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[onerous]

"You have reached the automated voice mailbox of--"

"Um. Kozukata Yuri."

"At the tone, please record your message. when you are finished recording, you may hang up, or press 1 for more options. To leave a call back number, press 9."

Comments

[onerous]

Oh... [She blinks sleepily, checks her device and skims of the texts... Oh yeah.] I forgot. [She's sleepy, sue her.

'Honest from the start,' he says, and she tilts her head. For a long moment she says nothing, and it might look like she's not going to give a response at all until:] I like you, Souji. [And as if the declaration itself wasn't bold enough, forgoing all formality and politeness to address him so frankly... He said be honest, right?? So sure. She'll give him honesty.]

Against my better judgement, maybe. You're... refreshing. Different. And I like that. [She feels, on some level, a sense of connection and familiarity she doesn't get from most people. Maybe it's because of the memory sharing or something, but either way it's there. An understanding.

"Do you want to die?"
"I don't really care about living."

Not verbatim, but close enough.

She doesn't think Souji is entirely honest with his emotions or feelings or whatever, but he's more frank than most. He's not polite for politeness's sake. She shifts her chin to one hand, her free hand laying flat on the table.]

I... am not comfortable with most people. They're-- [Miu's voice echoes in her head, an old memory. It's all lies. People lied. And when you can reach out and so easily discover the truth...] A lot of the time, people will only say what they think you want to hear. They can easily smile to your face, while in their heads thinking terrible things.

I... learned that quickly, with this power. [Her tone is mildly bitter, because honestly that shit hurt when the people you thought were your friends would smile at your face, wish you luck in feeling better, while secretly thinking you're insane and a lost cause and sick. her fingers twitch slightly and she withdraws her hand] Maybe I should have known better to begin with, but... [But she hadn't had to think about such things before.]

You lie too. And that's fine, because everyone does. I don't need to read peoples' minds to know that much. But, I know that I can trust you, in some ways. If you didn't like me, I'd know. If you wanted to kill me, you would, and I wouldn't have to read your mind to know those things. [A pause and her voice softens] I suppose I like that. Enough so that I don't mind doing things like this once in a while.

[Not that she'd mind it to begin with because she does like helping people and can't say no to those who need help but. You know. The point still stands.]

[retorter]

[ Souji knew he said be honest, but he hadn’t actually expected her to be. It was the sort of careless comment he said only to embarrass or to sting, the sort people always ignored when it came from him. So when she looks at him for a long time and doesn’t say a thing, he looks back. His eyes narrow at the use of his first name, hackles instinctively rising at the familiar address. Refreshing? Different? She liked him for those reasons? He knew he was different, even back when he still pretended he could be like everyone else. His mouth thins, but he keeps quiet, eyes flatly focused on her. ]

[ He hears what she’s saying. A part of him wonders why she’s saying these things in the first place (it’s because I told her to, he remembers) and the other is wondering how to feel. He wouldn’t necessarily disagree with her. People do lie, and he lies too. She likes him because he doesn’t lie to her about the things people normally lie about? With a power like hers, that made sense. It reminds him too, that Yuri’s like him. They’re both people who aren’t really people at all. They’ve lived lives that were missing the things normal people got to have. ]

[ But the sincerity of this moment is enough to unnerve him. It makes him want to draw a line and pretend nothing happened. Because that’s what he always does when things like that happen, though they happen rarely. Yuri’s no Kondou-san, no person Souji can stick a smile on for. It’s a good thing that’s not what Yuri asks from him. She wants honesty? He can do that much for her. ]

You’re right. I won’t say things that you want to hear. There’s no point in lying about that. I don’t care if you decide to tell me your true feelings or hide them from me, either.

[ simply. ]

But don’t think that any of this means that we’re close enough to call each other by name, Kozukata.

[ His voice sharpens when he says her name, but his face is still neutral as ever. He places his chopsticks next to the plate and gets up. ]

You should leave. I'll return the plate tomorrow.

[onerous]

I simply wanted to make sure you were paying attention, Okita. [Hey if he's not going to be polite and use '-san,' than neither will she.

She watches him quietly, hearing the dismissal easily. It doesn't hurt or anyting, she wasn't expecting much else, but she doesn't get up right away.] If you didn't want me to speak honestly, you shouldn't have asked me to in the first place.

[BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, SOUJI. She presses her hands to the table and rises, her movements sluggish in her tiredness.] If you need anything further, I'm just next door. Okita-- [She calls out to him lightly and tilts her head.]

...Thank you. Even if you don't like hearing things like that. [Her expression is vaguely amused at is expense, feeling like she's managed to come out on top here in victory despite the fact he totally started this with texting her at ass 0'clock and all.

And thanks for what, Yuri?? Thanks for being more-or-less honest...? Something like that.]

[retorter]

[ She might as well be the victor in this situation here, especially with the way Souji’s ready to retreat. He doesn’t say anything back. He should. A thanks for the omurice and her time. But he doesn’t. ]

[ He just stands up as she does, pauses as she thanks him, then turns his back and heads deeper into his apartment without waiting to see her leave. ]

[ Once morning comes around, she'll find a plastic bag with the plate inside hanging on the doorknob of her apartment. it's gratitude, really.... ]