[closed] Better to be Hated

[bakudan_bambino]

🧙 WHO: Gokudera Hayato and his roommates
⚔️️ WHAT: TL;DR Zuko and Gokudera were bffs in Prisma but the Gokudera in Avalon is from canon. They fight and this log is the aftermath.
🕒 WHEN: After the trip to Celliwig
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: Mentions of self-harm; Gokudera is an explosives expert and doesn't value his own life


It's the dark hours of the morning when Gokudera takes a portal back to Camelot, appearing on the street in a sorry and familiar state. His clothing is charred, soot marring pale skin. He's littered with scratches, bruises, and burns, and he's sore, exhausted from expending too much magic and energy fighting. The walk to the inn is easy enough, practiced while the weather greets him bitterly. Cold bites at him as ice makes the ground beneath his feet hard and cracking like thin glass.

Gokudera is quiet in his trek to the space he shares with his boss and fellow Guardian, not wanting to wake anyone up. They knew he'd be out.

But not even he expected to have gotten into the fight he's clearly marked from. He smells a mixture of sulfur from explosives and smoke from his cigarettes, blood adding a metallic twinge to the air. Gokudera would rather not risk moving about too much for fear of waking either of his friends up, so he kicks off his shoes at the door and collapses upon the couch in their main living area. Dirt and ash settle in on his figure as he lets out a few long breaths, then drops a forearm over his eyes.

He's having a hard time finding the thoughts he needs to explain what happened, because he'll obviously have to explain himself... who he fought, why he fought, and if his injuries are beyond repair. They aren't. Gokudera isn't knocking on death's door like his fight with Bel had left him. Instead of having his own private space to be a wreck in, he knows he'll be a point of worry for the one person he cares about most. He shouldn't have come back here, but he knows better than to end himself because of a mistake. The Tenth will have to hear what happened, and he'll figure something out.

Gokudera should be sleeping. His body is screaming with exhaustion, but his mind is not quiet. His breathing is labored, too much smoke inhalation having made him dizzy and adding a grit to his throat he doesn't want. There's blood on his knuckles, clotted, and his palms feel bruised from creating a shield that did not hold, and took a literal burning kick



[[ooc: Though this log is closed, I'm open to plotting out stuff around it! Want your character to see Gokudera all beat up and try to help him or whatever? Lemme know!]]

Comments

[tsuyoi_ame]

[The swordsman was already awake, having had his own short but intense conversation with the bomber. He never did get the full story probably not the way Tsuna did and has been debating going to see if the other teenager is awake.

So the knock on his door does not surprise him, he's seated on the edge of his bed and is off it and to the door in a matter of seconds, pulling it open he has the same, confident smile on his face.

Even if he is worried, he is not going to show it.]

Hey Tsuna, what's up?

[He steps back, letting the other come in so that if Gokudera has found a way to get some rest they don't disturb him.]

It's about what happened, huh?

[theskyaccepts]

[Tsuna comes into the room first before answering, making sure the door is closed so that they don't wake Gokudera.]

Yeah, it is.

You heard everything?

[tsuyoi_ame]

[He nods, the weapons at his bedside should say enough.]

Yeah, is Gokudera alright? He seemed pretty beat up.

[They'll figure this out and while he may be ready for the worst, Yamamoto flashes a smile that says it all, he'll be hoping for the best.]

We're going to have to go meet this Zuko guy.

[theskyaccepts]

He'll be okay. He's resting right now.

[Tsuna's tended to what he could but the injuries weren't too bad.]

Yeah, we are. I was...thinking of contacting him over the phone. I want the whole story and I want to make sure we're safe.

We need to know if he's an enemy or not.

[tsuyoi_ame]

That's good, I tried talking to him but it's like it used to be, he just gets angry at me no matter what I say.

[It was not as explosive as it could have been, but it was not as productive as he had hoped either. In truth, he is feeling a bit like a failure in all of this himself. He always seems to say the wrong thing to Gokudera, no matter how hard he tries.]

The phone is good but there should be a meeting, without Gokudera at first? But he'll hate that if we go without him, we can't hide it from him. Maybe we can work something out between them that won't put anyone in danger.

[Except there is just one thing that really bothers him here.]

I don't think Gokudera would tell anyone, let alone someone he doesn't trust, what if this person is lying? The meeting could be a trap.

[Even this feeling, the one that keeps his weapon close at hand, it's like back before, when every time they turned around someone wanted to battle them or something needed fixing.]

[theskyaccepts]

Yeah, I think so to. But I want to at least start talking to this guy.

I think once we do that, we might get a better idea of if it could be a trap or not.

[He's been thinking a lot about it, about how to even start that conversation.]

It's not like he sent Gokuderu-kun with a message. Gokudera-kun would have said something otherwise.

[tsuyoi_ame]

Good idea, do you think we should call him?

[he's not sure exactly how to do it but he's here to brainstorm with Tsuna. The thing is, Yamamoto is inclined to face to face interaction and to bluntness. So he'd approach this that way, or at least the first message. But, he has faith that Tsuna will know what to say, he's Tsuna!]

Yeah, it's strange, that he didn't seem to want to talk to you, usually, they always do.

[theskyaccepts]

I was just thinking a text.

[It's a little bit more distant, and will give him the chance to think about his replies. Plus they'll have a record.]

That makes me think that maybe he's not an enemy. But we can't know for sure.

[He sighs. He's tired.]

[tsuyoi_ame]

That's a good idea, why don't we do it now?

[Or maybe they should sleep, Tsuna looks tired and Yamamoto hears that sigh, his arm goes around his friend's shoulder and he offers that brilliant smile of his.]

We won't know till we talk to him, maybe he's another ally.

[All they can do is try to find out.]

[theskyaccepts]

Right.

[He's bolstered, as always, by Yamamoto's confidence and the simple act of that arm around his shoulder.]

I think I know what I'm going to say.

[He just has to psych himself up, and ignore the voice that sounds like Reborn telling him this is the boss's responsibility. He's just protecting his friends.]

[tsuyoi_ame]

[That is what he is here for, the steady Rain, making sure his friends are at their strongest by keeping their spirits up.]

You can do it, if anyone can figure this guy out it's you.

[And he believes it, believes it because Tsuna is his friend and they are both here to protect those friends. He's always been able to see it that way, no matter if he knows now it's way less of a game than he originally may have thought.]

[theskyaccepts]

I'll do my best. Thanks, Yamamoto.

[He nods to himself, planning on sending the text soon.]

I'll let you know how it goes, and when Gokudera-kun wakes up, we'll figure out our next steps.

[tsuyoi_ame]

Sure! That's what friends are for, I'll always be here if you need me. Gokudera too.

[Which means if for some reason things explode from that text or Tsuna just needs moral support while sending it, he is welcome to stay and Yamamoto will be that.]

It'll work out as long as we're all together.

[It always does. Even when it seems like it won't.]

[theskyaccepts]

[And for the first time since Gokudera's come back, Tsuna manages to regain something of a smile. There's a part of him that should probably know this, but the reminders from Yamamoto help. It's not just him fighting, has never been.]

Yeah, it will.

I think I can do this now, but I'll let you know what's happening.

Sorry for keeping you up.

[tsuyoi_ame]

[Swords, sports, and support, three things Yamamoto is good at, he can be a bit too laid back or oblivious to other things. Though less than people think, meaning, he means those words and will always, the rest of their lives have Tsuna's back no matter what.]

Of course, you can. Hahah! [He grins.]

Don't worry, I was awake anyway.

[theskyaccepts]

You should get some sleep now though. I think we're safe for the time being.

[He's probably not but he won't say anything about that.]

[tsuyoi_ame]

[He chuckles, nodding his head. It's not likely his Guardian will either, but he'll try.]

Alright! I'll see you in the morning Tsuna.

[Unless the other needs something else, he's likely to find the young swordsman laying in his bed, staring at his weapon or the ceiling while he thinks.]