★ ( YOJI URUHA. )

[punnier]

meme here eventually

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[kumeyuri]

[...]

You don't have to smile.

[punnier]

[ Head tilt. ]

Don't have to?

[kumeyuri]

If you're not okay, you don't have to pretend that you are.

[punnier]

But I'm fine.

[kumeyuri]

Siffrin!

[punnier]

–What?

[kumeyuri]

...

I'm going to give you a hug. Let me know right now if you'd rather I not.

[punnier]

..You're worrying over nothing. I really am fine, Uru.

[ This isn't a no though. ]

[kumeyuri]

[it's not a no, so he's going to walk over to siffrin and give them a hug, as he said he would.]

[punnier]

[ Terrible, awful, how could he. Their body is so tightly tense, and the second that hug envelops them it only makes them tense more. But they also begin to tremble a little.

They don't say anything, but one arm does wrap partway to loosely rest a hand against Uruha's back. It's fine. Everything is okay. It has to be. It has to. ]

[kumeyuri]

[he doesn't say anything further, doesn't react as they begin to tremble. he just continues to hold them like this.]

[punnier]

[ It's only for a moment, that tremble stops and they straighten up with a pat to Uruha. ]

It's okay. We've all accepted this would happen. It always has. It was stupid to have expected anything differently.

[kumeyuri]

[he lets go, though when he pulls away, he frowns. something uncomfortable churns in his stomach; ah, it's almost like looking in a mirror.]

Do you regret getting attached, then?

[punnier]

Why would I regret that? Even if I lose them, I'll still love them. Nothing will change that.

[ Simple as that. It was just idiotic of them to be so hopeful, to think nothing would change. Now, three more are dead. ]

[kumeyuri]

... I'm glad to hear that, then.

[but he's starting to think someone else should be here, given that he can't give siffrin any real reassurances without it being a lie from his own mouth.]

[punnier]

And just like the weeks before, we'll find who did it, and they'll die, too. It'll just. Keep repeating.

[ Who need reassurances? Acceptance is enough. Nothing else to expect. ] Though we have even less time now, don't we?

[kumeyuri]

Siffrin. [said firmly, even as he wonders if it'll do anything.] This isn't your world. You're not stuck in a loop right now.

[punnier]

It isn't. If it was, instead of these blinding constant weeks with some reprieve it would just be the same two days over and over.

[ ... ] But it doesn't really change anything. We lost people last night. And we'll lose more by the end of the week, and it'll happen again. Unless you're to tell me otherwise? That this will be the last of it?

[ Are you capable of lying and saying that? ]

[kumeyuri]

I'm not going to lie to you.

[he has never been someone to say what he doesn't believe, even if the truth is cruel.]

But you're lucky it's me you're talking to and not someone else you'd hurt like this.

[punnier]

[ At that, Siffrin just smiles again. Lucky, are they? ]

Everyone knows the truth hurts, they'd probably thank me. It'll make it easier to prepare.

[kumeyuri]

Is that what you actually think, or is that what you're telling yourself because it's easier to bear that way?

[unless siffrin seems like they're averse, he'll reach to take their hands.]

I want to ask you something.

[punnier]

Does it matter? It doesn't change anything.

[ It never will. And sure, he can take their hands, though since he's holding them he'll find one of them wet. ]

..What is it?

[kumeyuri]

Does everything have to be about whether or not it'll change things?

[ignores the wet for now.

simply,]

What is it that you fight for?

[punnier]

[ Doesn't it? There's a system, to keep things the same, because it works. And because it works, why should it change? Why does it need to?

Their gaze stares straight at him, searching and... ]

What answer are you looking for?

[kumeyuri]

Your honest one.