Action, around the Amatsu

[willing_sheath]

[Tomoe was usually the picture of calm and control. Unless someone knew her very well one would think she never changed from the neutral baseline she generally showed the world--never overly happy, never overly upset, always just kind of... there.]

[Today is a little different. Her movements are jerky and clipped, her words are shorter than normal with a bit of an edge to them. Something is definitely wrong, though she isn't the sort to advertise the fact. Still, when she is not actively working on something pressing and immediate for the Amatsu she is actively hunting for something. She checks drawers, turns over papers, looks beneath furniture, even turns over rugs in some instances. Whatever she's lost, it is apparently something important, at least to her, and the longer it goes without being found the more harried she seems to get.]



[ooc; one, Okita Souji, swiped her journal and she is freaking out beause there are very personal and damning things written in it.]

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[willing_sheath]

[She sees the change in him and she meets his eyes without hesitation now--after all, the fear she had has been alleviated. She has nothing to fear from him, so why would she show it now? Instead, she just seems... tired.]

[She sighs heavily, looking down at her glass before taking a large drink from the glass and grimacing from the burn it had.]

If I were going to do it I would have done it by now--before you even arrived. There are three reasons. One: death is not a guarantee here. People who die come right back in the pods. Two: When actually faced with death I still fought to live, which tells me I don't actually want to die. And three: I could not do that to the few people here who would actually notice my absence. There aren't many... but there are enough.

...

You read my private thoughts, Okita-san. Thoughts are not necessarily the same as intent. I've had these thoughts since my mother died. It is nothing new.

[The only new part was having her "reasons" for staying paired down to a handful of people she barely knew.]

[embracethewind]

[ He stares at her. ]

If your thoughts aren't the same as intent, then what is it that you want to do here? Do you want me to stay away from you?

[ It is sad for him to hear she has had depressive thoughts for most of her life, which makes him take a long sip from the glass, bringing a hand to his neck at having such a strong, burning drink. ]

[willing_sheath]

I don't know... My entire life I have had some purpose put in front of me that I could focus on. I've been adrift here. As it stands all I have is keeping this place running and I can't even say it is what I want, it is just what I have...

...

But you... don't need to stay away. I was afraid of what you might do if you learned of my affiliations. I am glad that I was worried for nothing... Although...

...

[She looks at her glass, swirling the liquid again.]

If my husband were to return here again... would this armistice stand?

[embracethewind]

But you want to keep this place running for Ayame-san if she ever returns, isn't that so?

[ Maybe that is what makes her want to stay working at Amatsu. Another, this time gentle sip before closing his eyes. ]

I don't know, Tomoe-san. If I do meet him, who would it be? Battousai... or Himura-san?

[willing_sheath]

I don't know. [She looks down at her glass.] I don't expect her to come back... I just fit here...

[She inclines her head to the question.]

A rurouni... [She straightens and levels her eyes on him.] Just as he was before... ten years after the fighting is done...

[embracethewind]

[ Somehow her response doesn't convince him enough. ]

But... if he's not the rurouni? If he comes back as Battousai?

[ Eyes opened staring at hers in all seriousness. ]

[willing_sheath]

[She doesn't know that she wants to tell him this... but if they were all in the same building it would come out sooner than later.]

He is.

...

Kenshin... returned today. Without his memories of being here before...

1/2

[embracethewind]

[ That... makes his eyes go wide. And to drink the last sip of the glass, placing it on the desk.

This is just getting better and better for him. ]

2/2

[embracethewind]

[ His expression turns downcast. ]

I'm sorry that I took your journal without permission. You're my boss, so you have every right to ask me to leave Amatsu.

[willing_sheath]

[She sighs heavily and looks down at her own glass.]

I am not going to do that. I would be lying to say I am not angry... but that anger was based more out of fear than anything... If it did not contain such damning information I doubt you would have given it a second glance...

[embracethewind]

[ Closing his eyes. ]

I didn't know it was a journal until I flipped through the pages. Guess I was just curious of your thoughts... about me, about anything.

It shouldn't have been that way.

[willing_sheath]

[She pauses a long few moments... and then leans forward to set the empty glass on the desk.]

I hope... I didn't disappoint you too much...

[embracethewind]

[ ... Only about the outcome of the war, favoring the Imperialists. His expression turns dismal at the mere thought of not knowing what will come for the Shinsengumi's future. About his sensei, Hijikata, Kamiya and more. ]

No... you didn't, Tomoe-san.

[ Rising from his seat, he heads for the door. ] I must go. There's still work to do.

[willing_sheath]

[Tomoe doesn't move as he rises, keeping her eyes averted, making a non-committal sound in the back of her throat.]

Take care, Okita-san...