6/16: souji

[randori]

[ The moment votes were cast, Natsuo had left. He didn't want to hear the results. He didn't want to be a part of it at all. So he picked himself off and left— slow, staggering, blood seeping through the bandages around his stomach that dots a trail from the garden back inside the castle.

He probably wouldn't be able to get very far, but the path he takes is directly up the stairs to his room, and he can be intercepted at any point between the garden and there. ]

Comments

[randori]

[ Natsuo had almost thrown Shirasu down the well... that could have been terrible for everybody, just imagine what sort of curse that would've gotten him. ]

Mine is almost done, but there's something else you can help me with?

[sanguinairy]

[WHERE WOULD SHIRASU HAVE GONE, TOO, the real questions. Natsuo cursed and Shirasu just vanished away into the Well Void.]

Of course. What is it?

[randori]

[ The well has a bottom, supposedly...?? Or at least enough water that the teacup and notebook could float in it. Shirasu would be fine. Maybe.

Anyways, deep breath, and- ]

Sleepover!

[ IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR THIS
it's always time for this ]

[sanguinairy]

[IF THE SLEEPOVER KING SAYS IT'S TIME FOR A SLEEPOVER, THEN IT'S TIME FOR A SLEEPOVER.]

Ah, right! You're still free to come over any time you'd like. If you have more friends that you want to bring along, maybe we could make it a big sleepover in the common area?

[randori]

I have two friends! [ Just... two. But two is a lot? Especially for such short a time as it's been.

That said, the excitement sort of dims when the full brunt of realization hits him. ]

Ah- I dunno if he'd want to anymore, though. After what I did to him back then.

[sanguinairy]

...? Is the other person you're talking about Akechi?

[He thinks he might have picked something about "FRIENDS!!!" somewhere in all the yelling Natsuo was doing.]

[randori]

Yeah. Do you think he hates me now?

[ After Natsuo almost broke his ribs? ]

[sanguinairy]

He wouldn't be wise to. You probably still have one of the kindest opinions toward him of anyone in this castle.

[BROKEN RIBS OR NOT.]

[randori]

[ It's hard for Natsuo to hate people in general, and he's been told already that it's blinding him. ]

Do you think he hates the rest of us? He must be scared. How am I supposed to hate somebody like that?

[sanguinairy]

Hate is a bit of a strong word. [He's not sure if anyone here Actually Hates Akechi, outside of maybe Ann and Reyna, for good reason.]

I think people are upset that he lied and tried to frame Reyna. Some probably think of him as a danger now, which isn't unfair of them, either. Whether or not he hates us, I couldn't say, but he'll have to live with us and vice versa, you know?

[So he doesn't really think Natsuo is wrong, exactly...]

[randori]

[ He'd heard snatches of that conversation during the trial— people trying to back him up saying it's self-preservation, people condemning him for being a coward, people like Natsuo— or maybe only Natsuo— who refused to believe he did it at all, waiting him him to talk his way to innocence. Everything had fallen apart. There's no way everybody can live together like this. ]

If people reject him, it's going to be so lonely, it's painful. I don't want that for anybody. I want to ask if he could come stay with us. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable either.

[sanguinairy]

It wouldn't make me uncomfortable.

[He's hard to rattle... The only thing that would be Truly Unforgivable in his eyes is if someone killed Hijikata. As much as he likes Ann and and as dishonorable as he thought Akechi's actions were, it's not like he holds him in any sort of spiteful regard.]

If you'd like to invite him, then feel free to do so. I'd imagine you're one of the only people here that he would feel comfortable sleeping around, right now.

[randori]

I dunno how uncomfortable he'd be, to be honest.

[ He might have to strongarm Akechi into coming? It wouldn't be much of a sleepover then- it'd be imprisonment, especially with Natsuo's obvious goal of wanting to stand guard over him. ]

I guess all I can do is ask him, and I'll let you know.

[sanguinairy]

Certainly. We'll make room for him, if he'd like to come.

[THEY'RE THE SHINSENGUMI they don't not associate with murderers okay...

In any case since they've probably hobbled somewhat inside by now:]

Do you need any help with the stairs? Are you still bleeding...?

[randori]

[ ...The stairs are like a mountain... ]

Maybe I'll live in the kitchen for the rest of the night.

[ he can just leave Natsuo here to bleed out, that's fine ]

[sanguinairy]

The kitchen closes at night, you know.

[NATSUO... DON'T DIE.]

I can help you up, so it'll be fine.

[Now they're both going to die.]

[randori]

There's no better place to be locked up overnight than the kitchen, right?

[ There's food everywhere. An oven if it gets cold. He's sure there's a bag of flour or something in the pantry he can lie on to sleep too. It's paradise. ]

[sanguinairy]

There are worse places, I suppose? But it wouldn't do you any good to be out on your own like that.

[WHAT IF HE BLEEDS OUT IN THE KITCHEN AND NO ONE NOTICES.]

[randori]

[ Sanji will find him the moment the kitchen is open the next morning.

But that's still a long time to bleed out, so there really is no choice but to relent. ]

...fine. I'll go bleed in the dorms, if you could help me there.

[sanguinairy]

[Sanji's just going to be finding bodies in his kitchen left and right at this rate.]

Of course. [Offering an arm!!] Though I'd hope you won't bleed too badly once you've settled, regardless of where that is.