I don't work for free.

[hallowedpurple]

"If y're tipsy, you don't have to order another."

He says it around a mouthful, watching Toji come to the realization of why he hasn't been healing, why he's been sore and tired after fights that he would normally shrug off.

This place had taken something fundamental to him too.

The question makes him pause, fork lifted to his mouth with a bite of cake at the end. He does pop it into his mouth before he continues.

" 'm not gonna let the cake stop me from stealing off your plate. I'm just eating your stuff because it annoys you."

He grins at the admission, calling the waiter over for one more round of drinks for them to share. Not a full bottle, but a pair of shots for them both.

"Besides, my stomach's kind of a bottomless pit with how much cursed energy I burn. It won't bother me."

[iinvertedheavens]

He says he doesn't have to but he probably meant Toji didn't have to put in the effort of doing it himself. Two shots were sat down in front of them both before he felt the need to really comment.

"It doesn't bother me. It's your treat, remember?"

He huffs. He could order another one of these platters if he really wanted to. He didn't. The alcohol was doing-- something to him. His stomach was feeling a little full but thankfully not sick.

His head tilts slightly as he slides his fingers around the first shot.

"Alcohol, fish, and cake won't do anything to you? Doubt it. You're too human."

He mutters before he gestures across the table with his raised shot holding hand.

"Come on, let's finish this."

[divinetotality]

@iinvertedheavens

Upon prior agreement, the two had decided to meet up for a day out in the city, something to get them both out of Archimedes and a little more involved with the festivities.

Of course he enticed his old man with the promise of food being involved, but he knew it wouldn't be that hard.

"You ready yet? If we leave now we can catch the train to the boardwalk."

[iinvertedheavens]

Toji yawns loudly as he rubs the back of his head just in time to answer his son.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

A planned day out and he wasn't lagging behind already. They'll make it with time to spare. A quick check of his phone, wallet and keys and then he's meeting Megumi in the shared living space.

"Let's go, we're going to be late."

He says as he passes Megumi to head straight to the door. Annoyingly.

[hallowedpurple]

"I can't believe...ugh. I'll talk to him."

He rolls his eyes, annoyed at the moment by the idea, before he shrugs it off. Later. That was a later problem.

He's thinking of Megumi curled up in his condo, unwilling to leave even on the nicest days. With summer in full swing, Satoru is hoping to coax him more into accepting a civilian lifestyle. It's better than the one he'd been dealing with.

He nods quietly at Toji agreeing that they both want to keep him moving. It was in their best interests to work together towards that, then.

"Good. Good! We have an agreement then. We'll both watch out for him, and in turn, we're on the hook for sparring or casual fighting or what have you."

His eyes trail over the table, mentally calculating the damage to his wallet, before he seems to let it go just as quickly.

"You finished off that bottle, huh? Think there's enough for one more toast - or I can order us one more round to seal the deal. Whatever you'd prefer, Fushiguro."

It's hard to refer to him as such in his mind. Seeing Toji's face just made him think of the Zen'in he'd known.

[iinvertedheavens]

A shiver ran down his spine, a small one, when his name was officially spoken. Something he will blame entirely on the alcohol that doesn't affect him what's so ever--

"...I think I'm tipsy."

It's an utterance that's mostly to himself. Spoken with complete confusion as to how this could have happened. Sure, drinking copious amount of alcohol typically leads to this sort of situation. Loose lips and even looser morals. He's seen it happen time and time again and hell, he's been the one to fill a cup when he knows he shouldn't have.

He pops another piece of sushi into his mouth in contemplation.

It doesn't happen to him.

Ever.

"Eh, one more bottle wouldn't hurt."

It's not what he meant to say but now that his mouth mentioned it? It sounded like a good idea.

"How are you eating cake and sushi together like that?"

[hallowedpurple]

The platter is set between them and Satoru reaches out to take a piece of salmon off the plate. There's no reason he bothers with chopsticks, plucking it up to pop into his mouth with a hum.

The hum does die off a bit when he hears what's happening. Geto? Geto was paying Toji not to fight him? There's a moment of indignant anger that flutters up inside him, nearly choking the bite of food he's mulling over.

He coughs to clear his throat, hand braced against his chest for a moment. He reaches for his drink, swallows a mouthful to finish it and get the knot out of his throat.

"You have got to be kidding me."

There's irritation that covers the smugness he normally wears. He tucks it into his pocket for now, his cheek pressed to his knuckles as he reaches to take another piece.

"Why's he doing that? Did you tell him about our first fight? He shouldn't know about that."

The questions posed to him make him think, his head turned to the side.

What could they get from one another?

"Mmmn. Well - we've got a truce for Megumi. But I think you and I could use the practice and the chance to let off some steam. I'll offer non-lethal fights if that helps everyone out, and we can agree to work together to make things comfortable for Megumi."

He licks a bit of soy sauce from his thumb with a hum.

"I want things to be nice for him more than anything. He's struggling to adjust."

[iinvertedheavens]

The reaction feels good. Watching Satoru choke and fumble felt like a little victory. Anything to break that carefully composed facade. While his lunch mate is fighting for his life, Toji enjoys another spicier bite of sushi.

"I found you first before I fought him. He doesn't know you died recently. Ish."

He carries another piece of sushi to his mouth before he pauses and gestures with it by pointing at Satoru.

"It was for both of you, to stop kicking your asses but I'm already fed up with the deal. Megumi doesn't care what I do to Geto. Only you, but..."

He trails off thoughtfully before he stuffs the piece into his mouth.

"We can agree on wanting things to be nice for him."

There's a flash of the spiky head teen in his mind, months earlier and how just standing there sometimes drained him.

"He's doing better... I want to keep that momentum going."

He looked up at blue eyes.

"If you can agree to help me with that, then I'll agree. To whatever weird thing you're asking for."

[divinetotality]

Megumi found himself a little surprised at the grin that was flashed at him. Something different from the usual cockiness that it held when interacting with others, no hint of smug aura in sight.

He blinked, and looked back down to the photo he had lingered on since the first time opening it again. Yeah, this one would be perfect, capturing the warmth and kindness she always held in a timeless frame.

As for filling it with photos of his own family...well, he wasn't so sure about that. But that was a conversation for later, much much later.

"Yeah, yeah." He waves it off and takes a long sip of that tea that was made for him, the time spent reminiscing had given plenty of time for the hot drink to cool to a more manageable temperature.

"I think...I'm gonna try to go back on my morning walks like I used to do back at the school. I think Shiro needs to get some sun again as much as I do."

One step at a time.

"You wanna join?"

[iinvertedheavens]

There was something about a shadow needing sun light that tickled him a little. It was a drop in a well. It was better than being empty.

The warmth was spreading from his chest to his limbs to his mind and he needed to do something about it. It was the middle of the night he wanted to hike a mountain of all things.

Instead, however, he sipped at his tea.

"Sure. I'm not doing anything in the mornings."

He probably should look into a job of some sort. Shiu could draft up a pretty believable resume in less than a few hours. For the umpteenth time since he's been here, he misses Shiu.

He hums a moment before he slips out the back picture. It's the one thing he really wants.

"I'll make a copy of this one. Two frames for tomorrow."

[salvationseekcr]

Sam fiddled with the hem of his shirt for a moment, staring at the stranger with a worried and confused look. Everyone kept mentioning "dust", but the only dust that Sam knew of was the kind that would get trapped under his bed and form little balls. It made him sneeze.

He was also unaware of what a "phone" was, but when Toji pulled out his, Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out that odd square thing that he'd been given when he was dropped here. So ...this was a dust?

"Oh....oh okay...? This, right?"

The look on his face should've told anyone and everyone that he had no idea what he was doing. If he ended up losing all of his dust he probably wouldn't even realize it unless someone pointed it out.

Going along with this other man seemed like the best choice right now, especially with the others pressuring him to do....something!

[iinvertedheavens]

The stranger takes out his phone and Toji plucks it from his grip. He finds the app the betting was taking place and placed double the amount for the both of them. He'll pay the kid back later.

"Pick up the cards."

He gestured with the other's phone before it's plopped back down into his hands.

"The name of the ain't hard to follow. You ever played Go Fish before?"

The question gets a round of snickering and laughter from the other players and some of the audience, but Toji keeps his sharp eyes on the little guy.

"You just gotta guess what they have and get a bigger number than them at the end of the around. Highest with fewest cards win."

That's the gist of how much Toji picked up. The laughter died down after his explanation so he can assume he was right. He patted the stranger's back. Hard.

"Let's make some money."

[hallowedpurple]

"I told you I didn't want to fight when you walked up to me."

He stabs the fork down into his slice of cake again, watching Toji seem to mull over the feelings he's struggling with before he admits that he's feeling a little robbed.

The admission that he's not allowed to fight to the death again makes him pause.

"Says who? Besides - well, probably Megumi. He doesn't have to know."

He leans against the table, elbow braced against the surface of it. Good manners be damned, he's more curious watching the flush starting to climb across Toji's face.

He's feeling the effects of the liquor, huh? Satoru was starting to feel it a little himself, even while pacing himself.

"Either way, we don't have to fight to the death. I'd be happy to just take out some aggression like healthy adults do - by fighting for fun."

He might even let Toji hit him through Infinity, just to see how he reacts.

"What do you want out of this between us, huh?"

[iinvertedheavens]

It gets a laugh out of him. Something that jumped after hearing an incredibly absurd suggestion. Which it was.

The thought did cross his mind. The same thought of how he should keep to himself that Geto's currently paying him not to hurt a little pale strand on top of his pretty little head. At least not to the death. If he did fight Satoru, he could get paid for that instead.

The laugh left a lopsided grin in its abrupt silence.

"Geto's paying me not to fight you."

He let's that sit there long enough for the waiter to come back to exchange his plate for a large platter of sushi. Might as well be finger foods for him right now. Still, he uses chopsticks to pop one into his mouth before he answers.

It's not bad actually. He mixes some soy sauce and wasabi into a side dish.

"He never told me I couldn't tell you because it was a funny little secret to have. I could keep more from you or Megumi but I don't feel like lying to his face by omission."

It'll create more issues of remembering the same lie and covering for it in the unforeseeable future. Something he could do-- proven that he can do for months at a time by a few of his long term missions. Megumi wasn't a mission.

"What I want out of this with you? I don't know. What can I get out of you, Satoru?"

[splitsoulkatana]

"......"

There is something almost inhuman in the way she feels the urge to rage boil up inside her. It starts in her toes and makes it about to her knees before she speaks.

"You're shitting me."

It's not asked as a question.

"He's paying You to not beat his ass in the streets?"

Her hand previously through her hair finds purchase on her wooden sword too shortly after. The pads of her palm slapping into the wrapped handle with a thwak.

"Pathetic."

Somehow, Toji can get the impression that she isn't, necessarily, saying that about him.

"Has the audacity to act like a maniac in life and then--"

"Whatever."

She didn't want to waste her breath on it so she huffs it out as an ugly sigh instead.

[iinvertedheavens]

Even if the words was meant for someone else, he still couldn't help but agree to the sentiment. Every other day he has to break his own pride in half before he interacts with certain people. To tolerate certain conversations. To face certain memories.

It was his cross to bear like everything else he's done.

"My morals are as loose when it comes to these sort of agreements."

He says after a few moments of watching her get pissed off faster with every thought following the one before it. She needed a distraction.

"It's about time I found a job. You run all around here, meeting a whole bunch of people I bet."

He tilts his head a little, "Heard about anyone looking for some work done?"

[wolftccth]

"we're not even friends from the get go, you asshole!" He shouts, grumbling under his breath. The audacity the asshole tried to give. Although he does try to hide it, but his stomach begins to growl in hunger.

Edward honestly doesn't remember when he ate, but hearing that grumble, which he knows the other could hear, earns his cheeks a flush.

"Put it anywhere but where people could see it, you shithead."

[iinvertedheavens]

His grin was lopsided, thoroughly tickled pink at how easily this guy gets riled up on shit that honest to god doesn't matter.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'll stuff it in my underwear drawer. No would think to look there."

He joked and paused when those growls reached his ears.

"Speaking of lunch, we're we going?"

[insatiableluminary]

Aw, guess she caught this guy in a bad mood. Even for her jokes it seemed they simply weren't hitting.

But that was fine, if they were going to be neighbors they had plenty of time to find a middle ground, at least in her eyes.

"Fushiguro, huh...pretty name." She still offers a little smile, "Yeah, guess I should get used to it-doesn't seem like there's a way off the isles from what I can tell."

A small pause.

"My name is Kristine, by the way. Nice to meet you."

[iinvertedheavens]

"Nope."

He pops the p just to be a little bit more annoying.

"Well, Kristine, what are you going to do now, now that you know you're stuck here. Probably forever."

[dwellingmedic]

Shoko nods, looking over the skin and noting the mention of discomfort when the area was touched. So, instead of pressing directly on the skin, she traces along the edges, feeling for any abnormalities beneath the first layer of skin.

Likely some torn muscles from the force, and a nasty hematoma from all the centralized clotting.

"I'm assuming you have already tried rest and ice compressions? Or have you just been waiting on it to heal on it's own?"

She looks a little closer, humming in thought of if they would need to drain the blood from the area.

"How did this injury occur, by the way?"

[iinvertedheavens]

There was a lot less poking and prodding than he really expected.

"A little bit of both. Hadn't really been feeling up to over exerting myself since I got it."

The fable question is asked and he thinks on if he wants to name drop. There's zero chance she doesn't know the weasel of a man. He sighs and reframes from crossing his arms over his chest as he likes to do.

"Got into a fight with Geto Suguru and he black flashed me in the chest. And here I thought it was supposed to be a friendly competition."

[hallowedpurple]

"It would be different, huh."

He wonders quietly if Toji had ever considered any of the bounties on his head when he was a child. They had climbed to over a hundred million in regards to rewards and payouts, but no one had succeeded - even if some got close.

He mulls over the taste of his drink, the burn of the liquor as he drank it back, before he chews another bite of cake.

The question does give him pause, his expression confused for a moment.

"If you mean the first time, I told y' that I focused on defending myself as soon as I realized I couldn't avoid the damage."

He talks around his mouthful before he swallows it, taking a sip of his drink before he continues.

"If you mean the second time - I don't know." A quiet admission. "I was without my techniques. And you weren't in your right mind after a while."

He still hasn't found his blindfold.

[iinvertedheavens]

Wasn't in his right mind?

He remembered it with such clarity that the fabric in his pocket burned against his thigh. For the second time he watched the life leave those eyes but this time personal felt right. There was something deeply satisfying watching them dull over to nearly grey.

Then something ugly and empty opened inside of him.

It's nothing he's given more than a few seconds of his time to sit with. There wasn't any guilt. It's not the right word but it didn't feel good. It felt like a shock to his system. The same sort that happened when the black flash rippled through his chest.

A hollowing occurred. He didn't think he could get more empty.

His hand hand slipped beneath the table and into his pocket. He thumbed the material idly. It doesn't bring him a sense of ease. There is something...

"I was looking for a fight."

He says finally, that warm feeling buzzing against the edges of his finger tips.

"You denied me of that. Now I'm in a position where I can't fight you a second time."

He finally stares back across the table, teal eyes focused, yet his body relaxes against the chair.

"Not to the death anyway. I'm feeling robbed."

[insatiableluminary]

Damn he even sounded like him.

Though the quip in return does get her to laugh a little, "Aw c'mon-I must have woke up in a place with a con going on, it's way too early for Halloween!"

"You wanna give me a name to a face, or are you shy?"

[iinvertedheavens]

"Con?"

He parrots the word a little thoughtfully before turning his attention back out toward the view.

"I don't get what game you're playing at but I'm not buying it. You woke up in a strange place. Get used to strangeness."

There's a huff.

"Fushiguro."

[dwellingmedic]

"Well it's good that you did if it hasn't healed on it's own. Typically in medicine if a bruise takes longer than a few weeks to heal completely, it could mean there's something underlying."

She gestures towards the chair for the other to get comfortable before slipping on those gloves for the examination.

"It could be a number of things, but likely considering your age range it's probably a lack of clotting or deeper tissue damage." Shoko hums in thought.

"Let me take a look, is there any lingering pain or discomfort?"

[iinvertedheavens]

He plops down into the chair. He was smart at least and wore something with some buttons on the front he could easily show the injury. The bruise hasn't moved. At least not fast enough for his liking.

"It's sore as hell when you touch it but besides that, nothing too crazy."

He genuinely can't remember the last time he went to a real doctor. Much less one for himself. There's was a real effort to not feel judged beneath her stare.

"It's my only real issue."

[dwellingmedic]

@iinvertedheavens liked for a starter

Shoko perked a little at the name along the clipboard, Megumi having been the only Fushiguro she was familiar with. She initially thought maybe he was a distant relative of sorts, but as soon as she gets a glimpse in the waiting room.

Ah, nope. That's his father.

"Mr. Fushiguro. You're here for a chest injury, correct? Come with me."

[iinvertedheavens]

It doesn't take much to notice the recognition in the woman's eyes when she calls him. Not when he's been blasted with it several times by adults and teenagers alike now.

Small world?

Either way, he gets up from his seat and follows after the doctor. He does wait until they're in the patient room and the door closes with a click before he speaks.

"It's a bruise that hasn't gone away in a few months. Thought I'd come here and get it checked out finally."

Especially after the push from his own son after seeing it unchanged recently. He's such a worrier.

[occultacarne]

And suddenly, Sebastian is no longer interested in this card game, Blackjack. He's more interested in Toji. His body, the blood that flows through his veins, this Heavenly Restriction. He is more interested in JUST how strong Toji is.

Still, he continues his game. Counts his own cards, and bam, he's just right!

It looks like it's a win for Sebastian this time.

"We have something similar in my realm," he answers with a hum. "Just human beings touched by a divine entity. It is believed that they are touched by Aestirah itself. Regular humans with impossible strength and speed."

"You interest me, Toji. I'd like to see your strength at its full potential one day."

[iinvertedheavens]

Toji gives a low whistle at the revealed cards.

"Not bad, not bad."

Toji listened to his company's example-- and well, everyone is supposedly touched by something when they're born. The heavens, gods, the universe, fate, whatever name people want to give it has been doing it since forever. It just seemed in the modern era, things just reached a point.

The cards are reshuffled.

"I wonder if it's as rare was it is where I'm from."

It skips generations, skips siblings. He can't remember when the last person who was born before him had been Heavenly Restriction. It's something to scrub from people's minds rather than something to record.

"But, it's your lucky day. My full strength is back. Just not all my speed."

His senses had returned as well. Something he didn't think he needed as much but it's coming in handy.

"Did you want to spar or something? Or are you thinking of something else?"

[hallowedpurple]

"Just curious about a shadow. Everyone told me to keep away from you during the meetings, you know. That I shouldn't bother you. Other than the one time I saw you, we never met again. Funny, right?"

Toji nearly finishes the bottle when Satoru's own drink and dessert come to the table. He plucks the fork up to stab at the cherry perched atop the cake, holding it there a moment before he sticks it into his mouth.

He's reminded of the mission where Toji had attacked him. A bounty on Riko's head - just over forty-eight hours, but enough time that Satoru had stretched himself thin to use the Six Eyes to keep them all safe. He hadn't slept at all outside of the barest of naps on the flight back, when Haibara and Nanami had been there to cover his blindspots.

There's a moment where he swipes his thumb against his cheek, lightly smearing a stain of the cherry before he stabs down for another bit of cake.

"You did your research, I'll give you that." He sighs, almost like he's disappointed. He turns his head a bit, resting his cheek against his knuckles. "That's one thing I really hate about Six Eyes being known. People can actually try and figure out ways around it. You're right about that last part, though - it's not the case anymore, all thanks to you!"

He huffs, watching Toji for a long moment.

"I started improving by leaps and bounds after we fought. The youngest special grade in history, until very recently. So, thanks for that, I guess."

[iinvertedheavens]

"Eh, don't mention it."

Back then, he took his title seriously. As seriously as someone could who didn't give it to themselves. He hadn't failed a single mission. Hadn't been unable to kill every last of his targets.

"If you were a part of the bounty, this conversation would be different."

All the necessary precautions would have been taken. He'd have loaded Shiu's van with a dead girl and a boy in two pieces. It wouldn't have been a better future than the one he didn't get to see. Megumi would've been treated like a king within the Zen'in. Provided he stayed in line.

The fork moved and stabbed into the meat a little harder than he really meant to. Thankfully nothing was broken or bent, just a sharp scraping sound that he completely ignored to another piece of steak.

"Why did you let me kill you?"

A sudden question after the last piece of quiet steak was chewed. It bought Gojo sometime when Toji flagged down their waiter for his second course. Those blue eyes still burned bright at the back of his mind. More intense than the curious gaze in front of him.

"You didn't even try to fight back."