[010 | voice, Japanese]

[sweetdeath]

[the sound of footsteps can be heard under Tsuzuki's voice, and the occasional soft ghostly whisper]

Does anybody know where Hisoka went? He still hasn't come back, and it's dark out there now.... I must have lost track of time up on the roof. Man, it's dark in here. The lights aren't working, are they? Anybody know why not?

Come to think of it... has anyone seen Watari since day before yesterday?

[a click, and a few snapping noises]

Oh, come on.

[Snap.]

That's better! At least I can see... a--

[A nearly deafening clatter as the communicator hits the floor, somehow managing not to turn itself off in the fall. The voice is farther away now, spiraling up into hysteria.]

No. No. You're wrong. You don't know me. Who are you? Who are--

[thudding and scraping.]

No! Go away! I am-

[A hoarse sob, and the communicator cuts off abruptly.]


[[ooc: comment logs only; Tsuzuki found his room covered with "You will never be human" and the word never repeated across all of the walls. He's tried to scrape some of them away, but the words are re-written over the smears. Tsuzuki himself is huddled in a ball against the smeared wall.]]

Comments

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

Tsuzuki--!

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Tsuzuki shifted, barely, as he heard the voice, lifting his head enough to see the shadowed figure at the door.]

...Are you a ghost?

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

No... it's... i-it's Namine.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

Oh.

[He laughed, without much amusement, and considered getting up. Maybe in a few minutes, when he felt less shaky; maybe when his legs felt like moving. Absently, he toyed with the cuff of his shirt. There was a little paint on it from the ghosts' can; it probably never would come out.]

...Sorry to bother you, Namine.

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

Oh god, Tsuzuki... the ghosts, they...

Tsuzuki, they're wrong... they're wrong, Tsuzuki, please listen...

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Comfort threatened to break down the gossamer barriers holding back his fears. He stayed still, awkward and stiff, for a long moment before he raised a hand to pat her shoulder. It wasn't much, as comfort went, but she seemed so unhappy....]

[And she shouldn't have to deal with this. With him. He tried to smile, a false flicker for a moment before it died.]

No... don't worry.

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

I... of course I'm going to worry. You're distressed, and... oh Tsuzuki, please don't listen to them, please, they're wrong, you're not a monster...

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[The kindness was enough to fuel a longer flicker of a smile. He shook his head, reaching out to return the hug for a long moment. He was a monster - he flinched from the thought, but it was there, and it was true. At least Namine didn't know.]

Thank you.

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

You're... you're welcome.

Please, don't... don't take this to heart. They... back where I come from, they used to call me a monster, too.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Where kindness couldn't reach, empathy touched; Tsuzuki's smile was gentle as he rested his hand on her shoulder.]

You're not.

[Maybe she wasn't human... but that didn't make her a monster. It wasn't the blood in his veins that made him that, he thought, bitterness turning to cut himself; it was the blood on his hands.]

[Enough. His voice shook as his thoughts turned to something more important. Hisoka and Watari were still missing.]

Do you... Namine, have you seen Hisoka today?

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it... no, I haven't. I think I saw him on the networks earlier... something about exploring somewhere. I'm not sure.

I'm... sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

Exploring...?

[And Hisoka had his chip in just as Tsuzuki did. He wouldn't heal if anything happened to him. And he was out alone. And he wasn't back now, after dark....]

[Tsuzuki could feel the blood draining from his face.]

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

O-Oh no, don't worry! He was... he was with a group of really strong people. Nothing's going to happen to him.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Tsuzuki swallowed; he'd scared her. That hadn't been the point. He tried for a smile.]

Well... with all the ghosts out here, it's a little weird that he's not back, you know?

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

He will be... everything is a little weird in this town.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Watari was gone, too. And it had been several days. Going out on his own, at this time of night, would just end with something chewing on him, though. Shaking off the worries, he shrugged and smiled at Namine.]

Yeah, I'm sure he will be. ...Hey, where do you usually live? Want me to walk you back?

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

I... I live over at Gohl. B-But I don't want to be a burden to you...

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Gohl? Tsuzuki's mouth dropped open. She'd walked that far, at night, here... out of concern over him?]

...Not at all! I'll walk you back. I insist.

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

Well if... if you insist.

Thank you, Tsuzuki.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[He took her hand, standing in his turn; his knees popped after the awkward stillness of the last... how long had it been? He wasn't sure. It didn't matter.]

[Without looking at the walls again, he started for the door.]

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

... Your eyes really are a beautiful color.

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[He froze in midstep as Namine's words registered, not realizing that his grip had tightened hard enough to hurt. Never human. Never. Did he have to wear the marks of that so clearly on his face?]

[He lifted a hand to his face, covering his eyes for a moment. The moment stretched.]

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

Tsuzuki, I... I-I'm so sorry, did I say something wrong...? I didn't mean to hurt you...

[cinnagami.livejournal.com]

[Tsuzuki started at the touch, nails digging briefly into his cheek before he pulled his hand away. With an effort, he summoned a smile. It sat falsely on his face.]

I - no, that's okay - sorry.

[He was tempted to leave it at that, but a whim compelled him to honesty.]

These eyes... the color isn't human.

bawww, this is too adorable in a sad sort of way ;;

[dustedsunlight.livejournal.com]

... I've never seen someone with that color before.

I like it. It's beautiful.