[closed]

[tsuru_maru]

who ; Norio Koga and Takeo Tsurumaru
what ; Meeting with your best friend!
where ; Outside apartments in Kurzweil
when ; Daytime
warning(s) ; Probably spoilers for Norio's end in the manga

Comments

[koga_norio]

He sat crouched over, arms around himself as he stared down at the ground in front of him, looking up as he heard footsteps approaching, eyes darting around uncertainly for a while before landing on the tall young man and the little dragonet.

[tsuru_maru]

Takeo was many things. A womanizer, a jerk -- someone who confused procreation with love -- an idiot who would put his life on the line to protect little girls who didn't even really know who he was. But he wasn't...quite that stupid, and he crouched down in front of Norio, Hoshimaru taking a seat on the ground behind him.

"Tell me what happened, Norio."

[koga_norio]

He didn't reply at first. Frowned, glanced at Hoshimaru and smiled at him/it. Only one question was important, and it wasn't one of Takeo's. "Are you all right?"

[tsuru_maru]

"I'm standing right in front of you. What do you think?" So Norio was being evasive. Takeo didn't even know what kind of timeline Norio came from. The last thing Takeo remembered was Hoshimaru killing Hiroko Kaizuka. If Norio and V. Dentata weren't back home with Shiina...

Takeo was more worried about Norio right now, however. He sat down next to Norio on the sidewalk. (Hoshimaru tilted his head at the effeminate boy in confusion.)

"So. Crazy, isn't it?"

[koga_norio]

"Fuck yeah." He reached out a hand to pat Hoshimaru on the side of 'head'. As he dipped his head slightly to the side, looking at Takeo, his hair fell away from his ears, revealing torn earlobes - healed however, due to the healing process of this place upon arrival - where there had been golden rings before. "... You look younger."

[tsuru_maru]

He was about to reply when he noticed Norio's earlobes. He reached out, without realizing he'd done so, to touch the cartilage. "What the hell is this? Who did this?"

[koga_norio]

Norio flinched back, eyes widening and blood draining from his face.

[tsuru_maru]

He never used to...

Takeo let go.

"...It's just me. It's alright, Norio... It's just me."

[koga_norio]

"Y--Yeah. Yeah, I can see that! What do you think I am, blind?!"

He got to his feet - maybe a thought too quickly because he could feel his head spin - and walked a few steps away, back turned to Takeo. Don't know... I don't know what to say to him. Crazy? Yeah... Sure is.

"You're okay." That was all that mattered.

[tsuru_maru]

"And you're not. So what are we going to do about this, Norio? Tell me. Tell me what we're going to do." How I can fix this. Tell me how I can fix this. Could he, even?

[koga_norio]

He took a couple of deep breaths, face turned skywards, taking a moment or two to take in the incredible scenery. "I want a drink," he said without turning around. I want to hug you. Want to feel that you're real, that it mattered, that I... I see you, Takeo. You're here.

[tsuru_maru]

"...Sure."

From Takeo, it was more or less a concession of defeat.

He gestured with his hand before stuffing it into his pocket. Hoshimaru turned around and started lumbering down the sidewalk. "Come on. We'll find a bar." Since this space station was so...empty, all its original inhabitants gone, Takeo wondered whether their search would even yield any results. But he wouldn't mind alcohol himself.

[koga_norio]

Almost unconsciously, Norio fell in really close to Takeo, a hand starting to reach out to lock itself onto the taller boy's, but then pulled back, and stuffed itself into his own pocket instead. "There is one around, right? A bar, I mean."

[tsuru_maru]

"Actually..."

Uh oh.

"I don't know." Much of Sacrosanct was not very user friendly, so to speak. Takeo had yet to find alcohol on board the station.

[koga_norio]

"You're not very helpful, are you?"