IC Inbox for neornithes

[birdinhand]

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[yokubo]

Ankh...

[yokubo]

I'll come to your room if you don't respond.

[birdinhand]

[Still not answering. He's brooding in his room. Approach if you dare.]

[action]

[yokubo]

[ Eiji kind of knew that Ankh wasn't going to answer. He never did. If there was ever a time he needed a friend, though, he figured it was probably now. He'd done his best to take care of Hina when Ankh was gone, and he knew she'd want him to do the same now that the situation was reversed.

And, honestly... Eiji felt like he needed someone around who understood, too. Knowing that Hina had died so brutally shook him to his core. ]

Ankh... can I come in? Please?

[ He awkwardly stood outside the door. He didn't know what he would do if he actually was allowed in. ]

Re: [action]

[birdinhand]

[Truth be told, he both did and didn't want to be alone right now. But he would probably just get more annoying if he resisted further.]

Suit yourself.

[yokubo]

[ He was unusually quiet as he came in and shut the door behind him. Before he went to Ankh's room he'd somehow managed to get to the gift shop and back without making a bloody mess of his feet again. He didn't know what else to do, so he just held out the bag of popsicles he'd brought. ]

Um, I got these for you.

[birdinhand]

[He scowls, but the peace offering is accepted. He takes one out and bites a corner off.]

[yokubo]

[ Sometimes Eiji didn't know what was worse: the bickering or the awkward silence. ]

I won't stay if you don't want me to, but, um, if you want some company...

[ This was really hard. ]

[birdinhand]

[He likes the quiet. You're the awkward one.]

It doesn't make a difference. [Well, that's not true.]

[yokubo]

So you don't mind if I stay a while?

[birdinhand]

If you want to. [He pulls his knees up against himself while he works on his popsicle.

Of course she would choose to take the risk on whatever that card was on herself. That she would make that choice didn't surprise him in the least. She hadn't changed at all. Well, that wasn't true. She was sadder, because of him. And now she was dead.

And he's just glaring at a point on the bed just beyond his knees. What the fuck had he been wasting all this time for?]

[yokubo]

[ He didn't know if sitting down would irritate Ankh or not, so he just stood. He could tell by the way he was acting that he was fighting with himself, even if he wouldn't say it out loud. ]

This isn't your fault, Ankh.

[birdinhand]

Tche. Sit down before you hurt yourself. Or else we'll both look useless without Hi-- [Okay his voice caught in his throat. Still not really looking at Eiji at all.] And I know that, I'm not an idiot.

[yokubo]

[ Eiji nodded, biting his lip as he sat at the edge of Ankh's bed. It really was hard to think about her being gone. She'd be back the next day, but... even if he knew nobody between them was at fault, he still felt guilty himself. Like he'd let her down somehow. But he should probably focus on helping Ankh, not making himself sadder. ]

I know you're not dumb or anything. I just... wanted you to know I'm here to support you, I guess.

[birdinhand]

She'll be back. [Because considering any other possibility probably meant there would be arson on the itinerary tonight.]

[yokubo]

You don't have to pretend you're not upset around me. It's not like I'll tell anyone.

[birdinhand]

What would freaking out do?

[yokubo]

Well, nothing, I --

[ He lowered his head, feeling more defeated by the minute. ]

I'm trying to be a good friend is all.

[birdinhand]

[He flinched when Eiji said that. No, that's not what he wanted to do. He pushed his fluff of curls back off his face.

When he spoke again the hard edge was gone, in that way that was usually reserved for when he talked to Hina. He's still being stubborn about keeping it even and not letting it shake at all.] Making that decision is just so very like her.

[yokubo]

[ He looked up at the change in his voice. He showed his surprise for a second, but was rid of it just as quick. They were talking about Hina, after all. Of course he'd speak differently about her. ]

She's really brave, huh? [ He smiled just slightly. ] I guess she always has been from the sound of things.

[birdinhand]

[He nodded. He was messing more with his hair as though hanging the way it was suddenly bothered him.] She had to be. It's been just the two of us for ages. Before I left her by herself, anyway...

[yokubo]

[ That was kind of strange... but he'd better not say anything about it. ]

But you're here with her now. That's what's important, isn't it?

[birdinhand]

I don't know if it's really that easy... [Finally he seems to realize there's nothing to be done about it now and leaves it the hell alone.]

[yokubo]

Maybe not, but don't people always say the things worth fighting for are the hardest? If anyone is worth your best effort it's Hina-chan, right?

[birdinhand]

Yeah... it is. [He sighed.]

[On a semi-related note...] By the way... Have you talked to Weiss at all in the last couple of days?