It’s a week before he leaves the safety of the shoten, a week spent focusing on anything (everything) except Erich.
The connection still remains between them, is still an unerring compass pointed in Erich’s direction, but unlike before, Erich doesn’t approach him. He can tell that Erich is still moving about — likely to different towns in his territory — but the man never heads towards him.
And maybe it’s nothing, maybe he’s just… just outside Erich’s territory at last, but he can’t help but wonder at how deliberate the avoidance seems; Kisuke’s been holed up in one location for an entire week, and Erich’s presence has never once drawn nearer.
(Maybe Erich simply doesn’t want to see him again.)
(It’s fine, it’s fine.)
(This is what he wanted anyway, isn’t it…?)
It only takes Kisuke a day of testing to figure out that the avoidance is deliberate; whenever he begins moving towards Erich’s location, the man changes direction to head somewhere else. It’s— it’s—
It’s exactly what he wanted, Kisuke reminds himself sternly, before wrenching his mind back on task. He has work to do, evidence to find, monsters to kill, and all manner of other important things to deal with. Tessai and Yoruichi are enough for him.
(They have to be.)
(They’re the only ones who stayed.)
(The only ones who believed him—)
(No.)
(Focus.)
Still, it nags at his mind like a loose tooth, and he keeps circling back and back and back again to the idea that… that maybe this isn’t what he wants. Maybe he’s just a liar-coward-fool.
(Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to try and trust—)
(He’s a worse fool for thinking that.)
Kisuke shoves the urge aside and gets back to work.
(He doesn’t have time for this.)
(He doesn’t.)
(…does he…?)
Kisuke manages to put the thought (mostly) out of his mind. He goes about the area, fights monsters, clears out nests, stems Invasions, and all without once running into Erich.
(It’s fine.)
(It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine!)
Sometimes… sometimes he thinks Erich might have been nearby — Kisuke certainly doesn’t remember how he got out of some situations — but he’s never found direct evidence. He might just be getting lucky, or maybe there’s another person in the area capable of fighting monsters, or maybe he’s just… maybe he’s just being wishful about something he shouldn’t. It’s fine. He’s alive. He’s surviving. Everything’s fine.
And then it isn’t.
The steady connection stretching between them suddenly dims one day, wavering like a candle flame about to go out, and Benihime snaps to attention like a cat after prey.
(*Kisuke,*) she prods, insistent-focused-intent.
He doesn’t need to be told twice. He drops the hunt he’s on and turns, honing in on Erich’s direction, and runs. Runs like his life depends upon it. Runs like Erich’s life depends upon it. Prays that whatever is happening will give him time, time that he doubts he’ll have—
He’s too far away. Has wandered too much, too far, and now he can’t— he can’t—
He falls upon the battlefield like a fury. Tears through the remaining monsters. Tries desperately to find any sign of Erich.
There are townspeople holding the line, fighting back to back to try and save their town. They cheer ragged-exhausted-joyful when they spot him, but Kisuke has no time for them. No time for the monsters in front of him, or the Otherworld Tear looming overhead, or the—
Or the three Grand Behemoths laying dead in front of it.
(Heavens above, three?)
(Things are beginning to escalate.)
(No, no, he’s not ready, none of them are ready!)
(If this is what’s happening here, how are the rest of the wild-lands coping?!)
Kisuke shoves those thoughts aside — they aren’t useful here and now — and focuses on clearing the stragglers and forcing the Tear closed; some escape, he sees them escape, but he doesn’t have time for them. Not when his sense of Erich is still wavering like a guttering flame. Not when Erich might— when he might—
Kisuke grits his teeth and turns away from the battlefield, stalking towards the exhausted defenders. He means to question them, means to find out where Erich is, but before he can even ask, one of the older men steps forward to greet him.
“Thank you,” the man says with a brittle, tired smile. “Once Erich fell, we didn’t think… thank you.” He shakes his head and then jabs a thumb over his shoulder towards the town proper. “Coupl’a kids managed to get him back to town, so our healer should be with him now.”
“Thanks,” Kisuke forces out, trying to not be rude when all he wants to do is find Erich and assure himself of the man’s wellbeing.
The townsman huffs a soft laugh and steps aside. “They probably brought Erich back to his place,” he says, which is good enough for Kisuke.
He knows this town — or at least knows where Erich lives in this town — which means he hurries past the group of townsfolk and down the street, aiming right for the building Erich lives in. He takes the stairs two at a time, hurries down the hallway—
A young man steps out of Erich’s home and closes the door behind him, looking almost as if he’d been out on that battlefield. He’s probably the healer the townsman mentioned, Kisuke decides as he assesses the young man and frowns at what he sees; the young man — boy, really — is pale and exhausted, his brown hair damp with sweat and his shoulders drooping. Either the boy is a terrible healer who cannot pace himself, or he’s a poorly trained healer doing his best with what little he has.
(Or Erich is wounded worse than ever.)
(Kisuke knows which option he prefers, and it’s certainly not the third.)
“How is he?” Kisuke asks before the healer can do more than take a few steps in the opposite direction.
The young man freezes and spins back around, his eyes widening at the sight of Kisuke before immediately honing in on Benihime and narrowing. “And your interest would be?” he asks sharply, pulling himself up as he does. It doesn’t make him look intimidating in the slightest, but the thought is certainly there.
“I’m a… a friend,” Kisuke answers, praying that Erich won’t take offense at the presumption.
The young man purses his lips and fixes him with an assessing stare, then huffs and turns away, one hand gesturing sharply for Kisuke to follow him. “I take it you’re that ex-Shinigami he’s mentioned a few times lately,” he says as he heads down the hallway. “Erich’s sleeping right now, and I won’t have you bothering him, so come on.”
Kisuke grimaces and lengthens his stride to catch up with the young man. “You know, I could have been anyone, actually,” he can’t resist pointing out, even though it damages his own chances at being believed. “You handed me the perfect cover right there.”
“I really hope there aren’t any other Shinigami around, ex or not, with your horrible taste in clothing,” the young man grumbles as he casts a sidelong look at Kisuke. “Look, everyone around here knows that Erich’s been sulking over a blond ex-Shinigami, and someone matching your description has been seen hunting monsters all over Erich’s territory. I’m pretty certain you’re who I think you are.”
“Aha, well… when you put it that way…” Kisuke rubs at the back of his neck, then grimaces at the feeling of sweat and grit against his fingers. “Sorry, but I should probably stop to wash somewhere—”
“My home is small, but I have a bathing room,” the young man says firmly. “If you think I’m letting you get away before Erich wakes up and can talk with you, think again.”
Kisuke huffs in exasperation, annoyed that he has a reputation, especially when he wasn’t planning on running anyway.
(He needs to see Erich with his own eyes before he feels comfortable leaving.)
(He needs to assure himself the man is fine.)
The young man leads him to a small place not far away, then unlocks the door and leads him in. “Bathing room is through there, second door on your right,” the young man says, pointing down a short hallway. “There are towels in the little closet in the room itself, and I’ll…” he pauses, eyeing Kisuke up and down, then sighs and finishes with, “Find something to lend you. Somewhere.”
“I’m used to it,” Kisuke tells the young man dryly. “Just do what you can, I’ll deal with it.”
“I imagine you would be,” the young man says, then shakes his head and shoos him along. “Go on, get clean, I’ll be back shortly.”
Kisuke quirks a tired smile at the young man, then turns to do just that.
(It’s not like he has anything better to do.)
By the time Kisuke is clean and dry, the events of the day have finally hit him in the face; he’s hungry and exhausted and wrung out the way only a combination of combat and emotional turmoil can leave him.
He really wants to just eat something and then fall into bed, but he can’t just yet, not with the worry gnawing at his stomach and the fact that he doesn’t even know where he’s going to sleep.
Someone knocks on the door frame, and then the young healer says, “I found something that should fit you decently well,” as he slips the door open a crack and passes a bundle of clothing through. “If you pass me your clothing, I can have them cleaned up for you.”
“Thanks,” Kisuke says as he accepts the bundle and sets it down, then wads up his dirtied clothing and passes it back. “Don’t worry about getting those spotless,” he says with a hint of amusement. “Clean and dry is all I care about.”
“I can tell,” the young man drawls as he pulls his arm back and closes the door. “I’ll… be back. Feel free to wait at the table in the main room.”
Kisuke makes an agreeable noise as the young man walks off, then washes his hands off and gets dressed; the clothing is a… snug… fit, but it’s manageable so long as there’s no combat in Kisuke’s immediate future. Which is unlikely, given the home he’s in, but is still something he needs to keep in mind.
Once he’s as decent as he’s going to get, Kisuke steps out of the bathing room and wanders back towards the first room the young healer led him through: he’s pretty sure that’s the ‘main room’ given the layout he’s seen so far.
Thankfully, there’s a table and cushions already set out, and Kisuke settles down on one with a sigh of relief then drops Benihime at his side and slumps over.
Maybe he’ll just close his eyes for a moment.
That sounds… good.
(Darkness takes him between one blink and the next.)