032 - [After the Shadows]

[tsuntempesta]

[There was a soft frown on Gokudera's lips as he sat in the living room of their apartment, gazing out the window. He hadn't yet spoken to Yamamoto since that encounter with 'himself'. . . But that's probably because he's been avoiding the other male. Mainly due to several things said by Gokudera's own Shadow. He didn't entirely know what was said. . . But he could imagine a little of it. Things that he wouldn't have ever admitted to the Vongola's Rain if he had the choice. Of course, these thoughts and emotions had likely been laid out quite clearly before the other.

He sighed, dropping a hand down to pet Uri gently behind the ears. The feline seemed to be sleeping rather contentedly in Gokudera's lap, a soft purr audible. Another sigh escaped him as he rested his head against the window, eyes closing after a moment and his hand now simply resting on the feline gently. Whether or not he's really asleep is debatable though.]

Comments

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{Takeshi's simply going to linger in the doorway and wait for you to tell him to get lost or come in. He migth have heard what the Shadow said to him...but having reconciled with his own shadow he knows what your shadow said to his too.}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He had known you were there for some time before he finally spoke up, though he hadn't even opened his eyes as he did so.]

". . .Are you going to actually come in or just stand there, Takeshi?"

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

I was waiting for my cue.

{He steps in but doesn't go all the way to the window.}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He just offers a very soft chuckle at that, before opening his eyes to look back at you.]

". . . I won't bite you, you know. . . "

[. . There was a pause before he spoke up again with the slightest of smirks.]

". . . unless you want me to, anyway."

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

Mmmm~

{He comes to lean on the wall with his usual smile.}

I'm so happy you're okay.

{He hadn't known people would come back.}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He rubbed Uri gently behind the ears as he watched you for a few moments.]

". . . Oh yeah. You don't remember. . . But. . .. People don't stay dead on this island. That's actually the second time I've died here."

[He says this rather nonchalantly - as if returning from the dead was a perfectly normal thing.]

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{He stiffens as he holds back a shudder and keeps smiling even as he pales a bit.}

Ahaha....I wish I would have known..not that it would have made it any better.

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He just sighs softly, running a hand through his hair.]

" . . Sorry - I guess I should have told you earlier. . . But then again, dying doesn't happen a lot, so it hadn't really occurred to me to mention it."

[He agrees with you on the last part though - knowing really doesn't make the death of another any more bearable.]

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

Too often if you've died twice.

{His smile slips briefly and recovers.}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

" .. Yeah, well. You know how I can be sometimes."

[His attention has gone down to Uri sleeping on his lap, before deciding to move the feline gently. One crimson eye opens to regard Gokudera a moment - as if debating whether or not to attack him for disturbing his sleep. . . But he finds the couch where he was placed rather comfortable as well, and settles for going back to sleep.

Gokudera shifted now, feeling nervous to some degree before speaking up again.]

". . About the things the other me said. . ."

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{His shoulders roll in an easy shrug.}

Relax...it's not like I wasn't nasty.

{He looks off to the side with a dry laugh.}

You only killed yourself. I killed Squalo.

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He blinked at that.]

" . .You. . what. . .?"

[Somehow that just didn't seem very much like the other male. . but then again. . all things considered. . .]

" . . . Why?"

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{He reaches over his back and his fingers brush the hilt of the katana there.}

It's the way things are supposed to go when you don't use the back of the blade.

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

" . . I understand that much. . . But. . . You aren't really the type to just attack someone for no reason - regardless of which side of the blade you use."

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{He shrugged a little less smoothly this time.}

He wasn't supposed to lose...at least something like that.

{Subject change is a go. He doesn't really want to talk about Squalo and the thrill of killing him. Of being the one and only Sword Emperor. Such a sick and sweet satisfaction wasn't something he wanted ever again.}

Have you seen Tsuna... I probably should apologize to him.

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He just frowns softly, but doesn't press the issue further. Besides, you said the magic word guaranteed to catch his attention every time.]

". . . Juudaime? . . .I'm actually not sure."

[There was a slight pause.]

" . . .Why? What happened?"

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{He looks out the window and simply runs a hand through his hair. He knew that would work to get you off the topic. He just wished that it didn't work so well sometimes.}

Nothing like killing him. I just wasn't very polite.

{He wasn't going to mention the punching or the groping.}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

" . . I supposed as much, but what do you mean by 'not very polite'?"

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

Nothing really bad. I promise.

{Smile~}

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

" . . . As long as you didn't hurt Juudaime I suppose. . . And you'd better fucking apologize to him."

[He was frowning, seeming displeased. Part of him was nagging him to press. . .But at the same time. . . It might be best not to.]

[swingswallow.livejournal.com]

{He rubs his jaw.}

Well he didn't hit me like you did....

[sky-ringed.livejournal.com]

[Some time later, a fish might have wandered in through the front door. He's been a bit difficult to catch around as well, though not entirely on purpose. At any rate, just in case you actually have fallen asleep, he's going to shut the door softly as possible once he catches sight of you there.]

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He had already stirred once you'd opened the door, looking towards the door in a rather half-asleep manner.]

" . . Juudaime."

[Gokudera offered a slight smile in greeting as well.]

[sky-ringed.livejournal.com]

[He'll be returning that smile as he makes his way over to you.]

Sleep well, Hayato?

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[Uri opened one crimson eye dolefully, seeming somewhat annoyed that Gokudera had now shifted to pay more attention to Tsuna. After a moment, he decides it's not really worth the effort at the moment to do anyways - so he'd just save it for later and for the moment he just re-situated himself in Gokudera's lap to continue sleeping.]

". . .Well enough. How are you?"

[He hadn't entirely been asleep - it was really more of that asleep-but-not-really kind of dozing off. But either way.]

[sky-ringed.livejournal.com]

Also well enough. [And lucky the bitemark that was on his neck faded last week.]

And you?

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He seemed to be thinking over how to answer this.]

". . . Alright."

[AKA, there was clearly something bothering him and he just didn't want to worry you with it.]

[sky-ringed.livejournal.com]

[There's a brief moment of consideration here, but he's not going to call you on that directly.]

Mm... Takeshi finally came back, at least.

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He might have shifted a little at the mention of Takeshi, frowning a little.]

" . . Y-Yeah. . ."

[sky-ringed.livejournal.com]

[And of course that was noticed. So he can't help but ask, even if he's pretty sure you're not going to want to talk about it.]

...Did something happen?

[smokin-bomb-59.livejournal.com]

[He was quiet for quite sometime before speaking. When he did speak it was more of a mumble and you probably would have had to listen rather closely to make it out.]

"...I'm worried about what the other me might have said to him."