The Journal (Inbox - ARCHIVED)

[chippedsoul]

Use this for any IC one-on-one contact and finishing any loose ends at forgottentales

Comments

[ backdated to early jan ]

[hatesviolence]

[A few days after the whole Story Eater attack, after spending enough time for most of his injuries to heal, Shizuo will send Kazuma a message. He had wanted to send him one earlier, but... Well he was kind of stuck at the hospital, so.]

Hey, Kazuma. You okay after all that?

[Hyde hasn't taken over has he... It had been one of his biggest worries.]

[chippedsoul]

[Unlike Shizuo, Kazuma did not do the smart thing and go to any hospital. Although to be fair, Hyde wasn't quite finished going on a rampage even after the Story Eater was taken down. So all this time, he has been resting in the comfort of his home, too worn out to really do much else but sleep. Even as his journal notifies him that someone was messaging him, he doesn't immediately respond. Just five more minutes.]

[hatesviolence]

[...Hm...

Shizuo will just stare at his journal for a bit. Should he try again? Or just wait. He could be just doing something...or maybe something really is wrong?

...

.......

He'll wait a few more minutes before sending another one.]

Kazuma?

[Why can't they have phones.]

[chippedsoul]

He's dead! Fu fu fu!

[This wasn't Kazuma's handwriting, just the journal playing tricks while Kazuma couldn't stop it. But eventually, the writing is crossed out with a different message. It's written a bit sloppily as he just woke up, grumbling at his journal.]

I was asleep. Ignore that. [The question is, did he respond in time before Shizuo decided to act.]

[hatesviolence]

[....THE FUCK???

The moment he reads that, he almost snaps his journal, his grip is so tight. Since he was in his room resting, he's GETTING UP NOW SO HE CAN JUST GO TO HIS HOUSE even if he probably shouldn't be moving so quickly just yet.

So no response.]

[chippedsoul]

[He doesn't immediately check his journal again, busy trying to find extra clothes or something to keep warm. Why is it so cold? When he looks again, he doesn't find a response.]

. . .

[Curled up in a coat, he leaves the bedroom and heads downstairs. He has the suspicion someone is going to come banging at his door soon.] Shizuo? [He'll try to reach him at least one more time.]

[hatesviolence]

[NOPE.

BANG BANG BANG ABOUT TO GET READY TO KICK THE DAMN DOOR DOWN WHEN HE REALLY PROBABLY SHOULDN'T—]

[chippedsoul]

[It's honestly amazing the door hasn't been knocked down from the banging.] Shizuo!

[He shouts hoarsely, still getting the sleepiness out of his throat. There's a click as he opens the door.] Calm down, I'm okay.

[hatesviolence]

[It's probably already near off the hinges let's be real—

His leg is raised and about to swing when Kazuma opens the door. This actually surprises him so—]

Kazu—!?

[Since it's still kind of snowy and slippery, because he tries to stop himself from kicking his friend, he instead loses his balance and falls flat on his back.]

[chippedsoul]

-!! [Holy crap leg-] S-Shizuo! [It's too late for him to stop his fall. Dammit. He kneels down beside him, sliding a hand under his head for support.] Are you all right!?

[hatesviolence]

[There's only a slight grimace. Thanks to his body's constitution, despite the hard fall it didn't really hurt as much as it normally would. Doesn't mean it was painless.]

Ah...yeah, I'm fine...[Wait no—looking up at Kazuma, he suddenly sits up.] What about you?? What the hell was that message about you being dead!? Was that Hyde??

[chippedsoul]

I didn't write that, nor was it Hyde. [He wraps the coat more tightly. Cold.] Sometimes my journal acts on it's own. It's been like that since we came back from the last campaign.

[hatesviolence]

...Huh? Act on its own?

[That...really confuses him, but he sees Kazuma looking like he's about to freeze.]

Whatever, as long as you're okay. Let's go inside.

[Action]

[greatestdefective]

[Things sure have been a mess all around. What with the hectics of Londeva and the Aspects' attempts to save it, followed by an uneasiness in the Index, which was then followed by an outright attack from the Story Eater, Sherlock feels as if he hasn't had a moment's peace in months. Has it been months? No, surely not.

Rosalia took him to see a doctor in the midst of the attack, so his left arm has now recovered for the most part. It still twinges a bit when he moves it or wiggles his fingers, but it's better than walking around with a sling! Either way, it's gotten him to thinking on what broke his arm in the first place. Or perhaps 'who' is more apt, but 'what' seems to describe Hyde better in the overall. Kazuma has been very absent, even after their return from Londeva, and Holmes thinks it's unacceptable.

So naturally, that means he's breaking into Asougi's house a day after the Story Eater's invasion was resolved. He tried the windows first, but none of them were open, so he picked the lock on the back door instead. And really, all of this could have been avoided if Asougi had just answered the front door when Holmes knocked, but he didn't. So really, this is on him. Now Holmes is in the house either way, with a healthy smidge of worry to boot.]

Hellooo? Mr. Asooougiii?

[chippedsoul]

[Asougi is no where near the front door, or even downstairs of his home to bother answering. He is in his bedroom, sprawled out in bed beneath the blankets. The days have started to mesh together for him and he's barely keeping it together. The amount of stress his body went through during Londeva, the mental and physical horrors he committed, all of it came crashing down on him and being able to function has been a struggle.

Whenever the covers are pulled, he was almost skin and bones, almost aged a few years. A side effect from lack of nourishment, and from Hyde having taken so much control over him. It may come to a point that he would have to switch to Hyde just to survive, if help doesn't arrive.]

[greatestdefective]

[It takes a little while for Sherlock to actually reach upstairs. He spent some time going through most of downstairs, peeking into every room to be sure he hadn't missed anything. It's possible that Asougi isn't home, he knows, but then... The house key is inside the house. It minimizes the chances that Asougi's gone out.

Eventually, Sherlock goes up the stairs and into the bedroom. He spots the silhouette of Asougi's outline beneath the covers, but doesn't receive a response when he calls out. Almost two years ago (time's kind of a mess for him), Sherlock walked into a ship's cabin to find Asougi sprawled out on the floor. This feels eerily similar to that day. So yes, Sherlock wastes no time with pulling the covers back. The next thing he does is feel for a pulse by pressing his fingertips against the side of Asougi's neck, just beneath the jawbone.

He hasn't failed to protect a life again, has he?]

[chippedsoul]

[His brows twitch, a sound comes from the fallen lawyer. The detective's hand is uncomfortably close to a sensitive spot of his neck. Though the wound has long healed, he still reacts as if the pain's still there. The detective will get a heartbeat, though it's very weak.

Mustering what strength he still had, he manages to get a grip on the detective's arm. Still ever defensive even in his current state.]

[greatestdefective]

[The faint heartbeat is reassuring, but the sudden hold on Sherlock's arm even more so. It means Asougi is still conscious. Sherlock releases a quiet breath, almost a sigh, then moves his other hand to cup Asougi's. It's not at all an attempt to pry the fingers off, rather, it's a gentle squeeze meant to comfort.]

Mr. Asougi? [It's not at all Sherlock's usual loud voice. Instead, it's a discreet whisper.]

[chippedsoul]

[Sherlock's voice came in muffled, unable to decipher what's being said, or who's talking to him. He can register someone holding his hand though, leading him to squeeze his arm even harder, or try to. His hands shakes instead, too weak to squeeze and just clings to that arm.]

[greatestdefective]

[Hm. This is the point where Sherlock carefully takes Asougi's hand off him, moving it back towards the mattress. He makes sure to feel the young man's forehead while he's at it, because a fever will complicate things.]

It's alright. Everything will be fine.

[chippedsoul]

[His brows furrow when the hand moves to his head. Unfortunately the worse has been inflicted on the lawyer, his head was burning up. His hands lightly grip the bedsheets as he tries to open his eyes. They were half open, normal non-yellow eyes staring up in a daze, unfocused. He could see an outline of someone standing over him. His head turns slightly, be it to see if he could make out who it was, or move away from their hand.]

[greatestdefective]

[Alright. Complicated situation it is, then. Sherlock dropped his hat and coat downstairs (over the couch, even), but he brought his bag upstairs with him and that's for the best. He takes a moment to rummage through it, his hand moving through a wide assortment of knick-knacks and vials. Finally, he takes out a single little bottle. It's the last healing potion he still has and he doesn't know what sort of effect it'll have on a fever. If there's even the smallest chance it'll work, though...

He sets the bottle down on the nightstand for now, instead reaching towards Asougi's shoulders with both hands.]

Come now, let's have you sit up for a moment, shall we?

[chippedsoul]

[Oh dear, he's being moved. He has no strength to resist and thus sits up when forced. He probably feels lighter to Holmes. His eyes still follow the detective beside him.]

[greatestdefective]

[He needs a moment to fluff the pillow up, wedging it between Asougi's back and the headboard so that it can support Asougi's weight in a nice, comfy manner. Once that's done, he uncorks the little bottle and sits down on the edge of the bed, turning his upper body to face Asougi.]

Now, let's give this a try. Do drink as much as possible, alright? It should help.

[With that, he carefully moves the bottle towards Asougi's lips. Don't have it spill all over you, friendo!]

[chippedsoul]

-!! [Yea, he's not about to just drink some mystery liquid. He turns his head away from the bottle as he gets close to his lips. If he leans any further, he's going to fall right on over and maybe knock the bottle out of Holmes' hand]