♞ three

[powerlessfinale]

[he walked through Mac Anu as though possessed. Or maybe 'soulless' would be a better description? That was what he was after all - what he had agreed to become - and there wasn't anyone to blame for this other than himself. It was easier to accept back in Britannia (not Britannia) when he had purpose and a goal to work towards

Comments

[ilusayuri]

[Mai was the perceptive sort. The sort who observed and learned by playing close attention to everything around. You had to be perceptive and attentive when there were demons to fight, and people to protect.

And so, Mai easily noticed 'Zero's' strange... movement, perhaps? Something was off about this man.

She watched him with sharp eyes. To speak to him, or not to speak to him? It was rare that Mai ever approached anyone, but sometimes it was necessary. It felt necessary right now.]

Zero.

[powerlessfinale]

[he turned around to look at Mai]

... [not someone he wanted to see] Hm?

[ilusayuri]

...

Troubled.

[She wasn't sure if that was the right word. Maybe not troubled, maybe just... No, she didn't know how to describe him. 'Troubled' would have to do.]

LJ, GIVE ME BACK MY NOTIFS

[powerlessfinale]

No more than what I normally am. [the truth... to an extent]

I second this :|

[ilusayuri]

...?

[Headtilts, as though asking him to elaborate.]

[powerlessfinale]

[pause, he's no good with words]

I'm the same as I always have been. [so he says. Nunnally was safer back home anyway, he should be relieved the selfish part of him isn't]

[ilusayuri]

[That makes two of them.]

[The same as he's always been? Mai doesn't know him well at all, so she has no idea whether 'the same' is good or bad. He certainly doesn't sound like the cheerful sort, so she's guessing 'bad'.]

...

Zero.

Find reasons to be happy.

[She says it bluntly. It's a small piece of advice he didn't ask for, and probably doesn't want, but that's never stopped Mai before.]

[powerlessfinale]

I had someone who understood me. [here, there's fondness in his voice as he says this]

[he refrains from declining the advice. Goodness knows he's been told that enough times (he doesn't think he deserves to be happy, not with everything that has happened)]

That's all I need.

[ilusayuri]

[Someone who understood you... Sayuri (and Yuuichi as of lately) were like that for Mai. She's glad that 'Zero' has someone like that for him too, though her face doesn't show it--but then, does it ever?

After a long silence, she nods, thoughtfully. If he says that's all he needs, then she has no reason to doubt him.]

[powerlessfinale]

Were you worried?

[ilusayuri]

...

Yes.

[powerlessfinale]

Your concern is better spent on others who might need it. I'll be fine. [because he had to 'live'; he'd promised Lelouch that]

[ilusayuri]

[She fixes him with a calm, emotionless look.]

...

Don't worry them. ['Them' being the person Suzaku was referring to before.]

[powerlessfinale]

[that was the wrong thing to say, look at his expression and body language fail miserably for a moment there]

[he recovers a second afterward but] That won't be a problem anymore. [she's not here she's not here]

[ilusayuri]

...?

[Here's Mai, not getting it.]

[powerlessfinale]

Don't worry. It's not something that warrants concern anymore.