[ When Akira pulls back, Minato follows a little, looking at Akira's face attentively and fiercely. It's only after scanning his expression for a long moment that Minato finally reaches out again--
This time to gently, almost tenderly brush his thumb over the barely healed scab along his lip. ]
... You jumped in there to try to save as many people as you could. You tried to support the people here, even despite everything going on. You were there for me... and I'm sure a lot of other people too, when we needed you.
I mean it. Don't... don't be too hard on yourself here. Bugbear... is going to need all of us at our best. And... whatever comes in the future--we'll make sure it doesn't end like this again.
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survivaltricks) wrote2021-09-17 11:25 pm
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I know you are.
This... helps me, too.
[ Since he can't do anything else-- at least he can try to help the people he can. It helps him keep himself together. ]
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[gives a quiet nod, gaze dropping for a bit before he lifts it again, mustering up the strength to shove aside his exhaustion so he can focus-- focus]
Are you okay?
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And then reaches out to gently smoosh Akira's cheeks between his hands--oh-so-gently, but insistently nonetheless. ]
You need to rest before you go around worrying about other people.
You did good work out there, Akira.
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[makes an indignant noise and pulls back a little, but very gently. his expression falls a bit, lips curving into a frown]
I didn't.
[he DIDN'T!!!]
I didn't do. . . anything at all. Despite being her-- [. . .] Her "administrator" or whatever, I didn't do anything, Minato.
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This time to gently, almost tenderly brush his thumb over the barely healed scab along his lip. ]
... You jumped in there to try to save as many people as you could. You tried to support the people here, even despite everything going on. You were there for me... and I'm sure a lot of other people too, when we needed you.
You've done more than you think.
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[kind of. freezes at that contact, expression going slack as goosebumps prickle his skin all the way up his arms and across the back of his neck]
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Minato. . .
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[ Too much?
Too much, he thinks.
He lets his hand fall, but even so-- ]
I mean it. Don't... don't be too hard on yourself here. Bugbear... is going to need all of us at our best. And... whatever comes in the future--we'll make sure it doesn't end like this again.
1/2
[. . .]
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. . . none of us were really prepared for what was going to happen.
[squares his shoulders]
Were we?
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He... keeps his hand there for a moment, even though Akira lets it go, before slowly, tentatively lowering it.
... it was warm, but... he's not sure why Akira reached out or what it means.
It's fine. That's not what matters right now. ]
... No. None of us were. And... it's not fair that one team had to bear the fallout when they didn't even know what was coming.
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I think. . . everything that can be done here has been done.
[he glances over to where the crowds are beginning to disperse, now that Bugbear has mostly been taken care of]
Do you-- ah. . . need me to take you back to Cerberus?
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Yeah.
Yeah, definitely. ]
Mm...
[ Minato pushes himself up to his feet, offering Akira a hand. ]
Yeah, if you don't mind.
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[takes that hand to hoist himself back onto his feet. he seems a little less dazed now, so!! at least!! there's that!!]
[it's a toss-up whether he has noticed his wings are gone and have been replaced with twitchy cat ears and a lashing tail, though]
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But.
He kind of looks like he's not sure what's going on with that. He does keep sneaking glances as they walk, though. ]
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— I really am okay, Minato.
[and totally misinterpreting what it's about]
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I do believe you...
[ mostly ]
It's just... you haven't always had cat ears... have you?
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. . . hn?
[and lifts a hand to?? pat his head?? his fluffy tail twitching in confusion???]
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... I don't remember them. Before... now.
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I didn't--
[and he cranes his head over his shoulder to look at his bac. wings?? gone???]
-- where are Fran's wings??
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[ Minato will even peer around Akira's back, but... nope! ]
They're gone. It's like they've been replaced by the ears and tail.
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[u know what]
[on the list of shit that has happened over the past three days this only rates like a two on the shit scale, so]
[he's just]
[going to throw his hands into the air]
You know what? Sure.
Whatever. This might as well happen.
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I don't understand, but I guess it's pretty harmless. So long as you're feeling okay...
[ ... ]
The cat ears are really cute, anyway.
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[incredulously, but not with displeasure]
Thanks. Deep down I always knew I was a bona fide cat boy.
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closes mouth
he does not know what to say to that ]
... You said it, not me.
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