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[whiteshroud]

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Semi here

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa looks over at Jun and gives him the saddest puppy dog eyes.]

Jun-chan, can you ask Belle to pick me up a more difficult sudoku book? Please~?

[whiteshroud]

[But he wants coffee :C FIIIINE. He'll think of the kinds of teas his dad would make for him during stressful times.]

Would some chamomile tea with a bit of honey be possible please? If it's too much, a bottle of water's fine.

[He looks up from his phone, hearing his brother's pleas]

You're already finished with that one?! [MAN] Fine-

[Back to the phone]

Oh, and Haru wants a sudoku book. A difficult one if possible, thank you.

[greatlydares]

I can't make any promises on the chamomile tea, but I'll try. But you're in luck with the sudoku! I've got four sudoku books lying around, he can have all of them.

[whiteshroud]

[To Harumasa-]

She says she's got 4 sudoku books lying around that she'll bring.

[and back to text]

Haha, thank you! And it's fine if you can't do the tea. It just popped in my mind as a comfort drink.

[life_ethereal]

[He immediately perks up, like the sun peeking out from behind dark grey clouds.]

She's my favorite~! Don't tell Ragna, though.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun stares at his dear brother for a moment. His eyes scream that he wants to say some snarky comment, probably about Haru's not-love life, but.... his brother is in the hospital, so he has the restraint not to say it (17)]

Ok.

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa smiles at Jun in a way that dares him to start.

Don't do it, please, think of the hospital staff.]

[whiteshroud]

[....Yeah he sees that look. He considers, but then he crosses his arms]

You're in the hospital, so I'll show grace and hold my tongue.

[....Mostly]

Though are you sure I shouldn't ask the nurses for earplugs and an eye mask? You know, to avoid your little brother from seeing anything untowards?

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa sighs and sits back against the hospital bed.]

What are you, Victorian?

[It's an attempt at a joke. But....]

Nothing's gonna happen. [He shrugs with a small smile.] Sometimes the most romantic gesture is to just let them go.

[whiteshroud]

No, that's Varian. I'm Catholic, which is probably worse.

[But ah... seems like his attempt to joke around missed a mark, causing Haru to say something more sincere. Or rather... an expression that Jun's heard before, but it sounds like Haru's taken to heart.

Jun pauses for a moment, before deciding to get up and stepping closer to the bed. He'll gesture at Haru to scoot to a side of the bed. ]

Scoot over please.

[Hospital beds aren't huge by any means but... let's face it, neither of these two. Brother is saying sad things, so time to deploy affection. ]

[life_ethereal]

[That gets a chuckle at least.]

Maybe, but it's way funnier this way.

[Harumasa doesn't hesitate to move over to give Jun room on the hospital bed. He'll put an arm around his little brother once Jun is situated. This close, he'll be able to feel that Harumasa's shaking very slightly. It's subtle, something that's more felt than seen, but it shows that he's not as calm and casual as he seems. Harumasa might have needed this more than even he himself thought.]

[whiteshroud]

[He'll climb onto the bed, sitting himself next to Haru. As Haru puts a hand around him, he'll put his arm around Haru in return. He can feel his brother shaking, the giveaway of the fear that Jun had suspected he had. He knows Haru's been working hard in therapy, trying to get better.... but it's not like trauma like theirs goes away in such a short time. If it ever does at all.

He won't call out the shaking, giving his brother some chance of dignity. ]

Maybe sometimes the most loving gesture is letting someone go... but I think there's something to be said for holding on too.

[Whether it be romantic, platonic, or familial love... sure, sometime Jun could see the logic of letting things go. But... he already lived a life time where he had to let go of far too many things, to avoid attachments. He knows too well what a hollow life that is.]

I'm staying right here, okay?

text > action ota

[greatlydares]

you're welcome! I'll do my best.

[And Belle comes by some time later, having bought chamomile tea at the local grocery store and some honey as well. She also has, as promised, brought the four sudoku books lying around, their difficulties ranging from beginner to such an advanced level that Belle's left a note on the very first page that reads DO NOT TOUCH IT WILL HURT YOUR BRAIN.

She drops off the chamomile tea and the books, and then opens her laptop.]

I brought movies and TV shows. Are we feeling magical girl anime at the moment, or do we just want to turn our brains off?

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa looks over at Belle. He's instantly relieved to have his best friend here. The anxiety is getting to him a little bit, though he's trying to look calm and relaxed. Still, there's a subtle tension and he can't stop fidgeting silently with the pen in his hand.

He looks a little better, at least. He's hooked up to some medical machines and an IV, all standard procedure. His face still looks sickly pale and there's a shadow of pain in his eyes, but he looks fully alert if a little tired. Harumasa doesn't have his bandana on, either.]

Eh, dealer's choice. I'll probably work on one of those sudoku books, so my opinion doesn't matter much.

[His voice is steady, but he's scared. Harumasa doesn't want to admit how scared he is. Not even a little bit. All the warm, lovely people filling the room with their presence is absolutely helping to stave it off. Yet he's unable to fully relax. Not when he can still smell the hospital underneath it all. Not when he's once again confined to a hospital bed, though at least the nurses have allowed him to get up and move around so long as he has help from someone else, just in case.

And, for the first time in years, he's scared to sleep. He's terrified that if he falls asleep, he won't wake back up. It's almost enough to make him want to ask her:

"I'm scared. Can you hold my hand?"

As much as Harumasa so desperately wants that small comfort, the words get stuck in his throat like they're shards of superheated glass. So he doesn't speak those words. Instead, he just smiles.]

We got a lotta bagels and spreads, so help yourself~!

[He's speaking somewhat slowly and deliberately to help keep his breathing even. Harumasa is trying to avoid running out of breath just by talking.]

[greatlydares]

[It's been a long time since Belle felt this frightened for Harumasa's health. She's always worried about him, to some degree, because she's been helping him for years, but now it's a spike through her heart—that she might lose him. That her best friend might fade away in front of her and she won't be able to see him again. She doesn't know how many more disappearances she can take, how many more deaths.

His voice is steady. It's always steady. Belle passes over the sudoku book, absently going for the intermediate level, before she scoots up close to him and just...puts her hand over his. Warm. Solid. Alive.

Her shoulders slump.]

You're still here.

[And then she bends forward and lets out a slow, tired breath. For a moment, just a moment—she recalls Vivian in her arms, crystals growing on the girl's skin. Crystals that vanished when Belle hugged her tight and cried out her defiance of fate: you can't take her, she's my friend. For a moment she thinks that once more, hard as she can. You can't take him. I won't let you. He's my friend.

But it doesn't work that way. Never did. She breathes in, then out.]

How did this happen...?

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa's a little surprised when there's suddenly a warm hand on his, but seeing how her shoulders slump... he tries not to let the guilt win this one. Why is it that in two lives, the only way he can express his love for people is by letting them go?

He sets those feelings aside, though. Right now, Harumasa will take the comfort of her hand and give back in kind. He turns his hand so that he can gently hold it properly, showing that there's still strength and life in him. He's still alive. He's still fighting.]

I'm still here.

[He confirms gently.

The young man leans back against the inclined hospital bed. It's a question that he's been mulling over himself. Harumasa knows that this isn't how his condition is supposed to go when it comes to a deterioration of health. It's a lot more gradual than this, and he's having a difficult time hearing Apollo on top of it all. The relative silence in his head sets his teeth on edge, and he's trying very hard not to think about how unsettling and lonely it is without Apollo.]

Honestly, the only thing out of the ordinary was that weird invitation to the masquerade. I don't plan on going since, ah, I had a... vision. Some Lord in a mask was dancing with me and the vibes were off.

[There's a pale pink blush dusting his cheeks. It stands out in striking contrast with his pale face. Just thinking about it again STILL gets the normally unflappable Harumasa a bit flustered.]

[greatlydares]

[She breathes out easier, at Harumasa adjusting his grip so he's holding her hand properly. It hurts to know how close she came to losing him, how close she still could be. It feels like all they're doing is just borrowing time.]

I'm here too. So're your family. No one's going anywhere else as long as you're here. [Eous and Zelos can handle Random Play for a little while without her, and she doesn't have any pressing Phaethon jobs. She really isn't going anywhere.] I did bring movies.

[An invitation...she frowns, recalling an invitation that came in her mail.]

I know that one. I kept it—Zelos and I got similar invites and he was worried that if we threw them out, whoever sent them would take it personally. [She chews on her lower lip, thinking.] Did your siblings also get invites like that? I can ask if they kept them, maybe there's a curse of some kind on them...

[life_ethereal]

[Belle's reassurances that she's here and that nobody is going anywhere has Harumasa squeezing her hand a little tighter. She might be able to still feel the subtle tremor in his hand. It shows his fear and pain more than his body language and expression do at the moment. He's good, but nobody can control that.]

That means a lot. [She knows what he means. He's been abandoned before by people he's loved in his last life, and unfortunately that trend has followed him into this one.] Movies, huh? I'd ask for comedies, but laughing hurts right now.

[Harumasa considers the question.]

I'm not sure, actually. I know I definitely got one... and I saw other people on the network getting one. Maybe we monitor that for a week. See what comes up.

[greatlydares]

[She does feel it, and she knows what it means. She squeezes back, a promise and a reassurance: I'm not going anywhere. This is her friend. She won't leave him alone, especially right now, when he badly needs people around him. Hopefully the family doesn't mind if she hangs around.]

Don't worry. We're all here. [A quiet chuckle.] Well, good for you that I have the most boring documentaries ever recorded as well. If you ever wanted to fall asleep while someone talked on and on about something, there's a bunch of glorified slideshows.

[She nods.]

I'll keep an eye on the network, see if anyone else mentions anything weird happening. I'll update you and Jun when something pings me. In the meantime... [A breath. Please don't disappear, is a childish thing to beg, too childish and selfish.] We'll. We'll figure something out. You'll be okay.

[Even her bubbly optimism is shaken by this, as evidenced by the brief tremble in her voice. If Wise were in this situation, would he be stronger than she is? Would he grit his teeth and keep going? All Belle wants to do is to sit still and hold on to the people around her while they're there. But Wise isn't here, and she is, and Harumasa needs her.]

It's gonna be fine, and we'll be here the whole way.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun was just about ready to doze off while sitting in a chair when Belle comes in. He immediately becomes alert when he sense the presence, only relaxing when he sees that it's just Belle. ]

Huh? Magical Girl?

[Okay he sounds drowsy as hell and possibly only caught some words in that sentence. ]

[greatlydares]

[Aw. She gives him a quick wave hello, then sets her laptop down somewhere where what's on the screen can be easily seen: a very carefully curated collection of folders bearing the titles of various TV shows. Some of them are incredibly obscure in nature.]

I brought my laptop. I have anime. Wanna watch some? [She holds up the packets of chamomile tea that she bought.] I'll brew this while you watch.

[whiteshroud]

[He'll straighten up in his seat and blink himself awake as the laptop gets pulled out, looking at all the folders of various TV shows. Some of them he hasn't even HEARD of, which really sparks his curiosity and it shows on his face. ]

Sure, of course-- [Wait wait, resist the temptation of anime, be a thoughtful and considerate sibling] -- I-I mean, Haru should probably get first pick to what to watch.

[yeah!! But the other remark peaks his interest, looking away from the laptop and seeing the teabags]

Oh! You found the tea! Haha, sorry for such a particular request.

[greatlydares]

[In a very cheery tone:] If you look in the Magical Girls folders, you'll find I have a top ten series folder for every decade starting from the nineties.

[Wise would be so proud of her. And so annoyed this is what she bothers to organize on her free time.]

Hm? Ah, no, don't be sorry! Chamomile tea is good at calming people down, so I thought it was a good choice. Though this particular tea is really just a brand I found at a store on the way. [She's going to start brewing up the tea.]

[whiteshroud]

That's incredible... another time, I'm going to ask to go through those folders to see how you ranked them in your expert opinion.

[Belle runs a video store with anime, ergo she is an Expert. But still, he knows he's too mentally distracted at this time to really focus on Magical Girls. Later though... later.]

Ah, that's okay. I actually don't mind the store brand that much. [He wasn't a tea snob] ... My dad loves tea. He has a cup every day, sometimes more. I usually prefer coffee myself, but whenever I had a bad day, he'd brew me a cup of Chamomile tea.

[greatlydares]

Another time.

[She agrees. Right now she doesn't think she's up to really explaining her expert opinion on anime, with one of her closest friends in the hospital bed. As for the rest of it...she nods.]

...you've got a good dad. [Said with a soft smile.] I like coffee better, in general, but chamomile's the best kind of tea, in my opinion. It's relaxing, it helps you sleep better, something about antioxidants? But the taste is the best.