knowsvinewhip | + IC CONTACT +

[Well that works. He'll take it too.]

I... suppose? Though you'll have to explain once you've sobered up.

[Jeep is just sitting there, curled around Hakkai's neck like a scarf. Watching Reiner back with bright red eyes.]

Not at all. If it did, I wouldn't encourage him to do so. [A beat.] Just up these stairs, please mind your feet.

[ The reminder is a good call: Reiner is so busy watching Jeep that he nearly misses the fact that there are stairs at all. He grasps the railing firmly as he navigates the steps, looking up at the end of the flight to see where Hakkai is, following wherever his new friend goes. ]

Yeah. Sober. That sounds… Yeah.

[ Can't talk, must concentrate on stairs. ]

Just to the second floor.

[Way ahead of you, drunk buddy.]

[It's just the starter apartment. Painfully clean, empty of anything resembling personal touches. He gestures for Reiner to sit in a kitchen chair, because, as soon as the young man does, he'll be handed a glass of water.]

Once you drink that, you're free to use the other bedroom. But I'd prefer you got some hydration done before sleep.

[ Reiner follows Hakkai inside and obediently sits, watching as Hakkai hands him a glass. He stares at it for a long moment, then looks up again, meeting Hakkai's eyes. ]

You're a really good friend, Hakkai. Really.

[ He picks up the glass, downing about half of it before pausing to breathe. ]

It's my birthday tomorrow. Did I tell you that? [ He did, but here he goes again: ] I was thinking of getting a little cake. Not a hand cake. I just…

[ His eyes drop back to the glass. ]

I wanted to do—something. I guess. I don't know.

[ And there he goes, drinking the rest. ]

[You're a good friend. Hah. You're a good man. Hahah. What a joke.]

[He thinks of Daniel - the dojo, the last time he'd spoken with the man and he'd gloated, victorious in being right. The messages hammered out over the network demanding, with concern, to know where the Corruption had taken Hakkai. Worrying about the other two with a parental concern they needed. He thinks of Peter - of the nervous smile, the uncertainty and the longing in knowing someone else understood. Someone else knew what it was to harbor a monster in your own skin. How he wanted, desperately, to help that boy like no one could help Hakkai himself. He thinks of Ritsuka, elated with parents who cared. Helping with soup in a tiny kitchen and Hakkai sincerely smiling as the boy spoke, rambled, felt safe.]

[He thinks... of Paimon... of the twisted, lurking thing in an unfortunate boy's mind. Of how he wouldn't be ashamed of at least one more demon's blood on his hands. How he'd ultimately failed Peter then.]

[They're left behind. All of them. Gone.]

[And of Goku. Of Gojyo. And knows, achingly, he'd left them behind. He'd broken promises and left just as surely as Sanzo did. Though, maybe, there hadn't been a choice in what he'd done anymore than Sanzo's abandonment. How he wants, more than anything, to take long fingers in his, meet red eyes and apologize because he hadn't meant to leave again.]

[Some friend. Some partner. Some good man.]

You did, yes. [Is all he says aloud, polite, simple. There is nothing in the words beyond casual confirmation. It's like speaking to an artificial man.] You did mention the cake as well.

But I wouldn't worry about that now. It's something to be dealt with tomorrow.

[ Reiner's brows pinch together, concern making its way onto his pink-cheeked, intoxicated face. He can't be certain—he's too drunk for that—but something in that reply seems … off. Lacking. ]

I might be wrong. I'm really drunk.

[ Wait, that part wasn't supposed to be out loud. Oh well, moving on: ]

Are you okay? Can I help? [ He grimaces. ] When I'm sober, I mean. I wanna help.

Indeed you are. Perhaps you should make use of the spare room... the sheets are clean, but -

[He's about to do his thing. To ramble off on nothing, the kind of nonsense talk that usually gets Gojyo telling him he's thinking too hard.]

[Is he okay? No, not even remotely. How on earth does he keep running into people who are oddly perceptive? That's just not fair.]

- I'm quite all right. Thank you. Ah, just late in the evening, that's all. No need to trouble yourself over it.

[ Foolishly (or just drunkenly), Reiner accepts that answer at face value, nodding solemnly. ]

Yeah. Yeah, it's late. Sorry. Thank you.

[ He gets to his feet, a little steadier than before. (Or maybe that's just because he has fingers on the edge of the table.) A hint of concern still pinches his brow. ]

You should get some sleep, too, Hakkai. I don't snore, so I won't be loud. Even from another room. Unless I wake up screaming. I might do that. I hope not.

[ His brow furrows more. ]

Wait.

[ Cogs turning… ]

These rooms are soundproof. [ Immediate relief! ] It's okay. I won't wake you up.

Oh, are they? That's very good to know! I was wondering why it was so terribly quiet in here.

[Too goddamn quiet. Way too quiet. Too much silence means you bounce around in your own head for hours when you should be sleeping.]

Please don't worry about me. Though, if you'd like, I can ask Jeep to watch in case you experience nightmares - I know he wouldn't mind waking me if you need it.

[Jeep, who has started nibbling an apple on the counter, looks up with a trill. He does like being helpful to his person!]

[ Reiner's eyes widen. Then he looks over at Jeep, a smile curving his lips. ]

Oh, that would be nice.

[ His voice softens as it might when speaking to a small child or beloved pet. ]

Do you wanna hang out with me for a while, Jeep?

[ Leaving the decision in Jeep's … claws? ]

[There's another trill. And Jeep takes off. He circles around Reiner's head for a lap, and glides off toward the spare room.]

[Little guy is smarter than he looks sometimes.]

I do believe he likes the idea, haha. He won't be any trouble.

[Jeep's befriended Goku, after all. He knows how to handle himself with people who aren't Hakkai.]

Please sleep well, Reiner.

[ Reiner tries to follow Jeep's flight path (around his head), but then he gets dizzy and abandons the effort, steadying himself and looking back at Hakkai. ]

Okay. Yeah. You too, Hakkai. Thank you.

[ And he trundles off to bed. He'll pass out more or less immediately, smiling fondly at Jeep as he does so, his internal clock waking him just before dawn. ]

Of course.

[That's all he says. And inclines his head to see him off.]

[Jeep will be gone once Reiner wakes up. As will Hakkai. But when he makes his way out of the guest room, there's a note on the counter top, in very neat, precise handwriting.]

Please check the fridge. I apologize, I had to depart early for a tutoring session. Drink another glass of water before you go.
- Hakkai

[Inside the fridge, there's a plate, wrapped in plastic wrap. There's a couple onigiri, pickles and boiled eggs on it. And beside it, is a very small cake. Also carefully covered. Another sticky note sits atop both dishes, with Reiner's name on them. Nothing else.]

[ After the initial confusion of waking in a strange bedroom, the previous night's events slowly return to Reiner. He's embarrassed as hell, fixing his appearance as best he can before emerging from the guest room.

… Only to discover that Hakkai has already headed out. And has left him a gift in the fridge.

When he sees the food and cake, Reiner feels the sting of tears in his eyes. He bites his lip, then retrieves both items from the fridge, setting them on the table. He feels ridiculous crying in Hakkai's empty apartment, but that's what he does. He sits in front of the food and lets the tears flow, just for a minute or two.

Hakkai really is a good friend. Better than Reiner deserves, especially after being such a drunken mess the night before.

Reiner eats every bite, washing the plates and putting them in the rack to dry. He drinks another glass of water, washing that as well. Then he wipes down the kitchen table and makes the bed in the guest room, trying to leave things as clean and tidy as possible. (He'll do something about that empty fridge later.)

Once he's ready to go, he flips the note over, writing on the back (in similarly neat handwriting): ]

Thank you for everything.
- Reiner

[ It's a strange start to his birthday, but overall, it's better than he could have hoped. ]

Edited 2023-08-23 21:43 (UTC)

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