July Bonding

[sleight_of_hand]

WHO: Adachi, Akechi, Yusuke, Dooku (and open eventually)
WHERE: All porter cities.
WHEN: The month of July.
WHAT: Adachi's trying to make up for the dismal events of last month and do the right thing, but that quickly comes back to bite him.
WARNINGS: Probably torture; will be updated as needed.

[ A Meeting of the Murderers | De Chima | Akechi ]
[ It was Adachi's first time at De Chima's University, and he was already a little lost. Just being on the campus grounds was bringing back old memories, memories of studying endlessly, absorbing facts that ended up meaning very little in his real life. It didn't help that the building kind of resembled Todai, or the fact that he could see people trying to pass out fliers for different social events. He couldn't properly socially interact, but he could ramble about the Aoyama-kai and Mitani-kumi gang war for hours, and looking at this place only reminded him how much he failed in life. ]

[ He let out a breath after a moment, setting out to try and find the student cafe. It was definitely after one by the time he finally located it, spotting Akechi's stupid fluffy hair and sliding into a seat at the table he was at. ]

Sorry about the wait; wasn't expecting how big this place was.

[ At least it wasn't a lie. ]

[ Consequences of Failure | Heropa | Yusuke and Dooku ]
[ Adachi had taken his time after meeting up with Octavius, enjoying a few of the restaurants he had been meaning to and meeting up with a few former clients to check up on them. It was late by the time he stepped out of the Heropa porter, later than when he usually left the rink for skating, so he started home, hands in his pockets like he didn't have a worry in the world. ]

[ Never mind the feeling of being watched prickling at the back of his neck. ]

[ His eyes darted around as he walked, keeping up his casual air of just another late work night, but on high alert, slipping his right hand out of his pocket, ready to summon at a moments notice. ]

[ Why did he have a bad feeling about this...? ]


[ Other prompts will be available as these are resolved. ]

Comments

[lempereur]

[ He went too far and let it go on too long. He knew that. He was told by Adachi himself to be unimaginably cruel and he was, even as every bone in his body and thought in his head fought him on it. But it was too much, too far, and Yusuke knew it long before it was over. By the time Dooku left, he didn't recognize himself, and he will hate himself for it for a long time. He already does, but there is no time to crumble, he's racing against the clock with a half dead man on his back, and after what seems like ages of screaming and pounding at the door, it swings open. The artist turned thief turned possibly murderer has never been so relieved to see anyone, ever.

There's no time to talk about it. Yusuke nods, brushing past her and towards her room, where he carefully drops Adachi onto the bed, staining the sheets almost immediately, but it's nothing compared to the state the detective is in, or even the familiar Fox getup, gloves missing and smeared in blood from mask to boots. ]

He needs your help. I need--

[ He sinks to the floor, panting. Or hyperventilating. Some mysterious ratio of physical exertion and full-blown terror has done a number on him. A blood-stained hand tears the mask from his face and throws it to the floor, where it shatters into jagged bits of ceramic. It's easier to breathe that way, with only a layer of cold sweat separating him from the warm summer air. But only barely. ]

I need to call Akira. And... [ Viktor? He has to know as soon as possible, and if he knows, Yuri knows, and god damn it he doesn't know what he has to do to keep it together long enough to make good on his promises, only that he has to. ]

[codeoracle]

[She trails after him, worry growing as he gives no answers for what has led to all of this. If it wasn't for the fact that she was hyper focused on what she needed to do now, she would be shaking at the sight of blood dripping to her floor, staining her sheets. If it wasn't for the fact that Yusuke was the one panicking in front of her, breathing uneven and his usual calm shattered, she wouldn't have the mind to hold it all together.

The green light, usually so calming as she settles into the suit of the Oracle, seems almost sickly now, colored by her own dread and terror as she watches someone who was usually a rock crumble in front of her as a man lay near death in her bed. She glances toward Adachi--a few seconds. She needed a few seconds and then Necronomicon would be called and he would be fine.

She crouches near Yusuke, laying a hand on his shoulder to try and bring his attention to her.]

He'll be fine...I can stabilize him and help him heal. I've got you covered like always...Call whoever you need to.

[She steps back then, moving to throw her window open. The green light is back, and she is sure there will be talk from anyone awake to see the UFO descending on her home. There will especially be talk of the tentacles that snake through the window as she starts running every health buff she can think of to make sure Adachi would pull through.]

[lempereur]

[ Yusuke tenses at her touch, blood running cold for just a moment, until he realizes that it's Futaba. His support, his guidance, his shield. He meets her eyes and nods, taking one great deep breath, a relative calm that should last long enough to make sure Viktor gets here, and long enough to burden Akira with the tasks he cannot handle.

She leaves, to do what needs to be done, and he reaches for his communicator, hands shaking enough to drop it once before gripping it strongly enough to use it. He's barking orders, which is unlike him, but there's no time to do otherwise. ]

[codeoracle]

[What follows is several tense moments, where she can hear the sharp tones and hard orders coming from behind her as she focuses on Adachi. She's never been close to wounded people before, always working from a distance, injuries gone long before they ever exited the Metaverse or a Palace. It's the metallic tang, the heady scent of blood that hits her the hardest and makes her stomach roll. She isn't going to forget this night for a while.

She isn't satisfied until she has not only administered a health booster and recovery, but several stamina boosts as well. With his own latent abilities, she's confident that he'll pull through--and she's thankful when the vital readouts on her visor update and confirm just that. She keeps Necronomicon around, to make sure the buffs stay and can continue to refresh as needed, but she takes the time to push her visor up and sink to the floor. There's a lingering hint of terror in her eyes, and a weariness settling into her features as she watches Yusuke pace and place calls. She waits for a break, unsure if he's finished or not.]

He's stable...[It's a quiet interruption, just on the edge of sounding both feeble and terrified.]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Perhaps ironically, it felt like someone was dragging him back through a fog, and oh, did he hate fog anymore. Adachi was more than happy to let himself be dragged awake, eyes opening slowly to a green glow, and... ]

[ ...and tentacles reaching out to him through a window?! ]

GYAAAHHH?!!!?!

[ His reaction probably wasn't a good idea, considering he tried to jump up and away as he screamed. He regretted it instantly, pain flaring up through his arms and legs as he moved. A breathless gasp escaped from him, and a hand went to his shoulder as he crumpled back down against the bed, looking around in confusion. ]

[lempereur]

[ The scream makes Yusuke jump, a new shot of fear flowing through him until he realizes that it means Adachi is awake, the worst possible outcome likely avoided. He rushes to his side, kneeling beside the bed and cautiously laying a hand on the detective's less mangled shoulder, while still avoiding his eyes. ]

That is Futaba's Persona. She is saving your life. Hold still.

[codeoracle]

[If the scream made Yusuke jump, then Futaba out right flew. She wasn't expecting him to come to so soon, but then again she had run more than her usual round of spells. She can't help but notice how Yusuke avoids Adachi's eyes when she moves to go back to the bedside. She still doesn't have answers to what happened, but she can easily see the weight of guilt settled on her teammate's shoulders.]

They need to stay there so the buffs can refresh when they fade off. Please don't startle Necronomicon by trying to shove them off.

[She forces herself to reign in her nerves, sounding almost clinical as she tries not to let her panic show more than she had allowed it to already. Speaking of those buffs though, she puts in a new round of stamina boosts, it will keep him conscious at least even if it will hardly do anything for pain.]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi paused, glancing from Yusuke, to the gremlin, back to the tentacle monstrosity poking at him through the window. He swallowed, sinking back against the bed again. He wanted to freak out and get away, but everyone already looked stressed out enough. They didn't need him trying to get away while still injured on top of it. ]

D-didn't realize buffs these days involved tentacle rape...

[ It was such a weak, lame joke, he didn't even have the heart to laugh. ]

[lempereur]

[ Yusuke sniffs and wipes his eyes, unknowingly leaving a smudge of red against his forehead. Adachi trying and failing to be funny was normal, so that was good, right? But it didn't feel any better, it only reminded him that this was a living, breathing person in front of him, that somewhere deep down he still cared about, and it was Yusuke's fault he was in this condition.

He wants his mask back. ]

Just lay down, try to relax. You'll be okay.

[codeoracle]

[The joke is horrible, but she'll take it as a sign he's feeling--not better, but he was certainly feeling well enough to make the joke in the first place. The initial cause of panic taken care of, her worry slips back to Yusuke.

The upset was visible, as stark as the smudge of red now streaked across his forehead. He had nothing to hide behind, and she didn't know what she could do to help. She bites her lip before moving to swipe at the blood standing bright on his pale skin.]

Yusuke...[She has so many questions. Questions she has every right to ask given the trouble he brought to her tonight, but she knows it's not the time. She could press him for information later.]

You should...You can clean up in my bathroom if you want. Before everyone gets here...[It's the only thing she can offer right now, but it's something.]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi looked between the two of them, vague memories of being dragged through the streets worming their way into his head. He let out a breath, flopping his left arm over his stomach. ]

Listen to her, Kitagawa-kun. You look like hell.

[ Which, coming from him, probably said a lot. He didn't even know what he looked like at the moment, other than a bloody mess. How much blood did he lose? Was he pale as all hell? Probably; he wondered if he could make a vampire joke... Nah, not right now, at least. ]

[lempereur]

[ Why would Adachi even be worried about what he looked like? Futaba, sure, he'll wobble to his feet for her sake, he doesn't want to scare her any more than he already has. His hand runs nervously over his face, before settling on Futaba's shoulder for a moment, a wordless gesture of thanks all he can muster the strength for.

Yusuke shuts the door behind him, and immediately throws up what little had been in his stomach to begin with, and after a few minutes of intense, futile retching, he is quiet. Washing his hands and staring at himself in the mirror until he hears knocking at the door. He breathes deep and with intention, throwing cold water on his face before he opens the door again. Hopefully their guests were ones he invited... ]

I will get this.

[codeoracle]

[Futaba watches him wobble to the bathroom, letting the worried expression slip back onto her face for the briefest of moments. Yusuke really did tend to carry the world on his shoulders, and whatever had happened only made it that much worse.

The sounds at the door nearly make her jump out of her skin until she remembers the calls Yusuke had made. She's close to insisting that she could answer the door, but Yusuke is already there. She'll watch him go, hesitating to follow. A moment passes before she turns back to Adachi on the bed.]

Don't try to move, okay?

[It's the only warning she gives before she slips out of the room to stand just outside the door. Much as they're expecting people, she'd rather have a clear line of sight in case they weren't the guests they were expecting and Yusuke needed back up.]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi wasn't about to get out of bed, at least, not yet; moving as much as he had pretty much drained the hell out of him, never mind the fact that he was doing his best not to show it. He managed a weak nod, not that he thought she saw him, before closing his eyes and letting unconsciousness drag him back down. ]

[ Amazing how he could do that with tentacles around. Seriously, he had so many questions for the gremlin. ]