6/8: Sousei

[randori]

[ He's barreling through the halls, barely seeing where he's going and narrowly running into walls when he turns the corners, shouting at the top of his lungs— ]

ABE NO SOUSEI!! HEY!! IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE, ANSWER ME!

[ until he either finds Sousei, or until Sousei finds him, and tells him to shut up or else his name will be screaming throughout the entire castle until dawn. ]

Comments

[disilluded]

[Holy shit.

Damn, Natsuo.

Sousei was definitely not expecting someone to be yodeling his name, so Natsuo will thankfully only have to attempt that a few times before Sousei appears, scowling.]

Calm yourself. [Gosh!!] You do not have to act like some sort of savage merely to speak with me.

[randori]

[ That's true, he doesn't have to. But he's going to anyways, rushing forward to grip Sousei's shirt sleeves like that'll keep him from running away ]

You're still alive! You're alive!! How can you be calm? —You're alive!

[disilluded]

[He's calm because Natsuo's energetic enough for both of them--he's so surprised that he doesn't even think to shake him off.]

... I am alive for now, yes. I suspect this "execution" they speak of will happen later. [When there's an audience for it. That's how these things tend to seem to go.]

So calm yourself.

[randori]

[ He's not letting go. He's never letting go. ]

I'm calm! I'm being calm!! Let's go— we have to go!

[ He digs his heels into the ground and starts shoving Sousei down the hall ]

[disilluded]

[W...where are we going...

Sousei is shoved, because despite his general air of authority, he is neither very tall nor very heavy. Stumbling right on forward...!!]

Hold on--

[Natsuo!! Okay, yeah, a few paces in and he digs his heels in, brow furrowing.]

Calm down and stop for a moment.

[randori]

I'm calm!

[ He doesn't know the meaning of the word, presumably. But he knows stop, and he stops, keeping that grip on Sousei's sleeves. ]

What's wrong? What do you need?

[disilluded]

[You are like the opposite of calm, Natsuo.]

I do not need anything.

[Why are you so calm, Sousei....]

[randori]

Then let's go!!!

[ should've taken that offer, bc now Natsuo's started shoving again and he won't take "I need you to stop" for an answer. ]

[disilluded]

[Oh my god okay we're going... we're going...

Sousei's just... going to go along with this because it takes too much effort not to.

Though eventually--]

Where, exactly, are we going?

[randori]

I'm kidnapping you to Dave's and my room and I'm going to lock you inside and bar the door.

[ Please quietly let yourself be kidnapped, this makes it easier for everybody involved. ]

[disilluded]

[Oh.

Yeah.

No.

He's definitely stopping their forward progress at that.]

Absolutely not. I will be doing nothing of the sort.

[randori]

Then, your room! We'll go to your room and I'll stay inside with you!

[ But it's still going to be a kidnapping + house arrest ]

[disilluded]

I will not be hiding behind children.

[Sousei says that simply, finally shaking Natsuo off his sleeves.]

And I will certainly not put you at risk for something like that. Listen to me--you need to calm down.

[randori]

[ Don't think he won't wrap his arms and legs around Sousei's leg if he tries to escape. But Natsuo will give him the benefit of the doubt that they can talk this out and Sousei will see reason. ]

I'm not a child and you're hiding behind a door, not me! We're not going to be risking anything! We're just hiding!!

[ calm down gets completely ignored ]

[disilluded]

[You're a child???

He's at least not trying to escape, but.

Still. He looks pretty incredulous.]

And how long would you intend to hide over this? A day? A week? [As if doors alone could stop this place...]

I am telling you to calm down for a reason. It is not yet over. Do not lose hope so quickly.

[randori]

I'm hiding you, and it'll be for as long as it'll take! At least through tomorrow!

[ He can't let Sousei go to the garden with everybody; doing so would be walking straight to the execution block. ]

It's in the rules! You guys were partners!!

[disilluded]

I'm aware of the rules.

[Trust him, he knows.]

Rules can be broken. Other paths can be found. Avoiding the issue will not make it go away.

[randori]

[ Yes, but he's so calm, like he's sure...

And Natsuo, for the first time in what feels like days, finally quiets down. ]

Did you find a path already...? You don't have to tell me what it is! I just want to know- do you already know a way? Do you need me to help you find a way?

[disilluded]

[... Oh Natsuo. That's so much hope, and Sousei... Sousei doesn't really want to crush that down. So he just...lifts his chin, and says simply:]

I can assure you that you do not need to worry about my well-being.

[... If he doesn't find a way, perhaps he'll apologize to Natsuo before the end. It's better this way.]

[randori]

[ give him an answer before tomorrow?????? ]

That doesn't answer my question!

[disilluded]

[no promises]

It should be enough of an answer for you. I am requesting you have faith. Can you do that?

[randori]

[ It's honestly asking a lot. He has faith, but he has a lot more faith in himself than he does in other people, and this all seems like something that requires the cooperation of so many people.

But maybe he has no place there, in that group of people who can drive a path through to a solution. ]

...Okay. Okay!! I'll place my faith in you, so don't you dare let me down!!!

[disilluded]

I understand.

[Simply, and firmly--and then he reaches over to gently nudge at Natsuo's head with a hand.]

So do not look so distressed. I am not the sort of person who would die so easily, understand?

[... He'll feel terrible, when he's proven wrong.

But for now, he can at least muster up this, for a child who shouldn't have to think about these things.]

[randori]

[ Gi-Gan isn't the sort of person who would die so easily either.

He shoves that thought away to the back of his mind— it doesn't matter anymore, it's already done. Sousei would maybe learn from what happened, to keep his guard up no matter who's facing him, be it child or woman or hulking guys with butcher knives. ]

Okay. [ There's nothing else he can say, stepping back from Sousei. ] Nobody dies easily... I don't want you to die at all.

[disilluded]

[... It's sweet, really, in a misguided sort of way. He should be worrying about himself, and not about Sousei. That's just how it is.

But...

For right now, it's not worth arguing. Instead:]

Thank you for your faith in me.

[It's most likely misplaced.]

[randori]

[ He will murder Sousei's corpse when he dies. ]

...Yeah. So go to bed and don't... Don't die tomorrow.

[ Or Sunday or whatever. ]

[disilluded]

... Normally, I take exception to be given demands, but...

[Hm.]

In this instance, I will accept it. Very well then. I will accomplish that task. So do not lose hope.

[But with another nod... he's finally going to walk away.

(Sorry, Natsuo.

Sorry.)]