ryusei flashing is grounds for no joy

[asteroidbelt]

[shirtless]

... This isn't going to hurt, is it?

Comments

[asteroidbelt]

[I didn't regain what was most important to me. He relapsed. Gentarou's death would have been for nothing if you hadn't brought him back.]

My... reasoning. [Gentarou is... an idiot. This "reasoning" would never apply to— to other murderers.] [mutter] My reasoning wouldn't have meant anything if Gentarou weren't there.

[mathemagician]

What do you mean?

[he's being nice and asking so he doesn't make something up]

[asteroidbelt]

[Do I really have to spell it out or do you just want to make me say it?]

[Gonna slowly put on my shirt to stall.]

Jirou relapsed. If you hadn't brought him—Gentarou—back, there would be no "reasoning." [Just a corpse, a killer, and a comatose.] ... It would have been for nothing.

[mathemagician]

[hey wait no one said you had to do that, even though it makes it easier to talk to you.]

You would have found a way...

[asteroidbelt]

[I confronted Yamada prepared to die, Kengo.]

That was my only way. I wouldn't have killed Gentarou otherwise, Kengo.

[ . . . I thought you wanted to hurt me.] Why...? Why are you....

[mathemagician]

[oh right that minor detail

and wow it's really weird to hear you say my first name since no version of you ever has around me]

-- why am I what?

[asteroidbelt]

. . . [turning away.] Nothing.

. . .

It's hard now, but you revive Gentarou, in the future. Believe in that. [heading out the door]

[mathemagician]

Sakuta!

[goddammit

no you are not leaving

grabbing arm and tugging you right back into this room]

[asteroidbelt]

[Don't touch me.]

Don't you believe me?

[mathemagician]

[well it's not like i want to.]

You don't understand anything.

[asteroidbelt]

Not going to give up on me? [Is that why you're telling me that?] I understand enough. Let go of me.

[mathemagician]

[not saying anything, just going to stand here holding your wrist and being awkward.]

[asteroidbelt]

[my hands are in fists right now. let go. i don't want to give you ammunition against me if i hurt you pulling away.]

[mathemagician]

[....well where did this anger come from all of a sudden.

also nope.]

If you leave, you wouldn't come back, would you?

[asteroidbelt]

[you're sickly. i don't want to hurt you.]

[... come back? do you want to watch me cry that badly?] . . . Let go.

[mathemagician]

. . .

[reluctantly lets go, taking a few steps back]

Figures.

[asteroidbelt]

[why]

. . . [I was trying to—] That's right. [bitter so bitter] So stay away. [That way, in addition to— everything else, I won't have to watch you die.]

[mathemagician]

For once in your life, you should think about what someone else might want.

[hey look there's the bitter. it came back. Kengo's just going to go wander a little further away, but he's still here.]

[asteroidbelt]

[how did you somehow paralyze me. if i bite my lip hard enough and look down to hide my eyes, would i be able to sob completely silently]

[mathemagician]

[it takes a minute for him to notice and there's the awkward heart drop.]

... why are you doing that?

[asteroidbelt]

[does it look like i am capable of speaking coherently right now]

[mathemagician]

... Sakuta.

[dammit no stop pulling at my heart i'm supposed to hate you right now.

sigh.

walks back over, grabs arm.

god this is the stupidest...

fine, screw it. you're getting pulled in closer and an arm around your shoulders. welcome to the most awkward hug ever because Kengo clearly has no idea what he's doing.]

[asteroidbelt]

[don't touch me. don't—

if this is you attempt at hurting me i swear on jirou's life i'll—





I am so... annoyed. How could I let Kengo of all people see my weakness

—Don't touch me.]

[pulling away, turning around]

[mathemagician]

[fine i'll just try harder.

grabbing again, pulling back over, now a better attempt at a hug.

dammit you are not leaving.]

[asteroidbelt]

[I don't want to hurt you.

why are you doing this to me]

Let go.