pokebox | LOCKED TO blazingspirit

LOCKED TO blazingspirit

[He doesn't remember much about his execution.

Oh sure, he remembers the lead-up to it; he remembers how the others looked on as he was led away and sure, he remembers Ishimaru's screams. He doesn't remember the death cage nor does he remember the sudden pain before it was all over.

It made waking up here incredibly confusing.

"Here" must be some sort of afterlife, but Mondo hasn't been able to figure out what it is, exactly. It's obviously not heaven (he's killed two people, he doesn't belong in heaven), but it doesn't seem to be hell either. Things are monotonous, yes, but they're not bad.

That leaves the option of purgatory, which Mondo is more or less fine with. It's better than spending an eternity suffering. It's probably not right for him to stay here instead of moving on to hell, but he doesn't know how or when that will happen. He's content to leave it at that for the time being.

This place is a rather large city - half of it is full of native English speakers, whom Mondo tends to avoid (his English is atrocious, after all), the other half is full of Japanese speakers. The city itself doesn't seem to be anywhere Mondo has ever seen, but it's large and spread out, with plenty to explore and do. Mondo hasn't seen everything there is to see though; he's only been here for a few weeks, and he knew if he wanted to make ends meet, he'd need a job first. Exploring could wait.

It's convenient that there's a carpenter's shop just down the road from the apartment Mondo woke up in. It might not technically be his, but he's been staying there until he can afford to properly rent it out. No one has complained so far, so he figures it's fine for the time being. The carpenter works him to the bone and he's never been so exhausted in his life when he comes home, but it's a good kind of exhaustion that means he's doing something productive. He can't make up for what he's done in the past, but he can help out here.

He's off work for the day, lounging around in what serves as the living room of his apartment, flipping through the newspaper. The dates here are all screwed up - it's almost winter here and he knows he'll have to put some money away toward buying proper winter clothes. That's only a minor concern though, because he has much bigger things to worry about.

In a city this large, it's possible that he's just missed seeing the others. He hasn't been looking very hard, admittedly. He's not sure what to say to them when he does see them. "Sorry" simply won't cut it for Fujisaki. He doesn't really want to see Kuwata, Enoshima, or Maizono either. He's sure it's only a matter of time before one of them finds him, or before someone else shows up here.

All he can do is hope that it won't be Ishimaru.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...]

Yeah. I don't wanna lose you like that again. I was... kinda concerned you weren't gonna come back.

[...]

Alright, I was really concerned you weren't gonna come back.

[He twitches sharply at that, though he doesn't seem angry; he pulls away from the cuddling, though he closes his eyes almost immediately, finding himself unable to maintain eye contact.

He's still not focused on Mondo's face when he looks at him again, not really, but at least he's making an effort.]

Look, I shouldn't have just...

[...]

I-I'll try not to...

[...mnnngh.]

Look, I'm sorry, okay? I was just...really fuckin' angry and I didn't know what to do about it!!

[It sort of hurts when Ishida pulls away from that cuddling, though Mondo isn't sure why. He allows it though, once again resting his hands on his knees and listening to Ishida try to find words.]

H-Hey, it's okay! I don't want you to leave again, but I understand if you need some alone time, y'know? If it happens again could you just... fuck, I dunno, let me know you'll be back? I'm not asking you to always stay here 'cause you might need your space!

...Y-Yeah. Yeah, I guess so.

[He falls quiet for a moment after that, looking away and glaring at nothing in particular.]

I was pretty sure I fucked up with you, okay? That's why I didn't come back.

What? Really?

[That's new. Mondo tips his head a bit before realizing what he's doing and correcting the behavior.]

No fight's ever gonna get between us. We'll always be friends, no matter what! You sure as hell didn't fuck up then, and you aren't gonna fuck up in the future. So... don't ever get that idea again, okay? If something really bad happens, we can always work through it together!

...Good! Good, I'm glad, okay?!

[He just kind of twitches again at that, though; just...give him a moment.]

I just really don't wanna fuck things up with you, okay? I spent a lot of time fucking things up with people in the school - I don't regret it any, not after what those bastards did, but the point is that I'm...really good at pissing people off and I don't...

[He shakes his head, as though to clear it.]

I just don't like fighting with you, okay?!

Well, sure, I don't like fighting with you either! But you don't have to worry about that! No matter what happens, I'll be here for you. I promise. I'm not gonna leave you over an argument or anything. You're my best friend.

[He can't exactly call Ishida his brother anymore without it getting weird and incesty, but if he could, he certainly would.]

You're never gonna piss me off to the point of leaving. So don't worry about that, alright?

I'll try not to, then!

[He's still hesitant, though; after a moment, he keeps going.]

...I got...killed. By the last person I fought with. Back home.

[He's avoided discussing what happened in Hope's Peak with Mondo since he arrived; it's never been anything he's wanted to talk about. He's managed to get the point across that pancakes and butter in general aren't okay, and it's obvious that he died somehow, but that's all he's felt Mondo really needed to know; he's still not sure if this is going to go anywhere, but at least it's something.]

I know you wouldn't do that to me, but it's not really something I've forgotten about.

...Shit.

[Of course that would upset him, why hadn't he thought of that? He didn't know how Ishida had died, true, but surely he could have at least tried to be a bit more gentle with him?]

I'm sorry. 'Course I'd never do anything like that to you.

[Unless he blacks out...]

It's... it's okay. We're here now. Nothing's gonna hurt you like that again.

Yeah, of course.

[That seems to relax him a bit; after a moment, he leans up against Mondo again.]

I've got you now. You take care of me.

Of course I do! I'll always look after you!

[He immediately moves to play with Ishida's hair, smiling once again.]

[Ugh, you're just going to get more nuzzling at this point, not fair.]

I trust you, kyoudai. And I know that I was being stupid about it, it just...I don't know, I was pretty sure I'd fucked things up.

[...]

It hurt to think about, you know?

[Yes well, consider that returned!!]

You didn't. Like I said, you could never fuck things up that badly! No matter what happens, we'll always have each other!

[He pauses there, thinks about it, then adds onto it.]

...But I guess I see what you're saying. If you really had fucked things up, I imagine it would've hurt a lot to think about. I... fuck, I thought I fucked things up too. I was worried you wouldn't come home and shit. But it's okay! You needed some time to yourself, I get that!

[Well, not really, but he at least understands that Ishida needs time alone!]

[It takes him a moment to respond; he's a bit busy kind of burying his face in your shoulder because this is kind of embarrassing as hell to talk about for some reason, don't mind him.]

I missed you a hell of a lot, but I...I guess I thought you wouldn't want me to come back anyway.

Hey, 'course I would. I really care about you, y'know? You mean a lot to me. No matter what happens, I'll want you to come back.

[He continues playing with Ishida's hair, trying to soothe him some. This is difficult to talk about and he can't do much more than offer vague reassurances, but he's trying.]

Well, yeah, I know that now...

[Especially after what you told him tonight, um.]

I guess at the time part of it was because I was thinking you might...I don't know.

[He's quiet for a moment, though he's clearly frustrated; give him a second to find words.

Of course, when he does they're more than slightly bitter.]

He never would have fought with you like that.

[Mondo winces, but that does nothing to stop him from playing with Ishida's hair. He's silent for a moment after that's out there though.]

Maybe not, but it's okay. It's alright to fight with your friends sometimes. Fuck, if we didn't fight at all I'd be a little worried, I mean, our personalities aren't exactly the best match, y'know? So... it's alright.

[Is it obvious that he's not sure what to say? Because he has no idea what to say.]

[He can feel that wince, and though he doesn't pull away from the hugging, he does move back a little so he can try to get a look at Mondo's face.]

Still miss him a lot?

...Yeah. He was a really good friend.

[This doesn't get any easier to talk about, but at least Mondo's looking at Ishida this time.]

But like I said, I'll be okay. He wouldn't want me to be down about it.

[At least, he doesn't think so.]

[Ishida tips his head a bit at that, thinking.]

...he'd be happy to know that you're still alive somehow. That'd be the most important thing to him, that you're still living on and looking forward. And you've come a long way since we -

[He falters a bit then, seeming slightly bothered, before he fixes it.]

Since you were in the school. Both of you. You've made something of yourself here, you're doing what you wanted to do. Fixing things instead of breaking them.

I...I really think he'd be proud of you, kyoudai.

[Mondo flushes at that, clearly quite pleased with Ishida's words.]

You really think so? I mean, I'm just doing what I can to get by.

[He isn't sure what to make of that pause there, but he dismisses it for the time being.]

[The fact that he seems to have made Mondo happy isn't lost on him; it pleases him as well.]

Yeah, I do! I mean, I'd know, right?

But I think it's...okay, to miss him. He just wouldn't want it to take over, you know?

Yeah, you would. Thanks, I really appreciate it. It's good to hear that.

[Mondo hugs Ishida tightly for a moment. It's such a relief to hear that for some reason he's not really aware of. Ishimaru wouldn't want him to dwell on it.]

I'll always miss him, but I won't let it drag me down. I'll be fine!

I know you will, kyoudai!

[He'll just return that hug, okay.]

I mean, I can't always tell you for sure what he'd say, but I...I remember him well enough to know what he'd think of shit. And he'd be really fuckin' proud of you.

That means so fucking much to me. I... I want to do him proud. No matter what.

LOCKED TO blazingspirit

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