[ it's comforting, to know that he isn't alone — that at the very least, they can be alone together, and two alone people being together is far less lonely than being alone on your own. tsurumaru is close enough to where he can feel hijikata's movements when he nods, and he likes that — that the body that he's pressed against him is, for once, giving him every sign that it's still alive.

but wow!! two can play at this game of stubbornness, this is why tsurumaru practices extra hard at being a five-year-old everyday. so as hijikata continues to claim that death won't come for him, tsurumaru will continue to refuse to believe that — because to him, it's ridiculous. humans can't just claim that they won't die? either way, though... he knows that he's found an interesting human — and he certainly doesn't want to let him go.

maybe it's hijikata's magic skill at calming children, but that does manage to wind him down, slowly — he takes deep breaths, until he stops hiccuping every time he breathes. ]

I won't believe you.

[ before anything else, he lifts his head and pulls away just a bit, enough to put his hands on hijikata's shoulders and to look him in the eye, and his cheeks are red and he does look as if he's just cried a whole lot... but still, he smiles. ]

And because I won't, I'll have to stay by your side forever, to make sure that you don't die. That is, if you'll let me.

[ at this rate, even if hijikata tries to get rid of him, he'll be like a cat clinging to its favorite resting spot. but he is kind of getting self-conscious about his expression, though, so he briefly dips his head to wipe at his face, until there are less tears everywhere and until he thinks he looks far more presentable.

and then regretfully, he untangles the rest of his limbs from hijikata's, rising steadily to his feet, before offering him an outstretched hand. ]

Shouldn't we worry about yours, first? I can be fixed with resources, and unlike you, I can walk just fine.