[The sudden presence of another in her room is more than enough to instantly wake Ayumu, given that she isn't known for being a sound sleeper to begin with. At first she doesn't move, her breathing still slow and even as she listens intently for the sounds of movement, and then in an instant she slides a kunai from hiding and throws it directly toward the intruder.]
[Homura knows that something is coming at him, despite being blinded in the darkness; it's an instinct well developed over hundreds of years on the battlefield. Yet instinct only goes so far when a body is too worn to react, and Homura sucks in a sharp gasp of pain as the kunai sinks into his shoulder. There is some comfort in it, however. The weapon is familiar, and Homura grins faintly as he ventures a guess as to its owner.]
Should I take that to mean you've missed me, Ayumu?
[Though she hasn't heard it in some time the voice is familiar, and upon hearing it Ayumu drops all pretense at that point and moves for the light. What it reveals, though, only visibly evokes a frown.]
[No answer to the question: Homura grins wider at that particular avoidance even as he moves to do as she's instructed. Ultimately he doesn't so much sit as he collapses, however, turning as he falls to keep from landing on the kunai still embedded in his muscle.]
Thank you. [He lets out a quiet laugh, a nod to the relief that he is actually back among the villagers.] I'd appreciate that.
[She might not have had to patch up any of the Shinsengumi while in Luceti, but Ayumu still keeps the required supplies nearby out of habit and against the potential necessity. It's only a matter of moments before she's kneeling beside Homura, busily pulling supplies from her basket as she looks over his various wounds (with perhaps a slightly deeper frown at the kunai).]
My apologies for adding to what they'd left you with.
There's no need to apologize. I'm fairly aware of the dangers of showing up in your house unannounced.
[It's more of a joke than anything else: a tired attempt at lightening the situation. Although they are both aware that Homura had no choice in his arrival point, he still doesn't want Ayumu to feel worse for her part.]
Mm. Generally those who should be here unannounced could avoid a thrown weapon.
[But clearly he isn't in the best of shape right now; the fact that he couldn't avoid it is more than enough indication of it. Still, though, he is back, and as he says, none of the wounds seem dangerous on their own even if the accumulation has left him weak.
Ayumu sets to work, her manner and movements calm and almost businesslike as she does. Maybe she missed him, maybe she didn't, but the question can be dealt with later. Right now there are more pressing things to deal with, such as retrieving her weapon without causing more harm to his shoulder.]
Generally, yes. [Homura closes his eyes at the comment, well aware of exactly why that isn't the case in this instance. He's tempted to make a joke of her attempting to injure his pride as well as his shoulder, but Homura restrains himself. Though she doesn't show it, Homura suspects Ayumu doesn't need to have the fact that she's done him further harm repeated.
As always, Ayumu is reserved as she works, which Homura suspects is for his own well-being as much as hers. Outside of a wince when Ayumu begins to work on removing her kunai, he keeps still under her fingers, letting her do as she sees fit with his wounds.]
You seem to be doing well. [Ayumu's clearly been back for some time, given her uninjured state.] How long has it been?
[She notices the wince but doesn't acknowledge it and simply keeps working. There's nothing else she really can do at the moment, after all, and cleaning and bandaging wounds keeps her occupied as she answers both the question he asked and the one he didn't.]
I've been back for four. Apparently the Malnosso found you more interesting.
[Homura opens his eyes to watch Ayumu once the knife is removed. Tired still, he's used to the pain that comes with the slow treatment of wounds--and Ayumu takes greater care than those in the Heavens typically would.
But his own condition isn't the one concerning Homura most just then. At the mention of her own capture, he reaches for Ayumu's hand to stop her work. He knows better than most just how she hides herself, particularly with distraction.]
Then I trust you've recovered from what they did to you.
[She hesitates only briefly, meeting his eyes before she shakes her head and pulls free again. Until she's finished with what she's working on she doesn't want to stop.]
I'm fine.
And before you ask, it's the truth. I'm not just saying it.
[Homura laughs quietly as she resumes her work. Of course Ayumu is justified to expect him to question; he's done so countless times in the past.]
As much as you like to hide, I doubt you'd do so when I was in this state. You know I wouldn't stop questioning you until I was satisfied, and that would keep you from your work. Right?
[It's more or less correct, though she doesn't particularly want to discuss it. Ayumu sometimes still finds it difficult to deal with the fact that he knows her that well to begin with, without going into detail.
She finishes the last bandage and leans back again, tidying up her supplies and tucking them back into the basket.]
[Ayumu's silence merely serves as confirmation for Homura, and it speaks to his condition that he leaves it at that. Indeed, Homura would have been content to drift to sleep in her bed, especially once her hands stop moving over his body. Yet it's not to be, Ayumu's voice bringing Homura back to awareness just as he begins to doze.]
Is that so? [He knows she wouldn't speak such words lightly, and Homura moves to sit up, to better watch her as she speaks.] What is it?
[Empty? Even Homura is caught off guard by that, what it means to suddenly have a person's items vanish from their room. Nataku's things--
Homura lets out a slow breath, knowing that there is nothing that can be done. It isn't within his power to bring Nataku back to this world, away from the Heavens that have done their best to destroy his spirit. There is nothing within Homura's power in this place, and this loss serves as a sharper reminder of that fact than the blades they used to cut into his skin.
He reaches out then, placing a hand on Ayumu's shoulder to draw her close. Another person he never should have met, a relationship that never should have been--and despite his will, his experience and regret, one Homura knows he cannot save.]
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Should I take that to mean you've missed me, Ayumu?
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[Though she hasn't heard it in some time the voice is familiar, and upon hearing it Ayumu drops all pretense at that point and moves for the light. What it reveals, though, only visibly evokes a frown.]
Sit. I'll get the bandages.
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Thank you. [He lets out a quiet laugh, a nod to the relief that he is actually back among the villagers.] I'd appreciate that.
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My apologies for adding to what they'd left you with.
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[It's more of a joke than anything else: a tired attempt at lightening the situation. Although they are both aware that Homura had no choice in his arrival point, he still doesn't want Ayumu to feel worse for her part.]
Besides, none of this will kill me.
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[But clearly he isn't in the best of shape right now; the fact that he couldn't avoid it is more than enough indication of it. Still, though, he is back, and as he says, none of the wounds seem dangerous on their own even if the accumulation has left him weak.
Ayumu sets to work, her manner and movements calm and almost businesslike as she does. Maybe she missed him, maybe she didn't, but the question can be dealt with later. Right now there are more pressing things to deal with, such as retrieving her weapon without causing more harm to his shoulder.]
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As always, Ayumu is reserved as she works, which Homura suspects is for his own well-being as much as hers. Outside of a wince when Ayumu begins to work on removing her kunai, he keeps still under her fingers, letting her do as she sees fit with his wounds.]
You seem to be doing well. [Ayumu's clearly been back for some time, given her uninjured state.] How long has it been?
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[She notices the wince but doesn't acknowledge it and simply keeps working. There's nothing else she really can do at the moment, after all, and cleaning and bandaging wounds keeps her occupied as she answers both the question he asked and the one he didn't.]
I've been back for four. Apparently the Malnosso found you more interesting.
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[Homura opens his eyes to watch Ayumu once the knife is removed. Tired still, he's used to the pain that comes with the slow treatment of wounds--and Ayumu takes greater care than those in the Heavens typically would.
But his own condition isn't the one concerning Homura most just then. At the mention of her own capture, he reaches for Ayumu's hand to stop her work. He knows better than most just how she hides herself, particularly with distraction.]
Then I trust you've recovered from what they did to you.
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I'm fine.
And before you ask, it's the truth. I'm not just saying it.
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[Homura laughs quietly as she resumes her work. Of course Ayumu is justified to expect him to question; he's done so countless times in the past.]
As much as you like to hide, I doubt you'd do so when I was in this state. You know I wouldn't stop questioning you until I was satisfied, and that would keep you from your work. Right?
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[It's more or less correct, though she doesn't particularly want to discuss it. Ayumu sometimes still finds it difficult to deal with the fact that he knows her that well to begin with, without going into detail.
She finishes the last bandage and leans back again, tidying up her supplies and tucking them back into the basket.]
There's something else you should know, though.
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Is that so? [He knows she wouldn't speak such words lightly, and Homura moves to sit up, to better watch her as she speaks.] What is it?
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After I returned I went to check your apartment- and found it empty.
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Homura lets out a slow breath, knowing that there is nothing that can be done. It isn't within his power to bring Nataku back to this world, away from the Heavens that have done their best to destroy his spirit. There is nothing within Homura's power in this place, and this loss serves as a sharper reminder of that fact than the blades they used to cut into his skin.
He reaches out then, placing a hand on Ayumu's shoulder to draw her close. Another person he never should have met, a relationship that never should have been--and despite his will, his experience and regret, one Homura knows he cannot save.]
Thank you for telling me.
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