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[codeoracle]

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[codeoracle]

[No. No no no no no. That is not what she wanted. She didn't want him to think she'd abandon him--that's exactly what she wanted to avoid. This, like everything else around them lately, was a mess.]

Yusuke. Stop it.

Did I say I wanted to stop talking to you? I said I still needed you too. I don't want you to stop relying on me.

We're a team, even when you screw up. Even when I screw up. We fix it together.

[lempereur]

that's not what Akira said

[codeoracle]

I'm not Akira.

And I'm telling you...You and I? We are a team. That isn't changing. You still need me and I still need you.

And...Yusuke. Even if I didn't need you around...I'd want you to be.

[lempereur]

I know you're not.

I know we are.

You might want to consult him on that. I am merely the muscle, obviously not intelligent or capable enough to choose my own relationships. I'll have to wait on his wise judgement to decide that for me.

[codeoracle]

I can choose for myself too, Yusuke . I'll talk to him, but it's not something that's going to change my mind. You're more than what he said.

And you're stuck with me.

[lempereur]

You may want to wait. He was angry. Let him cool off, so I don't have to make him.

I hope so.

[codeoracle]

Sounds like everyone needs to take a step back and breathe.

...When you're calmer...come over. I'll prove it if I have to.

[lempereur]

I will see you tomorrow.

[codeoracle]

Tomorrow. Just...do what you need to tonight. I'll be here.

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi was going to call Futaba, but... she had said she used to be a shut in, right? Yeah, he'll stick with texting then. ]

Hey gremlin.
Are you busy?

[Text]

[codeoracle]

...Depends on what you need. It's been a day...

But I'm not actually /doing/ anything.

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

I hear you on that.

Me and Akira found a pretty huge cave under the train tracks outside of town. We're thinking of using it as a base for Persona users.

Wanna come check it out? If we can get mostly everyone together, we can catch everyone up to speed on what's going on.

[Text]

[codeoracle]

I'd be willing to give it a look.

...Who is "mostly everyone?"

[BECAUSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ADACHI.]

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

Uh.

Well.

Everyone but art boy?

It seems he's pissed off just about everyone.

[Text]

[codeoracle]

I've noticed.

...Okay. I'll go.

[Text]

[sleight_of_hand]

All right, I'm sending over directions. Be careful, though; so far we've only found an entrance from the top.

Also, me and Akira will be practicing until people show up, so don't be alarmed.

action;

[lempereur]

[ Sometime after...talking to Otabek? I Guess? What are timelines??

Futaba will get a knock on her door. Unannounced, but not unexpected. ]

[codeoracle]

[Timelines are a myth. Whenever he comes over, she's waiting and it doesn't take her long to answer the door.]

Hey...

[It's not the boisterous greeting she'd normally give, much more subdued and quiet, but it's still friendly and offered with a hint of a smile as she stands aside to let him in.]

[lempereur]

[ It's a normal routine by now. Nod politely, come inside, take off his shoes, vomit his secrets and feelings until they cover every surface. No end in sight. ]

How are you feeling?

[codeoracle]

I should be asking you that question...

[She looks up at him, clearly concerned. He was the one that had a blow-out fight with Akira, not her. And while she had said some things in the text the night before...her own hurt over a fairly unrelated situation could take a back seat. Yusuke needed support, and that's what she was going to give. Their friendship came first, she promised him that.]

[lempereur]

I'm...

[ Nope. Yusuke has to clench his teeth to cut himself off from the default response he's been using for years. I'm fine. It's a lie. It's hiding from the truth, something he made a vow to stop, and now he's doing it again. It has to end.

It's easier with Futaba, though. She at least understands. ]

I am not at my best. I am angry, and hurt, but I got some sleep, for once. I want to make things right, with everyone. I can't talk to Akira yet, so I am starting with you.

[codeoracle]

[Futaba waits as he stumbles over the default response--she almost expected it. It's easier to fall back on an I'm fine, easier that exposing raw nerves and letting the hurt bubble to the surface.

She's surprised when he pushes through and is honest. Progress.]

Starting with me...okay.

[Oh no.]

[lempereur]

[ Maybe, technically, he started with Otabek? Not that he'd done anything to hurt him, but he should have told him everything before agreeing to date him. There's a lot of things he should have done, and didn't, since he came here. Yusuke is trying to make up for them, not dwell on them. ]

Yes, Futaba. I have been doing a lot of thinking, and talking. I have been so caught up in my own whirlwind of everything that I hurt you. I know I did, and I am sorry. I cannot help the way I feel or don't feel any more than you can, but I can pay attention. I just...didn't. I neglected your feelings and breezed past you, and you are not the first to fall victim to my carelessness.

[ ...he'll talk to Brendan later. If he'll even listen. ]

You are important to me, no matter who feels what. I want to be a better friend.

[codeoracle]

Yusuke...

[She appreciates the thought behind his apology, knowing it comes from a place of honesty. But she hates that he felt the need to apologize for getting caught up in his own feelings--It sucked, it hurt, but she hadn't really done much to make him any more aware of it.]

I didn't bring it up. I could have confronted you about how I felt past...past confessing in the first place, but I didn't. It hurt, hurts, but I didn't tell you it did.

I pushed it down, hid it, because I didn't want to come in between anything when you were obviously serious about Yuri--and now I know that involves Otabek too. I should have been honest...

[She offers a slight smile after a moment.]

I know I'm important to you, just like you're important to me. I can't say it's going to be an easy thing moving past...this, but I'll be more honest if I'm feeling left behind.

[lempereur]

You brought it up once, and it was not subtle. That should have been enough for me to realize I needed to be more careful.

[ Yusuke moves over to have a seat on the couch, pulling one knee up towards his chest to lay his head on, and letting the other one dangle off. ]

He told me I was being self-centered. It isn't a lie. I have been trying to handle everything on my own, just like back then, before the Thieves.