[he sounds tired, irritable, distracted -- it's like every other day, really, but the context makes it worse (and maybe the knowledge that he's been seeking someone who's probably dead every day since he got here)]
[there's the tone that tells him badou has no idea where heine fucked off to]
Alright.
[a brief pause]
I'm going to assume you aren't in the house. Listen, neither of us likes this business of being looked after and having someone look after us - but Carol's worried, and you're right if you're thinking I'm using her as an excuse to put this out to you. Check in every few hours and don't do anything rash. It's dangerous outside but not to the point of panicking about it, so keep alert about anyone or anything suspicious.
[normally, the authoritative tone would make him rankle, but there's a mix of exhaustion, stress, and -- and whatever it is he feels towards Hijikata now, ever since that one day -- that stops him from snapping back]
[he just informs him dully]
I cut a guy yesterday. It's fine, though.
[a pause, and then he adds]
There's no fucking killers on the street. It's the same as always. The only people givin' me a hard time are the ones who -- that fucking Fukawa talked to --
[bites off the rest of that sentence; he won't agree or disagree verbally to the parameters Hijikata's told him, but he'll likely follow them just fine]
[it only makes sense for hijikata to ask; "it's fine" won't cut it]
--no there aren't, I'm fully aware that the Landlord might have a hand in al this, but planting a seed of doubt into the community makes everyone act fucking stupid about it. Are you hiding?
This asshole, an' because he put a sword to my throat like a shithead an' I didn't want it there. How'm I s'posed to find [him] anything if I'm in hiding?
[short, sharp, but easily given -- this is the information Badou has, and it's as cheap as free (for Hijikata)]
If your life was being threatened you have a right to defend yourself. Who was this man? If he's acting out over the murders it's one thing, but if he's responsible for any of them, then...
[hrmph] If you find out anything, let me know. Got that? Try not to get any more hurt in the process.
[it's very rare that Badou will explain his actions towards others; it's even rarer that he'll clarify another person's actions towards him]
If you find stuff out, you'll tell me too, right.
[there's a fragile note of questioning that, at a later date, Badou may remember, and will definitely rue (Dave didn't tell him all the pieces, never, not even when there were monsters at their door)]
[(Badou's still not sure if it would have helped)]
If you ask, I'll remember to share what I can and have.
[easy, at least hijikata's stuck on this idea of ask and you will receive, so long as it's information he can share]
I spoke with Fukawa. Not to have her apologise, but I listened to her side of the story. Understand that what she did was on instinct to survive. [and she told me things About You that may be needed to be discussed at a later date]
[a slight tonal shift; he's still terrifically angry at her, but he doesn't have the time to focus on it, and the result is that shotgun-trigger fury that hits his gut like a shell and then falls apart just as innards would]
[but Gau's not his friend and Hijikata's not his brother and there's no body yet and the anger from even thinking about Fukawa is still rattling too loudly in his brain, so instead he just]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
call/voicemail
[leave a couple of voicemails]
Oi, answer your phone when I call.
call
[the phone rings and few times, and when Hijikata picks up]
What?
Re: call
Re: call
[he sounds tired, irritable, distracted -- it's like every other day, really, but the context makes it worse (and maybe the knowledge that he's been seeking someone who's probably dead every day since he got here)]
Heine was, but he fucked off yesterday.
Re: call
Alright.
[a brief pause]
I'm going to assume you aren't in the house. Listen, neither of us likes this business of being looked after and having someone look after us - but Carol's worried, and you're right if you're thinking I'm using her as an excuse to put this out to you. Check in every few hours and don't do anything rash. It's dangerous outside but not to the point of panicking about it, so keep alert about anyone or anything suspicious.
Got it?
Re: call
[he just informs him dully]
I cut a guy yesterday. It's fine, though.
[a pause, and then he adds]
There's no fucking killers on the street. It's the same as always. The only people givin' me a hard time are the ones who -- that fucking Fukawa talked to --
[bites off the rest of that sentence; he won't agree or disagree verbally to the parameters Hijikata's told him, but he'll likely follow them just fine]
Re: call
[it only makes sense for hijikata to ask; "it's fine" won't cut it]
--no there aren't, I'm fully aware that the Landlord might have a hand in al this, but planting a seed of doubt into the community makes everyone act fucking stupid about it. Are you hiding?
Re: call
[short, sharp, but easily given -- this is the information Badou has, and it's as cheap as free (for Hijikata)]
Re: call
[hrmph] If you find out anything, let me know. Got that? Try not to get any more hurt in the process.
Re: call
[it's very rare that Badou will explain his actions towards others; it's even rarer that he'll clarify another person's actions towards him]
If you find stuff out, you'll tell me too, right.
[there's a fragile note of questioning that, at a later date, Badou may remember, and will definitely rue (Dave didn't tell him all the pieces, never, not even when there were monsters at their door)]
[(Badou's still not sure if it would have helped)]
Re: call
[easy, at least hijikata's stuck on this idea of ask and you will receive, so long as it's information he can share]
I spoke with Fukawa. Not to have her apologise, but I listened to her side of the story. Understand that what she did was on instinct to survive. [and she told me things About You that may be needed to be discussed at a later date]
You didn't say where you were.
Re: call
Around. She's a fucking head case.
[a slight tonal shift; he's still terrifically angry at her, but he doesn't have the time to focus on it, and the result is that shotgun-trigger fury that hits his gut like a shell and then falls apart just as innards would]
Re: call
[a sigh, but he might as well be smoking]
We'll talk later.
Re: call
[a sharp, half-inhale, like he's about to say something]
[(findmyfriendfindmyfriendbeforehediespleasefindmyfriend)]
[but Gau's not his friend and Hijikata's not his brother and there's no body yet and the anger from even thinking about Fukawa is still rattling too loudly in his brain, so instead he just]
[ disconnects ]