Day 29: Game Room

[scintillatingly]

Brunch had been relaxing, and Sora felt like he hadn't had a low-pressure, easy conversation like that in a while. Bridget seemed like a very sweet girl, and he wouldn't mind getting to know her better. He wondered if she had friends (other than Roger) who she could stick with in this place, or if she was on her own. If it was the latter, maybe he

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[akarusa]

Hokuto smiled in reply, as sincerely as she always had. Maybe with him here, she honestly could be happy. "Either one is good. I just want to keep an eye on you while I can," she said cheerfully.

"And this is my first weekend, so I'm not really sure how things work now either. I just know we have a little more freedom than usual--I can almost pretend we're just at summer camp. If indoor camps are this sterile," she admitted dryly.

"There's five day shifts--usually, breakfast, free time in one of two or three places, lunch, the second free shift, and dinner. I think Saturday's different than Sunday, but I haven't asked what a normal one is usually like. Sunday's... a little random. I don't know how far in advance we're told about visitors." She looked a little sad at that; two of the most important people in her world were from here, but that didn't mean she didn't miss the others. Even if it was a lie, a bad dream, she wanted to see her other friends and family. Even if it wasn't really them, she wanted to say... she was sorry.

"Oh! And have you seen the showers yet? We can ask to go whenever we want, the nurses just don't always like taking us. The shower rooms... aren't divided up into stalls." She didn't care. He just might, especially considering the nurses didn't leave...

[broken_babylon]

Subaru did blush a little, at the mention of open showers. He'd been to public bath houses, of course, but that was different, everyone was typically submerged to the neck in water, it wasn't like standing under a showerhead for everyone to see. Still, Subaru would need to keep clean as much as possible, or risk impurities weakening his magic.

"Well. What are we going to play?" Changing the subject seemed like a good idea. "Oh... I've seen a few more 'clubs' mentioned on the board, today. What are they all? Cooking, History... I think you said Arts & Crafts was the one you're in. Are there any others?"

[akarusa]

She held up the deck for Go Fish. "I don't know much about the other groups, but you're right, Arts & Crafts is the one I'm in. There's a healers' group, too, called the Saint Francis Aid Society. I think Hinamori-fukutaichou helped organize it, but I don't know much besides that. It's in M35." She gave him a look implying that he'd better go there the next time he was anywhere near as hurt as last night; she could be overprotective too.

"Cooking is the weapon-crafters--it turns out alchemy's for real in some worlds. They have a LOT of people asking for stuff, so it's better to get something on your own. Right now I've got a big, heavy shovel; it's a lot better than the frying pan I actually had to use in one battle." She managed not to shudder at the memory. "Being a black belt doesn't mean much here, but it's something. The shovel's a better weapon than I figured; it works pretty well as a bladed staff. If I can I want to sharpen it, but I'm better with a bo than a sword anyway, so it works out."

Put that way, it didn't sound as reassuring as she would have liked, but it was honest, and she didn't exactly think Momo would lie to him, even to make him feel better.

[broken_babylon]

"I think you mentioned M35 last night, but I didn't want to bring Seishirou-san there." Exposing injured innocents to a wounded assassin was not something Subaru would ever choose to do.

Knowing about the weapon-crafters was interesting, but not terribly useful to Subaru if the waiting list was as long as Hokuto said. "I could use a ritual dagger and a mirror, but I can deal without them. I doubt I'd have time to set up to use them properly, anyway. I'll make some ofuda this evening before I go out, so I should be set for weapons." He'd never been one for any kind of physical weapon anyway.

As before, he frowned when Hokuto talked about her situation, and shook his head a little. "I still don't like the idea of you going into battle. There was a mention of someone who could sharpen existing weapons though, I think, on the board. It was early today, it might be a bit buried by now."

[akarusa]

"There's nothing else for me to do, Subaru," Hokuto said gently. "I'm not strong in magic, I can't heal, and I can't stand the thought of not doing anything. Sooner or later I'll probably end up helping organize some kind of 'face it, we need a break' midnight party, but except for that, I will fight." She flashed a quick smile. "I'll have to ask Tamaki if he knows anywhere that would work for the Nightshift bash; the Sun Room's nice, but it's never safe at night. Maybe we could just stake out a hallway; those are easy to defend, and there would be a whole row of rooms right there if something still took us by surprise."

She'd heard rumors of plans for a dance, once. The one thing everyone in Landels needed, besides a portal home (if they could just create an Anywhere Door, they were set), was a chance to honestly forget their troubles and just enjoy themselves. Even here, there had to be something they could do.

[broken_babylon]

Subaru was relieved to hear Hokuto speak of safer things, like dances and parties, silly as they were, but he wasn't going to let it distract him from more important issues. "Are you going to seek out that board message about sharpening weapons?" If she was going to have to use a pathetic shovel as a weapon, it should at least have an edge on it.

[akarusa]

"When I can," Hokuto agreed, and not just to calm him. "I don't know if my fukutaichou's heard about it; I'll ask when I see her. She's got a real sword, but she'll want me as well-armed as possible, too."

Yes, her group had allowed a mostly inexperienced 17-year-old into their ranks, but while she was just about as low-ranking as it got, they didn't believe in cannon fodder. Any time she got injured beyond a scratch, she'd probably get sidelined until she healed. Their goal was to get everybody out.

[notahangedman]

As usual, Seishirou felt brightened by having been fed. There had yet to been two meals alike, and he felt all but pampered by the kitchen staff. Now, if only there would have been coffee and cigarettes that wouldn't require him to bend over backwards for them, and this place wouldn't have been that bad.

The only reason he felt compelled to leave the cafeteria after his company for the brunch had slipped away, was because he had spied Subaru heading towards the game room. The fact that Hokuto was also in his presence slowed Seishirou's steps a little, but hardly kept him away.

"Hello," he greeted them with a friendly smile as he paused beside them, ignoring the prospect of being received very negatively and quite possibly with violence. Or at least it would be strategically wise, considering the heavy injury Seishirou had collected the night before.

"Mind if I join you for a game?" There had been times when he had sounded more like an airhead, but they weren't that many.

[broken_babylon]

And here Subaru had thought last night's run-in had been the most awkward thing imaginable. But no, as always, Seishirou managed to prove him wrong; this moment was definitely more awkward. Did he mind? What kind of question was that? He'd have to be completely nuts to want to sit around and have a game of Go Fish with the man who killed his sister.

But... there were nurses absolutely everywhere, and there was Hokuto to think about, as well. And while Seishirou was injured and weakened, unfortunately so was Subaru. A fight wouldn't be a very good idea, just that moment. So Subaru just glared a little at Seishirou and said nothing, leaving it to Hokuto to make the decision.

Based on her behaviour last night, though, Subaru had the sinking feeling that she was going to invite him to join.

[akarusa]

For a moment, even Hokuto didn't know what to do; she just sat there and looked up at him, Sei-chan, face somewhat blank. Was he asking to join to be friendly, or for old times' sake, or to find out something?

Well, if it was the last part... she could do that, too. She still wanted to trust him, and if she talked to him, she might find out how much she could. Being killed by him had changed a few things; she knew very well that just because he hadn't hurt Subaru last night didn't mean anything.

But... she'd missed him. If he'd changed, she was willing to forgive him for what he'd done. She didn't think Subaru would, but maybe--maybe they could start over. If nothing else, it was worth a try.

"Of course," she said, voice just a little soft.

[notahangedman]

The lack of daggers glared at his direction was mildly surprising, Seishirou mused as he smiled warmly and pulled a chair for himself. Perhaps this wouldn't be so difficult after all. Or maybe he still failed in judging the limit of true altruism. It might have been the case, that he was making it extra difficult to himself as well. As it seemed, sitting to a table with both Subaru and Hokuto, was perhaps the hardest thing he had done since arriving at Landel's.

However, he wouldn't have been Seishirou if he had given away any hints of that. His demeanor was as calm as ever; chuckle soft as he arranged himself carefully to the chair, mindful of his newly acquired injuries.

"What are we playing?" he asked, turning slightly towards Hokuto to regard her perhaps a little curiously. Which meant leaving Subaru to sulk on his own for a moment; something Seishirou wasn't opposed to doing for now.

[broken_babylon]

At least Hokuto had hesitated--Subaru considered that a good sign. He would have had to worry, seriously worry, if Hokuto had welcomed Seishirou to their game with open arms. Still, he was tense now, and wary. It was not going to be a relaxing little game, with Seishirou there.

Subaru wanted to snap at Seishirou, for ignoring him and directing the question only to Hokuto, but there was really no valid reason for him to do so, so he just kept quiet. It was rude to push into the conversation if Seishirou wanted to talk to Hokuto, anyway.

[akarusa]

She held up the cards. "Go Fish--I used to love this game." It held up well for something she'd played in elementary school, but nostalgia still added to her enjoyment. She knew well she looked a little wistful; she managed not to dwell on it, but she missed her old life.

Hokuto's own mix of emotions didn't show much, but just talking to Sei-chan again about something casual, seeing him when lives weren't hanging in the balance, was hard for her, too. He had killed her for reasons she still didn't understand, and didn't think she would even if he honestly tried to explain. He'd broken her brother's heart all to pieces, as well as the hearts of everyone else who loved her. Her girlfriend and most of her friends would be fine, but she worried about Kakyou, about her grandmother. Until the very moment before she closed her eyes for the last time in that life, as gentle as his voice sounded he had been almost casual about the fact that someone he had called friend was dying in his arms, by his own hand. She had cursed him in return, and in the month she spent preparing for it she'd had more than a few moments of hating him.

And yet she'd still missed him. She had no idea if the cheerful man she'd known really existed, or if he was merely a facade Seishirou used. But... she'd taken a chance on him before. As strange as it might seem, there was little risk in taking one again; it wasn't as if shunning him would make her heart hurt any less. A lot of things had changed--but she was sure a lot of other things had stayed the same. For once she didn't want to get her hopes up, but maybe--just maybe--they could get back even some of what they'd had.

[notahangedman]

Brows arching, smile curving deeper, Seishirou nodded. "Sounds like fun." And weirdly enough, he actually meant it. They had always had fun like this, the three of them. Or rather, Seishirou and Hokuto had had fun, Subaru had most often been the reason for their fun, not only because it was easy to tease him but also because Subaru worried too much and was in need of some light fun quite often.

It was hard to find anything that had not changed, however. This included.

He could tell both of them were wary of his presence; he would have been surprised if it had been any other way. And yet there was something they didn't know. And Seishirou was not inclined to tell them any time soon. He glanced at Subaru from the corner of his eye before turning to regard him fully, mismatching eyes searching for Subaru's green ones.

"Hello, Subaru-kun. You seem to fairing relatively well," Seishirou said softly, a bit amused by the expression he labeled as sulky. "How's your injury?"

[broken_babylon]

"Do you want me to deal the cards, Hokuto-chan?" Sometimes the only way to get Subaru's full attention on a game was to make him take the active role of dealer or banker. Today, though, it wasn't like there were work concerns to distract him--no jobs he could be doing, nor people he could be helping, not really. Even if he had his full powers, the nurses would no doubt intervene. Still, it was habit to ask.

Subaru stiffened just a little more at Seishirou's question. "It's fine. They seem to have stitched it up neatly." It still hurt, of course, but it wasn't the worst injury Subaru had ever had; as long as he was careful not to pull the stitches he should be fine. Seishirou's injury had been much worse, but Subaru was determined not to be concerned today.

[akarusa]

"Sure." She passed him the deck, wondering how long it had been since he played. They got... five cards each, if she was right. Her memory for game rules wasn't quite as good as it was for some of her other hobbies.

Not wanting them to just play in silence, she asked Seishirou, "How long have you been here? I... thought I saw you a few times, but I figured I was just homesick." That, and when she asked herself if she really wanted to see him, she hadn't been sure. When she thought she saw her girlfriend a few times, she'd always checked; Kakyou, too, the one time she thought she spotted him. She'd never once mistaken someone else for Subaru, though; she knew him too well. Maybe it was the fabled twin connection, but seeing someone near her height with short black hair had only reminded her of him, not made her wonder.

Now, though, she knew two of the most important people in her life really were here. What that meant for any of them would have to be seen.