pachintoki | Cerealia Inbox

_{[ 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.

Typically, your coding regenerates. I have witnessed several deaths. The fact that you are injured and not revived is more mysterious than the fact I lost and I am here.
_{[ Katsura goes back to merely playing with Gintoki's hair as he falls into some more thoughts, looking at the little curls along Gintoki's neck still trying to spring back into place when he disturbs them. ]}

..But this.. ah.

_{[ He feels himself choke slightly and places his palms on Gin's back, falling quiet for a long time. It was a little awkward, but he finally musters up the right words to say, and he speaks them quietly. ]}

My punishment. I had to watch you die before my eyes.
_{[ His hands leave Gintoki's back all together, Gin's hair still a shampoo mess since he hasn't rinsed it out yet. ]}

I .. saw it. And then.. I saw your ghost.

[He'll notice when Katsura is just messing with his hair, which is a little odd in itself. . . it's just that he hasn't done that in a really long time. Still, it's with quite a bit of patience that he'll wait as Zura talks to him in those broken sentences, only glancing backwards, just over his shoulder from the corner of his eye, when he feels soapy hands on his back that linger for a long moment.

. . . there are a few things that admission is going to tell Gintoki. One, this place really, really, really sucked. What the hell were they trying to do here?

Secondly, he knew that he was important to Zura, like the other was important to him, and their other comrades too. He wasn't naive. Watching any of them die, even Takasugi, would be traumatic. No wonder the other was acting so weird. He wasn't sure how he felt, yet, about the reminder that he was still that important to his old friend.

Thirdly, though, he didn't remember dying at all. It was probably fake. He hoped so, at least.

. . . so that was it. He'll sigh a little, shifting, the muscles in his back tensing some, then relaxing as he finally speaks up after all that quiet.]

Hey.

[are you listening, Zura. He wants to make sure.]

I guess if you gotta keep poking at my hair to make sure I'm not a ghost, you can. Poke at whatever you want, but don't get soap in my eyes. It stings and I hate it.

Edited 2015-07-13 22:06 (UTC)

_{[ Hearing Gintoki respond like this makes Katsura feel eased, even if it isn't the response he would have preferred. Gintoki has never been the comforting type when it came to their relationship-- emotions have always been distant for him and Zura understood that. Hearing something like this just re-emphasizes the fact that he is real and alive as ever.. which is what Katsura needs right now.

The shower lifts and warm water spills over Gin's hair. His other hand ensures that all of the soap is getting out of Gintoki's hair as he rinses him clean wordlessly.

When it's over, Katsura stands from his seat. He, himself, could probably also use a shower, but he'll make do until Gintoki is finished.
Zura makes a turn to leave. ]}

.. Take your time in here. I'm going to make something to eat for you.
_{[ he's so nice and pleasant sometimes, isn't he? Gee, you should "die" more, shouldn't you?
With that, Katsura forces a very, very small smile as he gives Gintoki one last look before disappearing out of the bathroom.

When something precious is put in danger, he cannot help but feel joy when he knows for certain that he is alright. ]}

[Gintoki tips his head back slightly as Zura starts rinsing; the other had done a good job, he probably didn't need to wash it twice. Eyes closed, he'll relax into the warmth of the water and the fingers in his hair. He was pretty easy to please, usually, and this felt great.

He'll give his head another slight shake when Zura finishes, handing the shower head back to Gintoki who takes it and starts running the water over his shoulders and chest idly as he listens. ]

Hnn- Oi, you don't have to--

[But Zura's gone before he can really protest. He was just hungry, anyway, and he didn't even remember what he had in the fridge. Hopefully something, he usually kept a few staples. Gintoki's staples, though, being strawberry milk and other sweet things.

Hopefully he had some meat. He couldn't remember, but Zura will find some thin sliced beef that was probably a little old. Gintoki had some basic seasonings, too.

He'll sigh, continuing to wash all the crap off himself. After he's done he'll sink in the bath, relief flooding into his achy frame as he took a good, long soak. He just had a few cuts, but the bruises were what were really sapping at his stamina right now. He almost wants to skip the meal and head straight for the sofa, once he finishes and wraps a clean yukata around himself, towel still over his neck and shoulders.

But he'll wander into the kitchen. There's a small table and chairs there, so he'll sit in one that faces Zura, and then rest his arm on the table, laying his head on it, dozing a little.]

_{[ Too bad. He is going to. He does discover the meat and find some rice, after sifting through his food and ingredients, much to his disdain. Zura tsks at all of the sugar he finds while preparing Gintoki the best meal he can with the limited items he has.

He's exactly finished when Gintoki wanders in, Katsura's back facing him. He sets the utensils down. ]}

A warrior can't live on sugar alone. You know this.
_{[ He turns with the plate of seasoned and grilled meat with a side of rice and places the dish in front of Gintoki before he also sits.
A hand places on Gintoki's head, ruffling that damp hair slightly, and after a moment, his hand withdrawals. Looks like Katsura has a dish for himself too. ]}

Samurai eat simple foods without the rich sugars.
_{[ a little nudge of his-- you should go back to living life as a fighter, regardless of Edo's laws, because you were so strong. ]}

Edited 2015-07-15 16:02 (UTC)

[He's half-asleep until the hair ruffling. That has him forcing himself to sit up with a sigh, one arm still stretched out over the table while he rubs at his eyes with the back of his other hand. The admonitions drift somewhere through his thoughts as he gives the meal a once-over, then starts in on the meat immediately with a few large bites. He'll put the food away at a pretty good pace without retaliating over the sugar comments.

Except---]

Mmm, wasn't there strawberry milk in the fridge?

[He's gonna get up to check, pulling out a few single-sized milk boxes for himself and sitting down with them. Was he listening at all??? Probably, but this is clearly what he thinks about Katsura's diet tips. He'd defended his strawberry milk habit to Zura more times than he could remember.]

_{[ Katsura is a slow eater-- he's pretty conscious of eating habits, and eating too fast can cause other problems ( though, he does seem to pick up the pace when eating a good dish of soba ).

He does narrow his eyes in mid-bite when Gintoki goes for the strawberry milk and sits down. ]}

...You've always been like that. We all knew it was you would sneak bites off of other plates when we got a treat at school.

[He'll be steadily eating his rice now. Zura though, gets a slight frown at that reminder.]

I told you guys, it was only the spirits. You were being punished for being selfish and not sharing, so don't blame me.

[slurrrrrp oh yes this milk was good.]

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