[ Had they never stumbled back in time, a night like tonight would normally be spent alone.
Things are different now, though. When Miki slips away after school lets out on Friday to spend the weekend with his sister, Hatanaka, and their new baby, instead of penciling himself in for a candlelit dinner for two with his sailor uniform catalogue and early night's rest, Haruaki found himself poking his head into the nurse's office to see if the terrifying good doctor might have an evening free.
And where an enthusiastic yes might have sent him spiraling into instant cowardly regret and running for the hills anywayβ
They're sat across from one another at the low table in Haruaki's dormitory room, a couple beers deep after enjoying dinner at one of the stalls in town, and he's only feared for his life less than half a dozen times! It's going pretty well!!
That reminds me, Akira-kunβ when you were patching up Hatanaka-kun's injuries after he was brought back from Kyoto... did he ever tell you how that all happened?
[ This is honestly the best case scenario for what could have happened after everything came to light. At least it is in Akira's mind.
He was never subtle about his interest in Haruaki before, but now with added context it almost feels even more intense, his smile wider and brighter when Haruaki wants to spend time with him--he always, always has time to spare for his oniisan.
Especially with 'Akira-kun' thrown into the mix, but this is already a lot for the delicate creature that is this man sitting across from him. They can get into how it makes his chest flutter a little later.
Even without that it's a downright nice night, the food is good, conversation fun, and a cute, healthy baby picture to coo over to top it off. He really couldn't ask for anything better... ]
Mm?
No, he didn't. Hatanaka-kun always likes to try and act tough and downplay his injuries, so he doesn't always tell me what happens.
[ That's about what he figured. If anything, Hatanaka probably only grumbled vaguely about getting into a fight. He can be so cool sometimes... ]
That's the way he is, isn't it...
[ It's said with nothing less than fondness as Haruaki takes another swig of his beer and then sets in down in favor of propping both elbows up on the table to rest his chin on his hands, eyes wandering up and away as he tells a very normal story in the most normal way possible: ]
Well, this and that happened, and we ran into the Four Gods who protect Kyoto. One of them stole my soul, and then it got split up into five pieces! The teachers and students had to fight to get them back! I would probably be dead if they hadn't!
He knew about the gods, it's why he gets to welcome his lovely sensei into a personal examination room every now and again, but everything else mentioned has been...not! Mentioned!!
Is it any surprise when Akira leans forward on the low table, eyes shining with just as much intent and curiosity as is dripping from his voice. ]
They got to see your soul in Kyoto? They got to see and dissect your soul while I wasn't there!?
[ Since Akira doesn't budge an inch, when Haruaki eases back into his normal posture, they're awfully close. Akira looks ready to scramble across the table and right into his skin. And it's still terrifying, yes, of course, but...
Less so than it was before all that happened one hundred years ago. He knows all too well now that Akira isn't a heartless sadist, and it makes it easier to relax around him. Maybe that'll be his undoing one day, but really... what isn't, at this point?
At any rate, Haruaki trusts him. Wouldn't be telling him this story if he didn't. So he props his elbows up too in a mirror of Akira, rests his chin on his hands as he happily recounts: ]
Well, like I said, it split off into five parts. It didn't kill me, but I was... kind of empty, I guess? My memories of that part are fuzzy! That's because one of the parts of my soul was for my memories, apparently. Without it, the other parts didn't know who the students were, for example. Then there was the athletic part of me, and the pathetic cowardly part, and the part that only thinks about my worldly desires, andβ
[ .......... ]
Ah, um, let me count how many that was. Five, right?
[ Akira's settled in so well behaved, so ready to hear all the gory bits and bobs of whatever the hell apparently happened to Haruaki and company in Kyoto.
...Well. Maybe not as gory as he'd like, Haruaki is both squeamish and understandably hazy after an ordeal like having the soul ripped out of you. He'll have to be satisfied with the broad strokes for right now, even if some of them don't..
[ Might as well dive in headfirst and see what happens. ]
I guess I'm so good at coming up with strategies like that because there's a part of my soul that... only does that? I guess? It didn't care about anything besides its underhanded schemes to get what it wanted, and it was pretty dangerous...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
closes eyes. i need to make 500 more icons first but have this for now
Things are different now, though. When Miki slips away after school lets out on Friday to spend the weekend with his sister, Hatanaka, and their new baby, instead of penciling himself in for a candlelit dinner for two with his sailor uniform catalogue and early night's rest, Haruaki found himself poking his head into the nurse's office to see if the
terrifyinggood doctor might have an evening free.And where an enthusiastic yes might have sent him spiraling into instant cowardly regret and running for the hills anywayβ
They're sat across from one another at the low table in Haruaki's dormitory room, a couple beers deep after enjoying dinner at one of the stalls in town, and he's only feared for his life less than half a dozen times! It's going pretty well!!
His phone buzzes, a photo from Miki of Hatanaka passed out under a pile of his own children. Haruaki beams down at it, turns it toward Akira before tapping out a quick reply of Ω©(ΛαΛ*)Ω β‘!!!!!!!!! and then setting it aside. ]
That reminds me, Akira-kunβ when you were patching up Hatanaka-kun's injuries after he was brought back from Kyoto... did he ever tell you how that all happened?
gnaws on you so intently
He was never subtle about his interest in Haruaki before, but now with added context it almost feels even more intense, his smile wider and brighter when Haruaki wants to spend time with him--he always, always has time to spare for his oniisan.
Especially with 'Akira-kun' thrown into the mix, but this is already a lot for the delicate creature that is this man sitting across from him. They can get into how it makes his chest flutter a little later.
Even without that it's a downright nice night, the food is good, conversation fun, and a cute, healthy baby picture to coo over to top it off. He really couldn't ask for anything better... ]
Mm?
No, he didn't. Hatanaka-kun always likes to try and act tough and downplay his injuries, so he doesn't always tell me what happens.
BUPPY DRIVE BY KISS.GIF
That's the way he is, isn't it...
[ It's said with nothing less than fondness as Haruaki takes another swig of his beer and then sets in down in favor of propping both elbows up on the table to rest his chin on his hands, eyes wandering up and away as he tells a very normal story in the most normal way possible: ]
Well, this and that happened, and we ran into the Four Gods who protect Kyoto. One of them stole my soul, and then it got split up into five pieces! The teachers and students had to fight to get them back! I would probably be dead if they hadn't!
[ Ha ha! Probably ♥ ]
no subject
Huh??
[ HUH??????
He knew about the gods, it's why he gets to welcome his lovely sensei into a personal examination room every now and again, but everything else mentioned has been...not! Mentioned!!
Is it any surprise when Akira leans forward on the low table, eyes shining with just as much intent and curiosity as is dripping from his voice. ]
They got to see your soul in Kyoto? They got to see and dissect your soul while I wasn't there!?
no subject
Thankfully, there are only two eyes looking back at him.
For now. ]
I wouldn't say they "dissected" it, Akira-kun... It's not like we meant for my soul to shatter!
[ Give him. Just a second. While he considers what that whole sequence of events would have been like had Akira been with them.
In a word: yikes! ]
A-and before you ask, I don't think it's something that can be repeated!
[ HA HA! PROBABLY?? ♥ ]
no subject
[ Oh dear, if he leans any further on the table he might start crawling across it... ]
We could always test that! In a safe environment, where you know you can be put back together again without any worry!
no subject
LEANING
BACK... ]
What if I just tell you about it instead!?
no subject
Hmmmmmmmm.
It won't be enough in the end, but for right now... ]
A firsthand account is important...
[ Instead of leaning back himself, he just. Props himself up on his elbows and gets comfortable right where he is. ]
Okay! Please, tell me absolutely everything, don't leave out a single detail!
no subject
Less so than it was before all that happened one hundred years ago. He knows all too well now that Akira isn't a heartless sadist, and it makes it easier to relax around him. Maybe that'll be his undoing one day, but really... what isn't, at this point?
At any rate, Haruaki trusts him. Wouldn't be telling him this story if he didn't. So he props his elbows up too in a mirror of Akira, rests his chin on his hands as he happily recounts: ]
Well, like I said, it split off into five parts. It didn't kill me, but I was... kind of empty, I guess? My memories of that part are fuzzy! That's because one of the parts of my soul was for my memories, apparently. Without it, the other parts didn't know who the students were, for example. Then there was the athletic part of me, and the pathetic cowardly part, and the part that only thinks about my worldly desires, andβ
[ .......... ]
Ah, um, let me count how many that was. Five, right?
no subject
...Well. Maybe not as gory as he'd like, Haruaki is both squeamish and understandably hazy after an ordeal like having the soul ripped out of you. He'll have to be satisfied with the broad strokes for right now, even if some of them don't..
Add up? Huh? ]
That was only four. What was the fifth part?
no subject
Y-you have to promise not to get weird about it, Akira-kun! It's the kind of thing you'd be way too into!
[ WHICH MAKES IT SOUND WORSE THAN IT IS? Still, thoughβ ]
Promise me!!!
no subject
Ah! I see. So it's like that.
[ In a sudden burst of inspiration, he...leans back to sit on his hands. Can't possibly do anything weird or untoward like this. ]
Will this work?
no subject
I'm not hearing "I promise that I won't get weird about the last part of your soul, Abe-sensei."
no subject
no subject
[ . . . ]
Do you remember how I came up with that complicated plan to rescue Nyuudou-kun?
[ He is going to regret this. ]
no subject
I do! I was impressed everything managed to work out--you really are something else.
no subject
[ Might as well dive in headfirst and see what happens. ]
I guess I'm so good at coming up with strategies like that because there's a part of my soul that... only does that? I guess? It didn't care about anything besides its underhanded schemes to get what it wanted, and it was pretty dangerous...