Unfliltered

[nicotinized]

[Toshi's mental voice sounds a little anxious - he's trying to hide it, but he has no idea when he is, just that finally there are other people around and some of them look familiar]

Hey, what did I miss? Is Souji still here?

[there's a pause, and then he sounds a little calmer, and a little embarrassed]

I got stuck in some weird patch of liminal space where time was all fucked up - watch didn't work right or anything.

Comments

[nicotinized]

I think we all knew who was in charge there already anyway.

[tealeafs]

.. E-eh?! It's not like that..!

[ SHE WASN'T LISTENING IN AT ALL.

NOPE, SIREE, NOT AT ALL. Don't worry, both Hijikatas, she totally wasn't listening in, except for the fact that she obviously was and it started flustering her enough that a thought just slipped out... ]

[nicotinized]

[Toshi just laughs a bit]

It's okay - he needs someone with a headstrong personality to talk sense into him.

[tealeafs]

Well, that is.. I don't know if I'd describe myself as that..

[ Technically you might be a woobie, Chizuru, but you're stubborn as hell. It's just something she doesn't really consciously realise herself. ]

I'm just trying to help him the best I can.

[nicotinized]

[there's the impression of laughter] You're always polite about it, but you never give up - that's headstrong enough.

[tealeafs]

Is it..

[ Apparently she's not all that convinced, but it has more to do with (the lack of) her own self-confidence rather than with her believing him or not.

That's why she quickly adds-- ]

Um, it means a lot to me to hear that from someone as amazing as you though, thank you..!

[nicotinized]

You're welcome, though 'amazing' isn't usually people's choice of words for me.

[tealeafs]

[ There's a moment where she seems to mull this over in her head.. but then there's a half-pouty sound that manages to come across even through telepathy. ]

Then those people really are wrong. Or maybe it's just that they didn't bother to get to know you enough to see how amazing you are. [ Because to her it's pretty clear as day. Any Hijikata is amazing, honestly. She doesn't get how they do it. ]

[nicotinized]

[his amusement is clear through the telepathic link - though it's good-natured, because he can take a compliment.]

Thanks.

[hakodate]

Did you have to say it out loud.

[nicotinized]

Well, technically I only thought it. And... Black Souji is the one who thought it first.

[hakodate]

Thinking might as well be talking here.

[nicotinized]

True. [but you're not actually denying the charge, Hijikata] Still wasn't me first, though.

[hakodate]

That's a bullshit defense for anything and you know it.

[nicotinized]

Maybe. Going to do anything about it, though?

[hakodate]

Be setting a pretty shitty example if I couldn't follow the one rule we actually enforce here.

[fistshaaaaaaaaaaake]

[nicotinized]

What, 'try not to kill each other any more than necessary'?

[hakodate]

I'm not an unreasonable enough man to call this necessary.

Just really goddamned tempting.

[nicotinized]

Well, that's why it'd be breaking the rule.