haori | Cough 041 - [Accidental Video]

[The feed flickers on and shows a familiar countertop and a familiar white-haired man, though his haori is nowhere to be seen. Ukitake once explained how to make ochazuke with hand gestures in that same kitchen. This time, however, there is a tea cup and steaming kettle and Ukitake slowly pours the water into the cup. He doesn't look too happy like he usually does though, and coupled with that melancholy is something else-

A very familiar cough.

The kettle is set down loudly on the counter as his free hand covers his mouth, the coughs violently shaking his body. They last for a few seconds, painful rasping sounds, and eventually thin lines of red stream through his fingers. As the coughing subsides, he pulls his hand away from his face and wipes his bloody lips with the side of his already stained hand.

Leaning against the counter, he tentatively takes a deep breath, fortunate that his lungs give him that much of a respite. Of course, everyone who knows Ukitake also knows that respite is rare and won't last long.]

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[Hope you don't mind Ukitake being all curled up on the couch with a blanket and some tea. The door's open~]

[She'll gently nudge open the door with a glance around.]

Hello? Ukitake?

[She doesn't like just walking into someone's house, but he did just hack up a ton of blood, so she imagines he isn't up to answering the door.]

[His voice can't go very loud, so hopefully you're listening intently, Rei.]

In the living room.

[Always! She'll make her way to the living room, idly wondering to herself if this condition is contagious. Surely she must have a vaccine for it. Or maybe it's some weird shinigami disease that doesn't exist for humans. Either way, she makes a mental note to ask Ami about it.]

Pfft. You don't look that bad.

[Once she finds him, and says those kind words, Ukitake smiles for her.]

You're too kind. Please...make yourself comfortable.

[And he slowly pushes himself up into a sitting position.]

Don't move, Ukitake. It'll make it worse.

[She'll sit in a chair, eyeing him a little curiously, wanting to know what's afflicting him, but having the sense to not ask. Instead, she shuffles her deck of cards.]

Do you know how to play poker?

[She has a nice track record of kicking shinigami ass in the game, so.]

I am fine, Rei-san.

[He sees the way she watches him, and remembers he didn't give a short disclaimer.]

And not contagious.

Poker is a game I haven't played, however.

What do you have?

[She figures, well, he opened the door... and she pauses in her shuffling to arch an eyebrow.]

You too? The shinigami really need to broaden their entertainment horizons.

Tuberculosis, or Consumption, as it's been called before.

[He smiles.]

I am more of a traditionalist.

[Rei looks up sharply. Did she just hear that correctly?]

Tuberculosis? ... that's still around?

[Why yes. Yes, she did.]

It has been for quite some time. I've had it my whole life.

[Have a frown, Ukitake. She gets up to sit on the other end of the couch.]

You seem pretty calm about it.

[And she deals out the cards.]

[He may not be contagious, but it always makes him a little uncomfortable when people are close to him during his sick time. What if he coughs blood on them?]

You get used to it after a while.

[Then she gets a towel.]

I guess you'd have to... well, I'm here until you feel better -- or until you get tired of me, whichever comes first. It'll probably be the second one.

[She pauses before dealing out the dealer's hand.]

Are you a good liar, Ukitake?

[Foiled by logic!]

Hm...thank you, Rei-san. You may stay as long as you wish.

I do not try to make a habit of it, but I can manage it if I must.

It's part of playing poker, you don't have to lie all the time, that's why I asked.

... you might not be good at this game.

I see.

Or perhaps you are trying to find my weaknesses ahead of time.

[Poker face.]

Maybe. Maybe not.

[Can't read my?]

...Ah.

[Suddenly, I have developed a stutter.]

... let's play go fish instead.

[The Gaga has that effect on people.]

I am assuming that one is simpler to learn.

A little bit.

[Rei hasn't played this since she last stayed the night at Usagi's house. Rei mostly stuck to simple card games with her -- any more than four rules and Usagi forgot them and claimed Rei to be cheating.]

We each get a hand of cards and you have to make pairs. Whoever has the most sets at the end of the deck wins the game or whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins the game. To do that, you have to ask the other person for a card you have. So... if I have a seven, I ask you for a seven. If you don't have one, you say 'go fish', and I draw a card. Get it?

[He listens to Rei, hoping his sickness-addled mind can keep track at this point.]

All right. That sounds simple enough.

Mmhmm! It's not too bad.

[Hey, it's better to focus on cards than the fact that your lungs are failing.]

Then shall we begin?

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