[Week 25, Day 5] [Accidental Video] I Was Not Here, I Did Not Die

[erase_to_forget]

[The video feed starts with a breeze catching the hem of a black coat, and then as the device is kicked by a black boot, looks upward to a pale chin and hints of a cold stern face, hidden by the brim of a tattered hat and sleek black hair

Comments

[Video]

[can_you_eat_it]

[Alice watches for a moment, curious, then just scoffs at the silence before asking in a bored tone.]

Where are you running, boy?

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

[Yoite blinks when sound, mostly muted to him with his fading hearing, comes clear to him now from the strange object in his hand of all places. Uncurling his fingers he blinks down at it.

A person he does not know.]

I don't have to tell you. [He states without any inflection to indicate annoyance, disregard, or even sarcasm. Just fact.]

[Video]

[can_you_eat_it]

So?

[She grins and crosses her arms, obviously unimpressed.]

No matter how far you run here, you're not going to get anywhere brat~

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

[Yoite's expression remains unmoved]

It is none of your concern what I do.

[Video]

[infiniillusion]

[After a while, you can see a matching blankness of an expression on the flickering screen. But it looks more bored than empty, and definitely very disinterested.]

You seem to look familiar.

[Yup. He's never bothered to memorize you while you were here. Charming, no?]

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

[An unimpressed eye peeks down at the device when yet another unknown person speaks to him. What is with the sudden interest in him? He certainly wasn't looking to attract any human interaction.]

You are mistaken.

[Video]

[infiniillusion]

[Well. That definitely didn't go down as planned.]

Cheeky bastard.

[Now that he thinks about it though, it's not impossible that this person was here before, then disappeared and now doesn't remember anything from before. That would explain things... but what are the chances for that? Meh.]

[Just an arsehole with a common facial structure, then.]

[Hanging up.]

[Action -> Video]

[indiffendence]

[Miharu isn't sure if he has moved on the thought that Yoite just won't be back out of simple pessimism or if it was actually for himself. But perhaps it's also because some part of him does hope that Yoite will show up one day that he actually checks the Hitomi daily even if he doesn't really give a damn.

And perhaps it's pure feeling that he has to that makes him pick up the device right at the moment this is broadcasted. But he does, and the moment he sees that familiar face, that familiar hat, none of which he would ever mistake belonging to anyone else, then he's moving. There's no time to think at all, barely any time to feel, he just knows that he's very happy and that's probably why his feet feel so light, so quick

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

[Yoite's interest, waning at the strangers contacting him, only piques when he hears a familiar voice and looks down to find a familiar face on the screen. The face of the person he is looking for, to be exact, so this is very beneficial to his situation. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know where he is so long as the boy he made the deal, rather, promise with is hear and now they can complete their contract as agreed upon.

He disregards the 'you're back' comment, believing it to refer to a return to Banten. Or...more precisely a return to Miharu's location]

Miharu. Where are you? [There might be a distinct lack of friendly concern there and more a sense of urgency. Yoite knows he doesn't have all that much time left to be wasting it in treetops.]

[Video -> Action]

[indiffendence]

[That is, honestly, all he needs to know that this Yoite isn't the one that was here before. He only realises now how much Kannagara changed Yoite, because the one looking at him now... has a completely different tint to his eyes than the one before.

More like back home, but yet different too. As if from... earlier?

That is a possibility.

But that hardly matters. Because Yoite is Yoite, no matter what, and Miharu is so very, very happy to see him again.]

I know where you are, I'm coming. I have some things to explain.

[..speaking of going to Yoite, why is he running? He doesn't need to do that, since he knows where to go.]

I'll be there in a second.

[Quite literally, because as he cuts the feed, he's already putting his hands together and moments later, he's standing in Himorogi.

Though, where exactly is Yoite?]

Yoite?!

Re: [Action]

[erase_to_forget]

[Yoite can't hear Miharu yelling, but given the last statement in the video, Yoite is ready and waiting, a keen eye watching the ground. And when Miharu appears suddenly, Yoite jumps from the tree, gliding down, and landing easily behind him]

....

[Reaction]

[pinktintedgamon]

[The day that they’d said their prayers and sent the gods their heartfelt wishes for their friend, Raikou had come to terms with everything. He’d let go the lingering spikes of jealousy and confusion, let go the guilt that he’d failed his friend much as he was able… and he’d let go his hold on his friend.

He’d said his goodbye to the young man that he had grown to consider a brother and sent his most ferverant prayers to the gods that Yoite’s soul be reincarnated to find peace and love and most importantly, a family that would treat him tenderly - far away from the world of Nabari.

Barely had those prayers flown from his lips on wings of hope that he sees thisThis video that brings to mind those beautifully cold eyes he’d once admired, the emotionless mask that had turned out to be more real than projection. Dulled azure eyes faded with the lack of light, devoid of hope

[Video]

[pinktintedgamon]

[So it’s with a deep, slow breath or three that he finally flicks on the feed from the rock where he’d been sitting, slowly dressing from his soak in the hot springs. His face set once again in the old familiar mask of a serenity he doesn’t feel, and smiles a small serene smile.]

Yoite-kun? Are you alright?

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

I am unharmed. [Yoite answers almost automatically. The way he would have with Hattori, or even Yukimi on those days that Yoite used all his strength to refuse contact with the world outside himself.

And so confronted with another face of the Kairoshu, the habits of a weapon are easily triggered.]

Re: [Video]

[pinktintedgamon]

[Such a terse answer does nothing to ease his suspicions, and so it's with the same neutral tone that he asks simply.]

And your current location?

[Because it's honestly the best way to figure out if Yoite is Yoite or not.]

[Reaction]

[tenpa_tantrum]

[He can only sit and stare, for a long moment, his fingers weak and trembling on the Hitomi, his heart beating in his chest as if it might break free, fill up every bit of space inside him, and then smash outward, taking with it his ribcage and everything else

[Video]

[tenpa_tantrum]

[When he speaks, his voice comes out rough, wrong, all wrong. There's too much emotion choking him for it possibly to come out properly, now.

The green eyes are wide, unblinking, too-bright.]

Yoite-chan?

[It's all he can manage.]

Re: [Video]

[erase_to_forget]

[ 'chan'.

There is no way Yoite can disregard this. Given everything he understands about him, and everything this person, and any person outside of his doctor and Hattori, CANNOT know, it sets an immediate cause for alarm. This internal chaos, however, manifests itself only as a wary eye.]

You wish to criticize me again?

[Remembering his only encounter with this boy, its all he can assume

For now he'll assume 'chan' is an attempt to rattle his cage.]

Re: [Video]

[tenpa_tantrum]

[That.

That's enough to tell him. Just that one line, it's enough to make it completely clear that this isn't his Yoite, that once again the gods have taken away someone precious to him, and brought them back with no knowledge of his what had passed between them.

When it had been Raikou, it had eventually turned out okay. But in this case... what would be gained, if later Yoite remembered..?

Hadn't everything already been given up? Hadn't everything already ended?

Hadn't they mourned this person, already?

So now, staring down those empty eyes as they looked at him without the love that had been in them when last they spoke, what could he say or do?

What?]

No-I-

[He paused, licked his lips.]

I had a dream where I called you that. I apologize, Yoite-kun.

[And when he bows his head, it's to hide the tears on his cheeks.]