neverplaysfair | Game 021 [Action] - Happy Six-Month Anniversary. Sucker.

I'll explain once we get back to my place, Phones.

[ He says it without taking his eyes off Josh, and he's still approaching, if slowly. Sanae can sense the change in that connection, and he's seen it enough times with enough Composers to know what this is. Dropping to his knees, and one drops to rest on Joshua's shoulder. ]

[That surprises him. Neku nods, not that Mr. H can see it, and just watches.]

[ Joshua finally manages to pull himself out of his mini-fit when he feels that hand on him, and then his expression isn't quite so much hostility as it is panic. He fliches back as he reaches for his cellphone and pulls it out. It wavers in his grip as he manages to flip it open and, hand shaking, starts hitting buttons. ]

[ Wha-- oh no you don't, Kiryu. Moving much too fast, Hanekoma knocks that phone right out of his hand, the other arm looping around his back and trying to pull Josh up against him. Definitely intending to restrain the guy, if this keeps up. ]

[...yeah he's definitely going to want an explanation later because what the hell.]

[ His phone is gone. His phone has been knocked away and he has no way to defend himself and Hanekoma is holding him against his body.

Joshua's entire body tenses for a second. Then again, and suddenly his gagging noises have a lot more substance to them. Hey Hanekoma, lucky you that Josh hasn't bothered eating for a few days, so all you get on your nice vest is the digestive fluids. ]

Edited 2010-04-18 07:38 (UTC)

[ ... oh that's lovely, Joshua. No, really. You know what you get for puking on him? Just. This. Face. And ellipses. Forever.

You should be pretty damn grateful that he's still holding you, instead of, you know, committing the murder you seem to be expecting. ]

[Well then. You probably have spare vests anyway, don't you, Mr. H?]

[ Yeah, well Hanekoma grabbed Josh when he was terrified. He totally deserves it.

Also, Josh is now shivering and not doing much else. ]

[ Okay so he does kind of deserve it. And the man's probably got a million vests back at the café. So after a minute he's just gonna start rubbing circles on Josh's back, the same was Neku was doing, and brush the guy's hair out of his face. In a tired voice: ]

Phones is here watching over you, Josh. Wouldn't hurt you in front of the kid, would I?

[...huh. He might be taking a few steps closer.]

[ The shivering doesn't stop, and Joshua tilts his head back a bit so he's facing up towards Hanekoma. When he speaks, his voice is low and hoarse. ] Sanae, get away from me.

Can't. Gotta fix you up, first.

[ He's attempting a soothing tone but it's tenser than before, between hurt and disgust and how he's just waiting for Joshua to Jesusbeam him. Still rubbing his back, though, and almost desperately searching for a way to fix this. He knows what it is, but the usual solution of drag him back to Shibuya isn't an option here. ]

[Man, when Joshua says that it's kinda... sad. Neku just shifts awkwardly, wondering if this was a good idea or not.]

[ Joshua is in no state to be using his own power. If he had been, he would have used it long ago.

There's almost a moment of hesitation, knowing that Neku's here, knowing what sort of impact this will have. But every muscle is shaking with an instinctual fear that he can't rid himself of, and he could swear he can feel Sanae's vibe and his power on his skin, and he's pretty sure that the taint on his Soul wasn't quite so large the last time he saw him, and is it growing even now? How many moments until that taint is too much, until Sanae's selfishness takes over again, until whatever this is claims Josh's body for just long enough that it's easy for Hanekoma to do something, something to Erase him and it would look like a simple accident to Neku, oh what a pity, dear old Mr. H. didn't make it in time.

And he gave Sanae warning, which in itself might have been more than he probably deserved. Joshua's body tenses for a moment, and then he forces his muscles into action, hoping that he can just get the gun pointed at Sanae before he's stopped, or before his finger twitches just a little too much.

The loud bang in his ears startles even Joshua himself. ]

[ He'd be able to settle Joshua's vibe, if that were all it were. But it's his connection to Shibuya that's in danger, it's an effect this alien world is having on him, and he's not sure just how to help. He can't dare to hold Joshua so close to him for much longer. It's only panicking the guy, he needs a solution now, and--

And he realizes what Joshua is doing an instant before he does it, but by then it's too late. Point-blank means he can't run, can't attack, can't teleport.

He doesn't hear the bang, too caught up in the impact.

It's something massive and jarring, enough to make the world flicker, and an instant later comes the hot harsh searing ripping tearing shooting pain. He's gasping, panting, clutching at the hole in his stomach and scrambling back away from Joshua. Fuck. It hurts the way he can't remember anything ever hurting, not for years, not since he died and even that is so faded that he can't be sure it was worse than this. ]

[The gunshot is loud and piercing even from Neku's point a few yards away. He can't hear himself gasp but he knows he must have, because his body is telling to exhale but he can't. He just shakes from shock, not able to believe what just happened. But then Mr. H scrambles back and Neku can't stop himself from darting forward to Mr. H's side. No no no no this isn't happening. Neku drops to his knees on the ground next to Mr. H, reaching for the man's shoulder.]

Mr. Hanekoma!

[ Joshua feels himself hit the ground and it's relief, sweet relief that he doesn't have Sanae so close to him any more. He's not even sure whether the shot connected until he looks to see that Hanekoma's reacting. Josh goes to lift the gun again, but he can feel the cold metal slip in his hand. It's heavy, much heavier than it was a moment ago. He looks for his phone to find it too far away, and he can barely lift his gun, much less himself to crawl over to it. His eyes slip shut and he drags his gun close to clutch it against his stomach, weakly vomiting again what little remains in his stomach. ]

Edited 2010-04-19 01:38 (UTC)

[ Hanekoma's still sitting, one hand clutching at that bullet wound and the other planted on the ground, propping him up. Joshua is throwing up again, he's bleeding -- bleeding a lot, it can't be good that he's bleeding this much, he's seen humans die this way and knows he's headed in that direction -- and Neku's touching him. Mr. H would really like for Neku to stop touching him; the world is pressing in on him enough as it is. There's a faint buzz of adrenaline in the back of his head and tips of his fingers, which at least helps the hurt to not be so sharp, and it slows the world down for him.

His vibe slips higher until there's a slight glow to his skin, faint enough that it might be imagined, and already the pain is easier to bear. Thinking is easier to do the further he is from human. ]

--Josh. I'm... I gotta fix Josh.

[ It's breathless, and he isn't even really keeping track of what he's saying. Too distracted by pain and adrenaline. ]

Him? What about you? You're...

[Bleeding. A lot. Neku knows it won't take long for someone to die from a wound like that, seeing as how that's the same way he died. The thought of Mr. H dying just makes him panic a little more. Plus Joshua still has the gun, what if he shoots again? Neku drops his hand from Mr. H's shoulder but stays right where he's at. Damn did he ever feel useless.]

[ Oh, don't mind Josh, he's just over here mostly passed out. Huh, the world is swirling in pretty colors. ]

Fine.

[ Finishing that sentence for you, Neku, but fine probably isn't the word you were thinking of. Still, Hanekoma's got no intention of dying from something as simple as a bullet to the stomach -- wouldn't have allowed Josh to even hit him, if it hadn't been point-blank. The hand clutching at that wound has taken up a visible shine, white-hot with energy, not unlike the Composer in his natural form. Mr. H is long past caring whether Neku sees him using psychs and powers.

Voice still less than steady: ]

...help me up.

[You really do not look fine, Mr. H. Though of course Neku will still help him up, he just pauses for a moment first at whatever that is that Mr. H is doing. No, no time for questions. Just helping Mr. H up now.]

[ Josh can sense that energy, but at this point, he's not even sure what to do about it. He can barely move, he can barely think, and he has no hope of aiming his gun again any time soon. ]

[ Just a healing psych, nothing unusual about that, right? Except maybe for the subtle shine to his skin and slight thrum of power about his hands, but with any luck, Neku won't notice or won't care. Still, it hurts. He wants to get out of here so he can let out his wings, his real wings, and heal himself fully and thoroughly without all the blood and pain and mess--

But Hanekoma's sticking to that maybe-irrational insistence to fix Josh. Just gonna put all his weight on Neku and make his way toward the guy, unsteady at first. That glowing hand drops from the wound, and the stain of blood on his vest doesn't seem to be spreading or darkening much further, now. Bleeding's nearly stopped. ...but he can feel his shirt clinging to the small of his back, hot and wet. Well. He'll get to that one next.

It's only a few steps and then he abandons Neku's support and drops to his knees in front of Joshua, and oh let's hope J is pretty out of it, 'cause Sanae is gonna try wrenching that gun out of his hands. ]

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