theairlock | THE FIFTH INVESTIGATION

[Expecting a very clear story is likely hoping for too much anyway, given the circumstances. But there's still much to learn.

Still, for now, he'll just... let Choromatsu do this at his own pace.]

That wasn't it, then...

[Obviously, because if it was a greeting then uh. This conversation wouldn't be happening.]

And what then...?

I remember... b-being dragged out... and th-then there was... a l-lot of p-pain...

I-I think... he was wrapping my arms with s-something... a-and then there was a b-blanket...

He wanted... [ sniff ] h-he wanted me to hold... to h-hold...

[ Aaaaand he can't finish. He finally breaks down sobbing. But you could probably fill in the blank there. After all, Choromatsu was holding something when he was found, wasn't he? ]

[That does fit with everything else. With the whole scene he found.]

The cat pillow.

...Did he speak to you?

[She's perfectly content to let Heart ask the hard questions but she's going to sit up and situate Choro in her lap, sitting up just a smidge and leaning back against her. She also floats a cup and a clean cloth over to them so that when Choro, inevitably, starts coughing because he's dehydrated he can have a few sips of water.]

Heart, it's... pretty common for people to see things like that when- [They're dying. Or close to it. Or in pain. How many soldiers thought their wives and brother and mothers were on the battlefield beside them when they were certain they were going to die?]

[He pauses, looking over at Queenie. It's a valid point. And honestly, he'd be ready to dismiss this as simply that. However...]

...Someone was there.

[Who is another question.]

[ At first Choromatsu nods his head... then shakes it again. Nodding to Heart, shaking to Queenie. ]

N-No, he was there! He really was...!

He did... I heard him--

[ Oh hey good thinking on the dehydrated thing Queenie because sure enough, there he goes coughing. ]

[She takes the cup out of the air, tilts it against his lips. If he tries to drink too fast though she's going to make him suck on the damn washcloth.]

Sweetie... [A kiss to his temple.]

What makes you so certain someone was there, honey? [To Heart because she thought the towel thing had been him.]

[ He'll drink then, as the two of them talk. Not too fast thankfully. ]

The pillow could be explained away, but... I do not think he wrapped those towels around his own arms. Furthermore, however... there was a sound. As if someone banged on the door.

[He looks at Choromatsu, then back at Queenie.]

...At that point, Choromatsu Matsuno was neither conscious or by the door.

[She gasps softly, blinking down at his bandaged wrists and then back up to Heart.]

I thought... that was you.

[And a knock? How-]

If Takumi had left behind a ghost I'm certain we would have seen him by now.

[ He stops drinking and pulls his head away. He's a little calmer now after his hysterics. ]

Queenie, it was him, I swear...!

He... he stayed when I asked him not to go... h-he stayed and hugged me, Queenie...!

[ And now he's gone again and he doesn't understand ]

Edited 2017-06-24 01:58 (UTC)

What we know for certain is that before I arrived, someone else was there.

[He just... sort of shoots Queenie an uncertain look. Because it's not that he thinks there's ghosts wandering around, but... right now they just don't know what the hell.]

And it's a good thing, too. If not... [...Yeah.] ...We're fortunate they helped.

[She blinks at Choro, looks over his shoulder at Heart and gently shakes her head. She's trying to do this subtly, without alerting Choro as to what she's doing. She mouths over his shoulder as clearly as she can

Not. Takumi.

It took an all out emotional breakdown for him to accept affection from Queenie and she knew damn well that after remembering his mother's death she had become something of a surrogate to him. Takumi didn't initiate things like that. Even if Choro was practically a brother to him... And if it had somehow been Takumi they'd have heard him hollering all up and down the mansion at ear splitting levels.

There's no way.]

It's something to talk to the others about, if nothing else.

Edited 2017-06-24 02:14 (UTC)

[ Thankfully his eyes are closed again so he misses all of that-- though he would have anyway.

He's aware of pain in his arms finally though (and head. and eyes... from crying.) and starts to realize he... has no clue how he got in bed like this. ]

What... happened, anyway? After all that? I...

[ "I should be dead" even with "Takumi's" interference ]

Edited 2017-06-24 02:20 (UTC)

[He'll simply... nod at Queenie. He never knew Takumi that well, he's not the one to judge the validity of this. Really it's not that he even believes Takumi was really here, but...

Well. Suggesting that it was someone else that Choromatsu simply thought was Takumi because of the state he was in or, worse, that it was someone or something that just looked like Takumi... He's not about to do that in front of Choromatsu, not when he's only just awake. He'll save that discussion for later.]

The banging alerted me and I found you. Just in time, I think.

I went to get help. Well, she was already close by. [A nod to Queenie that Choromatsu may not even see, but the meaning should be clear enough anyway.] Then Nari Reno, of course.

They saved you.

[Others followed too, obviously, but things got real chaotic and he wasn't in the room for a bunch of this.]

I guess... I'm kind of glad you decided not to sleep in my room after all, Heart. Otherwise... no one would've been here.

[And she squeezes Choro as hard as she dares, kisses his hair again.]

You're going to be okay. I- [She bites her lip.] You might have some... lasting damage though.

[She has to remind herself that she did what she had to to keep him alive but the very idea of using a mending charm on a human being is nauseating.]

Saved me...?

[ He's thoughtful for a moment. He wants to ask what Queenie means by "lasting damage' but... ]

...How though? I... I made sure to lock all the doors...

[ Unless...? Ghostkumi??

?????? ]

So everything... should have been locked?

[Well, that's... uh. Hm. Well.]

Then... the person who first helped you must have unlocked the doors. Well, they needed to get in first anyway as well... So they must have had some way to deal with the locks.

[Not that he has any idea who the fuck.]

There's plenty of ways around locks.

[She can think of at least three spells off the top of her head.]

But... that's something to worry about, later, yeah? No sense fussin about it now. You're alright and that's the important thing.

Later... right...

[ Yeah he's just... not going to focus on it for now. All he knows is Takumi and everyone else saved him and like Queenie said, that's the important thing. ]

So you two... [ he means you too Heart ] and Nari-san... and Takumi... all saved me...

[ He sniffles again and attempts to reach up weakly to wipe his own eyes, trying to ignore whatever pain he may feel in his arms, the reminder of what he did. His voice is strained. ]

I... I'm sorry...

[ He feels stupid. Like a stupid, selfish asshole. He knew what he was going to do would hurt everyone. The days he spent carefully writing his letter, already decided on doing this for days... all that time he knew it would. But he took that risk anyway. He figured things would eventually continue on as they always did here. Another death, another tally on the wall. A memorial would be made but they'd move on as well as they could. But knowing they all actually scrambled to save him and succeeded and have probably been worried sick about him for however long he was out...

He feels so guilty. ]

Edited 2017-06-24 20:21 (UTC)

[Plenty of ways indeed. It's definitely something to think about, but... best left for when everyone else can contribute too. For right now there's Choromatsu to focus on.]

...You'll probably have to say that to a lot of people. But... that's good. [That he's sorry means he regrets it. It hardly makes him okay all of a sudden, but it probably means there won't be a repeat of this.] You're alive. Hold onto that. It's what matters most right now.

[He'll leave the comforting to Queenie because he's sure she'll be right on top of that.]

[Oh yes, right on top of the comforting. She's shushing him softly, stopping him from lifting his arms too high and instead dabbing at his eyes with the sleeve of her Kigu.]

Shhhh It's okay. Well... it's not okay but you're here, you're gonna be alright and we're gonna look after you, sweetie.

[A kiss to his temple and then she's holding him tighter.]

Talk to someone, if you start feeling like that again, yeah? What were we just talking about, your ma and brothers and Totoko? You gotta get back and see them. So no givin up.

[Come on Choro, at the very least you can laugh at her butchering Totoko's name with her accent.]

[ Okay that does actually manage to get a little bit of a laugh from him. A breathless, short laugh but it's something through all the sniffling.

He nods though. ]

I just... I didn't feel talking would help... [ Everyone's hurting and everyone else's problems seem so much bigger than his... he had cried to Angel and only realized later how insignificant his problems must have been in comparison to hers. Obviously, Angel didn't care, most people didn't. But he felt like a burden and became self conscious. He felt like useless dead weight... and he didn't want to burden people even more with that. ] And I couldn't handle watching more people--

[ And then he stops, looking horrified ]

Wait, who died?! We went to trial, right?! Someone always dies on Friday...!

[ Oh

so he doesn't realize ]

...There's been no body announcement and no trial. The only incident that occurred was what happened to you.

No one has died.

THE FIFTH INVESTIGATION

Re: cw: suicide and wrist slitting

Re: cw: suicide and wrist slitting

Re: cw: suicide and wrist slitting

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