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Yes, I'm aware.

[Seeing as she met with it, watched it charm one of her best friends and walk off into the night. There's no way for her to judge the state of Howard's wellbeing, so Odasaku will have to forgive her suddenly unhappy voice from over the line.]

All the more reason you should be resting.

[She's lost one friend to the creature, she is not losing another]

I can run if I need to, but I have to see it again.

[ sorry sakura, but he's not giving two fucks about your wish to go solo to meet this mysterious, faceless figure.

however, oda knows that the call is slowing him down considerably. so without another word, he cuts the call, and starts taking longer strides-- a couple times he even feels like he's about to fall down like an idiot. but he has to get there quickly, in fear of something worse happening.

and that's how, in a couple of minutes, sakura will probably be able to hear the sound of crutches against the pavement, along with odasaku's labored breaths. ]

[... Did he just hang up on her--

She could assume it a matter of practicality instead of rudeness if she were in a better mood, but instead Sakura pushes her lips into a thin line, pockets her phone, considers walking right off to finish her original mission. It isn't as if he's in danger of dying, after all, whereas Howard could be anything, from injured to near-death, and just imagining the latter is enough to send her heart into a pained flutter--

She should just keep going.

She should...

She --

... She doesn't move at all, of course, and isn't sure who she should be cursing for it. But her expression is tired and worn by the time Odasaku has hobbled himself closer, and--]

There was no need for this. [Lightly scolding him, only it's done so with worry once she stops playing coy and closes the rest of the distance between them. She glances at his legs, concerned] I was okay, really.

There was.

[ unfortunately (or fortunately?) for sakura, odasaku's incredibly stubborn...maybe as much as her. he stands up straight, trying to play off the sweat that's beading on his forehead despite the cold weather or the way that his chest continues to rise and fall after his sorry excuse of a run.

his legs ache, too, but he'll especially ignore that. the last thing he wants is to prove sakura right, after all.

he nods towards the bow. ]

I'm not gonna let you go on some sort of possible suicide mission. [ he's seen enough of that in his own memory. ] Let me help you. If things get bad, I have something that might be more useful than a bow.

[ and he'll open his bag to show sakura...even though it's dark, the street lamp shines enough to show the silhouette of a gun. ]

[Yes, she's incredibly stubborn -- and yes, there's something to be said for the way she looks pointedly at his legs again, like a hound with its nose to the ground, ready for a whiff of weakness.

And then she sure is staring down the bag at a gun, oh jesus--]

You-- you know how to use that? [She doesn't have the good sense to recoil backwards, either. Hand covering her mouth, Sakura leans forward for a better look]

Yeah.

[ sakutarou is basically lying through his teeth at this moment. no, his legs don't hurt. yes, he's fine. sure, he knows how to use a gun. no, that knowledge does not come from youtube tutorials on how to load a gun or a couple of shots down in the subway.

but he'll risk his own life if it means that there's a better chance of sakura not being in danger. with her having seen the weapon, he closes the bag again, sighing. ]

Two weapons and two people are better than one against an unknown shadow creature, right?

... Mm.

[Her eyes trace the gun until Odasaku hides it from sight, and her hum can only be described as unenthused. It's not that he isn't making a good point -- in fact, that's her entire problem with this. Her emotional high ground doesn't count for much when he can beat her on practicality, and unsure of what to say, Sakura finds herself glancing to the side instead, arms folded around her middle.

Should she, she wonders? The reason she's running herself ragged on the streets is for Howard's benefit. If she could convince Odasaku to at least take it slow, hide himself, force a promise to run if anything should happen, make him understand how she can't lose anyone else today--]

I... well...

[Still not looking at him. Her eyebrows knit]

[And this is when Shuji appears.

Odasaku, when he disappears - god, Shuji hates that this has happened more than once - often sneaks out to go to the library, so this is where Shuji checks first. As it happens, this is where Shuji finds him. And Sakura, holding a bow.

First things first: lecturing Oda. He marches straight up to him, emanating Pissed from every fiber of his being.]

You're supposed to be in bed.

[ odasaku's about to continue trying to convince sakura-- that he's fine, he wants to help her out. but when he opens his mouth, he hears something.

steps. quick and angry. and though he doesn't need to turn around to know who they belong to, sakutarou wishes for a second that they would belong to the shadow creature.

but no. it's shuji. shuji in all his very angry glory and suddenly odasaku feels less like someone who was ready to go shooting shadow masses and more like a dog getting yelled at. though he still remains (mostly) expressionless, all the bones in his body are screaming at him to make a run for it-- away from shuji's wrath.

but if he does that, then sakura might become his target. it's his fault they're in this mess. he might as well fix it. ]

Shuji....I have a good reason for this. I really do.

Edited 2018-01-16 03:42 (UTC)

[In the few months Sakura has known him, she's only ever seen Shuji pissed once. That he doesn't currently have a scythe in his hand makes no difference, either --

She backs the hell up a few steps, wincing and guilt-ridden.

.. Ah, but he's yelling at Odasaku it seems, not herself, who of course is blameless in all this and didn't scare Odasaku into chasing after her. Under normal circumstances the guilt would have her jumping in the line of fire, Shuji's wrath be damned... except this might be the perfect solution to her dilemma. There is no denying Shuji when he wants something, so decrees the universe, and she can only hope this leads to him dragging Odasaku by his toes, back into a bed, where he's supposed to be.

So she remains quiet in the background, a hand held over her mouth as she side-eyes Odasaku.

Just give in. The game's over. You can't defeat the final boss.]

[Sakura did nothing wrong here. Sakura is not supposed to be recovering from an injury, and Shuji knows she wouldn't want Odasaku to aggravate his wounds like that.

So it's Odasaku who gets the brunt of his anger, not at all lessened by Oda's words.]

Really? I'd like to hear this 'good reason'.

[ a good reason.

a good reason.

he's supposed to make up a good reason and odasaku's mind has turned to static. his gaze stays on the floor, his last two working neurons desperately trying to make up something believable-- something that shuji would swallow without a doubt. but he's never been a good liar. tricking shuji would be nearly impossible.

until-- ]

You interrupted our date. [ it's only a bit louder than a mumble, and, honestly, sakutarou has yet to realize the weight of his words or the fact that sakura continues to stand right behind them.

but then he speaks again, this time louder. ] I wanted to take Sakura out 'cause it's our first month. You interrupted it.

[Truth be told... she had no idea what excuse he's going to come up with. The truth? Oooh, she hopes not, since there's no way she could dodge Shuji's disapproval when he's right there in front of them, but being an equally terrible liar, the girl can't fathom anything else.

So while Shuji looks to Odasuka in irritation, she cants her head in curiosity while nodding along to Shuji's demand. Mmm, yes, what is this good reason...?

...

...

Well obviously she heard incorrectly because she's still nodding, he must be talking about some other Sakura, there is no way those words just left his mouth--]

Eh?

[...Dating. He interrupted a date between them.

Shuji looks between Oda, and Sakura, and Sakura's bow. Back to Oda, and Sakura, and then Oda.]

You're having a date in front of a closed library?

[He can't help but be a tiny bit suspicious. But, no, if they really are dating, he should probably just accept it now...]

If you wanted Sakura to play nurse for you instead, you should have just said that to start with.

[ nurse...? it takes a moment for that comment to click which is when odasaku turns red while shaking his head. ]

No, I don't mean that. You're a great nurse--I mean--no one's a nurse here. We were just... meeting.

[ a pause. this is the first time he's felt his heart race in a long time-- and it just had to be fear. ]

Just wondering where we should...go. For our date. [ god, this lie only keeps getting bigger and bigger...and at a faster rate than normal. ] Where should we go, Shuji?

-- Eh??

[A little louder, a little more insistent that she get an answer, stare bouncing between Shuji and Odasaku before landing on the latter with the weight of a thousand questions, half her body leaned forward. There is only one reason she's not having a heart attack here, and that's because she'd like an answer before she expires.

What do you think you are doing, sir?]

[Oda's web of lies will only get worse from here. Shuji exhales heavily, frustrated with these two disasters - but having bought the cover story.]

I get wanting to do something special for your anniversary, but that's no reason to aggravate your injuries. I'm sure Sakura doesn't want you to hurt yourself for her sake.

[At least he's correct about this part?]

Go back to your apartment. I'll leave you lovebirds alone so you can have a nice night in.

[ odasaku feels as if things didn't exactly go the way he...had lacked to plan. shuji bought the story, great, hooray, but not the way that he had imagined. after all, he's sending oda and sakura back to his--oda's-- apartment.

odasaku has to keep himself from cursing his awful luck, and silently wishes for the earth to swallow him whole.

nothing happens, of course. ]

Yeah. [ he turns to sakura, who stares at him as if he's grown a second head; the guilt in oda's chest couldn't be greater. ] We can...have our date at home, Sakura-- Shuji's right. I can, uhm, [ what do people do on dates????????? ] cook dinner or...something...

[Right so a few things--

First off being that Sakura "do no wrong" Tohsaka might be committing a murder when the rest of the pieces finally click. She had, in fact, heard Odasaku insist that the two of them were dating to their (apparently) mutual friend, who is pure and can't see the lie for what it is. Her eyes flash like steel and fire when she meets his gaze.

... And then she smiles. Sweetly. Turns to Shuji with a little nod.]

Yes, at first I didn't want him to hurt himself out here, but he can be so stubborn, mm?

So I'll take him home myself. [With a little bow]

Don't worry, he won't leave a second time.

Alright. I'll trust you on that, Sakura.

[Sakura's responsible and will definitely take care of Odasaku. Satisfied, Shuji turns to go.]

Take care, you two. Don't have too much fun.

[...you were supposed to keep your jokes G-rated, Shuji...]

[ odasaku rarely feels fear. even in the subway, he would've been lying if he had said that he had felt afraid for his life-- yes, even with the giant rats and vines.

but when he sees sakura's sharp gaze, he swears that he could feel a shiver of fear run down his spine. but he remains expressionless, in order to keep shuji from suspecting anything. the last thing he needs is for that angry expression to come back, and this time directed towards sakura. ]

Yeah. We'll be fine. Thanks.

[ he just hopes shuji will make it to his funeral. ]

[Shuji-kun, please, Sakura's already stuck in a loop of internalized screaming, don't make this worse for her. But that smile of her doesn't go anywhere, even once their mutual friend takes off and leaves them alone in front of the library. Eyes still on Odasaku, she wields it like a sword looking for a target.

... Up until the moment it does vanish, leaving the young woman looking the very definition of unimpressed. Not an expression she wears often, but yes, Odasaku might've ruffled her jimmies a little.

It's not completely his fault; he wouldn't know how seriously she takes the idea of romance and dating.]

Well then. [squaring her shoulders, Sakura turns away from him, back to the direction he'd hobbled down]

Shall we get going? I don't know where your home is, so you'll need to lead the way.

[ there's a number of things that odasaku wants to tell sakura. all of them, without an exception, are variations of 'i'm sorry, it's my fault'. though he doesn't show it, he's just as embarrassed as she is.

embarrassed and afraid-- what a strange combination of emotions. and yet he'll submit himself to them, because there's nothing else that can be done. these are the consequences for his actions, and he'll deal with them all head on. ]

Right. Follow me. [ and, once he hobbles past her, he'll look back once at her, and continue. ]

[She'll follow along, practically mimicking Odasaku's shadow in her silence. For as kind and considerate as she tries to be, Sakura has no qualms about letting her displeasure make itself known, and it looks like it's going to be that kind of walk until she drums up the effort to speak.

But really... she's not sure what to say, either, she finds. Once she works through the sting of embarrassment, there's no denying that the plan... worked? Sort of. The two of them are alone again. Should Sakura wish it, she could turn this car around and go back on the hunt for Howard. Yes, she'd have to bring Odasaku along but...

Having returned to her original dilemma, Sakura bows her head, chewing worriedly on her bottom lip as the two of them make steady progress away from the last place Mateus was sighted. It feels too much like she's being forced to chose between one friend's wellbeing and another's soul.]

[ odasaku knows this. of course he's aware of this--too much so. even though his excuse was ridiculous and possibly harming for sakura's reputation, this had been the only way he had thought he could get sakura to evade shuji's anger and pull her away from the possible danger.

it made him feel terrible that he's basically forcing her to do this. however, he doesn't want her to be in trouble.

once more, sakutarou turns, his gaze showing a hint of worry. certainly enough, she could just leave running and he would have no way of catching up to her. all he can do is hope that she'll continue to follow him home. even if it means they'll have to sit awkwardly for the rest of the night, he'd much rather do that than know that sakura's life is at risk.

somehow, between all that thinking, they've actually made it to the building. ]

This is where I live. You still here with me?

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