59 - [Voice; Locked from Knives and his cronies]

[church_man]

Fuck. Guess it's been a while since I posted last...I know there are people getting pissed at Legato, and I don't blame you. Just don't get too cocky about getting back at him. He's made some people here hurt themselves so far, but he's just as capable of making you hurt your friends and family

Comments

[Locked]

[prodigal_axe]

...?

Oh, uh. Just got a lot on my mind.

[Locked]

[church_man]

You need anything?

[Locked]

[prodigal_axe]

Nothing that's easy to get, I guess.

You?

[Locked]

[church_man]

Since when has anything around here been easy?

Just you.

[Locked]

[prodigal_axe]

It never gets easier. That I know.

... I'm up on the roof, if you get in the mood to sit up here.

[commentloooog]

[church_man]

[He took up that offer without another word, leaving the bar and climbing up onto the roof to join Shinji. He missed the apartment, lately. It had grown on him more than he'd realized, and staying at the bar... the atmosphere from day to day felt invasive. He wanted alone time with Shinji in a place that belonged to just them.]

Hey.

[commentloooog]

[prodigal_axe]

[Up on the Northern Lights roof, Shinji lay spread out over the hard roof tiles, comfortable as most people would be on softer beds. He stared up through the stars. Not at them. His worries kept taking him out of the scenery, leaving him with a distant, pensive expression, almost sad.

He didn't expect Wolfwood up there so quick. It took him a minute to notice--then he propped himself up on his elbows to see him better.]

...Hey. You wanna stay up here with me again, tonight? Thought I might sleep here.

[commentlooooog]

[church_man]

[There he was, undeniably distant again. But it made sense, after what had happened to Anemone... though it still felt off somehow. Bad shit had happened before, but this wasn't Shinji's usual way of coping.]

Sure, if you wanna stay up here.

[He set himself down beside Shinji, just sitting for now and briefly glancing up at the stars.]

[commentlooooog]

[prodigal_axe]

Used to stay up here every night.

[Here or there. Maybe this roof, or some other one, or he'd wake up with rain on his face and end up in the store room. He frowned. Between that time and this, his thoughts then and right now-- he might as well be someone else. Or just have betrayed his entire foundation for a new life here and-- it ought to bother him more. But it didn't. It had a sense of purpose behind it, a blinding one maybe. He frowned, then his expression went distant again as he struggled with all that.]

Shit sure has changed since then.

[commentlooooog]

[church_man]

Hn.

[They'd had a conversation like this recently, he was sure. He found himself watching Shinji, the way he frowned at some private thought and then returned to that distant gaze.]

Yeah... now you're right back where you started, huh.

[commentlooooog]

[prodigal_axe]

... What?

[That response shocked him up on his elbows again. He stared at Wolfwood a second in wide eyed shock-- then realized how damn strange that must seem to him. He tried to shake it off, no matter how ominous it felt. Back where he started. Was it all going to be a circle, once he got his chip out? He couldn't imagine falling apart and forgetting the important things he learned here, or deciding he was done with life so easy.

...but he feared losing all that. Maybe he'd be giving up his right to keep it, with this. He looked away--down at the roof this time, also without seeing it.]

What'd you mean by that?

[commentloooooog]

[church_man]

[Wolfwood's eyes widened and he tensed, taken aback by that shocked reaction. He suddenly felt a twinge of dismay. Had he said something stupid, without even realizing it...?

Shinji's question confirmed it was what he'd said, but not that he'd actually said anything strange. His brows drew down, and he hesitated, trying to think over what he'd said.]

I meant you're back to sleeping on this roof, like you used to. What did you think I meant?

[commentloooooog]

[prodigal_axe]

Oh.. uh...

[After a couple more seconds of not-staring at the roof, he buried his face in the palm of his good hand. Bad move jumping at those words, when he'd meant something so damn simple by them. Hot, pointless anger rose up and circled inside him, down into ashes without direction. He had to stick with this decision if he meant to go through with it.

When he spoke, he sounded muffled through his fingers.]

Just got a lot on my mind. That's not even true, by the way-- I used to sleep up here by myself. Got company now at least.

[commentlooooooog]

[church_man]

[Wolfwood could practically see Shinji realizing that he'd made a mistake, somehow. His stomach twisted slightly as he realized that he had to be hiding something, here. Something that bothered him, that he intended to go on hiding, apparently.]

That wasn't really an answer. What's on your mind?

I suppose...

[commentlooooooog]

[prodigal_axe]

[Shinji kept his face behind the darkness of his fingers. He didn't want to go on pretending to look at things, or reveal even more suspicious paranoia. He'd already shown too much of it. Then again, if they were on this topic-- he might as well ask something.]

It's not any one thing...

You think I changed much, since back when you met me?

[commentloooooooog]

[church_man]

...

Yeah, you've changed. We both have.

[That he kept his hand over his face only made him worry more. Reaching out, he gently pried his hand away to see his eyes.]

You sure it's not 'any one thing'...?