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[rassera]

"Oi, it's me. Leave something here, would ya?"

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[rideme]

That's what he's going to see, first thing. Trust me.

[He wouldn't be so confident if it weren't for Cole. Half the time the kid found shit by accident -- buried shit. Old shit. And... suddenly he wishes Cole were here again. Maybe the Inquisition's own mind reader could help here.]

[But that's not important. Reassuring Kaneda is.]

You really don't think I haven't run into demons, or crazy mages back home who could do that kind of shit before? [He does everything in his power to keep anything like accusation or irritation out of his voice. Keep calm. Reasonable. Just a question -- not a demand.] I have. All of us in the Chargers have.

Not knowing what's going on here... that could be more dangerous than knowing.

I'm not asking you to tell Ken. Or Charlie. Or anyone else. I'm not making that call for them.

Just me.

[rassera]

[His breath quickens slightly, the thoughts starting to swarm back. The Olympic Stadium, the concrete falling on him, the mutation, Akira...

Akira.

No, fight it back down Kaneda. You've got to keep it together, for everyone's sakes.

Just me.

His eyes dart to the floor behind the feed, silent only because he's debating with himself. He wanted to, he wanted someone to just understand what the hell he was going through. But Tetsuo would want to find out. He would do anything to get what he wanted out of someone.

He cared too much about Bull to risk it--he couldn't risk it.


That's what he told himself anyway, as his mild panic seems to die down, steeling himself again. Someone had to know, Kaneda. Someone other than Tadashi.]

I...

[He's not holding information captive because he wants to, far from it, and it shows in the sheer pain in his voice.

It's because he's the sole gatekeeper of a greater demon, and one he's not sure he can survive should he let it escape.]

Not here. Not now.

[rideme]

[And that... is where Bull relents. Because things are adding up. Because he can hear the hurt in that voice. This is progress. He can see that. And there's no sense pushing too hard when it could break the kid.]

[He could. It's easy to see how to. But that isn't... that isn't who he is anymore. He might never be that again.]

[Oh well.]

Not here.

[He says it by way of agreement. And to confirm it. He's letting it go for now, but he sure as hell isn't going to drop it.]

[Not yet.]

Later.

[rassera]

[There's a wave of relief that washes over him at Bull's words. It's then that he realizes something. That this wasn't an interrogation, he wasn't being drilled for questions. Bull had done nothing but ask, and when he relented, Bull shut down the argument. A compromise of 'later' to hold them to each other's word.

Bull just wanted to know, and as much as he wanted to tell, he couldn't. Kaneda, known for being able to do anything, couldn't do this.

But sometimes, it's stronger to not do something than it is to do it.

At least until the right time.]

He wasn't always like this, alright? Just making that clear.

[rideme]

... Tell me about it later, all right?

[Hey, that's more information than before. But, all the same, he wants to make it very clear he's accepting stalling. That 'later' is a choice, and he's going to respect that choice.]

[It's more than he's had to go on before. And if Kaneda is telling him a snippet now... it looks like that trust isn't misplaced.]

Hey.

[A beat.]

How's the dog?

[Deliberate, obvious subject change. Also purposeful. I am honoring our agreement and no longer hounding you for information you don't want to give.]

[rassera]

...





With Ken.

[rideme]

Good place for him.

... smart. Sending him there.

[rassera]

hmm.

[Its a soft little affirmation. Just...appreciating that comment.]

you see we got a new one somehow? Large, white and red?

[rideme]

... He's a dog?

Holy shit.

I'm calling him Sausage Junior.

[rassera]

You didn't know?

[Bull his name literally has DOG in i--oh wait.]

The ears.

[rideme]

Nah. No idea.

I thought that was just some weird mutant thing.

[rassera]

Nope. Haven't found your kind yet, Old Man.

[rideme]

My kind?

[rassera]

Weird mutant things. You're still the only one!

[See he's trying to make a funny.]

[rideme]

Har har, kid. You're hilarious.

I'm laughing so hard you can't even hear it.

[rassera]

[That does get a small laugh out of HIM, though, a soft thump in the background of the feed of Kaneda leaning against his bed.]

I'm full of em.

[rideme]

You're full of something all right.