justonetruth | (no subject)

[That makes her stop dead, the breath freezing in her lungs]

What... what are you talking about?

[She forces herself to move, to pursue him, to reach for his hands again and let him know that she's not leaving him]

He's not dead, he's-- [--he's you]

[he's not smacking you away, but he's not letting you touch him, not letting you get his hands, so he'll just keep moving them out of your way]

--leave me alone. Leave- leave me alone-- [quiet, almost desperate, repeating those words over again]

[this shouldn't happen to him- he- he doesn't know what to do, you're so close and you're like something from before everything went bad- he doesn't know what to do and that doesn't happen to him]

I'm not leaving you alone.

[She doesn't know what to do -- she's never seen him like this -- but she can't leave him alone, won't. She'll corner him if she has to]

Let me help.

So you can do what?

[accusing and suddenly angry, raising up to his full height and raging at her]

BREAK THINGS MORE THAN THEY ARE?

[furious, and looking like he's just a step away from lashing out, from hitting her]

[the sudden rage causes her to jump, but she refuses to give way, to take a step back. Instead she meets anger with righteous anger]

Baka, I want to fix things! Just tell me what's wrong!!

[flings his hat off, then carefully and deliberately removes the monocole - there's slight scarring there, the twisted skin of an old burn - and his eyes are filled with glittering hate]

[he leans close and whispers viciously]

Everything.

[The look in his eyes captures her attention first, the scar second, and suddenly she's hit by how very much this is not her Kaito. And she's all alone, and has no weapon.

But he's still a Kaito. He's hurt.

She will not run]

What happened to you...?

[her voice is heavy with emotion, and she tentatively reaches up towards the scar]

[grabs her hand tight to stop her from touching]

Why do you care, hm~?

Little interfering little miss?

[lets go and steps back, not realising he's backing away again, backing off scared from what Aoko represents]

I don't care, why do you care, hm?

[tight, but not painfully, and she doesn't flinch. She has to stay calm]

Because you're my best friend, that's why.

[takes another step forward, not letting him increase the distance, but doing her best not to appear threatening in any way]

[laughs, cruel and mocking, and when he speaks, his voice is dripping with scorn]

Best friends with a killer?

[though it hurts underneath and he wants to just forget this and find out about what could have been-]

[sucks in a sharp breath, even though she knows he's deliberately doing it to hurt. Somehow she suspected it, but hearing it out loud--

It takes her a moment to think of a response]

No. Best friends with Kaito.

[she already knows he doesn't like that name, but there's something... something...]

DEAD! I told you, dead, and gone and-

[hisses]

Not. Me.

[laughs, trying to be just as cruel, but it's more bitter and damaged than he intended]

Leave me for your precious --Kaito.

Then who are you?

[she tries to take his hands again, ignoring the laugh and offering contact instead, forcing her voice to remain even]

I already said I'm not leaving you.

Stupid little miss.

Foolish little miss.

Told you I'm a killer, I'm an assassin. 1412, the number to ring in all the pretty dead.

[holding your hand in his own, a grip that's not easy to escape from]

Could take yours as well.

[why aren't you running like everyone else, what keeps you here, why you, and why this -now-?]

[panic is trying to well up, but she shoves it down again with an effort, though he may notice a shiver]

1412.

[she doesn't like that name. It's too sharp, too angular -- even Kid is preferable. But she can't think of what else to call him]

You don't have any other names?

[he reminds her of nothing so much as a wounded animal, but that isn't an appropriate thing to offer suggestions on]

[the smile turns sly, mocking, and in another time, he might have actually been amused]

No.

Not any more.

[he didn't mean to say that- why did he- it's your fault of course]

['Not any more'. She can't stop wondering what on Earth happened to this Kaito, and she feels a bit ill at the possibilities]

...Do you want a new one?

.....what.

What did she say?

[how can you possibly do that- this isn't just something you can give - he died, there's nothing -]

-can't

Why not?

[The way he speaks is confusing her a bit -- it's like he's talking out loud to himself -- but she works out his meaning]

[he doesn't know what to say, what to do- it's not supposed to be this confusing]

Why don't you run? Why don't you?

[the hand he's holding is being squeezed tighter without him realising, and there's something so very confused in his expression]

Everything's broken - why won't you run?

[she resists the urge to yank on her hand or make a face, though she can't prevent a small exhale of pain]

Because you're still... you. You're just hurt. [and that hurts her]

Stupid little girl.

Go away. Go away, right now!

[but he's not moving away, he's not letting go of your hand - wants you gone, but here - wants this confusion to stop]

I'm not leaving you.

[The repetition is firm, full of conviction. She's well aware that he hasn't answered her question, either, but she has to be careful here, has to watch where she pushes]

[sags a little, and just lets his head drop onto your shoulder]

-why?

[sounds broken and so very confused]

[slowly, ever so hesitantly, she puts her free arm around him, offering a hug. This... this is wrong. Kaito should never look like this]

There has to be a reason?

[her voice is quiet]