![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
KENOS INBOX
COMMUNION
Reaching out to Rin is like stepping into a moonlit parlor. Everything is quiet, muted, and neatly tucked away. Almost like a "lobby," of sorts to keep visitors away from the rest of what goes on in her head... and her heart. This space is cool, and placid. Much like the surface of a lake in winter as it reflects the pale glow of the celestial bodies hanging above it in the sky.
A reflection of serenity rather the true thing. A mask of elegance to hide anything that may be unsightly. Anything that may betray her.
✧ Specifics
A reflection of serenity rather the true thing. A mask of elegance to hide anything that may be unsightly. Anything that may betray her.
✧ Specifics
✦ Unable to block out: Harbinger
✦ Compatible with: Iconoclast | Advocate
✦ Discord Accrual: Exalt
no subject
[Tohsaka follows in, and closes the door behind her. She pays no mind as he undresses, and begins drawing the water. Hot, but not scalding. From a shelf on the wall she plucks two small bottles of oils: sandalwood, and vetiver. Woodsy, earthy, warm and fresh. It would be hard to complain about those even as a man insistent on his masulinity as Gen.]
But if a whole planet can be made from scratch, why not the healing of a soul? If we give up then it would be the same as condemning them.
[Rin pulls her hair up into a ponytail. High and tight. She also loses her top. Uncaring if he leers at her. They shard the hot springs before. What does she care? The apathy weighs on her heart, but the seriousness of Gen's condition is even heavier.
Rin pats the edge of her deep tub. Signalling for him to climb in as the water fills it.]
no subject
For as much as Gen usually relies on the easy distraction of sex or nicotine to keep his more wretched thoughts at bay, even those crutches have their limits once his stress reaches a peak. He hasn't had a cigarette in a day or three now, having been asleep most of the time; no doubt his wretched condition is in part thanks to that. And the sight of Rin taking off her top doesn't earn much more than a brief glance. ]
Who said I'm giving up.
[ It does strike him as extremely weird that Rin is staying in the bathroom, but he's also too tired to care. The conversation alone is taking up the entirety of what little brain capacity he can muster, and he stumbles a little as he peels off his pants and underwear to abandon near the doorway. Water splashes hot and soothing around him as he slinks over to sit in the tub, promptly slumping over sideways so he can rest his head against the rim, because sitting upright takes energy he doesn't have. His eyes are closed when he continues quietly. ]
Talked to Yima for a moment, after it happened. She did something to help Reiji a bit. Felt like she was using Zenith's power to keep away the cold. ... I could try the same. Dunno if it'd work, but I remember how it felt.
[ And surely, anything is worth a shot for a chance at keeping their precious Shards even marginally safer. ]
no subject
Ah, yeah. It's pretty nasty. She'll pull her hand away with a frown, but not before simply pushing his bangs out of his face. The oil in his hair keeping it slicked back naturally. Hm. She'll want to wash that too. His cheeks could probably use a good exfoliation.]
If you show me maybe I can do it. The crest engraved on me by Aetos allows me to have greater proficiency with Harmonized magics. It may not be an immediate fix, but perhaps with gentle nurturing over time the crack will heal like a wound?
no subject
Mmhm. Sure. I'll try it after I get some sleep.
[ In other words, who knows how many hours before he makes the attempt, according to his barely-coherent mental schedule. But still, while the thought doesn't really count, maybe it's still better than nothing. ]
Hope it works. I don't really know all that magic shit well, but you do.
no subject
[The way he leans into her touch before sinking back is... She tries not to think about it. Instead she focuses on her (monumental) task of washing him since now she realizes he doesn't look like he'll be doing it himself. Tohsaka grabs a sponge, soaks it, and drizzles some of her liquid soap on it before reaching around him. With the way he slumps on the rim it's almost like a hug, but that's exactly why she took off her shirt.
With the sponge she scrubs his back in slow, firm circles. Rin keeps an eye on the water's height while tends to him. It's more like caring for a patient than anything else. Honestly, for her it's soothing. To help, to be needed, to provide... It warms the cold apathy that the Discord had blanketed her with.]
I found some of your clothes in the rubble. I kept them... [because I didn't know if you survived] and they're clean. You can change into those and use the bed when you're clean.
no subject
But if he doesn't need to, he sure won't.
Which is to say, when Rin leans in to start scrubbing his back, Gen twitches at the first touch of the sponge. His canine ears flick back, just for a moment. Then his shoulders rise with a deep inhale, followed by a slow exhale huffed right against her skin as his posture melts further, letting her do as she wishes.
Vaguely, he's aware that this is a fucking pathetic state to be in. He should shoo her off, get himself clean. Eat, work, function properly. He's done this before -- killed before, then gone back to acting like nothing was wrong. He can do this, he knows he can. He has to be able to. It's just ... ]
... you're being awfully nice to me. [ It's said without any hint of accusation or his usual bluster. It's not even really a question. More of an observation, barely hinting at curiosity. Because while he does want to know why Rin is going through all this trouble, in this moment, his desire to continue wallowing in this comforting warmth is greater than his usual toughguy desire to control things as much as possible. Case in point, he tips his head to rest it lightly against Rin's arm; maybe she can feel the brush of his lashes as he blinks slowly, drowsily. ] You're okay with it?
no subject
When the manor got hit I didn't reach out through communion because I didn't want to know if you were dead.
["I was too afraid to confirm my fears." It doesn't answer his question directly, but she hopes it conveys a point. She's not really a "words" person as she is an "actions" one. So from the nape of his neck to the waist of his back she'll make sure to cut through the layers of neglect to get to clean skin.]
I found some of your stuff, and fixed it up.
no subject
He brushes them aside. Making conscious, coherent decisions is hard when his mind feels so rusted over, but on a gut level he knows none of those feel right to say out loud, even if none of them are technically incorrect. Gen sighs again -- slow, tired, but relaxed -- when he feels the sponge scrub over his back once more; his nerves had felt weirdly atrophied, but that tactile sensation manages to break through the heavy numbness, aided by the building, calming scent of sandalwood. ]
... thanks.
[ He means it, too -- it's said quietly, almost gently, without any of his usual toughguy bluster. ]
I would've been fine either way, but. S'good. I 'ppreciate it.
no subject
Rin sets aside the sponge so her hands can scoop a bit of the bathwater to rinse him with. She repeats this a few times before reaching to turn off the faucet finally. She peels away from him, reluctant to leave the solid and physical proof of his continued life, and reaches for the shampoo.]
Wet your hair and close your eyes. I'll take care of that too.
[This isn't just for him, after all. Being able to provide some semblance of help soothes her. It relieves some of her doubt and smooths the rough edges of her perceived helplessness. That her existence isn't just some detriment despite the fact that she feels she hasn't done enough for her faction.]
no subject
It still takes him a moment to register when he's being spoken to, but he does give a low hum when he processes what Rin says. Pulls away from the rim of the tub, drowsily scuffs a hand through his hair, then simply dunks his head in the water. It drips off the point of his chin, and off the tips of his canine ears when he emerges once more, but that's fine -- task complete. A cursory squeeze of his hand through his hair before he slumps back against the tub's edge, this time with his back towards her.
The water before him ripples from a small sigh before he abruptly speaks. ]
First time I killed someone, I just had to go back to actin' normal. Went to fucking school after the weekend. Three days later. [ It's not often that he volunteers this sort of information about himself, but -- it feels appropriate, here. He can't bring himself to apologize for the trouble he's causing Rin, but something adjacent to an explanation is easier to stomach. Gen blinks, feeling water bead off his lashes, as he continues quietly. ] ... thought it'd get easier each time. Guess it doesn't work that way.
[ He hadn't been the one to directly end Cyrus' life; Amos had taken on that burden, while he'd only been there as backup. But somehow, the weight of it still doesn't feel much lighter. ]
no subject
She remembers the dreams of her Servant. Of a man who was once a boy that only wanted to save everyone. How he made a deal with the World, and how he was forced to kill. Again and again in an endless string of mind-numbing tasks. She's not sure how to bring him comfort other than by showing him that his actions don't make him abhorrent or untouchable. So Rin reaches out, and begins to lather up his hair.]
Did D tell you? Cyrus didn't have a soul.
[Or perhaps they had other things to discus when the finally met up? Rin did have her outrageous assumptions when she heard D was looking for him...]