sticksandbones IC Inbox

[bluebasketballed]

powers nerfed & gained
❆ - superhuman strength: nerfed to the point he couldn't destroy, like, a building in one hit, but even hakuji as a human could punch people's bones apart so good luck!
❆ - self healing: nerfed from instant to delayed 5-10 minutes.
❆ + conditional sunlight immunity: an enchanted anklet that nullifies the harmful effects of sunlight and sun-based magic so long as he is wearing it.

deaths & resurrection prices
none..... YET

other permanent changes
❆ scarring - november 2025: a solid scar the width of his fist at the crux of his ribcage and at the same height on his back, implying impalement. any sensation to this scar, including pain, is shared with kyojuro.


weasel's note: akaza's handwriting is the very sad and choppy scrawl of a man who barely knows how to write. the netbook is just polite enough to make it legible. i just type it in all lowercase bc i'm too lazy to pick out the spelling/handwriting mistakes. thank u for your understanding. i'm having fun now thx

he lives at the inn, the room next to kyojuro's. his window is boarded up from the inside. it is very dark in there. mentitycave

he lives at the soryu dojo south of the river, in koyuki's old room. he offers unarmed self-defense training at the dojo.


plotting contact: PM // discord @ fuckweasel

Comments

[tempurahair]

The usual being my insistence on offering you forgiveness?

[He, pointedly, does not eat. Instead, he leans forward in his seat, attention rapt on Akaza.]

Or the injuries you are so convinced are your fault?

[bluebasketballed]

[ugh. it's like kyojuro is doing this on purpose -- getting him riled up but for some reason still denying that he's at fault. just what kind of game is he playing at?]

The injuries that are without a singular doubt my fault. Will you stop acting like a lost puppy and just eat?

[tempurahair]

Did you compel me to step in front of you?

[Pointedly still not eating!]

Because unless you did, I made my decision to protect you willingly, just as you have protected me in kind.

[bluebasketballed]

Your fucking eye, Kyojuro!

[he only seems to remember they're in a public space after he raises his voice. for as much as he can't seem to let this go as quickly as kyojuro can, akaza isn't keen on airing it in front of the entire grove. when they first arrived, kyojuro deliberately said he wanted akaza as an ally, and with how well-loved rengoku is... it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination that the demon who killed kyojuro might be chased out of town, and then he wouldn't be able to pay his debt at all.

once more, he stands. his voice is a hiss when he speaks again.]

Don't be a smartass. Let me take care of it when you're done.

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro's expression evens out. It's not angry, far from it, but it's also a far cry from the pleasant expression he'd been wearing up until now. He meets Akaza's eyes with his sole remaining one, holding his gaze even as Akaza tries to retreat.]

If you leave, I will do the dishes myself. The cost of my compliance is your companionship, simple as that.

[He leans back in his chair, still holding Akaza's gaze so long as the other man does the same. He folds his hands over his abdomen, apparently bound and determined to be a stubborn ass about it all.]

My eye is apart of the injuries I have already forgiven you for. Why has it become an issue now?

[bluebasketballed]

[this motherfucker. akaza can't believe he's actually arguing heatedly about something so menial as doing the dishes. it would be so much easier, so much more satisfying to actually give kyojuro and every other human in this town a reason to scorn him. no more annoying sound would come out of kyojuro's stupid mouth if akaza tore both lungs out of his chest. and unlike the former hashira, akaza would actually appreciate his meal --]

Because you're a damn fool for pardoning it in the first place. It's never stopped being an issue!

[tempurahair]

It's only an issue for one of us, I'll remind you. I am managing just fine without it, and I will continue to manage without it. If the Stone Hashira can wield a weapon nearly his height and weight with grace and precision, I will continue to wield my blade without breaking a single sweat.

[And that's really all there is to it, for him. There was still plenty he could give as a warrior, plenty he would give when it came down to it. It had been an injury in the line of battle, one that any of his colleagues could have just as easily taken. If they would keep fighting, so would he.]

I have forgiven you, Akaza. So when will you forgive yourself?

[bluebasketballed]

[it calls back to the argument they had beside the train tracks -- a human will never recover from a lost body part. even so, kyojuro accepts it with grace that akaza can't so much as fathom, even with his own human and demon memories finally merged. the best he can give in return is only the lowering of his voice.]

Just stop. I'm done talking about this.

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro is, largely, willing to let things be. He reaches for his chopsticks, grabbing himself a hefty portion of rice as he processes the words. He knows it's a trail worth pursuing, wants almost desperately to talk Akaza down from whatever ledge of despair he's found himself on, but knows he can only push so hard, so fast. If his stubbornness could fix internal issues, Kyojuro's own father would have long recovered. And with Akaza's voice lowering as it is, Kyojuro suspects that his patience well and truly is running out.

He'll offer only one last thought.]

You are letting this wound fester for far too long, my friend. Beating yourself up as you are is helping nothing.

[His piece said, Kyojuro takes another bite of his rice.]

[bluebasketballed]

[so long as kyojuro leaves it at that, akaza doesn't speak anymore. he knows that kyojuro doesn't deserve being snapped at for doing something honorable. akaza is the one who should suffer for this, and arguing about it only prolongs kyojuro's pain.

assuming the rest of his meal goes without a hitch, akaza will make good on his word to tidy up. he does so silently still, though over time his expression has eased somewhat.]

Will you let me change your dressings?

[tempurahair]

[Though it may not be Kyojuro's duty to clean up, he won't simply abandon Akaza to the task. He lingers close by, but silent. Thankfully, Akaza won't have to worry about him staring or judging the whole time. In fact, his gaze seems to settle anywhere but on his companion. He takes in the surroundings, the strange advancements that, even after nearly a month, he has not fully adjusted to. He can't helpbut wonder if this is what a world without demons could truly accomplish.

Or maybe demonic influence didn't matter at all. After all, something worse than that seemed to lurk within those trees.

Still, his attention is not so spread thin that he doesn't pick up on Akaza's words. Kyojuro's gaze snaps to the other man. There's an almost weighty pause, before Kyojuro finally nods.]

You may. On one condition. I will hear nothing of the wounds being your fault.

[bluebasketballed]

[akaza rolls his eyes and scoffs, but nods nonetheless.]

Fine. Come on.

[he'll lead them both up to kyojuro's room and begin to pick at the medical supplies they surely have squared away for his recovery.]

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro is quiet as he makes his way to the bed. At some point, he probably either sent Akaza off to grab a loose shirt from Heimr, or just found one. Either way, it's a button up, and a bit easier to wear around instead of his damn uniform. That doesn't mean he isn't the slightest bit stiff as he unbuttons it though, or when he has to pull the damn thing from his arms.

Thankfully, the wounds themselves seem to be healing well enough. It's hard to say if it's any slower or faster than normal, but at least they don't appear infected, or to be getting worse.]

[bluebasketballed]

[akaza's hands appear to be a bit more steady with this sort of work, now. he still has a lot of relearning to do to use his hands to heal and not just harm, but goddamn, he's trying. and while he's here, he uses the salve that joshua gave kyojuro for the old chest and back wound.

once everything is wrapped up again, akaza hesitates.]

Do you need help washing? [he can't imagine it's pleasant to reach everywhere with these wounds.]

[tempurahair]

[Being that he's no stranger to medical attention, Kyojuro proves to be a most compliant patient. He moves as he needs to, not even breathing a single complaint, even when the bandages pull at raw skin, or the antiseptic burns at his wounds. Predictably, his own breaths remain almost painfully even. The only evidence of any amount of distress likely comes from the way Kyojuro refuses to look at his own wounds. He watches Akaza's hands when they're away from his own body, but when those hands drift closer to Kyojuro's form, they flick up toward the ceiling.

If he doesn't see it, he can pretend they're coming together nicely, right?

Still, Akaza's question takes Kyojuro by surprise. He finds his head tilting, lips pursing, before he gives a shrug.]

I have managed well enough with worse. [He... probably hasn't, but the way he chuckles through, maybe Akaza will see it as confidence.] Besides, I would hate to scandalize you any further.

[bluebasketballed]

[kyojuro asks akaza not to blame himself, but he won't even look at the wounds he received because of him. still, he agreed not to bring it up, so akaza does, in fact, keep his mouth shut. that doesn't mean he's happy about it, of course.]

I didn't ask if you could manage. I asked if you wanted help.

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro's head bows as he thinks about it. It's... probably for the best. Beyond piecemeal efforts to scrape the residual blood off of himself after the initial attack, Kyokuro hasn't really been able to clean off properly. He might be used to running through the muck, familiar with being caked in sweat and blood for days on end as duty carried him from location to location without proper rest, but he doesn't have to like it.

Kyojuro inhales slowly, then gives a quick nod.]

If you are volunteering, I will accept it.

[bluebasketballed]

[with a nod, akaza makes for the door once again.]

I'll be right back, then.

[when he returns, it's with a bowl, a few towels, and soap. a quick pop into the bathroom for water, and... hm...]

Do you think you could sit in the chair and tilt your head back comfortably over the sink?

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro watches silently, albeit curiously, as Akaza assembles everything he needs. It's strange, that Akaza assembles everything needed without seeming to need to pause for thought. With how easily they're able to disintegrate blood lingering on their skin, Kyojuro would have thought any given demon would have forgotten the need for such habits. But then, Akaza was a far cry from any demon Kyojuro had ever met nowadays.

His head tilts slightly at Akaza's question. Experimentally, he dips his head back. While he does feel the bandages shift a touch, they don't begin to pull at his wounds.]

It should not be an issue, I don't think. Where do you need me first?

[bluebasketballed]

Come on, then. Top to bottom, or you'll just get dirty again.

[he lifts the desk chair and moves it into the bathroom, against the sink. it doesn't even occur to him how practiced he is in this process, or how long it's been since he's done it.]

[tempurahair]

[Kyojuro doesn't follow, not right away at least. Instead, he finds himself staring after Akaza, no small amount of bewilderment on his face. This is far too practiced for it to not be familiar to the other man. He sifts through the few conversations they've had about Akaza's past, though, and ultimately comes up with no evidence to support his claim.

So in the end, he hefts himself up and follows after. He rumbles faintly with laughter as he settles down, head ducked back over the sink as directed.]

I suppose this is how Senjuro must feel, when I hover over him so incessantly.

[He reaches up, wincing faintly as his fingers find his hair, then the tie pulling the bulk of his hair out of his face.]

I trust you to be careful! This is a family heirloom, you know.

[The... the hair? Brother...]

[bluebasketballed]

[a brow quirks as akaza runs the sink and splashes water over kyojuro's hair. the man is lucky he isn't in a mood to splash him in the face.]

Your hair? Yes, typically that is inherited.

[tempurahair]

[The water is pleasant enough for Kyojuro to relax all the further. The sigh he lets out is a deep, pleased one.]

That isn't what I meant! It has run in our family for generations! They say the women in our family would stare at a fire for hours on end, once a week. However - [He laughs hard enough to disturb... whatever it is Akaza's doing.] I prefer the story in which I ate too much tempura, and dyed my hair myself!

[bluebasketballed]

Be careful, you're going to splash soap in your eye --

[and a huff.] Eating too much tempura can't dye your hair.

[...] Did it?

[tempurahair]

If I get soap in my eye, maybe the person with the soap should have been more careful!

[Another bout of laughter starts up, and yes, the soap does fly. If he regrets anything, it doesn't show. Save maybe the way his eye begins to water.]

It did not for me, I don't think. At least, I have never seen Senjuro eat near the amount of tempura I have. Never mind the fact that he was born with such hair.

[Okay maybe he'll wipe at his eye once.]

Kanroji, though. She says that Sakura mochi caused her hair to turn the color that it did. So perhaps there is something to it!