reason he hadn't changed immediately after bathing, and it's only partially because of his dumb arm.]

...When I came back, my clothes were still ruined. I scared people on the street, so... I had to change into the first thing I could find.

[With his good hand, he points at the pile of shiny fabric and ribbons. He'll hang it up eventually...]

[He was kind of concerned for a second, okay. Weirder things have happened...

But he'll look over toward said pile of shiny fabric and ribbons when it's gestured to, both brows raising. Huh... Actually - doesn't that look pretty familiar?]

Where'd you get that? And where're your ruined clothes?

[If the damage isn't too bad, he doesn't mind washing and fixing them up. It's the least he can do, really... Even if it hardly matters either way since their clothes just poof back to normal after repairs, regardless.]

[UGHHH KASHUU WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ASK THAT... Namazuo sure is attempting to bury his face in the space between Kashuu's shoulder and the sofa now.]

I... in a shop... [Mumble, mumble, hey, they should really clean this couch sometime.] I'll go back and pay for it tomorrow.

[As for his ruined clothes, he points towards his bedroom.] They're in the laundry bin. I didn't know what else to do with them.

[HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE AN EMBARRASSING STORY BEHIND THIS.

But his gaze follows Namazuo's finger as he points over toward his room, and his nose wrinkles a little.]

You don't have to pay for it, it's fine. It was gonna be for you eventually, anyway. [Robbing his boutique... PUNK. But instead of explaining that, he just bounces to the next point of conversation like a bumblebee.]

The rest of that can probably be thrown out, yeah?

[WHAT THE HECK KASHUU DON'T JUST CHANGE THE SUBJECT!! Now Namazuo's looking at him in surprise and slight concern.]

Kashuu-kun! Stealing is wrong! I'm touched you thought of me, but you don't need to do something like that...!

[Maybe Namazuo should've visited Kashuu's boutique before this, oops. But now he just thinks Kashuu was planning to start a life of crime?!]

[WHAT THE HECK NAMAZUO he's a police sword??]

I mean, you could pay me for it if you wanted, but you'd be the only one who would...? Like I said, it was gonna be for you eventually!

[He doesn't even realize that 1) Namazuo's never been to his shop and 2) he never actually mentioned his sewing plans to anyone...]

[KASHUU STOP YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR, DON'T BECOME A THUGGER MUGGER]

What?! I'm not going to pay you! I'm going to go to the shop and pay for it properly!

[IT'S TOO LATE, he's turned to a life of crime...]

The money would be going to the same place in the end, since that's my shop. [Or "the shop I work at" since he doesn't own it but CLOSE ENOUGH.] I made that, y'know? It was gonna be a surprise but I guess it found its way to you first.

[Through really unfortunate means...]

[Wait.

What.

RECORD SCRATCH--]

...Your shop?

[Oh god. WHAT HAS HE DONE. HE ROBBED KASHUU HOW COULD HE]

--I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was yours!! When did you get a shop? Why do you have a shop?!

[Lord, lord, lord!! They have more important things to focus on than his shop!!]

You don't need to apologize! Geez! The circumstances were totally out of your hands. [And really dire?!]

Anyway, it's the shop I work at as a designer and salesperson. It's not my shop, technically... But that outfit was mine. I made it!

I could've run home faster...!

[Okay, yeah, he'd just gotten back from being dead and he was a little lost and disoriented, but still. HE STOLE FROM KASHUU he's gonna have to buy so many frog hats to make up for this...]

Oh... it's like my painting job, then. [Well, at least he's not bursting into tears.] Heeeh... I didn't know Kashuu-kun was so talented.

Don't be dumb.

[Namazuo is being WAY TOO HARD ON HIMSELF for a guy who just got back from being dead and all, god.

But he'll just nod in response to that, since yep, it sure is. Just way more refined...]

What do you think I use my free time for, huh? I practice sewing every day! ...Eh, nearly.

[LOOK... are you really gonna hold it against him if he wants to be ridiculous right now? He died, and it hurt, and it's a little bit terrifying to think about where he'd been, and where he hadn't. Namazuo may be one of the more "human" swords, but that certainly doesn't mean he's great at talking about his feelings. Not the negative ones, anyway.

So he'll focus on the sewing, and let himself be distracted by the inane as long as Kashuu will humor it.]

But don't they have machines that do that?

[Tsukumogami sewing machines...]

[Kashuu of all people - swords - swordpeople - knows what it's like to run away from the negative, unpleasant things... So even though he wants to prompt a little more (holding in feelings about death will never really help, he's sure), he also respects Namazuo's apparent desire to keep away from those darker sentiments.

Maybe later, when it isn't as fresh, he'll bring it up again.]

Sewing machines, yeah. That's just one of the things I learned how to use, but a true tailor's gotta know how to do things by hand, too.

Hmmm... have you made one for master already?

[Namazuo is not a devious sword. He's not even really that clever, not in a nefarious sense. But he is intelligent. And he might not be Kashuu's dearest friend, but he knows what sorts of subjects make him happy.

Kashuu had a difficult time too. Can Namazuo really be blamed for shifting the focus onto those subjects? Isn't it better for everyone this way?]

I hope he's not too shy to wear it...

( OPEN )

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

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)