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[sunshrouded]

Is this how it works? Ha! Got it!

Hey, this is the equivalent of getting in touch with the mighty Kumou Tenka - yours truly - if I'm otherwise busy. Tell me what you need and I'll get back to you as soon as possible! Talk to you soon.

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OKAY let's do this ( action!!! )

[prehensible]

[ souza doesn't talk about his nightmares. honestly, most people don't even know he has them. he doesn't want to trouble anyone, after all; back home, they have more important things to worry about than one sword's weakness. kousetsu and sayo know, of course, but sayo has his own bad dreams, and kousetsu doesn't press him about them.

this is the first night he's had one here, though, and he finds himself jerking awake with a terrified cry in his throat, bitten viciously back, teeth digging so hard into his cheek that he tastes blood. he's shaking so hard it's a wonder he hasn't woken his brother, still hearing the echo of his master's voice. his brand burns, and he presses hands desperately to his mouth to muffle the sudden, overwhelmed sobs. he's exhausted with being so irreparably damaged.

rolling carefully away from his brother's side, he staggers to his feet, slipping out of the room and toward the kitchen. one of them should sleep tonight, after all. --when he reaches the semi-familiar room, he moves to fill the kettle and get a cup down, familiar motions he can do even with a damp face and blurred vision. by the time the water is beginning to boil, he's even mostly calm again. only his brand still burns, a steady reminder of his most fearsome owner. ]

weeps gently over swords also action forever!!

[sunshrouded]

[It's far from the first nightmare that Tenka has had here. Regardless, he's jolting up in his own room, drenched in a cold sweat and his hands trembling faintly as he presses his fingers to his own skin, as if searching for the Orochi scales that marred his body when he first arrived here. It's subconscious. He's not even aware that he's doing it. But he does gather himself enough to release a shaky breath and stand from his futon. Vaguely he rearranges his yukata to settle more comfortably on his shoulders, runs a hand through his loose hair, and gets up to make tea.

Though it seems that he was beaten to the punch.

He blinks once at the unexpected company. When Tenka has his nightmares, he's careful about it -- typically not a sound to wake even Sousei and he's definitely never crossed paths with Souza before.

But his body moves on automatic as he wanders closer to the other man and notices the redness of his eyes and just how tired he looks. Without a word of warning and explanation, he wraps both of his arms around Souza's shoulders and pulls him down into a tight embrace.

Whatever it is, it'll be okay. Tenka will make sure of it.]

crying about swords: the life

[prehensible]

[ .. what is tenka doing up? was he having a hard time sleeping? souza moves to hastily wipe his eyes so he can greet him properly, but before he has time to do so, tenka's wrapping his arms around him in a fierce hug.

for a moment or two, souza's too stunned to react-- but then he releases a shaky breath, his own arms coming around the other man just as fiercely. he tucks his face into the crook of tenka's neck, allowing himself the comfort of the gesture just this once. ]

.. I'm all right, Tenka-san. [ it's a quiet, muffled response, fingers tightening in the back of tenka's yukata. ] Just an ugly dream. [ he finally lifts his head again, leaning back enough to look at him, his arms coming up between them to slide over his shoulders instead. long fingers slide into the hair at tenka's nape, stroking there soothingly. ] .. What are you doing up at this hour, though..?

[sunshrouded]

[If nothing else, Tenka's glad that Souza has his wits about him enough to respond to affection. Perhaps it'll be the day that the other man is too stunned or shocked to return gestures that will be when Tenka really has to be concerned.... though it does nothing for the worry that he feels now.

Well.... worry, coupled with a sheepish smile at the question.]

You know, bad dreams. Maybe it was something that I ate earlier today.... could be that my lunch just disagrees with my stomach and decided to take revenge in my sleep.

[It's an easy enough dismissal of concern for himself - and he says it just as confidently as he would anything else. Though he offers a more encouraging tilt of his mouth for Souza.]

You sure you're okay, though? We can sit and talk about it if you need. Though I can promise that nothing'll get you here.

[prehensible]

[ he's quiet for a moment, observing tenka silently, mismatched eyes meeting and searching the human's. at last, though, his expression softens faintly, lips quirking up in a small, tired smile. ]

Ehh.. Tenka-san, are you talking about my cooking now? [ he's honestly teasing, even if he's too tired for it to do more than fall a little flat.

the offer makes him pause, then shake his head slightly. ] I'll be fine. They're only.. memories. I'm not what you would consider a 'whole' person, I suppose.

[sunshrouded]

You're whole.

[Sorry Souza, normally he'd respond to the teasing but-- not when it's followed by something as concerning as that. Close as they are, it's probably easy to feel the way that Tenka seems to freeze at the very implication that Sousei could be anything less than complete.]

Nightmares that are memories.... are the worst.

But they don't make you less whole.