[ Shinobu smiles kindly. Even if they're Mori, she's not cruel enough to refuse like this. ]
Of course. Won't you tell me about them, so I know who to look out for? I'll be happy to see them, but the doctor over there may have a better chance of seeing them. He can reach more places than I can.
[ That's as euphemistic as she can make Itaru is neutral and medical treatment shouldn't know enemy lines, but.... ]
[ The corner of the old lady's eye crinkle as she tells them all about it. "I have a grandson, you see. Robert Gilmore's his name. He left home a while back after his sister went missing before him, and while it's normal for him to come home tired and a bit out of it, I haven't heard a single peep from him nowadays."
itaru has finished writing the prescription and is now quietly tuning in, brow furrowed in thought. ] ...A little sister, is it?
[ "Oh yes, she's a cute little thing. And well, I'd go looking for the both of them myself, but I'm not as active as I used to be decades ago. So if either of you can manage to find him, I'd appreciate it very much. I just hope that they're both all right." the unmistakable taste of fresh apple pie wafts out of the box she's brought with her, along with her payment. "After all, it is good to to treasure your family while they are with you."
itaru hesitates for a moment, her words striking a chord within him. with the sole exemption of shinobu, his family has all but abandoned him for the sake of their reputation, and he isn't sure how to feel about that even now. yet he throws a glance at his cousin, wondering if it's even all right to take such a gift. ]
[ There's a small wrinkle in her forehead, as her lips curve into a frown. Is this another kidnapping? How many does this make it? This can't go on.
She smiles for the sake of the patient. ]
Your grandchildren sound lovely. I'll do my best to look out for them. Families shouldn't be torn apart.
[ Despite the state of theirs, that is something she believes wholeheartedly. A family that loves each other should be able to stay together. That happiness deserves to be protected even if it's difficult in these times. ]
Thank you for the pie.
[ Her answer is immediate although the brief look she shoots Itaru tells him she's not trusting it, just yet. Her smile is still firmly in place. ]
We'll cherish it just like we cherish each other.
[ After she leaves. To make sure it isn't poisoned. ]
[ great, paranoid minds think alike. the old lady will then excuse himself for a moment to go to the bathroom, leaving the two gorgeous doctors to ponder on their innocuously innocent gift. itaru sighs. ]
So generous. I almost feel bad about taking the whole thing.
[ but considering the town's right state, one can't help but be suspicious. ]
...What do you think? Should we?
[ "check it for ourselves" is left unspoken, but it's there. ]
Yes. We'll wait until we're back at your or my office unless she insists we try it while we're here.
[ If the grandmother does, that makes it more suspicious in her mind. ]
... I hope she's as she seems.
[ A part of her hates that she has to suspect people trying to be healthier and live longer, but she'd hate it more if she were too trusting and people she cared for were harmed for it. ]
[ especially after hearing her story and how they might have found one of the people she's mentioned, but they can't rule out the possibility of it being a ruse. the old lady comes back however, all smiles, and asks if there's anything else the kind doctors needs. ]
...No, that will be all. I'll see you in a week then, ma'am.
[ and now they're off, with itaru carrying the pie in his arms along the way. ]
Oh, if it's safe, can we give Brie a piece before we check out Westside? I think she'd like one. [ should be a short walk from here. ]
[ itaru falls silent as they walk together, face contemplative. ]
...If they let me.
[ the double whammy of having his license revoked after offering help to both families and getting shut out of his immediate family - it still stings to this day. shinobu is very dear to him, but it's not nearly the same as having the support of his father and mother, for one. ]
And even then, I don't want to risk it. Not now. [ he stares on ahead, as though he's talking more to himself than to her. ] She's right - we should treasure them while they're still with us.
[ after all, shinobu should know of all people. itaru had lost a cousin on that day, too. ]
I can talk to them, if you'd like. After all of this settles down.
[ Not that his immediate family would treat her any more kindly than Itaru probably, but she would go to bat for him any time. If his parents could come around eventually, that would be part of a future she'd want for her cousin.
There's always a chance if they're still alive. There will be no more, if someone dies. It's a pain she carries too close to her chest. ]
[ she'll earn a smile for that. ] Thanks. I'll let you know when I'm ready, and we could go together.
[ his family problems aren't as big as the gilmores right now, but it's still important to build a rapport with family if something does happen to him. montevallo is getting more dangerous by the day, and the last thing he wants his family to hear from him is news that his illegal doctoring will have done him in.
ah, if only he were more spiteful. but he'll let shinobu be the one to hold the grudge in this family.
anyways they've arrived back at the clinic, with brie already waiting inside - and running to hide behind the counter upon seeing shinobu. ]
Shh, it's fine. She's my cousin and a friend. [ he turns to shinobu, hands her the pie. ] You mind slicing her a piece?
[ She takes the pie and places it on the counter, and she looks for a proper knife that isn't a scalpel. ]
I don't mind. It may be better that she's afraid of me right now, so she won't try the pie before we do.
[ It's not like they both can't get her to spit the food out one way or another, but Shinobu wouldn't want to go that far. Still, she looks at the counter Brie ducked behind with visible concern. ]
If it'll make her feel better, I can cut the pie in another room.
Oh, good idea. Might want to check if it's tasty enough too.
[ and by tasty he means "safe enough to eat" because poisoning yourself would make a terrible first impression on an anxious child, to be honest.
but the smell of the apple pie entices brie, and her eyes are just peeking out from the edge of the counter, watching her with utmost curiosity despite her initial fears. ]
[ She gives Brie her sweetest, most inoffensive smile. ]
Please wait first. We don't want to give you anything bad.
[ As indicated, she walks into another room and cuts the pie into equal pieces and plates two of them. She won't plate the third until she can be sure that it's not at least a fast-acting poison. ]
Itaru? I'm ready.
[ Despite her wanting to test it first, she doesn't want to die, and at the very least, one of them can attempt to counteract a number of poisons, if it comes to it. ]
[ it must be weird to act so wary towards apple pie in brie's perspective, but these precautions are for her own good, after all. itaru walks into the next room to prepare various treatment in case something goes wrong -- antidotes that shinobu had given him in the past, sedatives, even activated charcoal.
seriously though, they resemble doctors getting ready for an operation than taste-testing pie to see if it's bad or not. unbeknownst to them, brie's already peering at them through the doorway. ]
[ Hopefully, they won't need the charcoal or those antidotes or any of it, but she prescribes to being safe instead of sorry. She hands him a fork and digs into her own slice of pie.
It's an investigative operation on the integrity of this dessert. ]
Cheers.
[ She holds up a bite of pie towards him before it goes straight into her mouth. She's ready. ]
[ and thus he takes a bite, chewing slowly to check if there are any strange flavors mixed in... only to taste nothing else but savory apples and a nice, flaky crust. he swallows, blinking in surprise. ]
That was pretty good, actually. [ crap, now he wants another. ] You?
[ shinobu hasn't said anything about it yet, so he'll wait.
one minute, and another passes, and by this point it's evident that they're eating nothing more but ordinary if delicious apple pie. itaru can afford a relieved smile for this. ]
...Very lucky. Now, let's not keep her waiting. [ she's probably salivating at the scent of apple pie by now, but she keeps her distance from them just in case. at least she doesn't look too fearful of shinobu anymore. ]
[ She doesn't mean to be paranoid, but she'd rather seem overly cautious than not at all. She would have protested Itaru trying out the pie with her more if they didn't have those countermeasures in place.
She turns for the door after getting a third slice of pie and stops. ]
Oh, my. She's already here.
[ She sets the plate down and takes a few steps away to show it's safe. ]
[ brie cowers a little at being acknowledged, but itaru will come and bring her closer to the slice of pie that's waiting for her. she gulps, but with a nod from itaru she casts another owlish glance at shinobu before she takes up the fork and that first bite.
her eyes widen at the familiar flavor, tears welling up in her eyes as she takes another bite, then another. she didn't last through the entire slice before sobbing brokenly.
"Gamma... Gamma!" ]
Grandma? [ itaru looks surprised as well. ] Does she mean...
[ Shinobu's eyes widen before they become misty, and her heart clenches. She grabs her skirt in fistfuls to restrain herself from walking over to hug the poor girl. Frightening her now would be the absolutely worst thing.
She breathes deeply. ]
I think so. I'm glad we've managed to find her family. [ Both that old lady's and the little girl's. It's something to be happy about, and it's something to be sad about. What grandmother would want to see their grandchild suffer like this? ]
I don't... They should be reunited, but explaining what happened to her will be difficult.
[ They're doctors and have broken more dreadful news to family members, bu... somehow, this sits worse in her stomach. ]
[ itaru swallows back the lump that's forming in his throat, managing a nod as he rubs brie's back comfortingly. ] ...We still have to find out who did this to her.
[ come to think of it, though, this is the first time itaru's heard her utter a word since finding her. she doesn't look like she's chewing her food properly either, when she continued having her pie and eating it. so after she's done, itaru kindly requests her to open her mouth for an overdue checkup ("we have to make sure the big bad cavities won't ruin your pretty teeth, all right?") and she complies --
and itaru's eyes widen in horror. ]
...Shinobu.
[ he doesn't want to say nor presume anything. shinobu has got to see it for herself -- the poor girl's tongue already cut in the middle. itaru's definitely seen worse, but this time he had to hold back to the urge to punch the wall in sheer helplessness. ]
We do. I'm doing what I can to look for the people responsible.
[ She comes over to take a closer look once beckoned, and when she sees what it is, her vision goes white. She sucks in a breath so fast. Her expression becomes so pinched, and she has to pivot because her composure is lost.
Her rage is incandescent. ]
I'll find them.
[ Her voice is quiet enough not to carry and hard enough to crack ice. Children should not be tortured this way. ]
[ itaru turns his attention to brie, who immediately hides behind his leg. she looks more guilty than scared if anything, but that doesn't make it any better either. and honestly, he's more than a little intimidated with the sheer amount of rage that's radiating off his cousin - rage that's totally justified in this case. ]
You have... every right to be mad. I don't think I could stop you either, at this rate. But please -- [ he holds her wrist, bringing her down to earth. ] you've got to stay safe too.
[ he doesn't want to end up in richard's place, searching for his lost sister. ]
[ His hand on her wrist makes her shut her eyes, and her anger drains from her face and seeps into her bones. That Itaru worries about her safety all the time, that he has to is not something she's forgotten.
There is a part of her that regrets letting him feel that way because she can't stop her desire for justice (revenge), and even if she's stayed with the Xian Le because she's grown to care about a number of its members, it's always in the back of her mind. ]
I'm sorry, Itaru. You, too, Brie. Please eat as much of the pie as you want. I want all of us to eat apple pie together for a long time to come.
[ She doesn't Itaru to end up losing even more family either. It's too bad in a couple weeks Okuni ends up on his doorstep with her unconscious self. ]
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no subject
Of course. Won't you tell me about them, so I know who to look out for? I'll be happy to see them, but the doctor over there may have a better chance of seeing them. He can reach more places than I can.
[ That's as euphemistic as she can make Itaru is neutral and medical treatment shouldn't know enemy lines, but.... ]
no subject
itaru has finished writing the prescription and is now quietly tuning in, brow furrowed in thought. ] ...A little sister, is it?
[ "Oh yes, she's a cute little thing. And well, I'd go looking for the both of them myself, but I'm not as active as I used to be decades ago. So if either of you can manage to find him, I'd appreciate it very much. I just hope that they're both all right." the unmistakable taste of fresh apple pie wafts out of the box she's brought with her, along with her payment. "After all, it is good to to treasure your family while they are with you."
itaru hesitates for a moment, her words striking a chord within him. with the sole exemption of shinobu, his family has all but abandoned him for the sake of their reputation, and he isn't sure how to feel about that even now. yet he throws a glance at his cousin, wondering if it's even all right to take such a gift. ]
no subject
She smiles for the sake of the patient. ]
Your grandchildren sound lovely. I'll do my best to look out for them. Families shouldn't be torn apart.
[ Despite the state of theirs, that is something she believes wholeheartedly. A family that loves each other should be able to stay together. That happiness deserves to be protected even if it's difficult in these times. ]
Thank you for the pie.
[ Her answer is immediate although the brief look she shoots Itaru tells him she's not trusting it, just yet. Her smile is still firmly in place. ]
We'll cherish it just like we cherish each other.
[ After she leaves. To make sure it isn't poisoned. ]
no subject
So generous. I almost feel bad about taking the whole thing.
[ but considering the town's right state, one can't help but be suspicious. ]
...What do you think? Should we?
[ "check it for ourselves" is left unspoken, but it's there. ]
no subject
[ If the grandmother does, that makes it more suspicious in her mind. ]
... I hope she's as she seems.
[ A part of her hates that she has to suspect people trying to be healthier and live longer, but she'd hate it more if she were too trusting and people she cared for were harmed for it. ]
no subject
[ especially after hearing her story and how they might have found one of the people she's mentioned, but they can't rule out the possibility of it being a ruse. the old lady comes back however, all smiles, and asks if there's anything else the kind doctors needs. ]
...No, that will be all. I'll see you in a week then, ma'am.
[ and now they're off, with itaru carrying the pie in his arms along the way. ]
Oh, if it's safe, can we give Brie a piece before we check out Westside? I think she'd like one. [ should be a short walk from here. ]
no subject
That would be lovely. I don't think we can eat this all between us, but if it's safe, I can share a piece with Tsukasa and Okuni.
[ She pauses, deliberating if she should ask her next question or not. ]
Do you ever think about reconnecting with the family?
[ Itaru isn't the only one who had a chord struck with the grandmother's words. ]
no subject
...If they let me.
[ the double whammy of having his license revoked after offering help to both families and getting shut out of his immediate family - it still stings to this day. shinobu is very dear to him, but it's not nearly the same as having the support of his father and mother, for one. ]
And even then, I don't want to risk it. Not now. [ he stares on ahead, as though he's talking more to himself than to her. ] She's right - we should treasure them while they're still with us.
[ after all, shinobu should know of all people. itaru had lost a cousin on that day, too. ]
no subject
[ Not that his immediate family would treat her any more kindly than Itaru probably, but she would go to bat for him any time. If his parents could come around eventually, that would be part of a future she'd want for her cousin.
There's always a chance if they're still alive. There will be no more, if someone dies. It's a pain she carries too close to her chest. ]
no subject
[ his family problems aren't as big as the gilmores right now, but it's still important to build a rapport with family if something does happen to him. montevallo is getting more dangerous by the day, and the last thing he wants his family to hear from him is news that his illegal doctoring will have done him in.
ah, if only he were more spiteful. but he'll let shinobu be the one to hold the grudge in this family.
anyways they've arrived back at the clinic, with brie already waiting inside - and running to hide behind the counter upon seeing shinobu. ]
Shh, it's fine. She's my cousin and a friend. [ he turns to shinobu, hands her the pie. ] You mind slicing her a piece?
no subject
I don't mind. It may be better that she's afraid of me right now, so she won't try the pie before we do.
[ It's not like they both can't get her to spit the food out one way or another, but Shinobu wouldn't want to go that far. Still, she looks at the counter Brie ducked behind with visible concern. ]
If it'll make her feel better, I can cut the pie in another room.
no subject
[ and by tasty he means "safe enough to eat" because poisoning yourself would make a terrible first impression on an anxious child, to be honest.
but the smell of the apple pie entices brie, and her eyes are just peeking out from the edge of the counter, watching her with utmost curiosity despite her initial fears. ]
no subject
Please wait first. We don't want to give you anything bad.
[ As indicated, she walks into another room and cuts the pie into equal pieces and plates two of them. She won't plate the third until she can be sure that it's not at least a fast-acting poison. ]
Itaru? I'm ready.
[ Despite her wanting to test it first, she doesn't want to die, and at the very least, one of them can attempt to counteract a number of poisons, if it comes to it. ]
no subject
[ it must be weird to act so wary towards apple pie in brie's perspective, but these precautions are for her own good, after all. itaru walks into the next room to prepare various treatment in case something goes wrong -- antidotes that shinobu had given him in the past, sedatives, even activated charcoal.
seriously though, they resemble doctors getting ready for an operation than taste-testing pie to see if it's bad or not. unbeknownst to them, brie's already peering at them through the doorway. ]
...All set. Ready when you are.
no subject
It's an investigative operation on the integrity of this dessert. ]
Cheers.
[ She holds up a bite of pie towards him before it goes straight into her mouth. She's ready. ]
no subject
That was pretty good, actually. [ crap, now he wants another. ] You?
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If either of us don't feel sick in a few minutes, it's not fast acting. [ And they won't frighten Brie any more than she's already been frightened. ]
... It is delicious. That must be a recipe she knows by heart.
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[ shinobu hasn't said anything about it yet, so he'll wait.
one minute, and another passes, and by this point it's evident that they're eating nothing more but ordinary if delicious apple pie. itaru can afford a relieved smile for this. ]
...Very lucky. Now, let's not keep her waiting. [ she's probably salivating at the scent of apple pie by now, but she keeps her distance from them just in case. at least she doesn't look too fearful of shinobu anymore. ]
no subject
[ She doesn't mean to be paranoid, but she'd rather seem overly cautious than not at all. She would have protested Itaru trying out the pie with her more if they didn't have those countermeasures in place.
She turns for the door after getting a third slice of pie and stops. ]
Oh, my. She's already here.
[ She sets the plate down and takes a few steps away to show it's safe. ]
no subject
her eyes widen at the familiar flavor, tears welling up in her eyes as she takes another bite, then another. she didn't last through the entire slice before sobbing brokenly.
"Gamma... Gamma!" ]
Grandma? [ itaru looks surprised as well. ] Does she mean...
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She breathes deeply. ]
I think so. I'm glad we've managed to find her family. [ Both that old lady's and the little girl's. It's something to be happy about, and it's something to be sad about. What grandmother would want to see their grandchild suffer like this? ]
I don't... They should be reunited, but explaining what happened to her will be difficult.
[ They're doctors and have broken more dreadful news to family members, bu... somehow, this sits worse in her stomach. ]
cw child injury
[ come to think of it, though, this is the first time itaru's heard her utter a word since finding her. she doesn't look like she's chewing her food properly either, when she continued having her pie and eating it. so after she's done, itaru kindly requests her to open her mouth for an overdue checkup ("we have to make sure the big bad cavities won't ruin your pretty teeth, all right?") and she complies --
and itaru's eyes widen in horror. ]
...Shinobu.
[ he doesn't want to say nor presume anything. shinobu has got to see it for herself -- the poor girl's tongue already cut in the middle. itaru's definitely seen worse, but this time he had to hold back to the urge to punch the wall in sheer helplessness. ]
no subject
[ She comes over to take a closer look once beckoned, and when she sees what it is, her vision goes white. She sucks in a breath so fast. Her expression becomes so pinched, and she has to pivot because her composure is lost.
Her rage is incandescent. ]
I'll find them.
[ Her voice is quiet enough not to carry and hard enough to crack ice. Children should not be tortured this way. ]
no subject
[ itaru turns his attention to brie, who immediately hides behind his leg. she looks more guilty than scared if anything, but that doesn't make it any better either. and honestly, he's more than a little intimidated with the sheer amount of rage that's radiating off his cousin - rage that's totally justified in this case. ]
You have... every right to be mad. I don't think I could stop you either, at this rate. But please -- [ he holds her wrist, bringing her down to earth. ] you've got to stay safe too.
[ he doesn't want to end up in richard's place, searching for his lost sister. ]
no subject
There is a part of her that regrets letting him feel that way because she can't stop her desire for justice (revenge), and even if she's stayed with the Xian Le because she's grown to care about a number of its members, it's always in the back of her mind. ]
I'm sorry, Itaru. You, too, Brie. Please eat as much of the pie as you want. I want all of us to eat apple pie together for a long time to come.
[ She doesn't Itaru to end up losing even more family either. It's too bad in a couple weeks Okuni ends up on his doorstep with her unconscious self. ]