disilluded | Week 5, Wednesday

[it really is entirely too familiar.

and as much as he thinks this place is probably playing some sort of trick again, that something like that wouldn't be here-- well. stranger things have happened.

he can't just leave it, much as he probably should. if it's real and someone else gets their hands on it...

so here he is, hopping up onto a countertop or something so he can go fetch it easily. as you do. nothing weird in this kitchen today.]

[This would all be fine and dandy if... Sousei wasn't also spying it at just that moment. He's entering from the other side, fixated enough on the fan that he doesn't see Shirasu until... there he is.

Oh.

Now their eyes are meeting, but also--

That fan.

Sousei's going to try to grab it anyway.]

[-well now he's just all the more determined to grab it, particularly after that last argument of theirs. this is probably another thing sousei thinks he has no right to, isn't it?

he has as much right as sousei, at least. excuse him while he reaches for it--

but sousei is just a little closer.]

[They are such children.

But Sousei is just that little bit closer, and he snags it in his hand without a shred of hesitation, and so it is that... they're going to be trapped. Together.

Absolutely terrible.

The memory Shirasu's getting from Sousei is undoubtedly unfamiliar to him, though probably not surprising:

Tenka and Sousei, younger, much younger, locked in conflict, over something that he'll at least know about. Tenka, refusing to take the Yamainu onto his shoulders. And the two of them, splitting up for what they had thought was for good.

~~Congrats on the messy break-up memories~~.]

[it's more context to something he knew about, at least, though he can't say it's information that he especially likes when it means seeing that look on tenka's face. hearing those words from him.

tenka being the one to call something impossible, to say a burden is too much to carry, just feels somehow wrong (and it feels just as wrong to know that, yes, he might have been angry in sousei's place as well, given the situation. that's something he elects not to consider.)

and he intends to go, he really does, but before either of them can escape-- right on the back of it there's another memory, an uncomfortably familiar scene.

but instead of the murder scene sousei saw before, this is that same thing in progress. there's the struggle, a younger shirasu having some difficulty taking down an older, wiser opponent, but eventually managing to strike true-- there was already a body on the floor as well, blood pooling even before he managed the second kill.

and before he can escape, there's an interruption, and then there's a body beneath his, a terrified boy listening to his words while shirasu's hands are wrapped around his neck. there's another interruption, the sound of crying in the background.

there's one more strike. across the room, he catches the sight of blood before he backs away from the scene and finally escapes.

-and there sousei has it.]

[He only has a few moments to really process what he's seeing. He knows the scene well, it having been blazed into his memory--the end scene, at least.

But seeing it in progress? It makes him feel sick. Soramaru, crying. His master, dead. Their mother, bloody on the floor. And this all done by one Fuuma child--

It clicks suddenly, immediately.

Shirasu could only possibly have this memory if he was the one there, if he was the one experiencing it, and immediately, suddenly... Sousei snaps.

He'll be flinging himself at Shirasu immediately to try to tackle him to the ground, with the sheer, simple intent of slamming his fist across his jaw.]

[honestly, this is a case that i refuse to ninja bullshit on principle, he deserves this punch-- so he finds himself a little too caught in that memory to react as quickly as he otherwise might. he doesn't quite see it coming until it's already too late to move.

sousei's fist hits its target, leaving a mark on shirasu's jaw that is certainly going to bruise, and that's enough to push him into action. he retaliates with an attempt at a sweep, but whether it hits or not, it's just a preliminary strike before he darts back to put a little distance between the two of them, hand briefly pressed to his face to assess the damage.]

-I suppose he never told you.

[It's not near enough, not for that. Not for the pain, for their deaths, for the way that it shattered their family and almost ruined their dreams. It's not enough punishment--

But Sousei has to retreat when Shirasu sweeps out at him in return, getting to his feet quickly to stare Shirasu down, entire body tense and ready.]

You are their murderer.

[All this time... All this time, he never knew.]

I should kill you where you stand for that.

You're welcome to try it... if you don't mind setting the example for what happens when a murder is unsanctioned, of course.

[would it be worth it, for him? it's certainly possible, and so shirasu keeps that distance; there's tension in his own posture, just waiting for sousei to strike again. whether he does it with killing intent or not, shirasu doesn't think this will be so easy for him to walk away from.

and just in case, one hand lingers near to where he's hidden his knife. he's not at all discounting the possibility that he'll need to draw it.]

[Sousei has a lot of self-control, he really does. But this... this is something extra. This is too much to just let go without a single fight, and his lip curls a bit into a snarl, but all he says is a simple:]

I won't kill you. [Quite frankly.] And not because of their pitiful rules to this game, either. I won't kill you because you deserve to rot in jail for the crimes you have committed against that family.

[His family.

But.

That all said? He's still lunging forward again, because one punch was not enough.]

[go ahead, put a fuuma in prison again. see what happens.]

How idealistic of you. Do you think we're so easily held?

[he's fairly sure he'd find an opportunity to get out eventually, if they caught him to begin with.

but when sousei lunges for him-- there's only so much space to maneuver, given that they're in a kitchen, and it's still a risk right now to let sousei know he's armed when there's no weapon drawn against him yet.

so shirasu steps in to meet him, first with a feint and then with a real strike that aims to wind him.

[It's the only choice, Shirasu!!

Sousei doesn't respond to that, though--not with more than a snarl, before he's suddenly regretting that lunge a little. He's got too much forward momentum to avoid that strike properly; he does twist out of the way a little, but Shirasu still gets him in the chest, knocking the breath clean out of him.

Sousei's breath hitches, but... he also doesn't really care. While he's up close and personal like this, Sousei is going to go ahead and try to ram his elbow into Shirasu's jaw.

He's always been kind of an underhanded fighter himself, so here they are.]

[it's definitely a little harder to dodge up close, and he doesn't quite expect sousei to push through being winded like that to strike back-- he only manages to keep it from hitting hard enough to break, but any blow hurts when he's already been struck hard there.

there's a hiss of pain from him, and he pushes right back; if this is how they're going to fight, then fine. shirasu strikes low this time, trying to get him off balance so that he can get sousei on the ground.]

[And down to the ground he goes, despite his best efforts; the kitchen is way too cramped a space to really fight the way he'd prefer, dodging and avoiding blows that come his way, and so he's unable to avoid that at all, hitting the ground hard, and rolling to a crouch immediately.

He's going to press the offensive anyway, though; where usually he'd have a fair bit more caution and sense, right now he's just furious. So he lunges forward once more, this time to try to tackle Shirasu to the ground.

He may not have any intentions of killing Shirasu, but he still wants him to remember this, and remember what he's done when he's feeling those bruises.]

[neither of them can really utilize their preferred styles here, but at least it leaves both of them disadvantaged. though, left without room to get out of the way...

shirasu goes for a different opportunity. he'll allow sousei to make that move-- but he's doing it so that he can reach up as he lets himself fall, hands outstretched to try to wrap his fingers around sousei's throat.]

[Well, that's a problem. Shirasu gets his fingers around Sousei's throat--he's not being near cautious enough here-but Sousei intends on giving as good as he gets, aiming to slam another fist into Shirasu's face.

So like.

Someone stopping them now would be good.]

[jae-ha wanted some damn tea

but instead he's here and they're absolutely wrestling on the floor and he's over there as soon as he can, one hand around each of their wrists. he tries to catch sousei's hand before it slams into shirasu's face, and his grip on shirasu's wrist is hardly kind

yet aside from the ice in his eyes, his voice is even as he speaks - ]

I'd rather not have to call for Belph, so why don't we end whatever this is here?

[sorry about your life, jae-ha...

he's not letting go to try to block that punch before the interference happens, so there are a few moments where he just squeezes tighter--

and then there's a hand around his wrist. his grip eases and goes slack, but he doesn't let his hands fully drop, still on edge in case sousei makes another move.]

You'll have to tell that to him first, seeing as he attacked me.

[this is self defense, thanks.

also sousei tackled him so he's kind of going to have to get up first regardless.]

[It's only because it's Jae-ha that Sousei doesn't just jerk his hand away and carry on where he left off. Instead, Sousei just huffs out a short, bitter breath, and moves to jerk away and stand up, eyes narrowed and expression bitter.

There's no point in talking to someone like Shirasu, who doesn't see any of his treachery as something wrong.

There's no point in arguing it at all.]

[ . . . well, that sure happened. Jae-ha lets go as soon as the two pull away from each other, his hands dropping as he quietly watches them both and takes a quiet inventory of the situation.]

... we'll take our leave then.

[He'll speak for both himself and Sousei then - a rather firm statement in a tone he rarely cares to talk.

Once Sousei stands, he'll offer a hand to Shirasu because it's polite, but also move to take an obvious step between them as a physical boundary.]

If you need nothing else?

[it would be polite to take that hand too, probably.

shirasu pushes himself to his feet without accepting it, and shakes his head; he doesn't try to push anything, remaining where he stands.]

I don't, no.

[he'll let them leave without further incident, though he's also not going to move until they're both out of sight.]

Week 5, Wednesday

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