pc catchall for shess (nonbelligerent)

[foodbin]

Comments

[foodbin]

[She doesn't know quite how to address this, but at the very least...]

I'm sorry.

[nonbelligerent]

[he's silent for a while.]

I'm not that surprised, to be honest.

[foodbin]

...why do you say that?

[nonbelligerent]

Live long enough and you learn to accept that everyone else will die before you do.

[though more specifically:]

Lili and Minato never had the greatest sense of self-preservation. And Miki and I discussed the possibility of her dying earlier this week, as she wanted to use her recent reward to defend herself if necessary.

[evidently, it didn't work.]

Speaking of which, I'd like the talisman back.

[foodbin]

[She looks like there’s something there she wants to argue against, but she just sighs.]

...Did Miki give any particular reason why she thought she might die?

[As she asks, she fishes the talisman out of her pocket and hands it to him.]

[nonbelligerent]

[he accepts it, pausing for a moment as he takes out minato's omamori, before he slips it inside.]

Not really. But she had the rope.

[foodbin]

Do you know who else she might have told about it?

[nonbelligerent]

Kaoru, probably. They seemed close.

I don't know about anyone else. However, that entire group didn't give me the impression they were that secretive about their rewards.

[then again, they all liked shess, so. he can't really speak objectively.]

[foodbin]

...Seemed close? She didn’t tell you they were together?

[Anyways.]

Yeah. She told me easily enough... But we’ve been on pretty good terms. I’m pretty sure Minato and Val would tell anybody anything.

[nonbelligerent]

[he raises an eyebrow.]

No, though Miki was hardly the type to announce her relationships to the world.

Probably. Valvatorez admitted to me that he's not suited for suspecting people.

[foodbin]

I guess that’s true. She seemed embarrassed when she talked to me about it.

[Sympthetically:]

She was a good person. I bet she was a good partner.

[nonbelligerent]

[...]

She was.

[foodbin]

[If he lets her, she’ll put a hand on his shoulder.]

I’m sorry, Shess.

[nonbelligerent]

[he lets her, though he glances at her hand a little like he doesn't know what to do with it.]

Thank you.

[as much as shess would rather not dwell on feelings, making it easy to throw himself into business or handle others' grief... it's sweet to have one person, at least, acknowledge that he's upset.]

[foodbin]

[She gives his shoulder a small squeeze.]

If you need anything, let me know.

[nonbelligerent]

Okay.

[he probably won't but it's fine.]

[foodbin]

Do you want to talk about it...? Other than - having seen it coming.

[nonbelligerent]

What is there to say?

[foodbin]

How you're feeling, for starters.

[nonbelligerent]

Sad, of course. But I'll do what needs to be done.

[foodbin]

...I know you will. Talking about it doesn't mean that you won't do that. Anybody who knows you can tell that.

[nonbelligerent]

Glad to know I've developed that reputation.

[foodbin]

[After a moment:]

Did I say something wrong?

[nonbelligerent]

No? I was being sincere.

[foodbin]

...Okay.

[She sighs.]

I'm not going to push anymore, but - keep in mind that having a reputation for trying your hardest doesn't mean you can't take a second for yourself sometimes.