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o29. [Action, Voice]
[Walking through Luceti again. Hisoka supposed it was another hunk of his delirium, some fever dream concocted by his imagination to keep him from going mad while his flesh suffered. Not even his subconscious could heal him fully: though the third-degree burns covering his body were no longer severe enough to expose clean bleached bone, he was still scarred and tender. Pain stabbed through raw nerves with every step, but it wasn't as though he could sit still. Sitting still didn't get anyone anywhere.
And so he continued on, trudging slowly past landmarks he knew from a past life long forgotten. That was the lake where Draco liked to commiserate. Those where the trees Hisoka favored during his akido practices. That was the garden Tsuzuki planted that he was so sorry to lose when they'd moved away. That part of the river was the last place he'd seen Rachel before she vanished. And that part of the path was where he'd had his last picnic lunch with Miss Yuri. And then there was the house he and Tsuzuki abandoned once their housemates all disappeared at once.
They'd moved often, hadn't they? They spent too much time running from ghosts. Hisoka hoped Tsuzuki had found his way back home as well. There was no reason for him to suffer here needlessly.
Rather than stop by the last apartment he'd shared with his partner, Hisoka instead trudges to the center of town, hobbling into the medical center. He supposes he still looks frightening without his bandage. They'd have to be replaced before he'd be willing to interact with anyone directly. He hoped the doctors wouldn't try to do anything silly like apply mortal medicine to magical wounds. He'd request a simple wound dressing and be on his way. No unnecessary burdens for anyone.]
Excuse me. [It's croaked in a voice barely strong enough to whisper.] I could use some help, if it's no trouble to you.
[OOC: It's only been about a day and a half in Luceti-time, but Hisoka's spent the last six months at home having a canon update. Characters can encounter him on his trip through town. Alternatively, whoever's hanging around the medical center might want to help the patient shuffling through their doorway.
As a general note, Hisoka's got some gnarly full-body burn injuries that might not mesh well with the whole new feathers don't get to wear clothes' thing. How strong is your character's stomach?]
And so he continued on, trudging slowly past landmarks he knew from a past life long forgotten. That was the lake where Draco liked to commiserate. Those where the trees Hisoka favored during his akido practices. That was the garden Tsuzuki planted that he was so sorry to lose when they'd moved away. That part of the river was the last place he'd seen Rachel before she vanished. And that part of the path was where he'd had his last picnic lunch with Miss Yuri. And then there was the house he and Tsuzuki abandoned once their housemates all disappeared at once.
They'd moved often, hadn't they? They spent too much time running from ghosts. Hisoka hoped Tsuzuki had found his way back home as well. There was no reason for him to suffer here needlessly.
Rather than stop by the last apartment he'd shared with his partner, Hisoka instead trudges to the center of town, hobbling into the medical center. He supposes he still looks frightening without his bandage. They'd have to be replaced before he'd be willing to interact with anyone directly. He hoped the doctors wouldn't try to do anything silly like apply mortal medicine to magical wounds. He'd request a simple wound dressing and be on his way. No unnecessary burdens for anyone.]
Excuse me. [It's croaked in a voice barely strong enough to whisper.] I could use some help, if it's no trouble to you.
[OOC: It's only been about a day and a half in Luceti-time, but Hisoka's spent the last six months at home having a canon update. Characters can encounter him on his trip through town. Alternatively, whoever's hanging around the medical center might want to help the patient shuffling through their doorway.
As a general note, Hisoka's got some gnarly full-body burn injuries that might not mesh well with the whole new feathers don't get to wear clothes' thing. How strong is your character's stomach?]
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What happened?
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[And then there's a sharp, pained noise because he's shed a tear and it burns against his marred skin.]
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[The words are so small and insignificant compared to how badly Tsuzuki knows the loss is. He can't imagine losing any of his. It would be like tearing his family apart.]
[He hastens to pick up a clean part of the bandages they've been using, dabbing Hisoka's cheek as lightly as he can. The only thing he can really do is be there for him, but he wishes there was a way he could hug him without hurting him.]
Who was it? I mean, what was her name?
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His name was Riko. He was.. [Low-level. Too small. Too noisy.]
He was incredible.
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[It's such a shame. His first shikigami should have been a source of celebration, not sorrow. Those kind of bonds aren't supposed to be broken.]
Will you tell me about him?
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[The physical contact sends him wincing away, though he doesn't get very far with the nurse still wrapping his bandages.]
He... I'm sorry.. Where was I?
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You were talking about how Riko died.
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He died because I was selfish. I wanted a stronger shiki. I wasn't happy with him.
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[Ultimately, Tsuzuki's sympathetic but confused. Hisoka had said his shikigami was incredible, so why the need to find something better? ]
Don't blame yourself for what happened.
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It's nobody else's fault.
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[He doesn't dare to touch the burns, because they still looked serious. He puts the cloth down and strokes his hair instead.]
You didn't kill him. You just made a mistake.
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I made a mistake that ended with someone dying. That's not excusable.
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I know it feels that way right now. But... Riko wouldn't want you to take the blame for what happened. Shikigami aren't supposed to kill other shikigami like that. Not after the war.
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[But it's already too hard to keep making words. He doesn't remember falling asleep, so it's bizarre to find himself waking up. How long had he been unconscious? Was Tsuzuki even still here?
There's a soft noise as he stirs, long since bandaged and set in bed.]
...tsu...?
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[When Hisoka wakes, he has already found a semi-comfortable spot in the chair by the bed, and has actually picked up a book to have something to do. He closes it when he notices that Hisoka is somewhat awake.]
I'm here.
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[the rest of the pain is familiar and normal, but the extra ache in his back is new enough to capture his attention, even despite the expert wrapping.]
I forgot how strange they feel when they're new.
[action]
[That is actually enraging. How dare they hurt him more. Wasn't it enough that the world seemed to be intent on making his life miserable? At least his anger isn't directed at his partner, but he knows it's not pleasant for him to feel it anyway. His feelings soften again, the more he thinks about his partner having to stay in the bed, probably aching and itching as the skin grows back. Tsuzuki closes the book carefully, looking into Hisoka's eyes.]
If it doesn't hurt too much to lie on your side, I could probably rub them for you.
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[he obligingly moves onto his side.]
It'll hurt no matter how I lie. Don't worry about it.
[action]
[Because that's what he always ends up doing. Careful to avoid the bandaged parts, his fingers lightly thread through the feathers, in the same motion he would do if he was running hid fingers through the hair on his head. Bu the point is not how he does it, as long as it offers his partners a small chance to relax.
Tsuzuki can't stop thinking. Back home there are several shikigami that has a lot to answer for, because Tsuzuki knows in his heart he would have at least tried to have one of them look over Hisoka from a distance while he found his own. Sending him off alone and without protection made no sense.]
....Why did you choose Kurikara?
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[his feathers are still new and downy, exceptionally soft against his partner's hands.]
I... wanted the strongest Shiki. He was the strongest.
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But why? They're all good in their own ways, no matter how strong they are.
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[His wings contract in on themselves, desperate to his his shame.]
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[As if Tsuzuki would hurt him if he saw Hisoka's emotional turmoil. He continues to pet the wing with the same care and affection, offering all the emotional support he has available to the empath.]
Maybe you don't have to lose him?
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I don't want to talk about this anymore. It'll be hard enough to tell you when I get home again and have to explain it all to you then.
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[action] damn I can't remember where I took him from. UHM let's say it's before the book thing