Night 28: Men's Bathrooms (M1-M40)

[screwthegods]

[ From here]Homura's steps grew progressively faster, though perhaps the demi-god himself wasn't aware of it. The trip was made in silence, Homura falling into familiar thoughts as they walked. Plans for the next day, contacts that needed to be made, goals that needed to be set. Kenshin and Kenren needed their weapons, and then they could do more

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[notahangedman]

[from here]

Seishirou was admittedly relieved when he found the bathroom. Patterns rarely failed, but there had been such cases. This fortunately wasn't one of those.

He wasn't exactly surprised to see someone else in the bathroom as well, but hardly pleased either. He was wounded and already feeling himself weaker than he had been since dying. Not the perfect time for socializing for sure.

Steps falling softer, he pulled Subaru to opposite direction towards another tab.

[broken_babylon]

Subaru wasn't exactly thrilled that they had company, either, but at least it was no one he knew or would feel compelled to talk to. They looked to be in reasonably good health, at least compared to him and Seishirou, so there was no need to be concerned for them.

As for Seishirou... Subaru sighed internally and decided to just temporarily say 'to hell with it all' and give up struggling with himself. He was wounded and needed help, Seishirou was wounded and needed help. A state of detente was just practical, at this point.

"Do you think you can still manage that light? I need to get a look at your wound." He certainly couldn't do anything about his own, so, they might as well help each other. Just practical. Nothing wrong in it. Really.

[notahangedman]

"Sure," Seishirou murmured and moved forward slowly until his hip bumped against a counter. He let the staff clonk against the ground as he released it and Subaru's hand in order to travel his hand across the counter, palm flat against the cold surface. He smiled as he felt the texture under his fingertips.

Fingers dipping into his open wound to draw blood, he sucked in a quick breath as he could feel his own cold touch within his broken flesh. The pentagram was clear in his mind as he started drawing it, every movement measured and calm even if his breathing was getting ragged and quick.

It was a simple spell. Simpler than any of the others he had done yet. But it would serve its purpose. His eyes were still closed as the bloody pentagram started glowing, the light intensifying with every passing moment.

[broken_babylon]

Toilet paper to soak up some of the still-wet blood, get a better look at the wounds... it would be something, at least. Maybe some clean parts of their shirts could be salvaged for bandages. Shame about the water, but Subaru could smell it from where they were, even over the blood and despite the distraction of seeing that pentagram again... ah, that was a painful sight. Subaru sighed, then started at the approach of one of the other men.

That was some seriously polite speech. Even Subaru wasn't that bad! Sessha..? When was that last time that was even in common usage? "Uhm. Thank you for the offer, but..." Subaru wasn't at all sure he wanted some innocent touching Seishirou when the older man was so wounded--what if Seishirou's self-control was shot? Would he lash out if this man innocently inflicted pain while tending to the wound? "I think we'll be okay."

[notahangedman]

"Now, Subaru-kun, don't be rude," Seishirou murmured smilingly. He didn't stop drawing when someone approached them, the pattern which he created changing slightly, though. Slowly, he dipped his fingers into his wound again and drew another circle around the first one, accompanied by a short series of silent incantations.

When that was finished, he opened his eyes to glance at the stranger, mismatched gaze warm in the glowing light of his spell. "Help would be appreciated. Thank you."

It would be pure stupidity to refuse help in this condition. Seishirou, however, wasn't as kind as Subaru. Where the younger onmyouji saw a person to protect, Seishirou saw resources, in several meanings of the word.

[broken_babylon]

Subaru frowned at Seishirou, but arguing would just waste valuable time, and spill more of their blood. "... His is. But... be careful. He's not..." Subaru scowled again and looked away in frustration. What could he possibly say about Seishirou that would express how capricious and dangerous he was?

"Don't believe his smile. The more he smiles, the more he's lying." Subaru gave Seishirou another hard look, his jaw tensing slightly. A year's worth of false smiles... not worth even a fraction of what the man had taken from him.

So why couldn't he just let him die? Because he got hurt helping me, no matter what his intentions were. This once, I have to help him in return.

[notahangedman]

Seishirou laughed softly at Subaru's words, his demeanor still friendly and warm. "What else than a lie could a smile be in a situation like this, Subaru-kun? What do they say about smile being the best way of dealing with difficult situations?"

He withdrew his fingers from the bloody pentagram a bit hesitantly. But it didn't seem like there was any immediate danger here; two extra seconds to casting time wouldn't probably make much difference. He unbuttoned his shirt, which wasn't yet completely soaked with blood. It'd serve as bandages just the same.

"I can handle myself. Please look at his wounds. He has had more time to bleed and was about to pass out in the hallway already." And Seishirou would rather not have anyone touching his blood any time soon.

[broken_babylon]

The stranger referring to him as 'the boy' made Subaru realise that he had, indeed, been rude. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't introduce myself! My name is Sumeragi Subaru." Only the pain in his back stopped him from bowing in apology.

"And your wound is worse, Seishirou-san. It's deeper, and in a more dangerous location." They could argue about this all night, though, so Subaru finally gave up with a sigh. "But if you insist, fine."

Reluctantly, he peeled off his bloody shirt, hissing as it stuck to the wounds on his back. A fresh flow of blood slid down his skin as the fabric pulled at the wound. Under the shirt, Subaru was very skinny--it was fairly obvious he hadn't been eating well.

[notahangedman]

Only Subaru would find it necessary to introduce himself in a situation like this. The fact didn't amuse Seishirou as much as it should have, and his smile paled into a thin smirk, which was all he offered for the redhead for his inquiry. It was hardly the first injury he had dealt with on his own. He worked alone and if there had been someone to ask help from, his work would have been still undone.

"It warms my heart that you worry for me so much," he murmured playfully, the tone just as unreal as his smile.

Without wasting any time he undressed both his shirts and pressed the thinner one against his side while starting to wrap the other around his middle tightly. The night was soon over and the main thing was to stop the bleeding for now.

[broken_babylon]

"Yes, thank you. I just want to keep it from getting any worse, in the time left." It was good to hear, though, that at least the 'doctors' and 'nurses' could actually do some small amount of good, even if it was just taking care of the wounds they themselves caused, in their monster forms.

Subaru sighed, and shot a vaguely worried look at Seishirou. The older man's wound really was worse than Subaru's own, and this would be a very stupid and pointless way for their... whatever it was they had... to end, with Seishirou bleeding to death in a filthy bathroom.