[Open]

[zapdope]

♥ Who: Zenitsu and you!
♥ Where: Diacht Temple then around town
♥ When: Back-dated to earlier this week/May 11th-ish for first prompt, later prompts are for throughout the month
♥ What: Zenitsu's got a canon update and he's not really happy (warning for some death mentions, also a lot of KNY spoilers)
♥ Rating: PG...PG-13 at most

[ 1 - Re-awakening, at Diacht's temple ]

[ Zenitsu had fallen into a coma for the past week. He himself wasn't aware of it, as he fell asleep as usual the night before. Then the priests came and took him back to the temple. The week went by with him sleeping like the dead, and if anyone were to visit him towards the end of the week, they may have seen some mysterious cracks appearing on his skin. The cracks are gone by the time you see him awake, though.

Zenitsu himself definitely wasn't having a good time. He's pulled back home, where the demon slayers are faced with another big battle again. When he wakes back up in Havenwell, he's extremely groggy, barely alive, with some struggle to figure out what month it is, not to mention he's in tears and wary. ]

What month is it??? Are my friends still here?! That was scary to wake up to!! Hello???

[ Who missed his noisy whining? ]


[ 2 - Around town, a little awkward ]

[ After he's recovered at the temple enough, he would make his way out of the temple and wander around in the city. He's tired, even though he's just woken up, and he would prefer to spend time in a quiet place. He's gotten used to all the sounds here at this point, it wasn't as dreadful as the ones he was hearing back in his home world, at least for the moment.

He's not whining, but his overall demeanor would be restless although he's trying his hardest to hide it after waking up.

If he's not paying attention, you may also see him scratching at his cheeks, as if something is supposed to be there. When he notices you, he'll immediately pull his hand away from his face to give a wave, if he knows you already. ]

Uhm... Hi?


[ 3 - Wildcard! ]

[ Or anything else! Let me know what you'd like to play out with Zenitsu!! ]


((Zenitsu got a canon update! There may be a lot of KNY spoilers that the anime hasn't covered, so if you do not want to be spoiled, please let me know via karasalis or PMing this account. As usual, if you want to opt in/out of having Zenitsu's keen hearing pick up any of your characters emotions, I do have a permissions post here))

Comments

1

[thekingsshield]

[Goofy likes to visit all the temples to see if anyone needs help. As he passes by this one, he can't help but hear all that shouting, and curiously pokes his head in.]

What's all the hub-bub?

[zapdope]

[ Zenitsu recognizes this guy! When Zenitsu hears Goofy's sounds he immediately turns to him with gross tears on his face. ]

Goofy!! What's today's date?! How long was I asleep!?

[thekingsshield]

Uh... gee, I didn't keep track! I just kept checkin' in on you whenever I could!

2

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Ah, here's someone Shinji hasn't seen in a bit. Not as if he's expecting to see everyone he knows all the time, but between that gap in time and Zenitsu's... kind of subdued greeting? Something feels a little off here. He isn't sure what, exactly, and perhaps he's off-base with that assumption completely, but he returns that little wave with one of his own.]

Hello. [And, before he can stop himself to find a more tactful way of asking,] Is everything okay?

[zapdope]

[ Zenitsu immediately picks up Shinji reacting to his greeting. Ah, did he see him scratching at his cheek? Or was his greeting different? Even though he now knows he's been asleep for only a week in this world, it feels like longer has passed.

The sounds he hears only confirms it when the other asks following the greeting. He doesn't want Shinji to worry about him more than he has already, so he bursts into his usual whiny self. ]

Shinji-kun! Please hear me out, it was so scary!

[ Here he goes, trying to latch onto you for comfort. ]

So I fell asleep at night like normal, and then the next time I woke up it's been a week! I wasn't even hurt to begin with, and now I'm feeling so worn out!

[ All he knows is that he's pretty good at wearing people out... Haven't the usual interactions of people giving him an exasperated look is what he needs to confirm things will be okay. ]

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Oh, that was the kind of behavior he'd come to expect out of Zenitsu. That's kind of a relief, even if something was still clearly Wrong here.

He stiffens up a little bit as Zenitsu clings to him, but doesn't try to dodge the maneuver shove him off or anything.]

You slept for that long...? [That is... something he's pretty sure he's heard about by now - people have mentioned it on the network a few times, but no one he knows has been subjected to it, he's fairly sure. Not until now, it seems!] If you're feeling that bad, shouldn't you be resting at home? Do you want someone to walk you back?

2

[daikonrose]

Zenitsu-san?

[ She's not sure why that comes out as a question. It's not like she knows anyone who looks much like Zenitsu at all; she wasn't going to forget his face even if she hadn't seen it too recently. Something about him just feels a bit off, she supposes--probably her imagination. ]

Ah--hello! It's been a while! Since--since the new year, right? [ Wow, has it been that long already? There's a stab of guilt. ] Um, are you very busy right now?

[zapdope]

[ Zenitsu's quietness immediately goes away as soon as he hears Kyoko respond. It's been a while, but thanks to his perfect pitch, he still remembers Kyoko's general sounds. In a way, it gave him a sense of familiarity, even though he's been asleep for only a week in this world. ]

Kyoko-chan! It's been a while, hasn't it?? This place has had a lot of stuff happen...

[ With all that's going on, it was probably no wonder they've been missing each other.

He perks up when he hears Kyoko's next question, and gives a smile back. ] I have time right now! What's up?

[daikonrose]

[ Well, huh. That's probably about as calm and chipper as she's ever seen him. At least he's not insulted that she didn't seek him out more?

Giving a sheepish little giggle, she strides over. ]

No, it's nothing! But if you're not in a hurry, let's walk together? Wherever you're headed is fine.

1

[gatescostmoney]

[ There's a ninja frowning at him. Also a giant crow staring at him. Sasuke gently puts a hand to Zenitsu's chest to push him back down to a reclining position. ]

Oh no you don't. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now.

[ He may give Zenitsu a hard time, but he does worry about him all the same. Stupid helpless kid. ]

[zapdope]

[ "In no condition"...? That makes Zenitsu freak out some more. ]

What?! Am I gonna die!? Is the demon blood arts really going to break my body into pieces—?!

[ His initial freaking out and continuing to lose his shit made him slip up right there, but that's something he can't take back anymore... Unless Sasuke decides to brush that aside, that is. In the mean time, he'll just keep freaking out. ]

What month is it?! Is Tanjiro still here? What about Kanroji-san?! Are they okay!?

[gatescostmoney]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but you've been knocked out for a week.

[ Sasuke's expression softens. Whatever Zenitsu is talking about, it doesn't sound good, but that's going to need to something to ask about later. Sasuke is not going to get any kind of answer with Zenitsu like this. ]

They're fine. Let yourself regain your bearing first.

[ He... actually doesn't know who the last person is, but if they're here, they're fine. Probably. ]

1

[iustaegis]

[ She had visited him within the temples during the time he had been asleep. She had stayed by him for a few moments of her day to hold his hand as he slept, occasionally catching glimpses of the mysterious fissures upon his otherwise youthful appearance. She hadn't known what they meant, but she did know that it meant something was happening in-- to wherever his consciousness had returned.

And so when he awakens-- ]

Shh... [ She's already holding his hand, and her voice is soft, careful. ] Deep breath, Zenitsu. [ He looks... haggard, as if he had just been put through trial after trial. Sorrow crosses her expression for an instant-- sorrow for him, for not knowing just what he experienced, but wanting to help regardless. ] You're safe.

[zapdope]

[ As soon as he registers in his mind that Pyra is next to him, his crying goes from panicked to something closer to a relieved one as he takes a few deep breaths, calming his nerves down... a little. His memories are still a little jumbled up, but seeing Pyra reminded him that he's back in Havenwell. ]

Pyra...!! Thank goodness you're still here! I was so scared!! [ he still is. ] Everything felt so real, then I'm waking up here like it's some dream!!

[ Since Pyra's already holding his hand, he latches onto that, gripping tightly. ]

[iustaegis]

[ And now it seems like let's letting out something he had been keeping in for a while. I was so scared, he confesses... Of what, she wonders.

She smiles for a moment, seeing that even in his sadness, he's quite energetic. But this doesn't ease her concern. ] You're safe, Zenitsu.

[ She repeats, and wants to add: he's here. Whenever someone falls asleep, she's worried that they might vanish. It's a miracle that he's returned and awakened. ] ...And I'm glad you're awake. [ She squeezes his hand in return. ] You're not injured, are you?

2

[wakemelater]

[It's not that he was worried or anything. Maybe...some. It's just, when he falls asleep for a long time, it means something is wrong, or that he's done something stupid enough to almost get himself killed.

He didn't visit Zenitsu in the temple. People like Nico don't belong in places of healing.

But when he sees his ... friend? ... walking around, maybe Zenitsu's weird power will pick up that he's relieved, even though he tries to look indifferent.]

You're awake.

[zapdope]

[ Indeed, Zenitsu does pick up the sound of being relieved, but he's also picking up Nico trying to hide that, which causes him to be confused. Was he glad or not glad that Zenitsu's awake? ]

Don't say it like that! [ He just went through a hard time! Or so he'd like to say, but Zenitsu stops himself from continuing with that. ] Do you hafta put a strong front or something?

[ He'll call out on it yeah. There's a teeny bit of familiarity that Zenitsu appreciates with this interaction, though. It reminded him of one of his close friends back at home...he was just a lot more violent though. ]

[wakemelater]

[Yes, he does have to put on a strong front! He doesn't know how emotions work.

He heaves and sigh, levels a stare at Zenitsu, and tries again.]

Sorry. It's good to see you up. Are you okay?

its free real estate

[scentsitivity]

[ There had been only a few days between their comas, just as Tanjiro had woken up, Zenitsu had fallen ill in less than a week after that. Every day, he visited the temple with a neatly wrapped meal in case the blond wakes up but the answer from the priests remain the same. They shake their heads and tell him that he's still the same he had been.

The memory of his father's gentle smile is still fresh in his memory even three years after he succumb into eternal slumber. Nonetheless, Tanjiro continues to visit him every day, with any hopes that the blond would try his croquettes.

Until one day, he sees Zenitsu in front of the temple's entrance.

Food uncharacteristically thrown aside, he rushes towards his friend and wordlessly envelopes him into a tight hug. The faint sounds of sniffles are accompanying the redhead's heartbeat, he's so glad. He's so glad that Zenitsu could still the sun rise for another day. ]

1/2

[zapdope]

[ April was a lonesome month, although with the city expanding and monsters spewing, Zenitsu has gotten by without feeling too lonely. Not to mention it wasn't just himself at that point, with Mitsuri also around, although Pillars always had that feeling of being in a different level that it was still pretty difficult to get close to.

Zenitsu immediately feels a sense of guilt when he sees Tanjiro as he gets out of the temple, momentarily shoving the memories he's received from the week-long coma. He tries to greet his friend, but before he can get a word in he finds himself in Tanjiro's arms, getting surrounded with the familiar sounds along with the quiet crying from the other.

It feels like everything stopped for a moment for Zenitsu. Just a moment ago, he woke up feeling confused and lost, not to mention like his heart had been kicked and dunked, with what he experienced while he was asleep in this world. Hearing Tanjiro's sounds made it more reassuring that he needed to keep going with what he wanted to do to repay the closest he's ever had to a family.

He returns the hug, wrapping his arms around Tanjiro and gripping onto the clothes on his back while he buries his face into the other's shoulders, letting himself drown in the other's sounds for a moment... ]

[zapdope]

[ And it's really just for a moment, because in the next he's slapping Tanjiro on the back to try to get him to stop hugging too tightly. ]

T-Tanjiro! It's too tight! You're choking me!!

[scentsitivity]

[ Weak, wet laughter bubbles through, his face is hidden by Zenitsu's shoulder but it's clear that Tanjiro's laughing in pure relief and happiness. Whiny as he can be, he does miss Zenitsu's voice. The complaints mean he's okay, things are normal.

Or as close as things can be. It isn't like he hadn't notice the distinct sad scent that's on the his friend. Tanjiro hopes that through his actions and his sound that Zenitsu could decipher how dearly he has missed him, and how much he's so glad to see him alive. ]

That's-- that's my bad! I-It's just we haven't seen each other for so long now.

[ And while they're both breathing, he just wants to cherish every moment he can. ]

2

[whenyouneedme]

[Kai blinked slowly. He hadn't been sure what to make with all these hand antics, so. ???Okay.]

... Hey?

[That's it. It was a good thing everyone else felt more remorse for the passage of time than he did. This wasn't cute at all, Kaito.]

[zapdope]

[ Ah, it's really been a while since he's got a good chance to talk with Kaito. Regardless, he hears Kaito's clearly confused with how Zenitsu's acting, especially with the weird hand stuff. ]

Sorry... [ Zenitsu trails off, not sure what else to say. Hella awkward! Zenitsu brings up a hand to scratch at his cheek again. Oh, right. ]

...Sorry for the weird question, but have you fallen asleep for a week before?

[whenyouneedme]

[Apologies were also confusing, honestly. The question is enough to throw him for a different loop though, eyebrows arching at the idea.]

Huh? No, that's kinda... like, do you mean a week straight?

[Wouldn't that?? Be like a coma??? He wondered????]