demarcates | IC INBOX

Ah.

[ well that's true. Hopefully it won't be out of his comfort zone for all that long, though. Hijikata glances up now, noticing just how nervous the other is and he can't help but let out a small sigh as he smiles a bit, letting his hand move from the shirt to press the back of it against Kondou's cheek before slipping back to brush at some loose strands of hair. ]

I should say no to save you because your taste in company for a good time really sucks, but how can I resist?

[ even though sulking is preferable it's definitely impossible to say no to that face, after all.

...but all right, there, he is done nitpicking and touching Kondou's hair and outfit and idly tweaking so he drops his hand away back to his side. ]

I protest that! I would say that my taste in company is perfectly fine, thank you. I've always enjoyed being in your company, Toshi.

[ The smile on his face only seems to become brighter after admitting that, but also because of those light touches. Part of him isn't exactly sure what to do other than smile, what he can do, but in the end he finds himself reaching over and gently squeezing Hijikata's hand before letting go. That might just do it. ]

Well, I'm touched that you feel that way.

[ Hijikata glances down at the squeeze, his smile softening before looking away when Kondou let's go. ]

All right, then. Guess we're going.

I hope that you didn't seriously expect me to say anything else...

[ Get it together, Toshi! He still smiles though, and seems content upon leading the way, his hand brushing against his friend's on occasion the whole way there. Completely by accident, of course. ]

You never had much choice in the matter, anyway.

[ As much as he's teasing, there's an element of truth to it too. ]

[ he wants to say something to the first but is instead rather distracted, he realizes with the simplest of brushes touches against the other. it's brought back up, however by the following commentary. ]

Is that so? Then I expect you're planning to make this one hell of a night.

[ joking but not really; it's spending time with kondou, hijikata knows they could do absolutely nothing and not speak a word between them and he would be happy all the same just by being in his presence. it's simplistic, but it's true. ]

You know me all too well. I don't think that I could forgive myself if I gave you anything less, especially after dragging you out here!

[ Of course, Kondou never mentions the effort that he's gone to as well. To him, that much seems inconsequential; it's Hijikata and his wellbeing that is at the forefront of his mind right now. ]

[ and hijikata's not learned very much despite trying so hard to do otherwise with kondou, so he's a bit oblivious that there's been a lot of effort here done for him but it's not that he isn't grateful for the opportunity presented, anyway. his gaze falls to the ground eventually, idly tracing steps before looking back up ahead.

he actually hasn't been over this way since last week and it feels a little unsettling, but at least there's absolutely nothing around him to remind him of that. he won't complain. ]

It's really just a carnival? [ huh... ]

Ahaha, did you think that I would lure you out with the promise of a carnival only to end up giving you something else?

[ ... okay, so it's not entirely beyond Kondou to do something like that, but only if the situation was truly dire! This hardly counts. But he does want to try and help Hijikata unwind; he knows that he's had a rough time of it as of late. ]

I expect you to have promised me something way more desirable if that was the case. I just wasn't sure if you conveniently forgot to tell me about the part where two-legged demon cats try to claw our hearts out while we're there, thinking it might be a deal-breaker.

Um... Toshi? What do you mean, two-legged demon cats?

[ Did he miss the memo? If so, that was a rather important memo to be missing! ]

Well, there were rabbits with that statue. And then dogs in the cavern. So, cats are next, right?

[ next in what he doesn't know, they're just next. . . probably. ]

... Oh, so you're just trying to warn me of the possibility that there may or may not be things at the carnival that are trying to kill us?

[ DEADPAN. ]

[ oops. sorry, his bad he didn't meant to make it sound like that!! ]

They're just cats. What could go wr—

[

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]

—I was thinking less warn you and more hoping you already knew if there were any angry spitting and hissing kittens around.

[ other than souji. ]

I'm fairly sure that there isn't, no. You needn't worry about that! I collected as much information as I could, first.

[ If Souji is lurking around a corner, he's never going to know for sure. ]

Good, that means I don't have to share your attention with anything.

~~[ until this happens souji no ]~~

I don't think there was ever any danger of that, Toshi.

You never know. The day I assume is the day I'm wrong.

So what's at this carnival if nothing that's going to try to kill us?

It's a place where you're supposed to try and have fun.

[ He says "try" because since when have they ever been particularly successful at that, sometimes? ]

There are quite a few good games.

[ a small sound of intrigue escapes him.] The elusive concept of 'fun' that Shinpachi talks about so often and how much I deny him of it.

[ well maybe not the same type of fun but his does he know. . . ]

Yes, that strange, mysterious concept which I believe that you could stand to enjoy more of. Don't you think?

[ Uh oh. Since when did Kondou start taking a leaf out of Shinpachi's book? ]

Oh, goddamn, you went drinking with him, didn't you.

[ brainwashed, it all makes sense now. ]

... surely it can't have been that obvious!

...To say that and think it holds water as a reply, you must've gotten drunk with him, too.

[ oh my god how did this get by him how did he totally miss this. ]

... whiskey is a very strong drink, Toshi.

[ Kondou couldn't even walk home on his own. ]

[ well, that is true, he had a little but of it the first time the speakeasy was accessible. ]

Good thing that isn't accessible all the time, I'd have to worry.

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