Now it's cold and we're scared, and we've both been shaken

[mathisradical]

Who: mathisradical and polysyllogism
What: In which they have "the talk." And are just best friends forever.
Where: John Doe Park
When: After dark on Friday
Warning: Well, Niou. Which means a lot of swearing and obscenities.

Comments

[polysyllogism]

[ The realization and recognition of the true weight of the situation started to bare itself in front of Yagyuu, in the form of Niou’s appearance. There wasn’t anything to feel anymore, everything made itself physical and obvious. Niou was being …. himself, his real self; no walls and no tricks and Yagyuu generally knew what that equated to. There was always a more callous, more unforgiving and more unsettling situation under the surface and he was slowly becoming aware of that fact.

After all, his partner showed it all. Though, the details have yet to be divulged and he’s not entirely sure how easy to hard Niou would make this (because, damn, that was his best friend and as poker-faced as he was - the concern didn’t die in his eyes or his simple motions.)

Taking a seat on the bench, his feet firmly planted on the ground, Yagyuu puts his hands together. He interlaces his fingers carefully before he chooses his words. ] Niou-kun. [ There’s a bit of pause and a small huff that might have been a sigh. ] If I’m permitted to ask, what

[trickortruth]

[ Even after Yagyuu speaks, Niou stays quiet for a bit longer. He arranges the last bits of his thoughts and decides where to start. Then he takes a couple of seconds to actually muster up the courage to answer. He swallows hard and chooses his words carefully. ]

A lot. A lot has happened. [ He pauses again, but only long enough to talk himself out of cutting the conversation short right there. ] I've been here for nearly three months. It'll be three on the sixth of next month. Seems like longer. [ He lets out a humorless chuckle. ] I guess you could call me one of the lucky ones, because I haven't died yet.

[ He runs his hand through his hair, tangling and tousling it, but he doesn't seem to care. ] Not sure if you've noticed yet, but Mayfield's no fuckin' walk in the park. [ He folds his hands in his lap. Then with a short huff, hops off the bench completely and starts pacing. It's hard for him to stand still. ] Fuck, there's so much to tell you. I don't even know where to fuckin' start.

[polysyllogism]

[ The hesitation, actually comes off as a bit of a shock and as his partner, it’s hard for Yagyuu to sit tight and hear that sound quality in his voice. He looks down into his hands before fixing them towards something off in the distance.

His voice is low, but somehow doesn’t carry the “strictness” it normally does.] Niou-kun… [ His voice trails off and for once, Yagyuu Hiroshi can’t come up with the appropriate response so it takes a while for him to gather himself. ] Despite the fashion in how you chose to word it... I'm relieved. [Obviously in reference to the “not dying” and "luck" part and as stale as his words sounded, they were genuine and even if it was a small light at the end of the tunnel, he was grateful for the news.]

You could start chronologically. Though, I’m not entirely aware of the time line used in an “alternate world.”

[trickortruth]

[ It takes Niou a minute. He's off his game, mentally speaking, and he's not aware of which part Yagyuu's talking about immediately. Then it dawns on him, and he shakes his head at himself. ] Glad that I'm not dead? Yeah, you and me both.

[ He doesn't stop pacing. The rhythm soothes him and helps him keep his thoughts in order. ] The beginning. [ He nods. ] Right. [ Then he does stop pacing. He's already tired from the tennis, from the walk, and if he doesn't sit down for the remainder of this conversation, he'll regret it. He drops himself ungracefully onto the otherside of the bench and leans back, looking up at the sky. ]

Not long after I got here, those bastards released some sort of secret-spillin' gas in the air. That wasn't too bad, though. Nobody found out anything that the wouldn't have found out eventually, anyway. The most anybody found out was that I crossdress on occasion.

[ He pauses to give Yagyuu a chance to make comments, ask questions, voice concerns. ]

[polysyllogism]

[ He watched his partner pace around irresolutely; back and forth, left and right and his pupils followed every movement. He tried to analyze his words further than just the words - taking in everything: his intonation, pitch.... and Yagyuu’s scrutinizing only ends when the other takes a seat next to him. ]

Secret-spilling? [ He considers it, rearranging all of the data in his mind, but everything he knows only seems to fall to chaos, becoming more and more contorted, and whatever clear motives he might have been able to previously deduce - held truth no longer. After all, bringing them here was one thing, but between zombie invasions and “truth serum” - he couldn’t see the connection. ] The situation… seems, perhaps, even out of our element. [ And that was saying a lot. A lot for most fourteen year olds, anyway. ]

… and we’ve spoken about the cross-dressing. [ aka, really, Niou-kun? Really? There might also be a slight cough that comes with. ] And my opinion of it, still stands.

[trickortruth]

Yeah, your opinion of my questionable morals is totally worth worryin' about right now. [ He rolls his eyes. The action, and the reason for the action, seems strangely normal. The hints of their usual, easy banter almost help him relax a little.

He gives himself a second to decide where to go from there. When he does decide, his expression changes. He nearly looks pained. It's been a long time since he's openly expressed and shown what he's feeling. He wouldn't even do it around Marui. Only Yagyuu. ]

We're not the only ones here. Marui and Yukimura are here, too. But they're... they're different. They're like one of them. Like one of the drones. And that happens sometimes for a couple of days. It's like a form of fuckin' punishment or some shit. But sometimes, people will get droned forever. And they don't go back to fuckin' normal.

[ He pauses again, just for a second to take a breath. ]

Buchou was like that when I got here. Marui wasn't. He just got droned a little while ago. Right around when the zombies happened.

1/2

[polysyllogism]

[He might have laughed at that (lightly, but a laugh nonetheless), might have if this were any other situation, but he could only brace himself for the rest of it.]

2/2!

[polysyllogism]

[ It was a heavy burden to carry - even if only in words. His head was swimming now; so many different thoughts were blending and diverging into one another. The endings and beginnings of some newly established ones were also showing themselves now - connecting and disconnecting everywhere, and Yagyuu was for once, nothing short of confused.

He could only imagine how Niou felt and since he did that so often… ] I see. [ Yagyuu composes himself to the best of his abilities before reaching a hand out to touch the other’s shoulder. ] Since it appears to be inevitable for the time being, the only thing we can do is wait. [ A thoughtful pause. ] We’ll strategize something at a later time. For now, you need rest. And though it’s no condolence… [ He looks at his partner in the eyes, as if to say “I’ll be here.” Until the bitter end, Yagyuu Hiroshi would be there. At least that’s what he decided; he only hoped it could be enough. ]

[trickortruth]

[ He can't help it. As soon as Yagyuu locks gazes with him, he looks away and presses his lips together. With the weight of this talk combined with Yagyuu's familiar touch and the fact that, yes, he is here, he has to try his hardest not to cry. Or, at the very least, make sure it's not noticeable that he's about to. He forces his hands in his lap to relax. He keeps his breathing even.

But it still seems like he's fighting a losing battle.

His shoulders are stiff and tense, his throat's getting tight from the effort, and he can feel the hot pricks of tears in the corners of his eyes, no matter how many times he tries to blink them away. He stays quiet for the time being, because he knows if he speaks, his voice will break, and then there won't be anymore pretending. ]

[polysyllogism]

[ There was no ‘pretending’ between these two. Despite all the pranks, the self-inflicted distance and the lectures and slight spaces between them-- they were two pieces of a whole, and it’s something Yagyuu could easily admit to, well, at least to himself.

Yagyuu keeps his hand in place, making little to no movement. He releases a bit of an inaudible huff before he begins speaking again. ] Taking each hurdle at your own pace is fine. [ A small pause and an equally small smile forms on his lips. ] Either way, regaining your bearings will take time, correct?

... it never was your strong suit, after all.

[ Teasing? Maybe just a little. It’s as close as Yagyuu will get, at any rate. Anything to break the awkwardness and anything to make his partner smile. (Was it subtle enough, however?) ]

fjka;jfdk I totally did a spelling fail, so I deleted my first attempt and tried again. /o\

[trickorfake]

[ Maybe not, but he could sure as hell try his best to pretend.

He lets out a noise that sounds a lot like a breathless chuckle. He swipes the back of his hand across his cheek to catch a tear before turning his head, just slightly, to look at his partner. ] I'm still regainin' my bearings from Nationals. [ Losing Nationals had seemed like the worst at the time. Not quite so much anymore. ] Y'think you can put up with me losin' my shit for that long?

[ He knows Yagyuu's right, though. He's always been pretty bad at picking himself back up once he falls. Not that it's happened often, especially not since he's met Yagyuu, but when it does, it always takes him a while to get back on his feet. ]

No worries! It happens to the best of us! Like how there's a DECEMBER in every month! \o/

[polysyllogism]

Is that a question? [ There's a sort of charm in defying the pace, and Yagyuu does it, almost as if he were posting a challenge. Except, with his gentlemanly smile in place, it's hard to interpret it as just that. (Maybe it wasn't just that; honestly, he was working it out himself.)

But, on the topic of Nationals. ] It was hardly your burden to carry. [ Because, it really wasn't, and it'd be a lie to say it didn't hurt to see Niou in that state. ...the whole team in that state, really. ]

Right! Like how sometimes, you just KIKIKI! <3

[trickorfake]

Does it sound like one? [ Because answering a question with a question is obviously the most challenging thing you can do. It's also evasive as hell, and Niou's always been very evasive. ]

I lost my match. It was just as much of mine as anyone elses. [ Losing nationals after coming so far and fighting so hard was like almost getting your hands on millions of dollars and it burning before you could touch it. Having the rug yanked out from under you by some snot-nosed, cheating, arrogant little brat--

He obviously has some anger issues to work out here. ]

D:

[polysyllogism]

With your wording, perhaps it does. [ Not entirely yes, not entirely no. He stands at the borderline between the two; if there was black and white, Yagyuu would definitely blend in best with: grey. ]

A match is a match. Honestly, I... [ It wouldn't have changed anything. To Yagyuu at least. Their value as a team wouldn't deflate and Yukimura... ] Everything... [ Works out. Or worked out. Or will work out. But, he doesn't continue his sentence, and, instead, starts anew. ] I'm not ignorant of the feeling of loss either, Niou-kun. [ As if to say: he knows how you feel, partner. Even if you never said a word. ]

Teehee! <3

[trickorfake]

Is it a question you're gonna answer, then? [ There's an underlying challenge in his words. Possibly a roundabout way of asking if he's ready for the long road ahead. They'll be stuck there for a while, and it won't be a walk in the park. ]

[ He doesn't say anything at first. He lets the silence drag on while he tries to decide where to go from there. The hard part is over now. He's not going to break down crying. He feels relieved to get it off his chest. Now there's just... everything else to dive into. ] Speakin' of tennis, when Marui was here, we decided to start a team here. He was my vice. Now that he's fuckin' gone... I'm kinda in need of a new one. [ He cuts a sideways glance at Yagyuu, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge him. As if to say 'you think you can handle it?' ]

1/2

[polysyllogism]

[ There's a beat and a slight pause before a soft chuckle escapes from the back of his throat. The motion is soft and almost gentle as Yagyuu finally answers - there was no running now. ] Of course. [ And when he says it, its meaning is transparent. It's a phrase meant to cover all bases. And just in case it wasn't clear enough: ] After all, waiting is a skill of mine.