[Video] flood o'posts

[forgetbeam]

Are any of you familiar with the legend of the Dragon's Gate? They say that there exists a huge waterfall running off a great mountain. Fish swim upstream against the harsh current, but most tire out and are swept away. But those who have the courage to persist and make it to the top of the waterfall are transformed into a beautiful, powerful dragon.

It's a good lesson, isn't it?

That's right! Even though this school has countless obstacles and hurdles and dangers looming quite literally right over our heads, if we give up, we too will be pushed back and will make no progress! We must press on through the unforgiving current, and when we make it, we will come out stronger than ever! All right! Let's do our best to reach the top!!

[What brought this up? Is someone trying to keep himself from going nuts at the idea of one last year here... probably.]

On another note... There are many Pokemon and trainers here, so if anybody has any advice on raising a Magikarp, I'm all ears!

[Ah. Ah. That's it.

ACTION TIMES: Kiyotaka can be found bonding with an ugly fish he lets swim in a kiddie pool out in the stadium some days. Most of the time he can be found studying. Livin' on the edge. Although whatever he's doing, he seems to be favouring his left arm a little.]

Comments

[inspirethefire]

Gladly. We can't slack off with a new year starting!

[They both know full well how the other feels about a new year at this school, but he's got to hold on to what optimism he can. Studying is a good way to get your mind off things.]

[forgetbeam]

[It's just one last year. It's just one last year. But it is a good thing studying is the ultimate escape, as little as it actually means here, but at least he can escape with a good friend!

It's sad that doing something as simple as getting to a dorm room without any awful incident interrupting is noteworthy, but there you go. Kiyotaka's arm is not so useless that he can't at least stick a key in a lock, though he does hiss just slightly when he moves it to put the key back in his pocket.]

It looks like we even have the room to ourselves! What luck!

[he dimmed the lights and put on the mood music]

[inspirethefire]

[and here we have our lead in to the porn thread

Don't think he didn't catch that wince, though. Brozinski, you can't expect him to turn a blind eye.]

Eh? Did you strain yourself during a workout? [Concern, then SCOWL] You have to tell me these things! I don't want squad practice to strain anything further!

[forgetbeam]

[AWW MANNNNN.]

It's just a bit of a cut! Don't go and change the routine or anything like that! I'm managing it just fine.

[inspirethefire]

You're managing fine, until you push yourself too far! Strenuous work can make any wound worsen! You--

[WAIT A SEC]

Those books, even... for the love of... let me see it, then.

[forgetbeam]

[Ugh, UGH. He doesn't want to be fussed over, it's just a cut. But resisting would just turn it into a bigger deal, so he might as well show Hajime how much of a nothing it is so they can forget it and just go on with studying.

With an agitated sigh, he sets the books on his desk and starts unbuttoning his uniform.]

[forgetbeam]

[Lead-in to porn thread, indeed.]

[forgetbeam]

[Okay but for real, he shrugs his jacket, shirt, and bandage off and turns to let Hajime see the cut, though he chooses not to look at his face.

The cut... Well, it's not bleeding, but it's definitely still new enough to tell that it was deep and it was bad, from something pretty damn sharp.]

[inspirethefire]

[Something he doesn't know surges up at the sight of it. Something terrified, miserable, and completely irrational. He's started having an easier time, lately, not thinking about that man, but the sight of a the wound brings it crashing back down on him.

Hajime takes a shaky breath. It's... an unreasonable reaction. That has nothing to do with this. It's... was completely different. There was no way that this could be like...

One hand rests on Kiyotaka's good arm.]

You... only have one body to take care of, Kiyotaka. I... stubbornness is not the way to treat a wound.

[It's just a cut. A bad one, a dangerous one, but it's not life threatening. He keeps telling himself that, but the fear won't stop. He's trying not to be dramatic, but he can't help it.]

Please... don't ignore it, Kiyotaka. For, for your own sake.

[forgetbeam]

[He takes a sharp breath in at the touch, not from pain of course -- why would that hurt his other arm? -- but from... He's not sure what. Something in his chest. He didn't give it much thought until now, but he can remember clearly what was on his mind when he was struck down and surrounded by shadow monsters.

Terror and hopelessness, certainly. But for just the barest few seconds, he thought of Hajime up there. The crushing weight of guilt, like he'd failed him. Even more baffling was that it felt so fresh and familiar and almost dreamlike.

Kiyotaka wonders why that is.

Subconsciously, he puts a hand over Hajime's, though he's still too embarrassed to look right at him. As much as he can dole out lectures left and right, he's always had a problem with being on the receiving end, even though he knows full well he deserves it for being a moron.]

Please, don't trouble yourself over it. I'm going to let it heal! But... not being able to do something as simple as carry my own textbooks is so--! It's frustrating!

[Just a little.]

[inspirethefire]

[The unfounded terror grasps his heart, trying its best to choke him. Still, he forces his breath to keep steady, and focus on the feel of Kiyotaka's hand over his. Somehow, it makes the fear ebb, just a little. ]

I... it's so easy for me to lecture. I couldn't do anything to... I just want to make sure you're...

[The hard pit clenched in his stomach wouldn't let out the words he wanted to say. He felt foolish, aimless, sputtering out words without being sure where they came from.]

How... how did this happen? Who did this to you?

[forgetbeam]

It... was one of those shadow creatures, on the island over the school. The place is absolutely crawling with them! It isn't safe!

[That's an understatement. He's more worried about what could happen if they all decide to take a trip to ground level than about his arm right now, and that's enough of a distraction to finally get him to meet Hajime's eyes.]

[inspirethefire]

You... you were up there?

[His grip on Kiyotaka's good arm tightens. Those things... if there's really that many up there...]

They're still around...? I thought... I'd thought that...

[Something boils under the fear, now. Frustration, and shame... failure. He grits his teeth.]

[forgetbeam]

[Now Hajime's grip hurts a little. It's far from unbearable. Actually, something about it is reassuring. It's proof that he's there.]

I thought they were gone, too. But they only retreated up there, it seems. If it weren't for having Zero with me, I...

[He wouldn't have to worry about how he made it out, because he wouldn't have even made it that far.]

[inspirethefire]

The security droid? Shouldn't he have--?!

[Irritation flares up, before Kiyotaka's words set in proper. No... no, he's still here with him. In comparison to what those things could have done, this is nothing at all. He steadies his breath again, releasing his friend.]

You... you know we can't underestimate the damage this place can wreak. After everything else we've seen...

We've come so far. Please... please don't be careless. Not now.

[He's simply repeating things over again, he knows. Preaching to the choir. But he can't shake off the nerves. He just needs to know... know that he's still safe.]

[forgetbeam]

Of course I wouldn't be that reckless! In fact, we only ended up there because a swarm of butterflies kidnapped us!

[Ugh, that... That sounds so stupid out loud. But it's the truth, and Hajime's been here long enough to know that it's a perfectly plausible occurrence, right?

Something like that could happen to anybody. It could happen to him. A sickening weight drops itself in Kiyotaka's stomach, and he can't shake it. The anxiety of knowing that something bad already did happen to him because of Kiyotaka's recklessness. That doesn't make sense. He feels like he witnessed something terrible, but Hajime standing here is a testament that it didn't really happen, so why...?

He's already decided that he should practice swordsmanship for the sake of defending others against whatever's up there. But right now, above all else, he wants to protect him.]

This has to go both ways! You can't do anything foolish either! Show some concern for yourself...

[His breath hitches a little in his throat, and he reaches out to make that physical connection again. His hand goes to Hajime's shoulder, just at the crook of his neck, and in one simple motion he pulls himself in closer, pausing when their noses are inches apart.

And he bows his head.]

...Please.

[inspirethefire]

[It does sound pretty ridiculous, but Hajime's long since learned to take such absurdity at face value. Nothing can be taken for granted, around here, including simple laws of physics. Everything else has tried to take him away, so why not butterflies...?

His eyes sting as he shakes away that last thought. He can't believe how overemotional he's getting about this. As Kiyotaka pulled in close, Hajime looked into his bright, piercing gaze, and felt his heart nearly stop.]

I've been... nothing but selfish, all along...

[Their foreheads touched, as he looked down.]

Hiding away... letting other people fight, other people get hurt... Claiming to be here to help, but I can't even protect you... I've only been thinking about myself, what keeps me comfortable, this whole time.

[forgetbeam]

[He lets his hand drop back down to his side, but he leans just enough to keep their heads pressed together. It's the most comforting touch he's felt since it happened.]

The things that go on here aren't... They just aren't normal!

[Someone's never been to Hajime's corner of Japan.]

No average human should be expected to be able to deal with it all alone, especially if they're not trained for it. It's ludicrous!

[inspirethefire]

Of course not. That's why...

[He takes Kiyotaka's hand in his own, still standing there, together.]

We keep promising to trust each other, to look out for each other, to be together, but... but we can't be there, every second of every day.

[He chokes out a small laugh at the thought.]

So when... when we can't be... we have to worry about ourselves. If not for our own... then for each others' sake.

goooood morniiiing

[forgetbeam]

[Maybe Hajime's overabundance of emotion right now is catching. But something about his proposal to live for each other makes Kiyotaka's chest ache and his eyes sting. He used to want to dedicate himself to the whole world, to work hard to change the way things were - it's still something he would love to do, but he finds that he could pledge his devotion to a single person too and be just fine with it.

He's glad that it's Hajime, because the two of them are such good friends. Deeper than that, he supposes. His fingers firmly curl around the other boy's.]

Of course...! I...

[He struggles to find the words. Really, for something like this, they just aren't enough. They really do keep making verbal promises to each other, but there's something different about this vow. All of them are equally important, but this one...

Kiyotaka may not be able to define the feeling, but he can at least let it guide him. He's usually much more of a mind-over-heart kind of guy, but with Hajime, he's... vulnerable. Physically right now, with his wounded arm, but always emotionally, too. There's nobody else he's comfortable enough with to lay himself bare for.

It isn't the first time he's wanted to kiss Hajime. Just the first time he finally gives in.]

[inspirethefire]

Hajime reeled back, mortified, and slapped him

[forgetbeam]

canon now

falls into gay coma from shock

[inspirethefire]

[Surely, that comment will finally break Kiyotaka's patience. He's being so presumptuous, so selfish, there's no way he can indulge him this time--

Hajime goes stiff as Kiyotaka's lips meet his own. Shock, disbelief, even terror flash through him. It can't be real, for all his dreaming he knew it could never actually... be...

The warmth of Kiyotaka's hand, of his lips, melted through the doubt, and Hajime relaxed into the kiss, pressing back against him.]

whoops

[forgetbeam]

[It feels so natural, so right to be connected like this, both physically and emotionally. That's why it takes Kiyotaka so long for him to fully realize just what he's doing. He's the one who reels back, raising his hands apologetically.]

Er--! Wait! I shouldn't have--!

[...Should he have? Hajime was kissing back. That probably meant he was not as offended by the move as he thought... right?]

That... That is... I...

[Now what?! That's the problem with acting on impulse. It leads to not knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath because there's been no time to formulate a plan of action. That's why Kiyotaka usually avoids that kind of thing.

He's absolutely terrified that anything he does now will destroy their friendship, because he's noticed that's what kisses tend to do.]

all your fault

[inspirethefire]

[He doesn't say a word as Kiyotaka pulls back, sputtering. His face has flushed bright red, his throat has gone dry, but all he wants to do is look at Kiyotaka. There aren't any words to say it, anyway. This is all he can ask for.

Finally, Hajime glances away, biting his lip to contain the tremulous smile breaking over his face.]

I--It's all right. Ah, I, ahh. I...

[The words aren't coming. He doesn't have any, he'd never imagined being in a situation like this. It was simply beyond his ability to assume it could ever be. He still has to assume it was some sort of mistake, or accident. But, but even for just a slip up... he...]

I... I don't... mind.