THE FIFTH INVESTIGATION

[airlockedmods]

[As usual, the day begins at seven a.m.

Good morning, Champions.]

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[shikosuki]

[ Choromatsu's eyes don't reopen all Friday. He maybe stirs now and then or mumbles something incoherent but he doesn't waken. Even without the loss of blood. the drugs and the trauma, his sleep schedule has been all out of whack for two weeks now. His body takes all the time it needs to finally rest.

On Saturday however...

The last thing Choromatsu remembers from before he passed out was the warmth of someone else next to him. So as he starts to come to nothing strikes him as wrong yet. It's only when he's alert enough to realize that he's on a bed and clothed rather than half naked on the bath room floor that his eyes shoot open and he awakes with a start. And shouting. ]

--Takumi?! Takumi!!

[ He's going to try and get up if someone doesn't stop him. ]

[myocordial]

[Oh you better believe someone is stopping him. Someone who has been here basically just... this whole time, keeping an eye on both him and Queenie. Looks like he made the right call.

Heart almost casually puts a hand on Choromatsu's shoulder, pushing him back down if necessary.]

I would really recommend staying put for now.

[shikosuki]

Heart-san!

[ Yeah you'll definitely have to push him back down because he keeps... trying. ]

Where's Takumi?! He was right here, where is he?!

[myocordial]

[Yeaaaah, that's not happening, Choro. Heart's just gonna keep you on that bed and you're not strong enough to fight him on this on a good day.]

...I'm sorry. Takumi is not here. [Which should be obvious, but. um.] No more than anyone else currently deceased is.

[shikosuki]

No...! No, he has to be--!

He was there! He was in the bathroom!! Where did he go?!

[myocordial]

[Um.


Pardon?]

In the--

...That's impossible. Are you certain you weren't simply dreaming?

[shikosuki]

[ He shakes his head frantically. Tears are forming in his eyes and his voice is cracking ]

N-No...! He was definitely there...! He held me and everything! H-He... he pulled me out and...

[ He's settling down finally, his tears overtaking him. ]

I-I... I told him not... t-to go...

[myocordial]

[Heart lets up on Choromatsu now that he's not struggling. And... well, now he's just confused. Of all the things he'd been expecting when Choromatsu finally woke up...]

He... pulled you out?

[He's quietly thoughtful for a moment.]

I'm very sorry, Choromatsu Matsuno. I can only imagine how difficult this is, but... Can you tell me exactly what happened? When precisely did... Takumi appear? What did he do?

[He hesitates as he says the name, because... there's no way. Right?]

cw: suicide and wrist slitting

[shikosuki]

[ He sniffles, trying to speak through his tears. ]

I-I don't know... I r-remember being in the bath... b-b-bleeding... and then there f-footsteps... and some o-other kind of noise...

I opened my e-eyes... and he was there.

[ A sob hitches in his throat. ]

I-I-I thought he was g-greeting me... [ to the after life ] b-b-but...!

[goteachother]

[Aside from breaks to go to the bathroom and sitting up enough to eat when someone else brings her food Queenie hasn't left his side.

When he starts becoming restless she sings, which is what she's doing when he snaps awake.]

Choro! Shhhh~ Honey. [Soft and soothing, she rests her hand on his shoulders to keep him still.]

[shikosuki]

Queenie...! [ Oh gods, he looks so distressed ]

Where's Takumi?! He was right here...!

[ She's probably going to overhear all this too ]

[serrata]

[ It's about midday when Yuuri stops by. She has no idea if he's sleeping or if he even wants visitors -- so her knock and her voice, when she calls out, are both soft. ]

... Choromatsu-kun, are you awake? I've brought you something to eat.

[shikosuki]

[ Choromatsu is awake, though he keeps coming in and out of consciousness (mostly because he doesn't have much else to do BUT rest right now). The knock alerts him though. ]

Um... c-come in.

[ The door should be a little open, so it's easier for people to come and go. ]

[serrata]

[ And in she comes. She has to sort of elbow the door open because she's got a chilled bottle of water in one hand and a plate of steaming okayu in the other. ]

Here. I didn't think you'd want anything too heavy. And I've got you some nice cold water, too.

... Do you want me to leave it and go, or am I fine to stay for a little bit?

[shikosuki]

[ Holy shit okayu. 👀 ]

Thank you...

[ ... ]

No, you can stay if you want.

[serrata]

Okay, then. Here I'll-- just a second.

[ She sets the bottle of water on his desk so he can reach it if he wants and hands the okayu and spoon off to him before she pulls one of the chairs over so she can sit down while they talk. ]

Are you... [ "how are you" is a stupid question, as is "are you okay" but she's not really sure where else to start. ] You're not hurting too much, are you?

[shikosuki]

[ He lets the okayu and spoon sit on his lap, not moving to eat yet ]

...My arms hurt like a bitch.

[ GEE WONDER WHY FUCKO ]

[serrata]

... well, that's to be expected, you know.

[ she's trying so hard not to sound too mad but. that sure is a big sister sounding voice coming out of your junior, huh Choromatsu ]

Have you had... [ ........ okay maybe suggesting painkillers would be in poor taste here so let's hastily reword that: ] Has Nari been treating you for the pain?

[everylittlesecret]

[Not sleeping well during the night afforded her the chance to check on him, change lines and such, and finally removal of the IV and getting him dressed the rest of the way. So Nari isn't back until well past noon with a cup of something that smells strange.]

Can you sit up?

[shikosuki]

[ He turns his head to Nari when she comes in, wondering what that strange smell is... ]

Um... let me try...

[ He's been sitting up with help but not on his own so far so here goes. His arms still hurt but he manages to get himself up with only as much push from them as he needs. ]

[everylittlesecret]

[To be honest, she was testing him. Good.]

So you didn't damage the tendons too bad. That means you'll heal faster. I can show you some exercises to do to loosen up the wrist when the stitches are out, okay?

[She holds the cup out for him.]

Fortified beef broth with spinach, broccoli, and some rice for carbs. Iron rich. I'll bring something with tomatoes later.

[shikosuki]

O-Okay...

[ He takes the cup from her, steadying it with both hands, but doesn't drink from it yet. He feels a little... awkward. Like he needs to say something but is not sure how. ]

Um... thank you. Not just for this.

[ For everything. ]

[everylittlesecret]

[She purses her lips, looking confused otherwise.]

... You don't need to thank me for anything. I just am doing what I can to get as many people out of here as possible.

[shikosuki]

[ He pauses, taking that in ]

...Even so, you still saved my life. I can-- [ and he hesitates on saying this, because honestly he has extreme doubts about their actual getting out of here but... ] see my brothers again because of you.

So I do need to thank you.

[everylittlesecret]

...... everyone here is so weird.

[She sighs softly with a shrug.] Thank Heart for finding you and getting me. Thank Queenie for stopping most of the bleeding. Thank Yuuri for helping get you into bed and dry clothes. I'm not the only one who helped.