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maskormenacelogs2017-03-09 06:47 pm
substrategist) wrote in maskormenacelogs2017-03-09 06:47 pm
Entry tags:
now you've changed, you're nothing like you used to be
WHO: Kidou Yuuto, Sakuma Jirou, and potentially Genda Koujirou
WHERE: Heropa Zoo, Penguin Exhibit
WHEN: March 8, Early Evening
WHAT: Penguins on both sides of the glass
WARNINGS: Dramatic teenage introspection probably
[Sakuma was grateful there were fewer anachronisms present at the zoo. Even with many of the mirages easy to tell apart from ordinary people, it had been unnerving to find himself surrounded suddenly by so many ghostly bodies flickering in and out of existence. He'd been staring down Kageyama Reiji just a few short hours ago, after all. He'd had more than his fill of hauntings for one lifetime.
There was an undeniable advantage to being out in public now, however. Military personnel at Cape Canaveral had informed him when he'd arrived that imPorts tended to draw a lot of attention to themselves by nature of looking out of place, but it stood to reason that with so many mirages appearing in various cities, fewer people would be bothered to stop and question him. In fact, Sakuma found that he was mostly left to his own devices as he made his way from the military base to the zoo in Heropa. The only lingering glances he'd garnered were at the front gate when he'd discovered the admissions person had a soft spot for new arrivals, and inside the penguin exhibit where one of the swimming young had taken to following him on the other side of the glass.
He supposed they were alike in a way: tagged and trapped in a strange world, possibly with others like them but who didn't even originate from their colony and might not even understand their language; surrounded by those they didn't know and couldn't trust, without any way to determine when or if they would ever see their home again; and presumably anticipated as some form of entertainment or another. But there was one glaring difference between him and the birds in their habitat. The penguins inside that gilded box...they were safe. They didn't have to choose between becoming registered with a foreign government or remaining unsettled and sacrificing basic comforts. And they certainly weren't going to be looked to in times of crises to be heroic, either.
But their easy existence wasn't one Sakuma found he envied. How many miles away from the familiar might they have been dragged to exist in a world as fake as the mirages that walked outside? To be uprooted from everything he knew, stolen away from everything he'd been doing and a team that had been counting on him to return...
That wasn't a life any living creature deserved, and it wasn't a life he wanted for himself.
His fingers curled into tight fists at his sides. What was happening back on Liocott Island? Would everyone make it back in time to compete against The Empire, or was it possible that after coming so far and accomplishing so much, Kageyama had finally won?
Fortunately, the possibility wasn't one he was given long to consider.
When Sakuma saw the familiar flutter of a cape in the reflection of the habitat glass, he was gladly tugged from his anxious contemplation. The relief he felt at finally being in the presence of someone he knew brought a smile to his face and, as he turned around, his captain's name was already on his lips.]
Kidou!
[But something was off. He noticed immediately that the other boy's uniform was different, and what had previously been an expression suffused with relief transformed into one of hesitant curiosity and unguarded concern. Was this some kind of trick? Could the boy before him really not be his Kidou?
No...
Whatever the reason for his unusual appearance, Sakuma knew that Kidou would explain everything he needed to know. He just had to give him the chance and be patient.]
WHERE: Heropa Zoo, Penguin Exhibit
WHEN: March 8, Early Evening
WHAT: Penguins on both sides of the glass
WARNINGS: Dramatic teenage introspection probably
[Sakuma was grateful there were fewer anachronisms present at the zoo. Even with many of the mirages easy to tell apart from ordinary people, it had been unnerving to find himself surrounded suddenly by so many ghostly bodies flickering in and out of existence. He'd been staring down Kageyama Reiji just a few short hours ago, after all. He'd had more than his fill of hauntings for one lifetime.
There was an undeniable advantage to being out in public now, however. Military personnel at Cape Canaveral had informed him when he'd arrived that imPorts tended to draw a lot of attention to themselves by nature of looking out of place, but it stood to reason that with so many mirages appearing in various cities, fewer people would be bothered to stop and question him. In fact, Sakuma found that he was mostly left to his own devices as he made his way from the military base to the zoo in Heropa. The only lingering glances he'd garnered were at the front gate when he'd discovered the admissions person had a soft spot for new arrivals, and inside the penguin exhibit where one of the swimming young had taken to following him on the other side of the glass.
He supposed they were alike in a way: tagged and trapped in a strange world, possibly with others like them but who didn't even originate from their colony and might not even understand their language; surrounded by those they didn't know and couldn't trust, without any way to determine when or if they would ever see their home again; and presumably anticipated as some form of entertainment or another. But there was one glaring difference between him and the birds in their habitat. The penguins inside that gilded box...they were safe. They didn't have to choose between becoming registered with a foreign government or remaining unsettled and sacrificing basic comforts. And they certainly weren't going to be looked to in times of crises to be heroic, either.
But their easy existence wasn't one Sakuma found he envied. How many miles away from the familiar might they have been dragged to exist in a world as fake as the mirages that walked outside? To be uprooted from everything he knew, stolen away from everything he'd been doing and a team that had been counting on him to return...
That wasn't a life any living creature deserved, and it wasn't a life he wanted for himself.
His fingers curled into tight fists at his sides. What was happening back on Liocott Island? Would everyone make it back in time to compete against The Empire, or was it possible that after coming so far and accomplishing so much, Kageyama had finally won?
Fortunately, the possibility wasn't one he was given long to consider.
When Sakuma saw the familiar flutter of a cape in the reflection of the habitat glass, he was gladly tugged from his anxious contemplation. The relief he felt at finally being in the presence of someone he knew brought a smile to his face and, as he turned around, his captain's name was already on his lips.]
Kidou!
[But something was off. He noticed immediately that the other boy's uniform was different, and what had previously been an expression suffused with relief transformed into one of hesitant curiosity and unguarded concern. Was this some kind of trick? Could the boy before him really not be his Kidou?
No...
Whatever the reason for his unusual appearance, Sakuma knew that Kidou would explain everything he needed to know. He just had to give him the chance and be patient.]
no subject
He wonders if they're happy with the amount of water they have. Penguins live in the ocean for months at a time, sometimes. Or more. He's watched videos of them skipping in and out of the water. But in the end, they're penguins, and selfishly he's glad that they're here.
Kidou almost went to Maurtia Falls out of reflex after practice. He ended up wandering Heropa for a while instead of heading straight home, taking some time to mull over recent developments. Tonight would be his first night to sleep in Heropa, away from the ice and snow, and the malevolent eyes of the public that defined Maurtia Falls. And all around, the ghosts wandered, adding just yet another touch of things that refused to stay the same or sensible.
Sakuma's text had been surprising. To say the very least. At first when he'd gotten it he ended up staring at the name as if expecting he'd somehow made the impossible mistake of misreading it. Of course, he never could. But it was just so convenient, as was Kidou's current location to start with. While he'd never admit it, Kidou still had some doubts until Sakuma's suggestion of location to meet. That settled anything. There was no way this wasn't really Sakuma.
So here he is now, standing stoically in front of the glass, watching the antics of penguins as they shuffle about, lie around like fat little lumps, or in one notable case, make loops underwater. He can't even hear Sakuma approach over the ambient noise, so it's only when a voice he'd recognize anywhere gets his attention that he turns to greet his friend.]
Sakuma!
[It's been so long since his selection for FFI for Kidou that he wouldn't even think to look for reasons or odd behaviors to have any of the odd misgivings that Sakuma does. He'd seen Sakuma just before he arrived here, and that's the outfit he was wearing then. It matched up to his personal timeline seamlessly. Just like with Genda, he'll say one more sentence. But, unlike with Genda, he's aware that it probably wasn't for Sakuma at all.
In this case, it's a hint. One of very few Kidou would ever intend to give out about any life he'd lived before Sakuma could witness it.]
Long time no see.
no subject
While those words are far more telling than any change of uniform could ever hope to be, even they don't provide Sakuma with all the answers he's seeking. He wonders to himself, How long is a long time?
Because, for him, the memory of standing next to Kidou, Endou, and Fudou on Italy's field is still as fresh as the sting from Kageyama's deception. For him, those things happened today, a handful of hours ago at the most. How is it possible that Kidou could have been here and by his side on Liocott Island at the same time? More importantly, does that mean that Kidou is unaware of the events directly preceding their confrontation with Team K and Kageyama?
That has to be it. Even if it doesn't make very much sense, there's no other discernible explanation for Kidou's lack of apprehension as far as Sakuma can see. Meaning his current position is suddenly far more precarious than he'd anticipated and he has to decide quickly how much or how little to say about anything.
He starts by shaking his head and offering a return as plainly telling as Kidou's own had been.]
It hasn't been that long for me.
no subject
[It's started to sink in finally what it really means for Sakuma to be here. Every time, he goes through this same set of emotions - relief, joy, then rising worry. There's a hint of sad resignation to those words, despite the smile on his face, and even that's starting to fade. It's been over half a year for Kidou. It's got to have been just hours, at most, for Sakuma given the uniform he's still got on. And either one day it'll be that long for Sakuma as well, or he'll be left behind by yet another friend. He's not sure if it's even right to hope Sakuma is stuck here. Probably not. No.. definitely not. That's a stupid wish.
Kidou takes a few steps forward, putting Sakuma right at his side before turning again to watch the penguins. They're still not doing that much, but that's just as endearing to him as if they were. He notes there's one more that decided to become a lump on the rock than before. After a few breaths, Kidou continues.]
You've got questions. I know. What they've told you doesn't scratch the surface of what's going on.
[And it always would be him who had to tell this news. He'd have it no other way. But Sakuma, like Genda, didn't need an edited summary. Kidou couldn't keep anything from him when it was this important that he know it. It was an even stronger feeling than it had been with Genda, and that had been an automatic instinct.
He's fortunate in this way that he's relocated. There had been just one stop he made before this meeting, and it was directly on the way. Kidou left his backpack at home, but brought a smaller bag along - just a plastic one, in this case - which he holds out for Sakuma to take. Technically he could have just brought his notebook along without putting it in anything, but it'd become so big that he was getting worried about anything happening to it. Better to take some precaution.]
Here.
no subject
It's cold...but efficient. And precisely the sort of management that anyone from Teikoku would be familiar with.
And that worries Sakuma, because he knows what it means for Kidou, and the weight of the notebook he pulls from that bag only confirms his suspicions. Despite the obvious danger associated with overturning stones and looking for answers, the information that exists between those covers which has been written in Kidou's tell-tale concise format on lined pages, with notations by others added via post-it notes and extra loose leaf paper, it all points to one thing: that Kidou hasn't stopped digging in pursuit of this world's truth.
Which was dangerous enough back home where it pertained to Kageyama, an opponent they knew, but if even half of what's been jotted down on those pages is true (and he knows it must be, Kidou would have double and triple checked everything) then it means Kidou isn't just playing with fire, but he's gotten himself caught up in some kind of firestorm. The enemies he's been researching are mightier than any they've faced before, the situation far more perilous and unstable.
How long was he attempting to battle that blaze on his own before whoever wrote those added notes was able to help him? And how much has he really allowed them to help even now? With Kidou, it's difficult to say, and that, coupled with some of the key phrases he's noticed in the book, make Sakuma reluctant to watch the penguins on the other side of the glass. With them there, he has someplace else to look when he finally closes the cover of the notebook and slips it quietly back into the bag, but he doesn't dare tear his attention away from his captain.
So much has been confirmed, but for every question those pages answered, it seems like more have risen to take their place.]
Kidou...
[He can't mask his concern, and it's too late to try and convince Kidou to stop now, even if he thought for a second that he'd be able to.]
This is really extensive, but it's dangerous, too. How many people know you've been doing this?
[Even just bringing the notebook here is risking a lot.]
no subject
When Genda saw this, he took it as a briefing. Kidou didn't really know how he felt about it. Emotion wasn't information either of them readily shared. But Sakuma... in this way, he had always been stronger than Kidou. He was capable of showing these things, and he always knew what Kidou couldn't, or wouldn't say.
Every second that passes adds just a little bit more anxious worry, twisting his stomach slowly into knots. But he stands just as still as ever, with an expression that could look a little severe, but mostly serious. The one he always defaulted to when he didn't want to be read.
What could he really say? Just handing all this to Sakuma was the most he could do for him. He had just as much power over this situation as Sakuma himself did, so no amount of being sorry had any weight at all.
When Sakuma speaks up, it confirms what Kidou suspected - Sakuma's read through far more than what's written down. What he's gotten, Kidou couldn't say. But he can tell, Sakuma's worried. And not just for himself.]
Ulvida of Aliea's Genesis. Amada Ken. Genda Koujirou. Sakuma Jirou.
[Not just a number, but names, in order he'd revealed this to. Ulvida, in fact, was the cause of this being all written down. And while he's not sure 'Ulvida' would mean much, 'Aliea' would.
He knows that it's dangerous. The list only includes one total outsider, and absolutely no one that isn't generally their age. And that's not a list Kidou readily hands out. Not even Genda got it. But this is a danger that Kidou weighed as worth the risk, at least that much. He had to know. He had to stay on top of this at all times that he could. He had to hunt for patterns and similarities to predict future actions. And he had to have at least some help for the things he couldn't possibly know to look for (Amada) or to help him hunt for information (Genda) or to solidify an alliance and look out for possible threats in this information he hadn't noticed (Ulvida.)
Hiroto isn't on that list. He never could be. That, too, was too much a risk, even as keeping this from him in the first place was.
.. Kidou leaves the conversation just at answering the question, volunteering nothing else.]
no subject
[Four names, three excluding his own, and of those three, only one isn't a stranger. Furthermore, Kidou's guess is accurate. 'Ulvida' doesn't mean much to Sakuma, but 'Aliea' certainly does, and while it doesn't have the same stigma attached to it that it once had, he can't help but wonder: if anyone from Aliea, why Ulvida and not Hiroto?
Kidou must have his reasons, of that Sakuma is certain. If he was to take a guess at what they might be, he'd have to presume Kidou thought that Hiroto might not be equipped emotionally to handle the information the booklet contained. Which begs another question. How much of what is in the book has everyone managed to keep from Hiroto?
And what are they going to do if and when he finds out on his own?
It makes him briefly consider telling Kidou about Kageyama, but he can't. He knows the effect it will have, which is probably the same reason Hiroto has been kept in the dark. He doesn't relish contributing to two secrets, specifically ones of this nature, but it can't be helped. At least for now, none of them have any other choice. Or...that's what they're telling themselves.
Handing the notebook and bag back to Kidou, Sakuma finally turns to regard the penguins again. They aren't doing much, but the fact that they're there is enough. In the same vein, Kidou's presence at his side is a comfort to Sakuma. He doesn't need to say or do anything, just so long as he's near. And safe.
And it's that thought that allows him to get back to business.]
There's nothing in there about registration. Does the decision not matter one way or the other?
[Like it or not, the decision is one he has to make soon, and one he'd prefer not to have to make blindly.]
no subject
He doesn't actually want to answer that, he realizes. For all his time here, he's not found what feels like a good answer to this.]
I don't know if it does.
[The honest answer first.]
America's government imposes strict regulations and penalties to those who refuse. They say they'll never force your cooperation on anything they do, even if you register. I'm not sure if I believe that.
[In fact, I can't believe for a second that's true. All that pressure to those too helpless to say no... I can't trust that anyone abusing that much power won't further abuse it. There's no other way to take this. To register is to ally with evil.
Kidou turns then a bit, looking back at his friend.
I can't make this choice for anyone. To write this down could influence that. That's why it'll never have an entry, even if it should.]
You might ask around about that.
no subject
If the government imposes strict regulations and penalties, then they're already forcing the cooperation of imPorts. Meaning that registration is a blatant example of them saying one thing and doing another. All things considered, it's not unexpected, but it's no less worrisome, either.
Especially considering Kidou knows enough about the situation to form some kind of an opinion, but has chosen to refrain from documenting anything surrounding it—much less volunteering his own status.
Without looking directly at the other boy, Sakuma is keenly aware of Kidou. Standing next to him, having been able to watch him, he recognizes the signs of anxiety and fear. And, as attuned as he is with the other boy, it's impossible for Sakuma not to feel these things, too. He feels them as deeply as he does the responsibility to relieve Kidou of the obvious burden he's been carrying all this time.
Of course, the only way presently of accomplishing that is to make certain he doesn't become dead weight. Since Kidou has included him in the list of people who know about the notebook, he's quick to make it known that he's willing to be on the alert for any information deemed valuable. And to dig if necessary.]
I will if you think it'll help.
[The other more subtle implication being that he's also willing to register if the order is issued, though he already suspects that's an order he'll never receive.]
no subject
He's probably avoiding the topic entirely by focusing on the penguins when Sakuma's likely expecting more from him than just acknowledgement. What he's doing right now is what he wishes he could be doing instead of what he should be, and that eats away at him until his sense of responsibility resurfaces. Fine, then. He'll reply.]
Yeah, I do. You shouldn't only listen to my perspective.
[More accurately, Kidou has barely given his out at all, but it's a lot more convenient when he can distance himself from any emotional connection to his line of reasoning.]
Sometime later this month, there should be a monthly event they call a swear-in. It's expected that you make a decision then, but what the time limit actually is, I couldn't say.
no subject
[Attending an event organized by the government for the sole purpose of sorting imPorts into different categories doesn't seem like a lot of fun, but Sakuma would rather the decision regarding registration be made by him and not some unknown. On the surface the words they can choose to brand themselves with seem empty, even harmless, but anyone with a sharp mind should be able to see through to the truth.
Regardless of the path an imPort takes, calling themselves registered or unsettled is just a conciliatory way of labeling them cooperative or noncompliant by those in power.
Without knowing Kidou's decision, or even Genda's, Sakuma's fairly certain they will have come to the same conclusion: it's better if they're not identified as upstarts. Probably, it's better to register in the end.
As he watches the penguins waddle around, some seeming to rock back and forth on their feet to minimize contact with the icy habitat, he becomes aware of the increased foot traffic behind him and Kidou. A small group has wandered into the exhibit, a young boy and his father taking the lead. The child, perhaps six at most and with a head of bowl-cut straw blond hair, stands up on tiptoe and waves his hands at the winter bids. He's quiet, well-behaved, at least until he turns to his dad and shamelessly exclaims...
"I wanna be a penguin when I grow up!"
Sakuma tries not to laugh, but the soft sound he makes draws the boy's attention. And his father's. For a few moments, Kidou and Sakuma are the targets of two intense and scrutinizing gazes, and then the son makes another exclamation as he turns back to watch a couple of penguins flop onto their bellies and slide themselves around.
"I wanna get a cape, too!"
The father sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose and murmurs something lost in the ambiance coming in over the speakers, but the movement of his lips seems to read something like, gets it from his mother.]
Maybe we should move on. [One hand coming to rest on his hip, Sakuma turns to Kidou.] Where's Genda?
no subject
Either at a library or at the house.
no subject
[Since just before the selection match for Inazuma Japan, if memory serves. Would Genda know about that? Would he remember? Sakuma realizes he doesn't know. He's not certain of Kidou's 'time line' just as he's not sure of Genda's, but it seems like something they should discuss, and sooner rather than later.
But not here.]
Let's go see him, Kidou.
no subject
Mm. One moment.
[He pulls out his comm, sending a quick text to Genda - just to get location - then clicks the display off and slides it back into his pocket. Heropa 32 it is.]
Let's go.
[Not waiting for confirmation, Kidou turns on his heel, putting the waddling birds behind him and out of his sight. Their calls follow him down the small hallway between their aquarium and the rest of the world. All too soon, they'll fade out of earshot.
But it's okay. They'll always be there.]
no subject
Kidou gives the command, and without missing a beat, Sakuma falls into step behind him. He's been conditioned to respond automatically in that manner, and with it comes a sense of relief at doing something that feels normal to him. The same sense of relief that comes from being at Kidou's side. Or at least a couple of paces behind where he remains all the way to the zoo's exit.
And only then does he come a little closer, a question springing to mind.]
Are you guys living with other people?
no subject
Gran and Amada were a trio like that, to an extent, but ... it was different. And not the way that it'd been different with Endou and Gouenji. There had been a feeling of imbalance here that Kidou could never quite ignore. Despite being younger, Amada was the experienced one - practically Kidou's and Gran's ImPort senpai, though Kidou would never, ever identify him as such aloud.
He's relieved, really. As awful as it is for them to be here with him, Kidou had needed these two. Sakuma and Genda both. It doesn't even fully sink in until he's already matching pace exactly with Sakuma behind him, simply knowing without ever having to see where to meet in the middle so they became one seamless unit. There's more relief than Kidou would admit to that familiar feeling of bolstered strength in the face of somewhere like this America.
Even when Sakuma presses in, Kidou knows before he speaks up, already paying him more attention.]
We're not. We decided - [Kidou decided.] - that it would be best to live only with people we know well.
[People who they trust, and who they know deep down would never be a danger, in any way. The list of people like that for Kidou was narrow, and he was fairly sure all of them were already occupied; now that Kidou had left the one house he knew, he wasn't willing to risk moving in somewhere with strangers.
Kidou has no idea who Genda trusts here, besides himself, but he's got a feeling that his list looks extensive compared to his goalkeeper's.]
no subject
Although, knowing Kidou and Genda...it doesn't come without its own set of worries. The responsibilities of living on their own, going to school, and researching events past and present — not to mention keeping this research a secret from those who might use it against them — will have no doubt taken a toll on them both.
It's that thought that has Sakuma watching Kidou a little more closely for any telltale signs of fatigue.]
I'm glad, but...isn't it hard?
no subject
All of his vigilance can only come at the cost of not really sleeping much. He'd blame this world for being terrifying, anyway, if he'd ever bother to speak about it at all. Kidou does his best to shrug that off, sounding maybe just a little too nonchalant.]
We manage well enough.
[That's the key phrase there- well enough. Well enough to survive, yes. But not necessarily well enough to be taking care of themselves properly. And Kidou even knows it. But what can be done about it? There's just no alternative.]
no subject
Kidou's response isn't, "We're fine," and for that, Sakuma is grateful, but it still doesn't fill him with confidence. Instead, he finds his suspicions are confirmed. Kidou and Genda have probably bitten off more than they can chew, not for having overestimated their own abilities, but for having underestimated this world and what it has to throw at them. Sakuma's guess is that, despite their distrust of others, something must have happened to drive them away from living with other people, to force them to take a step as drastic as isolating themselves.
They were trained to be self-sufficient, but they were also accustomed to working as a team. And if they hadn't even banded together with Gran...
Well, it would explain the things he's seeing, Sakuma thinks. The change in Kidou's movements, their diminished calculated grace. Even if the differences are subtle, for someone who has watched Kidou as long as Sakuma has, they may as well be glaring.]
Is that true?
[He's not asking because he thinks Kidou is being deceitful on purpose, but because he's sure the other boy is trying to convince himself as much as he's trying to convince Sakuma.]
no subject
Sakuma's right to question that. He's seen straight through to the heart of the issue, regardless of whatever direction Kidou wanted to lead him. The veracity of that statement was technical at best. Yes, they did manage, as well as they could. But they weren't doing that well, Kidou was sure. Genda never talked about it, but Kidou couldn't imagine this could be any easier on him than it was on Kidou. Maybe even harder. And as much as Kidou desperately wanted to believe that they would be fine, as much as he had to believe this in order to keep going, the question cuts through all of his willful attempts at delusion and nudges at the point he'd been avoiding questioning.
He knew what the answer would be, if he stopped to think about this. He always did know, on an instinctive level. Always he'd write it off as a temporary thing - it was this way for now. It would be fine. All these fake assurances to himself that not even he could believe about future turnout in order to endure the present. But he couldn't know that for sure, and he didn't even have faith there was anyone who could ensure that came true anyway. They were tools to allow for him to avoid having to thoroughly consider their situation any more.
So is that true? ... not, admittedly, as true as it needed to be.
He and Genda had what money the government was willing to give them, and the money they had from their jobs in order to support themselves. They had school and soccer, and research. They had no time at all to do everything that had to happen, and no one they could lean on to support them anywhere. They were on their own. But Kidou had always been on his own here, even when he lived with others - ironically, it's with Genda that for the first time, he can feel that he's fully permitted to share resources. There were no adults here that had any obligation to take care of anything for them and they had no reason to assume that was ever going to change. It's been a very daunting thought. If things go wrong, he isn't sure that he'll know how to handle it, just that he'll have to.
He has to hold back a sigh, as he leads his way out of the zoo and down back towards the government housing. He can't lie to Sakuma. He just can't. But he also can't answer that.
So instead, he doesn't answer. He keeps walking forward. He lets the question ring, unanswered, in his mind long after the sound is gone, and hang between them. And it all comes with the sinking feeling, growing every passing second, that by saying nothing he's still said too much.]
no subject
But that doesn't mean that he won't act or speak up with regards to the things that worry him most, only that he'll wait for the right time. And that's more likely to appear when the three of them are together.
So, for now at least, he echoes Kidou's silence the rest of the way to their residence, sparing the other boy the discomfort of being further put on the spot, though perhaps not the discomfort that comes with being perfectly transparent at the wrong time.]
a million years late
Still not saying much, he leads Sakuma up to the door, checking the doorknob to see if he needs to use the key or not, and letting himself in, pulling his boots off by the door. He doesn't call Genda, or even go up to fetch him, but just sends him another text saying they're here. It's fastest and least intrusive that way.]
Here we are. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.
[Despite the circumstances, he was glad to be able to bring them all into the same place. It's been ... well. It really has been way too long.]