009 | [action/voice]

[screwthegods]

[It's late in the evening when Homura finds himself deposited from one dark room into another. His defenses are up, instincts screaming to protect his battered and bruised body from further injury. Yet despite his will, the Malnosso have done their damage; his wounds are severe, blood still seeping from barely-patched gashes along his torso. Equally deep red stains mark the new-feather pants, leaving Homura dizzy and weak. He clings the first solid object he finds with his palm, swaying in an all-too telling fashion even as he tries to take a few steps forward. Having no idea about his location just yet, Homura struggles for patience as his eyes adjust to the darkness.]


[Later in the night, Homura makes the trek across the village to his own apartment. He's better now, though blood still dries on his clothes as he moves. It's a long trip to the highest floor of Community Housing 3, and the silence that meets him on his return is hardly as welcoming as most might expect. Instead of his own room, his own bed, Homura first heads across the hall to the bedroom once occupied by a fellow demi-god. He finds it empty, however, stripped of possessions and personalization that had once marked Nataku's presence. Despite the fatigue, Homura opens his journal then; better to make the announcement right away. There is no telling how long it's already been delayed.]

To those that might have known him, Toushin Nataku Taishi has been sent home.


[ooc: Late night overdue return from mallynap! Homura will be patched up by Ayumu before he heads for his own house, but he's otherwise free over the journal or in person to anyone interested who would be up that late.]

Comments

[screwthegods]

[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.

[ayu_nee]

[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.

[screwthegods]

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.]

Besides, none of this will kill me.

[ayu_nee]

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.]

[screwthegods]

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?

[ayu_nee]

A little over five weeks.

[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.

[screwthegods]

Is that so?

[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.

[ayu_nee]

[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.

[screwthegods]

I know it's the truth.

[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?

[ayu_nee]

Hm.

[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.

[screwthegods]

[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?

[ayu_nee]

[Ayumu finishes cleaning up and looks back toward him again, folding her hands in her lap.]

After I returned I went to check your apartment— and found it empty.

[screwthegods]

[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.]

Thank you for telling me.

[ayu_nee]

You deserved to know. Better this than finding out on your own, after what you've already been through.

[She may not have been as close to Nataku as Homura clearly was, but she still... well, perhaps even liked him.]

[screwthegods]

[Deserved? Homura shakes his head slightly, then lets his hands drop from Ayumu's body. Knowing that no one would be in his own apartment on his return takes away his desire to make the trip, and he lays back on her bed. What he deserves in return for his powerlessness is far from the consideration she shows him.]

Would you mind telling me what else I've missed?

[ayu_nee]

[Ayumu frowns at him briefly, but first rises to her feet with the basket and moves to put it away.]

It was much as usual here during that time. A draft, and now more new arrivals— though instead of an experiment the Malnosso created a... a park of some kind, with activities. Though it's disappeared again now.

[With that taken care of, she moves back to kneel at his side, resting a hand on his forehead as though testing for fever.]

[screwthegods]

[Much as usual indeed. Although it seems that Homura has missed a great deal, none of the events stand out as being unusual in and of themselves. Even the mention of the park isn't so unlike the festivals they had experienced before. If anything, Homura is thankful that Ayumu herself hasn't been forced through any of the mental manipulations the Malnoso seem so fond of.

When Homura feels her hand on his skin, he turns his head slightly to look at her.]

I'm glad you're well.

[ayu_nee]

[She manages a faint hint of a smile at that.]

As am I.

[And there's a brief pause before she continues, with an admission somewhat more honest than usual.]

I was starting to wonder if you were going to return at all.

[screwthegods]

[Homura moves his hand over Ayumu's when she confesses. It's likely as close as she'll let herself come to admitting she has been worried over him, and something she never would have said only a short time before. Despite everything, that makes Homura smile more honestly.]

I apologize for making you wonder, in that case. It's unfortunate that it went so far.

[ayu_nee]

It was hardly your fault, you know.

[And she isn't pulling her hand away from his, either. Clearly she was worried, even if she won't admit to more than what she already has.]

Rest here as long as you need to.

[screwthegods]

I'm aware. [Yet that is the problem in the end: so many things entirely out of his control, moreso than they had been centuries ago. Then Homura had naivety as his excuse. Now, he simply cannot do anything to change whatever might happen.]

Thank you. [Still, he has this. Homura curls his fingers around Ayumu's, drawing her hand down to place a gentle kiss on the skin.] And you'll stay with me, I trust?

[ayu_nee]

[At that her hand does twitch slightly, as though she'd thought to draw back again but changed her mind after the initial reaction. Gentleness is still something she doesn't quite know how to deal with, especially not coming from him.]

For a time, at least. I'll need to start breakfast in a few hours.

[screwthegods]

I'll be gone before then.

[Homura feels the slight twinge, but ignores it. True enough, that gentle side is one he rarely shows, much the same as Ayumu herself hides her emotions. Keeping her hand in his, now held against his chest, Homura lets his eyes close. A few hours will be enough time for him to sleep, and face the truth of an empty apartment.]

[ayu_nee]

[It doesn't seem like enough time to her, given the extent of the injuries she'd just patched up, but arguing with Homura about it would likely be unproductive. Ayumu merely confines her reaction to a faint sigh before settling down beside him, though she isn't entirely certain just how much sleep she'll manage before morning.]