011 | my star has left me (to take the bitter pill)

[mortal_son]

[ AUDIO ] | [ Backdated to Monday afternoon ]

Uh, there -

[ There's some shuffling sound, like he's setting the phone up somewhere, still. ]

Right. So.

... I ain't good at this, either the talkin or the - well.

But just writin it seemed ... not enough, and. All of you are probably sick of seein my face, so.

[ There's a brief pause, before he goes on. He sounds very, very tired, but his voice is nonetheless serious, and firm. ]

I frightened the hell outta a lot of you.

I said a lot of stuff, some of it to some people I don't even know.

And, it's complicated, but I can say that - while it wasn't all me, it was a part of me. So, yeah, I ain't gonna pretend it isn't my fault.

I'm sorry.

[ He swallows. ]

I am sorry.

I'm not gonna. Just sit around feelin guilty, though. Not -

[ Coughs. ]

- Yeah. So.

Up to you if you take this seriously.

But let me know if I can make it up to you.

[ And then the audio is turned off. ]

Comments

[ Audio | Private]

[mortal_son]

... What.

[ He's surprised, and that makes his voice sound more flat, than angry.

He hadn't - how the hell did this guy know - ]

Re: [ Audio | Private]

[youfool]

[Sorry Shin, Mitsuru isn't big on discretion herself.]

Well? Come on, don't leave me in suspense!

[He can't see why anyone would be more interested in the past than the present.]

[ Audio | Private]

[mortal_son]

[ Yeah, most of the conversations that his Shadow had were pretty fuzzy, like a half-remembered dream.

The shock, combined with his exhaustion, might have made him more hostile than he'd normally be. ]

I don't owe you shit.

Re: [ Audio | Private]

[youfool]

Granted; all the same, it would relieve me extremely to know that you're, miraculously, doing all the better.

[ Audio | Private]

[mortal_son]

[ He's not going to point out that recovery is going to take a while, and it certainly wasn't going to be all at once, because right now he's just trying to keep from grinding his teeth in frustration.

Annoyed: ] Whatever. Didn't I say as much already?

Re: [ Audio | Private]

[youfool]

[He'll take that as a "yes"; commence the exuberant explosion]

Thank God! So you came out of that hellhole better than you went in; made it through the crucible! Even evil has worked for your good! Ahaha; isn't Genessia wonderful? Some of the time, anyway.

[He'll calm down in a second. Something else intrigues him; a loose thread.]

Still, that raises the question: just who was it that took advantage of your ready credulity? And what was their motive for doing so? Cruel curiosity? Or...goodness, do you think they knew this would happen? A monstrous mastermind if so.

[ Audio | Private]

[mortal_son]

[ ... Just because Ted brings up all very, very good points - and just because Ted is asking the same sort of questions he's been asking himself - doens't mean he's any less annoyed at him.

In fact, feeling as exhausted as he is, his head is beginning to hurt, now.

Mutters: ]

Who even knows.

Are you done yet?

Re: [ Audio | Private]

[youfool]

[Gee, Ted thinks, Shinjiro must be in a state if he's in a state of actual irritation, considering all his good fortune, however painfully achieved.]

Oh, sure, ha, didn't know I was keeping you from something. Doubtless your friends have a celebration planned. I'll leave you to your recovery in the meantime.

[A little shy and tender, he can't resist leaving with one more parting comment.]

...really, I'm so glad you're better. Go under the Mercy.

[ Audio | Private]

[mortal_son]

[ ... Something of his conscience nags at him. Maybe it's the genuine gratitude Ted expresses that Shinjiro's doing well. Maybe it's the fact that ... well, he can't actually ever tell if Ted is giving him shit, or being earnest.

But what if he was being earnest? What if he was just trying to be a nice guy - even if it was in the most annoying way possible?

Shinjiro sighed.

Quietly: ] ... Thanks.