labyrinthum inbox.

[seeinside]

voice ⊛ video ⊛ text ⊛ action

Comments

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE I'M THE ONE BREAKING THIS IN HELLO??? idk sometime mid-march <3

[placation]

Takahashi-san, you're still without your many eyes, right?

ARMS WIDE ENOUGH OPEN SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU

[seeinside]

Unfortunately yes. I'm still hard at work for them, though!

[placation]

I would say I'm sorry to hear that, but... that might be for the best at the moment.

Abilities appear to be functioning abnormally.

Do you remember the photo I sent you of Azathoth before?

[seeinside]

Functioning abnormally?

Of course! I couldn't forget such a beautiful sight so soon.

is it another bedtime question game. yes it is

[dresscode]

[ It turns out, even the most robotic of processes can slowly be altered. Haruaki's getting better and better at staying up until midnight, and especially now that he more-than-occasionally has a duty that takes him out of the house in the dead of night–

Which is why, at 11:59 PM on the dot, the front door to the flat above Takahashi General Clinic bangs open. ]

I made it just in time! Life is so much easier now that I can think of sailor uniforms to run at super speeds again!

[ Who knew that was a power worthy of being stolen from him and regained? Anyway...

He scoots right over to where Akira's surely hunched over all his papers and books, hands over his shoulders to try to lift him up. ]

I got Principal home from the bar for his bedtime, and now it's your turn! Abe-sensei's work is never done!!!

yeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSSSS

[seeinside]

Ah--!

[ Caught shrimping, and caught most definitely thinking he was gonna escape bedtime due to Haruaki being out. An unfortunate lesson his years and years of social training has left him with is that if he misbehaves where no one can see, it doesn't count.

And now he's here being seen. Drat. ]

You're really giving everyone a bedtime, huh? I suppose that is the healthiest option...

[ He isn't standing up from his chair, though. Not yet. ]

[dresscode]

[ Tug.

Tug.

Tug tug tug.

He's not going to stop tugging! Up you go! ]

All of you are so bad at taking care of yourselves, I have to! Although, to be honest, I think some nights Principal sneaks back out to the bar...

[ ... s q u i n t. ]

You don't sneak back out here, do you?

[seeinside]

[ He lifts.

Up.

A little more.

With every tug. ]

No! Never! I would never go back on my word like that.

[ While he is telling the truth, he unfortunately still has the air of someone caught doing something they aren't supposed to. Because it's not like he hasn't thought about it... ]

> mid-september

[dresscode]

[ Whether out of shame, embarrassment, or simply a mutual, silent agreement to not rock the boat, they haven't spoken about it. They haven't let it change anything about their habits, either – they've still fallen asleep cuddled up in one another's beds every night after whispering a question into the darkness. Haruaki's tried to put it out of his mind, but...

He feels it every time Akira wraps his arms around him. The dull pressure of a scalpel slicing through his skin, a firm hand wriggling between his ribs to wrap right around his heart. His own blood in his mouth, pushed there by Akira's tongue.

That first touch of their lips together, the last thing he felt before it all went pleasantly numb.

Not talking about it isn't in Haruaki's nature. He can keep secrets, and he can avoid topics until someone is ready to bring them up, but... this is a big deal for him. A massive one.

And he doesn't think Akira knows.

He's not sure if those feelings they both expressed were just a byproduct of the room or not. He's not sure of much of anything, lately, but one thing he's sure of is– ]

Akira-kun. [ It's quiet, but firm. Serious. Haruaki lingers at the edge of the kitchen as they clean up after dinner. ] About the labyrinth...

[ And then, immediately: ]

I'm not upset. I just want to talk about it.

[seeinside]

[ That room lingers much like a dream in the edges of Akira's mind. Normally it would be a sweet one, confessing the feelings he's held on to for so long and getting to hold his beloved's heart in his hands while laying him down with a kiss...had he woken up from it in the morning like any other dream he'd be kicking his feet and giggling.

But that's not how it happened. Haruaki was there. Along with the dreadful, awful realization that he did indeed say all those things, do all those things.

Haruaki is truly a creature of mercy for not bringing it up until now.

Akira assumes he's done something wrong from the tone, like forgetting to put something away or not taking the trash out when he should have. But then Haruaki clarifies, and his pleasantly apologetic demeanor freezes. ]

...Alright.

[ It's quiet, careful, even with a smile still in place like a cornered fawn. ]

What do you want to talk about?

[dresscode]

[ The thing is that it does feel like a dream. Even more so when they emerged from the room and he had not a scratch on him, much less a scar running the length of his torso. Haruaki could almost let himself believe it was nothing more than a strange vision they shared... if not for the palpable tension between them every so often.

It really happened. They really did all that, said all that. Sure, Akira did most of the talking, but–

Haruaki did tell him that he loved him.

It wasn't a lie, was it?

He feels desperate for guidance, and there's no one to give it. He and Akira have to muddle through this together. ]

All of it, I guess...

[ There's no one thing in particular Haruaki can point to first. It's all a jumbled mass of sensation in his mind and in his heart, desire and fear mingling in a noxious mass.

He fiddles with the dish towel in his hands, wringing it in one nervous fist as one sentiment rises to the top of the confusing slurry and jolts out of him before he can think it over. ]

It didn't feel like it at the time, but, um... th-that was my first kiss.

[seeinside]

[ CACKLCKLINKANK--There's a clattering of dishware Akira's putting away, thankfully not breaking anything but expressing as much of a startle as it might evoke. ]

Your first?

> 12/25 gift delivery

[dresscode]

[ On Christmas morning, Akira will receive a small wooden box with intricate geometric designs carved deep into each side. Inside, an unassuming gift: a bracelet of braided cord that's been dyed deep blood red.

It might take some blushing and stammering to get out, but eventually Haruaki will tell him that he doesn't know if they can take anything from this world back to their own – they may return to Hyakki without any items, without any memories. But if there's any way to keep ahold of something, he knows Akira will be the one to do it. He held onto that mysterious, helpful oniisan for more than a century, after all.

The bracelet is a promise. That when they do return, Akira won't forget what they found here. That even if he has to wait for Haruaki to remember all over again, he will remember, and they'll be able to continue nurturing what they've begun to grow together. ]

> 12/25 gift delivery

[placation]

[ On Christmas morning, Akira will receive a couple exceedingly nice bottles of wine, as well as a cute little doggie sweater for Hana and a note:

Merry Christmas, Takahashi-sensei. Let's both work hard next year.

- Dr. Maruki ]

Christmas Present!

[nuraridouman]

[Douman's gift is delivered by a courier and wrapped in dark blue paper with snowflakes and stars. Inside is a puzzle box of the hidden room kind, offering a couple of distractions for a curious Dodomeki along the way to his prize: a selection of fine alcoholic chocolates and one smooth stone of an unknown substance.

'Since I know that figuring out the unknown tickles you the most. Merry Christmas, Douman']

12/25; secret santa

[savetheweak]

[Oda is a pretty straightforward guy. He recruited some help and selected a book for Takahashi-sensei on the varied magic plants that grow in the Enchanted Garden. It includes a comprehensive list of the last several years' worth of seasonal blooms and their effects.

[There's a concise note attached.]

Abe-sensei helped. Let's meet sometime.

- Oda Sakunosuke

(action) @ club quartz

[savetheweak]

[It's odd, sitting in Club Quartz without all the lights on. Daylight still comes in where it's can, but overall, it's dim and grim, like they're sitting under a raincloud.

[Ah, well. At least they have their drinks. Oda raises his before taking a sip.]

Thanks for coming out. It's good to actually meet you in person.

[seeinside]

[ And Akira will raise his in turn, smile bright and friendly. ]

You as well! It feels only right to thank you face to face--that book's going to be invaluable to my research here.

[savetheweak]

Really? I'm glad to hear that.

Abe-sensei said you were trying to figure out how to turn the plants into medicine.

[seeinside]

Yes! A good number of the plants that grow only in the garden have proven to be potent painkillers and coagulants, and that's only the ones simplest to prepare. And because this place operates on its own set of rules the ones I'm used to don't always apply--

[ He leans in, mind visibly fighting in its excitement to pick a topic and stick to it until he just grabs one from the air. ]

Oh! Just the other day I was experimenting with what I thought was only a stimulant, and the slightest difference in preparation turned it right around into a gentle sleep medication.

text; un: seimei

[dresscode]

[ Just as promised – and threatened – neither of them have left the house for longer than a brief jaunt with Hana in many days. Honestly, it's not all that bad. Haruaki's relieved to have an excuse to hole up at home and be a total coward. Sano comes and goes with Marshmallow, so they have company to help change the scenery. And really, in the end–

He just likes being with Akira, plain and simple. Even under dire circumstances, and even if they sometimes go a bit stir crazy. Haruaki really doesn't get tired of being near him, thank god.

Today, Akira's down in the clinic with Hana, and Haruaki's all on his ownsome upstairs, plunked down on the floor in the living room practicing the sewing stitches Haru taught him. It's as far as they get from one another, and it's fine. It's fiiiine, they don't always need to have eyes quite literally on each other, they've reached an agreement on not daring to sneak out. Haruaki doesn't even want to! He'd rather die a thousand times than frighten Akira again!

But, like. He's bored. And his mind is wandering. And that's never a good thing.

Sewing supplies go down. Phone goes up. ]

Darliiiiiiiiiing~

Do you want to play a game? (´• ω •`)

[seeinside]

[ With most everyone erring on the side of caution, the clinic hasn't seen many actual patients in some time. One or two emergencies, some stragglers who lost track of time and needed to spend the night, but otherwise Akira's time has been spent meticulously managing inventory for what he can spare to Eren's efforts and more old fashioned mortar and pestle work to make medicine.

Which is to say there isn't anything immediately demanding his attention when Haruaki wants it. Less than a minute before there's a response, ]

Ooooooh? What kind of game?

[dresscode]

It's a naughty game I caught some of my students playing one time, so I made up a more family friendly version for them!

I wanna make up a version just for you, too...

You know [MANDRAGORA CENSORED WORD]/marry/kill, right?

[seeinside]

I do! Not a game I'd imagine you playing.

The original naughty version, at least. What's the special Haruaki version?

[ Hang on, give him a second.

Just a second, it's so important. ]

( °ヮ° ) ?

> valentine's day chocolate delivery

[dresscode]

[ In the morning on the 14th, whenever Akira ventures down to the clinic, he'll find a small box of half a dozen mandragora-shaped chocolates and a little note: ]

Happy Valentine's Day, Akira-kun!! ♡♡♡♡♡

I've never given chocolate to anyone before, or gotten any, so I don't know how good this is... but Marshmallow helped me make it, and he said he has 100 mandragoras giving him chocolate every year, so he must know what he's doing!

Let's always be together, okay? Come sweep me off my feet if you agree!

♡ Haruaki