shinobu

[preowned]

meme

Comments

[preowned]

... mm.

This place was not very kind to you.

[wisterin]

... No. It really isn't.

[ She will be a good girl and be honest and admit to it. ]

But it's not kind to anyone, including you.

[preowned]

I didn't really get to feel the same levels of stress as you all did.

[ he imagines being in trial is very... frustrating, and he can't really say he understands. ]

[wisterin]

[ Shinobu is so tired of comparisons. Where he is a different from the others in how this place has affected others, so is she. She has both killed and died for the rules of this godforsaken camp, and she doesn't understand tsukumogami completely, but even spirits feel. Tsurumaru must be feeling something because of how he ended dying and having to watch and watch and watch. ]

It does not matter who has suffered more or worse, Tsurumaru-san. Have you suffered? Are you suffering?

That's what matters. Not who's in more pain.

[preowned]

[ he thinks that, once again, they really would have needed someone like her on the other side longer. but, there's a small selfish part of him that is grateful he got to know her better than he had before he died. ]

I know you're right. [ there's wry smile. ] But some habits are hard to break.

[ and sometimes you tend to put others first before yourself. ]

[wisterin]

[ She understands. She's not so wholly different in that aspect. ]

That's why there are others to nudge you gently. I don't always want to be receiving from you, Tsurumaru-san. Will you let me be selfish in that regard?

[ Is it too much to ask for to want to feel like she can be on more even footing with him? ]

[preowned]

[ ... if he's honest, this isn't really what he's used to receiving in these places. and he doesn't think that's a sad thing, but to be expected considering everything else.

it's a nice feeling. maybe he's the selfish one. ]

I will allow you anything that you want, that won't hurt you.

[wisterin]

[ Shinobu smiles, and it's something more genuine that she's been able to put forth in weeks. That is, in part, because of him. ]

I don't know if there's anything I can do now that would hurt me more.

[ Not anything she hasn't already done. ]

And even if I could and would, it wouldn't be because of you.

[preowned]

... well, if anything like that does happen, you are always free to come find me.

[ even if they don't talk about it, sometimes it's nice just to be besides someone while you're hurting to distract yourself from your thoughts. ]

[wisterin]

[ It's times like this, after he says things like he just said, which make Shinobu wonder how different things could've been if he weren't here. Or if he hadn't been the one to die first. Would their friendship have been any different? Would living have been different? Would death have been different?

She's not one to linger too long on these kind of what ifs, preferring to see reality, but the fleeting thought only hurts a little. ]

I feel like I can trust that with you.

[preowned]

[ he smiles at that, bright, even if it's still a tiny bit sad. ]

Good! Then I'll be happy with that.

[wisterin]

[ starts another thread after game end so shinobu can talk about potential bad life decisions-- kidding! (unless....?)

Besides that, she asks: ]

Is it all right if I hugged you?

[preowned]

[ listen. we can.

there's a pause, and his smile turns a little more warm. ]

Of course it is, Shinobu.