Take a walk down memory lane with me [Complete]
Characters: Matthew Williams [Canada] (maplezen) and Rise Kujikawa (forthecamera)
Location: Rooftop of the Casualty Communal
Rating: G
Time: Day 23 / June 23
Description: After coming to terms with certain things here, Rise decides to ask Matt a very important question.
It was getting to be late. The sun was finally going down, and the moon was finally beginning to rise, somewhere, perhaps behind her, hidden behind some other buildings. Much like the hilltop that overlooked Inaba, this rooftop had started to hold the same feeling of security. It was so lovely to be able to look out upon Death City from somewhere so high, unknown to its inhabitants. It was also a very good place to escape to whenever she needed a breather, such as she had two days previous.
And God, had she ever needed one.
The conversation she had had with Matt a few days prior had been one that had opened old wounds, and that she tried to push out of her mind but in the end all that had succeeded in doing was making her nights sleepless, and appetite thin. She had tried to distract herself with work, but in the end she had only worried other people like Ash and Nill when they had noticed she seemed troubled. Then she had tried to make herself feel better by shopping, but that backfired, and it ended with her finally caving and thinking on all that had troubled her these past few days.
In the end it had been a good thing. It had helped her realize two very important things. One, that she needed to get over herself and stop wallowing in self-pity, and two, that she had something very important to request of Matt.
So once again, here she was, and for a very important reason. She tapped her fingers nervously against the stone banister of the rooftop. She had contacted Matt earlier in the day, asking him if he could meet up with her here.
Matt was curious about Rise suddenly wanting to meet him on the roof, but not put off by it. It was strange though, now that he thought about it. Usually Rise would have just came to his apartment, right? Maybe this was something she wanted to talk about without China there?
Now that made him even more curious, and just a might concerned.
He took the elevator to the roof, taking a moment to think. He wasn't sure what was up. If anything, their last conversation had ended rather well, far better than he could have possibly imagined, but he couldn't shake the feeling something was bothering her. He never commented to her post from the other day, but he could tell.
Then again he had also had a lot on his mind the last few days.
The elevator dinged when it reached the roof and the doors parted. He sighed and smiled a bit upon seeing her, lifting his hand up a bit to wave.
When Rise heard the sound of the elevator, she turned around and smiled upon seeing Matt. She knew that he would come, but it was still nice to see him there. It was also a little nerve racking. She really had no idea how to go about this. She had seen some people simply ask over the network, but that felt far too impersonal for her tastes.
Becoming partners seemed like a big thing. It meant more than just asking someone to be a comrade in battle. It meant more than asking someone to be your friend. Souls. Resonating. All that stuff was still a little confusing, but she knew enough to know that your partner had to be someone whom you were connected to in the deepest of manners---or rather, someone who you were willing to connect to in the deepest of manners. It was a terrifying thought in many, many ways, but when she thought of Matt being the person to whom she would place her all thoughts and feelings.
Well. It became a liberating one.
It was an important decision, and so deserved at the very least, to be a face to face request.
"Hey Matt! Thanks for coming."
His smile got a little brighter as he got closer and he casually slid his hands into his pockets. She still looked tired, but her spirits seemed higher than before. He was glad for that.
He would have to ask her about all this later, after he'd found out why he was called here to begin with. "No problem. What's up?"
Now came the difficult part. Rise turned around fully so she was facing him and leaned back against the banister. She folded her hands in front of her and twiddled her fingers, for the first time since coming here looking a little meek.
"I've had a lot on my mind recently,” a pause, “I've had a lot on my mind for a while." she corrected. Her brain had been pretty much racing since day one of being brought over to Death City. Why her? What could she do? Why was she having so much trouble transforming? The list was endless.
"Especially after that talk that we had back during the storm." Through him she saw herself and that there were still a lot of things she needed to work through. Just because she had accepted her Shadow didn't mean that the problems it represented had disappeared, nor that she was okay with them. It only meant that she had completed the first step and become aware of them and acknowledged that something needed to be done.
"Ah, gee. I probably should have thought about what I was going to say more beforehand. I'm not really sure how to go about this." she admitted, laughing a little sheepishly.
Rise appearing meek was certainly a bizarre sight to Matt. With him used to being the quieter, shyer one of the two Whatever was bothering her, it had to be a pretty big deal.
He frowned a little and leaned with her against the banister. "You looked worn out the other day. I can tell somethings been bothering you." He paused.
"You know you can talk to me, right? I mean --...You might not have known me as long as you've known some of your friends from home but ...I'm still a pretty good listener."
She smiled at that and nodded "Yea. I know I can."
She raised her head a little to look at him before casting it down again "But even more than that, Matt," she deliberated before raising her hands and making an odd gesture, slightly clenching her fingers and waving them a bit, "I have trouble being honest."
"I don't mean that I deliberately lie to people, but I'm just not...myself if that makes any sense. I'm always afraid of what people will think, of what they will say, about angering or upsetting them so like. Without even trying I just act the way I think they want me to. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it for a long while, it's like it's become something automatic. I'm terrified of being alone or going back to how I use to be." she smiled a little shrewdly and gave a shrug.
"Believe it or not, I didn't have any friends up until about six or so months ago when I met Senpai and the others, and it really was just complete chance that I met them and we became friends at all. When you told me about what your life was like and all that time you spent alone, it reminded me a bit of myself. I never really had anyone till them."
She took a breath before continuing, the next part made her feel a bit guilty "And don't get me wrong. I love them all more than I can ever say. They are my family, much more than my real family ever was. I would die for them, and I know they all care very much about me. Which is why I feel so stupid when I realize that often I still pretend around them too. It's like my mind and heart are telling me to just let go but a tiny part of me is still terrified that they'll hate who I might be. I don't even know who the hell that is."
Her shoulders slumped a bit and she looked away, pouting a bit, the very faintest of pink coloring her cheek.
"...but I don't with you."
Matt was quiet, giving her the respect of spilling what was likely something extremely personal and rarely shared. When she finished, his face was predictably a little red. It wasn't like it was often someone said such a thing to him, let alone someone he kind of li--
He paused and glanced down at his feet too. He racked his brain trying to find something appropriate to say. He was a diplomat. He was great at negotiating and being sensible when it came to international affairs and dealing with his brother.
Hell if he was any good at actually talking to people. As a person, not as Canada.
He smiled a little. "I don't know what to say. I mean--" He glanced up, looking past the roof and into the town. "I ...It means a lot that you would feel comfortable enough to share something like that with me and...and that you ...feel like you don't pretend around me."
Where was he going with this? He wasn't even completely sure. Diplomatic ability was not coming in handy for this particular situation.
To hell with it.
"...We really are a pair, aren't we?"
At that the tension left her shoulders and she laughed.
"We sure are." Hearing him say something like that encouraged her, and she stepped away from the wall to look at him.
"Which is why I've been thinking about it a lot. And I think you're the only one. I know...I know I haven't managed to change yet, and if you would rather wait till then to see what I am, I totally understand but."
She folded her arms behind her back and looked up at Matt.
"Matt, will you be my Meister?"
And that caught him off guard. Looking back, maybe he should have been less surprised but ...honestly? He would have never expected anyone to come right out and ask him to be their partner, let alone Rise.
He blinked a little, almost like he hadn't heard her at all, or imagined what she said. Then he shook his head and broke out into a broad smile. Not one of the nervous smiles he seemed to always carry, a real one.
"Of course!"
Oh it was so good to hear. So, so good to hear and similarly Rise smiled. A small smile, but a genuine one that made her eyes crinkle and face glow.
She reached out and took one of Matt's hands and between hers, giving it a small squeeze before lifting it in the air.
"Then listen, Death City! The best team Shibusen has ever seen has just been formed! You best be ready!" she yelled out over the rooftops, giddy and excited, and most of all feeling like she was on the precipice of something great.
His hand still hurt from him and China trying to force a Resonation, but the pain went completely ignored. He was too busy smiling and laughing with her enthusiastic shout from the roof top. "Damn straight!"
The staff had said that when you found your partner ....you would just know.
He understood now what that meant. Nothing felt more right just then, than Rise's hand in his. And from the bottom of his soul ...something inside him felt complete.
Location: Rooftop of the Casualty Communal
Rating: G
Time: Day 23 / June 23
Description: After coming to terms with certain things here, Rise decides to ask Matt a very important question.
It was getting to be late. The sun was finally going down, and the moon was finally beginning to rise, somewhere, perhaps behind her, hidden behind some other buildings. Much like the hilltop that overlooked Inaba, this rooftop had started to hold the same feeling of security. It was so lovely to be able to look out upon Death City from somewhere so high, unknown to its inhabitants. It was also a very good place to escape to whenever she needed a breather, such as she had two days previous.
And God, had she ever needed one.
The conversation she had had with Matt a few days prior had been one that had opened old wounds, and that she tried to push out of her mind but in the end all that had succeeded in doing was making her nights sleepless, and appetite thin. She had tried to distract herself with work, but in the end she had only worried other people like Ash and Nill when they had noticed she seemed troubled. Then she had tried to make herself feel better by shopping, but that backfired, and it ended with her finally caving and thinking on all that had troubled her these past few days.
In the end it had been a good thing. It had helped her realize two very important things. One, that she needed to get over herself and stop wallowing in self-pity, and two, that she had something very important to request of Matt.
So once again, here she was, and for a very important reason. She tapped her fingers nervously against the stone banister of the rooftop. She had contacted Matt earlier in the day, asking him if he could meet up with her here.
Matt was curious about Rise suddenly wanting to meet him on the roof, but not put off by it. It was strange though, now that he thought about it. Usually Rise would have just came to his apartment, right? Maybe this was something she wanted to talk about without China there?
Now that made him even more curious, and just a might concerned.
He took the elevator to the roof, taking a moment to think. He wasn't sure what was up. If anything, their last conversation had ended rather well, far better than he could have possibly imagined, but he couldn't shake the feeling something was bothering her. He never commented to her post from the other day, but he could tell.
Then again he had also had a lot on his mind the last few days.
The elevator dinged when it reached the roof and the doors parted. He sighed and smiled a bit upon seeing her, lifting his hand up a bit to wave.
When Rise heard the sound of the elevator, she turned around and smiled upon seeing Matt. She knew that he would come, but it was still nice to see him there. It was also a little nerve racking. She really had no idea how to go about this. She had seen some people simply ask over the network, but that felt far too impersonal for her tastes.
Becoming partners seemed like a big thing. It meant more than just asking someone to be a comrade in battle. It meant more than asking someone to be your friend. Souls. Resonating. All that stuff was still a little confusing, but she knew enough to know that your partner had to be someone whom you were connected to in the deepest of manners---or rather, someone who you were willing to connect to in the deepest of manners. It was a terrifying thought in many, many ways, but when she thought of Matt being the person to whom she would place her all thoughts and feelings.
Well. It became a liberating one.
It was an important decision, and so deserved at the very least, to be a face to face request.
"Hey Matt! Thanks for coming."
His smile got a little brighter as he got closer and he casually slid his hands into his pockets. She still looked tired, but her spirits seemed higher than before. He was glad for that.
He would have to ask her about all this later, after he'd found out why he was called here to begin with. "No problem. What's up?"
Now came the difficult part. Rise turned around fully so she was facing him and leaned back against the banister. She folded her hands in front of her and twiddled her fingers, for the first time since coming here looking a little meek.
"I've had a lot on my mind recently,” a pause, “I've had a lot on my mind for a while." she corrected. Her brain had been pretty much racing since day one of being brought over to Death City. Why her? What could she do? Why was she having so much trouble transforming? The list was endless.
"Especially after that talk that we had back during the storm." Through him she saw herself and that there were still a lot of things she needed to work through. Just because she had accepted her Shadow didn't mean that the problems it represented had disappeared, nor that she was okay with them. It only meant that she had completed the first step and become aware of them and acknowledged that something needed to be done.
"Ah, gee. I probably should have thought about what I was going to say more beforehand. I'm not really sure how to go about this." she admitted, laughing a little sheepishly.
Rise appearing meek was certainly a bizarre sight to Matt. With him used to being the quieter, shyer one of the two Whatever was bothering her, it had to be a pretty big deal.
He frowned a little and leaned with her against the banister. "You looked worn out the other day. I can tell somethings been bothering you." He paused.
"You know you can talk to me, right? I mean --...You might not have known me as long as you've known some of your friends from home but ...I'm still a pretty good listener."
She smiled at that and nodded "Yea. I know I can."
She raised her head a little to look at him before casting it down again "But even more than that, Matt," she deliberated before raising her hands and making an odd gesture, slightly clenching her fingers and waving them a bit, "I have trouble being honest."
"I don't mean that I deliberately lie to people, but I'm just not...myself if that makes any sense. I'm always afraid of what people will think, of what they will say, about angering or upsetting them so like. Without even trying I just act the way I think they want me to. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it for a long while, it's like it's become something automatic. I'm terrified of being alone or going back to how I use to be." she smiled a little shrewdly and gave a shrug.
"Believe it or not, I didn't have any friends up until about six or so months ago when I met Senpai and the others, and it really was just complete chance that I met them and we became friends at all. When you told me about what your life was like and all that time you spent alone, it reminded me a bit of myself. I never really had anyone till them."
She took a breath before continuing, the next part made her feel a bit guilty "And don't get me wrong. I love them all more than I can ever say. They are my family, much more than my real family ever was. I would die for them, and I know they all care very much about me. Which is why I feel so stupid when I realize that often I still pretend around them too. It's like my mind and heart are telling me to just let go but a tiny part of me is still terrified that they'll hate who I might be. I don't even know who the hell that is."
Her shoulders slumped a bit and she looked away, pouting a bit, the very faintest of pink coloring her cheek.
"...but I don't with you."
Matt was quiet, giving her the respect of spilling what was likely something extremely personal and rarely shared. When she finished, his face was predictably a little red. It wasn't like it was often someone said such a thing to him, let alone someone he kind of li--
He paused and glanced down at his feet too. He racked his brain trying to find something appropriate to say. He was a diplomat. He was great at negotiating and being sensible when it came to international affairs and dealing with his brother.
Hell if he was any good at actually talking to people. As a person, not as Canada.
He smiled a little. "I don't know what to say. I mean--" He glanced up, looking past the roof and into the town. "I ...It means a lot that you would feel comfortable enough to share something like that with me and...and that you ...feel like you don't pretend around me."
Where was he going with this? He wasn't even completely sure. Diplomatic ability was not coming in handy for this particular situation.
To hell with it.
"...We really are a pair, aren't we?"
At that the tension left her shoulders and she laughed.
"We sure are." Hearing him say something like that encouraged her, and she stepped away from the wall to look at him.
"Which is why I've been thinking about it a lot. And I think you're the only one. I know...I know I haven't managed to change yet, and if you would rather wait till then to see what I am, I totally understand but."
She folded her arms behind her back and looked up at Matt.
"Matt, will you be my Meister?"
And that caught him off guard. Looking back, maybe he should have been less surprised but ...honestly? He would have never expected anyone to come right out and ask him to be their partner, let alone Rise.
He blinked a little, almost like he hadn't heard her at all, or imagined what she said. Then he shook his head and broke out into a broad smile. Not one of the nervous smiles he seemed to always carry, a real one.
"Of course!"
Oh it was so good to hear. So, so good to hear and similarly Rise smiled. A small smile, but a genuine one that made her eyes crinkle and face glow.
She reached out and took one of Matt's hands and between hers, giving it a small squeeze before lifting it in the air.
"Then listen, Death City! The best team Shibusen has ever seen has just been formed! You best be ready!" she yelled out over the rooftops, giddy and excited, and most of all feeling like she was on the precipice of something great.
His hand still hurt from him and China trying to force a Resonation, but the pain went completely ignored. He was too busy smiling and laughing with her enthusiastic shout from the roof top. "Damn straight!"
The staff had said that when you found your partner ....you would just know.
He understood now what that meant. Nothing felt more right just then, than Rise's hand in his. And from the bottom of his soul ...something inside him felt complete.