(it's impressive, really is. he knows exactly the impact the greenery makes, having had such a shock moving from sweden to tokyo. colorful, old buildings replaced by flashing, blinking lights, full of information at the peak of technology (of the 2000s, but still). the greenery that composed what he knew quickly became a faded background in japan. he truly does get it, and it does pull a weak smile from an otherwise rather tense expression.
... but oh. aerith comes with food. she's already so worried about him that it feels overkill to tell her he's attempting his best to now grow any taller - and it would screw over his lie, as well. what eighteen-year-old is that concerned about a growth spur? a swallow, but a bow in thanks.)
That's thoughtful, thank you very much. Would you like to share?
[ thankfully, it's no lie: there's a bag sticking out of a trash can some feet away. in the mean time, she inclines her head toward another plastic chair. ] Besides, I have some work to do. Gotta make sure the apology bouquet gets where it needs to go before sunrise. Most of our work is done in the middle of the night, anyway.
[ good. that's what she likes to see, so with a smile, aerith hands him a spare garden shears. thankfully, the roses are all lined up, and ready for their snipping. ] Be careful. They have thorns.
[ unsurprisingly, really.
his question hands in the air as she works, taking care to arrange the flowers with care. after a moment of consideration, she speaks, tone plain. aerith thinks of the recording of the woman in the alleyway, the one who had told him he'd been wrong, or he'd messed up, and the story he told her... and shrugs. ]
You worry a lot. I noticed that. Really, it's nothing major. You need another chance, that's all.
(he could be lost, but something shin exceeds on is being observant. he simply mimics the work she had been doing, delicately not to accidentally cut too much... or himself.)
It might not be major for you, but it's major for me.
(over time, he'll learn how to read aerith, learn how to trust her... but the ryoko sound is still open and bleeding out.)
[ yeah, she knows how that goes, too. she makes note of his work, watching his hands as much as she watches her's. he's careful with them; definitely the hands of a musician. he's very conscious of each of his fingers. ]
That's no good, Shin. You should ask people for better.
[ clip, clip. the stems fall to the floor. she'll clean it later, appropriately so, as always. ]
The guy who messed up cheated on his girlfriend by going back to his wife. That's the kind of place this is.
(snip, snip, mimicking. it's somewhat relaxing, akin to using fingers on chords, but it still doesn't have the same thrill. it's repetitive - but he doesn't mind it.)
[ this question is getting easier to answer. for a while, it had been confusing to explain, but now? it's easy. ]
The place where I'm from...? That's easy. It's a place with a steel sky, and we all live under it. Everyone there tries their hardest every day, living their lives to the fullest, as full of passion and determination as they can gather. [ here, she lets go of her work, and lays her palms flat against the air. one palm flat: ]
But you said this place is nothing new. How so? ... Do you not get the sun down there?
(too many questions, poor aerith, but he's confused with the two pictures she's painted. one of hope, and one of deviance, like this place, like shin's.)
[ it's a hard situation, isn't it? to be at once so free and yet so trapped. tangled into a contract you can't break, aiming for a goal close to your heart. ]
Mm. [ she pulls at a ribbon, measures it out. hums to herself, considers how everyone's situation is as unique as every star in the sky, and then looks heavenward. ]
It's gonna be up to you from here on out. I think you'll do good.
(it isn't about the contract. it's everything - here, he doesn't have to face blast. doesn't have to face nana. doesn't have to face hachi. doesn't have to face reira... but if he wants to make it right, he'll have to come back. if he makes his contract happen, it'll be worth it.
It's a really nice night. I'm glad you came to meet me.
[ it was spur of the moment, but it meant something, she thinks. his determination, or interest in learning about her... she'll take it to heart. she'll remember this. ] I did this all the time back home. Flowers were really uncommon, even here.
[ nah, she's not giving him the perimeters for him to dance around; she knows he'll just play nicely around her. with a sweet smile, she turns back to him. ]
Really? Only thing I remember from back home was a home-cooked meal. [ this is a lie. ] What kind of food? I like all kinds.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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... but oh. aerith comes with food. she's already so worried about him that it feels overkill to tell her he's attempting his best to now grow any taller - and it would screw over his lie, as well. what eighteen-year-old is that concerned about a growth spur? a swallow, but a bow in thanks.)
That's thoughtful, thank you very much. Would you like to share?
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[ thankfully, it's no lie: there's a bag sticking out of a trash can some feet away. in the mean time, she inclines her head toward another plastic chair. ] Besides, I have some work to do. Gotta make sure the apology bouquet gets where it needs to go before sunrise. Most of our work is done in the middle of the night, anyway.
[ "our" is code for "tamamo", really. ]
So? What's up?
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(his hand sticks out, as if he was asking for some work to do while they talked. it feels strange to just watch.)
Wow. Who messed up?
(a moment.)
I guess I just want to understand. It doesn't really get through my head you'd spend money and care for someone you barely know this much.
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[ unsurprisingly, really.
his question hands in the air as she works, taking care to arrange the flowers with care. after a moment of consideration, she speaks, tone plain. aerith thinks of the recording of the woman in the alleyway, the one who had told him he'd been wrong, or he'd messed up, and the story he told her... and shrugs. ]
You worry a lot. I noticed that. Really, it's nothing major. You need another chance, that's all.
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It might not be major for you, but it's major for me.
(over time, he'll learn how to read aerith, learn how to trust her... but the ryoko sound is still open and bleeding out.)
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That's no good, Shin. You should ask people for better.
[ clip, clip. the stems fall to the floor. she'll clean it later, appropriately so, as always. ]
The guy who messed up cheated on his girlfriend by going back to his wife. That's the kind of place this is.
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It's no different from where I was before.
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[ she's quiet for a moment, considering. ]
If you're well, that's fine. But in the meantime, you'll come to visit, right?
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(if he's going to share anything, he's gonna get something out of it, too.)
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The place where I'm from...? That's easy. It's a place with a steel sky, and we all live under it. Everyone there tries their hardest every day, living their lives to the fullest, as full of passion and determination as they can gather. [ here, she lets go of her work, and lays her palms flat against the air. one palm flat: ]
This is us.
[ and another just above it. ]
This is the rest. We call it "topside."
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(too many questions, poor aerith, but he's confused with the two pictures she's painted. one of hope, and one of deviance, like this place, like shin's.)
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We're not supposed to. That's the point of the plate, they walk over us. Every topsider, that is...
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(he's not sure if he can relate. it's too foreign as a concept, but the relationships between people remain.)
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What about you, Shin? Does this feel like this is your chance to be free?
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(but...)
I feel more trapped than ever.
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Mm. [ she pulls at a ribbon, measures it out. hums to herself, considers how everyone's situation is as unique as every star in the sky, and then looks heavenward. ]
It's gonna be up to you from here on out. I think you'll do good.
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he feels wholly unprepared.)
If it's up to me, I wouldn't have all this faith.
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Faith? What in, Shin?
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(in him. don't have all this faith in him. he's not that great. but he'll keep that one to himself, putting work on what he's doing instead.)
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It's a really nice night. I'm glad you came to meet me.
[ it was spur of the moment, but it meant something, she thinks. his determination, or interest in learning about her... she'll take it to heart. she'll remember this. ] I did this all the time back home. Flowers were really uncommon, even here.
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(she shared, even if it's a little bit. he can share and be vague at the same time.)
I was in Tokyo, which is... Very similar to this place. Where I'm from, though, it's very green and natural-looking.
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[ but only then. ]
That sounds lovely, Shin. It really does. I wish I could have seen it.
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(she's TOO nice! she doesn't set a precedent, does she?)
You can find food from there here, at least.
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Really? Only thing I remember from back home was a home-cooked meal. [ this is a lie. ] What kind of food? I like all kinds.
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Can you cook?
(... how to explain swedish food? how???)
Ever heard of Ärtsoppa & pannkakor?
(yes, perfect pronunciation.)
It's this pea soup. We usually eat it on Thursdays, and we eat pancakes with jam afterwards as dessert.
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