[RL: Thiefies Talk Shop, Kurama and Kaito. Forward dated to late Tuesday afternoon]

[deadly_garden]

[Kurama managed to sneak away from Yomi and the events in the Makai much easier than he initaily thought he would be.  But then again, he reminded himself, Sorai, Rinpai, and Shunjun reacted very well to seduction, bribery, and blackmail.  He'd have to remember that, especially in the case fo Shunjun, who was actually the one responsible for his injuries that caused his hiding out in the Ningenkai.

He'd made a quick stop at a nearby convience store to pick up a few creature comforts for Kaito, remembering from his mother's multiple trips how bored she had been.  Bag in hand, he made his way to the hospital and up to Kaito's room and knocked on the door.]
 

Comments

[pandorabox]

[How many card castles had Kaito built in his entire life? A lot. And yet... building them never got boring. Currently, the thief was sitting cross-legged on his hospital bed, still ignoring the nurse's orders to rest as much as he could. A card castle was a lot more important than laying in a bed and watching TV, after all.

Kaito didn't turn his head when the knock at the door came]

It's unlocked, but don't slam it! [Slamming the door might knock down his castle]

[deadly_garden]

[Kurama raised an eyebrow at that instruction, but complied anyway, closing the door as gently as he could, understanding when he spotted the card castle.]

Hello, Kuroba-kun. How have you been?

[pandorabox]

[Doesn't answer right away, instead lifting a finger to his lips to signify that Kurama should be quiet as he places the last card on top of the castle. When he's finished, he grins and leans back on his hands]

Been better. [thinks] I might have been worse. I don't know.

[deadly_garden]

[He laughed silently as he sat down in a nearby chair, studying the castle. Good construction, only a signifigant jar would demolish it.]

Have you ever had a purforated bowel? [He crossed his legs as he said that.]

[pandorabox]

[He twitches slightly at the wording] Don't put it like that... [shudder]

And no, I haven't. Shoulder several times, but never stomach.

[deadly_garden]

[A grin slowly crossed Kurama's face.]

Then I'd say no, you've not been worse. Hungry?

[pandorabox]

[He lights up and peers at Kurama]

Got something that isn't tasteless hospital food?

[deadly_garden]

[Wordlessly holds up a six pack of chocolate pudding cups, though with a clear kitsune grin on his face.]

[pandorabox]

[Wiiiiiide grin. Perfect]

Guess you saw me complain about the pudding here.

[deadly_garden]

[Stands from his chair to hand it over] Yes, I did. Thought it would be a nice surprise when I visited. They probably don't realize you can eat better than the bland hospital food yet.

[He glances down at Kaito's abdomen] How is it healing, by the way?

[pandorabox]

[Takes pudding graciously. He'll save this, considering he practically ate his fill of pudding yesterday with Heiji]

[pokes stomach] Doctors say it's healing nicely. [eyebrow quirk] They also say that whatever first aid I got at the scene is what saved my life.

[deadly_garden]

[Well, it wasn't often that he actually heard the results of his first aid practices, but then, he rarely stuck around to find out what happened to his "paitent".

He waved a hand, still standing by Kaito's bed.] Don't mention it. Someone had to help, and I wasn't going to trust it to someone like Eris. [Gestures to it] May I examine it? Just to be on the safe side.

[pandorabox]

Che, Eris... [said flatly, he wouldn't have trusted her either] Sure, if you have to. Don't let a nurse see you, though. [low voice] They're strict here.

[And off go the hospital scrubs! Though he is wearing sweatpants underneath them, and his torso is bandaged all the way up to his shoulder]

[deadly_garden]

[He winks.] Already have that covered. Made a point of visiting when there's less nurses on shift. I think the nearest nurse would be at reception right now.

[And so he searches for the edge of the bandaging.] Any swelling or heat around the wound?

[pandorabox]

[weak laugh] Smart. I think I made friends with the blonde one. Maybe she'll do some favors for me if I ask nice enough.

[Grabs the end of the bandages for Kurama and begins to unwrap them] Nope. Like I said, I can't feel any pain either. [jerks his head to the IV. Yay drugs!]

[deadly_garden]

[He looks at the IV drip and laughs softly.] Honestly, if I had full discretion over treating you, I'd stick to that root I gave you that night. I've never been overly fond of opiates.

[When the wound is exposed he gently prods at it] Good to know there's no swelling or anything else associated with infection; the staph ones are particurally tricky. How big was the round?

[pandorabox]

You don't see me complaining~ [happy drugs are a happy thing!]

[he winches slightly as Kurama prods his wound] I-I don't know. [he honestly doesn't, no one ever told him]

[deadly_garden]

[He frowns at that.] I hate not knowing details like that. You should ask, I think. Although, given the size... looks like a .45.

[He goes back to his bag, pulling out a small tub.] This is an ointment that I've used for about... close to seven hundred years, give or take a decade. Shortens my healing time by a half, so it should shorten yours by... [He puases as he does some mental math and walks back to the bed] Probably a quarter.

[Begins to apply it. It actually smells rather minty, and slightly piney.] So... you're the one Dark keeps calling "Rookie."

[Yeah, great way to start the conversation, Kurama.]

[pandorabox]

[He was totally about to make a comment about the ointment when that was brought up. And suddenly he looks annoyed]

'M not a Rookie.

[deadly_garden]

Of course you're not.

[pandorabox]

[more firmly] I'm not. Just becuase I haven't been doing this as long as him doesn't mean I'm not skilled!

[deadly_garden]

Fully agreed. You're not a rookie. You have too much experiance to be a rookie. [Rebandaging now]

[pandorabox]

[Grins] Exactly. Besides, I think he knows that, he just says it to irritate me.

[deadly_garden]

You're a greenhorn~! [Bright, silly grin on Kurama's face as he pulls back, bouncing a little as he does so]

[pandorabox]

[This? Is Kaito's 'I'm not amused' glare]

'M not a greenhorn either! [slips his scrubs back on]

[deadly_garden]

[Still grinning as he puts his things away.] I'm only teasing, Kuroba-kun. It's not often I meet a fellow thief anymore, after all. And certainly not one of your skill and age.

[Sits in his chair, resuming his original position.] I assume there's a story to tell in all that?

[pandorabox]

[Still giving Kurama, a flat look, but he leans back on his pillows and places his hands behind his head, making sure he doesn't knock down the card castle he constructed]

'Course there is. I wouldn't be stealing if I didn't have a reason. [though he doesn't like talking about it openly. Kurama will have to pry a bit]

[deadly_garden]

[Leans his head on his fist, watching Kaito]

Is it one you can share? Or would you rather keep it to yourself? To make it fair, I can tell how I fell into our common profession.

[pandorabox]

[Shrugs nonchalantly]

I've told it before. It's not a big deal, I guess. [a pause] But you can go first.

[deadly_garden]

[Kurama tilts his head back, tracing the pattern of the ceiling with his eyes.]

My kitsune clan was one of the most powerful in Makai. Probably still is, but I've disowned them. My mother wasn't the most... affectionate, though I didn't realize it at the time. She would drop me in different places to see how I would react, things like that. Eventually I got tired of it and ran away. [He shrugs] I started out stealing for survival and then realized I was quite talented. A century or two later I was the head of a group of bandits. However, that fell apart after three centuries I've mostly been solo, save a few partnerships.

[He looks at Kaito again and shrugs, smirking a little.] I'm fairly certain that my reasons are quite shallow, but I enjoy it.

[pandorabox]

Doesn't sound shallow to me. Besides, I'd just be a hypocrite if I scolded someone for their reasons behind stealing, wouldn't I? [especially since he's not sure if he's doing it for revenge or not]

[deadly_garden]

[A chuckle] If I remember correctly, Phantom Thieves are supposed to be of a nobler sort than the type that steals for the fun of it, like I do. I've amased quite the fortune selling what I steal on the black market.

[A distant glaze covers his eyes, which quickly is blinked away]

[pandorabox]

[shrugs] I'm a phantom thief. Doesn't mean I'm the good guy. I have no illusions about what I do.

[ttly noticed that glaze, but doesn't inquire into it]

[deadly_garden]

[A nod] True enough. So why do you do it?

[pandorabox]

[sliiiiight pause]

My dad was murdered when I was a kid, you know? By some stupid criminal organization trying to find some stupid gem that grants immortality.

OH GAWD LATE~

[deadly_garden]

[Kurama was silent for awhile, taking that in and mulling it over.]

I know it likely sounds hollow, but I am sorry. I would suppose it isn't easy to lose a father. I know it wasn't to think I would lose Kaasan.

[He leaned forward, his hands clasped loosely together.] Have you any clues to go off of?

STOP EATING MY NOTIFS LJ :|

[pandorabox]

[Another sigh, and he leans back again]

A few. All dead ends.

LJ: *nom nom nom notifs*

[deadly_garden]

[Kurama nods, understanding how that was. Too many heists ending in false leads.]

And you've tried checking in other worlds, correct?

>| LJ.

[pandorabox]

More than once.

Re: >| LJ.

[deadly_garden]

[He sat back, thinking.]

...Have you considered the Makai? This gem sounds like something that would be quite at home there.

Re: >| LJ.

[pandorabox]

[He tilts his head]

I thought about it. But I asked Urameshi and studied up on a few Makai legends, and I haven't found anything.

[A grin]

Couldn't hurt to look when I'm better, though!

LJ: *looks up, turns on the wibbly puppy eyes*

[deadly_garden]

[He chuckles.]

I know of several legends. [An evil grin] I think I'm the basis of quite a few, actually. I can help you go over those.

And no, it couldn't hurt. As long as you had someone with you. The Makai is not a place for humans.

8| Don't make that fais at me LJ

[pandorabox]

That's what Urameshi said. [a shrug] I could handle it myself.

LJ: *Have the Puss in Boots Eyes*

[deadly_garden]

[A blank look at him.] Yes. The same way you could handle getting shot in the stomach?

.... >|

[pandorabox]

[flat look] I'm alive!