rassera | IC Contact

Mm... this one, then.

[He takes one arbitrarily, passing the other over.]

So, I can't heal until my powers come back. Aerith did some, but it's still pretty rough, so I'm gonna take it easy until I can fix it myself.

You can start there. What happened to you?

I died.

[Straight up, no frills. He's more used to the idea now.]

My Replica went home and learned I killed him.

...

WHAT?!?!

[Kaneda has never stood up so fast in his life, practically dropping the burger he was holding onto the bed.]

Why that-

[He's gonna beat up your clone-younger self, Riku.]

Where is he.

[Calm down your attack dog, Riku, please.]

[Riku's been expecting this, naturally. He wasn't under any illusions about what Kaneda's reaction might be. But he didn't factor in the part where he has no powers and can't get out of bed, and can't stop him from stomping off right now if he decides to do so.]

Kaneda.

[His voice is quiet, and he sets down the burger he'd been unwrapping.]

He just evened the score. I'm not -- I'm all right.

[Oddly he doesn't feel angry about it himself. He waves one hand, trying to illustrate the situation.]

When it happened, I... he was crying. I don't think he thought he had any choice in the matter. He's not nearly such a good actor.

[And just like always, Kaneda stops, listening to Riku's calm voice talk him down like it had done countless times before. His shoulders instinctively droop, his head hanging in both frustration and anger.

Who cares if it was 'even'? It didn't matter to Kaneda. Riku still died--and the worst part is, he didn't even know how he could have stopped it.]

There's always a choice, unless someone was controlling him.

You DIED, Riku!

[Despite his exclamations, there's a lot less fight in him now.]

[The problem was that Riku couldn't even do anything about it. He'd done the stupid thing and, noticing his Replica was in pain due to... something, he had healed him. Which, after that many strikes, had been the reason he actually died, in the end.

Riku is quiet for a moment, chewing at his lip. What does he even say to that? It's the truth. After a moment he looks away, eyes low.]

I know. I'm sorry.

[In hindsight, he couldn't be more thankful for this world. Things would be a lot more lonely if that revival schtick wasn't in existence here. Tetsuo, Maya, now Riku. They'd all be gone, wouldn't they?

It's one thing Kaneda's always been grounded on. He never got 'used' to people dying on him. Ever since he'd heard Yamagata's death back home, ever since he knew anyone was free game here.

He's kept that comfort at arms length. After all, coming back from death is a false sense of security.]

Fuck.

You stupid idiot.

[His head slumps against the wall, body sagging as the fight just leaves him. He wants to yell, obviously. He wants to go beat up this clone that had the audacity to kill one of his closest friend. 'In the right' or not.

It takes a moment before he lets it all sink in, whispering to himself that Riku's still here, and that other than being bedridden, everything's normal.]

What am I gonna do with you.

[Riku sighs gently, uncertain what to say at first. He's right -- he is pretty stupid. But... honestly, the worst part about it wasn't his death, though he knew immediately that he was dying and that he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. The worst part was when he'd had to get out of the ocean and drag himself all the way home.

The problem with dying is that when you return, you have to tell people about it. Riku doesn't want to be fussed over, or to make anyone upset, but -- there's no choice but to do so. It's not like keeping quiet about his birthday. It's more important than that.]

... I'm sorry. I'm sure I could have been smarter about it.

[Riku's humble voice breaks him even more, a soft, resigned sigh echoing past his lips. He was mad--certainly--but it wasn't lasting. He was too close to Riku to let something like this sit, and he'd forgiven Maya for the same thing back in August.

People say death is cheapened in this world...but every time it happens, Kaneda feels the same pang of guilt that he could've been there to stop it. That someone really was lost in all of that.

The same feeling he felt when Yamagata had been nothing but a body bag.

Riku can't see it, but there's a soft smile, and a warmer tone.]

I'm the one who's supposed to make the stupid decisions around here. Not you.

Now you're making me look responsible.

I can't be responsible all the time, can I?

[He reaches up to rub at his face, then blinks down at the food still sitting in front of him and picks up the box of fries. They'll get soggy if he doesn't eat them...]

... Thanks.

[Not for the food, though he's grateful for that too. But having someone be concerned about him is something that doesn't happen very often for him, at least not in a way that's explicitly meant for him to pick up on it.]

I'll be sure to consult you next time I decide to do something dumb.

Good.

[He straightens up, rubbing under the bridge of his nose to hide any sort of emotion he might have had while his back was turned. If there was one thing he didn't want to let on, it was how heavy this hit him.

As if that wasn't already obvious.]

What if I needed you to heal me?

[Hide your real feelings with jokes: the Kaneda edition.]

[Don't worry, Kaneda. Sora does it too -- Riku can be tactful about it. He's chewing a french fry, scooting forward just a little so he can lean back, stretch his stomach muscles out a little.]

You'd be fine. Don't you have like fifteen other healers or something?

I'm picky about who I want for each situation!

[See: Riku's the favourite cause he doesn't ask questions.]

Aw, well, that's your own fault, then.

[He doesn't need to ask, most of the time. He can just chalk it up to 'Kaneda things'.]

If it has to be me, though, do me a favour and stay out of trouble for the next few days.

[For... however long it takes for him to regain his abilities.

Riku's sitting quietly, and he blinks over at Kaneda after a moment.]

Come eat, would you?

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