Hitotsu! Filthy defiling of human blood! [Open]

[kabukichoqueen]

WHO: Gintoki, Shinpachi, Kagura, Yamazaki Susumu, Ichimura Tatsunosuke and anyone who wants to see the Yorozuya+PMK Shinsengumi in all its glory~
WHAT: Joint meeting to find Kaoru... also, Gin-chan, please take Kagura to a safer home.
WHERE: Docks
WHEN: Morning

Comments

[kocho_blade]

Tatsu better have listened to him. Susumu was in no mood to deal wth the hysteric accountant on his own. The night had been long, and his head was still feelng muddled from lack of sleep and the mellow high that the marijuana had cased. The pleasant effect of the drug were gone, leaving he ninja sore and unsure of he events of the previous night.

In a way, he was almost thankful for Tatsu, he was a distraction from the scrawlings in his journal and reflecting too much on his night with Zach- the young man he had saved. Also, Tatsu was familiar. The only familar thing about this place aside from a few names belonging to the wrong people.

Suumu had left hisheadband off, the front of the kimono tucked into his short hakama left ope to isplay the fishnet shirt stretched over his bare chest beneath. He had mannage to wash off most of the blood, but his black uniform was still thoroughly soaked at the shoulder.

He could see Tatsu at the dock as he walked closer, and breathed a silent sigh of relief. He wasnt shrieking, and seemed to be mosty sane at the moment. It took only a moment longer to reach the taller an, and the Ninja nodded in greeting. "You're in one piece. That's good. And surprising."

[endless_apology]

"Yamazaki-kun," Tatsu's voice betrayed any remaining uneasiness as he turned to acknowledge his former comrade. Despite any misgivings about Susumu's attitude, Tatsu was just so...relieved. Relieved to see a familiar face after the shock of waking up alone and lost. He wasn't sure how long the feeling of relief would last, but for now he tried to push the worries about his brother from his mind.

"Of course I'm in one piece. Once I realised Tetsu couldn't be here I...stopped calling from him." The sense of panic flooded back almost instantaneously, but as he caught Susumu's dark eyes he felt the pangs of tension in his chest subside. The ninja, he could tell, was not going to let him get away with much blind worry from now on. "I'm sure he's safe back in Japan, with Hijikata-san and Okita-san there." He gave Susumu a very tense smile and decided once and for all to banish the thought from his mind for now. "How have you been? What happened here-- I'm realy, really confused- and...I-"

Tatsu felt his tensly optimistic expression start to crumble, and he averted his gaze quickly. He didn't want Susumu to see him like this and momentarily just wish he were alone again. Susumu was all he had, and soon, he would realise Tatsu was probably just a burden to his safety. "I'm not sure what to do about this situation."

Never had he felt such a sense of...uselessness.

[ooc: sorry, I just realised this was set in the morning, for some reason I thought it was the afternoon ^^; I'll fix that in my future posts!]

[kocho_blade]

"We can't do anything right now aside from deal with being here." Susumu's voice was as gruff and low as usual, though a bit raw from smoking the night before.
"A lot has happened already. It seems as if things keep moving faster."
Why did it feel for a split second, as if Tatsu was from a different place than him? He was as much a stranger to Rivelata as Susumu was.
Maybe it was because for the first time since Ayumu had died, Susumu felt alive. The world had been passing in a blur after Ayumu's death, until he had arrived in this place. The complicated, upside down world in which he had spoken more to unknown people than he had in a month to any of the Shinsengumi.

It was all too much to think about right now. How he was changing, and slowly starting to adapt to the new environment. There were no rules to restrain him here, no orders to follow- Everything had been a decision HE had made. That in itself was foreign.

"We have a safe-house. We'll need it. There is a woman there who you can stay with. I'm going to be on a mission soon." Susumu raised a small brow. "As you know, I can't tell you any details. It's safer if you're not involved."

[endless_apology]

Tatsu listened to Susumu's words carefully, hanging on every word and scrutinizing, searching for a hidden meaning. He couldn't quite tell what his old friend's intentions were- there was no hostility, but no warmth, no relief at Tatsu's appearance. Tatsu hadn't expected warmth, but for some reason the tactile way in which the ninja spoke seemed to sting more than usual.

It suddenly occurred to him that the young ninja was acting under no orders. He was independent now. Hearing he was on a mission was no surprise to Tatsu, and instead he felt a pang of jealously as he examined Susumu. The young man had grown substantially since he last remembered interacting with him- not that his sister's funeral was any accurate measure- but even before that. It seemed Susumu had left his past behind. How bold.

"I understand," Tatsu sighed, scratching at the back of his head casually. He tried to conceal how wrecked he was beginning to feel at the sight of his only friend beginning to leave their old life behind. He would be alone again, soon, with nothing to do with himself. But where else could he go? With Tetsu he had been given a reason, a drive to protect something- he didn't much care about himself, and without Tetsu to give him meaning he just...he didn't know anymore.

Perhaps for now it was best to go along with Susumu and sit around at the safe house, wasting time until he figured something out. He remembered when he had been depressed back...back then. Todo-san and Harada-san had taken him drinking and cheered him up, inconvenienced themselves for his sake.

That however, was no longer an option.