thenearshore | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Gojyo, Hakkai, Goku, Ken & Chikusa
What: Hakkai drags Gojyo home from heaven jail; Ken and Chikusa are Not Amused
When: January 24th
Warnings: Will definitely update

All told, he's doing surprisingly well. He's been stabbed, granted, but Amaterasu's people know their work, and the bandaging job has been second to none.

They might have given him a little too much painkiller, but that's fine. He's okay with that.

It's the only thing he is okay with. Ayumu's gone. Her temple's gone, her mark is gone, she's gone, vanished, and she's already come back once. She's used up her lives, and he's never going to see her again.

He hasn't taken his eyes off Hakkai since he was brought out, subdued, exhausted, but -- other than the sword hole in his side -- unharmed.

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[Hakkai nods to Ken.]

Let's wait until that wound's healed first-- Ken says it shouldn't be too much longer, but Gojyo, you should get some rest afterwards.

[There's blood loss to worry about, besides the need to sleep off whatever drug Amaterasu's shinki have given him. They can talk logistics and metaphysics later.

Hakkai leans back against the back of the couch, leaving his hand where it is in quiet defiance of Chikusa's judgmental stare (it's not, in any way, an inappropriate touch, and Chikusa can just live with it.)]

...and if that 'sensei' of Votelli's is the reason we're here, then I'd really like to meet him. [He doubts it's true -- or, at least, he doubts they were created the same way as she was, or the cult would be using them rather than the Heavens -- but it's not impossible that the cult's somehow involved in their appearances.

His tone is cheerfully homicidal.]

You mean like with Sotero's dad? [ Hey, Goku's actually heard about this stuff already! He doesn't think anyone wished him into existence the way Sotero described, but maybe it's relevant. ] We're not all little kids like them though. It can't be the same, right?

[ Gojyo, Hakkai, Ken (??) and Chikusa are all looking pretty close on the other end of the couch. They're practically cuddling. After a second of silence, Goku inches a little closer himself- just so he can lean over Hakkai to get a better look at Gojyo. ]

... Your face is lookin' pretty dumb, Gojyo. Did ya get hit on the head? [ Goku, you hit him on the head. ]

[ Wait. Wait. Everybody just stop for a minute, because Gojyo's brains are about to realize something. Any second now. Here it comes... ]

Ken?

[ He scowls at Goku -- he's not dumb, Goku's dumb! -- but the warm fuzzy chin on his knee is impossible to ignore. ]

Is that Ken?

[ Ken's a dog? ...Ken's lying on his leg?! ]

That's a dog.

[Chikusa just slowly raises his head with a sigh.]

It sure is.

[Deserts aspire to his level of dryness.]

[Oh. That would...explain why Gojyo was being so nice and affectionate with him, if Gojyo just - forgot he was Ken. He shouldn't have forgotten - no one made any attempt at keeping it a secret, and Hakkai turned Ken into his vessel form literally right in front of him - but Gojyo's apparently more out of it than Ken realized.

Which means...he's probably in trouble, now that Gojyo's been reminded.

Ken carefully lifts his head off of Ken's knee and wiggles himself backwards, away from Gojyo, until his front half is resting on Hakkai and the rest of him is pressed against the arm of the couch. He's making himself small, and he has the perfectly clear expression and demeanor of a dog that knows he's in trouble.]

Sotero said the same thing to you? [Now that is interesting. On the other hand-- Hakkai sighs, and glances down at Ken, who's retreating guiltily from Gojyo's knee.]

Yes, Gojyo, this is Ken. He's healing you.

[Mentally, and clearly, he adds, Ken, it's all right.]

He said his dad was human and was the first guy that prayed to him or somethin' like that. [ Goku directs this mostly to Hakkai. They can talk about this in more detail later. ] He thought it was normal, I think.

[ Back to the matter at hand. Aw, Ken looks sad now. Goku reaches over and ruffles the fur around the dog's neck. Sure, it's Ken, but puppy.]

You really are outta it, Gojyo!

[ Nevermind that Goku wasn't convinced the dog was Ken until Hakkai actually said his name. He wasn't here when he transformed, okay?! ]

[ Really, the only thing worse than realizing that he's been petting Ken of all people is Ken's reaction. The poor dog is cowering like he thinks Gojyo is going to hit him, and the sight makes Gojyo's throat close up. Has he really been such an asshole that they think he'd hurt a dog? Even if the dog is Ken, he's still a dog! You don't hurt dogs.

He really misses Buddy, okay? ]

You're right. I should go, let you guys talk.

[ He's mostly healed -- his side feels more bruised than anything else -- so there's no reason why he can't haul himself to his feet and stumble off, right? Maybe he'll make it to a chair in the next room, maybe he'll make it all the way back to the bar. Either way, everyone's talking about important things and he's just in the way here. ]

[Ever since Gojyo had his revelation, Chikusa has been watching him carefully... Just in case his reaction is too negative one. However, this... doesn't seem too bad. Gojyo is almost agreeable in this state, influenced by drugs and shock. Chikusa doesn't bother to stop him, instead just adding to the multitude of pets that Ken is getting today.]

[His words, however, are directed to Hakkai.]

He's staying in the same room as last time, I take it...?

....You or Goku should probably make sure he doesn't break his neck... [The way he says it implies that Chikusa finds their priorities skewed.]

[Oh. Gojyo...isn't mad? Or even loudly disgusted?

Ken's ears, which had been lying flat, perk up, and his body language relaxes considerably. He repositions himself on Hakkai's lap again, moving back closer to Gojyo so that he can nudge Gojyo's hand with his nose, burrowing his head under it. It's a blatant nonverbal invitation that Gojyo can keep petting him if he wants.

Ken's tail is already thumping occasionally on the side of the couch as Chikusa pets him; even as out of it as he is, Gojyo might get the message that Ken likes pets.

Without moving his head, Ken's eyes look over at Hakkai.] Do you want me to go with him, Hakkai-sama? [Ken's barely more useful to the conversation than Gojyo is in his current state, and he knows it. Besides, getting along with Gojyo, however temporarily it might be, is nice. He wants to make the most of it while it lasts.]

[They're not wrong. Gojyo's in no state to be part of the discussion and Ken should stay with him. He seems pleased by the attention and Hakkai is willing to take advantage of Gojyo's sedative-enhanced soft spot for dogs to keep Ken's healing powers near him for a while yet.

He's not sure that this is the right time to get into a technical discussion at all, though.

With a firm nod, he glances at Ken.]

Gojyo, I'll help you upstairs. Ken, once he's settled, can you stay with him for a little while?

[ Goku reaches over Hakkai again to lightly punch Gojyo's shoulder. ]

Y'need to sleep off the stupid, kappa.

[ That's real affection right there. Forget puppy petting and hands-on-knees, this is how you really know someone loves you. ]

We can all talk about everythin' later, yeah? No one's doin' anything else today. [ No attacking or investigating for the rest of the day, just naps and hopefully dinner. ]

[ He doesn't want Ken to stay with him, in any form. He wants his dog, he wants Ayumu, he wants to get this damn sedative out of his system and burn the whole of heaven down... but he'll settle for leaning on Hakkai and avoiding eye contact with everyone else in the room.

Well. Almost everyone. Ignoring Chikusa and Ken for the moment, Gojyo turns, blearily seeking out Goku's face. He's all but asleep on his feet -- he'll definitely need help getting up those stairs. ]

Don't leave.

[...So not abrasive towards Ken, but not really caring about him, either. Chikusa digs his nails a little more into Ken's fur and presses his face down near his ear.]

Bite him if he starts doing anything bad, like leaving or yelling at you.

[Gojyo might be injured, but he doesn't get a pass for being a douchebag to Ken.]

[In the meanwhile, however, he can't really do anything here, and it's better if he doesn't stay in the same room as Gojyo. So, Chikusa finally pushes himself up onto his feet, using Hakkai's knee to help lift himself up.]

...I'm going to make dinner.

[Is it too early for dinner? Too bad.]

[Ken huffs a breath of affirmation at Chikusa's instructions, then turns his head and licks Chikusa's cheek before the other boy can pull away. In this form, at least, Chikusa probably doesn't want him to do that, so this might be Ken being a little shit as it is him showing affection - in fact, Ken would be happy with the action being interpreted either way.

With that, he hops down off Hakkai's lap - you're free, Hakkai - before looking back at his god and wagging his tail slightly. Whether he approves of Hakkai's orders or is simply trying to communicate his agreement with them is a matter of debate, but he sits down on his haunches nearby, still pretty close to both Hakkai and Gojyo but not in the way.]

[Don't leave, don't leave... if only it were so easy, Hakkai thinks, to control who does and does not leave. He gets to his feet once Ken's safely on the floor and wagging his tail in agreement with the order, and offers Gojyo a hand up from his place on the couch.

He's planning to stay in the room with Ken and Gojyo, at least until Gojyo falls asleep. He looks half asleep already, his distress muted and scattered with semiconsciousness through the shinki bond.]

All right. Thank you, Chikusa-- Gojyo, let's go.

'm not goin' anywhere.

[ It's that easy. Goku's not leaving anyone behind. If he says it with enough confidence and certainty, maybe everyone else will believe him too. He jumps up off the couch. ]

I'm gonna help Chikusa make dinner! [ Which is why he's not leaving. Everything's normal now. ] Chikusa, lemme help!

[ They're all okay. Mostly. ]

[ None of them are okay. Not even a little bit.

He takes Hakkai's hand, wincing as he stands -- he's mostly healed, but there's still a deep itch in his side, and the ache of something not quite entirely fixed.

There's more he wants to say -- to Ken, to Goku -- but his brain isn't working well enough to put words into sentences. He opens his mouth, frowns, tries again, and finally gives up, slumping against Hakkai. It's too much effort. He needs to sleep. ]

Bed.

[...His boyfriend is the fucking worst. Not as bad as Hakkai's, because Hakkai has phenomonally bad taste it seems, but still. Chikusa stands in place for a moment, eyes blank and gross dog saliva drying on his skin, before he lets out a long sigh tinged with just a dash of aggravation.]

[Ken is going to get dropped into a bath if he stays any longer in that form.]

[Scrubbing at his cheek with his sleeve, Chikusa turns away.]

I'll kick you out if you try to steal food again.

[He knows you, Goku. Still, with that, he disappears out of the room. Gojyo is, however much of a bad idea it is, taken care of for now.]

[Ken wags his tail either ingratiatingly or smugly at Chikusa; it's hard to read complexity of emotion in a dog. On balance, though...it's probably the latter.

Then he moves over near Gojyo, to the opposite side of Hakkai, nosing at his fingertips. He could be hoping for more pets, or possibly trying to stir Gojyo more awake or keep Gojyo informed of his presence.]

[No-- none of them are okay. But they manage.

Hakkai puts his arm around Gojyo's waist, helping to support him as he slumps, and heads for the stairs.]

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