[Hijikata had experienced romantic love only once on his homeworld, back when he had still been young. He had decided to not pursue it. Prismatica, of course, had given him more of it than he could hold in his hands or in his heart. He had ended up caring for every single one of his moonlacing partners, but since many of them had remained singular encounters he ultimately experienced that deep, steadily growing love with only a few people - still more than he could ever have imagined beforehand.]
...
[He tried to think of what else he could say on the matter without drifting into clichéd phrases, but the arrival of the ambulance was a welcome distraction. It was an enclosed cart pulled by fast-running mounts that vaguely looked like antelopes. Two medics jumped off the coach box.]
Are you the man who got poisoned?
Yes.
[He carefully got up from the bench and walked towards them, turning back to Elza before letting them help him into the medically well-outfitted back of the cart. He didn't expect her to want to come along now that he was in capable hands.]
Thank you.
[That was all he said, but he really meant it. Given how poorly his month had been going the experience might have had a far worse impact on him if not for her calm, steady presence.]
no subject
[Hijikata had experienced romantic love only once on his homeworld, back when he had still been young. He had decided to not pursue it. Prismatica, of course, had given him more of it than he could hold in his hands or in his heart. He had ended up caring for every single one of his moonlacing partners, but since many of them had remained singular encounters he ultimately experienced that deep, steadily growing love with only a few people - still more than he could ever have imagined beforehand.]
...
[He tried to think of what else he could say on the matter without drifting into clichéd phrases, but the arrival of the ambulance was a welcome distraction. It was an enclosed cart pulled by fast-running mounts that vaguely looked like antelopes. Two medics jumped off the coach box.]
Are you the man who got poisoned?
Yes.
[He carefully got up from the bench and walked towards them, turning back to Elza before letting them help him into the medically well-outfitted back of the cart. He didn't expect her to want to come along now that he was in capable hands.]
Thank you.
[That was all he said, but he really meant it. Given how poorly his month had been going the experience might have had a far worse impact on him if not for her calm, steady presence.]