;; INCOMPLETE.

' Pick up the pieces and keep going ;; your war isn't over yet. ' Independent roleplay blog for Hyakkimaru from the 2019 remake of Dororo. Written and loved by Tina. Blog created: April 30th, 2019. Please read rules before interacting. Thank you!

[xyakkimaru-blog]

unlovedoji‌:

     Hasn’t eaten all day? He felt a tinge of worry wash over him, like any brother would. ❝ That must change. How about we go fishing then? I think it would be something nice for you to learn. ❞ A light tap on his shoulder before he heads forward to lead the way for them both. Tahomaru followed the narrow path up ahead, sandals almost glued to the grainy ground beneath.

   Squinting, he focused on a river bank that would be perfect. When arriving, Tahomaru removed his footwear and started to prepare to get in the water. ❝ We can catch fish without any fishing rods. You can use your swords or a sharp stick I suppose. ❞ Rolling up his pants and his sleeves, he prepared his sword as he stepped into the water. ❝ A-ah.. it’s cold… real cold… ❞

A deep breath before proceeding further and doing his best to scan for the fish below him. ❝ Let’s play a game shall we? Whoever gets the most fish wins. Deal? ❞ A small smirk tucked within his features and he was determined to win.

          a  tap.  it’s  faint,  almost  calculated,  and  hyakkimaru  slowly  turns  to  face  his  brother,  as  the  male  begins  to  lead  him  away.  fishing...  he’d  never  done  that  before---  not  conventionally,  anyway.  talk  of  it  had  caught  his  ear,  in  passing  before.  villagers  discussing  meals,  or  a  favored  pastime.

       he’d  only  done  it  for  survival,  hyakkimaru.  waded  through  the  waters  and  turned  the  water  bound  souls  dark  and  empty.  that  was  his  definition  of  ‘  fishing,  ‘  but  perhaps  his  brother,  who  was  more  familiar  with  the  concept  of  ‘  normalcy,  ‘  could  teach  him  the  proper  technique.

        light  footsteps  follow,  empty  gaze  focused  on  the  soul  afront  him.  the  gentle  sounds  of  a  creek  drew  the  swordsman’s  attention  away,  and  in  watching  tahomaru  slowly  disturb  the  steady  flow,  hyakkimaru  followed  suit.  the  water  was  uncomfortably  frigid  against  his  single  real  leg,  soaking  the  dressings  around  it  and  sending  a  foreign  CHILL  up  his  newly  acquired  spine.  so  focused  on  the  way  the  water  seeps  into  the  lining  of  his  tattered  robe,  he  almost  misses  his  brother’s  second,  albeit  equally  as  shocking  proposal.

           a  g  a  m  e  ?

                             “  wins...  what?  “  interest  flickers,  ever  so  briefly,  upon  his  normally  stoic  expression,  that  same  tinge  of  intrigue  leading  him  further  into  the  water.  perhaps  his  unique  line  of  sight  would  serve  as  an  advantage--------  he  couldn’t  see  the  water,  but  could  see  the  cloudy  specks  of  purity  that  swam  within  it.  a  blade  emerges  from  the  prosthetic  arm  he  pulls  off,  and  immediately  drives  itself  within  the  belly  of  a  fish.  “  i  got  one.  “

                      he  holds  it  up.  proud.

[kashimasyuu]

✿ ❀ 𝒽𝓎𝒶𝓀𝓀𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓊 ❀ ✿

[xyakkimaru-blog]

@unlovedoji over here fuckin’ me up. T D T MY HEART. 

[xyakkimaru-blog]

*slides his brother a tiny box* "Inside, it's chocolate. Rare to find these days. Enjoy."

         p o i s o n e d ?

                  skepticism  is  what  he  offers  in  return,  the  level  of  which  teetering  back  and  forth  between  intense  and  minuscule  as  he  trails  a  hand  over  the  block-shaped  object.  it  smelled…  good,  from  the  faint  scent  he  could  detect.  sweet ?  similar  to  something  he’d  partaken  in  before,  with  dororo…  ‘  sugar,  ‘  as  he  recalled.  his  tongue  flickers  out  from  betwixt  his  lips,  hesitantly  gliding  against  the  small  sample—  and  eyes,  upon  first  taste,  would  widen.

                              a  tad  strong,  at  first,  given  his  limited  diet.  considering  his  usual  meals,  consisting  of  fish,  rice,  and  berries,  this  ‘  chocolate  ‘  was  a  very  different,  albeit  pleasing  experience.  “  cho-co-late… ?  “  he  repeats,  taking  a  small  bite,  this  time,  and  allowing  the  piece  to  melt  in  his  mouth.  lips  part,  as  if  CONFLICTED  by  the  overwhelming  taste,  and  slowly  begin  to  open  and  close  rhythmically,  saliva  working  the  confection  until  it’s  completely  gone.  “  …  good.  “  better  than  good,  in  all  actuality  –  it  was  delectable.  ah,  but  his  brother  had  mentioned  that  this  ‘  chocolate  ‘  was,  apparently,  rare.

        hyakkimaru  breaks  off  a  piece.                 holds  it  out  to  the  other.

                       “  here.  enjoy  too.  “

unprompted but always welcomed ask ;; @unlovedoji

[xyakkimaru-blog]

unlovedoji‌:

      ❝ Hmmm.. I see. ❞ There wasn’t much he could do to change his mind, not that he wanted to anyway. Still, he knew the trouble that could be caused by letting Hyakkimaru free. For now he would kill demons… but there was a chance he could kill more humans without knowing. This was a hard concept to follow. Though he didn’t agree with his father’s orders, Tahomaru still wondered if his brother was capable of living a life of his own.

  He shook his head at himself, wondering why he was caring for someone who seemed to have no concern for him. ❝ Well I won’t stop you.. but that may change. So you must be careful. ❞ His father’s words were haunting him, not long before he could be punished for being an unfit son to him and letting who he called a demon run free.

Tahomaru questioned himself and his worth at this very moment. Should he try to bond with his brother to see if there was more to what meets the eye? Or part with him and let them meet next time on the battlefield? Either way, he knew eventually the two would be facing blade to blade at one point.

       ❝ Tell me. Are you hungry? We can go finishing.. or hunting. ❞

         his  brother  was  full  of  surprises,  it  seemed.  it  almost  felt  as  if  the  other  was  CONCERNED  for  his  well-being, and  their  father’s  pursuit  of  him.  tahomaru  could  easily  raise  a  blade  to  him  --  had  done  it  BEFORE,  so  why  not  now?  extending  an  invitation  to  join  him  for  a  leisurely  activity,  and  not  a  battle  to  the  death?  s  t  r  a  n  g  e.

     a  trap.           it  had  to  be  a  trap.

       “  don’t  know.  “  hunger  was  not  something  he  was  able  to  identify  so  easily.  dororo  often  ensured  he  was  getting  the  necessary  intake  of  sustenance  and  nutrition,  given  his  inability  to  determine  when  he  needed  it,  opting  to  simply  eat  at  the  same  time  everyday  to  keep  himself  from  ultimately  expiring.  still,  unseeing  vermilion  flickered  over  to  his  brother’s  outline,  silence  befalling  them  as  hyakkimaru  considered  the  other’s  proposal.

    it  had  to  be  a  trap...          ...  but,  it  could  also  be  an  opportunity  to  gain  an  ally.  an  IMPORTANT  one.

                            “  haven’t  eaten  all  day.  probably  hungry.  maybe...  “  his  way  of  saying  yes.  of  accepting.  of  expressing  interest  without  overtly  revealing  that  he  was,  in  a  way,  interested  in  getting  to  know  his  birth  brother.

[myjhersey17]

I clearly realized just now… that I am Jukai

[xyakkimaru-blog]

He noticed that hand though, before it could draw away. Reaching out with his own, Link took hold of it and, gently, drew it back. Fingers gently slid across the prosthetic fingers, his motions similar to the soothing ones that he often slid through the other boy's hair. Silently, they said that it was okay - that he didn't need to pull away and be ALONE. They were here, together, and the other swordsman need not withdraw into himself.

                             a  hand  seeking  out  his  own  startled  him,  yet  as  fingers  threaded  betwixt  his,  he  was  quick  to  calm.  even  beyond  the  soothing  sensation  of  his  hand  being  held  --  secure,  a  gesture  of  reassurance  and  a  promise  of  protection  --  maru  couldn’t  remember  a  time  when  he’d  been  so  delicately,  and  genuinely,  cared  for.  granted,  the  sheikah  had  raised  him  as  one  of  their  own,  welcoming  him  into  their  secluded  community  as  if  he’d  naturally  been  birthed  into  it,  but  the  boy  was  smart  enough  to  know  it  was  partially  out  of  pity,  and  a  sense  of  necessity.  he  was  an  asset,  after  all...  trained  and  conditioned  to  add  to  their  offensive  numbers,  not  to  their  family.  his  mother  figure  would  argue  otherwise,  but  the  word  of  the  community  held  prominence  over  the  word  of  one  affectionate  woman. 

      the  hero  was...  different.  even  with  maru’s  various  handicaps,  he  was  treated  as  more  of  a  comrade  than  a  nuisance.  a  person,  more  than  a  tool  to  aid  him.  the  weight  of  the  world  rested  entirely  on  the  other’s  shoulders,  and  maru  had  to  wonder  just  how  many  sleepless  nights  plagued  his  companion,  too.  perhaps,  then,  his  need  for  mutual  contact  had  come  with  the  desire  to  chase  away  the  other’s  woes, too,  as  the  young  swordsman  had  on  so  many  occasions  for  him.  even  now,  with  his  hand  cradled  carefully  within  the  other’s  warm  palm,  maru  felt  his  eyelids  growing  heavy  with  the  genuine  need  to  sleep.  befitting,  then,  that  he  would  shift  closer,  tugging  the  blanket  along  with  him,  until  he  was  close  enough  to  press  his  forehead  against  his  companion’s.  

         times  like  this,  he  wished  he  could  see...  TRULY  see,  beyond  that  of  a  soul’s  purity,  or  lack  thereof.  the  other’s  eyes  were  probably  as  beautiful  as  flowers...  but,  in  due  time,  that,  too,  would  come.  for  now,  he  was  content  with  simply  curling  up  near  the  other  boy,  his  hand  never  parting  from  the  other’s  for  even  the  briefest  of  seconds.  when  certain  the  blanket  was  properly  draped  overtop  him  still,  with  a  bit  of  it  now  situated  atop  the  hero’s  body  for  an  extra  offering  of  warmth,  maru  brought  their  joined  hands  to  his  cheek  and  allowed  the  faintest  hint  of  a  smile  to  etch  itself  upon  his  face,  and  mouthed  the  words:

                ‘  i’m  here,  too.  with  you.  ‘

unprompted but always welcomed ask ;; @ironbloodcd

[xyakkimaru-blog]

unlovedoji‌:

     Bumping shoulders earned him a small huff as it almost seemed he was competing on who would be ahead of the other. does not matter he says. Was he so sure he understood the circumstances? Maybe for his father yes, it was clear that ill intentions laid within his heart from the start. His mother though.. she seemed to want to showcase her love, but what was stopping her? Even still, their mother only seemed interested in reunited with Hyakkimaru.. and Tahomaru still remained bitter. 

  ❝ I think not. Little brother. ❞ He said, speaking with a dull tone. ❝ Father indeed wants you gone. You should be careful of him. He won’t stop till he has control over everything.. especially the war. As for mother..  ❞ A sigh.. for what Hyakkimaru didn’t know was the years he watched their mother suffer. She was always kind, never talked down to anyone, and always prayed for her lost child to come home. He knew now that his mother was forced into abandoning her own flesh and blood, but that wouldn’t excuse the neglect he received all these years. 

     ❝ So what’s your plan then? If you don’t want to kill me want do you want? Every time I see your face I just remember even more how much I am a burden to my family.. while you were never forgotten.. even if I was right before their eyes.. ❞

          two  thirds  of  the  family  couldn’t  care  less  about  his  existence  or  well-being,  and  the  remaining  third  was  too  POWERLESS  to  sway  the  opposing  side.  what  benefit  came  from  returning  to  his  mother,  who  yearned  for  the  forgiveness  and  presence  of  a  child  snatched  from  her,  straight  out  of  the  womb,  only  for  that  child  to  be  hunted  and  slaughtered  by  her  own  husband  and  his  army?  his  father,  in  restoring  his  land  to  prosperity,  had  damned  his  own  family  --  a  TRUE  monster,  among  men.

       tahomaru’s  words  bring  pause  to  the  swordsman’s  steps,  unseeing  eyes  peering  over  his  shoulder  at  the  other’s  soul.  what  WAS  his  plan?  once  his  body  had  been  fully  recovered,  what  type  of  path  would  pave  itself  before  him?  there  was  dororo  to  consider  amongst  all  this,  too...

          ...  ah,  but  either  way,  it  was  no  business  of  tahomaru’s.  the  equivalent  of  one  of  their  father’s  minions,  he  would  sooner  turn  the  cursed  boy  in,  than  assist  him.

                           “  not  my  concern.  “  ---  and,  in  return,  his  business  was  none  of  tahomaru’s  concern,  either.  lips,  so  sharply  cast  downwards,  exhibited  his  discontent  with  his  birth  brother’s  prodding,  a  silent  THREAT  lingering  behind  the  borderline  sneer.  “  i  want  to  kill  demons.  get  my  body  back.  nothing  else.  “

[sakuhai]

[xyakkimaru-blog]

unlovedoji‌:

     The way he presented himself, spoke so calmly and turned away from him.. ❝ Even you will neglect me yes? ❞ Tahomaru muttered to himself whilst walking over to his side, but soon crossing him so he was more ahead. Emotions were twisted in knots with recent events unfolding. His father was at home with rage and disappointment. His mother.. in pain from finding her lost son once more, leading Tahomaru’s heart to sink further into despair.

  When he looked over at Hyakkimaru once again, he could not offer a smile or a cruel expression, a simple stare was all he could give. ❝ So what now? You really wish to kill me? I will not allow that so easily. ❞ Crossing arms and allowing them to touch one another within sleeves, eyes closed to center his thoughts.

  ❝ Why are you out here alone? Where is your precious Dororo?  Better yet why don’t you go back to mother. She rather have you at her side anyways.. ❞

        one  needn’t  SIGHT  to  detect  the  bitterness  that  all  but  wafted  off  of  tahomaru  in  waves.  the  tone  of  his  voice  --  his  choice  of  words...  of  course,  their  parents  had  caused  him  great  grief  as  well.  their  father’s  obsession  with  power,  and  their  mother’s  lack  OF  it...  in  a  way,  tahomaru  had  been  abandoned  and  neglected,  too.

        why  side  with  them,  then?  why  kiss  the  ground  that  man  walks  on,  when  no  praise  or  adoration  would  come  of  it?  a  futile,  somewhat  saddening  endeavor,  but  one  that  didn’t  involve  hyakkimaru.  tahomaru  was  weak  willed  and  weak  minded,  and  the  path  he  trekked  down  now  would  only  bring  more  misfortune.  where  hyakkimaru’s  concerns  lay,  his  relationship  with  his  family,  or  lack  thereof,  was  no  more  than  an  afterthought.  chasing  his  mother’s  love  may  very  well  end  in  himself,  or  dororo,  getting  killed.

                              “  does  not  matter.  “  his  shoulder  bumps  against  his  younger  brother’s,  as  he  continues  to  journey  past  him,  emphasizing  his  UNWILLINGNESS  to  pay  him  any  mind.  bitterness  misdirected  and  mind  misguided...  a  problem  the  blind  swordsman  had  no  interest  in  remedying.  “  not  me  she  wants,  but  forgiveness.  better  off  dead,  to  them.  “

[xyakkimaru-blog]

Gently does Link tuck a blanket around the other boy's shoulders, hoping to ward off the chill that comes with the sun setting. Then, he coaxes the other swordsman to lay down, hoping that his friend understands the wordless message: it's time to sleep. They would have a lot of traveling to do again tomorrow, and it wouldn't do if the other swordsman wasn't well rested...

                          soft…  warm.  not  a  threat.

         fingers  absently  begin  to  toy  with  the  material  of  the  blanket  as  it  fell  against  his  shoulders,  committing  the  sensation  to  memory  with  an  inquisitive  tilt  of  his  head.  the  frigid  air  that  had  begun  to  prick  at  his  skin  signaled  night  was  upon  them…  a  time  normally  spent  sleeping,  if  the  mind  allowed  it.  his  own  hadn’t,  in  quite  some  time,  overwhelmed  by  everything  that  had  transpired  in  what  FELT  like  only  a  short  amount  of  time.  even  as  his  companion  seemed  to  urge  him  to  rest,  maru  knew  it  would  not  come.

        not  tonight,  nor  tomorrow.  the  next  day,  nor  the  next  week.

                a  restless  mind  may  as  well  have  been  as  unfortunate  a  curse  as  the  one  he’d  been  born  with.  there’s  little  benefit  in  fighting  it,  and  as  his  head  comes  to  meet  with  the  cushion,  he  reaches  a  hand  towards  his  friend…  hovers…  then  retracts  it,  and  conceals  it  within  the  blanket.  

          no  use  in  disturbing  him  with  your  own,  closeted  demons  ;;  let  him  sleep.

unprompted ask ;; @ironbloodcd

[xyakkimaru-blog]

"Please, you must be careful. I do not want you to get hurt."

                             what  she  WANTED  didn’t  matter  so  much  as  what  NEEDED  to  be  done.  outright  storming  the  castle  gates  was  a  bold  move  on  the  enemy’s  part,  and  with  only  the  briefest  of  seconds  granted  to  prepare  for  the  ambush,  maru  was  hardly  in  a  place  to  take  SUGGESTIONS.  with  impa  quickly  ushering  the  princess  away  from  the  path  of  direct  fire,  guards  doing  what  they  could  to  hold  back  the  seemingly  ENDLESS  army  of  adversaries,  the  silent  swordsman  cast  one  last,  steeled  gaze  the  princess’  way,  before  leaping  in  to  join  the  chaos.

        if  HE  perished,  it  was  one  more  honorable  mention  on  a  list  of  many.  if  SHE  fell  to  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  however,  hyrule  may  very  well  crumble  at  its  foundation.  the  importance  of  keeping  her  safe  and  secure  had  been  drilled  into  his  very  core  since  impa  had  welcomed  him  into  her  circle,  and  maru  fully  intended  on  fulfilling  this  duty.

                   …  even  if  it  may  cost  him  his  life.

requested ask ;; @sagexftime

[xyakkimaru-blog]

Tahomaru plz

[teyhu-deactivated20210604]

Is the first time I make decent fan art of my boy ✨

[xyakkimaru-blog]

@unlovedoji ;; STARTER -

       f a m i l y . . .

            a  term  the  swordsman  had  come  to  loosely  toy  with  the  idea  of.  the  way  dororo  spoke  of  his  own  family  --  the  one  he  had  lost  to  the  cruel,  petty  tides  of  war  --  it  was  supposed  to  be  something  of  a  gift.  a  group  of  people  bearing  mutual  love  for  one  another.  support.  happiness.  perhaps  these  emotions  were  not  wholly  understood  by  hyakkimaru,  who  had  only  recently  gained  many  PHYSICAL  human  traits  and  abilities,  but  he  could  openly  acknowledge  that  the  way  he  felt  around  dororo,  biwamaru,  and  mio,  before  her  tragic  slaughter,  contrasted  too  heavily  with  the  way  he  felt  around  his  apparent  birth  family.

       somewhat,  in  part,  in  regards  to  tahomaru  as  well.  an  ENEMY,  more  than  a  brother  --  an  OPPONENT  more  than  an  alliance.  openly  speaking  of  the  pain  and  suffering  the  cursed  boy  had  endured,  yet  still  siding  with  the  very  man  who  had  caused  it...    no,  tahomaru  was  no  ‘  brother  ‘  of  his.  the  younger  had  made  that  blatantly  clear  when  he’d  ATTACKED  him  on  the  battlefield,  thus  shattering  whatever  hopes  hyakkimaru  had  had  of  their  unwarranted  vendetta  against  him  being  addressed  without  cause  for  violence.

       now,  though,  as  tahomaru  stood  before  him,  no  BLADES  drawn,  yet,  but  the  tension  thick  and  suffocating,  hyakkimaru  made  no  move  to  feed  their  festering  hatred  towards  him.  with  a  short  ‘  tch,  ‘  he  turned  on  his  heel  to  head  in  the  opposite  direction,  dismissing  tahomaru  and  his  existence.

       he  wasn’t  a  demon,  after  all,  controversial  though  his  actions  up  to  this  point  may  have  been,  to  that  claim.  pointlessly  slaying  him  would  not  aid  hyakkimaru  in  the  least.  if  PROVOKED,  however...

                             “  don’t  follow.  i’ll  kill  you.  “

[xyakkimaru-blog]

@ironbloodcd​ ;; STARTER -

        a  frantic  splotch  of  white  amongst  a  sea  of  red.  guardians,  who  had  once  been  still,  DORMANT,  had  awakened  to  their  presence,  training  their  destructive  lasers  on  the  duo  just  as  quickly  as  they’d  reanimated.  with  one  SWIFT  maneuver,  maru  had  forced  himself  to  part  from  his  companion’s  side,  WATCHING  out  of  the  corner  of  his  filtered  gaze  as  the  other’s  soul  took  the  same  action.  remaining  close  amidst  a  barrage  of  enemies,  let  alone  guardians,  was  grounds  for  death--------  if  the  laser  didn’t  hit  them  head  on,  then  the  force  from  the  explosion  would  surely  contribute  to  their  untimely  end.

       maru  was  NOT  their  primary  target,  however.  he  may  as  well  have  been  an  insignificant  bug  buzzing  about  their  mechanical  exteriors,  serving  as  naught  more  than  a  bothersome  nuisance  who  was  obstructing  them  from  achieving  their  goal:  disposing  of  the  hero  of  hyrule.  many  had  fallen  to  the  sheikah’s  impressive  showcasings  of  swordsmanship  (  and  he  had  a  number  of  his  limbs  and  senses  back,  as  a  RESULT  of  this  ),  but  ultimately,  it  was  not  maru  who  was  destined  to  fell  the  beast  that  threatened  to  swallow  hyrule  whole  in  a  cloud  of  darkness.

          ---  and  the  one  who  was  was  the  one  the  guardians  quickly  pursued,  while  a  small  few  stayed  behind  as  DISTRACTIONS.  

              by  the  time  this  cursed  boy  finished  them  off,  the  hero  would  be  no  more.

[xyakkimaru-blog]

ironbloodcd‌:

     There’s some relief to be felt when the boy, at last, seemed to accept Link’s attempts at comforting him - they weren’t out of the woods yet, however. The danger wouldn’t be over until the hero had treated his friends wounds and keep him from bleeding out. Still, the Hylian knew that he would need to be patient, as he’d come to learn was common with the other boy.

     So Link kept stroking fingers through his hair, soothing his companion as best he could. Blue eyes never left the spot where he knew the wound lay, hidden from view but very much there all the same. It was the movement of the other boy’s free hand, the way he gestured to the injury, that had Link shifting closer and reaching out, once more, to try and pull the other’s clothing aside. He did so carefully, gently, and Link’s other hand only left strands of black hair so that it might join the other in tending to the wound.

     Bandages soon found their way around the other boy’s torso, wrapping with as much care as he could muster. Occasionally, Link would pause to stroke his friends head again, to make it clear that he was only here to help, even if the brunet’s wound was hurting him so fiercely. It was a gesture that he would repeat as many times as necessary, until his friend’s injury was properly dressed, and the hero finally allowed himself to be at ease.

     And when nothing more could be done, Link simply drew the Sheikah close, hoping that the gentle contact would help to distract the other boy from whatever discomfort remained.

         with  nothing  to  gaze  at,  save  for  the  gentle  waver  of  the  other’s  soul,  maru  lay  there  in  silence,  allowing  the  sensation  of  careful  hands  through  his  hair  to  lull  him  into  a  state  of  comfort.  a  WELCOME  distraction,  once  the  mending  process  began,  and  the  swordsman  tried  his  best  not  to  move  too  much.  with  each  tinge  of  paranoia  that  reared  its  ugly  head,  at  the  hero’s  helpful,  albeit  attentive  attention  to  his  wounds,  the  constant  return  of  mindful  fingers  to  his  hair  kept  him  from  instinctively  lashing  out.

    he  was  here  to  help.           he  was  here  to  help...              it  h  u  r  t...  but  he  was  here  to  h  e  l  p. . .

                             the  pain  eventually,  and  fortunately,  subsided  into  a  dull  throb,  which  allowed  the  injured  boy  to  gradually  release  the  tension  from  his  exhausted  form.  it  returned,  BRIEFLY,  however,  as  his  companion  carefully  cradled  him  in  his  arms.  for  the  first  few  moments  of  close  contact,  he  simply  remains  there---  limp,  like  a  statue,  his  hair  in  a  garbled  mess  of  lengthy  ebony.  eventually,  however,  with  the  most  careful  and  hesitant  of  movements,  maru  slowly  snakes  his  arms  clumsily  ‘round  his  friend’s  body,  and  leans  into  him  with  the  faintest  huff  of  a  sigh.  the  steady  thrum  of  a  heartbeat  against  his  cheek  was  as  effective  as  the  fingers  that  had  been  raking  through  his  hair  throughout  the  entire  ordeal,  and  seeking  further  comfort,  maru  cannot  help  but  to  press  his  cheek  further  into  the  source  of  warmth  and  security.

               “  .  .  .  .  .  “