[How many times can we fall?]

[toremainbehind]

[It's been a week since they've managed to escape.

Neither of them knew who tipped someone off about their location, who helped them escape while everything became hacked and otherwise useless in keeping them contained. It had been their downfall to let Izumo stay in the frontline, his skills almost legendary now with how effective of an assassin he has become over time. Their downfall led to their deaths, and Izumo has ran away with Eric while the remnants of that group tried to go after them.

They didn't know where to go - who to turn to.

For them, this open world was a mystery, even if Izumo has more experience than Eric when it came to the outside world. There's no one they could trust, and little to no money to their name since their captors often took the money Izumo's earned for his kills. But Izumo is adaptable, taking odd jobs here and there in order to earn enough money to save up and find a place to stay.

It's only been a couple of days ago when Izumo first ran into the leader of HOMRA, the Red King and him having traded blows before it came to a tie. They went their separate ways shortly after when an informant came running towards them, Izumo having escaped before he could be questioned.

Now, he had taken Eric to a refuge in a motel. It's small and not one of the best, but it's the best Izumo could afford on such short notice when it became obvious to him when Eric has to rest again.

His right shoulder blade itched from the burns he received from Mikoto, but he ignores it in favor of in-between watching Eric sleep and looking out the window from his perch on the windowsill.]

Comments

[toremainbehind]

I am resting. Doesn't mean I can't talk.

[He saw Eric noticing his rubbing, so he stops.]

...Are you thinking about our last conversation?

[redstray]

Talking requires energy.

[ He frowns slightly before looking away. ]

Why would you say that?

[toremainbehind]

Not as much energy as moving around.

[Izumo hums a bit, his smile slowly fading once he notices the look on Eric's face.]

Because I know you well enough that you're troubled, and the last talk we had didn't exactly end on good terms.

[redstray]

[ He stays quiet for awhile, chewing on his thoughts. ]

I'm always troubled...I'm always an idiot and I'm always a burden to you. All you do is smile, and say not to worry about you, or you just talk like this. You just don't care at all!

[toremainbehind]

[And there's the problem.

Izumo listens to his brother, listening to him speak and then he chuckles softly.]

I don't care? Is that how you depict my actions as? If that's the case, then I'm a bit disappointed that you don't know me at all, Eric.

[redstray]

[ The chuckle irritates him further. ]

Then show it sometimes! And stop trying to read into everything that I do. Because you might think you're right, but I'm thinking you don't know me at all!

I. I am so sorry for this.

[toremainbehind]

Which means we should try to open up to each other more, yeah?

[But his smile is sad, though, and he's staring at the wall across from his bed.

He idly plays with his fingers, a means to distract himself from his thoughts.]

The day I was attacked, all I could think about was you and what you said, and it made me wonder if maybe you were right in the end if I should just disappear.

['Would he be happy if I was gone?' 'Would everything be better for him if I died'?

Endless thoughts that consumed him, but not once did he ever dared to voice it out loud. Izumo couldn't allow it to take hold of him, not that it meant he was closing to have a few break downs when it finally became too much.]

Omg don't be at all

[redstray]

[ He freezes trying to comprehend just what he heard from his normally, smiling big brother. ]

You always leave for so long on those stupid missions. I never meant forever when I said that. I just don't want you to go on those for so long.

Ask Fujishima or Totsuka-san I barely was able to live when you went missing! So don't think up some stupid excuse like that to die on me when I tried to do the same before!

ha...It just had to come out somehow 8D;

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo glances over at him, his smile faded now.]

Even if I'm gone long, you should always know that I'll always come back.

[A humorless chuckle.]

Then next time, try not to use the word 'disappear'. It's almost the same as saying good-bye.

Sooner the better XD

[redstray]

You should know that you sometimes didn't come back. That I was left alone in that room being fed lie after lie of you being dead or not wanting me. Long enough for me to believe any of them to be true. Long enough to tighten the collar on my neck...

[ He needed to know. He was better now but not knowing when or where Izumo was was still so hard on him ]

So sorry my vocabulary doesn't fit your standards.

True enough! At least they'll get fluff afterwards

[toremainbehind]

No matter how long, I always will. I've promised you that, haven't I?

[He tilts his head a bit, but he averts his eyes again.]

I'm sorry.

alll the fluff

[redstray]

For what?

\o/

[toremainbehind]

For not exactly being the best brother lately.

/o/

[redstray]

How have you been doing that?

[toremainbehind]

Well, I wouldn't exactly say that arguing with you, going missing and being in a coma are all good shots of being a brother. [He smiles.]

Especially since it caused you to worry.

[redstray]

It's fine.

[ He didn't like it bu he couldn't hate his brother for some things like that. ]

...It's not like I've been being helpful, or nice recently...

[toremainbehind]

[A small chuckle as he reaches over to ruffle Eric's hair,]

It's fine, I'm not going to blame you for that.

[redstray]

[ He's going to allow that ruffle as he grabs onto the hospital gown he was in. ]

Guess we're both pretty bad, huh?

[toremainbehind]

We are, but at least we'll go through it all together.

[redstray]

Yeah...

[ He looks around at everything, his eyes focusing where Izumo had been rubbing. ]

Does it hurt? And without lying this time.

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo leans back, tilting his head to the side to look at him better.]

Just a little. Mostly aches, but it's not too painful.

[redstray]

[ He was probably still trying to ease his pain for him, but Eric could see it wasn't causing him too much discomfort. ]

I'm glad that you're okay.

[toremainbehind]

It'd be bad if I let something like this keep me down forever. [He gives a wry grin, knowing it might be too soon to joke about it.

But:] ...Have you been eating properly?

[redstray]

Don't joke about that kind of stuff...

[ Eric didn't want Izumo doing stuff that could cause him this much injury, he didn't want him to just laugh it off. Whe that question pops up, Eric tries to look anywhere but his brother, fidgeting with his hair.

But if they're being honest...]

...N-no...

[toremainbehind]

Sorry, sorry.

[Izumo's too used to ignoring his own pain, waving it off almost as if it was just a minor scratch. With no one to properly show him worry or concern when he was separated from his brother, he had to be able to shrug it off and simply move on.

He raises an eyebrow, though.]

Has Totsuka or Fujishima managed to make you eat even just a little while I've been out?