Matou Byakuya // 間桐鶴野 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
didnteventry) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
streetwalkers2012-09-17 02:03 am
didnteventry) wrote in streetwalkers2012-09-17 02:03 am
TRAINWRECK AU MASTER POST
[FOR THIS THING YEAH.]
[ shinji doesn't agree and thinks that the snakes would look pretty dapper in sweaters, so there. he's already moved onto frogs anyway. would they look good in raincoats? possibly. ] Mm...
[ he's zoned out.
maybe he'd rather be a frog than a little boy.
but when he turns around, he doesn't see byakuya. ]
Hey! [ there are more people around than when they'd just walked in, making it difficult to point out anyone in particular. so he walks around the exhibit, wondering if this had been a plan to abandon him here at the zoo. perhaps he'd have to look into becoming a frog after all. ] Hey!
[ a few people turned around, but none of them were byakuya.
oh, there's another portion of the exhibit. maybe he went in there. ]
Hey, old man --
[ oh god he definitely was not in there. ]
[ he's zoned out.
maybe he'd rather be a frog than a little boy.
but when he turns around, he doesn't see byakuya. ]
Hey! [ there are more people around than when they'd just walked in, making it difficult to point out anyone in particular. so he walks around the exhibit, wondering if this had been a plan to abandon him here at the zoo. perhaps he'd have to look into becoming a frog after all. ] Hey!
[ a few people turned around, but none of them were byakuya.
oh, there's another portion of the exhibit. maybe he went in there. ]
Hey, old man --
[ oh god he definitely was not in there. ]
[He doesn't notice Shinji's panic. He's wandered off to the next room, assuming the little shit can take care of himself for a few minutes while he peers at a giant tortoise. He can't imagine living that long. Thirty-six years have been an ordeal. He's not sure he wants to think about going through another ten, let alone a hundred.]
[ it takes him a moment or two to get his feet working (too long) before he hurries out and flits around the exhibit before he finally finds byakuya looking at what might as well be a mirror into his future before frantically tugging on his sleeve, other hand with a white knuckled grip on his empty juice pack. ] I don't want to be in here any more. W-we need to go!
[ be he certainly didn't want to go home, either. just maybe to see something soft. rabbits? a baby deer? just away from here. ]
[ be he certainly didn't want to go home, either. just maybe to see something soft. rabbits? a baby deer? just away from here. ]
Eh?
[He's surprised to see the panic on Shinji's face, and it shows. Sometimes he forgets he's got a child, considering the ease with which he ends up on the "bullied" end of their interactions.]
If you say so.
[He doesn't mind either way. He leads Shinji away from the reptiles and towards a bench outside.]
[He's surprised to see the panic on Shinji's face, and it shows. Sometimes he forgets he's got a child, considering the ease with which he ends up on the "bullied" end of their interactions.]
If you say so.
[He doesn't mind either way. He leads Shinji away from the reptiles and towards a bench outside.]
[ to someone with a bit more common sense, having the reptiles and amphibian displays lead toward exotic spiders and cockroaches probably wouldn't be surprising. but shinji was somewhat lacking and he was very much surprised. they sit and for one reason or another he's yet to unclench his little fist from the fabric at the wrist of byakuya's shirt.
frowning, he looks up at him. ]
D-do you have a map?
Where else can we go. [ sayonara, frogs. he'd see you all another day. ]
frowning, he looks up at him. ]
D-do you have a map?
Where else can we go. [ sayonara, frogs. he'd see you all another day. ]
There's penguins. And a petting zoo, if you promise not to kick the goats.
[He pulls the battered map out of his pocket, handing it to Shinji. He's certainly old enough to make his own decision in that regard, though he looks younger when he's so visibly shaken.]
Why are you so freaked out?
[He pulls the battered map out of his pocket, handing it to Shinji. He's certainly old enough to make his own decision in that regard, though he looks younger when he's so visibly shaken.]
Why are you so freaked out?
N-nothing, they just had a stupid lizard in there it was kind of scary... [ and back up on his feet! still spooked and white knuckling his juice pack, but definitely excited to get the fuck out of that general area. ]
I like penguins. Let's go see those.
I like penguins. Let's go see those.
Well... okay.
[He doesn't care enough to argue. They're in public, so pushing Shinji into an argument is probably a bad idea. Instead he gets up and heads towards the penguins.]
[He doesn't care enough to argue. They're in public, so pushing Shinji into an argument is probably a bad idea. Instead he gets up and heads towards the penguins.]
[ he eventually tosses his garbage into a recycling bin and uses both hands to unfold the map properly. navigation was an effective distraction and only every so often along the way would he glance over his shoulder to make sure byakuya hadn't wandered off again.
if only because his presence might lessen the chance of running into anything else he didn't want to see.
on the way to the penguin exhibit, they pass the petting zoo. remembering something, shinji can't pass up the opportunity to mention: ]
You know, I only kicked that goat last time because it ate a button off my jacket.
if only because his presence might lessen the chance of running into anything else he didn't want to see.
on the way to the penguin exhibit, they pass the petting zoo. remembering something, shinji can't pass up the opportunity to mention: ]
You know, I only kicked that goat last time because it ate a button off my jacket.
Edited 2013-01-24 02:35 (UTC)
You shouldn't kick them no matter what.
[He grumbles, glancing at the pathway to the petting zoo. He wonders if they'd remember Shinji there, and if so whether they'd kick him out before he even got to pet anything. That's a disaster waiting to happen. Suddenly, he's glad Shinji picked the penguins.
On the downside, the penguin exhibit is inside and it's cold.]
[He grumbles, glancing at the pathway to the petting zoo. He wonders if they'd remember Shinji there, and if so whether they'd kick him out before he even got to pet anything. That's a disaster waiting to happen. Suddenly, he's glad Shinji picked the penguins.
On the downside, the penguin exhibit is inside and it's cold.]
And they shouldn't eat clothes.
[ it's not like he's never been smacked for misbehaving, he simply thought he was teaching it a lesson.
shinji's actually pretty into penguins. they're active, at least! and they seem to enjoy putting on a show. it doesn't take long for him to get glued to watching them. hopefully it would be a good attempt at distracting himself from the other crazy shit he's seen today. i mean, penguins and frogs? that's a pretty good day. ]
I heard that penguins can recognize each other even though they all look the same.
[ it's not like he's never been smacked for misbehaving, he simply thought he was teaching it a lesson.
shinji's actually pretty into penguins. they're active, at least! and they seem to enjoy putting on a show. it doesn't take long for him to get glued to watching them. hopefully it would be a good attempt at distracting himself from the other crazy shit he's seen today. i mean, penguins and frogs? that's a pretty good day. ]
I heard that penguins can recognize each other even though they all look the same.
They probably don't look the same to each other.
[He wraps his arms around himself as he watches Shinji watch the penguins. He doesn't like the cold -- he doesn't have the vitality to protect against it, and it doesn't take long before he's shivering.]
[He wraps his arms around himself as he watches Shinji watch the penguins. He doesn't like the cold -- he doesn't have the vitality to protect against it, and it doesn't take long before he's shivering.]
Hm. [ he actually hadn't considered that. touché, old man. glancing over his shoulder, he notices byakuya isn't holding up too well. ]
You're that cold? [ raises an eyebrow. ]
You're that cold? [ raises an eyebrow. ]
That must really suck. [ but... penguins... ]
Yeah, but it's not a big deal if you want to stay in here. It's supposed to be fun, so...
[ he shrugs a bit dismissively. shinji did just say himself they all looked alike. he gives another glance back to the enclosure. ]
It's okay.
I just don't wanna go home yet.
It's okay.
I just don't wanna go home yet.
Who would?
[He grumbles, eyeing the penguins. Yeah, he'd rather be in a place that's cold and smells like fish than back at the house.]
[He grumbles, eyeing the penguins. Yeah, he'd rather be in a place that's cold and smells like fish than back at the house.]
So long as we're on the same page. [ he says with a sigh, sort of awkwardly adult like in execution. ]
[It's coming up on sunrise by the time Kirei leaves, the very picture of a model priest going in to make sure his church is in proper order for his lambs. The slaughter he leaves behind in the Matou house where it belongs.
Kariya's half-dozing on the couch, sprawled out -- Kirei's quite solicitously left an extra frock, probably because there's blood somewhere on it, masked by the smell of spilled wine -- he's not sure he could move if he wanted to. It's one of those days that are relieving and infuriating at once, because he needs them as much as he regrets them afterward.
Well, his body's doing most of the regretting; his mind is clear (as clear as bleary morning thoughts are, anyway). He probably won't be going anywhere today. There's a certain dark satisfaction, though, in knowing that the blood on the frock isn't his.]
Kariya's half-dozing on the couch, sprawled out -- Kirei's quite solicitously left an extra frock, probably because there's blood somewhere on it, masked by the smell of spilled wine -- he's not sure he could move if he wanted to. It's one of those days that are relieving and infuriating at once, because he needs them as much as he regrets them afterward.
Well, his body's doing most of the regretting; his mind is clear (as clear as bleary morning thoughts are, anyway). He probably won't be going anywhere today. There's a certain dark satisfaction, though, in knowing that the blood on the frock isn't his.]
[As usual on nights like that, not even drink can get Byakuya to sleep. Those nights -- the ones where Kirei is brimming with glee and Kariya is tense with barely contained rage -- are just too dangerous to face wasted. Generally he puts the bottle away after dinner when it's like that, retreats to his room (or some unused corner of the mansion if he's feeling like testing Kirei's attention span), and tries not to see or hear anything.
Sometimes, silence is enough to save him. Not sleeping is a small price to pay on those nights in exchange for being in one piece. Other times there's enough space in the hectic evening for Kirei to come find him, and the next day he's both exhausted, sore, and hoarse from crying and screaming.
The first two years of it, he would try to take out his pain and fear and frustration on his little brother, even (or especially) when he was already tired and beaten down. But one night some few months back something cracked, and he'd tearfully confessed that he was tired -- of struggling, of fighting, of lashing out and hating himself for it in the morning. It hurt to be abused, it hurt worse to know that he always came out of encounters with Kirei ten times more injured than Kariya ever seemed to, but it hurt most to have been left behind all those years ago. He'd said that at least, despite everything, Kariya was here now, and Byakuya spent too much energy hating Kirei to waste any hating the brother that let him mooch in a fancy house.
So now there's a shaky, distant peace between the two. It's that peace that allows him to feel safe in limping into the room now in the dim pre-dawn light. There's a well-stocked first aid kit in his trembling hands, and he sits heavily on the floor next to the couch with a sigh.]
...I'll give that one a seven. Could've been worse.
Sometimes, silence is enough to save him. Not sleeping is a small price to pay on those nights in exchange for being in one piece. Other times there's enough space in the hectic evening for Kirei to come find him, and the next day he's both exhausted, sore, and hoarse from crying and screaming.
The first two years of it, he would try to take out his pain and fear and frustration on his little brother, even (or especially) when he was already tired and beaten down. But one night some few months back something cracked, and he'd tearfully confessed that he was tired -- of struggling, of fighting, of lashing out and hating himself for it in the morning. It hurt to be abused, it hurt worse to know that he always came out of encounters with Kirei ten times more injured than Kariya ever seemed to, but it hurt most to have been left behind all those years ago. He'd said that at least, despite everything, Kariya was here now, and Byakuya spent too much energy hating Kirei to waste any hating the brother that let him mooch in a fancy house.
So now there's a shaky, distant peace between the two. It's that peace that allows him to feel safe in limping into the room now in the dim pre-dawn light. There's a well-stocked first aid kit in his trembling hands, and he sits heavily on the floor next to the couch with a sigh.]
...I'll give that one a seven. Could've been worse.
[There's a quiet laugh from above him, without any real mirth in it. It's been a long time since Kariya's laughed from the heart -- it occurs to him some days to question whether it's still around.]
Optimistic of you. [There's a rustle as Kariya forces himself up and the frock slides down; he's bare from the waist up, covered in shallow slashes that look a little too patterned to be entirely haphazard. He wouldn't be surprised if Kirei had started trying to prolong his own enjoyment in new ways. The man likes wine far too much for a priest.] You... patched yourself up already?
[This part is always the most awkward, even on the days when Kariya is the only one needing bandages. Even now, he's not sure whether the new, tentative peace is better or worse: he can be a little concerned now without backlash, but...
When Kirei expands his targets, it always undoes half the work of the night -- he knows it, knows Kariya will come after him sooner next time because there's no way he'll sit back. He knows all about the viciousness of cycles, and refuses to let them break him; Kirei is a very dangerous creature, though. Kariya's not much of a beast tamer, let's say. He can only draw lines in the sand and push back when or if Kirei crosses them.]
Optimistic of you. [There's a rustle as Kariya forces himself up and the frock slides down; he's bare from the waist up, covered in shallow slashes that look a little too patterned to be entirely haphazard. He wouldn't be surprised if Kirei had started trying to prolong his own enjoyment in new ways. The man likes wine far too much for a priest.] You... patched yourself up already?
[This part is always the most awkward, even on the days when Kariya is the only one needing bandages. Even now, he's not sure whether the new, tentative peace is better or worse: he can be a little concerned now without backlash, but...
When Kirei expands his targets, it always undoes half the work of the night -- he knows it, knows Kariya will come after him sooner next time because there's no way he'll sit back. He knows all about the viciousness of cycles, and refuses to let them break him; Kirei is a very dangerous creature, though. Kariya's not much of a beast tamer, let's say. He can only draw lines in the sand and push back when or if Kirei crosses them.]
There was nothing bad enough he needed to heal it.
[That's something. No broken bones, no heavy bloodloss, nothing that would send him to the hospital without Kirei's exemplary healing magic. There are dark bruises on his wrists and neck starting to show already and a million cuts, scrapes, and lighter bumps, but tonight wasn't a night where Byakuya stared death in the face.
The bad nights leave him far from this calm. On the worst ones he doesn't come see Kariya at all -- he just retreats and drinks and drinks until oblivion hits.]
Anyway, I took care of it for the most part, so it's your turn.
[That's something. No broken bones, no heavy bloodloss, nothing that would send him to the hospital without Kirei's exemplary healing magic. There are dark bruises on his wrists and neck starting to show already and a million cuts, scrapes, and lighter bumps, but tonight wasn't a night where Byakuya stared death in the face.
The bad nights leave him far from this calm. On the worst ones he doesn't come see Kariya at all -- he just retreats and drinks and drinks until oblivion hits.]
Anyway, I took care of it for the most part, so it's your turn.
... Sorry.
[He always says it, even when there are enough things to be sorry for that the word doesn't even cut it anymore. He says sorry because nobody else will. Maybe he's apologizing for the word itself at this point.
Kariya fights down the urge to offer his own healing magic for what remains -- he's clumsy with it, much less practiced than Kirei and while he thinks Kirei probably enjoys the natural side-effects of spiritual healing too much, the fact remains that Kariya would probably end up hurting more than helping. He never allows Kirei to heal him, though.
He takes a deep breath instead -- no real internal damage, and the cuts to his torso won't bother him too much if he doesn't try a repeat of last night in the next dozen hours. The worms will speed up the regeneration, anyway.]
Disinfecting's all they need. [Holding out a hand for first-aid things because bending down would be a bad idea, probably, unless you want blood on your head.]
[He always says it, even when there are enough things to be sorry for that the word doesn't even cut it anymore. He says sorry because nobody else will. Maybe he's apologizing for the word itself at this point.
Kariya fights down the urge to offer his own healing magic for what remains -- he's clumsy with it, much less practiced than Kirei and while he thinks Kirei probably enjoys the natural side-effects of spiritual healing too much, the fact remains that Kariya would probably end up hurting more than helping. He never allows Kirei to heal him, though.
He takes a deep breath instead -- no real internal damage, and the cuts to his torso won't bother him too much if he doesn't try a repeat of last night in the next dozen hours. The worms will speed up the regeneration, anyway.]
Disinfecting's all they need. [Holding out a hand for first-aid things because bending down would be a bad idea, probably, unless you want blood on your head.]
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