synflux | head above water

[ shibuya. choso had never asked, had almost been afraid to ask all this time, had avoided it until he had-- ha, until he'd forgotten. he'd allowed this new rhythm of life and purpose pull his head up and away from the past and the carnage strewn in his wake, let himself put it out of his mind for a fleeting, precious little while and the simple reality of this is like a slap to the face.

struck stupid as choso may have been at the time it happened, he still remembers the sickening surge of power that came with Sukuna opening His eyes.

how could it have gotten so much worse? he doesn't have to think hard to find the guilty parties.]

Sukuna. Nothing brings misery more wholly, more totally than the King of Curses. He has inflicted much on Yuji in the time he's been 'away'. [ overnight, how fucking horrible. an unknowable stretch of time, condensed into one horrible half a night's worth of sleep. ]

[Raidou looks up when the words King of Curses is spoken, because that's not a detail he had previously.]

King... Is he really that powerful? [No wonder Yuji couldn't control him. No one could be blamed for that.

There is at least one bit of relief in all of this. Raidou attempts to relax in his chair a bit, but he's not very successful.]

But here, he's not, ah, possessed, yes? [Is that the correct term?] Life here may not be easy, but... it is life, and I'm glad for that not just for my sake, but for everyone else. For people like Yuji.

Strange man... Do you mean Gojo-sensei...?

[ That might be a fair enough assessment of his teacher, but Yuji still feels the urge to defend him all the same, instinctive, burned into him by the nature of his education and dedication to his sensei. Shaking his head, he fights the urge to protest, and looks back over at their new friend with a smile.

Choso is Choso, and sensei is sensei, so as long as they don't kill each other he's happy. ]

I've handed out most of mine, so don't worry. I did a lot on Valentine's Day so I think they're talking it easy on me for White Day.

[ Simple as that! Beaming, he looks between them before he tilts his head. ]

Say, nii-san, did you still want to go to see the cats?

[ Choso... moe 🥺

Marcille takes the chocolate box, and while she notices the little bits of damage, she pays them no mind. She beams again— ] Thank you! [ —and slides the box into her bag.

A lot of words crop up at once that she doesn't know what to make of. She looks between them both. ]

Cats...? [ She hasn't seen any cats around. The instant her mind conjures the image of one, it transforms into something, someone else—half-beast, half-human. She swallows down a wave of sadness, instead tightening her grip on her staff and looking at Yuji. ]

And who's Gojo-sensei?

Sukuna’s strength beggars belief. [ choso has never laid eyes on the great king himself, but what he felt that day echoes still like the aftershocks of some vast, immeasurable disaster. ]

Here or there, Yuji is no longer plagued by that presence now. Whatever happened, it transferred Sukuna from him to another.

Does it seem like it's at all possible to stop him?

[Because this situation sounded at all hopeless. And Sukuna taking another host? It doesn't sound like Choso has many details with how he said "whatever happened", so Raidou feels a little silly even asking.]

...You don't have to answer that. I'm... probably better off not knowing, even if you do.

[Another anxiety has been chipping away at Raidou the last few weeks, and it comes to mind whenever Raidou thinks about Yuji's situation at home, but his own.]

LILITH has said... Ah, have you known anyone Outsiders who have vanished yet? Gone from not just the base, but the network, everything.

[Probably not, since Choso was still knew, but Raidou knew at least two. He misses his chess partner and his sparring partner.]

They weren't very forthcoming with information, but they said that people can... glitch, was the word. Sent back where they came from safely, so they tell me. [The skeptic tone to that sentence tells Choso how much he believes that.] I wonder if Yuji experienced the same sort of glitch. It seems it could happen to anyone.

A swindler. [ with a sharp tch of tongue on teeth. that half empty box... ]

[ no, no! he will not sully this meeting with that bean pod! choso must physically shake it off, hair tufts-- buns?- a-flapping as if to cast away the veil of that accursed long man.

collect yourself!!! ]

There is a cat onsen. Which is to say, an onsen with real cats. You are welcome to join us on this venture if you so wished.

He's my teacher at school, not... That...

[ He's not a swindler! Don't be so rude, big brother, that's Yuji's precious teacher...

At least he can focus a little more on something nice, which is the cat onsen. He went there on a date, so he can speak for how nice it is, even if it had been a little embarrassing. ]

It's just outside of the main city, run by this old couple, and there's a colony of cats there! They're nice, despite being wild.

[ A teacher and a swindler.... Concerning... Does Marcille believe Choso, an ex-criminal who probably has a good eye for evildoers, or Yuji, who seems very sweet and upbeat and maybe more susceptible to swindling?

She'll have to meet Gojo and form her own opinion. Right now, they're talking about cats. Memories of Izutsumi flood her consciousness, twisting her heart. She still wants to go with them, of course, not only because she's always liked cats, but also because she's reaching for what's familiar, even if it hurts.

An important question needs answering. ]

Y-Yeah, I can come with you guys, but... what's an "onsen?"

[ choso has no awareness at all of how he looks when he rounds on marcille, eyes a little wide for the surge of warm anticipation that mention of the trip has summoned. ]

A bathhouse.

[ Yuji looks up at his brother, then looks over at Marcille, and shakes his head. ]

It's a hot spring that's been turned into a bathhouse, but I think my brother was more interested in the cats. There's separate bathing rooms, don't worry!

[ Seeing as Choso looks super intense about it... ]

We can go and just see the cats if you wanted to.

[ CHOSO WHAT IS THAT LOOK? HELLO? She leans back and gives him A Look before Yuji speaks up and saves his reputation.

A bathhouse! Marcille actually isn't averse to the idea. ]

If the bathing rooms are separate, it should be fine... I haven't had a nice bath in a really long time.

[ She touches her chin. ]

Someone else told me about a bathhouse being in the city. He didn't mention any cats though... His name was Nanami.

[ ignorance truly is bliss, for choso closes his eyes and spares marcille the meteoric weight of his full attention while he thinks about cats and steam. ]

Either it’s a different, inferior bathhouse or Nanami does not care for feline company.

Ah, Nanamin! I think he probably didn't know about the one outside of town, since Raidou and I found that on our adventure.

[ Yuji leans into Choso a little. Pay attention... It's almost time to go... ]

I'm glad you've been able to meet Nanamin, though. He's a really good guy!

Oh, so you know him. [ She nods. ] He offered to help me a few times already. Although he seems to have a grudge against the head of the simulation room...

[ Those text messages from him were nothing short of aggressive. What did Seok Dang do to him...

Marcille can ask who Raidou is on their way to the onsen, she decides. ]

Were the two of you about to leave? I'll go, but I'd also like to get some clean clothes from my room to change into. I'll be quick!

I don’t mind waiting. [ see, he’s paying attention, eyes cracking open to blink lazily at marcille before a revelation has him turning that blink onto yuji. ]

Should we bring our own things? [ or mooch off the cats? ]

I already brought stuff from our room, since the plan was to go there anyway, don't worry.

[ Leaning around Choso, he nods at Marcille. ]

Yeah, he was pretty mad after the guy accidentally locked us in the sim room. Go ahead and get your stuff, we can wait here!

I will!

[ A bath!!!! Excuse her while runs off to get her things. (Lmk when/if I should hop back in!) ]

So prepared. As expected. [ sasuga yuji. he sort of clenches a fist in a sort of celebration, and somewhere in there decides to utilize the motion to its fullest by flicking his thumb up for marcille as she takes off. go, little elf, go.

naturally, he doesn't wait until she's out of earshot before he turns to yuji again. ]

... She is good.

[ Bro… You’ll embarrass her…

Either way, Yuji is nodding. His delight is obvious, his darling brother making a friend, and he hums softly. ]

She’s nice! I think she seems like a good friend to have.

We must cure the soap properly, as perfectly-timed as it would be to use it at the onsen. [ elf soap will be a Reward. ]

Is this what makes a friend? [ he uses that word like it's something new, some funky loanword newly slotted into the vocabulary. ]

[ choso waits.

sat by yuji's bed in the med bay, choso waits with elbows braced on knees, head down and face buried in his cleaned palms (still pink from the scrubbing, scratches and scrapes still raw) while shoulders rise and fall in steady turns. it's only been an hour since arrival, (sixty-seven minutes and forty-five-- forty-six seconds) and even if his technique didn't assure him that it was so, the scientists and staff and doctors and whatever else the others were assured that yuji was alive, would live, would continue to live into the indeterminate future so why doesn't he go and rest up or clean up?

no, thank you. choso chose to wait.

patient, biding, counting the steady thud of his heart in his chest, choso waits for yuji to come back. ]

[ Yuji wakes up with a sharp, pained gasp.

The bliss of unconsciousness had numbed his mind to the pulse of pain threading through him, the ache of the bite to his shoulder, the agony in his bones, but eyes open has him feeling it all. It makes him groan l m almost immediately, but it’s not too bad - he’s had worse, did worse here, surgery without anaesthetics, writhing in agony all for the purpose of helping.

Shifting his weight, he blinks into consciousness and turns, and - ah. Ah. Choso. His brother, vigil at his side, a looming figure to anyone else but a sweet comfort to Yuji who sinks in relief.

Trying to smile, his eyes crack with tears and he breathes out shakily. ]

… Choso. I’m awake.

[ choso's head lifts immediately, automatically, but his eyes are slower to open, lashes sticking from dried blood and tears when finally he summons the strength to crack them all the way.

grey-faced, dried blood flecks still clinging stubbornly to the crevices and creases in his features, choso stares wide-eyed at yuji for a long and aching moment. ]

head above water

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4/1/77 - MEDICAL BAY - YUJI

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