warmwood, evening 2; tsukiyama + banjou

[lasuaspada]

[Tsukiyama doesn't return home immediately after the trial; rather, the first part of his evening is full of the sort of questionable life choices that lead to him getting violently ill immediately after he does. It'd been reckless, and he's aware that it's a bad idea to be spending time anywhere near someone possessed while he's in a less than ideal physical state, but at the same time he can't say that he can be bothered to care, and in its own way it had been entirely worth it.

After a while, however, he'd forced himself up and straightened himself up, and even if he's still looking...slightly disheveled he's more composed than he has been for the better part of the day, and when he finally finds Banjou he doesn't approach him properly. Instead he just leans up against the doorframe and watches him for a moment; when he finally speaks, his voice is perhaps surprisingly calm, even if his expression is a bit unnervingly blank.]

Why did you abstain?

[The question is straightforward; it's all he offers for now. No greeting, but not screaming insults either. Just a question.]

Comments

[irenicly]

Why did we come here? We're ghouls.

We can't live amongst humans. We'll either go mad and attack someone or we'll eventually starve. Coming here was a death sentence, so why did we do it?

[lasuaspada]

Why would you ask me that? Coming here was a blessing from Our Lady; I'm sure that if things were to become dire, she would provide.

[irenicly]

I guess she would.

[...it's no good.

It's just as he said.]

[lasuaspada]

...Is there anything left or not? I want to know if I'm wasting my time.

[irenicly]

[.....he doesn't want to lie to his brother, but...]

Yes. He's still here.

[lasuaspada]

That's...!

[His gaze darts a bit at that while he tries to process it; his breathing quickens a bit, though it's not in that odd, constricted way that he was dealing with at the trial.]

May I speak to him, or...?

[irenicly]

[He's silent for a long moment before he nods.]

I'm breaking rules if I do this. I can only let him talk for a minute, understand?

[lasuaspada]

I understand, of course.

[irenicly]

[Dammit.

He's not a good actor, but he shifts his shoulders tensing up abruptly.]

Brother?

[lasuaspada]

[As bad an actor though you may be, there's something about being on some sort of emotional rollercoaster for the last several hours that ensures that when it peaks again, you are left seeing exactly what you want to see and it's...]

Kazuichi-san...?

[...gonna be really undignified in about three seconds, you just watch.]

[irenicly]

[Banjou can't decide what to do with his face. It's a mess of emotions right now, which works given the situation.]

Please help me, Shuu-san.

I don't... I don't want to die.

[lasuaspada]

[One of his hands flutters a bit at that, as though he's tempted to reach out and touch but thinks better of it; he finds himself covering his mouth instead for a brief moment before he makes himself stop - there isn't much time to talk to him, after all.]

You're not going to die, amore, I swear to you. You know I'll do whatever's necessary.

[irenicly]

[Why is he doing this?

This is going to get himself killed.]

I don't know what it wants, but please... please...

[This isn't really going anywhere and he knows it. Tsukiyama should be the one asking questions right now.]

[lasuaspada]

[Just...just let him think, okay?]

The Lady needs to know about this - surely she can do something if we inform her of this, or at the very least she won't send those we find to their deaths...!

[irenicly]

Shuu-san, I don't know how a demon can be removed. Our Lady may find it easier to kill the demon and host.

If you ask her to do so, she'll say it's blasphemy.

[lasuaspada]

...All right. This...it will remain between us for now.

[Because nothing in their lives is ever easy; welcome to Tokyo Ghoul, where everything's fucked up and your desire to stop suffering doesn't matter.]

Are you aware of everything that's been happening?

[irenicly]

[He nods his head.]

I don't share dreams with the demon, but I'm aware of everything else.

[lasuaspada]

[...oh

well shit]

I suppose you saw how that last trial went, then.

[irenicly]

I can't blame you for what you tried to do.

[lasuaspada]

Well, I should hope not, given everything that's happened.

...We'll figure something out, Kazuichi-san, and I won't let you die. I promise you.

[irenicly]

[He gives a slight, sad smile.]

Thank you.

[And then Banjou straightens up, holding out his hand.]

I'm sorry. That's all the time I can give you.

[lasuaspada]

[...Ah.

Tsukiyama can feel himself tense up a little again when the demon's presence returns, but he...doesn't seem nearly as riled as he did before.]

...You know, that was surprisingly decent of you, monsieur.

[........

...are...you a guy...okay look let's just not worry about that right now]

[irenicly]

[He doesn't smile at that, looking away.]

I'm sorry I couldn't give you more time.

[lasuaspada]

You didn't have to do it at all.

[And something about that seems to relax him a little; not much, but some.]

Answer something for me?

[irenicly]

[Banjou turns back to look at Tsukiyama.]

If I can, I'll answer whatever you ask.