voidseeing | Appointments Post

[It takes Shu everything he has to put on a smile and nod. He's still shaken from before. The truth about Gai and everything that's happened before occupies every one of his thoughts. The only difference now is that he's accepted it. There's nothing more that Gai can do here and going on a tantrum isn't going to solve anything.

For now he obediently listens and follows. It's quite until he thinks of something else to say.]

What made you come back?

[Wasn't Gai staying at Elizabeth's place anyways? What's up with that?]

I needed to get some boots and warmer clothes.

[Which is true. Now that there's snow, he'd prefer to have shoes that can handle it properly. The needing space part is just that-- part of the reason. He plans on going back to the house after a short breather and a chance to destress a little bit.]

That's right. It's colder out and well... [Oh god. He's going to let Shiemi slip. No Shu. This is no time to be nervous around Gai. ]

Did you know that it's warm in a cave? [Also hinting he's left the village. Hinting: he's been doing things that he shouldn't have been doing. Whenever Shu's around Gai, he somehow ends up spilling whatever is making him anxious.]

[It doesn't take Gai long at all to put two and two together and figure out what Shu is trying to say without actually saying it. Even that little revelation doesn't surprise him all that much... but now he is curious as to just how and why Shu ended up in a cave. He's almost afraid to ask if it has something to do with getting lost.]

Yeah, I assumed that's why bears like to hibernate in them. Thanks, but I prefer a house with central heating and a fire in the fireplace.

It must be fun to stay in a warm place. [Shu sounds way too grouchy. Okay, he's jealous. He's really jealous of Gai. He had to spend three long days in the cold. Hibernating like a bear was actually a thing that happened.]

It's not always going to be that easy, Gai. [His awful habit of going along with stuff isn't gone yet either so he's rolling with Gai's attitude.]

[Gai was doing his best to keep the subject perfectly neutral, he really was, but this just begs for some teasing. Call it blowing off stress from dealing with Booker and the Luteces.]

Mind telling me why I should be worried about ending up in a cave?

[Knowing Shu, he'll spill the entire story in the process.]

[Shu pouts before answering. Really Gai? He's feeling terrible about this...in a way he didn't expect. ]

Need me to stay it? [There are kidnappings and experiments, Gai. Shu's trying to make that point.]

Caves are bad for your health! They're dark and cold and...maybe a little warm and..they keep you safe. No, that's not what I meant. There's plenty of reasons why you need to worry about caves!

A steel bird will come and put you in one when you don't expect it.

A steel bird?

[There's a very distinct tone to Gai's voice that sounds like he doesn't quite believe what Shu is saying and thinks that he's making it all up. (Which, of course, he is doing on purpose in an effort to coax Shu into telling the story.)]

You were there with me. At the bonfire. [He thinks back to it and regains his calm.]

There was a steel bird there. It's that one. [It's the one Shiemi had, but Shu doesn't say that.]

It took you away and put you in a cave and that's why you haven't come to see me?

[He's just trying to get the facts straight here. Honestly, this all sounds like it could be Shu's usual rambling rather than the truth.]

[Wow, Gai. He's starting to feel bad again. All Shu can do is slowly nod.]

It tried to protect me. [He frowns and sighs. It's hard for Shu to explain and so he looks troubled.]

[That... okay, Gai can sort of understand that, as Shu does come across as the kind of person who needs protection. Even Inori had felt the same way about him.]

I see. And I don't suppose it told you what it was trying to protect you from.

Everything including myself. [Still leaving out the fact that Shiemi's involved in all of this. He doesn't want her to get in trouble.]

[That answer almost, almost gets Gai to laugh outright. He doesn't, though. What he does do is smirk a little, amused.]

I can't argue with that. At least it seems to have done a decent job.

... want something to eat or drink while we're here?

[Shu does look somewhat tired and bedraggled...]

[Shu would like to spend some time with Gai. However, now that he's actually here he doesn't think that he should accept it. He stares off for a moment, wondering what he should decide.]

It's fine. I'll just get in your way. [He knows Gai would at least want part of the truth. Shu's just searching for any topic he can speak of that would make this more bearable.]

Gai, you should be more careful. I don't want to keep looking after your mistakes.

Edited (i suck) 2013-12-06 04:24 (UTC)

[Sigh. This apparent kidnapping hasn't done anything to change Shu's attitude, that much is obvious. Really, though... Shu knows Gai well enough by now to know that Gai wouldn't even bother making an offer like that if it were too much trouble for him.]

It'll take me some time to get my things together anyway. You can help yourself to whatever you want in the meantime.

[Then his eyes narrow slightly.]

My mistakes?

[Is this what Shu really wants? Does he want to keep being distant with Gai and beat himself up over things he's done in the past? They all said they were fine with it and he's been getting so much encouragement from his friends. Truth be told, he did already make up his mind before thinking it through.

He just over complicated it and made it the worst scenario he could possibly imagine. Five whole minutes pass by and then he finally speaks.]

I'm sorry! [How many times has he said that now? Shu thinks he's becoming some sort of broken record and he isn't quite sure what he's sorry for.] I didn't mean any of that.

I said we talk. I'm not going to run away anymore. I should have just let Skarmy protect me if I wanted to be that way. Avoiding my friends isn't going to solve anything.

I won't abandon anyone. [Shu just walks over towards Gai and takes his hand smiling.]

That means I'll be by your side too.

And I already told you, I'm not upset about anything. What's done is done-- there's no point in dwelling on it. Even you should understand that much.

[It's a little irritating, almost, how Shu feels the need to apologize repeatedly even when he's been told that it wasn't his fault. To Gai, it's something of a foreign concept, as he hardly ever apologizes for anything. He really doesn't see why it matters so much to Shu.

But it clearly does, which is why he isn't protesting the apology as much as he could be. When Shu takes his hand, he won't pull away from that either, instead just standing there and allowing it.]

But I'm glad you've finally realized that running from your problems isn't the way to deal with them.

[A slow nod. Shu cares too much about little things and overcomplicated it. He still wishes that he could be more like Gai.]

The steel bird belonged to Shiemi. She apologized to me even when I told her it was fine.

I saw myself and I knew I had to change. [He sounds a little happier by knowing that Gai's pleased with his actions. ]

[Change, huh? That could either be a very good thing or a very bad thing, knowing what Gai does about Shu's future and what he becomes in it.]

So what will you become now?

[He wants to hear it straight from Shu.]

[In this context, it's a bad thing.]

More like you.

[He looks away as he says it because that's all he really can do. Becoming more like Gai's something he's always done. This maybe the first time he's said it to Gai straight.]

[Although it's the answer Gai was expecting to hear... somehow, when he hears it, it doesn't make him happy at all. Perhaps it would have, before everything had happened. Now, though, he knows quite well that he isn't a person anyone should aspire to be like, especially not someone like Shu.]

... you don't want to be like me.

[He too looks away as he says this, because he isn't proud of what he'd become, necessary though it was.]

No, you're all I want to become.

[Being similar to Gai goes against everything Shu is. They're different and Shu's aware of this. Despite that, he doesn't care about any of that if it means that he'll get more confidence.]

Don't make me say it again.

You should want to become yourself, not me. Inori chose you for a reason-- don't forget that. She chose you because you weren't like me.

[Even now, he still has to struggle against the soldier instincts that have been so ingrained in him, still has to remember that his way of thinking doesn't line up with most normal people. Shu is human, and that's the way he should stay.]

Inori wait for me. [He almost breaks out into tears and stops himself from doing so. Instead of crying, Shu sighs. ]

I won't forget. I made sure of that. [Shu has been writing up documents of everything that he's experienced. The last thing he wants is to forget everything again.]

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