a thousand cherry blossoms dissolve into the night

[mementosola]

[The year is 2038, and for some people turning twenty, there is celebration. A feeling of reaching adulthood, or at the very least, an unhealthy amount of booze.

For other people, there's running clear across Setagaw when time stopped and exploding a Harvester in a single, casual gesture. She's not worried there are too many; she's worried about what certain people may have done to thin out the numbers.]

Retsu!

Comments

[withoutmercy]

[He'll finally reach up with that arm he'd left dangling at his side to gently stroke her hair. He must have hurt it in the fight, given how slow it moves.]

I promise I won't.

[mementosola]

Good. Now let me see your arm you've been pretending you didn't hurt and I might spare you the lecture.

[withoutmercy]

[Looking down at her, as best as he can given their positions, for a moment while he weighs his options.]

It's not just the arm. They got me pretty good a couple of places. And I'm not taking my shirt off for you in the middle of what's about the be an EMT convention. I'm not getting the Fujiwara heir arrested on her twentieth birthday.

[mementosola]

So you'll take it off somewhere else, is what you're saying?

[But she sighs, and settles her hands against his chest, where they start to radiate warmth and a little bit of healing. At least enough to make moving easier.]

That's the best I can do without getting something to eat.

[withoutmercy]

Sure. Somewhere with less prying eyes.

[She can literally feel the warmth radiate through him. Something about being the avatar of vengeance seemed to cause his body temperature to plummet while transformed, even if he himself didn't show any averse effects afterwords.

Now he's just left to wonder if she realizes how this all looks, especially given that they just confessed feelings for each other moments ago.]

[mementosola]

[Well, she's leaning up to...kiss his cheek. Apparently she doesn't feel like having a first kiss on top of a building that's about to be crowded.]

Then we should go soon. The EMTs will want to try and keep us.

[withoutmercy]

[All told, that's probably wise. When he stands, he does keep his arm around her, though, at least for the moment.]

Right. I didn't park too far from here. Are you okay to walk, or would you rather be carried?

[He will carry you with a bad arm. Don't think for a second he won't.]

[mementosola]

I can walk just fine, don't make that arm of yours worse.

You'll find the elevator down over there.

[When did she get the elevator key--right, it's Hisoka.]

[withoutmercy]

It's amazing how you can draw all of this.

[He takes the key to the elevator. It at least has the power to call to their floor and open and close the door?]

He're hoping it works. After you.

[mementosola]

I didn't draw it.

I was here last week because Father wanted meet another idiot who couldn't tell I was insulting him for an hour and a half and the asked the building manager for a copy.

[Sometimes, one has to wonder if Hisoka's actual superpower is just being Hisoka. But into the elevator she goes.]

[withoutmercy]

Oh, good. I was worried it was going to vanish halfway through like that lily-pad.

[He's never letting her live that down. Taking it down to the parking garage. Why so low? It'll be easier to sneak out than the front door.]

[mementosola]

That was one time!

[Retsu, you're a jerk sometimes. But once they hit the right garage floor, she's heading out of the elevator...and waiting. He knows where he's parked.]

[withoutmercy]

I had a cold for like three days afterwords!

[Pocketing the key after he turns the elevator off, and then leading her out of the building. Because seriously, if the building might implode during the fight, no reason to risk things you like, like your car.]

[mementosola]

I tried to dry you off the best I could, it's not my fault you bolted without your shirt when Father got home!

[She follows him out, then, like some kind of extremely elegant duckling.]

[withoutmercy]

Because I really wanted to explain to your father why his daughter was rubbing down a half-naked guy he'd never seen before with a towel. I'd have caught a case of dying if that'd happened.

[Same old car, still kept fancied up as best as he can. He'll unlock the doors with a click of a button and climb in, waiting for her.]

[mementosola]

He wouldn't have killed you, I'm not sure why everyone thinks he's so scary...we hardly have any ninjas on the payroll anymore.

[Sometimes, Hisoka just really is that oblivious. She gets into the car and buckles up in basically one single motion, which makes one wonder if they teach this in rich heiress school.]

[withoutmercy]

[His driving's a little faster and more reckless than usual, since there's about to be cops everywhere.]

Trust me. I'd have killed me in his position. Men care about their daughters.

[He laughs, but it's a bit dry in his throat.]

Even as strong as I am, I'm a little afraid of him finding out about us now, you know.

[mementosola]

I'd be more worried about the fact he really wants grandkids, personally.

[Just. gonna put that out there. While you're driving.]

[withoutmercy]

...Cool. I guess I really need to figure out something to put on my resume beyond "superhero" then.

[BALL'S IN YOUR COURT, SUNBRO.]

[mementosola]

'Athletic', 'personable' , 'physique similar to a greek god'...I can think of a few keywords to work with.

[You really want to play this game with her?]

[withoutmercy]

But he's not going to be happy that his daughter fell in love with a freeter, even if she's got nice things to say about me.

Especially not someone as smart and beautiful as you.

[He'll try, damnit!]

[mementosola]

Which means he's going to try to make a proper gentleman out of you. You may find he's a more brutal teacher than any harvester attack.

[She did flush, which means that attack hit....]

But I know you, and I know you won't let anyone down, whether it's me or my father or someone you just met, Retsu.

[And she counterattacked.]

[withoutmercy]

...Of course not. You promised you'd stay with me, so I'll withstand any attack for that, no matter what.

[Direct hit, given how red he is. Let's just hope he can get them somewhere before she closes in for the kill.]

Wait, where are we going?

[mementosola]

Well, if it's somewhere private, isn't your apartment closer?

[And doesn't have her terrifying father there, as a bonus.]

[withoutmercy]

Right, right.

[He was already kind of on autopilot there. His apartment's not in the worst part of town but it's about what you'd expect a guy who works part time jobs and saves the world to be able to afford: a mostly clean efficiency that he keeps his stuff in.

They're there in a matter of minutes, and he just parks on the street and takes the fire escape three stories up directly to his window.]