week 3, thursday

[disilluded]

[Hey Souji... naturally Sousei has to go find him after That Mess. He doesn't even want to think about the historical ramifications of Hijikata being dead of all people but...

Right now?

He's gotta check on Souji.]

... Souji, a moment, if you will.

Comments

[sanguinairy]

[HI SOUSEI... Souji is just

out here

chilling with Hijikata's body since apparently it's not being glass cased. FUN!!

In any case, he actually does bother picking himself up from the floor when Sousei arrives. If there's one thing he's good at no matter what emotional state he's in, it's following directives or not-quite-directives from authoritative figures.]

Yes?

[Boy does he sound dead inside.]

[disilluded]

[Everyone is so dead inside this week. Sousei is definitely just frowning at Hijikata's dead body just being left there!!!!]

Are you intent on remaining here?

[sanguinairy]

[It'll be glass cased in 6 hours so it won't be here forever at least...! Small blessings.

As for the question, there's no hesitation in Souji's reply.]

Yes. [It seems too cruel to leave Hijikata's side now when he wasn't there before, back when he was really needed.] Until I know what should be done.

[With Hijikata's body but also just in general HE'S LOST.]

[disilluded]

Very well then.

[It's not an argument he's interested in having; if Souji wants to sit by his vice-commander's dead body, so be it!!!

And so, casually, Sousei's just going to take a seat next to him.

And that's it, apparently!! He doesn't seem too interested in talking right now, eyes closed as he muses over this situation.]

[sanguinairy]

[THANKS SAUCY you're so understanding...

If Souji's surprised that he joins in on the corpse vigil, it doesn't show. Not much of anything does, though - and unlike the many times they've spoken before, he also sits in silence. There's nothing he could say, after all. Words won't bring Hijikata back, no matter how much of his air he sacrifices for it.

Eventually, he shifts so that his forehead is resting against his knees, and he'll pretty much stay that way until Sousei moves again, whenever that may be. At least the body won't be left out here for longer than six hours...]

[disilluded]

[This is legit a private conversation in which they are going to sit here and do nothing but hold vigil over a dead body.

Nice.

Thanks, guys.

Eventually, Sousei does get up, but only because he thinks Jae-ha will start to lose his mind if he's gone for many more hours. Still, he won't break the silence, beyond offering Souji a quiet nod. Sometimes? Sometimes you have to just be sad and also respectful.]

[sanguinairy]

[im fucking crying and i hate this

Souji lifts his head when Sousei moves away, in any case. As for the nod - he returns it with a gentle one of his own, just dipping his head down briefly. He can't manage a smile, but the gratitude he feels is still present, even if it's not as strong as it might be on a normal day.

Otherwise, he'll remain here until the body disappears while Sousei goes off to wrangle Jae-ha.]