week 7, post-trial (Yasusada)

[discardia]

[ She'll approach him later, knowing he definitely needed to throw himself at Souji after weeks of being separated from him. Better to give them that time now, but still, she'd like to talk to him too.

And that's why she'll call out softly, when she sees him. ]

Yasusada.

Comments

[okitactless]

[She's right, since that's exactly what he does--but after a lot of hugging and crying, he does manage to pry himself away. He has people to speak to, just like Okita does--and there's no doubt that they'll reconvene soon.

So he looks nothing but pleased to see her, like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. He jogs up to her with a warm smile.]

Cardia-kun! I'm glad to see you!

[discardia]

I'm glad to see you too.

[ He's definitely looking a lot happier. ]

... I wanted to say thank you, for your encouragement.

[okitactless]

[Yasusada shakes his head, but he's still smiling; it's more of a formality than anything else.]

And I wanted to thank you, too. For looking out for Okita-kun. [He still doesn't know Cardia was partner role??? But she very clearly tried to keep her promise, and that's more than enough for him.]

What will you do now?

[discardia]

[ Honestly, she would have saved Souji even before Yasusada had asked her to look out for him. But she also shakes her head with a faint smile before glancing down at her hands. ]

I'm going to go home. I-- probably worried some people, before I came here, and there are still things I need to learn about myself. I need to face that. Properly.

[okitactless]

[He'd been able to touch her as a spirit, of course, but it isn't quite the same. Reaching out, he takes her hands and squeezes them very gently, trying his best to be reassuring.]

I wish you luck, then.

[discardia]

... Thank you.

[ and she'll squeeze his hands in response, eyes warm. ]

What about you?

[okitactless]

[His smile fades a little at that, and he looks down.]

I have to go home.

[He sounds... not unhappy, exactly, but quietly resigned.]

In the time I came from... my master gave me and other tsukumogami bodies like this in order to fight in a war. It's our duty to protect history... to stop it from being changed by our opponents. [He shakes his head a little.] Going with Okita-kun, or bringing him home with me... things like that would put us all in great danger. It would undo how hard we've worked to protect his legacy, and I-- he doesn't know it, but I've already put him at risk once before. I promised my partner I wouldn't do it again.

[discardia]

Yasusada...

[ another squeeze, slightly firmer. ]

I'm sorry. I can't say I understand just how much you've had to go through, but... you're strong. I firmly believe that. You're a lot like Souji.

[okitactless]

It's alright. [Yasusada shakes his head again, but it's a little firmer this time, and he meets her eyes again without letting go of her hands.] The circumstances weren't good, but getting to talk to him face-to-face... even this is more than I ever could've imagined.

[discardia]

... I'm glad. I'm really glad you had the opportunity to speak with him.

I normally can't touch people without hurting them, so... I understand, at least a little. Even with the circumstances we were put in... we still had opportunities that we'd never had before.