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 Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:39 pm
Finally, finally Xiu was back home.
Somehow, in the past year, the baku had slowly become to see the school as her home, and her friends were her family. Because of this, returning back to the home where her parents and her uncle lived had been...well, a little awkward than anything. She had forgotten the strange, polite distance in which her parents usually spoke to her, so in the end, she had felt more like a guest than anything.
Thus, she was really quite relieved to finally be back (for good, this time--her parents had dragged her back after they learned she had sneaked back to Amityville to help find the missing students). The sun had just begun to set when Xiu finally arrived back in town, but she realized that, with no groceries at home, she would have to swing by the store before returning home. And so, with her suitcase in hand, the baku slowly dragged herself to the grocery store.
She was tired, but there was no way that she could skimp out on buying food. Snatching a basket up, she purposefully marched through the store, tossing in fresh vegetables, meat, and guilty pleasures (aka baking ingredients and candy). The store was surprisingly empty during this time--perhaps because it was usually dinner time for most people?--and so Xiu noticed the figure standing down the aisle she had entered almost immediately. It was a very familiar figure to boot.
...
"Aniki?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:51 pm
Shun was indeed at the grocery store. He was considering making something for Mitsu rather than just buying her things all the time. She.. didn't typically eat much if at all now, but that didn't stop him from trying to feed her. She needed the extra fear to rebuild her strength. Things had improved for himself, but they were still far from perfect.
As he looked over one thing or another, he soon paused as he heard a rather familiar voice.
Turning to the side, he was mildly surprised to see Xiu there.
"Oh.. Xiu," he said before looking her over. He realized that it had been awhile since he had seen his 'younger sibling'. After glancing around briefly, he turned more towards the Baku.
"It's been awhile since I've seen you. Have you been well?"
He didn't look too good himself. He was still exhausted as a whole. Sleep still didn't come easy to him and he hadn't really been eating a whole lot either personally.
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:26 pm
It was him! A smile lit up Xiu's otherwise tired face as she made her way towards him, though it faltered slightly as she got closer. He looked...exhausted, to say the least. Has he not been sleeping well? By the time Xiu stopped in front of him, her face was set in a very familiar look of concern. Despite this, she dropped everything first so that she could reach out and give the reaper a hug.
"I've been okay," She answered, the corner of her lips quirking upwards in a lopsided smile, "Just got back from visiting my parents and my uncle."
There was a short pause then, and then she reached out to grab his sleeve, her voice growing softer. "And...you? How...how have you and Mitsu been?"
Frankly, the friends had been all she could think about when her parents had dragged her home for a second time. It was a huge relief for her to be there and witness all the kidnapped students returning back to Amityville, but leaving right after their rescue wasn't the easiest of things to do. She couldn't help but fret and wonder how they were all doing.
Well, it seemed like she would finally get some news about how Mitsu was doing. Judging from how poor Shun looked, though...
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:30 pm
Shun didn't fight the hug, but he did still kind of tense momentarily as usual when she did that. He let out a breath as he noticed her look of concern as well, though nodded at her explanation. Good. Then it wasn't something that was likely a large issue then. When Mitsu was brought up though, he let out a sigh and shifted a little in place.
"She.. is still recovering. Very slowly," he said quietly.
It was very concerning for him. She slept like a rock. And yet he felt like she was getting more and more weary by the day. He didn't understand it. She also wasn't making any further progress with remembering things. He just wished he knew how to remove that collar..
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:47 pm
Xiu frowned a little at the answer, but the optimistic part in her was quick to speak up. Well, perhaps she was recovering slowly...but she was still recovering! It would only be some time until Mitsu was completely fine again, right? Certain that the reaper had heard it plenty of times already--or perhaps he had even thought it himself--she kept that to herself, though she was still quick to pipe up.
"She'll get through this--we're all here to help and support her," The baku said quietly, offering Shun a small smile. The smile grew slightly as she reached out and poked him in the stomach, "Both of you. You didn't answer me about how you're doing, but I think I already know."
Xiu had no doubts that Shun was extremely concerned about Mitsu, and it was worrying to learn that the health of two of her friends wasn't that great. "Have you guys been eating and resting properly?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:57 pm
At that, Shun nodded slowly and kind of sadly. Things had gotten easier for him, but they still were a bit difficult. He just.. needed to get through this with her. However, he twitched from the poke in the stomach, almost dropping the thing he was holding. Frowning, he shook his head slowly at Xiu.
"Mitsu has been sleeping like a rock every time she rests. It doesn't seem to be helping her energy level though. And well.. I've been trying to make sure that she gets food. She doesn't eat much though."
He notable wasn't referring to himself.
"I've been ... well I could be better but I will live."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:13 am
Xiu wasn't sure what to make of Shun's response. Mitsu was getting sleep...but not rest? Her lips curved into a deep, thoughtful frown at that, but despite the fact she was a baku, there was only so much she herself knew about sleep. Really, she could help people get to sleep...but if the matter of getting rest was a completely different story, then...
"Have you taken her to see Nurse Cricket?" She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, "Or...or a doctor, maybe?" If Mitsu's energy level kept going down, wouldn't she just...collapse from fatigue if they didn't find a solution for this, eventually? Xiu's contentment at arriving back home was not completely overshadowed by concern.
And it obviously wasn't just concern for one person either. Her lips twisted into a small grimace as she stared up at the reaper. "You need to rest too, you know," She murmuring, trying to offer the advice gently, "You'll be able to help Mitsu to the best of your abilities if you're well rested as well, right? Do you want me to start cooking and bringing you guys meals?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:22 am
"I took her to Cricket the first night we returned. She just said she needed rest..." Shun sighed, "Quite frankly, Cricket is the best medic I've known. I don't think a doctor would have much more insight."
He shook his head, then looked back towards the shelf for the moment. The Reaper paused at Xiu's statement, then shook his head slowly once more.
"I can cook. .. Some food at least. That's why I'm here. But.. sleep doesn't come to me easy. Even when I do, it never lasts. I'll be fine though."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:43 am
Well, that was of some relief to her, at least. If they had seen Cricket, and Cricket said that Mitsu was okay and just needed rest, then...
...But that just brought up the issue with her being unable to get rest again, didn't it? That seemed to be a big issue, and one that Xiu had no idea how one was supposed to get around.
"Are you sure? If you use the time you use to cook to sleep instead, maybe..." Trailing off, she let out a little sigh and shook her head. When she looked back up at the boil, her lips were curved into another weak, lop-sided smile. "Just...take care of yourself too, okay aniki? It makes me a little anxious to sit back and worry about you two like this."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:16 am
"I'll be fine," he tried to reassure Xiu, "I'm just a little worn. It's.. nothing to be worried about. Besides, Mitsu needs more help than I do.."
Shun's own welfare came second to hers. Her own condition was worse anyway. Putting something back onto the shelf, he motioned the baku to follow before moving on to a different aisle.
"Don't worry so much. I never stay asleep for long to begin with."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:01 am
Xiu didn't say anything at the reassurance--not verbally, at least. The puffed-cheek look said all, but she reached out grab her luggage and basket, obediently trotting after the boil into the other aisle.
"Even if you usually don't sleep much, you never look like..." She made a vague gesture in his direction, her tapir-shaped ears drooping slightly, "Forgive my lack of tact, aniki, but you look terrible." Mitsu probably wasn't looking all that well either though, to be sure.
"...Are you guys...accepting visits right now? I mean, would I be allowed to see Mitsu sometime?" She piped up with the question rather suddenly, though it was clear from the look on her face that she was rather anxious to see the other ghoul sometime.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:14 am
For a moment, Shun thought that she was going to say something like he looked like s**t. He shook his head lightly at her. He didn't really answer that statement, but instead focused on the question she posed to him.
"Anyone can visit. We may be in my room or in hers. But... stop by whenever. It'll be good for her to be around her friends too.."
He stopped in the next aisle, looking over the various things on the shelves.
"Just me likely isn't enough for her."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:33 pm
She was clearly pleased by the answer, her tense expression and shoulders relaxing slightly. Ah, good--she would really like to visit Mitsu herself sometime and see if there was anything she could do for the ghoul. If there was anything that she could possibly do to make the ghoul feel better, she would do it.
"I'll try to drop by then sometime, if that's fine with you! I'll try to bring some mild snacks and tea, or things that will hopefully help soothe her a little or help her work up an appetite." She was no doctor, but hopefully all it would take to get Mitsu back to her usual spirits would be some more nutrition.
As they arrived in the next aisle, she eyed the items with interest before reaching up to grab a bag of candy. No, it wasn't necessary, but it was kind of a guilty love of hers, okay? Xiu offered Shun a guilty smile before giving a nod of her head. "Well, you guys know that you have all of our supports!"
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:42 pm
"Thanks..." Shun whispered while holding onto the small bag he had. He soon went quiet for a moment or so, but then dismissed whatever it was that was going on in his mind.
"You said you were at your family's place for awhile. There was no trouble was, there?" he asked, deciding to divert the topic onto her instead. He wasn't sure if she was summoned for something serious or if she had just wanted to get away from the school for awhile.
The Reaper was aware that not all home or familial visits were bad.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:00 pm
The sudden switch in topic surprised her, but Xiu didn't dwell on it for long, simply grinning as she (sheepishly) added another packet of candy into her grocery basket. "It was nothing serious! My parents were kind of mad that I haven't been home since...well, since I left for Amityville in my first year, and my uncle said he had a new outfit to give me, so..." She trailed off with a shake of her head. "It was only supposed to be a week-long stay, but I left early when I learned about...you know, what was happening at Amityville. They weren't very happy when they found out I sneaked out, so they dragged me back and grilled me for another week."
She made a face, though it was clear that she just found it to be an annoyance more than anything. Her visits home--and her parents in general--definitely weren't...quite on the level as some of the others students' were, to be certain. Besides, she had had her uncle there to soften the stay and make it a lot more enjoyable.
"It's good to be back though!" The ghoul chirped cheerfully, "I missed seeing you guys around!"
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