With that, they run. If Kanji's at the gate already, he might even hear the thunder of footsteps down the cobblestones a while before Souji and Yosuke come into view - but one way or another, it's not long at all before they're here.
Yosuke skids to a halt about an inch away from hitting his head on the gate.] Geez, is he even around...?
[Kanji's here, okay. He's leaning on a wall, awkwardly.
What might be a bit more obvious than that, though, is the odd pattern of bruising visible on his face and hands. Thin lines fading from pale brown to deep purple trace a strange network over his skin, and a nasty one lies across one of his eyes.
He lets out a sigh on hearing - and then on seeing - the pair arrive, and gives them a wave.]
[They are an ace detective team, it's why they didn't see him (?!?).
The bruises make it look like he got into a fight with several gangs of crayons. At least that's his first thought when Souji scans the whole of the visible ones over Kanji's skin, feeling his stomach sink with each second the more he noticed. It really didn't look like he was alright at all. He gives him a wave back, the other hand forming into a fist in anger. The guilt of not staying behind is catching up to him, but he just buries that. He's here to help him now, and he'll do what he can.]
Kanji...
[It's an invitation. Speak to me. Tell me what happened. We're here. He'll wait for the other to speak first, but Souji's body language was already pretty much telling of how he currently fells. That's how he operated after all; let his friends explain what happened, listen quietly without judgement, then offer his support. Hugs, if needed.
[It's not a pretty sight. Even less pretty than usual. When his eyes happen to catch Kanji's and stray over that larger bruise, he can't help but wince a little in sympathy.]
So that's what you were hiding for... Man, I can't blame you. You look like someone literally grilled you before we could...
[On a second glance, though, the bruising doesn't look nearly as regular as that. Yeesh, and the idea of who or what could possibly do this to Kanji, the human bulldozer... Well, that's what they're here for, he thinks, suppressing a shudder. Finetuning the accuracy of his similes can wait.]
[Kanji scowls at Yosuke's first comment - dammit, man - but yeah. It's not like he can really deny that much.]
Yeah. C'mon.
[As he starts to lead the way, he's obviously favouring one leg, too, as much as he's trying to look unruffled. He still can't quite let his guard down all the way.]
[He wanted to facepalm at Yosuke's first comment so badly. If Kanji had punched him, he really wouldn't have blamed the other...but then Yosuke at least saves himself. See, he knew you had it in you.
He looks down at Kanji's foot with the other starts walking. Gods, it was bad. He really wished he had the power of Persona right now to just heal those away. But hey, Kanji's incredibly strong and resilient. Silently, he walks in after him.]
[And Yosuke trails nervously behind the two of them, for once in his life taking a hint to shut up for a while.
The sense of awkwardness doesn't improve when they step inside the hall and into the light, but he sucks it down. Whatever he's feeling right now, Kanji must have it worse. The Kanji he knows wouldn't act this edgy without a reason...
Still, eventually, he feels compelled to break the silence somehow.]
So...
[It's more a prompt than a conversation starter in itself.]
[As Kanji leads the group into the lounge, he nods slightly.]
Yeah. As I said, everything went to hell while you guys were gone. Short version is, everyone's powers got screwed up. Everyone's. Folks were gettin' hurt all over the place, people were dying...
[He lets out a sigh.]... I was one'f the lucky ones.
[He might have been injured, but he hadn't hurt anyone else, and that was what mattered. Still, their restoration had come barely in time for him...]
[It was far worse than he had imagined. Souji's mind works in rapid succession, making the connection.]
I remember hearing the cries from the leading caravan the second day into our trip, but we weren't affected ourselves... [No one should see others die like that, without power to stop them. He idly forms one of his hands into a fist.] Kanji...I'm sorry it had to happen to you and everyone else.
No one deserves that.
[And heavily implied that he should have stayed behind on his behalf and suffered in his stead.]
[Dying, here... again. Except, from the sounds of it, worse this time. And this time, he didn't know.
Even Yosuke has to fall silent for a moment.]
You say lucky... [He can't decide whether to gesture towards Kanji's face or arms first, and ends up just waving vaguely at him.] How did...? [Then he shoots a look at Souji.] And what do you mean by heard?
I survived in one piece. I didn't make shit worse for anyone else. Works for me.
[Kanji shrugs, and begins tracing one obvious line of bruising along an arm.]
These? These were seams. Stitches. When the powers went wrong, I was workin' on some stuff for when we open up. Making some supplies, fabric, wool, y'know... [he's a little quiet, here] next thing I know, it's making me into 'em.
[Souji is stunned speechless at that. He tries to imagine his own powers going haywire and ending up with branches growing out of him and...damn that must have been painful.]
Remember when we had to go on foot suddenly? A little before that, I heard screams in the leading carriage. That's the one where the accompany gods were in...
You mean when they kicked us all off? Was that really...? [Yosuke looks nervous. Part of him feels like that connection is kind of a stretch, but given their whole improbable situation...
Trailing off again, he looks back at Kanji as well.]
Day 'n a half. Was fixed yesterday evening, or something like that. Gotta say, I wasn't payin' attention to the clocks at the end... Just kept getting worse 'n worse - started out as just patches on my skin, few weird bits of stitching. By the end...
[An arm useless with its muscle changed, a leg that had gone to nothing but stuffing as he was climbing stairs, leaving him to crash to the ground unsupported. The slow worry as it'd crept further in, whether it'd reach his internal organs, and if it did - what then?]
...it wasn't fun.
[Even he's not wanted to actually try and use his power again since.]
I don't know....[It's just a guess, but the fact they seemed to have happened around the same time...Maybe if we asked, they could tell them? Because asking gods always worked around here. But he's way more about Kanji after hearing that.]
Yeah...I can understand why you wouldn't have. [He lets him finish in silence, then letting it linger when Kanji is done. It is a short while before Souji does anything afterwards, and even then it's just putting a hand on his friend's elbow.]
Is there anything we can do?
[If Kanji wants a hug, he'll gladly give him one, but he needs to read his friend's body language better to make sure he wants one.]
[That's about all Yosuke can think of to say. His instinct would be to reach out, thump Kanji on the back or something, anything just to get across the message that he's going to be fine, but... with all of that bruising, he'll hold off. Instead, awkwardly, he looks down at his own perfectly innocuous bracelet. It's hard to imagine...]
But they did figure out how to fix it, right? So it won't happen again?
Far as I can tell, yeah. Everything's back to normal... I ain't tried makin' anything since then, mind.
[Honestly, Kanji wouldn't turn down a hug. ... Well, Yosuke's presence complicates the matter there somewhat. Regardless, he's not in a hurry to ask for one, all the same. He sighs slightly.]
An'... I dunno, guys. Just... hang around a bit. Or we can go get a coffee or somethin', if you don't wanna stay here...
[Just stay with him, that's all he can ask. Just make things normal again, when he'd been on his own so long.]
[Of course he'll hang around. He remembers how most of the other students thought and treated Kanji as some sort of menace to society. Souji himself had seen a softer side of the so-called human bulldozer when he had made the charm to replace the boy's lost one. His friend's heart was much larger than what others might think at first glance, and he knew of Kanji's history with hospitals or people getting hurt in general, so to see him this distressed to outright ask them to stay. Someone who didn't want to be alone, ending up having to face this with none of his friends around...
He steps closer to Kanji and suddenly puts his right arm over his friend's neck and left elbow for a while in silence before patting him on the back. It's the bro-est of hugs (which he almost miscalculated due to his height) and he ends it with a thumbs up and an encouraging smile.]
What if we all get something to eat, and then go renovate a building?
[Startled, but sensing that something is flying clean over his head, Yosuke opens his mouth.
And closes it again.
Presently, when Souji finally pulls away, he coughs.] Well, uh... A drink first sounds good to me! There'll be plenty of places still open, right? We didn't get back too late. [He hazards a light pat on Kanji's shoulder, only marginally less awkward than continuing to stand there and stare, and tries to catch his eye.] You up for that? Don't push yourself.
[For a moment, there's another colour added to the selection crossing Kanji's face - red. He wasn't expecting this! And, heck, even a pat from Yosuke's more than he'd have imagined getting, sometimes. He sighs softly as Souji steps back. Thanks, man.]
Sure. A drink, or somethin' to eat... it's all good.
[Yosuke quirks an exasperated eyebrow.] What do watermelons have to do with anything?
[Part of it is theatrical, like the slightly less light slap on the back he gives Kanji as he steps aside. It's still honestly meant, more or less. Looking at these two kind of brings things home - they're all in way over their heads, and it's hard to think of a way to lift them up. But maybe they can pull themselves back down to normal, just for a little while.]
[Although as Kanji starts to get moving, it once again becomes obvious that he's favouring one leg. When there were so many others who needed the hospitals more, why should he tie up their resources with a bad ankle? (At least, that was his excuse. He'd seen enough of the place.)]
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ninetydegrees
Still not showing his face...
on 2014-02-16 09:59 pm (UTC)I'm at home. I'll meet you at the gate.
no subject
on 2014-02-16 10:02 pm (UTC)Got it.
[He looks over at Yosuke.]
Let's go.
video -> action!
on 2014-02-16 10:20 pm (UTC)[He reaches down to switch Souji's bracelet off.
With that, they run. If Kanji's at the gate already, he might even hear the thunder of footsteps down the cobblestones a while before Souji and Yosuke come into view - but one way or another, it's not long at all before they're here.
Yosuke skids to a halt about an inch away from hitting his head on the gate.] Geez, is he even around...?
no subject
on 2014-02-16 10:33 pm (UTC)What might be a bit more obvious than that, though, is the odd pattern of bruising visible on his face and hands. Thin lines fading from pale brown to deep purple trace a strange network over his skin, and a nasty one lies across one of his eyes.
He lets out a sigh on hearing - and then on seeing - the pair arrive, and gives them a wave.]
...hey. Over here.
no subject
on 2014-02-16 10:48 pm (UTC)They are an ace detective team, it's why they didn't see him (?!?).The bruises make it look like he got into a fight with several gangs of crayons. At least that's his first thought when Souji scans the whole of the visible ones over Kanji's skin, feeling his stomach sink with each second the more he noticed. It really didn't look like he was alright at all. He gives him a wave back, the other hand forming into a fist in anger. The guilt of not staying behind is catching up to him, but he just buries that. He's here to help him now, and he'll do what he can.]
Kanji...
[It's an invitation. Speak to me. Tell me what happened. We're here. He'll wait for the other to speak first, but Souji's body language was already pretty much telling of how he currently fells. That's how he operated after all; let his friends explain what happened, listen quietly without judgement, then offer his support. Hugs, if needed.
His friend looked like he could use one.]
no subject
on 2014-02-16 11:06 pm (UTC)Whoa, Kanji! What happened to you?
[It's not a pretty sight. Even less pretty than usual. When his eyes happen to catch Kanji's and stray over that larger bruise, he can't help but wince a little in sympathy.]
So that's what you were hiding for... Man, I can't blame you. You look like someone literally grilled you before we could...
[On a second glance, though, the bruising doesn't look nearly as regular as that. Yeesh, and the idea of who or what could possibly do this to Kanji, the human bulldozer... Well, that's what they're here for, he thinks, suppressing a shudder. Finetuning the accuracy of his similes can wait.]
You wanna talk inside, right? Let's go inside.
no subject
on 2014-02-16 11:16 pm (UTC)Yeah. C'mon.
[As he starts to lead the way, he's obviously favouring one leg, too, as much as he's trying to look unruffled. He still can't quite let his guard down all the way.]
no subject
on 2014-02-16 11:21 pm (UTC)He looks down at Kanji's foot with the other starts walking. Gods, it was bad. He really wished he had the power of Persona right now to just heal those away. But hey, Kanji's incredibly strong and resilient. Silently, he walks in after him.]
no subject
on 2014-02-16 11:34 pm (UTC)The sense of awkwardness doesn't improve when they step inside the hall and into the light, but he sucks it down. Whatever he's feeling right now, Kanji must have it worse. The Kanji he knows wouldn't act this edgy without a reason...
Still, eventually, he feels compelled to break the silence somehow.]
So...
[It's more a prompt than a conversation starter in itself.]
no subject
on 2014-02-16 11:52 pm (UTC)Yeah. As I said, everything went to hell while you guys were gone. Short version is, everyone's powers got screwed up. Everyone's. Folks were gettin' hurt all over the place, people were dying...
[He lets out a sigh.]... I was one'f the lucky ones.
[He might have been injured, but he hadn't hurt anyone else, and that was what mattered. Still, their restoration had come barely in time for him...]
no subject
on 2014-02-17 11:40 pm (UTC)I remember hearing the cries from the leading caravan the second day into our trip, but we weren't affected ourselves... [No one should see others die like that, without power to stop them. He idly forms one of his hands into a fist.] Kanji...I'm sorry it had to happen to you and everyone else.
No one deserves that.
[And heavily implied that he should have stayed behind on his behalf and suffered in his stead.]
no subject
on 2014-02-18 07:27 am (UTC)Even Yosuke has to fall silent for a moment.]
You say lucky... [He can't decide whether to gesture towards Kanji's face or arms first, and ends up just waving vaguely at him.] How did...? [Then he shoots a look at Souji.] And what do you mean by heard?
no subject
on 2014-02-18 11:55 am (UTC)[Kanji shrugs, and begins tracing one obvious line of bruising along an arm.]
These? These were seams. Stitches. When the powers went wrong, I was workin' on some stuff for when we open up. Making some supplies, fabric, wool, y'know... [he's a little quiet, here] next thing I know, it's making me into 'em.
no subject
on 2014-02-20 10:38 pm (UTC)[Souji is stunned speechless at that. He tries to imagine his own powers going haywire and ending up with branches growing out of him and...damn that must have been painful.]
Remember when we had to go on foot suddenly? A little before that, I heard screams in the leading carriage. That's the one where the accompany gods were in...
[He turns to Kanji again.]
How long did it last?
no subject
on 2014-02-22 10:26 pm (UTC)Trailing off again, he looks back at Kanji as well.]
no subject
on 2014-02-22 10:58 pm (UTC)[An arm useless with its muscle changed, a leg that had gone to nothing but stuffing as he was climbing stairs, leaving him to crash to the ground unsupported. The slow worry as it'd crept further in, whether it'd reach his internal organs, and if it did - what then?]
...it wasn't fun.
[Even he's not wanted to actually try and use his power again since.]
no subject
on 2014-02-25 01:17 pm (UTC)Yeah...I can understand why you wouldn't have. [He lets him finish in silence, then letting it linger when Kanji is done. It is a short while before Souji does anything afterwards, and even then it's just putting a hand on his friend's elbow.]
Is there anything we can do?
[If Kanji wants a hug, he'll gladly give him one, but he needs to read his friend's body language better to make sure he wants one.]
no subject
on 2014-02-25 01:32 pm (UTC)[That's about all Yosuke can think of to say. His instinct would be to reach out, thump Kanji on the back or something, anything just to get across the message that he's going to be fine, but... with all of that bruising, he'll hold off. Instead, awkwardly, he looks down at his own perfectly innocuous bracelet. It's hard to imagine...]
But they did figure out how to fix it, right? So it won't happen again?
no subject
on 2014-02-25 02:23 pm (UTC)[Honestly, Kanji wouldn't turn down a hug. ... Well, Yosuke's presence complicates the matter there somewhat. Regardless, he's not in a hurry to ask for one, all the same. He sighs slightly.]
An'... I dunno, guys. Just... hang around a bit. Or we can go get a coffee or somethin', if you don't wanna stay here...
[Just stay with him, that's all he can ask. Just make things normal again, when he'd been on his own so long.]
We are going to pretend this hug has less blushing also the right side of said hug okay good
on 2014-02-26 01:16 pm (UTC)[Of course he'll hang around. He remembers how most of the other students thought and treated Kanji as some sort of menace to society. Souji himself had seen a softer side of the so-called human bulldozer when he had made the charm to replace the boy's lost one. His friend's heart was much larger than what others might think at first glance, and he knew of Kanji's history with hospitals or people getting hurt in general, so to see him this distressed to outright ask them to stay. Someone who didn't want to be alone, ending up having to face this with none of his friends around...
He steps closer to Kanji and suddenly puts his right arm over his friend's neck and left elbow for a while in silence before patting him on the back. It's the bro-est of hugs (which he almost miscalculated due to his height) and he ends it with a thumbs up and an encouraging smile.]
What if we all get something to eat, and then go renovate a building?
[They'll stay with you, don't worry about it.]
no subject
on 2014-02-26 11:35 pm (UTC)And closes it again.
Presently, when Souji finally pulls away, he coughs.] Well, uh... A drink first sounds good to me! There'll be plenty of places still open, right? We didn't get back too late. [He hazards a light pat on Kanji's shoulder, only marginally less awkward than continuing to stand there and stare, and tries to catch his eye.] You up for that? Don't push yourself.
no subject
on 2014-02-28 12:23 am (UTC)He sighs softly as Souji steps back. Thanks, man.]
Sure. A drink, or somethin' to eat... it's all good.
[Any excuse will do for him.]
no subject
on 2014-03-01 10:42 am (UTC)[There has to be more than a few night ventures that offer late-night food. Giving them a thumb up, he continues.]
We can crack a watermelon open after that, and figure out what we're going to name the building.
[That's a good way to be occupied, isn't it?]
no subject
on 2014-03-05 12:16 pm (UTC)[Part of it is theatrical, like the slightly less light slap on the back he gives Kanji as he steps aside. It's still honestly meant, more or less. Looking at these two kind of brings things home - they're all in way over their heads, and it's hard to think of a way to lift them up. But maybe they can pull themselves back down to normal, just for a little while.]
Anyways, the night's still young. Let's go.
no subject
on 2014-03-05 08:26 pm (UTC)Why not? Let's go.
[Although as Kanji starts to get moving, it once again becomes obvious that he's favouring one leg. When there were so many others who needed the hospitals more, why should he tie up their resources with a bad ankle? (At least, that was his excuse. He'd seen enough of the place.)]