pachintoki | Cerealia Inbox

_{[ RINGRINGRINGRING PLEASE PICK UP. ]}

[there's. . . an answer? But then there's only some muffled sounds, some thumps and bumps, and after that it disconnects.

Normally, that probably means that he's asleep and he threw his phone across the room, but who knows what it could mean now. ]

Edited 2015-06-16 21:35 (UTC)

_{[ Oh my God. What is the meaning of this? He knew what had happened— it couldn't be real. It wasn't real... was it? It could not have been. All of these mirages and fakes of people he is so close to.. it is something with this place. It's all just a trick, but it felt so real. He felt the blood of his friend splatter against his hands, and heard the cries emitting from his throat, vanishing into a mere echo in the vast darkness.

Was this what Hell felt like?

For the moment, Katsura drops his hand and hears the dial tone from the speaker. His stomach felt so twisted and tight like he was going to throw up right then and there. If it wasn't for taking a few long, deep breaths and gathering his thoughts, he probably would not have remained calm.

He had just seen Gintoki stabbed to death, and now this spirit that was harassing him was putting the blame on him.
Zura is certain his heart is pounding out of his chest. Idly, he speak to himself: ]}

This place.. why does it do these things?
_{[ Without another word, he is out the door, running to Gintoki's apartment. ]}

Edited 2015-06-17 02:23 (UTC)

_{[ Out he runs, keeping his blade steady the entire time. Nothing was safe here. Nothing could be trusted. He vowed to not leave his apartment without his weapon.

Gintoki protected his life before, and the mere thought of having himself to be the one to blame for his friend's death was impossible. In fact, he wouldn't be sure if he could live on beautifully like Gintoki told him to if his comrade ever died at his hands. Katsura would probably still live on, but in torment.

Katsura felt healthy— his body was rejuvenated and all of his injuries were healed. It was almost like a new body, but it still carried scars from the past.
His feet pitter-patter across the pavement, and didn't stop for anybody or anything as he approaches the apartment complex. ]}

_{[ Once he reaches the little place he has been before, he is knocking rapidly on the door. ]}

GIIIIIN-TOKIII!
_{[ almost sounded like he was about to break in.
...which he will if you don't answer. ]}

[Unfortunately for Zura, it actually just means he's stuck with his own ViViD problems, namely running from an enormous perpetually growing pudding monster. When the game finally glitches him out he'll stumble home a few hours after Zura tries to knock on his door - tired, bruised, and somehow covered in a white, gooey substance, feeling sticky.

That shouldn't have been possible. Wasn't the game really just a game? How was he injured and. . . so sticky?

At least his sword is still intact, though also sticky. When he finally makes it to his home, he'll open the door and slump in without too much thought, closing the door behind him --

And that's when he can sense it. There was somebody else here, and he didn't know if it was a monster from the game, or not. He'll hold his bokuto out in front of him, taking another cautious step into his apartment. Maybe. . . maybe he was just being paranoid, but the alarm bells were sounding and he felt the need to be cautious. ]

Edited 2015-06-17 05:54 (UTC)

_{[ There is probably some damage done to your window, Gintoki. That's the only feasible way he sought to get in.
Katsura was.. ambitious. Very ambitious when he had his priorities straight ( a rare spectacle ) and his heart set on his goal. Tonight, his goal was Gintoki's safety, especially after what he had just witnessed when he lost.
He hears footsteps. One thing about the specter that has been following him around is that it is extremely quiet. This is Katsura's first notion that the new presence into the apartment could actually be Gintoki, the very person he was waiting for, and not this mirror image of him that has been driving him crazy over the past few hours.

Gintoki actually just missed out on a conversation Katsura was having with seemingly himself, but he was actually trying to negotiate with this cloaked figure that had starking white, wavy hair. Even with the fact this Gintoki seemed more real, Katsura wasn't going to be so easily fooled by this place. Just in case, he chooses to protect himself.

There is a clash against Gintoki's bokuto.

Katsura stands with his sword against the wood of Gintoki's blade, very sternly looking at him. ]}

... Please, Gintoki.
Tell me you are real.

_{[ His expression doesn't falter, but his brow is holding fresh sweat. Katsura is healed, good as new, but his complexion is white as a sheet. ]}

Tell me if you're safe.

[. . . He wasn't expecting Zura, though it's a bit of a relief that it's him and not some stranger, or a monster. Gintoki will look at him, confused, a brow quirked as he takes in the slight and feels the other's sword against his bokuto.]

O-oi. How safe do you think I feel when I walk into my place and this guy I know is pointing a sword at me. How safe should I feel?

[He'll look closer, eyes narrowing a bit. ]

. . . the hell is wrong with you, Zura? Too many video games for you too?

_{[ That sounds more like him. Not these harmful whispers and lies that the phantom has been telling him over and over for the past hour. That lazy sounding voice, the way he held his stick of a weapon that has been through entirely too much— it reminded him how he would fight against their enemies back home. Katsura keeps his sword steady, watching Gintoki in the eyes.

For a moment, Gintoki saw a glimpse of what Katsura looked like against his enemy. Focused, determined, intimidating. His brows were pinned tight together, dark eyes watching Gintoki's every move like a hawk. He looks like he could kill Gintoki any second.

And in a mere moment, his expression changes to something of relief— it softens to something warm and nice as his posture visibly relaxes like an actual weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
This isn't a trick— this is his friend. He wasn't going crazy, was he?

His sword drops to the ground with a noisy clang.

Before Gintoki knows it, he's gathering the other man into his arms into an embrace. Never mind the fact Gin was bleeding and had gunk all over him. He didn't care about anything like that.

All he wanted was to feel his friend in his arms— a tangible affirmation that he was safe. His breath is a little shaky, but he says just above a whisper: ]}

I thought I lost you.

_{[ which would have been not okay.
Especially if it was because of something he did.

No— Gin has saved him plenty of times. To have something happen to him and have his blood on Katsura's hands was something unthinkable. ]}

Edited 2015-06-17 13:27 (UTC)

[It's not lost on him - that intensity, that battle-readiness that nearly has him lifting his sword, and taking a few steps back as if he's not quite sure if Zura - or maybe not Zura at all - would go for him or not; the uncertainty, though, is still clearly in his face as he watches the other, someone he's known for just so long. His feet shift a little, but then in that moment Zura's dropping the sword. He hasn't seen that look in a long time, and it threw him off a bit; this whole place was throwing him off, period.]

I-I mean it, stop being weir--

[. . . well, weirdness factor increased by 10 here. He doesn't so much mind it, only it's having him really lost, since he couldn't remember the last time Zura had done something like this. Something pretty shitty must have happened; this was basically the only way he really knew that Katsura had, somehow, really believed he was dead.

After a moment he'll set his bokuto down, leaning it against the furniture. It's not quite a hug back; he'll grab on to the other's kimono sleeve with one hand and then slump a little, shoulders relaxing with a sigh as he leans on Zura a little more. He was, after all, tired. Too tired for this kind of thing, definitely.]

Oi oi, well, you know, yesterday-- [It's this uneasy voice, lazy but quiet and definitely trying to make light of things. ]

The remote was missing. I lost the remote, yesterday, and it was really annoying.

[almost as annoying as this hug. Nobody takes Gin-san out so easily, you damn wig.]

Edited 2015-06-17 17:44 (UTC)

_{[ It's really been awhile, hasn't it? Even though they were close friends, neither of them were super touchy with one another like this.
Katsura listens to his words, finding amusement in them. His fingers curl into Gintoki's yukata— seeming to be possessive for a moment— nothing was going to take his friend from him, he promised himself. A promise he had made himself before, but it need to be silently whispered again after this scare. He doesn't respond right away, probably because he is trying to resist his tears from falling out of the sides of his eyes.

It was too much to talk about right this very instant. He had just witnessed a brutal murder of somebody he cared a great deal about, and now his emotions have gone from sorrow and worry to happiness and relief— a complete 180. Even somebody as strong as he is had their moments of being weak. ]}

Losing you would be even more annoying than a remote... even when my favorite soap opera is on and I can't change the channel.

_{[ Lame.
Finally, Katsura pulls away and looks up at Gintoki. He's smiling— it's very faint, and his thick lashes are wet. ]}

I'm sorry.. I can't talk about it right now.
But I was certain you.. you.. were taken by this place.

That's just because your soap operas are shitty, you know, I told you that FallOff is better.

[He'll stay there; he's being pretty good right now, Zura, you'd better appreciate it. Soon though, he'll shift some, still with that unease, just a hard-to-notice movement of muscle, this hug was too long -- but then Zura pulls back, so he's okay. He'll straighten up, one sticky hand rubbing at the muscle between his shoulder and neck, twisting at the waist lightly, back and forth like there was a crick in his back.]

Huh, well, I guess they tried but they suck at video games. Don't ever underestimate the number of slimes a guy will kill in his lifetime.

[Or puddings, as it was. Maybe that wasn't what Zura meant, but he knows better than to push things. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. Zura pretty much always did what he wanted.

That wasn't a bad thing, usually.

He'll stop rubbing at his shoulder, giving a little stretch and-- yup, a whine. If Zura wasn't sure it was him by now, he should be after this.]

Hnnn, I'm tired, I wanna bath, I want meat . . . beef barbecue, and rice . . .and strawberry cake. . . and a nap. . .

Edited 2015-06-18 00:13 (UTC)

_{[ That's not it. That's not it at all. And yet, he still cannot bring himself to tell Gintoki what happened. One thing was for certain, though, he wasn't just going to easily go back to his apartment after this. He'll stay for a few hours— maybe all night if he had to. He couldn't tell Gintoki right now that he actually died and his penalty was this.. whatever this was.

He wrings his hands together slowly and blinks a few times with a slight scoff. ]}

You do need to bathe.
_{[ wtf was on you, bro. ]}

[He'll give Zura another look over, and then finally decide that the best thing to do for now is to act like things are just . . . normal. That things are ok.

And the best way to do that is to apparently start taking off all his sticky clothes, leaving them in a trail on his way to the bathroom while mindlessly telling Zura about the pudding slimes and how dumb they were and how hard they were to kill. He'll start filling the tub; apparently despite all this technology a guy still had to wait for a bathtub to fill up; he'll run his fingers through the dried mess of pudding crap in his hair. ]

. . . but yeah, anyway, I'm pretty sure something's way wrong with that game. Isn't it supposed to be fake? It's a virtual game, right?

[He's in his boxers, which are also sticky somehow? Gross. It's a good thing they're friends.]

Edited 2015-06-20 01:20 (UTC)

_{[ Katsura allows him to step away from their conversation and make his way toward the bathroom, trailing after him like a lost puppy. He couldn't just let Gintoki leave his sight after seeing such a horrifying display that felt so real before him. It's almost like Katsura didn't believe he was actually here.

Each time an article of clothing is dropped, Zura is bending over to pick it up right after him, despite it being gross, and folding it nearly over his arms. Eventually, they're both in the bathroom, and Katsura allows Gin to leave his sight so he can put the clothes in the sink for the time being.

His arms fold into his haori sleeves, brown eyes flicking to Gintoki once more a he stands there in his undergarments. He still had strawberry boxers? Still? Silently judging. ]}

... If it were completely real, I would not be here right now.
_{[ He doesn't understand how he is living if other people are leaving the game in tatters. ]}

Something isn't right. You shouldn't be injured.

[Gintoki, ever careful of things, is casually dropping his sword into the bath-water. He'll rub it some with his hand, then start toweling it off. Good as new. How else were you supposed to clean a bokuto that got pudding on it. He's hoping it doesn't smell weird after this---

He'll blink over, still hunched gracelessly over the tub.]

Hah? Oi, did you get a game over? Was it something with giant paws? You shouldn't be so easily distracted, you know. . . not all of them are friendly.

[trailing off some, then toweling the sword some more while sitting on the edge of the tub. Then he'll set it down and start fingering his hair some more; it was just so matted and gross, totally stuck together. He'll wrinkle his nose some. ]

_{[ By now, Katsura has taken a seat on the toilet seat that is down. He's asking him a pretty sensitive question right now that Katsura isn't sure he wants to completely open up and answer-- all he could do is remember the loud shrills and cries of something unearthly in front of his very eyes-- flecks of blood kissing his cheeks in violent spurts and the body of his dear friend ahead of him left lifeless on the floor.

His stomach twisted in an unpleasant way.

Katsura's face pales considerably as he stares at the floor.
Buffering.. in 3.. 2.. 1.. ]}

I shouldn't be here. And you shouldn't either.

Edited 2015-07-11 05:48 (UTC)

Gintoki.
Your hair is a mess— more than usual.

May I?
_{[ something tangible— something real. That mop of hair holds a lot of Gintoki's character. Okay, it wasn't like Shinpachi's glasses, but it was very characteristic of Gintoki.
He wants to feel you and make sure you're a reality still and not something fake. ]}

[He'll . . . wait then. He was waiting for something calm yet snappy to come back at him, and when it doesn't, he only waits, and waits for the bath water to finish filling, too. Gintoki has pretty much styled his bathroom like the one he had at home, with a separate bath and shower, only adding a little extra luxury where he'd never had any.

He'll lift a brow at Zura's sudden declaration.]

You think so, huh? Did it take you all this time to think of that?

[That comeback was still just a little cautious. He'll turn on the water now, making sure it's just the perfect temperature when--]

May what? May you what? You wanna take a bath too? Don't you have a bathroom? I know it's a mess, there was pudding everywhere. [huffff]

I couldn't even eat it.

[such a pained expression wow.]

_{[ Although a bath would do Katsura good, he's not sure if bathing with Gintoki is something he wants to do. ]}

Ah. It's just your hair. It needs to be washed.
_{[ maybe if he told Gin what happened this would make more sense but ah.. he doesn't really want to. It's still such a shock he's alright. ]}

May I?
_{[ and he is going to cook for you too after this so be nice. ]}

[. . .weird. And a pain. This was seriously a pain. . .

But just this once -- for now -- he's not going to reply with some sharp insult, or tease Zura anymore. Yeah, enjoy this, because all Gintoki's going to do is hand him the shower, lose the strawberry boxers and sit himself down on the stool there, within reach, at least, of Zura. He'll rest his elbows on his knees.

And then he's not going to mention another thing about it. Something was definitely off with his wiggy friend, he had all the earmarks of been through some crap and It wasn't as if Gintoki couldn't enjoy it anyway. So the next things out of his mouth are really casual.]

Oi oi, don't forget that I don't have miles of hair like you do. Don't use so much shampoo.

_{[ He should probably tell him.
It's difficult, though, and Katsura is still in a bit of shock, but he gives Gintoki room and time to get comfortable. All of this is nothing he hasn't seen before, but for some reason, he's really looking Gintoki over and it's a good thing he doesn't notice-- right? Right.

Yep. That's a scar there he remembers-- oh, and that one too. It really was genuine Gintoki.
He lifts the shower and runs the water carefully over the top of Gintoki's hair and then down his back, mulling his thoughts together in an awkward silence.
He finally responds. ]}

I won't-- and I won't get it in your eyes. I don't want to hear you complain about it.

_{[ he lathers his hands up with some shampoo and begins to scrub carefully into Gintoki's hair. It was almost too delicate-- almost like Gintoki was a fragile thing that could be lost at any moment. ]}

.. Gintoki.
_{[ He's been saying his name a lot. ]}

I want to go home.

[The water feels great; he's more than glad to get all the sticky pudding mess off of himself, so he'll relax. It was Zura after all, and if he couldn't trust his long-time friend, there was nobody he could really trust.

He's got a little water in his ears; he'll give his head a bit of a shake, just in time to hear Katsura say those words. The sigh that follows them is long, but he'll speak up after. ]

Aah. Don't say that like I can do something about it.

[There's just a bit of defeat in that voice, something in his quiet tone that could almost sound like resignation. Gintoki, as good as he was at adapting, didn't want to adapt to this. Thinking about the Yorozuya and the others there was too painful, and he just plain didn't want to right now.]

You can't just play with it, you gotta wash it already, wash it good. There's lots of hair there.

[aaaand that's sulking.]

_{[ He gets that sigh. Katsura, actually, gets a clue when Gintoki gives off thee vibes. He doesn't realize he has just been playing with Gintoki's hair as his thoughts gradually got lost in various things, but it's true. ]}

Oh. My mistake.

_{[ his fingertips scritch into Gintoki's scalp as the shampoo suds up even more. He still cannot muster up enough strength to tell Gintoki what traumatized him so much, but-- ]}

I lost.

_{[ A little grunt of disapproval.]}

In the ViViD session that we all walked into.

[Zura's fingers actually felt pretty good, too, and it's a welcome distraction for a moment as the other focuses more on the suds and less on being so damn morose.

He'll listen closely after that though; seems like Zura was going to tell him after all, or at least open up a little. That wasn't too surprising; after all, Gintoki was pretty certain there wasn't going to be anybody else here Zura trusted as much as him, except maybe Tatsuma. Likewise, Gintoki didn't have anybody he trusted more, either.]

So we did just walk into it? It just started happening no matter where you were, didn't it? So you got a game over?

[He'll give a little swallow, then finger at some soap near his ear. That had some more serious implications then he cared to admit, considering the bruises he still keenly felt from their little video game fun times.]

But you're still here, so what happened, huh.

[ VOICE; ] post-glitch event, like probably instantly after

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