Exhausted, anxious, and waiting for everyone to kill me? Yeah, something like that. [It's the last week and a lot has changed in such a short amount of time that he can afford to be more candid. It's why Nikkari leans and Junpei loops an arm around him, pressing his face to his hair momentarily. Swords associate via touch and he just has to remember that.]
But it needed to be done. Nothing good would've come from waiting until Saturday.
I suppose my own neck isn't necessarily on the line... but all our fates being under consideration is a completely different burden to bear.
[ the hair nuzzle, at least, gets a very pleased hum as he rests his chin on junpei's shoulder. yeah, it means he has to tiptoe a little, but he doesn't seem to mind if it means he gets to cling... especially as he breathes out, ]
[Clinging is completely find even if he's taller than Nikkari is and he rests his cheek on his hair instead. This is fine. Today sucks.]
And somehow I feel like people like us are trained for this kind of problem. [The course of history and all. To that question though there's a small sigh.] I think the truth is whatever we know to be true. So, it's kind of like this. We know ourselves and we know what we're capable of. We know about each other and we know we're like by now. Almost all of us can at least hold it together for as long as we need to.
So...it's a matter of trusting that not performing the ritual will give us the time needed. The ritual has to be performed at three, right? Investigation starts at eight. If we have an investigation at all, that answers our question about the trial. Then we can find the real truth ourselves.
[ nikkari is silent for a moment as he listens to junpei's response. then, quietly, he begins to laugh warmly, because it's such a junpei answer that he's not really sure what else he expected to hear. he holds on for a little longer before letting go, then offering his hand for junpei to take. ]
[As usual he doesn't know why Nikkari's laughing at him but he doesn't mind. He's figured out the differences in most of his laughs by now and he knows this one is more fond than some of the others. There's little hesitation as he takes the hand offered to him.]
[A mystery? Okay, he won't ask but he raises both eyebrows as he allows himself to be led in that direction. He doesn't speak even as they walk because he's genuinely curious what's going on in that head of his. But once they get to the elevators he darts forward to push the button to call it to their current floor waiting for the doors to open so Nikkari can pick where the fuck they're going.]
[ nikkari's smile seems brighter than usual when junpei doesn't ask, doesn't say anything. it means so much to be trusted unconditionally, and he intends to make good on having earned it.
... he puts that to the test, though, as he squeezes junpei's hand and pulls him into the elevator. ]
[He absolutely does. Several weeks later and Nikkari is one of the few he trusts unconditionally which is why he doesn't even ask and instead closes his eyes. With his eyes shut though he adjusts the grip on Nikkari's hand to hold it a little more firmly.]
Hahaha... you took the words right out of my mouth.
[ surprisingly, he doesn't take this as an opportunity to start making out like the last time he'd cornered junpei in the elevator. no, the short ride is uneventful, and it doesn't take long for them to arrive at their destination, either. ]
You can open them now.
[ nikkari lets go, and junpei will find that they're once again in the aquarium, specifically the area with beanbags and blankets. the sword plops onto a particularly big beanbag, one specifically designed for two people to be close. ]
[He's surprisingly quiet on the way to wherever they're going, and also a little more than okay with no elevator make-outs because the tone of the day is a little different. When he feels himself being led along and then is told to open his eyes though he blinks a little before it registers where they are.]
...hah. [Yeah, he's pleased. Nikkari settles on a beanbag and Junpei follows closely after that, crouching down before settling next to him.] Told you this place was good.
And I told you I pay attention to the people I like.
[ which is to say, yes, he definitely remembered what junpei had said last week about finding this place soothing when he wanted to be away from the crowd, and when he had let nikkari stay despite that. ]
After all that, I thought we'd both benefit from the peace and quiet.
[ there are a few things nikkari could say in response—like how surprised he is that most people didn't consider the part where he said all the information he'd shared might be false, how concerned he is for the other side, how unsure he is about how any of this might turn out . . .
but he settles instead for reaching over and tangling his fingers in junpei's hair, smiling fondly. ]
[He'll lean into that hand easily, curling up a little closer. He's a little tense for a variety of reasons he won't say but being here is helping with that. There's an equally fond look though as he shifts to rest his head against Nikkari's shoulder.]
...what do you think is true then? I don't think I asked.
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Mm... I better understand how you must have felt last week.
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But it needed to be done. Nothing good would've come from waiting until Saturday.
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[ the hair nuzzle, at least, gets a very pleased hum as he rests his chin on junpei's shoulder. yeah, it means he has to tiptoe a little, but he doesn't seem to mind if it means he gets to cling... especially as he breathes out, ]
... What do you think is the truth?
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And somehow I feel like people like us are trained for this kind of problem. [The course of history and all. To that question though there's a small sigh.] I think the truth is whatever we know to be true. So, it's kind of like this. We know ourselves and we know what we're capable of. We know about each other and we know we're like by now. Almost all of us can at least hold it together for as long as we need to.
So...it's a matter of trusting that not performing the ritual will give us the time needed. The ritual has to be performed at three, right? Investigation starts at eight. If we have an investigation at all, that answers our question about the trial. Then we can find the real truth ourselves.
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Come with me?
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Where are we going?
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... he puts that to the test, though, as he squeezes junpei's hand and pulls him into the elevator. ]
Close your eyes.
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Let me guess, don't open them until you say so?
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[ surprisingly, he doesn't take this as an opportunity to start making out like the last time he'd cornered junpei in the elevator. no, the short ride is uneventful, and it doesn't take long for them to arrive at their destination, either. ]
You can open them now.
[ nikkari lets go, and junpei will find that they're once again in the aquarium, specifically the area with beanbags and blankets. the sword plops onto a particularly big beanbag, one specifically designed for two people to be close. ]
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...hah. [Yeah, he's pleased. Nikkari settles on a beanbag and Junpei follows closely after that, crouching down before settling next to him.] Told you this place was good.
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[ which is to say, yes, he definitely remembered what junpei had said last week about finding this place soothing when he wanted to be away from the crowd, and when he had let nikkari stay despite that. ]
After all that, I thought we'd both benefit from the peace and quiet.
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Right. I knew that. [A good sword.] Think you're right though. Doubt anybody's gonna come looking for us for a while, and especially not here.
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but he settles instead for reaching over and tangling his fingers in junpei's hair, smiling fondly. ]
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...what do you think is true then? I don't think I asked.