[Arrow Ten]: [Accidental Audio]

[spirit_kanji]

((OOC: Italics = Greg))

[Silence, before a door opens and closes, followed by quiet footsteps.]

Shizuka?

Ah... Sanders-san...

Where's Haku?

Her and Onizuka-san are out.

Oh. The door was unlocked. Sorry. I'll uh... I'll go. I was just going to drop something off. I don't want to bother you or anything.

You're not bothering me, Sanders-san.

... I really wish you'd just call me Greg.

[Silence. Doumeki just shrugged in response.]

... something on your mind, kid?

I've... been thinking about going back to work. There's no point in doing nothing.

... looking for a way to keep yourself occupied?

In a way.

[Long pause from Greg]

Look... I'm... it's no one's place to tell you how to live your life, Shizuka, but pretending it didn't happen--

[slightly irritated] Then what would you suggest, Sanders-san?

... I--... I don't really know, honestly...

... sadly, that's the same answer I've had for weeks.

[click]

Comments

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Er--y'know your phone-whatchamacallit's on, right?

[locked to Doumeki]

You okay there, kid?

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[nothing but an annoyed sigh]

[Locked]

Yes. I'm fine. [Lyiiiiing~]

[locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Uh huh. Sorry, kid, but my best friend has a habit of doing that and he hasn't fooled me in years.

Soooo--what's this thing you've been pretending never happened?

[locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

... it's nothing important. People... leave one another all the time, don't they? [he's trying very hard to not use the words 'break up' or something similar.]

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Well, they do, I can't deny that. But that doesn't mean it's always the best thing they could have done, and it sure doesn't mean it's something you have to just accept, especially if you think they might be doing it for the wrong reasons. If your friend is important to you, you have the right to fight for him.

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[... you know more than you're letting on, sir.]

Not if it isn't what he wants. He made his decision.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

[of course, but there's no point in lampshading that fact~]

People don't always make good decisions, even if it's about something they think they do or don't want. That's what we need friends and family for--to give us a kick when we're making a bad one. It's part of our responsibility as people who care.

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[He would almost sound snappish, if it wasn't for that almost constantly monotone voice of his.]
I know that.

I'm not going to stop caring just because he doesn't want me to be with-- ... to be there anymore.

But it's not up to me to make him change his mind.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

I think it's pretty clear what he's doing is hurting himself, let alone anyone else. If it's not up to you, as someone who cares, to help him clear his mind and keep him from hurting, then who is it up to?

[murmured, as if to himself] A lot of the time, it's the people who push us away that need the most help ...

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[He makes a weird sort-of noise, a kind of a sardonic, quiet laugh that sounds more hurt than humored.]

There's always the chance I don't want to help him.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

I don't believe that for a minute, and I don't think you do either. Whatever it was that was said or done, you're hurt and you're angry, and that's okay. Take your time to work things out in your own head first.

But it takes more than one person to be in any kind of a relationship. That means decisions relating to it should be made by everyone involved, and that includes whether or not to let go. That's why you, of all people, have the right to step in.

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

... there's a chance it might not be as simple as that.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Relationships never are. How so, in this case?

[locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

He could be right. I might be the one that's causing problems.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Hm. And when you say 'causing problems', what kind of problems were you meaning? I get the feeling we're not talking your average relational ups and downs here ...

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

Not exactly, no.

[sigh] It's possible something about the two of us being around each other now might be what's causing us to keep getting hurt. But... we didn't have this problem back home.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

[slight, tiny huff] I may not be an alchemist myself, kid, but I've been around enough of them to recognise a supposition when I hear one. It's no good making decisions based on what might be true, you know, especially life-changing decisions like this.

That said it's probably a good thing you're apart for now--at least then you can figure out whether it's being together which is causing the problem. People do that all the time too ... they leave each other for a little while to figure out if they really can handle staying away. And the answer's 'no' just as often as it's 'yes'.

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

... [why yes that is a very uncertain silence from the stoic teen]

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

Look, I can tell this is all pretty new for you. Just think about it for a while, work out how you feel, and keep in mind that if something--or someone--is important enough to you, it's okay to pursue them.

And if you need someone to chat to? Just call Maes Hughes.

Re: [locked]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

I suppose so...

Thank you, Hughes-san.

Re: [locked]

[notanalchemist.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.