#sase is like OSHIT IM SORRY BBY I DIDNT MEAN TO DO THAT QAQ

[zantedeschia-praesul]

He stops in his track--

Oh he just realized how patronizing he had been, borderline selfish even…

At the end of the day, Taikyuu is still a warrior, a touken danshi. Even in this era, all his men live by the sword in their own way. To bar them from such a thing is like tearing off the claws of a tiger…

Saseki leans back as if trying to gather his senses once more, before also drawing a breath, and letting it out slowly.

"…forgive me, Taikyuu. I almost deny you of your true nature…I was…trying to look out for you and yet, I was almost being selfish…"

He smiles almost sadly. "You're right. As much as I keep telling you to slow down or take it slow, you're always on your feet no matter what. I never could hold back your energy, and that's what makes you so endearing to me...and what makes it one of your greatest strengths..."

Saseki takes his hands and slowly stands up, gently pulling Taikyuu up together with him. "Well, if you like, we'll start first thing tomorrow morning. You and me, short spar at the training hall. Then I'll see what I can assign you to and with whom for the day. Would you like that?"

Taikyuu is still curious about... how and why he had come to speak to Okita Souji through his master, with seemingly no warning, but as soon as Saseki's hand touches his cheek, he decides it can wait. He'll ask for a proper explanation another time.

He holds tightly onto the saniwa's hands, and meets his eyes. But his eyebrows furrow a bit, and he frowns.

No assignments, for anything?

It's not like he really particularly enjoys the chores and tasks that need doing around the honmaru, but the thought of having nothing expected of him is not one he really knows what to do with.

Yes, he'd agreed to try and heal, but... now that he really thinks about what this seems to mean... he thinks it might prove to be even harder than he'd thought.

"...I know," Taikyuu says finally. He does know -- feels too aware sometimes-- that he's far from alone. He is quite literally surrounded by people who care about him, even beyond those he really talks to regularly, and... he's grateful for them. He'd fight blade, tooth, and nail for them, lay his life on the line to defend any of them, without a second thought.

But... that's the whole point of why they're here now, isn't it? Because he's been failing at it, even though that's almost all he knows how to do?

"Aruji..." He draws in a long breath, and lets it out. "Thank you for... giving me time. But... I don't want to waste that time. I... don't know what to do to 'heal'. What if I can't... you know... What if I can't get back to fighting shape? Shouldn't I at least help out around here?"