likethelight | IC Contact @ Deer Country

[ Trench was nothing like his waking world where people aspired to obtain the title of Hero. Where danger was common but not death, where friends and families worried for them yet were comforted by the fact that that tragedy was uncommon but still a real possibility, especially for those heroes who took on the most dangerous missions. He's not unaware of Allen's feelings: the need to trust in their strength, to believe they'll come back from their mission in one piece. The difference is, that's not a naive thought in his world. ]

I'll keep that in mind.

[ He has no issue asking for help. Prefers it, despite working mostly on his own but that's more a matter of circumstance than preference. If he hadn't lost her trail, he might've taken him up on his offer, but right now, the smart move is to return.

Above him, the sun begins to set, and the canopy becomes enshrouded in shadows, with whispers of light filtering through in a shimmering haze dictated by the wind. ]

I'll keep you posted if I find her again.

Edited 2022-06-17 05:33 (UTC)

[ He'd insist it wasn't naïve in either respect, but that's always a big point to him: pointing out the difference in his eyes between hope and naivete and holding fast to it. And his gaze flickers for a moment between the play of shadow and light on the projection and the actual dimming light outside his window high above the streets below. Not nearly as dark in Crenshaw yet, but that's because there is no forest canopy.

Trenchwood always seems somewhat dark, too. But he gives a nod in response to that answer. ]

Mm. [ A corner of his lips quirks though. Desperately trying not to let his amusement show, but the bright-eyed smile is undeniable. ]

Are you thinking of adopting a cat, then? [ Do you think Kizu would mind?, but he's learned his lesson on teasing today. ]

Edited 2022-06-17 05:49 (UTC)

[ The question draws his eyes back down to the device unaware of his amusement. ]

She's an alleycat.

[ He states as if that answers the question. ]

[ Um.

Blinking once. Twice.

--yeah he's got nothing. ]

Is that a... problem?

Yes. [ You see, he's thought about this a lot. ] It means she likes to roam.

[ Here, at least, he opts to explain. ]

I live in an area away from the district she's used to with predators she's probably never encountered. I'd have to keep her locked up in an empty house every time I went on patrol to keep her safe.

She'd hate that, I think.

Edited 2022-06-17 06:30 (UTC)

[ If you've thought about it this much that means you probably would like to have a cat... suddenly Kizu makes more sense too. ]

Mmm, you're probably right. [ Unfortunately. He was teasing very lightly before, though there was a distinct chance he was slightly hopeful for a cat. But that actually is a sound reason -- at least to Allen who doesn't understand cats very well. Isn't the whole of Trench generally quite dangerous to any living creature though? ]

I'm sure you'll find her a good home though. [ Which causes his thoughts to skip back, recalling what he'd said before. ]

Was the beast found? [ ...saved? ]

[ Unfortunately, he's already killed a few koi fish after transplanting them from the vendor's shop where he bought them - for an exorbitant amount of blood - to the stream near his home. Two he never saw again, a third a bear ate upriver. After that incident, he's hesitant to bring more animals home.

He shakes his head at the question. ]

The two Hunters on scene chased it out of the district and lost sight of it when it hit the treeline near the forest.

[ Which is why he's patrolling the area. ]

[ If Allen realized how much blood you spent... My god let him try to negotiate on your behalf at least. A middleman?? You can even still pay, but how are you not chronically anemic. ...That said he did enjoy playing with the koi greatly, even without the glowsticks. It was fun to lean over and try to get them to nibble at his fingertips and follow them around...

As for that answer -- damn. He leans his chin onto his palm thoughtfully. ]

Let me know if you spot it, if it's a troublesome one. [ a pause ]

I'm not the only one who can fully exorcise them safely it turns out. Beyond someone trying to enter their minds and pull them back. [ effective, but very risky and needing them to be fully restrained ]

Edited 2022-06-17 07:17 (UTC)

[ Those were planned purchases. It took him a month of steady pinpricks to create enough frozen blood crystals to pay for them, but it was worth it in the end. Two koi survived and seemed to like the shade underneath the house, which is where they usually retreated to when Allen wasn't outside with offerings of food. They weren't shy and were quick to explore anything that hit the water including curious fingers that didn't always offer food. They grew fat during Allen's stay being fed more than once a day. Now, back to their regular schedule, they're not as active.

The sunlight starts to fade and the forest grows dark, drawing some animals from their slumber and they add their voices to the chaos which echoes throughout the forest. Shouto looks over his shoulder, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound. After a few seconds when he's unable to distinguish a direction, he turns back to the Omni, nodding at the request. Though, what comes after has his brows lifting slightly in a questioning manner. ]

There are other Exorcists here?

[ It was fun!! Fish are nice and relaxing, he never thought you could really play with them like that before... it was really enjoyable, honestly.

Allen stills a little though, becoming quiet and not answering right away when he notices a sound get Shouto's attention, eyes flickering around the forest behind as if there'd be anything he could notice like this. A pulse of wariness, but he lets it slide when he looks back to him. ]

-mn. [ He gives a thoughtful hum, his thoughts coming back around. ] Not an Exorcist. Not quite like me, although the end result is the same in this case I suppose and he calls it "exorcism."

His name is Fushiguro. Fushiguro Megumi.

[ it took knowing each other for more than eight goddamn months and Viktor spilling the beans for Megumi to finally tell him but Allen isn't bitter. not at all... ]

Edited 2022-06-17 08:10 (UTC)

[ They were skittish at first, not recognizing the newcomer but after a few interactions, the water splashed with activity every time Allen came by the ledge of the wood overlooking the water. They learned the sounds of his coming and going, and came out looking for extra food. Even Tim became a fixture of familiarity not that that stopped them from nibbling at his tiny hands and feet, even wings anytime he drew near in a more playful manner than an actual attempt on gobbling him down. He probably didn't taste good in their opinion and much preferred the food Allen gave them.

With the waking of the nocturnal creatures, the sounds of the forest begin to change, new voices join the songs in the air, some he recognizes and a few others draw his attention away from the recording. That was close. Kizu hums in his mind. Did you recognize it? She shrugs in his mind, unperturbed by the sound. It's not a beast. Anything less doesn't garner her attention.

He returns his attention back to the camera, his eyes flicking ahead every few steps, paying attention to the path ahead, stepping over rocks and plants. When Allen mentions the person isn't an exorcist, his eyes flick down to him before looking ahead. ]

He performs exorcisms but he's not an exorcist like you. [ A pause. ] Is he a priest?

[ Then the name drop which has a flicker of surprise flitting across his face. ]

Megumi? [ The chatty one? ] His omen is a wolf isn't it?

[ Timcanpy absolutely played with them too; the sort to sit on the edge of one of the stepping stones and lean over while trying to splash the water with his tiny hands... and probably falling in half the time. He learned to skim by the surface of the water while hovering after that, waving his hands at them that way. Honestly probably where Allen was a good amount of the time when he was home and where he'd chat with people via Tim.

He misses it, honestly. A lot. ]

Definitely not a priest. [ The suggestion gets a droll sort of dead-in-the-eyes sort of glance aside from Allen. Definitely not that... ] He called himself a shaman.

[ Although, chatty?? That guy? ]

But yes, that's him, and her name is 'Kage' I think. [ He blinks, head tipping to the side in some surprise. ] You know him?

[ He'll send him a video of them some time, so Allen knows he hasn't lost them to the river. He's grown fond of the pair, feeling better that it's two of them, and not one. Otherwise, he imagines, it'd be a lonely existence. ]

A shaman? [ His brows furrow. ] Isn't that another name for a priest? A religious figure from a tribe.

[ He might be naive but he's read enough books to have a notion of the different cultures of the world. As for Megumi, Shouto would challenge anyone who said he wasn't a chatterbox. He's bold, which Shouto appreciates, and doesn't feel the need to ease into conversations simply stating what he means, questioning his words and motivations anytime he finds fault with them. Shouto doesn't mind, he appreciates that kind of straightforward talk but it's also led him to see Megumi as someone who likes to talk, like Allen. ]

Kage. [ He nods. ] That's her name. [ He nods at the question. ] She and Kizu fought the Huntsman together.

[ He won't go into details because it's not something Shouto likes to think about even now. There's something dark and vulnerable about him, like his brother. Maybe that's why he's come to trust him. ]

[ He'll fuss happily over it when he does. And fidget a touch before asking if he could come feed them again sometime... ]

It's not entirely the same thing, but you're not wrong... [ He wrinkles his nose slightly. ] He doesn't strike me as the religious type, though. [ Kind of the opposite, really. It's that kindred sort of sense that people burned by or wary of religion tend to have with each other. How ironic for Allen, the so-called "left hand of God." ]

The Huntsman? [ He blinks, recalling that time. Ah, back then... His demeanor quiets, recognizing that for what it is. ] Ah...

I'm grateful you had each other at that time, then. [ It's gentler, more sober. That could have been dire, likely was, and he likewise won't ask further. ]

Viktor called him a good man and I believe that too.

[ Shouto is prime to become that guy that sends random videos of fish splashing in the water with a selfie of his hand in the shots while he feeds them. If Allen says as much, he'd happily tell him he can come over any time to feed them. They'd enjoy his company. ]

Is he like you then? Someone who hunts down the monsters from his world?

[ Religion has never held sway in his life. He's gone through some of the rituals, attending temples during festivities but it's ritual. A sort of respect, no deep feeling or need to seek absolution from the gods he vaguely acknowledged. ]

The Huntsman shot me out of the sky and I landed at Megumi's feet. [ Luck, chance, it's all the same. ] We worked together after that to trap him in the quicksand.

[ Half of him. The head stayed with Megumi while Shouto with his faster transportation mode deposited his body into the quicksand while Megumi likely buried the head. ]

He has a big heart. [ No one could feel so much for the dead animals the Huntsman slaughtered who didn't. ]

[ Please, Allen won't be a whole lot better when he discovers selfies are a thing and the Omni can do them, and that's not far off now that he's been pointed at Trench-Netflix. Mostly in the sense he'll want blurry pictures with everyone then and there'll be more than a few bouts of the camera not being turned the right way. Expect to be brightly accosted for it one day.

--but he'd like that, a lot. With a quiet sort of brilliance and a lot more than someone talking about fish should be, and probably try to find out what koi like best so he can bring that. And a glowstick from time to time, when it's in the evening. Just don't be entirely surprised if he gets a surprised blink while watching them swim one day and comments that isn't it a little funny? They're both red and white, like they are. Shouto's hair and Allen's arms. Well, and the reddened scars on the left sides of their faces, but Allen isn't one to point that sort of thing out. ]

Mn, it's similar. He called them "vengeful spirits"; souls corrupted by negative emotions that would cause pain to themselves and others. He'd exorcise them to put them back to rest, so it sounds not entirely unlike the Akuma I would exorcise.

[ He blinks at that admission though, a little surprised. ]

Shot you out of the sky? [ Fretting, there's a lot of it quietly happening in his tone, but that was also a long time ago and Shouto obviously was ultimately alright -- Megumi too. It was around the time they were both stuck in the catacombs and he started to actually get to know him, too. ]

Edited 2022-06-18 01:37 (UTC)

[ He will enjoy each and every picture. He may not always comment on every mishap, but he'll appreciate it. Mainly because it's the first time he'll exchange pictures like this with someone. If Allen ends up bringing his glowsticks to play with the koi, then Shouto will feel it his right to set up a tea ceremony on the engawa. He'll even bring out some of Sansa's show-stopper jams she gifted him with. Tea, jam, and pastries with the splashing of koi in the water as they try to pick off the dragonflies zipping by. Shouto, for his part, hasn't noticed the irony of their coloring. They were simply the color the other vendors had. The others were different colors": orange and white; black and white; black and red.

He pauses in his trek, the trees above coming to standstill. ]

Is Megumi at war too?

[ He nods at the question, still focused on Megumi. ] It hit my ice.

[ Thanks to Kizu slamming him out of the way. She has good instincts, already she's disgruntled that they're talking about that Huntsman. ]

[ His first time too, though the being Victorian thing is a big reason for that... he might get the occasional distant, under-exposed picture sent to him of Dabi napping under the cherry blossom tree at Sanctuary when he sneaks in at night and Allen manages to catch him, so Shouto knows he's still doing alright. What Dabi doesn't know won't hurt him... "him" being Allen. But tea, jam, and pastries together on the engawa--

If you aren't careful he's going to end up half moving back in before either of them realize it. Do you know how happy even the idea of spending time like that would make him. Dumb happy, like legitimately stupid-happy. He might not even feel the need to put a ridiculous amount of sugar in his tea. ]

I... didn't think to ask. I don't think so though, I didn't get the sense he was. [ It was strange, there are some things he seems so hardened to, and others where he isn't. Though perhaps that's not unlike Allen himself, it's just over different things. The bleakness with which he spoke sometimes though, the adamant stance against hope... in retrospect that makes him wonder if Shouto might be onto something. Because that's an attitude he saw in some other Exorcists who had seen too many lost battles.

And-- hit his ice? Good, even if it feels a little silly maybe to be relieved this much later. Allen lets out a small breath anyway and gives a nod at that answer, before continuing. I'm glad. ]

He is someone who fights, though. [ Their battle against the Unsnakely proved that much, and even if it hadn't the other boy's instincts in life or death situations scream someone of someone used to putting their life on the line, especially when their age. (Mostly? He kind of figures Megumi is older.) ]

[ It makes sense for Allen, which is honestly half the reason why Allen doesn't question him more than he should. He's just as lost sometimes and he's from the modern era. Shouto will absolutely save every picture of Touya and keep a digital copy with Kizu just in case. He will appreciate each one, especially if he can catch his omen, Wolf, in the picture. He will be weirdly excited in that calm manner of his.

The only way this dense fool would realize it is if someone pointed it out to him. If that happened, he'd straight up ask Allen if he wants a futon of his own, and offer to go futon shopping with him.

He nods at the assessment. Allen is good at gauging people. He watched him for a whole month interacting with every kind of person on the streets, in the shops, and everywhere else he went. He always knew how to talk to people, so he trusts his assessment without question.

It helps that he's interacted with Megumi before. Met him on the boardwalk when he first arrived, lost and ready to snap at a provocation. Later, when he fought alongside him, Shouto formed his own opinion separate from Allen. It helps him now, in dissecting that statement, through his own lenses. ]

He's a lethal fighter.

[ He comes from a completely different world than Allen and Megumi. There are no monsters to fight where he comes from, only people. Villains are lethal fighters. They're the ones heroes take down. But sometimes, Heroes also kill, blurring that line, forcing society to spin a story to correct the narrative. There's a reason why Shouto is in conflict regarding his brother (Touya vs Dabi), and why he misunderstood what Allen did to that Akuma. In his eyes, he killed it. Even if it killed those people, that kind of end isn't something he'll ever be able to deliver, not knowingly. Knowing what Allen was doing, cleansing instead of killing, was imperative in his understatement of him. A missing piece he didn't get until after he returned from the dead. If he had known back then... he shakes those thoughts away. That line of inquiry never led anywhere good.

Here too, with Megumi, Shouto finds himself at the same precipice, with the same questions he once had of Allen. ]

But that doesn't always mean he delivers death. Sometimes, it means cleansing.

[ And therein lies the question he has yet to answer. Which is he? Like Allen? Or Dabi? ]

Edited 2022-06-18 03:24 (UTC)

[ That wolf is really creepy. It stares in a way that's unnerving. He might snap a picture of it sometime, though it would be wholly by accident... Omens know and he doesn't want to risk Dabi's wrath.

And please, as if Allen's much more likely to realize it either until well after the fact. It's just a different brand of idiocy. But boy if someone did and Shouto asked that... he'd get pretty Emotional and fret if that was okay. No promises he won't tear up, he would have before or after Viktor basically suggested the same sort of thing._{Did you know he's never been shopping for a bed before? How do you even do that? It's exciting...!} ]

Lethal? [ He blinks, startling a little at that. Shouto isn't one to say things that aren't fully substantiated, though he does... misinterpret some things. But this doesn't seem like one of those at all. And it causes Allen to hesitate, weighing that as well. But you see, the thing he wouldn't have explained to Shouto, and hasn't to anyone... ]

In truth... most Exorcists view themselves and how they fight more like that as well I think. At best as a mercy killing, or as destroyers. That there are sacrifices that have to be made, even if it's lives. So I guess that isn't really surprising to me to hear. [ It also fits with that more bleak demeanor Megumi can have. And Shouto might think Exorcists like Allen save because that's how he described it as what he does, but in truth... Allen is the marked exception to the rule. Saving souls is an accidental byproduct the vast majority of people in the world are unaware even happens.

But more telling beyond the brutality in fighting monsters that used to be human, all except for Allen had no qualms at the idea of killing the Noah, who are human. It was an unquestionable necessity to them.

And Allen is quietly sober, gentle in demeanor, but not very happy in admitting that. ]

But he told me he exorcises and wants to do it in order to save people who have become Beasts. "I want to help exorcise as many as I can," he said. [ He repeats Megumi's words to himself as if solidifying that view of him to himself as well. Re-iterating belief. ]

So even if he is a lethal fighter and I don't know if I'm okay with that part of it, if it's like you say... I believe he truly does want to help people who have become Beasts as well and will do what he can to save them. Lives and souls. [ And he sounds dead certain of that. ]

Edited 2022-06-18 03:57 (UTC)

[ Shouto finds it interesting. It growled at Kizu when she approached, the problem is she's a reflection of him. She wasn't afraid of it the same way he's not afraid of his brother. But yes, probably harder to sneak a picture with his omen around, which is sad for him. He'll just be a pest one day and ask Touya for a picture with his omen. Maybe that won't end badly for him.

Ah, yes. Together they make one brain cell. At least when it comes to this. He will be very confused by his reaction and think that he asked him wrong. Why else would he react that way? Funny thing is, Shouto has been shopping for a futon exactly once before. The last time he bought his! He's practically an expert! Don't worry, he'll take care of everything. You just pick the futon you like... that is of course unless you want a western bed then... well, they can navigate that together. ]

A mercy killing is still killing. [ He points out. ] I... [ His mouth presses together tightly, the next words difficult to admit but true nonetheless. ] I considered you a lethal fighter too for some time. Like some of the Hunters, I don't work with.

That's why... [ He swallows, throat dry. ] I thought you were going to kill my brother, as a mercy, and call it justice. But he isn't a monster, he's human, just like you.

[ It was murder in his eyes. The last time someone put one of his brothers in danger, he'd gone Plus Ultra to save him. He kept his head back then, but those were different circumstances and he had back-up, four against one minor villain. Shouto viewed him as a lethal fighter between the time they fought the Akuma and the time he found him struggling to ram his sword through his brother.

He's known so many since joining the Hunters it was merely another layer of complexity to add to their already complicated interactions. He accepted it the same way he accepted things he couldn't change about people, but it left a distance between them that made it easier for him to disengage with him. ]

I don't see you that way anymore.

[ He makes sure to add, looking straight at him through the omni as the night creeps around him, casting him in shadow. ]

You cleanse corruption, you don't cause it. You don't kill.

[ A difficult lesson learned, one that will always stay with him. It's why he doesn't outright lump Megumi with the lethal Hunters. He needs more information before he can fully make up his mind, even after witnessing him decapitating the Huntsman. Allen's description of his powers receives a nod. He's earned the benefit of the doubt from him, and so by his word alone, he marks Megumi as a cleanser, like Allen, instead of a killer like Dabi. ]

I believe you.

Edited 2022-06-18 06:18 (UTC)

[ Managing to be an enabling part of a shared braincell is something Allen is weirdly good at despite being how savvy he otherwise is. Call them mile wide blind spots when it comes to some things. And there is nothing wrong with asking or Allen's reaction!!! It's just!!! ...stop looking at him, he's fine!! He's just... happy!! It's normal!! Also Shouto saying he's an expert on something like that is slightly concerning... and it's okay, he wouldn't want a western one anyway. It'd feel weirdly tasteless, and honestly he's slept on the actual ground more times in his life than not, probably... the elevation difference doesn't bother him and he actually really enjoyed Shouto's futon and slept better than he normally does. The tatami smelled nice too. ~~goddamnit you're letting him haggle though~~

But "I considered you a lethal fighter too..." That would hurt a lot, normally. Picking at that doubt and pain that comes from I wish you had trusted me more. But it frames that in a way that makes more sense too, and as Allen's expression flickers and softens at that he rather wishes, yet again, this was a conversation in person. It feels wrong, not being able to reach out. ]

...Exorcists weren't expected to just fight creatures like Akuma. But I wasn't able to kill someone even when I probably should have and he didn't want to give me much choice. Or when I was ordered to. I wanted to save them instead. [ He smiles gently; sad-sweet, but with a genuine warmth and gentleness. With gratitude and understanding. You have a good heart too, and he's sorry you had to carry that as long as you did. ]

No one liked that very much. [ It sounds like it technically should be wry, but he says it with that same painfully gentle smile. ]

It's easy for people to call someone a monster because they are afraid of them or don't understand them, because it makes it easier for them to not care as much or helps justify their actions in their mind, but it doesn't change the fact they're still human. They still feel the same that we do, still hurt and still have things that are precious to them. [ He would have thought the same of Dabi and done the same even if he knew everything he'd ever done. While Allen would technically entertain a mercy killing, if there was truly no way to save the life of someone who had become a Beast and whose soul was actively suffering, if everything was exhausted and there was no way to give them relief... it would break him, but he would understand it in those situations. That is also what the curse of his eye means, seeing the acute suffering of the soul that others don't, and ultimately he believes in stopping cycles of suffering. Beings who are Beasts too long eventually lose their original form and can no longer have their Beasthood reverted anyway. But he also loathes a decision like that with every fiber of his being and would want to find a way first to not have to make that choice.

Thankfully, he hasn't had to make that one yet. ]

It's why I hate that. The idea of a war based on sacrifice. [ In his past life or in this world now, a war on corruption and Beasthood where the commonly understood way is to sacrifice those lives they've already written off as "lost". But his smile softens then, taking in Shouto's projected appearance and determined look before he brings a hand up, fingers gracefully reaching out but stopping just short of touching the image. Something that on the Omni would look like raising his fingers to press lightly against the glass. ]

Thank you for telling me. [ And believing in him now. ]

Edited 2022-06-18 07:25 (UTC)

[ He'll move on to thinking he's sick and try to show him how to apply a pressure point to help. Fortunately, he'll stop once he realizes he's got no clue what's going on. He's an expert considering where he was before, which was not knowing anything at all! He'd take him to look at a western-style bed since Allen has one at the church. He is, in fact, aware that his sleeping choice is uncommon. Allen can haggle to his heart's content. He'll think it's another one of his superpowers and compliment him on it.

The fact is that he's used to having these conversations over the phone. He can't technically leave UA at the moment. They're on lockdown, taking in civilians from the chaos unfolding outside its walls. Lawlessness reigns supreme in his world right now. He's fine with this. He takes important calls while he's out on patrol, looking over his shoulder. The difference is he's used to patrolling the concrete jungles of a modern city, not real ones.

Another sound has him whipping his head around, but Kizu doesn't stir despite monitoring his surroundings. It's only going to get louder. The forest is stirring to life. With more dangerous creatures goes unsaid, but the feeling is there. He nods to seemingly no one. Okay, in a moment. Right now, this is more important. ]

People don't like it when you disobey, but that doesn't make you wrong.

[ The more Allen speaks, the more his idea of him cements itself in his mind. He never had to make the same choices he did, fighting his own organization, being crushed by them, suffocating under their demands. It reminds him of growing up under Endeavor's thumb only Allen had a whole organization to watch over him where he only ever had to endure one person's grand plan for him.

He stares down at the recording, looking at the image of Allen reaching for the screen as if he could reach through to the other side. His thoughts get lost examining his words, not fully grasping the gesture, but he understands the sentiment. His mood grows somber in face of Allen's soft smile. ]

I think... my brother sacrificed himself for his war against my father.

[ So, he understands that sentiment. Hates it. Not Touya, but his choices. He hates Endeavor's unwillingness to acknowledge his son. To admit his part in this destruction tearing their family apart. Hates his own role in all of it. Hates having to face his brother but unlike his father, he won't run away from this fight or hand it over to anyone else. That's why I was born. That's why he has to get stronger, to stop him from hurting himself anymore, but he's still too weak. ]

So... I think I understand what you mean.

[ He nods quietly, the night coming alive around him, while his existence seems to diminish under the weight of what lies before him. ]

Thank you for listening. [ Not everyone does. ]

Edited 2022-06-18 12:04 (UTC)

[ He'll let him haggle? And maybe, might see the merit in it? Baby steps! Allen's not mean to merchants after all, it's about getting a fair price... there's a lot of respect to be had between businessmen that way._{Although most of them are still somewhat terrified of him when he's out to trade.} ...also it's fine even if it's an uncommon choice, it's still amazing compared to sleeping on the ground outdoors. ✨ (He's... way too upbeat and certain in saying that.)

"People don't like it when you disobey, but that doesn't make you wrong," gets a small curl of a wry yet grateful sort of smile. No, they don't. Rather, people in authority positions especially hate it and Allen has a bit of a rebel streak when he comes across orders and ideologies he doesn't agree with. When something doesn't seem fair or right. It's nice to hear that mirrored back.

And he's concerned at the increasing night and what must be alarming sounds that keep catching Shouto's attention, but likewise this is an important conversation he doesn't feel he should interrupt. Kizu, like Tim, can sense if there's actual danger after all too. Still, he does wish he was back home already. ]

Sacrificed himself? [ He's a little surprised, sobering at that as he tries to piece that back against what he learned of Dabi -- Touya -- within his soul. The insight he got that was still, admittedly, not the whole picture and out of a lot of context.

He thinks... from what he saw, he might know what he means. But: ]

What makes you say that?

Edited 2022-06-18 16:29 (UTC)

[ Oh, he'll see the merit in it, but that's just something he can't do. It's his personality that's the issue. Allen's way is better than Dabi's, who uses intimidation tactics and may or may not burn up a stall or two... just stop, Nii-chan. He'll choose to go with Allen's tactics instead and fail miserably because he has no tact. If he's sure, then he'll have some recommendations for a futon. (If only he wasn't an idiot, he would poke at that certainty.)

Authoritative figures oppress through force, then seem surprised when it incites rebellion in the oppressed. Shouto understands that sentiment because he's lived it. Allen's penchant for questioning authority is something he's starting to glean from how he described the Hunters, and it's making him question the path he's taken, but those are thoughts for another time. ]

His body.

[ Shouto doesn't need to know his brother's quirk isn't suited to his body, he can see the self-abuse in the staples holding his skin together and the charred skin that can't cope with the elevated temperatures. Those blue flames are strong enough to cause damage to him. Without his body's extreme temperature resistance, he would have wound up like him. Scorched skin, 2nd degree burns, maybe third. He's still trying to figure out how much damage his brother has caused himself in his pursuit to take down their family. ]

He's sacrificing his body to enact his revenge.

Edited 2022-06-18 17:46 (UTC)

IC Contact @ Deer Country

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totally lost this tag

all good! it happens. still laughing this came from jam

who knew jam could be so deadly

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