[ She's so refreshingly normal. Even when everything is different now, even though he's only had a little while before the whole ship thing happened and then the journey to try and get used to his new condition, Chizuru is just there like she always is, like nothing changed. For a moment he can pretend that maybe everything is normal, even if he's feeling much more exhausted than he ought to just carrying boxes. But he's supposed to be the strong one, so he can't let down the people who rely on him. Even if he's already let down plenty of those the day he took them with him on a practically suicidal mission that only he survived.
He quickly forces down the thought so he'll be able to keep up a smile at least in front of her. It has the added benefit that any other member of the Shinsengumi who sees them pass by and talk as they get onto the docks and walk into the city will think they're acting just like normal despite the bad mood. This way he can convince others he's still normal, this way they might inspire some morale into people who could use it--
It's what keeps his feet moving step by step, narrowly dodging the loose stone when she points it out and shifting the boxes in his hold a little to be able to carry them more easily. ]
Nah. I've lived here in Edo most of my life before all of us came to Kyoto, so I never really had to stay in an inn or whatever. [ It's weirdly nostalgic to be back here. Not that he has ties that strong to his family - sure, he cares about them, but not enough to want to be around them all the time instead of just live his own life - but there's just something weird about returning to his hometown yet having nothing be the same.
(Don't focus on that, he tries to tell himself, forcing down the sick feeling emerging in his stomach.) ]
Did he manage to get you your own room after all? It's probably gonna be pretty cramped.
[ They might have lost quite a number back at Toba Fushimi, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of soldiers travelling as the Shinsengumi. ]
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He quickly forces down the thought so he'll be able to keep up a smile at least in front of her. It has the added benefit that any other member of the Shinsengumi who sees them pass by and talk as they get onto the docks and walk into the city will think they're acting just like normal despite the bad mood. This way he can convince others he's still normal, this way they might inspire some morale into people who could use it--
It's what keeps his feet moving step by step, narrowly dodging the loose stone when she points it out and shifting the boxes in his hold a little to be able to carry them more easily. ]
Nah. I've lived here in Edo most of my life before all of us came to Kyoto, so I never really had to stay in an inn or whatever. [ It's weirdly nostalgic to be back here. Not that he has ties that strong to his family - sure, he cares about them, but not enough to want to be around them all the time instead of just live his own life - but there's just something weird about returning to his hometown yet having nothing be the same.
(Don't focus on that, he tries to tell himself, forcing down the sick feeling emerging in his stomach.) ]
Did he manage to get you your own room after all? It's probably gonna be pretty cramped.
[ They might have lost quite a number back at Toba Fushimi, but that doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of soldiers travelling as the Shinsengumi. ]