theianlogs | The point of no return

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The point of no return

Who: Eiji and Ankh, Open portion HERE
When: October 7, night, continues for 46 hours
Where: Shopping district
What: The power of the music of the night
Warnings: Standard monster-fighting violence, addiction (thanks to the monster), some self-harm/semi-suicidal undertones to conversation

There is a phantom who's been singing late at night in the shopping district. And this angel of music has been drawing a lot of monsters. And Eiji being Eiji, he can't just leave this alone.

A flash of light from LaToraBatta doesn't do much to distract the monsters, and they begin aggressively beating Eiji now that he's closer to wherever the singing is coming from.

"Ankh, I think I'm going to need a combo for this one," he calls back, trying to block while at the same time slashing at another monster. "There's too many!"

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Whatever cute stage Eiji was going through after his kiss with the phantom has definitely worn off. Right now, he's sitting on his bed, curled up with his head against his knees and clenching his fists together tightly.

"Ankh," he mumbles. "I've got to go back."

Ankh has been put through hell over these past couple days, waiting for whatever the phantom did to Eiji to wear off. At this point, he's starting to wonder whether it's going to, but either way, it's not like he's going to let him go back. He got his mind messed with and his lips cut up the first time; who knows how much worse it would be if he hadn't pulled Eiji away?

But that doesn't mean he's happy about any of this, having dealt with Eiji being varying degrees of weird this whole time, sometimes rather unsettling reminiscent of how he was affected by that one Yummy. Now it almost seems like he's in pain, but it's not like going back would actually help that any from Ankh's perspective. He looks over at Eiji from where he's more perching than sitting in a chair that's way too colorful.

"When are you going to stop saying that?"

If and when this wears off, Eiji owes Ankh well more than a year's supply of popsicles. Of course, he can't see it that way, clenching his fist even tighter to the point he can feel his nails digging into his palms.

"When you let me go back."

There's an edge to his voice that's not normally there, but it might seem uncomfortably familiar. It's similar to a dark time from their past, one Eiji usually does his best to try to avoid bringing up.

Ankh can hear the threat in that, and the way he tenses a bit at it is unconscious, though for now, he doesn't move. But he's ready to, and watching Eiji intently.

"That's not going to happen."

"Why not?"

Eiji looks up at him, glaring. The scabs on his mouth are starting to bleed again, and he's sweating.

"It hurts, Ankh. If I go back, then..."

Then...it'll stop? He doesn't know. He just has to go back. He's never been so sure about anything.

"Then you'll probably die." He finishes the sentence for him, and they've been through this enough times that he's really getting sick of saying it. He's never had to try this hard just to keep someone alive, even when the someone in question is Eiji, who actually puts himself in danger on a regular basis. This whole thing is stupid.

"And? At least it'll stop hurting."

Ankh should know better by now to try to use "you're going to die" as any deterring argument on Eiji.

He finally gets off the bed and starts trying to push past Ankh.

"If you're not going to help me, then I'll just take care of it myself."

"Oi." He hops off the chair and grabs hold of Eiji's arm to keep him from leaving. "I am helping you." And really, whenever this actually wears off Eiji better thank him for it. But he at least has the presence of mind not to say that part right now, when Eiji's too warped from whatever the phantom did to see it.

"Then just let me go!"

Eiji is pulling hard, even if it ends up with himself more hurt. He just has to go.

"I thought you cared about me. I guess I really was an idiot, wasn't I?"

That stings, and when Ankh replies by punching him in the gut, it's mostly reflex. Though it's deserved, in so many ways. For that, for the past two days, and for the simple fact that he's not above knocking Eiji unconscious if it'll keep him alive.

"Are you even listening to yourself?!" Of course he's not, but there's really nothing else to say to that.

No, he isn't. If he were, he'd be a mess of self-loathing and apologies just for saying that.

He starts to fall forward after Ankh punches him, but it gives him a chance to finally pull his arm free and make a run for the door.

Ankh, for just a second, feels satisfied with the effect that punch seemed to have had. He doesn't realise how much his grip has weakened until Eiji takes advantage of it to make an escape, and that catches him enough by surprise that Eiji's on his way through the door before he has a chance to respond.

As he chases after him, he curses himself for reacting to that taunt probably exactly the way the other had wanted him to. Damn Eiji's ability to manipulate situations. All this time, and Ankh still occasionally forgets he does that.

Eiji's out of the house now, and he starts running for the shopping district. If he can get there, if he can get back to the phantom, then she...

He didn't know. But the feeling he had when she kissed him--it was good. Something he'd never felt before. His body was craving it, and his mind couldn't focus on anything beyond it.

The punch, however, is slowing him down, and before he expects it, he has to stop and catch his breath.

Ankh has been on his tail the whole way, so when he pauses, it's the opportunity he needs to finally catch up. He doesn't hesitate to grab hold of Eiji again, this time grabbing both arms and trying to get them behind his back. He has no intention of letting him get away again.

Eiji isn't ready for Ankh to grab him, much less by his arms. The more he struggles, the worse it is--he can't get himself free without dislocating his shoulders, and even that isn't coming easy.

"You're hurting me!" he shouts, hoping it gets some kind of reaction out of Ankh...or at least creates enough noise as he thrashes to try and draw monsters toward them. At least then, Ankh would have a harder time keeping a grip on him.

"That's your own fault." Really, after Eiji tricked him once, he wasn't about to fall for Eiji trying to get him to react again. Though for the moment, it hasn't quite registered that shouting is its own problem.

"Just let me go!" Eiji shouts, watching for any movement in the shadows. "It's not like I'm hurting anyone else!"

"Why do you think I care about anyone else, you idiot?" He shoots back, and only after does it start to dawn on him how loud they're both being, and how bad an idea that is out here. So Eiji might get a hand free, because one of Ankh's hands probably needs to be clapping itself over Eiji's stupid mouth about now.

Eiji actually flinches when Ankh's hand covers his mouth--the cuts hurt--but it does mean he has one arm free now, so he can start turning himself around and get into a better position.

Namely, he's struggling to get the driver back from Ankh. It's the only thing he can think of right now that will get him back to the phantom without having to worry about Ankh stopping him.

Even if part of him doesn't want to have to do this, he doesn't see any other choice.

It takes Ankh a moment to realise what Eiji's probably after, and then he puts extra effort into keeping him from maneuvering into a position to get the driver back. But there's only so much he can do when he has to keep Eiji quiet on top of it.

Eiji's fingers close around the driver, and he quickly pulls it to his chest while he starts pulling away from Ankh again.

This time, he tries kicking at Ankh's legs to try to throw off his balance. At the very least, he just needs him to let go.

Ankh finally has to let go of Eiji's mouth when he ends up grabbing the driver, trying to get that back. He hasn't let Eiji keep any Medals, either, so he's not sure what the other plans to do with that even now that he has it, but he's not taking chances.

He doesn't let go, and actually when Eiji does succeed in knocking Ankh a bit off balance, he only grips harder in an attempt to keep himself upright. But with Eiji struggling and Ankh focused more heavily on the driver, it's only a matter of time before his grip ends up loosening enough to give Eiji an opening.

And the opening comes. As soon as he feels Ankh's hand slip a little, Eiji pulls himself free hard enough that he nearly falls over himself, but he quickly scrambles back, reaching in his pocket.

"I don't want to do this. Just go home."

It takes Ankh a moment to regain his balance, too, and then Eiji has put space between them, but isn't running this time. He notices the hand in his pocket, but he shouldn't have Medals, right? Did he somehow manage to steal some back? In any case, Eiji should know the answer to that already.

"Like hell I will." And on that note, he's not going to stop trying to get hold of Eiji and/or the driver again, either.

Eiji has to dodge quickly just to keep hold of the driver, but he presses it against himself so it'll attach. He's keeping his other fist clenched--there's definitely a set of Medals in his hand, and he's not going to lose them.

"I mean it, Ankh! Go home."

Closed portion, 46 hours after part 1

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