This is where the flow has brought us

[hakanai]

WHO? Yoshitsugu Ōtani (hakanai) & Takatora Tōdō (handtowels)
WHAT? A heavy conversation needs to be had at some point or other, so Yoshitsugu encourages Takatora to talk about the Battle of Sekigahara before his dear friend gets too distracted (and too protective).
WHEN? Late 1792, Paris
ANYTHING ELSE? Talk of violence, death and some heavy emotional stuff.

***

It hadn't taken too long to work out what was going on with Takatora. Learning about the true nature of the flow of time, combined with how his friend had been acting since they had discovered one another working for COST, had led Yoshitsugu to a conclusion fairly quickly; he just hadn't brought it up yet. It hadn't been necessary and besides, there had been plenty of strangeness and odd battles to adjust to.

Now, though?

Sat at the desk in the small room he was currently renting, Yoshitsugu leaned back in his chair and tapped the table while he waited. The temper in this grand city was at boiling point, promising violence, and the execution he'd witnessed probably just the first he'd get to 'enjoy.' It was hard to remain completely unaffected, witnessing a man lose his head and the majority of the crowd react in such an delighted manner... Yoshitsugu was a calm and practical man, he knew what war and sacrifice were, but even he felt unnerved at such a display. Oh, he didn't show it, but it happened nonetheless.

Takatora had clearly been affected too but in his case, it really did show. Strongly. He'd been protective of Yoshitsugu before but not to this degree; the message he'd sent suggesting Takatora would be locking him up soon was only half a joke. There was a link, there, and it was driving his companion to distraction. Distraction was dangerous. They couldn't afford to be distracted in a 'war' like this.

"Over there."

He waved towards the food he'd collected earlier when Takatora returned, not even bothering with a greeting beyond a slight smile. Time to draw back the veil.

Comments

[handtowels]

Takatora, left breathless by the emotion he felt at their tender kiss, pressed their foreheads together for a long moment, smiling with long-lost joy.

"All right," he said, eventually.

This whole conversation had definitely left him feeling exhausted; his soul cleansed, his heart hopeful, but nonetheless wrung out.

So he would eat, then sleep, and face the coming days revitalised.

Beside Yoshitsugu.