eighth trick

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki carefully walks barefoot along the Astral Beach without the aid of his crutch, his A-Ts dangling from his fingers by the laces. Tucked under his arm is a pretty French tin that he salvaged from some kind of garage sale. He stops a few feet from where there used to be trees and wades into the water up to the thigh. As he does so, a strange breeze picks up and tugs at his crazy hair and the edges of his jacket.]

I knew you wanted to stay here forever.

[He pops the tin open and scatters the red, dusty contents into the wind and over the water.]

... Let's fly another time.

[ooc: Ikki just gave Diva a burial. D: I got mun permission, yeah.]

Comments

[contract_star]

[Says nothing since he knows how impossible it is to argue with Misaki.]

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Good boy, Hei. >| ]

Things to take care of. Now that you can walk again. Do those two things together not lead you to the conclusion that running off to exact vengeance on someone may not be the best idea?

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki doesn't know any better. Or if he does, he's ignoring it.]

Hey, I've done it before. Besides, no one really likes Team Homo pretending they own the place, and I want to be able to fly wherever the hell I want.

[contract_star]

[He will learn quickly enough~]

It's different this time. Someone is dead.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[NO CORRUPTING LITTLE BROTHER, HEI. Very quietly,]

How, precisely, does that make this different?

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki is silent for a moment, studying anything that isn't the people nearby. The tin on the sand. That's a good one.]

Death changes everything.

[contract_star]

[Quietly,] I didn't mean it like that. That time before, it... [There are no words to describe just how royally all that messed Hei up.]

It's the same as then. No one could do anything for Diva. [Hei hates feeling helpless.]

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

So what? [And it's cruel and she makes it sound cruel. A little quieter]

Death changes everything. You realize what it puts the people around you through or at least I would hope you do. That is why I am not picking up every firearm within a mile of me and leveling the city to find the woman responsible for Kouno's death. You don't think I want to? You don't think that would be satisfying for me? Before this case I never thought myself capable of murder. Now I know I am capable of that and more.

[Deep, shaky breath. She looks back and forth between them.] Living. That's vengeance. Making a life for yourself and making a good one despite what others have tried to put you through. Letting them see you happy. That is vengeance.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[... Wow. Just wow. Ikki looks between Misaki and Hei, then at his feet for a while. His grip on his A-Ts tightens.]

... That won't work for everyone. Some people hurt and maim and kill and they don't give a damn about the consequences.

I'm not saying I'm gonna become a killer or anything. I just want... to give some perspective. And find a way to stop them from hurting my friends again. That's all.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Who, Ikki? Keep who from hurting them? [Big Sis wants to know. >| ]

[Takes his shoulders and looks him right in the eye.] You don't need to fulfill a vendetta to do that.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you that.

[Ikki meets Misaki's eyes whether he wants to or not. There's determination there, more than anything else... and the breeze around him hasn't completely died, either. It's suddenly very cold, like the temp drop before a thunderstorm.]

That's my kind of vendetta, then.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She just looks at him for a second, and then pulls him into another hug.]

You are incredibly stupid.

[contract_star]

[Just lingering off to the side, watching. And feeling like crap. He's been doing that a lot lately :\]

I wouldn't let Ikki become a killer.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki is hugged fhjdksfhkdf!!! He blinks, then hugs back. After a minute, he's trying to pull away as discreetly as possible. Akito might get jealous.]

... Heh. [Li, you are confusing. But Ikki has something to say to you.] Sorry, man. I didn't mean to steal your girlfriend.

1/?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

His...? [Allows him to pull away.]

2/?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

You did not steal me. In fact I think I'm a little out of your league. [Forehead flick.]

3/3

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[And a glance at Hei.]

And I know you wouldn't. I don't want him--either of you--to put yourselves at risk.

[contract_star]

[Smirks at Ikki.] It's alright. Her hugs are pretty addictive.

[Hei looks at Misaki but says nothing. He can't exactly just tell her right now that if it came to it, he'd do the killing so that Ikki wouldn't have to.]

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

Hey, a man can dream, right? [He grins at Misaki and Hei.]

... Yeah? Then no worries, Kirihara-san! 'Cause he's my student as of... uh, right now. I'll take good care of him.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She can tell the discussion is closed, whether she likes it or not. Have a :| look, both of you.]

You're not exactly subtle, you know. Either one of you.

[contract_star]

[Small, soft smile.] It's a character flaw.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

Flaws? Tch. I'm perfect.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Smacks the back of Ikki's head]

If you really want a girlfriend you won't say things like that.

[contract_star]

[Just chuckles.]

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki grins sheepishly.]

Well, maybe I don't want a girlfriend right now.