(no subject)

[tanteiotaku]

Waking up
[Shotaro woke up screaming. Perhaps out of some remembered pain, or his fear had been a bit more than he had let on in front of Terui. His eyes were wide and his face sweaty as he patted himself down. As if he had to verify that yes, indeed, he was still here.

Sadly his foot still wasn't. It would have been nice if they gave it back. It might take the edge off.]

On with his day
[Just because he should be dead didn't mean he didn't have work to do. He made his daily check of the Tip Box in the Lounge before heading to his morning shift at the Gift Shop. After having lunch and doing some reading in the Lounge with his stump propped up on the coffee table, he's off to work again in the Laundry.

He might be a little excessively jumpy today, so it's a great time for people to sneak up on him and clap him on the shoulder.]

Comments

[tanteiotaku]

[A shrug] Same difference.

I just punched him. And what does it matter to you, anyway?

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

It matters for the same reason I came to you when you were in his position! Have you already forgotten what it's like to lose someone?!

[ He didn't really want to get into another fistfight, so he roughly relinquished his grip. Still, he didn't back up any. ]

If this is what being hard-boiled means, it doesn't suit you one damn bit.

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

You think I would punch him over something like that? [Are you thick?]

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[unquestionable]

I don't know why you did it because you won't tell me. The only thing I'm sure of is that you're a complete idiot.

[ Are you thick? ]

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[tanteiotaku]

I punched him because he actually shocked the poor girl he was paired with.

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[unquestionable]

[ He actually seemed to think for a moment before he responded. That explained why Hidari was so upset. It didn't sit well with Ryu either, but the difference between Philip and Hidari was that Philip was still trying to figure things out. Shotaro should have known better. ]

So what you're expecting is him to respond to everything just like you do?

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

It has to do with what the Boss was able to tell him before he died. You wouldn't get it because you weren't there.

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[unquestionable]

And let me guess: you're not going to tell me anything about it.

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[tanteiotaku]

Just stay out of it, okay? I'm not going to leave him high and dry.

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

Don't act like I'm not involved. The second Philip contacted me to ask where his partner was, I became a part of this. The second you asked to work with me, I became a part of this. So don't pretend that I don't have a right to be questioning your actions. I do.

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

Says the guy that won't answer any. [He huffs, fidgets with his hat and finally relents.] First, the only places Philip has any memory of are this prison, and the facility he was in before that. It was a test facility, run by some kind of syndicate, where he was being exploited for his Branch of Sin. The Boss told him the sins he had to count up were for not making his own decisions. And by going on to play their game how they wanted him to yesterday, he wasn't doing that.

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

[ Ryu hadn't actually expected an explanation, let alone a detailed one. The truth ran deeper than he had ever begun to imagine. Philip had been treated as nothing more than a lab rat, then. In a way he could understand Hidari's anger. Had he been in his position, he probably would have done the same thing. Maybe even worse. Still, he wasn't in the right. ]

Then teach him how.

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

[He trusts you, whether you like it or not.]

I'm working on it. Taking care of him was a hell of a last assignment from the boss.

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[unquestionable]

It's not something you can't handle. Just don't do it the wrong way.

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[tanteiotaku]

Could it be you're actually worried about us?

[It's not that he didn't appreciate it. It's just kind of unexpected.]

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[unquestionable]

[ He scoffed. ]

Don't be an idiot. The only thing I'm doing it making sure my associates know how to get along like adults.

[ Not entirely true. ]

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

Yeah, yeah. Like I said, I'm not going to leave him high and dry. I'll talk to him later.

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

Make it sooner rather than later.

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[tanteiotaku]

I missed you, too.

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[unquestionable]

You weren't gone long enough for me to miss you.

[ The expression on his face didn't match the harshness of his words. He really was glad that Hidari was back, but he was too prideful to admit it. ]

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

I'll take a longer nap next time.

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

I'll be keeping a watch on the clock.

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[tanteiotaku]

[A smirk.] Such a slave driver.

(frozen comment)

[unquestionable]

Who else is going to keep you in line?

(frozen comment)

[tanteiotaku]

I don't need that kind of help.