After the Memory (Eric + Kusanagi)

[redstray]

 [ Eric stared into space, barely focusing on the bar's counter as he heard a clock ticking somewhere.

Just two days after Mikoto's passing...or was it three? Eric couldn't tell sonce he hasn't really slept since then. Which was ine of the reasons why he volunteered tonight to watch over Anna and the bar. Fujishima offered to stay as well but after Eric snapped at him for babying him, he managed to be alone. He felt bad for that and would apologize the next time he saw the other but his mind was just in a fog.

He closed his eyes to doze but sprang them back open as flashes of what happened thay day came back. The uneasiness of watching himself do something he had no control over made his skin crawl. As well as the other patches of memories he was sure weren't from his own head. But he kept quiet. He didn't think anyone saw him being taken control of by the Colourless King and with everything that happen, he didn't want to worry anyone for it.

He vaguely heard the clock chime to 4am and sighed. Just a little longer and he would be through. ]

Comments

[redstray]

[ He'll take those pats for now, he needs them.

The though of sleep makes his stomach turn, no matter how tired he was. he shakes his head ]

N-no, I'm fine...

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo hums softly, nodding. He won't push Eric to sleep, but that doesn't mean he can subtly nudge him to dreamland.]

Well then, how 'bout ya help me start preparing for breakfast? 's still early, but preparing doesn't hurt.

[redstray]

Of course.

[ He's gotten better at cooking since the first time he was taught. Thanks to Kusanagi and Totsuka helping him, he was quite the little chef now. ]

What are you planning?

[toremainbehind]

Nothing fancy. Just a little something for the rest o' the gang and for the princess.

Ever tried making a parfait?

[redstray]

[ he shakes his head and then tilts it ]

Parfait...for breakfast?

[toremainbehind]

Not just parfait - pancakes, omelettes, and even some hash browns, too. We'll have a Western style breakfast.

[The head tilt has him chuckling.]

Yeah, ya can parfait for breakfast.

[redstray]

Sounds good

[ He heads over to the other side of the counter and starts looking for the ingredients. ]

If you say so.

[toremainbehind]

C'mon. We can surprise Anna with this. [But Izumo starts looking for ingredients, too, and starts to set everything up.

He tries not to be too loud, but doing something helps clear his mind a bit, so he doesn't mind, and Eric's become a decent chef over time. With the two of them, they might be able to get everything ready in time.]

[redstray]

Something light would be good for her...

[ He follows suit, getting bowls and pans out and lined up, ready for use. ]

Everyone else could use a nice meal...

[toremainbehind]

It'd be good for ya, too.

[Gathering the ingredients, Izumo gestures for Eric to start preparing.]

'm sure they could. It's been a hard couple o' days.

[redstray]

I'm used to it...

[ He was, not like he was eating well since Totsuka died. He began the prep, cracking ends, chopping food and passing things to Kusanagi.

He shakes his head, to clear it from both sleep and the memories. ]

...Yeah...

[toremainbehind]

Even so, y'gotta eat.

[At least eat the parfait when it's finished. Izumo works, though, on continuing with the preparations.

He keeps an eye on Eric from the corner of his eye, albeit doing it subtly enough not to get caught.]

D'ya wanna stay here at the bar with Anna in the mean time? 'm gonna stay here, too. [For a few days, at least. His apartment won't be going anywhere if he doesn't go back for a while.]

[redstray]

...I'll eat

[ Probably just a little though. He helps him along until almost all the preparations are complete. ]

If you need me here, I don't mind staying. Fujishima's staying with his parents for now so...I don't mind the company.

[toremainbehind]

Alright.

[As long as Eric is eating. When the preparations are almost complete, Izumo gestures for Eric to go sit down.]

'm sure Anna'd be happy, and 's always glad ta have more company around. 'sides, I'd rather ya stick around, anyway.

[redstray]

[ He blinks at the gesture but slowly heads over there anyways. Sitting down his tiredness comes back in a bigger wave but he shakes his head to clear it up. He can't, he doesn't want it. ]

Then I'll stay

[toremainbehind]

[He sees that, but he doesn't say anything. If all goes to plan, Eric would (hopefully) listen to his body's demands and go to sleep.]

Alright. I'll prepare one o' the rooms for ya. [Because while Mikoto's room is now empty, Izumo doesn't want anyone going in there, except for perhaps Anna and himself. It's still too soon.]

[redstray]

[ He was getting there, his mind was caving into his body's nagging demands. ]

The couch is fine. Really.

[ He doesn't want to intrude too much and there wasn't a whole lot of space for so many people upstairs. ]

[toremainbehind]

Hm, if you're sure. [But Izumo being Izumo, he'll find a way to convince Eric eventually.

He works on the preparations, though, occasionally keeping an eye on Eric to see whether or not he ended up passing out after all.]

[redstray]

Mmm...

[ He's got his eyes closed trying to rest them and waking up feeling better in just a short while. But his eyes were so heavy it was hard to open them after awhile. ]

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo chuckles softly, looking away and moving around and trying not to make too much noise.

Eric's finally gotten some sleep, and for now, Izumo will leave him there.

He glances a look at the time, realizing it's still early to start cooking, so he figures he'd grab a blanket from one of the closets and carefully drapes it around Eric, making sure not to wake him.]

[redstray]

[ Eric can't help himself and falls asleep almost soon after his eyes are closed.

A while after the blanket get's place on it, Eric begins to frown, twitching a bit in his sleep. Soon after a whine. Then he starts yelling.

He bolts up, still screaming and due to the blanket, stumbles onto the floor. He tries to shake off the blanket that has become tangled onto him. A stream of 'No's' comes out in spaces. ]

[toremainbehind]

[That has Izumo hurrying in after he went to check up on Anna, convincing her to go back to sleep after she woke up for a bit.

When he sees Eric on the floor, he goes over to him, whispering for him to calm down and helping him become untangled from the blanket.]

Eric, relax. 's just a dream. [Or to be more precise, a nightmare, but first things first-]

[redstray]

[ After Kusanagi says that Eric snapped out of it. His screaming stopped, and his whole body becomes rigid as he freezes. his breathing the only thing that was moving his body in ragged breaths. ]

[toremainbehind]

[The barkeep stays beside him, watching him in case he has a relapse. He doesn't ask what the nightmare was about, only waiting until Eric decides to tell him. For now, he'll remain as a silent support for him to lean on if needed.]

[redstray]

[ When there was enough calm in his system, Eric finally got his bearings back. He was in th ebar he must've fallen asleep, Kusanagi was beside him, he hoped he hadn't woken up Anna.

Kusanagi was beside him...

He saw what happened

He stared at him, eyes wide and frozen as he tried to figure out what to do. Tell him, don't tell him. He can help, he can never help. Through all the thoughts one came through the loudest.

Run, run away.

He shook his head, grabbing the blanket and throwing it onto Kusanagi for some kind of distraction before he just bolted for the bar door, opening it and slamming it shut, picking a random direction and running. ]