higekiri

[warmness]

Comments

[warmness]

I'm afraid you have to guess.

But you were close before.

[banzais]

Is it protective in nature?

[that's the one he admittedly asks pretty often]

[warmness]

[ she nods. ]

It is. I can protect one person from being killed by a demon every week.

[banzais]

[hello

jackpot]

... may I ask - who did you choose this week?

[warmness]

Oh... it was Dick. So he'll be safe at the end of the week.

[banzais]

Eh...

[he nods]

Mm, that's a relief.

[but also - ]

Brother... I am currently working in order to receive something that might be able to help me protect our other brother. Until I retrieve it, might I ask for your help in keeping him safe?

[warmness]

He's who I chose last week...

[ there's another pause ]

I can protect him next week.

[banzais]

[wow

higekiri is just so happy

and he's going to move to scoop grune up into a hug]

Thank you, brother.

[warmness]

[ yay hugs! ]

... although feel free to ask me more things about that particular thing.

[ there is a lot of red tape here ]

[banzais]

[oh my god

well

i guess higekiri is going to do this while he has grune scooped into a hug]

Oh...? There's limitations? On how many times you may protect a person? Will something else negative happen, should that person you protect be targeted?

[warmness]

There's limitations, yes. I can't protect the same person twice in a row. And I don't think there's a limit on how many times I can choose a specific person, but it was... strongly hinted that I shouldn't stick to the same people every time.

[ which is why she. went with dick. ]

[banzais]

Mm...

And if the person you choose to protect is targeted that week - what will happen?

[just gonna repeat the question she didn't answer]

[warmness]

The demon won't be able to touch them.

... what happens after that, I don't know.

[banzais]

... hmm, is that so.

[he frowns a bit]

Do you have any idea what your punishment may be if any of these rules aren't followed?

[warmness]

I can find out.

[ ... ]

Do you want me to break a rule?

[banzais]

[he answers immediately:]

No.

It is not yet that pressing.

[warmness]

Let me know if that changes.

[ she would, unfortunately, make the attempt if he just asked ]

[banzais]

[you're not getting your eye loss from me, binch!

but higekiri's expression just softens as he hugs grune tighter for just a moment]

... Mm. I will.

Have the others found you?

[warmness]

No. I didn't expect anyone to.

[ most people here probably don't think grune is aware that people are being murdered ]

[banzais]

Well... in truth, I would like to hope you would be better protected...

[hmm]

... would you be unhappy with me, if I told anyone else about what you can do?

[hige straight up fucking outed everyone else because he doesn't give a FUCK

but grune is his brother]

[warmness]

[ ... what a sweet boy

she kisses his cheek. ]

... if it's someone you trust, I won't be upset.

[banzais]

[higekiri seems thoughtful about that for a moment

before he kisses her cheek in turn]

Our brother - and I will tell the others that I found someone, but not necessarily you just yet.

[warmness]

That's fine. It would be easier if you told Hizamaru anyway, since...

[ grune would have to go through the whole 20 questions thing again with him where she has to pretend not to know what he's talking about until he asks the right questions. ]

[banzais]

[higekiri just nods]

Mm... then I'll let him know. There are people looking for the others... I think there might be thirteen in total - but Escha is gone now.

And so the ones remaining are twelve. So far I have found you, Nikori, and Nightfeather. I suspect Kagachi, but I do not know how to get him to admit it to me quite so cleanly. I would also be surprised if um... Junpei did not have one.

[warmness]

[ grune is literally never going to talk to nikkari or dick on her own about this because she has no idea who the fuck hige is talking about

but she just nods. ]

There's also the chance that someone else who left already might have been one...