[ The expression shift on Subaru affects those who see it without a doubt. At the very least, Caelus always is. Understanding what that really means for someone so subdued like this onmyoji, the trailblazer is always immensely humbled to witness every one of them. He will never take every sight of it for granted, always keeping it among his dearest memories as he observes every detail.
Every lovely color of Subaru's sides. Even if the world has yet to notice it, the trailblazer always will. Caelus closes in their distance and reconnects their hands, a cool wind seemingly encouraging his movement as he steps forward. He smiles once more, then pulls the beautiful onmyoji along with his excited motions. He takes him to a nearby parking lot, where this trailer is waiting.
The paint is recent, as Caelus had to refresh its dilapidated look. The plants are artificial, since he didn't want to place zombie plants around the house. The fairy lights are currently unlit, but there's unique wiring on them connected to a nearby device. He'll likely explain that eventually. There's a nice-sized campfire at the side, also unlit, but there's already some chopped firewood in it. ]
This! What do you think?
[ Considering its renovated state, it's undeniable who did it and who it's meant for. A person who is always on the move, a house just the same. Well, it obviously won't be moving anytime soon without a working car attached to it, but it opens up the option in the future. ]
[ Hand in hand, Subaru is content enough to follow Caelus's lead into the lot that sits square to a Chelsea neighborhood. Or what remains of it. The sight of the trailer is conspicuous in comparison to what the state of the city has otherwise accustomed him to — it's bright. His fingers briefly slack in wonder. Carefully, his gaze travels the trailer, noting the manner in which it's been preserved, cleaned, and detailed. It looks like an incredible amount of work went into its restoration, even without electricity. ]
It's amazing. [ He doesn't measure his words in saying so. It comes from the heart. ] You did all of this?
[ Normally, Caelus would be all over compliments. He's shameless, after all. But coming from someone like Subaru, someone so reserved, silent, yet so kind, the trailblazer feels an immediate reflex to keep his mouth shut. He's struggling to contain his smile, so he looks away for a short while to let it out. Pink blooms across his face as he looks into the horizon, releasing the positive energy elsewhere rather than throwing it all to Subaru.
But not all of it! Once most of the heavy blows have flown away, Caelus returns his gaze straight at Subaru and redirects that giddy smile. He raises both their connected hands, pressing the older man's palms against his own face, his own palms over them. Heat of that pink blush transfers easily to their layered hands, increasing the luminosity of this area. A trailer equally bright as its renovator. ]
[ Subaru stills when Caelus brings his hands to his face, pulse jumping. Though quiet, it's not often that he's at a loss for words. Even redirected, diffused by a conscious effort to not pressure him, he's so warm. Subaru has channeled the energies of earth and heaven alike. These hands have borne the will of the stars since he was old enough to speak the spells. He's wreathed flame, flumed water, cracked the earth, cut with winds. And yet... ]
You are... [ His hands press to his skin of his own accord, intent in the cool lay of his palms, growing ever-warmer. ] very special, Caelus.
[ He hopes he feels it. The reflected light that chases the loneliness in the corners away.
Grip slacking, he finally looks to the home he's made. ]
[ These delicate hands on his face, Caelus understands how much they've done. Subaru told the trailblazer before, that his burdens shouldn't be carried by him, but Caelus was quick to disagree.
"I'm not someone whose burdens you should shoulder."
"Everyone needs help now and then. All I want to do is make it a little easier for people."
This aside, Caelus is also doing it because he knows that Subaru deserves more. He doesn't know his background or his past, but it doesn't matter. Simply looking at this beautiful soul, it's not difficult to see why he should be treasured. Subaru, who always silently protects others…. Subaru, so dutiful, so hardworking, so gentle, so selfless… He more than earned at least one person there for him.
But Caelus does not doubt that Subaru has many people who love him. How can anyone not, after getting to know him, even a little? He has an overflowering charm that he doesn't even realize he has. So when he calls the trailblazer as someone special… Caelus can't help but laugh. The warmth intensifies, the lovely sensation of his cheery voice running through the other man's palms. ]
You are the special one.
[ Though these days, Subaru's aura does feel much softer than it already is. Caelus naturally noticed. After all, he's always watching over him. Just the same as Subaru and his paper birds. Lowering their hands, but remaining together, the trailblazer nods and leads the onmyoji into the trailer.
The interior has been renovated, too. The main room with the view of a small bedroom at the back and the connected open kitchen right beside it. The kitchen comes with a small sink (the trailer has a water tank that needs to be refilled time to time). The shelves are mostly empty, but there are a couple of canned goods and small food items like instant noodles as added tiny gifts. At the side, a small dining table by a portable fireplace. ]
Sorry, I'm not skilled enough yet to work on the bathroom, so there's nothing in there. [ pointing at the door next to the hallway leading to the bedroom ] You can use it as a closet or something, for now!
[ Special. Not different. Not unnormal. But special.
As Caelus leads him into and around the space, Subaru is left with the abundance of feelings that have long laid dormant and sedimentary at the bottom of his soul. It's almost... a little painful, to have this kind of warmth radiating at all the softened points of his demeanor. He'd steeled himself so long ago that he convinced himself there was no need for it, but the weld is poor. Gentleness still bleeds through the weak points.
Such thoughts drift through him even when he's dutifully taking note of everything Caelus accomplished. At the end of the tour, Subaru shakes his head, steadying his fingertips on the countertop thoughtfully. ]
No, you've done plenty with it. I couldn't ask for anything more than this.
[ It's then that his gaze rises to meet the trailblazer's. ]
It may be a little late for this, but there is something I can do. Jichinsai. Or, a groundbreaking ceremony.
[ The fleeting pain didn't go unnoticed within their peaceful connection, their tether. But Caelus can tell that it's something out of… loneliness. Perhaps something (… someone?) Subaru misses dearly. The trailblazer silently glances at the onmyoji's delicate face without making it obvious, observing his natural expressions as he takes in the new environment.
Despite Caelus's cheeriness, he does have his own buried loneliness as well, so he can still relate to those feelings… He hasn't seen the Astral Express in so long, as even before Manhattan, he was forced to remain in Amphoreus. He worries about so many people back home. Not only the people on the Express, but his friends in Amphoreus. How he wishes he could go and find everyone, but that journey will have to wait. For now, he will continue supporting the friends right beside him…
When Subaru moves his single lovely eye to meet Caelus's pair of golden ones, he meets them back with a bright determination. ]
[ So often he finds that their similarities resonate, something he feels echoing deep down without quite being able to reach it. Not because Caelus would stop him, he thinks... but he wonders if the trailblazer holds it back for his sake, afraid of shattering the glassy mirror they sometimes catch sight of each other through.
Subaru slips his hand more securely into Caelus's, fingers tightening. Recognition he doesn't give voice to, only the comfort of understanding. ]
I have paper. So... branches, rope or twine. Alcohol is also common, but I can use purified water in its place.
[ He steps away from the counter. ]
There's a park nearby we might be able to get the wood from.
[ There may be a mirror there, but it's still meaningful. Passing glances may seem like a lonely concept, but it's the beginning of something for someone like Caelus. After all, meeting eyes is a connection. That is one of the essences of trailblazing as well, seeking out a connection with those they meet. So whenever Subaru's gaze is against that mirror, Caelus will never fail to approach and beam out a smile right at him, letting him know he's there. He's here, close by, always listening.
Just as their hands squeeze together now. Caelus doesn't hesitate to tighten the warm touch, parrying away what lingering coldness there is in the possibly autumn air. They don't know the current season yet due to a lack of a way to verify the actual dates, but hopefully, they'll find out if it starts snowing soon enough. And if it does snow, Caelus will continue to provide warmth anytime. Maybe more than ever before. ]
Got it. Let's find our branch, then.
[ Though reluctant to part their hands, Caelus has to because of the tasks they'll be doing soon. So he slowly lets go, but not without another fond squeeze. Once his hands are freed, he reaches into his messenger bag to get something… A Swiss army knife he carries around. He releases the blade from it, ready to cut down their wood once they have it. ]
A lingering light-flash of a smile precedes his nod. Out of the trailer and back onto the streets crippled by Sleep's influence, Subaru leads the way down the block to the small park. He's only seen it in passing and he doesn't suppose they'll find any wood that's not entirety rotted by the strange fungal blooms that seem to affect all the flora, but he can make do. Even shifted to a power source that's not his, Subaru is confident in his skill.
Quiet for a stretch of time as they walk, he ventures: ]
[ Prepared for any scenario, a habit Caelus formed as a Trailblazer. Cumulative experiences from journeying constantly can do that to anyone. As they walk, Caelus falls temporarily quiet as well, gently breathing as small puffs of white mist escape him due to the cold air. His eyes look around, familiar enough with the forlorn scenery. After all, he's been coming here constantly for the past week to work on the trailer.
A passing thought to himself. He can't believe it's been almost a month since they arrived. Time always did move way too fast, sometimes. They all were certainly kept busy, dealing with strange events and adjusting to this unfamiliar city. But it wasn't all bad. After all, he's met so many wonderful people…
When Subaru speaks again, Caelus can't help but melt from hearing the question. He releases a small smile to himself as they walk. Then, he responds, concentrating like last time so he could get his original accent to come out. ]
[ Ceremony ]
Is that term earlier, Ji— chi— [ Sorry, he's struggling to say Japanese again… ] the word for it?
[ Having done most of his exploring and training on his own since arrival, there is a comfort to this. Something he didn't often get even in the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo — at least not anymore. Two sets of footsteps on the pavement, the soft sounds of someone simply being next to him as they walk. ]
Ceremony. [ It does take concentration on the syllables to say them aloud without their ambient connection shifting his language, but Subaru manages. ] Thank you, I think I can remember it.
[ As they enter the tiny park situated at the end of the block, Subaru doesn't immediately turn his attention to what trees remain. There's a playground in disrepair, most of it rusted and overgrown. A swingset remains, just across the sandbox. He glances at it, but ultimately ends up slowing to a stop to gesture for Caelus's hand instead. ]
Jichinsai is a specific ceremony. It's to bless the land something is built on. This... [ With one hand supporting Caelus's from the bottom, Subaru traces kanji onto his palm with his index finger. ] Gishiki. A ceremony. Or a sacred ritual.
[ Ah, here it is again. Caelus thought he's used to this by now. Will this person's beauty ever stop… Blessed with such looks, voice, heart, and personality, and soft moments like these, also display stunning gracefulness. It's mesmerizing to simply listen to Subaru talk, to witness his slender fingers move so slowly against his hand. The sensation is so…
It all causes Caelus to pause, doing his best to commit it all to memory. The characters are shown to him, drawn carefully. Maybe he won't be able to remember all the strokes of this kanji right away, but he exerts every effort to recall as much as he can. The terms taught to him as well. Everything, he wants to keep in his heart as treasures. ]
Jichin… sai. Gi… shi… ki.
[ Some leaves being carried by the wind pass them by. This abandoned park may have been forgotten by time, but with Subaru and Caelus here, creating new memories together, this park has now been remembered once more. ]
[ Language transmutes with his touch. It was in his blood as an onmyouji, it remains there as a runecaster, no matter how it's changed. Hands are the tools of prayer, the instruments with which people sow connection. Subaru believes that, even through the violence that's been enacted upon him — and by him, just before here.
Caelus's hands are warm, but now so are his.
This time, he traces the simpler shapes of kana onto his palm, punctuating each one with its syllable: ]
[ Though unused to the Japanese accent, Caelus is surely picking up. It comes with his ability to adapt as a trailblazer, a person who is always having new encounters. He has always been a fast learner. He takes a significant pause to memorize these as well, and when he does…
He says it, with the perfect tone, a high note of appreciation. The kind of pitch that no one can easily reach, not unless they're bursting with emotion like he is now. ]
[ There are so few bridges that connect Subaru to others in a lasting manner. He remembers everyone. He remembers every emotion that's ever come to him, in faith or fatuity, in heartbreak, elation, gratitude. He just never expects others to regard him the same way. But listening to the way that Caelus picks up on the language he shares in these tiny increments makes him think that this might really be one of those bridges, brilliant in its traversal, pleasant in pitch.
Subaru returns his hand to him in a serene slip of his fingers, but there's less finality in the motion than usual. ]
[ As Subaru is gently lowering their hands, just before their fingers separate, Caelus suddenly reconnects the grip. Similarly to earlier, when Subaru squeezed their hands tighter, Caelus does the same now. He wants him to know without a doubt that this feeling is unquestionably mutual. Whatever they share, they're all real, and they didn't need this tether to prove it.
He lifts his radiant gaze to him, giving him another smile as if the earlier ones were never enough. Which is true. They're just never enough. He can keep smiling for this person, always. With that, Caelus finally lets go and approaches the most stable-looking tree nearby. He gestures to it, indicating he's ready to proceed. ]
Do you need a thin branch, or does it have to be large?
[ With their task at hand, rising up over the ambient wash of interconnected feeling, so warm and sweet that it nearly manifests corporeal in his throat, Subaru follows Caelus to the chosen tree. It's not in great condition, but few things in this landscape often are. His gaze sweeps the branches, keen in spite of being halved. ]
Thin is fine. Two of the same length is preferable.
[ Subaru measures out a distance of around sixty centimeters with his hands. ]
Like this, [ He demonstrates. ] if the tree will be kind enough to help us.
[ After memorizing the length indicated, Caelus looks up at the zombified tree. Like the rest of the flora and fauna, everything looks quite unnatural, and this tree is no exception. Still, this tree lives on, though its leaves have already started to fall. He's not sure if it's because it's possibly autumn or if it's already beginning to wither away.
The branches near the bottom are too thick. The thinner ones are closer to the peak. Caelus reaches to test out the lower branches, trying to bend them. When they remain stable, he begins to climb the tree without hesitation. He doesn't want to overwhelm the branches with his weight despite their stability, so he makes his movements quick. He stands tall on a branch and then leaps constantly, parkouring his way to the top.
Once he's at the peak, he slices off two appropriate branches before hopping off, landing perfectly on his feet. He offers them to Subaru after straightening up. ]
[ Subaru remains at the foot of the tree while Caelus ascends it for what he needs, tracing the corruption in the branches, the sooted lung-like fibers of its reach. He can tell that the trailblazer is minding his steps, maybe for both the tree's sake and his own. He entertains laying his palm upon its trunk to see what permeates the rings of its age, but decides against it. Which is just as well when Caelus drops back down, graceful and sure in his landing. ]
Thank you. [ Subaru takes the branches, weighing them in his hands. ] These will work fine.
[ Branches in one hand, he extends the other, indicating the pocket knife. ]
[ A light smile. Of course. Caelus turns the pocket knife around so it's safe when he hands it over. He places the handle on Subaru's palm gently, the blade facing away.
He wonders what the onmyoji intends to do with the branches, but he supposes he'll see it now. Thinking about it, some of Subaru's arts remind Caelus of some friends of his from Xianzhou, particularly Hanya, who also works with ink and paper on her spells. ]
[ Subaru accepts the blade just as gratefully as Caelus is careful in handing it to him. Tucking one of the branches beneath his arm, he indicates that they can begin the walk back to the trailer. On the way, he gently whittles the end of the branch in his grasp. Beneath the strange shade and texture of the bark, the wood is remarkably normal.
White making a notch with the edge of the knife, Subaru's brows draw upwards in curiosity. ]
My work is similar. I'm an onmyouji. [ He pauses his knifework, steps slow. ] How do you know that?
[ Oh, another word Caelus doesn't know. He looks a little confused as they walk together again, retracing their steps back to the trailer. But his curiosity is evident about it, as well as the handiwork that Subaru is performing on the branch.
He lets out a quiet, amused laugh when he appears to have made an… almost correct guess? So it's not exactly an exorcist, though maybe it has overlapping roles? ]
I have a few friends who are exorcists, I met them through my travels in my universe. Some of the gestures you do sometimes remind me of them. You all have a very certain way of holding paper, for instance…
I see. [ So, Caelus noticed something familiar in how he creates and wields talismans. He swaps the prepared branch for the one tucked under his arm, moving slow and thoughtful, with purpose. It's not exactly hesitation, but more a natural deliberation on what words to choose, how to bring this vast part of himself to light. ] With how traveled you are, it stands to reason that you'd meet others in my trade.
[ Finishing the other branch, he clicks the pocket knife shut and offers it back to Caelus. ]
Exorcisms are one area of my work. Onmyoudo itself is a large school of magic that spans back hundreds of years in my home country. I can perform divinations, protection rituals, blessings... things of that nature.
[ Or — he could, before this. Working with runes hasn't been entirely dissimilar though. Comparatively, he's taken to Sleep's magic incredibly fast. ]
[ Accepting the item back, Caelus slides it back into his bag as he continues to walk alongside Subaru, listening to every word attentively. He's impressed after hearing the explanation, knowing this must be why his precious friend has such a disciplined mannerism. ]
That's amazing. That makes sense why you can perform the ceremony for the trailer.
[ Wait… ]
Hm? I thought we all lost our powers, coming here. Did you retain yours?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Every lovely color of Subaru's sides. Even if the world has yet to notice it, the trailblazer always will. Caelus closes in their distance and reconnects their hands, a cool wind seemingly encouraging his movement as he steps forward. He smiles once more, then pulls the beautiful onmyoji along with his excited motions. He takes him to a nearby parking lot, where this trailer is waiting.
The paint is recent, as Caelus had to refresh its dilapidated look. The plants are artificial, since he didn't want to place zombie plants around the house. The fairy lights are currently unlit, but there's unique wiring on them connected to a nearby device. He'll likely explain that eventually. There's a nice-sized campfire at the side, also unlit, but there's already some chopped firewood in it. ]
This! What do you think?
[ Considering its renovated state, it's undeniable who did it and who it's meant for. A person who is always on the move, a house just the same. Well, it obviously won't be moving anytime soon without a working car attached to it, but it opens up the option in the future. ]
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It's amazing. [ He doesn't measure his words in saying so. It comes from the heart. ] You did all of this?
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But not all of it! Once most of the heavy blows have flown away, Caelus returns his gaze straight at Subaru and redirects that giddy smile. He raises both their connected hands, pressing the older man's palms against his own face, his own palms over them. Heat of that pink blush transfers easily to their layered hands, increasing the luminosity of this area. A trailer equally bright as its renovator. ]
All for you.
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You are... [ His hands press to his skin of his own accord, intent in the cool lay of his palms, growing ever-warmer. ] very special, Caelus.
[ He hopes he feels it. The reflected light that chases the loneliness in the corners away.
Grip slacking, he finally looks to the home he's made. ]
Will you show me what you've done?
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"I'm not someone whose burdens you should shoulder."
"Everyone needs help now and then. All I want to do is make it a little easier for people."
This aside, Caelus is also doing it because he knows that Subaru deserves more. He doesn't know his background or his past, but it doesn't matter. Simply looking at this beautiful soul, it's not difficult to see why he should be treasured. Subaru, who always silently protects others…. Subaru, so dutiful, so hardworking, so gentle, so selfless… He more than earned at least one person there for him.
But Caelus does not doubt that Subaru has many people who love him. How can anyone not, after getting to know him, even a little? He has an overflowering charm that he doesn't even realize he has. So when he calls the trailblazer as someone special… Caelus can't help but laugh. The warmth intensifies, the lovely sensation of his cheery voice running through the other man's palms. ]
You are the special one.
[ Though these days, Subaru's aura does feel much softer than it already is. Caelus naturally noticed. After all, he's always watching over him. Just the same as Subaru and his paper birds. Lowering their hands, but remaining together, the trailblazer nods and leads the onmyoji into the trailer.
The interior has been renovated, too. The main room with the view of a small bedroom at the back and the connected open kitchen right beside it. The kitchen comes with a small sink (the trailer has a water tank that needs to be refilled time to time). The shelves are mostly empty, but there are a couple of canned goods and small food items like instant noodles as added tiny gifts. At the side, a small dining table by a portable fireplace. ]
Sorry, I'm not skilled enough yet to work on the bathroom, so there's nothing in there. [ pointing at the door next to the hallway leading to the bedroom ] You can use it as a closet or something, for now!
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As Caelus leads him into and around the space, Subaru is left with the abundance of feelings that have long laid dormant and sedimentary at the bottom of his soul. It's almost... a little painful, to have this kind of warmth radiating at all the softened points of his demeanor. He'd steeled himself so long ago that he convinced himself there was no need for it, but the weld is poor. Gentleness still bleeds through the weak points.
Such thoughts drift through him even when he's dutifully taking note of everything Caelus accomplished. At the end of the tour, Subaru shakes his head, steadying his fingertips on the countertop thoughtfully. ]
No, you've done plenty with it. I couldn't ask for anything more than this.
[ It's then that his gaze rises to meet the trailblazer's. ]
It may be a little late for this, but there is something I can do. Jichinsai. Or, a groundbreaking ceremony.
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Despite Caelus's cheeriness, he does have his own buried loneliness as well, so he can still relate to those feelings… He hasn't seen the Astral Express in so long, as even before Manhattan, he was forced to remain in Amphoreus. He worries about so many people back home. Not only the people on the Express, but his friends in Amphoreus. How he wishes he could go and find everyone, but that journey will have to wait. For now, he will continue supporting the friends right beside him…
When Subaru moves his single lovely eye to meet Caelus's pair of golden ones, he meets them back with a bright determination. ]
That's a great idea. What do we need for it?
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Subaru slips his hand more securely into Caelus's, fingers tightening. Recognition he doesn't give voice to, only the comfort of understanding. ]
I have paper. So... branches, rope or twine. Alcohol is also common, but I can use purified water in its place.
[ He steps away from the counter. ]
There's a park nearby we might be able to get the wood from.
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Just as their hands squeeze together now. Caelus doesn't hesitate to tighten the warm touch, parrying away what lingering coldness there is in the possibly autumn air. They don't know the current season yet due to a lack of a way to verify the actual dates, but hopefully, they'll find out if it starts snowing soon enough. And if it does snow, Caelus will continue to provide warmth anytime. Maybe more than ever before. ]
Got it. Let's find our branch, then.
[ Though reluctant to part their hands, Caelus has to because of the tasks they'll be doing soon. So he slowly lets go, but not without another fond squeeze. Once his hands are freed, he reaches into his messenger bag to get something… A Swiss army knife he carries around. He releases the blade from it, ready to cut down their wood once they have it. ]
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A lingering light-flash of a smile precedes his nod. Out of the trailer and back onto the streets crippled by Sleep's influence, Subaru leads the way down the block to the small park. He's only seen it in passing and he doesn't suppose they'll find any wood that's not entirety rotted by the strange fungal blooms that seem to affect all the flora, but he can make do. Even shifted to a power source that's not his, Subaru is confident in his skill.
Quiet for a stretch of time as they walk, he ventures: ]
How do you say it in your language? "Ceremony."
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A passing thought to himself. He can't believe it's been almost a month since they arrived. Time always did move way too fast, sometimes. They all were certainly kept busy, dealing with strange events and adjusting to this unfamiliar city. But it wasn't all bad. After all, he's met so many wonderful people…
When Subaru speaks again, Caelus can't help but melt from hearing the question. He releases a small smile to himself as they walk. Then, he responds, concentrating like last time so he could get his original accent to come out. ]
[ Ceremony ]
Is that term earlier, Ji— chi— [ Sorry, he's struggling to say Japanese again… ] the word for it?
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Ceremony. [ It does take concentration on the syllables to say them aloud without their ambient connection shifting his language, but Subaru manages. ] Thank you, I think I can remember it.
[ As they enter the tiny park situated at the end of the block, Subaru doesn't immediately turn his attention to what trees remain. There's a playground in disrepair, most of it rusted and overgrown. A swingset remains, just across the sandbox. He glances at it, but ultimately ends up slowing to a stop to gesture for Caelus's hand instead. ]
Jichinsai is a specific ceremony. It's to bless the land something is built on. This... [ With one hand supporting Caelus's from the bottom, Subaru traces kanji onto his palm with his index finger. ] Gishiki. A ceremony. Or a sacred ritual.
no subject
It all causes Caelus to pause, doing his best to commit it all to memory. The characters are shown to him, drawn carefully. Maybe he won't be able to remember all the strokes of this kanji right away, but he exerts every effort to recall as much as he can. The terms taught to him as well. Everything, he wants to keep in his heart as treasures. ]
Jichin… sai. Gi… shi… ki.
[ Some leaves being carried by the wind pass them by. This abandoned park may have been forgotten by time, but with Subaru and Caelus here, creating new memories together, this park has now been remembered once more. ]
How do you say "thank you" in your language?
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[ Language transmutes with his touch. It was in his blood as an onmyouji, it remains there as a runecaster, no matter how it's changed. Hands are the tools of prayer, the instruments with which people sow connection. Subaru believes that, even through the violence that's been enacted upon him — and by him, just before here.
Caelus's hands are warm, but now so are his.
This time, he traces the simpler shapes of kana onto his palm, punctuating each one with its syllable: ]
A ∙ ri ∙ ga ∙ tou.
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He says it, with the perfect tone, a high note of appreciation. The kind of pitch that no one can easily reach, not unless they're bursting with emotion like he is now. ]
Arigatou! Subaru!
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Subaru returns his hand to him in a serene slip of his fingers, but there's less finality in the motion than usual. ]
You're welcome.
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He lifts his radiant gaze to him, giving him another smile as if the earlier ones were never enough. Which is true. They're just never enough. He can keep smiling for this person, always. With that, Caelus finally lets go and approaches the most stable-looking tree nearby. He gestures to it, indicating he's ready to proceed. ]
Do you need a thin branch, or does it have to be large?
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Thin is fine. Two of the same length is preferable.
[ Subaru measures out a distance of around sixty centimeters with his hands. ]
Like this, [ He demonstrates. ] if the tree will be kind enough to help us.
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[ After memorizing the length indicated, Caelus looks up at the zombified tree. Like the rest of the flora and fauna, everything looks quite unnatural, and this tree is no exception. Still, this tree lives on, though its leaves have already started to fall. He's not sure if it's because it's possibly autumn or if it's already beginning to wither away.
The branches near the bottom are too thick. The thinner ones are closer to the peak. Caelus reaches to test out the lower branches, trying to bend them. When they remain stable, he begins to climb the tree without hesitation. He doesn't want to overwhelm the branches with his weight despite their stability, so he makes his movements quick. He stands tall on a branch and then leaps constantly, parkouring his way to the top.
Once he's at the peak, he slices off two appropriate branches before hopping off, landing perfectly on his feet. He offers them to Subaru after straightening up. ]
Here you are.
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Thank you. [ Subaru takes the branches, weighing them in his hands. ] These will work fine.
[ Branches in one hand, he extends the other, indicating the pocket knife. ]
May I?
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He wonders what the onmyoji intends to do with the branches, but he supposes he'll see it now. Thinking about it, some of Subaru's arts remind Caelus of some friends of his from Xianzhou, particularly Hanya, who also works with ink and paper on her spells. ]
Were you perhaps an exorcist back home?
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White making a notch with the edge of the knife, Subaru's brows draw upwards in curiosity. ]
My work is similar. I'm an onmyouji. [ He pauses his knifework, steps slow. ] How do you know that?
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He lets out a quiet, amused laugh when he appears to have made an… almost correct guess? So it's not exactly an exorcist, though maybe it has overlapping roles? ]
I have a few friends who are exorcists, I met them through my travels in my universe. Some of the gestures you do sometimes remind me of them. You all have a very certain way of holding paper, for instance…
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[ Finishing the other branch, he clicks the pocket knife shut and offers it back to Caelus. ]
Exorcisms are one area of my work. Onmyoudo itself is a large school of magic that spans back hundreds of years in my home country. I can perform divinations, protection rituals, blessings... things of that nature.
[ Or — he could, before this. Working with runes hasn't been entirely dissimilar though. Comparatively, he's taken to Sleep's magic incredibly fast. ]
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That's amazing. That makes sense why you can perform the ceremony for the trailer.
[ Wait… ]
Hm? I thought we all lost our powers, coming here. Did you retain yours?
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