thefoundation | nobody's in the mood for recording 6.9: the post-trial garden tea "party"

Getting shot for one, but at least I didn't have a splitting headache then. [ So mmmnn, maybe it's worth thinking about. ]

I wouldn't mind the company, I probably shouldn't sleep so soon after all of that.

[There's kind of a lot to unpack here.]

You actually want my company...?

[It's... almost like teasing except he seems a little too surprised.]

[ Mood, but sometimes you just get miasma lasered and then tossed from a shield so #yolo is the life. ]

I'm not going to repeat myself. [ Said mostly in his usual way, but there might be a soft edge if you listen closely. ]

[Well you know what they say... You can't be TOO badly hurt if you're still able to tsun. But hey, given that Haku's actually just kinda smiling at this rather than teasing, maybe it means he was actually kind of worried about you?? Maybe.]

I see.

Is there something in particular you want to talk about?

[ Truly this is the gold standard for measuring injury by. ]

As long as it doesn't have to do with trial, I don't care. I was prepared to read several memories if I needed, but I wasn't prepared to be attacked by a laser beam and then thrown around after. [ He's entirely at fault for both of these but just lumping Olympia and Subete in together why not. ]

I don't think any of us were prepared for that.

[He sighs.]

Would you like some ice for your head?

[Would that even help for a concussion, who knows...]

It can't hurt, right? [ He legit has no idea right now tbh. ]

One moment.

[He grabs a pillowcase from a pile of clean linens and then performs a one handed seal. Ice begins to form in the air in front of him, then falls into the open pillow case. Then tying it closed with a knot, he makes a motion, like he's about to throw it over to Hikage.]

[But then he stops. Something about throwing a bag of ice at a dude with a concussion just seems like a bad idea.]

....Ah, let me just hand it over to you.

[Which he does. Haku makes his way over to Hikage's bed and holds out the ice for him to take, but he does so with notable caution.]

[ Yeah it would prob be a bad idea. ]

Thanks. [ Reaching down and taking the ice pillowcase he spends a moment to make himself comfortable, letting out a pleased sigh. ]

You're a much better nurse than my last one.

[He watches Hikage settle back with a small smile.]

You're more agreeable than the last person I took care of. I don't think he really wanted me to be there. Something about not wanting to look weak in front of others.

I don't really disagree with him, I'd rather take care of myself. But I also know it would be easier if I just accepted the help and got better faster. [ Just a titch of minor grumbling. ]

To say nothing of the company. [ This is the closest he'll get to repeating himself on wanting Haku to be here. ]

[It may not seem like much, but hearing it makes Haku smile in earnest. Not that he's ever been made to feel that his company was bad, but he's known for years that his presence alone has no inherent value to anyone at all. Feeling a little caught, he looks away but isn't able to stop smiling.]

... that's sweet of you.

[ Haku's not the only one who's looking away. ]

I must have hit my head harder than I realized. [ Still, it's not a denial. ]

[That is such an incredible level of tsun that Haku can't help laugh a little. It's not as bright as usual considering how long and exhausting the day really has been, but it's there. When it's over though, he doesn't know what to say.

He lapses into a short silence and then:]

Can I sit with you or would that foster a misunderstanding?

[ The silence is appreciated honestly, and there was probably some residual grumbling from Hikage's bed anyway. It's a beat before he responds though, because he recognizes those words from earlier in the week but he's not about to call himself out. ]

You can sit with me.

[It can more or less be assumed that there's an ongoing background track of grumbling around this boy, no? But in any case with that permission granted, Haku goes to sit on Hikage's bed, sitting about an arm's length away. Once settled like that, he lets out a bit of a sigh.]

You said you weren't reckless. What made you change your mind?

[The question's asked softly, so it doesn't sound like an accusation.]

[ Yes, that is very true. He glances over once Haku is settled, looking fine with this new seating arrangement. The question though, he can't help but sigh at. ]

I didn't view it as a reckless action, though it turned into one. But I misjudged the situation and that fault lies with me and no one else. As much as being able to read memories is "cheating", it's far from exact. There was also the possibility that no one would believe me, especially considering how protective some were of her.

But if you're asking why I volunteered, it's because using Sakaguchi's ability would have made him relive the entirety of Jack's death, while with mine I would have just witnessed the murder. One is a heavier price to pay than the other, so it only made sense that I use my ability first.

So you decided to add yourself to the list of targets for any future killers just to save one person from experiencing someone else's death,

[That's not surprising. Hikage's made his intentions about saving people known from day one. Facts that haven't changed shouldn't really be reason for more concern.]

The vessel decided it was cheating so there shouldn't be any other problems besides the one you're currently dealing with, but....

[But. Where is he even going with this....]

You can call it saving, but I was just trying to effectively utilize our resources. [ As tends to happen Haku is right, but Hikage doesn't really want to admit. ]

But?

[Haku takes a deep breath. It was probably meant to be calming, but his fingers dig a little into the blanket.]

Do you have to be a fool?

[ Oh. Yeah that's- he starts with a glare, his voice raised. ]

What about that makes me a fool? It was a risk and one I was willing to take, one that was merited because if Sakaguchi would have suffered any repercussions he had no defenses, and I did. Moreover, his well-being is tied to at least one other agents well-being, one of whom is a nullifier and vital to our operations.

[ This is a really weird of saying that people (or at least Dazai) would lose their shit if Ango was injured or worse, which isn't the case for Hikage personally. At least he thinks so, anyway. ]

[There isn't an immediate response to this, even if Haku doesn't quite stop glaring either. He'd told Hikage once that he sounds like a ninja, and this response just now is only cementing that into place. Not for the first time this conversation, Haku feels caught though in a different sense. Now he's not sure if he's angry at Hikage or angry at himself.]

So that's how it is.

[And maybe that's how it's supposed to be.]

Is that what happens when you lose all memories of your important people? You just assume you can't be important to anyone at all?

[ He doesn't need to think on the answer any, it's as plain as day. ]

It's a reasonable assumption to make.

[....]

You're an idiot.

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