When Becky finally gets the call, the call she's been waiting for, it's not met with enthusiasm or tears like before. There's an... emptiness? She quietly considers not going with a detachment laced with slight, squelched animosity as she makes herself something to drink. It's funny, or not, depending on where you stand -- and just plain sad, considering the giddiness she'd started out with almost a year ago.
A year. Huh.
Eventually, Becky shrugs on her holster and throws on a dark red leather jacket over her tank top and jeans. Ammo is shoved into pockets, and she PINpoints herself out, not sure exactly what's going to come of this, though equal parts happy to hear from him and upset to hear from him so seldomly, all the same.
Katsuya glances up from where he's seated at the edge of his empty little pow wow, a look that's more tired than it has been in months on his face. His clothes drape over him worse than usual, it's clear he hasn't been in the best of times for a while. And with the quickly hidden look of surprise, just maybe the pessimistic side of Katsuya was thinking that no one would show up.
He stumbles to his feet and hurries over to her, embracing her in a hug before she can protest. There's no life in him to blush; he's simply so relieved to see her. For almost a whole minute, no words come to him, and then he seems to pull himself together.
"Ah..." He takes a fraction of a step back. "Thank you..."
The hug does take her by surprise, and she hugs back the best she can from where her arms are pinned. She's grown since they met, but he stills dwarfs her, easily, though he'll probably never approach the muscle mass she's gotten through training. C'est la vie.
Becky nods when he pulls back, and smiles a little. She's tired too, but probably looks like a walk in the park compared to Katsuya.
"Don't mention it," she says, then sighs a little, looking in squinty concern at his face. She doesn't have to say he looks like hell, he probably knows. And feels it, too.
In his happiness to see her again, he almost forgets why he'd called her in the first place. As soon as he does he coughs politely and gathers himself.
"..." He recognizes the look for what it is, and offers her a tired smile and a shrug. "..I know. I'm sorry, I really am. You can yell at me later, I promise. I owe you about seven outings, movies, hell, shopping even." So much more open. Something has changed, just a little. A few too many near death experiences really show someone how important another is to them.
Woot, there's a Hips. She figures this favor is not a good one, or Katsuya wouldn't be so apologetic. So, of course she's got a pistol in her pocket. And she IS happy to see both him and Becky.
"Hey, guys! Ramon's on his way, he's putting Bhima down for his nap."
And once there is a Hippolyta, Katsuya makes his way over and offers her a grateful sort of half bow. Man, he looks like hell.
"Thank you so much, Hips-san. I..." He trails off and nods again before fiddling with his sunglasses. "Admittedly, we could use all the help we can get." 'We' doesn't seem to be all here yet, but seeing other people is doing a world of good for him. "And...I will thank Ramon-san too, when he gets here, of course."
He leads her over to the little meeting place he's fixed up, what with couches and chairs for them. So jittery.
Hey look, there's a Baofu! He, as usual, looks presentable: gold suit, sunglasses, perfectly combed hair and, on top of it all, the sunglasses and jewelry. The usual cocky grin that plays on his lips is replaced with a straight line, much like the B| face. The corners of his lips seem to tug down, though. Those who know him know that he's Serious Business when he gets like this.
He strides over to the meeting spot while putting his PINpoint away, then immediately goes to light up a cigarette. One gets offered to Katsuya, even.
"I'm a little late, but whatever. Had to dispose of a few demons in Konan," Baofu mutters, then takes a long drag on his cigarette. "What've we got?" he asks in an exhale.
Lo and behold, the smoke is accepted. That means dangerous amounts of stress indeed. Katsuya nods a few times while Baofu explains his entrance and then gestures around to Hips and Becky. "Tatsuya, he's back by the way, and Ramon-san are still coming. It's all the help we're going to get."
He pauses once, and then gives a small glance to the only other person present that knows the situation in Sumaru. "I finally found the building. It's in Hiirisaka." Another puff at his cigarette. "Jun will be there, and there's more demons than I could count at a glance. Thus...help. I think I got everything we'd need...other than a miracle."
"Fuck miracles," Baofu says in an exhale, sending a slight amount of smoke in Katsuya's general direction, "They've never worked for us before."
He notes the other two people off to the side of them; Becky, who was fine. But that loudmouthed blonde woman? Good God. Baofu didn't know Hippolyta well, but he knew he didn't like her. Then again, there's very few people Baofu likes.
"Hirasaka, huh? At least no one will suspect anything. That place is a shithole."
Katsuya makes no dissent at the smoke; rather he tends to his own for a few moments before letting the last bit of it fall to the ground while he gathers himself.
"...It isn't the nicest place, no. I wonder if he chose there on purpose." A place with fewer people...could Jun still be himself at least a little yet? Katsuya hopes so, he doesn't want to kill the boy. "Better get settled." He starts on over to where Becky and Hips are, expecting Baofu to follow whenever the man feels like it.
Feeling like an explanation was finally in order, Katsuya waits until people are settled a bit before he moves toward the middle of the little area
( ... )
Here comes Mr. Sensitivity, also known as Baofu! But not really.
"Damn it, Suou, quit it with your sob story and tell them how to kill the demons," he says from his spot in the back, lighting up yet another cigarette.
Ah, chain smoking. One of the tell-tale signs that Baofu's really stressed out, if you know him well enough to pick up on these subtleties.
Katsuya is very tempted to pull out his gun at Baofu's statement and fire a warning shot near his foot. Tempted, but he doesn't. He does, however fire a glare his way, finally looking up.
"Not helping." Any further and he'd be getting into an argument with the rumormonger, and there simply wasn't time for that
( ... )
Katsuya's glare is met with that knowing smirk of Baofu's. Sure, now's not the best time to be messing with Suou and aggravating him, but Baofu loves to annoy the man. Underneath it all, Baofu is dead serious about clearing this mess up in Sumaru. Probably even more serious about it than Katsuya...
"Hmph," he mutters and catches the bag of beads. He then takes the bags out and starts distributing them tossing them to the participants of this battle.
"Should probably show them how to use Blood Orbs and Incense. Just in case one of them, you know, dies."
Tatsuya would not be pleased to offer any introspection on why he was late to arrive. In all accounts, he should have been the first one there. Jun was constantly on his mind. He was sure Katsuya would scold him for this unexplained tardiness, but he was not about to explain that he had been involved in (the cause of) an accident while riding his motorcycle. They say not to drive when under emotional stress; Tatsuya should have listened.
As such, he arrived looking disheveled and even more distraught than one (one being his brother and/or Baofu: the others were strangers) would expect. His sword had been sharpened recently, not that anyone could see that under the sheath. The red, the black X, they stood out. Maybe it would make him a target. He hoped so.
"..." There was nothing to say. 'I'm here'? 'Let's go, I'm anxious'? His face said it all.
Tatsuya doesn't have to speak. Katsuya recognizes his Resonance immediately. He glances up from where he's standing and motions the boy over, closer to the others.
He makes a quiet noise under his breath. It acknowledes everything: the pain Katsuya must have endured through all this, the awkwardness of meeting again under these circumstances and even the damn innappropriateness of having to ask strangers to help with their problem. Problem. Like Jun is some... some damn escaped bunny or lack of enough pens in the office or something at all less than the most important thing in the world.
Tatsuya comes closer, and looks at the others quickly. They seem fit. (Repl
"You know Baofu. This is Hip...Hippolyta-san, and Becky." Katsuya motions to each in turn, and is quite sure he doesn't add any formalities to Becky's name. So there, Japanese protocol. "Ramon-san is on his way yet."
Standing near his brother, he nods to the others. "This is Tatsuya, my younger brother." Family. To have even a bit of it left is so much of a relief.
Comments 63
A year. Huh.
Eventually, Becky shrugs on her holster and throws on a dark red leather jacket over her tank top and jeans. Ammo is shoved into pockets, and she PINpoints herself out, not sure exactly what's going to come of this, though equal parts happy to hear from him and upset to hear from him so seldomly, all the same.
Reply
He stumbles to his feet and hurries over to her, embracing her in a hug before she can protest. There's no life in him to blush; he's simply so relieved to see her. For almost a whole minute, no words come to him, and then he seems to pull himself together.
"Ah..." He takes a fraction of a step back. "Thank you..."
Reply
Becky nods when he pulls back, and smiles a little. She's tired too, but probably looks like a walk in the park compared to Katsuya.
"Don't mention it," she says, then sighs a little, looking in squinty concern at his face. She doesn't have to say he looks like hell, he probably knows. And feels it, too.
Reply
"..." He recognizes the look for what it is, and offers her a tired smile and a shrug. "..I know. I'm sorry, I really am. You can yell at me later, I promise. I owe you about seven outings, movies, hell, shopping even." So much more open. Something has changed, just a little. A few too many near death experiences really show someone how important another is to them.
"Sadly, they will have to wait just a bit yet."
Reply
"Hey, guys! Ramon's on his way, he's putting Bhima down for his nap."
Reply
"Thank you so much, Hips-san. I..." He trails off and nods again before fiddling with his sunglasses. "Admittedly, we could use all the help we can get." 'We' doesn't seem to be all here yet, but seeing other people is doing a world of good for him. "And...I will thank Ramon-san too, when he gets here, of course."
He leads her over to the little meeting place he's fixed up, what with couches and chairs for them. So jittery.
Reply
Reply
"Hey, pretty lady. Long time no see."
Reply
He strides over to the meeting spot while putting his PINpoint away, then immediately goes to light up a cigarette. One gets offered to Katsuya, even.
"I'm a little late, but whatever. Had to dispose of a few demons in Konan," Baofu mutters, then takes a long drag on his cigarette. "What've we got?" he asks in an exhale.
Reply
He pauses once, and then gives a small glance to the only other person present that knows the situation in Sumaru. "I finally found the building. It's in Hiirisaka." Another puff at his cigarette. "Jun will be there, and there's more demons than I could count at a glance. Thus...help. I think I got everything we'd need...other than a miracle."
Reply
He notes the other two people off to the side of them; Becky, who was fine. But that loudmouthed blonde woman? Good God. Baofu didn't know Hippolyta well, but he knew he didn't like her. Then again, there's very few people Baofu likes.
"Hirasaka, huh? At least no one will suspect anything. That place is a shithole."
Reply
"...It isn't the nicest place, no. I wonder if he chose there on purpose." A place with fewer people...could Jun still be himself at least a little yet? Katsuya hopes so, he doesn't want to kill the boy. "Better get settled." He starts on over to where Becky and Hips are, expecting Baofu to follow whenever the man feels like it.
Reply
Reply
"Damn it, Suou, quit it with your sob story and tell them how to kill the demons," he says from his spot in the back, lighting up yet another cigarette.
Ah, chain smoking. One of the tell-tale signs that Baofu's really stressed out, if you know him well enough to pick up on these subtleties.
Reply
"Not helping." Any further and he'd be getting into an argument with the rumormonger, and there simply wasn't time for that ( ... )
Reply
"Hmph," he mutters and catches the bag of beads. He then takes the bags out and starts distributing them tossing them to the participants of this battle.
"Should probably show them how to use Blood Orbs and Incense. Just in case one of them, you know, dies."
Reply
As such, he arrived looking disheveled and even more distraught than one (one being his brother and/or Baofu: the others were strangers) would expect. His sword had been sharpened recently, not that anyone could see that under the sheath. The red, the black X, they stood out. Maybe it would make him a target. He hoped so.
"..." There was nothing to say. 'I'm here'? 'Let's go, I'm anxious'? His face said it all.
Reply
"...Hey."
Reply
Tatsuya comes closer, and looks at the others quickly. They seem fit.
(Repl
Reply
Standing near his brother, he nods to the others. "This is Tatsuya, my younger brother." Family. To have even a bit of it left is so much of a relief.
Reply
Leave a comment