estoria | ( OPEN )

[There's something like a smile on his face? It's small, but there. He's happy that Haru is happy to receive his chocolates. Which would leave how they taste... Sayo taste tested them and his batch seemed okay. But would they fit Haru's tastes?

He raise his arms and hug Haru back.]

You didn't have to do anything... [He wasn't expecting anything in return. But a selfish part of him kind of wants to.] I just hope the chocolates taste good.

( Look, Mutsu doesn't know he's actually disappearing ok! Because for Mutsu, he's actually already disappeared! Kind of! )

Of course, I can! I know how to fix 'em up too. ( There's an app. You can put dumb stickers and mustaches on people. ) And there's nothin` wrong with my eyes!

I can see just fine! I just can't see...

( Weird things. And you. Hmm... rather than admit Kashuu is right about that though, he'll jump on to the next topic, )

Ya think that'll work?

( He's looking and his eyes are even directly on the area but it's clear he isn't really seeing anything. )

... Is this a joke...?

[don't make him into an alien on the dumb app, mutsu]

Me? [He finishes that sentence and shakes the bag of chips for emphasis... But he doesn't particularly feel like lingering on it either, so when Mutsu move on, he does too.]

Might as well try it, yeah? Here! I'm not moving at all, so just hold your camera up.

[She's coming over too because she wants to drop a few things here. A mix of chocolate? It's all very informal though since there's so many!! But she hopes she can help contribute to the Valentine's spirit.

Is she surprised by Sayo coming up to her? Yes, because she thought his chocolates were for his family and comrades the whole time.]

Oh! Sayo! For me?

Not so much. Right now, I can see your shape, but the details are fuzzy.

[and he reaches out to draw a shape in the air, where he knows Mutsu to be]

... I'm eating cake! I'll show you. Here.

[ UGH. Fine, it's time. The most direct route. He sticks the fork into the piece he cut off and points it at Mutsu... crumbs be damned. ]

Open your mouth.

[......Well, if Mutsu can't see it...is he just imagining it? He's already imagining music from somewhere, maybe he's imagining the cake as well...

He'll just pinch off a piece and try it.

...Yup, definitely a real existing cake. No problems there.]

You can't see it?

[While his chocolates are mainly for his brothers and comrades, he did make a few for those who helped out a lot. Vietnam is among them, based on his observations.]

Yes, it's for you. For helping out so much.

out and about a;
[Three days may have passed in the city, but back home, Kashuu's sat through quite a long (and toward the end there, difficult) stretch of time. Blazing through more worlds and sorties and expeditions hadn't been anything outside of the norm until Ikedaya...

But that's a long story and not totally pleasant despite the victory. He'd rather save those thoughts for later, so instead, he focuses on how miffed he is that he was dropped back into this stupid city in clothes that are still battle-torn. Rude?! People with the ability to reconstruct living beings out of data should be able to magic up new outfits, too!! Having to sit through that powerpoint again sure doesn't help his mood, either. He spends the majority of it trying not to meet anyone's eyes, and by the time he gets out, he's feeling pretty unbearably self-conscious. His damage is only on the very low side of medium, but the need to cover the hell up until he can find Haru is strong since it feels like everyone he passes is scrutinizing even the smallest of cuts on his face.

So he nabs a jacket from the first (fashionable) store he finds after stumbling out of ViViD! And he pulls the hood up all the way!! And now he looks shady as hell and it still doesn't really cover up the blood or how messy the rest of his clothing is. This is not how he wants to be seen... Time to book it back home as covertly as possible.

Which turns out to be quite difficult when his vision is largely obscured by this big dumb hood. So maybe you're just minding your own business and knock right into this shit, who barely seems to notice beyond a snappish:] Watch where you're going! [EVEN THOUGH IT'S HIS OWN FAULT.]

b;
[Or maybe you're in the apartment building and you've noticed this bum just sort of LURKING IN THE HALL, peering around the corner, eyes fixed on the apartment door leading to swordhaus... He needs to work himself up for this, okay.

Go ahead and sneak up on him, because his dumb ass deserves it. Otherwise, if he spots you first, he'll - dodge back around the corner of the wall. OKAY BYE!! Nothing to see here!]

swordhaus;
[A few hours pass and he's had a chance to clean up and calm down and settle back in, so SURPRISE, Kashuu has officially returned to swordhaus!

That is to say, he's sitting at his usual spot on the couch with a plate of snacks set in front of him and is scrolling through something on his CereVice like he's been here the whole time. The telltale sign that it's just for show or an attempt to distract himself? He looks up pretty much the instant anyone else enters the room. Clearly his focus isn't anchored on the screen... But like a true champ of Ignoring Things™, he'll nudge the plate forward with his free hand, eyes darting back to his phone.]

Want one? [He's speaking around a cracker hanging out of his mouth... Maybe it's yours?? He just grabbed the first snacks he could find, as long as they weren't clearly labeled.]

[ he's serious. he's serious? he really, honest-to-goodness can't see the cake sitting right there on the countertop?

vaguely alarmed, he thrusts his hand out, palm up. ] Let me see your vessel. [ look, you can never be too cautious. maybe there's something haru didn't notice the last time he took care of mutsu. (hard to believe, considering how thorough he is, but there's a first time for everything.) ]

[ a few feet behind kashuu, there's a rustling, and plastic bags hit the floor. (haru always has walked lightly, like a cat-- it's not kashuu's fault he didn't hear him coming up.) and sure, the spirit is in a jacket that covers him up so that he doesn't even look like himself from behind, but that doesn't mean a damn thing. he feels like kashuu, especially this close.

he stands there for several moments, green eyes very wide and stunned, groceries forgotten on the floor-- and then he jerks forward, flinging himself at the spirit, heedless of his injuries as he throws his arms around him. ]

I-- I thought you'd disappeared, too! [ if his voice is a little tremulous, kashuu will have to ignore it. ] Kashuu-kun, where have you been? I've-- I've looked all over! I-- [ his breath hitches, fingers white-knuckled in his clothes. ] I thought.. I was afraid you were really gone..

[The rustling catches his attention before the bags even hit the floor, since he's still on relatively high alert, so he turns and--

Ah. For a second, he freezes up in habitual tension. He doesn't look anywhere near as awful as he had the first day that he came to Haru with critical damage, but a flutter of panic still runs through him every time. But before he can so much as consider saying anything, Haru's flung himself forward and Kashuu has to throw his arms out in turn to catch him, mildly panicked.]

Haruji—?

[...It's kind of nice, in a way, to hear that Haru had looked for him. It's nice to know that he was missed, worried after - but he feels awful for thinking so and moves on quickly with a curt shake of his head. A second or two pass before he lets himself hold Haru in turn (somewhat gingerly, to avoid getting blood on him and aggravating his injuries). He definitely hears that tremor, though, and it makes his lips press into a thin line.]

...Sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I didn't even know I was gone until I was already here again. [A beat.] Has it, like... Have I been gone a long time?

[ it's him. it's him, he's here, he's solid and alive and okay, he's going to be fine, ceres gave him back-- he smells the same, he feels the same, his presence familiar and beloved. it settles back into haru's heart and soul, solid and certain, and his breath hitches again as kashuu's arms close around him in turn.

haru doesn't normally seek comfort from others, even his swords. it's his job to be the comforter, after all, and more than that, he doesn't like for people to know when he's upset or struggling. but.. it's been a long, long week, and he's lost both hotarumaru and horikawa, and he'd thought even kashuu.. ]

Don't-- [ he hiccups, lifting his head to scrub the back of his hand over his eyes, wiping away any hint of tears. ] I love you, I'm just glad you're b-back. [ then a hasty shake of his head, trying to reassure him. ] You weren't.. gone long. Just three days. But I couldn't sense you, and you weren't on the network, and I didn't.. I was.. [ scared.

but then his eyes widen again, and he pulls back, pale gaze a little horrified. ] You're hurt. I-- I'm sorry, what happened? Let's-- We need to get you fixed up.

[To Kashuu, he's only been away from Haru for the duration of the sortie, so he doesn't feel the same panic of separation himself. But seeing it in Haru resonates with him, and he ends up holding more tightly, feeling awful because the very last thing he wants is to abandon the ones he loves.

The sleeve of this coat is long, and he pulls one hand away to help dab at Haru's cheeks even after they're dry. He still feels terrible, ugly and messy and gross, but-- then he hears "I love you", and suddenly it's not quite so bad. He knows that Haru loves him, of course. His heart is big, and he loves every spirit that he brings into existence. Still, it's different when it's said aloud, and he chokes on air while he's trying to draw enough in to speak.

I love you is all he ever wants to hear.]

I'm sorry. [He repeats it despite what Haru says, because it's not enough anyway.] Even if it was just three days. I mean, I didn't-- I didn't mean to leave, y'know? [He didn't mean to make Haru cry, either, but instead of apologizing for that, he just says:] I love you - I'm sorry. [Because he's back now, but he had already left once.

Before he can say anything else, though, Haru mentions his injuries (not fully forgotten, but put on the backburner for a blessed second) and the self-consciousness floods back.]

Um— right. I just got back from a sortie, so...

( He'll give you a Dalí mustache and googly eyes... with a bow.

Reaching into his sleeve, he retrieves his CeresVice and holds it up at... where Kashuu should be. He looks over the phone for a moment, still unsure when he sees nothing on the screen and.... clicks.

Did it work? )

...

( He holds it up closer to his face and begins to fiddle with t he keypad.. )

Wait a second! I think I got it!

( Shaking his head furiously. )

Nah! I can't see it! Do ya?

No, ya're not-- ( And there goes a piece of invisible cake right in his mouth. Look at Mutsu's eyes grow wide with confusion and stare right at Kogitsunemaru. ) ... No way!

( He's looking down at the plate and at the other spirit and. )

Kogi-san...

( H E L P )

( He leans back at the sudden motion, looking down at Haru's hand with concerned confusion. Should he be worried? Is something wrong? What's happening? But he's never one to turn down an order from Haru and he reaches for the sword at his side, )

Is something wrong, Haruji? ( And he hands over his sword, placing it in Haru's hand--

And stands up a little straighter, a slight chill going down his spine. ) ... Ya're cold!

[ haru takes the sword, pulling it from its sheath to start looking it over for anything he might've missed. at the exclamation, though, he makes a slightly disgruntled noise. ]

Yeah, I can't get warm today for some reason. I thought it was just the apartment, but.. [ he flips mutsu's vessel over on his arm to check the other side, too. ] Maybe I'm getting sick? I'm kind of due for a cold or something..

[ he wasn't a particularly sickly child, but malnutrition and neglect in his childhood had taken its toll. he usually gets at least a cold once or twice a year. ]

Huh.. You seem fine. [ he sheathes the sword again, brows drawing together, puzzled. ]

Then ya should rest up. ( Now he's hovering, concerned more for Haru than missing castella cake. ) I'll bring ya some tea or somethin`.

( Don't get sick, Haruji. Whatever might have been wrong with Mutsu-- any concern he might have had for himself just a second ago-- is completelly a thing of the past right now. )

[At least he remembers the most important part: the bow.

Anyway, he's actually kind of surprised this might have worked?!]

You did? [The hovering chip bag moves a little closer as Kashuu steps forward to take a look at the screen. ...For some reason. He can (usually) see himself just fine, so it's not like the camera will make a difference one way or another to him.]

Yeah, yeah, gimme a minute!

( And he's playing around and messing the screen a little bit, hiding everything from view. After a solid minute, he turns around and PROUDLY PRESENTS THE PICTURE OF KASHUU )

Told ya!

[He's sure it'll be a cute picture because all of the pictures he takes are cute, even if he's partially invisible!!

But this shit isn't what he signed up for at all what the hell.]

I don't look like that!! [WHY. Wait a second--] Is that a bow?

( Maybe he was a little relieved to find out Kashuu had returned! But since his arrival, Mutsu has been rather aloof. He's made a serious point of ignoring Kashuu the entire time and when he does have to interact with Kashuu, he seems to be annoyed by everything. It's almost like they're back to square one.

Now it's like... Day 3 or something and Mutsu is still ignoring and huffing at Kashuu. WHEN KASHUU OFFERS HIM A CHIP THIS TIME, Mutsu only huffs and looks away pointedly. He doesn't want your potato chip offering... )

( OPEN )

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ota; forward dated to 2/18!

no emergency is worth tearing up his kitchen B(

b!!!!!

UGH HARU lies on the floor

you did this ok

shot through the heart and you're to blame tbh!!!

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this isn't an emergency this is a crisis

call a hotline

1-800-HAR-UJIIIIIIIIII

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Sword haus-ish