gatescostmoney | hugtopia inbox & Mr. Tori

[ Sasuke is sitting in his weird one-legged stance next to some crates. This building apparently is being used for storage. ]

I'm over here.

[ He's trying to keep his voice even, but even so, there is a hint of disappointed mom-friend in it. ]

[ That disappointed sound is super heavy and painful for Zenitsu's ears as he slowly enters the building, his entire body language shouting fear and anxiety as he nervously walks over to where Sasuke is.

Yeah, he said he needed to be punched but actually going through the pain was still scary.

He takes a moment to get a breath in, and then basically shouts: ]

I couldn't even properly let Tanjiro know, and now I told him at the worst timing possible!! I'm pretty sure he hates me now!!! Just punch me real hard, please!!!!

You stupid fool....

[ Sasuke stands, walks over to Zenitsu-- ]

Edited (you saw nothing) 2020-07-02 03:15 (UTC)

[ --and promptly bonks him atop his head.

It's a far cry from being punched hard. The motivational punching and yelling thing is more Lord Shingen and his master's style. Sasuke could have slapped Zenitsu, but he doesn't either. (He's not proud of having raised a hand like that to his master, even if he needed a wake-up slap.) ]

Punching you isn't going to fix anything. Take a seat. Tell me what happened.

[ This is the first time Zenitsu's ever gotten seriously angry at Tanjiro, no matter what the circumstances were. This is also his very first friend and the latest crush. He's legit scared that Tanjiro probably hates him now.

Now that the initial yelling happened, he's now in his usual sets of tears. ]

Y-You know how we were all acting weird a few days ago? Tanjiro was acting super scary so I got mad and yelled at him!

[ CRY. Also that's not exactly fully explaining things, please hold... ]

[ He goes to calm himself down by taking a seat, wiping his tears with his sleeve. ]

So...I really did try to tell him about the new memories. But when I saw his face I just couldn't... And then when we all started acting weird and I got mad, I ranted out about my memories in the worst way possible... I can't take back my words now and I'm pretty sure he hates me now...

[ Sasuke sits too and listens without interrupting him. Even when Zenitsu finishes, he remains silent for a moment over. Yeah, yelling things is the worst way for that to come out, especially when someone isn't acting like normal. However, that can't be changed. There's only trying to patch things up now. ]

I think... you need to think about what you really wanted to tell him. Not just what happened while you were asleep. That's important, but there's more to it, isn't there?

[ He pauses. ]

Do you think you could trust him again?

I... [ Zenitsu looks down at his own hands, getting stuck on words. He knows he should reconcile with Tanjiro if he wants to keep at least being friends with the other. He takes this moment to finish calming down. ]

...I still trust Tanjiro. I just don't think Tanjiro can trust me again after hurting him, and I think that hurts even more.

[ That's still a little too vague, Zenitsu realizes, so he keeps going. ]

I yelled at him about missing his family. I thought I knew that's not something anyone should yell at him about but I still did. That's not something forgivable, especially for Tanjiro.

[ That is an ugly thing to say. There's hardly a day when Sasuke isn't haunted by what he's lost. Although, if anyone had told him such, he'd shrug it off with some ninja comment and lick his wounds in private. ]

Then trust that he'll hear an apology, and you will give him an honest one and go from there. You might be surprised.

[ Even before Tanjiro contacts Sasuke, Sasuke already has a mind to check in with him and talk. Sasuke doesn't think this is the end for the two.

Both of them are still alive for starters. ]

But... What if he doesn't even give me a chance? He was that upset when we argued. I dunno if my heart can take him just turning away and ignoring me.

[ Even though he says he trusts Tanjiro, the off chance that he'd give the cold shoulder was unbearable for Zenitsu. ]

What if another crazy thing happens, and you're turned into a monkey? What if Havenwell burns to the ground?

[ Sasuke's not buying the "what if" argument. They could go one forever about what ifs and never reach a decision. It reminds Sasuke a little of his master's inability to decide what to do. There's a point when thinking about it won't do anyone any good, especially when you have some information already in one's hands. ]

You can't stay lost in indecision forever. Either you try to make it up to Crow Pupil, or you give up completely on your friendship with him. What's the worse outcome?

[ Right. He should've known this. Being in this world for months was already dimming that borderline of life and death situations demon slayers have when faced with the enemy. He should have kept that feeling, especially after May when those memories returned.

He could easily name the worst outcome. But between the two options given by Sasuke, Zenitsu isn't sure. Again, with the indecisiveness. He furrows his thick brows, getting frustrated with himself and brushes that initial thought aside. ]

...I want to make it up to Tanjiro. I don't want to leave him hurt with my words.

[ He's already messed up real bad at this point, it's either trying to make it better or that their friendship was only that much. There were dark thoughts creeping up behind, but he's going to ignore that for the moment. ]

[ A small smile appears on Sasuke's lips. An idea takes form in his mind. Maybe, maybe that'd work. He could at least offer it as a stepping stone. ]

You know, if you work out and practice what you want to say beforehand, you have a better chance of actually saying it. You can also get a second opinion from someone else before doing so.

[ Sasuke hops off the crate he'd been using as a seat and turns to face Zenitsu directly. ]

And I happen to be doing nothing right now. I might even be able to make it seem like the real thing.

[ Zenitsu blinks at the smile and the shift in the sounds from the other. The disappointment is no longer there, but is replaced with something else. In the past, disappointment meant that person would no longer want to associate with Zenitsu. It was only his teacher who would keep sticking by his side, though.

He's still clueless even after hearing what Sasuke has to say. ]

...Huh? What do you mean, like the real thing?

[ Wait, did he lie and bring Tanjiro with him here? Zenitsu freezes for a moment, focusing on his ears to make sure that it's just the two of them... ]

Like this!

[ Sasuke makes a few seals with his hands, and a cloud of smokey darkness envelopes him. As it clears, Sasuke is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Tanjiro stands before Zenitsu. ]

Well? What do you think?

[ His voice is still Sasuke's, and the sounds Zenitsu hears should still be Sasuke as well. Yet, he has the appearance of Tanjiro. Better than nothing at all, right? ]

Eh?

[ His voice of confusion is out before he knows it as he sees Sasuke change before him. Wait, what? He blinks, his eyes and ears in conflict with each other. ]

You look exactly like him? But I still hear your sounds? H-hold on a second, I'm getting confused??

[ Zenitsu covers his ears, as he feels himself start to get super disorientated. Seeing Tanjiro in front of him but not hearing the kind sounds was throwing him off more than it should. ]

Nothing's wrong with you. It's a ninja technique. I can take the appearance of other people. Pretty neat, huh?

[ He spins around to let Zenitsu see him from multiple angles. Yup. He's the spitting image of Tanjiro. Sasuke hasn't had many occasions to be a ninja in Havenwell. ~~Let him have this moment to be proud of his skill.~~ Although, sounds? So Tanjiro has something with scents and Zenitsu with sounds? Interesting. ]

I'm still me. I'm not actually Crow Pupil.

Whoa, that is pretty neat...

[ He wonders if the ninjas back in his own home world could do things like this too. Perhaps it might not be as effective, since there's people like Tanjiro and himself.

He hesitates when he sees Tanjiro's smile. He knows it's not Tanjiro himself, but it feels like it's been a while since he's seen it...

...And then somewhere in his mind, what Sasuke mentioned right before transforming and what he sees in front of him clicks and panic ensues. ]

W-waitwaitwait! Do you mean I practice talking to him right now, with you looking like him?!

[ Sasuke hops back onto his crate and sits down, trying to make it seem more casual. ]

Why not? You can work through your thoughts and feelings and practice. It's already been a few days, so why wait any longer to start?

[ Then more seriously. ]

Besides... if by chance Crow Pupil does want to cut ties with you, you still need to apologize. That doesn't change.

[ Sasuke will not let Zenitsu run away from that. He will stand watch at a door if he needs to. ]

I... I guess...?

[ Sasuke's got all the points and Zenitsu can't find a way to get out of it. ]

Oh well... here goes nothing...

[ Okay. Imagine Tanjiro's right there. Casually sitting on the crate kind of uncharacteristically. He'll remember Tanjiro's sounds, probably sounding more upset than usual... He feels like crying already. ]

Uhm... Tanjiro... I'm sorry for yelling at you a few days ago. I shouldn't have said those words knowing it'd upset you. Please forgive me.

[ Zenitsu pauses after that, not sure what else to say. ]

Uhm... Also, sorry for not telling you what happened when I fell asleep at the beginning of May? I didn't want you worrying about me so I couldn't get myself to tell you about my new memories?

[ Another pause, before he starts shaking ]

...I-I'm getting scared having to say all this to him?? Help meee!

Tanjiro making a dot face from scentsitivity

[ Wow. That was a lot.... Sasuke doesn't even have to have another sense to feel Zenitsu's nervous aura radiating off him. ]

... Let's take it one bit at a time. If you blurt all that out at him at once, that's just going to overwhelm him.

[ Sasuke scratches the bridge of his nose... It's so weird to not feel the thin scar there. ]

Focus on the apology for what you said first. We can get to the apology for not telling him what happened while you were asleep after that.

M-Maybe he'll forgive me with just that if he doesn't walk away?!

[ His nervousness is doing all the talking. ]

Tanjiro looking concerned from scentsitivity.

[ Sasuke shakes his head. No, he's not going to let Zenitsu off with just that. ]

The way I see it, you have two things you need to apologize for: what you said to him and not telling him earlier. Apologizing for one isn't enough.

Let's try something a little different.

[ He clears his throat, trying to change his tone even though it's still Sasuke's voice. ]

Zenitsu, what did you want to tell me?

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