[SO HERE THEY ARE all aboard the nightmare train... honestly, this whole "needing to sleep" thing kind of sucks in general?? It was always a nice indulgence, but now that he needs to do it, it's no longer quite so fun.
To say nothing of dreams, another new experience for him. Memories, though, and nightmares... those are another story.
His rattling breaths have grown shallow. Yasusada hears them constantly now, even when Okita isn't in the room with him. In, then out, over and over, and despite how hard he's fighting, it's obvious he's losing strength by the day. Yasusada knows, intrinsically, that human bodies are fragile, and prone to breaking. He knows this, but he doesn't get it, not when Okita is a mortal god in his mind.
Okita's body is failing him. But Okita is meant to die in battle. These two things are facts, to a young sword enamored with his very first master. He doesn't understand.
Why won't Okita reach out for him anymore?
How, Yasusada wonders, can he fix this? How can make Okita's body as strong as his soul, so he can die a warrior's death?
...
In the end, Okita does reach out for him. He takes his sword in hand, stumbling into the garden, ready to slay the black cat that's been lurking nearby for days. But try as he might, Yasusada's spirit and Okita's soul simply aren't strong enough, even combined, to win out against illness. Nothing can stop him from collapsing, blood on his lips, deaf to the screams and pleas of the blade in his hand.
week 2 day 1
To say nothing of dreams, another new experience for him. Memories, though, and nightmares... those are another story.
His rattling breaths have grown shallow. Yasusada hears them constantly now, even when Okita isn't in the room with him. In, then out, over and over, and despite how hard he's fighting, it's obvious he's losing strength by the day. Yasusada knows, intrinsically, that human bodies are fragile, and prone to breaking. He knows this, but he doesn't get it, not when Okita is a mortal god in his mind.
Okita's body is failing him. But Okita is meant to die in battle. These two things are facts, to a young sword enamored with his very first master. He doesn't understand.
Why won't Okita reach out for him anymore?
How, Yasusada wonders, can he fix this? How can make Okita's body as strong as his soul, so he can die a warrior's death?
...
In the end, Okita does reach out for him. He takes his sword in hand, stumbling into the garden, ready to slay the black cat that's been lurking nearby for days. But try as he might, Yasusada's spirit and Okita's soul simply aren't strong enough, even combined, to win out against illness. Nothing can stop him from collapsing, blood on his lips, deaf to the screams and pleas of the blade in his hand.
The cat watches until Okita grows cold.]