[ She should have called before now. She stood in front of the door, a hood drawn over her head. Her heart felt heavy and her eyes burned. Only minor injuries decorated her body from the duel she had been forced into earlier... a small bump on her forehead and a bruised cheek but she hadn't looked in the mirror.
She had stopped home and her roommates had questioned her, but she hadn't been able to go into detail. If she had... It would have made everything worse.
. . . But the truth was that she was genuinely upset. And she just wanted someone to... cry on? That if she broke down it would be safe to talk to.
[ she hadn't been up to much when she gets the text. she sets the book aside and reaches for her phone, which is buzzing around on the table nearby. she grabs it and immediately fires off a message of sure, come on over. she gets up and heads out of the workroom, through her own room, and to the front of heart soldier to go and wait for kaguya when she opens the door and... finds her standing there. ]
[ She hadn't even been able to respond back yet, just lingering outside, trying to get her feelings back under control. When Dva opens the door, her head lifts up in surprise. Eyes glistening, she's frozen a moment-- until she finally manages to word again. ]
Hey--
[ But then why is it that the moment she speaks, her voice cracking-- that she can't hold back the tears that suddenly trail fast down her cheeks. ]
[ this is not at all what she had been expecting when she opened the door, least of all when kaguya had asked to come over. she stares for a few seconds longer, but the moment those tears fall from her eyes and start rolling over her cheeks she steps forward and takes her into a hug, holding her tightly. ]
[ she backs into hss and uses her tail to shut the door. she doesn't know what happened, but she doesn't care, not right now, because all that matters is making sure her friend feels safe. ] Kaguya, I'm here, alright, [ again, she squeezes her to punctuate her point. ] and no one and no thing is going to hurt you.
[ She doesn't know why she's crying. Suddenly everything she's held in the past few days spills forth, especially after these past few hours. She feels betrayed, hurt, and frustrated at her inability to do anything it seems.
She buries her face against her, tears falling fast and free with a muffled sob. ]
This is stupid, and I feel stupid. B-But please just let me stay here tonight.
[ she takes a quick look around the door, relieved that none of her unitmates are around at the moment. kaguya is free to let it all out. ]
It's not stupid. [ she says softly. ] But, of course, you're free to stay here for as long as you like. c'Mon, [ she doesn't let go and instead just starts walking her backward and toward her bedroom. ] to my room. [ it's a bit awkward, but they eventually make it to her room. ] We can go into my workshop and, there, nobody will bother us, alright? [ through the closet and into the workshop. kaguya's been here before, so she'll recognize the couch that d.va leads her to. ]
I'll bring some pillows and blankets in here and we can both stay here for the night. How does that sound?
[ She feels embarrassed, humiliated, emotional and upset all in one. Maybe it's just the accumulation of everything these past few days but she can't seem to temper it yet. Taking a seat on the couch, she lefts her hands up to rub at her eyes and nods. ]
I just... I can't show this to my unit. I don't want them to see how upset I am.
[ They already suspect, but had she broken down or the like, they might have stormed all of Imeeji on her behalf. ]
[ She swallows but lets herself sink into the warmth of her friend. She's quiet for a few moments. No matter how she tries to think of explaining things, she feels like she's overreacting. Maybe she is. It's just been a rough couple weeks, and tonight... it feels like a lot of things coming to a head. ]
I really... don't care for Baritones.
[ Quietly. It's not fair. She like Yvette. She doesn't have a particular issue with anyone there, not really. Except for one, now. Though she knows their unit as a whole is fast to attack their own. ]
Shrike-san and Kohime-san wanted a contract. It made me uncomfortable though...and a little worried about Shrike-san.
[ She lifts a hand to scrub at one of her eyes again, her voice edged despite the upset. ]
I don't know why I cared to begin with. That was the second stupid mistake. The first was even bothering to agree to meet in the first place.
... [ a small hum of acknowledgement. ] Fair. I know a lot of people don't care for them. [ several of the aforementioned people are on her team, in fact. ] I get it. [ she tries to 'play nice' with everybody though, because that's just the kind of person she is, but she totally gets not liking people. it happens. ]
I guess it must have been kind of... bad to make you worry about her, huh? And there's nothing wrong with that; worrying. You were just looking out for a friend. Obviously if they were both coming to you they must not have really cared about the consequences, but it was nice of you to look out for her, even if they clearly didn't think so. I've had friends look out for me even when I was like c'mon, really, since I, ah, sometimes do first and think later. [ she gently knocks on her own head. ] And I'm glad for it every time.
Because you're a good friend, Kaguya. [ she tugs her closer, turning her head to brush her lips along the side of her head. ] A great friend, even. Did you know what you were getting in to when you agreed to meet?
[ Eyes closing, she swallows. Her unit tells her so... Dva, too. She's grateful that they see her as an important friend, even if seeing the good qualities in herself has been difficult of late. The past couple weeks have been...they've been a challenge. And this on top of it all is just a little more than she can handle at the moment. Ultimately, she shakes her head. ]
It wasn't just about Shrike-san. Kohime... that person is manipulative and cruel. She doesn't exactly make it a secret, nor the fact that she doesn't like us on Taisho. My only real interaction was with her in that house. She made it clear she disliked us before her unit attacked mine.
[ Her fingers tighten, curling into the skirts of her dress, knuckles pulling white. ]
I don't even care that Baritones attacked us. I know people weren't themselves in that house. Even though they've never liked us from the start. Of course I died in that altercation, but she can't seem to forget the fact that she was killed as well by one of my unitmates despite being within the instigating party.
[ As though she's the only victim in all the world. The hypocrisy drives her mad. ]
. . . Someone came over, trying to figure out who it was that killed her.
[ She shakes her head. ]
I lied and told them I did, even though it's not true. I don't want people targetting others on my unit. Especially when she was responsible for part of the attack on us. But I don't like that people are inquiring into it. So many others were killed... so why are people trying to investigate into who Taisho somehow wronged on BARiTONES?
[ Her fingers tighten all the more. ]
I died 6 times in that house. Even... Even my most brutal death, I-- I'm not singling people out, you know? But she is and so I don't trust her. Not even a little, and I was right not to.
[ Her jaw tightens. ]
Kohime-san wanted protection outside of games and so she wanted Shrike-san to defend her no matter what should she need help until the point that she dies. And then the contract would be canceled. I was concerned because... if Kohime instigated something between one of Shrike's own unit members or my own, then Shrike would be forced into facing off with them. I didn't even outright reject the idea. I just expressed my concern and explained that I didn't know her very well... and wanted the assurance that this wouldn't come around to hurt Shrike or my own unit.
[ She shakes her head, feeling hurt and bitter about the entire affair. ]
She stormed off, and then later Shrike contacted me again to demand that I fight her in a duel for Kohime's honor and to force me to apologize. Hah-- [ Her voice cracks ] she did exactly what I was worried about with a contract. Kohime hid behind Shrike and instigated a fight. And I just feel so stupid.
Why did I care about someone like Shrike, to begin with?
[ When clearly she hadn't cared in return. She lifts a hand to scrub at her eyes.]
To get into her stupid graces, she was willing to use and humiliate me for my discomfort. I already--
[ Her voice cracks and she swallows, unable to fight back all the tears that want to spring anew. ]
I already knew I was pathetic in that house. And I hate fighting, but apparently that wasn't enough. So I fought because I was worried that refusing would have brought consequences to my unit. And I lost. Again.
[ Her chest feels so tight. Losing and failing over and over and over again takes a toll. ]
So I hope they're happy. They deserve one another and their toxic friendship. But I don't want anything to do with either of them again.
Day 164, Afternoon
She had stopped home and her roommates had questioned her, but she hadn't been able to go into detail. If she had... It would have made everything worse.
. . . But the truth was that she was genuinely upset. And she just wanted someone to... cry on? That if she broke down it would be safe to talk to.
Which is why a moment later she texts Dva. ]
Can I come over?
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
[ well this is a surprise. ]
[ she blinks, quirking her head to the side. ]
Kaguya?
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
Hey--
[ But then why is it that the moment she speaks, her voice cracking-- that she can't hold back the tears that suddenly trail fast down her cheeks. ]
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
[ she backs into hss and uses her tail to shut the door. she doesn't know what happened, but she doesn't care, not right now, because all that matters is making sure her friend feels safe. ] Kaguya, I'm here, alright, [ again, she squeezes her to punctuate her point. ] and no one and no thing is going to hurt you.
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
[ She doesn't know why she's crying. Suddenly everything she's held in the past few days spills forth, especially after these past few hours. She feels betrayed, hurt, and frustrated at her inability to do anything it seems.
She buries her face against her, tears falling fast and free with a muffled sob. ]
This is stupid, and I feel stupid. B-But please just let me stay here tonight.
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
It's not stupid. [ she says softly. ] But, of course, you're free to stay here for as long as you like. c'Mon, [ she doesn't let go and instead just starts walking her backward and toward her bedroom. ] to my room. [ it's a bit awkward, but they eventually make it to her room. ] We can go into my workshop and, there, nobody will bother us, alright? [ through the closet and into the workshop. kaguya's been here before, so she'll recognize the couch that d.va leads her to. ]
I'll bring some pillows and blankets in here and we can both stay here for the night. How does that sound?
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
I just... I can't show this to my unit. I don't want them to see how upset I am.
[ They already suspect, but had she broken down or the like, they might have stormed all of Imeeji on her behalf. ]
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
Do you want to talk about what happened? [ she sits alongside kaguya and drapes an arm around her, keeping her close. ]
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
[ She swallows but lets herself sink into the warmth of her friend. She's quiet for a few moments. No matter how she tries to think of explaining things, she feels like she's overreacting. Maybe she is. It's just been a rough couple weeks, and tonight... it feels like a lot of things coming to a head. ]
I really... don't care for Baritones.
[ Quietly. It's not fair. She like Yvette. She doesn't have a particular issue with anyone there, not really. Except for one, now. Though she knows their unit as a whole is fast to attack their own. ]
Shrike-san and Kohime-san wanted a contract. It made me uncomfortable though...and a little worried about Shrike-san.
[ She lifts a hand to scrub at one of her eyes again, her voice edged despite the upset. ]
I don't know why I cared to begin with. That was the second stupid mistake. The first was even bothering to agree to meet in the first place.
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
I guess it must have been kind of... bad to make you worry about her, huh? And there's nothing wrong with that; worrying. You were just looking out for a friend. Obviously if they were both coming to you they must not have really cared about the consequences, but it was nice of you to look out for her, even if they clearly didn't think so. I've had friends look out for me even when I was like c'mon, really, since I, ah, sometimes do first and think later. [ she gently knocks on her own head. ] And I'm glad for it every time.
Because you're a good friend, Kaguya. [ she tugs her closer, turning her head to brush her lips along the side of her head. ] A great friend, even. Did you know what you were getting in to when you agreed to meet?
Re: Day 164, Afternoon
It wasn't just about Shrike-san. Kohime... that person is manipulative and cruel. She doesn't exactly make it a secret, nor the fact that she doesn't like us on Taisho. My only real interaction was with her in that house. She made it clear she disliked us before her unit attacked mine.
[ Her fingers tighten, curling into the skirts of her dress, knuckles pulling white. ]
I don't even care that Baritones attacked us. I know people weren't themselves in that house. Even though they've never liked us from the start. Of course I died in that altercation, but she can't seem to forget the fact that she was killed as well by one of my unitmates despite being within the instigating party.
[ As though she's the only victim in all the world. The hypocrisy drives her mad. ]
. . . Someone came over, trying to figure out who it was that killed her.
[ She shakes her head. ]
I lied and told them I did, even though it's not true. I don't want people targetting others on my unit. Especially when she was responsible for part of the attack on us. But I don't like that people are inquiring into it. So many others were killed... so why are people trying to investigate into who Taisho somehow wronged on BARiTONES?
[ Her fingers tighten all the more. ]
I died 6 times in that house. Even... Even my most brutal death, I-- I'm not singling people out, you know? But she is and so I don't trust her. Not even a little, and I was right not to.
[ Her jaw tightens. ]
Kohime-san wanted protection outside of games and so she wanted Shrike-san to defend her no matter what should she need help until the point that she dies. And then the contract would be canceled. I was concerned because... if Kohime instigated something between one of Shrike's own unit members or my own, then Shrike would be forced into facing off with them. I didn't even outright reject the idea. I just expressed my concern and explained that I didn't know her very well... and wanted the assurance that this wouldn't come around to hurt Shrike or my own unit.
[ She shakes her head, feeling hurt and bitter about the entire affair. ]
She stormed off, and then later Shrike contacted me again to demand that I fight her in a duel for Kohime's honor and to force me to apologize. Hah-- [ Her voice cracks ] she did exactly what I was worried about with a contract. Kohime hid behind Shrike and instigated a fight. And I just feel so stupid.
Why did I care about someone like Shrike, to begin with?
[ When clearly she hadn't cared in return. She lifts a hand to scrub at her eyes.]
To get into her stupid graces, she was willing to use and humiliate me for my discomfort. I already--
[ Her voice cracks and she swallows, unable to fight back all the tears that want to spring anew. ]
I already knew I was pathetic in that house. And I hate fighting, but apparently that wasn't enough. So I fought because I was worried that refusing would have brought consequences to my unit. And I lost. Again.
[ Her chest feels so tight. Losing and failing over and over and over again takes a toll. ]
So I hope they're happy. They deserve one another and their toxic friendship. But I don't want anything to do with either of them again.