Also, fun fact about Lalli: he prefers entering and exiting his apartment via his balcony. Which means that he's going to scale down the side of the building, get to Izo's own balcony, and scratch on the balcony door to be let in.]
[ In several definitions of the word. A stray Servant, a stray dog gone wild, and he's home to a stray tengu now. A couple of strays in good company, at least.
Izō plops down on the floor where a worn, chipped sake set awaits (one of the 'gifts' pulled from the oi no bakemono). He fills two of the cups and offers one to Lalli. ]
...ish. Because Lalli is still unsure about alcohol. But he will actually give it a try this time, since Izo is now a friend and Izo probably wouldn't offer him anything gross.
Lalli sits down near Izo and takes the tiny cup. He doesn't drink yet, because he's busy looking over the small glass. Someone has never seen a sake set up close before. Even here he doesn't make a habit of paying close attention to these kinds of things.]
It's strong. Guessin' ya never drank much before...or at all. So take it easy. [ Because he doesn't want to be the drunk babysitter, thanks. ] Drink that and I'll pour ya more if ya want.
[ At last Lalli's questions are delaying the inevitable. Izō needs a few more drinks in him to really let himself open up, anyway. ]
Not really. They didn't let us drink in the military base, and it's expensive to buy on your own.
[He does 'take it easy', though. Instead of downing the small cup's contents in one go, he just sips it. And then he instantly makes a pucker-face, because wow that's bitter to his sweet-craving tongue.]
[ Izō tries and utterly fails to stop himself from laughing at that. It's about what he expected. He grins before emptying his own cup without so much as a flinch. It's not the nicest sake around, no, but it does its job. He pours himself another, still grinning. ]
Not what ya were expectin', huh? You'll get used to it...Or jus' hate it. Don't force yourself t'drink it if ya hate it.
[ It's fine that Lalli doesn't want more -- more for him. At least he doesn't resort to drinking straight out of the bottle like he wants to. Silence settles for a bit as he pours himself a third cup. The familiar warmth burns his stomach and flushes his cheeks slightly. Maybe now... ]
About what ya saw...That guy was a friend'a mine. 'Til he turned his back on our cause. [ Not really the truth, but it's the truth as Izō saw it. Their paths simply diverted; Ryouma had greater ambitions than that of the Sonnō Joi. It still stung like abandonment to Izō, though. ] We grew up together, so we were thick as thieves, y'know? He was th'only one that ever had a fuckin' nice thing to say 'bout me...
[Definitely an acquired taste. At least Lalli isn't at risk of becoming an alcoholic.
Also sure, that's absolutely a light conversation over a drink and not an admission of deep pain. Lalli will try his best not to be as abrasive as he normally can be.]
Oh.
...what cause? Was it dangerous?
[It makes no difference but Lalli is a little confused as to what a "cause" would even be. He's imagining it as like a dangerous mission that this friend gave up on, leaving Izo high and dry.]
[ How the hell to even explain the political mess he was a part of and didn't quite fully understand himself...? The Tosa Kinnoto eventually erased his name from the records, anyway...But still. He'll try his best. ]
Well...We were a part of a group that was loyal to the emperor and wanted to make sure he stayed in power. Keep the foreigners outta power and outta th' country. I dunno much 'bout the finer details 'cause that wasn't my problem. I was jus' there to kill who I was told to kill.
[ As casual as anything. ]
He ditched us 'cause he had bigger goals. I never really understood it...Never really got why he left us behind. [ He died before he could see what Ryouma had been working towards. ] But...Even though he did that, I know he never woulda said any of that shit to me.
[ Or maybe he's lying to himself again. Time for another drink to bury that trauma deeper. ]
[Ah. Political stuff. Things like that have never been a big deal to Lalli. Finland got hit the worst out of everyone when the Rash came through, so it's been focused more on surviving than anything. He can't even think of any specific leader for the whole country. Just mayors, or the head of a town or a base or something. Power means little when there's little to have power over.
But it sounds important to Izo, so he nods along with Izo's story. And the end part is something he gets pretty easily: Izo feels betrayed by someone who left. Lalli's memories briefly flash to Tuuri, but he pushes those thoughts away. That was entirely different from this.]
If a youkai is making us see each other's memories, then it's probably making them worse than they were.
[Something something Izo's projecting his worries and fears onto his memories of Ryouma. But Lalli doesn't quite have the words to explain that idea.]
Tuuri and I left our group. Not because we disagreed with them, but because Tuuri wanted to join an expedition into the Silent World. And after that was over, I never went back. But it wasn't because I disagreed with the military at Keruu, it was because I found something else to do.
Maybe your friend was the same.
[It's the best way he can think of to explain it. Telling examples from his own life is way easier than just explaining an idea.]
[ Embarrassment strikes him suddenly. Why is he telling any of this to Lalli...? He should've just kept it to himself again, let that memory he saw always be a mystery. It's so much easier to keep people away than it is to let them in.
He stares down in his empty cup. Similarly, it's easier to talk about this if he doesn't look at Lalli. He might be right, that was probably the reason Ryouma drifted away -- his ideas went beyond anything the Tosa Kinnoto could've done. It didn't make the perceived slight any less painful, though. ]
...Maybe. I jus' wonder what woulda happened if I'd followed along with him instead stickin' to what I knew. [ He still would've been killed for his role in numerous assassinations, certainly, but maybe he wouldn't have been so hungry in his final days. ] Eh, Ryouma was better off without me, anyway.
[ Time to turn his attention elsewhere. ]
Didn't think ya were th' military type, so no wonder ya found somethin' else t'do.
[No need to be embarrassed, Izo. Lalli is actually a good listener, even if it's just because he doesn't talk as much. Though recently he's been finding more reasons to talk, which has been really weird for him. Maybe it's because he's actually starting to care about how Izo feels, and he wants to try and make him feel better. Even if he doesn't quite know how.
Maybe just talking and listening is enough. Especially when Izo says something like all of that, and Lalli is struck by how similar they really are.]
If you're friends, then he probably still thinks about you. Friends don't forget each other, even over long distances and lots of time.
[As for the rest, he shrugs.]
We didn't have anywhere else to go. Onni got at job with them as a scout, and he told them me and Tuuri had to come too. We were too little to work, so they started training us instead. Tuuri learned languages and mechanical stuff, I learned how to be a scout like Onni.
[ Izō couldn't know whether it was true or not -- he died a few years before Ryouma did -- but Lalli wasn't wrong. The only person that mourned his death, whether he knew it or not, was Ryouma. It's easier for Izō to think that he just stopped caring when they went their separate ways. ]
Yeah, well...Maybe. Ain't like I'm gonna see him again t'find out...It's a nice thought, at least.
[ Another drink to bury those feelings as deep as he can again. The once full bottle of sake is nearly empty now.
Lalli's story gives him pause. ]
Wait...Too little? How old were ya?
[ Izō was just 18 when he'd started his more formal training, but something told him Lalli had been even younger than that. ]
[He nods, accepting that answer. They're stuck here, so unless Ryouma comes to this world Izo will never find that answer anyway. It's better to move forward and find a place here than get caught up in the past.
Lalli is still working on that. The nightmares of Tuuri's death are less frequent now.]
Eight. And Tuuri was ten. Onni was older, he was already sixteen, so he could work. But they made me train at the school until I was twelve before they let me go and scout in the woods by the base.
It was so stupid. I had been going on scouting trips with Grandma since I was six, I already knew what to do. I had even been to the Silent World before! But they said I had to get trained in THEIR ways of scouting before I could go out on my own.
[ Eight. Eight?? He knows that it's a different world and society is right fucked and all that, but eight?! Izō almost spits out his mouthful of sake and almost misses the rest of his complaints entirely because he's too caught up on the fact Lalli was eight years old. ]
Eight?! They started trainin' ya at eight?! I was fuckin' around with a sword by myself at that age, no one was 'bout to train me for it!
[ A lot of things started making sense, though. ]
Jeez, no wonder you're as good as you are at what ya do, huh?
[Lalli in turn seems surprised by Izo's protests there. He's spent so long training and working that he never really considered that it might not be a normal life.]
It was a military base, and food is always carefully portioned. You don't work, you don't eat. Especially since I'm immune to the Rash, they wanted me ready to work as soon as possible.
[ He's just the right level of drunk for this conversation, at least. Lalli's explanation makes perfect sense and, on some level, he knew it was because of the state of the world he's from. He can't shake just how absurd that idea is, though. ]
Yeah, I guess that makes sense and all, but eight's still so fuckin' young. Can't imagine workin' at that age. I left home to train when I was 18...
[ He leaves out the later milestones of his first assassination in his early 20s and his death at age 27. Not important right now. ]
[It's probably for the best to leave out the 'death' part all together around Lalli, that might actually trigger another breakdown in him depending on how he learns about it.]
But you're way stronger than me, and really good with a sword. How did you learn that so fast?
[He's assuming Izo is close to Onni's age, which isn't actually that far off.]
[ Lucky for Lalli, he has no interest in explaining what a Servant is; talking about his own death would eventually lead down the path of just how the hell he's aware of that and other strange things he knows. A topic to completely avoid for practical reasons.
Izō practically puffs up at his praises, though. If there's one thing he's proud of, it's his swordsmanship. ]
I've always been good with a sword ever since I picked one up. I was called a genius of the sword because I could memorize any move just seein' it once. It's nothin' for me. [ His smile turns almost sad for a moment. ] Ryouma was th' one t'say it first....We were jus' kids, but...hey, he wasn't wrong.
[ It gave him something to focus on, something to work towards. A way of proving himself when he came from almost nothing. It's all he had going for him, so he had to be good at it. ]
['You should specify that you kill those monsters from your world, not people.'
'Why would I need to specify that?'
'...Child.'
Suddenly Lalli seems a bit annoyed. But the sudden onset after a brief lull in conversation is probably familiar by now, given the sheer amount of body-sharing in this city.]
'Kissa' says I should tell you I'm good at killing trolls, not people. It's stupid, why would a person kill another person if they didn't have to? We've only ever had to do that when an infected person turned up during their quarantine.
[ A familiar lull, really. After some unfortunate incidents, he's learned to keep his arguments with Karasu inside his head finally.
Izō averts his gaze for a moment. They come from two different worlds and that's never been more evident than now. He hesitates to answer, if only because he's suddenly worried that the truth will push Lalli away. Who wants to be friends with a manslayer, anyway? Who should be friends with one at all? ]
...I never told ya what I do, did I? [ Maybe it's the alcohol or maybe it's his desire to rip the bandaid off and put an end to the silly fantasy he could ever have friends -- whichever it is, he barrels forward with the truth. ] ...I killed people for a livin'. They called me Manslayer Izō back in Tosa.
[That awkward pause is Lalli realizing just how different their worlds are. Attacking other humans like that is pointless as far as he is considered, because there's so few people left in the Known World anyway. Why kill one of a couple hundred thousand? That will just end humanity sooner.]
Why?
[No judgement, just curiosity and a desire to understand his friend.]
[ Lalli is still here and still curious -- he's grateful for that, but also a little confused. Whatever, may as well keep talking. ]
...Yeah and 'cause I'm good at it. I killed a bunch'a important people in th' name of divine punishment. [ "Tenchu", the rallying cry of those allied with Takechi Hanpeita. ] A few of 'em were from when I was a bodyguard, though.
[ He huffs a short laugh through his nose. ]
Endin' one life so another can live...Kinda fucked up, huh?
[Lalli has seen people like Izo before. They were so excited to be out there killing trolls and clearing the land of any trace of the Rash. Lalli doesn't quite understand that attitude himself, personally. He kills trolls and exorcises ghosts, but he doesn't get any enjoyment from it. It's just a job, like how you have to wash your clothes or cook your food. It's not something done for fun, you do it because you have to.
But even though he doesn't get it, it's still something that is important to Izo. So.]
We had to do that sometimes, if someone was sick with the Rash. I guess it's a little messed up. But you do it because you have to, right? For bodyguarding, or divine punishment.
[ Izō isn't very smart and those he worked for used that to their advantage. It's easy to get him to do what you want if you're enthusiastic enough and give him enough praise. He's not that different from a particularly violent dog, really. ]
Yeah...Not like I was good at anythin' else. Had to do somethin' to eat, y'know?
[ And there goes to last of the sake bottle. For once, he doesn't feel miserable...Talking with Lalli is nice. He occupies a space no one else has managed to get to yet. To think he'd talk so openly about his life instead of keeping someone at arm's length. ]
Sorry for, uh, the whole threatenin' ya thing... [ Because he hadn't properly apologized for that whole mess. ] Ya got nothin' to fear from me like that ever again...In fact, ya ever need someone or somethin' dealt with...Jus' say th' word.
[It's why he's a scout, after all: it's something he's good at, and it lets him eat. It's a perfectly valid reason to choose a specific job.
And sometimes it's easiest to deal with your problems by talking them through with someone else. Especially if that someone else proves to be an effective sounding board.
Izo finishes the whole bottle in the time it takes Lalli to finish one cup, which is about the right speed in his mind. He'll set the cup down as Izo finishes his own drink.]
You threatened me because you were being attacked. Anyone would have done it, it's not your fault.
[Is he trying to comfort Izo there? It's hard to tell. Lalli can be blunt with his words sometimes, so it's hard to know if this is him just saying his opinions or if he's trying to be helpful. It's probably a bit of both.
But regardless, he's being honest here: there's no hard feelings over what happened in the dream.]
But if I need help, I'll ask.
[He'll try to ask. He's still learning about that 'speak up' part. Usually when he does ask for help, it's when he's drowning in problems. Maybe someday he'll learn to speak up before then.]
[ No hard feelings is good. Alienating his currently only friend is the last thing he wants to do. Izō reaches out and ... stops before punching Lalli in the shoulder in an affection gesture. Instead, he draws his fist back with a little grin. That's what he offered before, right? ]
Even if ya don't ask...If I know you're in trouble, I'll do whatever I can t'help.
[What is it with people and the shoulder-punching? He's lost count of how many times that has happened, and nobody ever did explain it to him. But Izo stops short, and Lalli lifts his own fist to tap it against Izo's.]
If I'm in trouble, everyone is in trouble.
[He's just stating that out loud since his usual MO is to avoid trouble entirely.]
[ Violence is all he knows and that's just a form of violent affection, isn't it? ]
Yeah, yeah...With th' way ya run off at the first sign of it and all.
[ This whole little talk has been...nice, really. Izō half-expected to be a mess by the end of it, given his issues speaking frankly about his emotions and his past. Much better than most nights he drinks a bottle of sake by himself. ]
...This place ain't so bad with someone like you here.
[But speaking of which, Lalli is going to reach into his pocket and pull out one of the many maps he has made of the area. The apartment building is clearly labeled, and the streets around there have friendly locations circled and dangerous ones Xed out.This map is going to be offered to Izo.]
It's better with a friend, yes. It gives me time to think of how to explain all of this to Onni.
[ A map...? He takes it with a slight tilt of his head. Not...an expected gift, but it's good to have. Izō looks up with a grin. ]
Shit, this how ya keep yourself busy, huh? [ A beat and his expression softens to something a bit more sober. ] For when ya go back home, yeah? Gonna have a helluva story for 'im.
You're like me, ain't ya -- alone in this place? [ A sigh. At least he's the right level of drunk to be having this conversation. ] D'ya really want someone ya know showin' up here?
[ As lonely as he felt without his Master or a familiar Servant around, he doesn't really want them here. Getting possessed by a youkai isn't exactly an experience he wants to share with someone he cares about. ]
[Now there's a sad look. But a moment later he shakes his head.]
It's better none of them are here. But...I've never been alone before. I'm the youngest. And I don't understand people. Onni and Tuuri always looked out for me and tried to make things make sense for me.
But even if it's difficult being without them, I don't want them to come here.
You're doin' pretty well for yourself, I think. Might not have 'em 'round, but...ya ain't alone.
[ Enough of that. Ugh, look at him having normal feelings and talking about them. It's weird! ]
I gotta couple people back home I don't want showin' up here, either... [ He's dancing around mentioning his Master for any number of reasons. ] I'm fine without 'em, anyway. I can handle myself...'m used to bein' on my own.
Onni always worried about people watching out for me. He thinks I can't take care of myself.
[The truth of that is. Debatable. Lalli likes to think he's been doing fine but the fact that 'Kissa' has been there to guide him is probably a complicating factor.]
He would probably be happy that we're friends and can look after each other.
[ Hey, he's still alive, right? Good enough proof he can take care of himself, with or without the assistance of a youkai. ]
Somethin' tells me he might have a problem with someone like me, but...that's a problem for later. I'll make sure nothin' happens to ya as long as I'm able.
[Let's see if my friend ends up apping Onni or not to come and judge Izo forever.
Then again, he might appreciate that Izo is looking out for Lalli.]
...thank you.
[Lalli? Saying thanks? This must be the first time all game he has said that! And he's going to show his thanks by immediately going back to his habit of stating opinions like they're facts.]
Drunks should sleep it off.
[He's going to stand up and go over to Izo's kitchen, on a quest for some kind of cup to get some water for Izo.]
[ Oh...Thanks isn't something he usually hears from, well, anyone. He's not exactly the most helpful person in the world, to say the least. He almost gets a reply out when ... Lalli does his Lalli thing.
A laugh comes out instead. ]
Yeah, yeah... [ Another laugh. ] If you're so worried, jus' get outta here and lemme sleep it off, then.
[Here, water! It is tap water but it's better than nothing.
Lalli also takes a moment to at least move the sake cups and the bottle to the counter. He's not going to actually clean them but they're less likely to be broken up there.
[The rain continues day after day but it does nothing to dampen Hijikata's vigour. Much to his surprise, moving into Izō's apartment has proven to be more of a blessing than it is a curse and, aside from the occasional argument and snide comment, they've managed to stay civil. There's just one thing that he can't stand: the state of the damn place. Sure, any normal person might look at it and think it's a little unkempt- those little piles of collected knick-knacks spring to mind- but Hijikata isn't normal. There's no way he's staying somewhere that isn't up to his standards.
And so it's on a day when the weather has eased up just a little and Izō is out of the house that he gets to work. The door leading out to the balcony has been thrown wide open and all the windows along with it. He's hung up a line across the breadth of the room just in front of it, on which both futons are airing out.
It's the first thing that Lalli will see should he decide to drop in at any point. The next is Hijikata himself, sleeves rolled up and hair pushed out of his face with a band, polishing the floorboards. Considering that the last time he saw him he was covered in blood, it's quite the marked change. The new tail probably isn't helping either and his reaction is no less animalistic when he realises he has unexpected company. Hijikata rears up, lip curling to reveal a flash of sharp teeth- and then realises who he's looking at and settles back.
[Lalli is actually mid-descent, climbing down from the balcony above, when he notices something is wrong.
He smells the cleaner, first off. That is immediately wrong, because Izo never cleans. Izo's apartment has been a state of mess and lived-in-smells for as long as Lalli has known him, so smelling the cleaner is the first thing that's Wrong.
Second, the fact that the door is open at all. Izo normally leaves it closed, except when opening it to let Lalli in. Too many youkai can just fly in an open door, after all. It's best not to invite them in.
Lalli's feet have touched down on the railing to Izo's balcony, and his hands are still gripping the balcony above. He's frozen in place like this, and just stares at Hijikata with wide eyes.]
My place. Two floors up.
...Where's Izo?
[He. Might as well start with that. Because he's traveled this path often enough to know he doesn't have the wrong apartment, at least.
He hasn't moved, by the way. He's still standing on the railing of the balcony. That initial reaction had spooked him and he's holding onto the balcony above to be ready to run if need be.]
[Hijikata's forehead creases slightly at Izō's name, as though speaking it aloud is enough to provoke a migraine. Might as well be for all the trouble he gives him.
... why is he still here again?]
Out. [Where? God knows, but he really doesn't care.] He sulks if I try and clear up his messes while he's here.
[And that's all he's going to say on the matter. Hijikata gets to his feet slowly, still a little cautious as he sizes Lalli up. Naturally, he recognises him as the young man he fought alongside on that dark, rainy night but that was then and this is now. He's a near stranger walking in on what Hijikata has decided his his territory. Even though it's actually Izō's. Whatever.]
You know him, then. What's your name? I didn't catch it before.
[And this is where Lalli frowns. Not so much because of irritation, not yet at least, but rather because of how much he's thinking about this situation. It's like Lalli is processing what Hijikata said and coming up with more questions than answers.]
Izo's messy, that's how he lives.
[Okay, now he actually is slightly offended, but mostly for Izo's sake. Lalli wouldn't like it either if someone came in and rearranged his things, he can totally get why Izo is off sulking somewhere else.]
I'm Lalli Hotakainen. Who are you? You shouldn't be cleaning up his apartment, he likes it how it is. If he wanted it cleaned, he wouldn't be off sulking about it.
That might be so but it's not how I live. [He clicks his tongue dismissively.] That stray dog makes a lot of noise but that's all it is most of the time. Noise.
[When he sets his cloth aside, it's more out of courtesy for the conversation than giving in. As far as he's concerned, he's already shown willing by not throwing the assassin's collected trinkets in the trash where they belong. For now, they sit untouched but for where he's moved them around to make space.]
Toshizō Hijikata, Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi. [Even he can recognise that it's not much of an introduction when that almost certainly doesn't exist where Lalli's from. He shrugs.] ... I know Izō from before. He invited me to stay.
[Lalli's eyes narrow a bit. Hijikata is abrasive in an entirely different way from Izo, and it might take months for him to get used to that. Lalli has never been that good with change, it's going to take him time to get used to a new presence.
Speaking of which-]
Izo's mind lacks mental defenses, and he forgets to eat sometimes. So I bring him food and check on him sometimes.
...we're friends.
[It's important to him, he's so difficult about making friends.]
[Hijikata eyes him for a few moments longer. It's not entirely surprising that Izō has friends, even less so that they feel the need to take care of him; he seems to provoke that kind of reaction in people. Maybe it was more accurate than he thought to call him a stray.]
Hm. [Unreadable as he is, there's no judgement or disapproval in his voice and he's quick to return to his usual clipped tone.] Pass me that beeswax.
[He picks up a new cloth. No amount of polishing is going to make the wooden fittings and panels on the doors look presentable but he's nothing if not stubborn.]
[A stray dog who got taken in by a stray cat. Or is the cat actually the stray being looked after? It's hard to say. Neither Izo nor Lalli are particularly responsible people. Lalli's just food motivated, that's all.
Since it doesn't look like Hijikata is going to snap or yell or attack, Lalli finally moves from his statue-like perch. He slips down from the balcony in a fluid motion that speaks to his familiarity with climbing, and he steps over to grab the requested item and hand it to Hijikata. Lalli questions the wisdom of polishing something with so many dings and stains on it, but Kissa reminds him that it's best not to question things unless you plan on solving them yourself.]
From family. My grandmother first, then my cousin Onni.
[He pauses for a moment, and then adds:]
And some from the military. But it was mostly Grandma and Onni.
[Hijikata hums thoughtfully. Military experience... that explains a lot, and it's something he can relate to somewhat. The Shinsengumi didn't necessarily fit under that label and he's always considered himself a samurai before a soldier but towards the end of things they might as well have done. So, there's genuine respect- and even a small amount of gratitude- in his voice when he speaks up again.]
I see. Then they have my thanks too for training you.
[Arrogant as he is, even Hijikata can recognise he was in a precarious situation. Besides, it's always suited him better to work in pairs or groups; lone wolves die alone in the wilderness. Only a pack can survive.]
I've run out of cartidges for my rifle. Where do you get yours?
[At first Lalli doesn't understand why Hijikata is thanking his relatives, but then he connects the dots to the fight from before and he hums in neutral agreement. He's grateful to his family too, yes, and for those same reasons.
And while Lalli is still a bit grumpy about Hijikata's presence- he still doesn't like that he's messing with Izo's things, or that Izo's home is being changed at all- he can at least recognize that there's nothing actually wrong with Hijikata that is worth being wary over. That thought carries through in his actions, in how he relaxes a bit and his words seem more natural than tense. Lalli's emotional reactions are a bit more subdued than what most people give, but they're still very blatant and with no trace of falsehoods or attempts to cover them up. A keen eye can pick up on his mood easily, and that mood right now is 'unsure of new things, but not upset or scared'.]
I had mine from home. I haven't found replacements, so I've been careful with how much I use them.
[He has shot his gun exactly five times since arriving in this world, and he's keeping a close count of his ammo. That speaks to another skill of his: survival out in the wilds for weeks on end with no contact with civilization, and the careful resource management that comes with it. Bullets are a prized treasure to be used in emergencies.]
this is gonna sound weird, but...remember those combs and shit we grabbed? me and emily saved some other shit from being destroyed. come with me to the lake so we can throw em in.
[ Because that's what everything is telling him to do right now: go to the lake. ]
[ Lalli will find him waiting outside the apartments, his silhouette a bit narrower thanks to the fact he's wearing western-style clothes for once in his life. The items are stashed carefully in pockets and a couple are even tucked into his partially unbuttoned shirt. Whatever works for now is good enough. ]
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timeasmymeasure
voice;
Date: 2021-01-12 11:34 pm (UTC)voice;
Date: 2021-01-12 11:57 pm (UTC)What's your apartment number?
voice;
Date: 2021-01-13 12:04 am (UTC)[ A pause and as an afterthought: ]
...Thanks.
voice; -> action
Date: 2021-01-13 12:21 am (UTC)[His acknowledgement of Izo's thanks there.
Also, fun fact about Lalli: he prefers entering and exiting his apartment via his balcony. Which means that he's going to scale down the side of the building, get to Izo's own balcony, and scratch on the balcony door to be let in.]
no subject
Date: 2021-01-13 12:27 am (UTC)Is that jus' how ya fuckin' do things? [ Accusations as he lets him in. ] Thought a fuckin' stray was tryin' t'get in again.
[ A stray what is anyone's guess. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-01-13 12:47 am (UTC)He doesn't seem bothered by Izo's questions there though. He just walks in once the door is opened.]
Technically I am a stray.
[Technically. 'Kissa' was a stray, and Lalli has strayed pretty far from his home.]
no subject
Date: 2021-01-13 12:55 am (UTC)[ In several definitions of the word. A stray Servant, a stray dog gone wild, and he's home to a stray tengu now. A couple of strays in good company, at least.
Izō plops down on the floor where a worn, chipped sake set awaits (one of the 'gifts' pulled from the oi no bakemono). He fills two of the cups and offers one to Lalli. ]
Guess strays like us gotta stick together.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-13 01:04 am (UTC)[Stray drinking buddies!
...ish. Because Lalli is still unsure about alcohol. But he will actually give it a try this time, since Izo is now a friend and Izo probably wouldn't offer him anything gross.
Lalli sits down near Izo and takes the tiny cup. He doesn't drink yet, because he's busy looking over the small glass. Someone has never seen a sake set up close before. Even here he doesn't make a habit of paying close attention to these kinds of things.]
It's tiny. Why is it so little?
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Date: 2021-01-13 01:12 am (UTC)[ At last Lalli's questions are delaying the inevitable. Izō needs a few more drinks in him to really let himself open up, anyway. ]
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Date: 2021-01-13 01:35 am (UTC)[He does 'take it easy', though. Instead of downing the small cup's contents in one go, he just sips it. And then he instantly makes a pucker-face, because wow that's bitter to his sweet-craving tongue.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 01:41 am (UTC)Not what ya were expectin', huh? You'll get used to it...Or jus' hate it. Don't force yourself t'drink it if ya hate it.
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Date: 2021-01-13 01:45 am (UTC)It's like licking a lemon.
[Okay, maybe not quite as bad as that. And it's more bitter than sour. But his mouth did the same thing that it does when he tries lemons, so!
He won't be asking for refills but he's going to at least finish the little cup Izo poured for him. He can do that much at least.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 01:56 am (UTC)Acquired taste.
[ It's fine that Lalli doesn't want more -- more for him. At least he doesn't resort to drinking straight out of the bottle like he wants to. Silence settles for a bit as he pours himself a third cup. The familiar warmth burns his stomach and flushes his cheeks slightly. Maybe now... ]
About what ya saw...That guy was a friend'a mine. 'Til he turned his back on our cause. [ Not really the truth, but it's the truth as Izō saw it. Their paths simply diverted; Ryouma had greater ambitions than that of the Sonnō Joi. It still stung like abandonment to Izō, though. ] We grew up together, so we were thick as thieves, y'know? He was th'only one that ever had a fuckin' nice thing to say 'bout me...
[ Just some light conversation over a drink.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 02:14 am (UTC)Also sure, that's absolutely a light conversation over a drink and not an admission of deep pain. Lalli will try his best not to be as abrasive as he normally can be.]
Oh.
...what cause? Was it dangerous?
[It makes no difference but Lalli is a little confused as to what a "cause" would even be. He's imagining it as like a dangerous mission that this friend gave up on, leaving Izo high and dry.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 02:24 am (UTC)Well...We were a part of a group that was loyal to the emperor and wanted to make sure he stayed in power. Keep the foreigners outta power and outta th' country. I dunno much 'bout the finer details 'cause that wasn't my problem. I was jus' there to kill who I was told to kill.
[ As casual as anything. ]
He ditched us 'cause he had bigger goals. I never really understood it...Never really got why he left us behind. [ He died before he could see what Ryouma had been working towards. ] But...Even though he did that, I know he never woulda said any of that shit to me.
[ Or maybe he's lying to himself again. Time for another drink to bury that trauma deeper. ]
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Date: 2021-01-13 02:38 am (UTC)But it sounds important to Izo, so he nods along with Izo's story. And the end part is something he gets pretty easily: Izo feels betrayed by someone who left. Lalli's memories briefly flash to Tuuri, but he pushes those thoughts away. That was entirely different from this.]
If a youkai is making us see each other's memories, then it's probably making them worse than they were.
[Something something Izo's projecting his worries and fears onto his memories of Ryouma. But Lalli doesn't quite have the words to explain that idea.]
Tuuri and I left our group. Not because we disagreed with them, but because Tuuri wanted to join an expedition into the Silent World. And after that was over, I never went back. But it wasn't because I disagreed with the military at Keruu, it was because I found something else to do.
Maybe your friend was the same.
[It's the best way he can think of to explain it. Telling examples from his own life is way easier than just explaining an idea.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 03:08 am (UTC)He stares down in his empty cup. Similarly, it's easier to talk about this if he doesn't look at Lalli. He might be right, that was probably the reason Ryouma drifted away -- his ideas went beyond anything the Tosa Kinnoto could've done. It didn't make the perceived slight any less painful, though. ]
...Maybe. I jus' wonder what woulda happened if I'd followed along with him instead stickin' to what I knew. [ He still would've been killed for his role in numerous assassinations, certainly, but maybe he wouldn't have been so hungry in his final days. ] Eh, Ryouma was better off without me, anyway.
[ Time to turn his attention elsewhere. ]
Didn't think ya were th' military type, so no wonder ya found somethin' else t'do.
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Date: 2021-01-13 03:22 am (UTC)Maybe just talking and listening is enough. Especially when Izo says something like all of that, and Lalli is struck by how similar they really are.]
If you're friends, then he probably still thinks about you. Friends don't forget each other, even over long distances and lots of time.
[As for the rest, he shrugs.]
We didn't have anywhere else to go. Onni got at job with them as a scout, and he told them me and Tuuri had to come too. We were too little to work, so they started training us instead. Tuuri learned languages and mechanical stuff, I learned how to be a scout like Onni.
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Date: 2021-01-13 03:54 am (UTC)Yeah, well...Maybe. Ain't like I'm gonna see him again t'find out...It's a nice thought, at least.
[ Another drink to bury those feelings as deep as he can again. The once full bottle of sake is nearly empty now.
Lalli's story gives him pause. ]
Wait...Too little? How old were ya?
[ Izō was just 18 when he'd started his more formal training, but something told him Lalli had been even younger than that. ]
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Date: 2021-01-13 04:06 am (UTC)Lalli is still working on that. The nightmares of Tuuri's death are less frequent now.]
Eight. And Tuuri was ten. Onni was older, he was already sixteen, so he could work. But they made me train at the school until I was twelve before they let me go and scout in the woods by the base.
It was so stupid. I had been going on scouting trips with Grandma since I was six, I already knew what to do. I had even been to the Silent World before! But they said I had to get trained in THEIR ways of scouting before I could go out on my own.
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Date: 2021-01-13 04:32 am (UTC)Eight?! They started trainin' ya at eight?! I was fuckin' around with a sword by myself at that age, no one was 'bout to train me for it!
[ A lot of things started making sense, though. ]
Jeez, no wonder you're as good as you are at what ya do, huh?
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Date: 2021-01-13 04:42 am (UTC)It was a military base, and food is always carefully portioned. You don't work, you don't eat. Especially since I'm immune to the Rash, they wanted me ready to work as soon as possible.
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Date: 2021-01-13 04:58 am (UTC)Yeah, I guess that makes sense and all, but eight's still so fuckin' young. Can't imagine workin' at that age. I left home to train when I was 18...
[ He leaves out the later milestones of his first assassination in his early 20s and his death at age 27. Not important right now. ]
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:05 am (UTC)But you're way stronger than me, and really good with a sword. How did you learn that so fast?
[He's assuming Izo is close to Onni's age, which isn't actually that far off.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:24 am (UTC)Izō practically puffs up at his praises, though. If there's one thing he's proud of, it's his swordsmanship. ]
I've always been good with a sword ever since I picked one up. I was called a genius of the sword because I could memorize any move just seein' it once. It's nothin' for me. [ His smile turns almost sad for a moment. ] Ryouma was th' one t'say it first....We were jus' kids, but...hey, he wasn't wrong.
[ It gave him something to focus on, something to work towards. A way of proving himself when he came from almost nothing. It's all he had going for him, so he had to be good at it. ]
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:30 am (UTC)A sword is good. It's quiet and doesn't use ammunition. It's a very good weapon for killing trolls.
Can you learn anything by seeing it once? Not just fighting?
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:44 am (UTC)[ If he'd been more disciplined and trained in a particular school, he may have been famous for his swordmanship and not just his assassinations. ]
I ain't good at much else but fightin' and killin'.
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:50 am (UTC)['You should specify that you kill those monsters from your world, not people.'
'Why would I need to specify that?'
'...Child.'
Suddenly Lalli seems a bit annoyed. But the sudden onset after a brief lull in conversation is probably familiar by now, given the sheer amount of body-sharing in this city.]
'Kissa' says I should tell you I'm good at killing trolls, not people. It's stupid, why would a person kill another person if they didn't have to? We've only ever had to do that when an infected person turned up during their quarantine.
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Date: 2021-01-13 05:59 am (UTC)Izō averts his gaze for a moment. They come from two different worlds and that's never been more evident than now. He hesitates to answer, if only because he's suddenly worried that the truth will push Lalli away. Who wants to be friends with a manslayer, anyway? Who should be friends with one at all? ]
...I never told ya what I do, did I? [ Maybe it's the alcohol or maybe it's his desire to rip the bandaid off and put an end to the silly fantasy he could ever have friends -- whichever it is, he barrels forward with the truth. ] ...I killed people for a livin'. They called me Manslayer Izō back in Tosa.
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Date: 2021-01-13 06:27 am (UTC)[That awkward pause is Lalli realizing just how different their worlds are. Attacking other humans like that is pointless as far as he is considered, because there's so few people left in the Known World anyway. Why kill one of a couple hundred thousand? That will just end humanity sooner.]
Why?
[No judgement, just curiosity and a desire to understand his friend.]
Was it because people ordered you to?
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Date: 2021-01-13 06:25 pm (UTC)...Yeah and 'cause I'm good at it. I killed a bunch'a important people in th' name of divine punishment. [ "Tenchu", the rallying cry of those allied with Takechi Hanpeita. ] A few of 'em were from when I was a bodyguard, though.
[ He huffs a short laugh through his nose. ]
Endin' one life so another can live...Kinda fucked up, huh?
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Date: 2021-01-13 06:33 pm (UTC)But even though he doesn't get it, it's still something that is important to Izo. So.]
We had to do that sometimes, if someone was sick with the Rash. I guess it's a little messed up. But you do it because you have to, right? For bodyguarding, or divine punishment.
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Date: 2021-01-13 07:41 pm (UTC)Yeah...Not like I was good at anythin' else. Had to do somethin' to eat, y'know?
[ And there goes to last of the sake bottle. For once, he doesn't feel miserable...Talking with Lalli is nice. He occupies a space no one else has managed to get to yet. To think he'd talk so openly about his life instead of keeping someone at arm's length. ]
Sorry for, uh, the whole threatenin' ya thing... [ Because he hadn't properly apologized for that whole mess. ] Ya got nothin' to fear from me like that ever again...In fact, ya ever need someone or somethin' dealt with...Jus' say th' word.
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Date: 2021-01-13 07:58 pm (UTC)[It's why he's a scout, after all: it's something he's good at, and it lets him eat. It's a perfectly valid reason to choose a specific job.
And sometimes it's easiest to deal with your problems by talking them through with someone else. Especially if that someone else proves to be an effective sounding board.
Izo finishes the whole bottle in the time it takes Lalli to finish one cup, which is about the right speed in his mind. He'll set the cup down as Izo finishes his own drink.]
You threatened me because you were being attacked. Anyone would have done it, it's not your fault.
[Is he trying to comfort Izo there? It's hard to tell. Lalli can be blunt with his words sometimes, so it's hard to know if this is him just saying his opinions or if he's trying to be helpful. It's probably a bit of both.
But regardless, he's being honest here: there's no hard feelings over what happened in the dream.]
But if I need help, I'll ask.
[He'll try to ask. He's still learning about that 'speak up' part. Usually when he does ask for help, it's when he's drowning in problems. Maybe someday he'll learn to speak up before then.]
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Date: 2021-01-13 08:53 pm (UTC)Even if ya don't ask...If I know you're in trouble, I'll do whatever I can t'help.
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Date: 2021-01-14 04:13 am (UTC)If I'm in trouble, everyone is in trouble.
[He's just stating that out loud since his usual MO is to avoid trouble entirely.]
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Date: 2021-01-14 05:35 am (UTC)Yeah, yeah...With th' way ya run off at the first sign of it and all.
[ This whole little talk has been...nice, really. Izō half-expected to be a mess by the end of it, given his issues speaking frankly about his emotions and his past. Much better than most nights he drinks a bottle of sake by himself. ]
...This place ain't so bad with someone like you here.
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Date: 2021-01-14 06:39 am (UTC)[But speaking of which, Lalli is going to reach into his pocket and pull out one of the many maps he has made of the area. The apartment building is clearly labeled, and the streets around there have friendly locations circled and dangerous ones Xed out.This map is going to be offered to Izo.]
It's better with a friend, yes. It gives me time to think of how to explain all of this to Onni.
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Date: 2021-01-14 07:04 pm (UTC)Shit, this how ya keep yourself busy, huh? [ A beat and his expression softens to something a bit more sober. ] For when ya go back home, yeah? Gonna have a helluva story for 'im.
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Date: 2021-01-15 04:35 am (UTC)[He's not strong, he's not much of a fighter, but he can do this much at least.]
I'm not telling anyone from home about this place, or 'Kissa'. They'll kill me if they know about her.
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Date: 2021-01-15 05:53 am (UTC)[ As lonely as he felt without his Master or a familiar Servant around, he doesn't really want them here. Getting possessed by a youkai isn't exactly an experience he wants to share with someone he cares about. ]
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Date: 2021-01-15 06:07 am (UTC)[Now there's a sad look. But a moment later he shakes his head.]
It's better none of them are here. But...I've never been alone before. I'm the youngest. And I don't understand people. Onni and Tuuri always looked out for me and tried to make things make sense for me.
But even if it's difficult being without them, I don't want them to come here.
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Date: 2021-01-15 06:33 am (UTC)[ Enough of that. Ugh, look at him having normal feelings and talking about them. It's weird! ]
I gotta couple people back home I don't want showin' up here, either... [ He's dancing around mentioning his Master for any number of reasons. ] I'm fine without 'em, anyway. I can handle myself...'m used to bein' on my own.
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Date: 2021-01-15 01:16 pm (UTC)[Just. Pointing that out too.]
Onni always worried about people watching out for me. He thinks I can't take care of myself.
[The truth of that is. Debatable. Lalli likes to think he's been doing fine but the fact that 'Kissa' has been there to guide him is probably a complicating factor.]
He would probably be happy that we're friends and can look after each other.
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Date: 2021-01-16 03:27 am (UTC)Somethin' tells me he might have a problem with someone like me, but...that's a problem for later. I'll make sure nothin' happens to ya as long as I'm able.
[ And then, a self-aware laugh. ]
Shit, I'm too drunk if I'm gettin' like this...
[ But he means it. ]
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Date: 2021-01-16 04:00 am (UTC)Then again, he might appreciate that Izo is looking out for Lalli.]
...thank you.
[Lalli? Saying thanks? This must be the first time all game he has said that! And he's going to show his thanks by immediately going back to his habit of stating opinions like they're facts.]
Drunks should sleep it off.
[He's going to stand up and go over to Izo's kitchen, on a quest for some kind of cup to get some water for Izo.]
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Date: 2021-01-16 04:24 am (UTC)A laugh comes out instead. ]
Yeah, yeah... [ Another laugh. ] If you're so worried, jus' get outta here and lemme sleep it off, then.
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Date: 2021-01-16 04:37 am (UTC)[Here, water! It is tap water but it's better than nothing.
Lalli also takes a moment to at least move the sake cups and the bottle to the counter. He's not going to actually clean them but they're less likely to be broken up there.
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Date: 2021-01-16 05:01 am (UTC)Ya don't gotta clean up after me -- I ain't a clumsy drunk
[ So he says. Drunk people say a lot of things, of course. It's his way of saying thanks; turns out he's bad at that, too. ]
But fine...Water and then sleep. [ A huff. ] ... Thanks. Again.
[ Well, maybe not that bad. ]
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Date: 2021-01-16 05:28 am (UTC)But with the water deposited and Izo in a good mood, Lalli nods approvingly before going to leave.
...by going out the balcony door and climbing back up to his own apartment. Of course.]
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Date: 2021-01-16 05:39 am (UTC)...At least say goodbye, jeez.
[ Maybe he'll learn basic etiquette someday. ]
early april
Date: 2021-04-09 06:21 pm (UTC)And so it's on a day when the weather has eased up just a little and Izō is out of the house that he gets to work. The door leading out to the balcony has been thrown wide open and all the windows along with it. He's hung up a line across the breadth of the room just in front of it, on which both futons are airing out.
It's the first thing that Lalli will see should he decide to drop in at any point. The next is Hijikata himself, sleeves rolled up and hair pushed out of his face with a band, polishing the floorboards. Considering that the last time he saw him he was covered in blood, it's quite the marked change. The new tail probably isn't helping either and his reaction is no less animalistic when he realises he has unexpected company. Hijikata rears up, lip curling to reveal a flash of sharp teeth- and then realises who he's looking at and settles back.
... not by much, though. He still looks pissed.]
Where the hell did you come from?
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Date: 2021-04-09 07:32 pm (UTC)He smells the cleaner, first off. That is immediately wrong, because Izo never cleans. Izo's apartment has been a state of mess and lived-in-smells for as long as Lalli has known him, so smelling the cleaner is the first thing that's Wrong.
Second, the fact that the door is open at all. Izo normally leaves it closed, except when opening it to let Lalli in. Too many youkai can just fly in an open door, after all. It's best not to invite them in.
Lalli's feet have touched down on the railing to Izo's balcony, and his hands are still gripping the balcony above. He's frozen in place like this, and just stares at Hijikata with wide eyes.]
My place. Two floors up.
...Where's Izo?
[He. Might as well start with that. Because he's traveled this path often enough to know he doesn't have the wrong apartment, at least.
He hasn't moved, by the way. He's still standing on the railing of the balcony. That initial reaction had spooked him and he's holding onto the balcony above to be ready to run if need be.]
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Date: 2021-04-09 10:11 pm (UTC)... why is he still here again?]
Out. [Where? God knows, but he really doesn't care.] He sulks if I try and clear up his messes while he's here.
[And that's all he's going to say on the matter. Hijikata gets to his feet slowly, still a little cautious as he sizes Lalli up. Naturally, he recognises him as the young man he fought alongside on that dark, rainy night but that was then and this is now. He's a near stranger walking in on what Hijikata has decided his his territory. Even though it's actually Izō's. Whatever.]
You know him, then. What's your name? I didn't catch it before.
[Didn't even ask.]
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Date: 2021-04-10 03:21 am (UTC)Izo's messy, that's how he lives.
[Okay, now he actually is slightly offended, but mostly for Izo's sake. Lalli wouldn't like it either if someone came in and rearranged his things, he can totally get why Izo is off sulking somewhere else.]
I'm Lalli Hotakainen. Who are you? You shouldn't be cleaning up his apartment, he likes it how it is. If he wanted it cleaned, he wouldn't be off sulking about it.
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Date: 2021-04-10 10:15 am (UTC)[When he sets his cloth aside, it's more out of courtesy for the conversation than giving in. As far as he's concerned, he's already shown willing by not throwing the assassin's collected trinkets in the trash where they belong. For now, they sit untouched but for where he's moved them around to make space.]
Toshizō Hijikata, Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi. [Even he can recognise that it's not much of an introduction when that almost certainly doesn't exist where Lalli's from. He shrugs.] ... I know Izō from before. He invited me to stay.
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Date: 2021-04-10 12:35 pm (UTC)Speaking of which-]
Izo's mind lacks mental defenses, and he forgets to eat sometimes. So I bring him food and check on him sometimes.
...we're friends.
[It's important to him, he's so difficult about making friends.]
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Date: 2021-04-10 01:02 pm (UTC)Hm. [Unreadable as he is, there's no judgement or disapproval in his voice and he's quick to return to his usual clipped tone.] Pass me that beeswax.
[He picks up a new cloth. No amount of polishing is going to make the wooden fittings and panels on the doors look presentable but he's nothing if not stubborn.]
... you're a fine shot. Where did you learn?
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Date: 2021-04-10 04:05 pm (UTC)Since it doesn't look like Hijikata is going to snap or yell or attack, Lalli finally moves from his statue-like perch. He slips down from the balcony in a fluid motion that speaks to his familiarity with climbing, and he steps over to grab the requested item and hand it to Hijikata. Lalli questions the wisdom of polishing something with so many dings and stains on it, but Kissa reminds him that it's best not to question things unless you plan on solving them yourself.]
From family. My grandmother first, then my cousin Onni.
[He pauses for a moment, and then adds:]
And some from the military. But it was mostly Grandma and Onni.
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Date: 2021-04-30 07:33 pm (UTC)I see. Then they have my thanks too for training you.
[Arrogant as he is, even Hijikata can recognise he was in a precarious situation. Besides, it's always suited him better to work in pairs or groups; lone wolves die alone in the wilderness. Only a pack can survive.]
I've run out of cartidges for my rifle. Where do you get yours?
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Date: 2021-05-01 01:39 am (UTC)And while Lalli is still a bit grumpy about Hijikata's presence- he still doesn't like that he's messing with Izo's things, or that Izo's home is being changed at all- he can at least recognize that there's nothing actually wrong with Hijikata that is worth being wary over. That thought carries through in his actions, in how he relaxes a bit and his words seem more natural than tense. Lalli's emotional reactions are a bit more subdued than what most people give, but they're still very blatant and with no trace of falsehoods or attempts to cover them up. A keen eye can pick up on his mood easily, and that mood right now is 'unsure of new things, but not upset or scared'.]
I had mine from home. I haven't found replacements, so I've been careful with how much I use them.
[He has shot his gun exactly five times since arriving in this world, and he's keeping a close count of his ammo. That speaks to another skill of his: survival out in the wilds for weeks on end with no contact with civilization, and the careful resource management that comes with it. Bullets are a prized treasure to be used in emergencies.]
text
Date: 2021-06-07 02:00 am (UTC)[ Because that's what everything is telling him to do right now: go to the lake. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-06-07 01:57 pm (UTC)Okay.
Is Emily coming too?
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Date: 2021-06-07 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-06-07 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-06-08 12:30 am (UTC)[ Lalli will find him waiting outside the apartments, his silhouette a bit narrower thanks to the fact he's wearing western-style clothes for once in his life. The items are stashed carefully in pockets and a couple are even tucked into his partially unbuttoned shirt. Whatever works for now is good enough. ]