Waking the Dead 2.0 || August 9, 2063 || Tuesday

[icarusalsoflew]

[First, a general message:

SENT: 7:05 PM
Hey, Hounds. I hope you're getting ready for later: my sister is going to be very upset if you don't turn up for her birthday dinner tonight. :)

Anyway, all of you are pretty big on your blade mates checking in, so here we are. I'm flying to Ireland early tomorrow morning. Zangyaku's aiming to establish more power bases on European soil, and since the rest of the Magistrates are busy, Kasumi's hoping that I can get things started for her.

I should be back on the 14th - can't afford to miss O-Bon. No promises, though. Still, if you need anything, I'm just a phone call away.

[And now, another message for each one of you.]

TO: YULIA BOSTOVA
Already spoke to Kalika. She's fine with you and Taning helping out with establishing power bases down here if Southeast Asia isn't your style.

TO: JOSH
I figured that you'd want to know where I'm going, and exactly how long I'm going to be gone.

Take care of yourself.

TO: BRI LOPEZ
I don't want to take you away from that project you have with Aria or from your family and the rest of the Hounds, but... you've got an open invite to come and visit me. Just let me know if you're coming around. :)

TO: BRIGADE
Sorry. Won't be able to drink with you again for a while, unless you come here. I know you're pretty busy, though, so it can wait until I get back.

TO: TANING MARISIGAN
Can you take care of my parents for me while I'm out?

TO: KAZ ZOBEL DE AYALA
There's a Brotherhood outpost close to Seth's Rest. If you're free, you might want to check it out. I can help you with that... high time you meet other Brothers and Sisters in Violence, right? And I do want to introduce you to Robb.

Comments

8:26 PM, Brennan Residence

[larue]

[ This one's waking up a little over an hour after Hikaru sends that text, with his head feeling like someone had forced cotton through his ears and into his brain and body hurting like the whole Defensive Line decided to have a go at him.

Josh is only checking his phone about ten minutes later, because he did need a bit of time to wake up.

One word to sum up how he feels: Ouch.

The response comes back after a couple more minutes. ]

SENT: 08:57 PM
OK. Take care.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Now it's this one's turn to stare at the screen of his phone for a bit.

He keeps his hand from shaking too much by taking a drag from his cigarette.]

SENT: 9:02 PM
Always do.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brother beat him to the punch. Well, this made things easier in a way. At least he wasn't hiding. He was worried he wouldn't tell anyone. ]

SENT: 07:10 PM
Too busy for you? Heck no, I'll make time. We can have Irish beer and whatnot for drinks.

How are you feeling?

[icarusalsoflew]

[Man, Brig. Did you really have to ask?

Yes. Yes you did. Sigh.]

SENT: 7:13 PM
Could be better.

[Honesty is something he is attempting to practice now. Be proud of him.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Yes. Cause Brother needs an ear. And Brig (no matter how "terrible" he is at being company) is a wall that can take emotional feels too ]

SENT: 07:15 PM
Dollar for your thoughts? Cause I doubt a penny would be enough.

Alistair talked to me about you. I'm sure he told you.

[ He is proud. He is similarly exercising honesty full disclosure. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:17 PM
He did.

I just thought we were good. That's all.

[And clearly, he and Joshua were not. Now he didn't know what to do. As things stood, his head hurt like hell from crying, and he still had a party to be all charming and witty in.]

[atlas_shrugged]

SENT: 07:19 PM
You do know what they say about relationships, right?

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:20 PM
I do.

[And it doesn't make it any easier, especially after everything that has happened. Everyone he's had to close the door on.]

[atlas_shrugged]

SENT: 07:21 PM
Then you know, like they say: "Fights are a constant."

But it's hurdling them that matters. That make the relationship stronger.

[ These doors are going to stay quite open for quite a long time for him.:) ]

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:22 PM
Or they break them.

I'm just tired, Brigade. Even people like me get tired.

[atlas_shrugged]

SENT: 07:24 PM
You're one of the strongest people I know. Even for a 21-year old millenia old, tired and exhausted immortal.

Because I've seen you bend and not break. And if you do break, I've seen you break and take it with a smile.

[ Your ban. Your anger and frustration. And when you broke with Aria, you broke but soldiered on and came out stronger and fixed not only yourself but your relationship with her too.

And you let Josh in when you pushed everyone else out. When Brig was afraid it would take you so much longer to let someone in. Maybe never

Yes, Hikaru, he just quoted that old song from 50 years ago at you. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Your belief in him never ceases to amaze him.]

SENT: 7:25 PM
Thanks. I just need some time, I guess. I'll bounce back eventually.

[Maybe.

Hopefully.]

[atlas_shrugged]

SENT: 07:27 PM
I know you will. Take your time, Brother. Don't be a stranger; If you need an ear, I'm always here.

[ That belief is never going to disappear. ]

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 07:07 PM
OF COURSE I'M COMING AROUND. >:(

[ This one rarely sends text messages in all caps. Sue her, she knows she can text-shout at Hikaru and they'll still be fine. ]

Sorry, I know you feel bad... And that's okay. I don't need an invite though. You know that I'm still coming around even if you didn't. c:

[icarusalsoflew]

[In spite of everything, that first line makes him smile a bit.]

SENT: 7:09 PM
Either way, do let me know. I'm not exactly here for a vacation, so. :)

[Yeah, let's not go into how he normally wouldn't do this sort of thing, and how the timing is uncanny.]

Mitsuru's coming with me, by the way.

[therealbrianna]

[ Huuuuu. *^* ]

SENT: 07:11 PM
Awww! :) okay, at least I don't have to worry about him. I can't say the same about you though...
I'll find time, I promise. :)

[icarusalsoflew]

[...And he's not going to respond to that first part. No need to, really.]

SENT: 7:13 PM
No pressure. If things come up, we can always find another date? A better time, and all.

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 07:15 PM
Best scenario is for me to be there when you need me.
But, seeing as the rest are coming over to you anyway... How are you, really?

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:16 PM
I could be better. I mean, I'm hanging on as best as I can, but... I'm just tired, I guess.

[Honesty is the best policy. But:]

We could talk more about this at the party, if you like.

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 07:18 PM
I think it would be better to speak in person, yeah. At least I can hug you then. :3

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:19 PM
I'd like that a lot.

See you later, Bri. :)

[therealbrianna]

SENT: 07:20 PM
See you later, daddy! :3

[bostova]

SENT: 7:07 PM
I would not mind, but I think there were plans to go to the south later this month.

[ And because she feels the need for this to be said-- ]

I'm sorry Joshua is being difficult right now.

[icarusalsoflew]

[Oh, Yulia. :'D]

SENT: 7:10 PM
There is that. Either way, Zangyaku would appreciate your assistance wherever you decide to go.

And you don't need to apologize. I don't really have to understand why, so.

[Or so he likes to tell himself. He does try to believe that the Sin-Eater has a good reason for everything that he does, even when he "fucks up". Best not to think on it too much, especially since his own bad habit tends to involve thinking way too far ahead.]

[bostova]

[ That's a fair enough answer. She's not going to push Hikaru more. Josh, on the other hand, needs to get his shit together. Why are relationships complicated, ugh. ]

SENT: 7:12 PM
We've got a month. I'll tell Stanislao about it, but I'd like to see Ireland.

Are you going to Kalika's dinner?

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:14 PM
Yeah. I kind of have to, since she'll find some way of eviscerating me if I beg off.

[Ah, sibling love among the Wolfborn.]

Brianna might be going while I'm around. Brigade might as well. Taning and I are still making arrangements... I was hoping that he could look after my family.

[bostova]

SENT: 7:15 PM
Let's talk about Ireland later, then. :)

[ Brianna taught her to smiley. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Oho.]

SENT: 7:16 PM
Learning the value of emoticons, huh? :))

All right. I'll see you later.

[bostova]

SENT: 7:16 PM
Just starting. :) See you later.

[bladeweaver]

[He'll be showering off the bad juju of today's emotional cling and miss the beeping of his phone. When he sees it and Hikaru's message, he'll actually wonder why he doesn't just bring the thing into the shower, given that it's waterproof anyway.]

SENT: 07:15 PM
Of course I will. That would mean spending the next few days in New Atlantis; does that mean you're skipping our class? Sit-in or homework?

Anyway,Hikaru-kun (man, it has been a while), I'll watch over the folks while you're out. And by "folks" I mean your father. And by "watch over" I mean keep busy around the house and prevent from sneaking out.

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:17 PM
Great. Times like this make me grateful that you're a Celestial Mater in the making. :) Keep me posted if you can. Mom and I text regularly, but she might default to keeping things to herself instead of "worrying" me with them.

Anyway, was going to post an announcement on the group but I might as well give you the head's up in advance: no class, so you've got a paper due instead. Research project, nothing too big. Just attached the instructions to this message, so.

[And said attachment follows a second or so later.]

[bladeweaver]

[And he gets those instructions. True enough, it seems simple enough, and it's on a topic he's already thought about anyway.]

SENT: 7:21 PM
Got it... great, this seems fairly straightforward sir, it shouldn't affect my filial duties ;)

More to the point, brother, are you alright? War Hounds getting to be a very dramatic blade, huh? :)

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:23 PM
I'll be better after I have some time to myself, I think. Thank you for asking.

[Yep.]

[bladeweaver]

SENT: 7:24 PM
You da boss, boss. :) Take care of yourself, brother. I'll make sure things are fine on this end.

[Because brotherhood.]

[icarusalsoflew]

SENT: 7:25 PM
Will do. See you later.

[Or he'll try to, anyway.]