and they carried on like long division

[imatreenow]

Who: Silver and Mithos and maybe probably joined by Sayo at some point
What: ...who knows, honestly. Something akin to "bonding" except it's kind of awkward and one-sided-ly hostile.
When: August 14th-20th
Where: Building 2, room 1; the garden outside House 11
Summary: Frey takes a week off to cope with Kaori's departure and Silver steps in to assume his responsibilities of keeping an eye on Mithos. Things happen.
Rating: PG

Comments

14th

[imatreenow]

...Until I change, I suppose. [The bitterness with which he imbues that word should make his thoughts on the matter clear enough.]

14th

[tsuntrader]

[He pauses for a moment to think this one over... Before nodding.]

Let's go, then.

14th

[imatreenow]

[He doesn't know what he expected to hear from SIlver, but it wasn't that.] ...What?

14th

[tsuntrader]

How do they expect you to change if you're stuck in the same place doing the same thing? Let's head out for a while.

14th

[imatreenow]

Are you joking?

14th

[tsuntrader]

No.

14th

[imatreenow]

...I don't understand.

14th

[tsuntrader]

There's not much to understand. Staying cramped up in one place for too long will drive you nuts. Doing anything for too long's gonna get to you.

We head out of here for a few hours, do something, and head back in. As long as I keep an eye on you it shouldn't be a big deal. If it is, I'll take the blame. [So basically "fuck the police, I do what I want."]

14th

[imatreenow]

[It's a lot to try to understand. He's completely caught off guard by the notion that Silver would accept blame, and the motive is lost on him.] Why are you doing this?

14th

[tsuntrader]

Why not? [He doubts that Mithos would believe him if he tried to explain it further anyway.]

14th

[imatreenow]

Because I don't trust you to not inform Raine or Freyjadour, and I refuse to go back to that cell. You could easily fabricate an account of me trying to attack someone or insist that I forced my way out.

14th

[tsuntrader]

Just like how I cried to everyone in my house about how you electrocuted me and continued to try to. Multiple times. Right?

[...] I still can't believe that they'd consider locking you up in some cage. [A cage. A prison. No one changes or learns or manages to do anything better by being locked up.]

14th

[imatreenow]

[...He is resenting the validity of that point, Silver, because he doesn't want to be lulled into a false sense of security. He's still very dubious, for the record, so he'll just hone in on that last part.]

I'm not surprised at all.

14th

[tsuntrader]

[...He doubts that he could properly convey his thoughts and feelings on the matter, let alone in a manner that Mithos would be comfortable with.

So he doesn't.] If I said they had no reason to, I'd be lying. Still don't like it, though.

14th

[imatreenow]

[He's silent as he tries not to make sense of Silver's words, finding himself where he always ends up in their conversations - lost and in what has to be a minefield.]

...I have no reason to want to leave anyway.

14th

[tsuntrader]

[Right. He almost forgot about that part.]

Not even to Kaori's garden?

14th 1/2

[imatreenow]

[...That makes the offer tempting. The small garden is teeming with months of memories, ones shared with her by his side and ones with her firmly planted in his mind as he worked in desperation without her. His heart aches.]

[imatreenow]

[Quietly, but firmly, he answers.] I want to see it.

[tsuntrader]

[Good.] I was actually hoping that you could help take care of it this week. I don't know much about taking care of plants.

...I think that's what she'd want, too. [His expression definitely changes to some muted tone of sad and resigned. But with that, he turns and starts heading towards the door, stopping only to glance over his shoulder and see if Mithos is following him.]

[imatreenow]

[Hold on a moment - he needs to put his boots on, and then he's gathering up his neglected gardening tools. They haven't left their canvas tote bag in the whole time he's been back at Sayo's, with the obvious reason that he's barred from the outdoors. After a pause of consideration, he takes the panpipes from the nightstand and carefully tucks them into a side pocket of the bag before silently following Silver.

He questions why Silver would bother, but his last words are sticking with him. What she would want. Even with Kaori gone, he's still wired to think in terms of what would make her happy.]

[tsuntrader]

[And out they go. The walk is a rather short one and doesn't venture near any crowded areas, so they should both go relatively unnoticed. It's not long before they'll get to the garden.

...But before that, after there's been a minute or so of silence-]

Can I ask you something? [-Silver needs to speak up.]

[imatreenow]

[The few people who pass by at a distance will earn a hard, wary glance from Mithos as they walk their unbeaten path. His attention shifts to Silver when he speaks.]

...What?

[tsuntrader]

You had to have heard some of the things those trees were saying, right?

I heard one about you. I don't want to assume anything.

[imatreenow]

[His eyes narrow, apprehensive, not knowing where this could be going - he hadn't heard the trees whispering any rumors about himself.]

What did you hear?

[tsuntrader]

They said you're a hero that ended some huge war.