fatealteration | (no subject)

(no subject)

"Hey, looks like there's a town up ahead."

Reigen obviously saw it --- he was the one driving, so he saw just about everything. But Max wasn't sure that the others in the back had. She looked over the shoulder of her seat as she said it, making sure that her voice wasn't drowned out by the sound of the 80s citypop CD they acquired at the last town they ran into.

Max turned back around and squinted her eyes, trying her best to filter out the rays of blinding light that seemed to reflect off of everything.

"I think it might be near a beach, too," she said. "That looks like a seagull, right?" Max pointed at the figure of a bird flying overhead.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lisa Lisa nodded once in affirmation, then again towards the street leading back. "I suppose we'll be living together for a little while. I'll walk you back."

Lisa Lisa's heels clacked sharply against the stony path as she walked. The cat's eyes gems glimmered even more brightly now that the moon was directly above head.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're Japanese, aren't you?"

Hitomi nodded as she walked alongside Lisa Lisa. "Yeah, I am."

"I traveled across Asia often as a child. Of course, I haven't been there in awhile." There was a clear wistfulness in her tone. "According to Father Serra, Doppio is the sailing type. Was that how you met?"

Hitomi shook her head. "No, Reigen-san found him and brought him back to our camp."

There was a story there, certainly. But asking further questions about it could wait. Hitomi carried an exhaustion that spoke to a long day and an even longer night.

"You seem quite close."

Hitomi scratched her cheek. "Well, we've been traveling with one another a long time..."

"How long?"

"About 5 months."

"I see." Lisa Lisa looked up at the sky as she pondered that. "It's no small feat you've all managed to make your way here from so far away. It's the kind of feat that demands a strong will but even stronger trust. That kind of trust is rare in a world that's become like this."

"It sounds a little like you might not have had an easy time."

“It makes one count their blessings all the more.” She left it at that. Soon, they had arrived back at the rectory. Father Serra had kept the lights on for her, just as he promised, even though she hadn’t asked. Still, it made Lisa Lisa smile. She opened the door for Hitomi to enter first and she followed in after, carefully peeling off her wide trailing scarf.

In the light of the house, Lisa Lisa saw it - a bruise forming on Hitomi’s wrist. It looked fresh. “That looks painful.”

"Oh." Hitomi lifted her wrist up to get a look at it herself. "I hadn't noticed until now, but it does." She had been so tense that only once she began to relax that she realized that her wrist was tender.

“May I see?” Lisa Lisa held out one upturned hand in offering.

"Sure."

Hitomi raised her arm so she could rest her wrist in Lisa Lisa's palm.

She gently ran her fingers over the fair skin of Hitomi’s wrist. It was clearly a bruise from being grabbed judging by the pattern. No wonder that young man was on the war path. Still, it wasn’t deep. It would heal in no time.

“Follow my breathing.”

An even thrum of energy flowed out from Lisa Lisa’s fingertips and to the cells of Hitomi’s blood vessels. Her skin warmed as they repaired themselves, the bruise fading in seconds.

"Wow." Hitomi's gaze snapped from her wrist up to Lisa Lisa. "So you're a healer."

“I wouldn’t say that.” Lisa Lisa released her hand. “Your body did the work. I simply helped it. Your breathing form is quite healthy. Fitting—you seem to be the athletic type.”

Not much time had passed after she said it than the door was opening again.

“Oh!” Doppio seemed surprised to see them both standing in the foyer. “Hitomi, you’re still up?”

"Yeah. I met Lisa Lisa earlier and we walked home together."

Doppio looked between them and Lisa Lisa could tell he accepted her explanation readily. A deep bond of trust indeed.

“Welcome home. Before you go to bed, let me see your nose.”

“Eh?” Doppio covered it in a sudden bout of self-consciousness. Was it that obvious? “I-It’s okay, it’s not broken.”

Regardless of his insisting, he was powerless before this tall, mysterious, utterly gorgeous woman. She motioned for him to lower his hand and he did so immediately. Then she was taking him by the chin to get a good look at him and he was sure he was two seconds away from combusting.

It wasn't like Doppio could help his response. And Lisa Lisa was just checking to make sure nothing was wrong.

So why was Hitomi feeling so irritated?

“It might be hard, but breathe through it.”

“‘M trying…”

“You’re going too fast. Just follow a natural rhythm.”

“Sorry…!”

That was not the conversation Reigen expected to hear in a priest’s house at midnight. He just wanted some more flatbread and cheese, but he couldn’t not get nosy. He peered around the corner, bread hanging from his mouth. He tentatively crunched down as he sidled up beside Hitomi to watch…whatever was happening between Doppio and this imposing woman.

Hitomi was caught off-guard by Reigen's quiet intrusion.

"R-Reigen-san!" she yelped out as quietly as she could manage.

“Evening, Hitomi-Chan.” Reigen’s voice was muffled from his snacking. When he glanced down at her face, his eyes lingered. He broke off a piece of flatbread and offered it. “You okay? Hangry or something?”