( natsume's been hanging around the third floor for a few reasons — most of which have cleared up extremely recently, but there's still one more, and he steps out in front of izumi when he sees him come out of the stairwell. his final reason: he knows izumi comes up here often enough, and it was the best place to find him, so... )
Sena-san... No, senpai. Let's TALK. ( a beat, and natsume steps back a little, tilting his head down hall to the classrooms. ) In private - and before you ASK, it isn't a waste of your TIME.
( :/ he's not happy about having to apologize, even if he should, because he doesn't like admitting he was in the wrong; and izumi had been wrong too, but... anyway, he wants to get this over with quickly. better to be on good terms with people you're about to be stuck with over summer break and dying of heat stroke with or whatever. )
[ truth be told, he wasn't exactly thrilled to see natsume this soon after their little spat. he was just here to idle in his lonesome, but he didn't think anyone else would come here...
he clicks his tongue. ]
...Fine. But this better be good, Sakasaki. Don't think I don't know the lies you've been feeding Kudo about me.
[ yeaaaaaaah, if natsume thinks apologizing to izumi would be a walk in the park... haha. still, he's going to trail after his kouhai anyway, albeit warily. can't be too careful ever since rika lured him into a trap, rip. ]
( natsume can't help it - he smiles at the mention of chiaki, and he shrugs as they walk. )
I was only trying to get her to fall out of love with someone like YOU. She deserves better than a broken HEART.
( which is only inevitable with izumi, for a variety of reasons. and he definitely only thinks that because she's a girl. he only comes to a stop by the end of the hall, not that far from the bathrooms.
he turns to him, hands folded behind his back. okay. he can do this. he can. ten year olds apologize, for christs sake. he's going to be eighteen this school year. he can do this. )
...I'm sorry for provoking you with Tsukinaga-senpai's NAME. ( it's not- as hard as he thinks to apologize, but it still isn't comfortable, and he doesn't look at izumi when he says it. ) I'm not sorry for cutting your hair ANY, because you deserved that for bringing up my uNIT, but I can at least admit I was somewhat in the wrong bringing him UP, fully aware that it'd get under your SKIN.
[ izumi's crosses his arms together as he hears natsume out, eyes still narrowed at him. ]
That's not going to cut it, Sakasaki. You think that's enough? Because of that, Kawai also believed that I was a flat-earther! No one's ever going to let me live that down if it spreads because they all want to take me down one way or another.
[ he starts tapping his foot on the floor. ]
You're gonna have to do better than that. Get on your knees and grovel if you have to. It's going to take me months before my hair that you just mindlessly messed with grows back.
( natsume's silent, almost like he's thinking it over - he isn't, he's just thinking about how up-his-own-ass izumi still is. it isn't every day one gets an apology from one of the five eccentrics; he should be grateful.
when he talks, he at least looks at izumi this time, gold eyes narrowed just the same. )
I would rather swallow nails than beg for your forgiveness over something as inane as THAT. ( with the same tone as "make me". ) BeSIDES, you should thank me for taking some scissors to that unruly mess you call a hairCUT. Your split ends from all the stress were really starting to SHOW.
[ oh, wow. so much for an apology. normally izumi's just going to toss out one more quip and stomp away, but with chiaki's delusions getting to him on top of all the things he'd had to endure since coming here, his patience is at it's limit already.
so he doesn't hesitate in grabbing a fistful of natsume's hair, his gaze even more ice-cold than usual. ]
I'll show you split ends. You don't seem to have taken a bath since coming here.
[ help is this really how their catfight's gonna go down tho ]
natsume makes a noise that isn't quite a yelp - more like he started one, then bit his tongue on it, and he grabs izumi's arm instinctively to try and tug him off; then he actually thinks for a second and kicks his shin instead, as hard as he can. no time to retort that he has, thank you; that he takes VERY GOOD CARE OF HIMSELF, as obsessed with his appearance as izumi is with his own. )
[ ugh, that smarts. izumi does let go of natsume but not before pulling off some stray strands while he's at it, landing on his ass on the floor. the impact was enough for the worn-out horse toy that he brought along with him to fall out of his pocket and crack open. ]
How... dare you... [ sucks in a breath through his teeth ] So much for making it up to you senpai, huh. I wasn't asking for a lot, you know? It's the least you could do after mocking his disappearance at my face!!
With all due reSPECT, Senpai, not that you deserve any - normal people don't suggest groveling for forgiveNESS. I'm not— ( another step—
and his foot lands on the toy horse, finishing it off. natsume pauses, staring down at izumi, and something shifts. his eyes are always golden, always a pretty, shiny yellow, like a cat's - but something shimmers behind them, distinctly not him. his fingers spasm briefly, fighting something before they close sharply against his palms, gripping something that isn't there (yet)—
and something snaps behind those eyes, and the next step he takes is higher, and it's aiming right for izumi's face, coming in a little harder than he might expect: )
≪I'm not getting on my knees for anyone - not a single one of you deserves that!≫
[ izumi's eyes widen at the sudden change of demeanor, quickly rolling away just in time before natsume stomps onto his pretty face. he scrambles onto his feet once he's made some distance between them, eyes scanning the room for anything to defend himself with--
oh, right, the gun. he wraps his hand around its handle in his pockets as he stares his kouhai down. ]
So what, you're going to throw a tantrum about that?! It doesn't matter anyway! He's gone! No amount of groveling can ever bring him back!
( natsume turns in a movement noticeably less smooth than their shared idol background would have him move in, and seeing izumi's hand goes to his pocket makes him pat his once - no, nothing, it's in his bag, isn't it? he clenches his fists and launches himself at izumi instead, intent on getting him back down on the ground where he belongs. )
—Then don't ask for useless sentiMENTS! You should just— ( rrrgh ) join HIM, if you miss him so MUCH!
( and leave him to be alive, alive, c'mon c'mon c'mon— )
[ izumi goes down with a yell, potentially attracting other students outside who might still be loitering around during this time. he struggles in natsume's hold, looking up into his eyes to search if this is really him right now-- ]
S-Snap out of it! What's gotten into you?! Sakasaki!!
[ his eyes scan the floor once more, gaze landing upon the broken horse toy on the ground. that's supposed to contain nao's soul, doesn't it?! and now that it's free...
the doors slide open before he can continue his train of thought, and a couple of random second-years file in to see what the fuss is all about. they rush in and attempt to pull the feral idol off of him, asking izumi what tf is going on. ]
( natsume's not really a strong person -- not normally, but adrenaline kicks in the second he feels anyone else's hands on him, and he reaches for the gun in izumi's pocket -
it doesn't have bullets in it, which is a shame, but he still pistol-whips one of the students trying to grip onto him. it's a satisfying, sickening crack to their temple, and the student's grip loosens on him as they smack into the ground beside izumi. it's natsume yet not natsume who brings the gun back up and smashes it into the back of the student's head, not recognizing one of his yearmates.
hard enough to knock them out, and he's about to turn and do the same fucking thing to izumi when the other student that'd come to help izumi out yanks him hard enough to juuuuust miss izumi's pretty little face with the stolen gun, and so the honor of "second down" goes to this poor, poor student who'd just been trying to help.
natsume smashes the butt of the gun into their throat a few times instead, lips twisting briefly at the strangled, cut-off noise the student makes until they aren't making them anymore, before he turns his attention back to izumi. there's a little distance now between them, but not too much - he'd been pulled off more or less, but with izumi's two helping hands down for the count...
if he leaves his senpai alone, he's just going to scream, which is just going to attract attention - which will make more of them come, which makes his stomach twist. so he should
shut izumi up?
yeah.
he should do that.
and he intends to! there's some distance between them since he got pulled off a little there, but he's chucking the gun at izumi's head to try and slow him down a bit so he can Get There before Someone has any Bright Ideas about calling for help again - he can't have that, he can't, he has to live and if more of them come - if there's too many, well, there's no way that he could. )
[ it's all happening so fast, like being in the middle of an action movie. izumi's too stunned to move so he's somewhat forced to watch natsume straight-up kill their schoolmates with unsettling ease - which tips him off that this can't be natsume, kind of; only guys like madara can pull off such feats, and izumi doesn't think that Double Face would be accepting new members anytime soon.
he watches helplessly as the presumably-dead schoolmates fall on the ground, but before he could bolt it out of there natsume's quickly one-upped him with a gun to the head, and he falls back down on the floor, too paralyzed to move. of course he's no match with an oddball - he's only an ordinary, boring idol after all.
but that doesn't mean he'll be going down without a fight. ]
Saka...saki... [ he tries to keep his voice steady before he's tempted to yell for real -- ] You're just going to start killing over something so inane? Do you even know the situation we're in?! Oi!!
[ at this rate they're going to gain one more tally on their arms--! ]
I know exactly the situation we're IN. Senpai, if I let you sit UP, are you going to kill ME? ( he doesn't wait for an answer, settling on izumi's stomach and placing his hands around his neck, methodical. ) Of course you WILL. You'll either kill me yourSELF, or you'll yell aGAIN, and whoever comes running will do IT.
( or they'll all gang up; natsume's fingers twitch on izumi's throat, gentle slender hands that tighten with an abruptness and squeeze. )
I'm not going to DIE, Sena-senpai. ( cold but a little rushed, hair curtaining over them as he leans in more. ) I have to get out of HERE.
( he wouldn't call it inane either. he gives izumi a smile, one that trembles on his face. )
Tell Tsukinaga-senpai I miss HIM, won't YOU? It's too bad he couldn't graduate HERE, but he should be lucky he graduated at ALL. The same goes for YOU.
[ izumi's simply too stunned to get a word in at this point, choking at the hands on his neck. he immediately wraps his hands around natsume's wrists in an attempt to pry them off him, but natsume's gotten the upper hand... somehow. this isn't a grip a third-year high school student shouldn't have, even if he's a genius. there's something fishy about that toy that izumi needed to solve for nao's sake--
but it seems as though it's too late. the world is spinning in his perspective as his lungs clamor for oxygen, eyes still boring into natsume's. is he really going to die a boring death like this...?! ]
H-How dare... I'll never forgive... you... Sakasaki...
[ his voice is hoarse at this point, but even that won't stop him from spitting out his final words. let this be a curse for this so-called wizard of happiness. ]
She'll-- She'll come for you... If nothing else...
[ god, he cannot believe that he's going to put it all on chiaki with his last breath. but one thing's for sure - obsessive types like that will find a way somehow. he would know. of course he would.
and... maybe this was all a dream. if izumi thinks real hard he could wake himself up from this living nightmare and find himself back in florence again, ready to take on a busy day now that he'll be taking care of leo from now on. surely, if he slowly closes his eyes and let go of natsume's wrist to reach out to the light, then leo will... they will...
he keeps squeezes until izumi's grip loosens and the words he'd been cursing him with fade into the buzz of his mind; he keeps squeezing until the buzz drops sharply into the silence of the hallway, and his hands fall away. natsume blinks once, twice, three times, and swears under his breath as he backs off. there wasn't— he didn't—
but he did. )
I'm going to be SICK, ( he mumbles softly, and he forces himself up; with cat-like grace he peeks into 2-D and drags the three bodies in once he's sure it's clear. up goes the window, up goes the screen. the two students - yearmates, he feels like he recognizes them a little from passing in the hall, in that vague way you know someone's existence but nothing really about them - go out first, and if they weren't dead before (they weren't, he could feel them stirring, but we don't have time to unpack all of that right now) then without a doubt the fall from the third floor, unable to brace themselves, can help that along.
he hesitates on izumi, propping him up against the windowsill. )
...SorRY, ( softer still. easier, though, this time. she'll come for you, the words surface again, and he maneuvers izumi's corpse out the window with all his might.
he washes his hands. he takes the gun and the pieces of the toy horse when he's done, and he goes to find lucy to shove his face in her fluffy white fur until he feels better. until he figures out a justification, a reason, to feel better with. )
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Sena-san... No, senpai. Let's TALK. ( a beat, and natsume steps back a little, tilting his head down hall to the classrooms. ) In private - and before you ASK, it isn't a waste of your TIME.
( :/ he's not happy about having to apologize, even if he should, because he doesn't like admitting he was in the wrong; and izumi had been wrong too, but... anyway, he wants to get this over with quickly. better to be on good terms with people you're about to be stuck with over summer break and dying of heat stroke with or whatever. )
no subject
he clicks his tongue. ]
...Fine. But this better be good, Sakasaki. Don't think I don't know the lies you've been feeding Kudo about me.
[ yeaaaaaaah, if natsume thinks apologizing to izumi would be a walk in the park... haha. still, he's going to trail after his kouhai anyway, albeit warily. can't be too careful ever since rika lured him into a trap, rip. ]
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I was only trying to get her to fall out of love with someone like YOU. She deserves better than a broken HEART.
( which is only inevitable with izumi, for a variety of reasons. and he definitely only thinks that because she's a girl. he only comes to a stop by the end of the hall, not that far from the bathrooms.
he turns to him, hands folded behind his back. okay. he can do this. he can. ten year olds apologize, for christs sake. he's going to be eighteen this school year. he can do this. )
...I'm sorry for provoking you with Tsukinaga-senpai's NAME. ( it's not- as hard as he thinks to apologize, but it still isn't comfortable, and he doesn't look at izumi when he says it. ) I'm not sorry for cutting your hair ANY, because you deserved that for bringing up my uNIT, but I can at least admit I was somewhat in the wrong bringing him UP, fully aware that it'd get under your SKIN.
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That's not going to cut it, Sakasaki. You think that's enough? Because of that, Kawai also believed that I was a flat-earther! No one's ever going to let me live that down if it spreads because they all want to take me down one way or another.
[ he starts tapping his foot on the floor. ]
You're gonna have to do better than that. Get on your knees and grovel if you have to. It's going to take me months before my hair that you just mindlessly messed with grows back.
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when he talks, he at least looks at izumi this time, gold eyes narrowed just the same. )
I would rather swallow nails than beg for your forgiveness over something as inane as THAT. ( with the same tone as "make me". ) BeSIDES, you should thank me for taking some scissors to that unruly mess you call a hairCUT. Your split ends from all the stress were really starting to SHOW.
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so he doesn't hesitate in grabbing a fistful of natsume's hair, his gaze even more ice-cold than usual. ]
I'll show you split ends. You don't seem to have taken a bath since coming here.
[ help is this really how their catfight's gonna go down tho ]
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natsume makes a noise that isn't quite a yelp - more like he started one, then bit his tongue on it, and he grabs izumi's arm instinctively to try and tug him off; then he actually thinks for a second and kicks his shin instead, as hard as he can. no time to retort that he has, thank you; that he takes VERY GOOD CARE OF HIMSELF, as obsessed with his appearance as izumi is with his own. )
Let go of ME—
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[ ugh, that smarts. izumi does let go of natsume but not before pulling off some stray strands while he's at it, landing on his ass on the floor. the impact was enough for the worn-out horse toy that he brought along with him to fall out of his pocket and crack open. ]
How... dare you... [ sucks in a breath through his teeth ] So much for making it up to you senpai, huh. I wasn't asking for a lot, you know? It's the least you could do after mocking his disappearance at my face!!
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With all due reSPECT, Senpai, not that you deserve any - normal people don't suggest groveling for forgiveNESS. I'm not— ( another step—
and his foot lands on the toy horse, finishing it off. natsume pauses, staring down at izumi, and something shifts. his eyes are always golden, always a pretty, shiny yellow, like a cat's - but something shimmers behind them, distinctly not him. his fingers spasm briefly, fighting something before they close sharply against his palms, gripping something that isn't there (yet)—
and something snaps behind those eyes, and the next step he takes is higher, and it's aiming right for izumi's face, coming in a little harder than he might expect: )
≪I'm not getting on my knees for anyone - not a single one of you deserves that!≫
no subject
oh, right, the gun. he wraps his hand around its handle in his pockets as he stares his kouhai down. ]
So what, you're going to throw a tantrum about that?! It doesn't matter anyway! He's gone! No amount of groveling can ever bring him back!
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—Then don't ask for useless sentiMENTS! You should just— ( rrrgh ) join HIM, if you miss him so MUCH!
( and leave him to be alive, alive, c'mon c'mon c'mon— )
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S-Snap out of it! What's gotten into you?! Sakasaki!!
[ his eyes scan the floor once more, gaze landing upon the broken horse toy on the ground. that's supposed to contain nao's soul, doesn't it?! and now that it's free...
the doors slide open before he can continue his train of thought, and a couple of random second-years file in to see what the fuss is all about. they rush in and attempt to pull the feral idol off of him, asking izumi what tf is going on. ]
I-I don't know! He just... Just get him off me!
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it doesn't have bullets in it, which is a shame, but he still pistol-whips one of the students trying to grip onto him. it's a satisfying, sickening crack to their temple, and the student's grip loosens on him as they smack into the ground beside izumi. it's natsume yet not natsume who brings the gun back up and smashes it into the back of the student's head, not recognizing one of his yearmates.
hard enough to knock them out, and he's about to turn and do the same fucking thing to izumi when the other student that'd come to help izumi out yanks him hard enough to juuuuust miss izumi's pretty little face with the stolen gun, and so the honor of "second down" goes to this poor, poor student who'd just been trying to help.
natsume smashes the butt of the gun into their throat a few times instead, lips twisting briefly at the strangled, cut-off noise the student makes until they aren't making them anymore, before he turns his attention back to izumi. there's a little distance now between them, but not too much - he'd been pulled off more or less, but with izumi's two helping hands down for the count...
if he leaves his senpai alone, he's just going to scream, which is just going to attract attention - which will make more of them come, which makes his stomach twist. so he should
shut izumi up?
yeah.
he should do that.
and he intends to! there's some distance between them since he got pulled off a little there, but he's chucking the gun at izumi's head to try and slow him down a bit so he can Get There before Someone has any Bright Ideas about calling for help again - he can't have that, he can't, he has to live and if more of them come - if there's too many, well, there's no way that he could. )
no subject
he watches helplessly as the presumably-dead schoolmates fall on the ground, but before he could bolt it out of there natsume's quickly one-upped him with a gun to the head, and he falls back down on the floor, too paralyzed to move. of course he's no match with an oddball - he's only an ordinary, boring idol after all.
but that doesn't mean he'll be going down without a fight. ]
Saka...saki... [ he tries to keep his voice steady before he's tempted to yell for real -- ] You're just going to start killing over something so inane? Do you even know the situation we're in?! Oi!!
[ at this rate they're going to gain one more tally on their arms--! ]
no subject
( or they'll all gang up; natsume's fingers twitch on izumi's throat, gentle slender hands that tighten with an abruptness and squeeze. )
I'm not going to DIE, Sena-senpai. ( cold but a little rushed, hair curtaining over them as he leans in more. ) I have to get out of HERE.
( he wouldn't call it inane either. he gives izumi a smile, one that trembles on his face. )
Tell Tsukinaga-senpai I miss HIM, won't YOU? It's too bad he couldn't graduate HERE, but he should be lucky he graduated at ALL. The same goes for YOU.
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but it seems as though it's too late. the world is spinning in his perspective as his lungs clamor for oxygen, eyes still boring into natsume's. is he really going to die a boring death like this...?! ]
H-How dare... I'll never forgive... you... Sakasaki...
[ his voice is hoarse at this point, but even that won't stop him from spitting out his final words. let this be a curse for this so-called wizard of happiness. ]
She'll-- She'll come for you... If nothing else...
[ god, he cannot believe that he's going to put it all on chiaki with his last breath. but one thing's for sure - obsessive types like that will find a way somehow. he would know. of course he would.
and... maybe this was all a dream. if izumi thinks real hard he could wake himself up from this living nightmare and find himself back in florence again, ready to take on a busy day now that he'll be taking care of leo from now on. surely, if he slowly closes his eyes and let go of natsume's wrist to reach out to the light, then leo will... they will...
meet the silence together. ]
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he keeps squeezes until izumi's grip loosens and the words he'd been cursing him with fade into the buzz of his mind; he keeps squeezing until the buzz drops sharply into the silence of the hallway, and his hands fall away. natsume blinks once, twice, three times, and swears under his breath as he backs off. there wasn't— he didn't—
but he did. )
I'm going to be SICK, ( he mumbles softly, and he forces himself up; with cat-like grace he peeks into 2-D and drags the three bodies in once he's sure it's clear. up goes the window, up goes the screen. the two students - yearmates, he feels like he recognizes them a little from passing in the hall, in that vague way you know someone's existence but nothing really about them - go out first, and if they weren't dead before (they weren't, he could feel them stirring, but we don't have time to unpack all of that right now) then without a doubt the fall from the third floor, unable to brace themselves, can help that along.
he hesitates on izumi, propping him up against the windowsill. )
...SorRY, ( softer still. easier, though, this time. she'll come for you, the words surface again, and he maneuvers izumi's corpse out the window with all his might.
he washes his hands. he takes the gun and the pieces of the toy horse when he's done, and he goes to find lucy to shove his face in her fluffy white fur until he feels better. until he figures out a justification, a reason, to feel better with. )