[CLOSED] knocking upon heaven's door

[getyourgunson.livejournal.com]

Characters: getyourgunson & mostloyaldog
Location: Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Ezogashima Hokkaido, Hi-No-Moto Japan
Rating: PG
Time: 28th October... and beyond.
Description: After much asking and pestering, Koujurou finally agrees to go on a mission with Date. Unfortunately, things aren't going to be that simple.

To be honest, where Date had really wanted to go was not here, but he really didn't have much of a choice since this was the only mission available which was bound for modern Japan. He supposed he could only make do with it since there wasn't any other real alternative - in a way, he was still going to be able to see how Japan was like, and that was more than enough for him for now. He could go to where he wanted to go next time since he was sure there would be a lot more other chances for him.

It had been a while since he did this whole 'going to another place in an instant' thing via the Shinigami's mirror, but the feeling was one which Date could shake off easily once he was through it and out into the notably colder winds of Hokkaido (or well, what he knew was called Hokkaido in this world - it seemed like with Hi-No-Moto itself, Ezogashima seemed to have changed names as well). He wasn't in his usual armor for once, but at least the threads he was wearing was doing a rather good job of being able to keep him warm. Date didn't feel too bothered by the autumn chill as he glanced behind him to make sure that Koujurou was with him through the mirror as well.

"You okay, Koujurou?" he asked once he caught sight of the elder man - now that they were finally on a mission, Date sure wasn't going to let anything compromise it. Enough time had been wasted as it was already with everything that had happened.

Comments

[getyourgunson.livejournal.com]

"I never thought of you as one!" A burden? Why the hell would he even have thought that? Koujurou was everything but a burden to him - he was his Right Eye, the person who would protect his back no matter what, the one man Date trusted everything to. He was important to him - important in so many ways that Date couldn't even start on it. Koujurou had always been there for him no matter what, and now that he was saying all of these things--

(Can't you see what you're doing to your Right Eye?!)

Trying to gather whatever bits of self-control he had, Date forced down the lump at the back of his throat so that he could actually speak properly, but the plea in his voice was unmistakable to Koujurou who knew him best. "You're not a burden at all."

Don't do this. Please.

[forbearanced.livejournal.com]

"Being a burden implies weighing one down. Is this not what is happening between you and I now?"

It was indescribable, really, the feeling that came with stepping away from one's only real reason for living.

[getyourgunson.livejournal.com]

There were no words to properly describe how Date could feel right now - the dread that had taken root in his gut, now spreading throughout his entire being and turning his blood as cold as ice. He didn't know what to feel, didn't know what to do - Koujurou was going away from him and he was going to be alone--

(Katakura-kun usually has your back, doesn't he? It's so easy to carve up now.

I promise I'll be nice to him. So I'll be snipping you off here at Suiagehara.)

"If you think you are, then I'll just carry that!" He could, he would, because he was the head of Oshu and the dokuganryu and the One-Eyed Dragon would always need his Right Eye alongside him. If even his Right Eye was going to go against him... then what else could he even do?

[forbearanced.livejournal.com]

That brought a smile - small and rueful and twisted - to Koujurou's lips.

"Allow me to do one last service to you, my lord, and refuse."

Even now, the boy - because Date Masamune was always going to be a boy to him - couldn't see it.

[getyourgunson.livejournal.com]

Up against the ever immovable wall that was Koujurou, Date couldn't find any other words within him to speak out. He was lost, totally and utterly lost - confused and hurt and just so entirely lost. This was far worse than what happened with Takenaka Hanbei, because he wasn't here any more and because Koujurou was leaving him, leaving him and leaving his side and--

All he could muster up was a single, final word, voice on the verge of cracking as he looked at the other man with his one eye and managed it out. "Don't."

Don't leave me.

[forbearanced.livejournal.com]

Koujurou set the wineskin down. He stood up a moment afterward, heading for the entrance of the house.

"I shall see if there is anything of use in the pile outside."

That was his answer just as much as him stepping out the door was. It was, curiously, the sort of thing that grew easier to do with every step that he managed to take.

(Part of him hoped that it stayed at that way.)

[getyourgunson.livejournal.com]

And all Date could do was to watch every step of the way, see every step that Koujurou took out of the house - out of him, leaving him without even a moment where he could have turned back.

He watched as the other left, and even after he was gone Date had to take a long moment before he could move again, lowering his head down to stare at the floor. His eye itched horribly, but Date refused to do anything about it and could only remain staring at the floor even as something hot and wet started to sting at the corner of his eye.

Koujurou had left him. His Right Eye had left him. The One-Eyed Dragon didn't have his Right Eye any more. He was...

He was alone now. So very alone.