You have been diligent in assisting the Shinsengumi with things outside the realm of our normal experience. We would be remiss not to have reciprocated where possible...especially when you are faced with something that should be our burden and not your own.
[In other words yes, he's sure.
And he desperately tries to hide that catlove behind a proper and dignified pokerface. He just fails.]
[...he's not sure to what extent Ivan means, but he and Hijikata have been passing medicine off to each other since they arrived, and Hijikata was the one to make Saitou drink before. That counts as helping, surely, even if they're both too proud to say anything about it or ask anything of each other.]
[ Ivan's not entirely sure to what extent he means either, but it boils down to having someone there with you, supporting you, even if you'd wish for them to keep their distance for their own good. ]
Then... I guess I don't need to worry about both of you.
We have some experience in dealing with this. We will both be fine.
[It isn't, technically, a lie, even if it's likely that most people will read that experience as being something more significant than "only the two months since Saitou arrived in Zelien."
[ It's a good enough statement for Ivan. He supposes that the Shinsengumi would have the strength and knowledge to handle this. It does seem to originate from their world, after all.
He nearly wants to ask if there is anything more he can do, but Ivan knows he'll probably get the same response. ]
CONTACT: rei.kurosawa@compass.net MESSAGE:I didn't want to wake you if you were sleeping, sorry for the early text. I know things are too crazy to start things now, but when we're able to I'd like to begin the training we discussed.
[What is sleep haha. threeish days is enough time to get comfortable and jump into training right?? She'd had her cry on and spent the most of the days sleeping off and on so she feels... more or less normal again. Or as normal as she can get.]
[As if he's gotten much sleep knowing that Chizuru and Heisuke are in COMPASS's hands. As if he gets enough rest ever anyway.]
I believe I can leave things here to one of the others for a bit, if you would prefer to start today. There may be quite a bit going on, but as that is often the case here, waiting for a calmer time may take longer than we'd like.
[And doing something he can make actual progress in might be good for him, after getting his nose smashed in one failure after another this week.]
[ never attempt to learn how to work a pocketwatch without proper instruction. This is what happens. This is especially what happens when Kazama attempts to hit the "back" button on the thing because nope, nope, nope. Why would he want to talk to Saitou? Waste of his time... ]
[Had you almost forgotten you ever sent this, Kazama?
What a shame.
After far too long catching up on lost sleep (and not really being able to move, given Souji's tendency to turn into a heavy heat-seeking lump in bed, Saitou finally tumbles out of bed (very literally, thanks again to Souji's sleeping habits), and after a few minutes to haul himself upright and try to wake up mentally, he finally retrieves his watch and takes a seat at the end of his bed again to check and see if anyone's been trying to get ahold of him.
And freezes when he sees that name in his contact list, because the mere thought of Kazama is enough to make his blood run cold.
There's no way he could be here, could he?
It's a few more minutes before he finally stops staring and slowly, with his one good hand, types out a reply.]
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