snowburned | //83

...all right. I'll be there in a little while.

[He's seen the line she'd scribbled out, but knew she wouldn't want him talking about it over the journal. Once he was done taking his notes for work, he checked the mall directory to find Macy's, heading off in that direction. As he got closer, he was better able to pick up Kazahana's reiatsu, so he followed it through the store to where she'd set herself up.]

Yo.

[He shoved his hands into his pockets, trying not to look worried. Sounded like she'd gotten a bad memory, but he figured she'd talk if she felt like it.]

[Kazahana was scribbling the last of her exchange with Toushi when she heard and felt Kiba coming. That was good—they'd both be here. Even though Toushi had been the only one of them she'd actually seen in the memory, she knew instinctively that it was something Kiba should know about.]

Hey. Over here.

[She smiled and scooted over to make room on the display bed, which made quite a nice couch as long as you didn't want to lean back. For a moment, she hesitated, unsure whether to wait for Toushi. But she'd woken from the memory crying, and a few drops had landed on the journal page. She wouldn't be surprised if Kiba had noticed, and worried. She didn't want that.]

I, um...I remembered the execution.

[He settled on the bed--less than carefully and probably jostling her in the process. She didn't waste any time, telling him straight out what had happened, and he grimaced at hearing the knowledge she'd recovered. He used to think any knowledge about home was good to have, but fuck. Who'd want to remember that?

He leaned over, setting a large hand on her head and pulling her into his side. He didn't really know what to say in response to that.]

...shit. Sorry.

It's okay. Really. I...didn't die.

[It was okay somehow, for reasons she couldn't quite figure out. It had been an intense memory, and not a pleasant one, but not terrifying or as sorrowful as she would have expected. Whether that was because someone had come to save her or some other reason, she didn't know.

Leaning into his side, she mumbled against his jacket.]

Sorry about the Twister thing.

[He let his arm drop around her shoulders, his hand grasping her arm.]

Still. It ain't the kinda thing you want to relive. Even if you survived.

[He snorted at her apology; he still didn't know what the hell that was all about. Probably just her being weird again.]

S'all right. Weirdo.

Yeah. Toushi was there--he should be here in a minute, he needs to hear about it, too.

[She reached up to squeeze the hand on her arm. Honestly, Kazahana wasn't sure what that had been about either, but she was just glad Kiba wasn't mad at her about it.]

Shut up.

[But she chuckled anyway.]

[Toushi was really pleased with how easily he'd been able to pick up on Kazahana- and Kiba's reiatsu. The 'mall' was expansive, but he'd been able to pinpoint them with no trouble.

Upon catching Kazahana's scent, KC scrabbled get out of his arms and trotted over to her, leaving Toushi to bring up the rear as his nemesis scrambled into her lap.

He had to admit, he was a little embarrassed to be interrupting what looked like a bit of an... emotional moment between his friends, so he cleared his throat before raised his hand in greeting, a small grin on his face.]

Yo.

[Kiba was glad to see her mood lighten some, but had barely enough time to smile back when Toushi arrived. He grunted, pulling his arm back and scooting over a little as Kazahana's weird cat climbed onto her lap. He grunted, looking faintly uncomfortable as he nodded back at Toushi.]

Yo.

Hey you! It's so good to see you. What a good boy.

[She lifted KC up and snuggled him to her face. He let out a happy mew in response.]

And you too, Toushi.

[She straightened up, turning serious again after the brief moment of levity.]

I was just telling Kiba what I remembered--my...execution. Except I didn't die. Because you showed up.

[Toushi resisted the urge to eyeroll at the snuggling, shooting Kiba a look that indicated exactly what he thought of the PDA with the cat, but then she mentioned something that made his blood run cold.]

Execution? What the hell d'you mean, "your execution", don't say stuff like that like it's nothing! Who the fuck would want to execute you?!

[He was so overwhelmed by that little nugget of information that he completely overlooked the part where she said he had showed up.]

[Kiba snorted at the look; yeah, the cat was freaky, but he knew better than to say so where Kazahana could hear. But then Toushi went pale, demanding to know what she'd meant with her words.

Kiba still didn't like it, of course, but he'd had the information for a while now, so it wasn't the same shock Toushi felt--more of an ugly, crawling burn in his belly that flared at the thought.]

...I remembered it a while ago. I was fighting to get to her before it was too late. Guess you got there first.

[Kazahana winced. It had been so long since they'd figured that much out, she'd forgotten Toushi didn't know. It was just something she'd accepted.]

I didn't see everything, Kiba. You were probably right there and I just couldn't tell from my vantage point. I was floating, very high up. My brother was there. And Lin, for some reason. It...was almost peaceful, actually.

There was a fire bird—a phoenix. It was meant to kill me, but Toushi stopped it.

[She looked up, remembering suddenly.]

And I said your name.

[It would probably have been better to calm down and think rationally about this, but Toushi was still in a state of complete and utter shock that she had been moments away from her death, and she had been calling it peaceful. Toushi couldn't think of anything less peaceful than being faced with the prospect of a phoenix about to kill him.]

So, let me get this straight. You were about to be killed- by a fucking phoenix, and your brother was there, but I'm the one who saved you? What the hell is that all about? Didn't he try an' stop it! Shit, if it'd been my sister...

[He trailed off, not sure if he even had a sister or not. The Kagerou business was still up in the air- and only he and she knew about it. It didn't escape his notice that she had mentioned Lin either, and his eyes narrowed slightly, about to launch into a tirade about dragging the woman there to answer questions on the matter (he didn't like her much with all her threats to kill Bastet as it was without this added to her record), but then she mentioned knowing his name.]

I saved you. And you said my name.

[He moved over to the bed, taking the other side next to Kazahana that wasn't occupied by Kiba. He was visibly agitated, still reeling from the information that his best friend had been seconds away from death... and he had stopped it. He didn't really know what to think about that; it seemed enormous. Of course he would saved her, there was no way he would sit back and watch her die. But he could address these things once he knew what his name was, the curiosity was gnawing at him.]

What's my name, Kazahana?

Edited 2010-01-17 10:20 (UTC)

[Toushi wasn't taking this well. Not that she could really expect him to--she wouldn't either, if their positions were reversed. But it wasn't as if he could take out his agitation on the ones he thought deserved it, or get all the answers just because he wanted them. They would have done that already if they could.]

I can't explain it. That's just how it was.

[She glanced over at Kiba, wondering if he had any insight on how to calm Toushi down, since he'd been in something like the same position before. But before she could try, Toushi seemed to settle himself some, and sat beside her.]

Your name...it's Ichigo.

[He heard her start to say it, he saw her lips move to form the shape of a name, his name, but all he could hear the moment her lips shaped the first syllable, all he could hear was someone laughing.]

What? Sorry, I couldn't hear you, you'll have to say it again.

[He glanced around him, looking a little confused.]

Where's that laughter even coming from?

[Kiba remained silent, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. Even if he'd had any way to calm Toushi down, he didn't really want to--it was fucked up, and anybody with a goddamn soul should be mad about it. His face was stony at the thought.

But then she said his name--Kiba heard it just fine, and frowned over Kazahana's head at their friend.]

Nobody's laughing, man. What are you talking about?

[Kazahana just stared at Toushi. There was some background noise, but elsewhere in the store; nothing loud or close.]

I said it's Ichigo. I-chi-go.

The laughing! Someone's freaking laughing!

[Kazahana spoke again and the laughter came back again, just as loudly and obnoxiously as before.]

There it is again! Are you telling me you can't hear it?

[He looked from Kiba to Kazahana, hoping one of them had heard it this time.]

...I just hear you.

[He looked over at Kazahana, his face clearly showing his confusion as he scratched the back of his neck.]

You don't hear it either, right?

[Kazahana met his eyes, her worry showing in her own. She wasn't certain what hearing laughter instead of her words meant, but it didn't sound like a good thing.]

I don't hear anything.

[He's probably just not meant to hear it yet. Right? She hopes that's all it is.]

In some of the memories I've recovered, I haven't been able to hear names. They were sort of...blotted out. Maybe this is another version of that.

You mean it's in my head?

[That wasn't what he wanted to hear. Not by a long shot. He wasn't going to tell them that it wasn't the first time he'd heard it either. The last thing he wanted was for them to think he was nuts.]

Huh.

[He paused, as something occurred to him]

There's some words Bastet can't read, and she can't hear 'em when somebody says 'em. [He reached around Kazahana's back, giving Toushi a companionable punch on the shoulder, meant to reassure him.] Sounds like it might be the same thing.

That must be it.

[Did Kiba remember Ouyo? Had he been around for any of the...incidents? She stroked KC as she tried to recall, but the timeline had blurred as the months went by. She could ask him later, but that might make Ouyo real, not a phantom memory from the past who she could hope never stirred again.]

I'm sorry you can't hear it, Toushi. You have a right to know your own name. Between this and getting kicked out of our own homes, this isn't the best day, is it?

Yeah, but laughing?

[He shot Kiba a look of thanks for the punch, but the frown on his face remained in place.]

Try again, or write it or something, I can't just not be able to know it.

[This couldn't be it; he couldn't be getting this taken from him too, not when it was so close.]

[Kiba frowned as well, then shrugged, digging around in his bag for a pen and a scrap of regular paper.]

It's Ichigo.

[He scribbled it quickly, before holding the note paper out to Toushi. Maybe it would work when he did it.]

Better?

//83

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