It's easier to run replacing this pain with something numb.

[screwthegods]

Who: cookingninja, screwthegods, and ahappylie
What: Getting Okita out of the house.
When: The evening after the draft announcement.
Where: House 50
Summary: Okita's been a homebody, and Homura's intending to do something about it. He'll just do it now, since he's up for the draft.
Rating: Probably PG at absolute most.
He'd intended to give Okita more time after seeing a certain entry from his journal on the network. Whether it had to do with the effects of the most recent experiment or not, Homura is concerned for a man he considers a friend. If Okita has truly been so deeply wounded by the Malnosso's further attempts to "examine their emotions," Homura can at least offer to listen. He suspects otherwise, however, given what he knows of Okita's personality. He simply seems to resilient to go into hiding over something so simple as forced love.

The announcement that followed shortly after the experiment's end, however, gives Homura a more immediate deadline. One way or another, the demi-god knows that he will have to focus on preparations for the coming battle, either individually, or in a position of leadership. So he heads toward House 55 as evening falls, knocking firmly on the door. If Okita is firm about not wishing to be disturbed, then it's likely someone else will answer. Regardless, he will be seeing the other man; Homura isn't one to be easily deterred.

Comments

[screwthegods]

Yes, Homura does note that very thing. The denial is concerning to say the least, and his instinct is to push Okita out of it, and force him to confront the issue. Yet he is aware of just how quickly the days will pass between now and the moment to report for war, and of what he'll need to do during that time. So Okita could considering himself fortunate, if he knew--at least until Homura returns.

Or perhaps not. He glances toward the kitchen, wondering just how difficult it would be to have a moment alone with Ayumu. From how she acted toward him, Homura can only assume the woman cares for Okita, and perhaps she can be used.

"You mean now that we aren't in love with each other?" He grins as he says it, though he's not at all comfortable with how easily their emotions have been toyed with, again. "Well enough, though I'll be busy in the coming days. I've apparently been drafted."

[ayu_nee]

"Drafted?" Ayumu emerges from the kitchen apparently just in time to catch only the last part of what Homura says, glancing at the man with a curious expression. "You mean the... when they take people to fight for them?"

She moves over to the pair, setting her tray down on the table before she continues. "Okita-san, you're not going, are you?" Not that she didn't already know the answer, of course, but she busies herself by setting a cup before each of them (despite Homura's earlier refusal) and adding a plate of sweets to accompany the tea.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

Aha. Yes, that. Okita just laughs a little and looks down at Saizou who is trying to bite his fingers so he stops messing with his hooves. Ayumu returning to the scene saves him from having to say anything, and he nods at her, putting the pig down so he can stand up and go over to the table.

"Yes, that's what he means, but no, I am not going." Not that he wouldn't go. The appeal of blocking out everything he is thinking by throwing himself into battle is undeniable, but the stress he'd place on everyone outweighs all. "When do you leave for the draft, Homura-san?"

[screwthegods]

Homura notes the return of the woman with a raised eyebrow; her timing is convenient, given that her presence allows Okita an excuse not to respond to what Homura brings up. Or it would, if Homura actually possessed any sense of modesty. Fortunately for his own purposes, he threw that away a long time ago. "In a few days. Which is also part of why I wanted to see you now. I wanted to make sure that nothing has changed between us."

Homura stands as well, but he doesn't follow Okita over just yet, instead speaking to the man's back. That much of a hiding place he's willing to allow the other man. "I wouldn't want to lose your friendship in the aftermath of emotions inflicted on us against our wills. I realize the timing is poor, given your losses, but it is important to me--and in turn, I've been handed a deadline, so to speak."

[ayu_nee]

Amazingly convenient, indeed. Not that Ayumu was listening in the kitchen for a cue to enter or anything of the sort, of course. She just gives Okita a relieved look and a nod; she is glad that he isn't going on the draft, especially not so soon after the others had left. It's one less thing for her to worry about at a time when she already has more than enough.

As she rises to her feet again with the now-empty tray, however, she pauses to look over at Homura with a curious expression. "Emotions inflicted on us against our wills", was it? She files that away for later consideration, but for the moment only glances from him to Okita, shifting from curiosity to mild concern.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

To make sure that nothing has changed? Okita seats himself at the table and Saizou quickly scrambles over to await the inevitable scraps coming his way. He keeps his back to Homura and looks up at Ayumu with a calm smile, the sort he always wears. He doesn't want to worry her anymore than he already has and dumping the strangeness of the past week on her would only do just that.

He doesn't look to Homura again until he hears mention of 'friendship' and feels a slight twinge of relief. He has no idea if Ramirez will feel the same way, but for now Okita is reassured that Homura at least won't be acting strangely. "The Malnosso often do things to play with us," he says, motioning to the seat opposite him at the table. "I wouldn't be a very good friend if I let something like that hurt our relationship, would I? Please, sit. Ayumu-san went through all the trouble of making tea and it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

[screwthegods]

"Perhaps not," Homura moves to the seat, noting that Ayumu has provided a second cup despite his earlier refusal. He slides the object toward him, tracing a finger around the rim before continuing. "It would make you a normal person, however."

He takes a slow sip of his drink then, not wanting to waste it, as Okita said. He nods to Ayumu after with a faint smile. "Thank you. And you have my sympathies as well, given your losses." Though he and Ayumu have only met, and she denied knowing earlier about what had driven Okita into seclusion, he suspects it to be false. Most likely, it's another effort to shelter Okita by keeping secret information she isn't sure she wants others to know. And since they seem close, it isn't unsafe to guess that Okita's friends might be hers as well.

"Would either of you be willing to tell me their names?"

[ayu_nee]

Ayumu had experienced more than enough strangeness herself, the week before, and it had distracted her enough that she hadn't paid enough attention to what Okita was up to, though she'd guessed there was something going on. Confirmation was always nice, however, as was finding out just who he had been with during the experiment. She returns Okita's smile with a small one of her own; he doesn't want to worry her, but she'll still worry nonetheless, if only because her task is to watch over those of the Shinsengumi still present.

To Homura she gives only a small shrug, absently crossing her arms over the tray held against her chest. "I doubt you would have known them, Homura-san," she replies, with nothing but polite friendliness visible in her expression.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

He just laughs when Homura says it would make him normal. If anything, Okita is the farthest person from normal, but he won't say that. It's nice that someone thinks he could be normal somehow. "I suppose you're right, but it's still a silly thing to do."

And if Ayumu isn't giving names, then Okita won't either. Homura met "Hijikata" when Okita was switched as him, but otherwise, the man had never met their friends as far as Okita knew. And if he had, it would likely have been under aliases, so it is better not to give away such information. "When they come back, I'll introduce you then."