[Kaede's exhausted. There's dirt on her face, in her hair, under her short-trimmed fingernails. It feels like an eternity ago that she was able to relax in the Succulent and listen to Stylosa talk about music. As it is, all Kaede can try to do is run errands for the healers, lend a hand through Bardic Inspiration or Message.
It's hard not to feel useless like this, when she can't held physically rebuild anything.
So seeing Minato approaching brings a genuine smile to her face. If she can't do much for the people of the town, at least maybe she can help cheer up her friends? Though the smile quickly turns to confusion at the offer, then a pout.]
Aaah, jeez, Arisato-kun... you didn't have to get me anything, you know!
[She's pouting, but she still takes it... cupping it carefully in both hands. Her cheeks are a little pink as she looks down at the unexpected gesture.]
[ She sure looks like she's been working hard! So... He's not always good at gifts. Does that reaction mean she likes it? Or is it the heat from the desert? Probably the desert, actually, considering she hasn't even looked inside the bag yet. Inside is an assortment of hard fruit candies. He figured it was better than chocolate right now. They were less likely to melt into a single gooey mess at the bottom of the bag while they were with him. And since she delivered her gift in person, he was determined to do the same for her.
He nods as a "You're welcome." Then: ]
They weren't made by Bender.
[ That, in his mind, is reassurance that the candies are safe to eat. ]
[The reassuring comment makes her laugh, just a little startled that he felt like he had to clarify that.]
It is always kind of random with him, huh...? [But she takes his comment as an okay to actually open the bag, so she does, sees the candy, and then-
Please be somewhat more well-adjusted than Shinjiro, because she tries to give him a hug. Maybe something small like this isn't normally worth that kind of reaction, but she's tired, things feel hopeless, and something small like this is enough to lift her spirits, even a little.]
[ Oh! A hug! She definitely likes it. They've known each other for a while, so he feels comfortable hugging her back. Well, a one armed hug. It counts. And it's good to see someone happy about something. This is a nice break from the dismal scene around them. ]
[It's a good gift! Kaede laughs quietly when he hugs her back, relaxing a little into the hold. She's always been a physically affectionate person, usually showing it rather than receiving it, so being hugged back is a nice feeling.
She does force herself to pull back before the hug can get awkward, though.]
I know you got it as a gift for me, but... do you mind if we go somewhere and share them? I kind of need a break.
[ He won't eat many since they're for her, but he'll be happy to spend some time hanging out her. He diligently follows her wherever she drags him without question. ]
[At least if he's following on his own, she doesn't have to take him by the hand and tug him along. There's a bit of crushed rubble piled up, out of the way, that she decides to climb up so they have somewhere to sit and look over this part of town.
It's still... heartbreaking. It all is. So many people have suffered here in the desert, and they couldn't stop it. It's not fair.
So she waits until Minato sits next to her and offers the opened bag for him to take one.]
[ He stops himself. His instinct is to say "I'm fine," but he's been recently scolded for keeping his feelings to himself, so he picks out a candy and stares at it as he tries to find the words.
He's seen some individuals die in front of him before, which was never fun, but this is on a totally different scale. All the destruction is foreign to him too. He feels responsible for it. He doesn't think he can make it right... ]
[She hums quietly when he cuts himself off, letting him know that she's listening, just giving him time to put his thoughts in order. Once he takes a candy, she sets the bag between them within easy reach of them both, only glancing up at him when he speaks again.]
Mmhm. [Kaede nods, looking to him before glancing back out over the remains of the city, swinging her legs gently in the air.] Me, too. I think... that's all we really can do right now, huh...? But we don't have to do it by ourselves.
[She reaches into the bag and pulls out a candy, holding it out to him as if they were glasses to clink or something equally as silly.] We can rely on all our friends, right?
[ Relying on his friends... Usually he was the one relied on, and it was nice to have people counting on him and trusting in him. It looks like here, he's supposed to learn the other side of that sort of relationship. He doesn't know how to open up to people, but he'll just have to learn it. Like how one learns to play a violin... Well, maybe not how he learned to play it.
Minato looks up to her to nod and realizes she's holding out a candy like a fancy glass. He holds out his own and presses it against hers. ]
[Kaede makes the sound effect without hesitation before popping the candy in her mouth, humming softly with delight. It's a hard fruit candy! She loves it, letting it sit on her tongue briefly to taste it, then tucking it into her cheek so she can speak again, a little more hesitantly this time.]
Umm... do you want to talk about it...? I don't mind if you just want to sit quietly for a while and relax, but... if you feel like talking about it, I'll be here for you.
[ Minato's silent at the offer. He plays with the candy in his hand, getting lost in thought as it begins to melt slightly from his hand and get his fingers sticky. ]
I've... watched people die before... but...
[ He looks around at the remains of the town. He can't seem to find the words to express the level of destruction here. And it could have been worse. There could have been no survivors. ]
...Yeah. It's the same for me, you know...? It's a lot.
[Her voice is softer, some of her usual enthusiasm replaced with empathy. She doesn't look over the town, but over at Minato, watching him roll the candy between his fingers. She's no stranger to fidgeting herself; she does it often, tapping out whatever little tune is in her head at any given moment.]
I keep thinking... I wish there was something more we could have done, but... I know we all did our best, too.
[ On one hand, they should be happy with all they accomplished. On the other, they were incapable of doing better. It's a bittersweet victory that lingers more on the bitter end for him.
Though hearing that Kaede's seen people die before makes him feel... silly for being preoccupied with this. He's supposed to be the rock others look to for stability. He sighs. ]
Sorry for dragging you down. This is... [ White Day is supposed to be happy. He puts the candy in his mouth, abandoning the sentence. ]
[She waits a few seconds to see if he'll pick up the end of that sentence, and frowns when he doesn't.]
Arisato-kun...
[She hesitates a second longer, then tugs off one of her gloves to instead reach to take his hand. It's sticky from the candy, but she doesn't mind. She just twines their fingers together and gives him her best attempt at a smile.]
You don't have to apologize for that. I mean... you're just saying the stuff I've been thinking already. Everyone...
[She looks out over the town, pressing her lips tightly together.]
It just doesn't seem fair, does it? That when this is over, we can go back to our base on the moon. But everyone here is suffering, and... this is their whole life.
[ He looks at her when she takes his gross hand. The smile is forced, but he appreciates the gesture. She's much better at putting words to her feelings than he is. His fingers close around hers. ]
It's their world.
[ He looks back out to the town. The efforts to rebuild are going to take a long time. And the people that died are gone for good. And all the Reclaimers can really do is try for a better result next time. ]
[She didn't used to think that way. Even during the killing game, she'd been insistent that they'd all get out together, that no matter what, as long as they didn't give up hope, everything would be okay.
Then she'd killed Rantaro. Then she'd been executed. Then she'd been brought here, and had to kill those cultists to rescue Akira, and had to watch the people here die to the sandworms, and there's just so much death it feels like it's dogging her footsteps like the punishment Monokuma never got to finish inflicting on her. But...]
But... you know? You weren't here for the mission in New Aspen, right? But... we did a lot of good there. Everyone... everyone was able to protect the town. We were able to get their mayor to confess what he'd done wrong, and we were able to bring peace between the people and the spiders. Even if that big tree is still there, everybody... they're in a better place now than they were before.
So... maybe there will be more heartbreak in the future. But there'll be good things, too! [She squeezes his hand, and this time, the smile she gives him is a little more genuine.] As long as we work together.
[ When he first arrived, everyone at the moonbase was very excited about their victory in New Aspen. He didn't get much detail about what happened though. The Reclaimers did some real good there, huh? He'd like to be a part of that.
All he has witnessed is the destruction of this desert town, but she's right. It's not worth it to give up. Not here. It's rough, and will continue to be rough, but there will be good times ahead. The proof is right next to him, holding his hand. He squeezes her hand back and nods. ]
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gotyourbach) wrote2018-11-11 08:24 pm
no subject
It's hard not to feel useless like this, when she can't held physically rebuild anything.
So seeing Minato approaching brings a genuine smile to her face. If she can't do much for the people of the town, at least maybe she can help cheer up her friends? Though the smile quickly turns to confusion at the offer, then a pout.]
Aaah, jeez, Arisato-kun... you didn't have to get me anything, you know!
[She's pouting, but she still takes it... cupping it carefully in both hands. Her cheeks are a little pink as she looks down at the unexpected gesture.]
Umm... thank you.
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He nods as a "You're welcome." Then: ]
They weren't made by Bender.
[ That, in his mind, is reassurance that the candies are safe to eat. ]
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[The reassuring comment makes her laugh, just a little startled that he felt like he had to clarify that.]
It is always kind of random with him, huh...? [But she takes his comment as an okay to actually open the bag, so she does, sees the candy, and then-
Please be somewhat more well-adjusted than Shinjiro, because she tries to give him a hug. Maybe something small like this isn't normally worth that kind of reaction, but she's tired, things feel hopeless, and something small like this is enough to lift her spirits, even a little.]
Thank you, Arisato-kun.
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You're welcome.
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She does force herself to pull back before the hug can get awkward, though.]
I know you got it as a gift for me, but... do you mind if we go somewhere and share them? I kind of need a break.
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[ He won't eat many since they're for her, but he'll be happy to spend some time hanging out her. He diligently follows her wherever she drags him without question. ]
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It's still... heartbreaking. It all is. So many people have suffered here in the desert, and they couldn't stop it. It's not fair.
So she waits until Minato sits next to her and offers the opened bag for him to take one.]
Are you holding up okay, Arisato-kun?
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[ He stops himself. His instinct is to say "I'm fine," but he's been recently scolded for keeping his feelings to himself, so he picks out a candy and stares at it as he tries to find the words.
He's seen some individuals die in front of him before, which was never fun, but this is on a totally different scale. All the destruction is foreign to him too. He feels responsible for it. He doesn't think he can make it right... ]
I'm working through it.
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Mmhm. [Kaede nods, looking to him before glancing back out over the remains of the city, swinging her legs gently in the air.] Me, too. I think... that's all we really can do right now, huh...? But we don't have to do it by ourselves.
[She reaches into the bag and pulls out a candy, holding it out to him as if they were glasses to clink or something equally as silly.] We can rely on all our friends, right?
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Minato looks up to her to nod and realizes she's holding out a candy like a fancy glass. He holds out his own and presses it against hers. ]
Yeah.
[ Should one of them make a sound effect? ]
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[Kaede makes the sound effect without hesitation before popping the candy in her mouth, humming softly with delight. It's a hard fruit candy! She loves it, letting it sit on her tongue briefly to taste it, then tucking it into her cheek so she can speak again, a little more hesitantly this time.]
Umm... do you want to talk about it...? I don't mind if you just want to sit quietly for a while and relax, but... if you feel like talking about it, I'll be here for you.
no subject
I've... watched people die before... but...
[ He looks around at the remains of the town. He can't seem to find the words to express the level of destruction here. And it could have been worse. There could have been no survivors. ]
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[Her voice is softer, some of her usual enthusiasm replaced with empathy. She doesn't look over the town, but over at Minato, watching him roll the candy between his fingers. She's no stranger to fidgeting herself; she does it often, tapping out whatever little tune is in her head at any given moment.]
I keep thinking... I wish there was something more we could have done, but... I know we all did our best, too.
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Though hearing that Kaede's seen people die before makes him feel... silly for being preoccupied with this. He's supposed to be the rock others look to for stability. He sighs. ]
Sorry for dragging you down. This is... [ White Day is supposed to be happy. He puts the candy in his mouth, abandoning the sentence. ]
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[She waits a few seconds to see if he'll pick up the end of that sentence, and frowns when he doesn't.]
Arisato-kun...
[She hesitates a second longer, then tugs off one of her gloves to instead reach to take his hand. It's sticky from the candy, but she doesn't mind. She just twines their fingers together and gives him her best attempt at a smile.]
You don't have to apologize for that. I mean... you're just saying the stuff I've been thinking already. Everyone...
[She looks out over the town, pressing her lips tightly together.]
It just doesn't seem fair, does it? That when this is over, we can go back to our base on the moon. But everyone here is suffering, and... this is their whole life.
no subject
It's their world.
[ He looks back out to the town. The efforts to rebuild are going to take a long time. And the people that died are gone for good. And all the Reclaimers can really do is try for a better result next time. ]
There's going to be more heartbreak.
no subject
[She didn't used to think that way. Even during the killing game, she'd been insistent that they'd all get out together, that no matter what, as long as they didn't give up hope, everything would be okay.
Then she'd killed Rantaro. Then she'd been executed. Then she'd been brought here, and had to kill those cultists to rescue Akira, and had to watch the people here die to the sandworms, and there's just so much death it feels like it's dogging her footsteps like the punishment Monokuma never got to finish inflicting on her. But...]
But... you know? You weren't here for the mission in New Aspen, right? But... we did a lot of good there. Everyone... everyone was able to protect the town. We were able to get their mayor to confess what he'd done wrong, and we were able to bring peace between the people and the spiders. Even if that big tree is still there, everybody... they're in a better place now than they were before.
So... maybe there will be more heartbreak in the future. But there'll be good things, too! [She squeezes his hand, and this time, the smile she gives him is a little more genuine.] As long as we work together.
no subject
All he has witnessed is the destruction of this desert town, but she's right. It's not worth it to give up. Not here. It's rough, and will continue to be rough, but there will be good times ahead. The proof is right next to him, holding his hand. He squeezes her hand back and nods. ]
Yeah. Let's keep working together.