(no subject)

[ akechi's had a long night already, and there's no doubt that it's going to stretch on even longer for a while yet. Hikage is sure that he's already met with plenty of people, some of whom no doubt want to kill him. He's glad that by the time he finds him - much later into the evening - Akechi is still breathing. ]

Still alive? [ that's his greeting... sorry, akechi ] I was wrong about you.

[ it could be accusatory, but it's not; his tone is neutral, and when Akechi turns to look at him, his eyes are crinkling slightly in that almost-smiling way. ]

sudgy

... I'm surprised you're still up.

[ especially after he looked like he was about to die earlier?! Hikage is on his way back to his room with a tray and a few teacups (non-poisoned, thank you, they have green tea in them) when he stumbles across Souji. ]

Are you going to be all right?

(no subject)

[ he's very glad that the mechanics of this space are similar to that of his manor, in some ways - for example, when he thinks that he'd like to speak with Tiger hard enough, that familiar door appears, and he strides through it easily.

He doesn't think of her in any special way, not particularly. It's simply that he's been acting the part of Hikage for so long tonight when the Master is threatening to practically burst from his throat. And it does, when he enters the room - a peal of laughter announces his presence as much as anything. He sounds like he's in on a dirty secret and can hardly contain his amusement.

And, well. Isn't he? ]

Hahaha... hahaha! What a great show! You're perverse, to set those fragile hearts against each other. Did you see how Akechi cried? I could hardly believe it! And the girl may as well have already been dead. [ he giggles a little bit. it's almost as if he's talking to himself, with Tiger just as the audience. ] What marvelous despair! I almost feel alive again.

(no subject)

Here.

[ welcome to THE KITCHEN, belph, because that's where your hikage time is happening today. He's brewed some tea tonight (as he does most nights), but he's made enough for two; now he's holding a cup out to Belph. ]

You're going to need it after all that.

(no subject)

[ once Ion's gone, the evening progresses fairly normally; Hikage has his tea, they discuss today's unfortunate goings-on, he fusses over Steph's injuries (or the ones she has left, really), and, eventually, they go to sleep. He's become quite used to sleeping on the floor now. His back hurts, and the recent drop in temperatures has made it even less comfortable than before, but he endures. He's been through worse than this.

Tonight, though, he tosses and turns. His heart pounds; his fingers and toes feel cold; his mind won't stop racing, going through today's events until they're nothing but a skipping, tattered reel. It must be the adrenaline. Strange to think that a man without a real physical body could still feel such a visceral reaction to anything... then again, he still bled and cried like anyone else, too. Maybe it's a restlessness of the soul ailing him more than an effect of his body. He needs something to soothe it.

Why he goes to her bed, then, he doesn't know. But he stands, and quietly walks around to the side that's still vacant, and, wordlessly, slips himself between the covers. His mind feels blank. The mattress, however, feels comforting. Hikage lays on his side, looking at her silhouette in the gloom of the room. She probably woke up from that, knowing her. ]

Don't say a word.

[ he mumbles a defense, and his hand wanders to rest on her side as he does so, experimentally. ]