Midnight Run [Catherine, Isamu]

Shoes traveled up with weighted steps upon the old trail, the rural beauty of southern Japan viewable through the peeking of leaves. What were the goddamn odds; she couldn't even go a week, a single damn week, without seeing his mug again. She didn't want to see him again so soon, not after that whole fiasco. It took an average of two weeks for an occurrence like that to be further away from the forefront.

Well, there was no begrudging it - She was getting paid, and she hadn't picked up enough clients for the month; she'd have to hear those rotten teeth clack at her with all manner of nasty phrases if she didn't meet the margin. She didn't even know he'd be here until they both coincidentally ran into each other, like so many times.

And uncharacteristically, she was more open to working with him and swallowing her pride on that. Yet, she kept plenty ahead from him on the trail up, head down in her notes about the commission.

Hollow. White one. Lived on the mountain. Hard to find. Apparently quite the local rumor. Client wanted it's head as a trophy for some kind of clout, 'Look upon! I have caught this mystery!' Type deal. She could never understand the people who had the money to pay for this, but it wasn't like killing hollows was illegal. Poaching without the pain.

Somehow, someway, the two of them always inevitably ended up working together. Whether this was some cruel stroke of fate or simply a universal constant, he was uncertain. What he did know is that he didn't particularly have it in himself to turn down the opportunity for cash. Was he exactly chompin' at the bit to work together so soon after the awkward situation?

No, of course not, but he wasn't going to pursue that subject unless it was broached indirectly. At any rate, they were here now. As expected, she's up ahead, forming a sizable distance between them. Naturally, not one to fall too far behind, Isamu strides forward with enough pace to his step that he's now walking beside her, onyx eyes exploring the surroundings.

Honestly, it was somewhat nostalgic to be back in his homeland, even if this wasn't his specific neck of the woods. He wasn't some "land of the rising sun" zealot or anything, but he took pride in his origins here. Turning to observe her quietly, he simply spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"Kinda shocked ya didn't resist workin' with me like ya usually do. Any time we cross paths on missions like these, you're usually beside yourself. Ya been findin' better ways to relax and unwind like I've suggested so many times in the past, Cath~?"

Her nose wrinkled with her curling lip as he paced next to her, averting her gaze as she braced for the incoming comments, silently pleading he not bring up that night.

Oh, good, he brought up something else annoying instead. Worked for her. Hands tightly squeezing the strap of her heavy camping pack, she looked to him with a soft irritation,

"Zip it. I just decided it's less advantageous to fight it for this type of job. That is all. We're tracking a hollow that typically is only seen on the temple grounds under a full moon, and it's a sneaky one. I don't need to 'unwind' or 'relax' - I am plenty fine."

"You and I both know that's a lie. Ya seen your eyelids lately? I reckon you and a good night's sleep don't get along too well."

Voicing that thought plainly, Isamu chortled softly as he observed her reaction. The typical annoyance, the visible agitation - her eyelids.

He was no expert on the physical condition, but someone would have to be pretty damn oblivious to ignore that she felt pretty tightly wound at all times. Naturally, he always assumed that was a basic facet of her personality.

Outside of the other night, it wasn't as if he knew her enough to confirm that opinion, but that was neither here nor there. From all the times they've met so far, he certainly feels confident enough to challenge her on the subject.

"Doesn't have to be any of what I do to relax, but like... think about it. The same way you care about me and want me at optimal condition is the same way I want you at your best. Little R&R and never hurt anybody, right?"

She gave him a tense side-eye, rubbing one of them instinctively, "You try cramming out twenty weapon commissions atop five taxidermies without your eyes drooping. I get plenty of sleep, so much sleep that i'd probably kick it if I got any more!"

Of course that was a lie; she was on day six without even a nod off. It was normal for her to keep herself going for around a week before she forced herself into darkness with alcohol. She'd been at that for almost two years at this point; it was better than the alternative. It was better than sleeping, and she got her workload done faster. There was nothing but winning here...

"I am at my most optimal, a 'little' R&R means i'm slipping. If I can't keep going, then my edges dull. I'm not like you; I don't relax, any time I go for it it turns out to be a huge waste of time anyway. If I just keep going then there's nothing to worry about."

Nothing to worry about, never to worry about...

"Uh-huh. And ya know what else creates droopy eyelids? Exhaustion and a lack of sleep, ya grouch."

Isamu reflexively nudged his shoulder against her own as they walked side by side. He was half-tempted to flick her across the forehead, but since they were in motion, she might have attempted to evade and kick him in his shin. He didn't agree with her train of thought at all. On one hand, he understood her strategy. Constant activity ensured you were always achieving what you wanted out of a day.

On another, he considered the strategy unhealthy. From his point of view, even a moment of respite would aid in enhancing one's overall workflow. If he applied Catherine's strategy to himself, he would probably be miserable. Bold as he always was, he pressured the subject differently - voicing a genuine question with a playful smirk.

"Movin' past the fact that that sounds pretty unhealthy... when's the last time ya ever tried takin' a break, hm? Sure, you're nothin' like me, but I remain in tip-top shape when business calls, even after all the fun is over. When I take a mission? I'm locked in. After a mission, I treat myself. And I'm still the same man the next day. Tell me, when was the last time you actually ever tried it? I mean, genuinely?"

That butt of the shoulder was met with a scowl, before her expression returned to it's typical annoyance-laced neutrality. Who was he to say what she could or couldn't handle? She's been doing this for years, just fine, work has never been smoother. If it was impractical, she would've dropped the practice a year ago - clearly it was doing something for her. It wasn't like sleep did her any good nowadays...

"I get breaks when there's downtime in my schedule. That's it. I'm fine off those," Her eyes slid to the trees filtering light, the sky having become redder and redder as the two trekked - this thing only came out at night after all, it only made sense to stake out til it showed it's mug,

"Festivals, trips, other ventures - I get my alone time in at some point, even if I fill that time with other things. If I quit moving i'd probably die."

..Well she didn't mean for that descriptor to spill out, but she was already getting twitchy thoughts about the idea of growing slow, complacent, easy...

The idea of settling down was a terrifying temptation.

"What do you mean you'd die if you quit moving? That doesn't make any sense. One idle moment or two won't kill you, Catherine. At the rate yer goin', all the exhaustion and stress'll probably kill ya first."

Flashing a scrutinizing eye in her direction, Isamu tilted his head to the side quizically. He understood the whole "I must remain vigilant at all times lest I die" but did she have no place of comfort, truly? Nowhere she could simply relax? Or was she simply incapable of it without being pushed toward it? Even if her explanation helped, he couldn't believe she was using that time to actually do anything that would potentially aid the crux of her issue.

Moving past the fact he was a little salty about not being invited to any of those festivals or parties, he wondered what any of that entailed, wondered how she interacted in a setting like that. Was it the same way she operated around him or was she more relaxed?

"Can't believe ya never invited me to one of those. I love festivals...."

He wasn't always catching her on her days off, and when he did, she was always regarding him with that typical mood she always did. Curiously, he posed another question, one that arose immediately in his mind after the admission that spilled from her lips.

"Anyway, how do you even manage to stay awake for so long? What're ya doin' durin' those breaks? I sure as hell don't believe you're using it to follow any of the advice I'm suggesting. If I'm not seein' you mean muggin' me or us meeting up like this for a job, I don't have much to go off of, do I? Don't even get me started on that one time I had to toss you into a river because you were pokin' a sword at me and hallucinating..."

He certainly figured she would remember what night he was referencing in particular.

"If all of this was enough to kill me, then I shouldn't be alive."

Despite her lower tone, she meant every word she spoke. If this was enough to kill her, then her grandfather was right - and there was no world where she could allow that bastard to be right. She's going to be stronger than him, challenge him, and rip that ugly canine head off his horrible body and stuff it full of his own entrails.

But she had to be stronger before she could do that. Else she was setting herself up to be looking down the throat of a wolf again. That meant she had to get stronger. That meant she couldn't rest.

"Huh?" Her face scrunched a bit in confusion, "It's just a... It's not even like i'm going there to have fun, it's to sell equipment. Or trinkets. Or other things. If I don't have all the guys i'm practically glued to one spot all evening."

What a weird thing to pout about! Ugh that face of his was always obnoxious, like a sad puppy she has to watch. His questioning didn't make her feel any better,

"I use drugs to stay up." She'd begrudgingly answer, "Because if I don't stay up, I lose time. And if I lose time, i'm not getting better. And if i'm not getting better, then I might as well have kicked the bucket years ago. So I don't have much time for your, suggestions, Hagane..."

She couldn't remember the 'river incident' with much clarity, but she'd simply scoff, "Overdosing's inevitable with venom from a Hollow, I guess. I don't have the means to process anything that'd work nearly as well. Yet, at least."

"Figures. I can't imagine yer stayin' up too much otherwise without something to keep your adrenaline in overdrive. Ya sure as hell don't strike me as a caffeine junkie. I'd say using drugs to keep yourself awake is pretty unhealthy... but then again, I take drugs, so what ground do I have to stand on?"

Isamu sighed softly as he ruffled his hair. He did not agree with her stubborn point of view. Her current means of staying in the zone was pretty unhealthy no matter how she tried to convince him otherwise, but if he was going purely off of what he saw in action, her resume spoke for itself and he therefore had no ground to stand on.

Would that stop him from pressing the subject, though? Hell no. His foolish pride as a man wouldn't allow him to back down so easily. To him, a good night's rest was essential to tackling a day without issue.

While he could understand injecting the system full of some drug to stay awake, he could also imagine how unpleasant the side effects might be. The manic highs and the manic lows. Hallucinations. Any number of things. As one who partook in his own variety of drugs - mainly with that special lady friend in Brazil - he wasn't going to tell her how she should live her life in that regard.

At the same time, he could offer his point of view and keep heckling her until she gave in. After all, he was here. They were on a mission. After it was over, there could be ample time to stay in one place and simply rest. Nothing or no one would harm her. And he'd be there, prepared for action if something went amiss.

"No time for my suggestions, huh? Well then, Catherine. Let's bet on it, then. See who is right and see who is wrong. You know I won't stop heckling you about it. If it wasn't obvious, I do care about your wellbeing, but I know yer stubborn as hell. The only way I stop is if you prove me wrong. After this thing is over and the hollow's been handled, let's try my strategy. We'll relax and fill the time hanging out, and maybe you'll feel a little bit more at ease than ya felt before. If it doesn't work, you can say I was fuckin' wrong and call me an idiot like you always do. Win-win, right?"