OCTOBER CATCH-ALL

[khajidont]

WHO: Jaime Reyes & VARIOUS
WHERE: VARIOUS
WHEN: VARIOUS (are you getting the picture yet)
WHAT: A catch-all log for a few pre-planned logs in October! If you want me to write up a starter for you for either Blue Beetle or Jaime Reyes, I'd be more than happy to do so! Just send me a PP @ feygasm or PM me and we can sort something out.
WARNINGS: None so far!

Comments

[amadaman]

[There was a reason why Ken asked Jaime, specifically, to stay by Minato's side. There are few other people that Ken will trust with his leader's sturdy but fragile mind, too, even including the people from their team back home. Fuuka, Yukari, and Junpei might've been able to affect him well, but between Akihiko, Shinjiro, and himself he wasn't going to be overly optimistic.

With the cast they had here, Koromaru was probably the most emotionally intelligent team member, and he was a dog.]

I know it takes time. I thought I'd never change, too. Minato-san here isn't the same Minato-san I knew when I first left Iwatodai, but we had five months between us. For him to change even more...

[He shakes his head.] How could I do that? Remind him, I mean. I want to, but I don't know where to start.

[khajidont]

It doesn't have to be in obvious ways. I mean, because it's Minato, it might be a little obvious, but... we can do our best.

[He has to admit that much. For all that Minato seems to be ignorant of social niceties, he has a feeling that he pays very close attention to Ken's usual behaviour, and how it may be changing. He may be that observant with the rest of his friends too - Jaime's not sure about that one, having not been paying attention to Minato's level of observation - but he knows how much Minato cares for Ken, and how closely they all had to watch over him over the past year.]

I like to ask him about his day. When you ask him, he'll tell you his day was good, and he won't be lying, so you have to ask him more specific questions like, uh... like if he had lunch with his co-workers, or if any of his customers were obnoxious, or if he's learning any new songs on his violin. He seems to think we don't care about the little stuff about his life, so the best way to make sure he knows that we do is to ask him about it.

[amadaman]

... We used to greet him whenever he came home. He was always the last one home. When Fuuka-san asked him how his day was, he'd give one-word answers or sigh as he sat down.

I think I understand what you're talking about. So I'll have to be more specific, ike you said.

[khajidont]

Exactly. I've already, uh, given him kind of a talking to about that one. [Jaime offers Ken a sheepish sort of smile, knowing full well how odd the idea of anyone giving Minato a talking to sounds. Minato's just not the sort of guy that people can lecture easily, but it was important to Jaime that Minato knows that he cares about him, no matter what he's doing, and no matter where he's gone. Jaime cares about the nice customer he met at work, and what he enjoyed or didn't enjoy for lunch, and the quiet satisfaction of coming back home. It's the fabric of their lives, and that makes it just as important as the big things.

He's not sure if Minato quite understands that yet, but heck, Jaime's trying to make him understand. At least Minato understands that for whatever nebulous reason, it's important to Jaime, and Minato tends to acquiesce to whatever's important to his friends. Jaime counts himself as lucky to be among that number.]

He's gotten a lot better at it, but we can work on it together, to show him that we care. And we have to remember what he tells us, like he remembers what we tell him... but you won't have a big problem with that. Your memory's too good.

[amadaman]

... I can try that. For Minato-san's sake.

[Ken doesn't think too much about the things he memorizes, but since Jaime's bringing it up, he commits this to memory deliberately. He thinks about the things he can ask him. About music, perhaps, maybe if he found any good new songs. Ask him to spend time with him, and ask him where he'd like to have lunch next time. Now that he thinks about it, the options are aplenty.]

Yah. Yeah, I think it's a good idea.

ANNNND I think we can wind this one down now?

[khajidont]

Good. We'll work on him together, until one day, maybe you'll feel okay about telling him.

[Jaime's not sure if that day will ever come, but for now, they have to operate underneath the assumption that it will, that Minato will grow into his own sense of worth, that Ken can come to peace with this whole affair. There's no point in considering their days here to be numbered. They have to look forward as if the best will happen, and if it doesn't?

Well, they can handle it. They certainly have enough people on their side.]