05: † text

[salvagedsoul]

Hello, everyone.

I have been in United Earth territory since June. I was released last week. Although I have been inspected and declared safe by the Initiative, I feel that it is my obligation to notify you all of what happened.

I am very eager to see some of you again. I am staying in my assigned housing at 502 while I continue to recover. Please come by at your convenience.


((feel free to use this post for both network conversations and action!))

Comments

[salvagedsoul]

[Kaworu looks down into the tea.]

A foolish impulse. It was a bad idea.

[substitutable]

[Shintaro doesn't press for more information. He does, however, put the tray down and scoot closer and lean over, arm outstretched, and place his hand atop Kaworu's head. He pauses for a fraction of a second and then messes up his hair because kid, you're like four years younger than him and he keeps forgetting that because last time, you took care of him. How uncool is that?]

Don't do it again, all right? You worried a bunch of people.

[salvagedsoul]

[Shintaro's hand nearly makes him wince and jerk away. Kaworu is shocked by his own impulse, and tenses as he's touched.

That Shintaro is doing this for him... it warms Kaworu's starved heart, and at the same time, his hollow, ignorant words of encouragement mean nothing.]

...I won't. I promise. Selfishness - it can really hurt others...

[substitutable]

[He makes sure Kaworu's hair is thoroughly messed up before pulling back again.]

Yeah? [Kaworu's probably right about that. Shin's done his fair share of hurting people by being selfish. And for that reason, he has to add on: ]

Well... I'm not exactly someone who should be preaching to you about this sort of thing, I guess. Don't worry about it. But we are flatmates, so if you need me or Momo or Ene to do anything for you, feel free to ask. Even if it's something like getting you something from the store...

[salvagedsoul]

I don't intend to inconvenience and stress others any more than I have.

[he brings the tea to his mouth and drinks the rest in a few long sips.]

Besides, you have your hands full helping your friends.

[substitutable]

If we didn't try to help our just-returned roommate after he had a hard time, I'm the one that gets yelled at by Kido. Besides, you helped us when we were sick and I haven't returned that favor yet.

How's the tea?

[salvagedsoul]

It's good. [he smiles calmly into the empty glass.]

How are the others, then...? Kido is alright?

[substitutable]

They're fine. Their, uh... sister, our friend, arrived that month so they're busy keeping an eye on her and everything.

Everything's mostly back to the way it was.

[salvagedsoul]

That's good.

[he sets the glass back onto the tray. Shintaro's company is nice. He doesn't know anything about what's bothering Kaworu - it's nice to be around a person like that.]

Thank you for the tea, Kisaragi-san.

[substitutable]

No problem. If you want more, the water's still hot.

You hungry? If you're feeling up to it, I can message Kido and ask her to make something easy for you to eat. I mean, you've got the hair and the eye thing going but you're probably from Japan so you're familiar with the food, right?

[salvagedsoul]

[he smiles at the question.] I grew up in Germany. I'm still familiar with Japanese food, though. I would like to see Kido again, too.

[substitutable]

Great. I'm sure she won't say no, so I'll send her a text later so she can make something for you too.

You feeling okay?

[salvagedsoul]

[He nods, slowly.]

I'll be alright. Thank you for your care and concern.

[despite his words, there is something fake or inhuman about Kaworu's calm. it doesn't look like he's going to be telling Shintaro anytime soon, though.]

May I ask you something, Kisaragi-san? About the Dan.

[substitutable]

The Dan?

[He draws his feet closer to the bed, straightening his back from the slouch it was in. He wasn't expecting a question.]

What is it?

[salvagedsoul]

That... that is the question. What is it? You seem to be quite a tight-knit group.

[Kaworu glances down at Shintaro's fidgeting curiously.]

If it's private, you don't have to tell me. [He's just intrigued - by Kido in particular. He hasn't spoken with her in a long time.]

[substitutable]

It's a little different back home, but here? It's pretty much a support group or a friend-making group. It's really not that private; Kido's told me a few times to go out and find people to "recruit" -- usually just to help people get settled here by having someone to show them the ropes. That kind of thing.

To be honest, I only met them the day that I got brought to Exsilium. I was out with Ene when the mall we were at got attacked by terrorists, and apparently they helped take them down. I didn't know they were there, but I kind of got shot around the end of it. I woke up in Kido and the others' apartment and my sister was there, too.

[He says that casually, but he pauses once it's all out and wonders if he should've said that with more seriousness. Got shot? Well, it was true, but it was only a scrape, too...]

... Anyway, they're not bad people, and they're just always on the hunt for friends or something here, but I've only known them for as long as I've been in Exsilium.