Young Cho Gonou | 3 + 1scarylilgonouApril 27 2011, 06:51:26 UTC
[In the end, the emptiness was too much to take. Gonou never really felt complete. The emptiness was a gaping maw that swallowed all the light in his life until he was nothing but a shell of a person who hardly cared when the nuns clucked their tongues at him or the children prodded and teased him.
It was easy, really. Gonou read about different ways to go, and none of them were pleasant, nor were many of the methods easy to come by. Still, his pet interest in apothecary science has come in handy: he's made a poison, and injected himself with it. Now it's time to wait for sleep to come.
He's laying out beneath his favorite tree, watching the clouds and springtime sun shift the patterns of shadow between the leaves. Usually, he reads a book here, isolated from the rest of the world. It's one of his fondest places - it seems fair he'll die here too.
[ No, he's not alone. Not long after he settles back, there's a rustling from the nearby bushes, and then a boy creeps out. Look closely, Gonou - this is a rare creature. See the matching red hair and eyes? It's not common for a half-human, half-youkai hybrid to live this long.
And, judging by the scrapes and bruises (some weeks old, some very fresh), it's been a fight every step of the way.
He pauses, still within the relative safety of the shrubbery, and darts his gaze back and forth across the idyllic scene, nervous as a wild animal. When he finally speaks, his voice is hoarse and barely louder than a whisper. ]
[It's hard, at first, for Gonou to wake up enough to speak, and he doesn't even bother sitting up. His tongue is thick in his mouth, not really wanting to move even for a single syllable.]
[ It's with a wild animal's grace that the boy steals out from the cover of the bushes, and carefully picks his way to Gonou's side. He crouches there, filthy matted hair hanging in his face, and stares at Gonou like he's never seen a human boy before.
[Gonou doesn't have anything except the clothes on his back and his glasses. He didn't even bring a book or a pillow - those were property of the church, after all. There is, of course, the now-empty syringe of poison nearby, but that's not food. It's the opposite.
His vision is hazy. He thinks he sees red - a halfbreed? Out here?
[ No, there's nothing. No bag, no case... he might have something in his pockets, but Gojyo doubts it. Nothing anywhere except... there. A glint in the grass. What is it? ]
What th'fuck?
[ This kid can't be older than he is, and he's shooting up? Disgusted, Gojyo grabs the works and chucks them hard into the bushes, turning back to Gonou with an indignant snarl. ]
Dumbass! That shit's bad for you! ...Hey, you listenin'?
[ The kid is drifting, high as a kite. Gojyo's empty stomach is forgotten for the moment as he grabs the kid's arm, giving it a good shake. ]
[Gonou's not very physically strong even when he's at full capacity, but now he's not even trying to fight back. The shove sends him back to the ground, knocking his glasses off his face. And just as quickly, he's hauled back to his feet.]
[ Gojyo's tempted to tell the kid that he doesn't need them... but they're probably expensive, and he probably needs them to see his way home. With a huff, Gojyo releases the kid's arm and retrieves the glasses from where they've fallen. ]
[Gonou takes the glasses, stumbling away from Gojyo. The movement's just making the poison go faster, but as alienated as he is, he doesn't want some strange kid who has enough problems to have to see him die.]
--You really should go. I won't go with you.
[He's leaning against the tree one moment, then sinks to his knees.]
[ Gojyo had absolutely zero interest in taking a human back to his family either, but he couldn't just leave the boy here and high. Frustrated, he yanks on Gonou's arm-- ]
Yes you fucking will!
[ --but several days without food has left him weak. Rather than pulling Gonou put with him, Gojyo crumples to the ground, dizzy and pale, right at Gonou's feet. ]
[ Oh. Fuck. Overdose. Gojyo's seen one of those before. Just about a week ago, in fact, in the last city he'd passed through. The only people who didn't notice a little halfbreed kid crouching in the corner where the folks who were stoned off their heads. It was disgusting, but it was dry.
And then one of the stick-thin men on the other side of the room started twitching like he'd touched a live wire, and foaming at the mouth. His face had featured in every dream Gojyo had had since then.
When Gonou collapsed, Gojyo's first instinct is to get the fuck away from him. He falls back on his ass, scrambling away over the grass until his brain catches up to his panic. This is a kid. A well-fed, clean kid. Somebody was looking out for him. Somebody would help him. ]
Hey!
[ He shakes the kid's shoulder from as far back as his arm will reach, not wanting to risk getting hit by a flailing arm... or grabbed by one. ]
I'm gonna go get help, okay? Tell me your name.
[ He couldn't carry the kid, but he could carry himself. If he ran as fast
( ... )
It was easy, really. Gonou read about different ways to go, and none of them were pleasant, nor were many of the methods easy to come by. Still, his pet interest in apothecary science has come in handy: he's made a poison, and injected himself with it. Now it's time to wait for sleep to come.
He's laying out beneath his favorite tree, watching the clouds and springtime sun shift the patterns of shadow between the leaves. Usually, he reads a book here, isolated from the rest of the world. It's one of his fondest places - it seems fair he'll die here too.
Alone, just like in life.]
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And, judging by the scrapes and bruises (some weeks old, some very fresh), it's been a fight every step of the way.
He pauses, still within the relative safety of the shrubbery, and darts his gaze back and forth across the idyllic scene, nervous as a wild animal. When he finally speaks, his voice is hoarse and barely louder than a whisper. ]
Hey. You alone?
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I suppose...
I'm not now.
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Which, let's be fair. He hasn't. ]
Got anythin' t'eat?
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[Gonou doesn't have anything except the clothes on his back and his glasses. He didn't even bring a book or a pillow - those were property of the church, after all. There is, of course, the now-empty syringe of poison nearby, but that's not food. It's the opposite.
His vision is hazy. He thinks he sees red - a halfbreed? Out here?
Well, it doesn't have anything to do with him.]
...Leave me alone.
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What th'fuck?
[ This kid can't be older than he is, and he's shooting up? Disgusted, Gojyo grabs the works and chucks them hard into the bushes, turning back to Gonou with an indignant snarl. ]
Dumbass! That shit's bad for you! ...Hey, you listenin'?
[ The kid is drifting, high as a kite. Gojyo's empty stomach is forgotten for the moment as he grabs the kid's arm, giving it a good shake. ]
That shit can kill you!
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I hope it does. That's the very idea.
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[ Shocked, Gojyo shoves out, both hands hard on the kid's chest. The violence is unintentional, as is the anger in his voice when he speaks. ]
Don't you ever fucking say that! Don't you fucking ever!
[ Face growing as red as his hair, Gojyo grabs the kid's arm again, and trying to haul him to his feet. ]
Where's your house? I'm takin' you home.
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My glasses... I can't see...
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Here.
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--You really should go. I won't go with you.
[He's leaning against the tree one moment, then sinks to his knees.]
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Yes you fucking will!
[ --but several days without food has left him weak. Rather than pulling Gonou put with him, Gojyo crumples to the ground, dizzy and pale, right at Gonou's feet. ]
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[Gonou touches the boy's back gently, trying for something reassuring.]
You look hungry. The nuns at the church will feed you. Go ask them for some fry bread.
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[ Gojyo swats away Gonou's touch, although it hurts to do so. He hasn't been touched kindly by anybody since Mom... since she... ]
You're just stoned. Why th'fuck do you want to do that stuff, anyway?
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[--stoned, but he's convulsing suddenly, his body alive with pain as he seizes, collapsing to the ground.]
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And then one of the stick-thin men on the other side of the room started twitching like he'd touched a live wire, and foaming at the mouth. His face had featured in every dream Gojyo had had since then.
When Gonou collapsed, Gojyo's first instinct is to get the fuck away from him. He falls back on his ass, scrambling away over the grass until his brain catches up to his panic. This is a kid. A well-fed, clean kid. Somebody was looking out for him. Somebody would help him. ]
Hey!
[ He shakes the kid's shoulder from as far back as his arm will reach, not wanting to risk getting hit by a flailing arm... or grabbed by one. ]
I'm gonna go get help, okay? Tell me your name.
[ He couldn't carry the kid, but he could carry himself. If he ran as fast ( ... )
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