[Video]

[whatwas]

Merlin's gone.

[At least he's not breaking things this time. But if possible, he looks even worse than when Johannes left.]

I'm...I need a few days away.

[To sneak around with Yuca, yes, but also to heal broken heart do manly stuff like smash beer cans on his head instead of crying.]


Raven, can you look after Alice? Please?

Comments

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

I don't need you to find me!

Stop actin' like you know everything!

[Heeeey misplaced anger.]

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

[Asuna only glares.

Yup. No yelling back or bickering.

Just a look.]

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[... and that takes the anger out of it for him, and leaves instead the feelings he doesn't want to think about. Because he's been here so long, and he can't do a damn thing to protect anybody-

Yeah. There they are. The edges of tears. Fighting and training don't help this. Before any can really come, he shuts off the feed.]

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

Kota --

[But the feed is off, and Asuna saw those tears, and that freaks her out more than anything, because Kotarou just doesn't cry.

She's coming to find you, kid. To beat you up and let you cry.]

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[Goddamnit. Goddamn everything. He's just out on a roof somewhere hugging his knees and feeling ten years old again and even LESS in control because this isn't just something stupid like losing a fight anymore.

And even worse, when Asuna finally DOES find him, he isn't done crying yet.]

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

[Asuna scours Kotarou's best places before she finally finds him. She's remarkably quiet, stepping forward to sit next to him. At first, Asuna isn't sure if she should interrupt, but then --

She slings an arm around his shoulders, lightly, squeezing gently.]

What are you crying for?

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[She pretty much knows all of them by now. He could probably fool her if he wanted, but by now he's too damn tired to shake her off. She won't give up, and he knows it.

The arm around his shoulders makes him wince for a second, but then he hunches his shoulders. His face is still buried in his knees. His nose is still running, and he sounds like it.]

M'not! I'm fine, dammit.

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

[She's quiet for a second. Ugh, she's terrible at this. Konoka is much better. Or Negi.]

-- it's okay to be pissed off over what happened, you know. And upset.

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[He buries his face in his knees, ears laid back in his hair. Normally he's full of fire, ready to take on the world, but now -- he looks like what he is. Just a really upset kid.]

... he just left us. Like we didn't matter at all. He just gave up like he... like he didn't have anythin' left.

He said --

[Kotarou swallows, hard. Because it sounds so stupid now. He almost doesn't want to admit it.]

... said we could still be like a family. Even after. And he gave up.

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

[It's tough, for kids without families. Asuna doesn't have one -- well, she supposes she did, but the memories are botched, broken -- Nagi and Arika -- ]

Look.

[She tightens her hold around his shoulders, for the briefest second.]

Sometimes people can't handle everything they've got to deal with. That doesn't make them bad people -- that just makes them normal. Yeah, it's screwed up, and it pisses me off that he gave up too -- [Mostly because it hurt Negi, Killua, and Kotarou so badly.] -- but not everyone's had to keep getting back up because we have to.

Sometimes people have a lot of pain and it makes them really selfish.

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

[Then, her arm shifts, to hook around his neck to drag him into a noogie.]

So stop crying, stupid, you've got a family, alright?

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[flksfjasfa the noogies, why. But... what she said makes sense. A lot of sense. Adults screw up a lot too. But it's sobering to realize not everybody's got it figured out.

He can forgive that. He forgives all of Negi's stupidities, right?]

...

... yeah, I guess you're right.

[It's that family thing that throws him off a little. What?]

Huh?

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

I don't have parents or a family either and you don't see me miserable, right?

[She lets go of him to mess up his hair lightly, her smile becoming a little softer.]

That's what I have you morons for.

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

[fklsfjsaf with the ruffling again. But his expression softens. Yeah, he's definitely not the only one in this situation. He's being kind of thoughtless -- he's not alone.]

Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I guess havin' you as a sister isn't so bad either.

I do have you guys. Even if you're sorta idiots sometimes.

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

Not as big an idiot as you.

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

You're a bigger idiot.

[Complete lack of heat there.]

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

Hey.

[Have a thunk on the head as Asuna stands up, dusting off her jeans.]

Shut up or I'll throw you off the roof.

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[breakingurface.livejournal.com]

I'll throw you off the roof!

[But he'd also totally catch her.]

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[exorcizans.livejournal.com]

Yeah, yeah. C'mon, you're slow.

[And she holds out her hands to pull Kotarou up.]