oathic | zenitsu.

[he did, actually. he's more surprised that agni bothered to drop by.

all night, he's dipped in and out of consciousness while the monster within wrestles for control. his arms are wrapped around the bloody haori he hid during trial, trembling, when agni enters and zenitsu looks up.]

Mr. Kim . . .

[...]

I'm sorry. ... But regardless of how this turns out, please don't blame yourself for what happened.

[zenitsu is quiet.]

Then you shouldn't blame yourself, either.

[... he smiles at that, however sadly.]

You're a good kid, Zenitsu. You really didn't deserve any of this.

I'm sorry. For not helping you when I was myself.

[he shakes his head.]

I was fine, so don't worry about it. It was better to spend that attention on Isaac and Ayabe.

[given the reason meltryllis carried nia back, he can guess what happened there.]

[ayabe and isaac deserved that much. he should've done more, but time was running short. he hugs the haori tighter.]

That meeting tomorrow . . . Do you think you'll be able to stop the house? Everyone will come back?

No one here will settle for any less.

I'll do my best, too. Maybe I'll be able to stop the monster tomorrow morning.

[what a funny joke. he'll still try.]

Maybe. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, you know?

[his head dips and he frowns.]

I'm not strong. I've never been able to do anything on my own. But that doesn't mean I can't do my best.

... The fact that you're still doing your best is what makes you strong.

If I give up now, Gramps and Ling will yell at me. And Anya will be sad.

Ha... We definitely can't have that. Would you really want to face a crying Anya on the other side?

No.

[sniffling, he wipes his face on his sleeve.]

I really don't want to. I don't want her to cry, because of something I did.

... Not what you did.

But that means you really have to show her the strongest version of you tomorrow, huh? She'll be watching.

[he nods. tomorrow. for the time being, she probably won't see the trail of snot extending from his nose to his sleeve.]

You got your voice back. Did it happen after the votes got tallied?