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WHO: Minato and Tetsuo!
WHERE: Nonah #005 probably?
WHEN: Today!! Gasp.
WHAT: Parole check in.
WARNINGS: None.

[ Minato belatedly realizes he should perhaps do his job. He's only heard encouraging things about how Tetsuo's been doing from Ken, who surely of anyone would know, given their past history and the fact they're living together again... but his conversation with Mr. Edgeworth had pointed out to him that he should be more proactive.

All the insanity of the occupation this month had put that off, but Minato is here finally, letting himself in and seeking out Tetsuo. If he's not here today, well, he's just going to try a different day. That's the sort of person Minato is. ]

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[...but Tetsuo is.

Nonah 05 has become a busy, lively place, with a group of extra unaccounted-for teenagers crashed out in the basement, a random komainu wandering around, one replaced housemate, and another girl living in Kaneda's room. If this happened earlier, Tetsuo would never be part of such a place; it's a mild miracle he still is.

But there he is as Minato walks in, heading out of the kitchen holding a specific blue cup. If he's not stopped, he's going back to the stairs, presumably to his room.

It may have been a while since they saw each other- Tetsuo's made a few appearance changes - blue-tipped white hair from before Antarctica, still clad in Kaneda's jacket but with a new hoodie under it, and.. .wearing a leather hat from somewhere, that's definitely newer. It's definitely him, despite all that; few others are quite that determinedly mopey-looking when wandering around like that.]

[ Minato blinks once at the changes in his appearance but otherwise doesn't comment, or intend on commenting.

When he sees him, he stops him with a blunt, ] Tetsuo, we should have a parole meeting. [ That's it. ]

Hn-?

[Tetsuo stops at the sound of Minato's voice. His eyes dart to the stairs before anything else, calculating what it'd take to bolt just in case. He then hunches his shoulders, already defensive, staring at Minato like a wary cat.]

I didn't do anything.

... Okay. I just haven't talked to you in a while, so I wanted to make sure you were alright.

[ Head tilt. ]

...

[Oh. Is that really it? The awkward continues as Tetsuo looks down at his mug instead of Minato.]

I'm alright.

[...meeting over? can he go now?]

[ Minato is immune to awkward. It passes right over his head completely. ]

Let's sit. [ Nope, no escape. Minato is inexorably moving to the couch and settling himself on it, still watching Tetsuo with a bit of assessment in his gaze. ]

Things have been pretty crazy this month. I'm sorry I haven't been keeping very good track of you, but it seems like you've been fine.

...

[He's fine now, sort of. In the 'has been keeping together enough' sense. The whole seminar took a massive toll on him overall, not to mention war encroaching... but that's not anything he's going to say. Instead, he reluctantly walks closer, flops down into a chair, and doesn't really say anything at all. You know things are a little weird when Tetsuo's not even trying to rebel.

But hey, he's not done anything... well, no, he's fought plenty of Russians. And went out of the country because Kaneda got him to agree to a stupid rescue mission. And got drunk. But he's not done anything besides that.]

[ Hmm. Not getting any response, Minato pushes forward by revealing his source. ]

Ken-kun said you and him are getting along okay now.

[Tetsuo looks up sharply, eyes narrowing. It's none of Minato's business, he almost snaps - mouth already opening to tell him off... but he pauses. That's the kid's guardian.. right, whatever, fuck it.]

I guess.

[ Sorry, but it really is his business, from both ends.

Minato sighs, sets his cheek on his palm, his elbow propped up on the couch arm. ] I'm not actually here to browbeat you, [ he says dolefully. ]

So... what do you want?

[There's no such thing as official-in-any-capacity meetings that aren't bad in his world.]

[ In an apparent non sequitor, and without any inflection, ] Are we friends?

[ Minato is staring at the ceiling in unconcern. ]

[You can practically hear the record scratch at what sounds like a complete non sequitur. Tetsuo blinks, expression blanking from 'guarded' to 'really confused' in under a second. He didn't tend to... friends is a charged word, with a lot of difficult history.

He forgot friends was an option, sometimes; the question shouldn't take someone that by surprise by someone who clearly isn't considered an enemy.]

Huh?

[ Well, at least he's getting through to him somewhere. Minato shifts to look at him directly. ]

I know I'm your parole officer, but I'm not really thinking of it that way. I'd rather be friends, and look out for you.

[ The reply is immediate, unguarded and more genuine than the others were. Tetsuo sits up a little straighter, looking at Minato with increasing befuddlement.]

You can't be both!

[it feels like this breaks some unwritten rule somewhere, like once someone is established as an authority figure there's no way they can be an ally as well.]

[ Minato just blinks at him, and shortly volleys back, ] Why not?

[ If there's ever been rules written or unwritten, it's a pretty sure thing that Minato hasn't cared about them. There probably is something about parole officers not having bias in conducting their duties.

Well, it's not the way Minato's going to do it. Tetsuo doesn't need someone to follow him around scolding him and scrutinizing his every move. He just needs a friend. Minato feels positive on this point. ]

Why not?!

[... for all his objecting, he can't find a reason he can put into words. This isn't how anything should work,it doesn't make any sense, but...

But it's Minato, and Tetsuo's left floundering for any kind of response whatsoever, jarred out of any semblance of a world he understands. Minato's like that. It's what he's always done.]

That is- but-... ....

... We don't actually have to follow the rules, you know.

[ He's wondering if that'll appeal to Tetsuo more, selling this as being rebellious somehow. ]

I know that!

[...it's reflexive, instead of thought out; he catches himself after saying it to actually hear what he said. DID he know that? Did he really?

But he said it... and that means he'll have to stand by it.]

[ Okay, well, that's progress, even if he'd only made it by hitting on Tetsuo's contrariness. ]

Then, would you like to be friends? You don't have to look so nervous when I check in.

...Sure...

[This is the weirdest corner he's ever backed himself into. They were, kinda before. Maybe. But .. didn't this... change stuff??

Then again, if it doesn't... hm.]

[ Minato certainly seems to think it doesn't change anything at all. Point of fact, he's been treating Tetsuo as a friend for a while now, so of course formalizing it causes no alteration in his behavior or demeanor. ]

So, as your friend, how've you been?

[ Head tilt. He is genuinely interested in the answer. ]

...

[Unfortunately, there's a loaded question he doesn't even tend to answer honestly for his friends.]

Okay, I guess.

[ He decides to try the 'relentless' tactic. ]

What's bothering you? [ Because something clearly is. ]

It's nothing.

[He's a horrible liar.]

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