[ he'd question how little she thinks of him, but it's fair. he deserves this. ]
No, if I had known anything about the truth of the ritual and was its possession, then I would have ended my life then and there.
[ giyuu has made vow to commit seppuku if nezuko ever ate a human; of course he would do the same if not more if he knew he was going to end up hurting anyone as he did. ]
And you wouldn't take my life unless there was a reason to.
[ are they cursed? maybe it's a different kind of curse? he doesn't know if there even is a curse. either way, if him dying will let them all leave— ]
We both know that.
[ she'll hurt them, though, and that's just fine. ]
[ It's precisely because she did think more of him that she's questioning him. It's precisely because she thought more of him that she didn't realize as soon as she should have, as soon as she would've almost anyone else. ]
Don't you see that's why I'm questioning how much of that you was really you?
[ If he would commit seppuku for someone else's crime, not even his own. He made four people kill with him. That's Nezuko times four. ]
[ didn't they go through with this back at the end of the execution? well, it's fine, he is complete understanding as to why she's doing what she's doing even if he has his own doubts about everything.
...if only because he was on the reverse not that long ago, but there's no point in worrying about the reverse until they learn something else. ...also because she's low key threatening his life.
which is also fine??? ]
Continue asking me then. I have no intentions of hiding anything.
[ Yeah, and he fucking lied during the execution. The problem isn't going to be solved until Shinobu decides to try to trust him again. One of funniest things about this is that she doesn't know he cried over her (second) death.
Without their Breaths, Giyuu can easily overpower her. She hates it, but she's not going to point it out. ]
I would believed that most days. All days back home. You don't know how to be clever with your words.
[ Her frustration is eating at her. ]
I don't want to continue to be helpless to save lives that I can normally save.
[ may the day where giyuu's tears for shinobu be never realized for the only people who would probably say anything about it wouldn't. probably? either way, he doesn't know what to say in response to that. or any of this really. (does he even understand everything she's saying in the first place....vaguely.)
whether or not if he had the social skills for this to begin with—it's a delicate matter that he doesn't think to truly tread on. both good and bad happened but... ]
You are not helpless, Kocho.
[ giyuu was still giyuu even if the island tampered with how well he ultimately handled people. ]
[ There's something brittle in the way she speaks, in the smile her lips form between her words and his. ]
All I did was encourage you in ways that helped you get away with unjust murder.
[ It's kind of terrible. His behavior can't be wholly excused, but it can be excused a little. Can hers? Her thinking isn't quite in line with Dimitri's, but they're a little more parallel than perpendicular. ]
[ he's aware of that brittleness that she shows but he isn't sure if there's anything he could say or do to make it better. or if he should. saying something along the lines of how her suggestions and expectations of him weren't lost on him entirely wouldn't be helpful, right? it would be the last thing she'd want to hear from him....
she isn't wrong about how she encouraged him and helped him be better at what the island wanted, but he could have just as effectively done it with a cold-hearted effectiveness, a side of him that everyone is aware of. if that were the case, perhaps he would have gotten away with it too. his learned softness helped get closer but also meant he developed attachments.
still, she deserves something. ]
I'm sorry, Kocho.
[ has he said that before? he'll say if again regardless. his head properly lowered and body bent at the waist. it's nothing dramatic but far more than he has shown anyone else. ]
[ She watches him in silence for a moment before she expels a quiet breath, some of her fight leaving her. As angry as she is, as angry as she still is, as angry as she always is, she's also tired.
She should have punched him before he bowed in apology. It's too late now. ]
Lift your head. I'll trust you, but if you betray me again—
[ That's the first time she uttered it out loud, that she felt that it was a betrayal. ]
but he does lift his head and go back to standing as he does, which is part proper and part not. just enough where he looks presentable but he is also very tired. and ridiculous looking. ignoring the change in fashion aside— ]
If I end up betraying you again—it will not because I want to and you should cut me down.
[ he's dead serious about this. ]
No hesitation.
[ look, sometimes voices speak to you for an entire two weeks and once you're free you think you're okay because you get to go back home. ...except when you don't and instead are met with the possibility of something crawling back into your brain. ]
[ Giyuu should already know her stance when it comes to her. ]
If I am sure that you've become someone reprehensible, I will treat you as I would any other demon. If I become someone like that, you should do the same.
[ Isn't that what they've dedicated their lives to? Shinobu would rather be dead than become someone who takes innocent lives. It'd be such an egregious violation of her integrity and her principles. She'd commit seppuku. ]
[ HE HELD HER AS SHE DIED? she lied??? for some reason??? and died????? he can't help but feel entirely responsible for it (as he should) but between striking her down or doing something else in return...
well, if he opens his mouth about that, she'll hit him so he doesn't. time to focus on the rule. ]
well, he's not about to let shinobu do anything on her own; after everything that has happened, that's the last thing he wants to do, so as she removes her scrunchie from her hair, he follows suit. he holds his out poised to drop it at any sign she might do the same. ]
It says we need to keep it on our person.
[ and sense they're still technically holding onto it—cue them dropping the scrunchies?? ]
[ is all that giyuu gets to say with the sudden shift of the bus throws him into the wall as he tries to move over towards shinobu's side and the force of it all throwing him against the wall hard enough where the skin breaks leaving a gash behind.
granted, that's still nothing compared to shinobu as he grabs the first scrunchie he can from the ground and reaches out to grab her shoulder to brace her. he immediately plants it into her hand before he swipes up the second one. ]
[ She winces and puts a hand to her nose, cradling it. It won't help it, but it won't hurt it. She breathes out something like a sigh as she holds the scrunchie with her other hand and waves him off.
She's fine. She's suffered worse. ]
It seems like we'll have to heed these rules. It's broken. Let's head to the kitchen.
[ suffering worse is fine when they didn't just go from a murder island into a murder bus. however, he, more than anyone else on this bus, is aware of how capable she is so he doesn't put up any resistance when she waves him off.
he won't hover either and settles for following her to the kitchen area....from really wherever they are. he'll just gingerly touching his head as he feels for the damage. the blood really makes it look way worse than it is. ]
If new rules appear, I hope they don't end the same way.
[ you know since they also had new rules show up...kind of? ]
[ please don't have giyuu think about how he had to watch one of those murders, thanks. she has reverted everything to ground zero and yet the reverse......
either way, he'll grab the paper towels and press them to his forehead without further prompting. it's not the first time that he has been injured so this isn't new. it's a good thing that he isn't the one to make quips as it's assured that any about how it could be even worse would not be appreciated. ]
[ if we get memshare this game and they're both alive for it, he is absolutely getting to watch the other one. this is a promise.
She nods before she creates a makeshift ice pack with some paper towels and holds it against her nose. She doesn't thinks it's out of alignment, so it should heal fine. ]
We should. Would you like to do the honors?
[ Is she trying to get Giyuu to talk to more people? Yeah. ]
[ in a single tag you've cursed me in two different ways. i don't deserve this??? either way when she asks the question is less of a question and more like a request. he is aware of that much and given how things have been left between them and everyone else...
there's a moment of silence as he debates how this will be taken care of. his shoulders drop body slightly sags. ]
There's a lot of people to talk to.
[ it isn't a "no", but surely...she can't expect him to talk to everyone. he can talk to a few people who are openly vocal about things... ]
given what he experienced on the island? yeah, he knows how to get things across but it's just the matter of getting to the right people and enough of them. boy he would have more comments to say if he was the person to make comment so instead he lets it be. ]
Your nose— [ this reminds him to put the paper towel back to his head and dab up any of the stray blood. ] Will the ice be enough?
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No, if I had known anything about the truth of the ritual and was its possession, then I would have ended my life then and there.
[ giyuu has made vow to commit seppuku if nezuko ever ate a human; of course he would do the same if not more if he knew he was going to end up hurting anyone as he did. ]
And you wouldn't take my life unless there was a reason to.
[ are they cursed? maybe it's a different kind of curse? he doesn't know if there even is a curse. either way, if him dying will let them all leave— ]
We both know that.
[ she'll hurt them, though, and that's just fine. ]
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Don't you see that's why I'm questioning how much of that you was really you?
[ If he would commit seppuku for someone else's crime, not even his own. He made four people kill with him. That's Nezuko times four. ]
I'm trying to see if there is a reason to.
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...if only because he was on the reverse not that long ago, but there's no point in worrying about the reverse until they learn something else. ...also because she's low key threatening his life.
which is also fine??? ]
Continue asking me then. I have no intentions of hiding anything.
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Without their Breaths, Giyuu can easily overpower her. She hates it, but she's not going to point it out. ]
I would believed that most days. All days back home. You don't know how to be clever with your words.
[ Her frustration is eating at her. ]
I don't want to continue to be helpless to save lives that I can normally save.
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whether or not if he had the social skills for this to begin with—it's a delicate matter that he doesn't think to truly tread on. both good and bad happened but... ]
You are not helpless, Kocho.
[ giyuu was still giyuu even if the island tampered with how well he ultimately handled people. ]
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[ There's something brittle in the way she speaks, in the smile her lips form between her words and his. ]
All I did was encourage you in ways that helped you get away with unjust murder.
[ It's kind of terrible. His behavior can't be wholly excused, but it can be excused a little. Can hers? Her thinking isn't quite in line with Dimitri's, but they're a little more parallel than perpendicular. ]
no subject
she isn't wrong about how she encouraged him and helped him be better at what the island wanted, but he could have just as effectively done it with a cold-hearted effectiveness, a side of him that everyone is aware of. if that were the case, perhaps he would have gotten away with it too. his learned softness helped get closer but also meant he developed attachments.
still, she deserves something. ]
I'm sorry, Kocho.
[ has he said that before? he'll say if again regardless. his head properly lowered and body bent at the waist. it's nothing dramatic but far more than he has shown anyone else. ]
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She should have punched him before he bowed in apology. It's too late now. ]
Lift your head. I'll trust you, but if you betray me again—
[ That's the first time she uttered it out loud, that she felt that it was a betrayal. ]
You will endure equal pain.
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but he does lift his head and go back to standing as he does, which is part proper and part not. just enough where he looks presentable but he is also very tired. and ridiculous looking. ignoring the change in fashion aside— ]
If I end up betraying you again—it will not because I want to and you should cut me down.
[ he's dead serious about this. ]
No hesitation.
[ look, sometimes voices speak to you for an entire two weeks and once you're free you think you're okay because you get to go back home. ...except when you don't and instead are met with the possibility of something crawling back into your brain. ]
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If I am sure that you've become someone reprehensible, I will treat you as I would any other demon. If I become someone like that, you should do the same.
[ Isn't that what they've dedicated their lives to? Shinobu would rather be dead than become someone who takes innocent lives. It'd be such an egregious violation of her integrity and her principles. She'd commit seppuku. ]
Have you read this?
[ She holds up the handy dandy travel guide. ]
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I've looked at it.
[ he'll pull out the guide that he was given too and give it a look over. it isn't much but a lot better than they were given back on the island. ]
It seems to be the "rules" of whatever all of this is. Not much else has been written in it.
[ nothing about murder yet. ]
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Her smile says she knows he's glazing it over. She's not happy. ]
What do you think of the second rule?
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well, if he opens his mouth about that, she'll hit him so he doesn't. time to focus on the rule. ]
It seems oddly specific.
[ he glances over towards his pony tail. ]
Do you know something more about it?
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[ She pulls the scrunchie out of her hair and holds it out to Giyuu. ]
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well, he's not about to let shinobu do anything on her own; after everything that has happened, that's the last thing he wants to do, so as she removes her scrunchie from her hair, he follows suit. he holds his out poised to drop it at any sign she might do the same. ]
It says we need to keep it on our person.
[ and sense they're still technically holding onto it—cue them dropping the scrunchies?? ]
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[ Whatever magic or curse is out there, they have to know how bad it is.
Cue the dropping! The bus lurches, but she grabs his scrunchie as her face careens into the wall.
At least nose is more cartilage than bone. Shinobu grits her teeth from the pain. ]
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[ is all that giyuu gets to say with the sudden shift of the bus throws him into the wall as he tries to move over towards shinobu's side and the force of it all throwing him against the wall hard enough where the skin breaks leaving a gash behind.
granted, that's still nothing compared to shinobu as he grabs the first scrunchie he can from the ground and reaches out to grab her shoulder to brace her. he immediately plants it into her hand before he swipes up the second one. ]
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She's fine. She's suffered worse. ]
It seems like we'll have to heed these rules. It's broken. Let's head to the kitchen.
[ From wherever the fuck they are. ]
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he won't hover either and settles for following her to the kitchen area....from really wherever they are. he'll just gingerly touching his head as he feels for the damage. the blood really makes it look way worse than it is. ]
If new rules appear, I hope they don't end the same way.
[ you know since they also had new rules show up...kind of? ]
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She pulls out some paper towels and hands them to Giyuu while she shuffles around for ice to help her nose out. ]
I wouldn't be surprised if a "you must kill" rule appears.
[ She'd hate it, but she won't be surprised. ]
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either way, he'll grab the paper towels and press them to his forehead without further prompting. it's not the first time that he has been injured so this isn't new. it's a good thing that he isn't the one to make quips as it's assured that any about how it could be even worse would not be appreciated. ]
We should let others know of this.
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She nods before she creates a makeshift ice pack with some paper towels and holds it against her nose. She doesn't thinks it's out of alignment, so it should heal fine. ]
We should. Would you like to do the honors?
[ Is she trying to get Giyuu to talk to more people? Yeah. ]
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there's a moment of silence as he debates how this will be taken care of. his shoulders drop body slightly sags. ]
There's a lot of people to talk to.
[ it isn't a "no", but surely...she can't expect him to talk to everyone. he can talk to a few people who are openly vocal about things... ]
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Her smile is bright. If he could read her smiles, perhaps he could sense a little sadism, as a treat. ]
You can be creative about it.
[ If he knows how. ]
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given what he experienced on the island? yeah, he knows how to get things across but it's just the matter of getting to the right people and enough of them. boy he would have more comments to say if he was the person to make comment so instead he lets it be. ]
Your nose— [ this reminds him to put the paper towel back to his head and dab up any of the stray blood. ] Will the ice be enough?
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