winged_moon: (yue manga :|)
winged_moon ([personal profile] winged_moon) wrote in [community profile] damned_institute2009-02-26 01:27 pm

Day 39: Sun Room [Fourth Shift]

Yue was all too pleased to leave the cafeteria by the time lunch was over, even if he still wasn't satisfied that Fai was properly taking care of himself. It was clear that Touya hadn't accepted the answers he'd been given and intended to find out just what the guardian wasn't telling him, and being watched so closely was beginning to get uncomfortable.

It was clear that the truth would have to come out at some point, especially if they were going to be spending any amount of time together. Avoiding him was entirely out of the question, but at the same time Yue stubbornly refused to consider the idea of just outright telling him about what had happened in the last week. It was a dilemma indeed, and only served to make him even more irritable than ever.

How could he admit any of it? That he was weak and crippled, betrayed and altered by his creator? That he'd almost broken the promise he'd given in exchange for Touya's power? The latter he couldn't help but be reminded of every time he saw this Touya, who had only just gone through it, and would remember it even more clearly.

Fortunately Yukito was staying silent for the moment, although he could feel his other self's disappointment at being unable to speak to Touya so far, and it didn't make him feel any better.

In the midst of all this Yue was rather dismayed to realize that the nurse wanted to lead him to the music room, of all places: that was the room where he'd met the Sakura-who-wasn't-his-Sakura the week before, and needed neither the reminder nor the inevitable noise in that room. He abruptly halted in his tracks and refused to continue on. The nurse seemed initially disappointed, but finally agreed to let him stay in the Sun Room instead; the guardian found a corner in which to stand, arms folded across his chest and lost in his own brooding thoughts.

[for Sokka]
screwthegods: (Well hello there)

[personal profile] screwthegods 2009-02-28 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
Homura had to laugh when Hijikata made his conclusions, a short and derisive sound. "If you were, I wouldn't want you." And apparently Hijikata had misunderstood that. Homura was convincing with his words, but he was far from helpless with a sword. Yet he made no mention of that yet, nor of his willingness to prove his intentions with a blade if that was what the man truly desired. "I'm saying that your goals coincide with ours--specifically, with mine. This Kondo--is he the most important person to you? Then I'd expect him to show up for you within a week or two. Not to join you as a prisoner, but as a brainwashed visitor trying to lure you into the lies that the nurses tell you. Trying to convince you your name really is Kate, and that my name is Ethan, and that we all have perfect lives waiting for us waiting just beyond the doors."

"Ask about it, if you want." Homura glanced towards the bulletin, though he doubted Hijikata wouldn't have been able to guess the method he was suggesting. "There have been numerous people visited by the one they hold most dear. And not even death will stop them from coming, if the Institute decides that's the best way to torture you."

"I already told you that with or without you, my group is going forward with our goals. What you do is your choice, and I'm not going to treat you any differently than I would another person who catches my interest." And he certainly didn't think of his followers as dogs. But Heiji said that almost better than Homura himself could, and the boy earned a look of appreciation for it. What he didn't approve of, however, was Heiji's offer to give up his sword.

"You will do no such thing, Hattori." Okita might not appreciate this intrusion into his territory, but Homura knew all too well how precious weapons were in this place. "You have that sword for a reason, and I expect you to hold on to it. You're the one Okita named when I asked him to pick one of you three. Don't dishonor that choice by letting go of your blade so easily."

[identity profile] mayomanoflove.livejournal.com 2009-02-28 07:18 am (UTC)(link)
Homura's laugh was sharp but didn't phase him; while it was true that Hijikata wasn't the trusting sort, his instincts had been proven right far more often than wrong, and Hijikata was prepared to hold onto this pride and caution of his until Homura could show him otherwise. The man could laugh and convince people like that other Okita and this kid different, but Hijikata saw no difference between this idea of an "ally" and his idea of a "dog" so long as he was bound to follow whatever this man said without being offered true reasons.

"What kind of honor is being a puppy?" Hijikata scowled, turning to Heiji that was less a glare and more tired disgruntlement. He bit into the pen in his mouth and blinked a bit in surprise at the feel of hard plastic before scowling again.

The mention of "Hijikata Toushizou" earned Heiji an actual glare, but the look faded when the kid went and offered up his own sword for the cause. While he'd had no idea that the kid could even wield a sword to begin with, that he'd been given one said something. Hijikata had no idea if the kid was really foolish enough to offer up his own sword to a complete stranger or whether it was because this group and its goals was what he wanted to protect.

Either way, it didn't sit well.

"And I'm not desperate enough to go snatching the sword of some Osakan kid."

Hijikata looked back at Homura, daring him to challenge that. The mention of Kondo-san showing up as a visitor--no, the mention of Kondo-san at all was clearly intended as a warning, but whereas Hijikata would have easily denied a connection to Sougo or Yamazaki, that was the one connection he would never deny.

"I'm interesting?" Hijikata asked, smirking faintly.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Is it because you know a lot about me?"

The smirk was gone.

"But just who the hell are you?"
Edited 2009-02-28 07:18 (UTC)

[identity profile] osakapwnzu.livejournal.com 2009-02-28 08:32 am (UTC)(link)
Heiji frowned. God, why were things so fucking hard all the time? He thought he was here as a historical consult, but so far he'd just been trying to make peace between the two men and failing hardcore. They seemed so intent to bicker at one another and flex their muscles. Ugh, it was enough to make him want to scream and run back to peaceful Japan where murders happened everyday, but still....

He didn't even try to explain himself, though, as both men refused his offer. Heiji had thought that if Hijikata was placated with a weapon, Okita could get within closer range of him and be able to see that this guy was just... not him. At all. And if Hijikata was placated, it would mean that the meeting would be non-violent, or at least on equal terms. Both men would be armed. And Heiji was totally happy just hitting things with a pipe, honestly--if it meant that this friction would be avoided altogether.

The 'some Osakan kid' phrase, however, caused a vein to pulse in his head. Such a derogatory tone... His thumbnail dug violently into the page. Iwillnothauloffandpunchhim, Iwillnothauloffandpunchthissonofabitch, Iwillnothauloffandkneethisbastard'spackagerightthroughtheroofofhismouthbecauseOkitaiswatching. Anger management skills apparently worked wonders, because Heiji didn't move. Though it was apparent that he was pissed.

"Because this puppy will be raised t'bite and not let go?" Heiji responded acidly, still staring intently at the book he was impaling with his thumb. "Because what else is more valuable than potential that's been recognized by the best of the best? I could be a 'puppy', raised by a mother and taught to survive, or I could be a 'dog' and scrounge for scraps of pity to pick up. Which would you prefer, huh?"
screwthegods: (Better Than You)

[personal profile] screwthegods 2009-03-01 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
Heiji was growing visibly tense, but he kept his temper in check. Unlike the boy, Homura had a bit more practice at it. It helped that Hijikata's attitude was nothing he hadn't seen before, or that he was willing to accept whatever choice the man made. He hadn't been lying when he told Hijikata that he wanted him with the History Club. But that was only effective so long as the man was willing to join them, and devote himself to the goals they had in common.

"I don't know anything about you." Homura grinned easily, even as Hijikata's bluster gave way to pure annoyance. "Except that you have the type of personality I like. That's reason enough for me."

"As for who I am," Homura still spoke with the same easy confidence, though he knew Hijikata might well call him crazy when he heard the answer. "I'm a god, and the Toushin Taishi of Heaven. The War Prince chosen to fight for the gods, and the only being in the Heavens allowed to kill. Which I did for five-hundred years until I decided to fight for my own goals instead." Perfect honesty, even if it wasn't going to be received that way.

The puppy's bark, at the very least, was growing impressive. He liked the face the boy showed when he defended his position, and the pride in his voice, and gave a nod towards Heiji. "Well put."

[identity profile] mayomanoflove.livejournal.com 2009-03-01 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
Hijikata blinked and turned when the kid started talking again, this time with a steel to his voice that Hijikata hadn't expected. He hadn't meant anything by his words, but listening to the speech they'd provoked out of the boy...

He looked away. He didn't smile, and covered up his expression with a short cough. Ch', this environment really was getting to him, wasn't it? For a moment there he thought he'd heard something in the boy's words worth noticing: soul, was it? Like echoes of the words Hijikata'd bit out to the enemy who taunted him before Kondo-san'd taught him that he too could have a sort of pride in this dismal work, that though they'd have to use darkness to achieve it there'd always be a light in their heart so long as their conviction was strong and their purpose untainted. Something like that.

....yeeeaaah, this place was really getting to him if some speech made by some brat who'd just gone through puberty could remind him of the Shinsengumi. Heh, what was next? The Mayora Kingdom? Showgirls in his pizza? Cannibals in the closet? Man-love?

Thankfully for his sanity, before Hijikata could get any further, something came out of the Osaka kid's mouth that spurred a real bout of coughing. Wait. Hold on a sec. Did the kid just say...no, he had to be kidding. But who else could the "best of the best" be? There wasn't much room for interpretation, and sometimes when people said "mother" they didn't mean mother mother, but maybe mentor, or--

--wait. Wait wait wait. In that case, couldn't he have just used "father" instead?

"...did you just call this guy your mother?" Hijikata said when he could stop coughing, voice heavy with a note that could not be described more aptly than by this guy had better not be serious and I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.

He turned to look again at Homura, even more on guard now that there was a whole new possibility behind the word "like" coming out of his mouth.

"A god, huh?" Hijikata half-sighed and bit into the pen again, completely unaware of the sizeable dent he'd made in the plastic already.

A War Prince.....Life just never got any easier, did it? Hijikata still had painful memories from the last time the scriptwriters dragged them off and deposited them in that weird place with the white background and that bitch of a Victory Goddess and the legions of perverted gods and angels after her (far too communal) ass. So far, Homura didn't strike him as the sort, but if he was being called "mother" by some kids...

...well. The moment the god stripped and started acting like a newlywed, Hijikata was out of here.

"...forget it. I don't want to know."

Making eye contact again, Hijikata asked, "You said we share the same goals, but there's one thing I'm just not getting. People like me aren't easy to deal with, so what's the point of gathering us together and limiting membership if all we want is to get out?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Revenge isn't your only motive. There's people we 'know' outside the Institute. Think you can save them, as well?"

[identity profile] osakapwnzu.livejournal.com 2009-03-02 08:44 am (UTC)(link)
"It's just a metaphor, dude," Heiji said with a small grin. "Don't take it so seriously."

He was a little proud that his speech had impressed Homura, but Okita didn't look too happy. Well, at least he'd managed to cover up who his 'mother' was. He didn't have much to say about the current goings-on, though, so he simply continued to pretend to read and listened to the conversation.