Open and in progress! Join the chaos!

[grumpybelts]

Title: THIS ORANGE WILL NOT PEEEEEEEEL
Characters: Anyone who wants to drink, emo, or both
Location: Starting in Paine's room, contining in various places everywhere
Rating: RE. Rage, Emo, and chaos
Summary: Because alcohol creates plot and we need plot, there's a party going on
Day/Time: 71/72. Late night to the morning after

Comments

[blackknight_11]

As Kallen exited the hospital wing after visiting Lavi, she overheard some people talking about some party going on in one of the security guard's rooms and that there would be alcohol. After thinking about it for a few seconds, Kallen decided to check it out.

Knocking on the door and pushing it open, she noticed that quite a few people had arrived, but none that she knew. So, she stood against the wall and looked at the coffee table, wondering what she should have.

[strahlpilot]

He raised an eyebrow when he spotted Keiichi, but smiled at the teen and set his bottle of beer down on a bearby flat surface. "Keiichi. I'm surprised you're not avoiding me."

The pirate still wasn't completely himself. He'd try to be less cranky, though.

[paranoidbat]

"...I need to talk to you before...before I can decide what I'm doing..." Keiichi said, looking away. He felt...betrayed and worried. He COULD be working for Takano-san if he did things like that.

[strahlpilot]

"What do you mean?" He wouldn't force Keiichi to feel comfortable with him right now. For all the boy knew, he could be connected to the ones who'd slaughtered his town and simply a very good actor. "Just tell me what's on your mind, I'll listen."

No matter how drunk he was, Balthier could still listen.

[paranoidbat]

"...was I right? On the plane?" Keiichi asked, moving to look at Balthier, his eyes suddenly wide and looking on the edge of hysteria. "Was I right?"

[strahlpilot]

He looked right at the teen, face serious and voice somber. "No. I have no ties to any organization or country anymore. I cut them all when I became Balthier. My purpose here is to help you write the next chapter in your story."

His fingers twitched, tempted to reach out and touch Keiichi's arm lightly, but he restrained himself.

[paranoidbat]

"...Irie-sensei said that once too...and then he was going to drug him...." Keiichi said. How could he be sure? How could he be sure Balthier wasn't LYING to him?

[strahlpilot]

He wouldn't look away. That would make him seem suspicious. "I've hurt you twice now and I'm sorry for that. But I want your trust. I can't force that, only hope that my actions speak for me. If I were trying to kill you, I could have done something the night you spent in my room and made it look like a suicide, you know."

Balthier never would have done anything of the sort, and even suggesting it made him feel a little sick.

[paranoidbat]

Keiichi's eyes widened, if that was even possible. He could have. He COULD HAVE! "Why....why did you lie?"

[strahlpilot]

The look on Keiichi's face hurt him. "Lie about what, my past? I simply omitted it because I knew it would make people think poorly of me. The past may no longer hurt me to think about but it's still powerful enough to hurt those I care for." Balthier obviously included Keiichi in that group.

[paranoidbat]

"Then why lie?! That's lying!" Keiichi snapped.

[strahlpilot]

He winced. Lies of omission generally weren't seen as terrible things, but apparently Keiichi had a different view of it. "Because the past shouldn't be as important as the present. It shapes and influences us, but if we let it shape every part of us, we can never move forward. I hoped I could bring it up at a better moment to try and teach you, and other people, that lesson. Don't let regret and pain shape your future."

[paranoidbat]

"Something like that is important to tell your friends! You can't keep secrets from your friends! Or else they aren-" Keiichi then paused.

These words...these words weren't his. Rena...Rena and his own past....

He bowed his head. "...no....no, this isn't right..." He whispered.

[strahlpilot]

He knew exactly what Keiichi had been about to say. "Or else they aren't your friends." But some secrets had to be kept until the right moment, when there was enough trust that the friendship wouldn't be ruined by the news.

The change in the teen confused Balthier. "What's not right?" he wondered.

[paranoidbat]

"...I...I don't believe that....none of them...Rena...Rena had lost her mind then...." Keiichi said. "It's....it's not right to say that." He said, putting a hand to the side of his head.

[strahlpilot]

"I'm not mad at you for saying it." He rested a hand on Keiichi's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him. Balthier's touch was light enough to be easily pushed away if it upset the teen at all. "What do you really believe?"