Second - Voice

[tinyhawk]

I'm in need of a tea that can serve as a relaxant, sleep aid, or both.

Where would be the best place to locate one? [He knows of the grocery store, but if there's a specialty shop nearby...] I appreciate the help.

Comments

[ action ]

[acowardlyoak]

[ he lifts his head slowly at the sound of the knock, rubbing the palms of his hands over his eyes. For a minute he forgets where he is, dazedly glancing around the room once his thoughts move from the battlefield to the source of the knock. the sleep deprivation is not helping is already poor condition. the blonde vaguely remembers switching from his house to the apartment, but not in any detail. it felt like he had simply sat up in his bed and then ended up in this one. he was positive he'd talked to konatsu - or, konatsu had talked to him. but he couldn't remember any of the conversation.

he felt like he was going crazy. no, he was sure he had to be going crazy, after he thought it was snowing in the bedroom. one hundred and fourty four hours without sleep can do weird and awful things to a person

[acowardlyoak]

Since I've been here, I've been to war twice, I had a building fall on me! Broken bones, bleeding out, in the hospital for weeks. And I've had people break into my house and threaten me, and I've lost friends, I've - I've-!!

[ ... oh crying now. ]

[tinyhawk]

[S-sigh. Konatsu should have expected this. He turns to look at Shuri, expression largely neutral but with a hint of distaste. Sigh. He should have expected this, but...]

[He can't help but be a little annoyed. Not entirely unsympathetic, but a little irritated that even despite everything he's been through Shuri can't seem to understand that he's not special and doesn't deserve more than anyone else does.]

[But Konatsu knows that upsetting him further will only make the situation even worse, so he opts to say instead:] Those things shouldn't have happened to you.

[acowardlyoak]

[ the cup in his hands is shaking. the blonde frowns, trying to steady his hand, but to no avail. instead, he stares into the contents of the cup, blue eyes far and distant. there are tears sliding down his cheeks still, and that normally pale, aristocratic complexion is flushed. ]

... Is it always this hard?

[tinyhawk]

[That shaking cup could be bad, so Konatsu reaches out to steady it, taking care to not burn himself.] That depends. Some learn how to handle it and move on. Others never can.

[acowardlyoak]

I want to be strong. I-I want to do it-!

[tinyhawk]

[Calmly:] You may not be able to.

[acowardlyoak]

... I have to.

[tinyhawk]

[He sounds serious, so Konatsu opts to let this roll a little further.] Why?

[acowardlyoak]

[ there are so many different reasons. for one, the oak family would never stand to have one of it's sons disgraced so far. shuri would never say this, he's never reached verbal acknowledgement of it. it's just a fact, somewhere, lingering in the back of his mind - seeing Hakuren, being reminded of how he'd rejected the typical path of the Oak. how he was referred to, or not. it was scary.

but the other thing is something he's found here. he's tired and hallucinating and probably won't remember a minute of this conversation when he's finally slept, but... his grip on the cup tightens ever so slightly, his eyes darting to the window, nervously at first, and then he lifts his head a little more confidently. ] ... I want to protect...

[tinyhawk]

[That comes as a surprise to Konatsu and he turns a little further, frowning faintly at Shuri.] Protect...?

[acowardlyoak]

[ he nods. it's kind of an exaggerated bob. he lifts the cup to his lips again, taking a long drink. ]

All the people I like here... Like, Mikage, and Mikado, and Gold, and Masaomi... [ he tilts his head back, staring dazedly up that the ceiling. ] And even the ones who went away, like Miss Mitsuru, or Miss Jennifer... And Li, and you, and Hakuren, and everyone.

[tinyhawk]

[The silent that draws from Konatsu is long and pointed, the blond opting to look away from Shuri as soon as he's finished speaking. It may seem like he;s intending to say nothing at all-- but he does speak, eventually, and when he does:] It's going to be difficult. But... I think that you're capable of succeeding.

[acowardlyoak]

[ shuri's attention snaps to him, brows knitting together. ] But you just said...

[tinyhawk]

That it would be difficult, and that you may not be able to. [Konatsu gibes that a moment to sink in.] But what I think is that, as long as you keep all the people you want to protect in mind, you're capable of doing quite a bit.

[acowardlyoak]

[ ... there's a small glimmer of pride. and he remembers. then and there, he remembers what happened before that awful flash of red.

he still can't remember the first life he took without wanting to cry again. ]

... I did it to save Mikado.