[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]

[A nod as Izumo places Eric on the bed.]

Yeah. I've managed to find a couple of jobs, though Honami has offered us a job as well at another store she works at.

[redstray]

[ He huffs a bit at being placed back onto the bed, but gets comfortable all the same. ]

What kind?

[toremainbehind]

Just some delivery jobs or grunt work. But she works in a flower shop, so she figures she'll need some help there.

[He sits next to Eric, running a hand through his hair as his exhaustion starts to take a toll.]

[redstray]

Sounds doable. Are they something I could do?

[ He sees that. How many days had Izumo been so tired and was brought back out for another with no sleep? He grabs onto his sleeve and squeezes it. ]

Hey, stay would you? Today's been a long day for both of us...

[toremainbehind]

Yeah. It's nothing too strenuous, so you'd be able to handle them perfectly.

[Izumo hums a bit, finally allowing himself to relax against his brother.]

[redstray]

Good.

[ When he does, Eric immediately curls up against him, closing his eyes. ]

We're safe now....right?

[toremainbehind]

[Instinctively, Izumo wraps an arm around him. It's that instinctive urge to make sure Eric's there, that this is real.]

We are.

[redstray]

[ He does the same, feeling his brother is alive and well. ]

...Thank you

[toremainbehind]

[He shifts a bit to press their heads together, fingers slightly tangled in Eric's hair.

A flicker of a smile.] You're welcome.

[redstray]

[ Eric vaguely feels the forehead touch before he's fast asleep again, no nightmares, no bad memories, just a good sleep with his brother by his side. ]

[toremainbehind]

[Freedom.

It's what they've managed to finally get a taste of after so many years. Though, with the brothers being who they are, they can never really leave that life for so long.

It's been a year since their escape, only a couple of months since they've joined Homra.

Izumo, despite being a skilled assassin, has taken the job of an informant instead as he works in the bar he's recently purchased. He has no desire to go out and kill someone again, but Mikoto still has dubbed him to be his second-in-command, much to his surprise and the outcry of the others. Even so, Izumo wants a more neutral role, being on friendlier terms with Totsuka, that strange informant who seems to have made it his mission to help the brothers when they first came to Homra.

He has adjusted well enough, running a business that calls for getting information easily out of drunk patrons while Mikoto seems to have moved into the bar after Izumo bought it, joining him and Eric on the upper floor.

As Izumo checks on his PDA, he ignores the rowdiness of the boys Mikoto has taken under his wing, including a recent addition who seems to idolize Mikoto with a burning passion. He shakes his head as they continue to get louder, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen before he finally decides to look up.]

[redstray]

[ Eric slinked down the stairs to the bar. Noises coming from there made him on edge still, but he managed all the same to come down knowing it was okay. This was his home now, his real home, and he would always be okay here. Izumo promised that.

He saw his brother on the phone again and hopped onto one of the stools, waiting for him to finish. He glanced over at the noisy idiots and at Mikoto, watching them in curiosity. He never understood how people could be that loud and weird. ]

[toremainbehind]

[When Eric comes down, Izumo gives him a quick smile in greeting just as he ends the call.

Pocketing the device, he sighs softly, noticing Mikoto looking at him curiously. He simply shakes his head before he turns to his brother, his smile widening slightly.]

Did you have a good sleep?

[redstray]

[ He nods in greeting and gives a shrug. Old habits die hard ]

Yeah. Did you?

[toremainbehind]

Well, I can't complain.

[He slides over a plate of food over to him, along with a glass of water.] Eat up. The guys want to take you out.

[His smile seemingly darkens a bit when he glances over at Fujishima, though it's gone as quick as it appeared.]

[redstray]

Where?

[ He stares at the food, waking up and eating right away was hard for him still but he managed. Grabbing a fork he digs in. He looks up at him and notices that smile. You can't get past him. ]

Izumo.

[ It's not accusatory but he just wanted him to know he saw. Even if he also was still wary of his somehow new friend, he didn't want to see it from Izumo. Though he couldn't say much, since he felt the same with Mikoto and Totsuka, even if he liked Totsuka. ]

[toremainbehind]

Somewhere in the heart of the city.

[At the call of his name, Izumo chuckles, placing a hand on Eric's head.]

Relax. I won't do anything.

[Because Fujishima has earned his respect, even if Izumo is still wary and initially distrusting of the guy.

He pats Eric's head once before he pulls his hand away.] They'll start to head out after you eat. In the meantime, Mikoto and I got some other business to attend to.

[redstray]

Ah...okay.

[ The heart of the city meant crowds, and he still couldn't take them very well. But, he was learning, and Fujishima knew when to bring him out of them before he had an attack. ]

I know.

[ He frowns a bit at that, he didn't like the jobs he was given, even if it was gathering information. ]

Be careful, and come back soon. Okay?

[toremainbehind]

You have your phone on you, right?

[Because shortly after joining Homra, Bandou had been kind enough to give them phones after finding it an outrage they didn't have one.

Izumo hit him after that.

But he chuckles.] I will. You be careful, too.

[redstray]

Yeah.

[ Though for the life of him he didn't know how to use it besides just calling half the time. He probably annoyed everyone else for asking the same questions about it. He managed to eat most of the food on the plate, little bit ore then half before his stomach protested. He gave his brother an apologetic look before sliding off of the stool. ]

I will. See you soon.

[ He wandered over to Fujishima who gave him a smile and a few words before they all walked out the door, ready for another adventure. ]

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo waves at Eric from his place on the bar, a smile on his face, even as he takes the plate of food.

He watches them leave before he sighs, sharing a brief glance with Mikoto before nodding.

Working as an informant is different than what Izumo's used to, but he's adapted, he's gotten used to it. However, his ways of gaining information is similar to simply 'interrogating' the poor victims, which has made him feared among their kind of people.

Working with Mikoto is odd, as well, but Izumo usually never complains about it as he has gotten used to helping 'tame' the redhead.

It's near dinner when Izumo eventually returns to the bar, smoking as he usually does nowadays and he looks around to see if Eric has returned.]

[redstray]

[ Fujishima along with the others brought him in a more centered area, filled with game centers and restaurants to try. It was still overwhelming but with encouragement and patience, he began to enjoy the new experiences.

Eric wasn't back when Izumo was but he would get a buzz on his phone, a text from Fujishima: 'Heads up Eric in a mood. Started snapping at everyone, couldn't find out what was wrong, he ran. Sorry.'

Not 20 minutes later, Eric opened the door to the bar alone, looking upset and on edge. Ignoring everything, he walked straight up to his room and shut the door behind him. ]

[toremainbehind]

[When Izumo receives the text, his eyebrows furrow in concern.

He waits for his brother, looking over when Eric comes back alone and immediately heads up the stairs without even a greeting.

A sigh escapes from him and he follows after Eric shortly, giving the closed door a brief knock before he decides to lean against it.] Eric?

[redstray]

[ He's in a corner, curled up in a ball. He hears the knock and shakes his head. ]

Go away!

[toremainbehind]

[That.

That's something he hasn't heard in a long time.

Izumo doesn't say anything, but he remains leaning against Eric's door, casually smoking even as the ashes starts to fall on the ground. He'll just clean it up later; right now, he's curious as to what's going on with Eric.]