Open rp, post Zi-O, please interrupt him at the quarry or three hours later or whatever

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki stands in the quarry, delighted, exhausted, and bewildered. Amane-chan is safe. Zi-O has their powers. That should keep both Jokers sealed, and, well, if it doesn’t, he can deal with it then.

For now? For now, he has a chance to actually build a life for himself again. He doesn’t have to hold himself back from contacting his friends. He scribbles his cellphone number on a scrap of paper and tucks it into Hajime’s hand (imagine, being able to touch Hajime again) and begins to stroll off.

He needs to find a place to stay. He hasn't exactly been here long; hasn't had time. Some human food. Oh, and a shower. A shower would be magnificent.

Right now, he wants to let Hajime and Amane-chan reunite without his interference. He’s not leaving town again. He just doesn’t want to be in the way, and maybe to take a couple hours to stare at a wall and let the shock of it all wash over him.

It could've been so much worse.

Comments

[triggerhappytraitor]

For such a short statement there was... a lot in those words. Tachibana's mouth moves soundlessly a moment before a single word escapes: "...Human...?"

For the first time in what feels like forever... there's hope in his voice. A fragile, delicate hope, but one that he's been trying to coax into existence for a long time.

"...Hajime as well...?"

[kenzaki]

"Hajime as well," Kenzaki says gently, his heart squeezing at the look on Tachibana's face. He doesn't know what it means. He doesn't know how the hell it's going to work for either of them. He still feels strange as hell inside. He hasn't been human for so long. But Hajime hasn't ever been truly human; how does he feel?!

...hell with it.

He wraps his arms around his senpai, giving him a tight hug.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Even if Tachibana weren't in a mild form of shock, the hug would have caught him a bit off guard. But it would have been his next instinct regardless, and he returns it, giving Kenzaki a relieved squeeze.

"It's finally over... isn't it?"

Almost twenty years since the Undead had been released and his world had been all but shattered...

It was finally over.

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki steps back, but not far, still close enough to touch his shoulder.

"Yeah," he says, marvelling at it. "Yeah, I think so. Zi-O took the Joker powers. I think... I think we're done."

[triggerhappytraitor]

There's a deep tension that is slowly starting to leach out of Tachibana's frame. "I'm glad."

Reaching out, he put a hand lightly on Kenzaki's shoulder. "You'll stay, right? Since you don't need to keep your distance any longer."

[kenzaki]

He looks so exhausted.

Kenzaki nods slowly. It's strange as anything being back here. He's fought here before, right?

"I guess I don't, yeah. I'll find somewhere to stay. I've been working, here and there. How about you? I tried calling you all a few years back but I couldn't... couldn't do it."

[triggerhappytraitor]

There was a soft, sympathetic smile on Tachibana's face at that admittance. "I kept the same number, if you can believe it. Just in case you did try. Also kept your salary being paid out, like it should have been before hand. Karasuma and I made sure your name was always on the roster, just in case. Can finally get you that company dorm, like they didn't have room for when you first signed on, huh?" he joked lightly.

[kenzaki]

"The same number?"

Kenzaki winces, smiling. He... he thinks he did the right thing, because not ending the world was important, but did he cause hurt? He wanted them to be able to move on without him. Shit.

"That's really good of you. I didn't want to draw against it too much in case it was a mistake!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

To move on, you needed something to move to, and the inner ability to keep going forward. After the Fight had been put on hold... Tachibana really didn't have either of those things. So much of him had been lost that he had felt like a hollow shell of himself afterwards. If it hadn't been for Karasuma's insistence that he should be the one to rebuild BOARD the way it should have been from the start, it was likely Tachibana would have simply faded out of existence with nothing left to keep him anywhere.

"Hirose had told me about your bank account trouble," he pointed out with a warm smile. "Making sure that that sort of thing didn't happen again was at least one thing I could do."

[kenzaki]

There's a blankness behind Tachibana's eyes that is worrying the shit out of Kenzaki, and he's spent the last fifteen years doing things he'd prefer not to talk about himself.

"That's good of you," he says gently. He can't help but smile back. "I didn't want to make it too obvious where I was, I have to admit."

[triggerhappytraitor]

Depression is a hell of a drug, even without the untreated PTSD that the Battle Fight and it's consequences had left him with.

"With how Hajime can be, I don't blame you." Even if it had hurt. Sometimes more deeply than others. That Kenzaki had felt the need to leave everything behind... it was only the thought of how much it had to hurt Kenzaki to be apart from those he cared for that kept Tachibana from resenting the abrupt departure. Instead, like so much else, he blamed himself. It should have been him, the one with nothing left to lose, that should have made that sacrifice. That was the role of the mentor, after all, wasn't it? To give everything that he could to those he was responsible to see to the future of...

[kenzaki]

They’re a hell of a pair just now. Kenzaki doesn’t have the vocabulary to be able to truly understand , not yet. He’s been too busy living moment to moment for the last fifteen years.

He wants to, though. Especially as he’s broadly aware that he’s at fault in some ways. Tachibana-san deserves better.

“I didn’t think he’d be happy, yeah,” Kenzaki agrees wryly. “Do you think he’ll hit me repeatedly or just once?”

[triggerhappytraitor]

A small snort escaped at the question. "I don't know if he would even know the answer to that," he smiled. "After he's done taking care of Amane... you will go and see him properly, right?"

The memory of seeing Hajime crying, clutching that phone... He hadn't know that Hajime was even capable of that sort of thing, and from the look on Hajime's face, neither had he. They'd both avoided eye contact, after that. And he'd avoided the restaurant for a good year after.

[kenzaki]

It’s good to hear that little bit of humour.

Kenzaki nods. He’s intimidated as anything about it. He can’t just drop back into his life like nothing happened. But he wants to see Hajime so desperately. “I will, yeah...”

Something Tachibana isn’t saying. Something about why he’s so emphatic that Kenzaki needs to see Hajime.

“What is it?” he asks softly.

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Hrm?" Tachibana blinked before realizing he was getting to swept up in flashbacks again. "Nothing, nothing. Just thinking," he assured, reaching out to give Kenzaki a warm pat on the shoulder. "Did you want to get something to eat? My treat."

[kenzaki]

He’s back from wherever he went.

There’s so much he’s missed. How can he even begin to insert himself back into their lives? Well, he’ll have to figure it out. Somehow.

Tachibana’s hand is gentle on him, and Kenzaki gives him a surprised look. “I can eat normally again,” he says, startled. “Yeah. Yeah, that’d be great.”

[triggerhappytraitor]

"...You couldn't before?" Tachibana blinked, worry starting to grow again before he paused and shook his head. The past was the past. No need to worry about that now.

"All the more reason to go all out, huh?" he smiled faintly.

(happy to timeskip forward! :) )

[kenzaki]

"It's weird when you're not human," Kenzaki says weakly. There should be a better way to explain it. He was Joker for almost as long as he was human. That's a ridiculous length of time.

And he's still startled that it's over.

"Yeah, you can catch me up on everything. Let's go!"

/Makes it so~

[triggerhappytraitor]

One jump cut later the pair arrived at the restaurant-- which really was more like a ramen cart with tables, but details, details.

"Bringing a friend this time, huh?" the owner greeted with a nod. "Another coworker?"

"Yeah," Tachibana nodded with a faint smile. "An important one."

The man gave a small snort. "You'd think you'd take someone important someplace a bit more upscale," he returned with a bit of a chuckle. "The usual for you?"

Tachibana nodded.

"And for Mr. Special Coworker?"

thank you kindly! XD

[kenzaki]

Kenzaki does a small double take at the 'important one' comment, breaking into a pleased smile.

"The miso with the ginger and garlic, please," he says fervently, ignoring as best as he can just how loudly his stomach just rumbled.

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Make it a double. He's had a long trip," Tachibana nodded with a warm smile at the loud rumble.

The cart-owner gave an amused snort, nodding before turning back to start cooking.

Tachibana moved over to the side of the counter, pulling out a pair of beers from the cooler before handing one to Kenzaki and heading to one of the small tables. "We have a running tab here, so anytime you're hungry just stop by and he'll put it on our bill," he offered warmly as he sat down, cracking open the can in his hand.

[kenzaki]

Tachibana-san is being so good to him.

He takes the beer with a nod of thanks, and sits down opposite. "Thank you. I'll have to find what work I can do for you, to repay you for all of this, Tachibana-san."

......damn, that beer tastes good.

[triggerhappytraitor]

"You don't need to repay it," Tachibana assured, relaxing in the chair. "Though I'm sure Hirose would have no problem finding you something to do. She's head of Operations now. Almost frighteningly good at it too," he half chuckled. Hirose's intensity had not calmed down over the years. Instead, it'd just gotten more refined and razor sharp. Most that had only ever dealt with her over email tended to be surprised on seeing her in person, and those who tried to dismiss her based on appearance very swiftly regretted it.

"Most days I'm just a figurehead to call in when someone doesn't realize that she's the brains of the operation. Gives me more time in the lab, which works out best for all of us, I think."

[kenzaki]

"She'd be amazing," Kenzaki agreed, taking in what Tachibana said about not needing to repay. That seems incredible, but if Tachibana says it, then it's true. "Oh, I bet you're more than a figurehead!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Outside of the lab?" Tachibana countered with a small, almost wry smile. "Unless it's a presentation that needs being given, Hirose's far more the head of BOARD than I am. Far better suited for it too."