[ . . . . It's different. It's been some time since anyone besides Sousei's thought to lecture Tenka. Yet all Tenka can think about it how his heart hurts. 'Don't ever lose' is the exact same advice he'd given to one of his brothers before, but it means something else in this context.
So he carefully pulls the tray out of Katsura's hands, setting it on the closest flat surface.
Then he raises a hand to place it atop his friend's head. Hadn't he reacted positively the last time he'd done so?]
I won't lose. Next time I'll protect you too.
[He says it softly, but honestly. Earnestly.]
But you're here now and I... I'm glad you're alive.
[A simple statement, maybe, but one that Tenka thinks is important to make clear. Katsura is alive and here, in front of him. And that's most important.]
[ I'll protect you too. Isn't that what people always tell him? It was a big, meaningful phrase that he heard a lot from various people, and now Tenka was telling him the same thing. Katsura was very skilled— the history books crowned him the title of The Nobleman of Fury, but no matter how much skill he had, nothing had prepared him to be eaten alive by a monster that out ran him, even on his fast, criminal feet.
I'll protect you.
That's what he teacher said with warmth in his voice. He never felt more safe than in the arms of Shouyou-sensei. Protect him. That's what his teacher did when he was bound by ropes and shoved into the blood stained ground. Katsura doesn't remember everything in the war, but he remembers his teacher sacrificing his life for his safety. A memory like that— a memory of seeing your mentor decapitated at the hand of a familiar sword— it is a memory that is hard to erase.
His eyes grow, but his voice is calm: ]
—There is a ghost in my house.
[ Katsura continues to look at his tea, not making eye contact with Tenka or.. the mirage that was on the other side of him, whispering ominous words he couldn't even comprehend at this point. When was it going to leave? He already tried negotiating with it. It hadn't left him since he was resurrected here. ]
And it is because I lost. [ He whispers, now, feeling the ends of his eyes mist over. He takes in a shaking breath, for once, looking absolutely terrified. ]
Can you see it? Can you feel it, too? I'm alone with it, I think, because it is my burden.
Tenka meets the other's eyes evenly, watching his fear grow, and he exhales softly. He can be steady. He can be the one to help hold Katsura together. So the hand on top of Katsura's head falls, only for both of Tenka's hands to gently hold Katsura's head in his hands, keeping their gazes locked.]
You're not alone with it. I'm right here.
[More true, earnest statements. He can't see the specter but he knows for a fact that he's not going to leave Katsura alone with it.]
It's not yours alone, I'm here to help. [Here. Right here.] No more losing -- not for either of us. We'll get through this together.
[ He breathes out a little relief, allowing Tenka to comfort him. ]
It resembles my friend. My friend who protected me. And what I saw... was him being killed. And it was my fault. I didn't protect him in the end.
[ No, he doesn't break down into tears, but his emotions are stirring. All of this is really digging into scars he has left behind. All four of them have hard times remembering what happened in the war, probably because they were all teenagers. They were reckless teenagers, fighting to protect what was right in the world, but seeing their friends and allies die so harshly.. they are things you try to block out— pulling the enemy sword out of the guts of somebody you were close to. ]
I know they are not real. Everything here.. it cannot be real. I know that he is alright. But I want to go home.
[It's rather like the last time around, when Tenka ran into his own father in the snow and was told that he was worthless. Yet this time the blame is placed on the person who watched it happen, who couldn't do anything when they see their friend die -- is this how it is for everyone who didn't make it through ViViD?
So he shakes his head once before he abandons all pretenses and opts for wrapping his arms around Katsura in a hug, pulling him in close. Never say that Tenka has any concerns about being too affectionate.
Whenever his brothers were scared, it would go a lot like this.]
It won't happen anymore. [One day Tenka will learn to stop making promises he can't keep.] They're not going to get you like this anymore.
You'll go home soon, Kotarou. I'll make sure they'll let you go home and see your friends.
But anything you see here? It's not your fault. None of it was your fault. This place is just tricking us again, that's all.
[ Tenka is an optimistic thinker— a lot like Sakamoto. Katsura was more of a realist when it came to things like this. As much as Tenka said it and reassured him, he knew that there is the high chance things aren't going to turn out that way.
He ran towards his teacher with an optimistic mindset, only to have everything crushed before his eyes— literally.
Tenka's embrace is warm, and Katsura doesn't pull away, Instead, he falls into his friend's arms. The only good thing about this place was the relationships he had built. ]
It isn't something to take lightly, and they do. [ They do. ]
Tenka. I want to take this place by the roots— and tear it apart. [ woah ... ]
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no subject
So he carefully pulls the tray out of Katsura's hands, setting it on the closest flat surface.
Then he raises a hand to place it atop his friend's head. Hadn't he reacted positively the last time he'd done so?]
I won't lose. Next time I'll protect you too.
[He says it softly, but honestly. Earnestly.]
But you're here now and I... I'm glad you're alive.
[A simple statement, maybe, but one that Tenka thinks is important to make clear. Katsura is alive and here, in front of him. And that's most important.]
no subject
Isn't that what people always tell him? It was a big, meaningful phrase that he heard a lot from various people, and now Tenka was telling him the same thing. Katsura was very skilled— the history books crowned him the title of The Nobleman of Fury, but no matter how much skill he had, nothing had prepared him to be eaten alive by a monster that out ran him, even on his fast, criminal feet.
I'll protect you.
That's what he teacher said with warmth in his voice. He never felt more safe than in the arms of Shouyou-sensei.
Protect him. That's what his teacher did when he was bound by ropes and shoved into the blood stained ground. Katsura doesn't remember everything in the war, but he remembers his teacher sacrificing his life for his safety. A memory like that— a memory of seeing your mentor decapitated at the hand of a familiar sword— it is a memory that is hard to erase.
His eyes grow, but his voice is calm: ]
—There is a ghost in my house.
[ Katsura continues to look at his tea, not making eye contact with Tenka or.. the mirage that was on the other side of him, whispering ominous words he couldn't even comprehend at this point. When was it going to leave? He already tried negotiating with it. It hadn't left him since he was resurrected here. ]
And it is because I lost.
[ He whispers, now, feeling the ends of his eyes mist over. He takes in a shaking breath, for once, looking absolutely terrified. ]
Can you see it? Can you feel it, too? I'm alone with it, I think, because it is my burden.
no subject
Tenka meets the other's eyes evenly, watching his fear grow, and he exhales softly. He can be steady. He can be the one to help hold Katsura together. So the hand on top of Katsura's head falls, only for both of Tenka's hands to gently hold Katsura's head in his hands, keeping their gazes locked.]
You're not alone with it. I'm right here.
[More true, earnest statements. He can't see the specter but he knows for a fact that he's not going to leave Katsura alone with it.]
It's not yours alone, I'm here to help. [Here. Right here.] No more losing -- not for either of us. We'll get through this together.
no subject
It resembles my friend. My friend who protected me. And what I saw... was him being killed. And it was my fault. I didn't protect him in the end.
[ No, he doesn't break down into tears, but his emotions are stirring. All of this is really digging into scars he has left behind. All four of them have hard times remembering what happened in the war, probably because they were all teenagers.
They were reckless teenagers, fighting to protect what was right in the world, but seeing their friends and allies die so harshly.. they are things you try to block out— pulling the enemy sword out of the guts of somebody you were close to. ]
I know they are not real. Everything here.. it cannot be real. I know that he is alright.
But I want to go home.
Why are they doing this to us?
no subject
So he shakes his head once before he abandons all pretenses and opts for wrapping his arms around Katsura in a hug, pulling him in close. Never say that Tenka has any concerns about being too affectionate.
Whenever his brothers were scared, it would go a lot like this.]
It won't happen anymore. [One day Tenka will learn to stop making promises he can't keep.] They're not going to get you like this anymore.
You'll go home soon, Kotarou. I'll make sure they'll let you go home and see your friends.
But anything you see here? It's not your fault. None of it was your fault. This place is just tricking us again, that's all.
no subject
He ran towards his teacher with an optimistic mindset, only to have everything crushed before his eyes— literally.
Tenka's embrace is warm, and Katsura doesn't pull away, Instead, he falls into his friend's arms. The only good thing about this place was the relationships he had built. ]
It isn't something to take lightly, and they do.
[ They do. ]
Tenka.
I want to take this place by the roots— and tear it apart.
[ woah ... ]