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[namuthing]

Make pretty later maybe? Probably not

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[sticksandbonesmods]

As Genya looks for something within the halls of Shadow Milk Cookie's library, something tugs at the back of his mind. The energy feels stranger than usual for a magical laboratory, which is really saying something, isn't it?

It tugs and regardless of if he's aware of it or not, he starts walking.

A whisper tickles his thoughts.

Genya...?

[namuthing]

[Genya had come here for a reason. Shadow Milk Cookie might not be a demon, but he was apparently a threat. It was his duty to investigate, right? Especially after everything Elder Faerie had said. Not that Genya has found anything particularly untoward. Beyond an obnoxiously glittery quill clutched between the fingers of his left hand, things had been... fine?

Until he heard the voice. It was familiar but not, like something he had forgotten. No wonder he had moved toward it, even as his own stomach turns over with nausea. Whose voices had slipped so easily from his mind? He didn't want to know, did he?

But his steps carry him onward all the same. He had a duty to carry out, no matter how tired he was, or how terribly this place had worn down his mind.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Genya are you there...? My sweet boy...

How fortuitous that he goes unnoticed. The call seems to be coming from the basement, enticing and cold. As he investiages the door to what is hopefully a cleaned up lab for the forbidden magic, the whispering grows louder. There's more. His siblings asking where he is, are they playing a game? Its dark and cold, where are you, Genya?

[namuthing]

Genya's heart rises in the same breath that it sinks. Had it really been so long that he'd forgotten the sound of his mother's voice? His siblings?

"Mom? Mom, I'm coming - " His throat tightens as he mumbles his siblings names, he lays his hands against the door, pressing inward as he steps into the lab.

Everything feels wrong, and he feel so powerless in the face of it. It's just like that night, like coming upon his mother's broken body and Sanemi's bloodied hands. Like then, he feels so weak, little more than a trembling child.

But he isn't. The feather in his palm practically quivers, a murmur to remind him of just what he's capable of.

His teeth rip at the fibers of the feather before he thinks about it, feels his body crack and shift as he swallows. Glittering blue dances at the corners of his eyes as he steps further and further in.

"I'm here, I'm here. 'm sorry I took so long."

[sticksandbonesmods]

It's dark and cold in the laboratory, but everything in his vision blurs save for one thing: a door. It shouldn't exist, shouldn't work- it feels more like a painting or a sculpture than an entrance to what should not be entered...

But it's there.

All the whispers grow so much louder.

I'm here, Genya. I'm here. Just open the door.

Entry trauma time 2 electric boogaloo

[infinitemist]

[ Spending time with Senjuro had helped some. It at least helped him rationalize what he saw. But of course understanding didn't make it sting less, it only made the pain easier to bury.

He had other issues to contend with, though. He'd gotten patched up after throwing himself at those brambles and aggrivating all of his injuries, but the healers would inevitably be pretty mad. So for now he's huddled in the inn's main room holding a bloodied cloth to his mouth and focusing on his breathing. ]

[namuthing]

[Genya's become a creature of habit since arriving. He runs a quick patrol in the morning, then goes to the rec center to work out, before coming back to clean up and fuck off for the rest of the day. He's on that return journey when he just happens to catch sight of Muichiro, and all of his plans go out of the window.]

H-hey, what the hell? What happened?

[He scrambles over to Muichiro, all while looking around for a threat.]

[infinitemist]

I found out firsthand that arriving here gives the resident forest creature license to mess with me.

[ He coughs softly, adjusting his breathing. internal bleeding is lovely to deal with.
He's... attempting to be blasé about his description, as though minimizing it would make it hurt less. ]

It decided to dangle my brother in front of me and made him say rude things and leave.

[namuthing]

Shit.

[So eloquent. Genya doesn't need much more than that. His first brush with the Forest had been pretty much the same. He pads on over, then gives Muichiro a once over.]

I can help you clean up. I mean. If you want. I have some bandages in my room, I mean.

[He's a little worried about that coughing, though.]

Unless you think the clinic is better?

[infinitemist]

Currently avoiding the verbal lashing I'm going to get for tearing my wounds back open.

[ C'mon Genya, surely you've been there. ]

The external wounds aren't really all that bad, but if you want to, I don't mind.

[ He has come to realize that being Genya's friend includes him fretting. It's sweet. ]

[!] upper three is rapidly approaching your location.

[bluebasketballed]

[well, it's... at least a full day after genya had his fun demon snack, and likely a few more at that. being as old as he is, akaza feels that time has sort of lost its meaning, and that isn't even taking into account the iris' endless night.

he's out and about pummeling bugs again, though this time it's for the purpose of locating genya or muichiro. whatever building he has to bust into to find one of the young slayers, so be it. and when he finally spots genya...]

Hey, you. [his brow is certainly creased, but he doesn't look mad, per se? weird.]

[namuthing]

[Genya is still squirreled away in the barn. He can't remember how long it had been since Muichiro had headed out to speak with the other slayers about what had happened. He almost hopes that they would forbid the other boy from returning. It would be precisely what he deserved.

The sound of noise rouses him from whatever light slumber he had fallen into. He stumbles to his feet, blanket wrapped around his shoulders and straw in his hair. He's used to this routine by now. No doubt, it was a woodcrawler who came knocking. It was time for Genya to move on.

Just as he bends to grab his gun, though, he finds himself glancing up and -

freezing at the sight of Akaza.

Shit.

If Muichiro had told Rengoku, then it only made sense that his pet demon would find out. And if he was so interested in pleasing his human, he'd certainly make a show of punishing Genya for his sins.

Maybe he should have been upset at the idea. Some part of Genya is just relieved, though. It's that part of him that has him sinking back onto the straw, in a loosely seated position.]

What do you want?

[bluebasketballed]

[the way genya reacts to him -- or rather, his lack of a reaction -- only affirms akaza's concerns. and as much as he doesn't harbor any true ill will for the kid, it's still a strange feeling to be increasingly worried about him.

having been a focused and purposeful hunter for so long, akaza can't quite get a casual gait to translate well; he tries to approach genya from the side, slowly, but it likely comes across as predatory nonetheless, akin to a slinking cat. still, he settles in a crouch a fair distance from the kid, just out of arm's reach for either of them.]

I was hoping to find that little Hashira with the attitude, but here you are. [... all things considered, genya can't be doing well. once again, akaza is reminded that he's never in all his years been good at this.] ... You still holding onto those beads? They're important to me.

[namuthing]

[Somehow, it's disappointing that Akaza settles down so far away from him. This isn't the execution he would have expected, that much is for certain.]

You mean M- [The name catches in his throat. He shakes his head.] He went back to the inn. To - to tell the Hashira what happened.

[Which means Akaza doesn't know. Genya can't tell if that's better or worse. Maybe he doesn't want to know.

Rather than saying anything else, he shoves his sleeve up, and then rolls the beads over his wrist and off in Akaza's direction. They've remained safely tucked away beneath Genya's clothing, and thankfully didn't sustain any damage in the scuffle. Equally relieving is the fact that there's no bloodstains on there. The same can't be said for the cuffs of his sleeves, which he quickly tries to hide away.]

[bluebasketballed]

He's back, then? That's good.

[that makes at least twice that the forest has made good on its word. akaza isn't putting a whole lot of faith in a tyrant that reminds him all too much of muzan, but it's good that genya doesn't have to live with permanently killing his friend.

even if it's old, and even if he hadn't caught sight of the sleeves, akaza can smell the dried blood on them. he doesn't directly mention them, though, as he slips his anklet back on.]

Thanks, for this. [he means that.

that out of the way, though... it feels wrong to just leave genya, but akaza isn't sure what exactly to say or do. he finds himself wishing he was more like his master; even when keizo was firm or even harsh, he came from a place of care. he knew what to say to make hakuji feel inspired or just so much as think about how he should act.]

... So what happened?

during camp. during bonfire one night :)

[averageineverything]

[senjuro... gets to the bonfire early one evening, and gets to work on something. this way, when genya finally starts to make his way over, sen is READY TO AMBUSH HIM. and by ambush him, i mean he just... hurries up to him like an excited puppy before they can be surrounded by prying eyes or ears.

... once he's actually in front of genya, though, his nerves get the better of him, and he glances away as he extends two s'mores. one is normal, and one is... not quite a s'more, actually? instead of graham, toasted marshmallow, and chocolate, the second is made with saltines, a roasted cheese disc, and pepperoni.]

I -- ah... made these... [for you, he doesn't quite choke out. he is already so red.]

[namuthing]

[Admittedly, Genya's been giving Senjuro a wide berth. He's embarrassed not just by the confrontation with Muichiro, but their conversation before that. Pair that with the presence of his brother, who is at least somewhat aware of Genya's interests and - ]

Oh -

[Avoidance can only go so far when Senjuro's bounding on over. The tips of Genya's ears start to burn, and he stiffens up instinctively. That doesn't keep him from reaching out to accept the... sandwiches? He looks at the cheese disc with pepperoni and - ]

It looks like you.

[Wow way to go.]

gagtag/not here

[chonomai]

makes a chain

[souninind]

Gagtag

[purifyingwind]

Gagtag

[infinitemist]

[ He's making a soft wheezing sound trying not to laugh. Don't mind him smiling at the fire. ]

now in order :}

[averageineverything]

[... oh. that gets senjuro to look directly at genya, if in confusion and disbelief at first. then at the sandwich. his mouth opens, then closes, opens again...

... and he laughs. almost too loud, the rengoku genes really coming out for a few seconds. unlike kyojuro, though, he catches himself, and slaps a hand over his mouth. it barely hides the smile.]

I see what you mean, actually...!

[namuthing]

[Is the laugh loud? Maybe? Is Genya absolutely fucking endeared by it? Hell yes. The flush on his cheeks deepens, but so does his smile. He lets out his own bark of Shinazugawa-brand laughter in kind.]

It-it looks good. [Genya lifts it up and takes a honkin' bite out of the pizza one. He all but grins around it as he chews and, once his mouth is clear:] Tastes good too.

[Is he aware of all of the adults now wincing visibly in his direction? Nope. For the best really, he would have died otherwise.]

T-thanks. Just. By the way.

Forward-dated to early May!

[flowerbreathing]

[ Hi, Genya. At the doorstep to his inn room, Genya will find two equally sized amethysts. They are rather small, and imperfect in shape, but their color will be incredibly close to the color of his eyes! They are bundled up with a pink ribbon.

A faintly sweet, floral scent will accompany them. Don't ask how she found your room. ]

[namuthing]

[... What the fuck.

She's so sweet?

HOW THE FUCK IS HE GOING TO PAY HER BACK.]