Down under the night sky, I lay in wait...

[hellpyre]

Who: Rin and Bon
When: Day 77, late evening, way after the teams return
Where: By the river
What: The two exorcist derps need to have a talk
Style: Action
Warnings: None
Status: CLOSED

[Yet another Core had been retrieved, but returning also revealed that in the effort to find one of their own, two more had vanished. Even if she hadn't known them very well, she had spent time with Nezumi and Shion, and hearing that had dulled the joy that had come from being able to make more of the Bastion grow.

It wasn't fair. For every step forward, it felt like there was a step back, and it was taking a toll on a lot of people, Rin being among them. It hurt to think she couldn't protect the people that they had found, and as much as tried to tell herself that she couldn't save everyone, it was just that difficult to convince herself of it.

After things had settled down from the return, Rin had quietly wandered away from the group without speaking to anyone, eventually settling down next to the river, staring at the water with a tired, wary frown. She would have been fine if no one found her there, because the way she felt, she really didn't want to talk.]

Comments

[kyotoprincess]

[Of course, that meant that somebody had to find her, and what better somebody than someone who wanted to lecture her for being reckless again?

When Bon noticed that Rin had disappeared, he went looking for her. The river was actually the second place he checked, the first being her apartment, so he found her pretty soon after she had wandered off. And once he found her, he sat down beside her, not saying anything quite yet.

He wanted to wait and see if Rin spoke first.]

[hellpyre]

Are you here to yell at me again?

[Her voice came out quiet, muffled by the arms her face was buried in. She didn't even bother to move, or look up at him - some how she just knew who it was that had actively looked for her.]

[kyotoprincess]

[He really, really wants to, and he would be lying if he said otherwise. But something about Rin's voice makes him stop for a moment before answering.]

I was hoping we could talk instead of yell.

[hellpyre]

[Rin stays quiet for a stretch, but eventually her voice does filter through, even softer.]

Okay...

[kyotoprincess]

[He'll start off with the obvious part first.]

It's not your fault.

[hellpyre]

I know that...

[She shook her head, sniffling quietly.]

Doesn't make me feel less shitty 'bout it.

[kyotoprincess]

Because you're blaming yourself for it, am I right? "If I'd been watching them closer, they wouldn't have disappeared," something like that?

[hellpyre]

Scares me a little how easy you can get in my head...

[So, yes.]

[kyotoprincess]

Yeah, well, we've been friends for how long now? And you're really easy to read anyway.

[hellpyre]

[She almost pointed out that it was a different version of herself that he had been friends with first, but she knew that was going to make both of them fell worse.

Her head finally lifted, arm rubbing across red eyes and flushed cheeks, betraying that she had been crying for the better part of half an hour before he managed to find her.]

Yeah... I know...

[kyotoprincess]

[He had been trying to clear the air a bit, but upon seeing Rin's red face he knows that this is more serious than he had initially thought. He frowns, and he looks away again.

The silence hangs there for a while, as he tries to think of what else to say to her. He wants to tell her off for the whole worm monster thing, but right now doesn't seem like the best time.]

...You really are too sensitive, you know that, right?

[hellpyre]

You think I like bein' like this?!

[Her voice doesn't raise any, but it does crack with emotions that she had been holding back for months.]

I'm tryin' to be strong for everyone but I can't do it! I just can't! Shit was tough back home but at least we never lost anyone!

Even before I found you... there was two others before Marie, Nezumi and Shion... and I know there's gonna be others...

I wanted to become an exorcist so I'd be strong enough that no one else would have to die, but I can't do that here...

[kyotoprincess]

[Not this shit again.]

You don't have to be strong enough for everyone! It's not like everyone else can't be strong too!

[Fuck, he's yelling. He stops for a moment to calm himself before speaking again.]

We're in this together, remember? All of us are. So don't take this into yourself, let everyone share the worry and grief.

[hellpyre]

[His raised voice does make her flinch, but she doesn't retaliate in kind. It helps that he calms down before it can escalate.

Unfortunately it does get the tears going again.]

What if I don't know how to? I'm used to takin' everything on myself... I know I shouldn't but I don't know how to let that go...

[kyotoprincess]

Trust me.

[It sounds so simple, but Bon is still going to explain it a bit better.]

Most of everyone here is new to you, or at least newer than I am, but I've known you a long time now. It's been almost a year at this point, and we've been through a lot of crap together. So even if you have a hard time leaning on others, you can at least lean on me.

[hellpyre]

I do trust you. More than anyone here! E-even if we were back home that'd be true!

[It's a good thing her face was already red from crying, because admitting that so suddenly was enough to make her blush a little more. Her next words stumbled, but she kept going with what she wanted to say through her flustered state.]

I... I just... I don't wanna lose anyone else. And I'm scared that the next one that goes is gonna be you...

[kyotoprincess]

[He thinks the blush is from Rin crying, so instead of reading the real meaning behind her words he figures she's just upset and needs some reassurance.]

I'm not going anywhere.

[He even manages a little half-smile at the next part.]

If I get lost, who's going to keep you out of trouble?

[hellpyre]

[She's okay with that, because this is probably the worst time ever to both figure out what her feelings for him are, but to confess them as well. The last thing she wants to do is chase him off when she needs a friend more than ever.]

Tch...

[She scoffed quietly at that]

... guess I do kinda attract trouble.

[kyotoprincess]

'You guess'?

[It's kind of a sure-fire thing, wherever Rin is trouble is not far behind.]

[hellpyre]

Ugh, geez, I'm a damn trouble magnet, okay?!

[Well... huffiness is better than crying]

Just... I don't think we're gonna be able to avoid gettin' in to trouble out there, especially when there's a Core around...

[kyotoprincess]

Well, if nothing else, we learned something today: the monsters will go after whoever has the Core. We can use that against them next time.

[hellpyre]

This is the first time they've really swarmed like that though. Like... they're catchin' on to what we're tryin' to do or somethin'.

[Rin frowns thoughtfully, and fidgets a bit until she more comfortable. It's not just people vanishing that has been bothering her, but now that she's gotten as much off her chest, she brings up another point.]

Why d'ya think the walls were like that? No way up or around, just... over. Seems kinda weird, doesn't it?

[kyotoprincess]

They probably did have ways up, we just didn't find them.

[They did seem to stretch on for quite a while, they probably surrounded the city.]

...I wonder if the city had trouble with other groups attacking.

[hellpyre]

So like... a barrier?

[That makes her frown even more. The more they find out, the less they really know.]

Maybe...

[kyotoprincess]

A barrier of sorts, I'm guessing. Not the magical kind, just bricks and mortar.

[hellpyre]

A wall is still a wall, even if it's bein' with magic or by hand. Still means they were tryin' to protect themselves from somethin'.

[kyotoprincess]

The thing is, I don't think it's monsters they were protecting the people from. You saw them, they went right over that wall like it was nothing. Whatever they were trying to keep out, it wasn't monsters.

[hellpyre]

Yeah...

This place just keeps gettin' more confusin'...

[kyotoprincess]

I think we should try talking to the people from the city. They might have more answers about this.

[hellpyre]

Maybe. They haven''t exactly had a lotta info up til now though.

[She sighs faintly, moving her arm to tuck some wayward strands of hair behind her pointed ear. The wound on her arm is healing at it's own pace, as her injuries usually do, but there's still the remnants of a red, burn-like mark where she was hit by the Scumbag's ooze.

She had wandered off while everyone was still talking, and had completely forgotten to get it wrapped up. It didn't even really hurt anymore, though, which led her to ignoring it in the first place.]

[kyotoprincess]

[Whoops he sure does notice that wound, and already he sounds worried.]

Did the monsters hurt you?

[hellpyre]

Huh?

[Rin blinks and turns her arm around to look at it, not even catching that Bon is actually worried about her.]

Oh. Yeah I got hit by that Scumbag that showed up at the last minute... I had like... five or six Squirts on me and I didn't see it spittin' it's shit all over the place.

[kyotoprincess]

[Yeesh, that must have hurt. But at least this time Bon isn't scolding her for putting herself in danger.]

Here, I'll go get some bandages.

[He's already standing up to go, too.]

[hellpyre]

[They were all pretty much in the middle of that ambush. It's pointless to get angry over them getting hurt, because Rin wasn't the only one.

She's still grateful he doesn't make a big deal over it.]

'kay...

[She watches him leave, looking back at her arm and curiously prodding it with a finger.]

Ow.

[Okay, it still hurts.]

[kyotoprincess]

[It looks like the bandages are more needed to protect Rin from hurting herself than anything else.

But anyway, he returns with some after a little bit.]

I only took a little bit from the supplies, since I figured you wouldn't need that much.

[hellpyre]

Yeah... it's healin', but it still hurts if I touch it. Otherwise I barely noticed it after we got back.

[For more than one reason, but she doesn't bring that up.

She moves so she's facing him, holding her arm out. She's used to this routine by now, with all the times Yuki had to patch her up from fights back home.]

... thanks, Bon.