toremainbehind | [How many times can we fall?]

Entry tags:

assassin au

[How many times can we fall?]

[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.]

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[Totsuka and Fuji both cheers.

Izumo allows a chuckle to escape.]

Then it's settled. We'll start preparing everything then for the Hanami.

What should I help with?

[ He wants to feel a part of something, a part of the group, a part of his brother's life. Even if they did causally push him out of it. ]

You can help prepare the drinks.

[Taking out a notepad, Izumo scribbles something down.]

You and Fujishima can handle the drinks. Are there any you want in particular?

Milk tea

[ He thinks about it for another moment ]

And the kind that have the jello in them too.

Milk tea it is then.

[His eyebrows furrow a bit, looking briefly confused by what Eric's describing before it hits him.

He grins slightly.]

Alright, sounds good. Anything else?

[ Eric turns to Fujishima who smiles and says some regular green tea was fine as well, since he was sure that there would be alcohol coming along as well. ]

That's it.

Alright, then we got that handled.

[He scribbles something down more before Totsuka finally decides to chime in.

It's how they spend the day, pitching in ideas as to what to bring for the picnic before Mikoto decides to enter the fray, giving the usual complaint that they're being too loud.

Izumo eventually puts out his cigarette, looking somewhat distracted.]

[ Eric tries his best to contribute, trying to think of something to bring that hasn't already been brought up. He gets a couple of items and he feels Fujishima pat his head for thinking about them.

He watches his brother as he puts out his smoke and frowns at the look in his eyes. ]

Izumo? You okay?

Hm?

[Peering up, Izumo sees the frown on Eric's face, and he attempts to smile, but it falters a bit.

Would lying even do anything good now?]

No, not really. [Look, truth!]

[ Eric blinks a bit. He...just got a truthful answer. He would almost joke about if it wasn't such a serious thing.

He jumps off of his chair and goes behind the counter to stand beside his brother. ]

What's wrong?

[Izumo leans against the counter, a sigh escaping from him as he runs a hand through his hair.]

Headache. It's been happening a few days now.

[ Eric frowns in worry and brings his hand up to his brother's head as well, petting his hair a bit. ]

Do you...want to go upstairs? Get some rest in a less lighted place?

[That.

That has Izumo leaning into the touch a bit. It's comforting, makes him remember the time his mother would pet his hair to comfort him.]

Mm, upstairs is good. [His eyes flicker briefly towards Totsuka and Mikoto, who were both watching them, though Mikoto appears as if he'll be ready to interfere if necessary.]

[ He noticed the lean into his touch and did it a few more times, wrapping his free hand into the crook of Izumo's arm ]

Okay, come on, I'll bring you to your room. You can keep your eyes close if you want.

[ Eric will try to slowly but surely lead his brother to the stairs and to his bed. ]

I don't think me closing my eyes will help with the situation.

[If his voice sounds a bit bitter, he's sorry. He's still traumatized from having been blinded some months back.

But, he's letting Eric guide him back to his room and to bed.]

...Sorry for all of this.

You've taken care of me through worse...

[ He gives a small shrug. That was all he could say because it was true. Izumo did nothing but take care of him and neglect himself. It made Eric feel guilty, so guilty for not returning it to his brother. So anytime this happened, he was more then happy to help in any way, his brother was never a burden.

They get to his room and Eric places his brother sitting down on his bed, if he chose to lie down, he could. ]

I'll be right back, just going to grab something.

[He'll remain sitting up, though he does make himself more comfortable on the bed.

He gives Eric a nod to show he understood.

It's not often that Izumo would allow himself to show such weakness, but like he mentioned earlier, the relapses are occurring more frequently than they should. Sometimes, the familiar instinct to kill was there, and then there was that urge to run.]

[ Eric's back and gone before Izumo has to wonder, as Eric holds a glass of water before him. ]

Here, water helps.

[ He places it on his nightstand for whenever Izumo wants it before shuffling over to the other side of his brother's bed and sitting beside him. He takes hold of his hand lightly squeezing it. ]

You wanna talk about it?

[Izumo thanks him quietly as he reaches for the water, taking a sip.

It helped in clearing his mind a bit.

For a few seconds, he doesn't say anything, squeezing Eric's hand.]

...Do you resent me?

[ He squeezes his hand back in reassuring, trying his best to help his brother.

The question has him raising his eyebrows in surprise. That was sudden. ]

For what?

I haven't exactly been the best big brother since this whole mess began.

[Not with him keeping secrets from Eric, somehow getting them both hurt in the process--

How did they even manage to survive this long?]

It's not like I've been the best brother either through everything...

[ He had secrets too, things he could never tell anyone, that he tried to hide from himself.

Eric leans on his brother's shoulder, closing his eyes.

He was a bad brother, even now. ]

It's fine...you're here, I'm here...everything's going to be all right.

[Closing his eyes, Izumo simply nods.

He allows the silence to reign before he decides to sing.

It's been a while; it was their song, but he hasn't sung it in a while.

Without Eric, he didn't feel the need to sing it, even though Anna would sometimes ask him to.

This felt right.]

[ Eric smiled, enjoying the song for a while in silence before quietly joining in as he always did, softly so he can hear his brother sing it.

If Izumo disappeared...he wouldn't be able to hear this anymore. If Eric left... he would never hear it again either.

He liked this, he missed it.]

[He continues to sing, allowing himself to be comforted by the familiarity of it.

This is what he needed.

It's just the thing to help calm him down.]

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