🎧 homophonic | pcs | yukichi (fukuzawa)

[silicone]

There's no need to fear the past. The past is just a memory.

(in retrospect i regret my choice of filter name)

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[silicone]

[ there's silence for a bit before there's some scrabbling in the trees. from a low branch, topper balances and peers downwards, his fluffy tail floofed up, especially after today. he squeaks from his perch curiously. what chu want old man? ]

[allmenare]

[He has brought an offering! Well, a few, he doesn't know what Topper might eat. But the first thing he's offering is a pastry from the mime cafe.]

I didn't know what you like to eat, so I brought a few things. You can take whichever you like.

[Since Topper has stoat smell he might be able to tell Fukuzawa also has some treats from the pet store and a hot dog with him.]

[silicone]

[ HELP FUKUZAWA YOUR (world of darkness voice) ANIMAL KEN....

anyways, topper is a simple creature when it comes to food, he likes a few things but one thing above all else. he likes meat so he will probably sniff out the hotdog very quickly when he skitters to investigate closer and when offered it will just. bite the hotdog itself in the middle and squeak with his mouth full.

this is a suitable offering. you can follow him. ]

[allmenare]

[Me picturing him just inhaling it like a seagull...help.

But he'll let Topper eat as much as he wants first, before asking him a question.]

Is Eiden here?

[silicone]

[ he will probably eat like half of it, then consider this question then eat the other half because food. then at the question, just squeaks bolts into the forest! better follow!

it's not far, just a clearing in a copse of trees by the lake. ]

[allmenare]

[He follows! He's walking with quick, quiet steps, moving through the forest while only making a minimal amount of sound.

When they reach the lakeside though, Fukuzawa stops short to look for Eiden. Even if he wants to see the man, he's still feeling insecure and wants to see where he is and what he's doing first.]

[silicone]

[ he's laying down in the grass. there's a sketchbook tossed somewhere. topper isn't subtle and just marches right through the grass on his belly and puts tiny paws on his face. ]

Ugh—Topper! You smell like hotdog... I mean... I'm happy for you, but I'm not happy for my face.

[ as he gets tiny little hotdog-flavored licks on his forehead. when he shifts to pull him away, he sees fukuzawa's leg probably and tilts his head.

his bangs flip back and reveal a scar right under them, pink and shiny. his expression softens, and he starts to sit up. ]

... Hey...

[allmenare]

...hey.

[He sees that scar, and he feels his chest tighten.]

The smell's my fault, I thought he might be hungry.

[silicone]

[ he just pats the grass beside him now from where he is propped up on his elbows. meanwhile topper is cleaning his paws and stretching out with a tummy full of Snack ]

Thanks... seems like he really liked it... [ a pause ] Sit with me?

[allmenare]

...Alright.

[There are a million things he wants to say right now, but he'll just go sit next to Eiden wordlessly. He's never been the best at talking, it's probably best he stays silent anyway.]

[silicone]

[ okay but like.

you can't expect him to sit in the silence for long. he just nudges him after a bit, glancing at him. ]

You're thinking so loudly. What's on your mind...?

[allmenare]

[He sighs.]

Far too much. That trial triggered something inside of me I didn't know bothered me.

[silicone]

[ he eases back slowly to lay in the grass, turning to look up at him. ]

What happened...?

[ eiden reaches out with his hand, makes a small gimme motions. gib paw. there's genuine, quiet concern in his eyes. ]

[allmenare]

[For a moment Fukuzawa considers how much of the truth he should give out, but then he realizes it's Eiden, he can tell him anything.

He'll also give up his hand for holding.]

I told you about abilities before, yes?

[silicone]

Mmhm. Like yours. All Men Are Equal?

[ he squeezes his hand and just kind of shifts onto his side so he can get comfy. ]

[allmenare]

Yes, that.

There's an ability in my world that can alter the future by rewriting the past. There's rules to how it can be used, but the right changes at the right points in history can have long-lasting effects.

This ability was used to make several members of the Agency into wanted murderers. In the original timeline, they did not murder anyone, a serial killer did. But in the altered timeline made by this ability, they killed hostages.

As the head of the Agency, I was arrested and interrogated. But the other members have been on the run for about a month now.

[silicone]

That's fucking deranged.

[ he just listens to this, squeezing. it's hard to imagine the scope of such an ability, having that kind of power. it's... overwhelming to even consider. the damage is clearly deep, something that fukuzawa isn't willing to part with. ]

Who the hell... I... that's terrible. Is that... the last thing that happened to you? Before all of this?

[allmenare]

...yes.

There is a lot more to the story, but ultimately I was killed because of this change in the timeline. And someone I had cared for deeply in the past was the one to cut me down.

But after all of that, I suppose I'm still a bit sensitive to my people being framed.

[silicone]

That's why...

[ his voice trails off for a moment and he glances downwards at their hands joined. he shifts his fingers, just so maybe he can slide them between his own. ]

... Yukichi...

[ it doesn't make it right or fair, but who said the game was fair, and who said any of this was right? eiden is mad, he's mad at a lot of people, but the anger has diffused somewhat with at least the finality of the act. and here in the grass, being told something like this... ]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry that someone you trusted so much...

[ he just trails off, eyes shifting away. god it's just. a lot. it sucks. everything sucks. ]

[allmenare]

It's...how things are, sometimes.

[But this is why he doesn't open up his heart often. If he had a nickel for every time he fought a former partner to the death he would have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's really weird it happened twice.]

I don't know if it's right. I don't know for certain that Simon is innocent. But when I put my trust into someone, I don't revoke it lightly. And I trust him to tell me the truth, if he did kill.

[But he hasn't yet, so.]

But I can't just give up on him because things look bad. He's skittish about people, I get the feeling he's been betrayed before. I'm not going to do that to him.

[silicone]

[ eiden is still for a long time as he listens to this patiently. he's trying to understand the logic, but THE FUCKING MONKEY, MAN. he doesn't say anything though. sometimes, you know when someone won't budge, that it's a matter of time, and what happens in that time. ]

Simon texted me... he was pretty upset. Said he felt really guilty about the whole thing.

He's worried that it's painted a target on the team. [ it has. that's it. ] If you need to... I wouldn't be upset if you used that compulsion thing to keep your team safe next week, okay? Especially coming hot of that last trial...

[allmenare]

If it could affect everyone, I would use it on Monday to direct everyone's attention away from Simon.

[And onto him.]

But it can only affect one person.

[silicone]

[ squeezes tighter. because man. yeah. that'd be way too powerful for this sort of place to give them, wouldn't it be? frankly, eiden still thinks simon is hella suspicious, he doesn't like the fact that if he was lying, everything slid into place just right around that.

he just. closes his eyes instead. because if he thinks about it anymore, he's going to explode. he just breathes. deep. ]

Mm... of course.

[ reaches up to tug softly on whatever part of his outfit is closest. haori. kimono. etc. ]

Lay down with me, it hurts my eyeballs to have to keep looking up. [ he ragdolled like a bethesda character in the vroom room during the snake attack. his head hurts. with a little tug to the corner of his mouth. ] Won't do anything untoward. Promise.

[allmenare]

You don't have to put up that pretense today.

[He knows Eiden is Like This but he also has eyes. Yakumo was so important to him, and Fukuzawa doesn't even expect a playful front after all of that.

Which is why he'll settle down on the ground and then life his arm up, offering space for Eiden to get closer if he wants. No Untoward meanings, he just wants to help Eiden feel safer.]

[silicone]

No idea what you mean... heh...

[ smiling at him anyways, even if it's. sad. still, the arm lifts and he instantly shuffles closer. it's true, his head hurts, he's gotten the damage healed, but he's still kind of rattled. he shifts until he can bury his nose into his shoulder, breathing in deeply.

he slings his arm around him too, nestling in comfortably. ]

This is good. I like this.