cpt_ressentiment | • ic contact •

[It's completely understandable that he hadn't and she wouldn't blame him in the slightest.]

I'll be there in twenty minutes. Tadashi-san explained some of what happened. But I want to see you. Please, expect me.

[And she will be there as quickly as she can, tapping on the door.]

[ Oh good, so she knows some of what happened. At least there's that. Mixed blessing as it is.

He spends the time before she arrives attempting to make himself look a little less like "I have totally not been sleeping and hospitals sucks and I have refused to leave Yu's side because duh," and a little more like he's managing to keep it together. Who knows how well that'll work, though.

He cracks the smallest of smiles when he answers the door, steps back to let her in. ]

Hey, Rei-san. It's really good to see you again.

[With a psychic involved, it's not really working terribly well. She can feel the waves of negative emotion and worry washing off him through the door, and when he does open it, she does step inside.

And right into a hug, a tight one. Cerealia has made her more physically expressive and open, at least a bit.]

It's good to see you too. [Smiling back somewhat sourly, she lets him go and bows her head.]

I was glad to hear you made it through everything alive. How...bad were your injuries?

[ He was not expecting a hug, but... he would be bold-faced lying if he tried to say he wasn't grateful. He's stiff about it at first - because of course he is - but he's worn down enough that he relaxes much sooner than he otherwise would, lets himself give her that hug right back and even lets his forehead rest against her shoulder for a moment.

But he steps back when she does, shakes his head at the mention of injuries, and suddenly, he's pretty okay with looking down at the floor as he finally shuts the door behind them. ]

Mine weren't so bad. Not compared to a lot of the others. Bruises and cuts, mostly. I'm just sore. [ There's a long pause. ] How much did Tadashi-san tell you? 'Cause... not everyone did make it back alive.

[He looks like he needs it. And she sticks close to him, even after breaking the embrace, ready to hold on if he needs more support. he'd always been so bright, and that's why seeing this is so foreign. So...strange. Her hand does reach for one of his, if he's inclined. Just to be there, to give him something.]

He told me there were monsters, he told me what you learned, and he told me...two boys died. I don't...know them. Link-san and Arisato-san.

[She pauses too, eyes searching his for some sign.]

I'm...so sorry, Yosuke-kun. I wish I'd been there to help.

Yeah. They...

[ He trails off, suddenly very glad for that offered hand, which his takes as he ducks his head yet again. ]

No, it... I'm glad you weren't there, too. I mean-- I don't mean-- just... if anything had happened to you, too...

[ Deep breaths, Yosuke. ... He looks up again. ]

Anyway. Minato, he... he got in the way of the huge monster trying to eat us. It just... ate him. [ He cringes a bit. That is a set of sounds that will haunt him for a very long while. ] And Link... he was hurt. Bad. And we thought we fixed it - magic, our Personas, everything we had - but it still wasn't enough. I was carrying him. Then that thing came and attacked us, and--...

[ He trails off again. There's guilt in his eyes. He definitely feels responsible for Link. ]

Yosuke.

[Rei's voice turns suddenly hard, tight and thready with tension. The hand squeezes a bit more pressingly, and she hugs him again, this time not letting go. It's not the kind of thing she'd normally do, but it's clear he needs it. Even dropping the honorific is meant to be a sign, a warning.]

First. Never, ever doubt me. You don't know what I'm capable of.

[Wrapping her arm around him to the back of his head, she gathers him against her, trying to be comforting, just...trying to act like Usagi for once. It's awkward for her, but she's trying. she's trying so hard...because shew knows what this is like.]

Second. It's not your fault. Neither of these things is your fault. You all made a choice to go into danger, to put your lives on the line. I know none of you thought it would happen, but it did, and there's not anything you can do to change the past right now. You have to move forward, remain strong. Honor the choices they made, especially Minato-san's.

[ Warning received, and at first, he's a little wide-eyed - at least it snaps him out of his downward-spiraling thoughts?

Then, he wants to protest, actually, just a little - that even if she's totally capable (and he doesn't doubt she is!) it doesn't mean he's not still gonna worry, that things couldn't still go horribly wrong, especially since that's exactly what just happened...

But she's barrelling on ahead, and tugging him back into that hug, and he lets it happen. He shuts up, he listens to every word that she says, and he lets himself rest against her while he takes it all in. ]

I-I know. I know all that, but... Dammit. [ His voice cracks a little on unshed tears. ] I couldn't even do anything! Minato was gone, and then I went back for Link, but I was too late and he... ... How is that not even a little bit my fault?

[Rei's hands, strong and warm hands, run through his hair. There's affection in it, sympathy too, a gentility reserved for people she truly cared for but stilted by awkwardness as she adjusts. She didn't want to let him go, and while it was odd, playing the Moon Rabbit for a boy...it was needed. He needed it, and with her best friend not there, she had to be it. And did so, gladly...if stiffly.]

Because Link-san made the choice to come. Do you really believe he blames you? Because I have a feeling that if he knew what you were saying to me, he'd agree with me.

[She takes a breath, shuddering and slow and her voice changes. It deepens into something much older, much more mature. Not the teenage girl, but the voice of an old soldier, a veteran of a thousand wars.]

Yosuke...I know you've gone into battle before, but you're still new at this. I'm sorry that it all came crashing down around you, but you can't blame yourself.

[ While she may be stiff, he's certainly a little awkward himself - almost fidgety, like a little kid who's not quite used to how hugs even work yet. Not that it matters. He is still incredibly glad for the physical affection, and all of the comfort she's giving to him, and that much is pretty obvious - probably especially to her, he thinks.

Her tone changes, and he notices. Hell, maybe it's something else he needed and didn't know, the way he feels a small part of that swirling negativity in his head dissipate, little by little. He stands up a bit straighter - silently letting her know that she can let go now, if she wants, he's okay (or, well, he will be) - and nods his head a few times. He lets out a deep, somewhat shaky breath before he speaks. ]

Yeah. Definitely still pretty new. Just... You know, I got to talk to him a little. And, heh, you're right, he was pretty determined to tell me it wasn't my fault. I just... can't help thinking. I guess I can't let it go. Not yet.

[She does take the cue, patting his shoulder gently before taking a step clear. She doesn't want to press more than is wanted, and really she wants to get clear. There's too much going through her head to think completely straight, a seriously note of familiarity in this conversation. It reminded her a bit of her own talk with Ryuko after the raid, albeit with less yelling.]

You can. You need to, especially if he says so. Because it wasn't your fault. [Her voice remains that same old voice, full of fire. ]

Or does having a Persona make you omniscient? Because I don't think it does. Don't beat yourself up for not knowing everything, and how it was going to happen.

You know, sometimes? I kinda wish it did. Then I think about it, and I realize, that would probably suck. So... no.

[ Small, dumb attempt at humor? YEP. But he does crack the tiniest of smiles, even if it's barely more than a twitch of the corner of his mouth. ]

You're right, though. I'll try. ... No - I will. [ Even if it's not immediately. ] Thanks, Rei-san. Thanks so much.

[ He is pretty sure he doesn't deserve you as a friend right this second, but he's grateful as hell. ]

[There's a half second where she wants to smack him, but only a half second. She manages a weak smile of her own, but there's still fire in her words. Passion and power.]

Of course. I'm here for you, Yosuke-kun. After...the raids, a friend of mine told me that I can't dwell on not dying beside my friends. And you can't either. At least you made it back alive, so I can tell you these things.

[A subtle shift in her language at least.]

I trust you to be the same for me, if I need it again. [Despite you being...well...not the one she'd gotten close to. Same heart, same mind.]

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