AKIRA

[voidbreaker]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[he can! but it's all pretty weak, like the connection flickers in and out. . . Akira isn't trying to hide it, it's just not a strong link right now]

It sucks.

[it sucks so, so much, and Akira allows his expression to flicker, to crumble just a little bit]

Even if it works, Hunter's going to have to live with what the monster in his body did. Isn't that. . .

[a pause]

That's just so shitty.

[voidbreaker]

...

[ ash throws some more food to the ducks, before folding his arms over his knees. ]

Yeah. It will be.

[ it’s not like he can pretend it’d be anything else. ] He’ll either deal with it or he won’t. But he’ll get the chance to try.

[survivaltricks]

[. . .]

[Akira tosses the last of his food into the pond as well, before reaching over to yoink some more from Ash]

. . . Hunter's a strong guy. He's been through a lot, even before coming here.

[but?]

But I can't imagine what he's going through right now.

[voidbreaker]

...

Don’t think any of us can. He’s the first person we’ve saved, so this is uncharted territory.

[ he rolls the edges of the bag of food down, pinching the corners. ]

Maybe he’ll need someone to grab and give him a good shaking if he goes too far down the rabbit hole. Words don’t always get through the way you want them to.

[survivaltricks]

[at that, Akira can't help but laugh, but it's light and huffed and a bit rueful]

I know. And I know I have to let him feel what he feels, too.

But if he starts trying to beat himself up, I'll make sure to give him a very good shaking.

[voidbreaker]

[ oh my god i missed tags ]

Sometimes you just need a little of both.

[survivaltricks]

[SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS]

A nice, balanced mixture.

[voidbreaker]

A short, sharp talking to and then let ‘em figure it out themselves. Sounds fair, yeah?

[survivaltricks]

It definitely sounds fair.

[a huffed noise, somewhat amused]

You make things sound so easy, Ash.

[voidbreaker]

If we made it all sound hard we'd never try to get it done.

[ he just shrugs. ]

[survivaltricks]

[ANOTHER HUFF]

And if we keep sulking about the things that have happened, we're just going to be super depressed the entire time we're here, right?

[voidbreaker]

Right. Just do shit, instead of finding excuses not to.

[survivaltricks]

. . . there's something admirable about that attitude, Ash.

[and you know what? he means that, all joking and teasing pretenses falling from his tone]

But-- thanks. For helping put things into perspective for me.

[voidbreaker]

Yeah, well. A lot of people just call it stubborness. But who's got time for twisting yourself in circles when there's important shit going down?

[ talking around a topic, or avoiding saying something inflammatory when you just need to cut to the point. ]

Sure. [ Sometimes you need someone on the outside to stick their nose it, as it turns out. ]