[Hijikata is relieved that Gokudera is allowing himself to rely on him for this exercise, truly. He doesn't have much pain to share himself, only vague worries for his loved ones frozen in time, so he feels that he's well able to lend him, who has been through a lot of hardship yet keeps it to himself, some of his strength.
In a way it's easier to communicate without speaking, because Hijikata often struggles to find the right words, or even just kind words. He lightly strokes Gokudera's hands with his thumbs without loosening his grasp, just for a moment, wanting to add a sense of comfort to the reassurance. It's good that Gokudera doesn't suppress his feelings; that'd only lead down a bad path. Hijikata would know.
The sense of loss is familiar... there's Mitsuba, who was so frail and died before her time, and of course Hijikata lost subordinates ever so often, but those were equally dedicated to the Shinsengumi's cause as him and fought until the end. Dealing with the losses on these strange in-between worlds is more confusing. While Hijikata didn't lose the same person 6 times over there's more than one cherished friend he first got to know on Prismatica, was reunited with on Avalon, and then separated from again. But that's the same for all of them, isn't it? Still, it doesn't get any easier.
The feeling of betrayal is one Hijikata is less familiar with. Back home the Shinsengumi was once betrayed by one of its own members, Itou, who managed to split off a faction and tried to kill Commander Kondou, but Hijikata never took that personally. He never liked Itou to begin with, so he frankly welcomed the justification to take him out. How was Gokudera betrayed? He doesn't prod, though, and simply lets him work his way through his feelings.
He can sense that Gokudera, in this moment, looks at him as a big brother, a guardian, a senpai, something along those lines, and he does his utmost to convey his readiness to accept that role. He, too, was once a teenage delinquent, and when Kondou entered his life it helped him so much. He's not as kind of a person as Kondou, but if he's good enough for Gokudera, then he'll do his best for him.]
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In a way it's easier to communicate without speaking, because Hijikata often struggles to find the right words, or even just kind words. He lightly strokes Gokudera's hands with his thumbs without loosening his grasp, just for a moment, wanting to add a sense of comfort to the reassurance. It's good that Gokudera doesn't suppress his feelings; that'd only lead down a bad path. Hijikata would know.
The sense of loss is familiar... there's Mitsuba, who was so frail and died before her time, and of course Hijikata lost subordinates ever so often, but those were equally dedicated to the Shinsengumi's cause as him and fought until the end. Dealing with the losses on these strange in-between worlds is more confusing. While Hijikata didn't lose the same person 6 times over there's more than one cherished friend he first got to know on Prismatica, was reunited with on Avalon, and then separated from again. But that's the same for all of them, isn't it? Still, it doesn't get any easier.
The feeling of betrayal is one Hijikata is less familiar with. Back home the Shinsengumi was once betrayed by one of its own members, Itou, who managed to split off a faction and tried to kill Commander Kondou, but Hijikata never took that personally. He never liked Itou to begin with, so he frankly welcomed the justification to take him out. How was Gokudera betrayed? He doesn't prod, though, and simply lets him work his way through his feelings.
He can sense that Gokudera, in this moment, looks at him as a big brother, a guardian, a senpai, something along those lines, and he does his utmost to convey his readiness to accept that role. He, too, was once a teenage delinquent, and when Kondou entered his life it helped him so much. He's not as kind of a person as Kondou, but if he's good enough for Gokudera, then he'll do his best for him.]