REAPSODY Week 5 - Kaiba (post-erasure)

[wantsnudes]

[After the erasures, Yusuke leaves the church feeling numb. It was bittersweet, knowing the victims this week had gone to their deaths willingly, and all in order to save Akira...

He's clutching Mutsu's katana in his hand, tight. Wherever Kaiba is, he intends to go seek him out.]

Comments

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[ Kaiba doesn't stick around after the executions, slipping out without actually getting involved in any conversation. He's tired, and they were only just getting started with what needed to be done before the end. That said, he's not hiding, and Yusuke might think to find him in some of the mall space behind the Apple store; there's a small seating area still within wifi range that Kaiba's staked out for most of the week, and he is indeed there. A virtual screen is called up on his Duel Disk, but he's just staring at it blankly ]

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke finds him in his usual spot soon enough, and sits down to join him, carefully placing the katana in the seat beside him. He won't let it out of his sight, but he also handles it reverently, like it's a precious object more than a fighting tool.

He looks at the blank screen, then to Kaiba.]

Kaiba-san... What are you doing?

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[ He turns when Yusuke speaks, finally noticing him there as the window times out. He shakes his head, pulling up an expression ]

...Nothing.

How are you doing after everything?

[wantsnudes]

[he's still curious, but he won't pester him about it. it's not like Yusuke understands technology even with an explanation half the time, anyway]

I'm grateful Akira is safe... and I haven't given up. Everyone's hopes are resting on our shoulders.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

Good. There's still a lot to do this week before we can decide if we can end this game or not.

...So. You and Kurusu are...maintaining?

[ It's not quite clear whether he means with regards to Makoto or with regards to each other, but honestly both work ]

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke nods, solemn.]

I talked to Akira, and we've made amends. Even if it hurt, I understand why he acted as he did, now.

[...he doesn't particularly want to talk about Makoto when that wound is still fresh, so he'll leave it at that.]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[ Kaiba isn't interested in digging anything up anyway, so he doesn't. Still-- ]

Did he apologize? Or did you simply forgive him?

[wantsnudes]

No, he apologised. I just wanted him to be a better friend and a better leader... It didn't matter to me if he was a Reaper or not.

I apologised to him, too. I don't take well to being lied to, after Madarame, but I still panicked and leaped to assumptions I regret.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

Ah...

[ well, since this seems to be happening anyway-- ]

I didn't want to worry you by accusing your friend of being a Reaper, so I didn't tell you my thoughts. And once Kurusu explained to me, it wasn't my place to spill his secret. ...I hope you aren't too offended I kept all that from you this whole time.

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke shakes his head.] I'm not offended. Though it does seem everyone knew besides me... I only learned the truth after last week's executions, when Akira told me himself.

Even so... I never expected he would actually erase anyone. I thought he would find a way to avoid it, right until the end.

[he was naive, and he let his own high opinion of his friend run contrary to the reality of their situation...]

In hindsight, if I had been able to look at the situation more rationally, I probably would not have struggled as I did.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

...It can be difficult to think ill of people you care about. And you seem to think overly highly of people to begin with.

[ was that supposed to be comforting? ugh he is bad at this ]

--Anyway, I'd suspected something was up for a long while, but only confronted them on Monday. Kurosaki stayed coy, but Kurusu seemed ready. Maybe he already knew about Crowe...I doubt he had a choice in it either way.

[wantsnudes]

Is it a bad thing? I hold you in high esteem as well, you know.

[then again he'd be equally oblivious if Kaiba did any bad shit, so uh, point made]

I ought to have told you the truth about Akira so you wouldn't need to confront him... But given my assumptions, I didn't think it would matter if you knew or not. And I didn't want to endanger anyone, when he told me that sharing too much could get him Erased.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[ him holding kaiba in high esteem is 100 percent the reason for the comment, so ]

It's fine. I think we were both after the same thing in the end, and it's worked out for now, despite everything. Now that the beans have been spilt, no more need for sneaking around, right?

[wantsnudes]

Yes. I'm relieved... I don't know how many more secrets I could handle.

And what about you, Kaiba-san? I'm sure we've been worrying you all this time, but I'd like to know if you've had difficulties, too.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

"Difficulties," other than being stuck living on the streets like a transient as slayings happened around me I was apparently powerless to stop?

[wantsnudes]

Yes, well... Such are the conditions of the Game. I'm asking about you, personally.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

...I'll be fine once this is over. Either things will get back to normal, or--there'll be different issues to deal with, but in any case, it won't be this.

[ he waves a hand at the situation ]

[wantsnudes]

We'll find a way to save everyone, and return to life. I'm sure of it.

You deserve to return to see your brother. And a beautiful dream like yours... It cannot be allowed to slip away from the world.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

...If I don't do it, Mokuba...my brother will. He'll survive, and he'll make it happen.

[wantsnudes]

But it would be better if you were there with him, wouldn't it? Keep that goal in your mind as we navigate these final weeks.

[not that he thinks he hasn't over the entire course of the game, but... a reminder couldn't hurt]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

...

I don't have any intention of giving up on making this game last to the end. I'm not that much of a hypocrite. I want to go home. And I want you to be able to get back where you need to be.

[wantsnudes]

Good.

[Smiles a bit, and reaches across the table to take his hand. It seemed to make him feel better before, so why not?]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[ Oh--

--But Seto Kaiba's really never been good at refusing himself--how in the world else would he have so many dragon-shaped items?--so what else can he do but grip back tightly and try to keep the heat from his ears? ]

...

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke seems happy that Kaiba doesn't pull away or make some scathing comment, so he just leaves his hand where it is and looks back to the Duel Disk.]

Can you show me more of how this works?