video ✗ oo3 || dec 16 (very early morning)

[maashiro]

[The feed begins as though the communicator's been sent flying, or at least knocked back a few feet as it captures Kenshin's form lunging forwards, the glint of the sharp inside edge of his sakabatou as he draws it a few inches from its sheath

Comments

action

[givingsword]

[ Kaoru herself jumps at the metallic sound, looking around the room with confusion, one of the knitting tools in her hand like some sort of comical dagger, prepared to strike---at nothing. She flushed, muttering to herself as she noted the device on the ground, the familiar hair and stance, the hard breathing.

Oh...

Her face drops, quietly turning the device over lest she be caught watching, (snooping!!), and opens her door.

Another pause.

She takes a deep breath, then tentatively knocks on the door, trying to appear composed. Like she'd let him stay in his room alone after seeing something like that. ]

..Kenshin?

action

[maashiro]

[he drops his hand and lets his head jerk up at the knock and her voice. he still hasn't realised he'd turned on his recording, so he thinks she's stopping by for something else.

well. time to put his rurouni face on.

Kenshin gets to his feet, leaving his sakabatou where it is, and crosses to open the door]

Oro-good morning, Kaoru-dono.

[he's good at this. he's perfected it over the years.]

action

[givingsword]

[ she pauses, a brief look flashing over her face before she looks to the left, then to the right with her eyes, before she smiles brightly, clasping her bandaged fingers. ]

G-Good morning! Um...--[THINK KAORU THINK. Oh yeah. ]

---So, I have this idea for all of us to do together. On the twenty-fifth! But it's a secret, so I can't tell you out here. [she falls back into her usual cheer, it's easier instead of asking him flat out if he's alright when she knows he's still upset, scared--she'd rather make a fool of herself then watch that. ]

Geez, are you gonna let me in or what, Kenshin?

action

[maashiro]

Oro?!

[she's nervous about something, which leads to bullying him. he is okay with this. it's taking his mind off his nightmares and... he needs her.

quickly he steps back, opening the door further, before his eyes go to her hands]

Kaoru-dono? What did you do to your hands? Have you been cooking...?

Video

[purewhite_crane]

*She was just getting ready to go to work when she saw the new network post. Concerned she turns on the video and replies.*

Kenshin-san, what's wrong?

Video

[maashiro]

[Kenshin is at first startled by her voice, but he's gotten more used to Death City-it doesn't take him too long to look at his communicator. Instantly he shifts so he's crossing his legs, relaxing both his body and face]

This one merely had a bad dream. That is all, de gozaru yo.

Video

[purewhite_crane]

A nightmare?

*Tsuruhime instead of looking relieved, looks rather alarmed.* Well, that won't do! Do you have someone who can hold your hand?

Video

[maashiro]

Oro? [raising his hands to calm her] It's all right, Tsuruhime-dono. This one-[a notable pause; he trails off for a while and then simply finishes with] Yes.

[maashiro]

[making a mental note to set the communicator out of reach when he sleeps.]

Thank you, this one is fine.

[it's said a little distantly, maybe even curtly, but politely as always]

[maashiro]

[A pause, then a sigh]

Mm. A dream of the past.

Video

[cursed_tattoo]

Kenshin.

[That's it. Just a curt, almost demanding statement of his name. Rei is frowning, concerned. She is not in the mood for bullshit. >:C YOU TELL HER WHAT IS WRONG RIGHT NOW]

Video

[maashiro]

[He's very tempted to give his standard brush-off reply, but Rei's tone stops him. now he knows she has horrors in her own past, he debates whether it would be better or worse to tell her what's wrong now.

a sigh.]

Merely dreams... of the past. This one is all right, Rei-dono.

Video

[cursed_tattoo]

[Her expressions softens, voice quiet]

...Do you want to talk about it?

Video - it's like pulling teeth with him.

[maashiro]

...They are only dreams.

[it's a reflexive response. Kenshin is so used to hiding everything, telling nothing, even with his best friends. things have come out more and more with Tomoe's arrival, however, but Sano and Kaoru have been in his confidence for months.

Still, there's a crack in his usually perfect mask; it's clear he's been shaken.]

[Video]

[zodiaconigiri]

[She is watching quietly before she quietly replied.]

...who did not begin again sooner?

[Video]

[maashiro]

[he's calmed down now, though under the surface furious at himself for turning the communicator on, even by accident. still, he gives Tohru a smile]

No one, de gozaru. Merely dreams. Please do not worry about this one, I'm fine, that I am.

[Video]

[zodiaconigiri]

[She nods her head, offers a small smile to him.]

If you say so...I know it's close to the holidays so they can get kind of lonely for a lot of people.

[Video]

[maashiro]

[that smile is appreciated]

It is all right. This one has many friends here to keep me company. I hope you are not too lonely.