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

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Current Location: Shinjiro and Akihiko's apartment

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

[ 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. ]

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The frown has now turned into a definite scowl. Shinjiro folds his arms, abandoning the empty cup altogether. He looks down and away, to avoid glaring at Arelen.

"Yeah, but you ain't gotta live with me or put up with my shit."

In fact. "You saw most of what he said. So - if that kinda thing bothers you - some kid yammerin on about wantin to chop people up, like some kind of violent nutcase - "

Yes, he was over-simplifying the situation to avoid taling about what the Shadow's actual issue was. Details. Shinjiro was bracing for more hostility from her.

"- then I'll pay for that coffee and go. I ain't got time for this shit."

"Who said anything about it bothering me."

She rolled her eyes at his display, "Besides, I already paid for that coffee before you got here."

There was a slightly smug grin on her face as she studied him for a few moments.

"A little bloodlust never scared someone like me away."

Arelen sighed and stretched in her chair, sitting rather ungracefully with her arm landing behind it.

"You look like shit. Have you eaten yet?"

He muttered, "Yeah, and I'll pay you back for the coffee, since I drank it."

As slightly disturbing as the smug grin, and the quip about bloodlust was, Shinjiro found it better than any pity, or prying more into his personal problems. He was beginning to think she was more serious than joking about that kind of thing - but he also got the feeling a lot of it was a front, to seem tougher than she might have really been.

Based on what he knew of Demyx' organization - and of things like Strega - both of those things made an equal amount of sense. He reminded himself, according to Demyx, that she was a traitor to his group, anyway.

... Did it really matter? Not his world, not his problems.

"I had some bread this morning," he said, a little wryly. Before he passed out again for another few hours, that is.

In her defense, she would have been a LOT more serious about it without her heart. At this point, was it really that obvious that it was a front? She was trying so desperately to keep that part of her in tact- she didn't want to look weak.

Arelen stood, one hand on her hips, the other gesturing in a 'let's go' motion.

"Alright get up. Let's go. I'm making you food."

She didn't really wait for him as she started walking (slowly enough) towards the exit.

"Follow me, we're going to my apartment."

"What," Shinjiro asked, blankly.

... That was a stupid question. He watched her get up, and make her way to the exit. Did she just. Expect him to follow her.

Well, for now he would, but. That's because, hey look, there was the door.

Dryly, "Last time I followed someone like you to their place, they nicked all my cash."

Ha ha, only serious?

She grinned when he started to follow- good... she was almost scared he wouldn't. Not that she'd admit it.

"I don't want your cash, I want to feed you. You up for walking a little bit?"

She waited this time for him to catch up once they were outside.

"It's not too far, but you really DO look like death walking." She sighed as if she really didn't care when it was obvious she did, "Just making sure you won't pass out on me."

"I don't need to be fed," Shinjiro grumbled.

Really, he expected this kind of behavior from Scott, or Orihime. That's why he wanted to meet most people when he was feeling better. He figured - Arelen gave less of a shit, so she had to be easier to deal with. He wouldn't have to deal with intrusive questions, or worry, or her fussing over him.

And now he was getting all of those things.

Shinjiro frowned. "That's cause I feel like shit. I wasn't plannin on making housecalls today."

He also wasn't really sure how up he was for walking too far, either.

"It's not like you're doing the cooking."

Surprise, she probably cares a little too much. That was the problem with strong and powerful hearts. It was also why she didn't want one, but that was a whole other story, and she was just doing what she felt was right to do. Following her heart. Don't make her think on it too hard, she'll just get angry.

Arelen rolled her eyes, "Lean on me if you need to. It's just a few blocks, then you can sit."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "And what did you plan on doing exactly? Sleeping and eating more bread? At least I can give you something to go along with that bread until you ARE ready to meet with everyone else." She brushed a hand through her hair, "Jeez Shinjiro, no wonder you're friends with Demyx. Both of you can be so dense. I'm helping you out here."

Edited 2017-10-05 14:03 (UTC)

Shinjiro definitely doesn't take her offer to lean on her for support. First of all, she looked rather skinny and small. But secondly - even now - he was really bad at accepting help.

Sleeping and eating more bread sounded like a great idea, really. "I've got instant noodles and protien shakes," he quipped, sarcastically. "Don't write me completely off."

Shrugging, he pulled out his phone to text Akihiko, wanting to give him a head's up. He wouldn't be surprised if his friend worried about him, if he noticed he wasn't there, after everything that happened.

But texting and walking and paying attention were a little beyond him, considering how worn out he was. A dizzy wave fell over him, and he wobbled, about to fall.

Another roll of her eyes, and she turned to him, her hands on her hips.

"Noodles and protein shakes won't do you any-" and down he goes. She gracefully used a part of her teleportation technique to catch him in time with a small grunt from not exactly preparing herself for the weight, but quickly adjusted herself, her voice not as cocky as it sounded just a second ago.

"Hey, you okay? That's it. You're leaning on me, and I'll take you home then. You're right. Sleep should do you some good. Tell me where you live, and no, you're not going on your own."

"You're stronger than y'look," he mumbled, muzzily, after Arelen initially caught him. He wasn't personally certain if she teleported or if she just moved very quickly. One moment, he was trying to walk and type on the phone at the same time, and the next?

Guess a triple shot latte only did so much.

Shinjiro badly wanted to argue - as always - that he didn't need help, that he'd make it back fine on his own, and so on. But he really doubted he'd be able to do more than shuffle for a few steps, out of Arelen's sight, before collapsing in an alley. And, he was very damn certain he'd get murdered by Aki if he was found collapsed in an alley.

The things he did for the people who worried about him.

He sighed, and gave her his address.

Then, quietly, muttered, "Thanks."

Edited 2017-10-05 16:29 (UTC)

She smiled a smug smile, still happy about getting her way in one form or another.

"Thanks, I try to keep it hidden that I can kick anyone's ass."

She nodded at the address, and headed in that direction. It was closer than she thought, and she wrapped her arm around his waist, making sure his arm was around her shoulder as she helped him walk.

Arelen was quiet for a short while as she got her bearings, making a mental note to remember where exactly he lived in case he pulled his 'not wanting any help' crap again.

"It's really no problem. I guess I didn't realize just how bad off you were. You gonna be okay when you get home?"

I could totally take you, Shinjiro thought to himself, but fortunately, he didn't say that aloud. It was mostly his usual discretion which kept him from that kind of cocky statement. It was only somewhat the dizziness and the concentrating on walking, really.

Being so close by, really, was the other reason he'd agreed to meet with her.

After a minute, he realized she expected an answer, and nodded.

"I'm fine. Just need more sleep, I guess." Shinjiro scowled. "Feel like I've been doin nothin but sleep, but. Least that's supposed to be normal, or somethin."

"Or something."

They reached the building, and she held him closer as she was still holding him up (she's carrying you Shinjiro, just TRY and take her on), "I'm making sure you GET in bed. Don't want you falling over and the next thing you know your roommate finds you knocked out cold from hitting your head somewhere."

She let him go just enough, "Get your keys, and open the door."

He grumbled, only half joking, deflecting as always, "I know how to pass out without hittin my head on anythin."

Fumbling around for his keys, Shinjiro eventually produced them - it seemed that his pockets were deep, but he didn't reveal what else he carried - and unlocked the door, per her request.

Unlocking the door took a couple of attempts before successfully got the key in the lock. Exhaustion, he reflected, was a bit like being falling-down-drunk, and he really hated both experiences.

Maybe he wouldn't leave the bed until next morning. (Except, of course, for becoming bored out of his damn mind.)

Momentarily free of Arelen, he tried to make his way for the stairs.

She rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. I believe you." She didn't.

Arelen watched him fumble, and just before she grew impatient enough to take those damn keys and do it herself, he got the door opened, and she tilted her head to see what he was going to do. With a sigh, she walked up slightly behind him and to the side, holding him up again.

"If I hold you like this, you're less likely to fall. Let's get you to your bed, Shinjiro."

It was only because of how worn out he was that he continued to allow her assistance. Truthfully. He didn't like accepting help, and while he realized he might need to maybe kind of begin to start changing that - he would have begun by accepting help from people he knew really well. Not Arelen.

But, crawling up stairs was not his idea of a good time. He sighed and scowled.

And even with this, he sounded more resigned - even joking - as he spoke. Rather than resentful, or angry. His tone was dry. "I'm not a nice guy. I can't let you into my room."

"That's hilarious. You're assuming I'm a nice girl."

She helped him climb the stairs, "Now screw you, shut up, and let me get you in your bed before you pass out on me."

Honestly, Arelen didn't exactly know WHY she was helping him, but there was something about Shinjiro that she couldn't pinpoint. With the brief conversations she's had with him, she's felt comfortable. She was even worried for a while during his little stint. Not very many people affected her this way, and as such, she wanted to help in her own way... in this case, it was forcing him to ACCEPT help in the first place. That worked... it made something out of her element (helping others) easier to accept.

That actually got a dark chuckle out of Shinjiro. Seemed like the shared the same sense of humor. That was something, anyway.

It might take a while for him to accept that people outside of SEES - well, outside of Akihiko and Mitsuru, really - would be worried about him. He was already pretty amazed with all the people who took the time to argue with his Shadow to begin with.

When they got to the correct landing, he motioned down the hallway. Continued, with her support, toward his apartment. At last, fumbled with his keys again.

Or, tried, at least. There was a brief misfire when he pulled out a wrapped dog biscuit first - he scowled, hatefully, before shoving it back into his pocket - before he found his keys again. Now he could fumble with the door.

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

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