Permanent Catch-All ✨ Nothing could stop me tonight ✨

[totallycalledit]

Who: Shiranna Characters + mostly closed things
What: A catch all for outside events, mingles etc + Overflow archive if needed
When: Permanent
Where: Will mark in headers
Warnings: Will mark in headers

Old catch-all, will make a new one in the future or something else.

Comments

[mayoninofukucho]

[He doesn't try to pry his hands off or push him away.]

It's as you said. I didn't consider that the wisps here might be different from the ones on Avalon.

[For what it's worth, the normal ones don't seem to be, but pointing that out now would only rile Jean up further.]

I should've looked into those disappearances more deeply instead of running with just the first information I found.

[rustyhonesty]

YOU THINK?!

[That comes out stronger than he really meant to, but well, he's not the type to hold back his emotions. He's probably never been this angry around Hijikata though. Once with Mukuro, but that was because they talked about what Junko did to her and the anger wasn't at Mukuro, unlike it was at Hijikata now.

His grib tightens a little.]

Did it ever cross you mind how we would feel about your reckless act? Todoroki, Mukuro, and me... we all look up to you! We worry about you! I worry about you... because you're like family--

[Surely he's just red in the face and tips of his ears because he's angry right?? Yeah, that must be it. He lets go of Hijikata, pushing him away slightly. Looking away.

Yeah, he's embarrassed.]

So do that again and I'll personally make sure you spend long enough time in your damn flower to really reflect on your actions!

[mayoninofukucho]

[Ah. There it is, the same full-body rush of guilt he felt when he saw Mukuro and Shoto's faces for the first time after his death. Why did he think this wouldn't happen with Jean too? Did he expect him to handle it better? All of them had to grow up much too fast, all of them have seen death and despair and destruction, but Jean of all people has seen his friends and comrades get eaten by monsters.

We all look up to you! We worry about you...

He steps up behind Jean after a moment and puts his hands on his shoulders, firmly but gently (he can't hug him; they're both too awkward for that). God, Jean grew so tall so fast during his honeymoon... he's a married man, and an accomplished soldier, but he's still only 18 years old, much younger than Hijikata.

Because you're like family--]

I'm sorry, Jean. I should've thought of you. I should've taken my self-preservation instincts along on the expedition. None of you should've seen me die.

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean's taking deep breathes, only interrupted for a moment when Hijikata puts a hand on his shoulder. The rush of energy distracts him for a while, but he continues to focus on his breathing to calm down from both being embarrassed and still angry.

But calming down. He's managed to tell Hijikata what had been on his mind. Even more than that, on accident.]

... I told myself I'm used to it. It wasn't the first time I've seen something like that after all. I tried to play it cool. It worked for a while. But I couldn't just keep pretending it didn't affect me.

[Especially since it had been years since Titan Hell and seeing titans at work first hand. The semi-peaceful worlds had made him forget the horrors.]

Even more so because of how much I care about you as a person.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata gives Jean's shoulders a squeeze, just a small gesture of comfort. What else can he do? He brought all those nightmarish memories back to him, and he can't undo that. He can only make sure that it doesn't happen again.]

That sort of thing is hard to get used to. You've done well, Jean, better than most would have.

[He hasn't seen Jean's homeworld, not even in a shared dream, but he's sure that not many would have come out of such a scenario as well-adjusted as him. He's been able to build a happy life for himself and look forward, despite everything.]

I won't go into the Segments alone again, even if I think it's an easy quest.

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean appreciates it at least, the gesture and his words. And he really hopes he wouldn't see them. Him or Mukuro or anyone for the matter. It's enough hell to talk about it and make them think something like that exists.

He finally decides to turn around, calm enough.]

That would be a wise idea. I hadn't planned on going out there alone either, no matter what, so I'd hope none of you won't either.

[At least, not after this experience with Hijikata's failed video series.]

... did it hurt. Coming back from the flower?

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata's smile is small but sincere. He doesn't want Jean to think that he's just trying to soften the blow.]

It didn't hurt at all. When I came back to my senses I was already in the flower, healthy and in one piece. However the revival mechanism works, it's a smooth process.

[rustyhonesty]

... sorry for not being there to greet you, when you got out. I figured Todoroki and Mukuro were more than enough of a greeting party.

[To be fair he would have punched Hijikata back into the flower if he had been there, most likely. It was likely the best idea for him to not be there.

Still. He figured he'd at least apologize.]

[mayoninofukucho]

That's alright.

[He really won't hold that against Jean, all the less after the emotional turmoil he put him through.]

Hey... how about instead of sparring we go grab a bite? My treat. You need to catch me up on what you've been up to while I was out of commission.

[rustyhonesty]

... yeah that works. I think I practice enough already.

[Fire punching is a bit more exhausting than normal punching and yelling at Hijikata afterwards didn't help feeling kinda tired.]

But not the gacha restaurant this time.

[mayoninofukucho]

You can pick the place.

[He feels relief replace the guilt little by little. He did something so stupid that Jean didn't have to forgive him for it, especially not so fast. He's earnestly thankful for the lenience. Part of him wants to reach up and ruffle Jean's hair, but he never does that, so he refrains from it to not weird him out.]

Make it count; I won't splurge on just any place in town again so soon.

[He'll even let him take meals home for Mikasa and Mukuro, too... and he'll deliver one to Shoto.]

[rustyhonesty]

[It's not that Jean's actually forgiven him, not completely, but he's not going to stop it from being around Hijikata. It was easier to forgive and forget when you got to spend time with the person.

Jean smiles a bit at that tho.]

Sounds good to me. I think I know a good place.