#it's another death for Seiroku

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“When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.”

Now when I tell you this is Soma and Seiroku coded-

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Anonymous said: Seiroku, did your medbay friends know about your relationship with Soma or did they hear about it when you got engaged? What reaction did they have?

" Chima was the first to figure it out. I didn't explicitly tell her, but she caught on extremely quick. She's a smart girl, quick to learn. I can't say I'm all too surprised. " She'd long proven her abilities, a bright young woman. Plus, she had also been the first person that Seiroku had really started to get close to when he was first joining. She was young and determined, eager to help and learn. ( Perhaps it was the fact she reminded him of what he had once been like before hatred and suffering took hold. ) She'd been eager to learn and his expertise was undoubted - so he'd somewhat taken her under his wing. Soma knew him best, but she was a close second. It'd be more surprising if she hadn't noticed. Despite himself, a quiet laugh leaves his lips. " She was so excited once it became official. You'd think it was her wedding day. But if you mean before that, and just at the relationship, it was rather funny. Big doe eyes and trying to subtly ask little questions. Always tried to give a minute or two for just Soma and I if he came to visit. "

" As for the others... " Seiroku tilts his head. " They suspected it as well eventually. Some were sooner than others. I suppose it probably wasn't terribly hard. I think only one or two had no idea until the engagement actually happened. " Which had been hilarious and they'd certainly not lived it down when everyone saw how shocked they were. " Most were pretty happy over it. Some were a bit awkward after on how to interact since it was official. One or two weren't quite sure how to feel I think. But, they've been rather enthusiastic about it. " It was...strange to have so much support. It wasn't as though Seiroku had particularly cared except for Soma's sake and reputation on how people would receive it. He was used to the world against him. But to have that much support had suddenly made him feel warm and deeply moved in a way he hadn't expected.

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Anonymous said: oh you will? alright... but you do realize grand general meetings can happen spontaneously, right? what if one of the other grand generals has heard about you and decides to namedrop you during their conversation? there aren't many people with your name, even less with a yellow soul. soma would definitely kill you as soon as he came back and all of the intel you've gathered would become useless, no?

   “  I’ll give you that. You make a good point.  It is true that such meetings are spontaneous. Strategizing however is about the probability over most other things. And the probability of such an event happening is not particularly high by history’s records.  “  He’s not so arrogant as to not acknowledge that possibility though.  “  I doubt they’d mention my soul color if they dropped my name. If they have it, the good thing about killing is they don’t typically keep talking. Still,  there is a chance of that though, yes. And it would not be so easy to talk myself out of that regardless. As you said, my name isn’t particularly common unlike some others. “  Unfortunately, that was a con to becoming so involved rather than just coasting on the sidelines.

   “  No.  “  He taps his chest.  “  Even in a split second I could send all the information I’ve gathered through the crystals. While it’s not impossible to catch me by surprise, It’d be hard to be able to land an instant killing hit on me. The crystal is good for information, and it does allow us to survive far more than the average person. So long as it stays functioning that is.  “

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@kyukicho said: sender spits out a mouthful of blood at receiver's feet - naoe for seiroku

blood, blood, gallons of the stuff starters

Seiroku doesn't move as he watches the red soul sink to his knees and spit out a mouthful of blood. It's a sight that fills him with sadistic glee for a multitude of reasons. Seeing any Bushi in agony was bound to make his heart beat faster with adrenaline. But there's something extra sadistic in seeing red souls be hurt to the point of bleeding like that. He hates them. He hates their arrogance and their brutish behaviors.

( Maybe another part of him hates them because he RESENTS them. They represent his fall, the changing of times, when he fell from glory. It's always an ugly reminder. )

" That's not very good. " Seiroku hums and pulls at another yellow string coiled around Naoe's body and laughs. Rhabdomyolysis . Muscle disintegration. But where should he start? His arms? It WOULD be amusing to see the despair that crossed his face when he lost his ability to wield his sword or lift his arms. There was always so much more DELIGHT in breaking apart red souls. They were so used to being at the top and being untouchable that when they weren't, it broke them more. Or maybe he should start with the legs? Somehow the black dog has a feeling that would be the least efficient method of dealing with this bushi.

" You're not going to drown in your own blood already, are you? " Seiroku slams his foot into Naoe's ribcage, feels the adrenaline start to spike in his blood. This is what he missed. He missed fighting HUMANS. He didn't care about the Oni. This is what made his blood sing. This is what he'd once been famous for. " See how its frothy? That means its from your lungs. " Seiroku remarks as if he's teaching a lesson to a student. He is, excluding the student part. One might call it psychological warefar as if the physical pain wasn't enough. " Funny isn't it? DROWNING in the very thing you need to live? "

He steps away, circling like a hunting dog that's trapped a wounded animal. He SHOULD just kill the red soul now. But he wanted him to suffer, wanted to drag out the pain until death was a mercy. And then? Then Seiroku would be kind enough to let him have death and let him be free. No more of the Bushi nonsense, no more suffering. Just sweet death. " The human body is paradoxically so sturdy and so fragile at the same time. "

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@yeonban said: "if there is another version of this story …" Quietly, Aijiro whispers towards his fellow black dog, but doesn't elaborate any further. That's enough for Seiroku to catch onto the general gist of it, that is - to realize that Aijiro has doubts about his latest infiltration mission and the real fruits of the other's labor as a spy. Still, he's kept it to a low enough tone for only Seiroku to hear, so it seems that he doesn't plan on giving it away to anyone else. Why, then, did he go out of his way to mention it to Seiroku?

   Seiroku turns his head towards Aijiro just a fraction, an amount so small that anyone other than the two of them would not even perceive the change. His stomach sinks at the words even when his face remains carefully neutral. He'd been able to withhold the infernal rage that had burned and clawed and raged in his chest at the beginning of his infiltration mission with the Date. Compared to that, masquerade his dread behind his calm expression was a walk in the park. There's also the questions that come to mind that help take the weight off of the feeling. Why wasn't Aijiro saying anything? If he suspected something was amiss, why was he not reporting it? Why did he not finish what he had to say? 

   " IF — " He gives a pause after the word, as if to draw emphasis to the absurdity of the idea " — there is a different version of the story, it doesn't matter. "  Seiroku continues, his voice equally quiet to match Aijiro's while his blue eyes turn from Aijiro to stare ahead. His voice doesn't waver. It doesn't tremble or falter. Because that is the truth.

It doesn't matter. Because death will come all the same. There is no other outcome to this. There will be no fairytale ending. Seiroku had learned that long ago even beforge he became a vessel of hatred. Now and again thoug it seemed like Life took a particular delight in reminding him of such lessons. He will never have a happy ending.

" What's the point in concerning oneself over versions of stories? The ending will be the same. " Seiroku shrugs his shoulders, watching some of the other's delight at the fruits of their labor starting to grow nearer to harvesting. Imari especially seems thrilled. " All the bushi will die and the black kishin will continue to thrive. "

And everyone can play pretend in their rooms. It's a surprisingly bitter, disgusted thought that he doesn't give voice to. He can't fool himself, he hasn't been able to since the day he stepped foot into his room. It's all so fake and tailored that it makes his skin crawl. How the others can enjoy it, he doesn't know. He doesn't want it.

Seiroku turns his gaze back towards Aijiro with a thin smile. " Maaaybe I lied about not getting drunk. They had good sake, it'd be a crime not to enjoy it. " Seiroku gestures with his palms facing upwards, as if in appeasement to the small fabrication. Aijiro isn't stupid, Seiroku knows as much. He's also not as easy to redirect. But he also isn't trying to turn this into a mauling or make a scene of whatever he might suspect - so Seiroku can only offer reassurance. " The outcome won't change, Aijiro. "

It wouldn't even if Seiroku wanted it to. The gods have never heeded his pleas and life never cared for his wants.  

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Anonymous said: seiroku, good luck. i dare you to kiss soma @yeonban

send ‘i dare you to kiss + a name/url’ for my muse to have to kiss that person on the lips

   “  You- Wha- You can’t just kiss a captain, much less a grand general!  “  Exactly how much physical damage could this crystal in his chest fix? Was Soma even interested in that way or would he be appalled at the idea? Worse case scenario was death after, but preferably before if death was going to be the outcome, it’d be before he had to. A swift death.

   On the bright side, this wouldn’t be his first kiss so there wasn’t that pressure on it top of everything else. On the other hand... This was different than if it was just anyone. Because it wasn’t just someone. It was Soma. The thought of ruining whatever they had going (despite the inevitability of it some day) with something like this, especially if the idea was appalling to him, was crushing. What would he think? But as much as the black dog wants to DISOBEY whatever command, it’s just as strong as the silver collar on his throat.

    It was just one kiss. Surely if Soma loathed it, they could just...pretend it never happened? Then again...he was a grand general... And best case scenario? ...Well he’d really only thought about the worst if he was honest.

   The command nags at the doctor all day, like a thorn digging into his skin. But if someone thought he was just going to kiss Soma in front of everyone, they had another thing coming. Because Seiroku absolutely was NOT about to go do that. He’d endure and keep the day as normal as possible. It would be bad for both of them should he do such a thing, and certainly carry heavy consequences. He had pride first of all, and that’d put Soma in an unfortunate position. Such matters were never simple. Besides, why would he want everyone to witness that? So he endures the increasingly painful command and keeps to a normal day. He smiles, he talks, he chats with Soma and the others and does his job.

   The only difference manifests later in the day in the form of him drinking a bit more at dinner. Really, it was a multi-layered gesture. It helped soothe his nerves, dulled the worst of the pain, and helped for the plan he’d managed to whip up. Fortunately as he’d hoped, it seemed Soma picked up on what everyone else seemed oblivious to when it came to the headache aspect - from the doctor’s subtle flinch at a noise that normally wouldn’t phase him to rubbing the sides of his head. So when the captain offers to help him back to his room, Seiroku wastes no time in accepting the offer gratefully.

   Which helped in getting them both away from everyone else without any major red flags - which was arguably the hardest step of this plan. It also seems to make the command all the stronger as they walk together until they’re there. Well. This was it.

   “  Soma.  “  Seiroku lifts his head as he leans his back against the frame of his room, and then he gestures for the other to bend down as if he has something to whisper to him. ( Frankly, Soma’s height had been another thing he’d had to try to factor into this plan. The difference made any sort of spontaneous gesture near impossible with standing. ) He watches as Soma does, seeming perhaps puzzled by the request but not denying it. To which Seiroku very carefully lifts his veil in one elegant motion before he leans forward and presses a gentle, chaste kiss to the captain’s lips. Brief, but long enough he can feel the warmth that will linger long after.

   “  Thank you. I appreciate it.  “  Seiroku murmurs the words quietly, the secret shared even as his face turns a shade of light pink, before he steps  into his room. Not that it will exactly help if there’s a bad response (which admittedly, he wouldn’t be surprised by but he’d be lying if he said he wouldn’t be at least slightly offended by). Only now does he vaguely entertain the idea that maybe it won’t be badly received. Maybe he wouldn’t hate it. Maybe he wouldn’t mind it. Still, there’s no way to know until Soma either reacted (positively or negatively) or simply didn’t and acted as though nothing happened.

   He wasn’t going to be sleeping tonight at this rate.

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@yeonban​​ said:   ‘ hey. you awake? ‘ soma's voice is loud enough to be heard, but (hopefully) soft enough to not irk seiroku's ears first thing in the morning. ‘ what do you want for breakfast? ‘ he continues, and the doctor is lucky soma had noticed his absence when he did. ‘ 'cause you'll be getting none if you don't let me know or get up soon. ‘ it's not a threat, merely a fact. the date bushi had a habit of waking up with the sun, as well as a tendency of eating enough for several people each. there would be no breakfast left in no time for those who slept in without someone else there to fetch their portion for them.

good morning / good night starters

   It feels like he’s just fallen asleep when Seiroku stirs at the sound of someone's voice, clearly talking to HIM. Although what they’re saying, he has no idea other than to make come incoherent noise back to at least acknowledge the fact that he’s conscious. It isn’t that he’s UNFAMIIAR with it. Being a doctor means even hours off weren’t guaranteed, especially if there was a sudden emergency or a crisis that needed someone in a specific field or more expertise. It was part of the job. Admittedly, he hadn’t thought of THAT aspect of taking back up the title of doctor. Injuries were far less common with the obsidian eight- there was only eight for starters, and it tended to be minor or death. It’d taken some reacquainting, but he’d done it just fine. Plus the odd schedules meant he’d tended to be either getting up or going to bed as food was made - regardless of the general populace’s schedule. But that didn’t mean there weren’t days where it wasn’t still a struggle. Especially now that most of the high risk injuries were stable, allowing for a more regular schedule compared to before.

   Seiroku lifts his head with great effort, black hair spilling past his shoulders as he squints groggily as the person speaking. Oh, it’s Soma. And with that, rather than scramble to react, he drops his face back into the pillow with a tired sigh. It’s not that he isn’t appreciative. He certainly IS. But he’s rather reluctant to get out of bed when he’d rather curl up and sleep another twenty minutes. His eyes were still heavy and he was comfortable.

   “  Just rice is fine....Oh. And if there’s berries or some kind of fruit. Or just what I can get. “  Slowly the doctor drags himself to sitting upright, rubbing his eyes and stifling an exhausted yawn. Whatever sleep he had certainly didn’t feel like enough. And for all his usual sharp-minded and composed nature, the Seiroku now seems far more docile when still under the haze of sleep.

   He lifts a hand, rubbing the back of his head as he struggles against the urge to simply sink back into sleep. The first five minutes were always the worst. Once he managed to stay awake for that, he was usually fine.  “  Thanks.  “  The stifled yawn finally escapes as he looks up at Soma.  “  Won’t make it a regular thing.  “  ...Probably. Although he will definitely want to, so he’s rather prepared for the inevitability of some mornings without food when he decides sleep is more necessary than food. (More like many mornings.)

    ...Sleep really did sound nice. A few minutes while Soma got the food wouldn’t be so bad.

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@yeonban​ said: the blood of his brother's mutilated figure splatters across the battlefield, a sight so fresh in the grand general's mind despite being a nearly two decades old memory, and soma awakens from his nightmare with a jolt that has him sitting upright and gasping. it's the worst one tonight. nightmares aren't a novelty for the captain, as he's plagued by them more often than he'd like to admit, but despite having grown numb to the ones about his admired idols' lifeless bodies hitting the ground and of his screaming companions being bitten into by the oni, this is the only one he can never seem to get used to.

on nights like these, after being reminded of his brother's brutal death, soma doesn't waste time trying to fall back asleep - instead, he wipes off the drops of sweat having formed on his brows & leaves the confines of his room in search of something that'd cool his mind. it's by coincidence, or perhaps by a subconscious need to visit a place often frequented by kiyomune, that soma finds himself opening the door to the wounded's chamber (where his brother used to work and where, in spite of the disheartening injuries & sounds, the red soul used to spend a good chunk of his childhood in to bask in his brother's soothing presence).

his vision is slightly hazy when he enters, yet his focus increases once his eyes accidentally find seiroku. right... it's his shift tonight. soma stills then, and silently watches the other at work until the tension in his shoulders begins to ease. after a prolonged moment he exhales, the built-up stress slowly dissipating into thin air, and although he's not quite back to his usual self yet, he feels much closer to it. what an irony, he subsequently muses, to seek a yellow healer & come across another, but to find a semblance of comfort in the view nevertheless.

   Tonight was one of the nights where it seemed like all the patients had unanimously decided that they were going to be fussier than they usually were. Every now and again these nights seemed to come up with no rhyme or reason to them. None of it was difficult per se, but these nights always kept him on his toes alongside whoever else happened to be on duty with him. He gave a quick glance over to tonight’s – she was one of the first who’d been willing to ask for his knowledge. He’s been rather enjoying teaching her medical knowledge, especially since she seemed to catch on quick.

   His head instinctively turns towards the door when he hears it open with the expectation of seeing a new patient potentially stumbling in. Instead, he finds himself staring at Soma. Though, that’s not to say that something doesn’t seem vaguely off. It takes a split second for him to pinpoint why. His gaze seemed slightly off in a manner. But Soma doesn’t seem to be seeking out attention for any issue, which does make this all the more unusual. He can’t linger on that terribly long however. There’s patients to tend to after all. Still, Seiroku is not one to simply disregard someone stepping in. He steps away for a brief moment with a murmur to the other bushi on duty and then washes his hands. After, he promptly fills a clean, disinfected cup with cold water and crosses the room to press it into Soma’s hands. He lingers a moment, gazing up at Soma with an expectant look of an unspoken order (drink) before slips away and back into his work.

   It takes time before the unrest among the patients fades and everyone is quiet except for the occasional noise that is often nothing at all. The smell of lemongrass floats in the air, a trick of the field that Seiroku had learned a while ago. It didn’t heal, but it did help the mind relax, which in turn helped the body relax and eased the worst of the pain. That, and the fact that it promoted sleep, which many of them could do with.  Only then does Seiroku part from his work once everything is settled to move to where Soma is now. 

   “ Everything alright?  “  He inquires gently, noting that Soma appears to be faring better now than he had when he’d stepped inside. Seiroku’s back presses against the wooden frame as he leans against it, head turned towards Soma but his shoulders relaxed. He isn’t, after all, interrogating or trying to diagnose Soma. As Seiroku had predicted, it seemed like Soma had just needed some time rather than having desired anyone to pester him. If Soma wants to talk about it, he will listen. And if not? Then there is no need. Seiroku won’t push. He can simply offer a soothing space and company.

   “  Sorry for the delay.  “  He adds, because it is something he is aware of.  “  One of those nights.  “

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Anonymous said: Seiroku, how about murdering Soma when the next brotherhood member is killed and see if he can become their replacement in the Obsidian Eight? It's worth a shot, he's going to die once the black kishin eats everything anyway

   “  You know, I really wasn’t expecting that sort of comment.  “

   If he claimed that he hadn’t at least briefly contemplated it....then it’d be another lie on his list. It had crossed his mind. Because then all the problems they would have otherwise would be solved, wouldn’t they? Not to mention that depending on how plans unfolded, Soma would be more valuable and useful than some current members anyways. It’d be a win for everyone.

  Except....Except there’s no guarantee of that. To if Soma will be able to endure it, or what will happen after. If Soma would be enchanted and corrupted by the crystals that promise false utopias. Where the dead were alive again and everything you ever wanted could happen. (It all tasted so hollow to Seiroku). Or how he might change through the process. What if Soma wasn’t Soma anymore? The thought was an unsettling one.

   Granted, the only alternative is a certain death. With this, there’d be a chance.

   “  That is true. But that does require one of the others to die and there’s no guarantee of that happening.  “  He lifts his hands with a small shrug.  “  So unfortunately at the moment, there’s no opportunity.  “