#gravityrest

🎀- Do you like cute things at all? What is the cutest thing you have or have met?

“Of course. Cute things really make the world go round, don’t they?”

He paused to think about the second question. What was the cutest thing he had met? The baby bunny that followed him home one day? The tiny little chick that he had taken care of when it had gotten separated from its mother? His cute little Eevee? No... It was something else entirely.

“...Jack’s mini form! He’s super cute and squishy. Don’t tell him I said that, though!”

Eevee is definitely a very close second, though.

💉- Do you dislike shots and injections?

Not even a week here and the Purgatory Knight already finds himself in a predicament. He has barely gotten a feel for Hive City when he awakens in a completely different landscape. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the Purgatory Knight attempts to navigate the area. It is a thinly spread forest that has grown upon the bedrock of a mountain. If there’s one boon to the situation, it’s that he hasn’t ended up on the summit.

He spends some time walking before he realizes there’s someone tailing him. He turns around and glares into the shadow of the trees.

A worry-wort Jack was--but could anyone blame him when he had a Buddy as trouble-prone as Tasuku? Jack was more aware than anyone else that Tasuku was fully capable of protecting himself. Yet as he paced about the living room, one eye on the clock at all times, he felt the worry eating at him.

One slow afternoon at the Futaboshi Clinic found a usual sight of Kakeru fawning over Tasuku.

Doctor and assistant embarked on a trip to the other side of the city to acquire a crate of rare herbs for one of Kakeru’s new concoctions. The distance would easily make the trip last half a day, and given that Tasuku had acquired some new fans among the citizens lately, he didn’t want to attract attention by flying with Jack.

“It’s really hot today...”

Chrono still had some chores to attend to upon returning home, and before they got started on their movie, Chrono left to get them out of the way. Tasuku had wanted to help, but Chrono had insisted that the birthday boy relax on his special day.

Still, that left Tasuku with nothing to do as he waited...

“...nn... Ungh...”

From a muddled darkness did Tasuku awaken, only to be met with more darkness. The room he was in was unfamiliar; Tasuku blinked slowly, once, twice, and as his senses returned to him, realized how uncomfortable he was. He was on something stiff and cold, and his limbs strapped down...

Raw panic crept into his veins when he realized he had been restrained.

“...?!”

He tried again and again to free his wrists, but it was no use. The fastenings were metal, and bolted down tight. A grown man couldn’t escape from this, let alone a young boy. But desperately, he tried, and tried, and tried. Desperately, he failed.

What...what happened before this?! Where am I...?!

As he looked wildly around the room, he saw another slumped figure, and his heart nearly stopped.

“...Kakeru!? Kakeru--!”

The day after Taiyou visited, Tasuku was allowed to leave the room.

He found Kakeru’s after a bit of digging and slowly padded in. The doctor was in a sorry state, connected to IVs and tubes and recovering from awful bruising, external and internal, and broken ribs...

When his eyes settled upon Kakeru’s pallid face, Tasuku felt his heart pang.

“Kakeru...”