drear | i put socks on my feet

If it is a goal, is it deceitful?

[ hades gives him a soft smile and extends a hand towards mitsunari's face—not holding a pecan this time. he can't reach up quite far enough to touch his face, but his fingers hover a few inches from his jaw. ]

Whether it is undeserved, or otherwise... what would you say?

Deceit is the goal, for most.

[he almost doesn't notice the movement, caught up in his own anger, but the fingers nearly brushing his jaw make him start and watch hades very carefully again.]

Of your holdings? It is not my place to judge such things, but ... I have read the histories you permitted me. Your family earned what they have through strength of every kind. If they wish it for themselves, it's up to them to take it with equal strength.

And of deceit as a means... I suppose you would think of that, as well.

[ he makes another considering noise and gets to his feet, fingers now brushing mitsunari's jaw. if the man is angry, it isn't for hades' or his family's sake. at least—that's what he can gather. ]

What of your means?

[mitsunari tenses a little more at the touch, but doesn't draw away or try to push away hades' hand.]

What about them? My means are yours to direct, and I would not be so traitorous as to attempt to take what you have. [he grits his teeth briefly.] But when I act, it is out of loyalty, and out of strength.

[ his fingers slide further up, his palm resting gently on the side of mitsunari's face. ]

It could be said, then, that you have betrayed already.

But it is of no matter to you, at the moment. [ hades removes his hand just as abruptly as he placed it there. ]

...your strength will wane without sustenance. [ he reaches for a slice of bread from a plate near his bedside and puts it into mitsunari's hand. if he doesn't reach to accept it, he takes him by the wrist and holds his hand in the appropriate place. ]

[he stiffens at that simple statement, expression hardening in anger and offense and hurt realization. and then hades removes his hand, only to reach out with bread instead, and mitsunari is slow enough to react that it's only when hades' hand closes around his wrist to make him accept it that he finally tries to pull back and speak.]

I have never --

[but he falls silent, and considers hades' words. grits his teeth again in grudging recognition of that fact. he finally accepts the bread and breaks it into smaller pieces to eat.]

It's ridiculous that such things are necessary.

Is it that weakness which makes it... ridiculous?

[ he watches mitsunari eat without really blinking, but a soft smile crosses his face all the same. ]

Yes.

[he eats quickly, like he detests the very act and wants to get it over with as soon as possible.]

It is a waste of time that could be used otherwise and causes crippling detriments when not heeded. Sleep is much the same. That the body cannot obey without such things is an incomparable annoyance at best.

[ don't choke or bite your tongue, friend. ]

You can taste, can you not?

[miraculously, he manages to avoid both, and glowers in hades' direction at the question.]

How is that relevant? I eat as necessary to maintain the strength required to do as my lord - [he pauses, chokes on the word, but continues after a moment.] ... as you wish of me. Nothing more. Anything else is an excess.

If you cause decay, you may as well rot in the meantime, along with them.

Though, it is a different kind of rot. [ he smiles beatifically at the thought. ]

[mitsunari's glare wavers, very slightly, but he doesn't look away from hades.]

I am already rotted.

All are, and yet you stand.

...eat a little more before you go.

Few would reach the depths of it that I have.

[He glares at the food available, but reaches for another slice of bread regardless of how he might feel about it, eating more slowly this time.]

I will compile a list of all that I heard and bring it to you by morning.

[ stop glaring at the bread, sheesh. ]

Hmph. [ hades waves a hand vaguely at mitsunari, dismissing him for the night. while the situation in the senate technically concerns him, it would be a lie to say that hades was actually worried. things will pass, as always. perhaps embroiling the man in his affairs was a poor idea, but... it's interesting, still. ]

[impossible.

what mitsunari's learned regarding the situation with the government here has left him conflicted - mainly over whether he should care or not. it's hardly his land, and he doesn't think it can cause him any more grief than it already has, but ... hades has granted him a far better fate than he was expecting. he holds a wary respect for the man, and intends to assist him in this however he can.

it's confusing, irritating, unsettling - and he hates being in that sort of mindset for more than three seconds at a time.

he nods at the dismissal and stalks back to his part of the quarters, fully intending to make good on his assurance. sleep doesn't factor into his plans.]

[ what did the bread ever do to you!

hades doesn't sleep, either, but he has a sort of excuse. the next morning, if mitsunari looks for him, household staff will direct him to hades' room. he's waiting there, dressed in looser, less formal robes than the day before, and lying on his stomach on the bed, reading a scroll. there's a platter of grapes and cheese to the side, apparently untouched. ]

[its crimes are too great to expound in mere words.

mitsunari arrives shortly after being directed, looking much the same as he did the night before, with a scroll gripped tightly in his hands. for a moment he stays outside the door, watching hades carefully; then he enters, but silently, unwilling to speak first and interrupt anything.

he'll wait for as long as he needs to. in some matters, he actually can be patient.]

[ there's not that much to interrupt, really; though hades is reading, he doesn't even seem interested in the words on the page.

patience may be a virtue, but hades doesn't bother much with that. he eventually turns to look at mitsunari over his shoulder, eyebrows slightly raised. ]

[he offers up the scroll when hades' eyes land on him.]

This is everything I heard during last night's dinner. Every lie and dismissal I made particular note of.

[his jaw clenches for a moment.]

It isn't word perfect, to my shame, but it is as precise as I could get.

[ hades takes the scroll, turns it over in his hands for only a moment before turning to recline on his side instead. ]

Sit. [ he pats the light blanket next to him, if that isn't obvious enough. ]

[mitsunari stares at him for a moment, uncomprehending, but warily approaches and obeys.

somewhat awkwardly, though. he's tense as ever, ready to stand again at the first indication, and clearly isn't sure what to do with the rest of himself.]

[ well, that's a start. hades reads over the scroll silently for a few moments, then looks up at mitsunari in silence. the work's good and all, but... ]

[as hades reads, he stares at the floor, trying to work out what exactly it is he's supposed to be doing here. at hades' look, his jaw tightens, the uncertainty doubling.]

Have I done something incorrectly?

If I told you to lie down, you would.

[ not exactly a question. he adjusts his weight to lie on his side, head propped up on an elbow. ]

That is an odd trait. But not unappealing, to some.

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