[ one thing (of many) that shin thinks of where seba natsuki is concerned is steadiness — a sort of stoic kind of control that can be both impressive and annoying. the way he takes care of mafuyu and himself has always drawn a sort of admiration from shin, not unlike how he admires sakamoto and all the lengths he goes to for his own family.
if shin is, perhaps, a little jealous of it all, well, he keeps it to himself.
it is enough to be a part of these peoples' lives as he is. no one else has ever trusted him as much and that means a lot to him — natsuki letting him in now, for example, even if shin is already worried about causing him trouble. sure on the daily it's easy and even fun to argue with him about a new invention or exactly how much sleep he's had (one of the few things he truly suspects natsuki falls short in) and even wheedle him once and a while until he gives in (if only so shin shuts up, presumably.) but actually burdening anyone he likes...shin hates it.
so even invited in, he hesitates. it's only because he can hear natsuki's neighbor's door opening that he steps in abrupt, gently bumping into natsuki as a result, door closing behind him. he blinks. there's always a faint pith of metal around natsuki, undoubtedly because he's one of the most industrious people shin knows. ]
Sorry...seriously I can just come back tomorrow. I'll bring Mafuyu more of the hand sanitizer he likes too...
[ since the little care bundle he brought today was one hundred percent destroyed en route. a sigh pushes through his whole frame and he ends up leaning back against the door without realizing it. his gaze, previously hooked on natsuki's shoulder, shifts up. he squints. ]
...are you feeling okay? You look like you slept even less than usual!
[ he's always wondered about this actually. if eating the bare minimum, and from bags at that, is part of why he always seems so tired. it doesn't, interestingly, seem to have an effect on his functioning. natsuki is obnoxiously smart, skilled, and practiced.
shin worries anyway, because of course he does, and makes a note to himself to actually ask mafuyu about it directly the next time they're alone together. ]
[ natsuki lets the door swing shut once shin slips inside, and then makes a face at what he says, tone turning flat as he waves his hand in shin's direction. ]
You're gonna ask me that when you look like that? [ he scoffs, something half amused and incredulous bleeding into his expression as he turns to head further into the apartment, gesturing for shin to follow. ] Besides, I don't really sleep.
[ perks of being a vampire. he flicks the lights on in the hallway and living room as they walk through, a habit both him and mafuyu have adopted recently now that shin has become more of a frequent visitor. normally, the place would be dark and illuminated solely by the glow from the tv. aside from a few knick knacks on the coffee table, the space is clean and tidy; most of the mess is kept to natsuki's room, which is often cluttered with half-finished projects. they're bypassing it today, however, as natsuki guides him to the bigger bathroom. ]
Take it off, [ he says, pointing to the blood-stained hoodie. the last thing he needs is mafuyu freaking out over some blood on the tiles. ] I'll throw it in the wash and you can borrow one of mine.
[ there's a soft "oh right" following shin's reflexive bluster at the first part. sure he looks like a mess but he is mostly fine! probably! but it's distracting enough to just follow both natsuki and the lighting up of the room, reminded on that note and the note of sleep that they aren't quite the same. he ends up huffing under his breath, just shy of a sulk at his worry being pushed away like that. fine, maybe vampires don't need as much sleep but what about rest? and —
— he blinks. oh. right.
the hoodie is ruined of course, and especially he doesn't want to make mafuyu uncomfortable or more uncomfortable than he usually is, so he hurries to comply, motions a little jilted. the amount of blood soaking it from the moment shin got away to arrived here, all the way to simply stepping into the bathroom, is considerable. a thing he only notices as he goes to tug it off, hand slick. his brow furrows. he feels strangely hot and doesn't really connect it with the imitation of a tomato he's doing — you can borrow mine you can borrow mine you can borrow mine — as he pulls it over his head. an easy thing, given the size. he folds it with automatic care, the bloodied front folded inside the dirty but still dry part, before setting it down, sighing. ]
Listen, you don't have to —
[ ?
whatever he was going to finish with doesn't actually make it out of his mouth. instead, his head pulses and his vision blurs, making him stumble. ]
[ natsuki doesn't have the same hang-ups his brother does about blood, but the amount of it on shin's hoodie is a little concerning. he's suddenly glad he'd fed before shin arrived — there's no way he would have been able to resist otherwise.
but before he can do anything about that, he looks up just in time to see shin stumble, reaching out to steady him with one hand on his waist and the other on his arm. ]
I know I don't have to, [ he says, in response to that half-formed sentence before nudging shin towards the toilet, flipping the seat cover down so he can sit. ] Who did this to you?
[ natsuki's body is always a little or a lot on the cold side. today it's hard to tell this specific thing shin has noticed without meaning to, mostly because the touch to his waist is masked by the bloodied hoodie. the one on his arm the same sans blood. it is dirty which, well, to be expected. for a split second shin's body seems to give but then he's back in his right mind, sitting where he's directed. ]
I didn't recognize them. And I could only get... [ he trails off for a moment. it wasn't just that he had a headache already this morning from staying up all night. he's trained and worked enough that a lot of physical responses are reflexive, but his esp is maybe his least honed facet. rough around the edges, even as it grows. ] ... I was too tired to filter through the bloodlust. But it seemed like a lot for a random attack.
[ then he shrugs, cracking a smile. truth is, he did get one clue but it doesn't have to be anyone else's problem. he'll investigate his tiny lead later...when he's not bleeding in his vampire friend's bathroom. yes.
[ shin trails off and it's hard not to notice. natsuki isn't gifted with esp, and while his instincts haven't always been spot on, it's managed to keep him alive this far. there's something shin isn't saying but he doesn't push, his gaze falling on his smile before he turns towards the cabinet above the sink. ]
He's with Toramaru. Probably complaining about getting dragged everywhere.
[ he means it affectionately. sort of. it's good that mafuyu has started making friends outside of shin and natsuki. ]
Here. [ he comes back with a first aid kit, holding it out for shin to take. ] Get cleaned up. I'll bring you a change of clothes.
[ and maybe he can text mafuyu to look into that attack. more importantly, he doubts shin has eaten yet — that can't be good with the amount of blood he's lost. they don't usually keep a lot of food in the apartment, but mafuyu had brought home ramen on a whim. natsuki doesn't think he'd really mind if shin had some. ]
[ the smile softens. unconscious fondness. for someone like mafuyu, he thinks it's pretty huge honestly that he goes out at all, much less lets himself get 'dragged everywhere'.
he takes the offered kit, their fingers brushing, a thing he'd feel bad about because they're bloody, but he's out of it enough to just be focused on a murmured "'kay...thanks."
there's no need really, but shin is shin. after setting the kit on the sink counter, he turns slightly away as he tugs at the tank. it's started to dry and it tears more when shin forces it off. maybe it isn't even worth cleaning it. huh. staring at the knife wound he's more confused than anything else. because it doesn't hurt much, he hadn't thought it was that deep. bottling down another sigh, he gets to work, cleaning it and applying antiseptic. a few bandaids here and there -- something he wouldn't usually do at home but he doesn't want to get anything on borrowed clothing. nothing to be done for the collage of bruises. it only takes him a bit longer than usual because he's moving slower in general. he makes a mental note to bring supplies for the kit to refill it next time. he can probably just drop it off tomorrow.
tunnel visioned, he cleans the sink thoroughly and then his hands, makes sure the kit is wiped off. then he sits back down, leaning back against the tank, eyes closed. if natsuki has mafuyu look into it...he guesses he can't stop him but it gives him all the more reason to stop by again. he wishes they'd let him handle it though and thinks about telling him as much. ]
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samegawa2025-04-24 03:59 pm
no subject
if shin is, perhaps, a little jealous of it all, well, he keeps it to himself.
it is enough to be a part of these peoples' lives as he is. no one else has ever trusted him as much and that means a lot to him — natsuki letting him in now, for example, even if shin is already worried about causing him trouble. sure on the daily it's easy and even fun to argue with him about a new invention or exactly how much sleep he's had (one of the few things he truly suspects natsuki falls short in) and even wheedle him once and a while until he gives in (if only so shin shuts up, presumably.) but actually burdening anyone he likes...shin hates it.
so even invited in, he hesitates. it's only because he can hear natsuki's neighbor's door opening that he steps in abrupt, gently bumping into natsuki as a result, door closing behind him. he blinks. there's always a faint pith of metal around natsuki, undoubtedly because he's one of the most industrious people shin knows. ]
Sorry...seriously I can just come back tomorrow. I'll bring Mafuyu more of the hand sanitizer he likes too...
[ since the little care bundle he brought today was one hundred percent destroyed en route. a sigh pushes through his whole frame and he ends up leaning back against the door without realizing it. his gaze, previously hooked on natsuki's shoulder, shifts up. he squints. ]
...are you feeling okay? You look like you slept even less than usual!
[ he's always wondered about this actually. if eating the bare minimum, and from bags at that, is part of why he always seems so tired. it doesn't, interestingly, seem to have an effect on his functioning. natsuki is obnoxiously smart, skilled, and practiced.
shin worries anyway, because of course he does, and makes a note to himself to actually ask mafuyu about it directly the next time they're alone together. ]
no subject
You're gonna ask me that when you look like that? [ he scoffs, something half amused and incredulous bleeding into his expression as he turns to head further into the apartment, gesturing for shin to follow. ] Besides, I don't really sleep.
[ perks of being a vampire. he flicks the lights on in the hallway and living room as they walk through, a habit both him and mafuyu have adopted recently now that shin has become more of a frequent visitor. normally, the place would be dark and illuminated solely by the glow from the tv. aside from a few knick knacks on the coffee table, the space is clean and tidy; most of the mess is kept to natsuki's room, which is often cluttered with half-finished projects. they're bypassing it today, however, as natsuki guides him to the bigger bathroom. ]
Take it off, [ he says, pointing to the blood-stained hoodie. the last thing he needs is mafuyu freaking out over some blood on the tiles. ] I'll throw it in the wash and you can borrow one of mine.
no subject
— he blinks. oh. right.
the hoodie is ruined of course, and especially he doesn't want to make mafuyu uncomfortable or more uncomfortable than he usually is, so he hurries to comply, motions a little jilted. the amount of blood soaking it from the moment shin got away to arrived here, all the way to simply stepping into the bathroom, is considerable. a thing he only notices as he goes to tug it off, hand slick. his brow furrows. he feels strangely hot and doesn't really connect it with the imitation of a tomato he's doing — you can borrow mine you can borrow mine you can borrow mine — as he pulls it over his head. an easy thing, given the size. he folds it with automatic care, the bloodied front folded inside the dirty but still dry part, before setting it down, sighing. ]
Listen, you don't have to —
[ ?
whatever he was going to finish with doesn't actually make it out of his mouth. instead, his head pulses and his vision blurs, making him stumble. ]
no subject
but before he can do anything about that, he looks up just in time to see shin stumble, reaching out to steady him with one hand on his waist and the other on his arm. ]
I know I don't have to, [ he says, in response to that half-formed sentence before nudging shin towards the toilet, flipping the seat cover down so he can sit. ] Who did this to you?
no subject
I didn't recognize them. And I could only get... [ he trails off for a moment. it wasn't just that he had a headache already this morning from staying up all night. he's trained and worked enough that a lot of physical responses are reflexive, but his esp is maybe his least honed facet. rough around the edges, even as it grows. ] ... I was too tired to filter through the bloodlust. But it seemed like a lot for a random attack.
[ then he shrugs, cracking a smile. truth is, he did get one clue but it doesn't have to be anyone else's problem. he'll investigate his tiny lead later...when he's not bleeding in his vampire friend's bathroom. yes.
speaking of which... ]
Where's Mafuyu?
[ as if that is the thing to focus on. ]
no subject
He's with Toramaru. Probably complaining about getting dragged everywhere.
[ he means it affectionately. sort of. it's good that mafuyu has started making friends outside of shin and natsuki. ]
Here. [ he comes back with a first aid kit, holding it out for shin to take. ] Get cleaned up. I'll bring you a change of clothes.
[ and maybe he can text mafuyu to look into that attack. more importantly, he doubts shin has eaten yet — that can't be good with the amount of blood he's lost. they don't usually keep a lot of food in the apartment, but mafuyu had brought home ramen on a whim. natsuki doesn't think he'd really mind if shin had some. ]
no subject
[ the smile softens. unconscious fondness. for someone like mafuyu, he thinks it's pretty huge honestly that he goes out at all, much less lets himself get 'dragged everywhere'.
he takes the offered kit, their fingers brushing, a thing he'd feel bad about because they're bloody, but he's out of it enough to just be focused on a murmured "'kay...thanks."
there's no need really, but shin is shin. after setting the kit on the sink counter, he turns slightly away as he tugs at the tank. it's started to dry and it tears more when shin forces it off. maybe it isn't even worth cleaning it. huh. staring at the knife wound he's more confused than anything else. because it doesn't hurt much, he hadn't thought it was that deep. bottling down another sigh, he gets to work, cleaning it and applying antiseptic. a few bandaids here and there -- something he wouldn't usually do at home but he doesn't want to get anything on borrowed clothing. nothing to be done for the collage of bruises. it only takes him a bit longer than usual because he's moving slower in general. he makes a mental note to bring supplies for the kit to refill it next time. he can probably just drop it off tomorrow.
tunnel visioned, he cleans the sink thoroughly and then his hands, makes sure the kit is wiped off. then he sits back down, leaning back against the tank, eyes closed. if natsuki has mafuyu look into it...he guesses he can't stop him but it gives him all the more reason to stop by again. he wishes they'd let him handle it though and thinks about telling him as much. ]