60

[lamb_of_gold]

[Well, in the grand scheme of things, Mu seems to be holding up fairly well, considering he lost two close friends and got perfection'd in the same afternoon. At any rate, he's back at the small wooden table he brought awhile ago. Keeping him company is one (1) Lovely Areis Cloth in it's presentational form, and one (1) bottle of sake, which he shared with Amaterasu once. The bottle is mostly full - he hasn't had any to drink. He's just staring at it.

He realizes he's not very good at dealing with this. Why would he be? This isn't a common situation for someone like him. When another Saint dies, they're honored, not mourned. Mu is, in fact, pretty damn sure he's doing both Hei and Amaterasu a disservice by feeling this way, but he can't really ignore it  anymore. In a way, that makes him feel worse.

So finally, he pours himself a little cup of the rice wine, contemplates it a moment, then sips.]

Comments

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[Hey, it's the guy she was mourning with a little back, Juni drifts over- looking faintly bruised but otherwise well] Hello again... Did you get any answers?

[lamb_of_gold]

No.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Oh [She frowns and rubs at a bruise; half needing the pain to remind her that she's alive] ...Rice wine?

[ram-of-gold.livejournal.com]

[Is nearby. You're worrying him Mu.]

[lamb_of_gold]

Amaterasu was fond of it.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

...Oh yes, I remember that [She frowns and presses at the bruise again] have you been alright?

[lamb_of_gold]

Well enough. And you?

[lamb_of_gold]

I think I understand your feelings.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Been keeping myself busy, all I can do really... I think it's what they would've wanted.

[lamb_of_gold]

I find it hard to ignore.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

I'm good at ignoring things; it's the only way to cope really... Can't let everything get to you.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

[Ikki walks over... and plops down next to him.]

...

Well, shit.

[lamb_of_gold]

I wouldn't put it in so many words, but yes.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

I couldn't find Hei anywhere.

We were closer than nakama. We were... [He looks at the sake.] ... fuck.

[lamb_of_gold]

He can't come here, anymore. Neither can Amaterasu.

He was a close friend to me. Like a Brother.

[lamb_of_gold]

Yet this weighs on you.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[She starts winding a strand of hair around her finger and then sighs] Some things are harder to ignore; some things take years to repress...

[She looks miserable for a second and then nods at the cloth] I've seen one of those before.

[crowheaded.livejournal.com]

... I called him nii-san.

[Ikki looks horribly depressed now, too.]

I never had a brother... but damn... we looked and ate alike. And that was fun. We lived together with Diva, and we taught her swimming, and when I got mixed up in Contractor business he took care of it even though I hated him for it. There were so many times he saved my ass. I still feel like I never got to thank him the right way, you know? I just...

God damn. God... damn.

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu doesn't say anything, just takes another sip of the sake]

[lamb_of_gold]

It's my cloth.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

I thought so, does it work well?

[lamb_of_gold]

I'm still alive.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[Chuckle] I suppose that's a answer... Any close misses?

[lamb_of_gold]

One or two.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose everybody has those... They hurt.