15th Confession [Action/Emo]

[notabluesbro]

[Well, things were better. Meryl was back, after all, and he was relieved to know it.

But... Wolfwood always has been a thinker. And since the incident with Legato and Kaori, he's unable to find solace in much. Did he really do what was right? He—he tried what he could to do what Vash tried to force into his head: tried to find the route where no one died. But in order to do that, he had to become some sort of shitty dog in Legato's shadow. He knew the son-of-a-bitch hoped for it, planned for it, loved every second of tugging that leash.

He's avoided any real talking with anyone, really. Stayed in the apartment, avoided any real contact with Vash, did the usual Wolfwood trait of solitude: shutting yourself away from people when you have a thought that won't let you go. He'll bounce back from it, he surmises. Things will clear up for him later. He has to force himself to think that, in the end, it won't impact him. But still...

"Tell Legato that Rem was wrong—tell him that there is no worth in people, or in the illusion of peace."

"... whether that's true or not, you're worth something right now, okay? You don't ... You don't have to be useful by some guy's definition to be important."]

[Wolfwood's out and about today, albeit the shade around him suggests he's not much for enjoying the day, whether he means to look that way or not. Right now, he's frustrated with himself. And it shows. He decides to spend a few hours at the battle dome—takes his pent-up aggravations out on imaginary evils. He's not going to bother masking his weapon from anyone, because really? It's almost starting to feel like his trying to hide that part of him from this place. Every shot is precise and deadly. Mechanical and automatic. All what he learned, years ago, all denying the basic fundamentals of Vash's way of life. But he feels it, in his fingertips. He hesitates so minutely that he KNOWS he's doing it, regardless of how smooth his motions are.

...Dammit all.

Then he goes by the clinic, to see if Kaori's still there. She should be, he's thinking. But if she's not, then maybe that's even better. Maybe it means she was healed up and isn't miserable. And then, after that... after that nervous bit of deciding to check on her. He's going to a bar—hell, any would do—and when he does, he opens his journal and looks over that entry he'd been avoiding since he came back.

"How d'you prove you're worth something?"]

...Ha, you little moron.

[When he decides to finally return home, he's decidedly drunk, but like he hasn't done that in his lifetime. He's just more graceful than Vash—

ACK, my knee, that was a coffee table—

Maybe not so much.]



((Replies in a bit!))

Comments

[Action]

[goldenglasses]

[Yeah, well, Vash isn't giving you the chance to come home drunk first. He thought you might be here. Vash is just going to waltz up and sit down next to you, as if nothing bad has happened lately.

Except for the fact that he's quiet. No loud, obnoxious hello, he just calmly and quietly orders his drink for now.]

Re: [Action]

[notabluesbro]

[...

His voice is level, and it's hard to tell if it was supposed to be humored or not.]

I thought that was my job, finding you. Not the other way around.

[Action]

[goldenglasses]

[A small smile.] I wanted to try it out to see how it feels.

Re: [Action]

[notabluesbro]

...S'that so.

[The tone went from level, to being drained.

Why are you smiling when you know there's nothing worth smiling about right now; you're just so goddamn frustrating. So he just... keeps his gaze locked on the bar. He's just as much capable as avoiding eye contact as you are, needle noggin.]

And how's it feel?

[Action]

[goldenglasses]

It's okay. [He takes a sip of his drink.] I'm not doing too bad now am I?

Re: [Action]

[notabluesbro]

[That gets no real response. But he does proceed to take a drink himself, before settling back into this strange, detached static state he's acquainted himself with through the years.

But he wants to get to the point. Where others would beat around the bush and bring up fluffy, simple conversation, to Wolfwood, it's like water torture.]

I'm guessing you got what I meant, back there.

Unless you honestly think I'd mean what I'd said.

[Honestly? It hurt to think Vash was angrily, sharply, so surely denying Wolfwood's words, as though he really thought the priest could have meant some of those things...

But he didn't let it sting him too badly. The situation was heated. Things don't always seem to make sense, then, right?]

[Action]

[goldenglasses]

Yeah, I finally caught on. Sorry it took so long, I guess it's because I have such a thick head. [He taps it lightly.] Maybe it's been hit one too many times. [It's a lame joke, but he's really just testing the water.]

Re: [Action]

[notabluesbro]

Stop acting so damn casual!

[Sharp and biting, as he grips his drink.]

Legato has me stringed up as his own little puppet—he played me exactly how he needed, knowing exactly what I'd do. He made me sound just like him.

[Because he didn't know what do to. How, how, how—how is it possible that Wolfwood was following your logic and then preaching his?]

[seiriald]

[Kaori is still confined to a bed there unfortunately, sore and in pain in some parts with her right arm in a sling. She's still upset that Vash took her here, and has been musing over what was going on with this group that she was dragged into it the past few days.

So sorry if she's noticeably jumpy, the girl is still paranoid about her current situation.]

[notabluesbro]

[The first thing Wolfwood takes into consideration is how much older she is than when they'd met. Then again, in Luceti? Anything like that's possible. But at least she looked alright now. Much better than he was picturing, worst-case scenario.

The sound of footsteps, before he settles a few paces away from where she was. The voice should be familiar, if not from their one meeting, then from Legato's journal that night.]

...Kaori, right?

[seiriald]

[The girl jumps slightly, wide eyes turning to look where she heard Wolfwood's voice. It sounds familiar... A smile comes across her face as she remembers their talk from back then, how kind he'd been... despite being Human. That memory is keeping her from attempting to lash out at him like she did while being treated.

She gives a quick nod of confirmation, unable to speak much at the moment.]

[notabluesbro]

[He's quiet for a moment, thinking carefully about what he should say. It's not like this was some simple issue. It spanned far back into the hot desert at home. And now it plagues Luceti, whether they like it or not, really.

He remains standing, hand in his pocket.]

I'm sorry. You got into a lot of danger because of us.

[Wolfwood wouldn't just mentally blame Vash, regardless of who Legato's main target is. He feels it's his role, too, to handle Legato. It's something else for him to carry.

So when this happens...]

[seiriald]

[Her expression turns into confusion, taking in what little he said. As far as she knows she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Vash was the one who happened to come for her. You might have to elaborate more, Wolfwood.]

[notabluesbro]

[Oh, he will. He thinks it's only fair.]

Legato... that man—he's from our world. He hates humanity, despite being a man himself... and he wants nothing more than to make Vash suffer and prove what he thinks is and always will be wrong.

Even if it means involving the people Vash cares about.

[seiriald]

[She's okay with Legato hating humanity — she holds a grudge toward them too, and is almost sympathetic with him until the part with Vash is brought up. Having spikey suffer for his feelings? Not. Cool. Her expression turns into a frown, a touch of blush reaching it as she pointed toward herself.

Is that why I was attacked?]

[notabluesbro]

You were attacked because you knew Vash. That's how he works. That's his method for trying make Vash change what he believes. By cutting down life and torturing as much as he can until there's some contentment from Vash's misery.

It's probably all he lives for, right now.

[ actiony placeholderish ]

[markofthebrave]

[By daylight, Katara's doing pretty well. She's extremely busy, going to her classes and spending her free time split between the Welcome Center and resident snowblower - making paths from the village to the forests, generally being useful, friendly, and pleasant - if not happy, there are few around to call her on it. They're gone.

By night, she's not doing so well. Unwilling to lay awake at night, she's taken to extending her practice sessions, to the point of working herself to exhaustion before stumbling home. It's now past ten o'clock at night, and it doesn't look like she's showing any sign of stopping. There are crumbled rocks all around her, the ground is nearly swept free of snow - if soaked, and she is in the process of brutally slamming a dozen foot-long ice spikes into the rock that remains.]

[ action ]

[notabluesbro]

[Oh, she seems pissed off. Funny how he was venting his anger through fighting himself, just a few hours ago. But he won't say anything—not sure if that's what someone would want, being that they could've stopped showing their deeper feelings to strangers they don't know are there—but he doesn't interrupt her anyway.

Because he knows she needs to finish through on her work.

But he'll be here in plain sight, when you're done pummeling that rock to turn around.]

[ action ] 1/2

[markofthebrave]

[Yeah, that rock didn't stand a chance.

She's not done. Not while she's still awake, and angry, and hurting, and helpless. She regathers the water unto herself, streaming it from ice into water and whirling to find a different target--]

[ action ]

[markofthebrave]

[Blink. Blink, blink.

An audience. Great.

A familiar sort of audience.

All grown up now, huh, Nick?]

Oh. Hello.

Re: [ action ]

[notabluesbro]

[On second thought, maybe he should've just left her to her work; to be fair, he's an easily mesmerized kind of guy, when it's something as mystical as bending the will of water with your hand.

His features soften into an apologetic, sympathetic smile.]

Having an off-day?

[ action ]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara reluctantly recognizes the beginning of a conversation, but is uninclined to release the water coating her arms.]

I couldn't sleep.

[She's becoming very good at this 'not lying and not telling the truth' thing. It's very sad.]

What about you? What are you doing out here so late?

Re: [ action ]

[notabluesbro]

[Don't worry about it, Wolfwood is pretty good at that, himself. But he figures that, with all that rage and her inability to sleep... she was thinking. Working some mental wheels over a thing she was enraged or confused or pained or everything about.

Familiar...

His smile picks up a little more.]

I guess I have a lot on my mind, too. Makes me too anxious to sleep.

But should you be outside in this weather?

[ action ]

[markofthebrave]

[Sour glance. Hello, you're out in the same weather too, and who died and made you the arbiter of what was healthy for her anyway?]

I'm used to this kind of weather. I'll be fine - I'm not the one who grew up on a desert planet.

[There might be some awareness and concern buried deep down in there. After all, she saw his entry after they'd had their snowball fight. He was newly 'returned' to normal. And out walking the woods at ungodly hours. None of these things point to happy and healthy.]

Re: [ action ]

[notabluesbro]

[Funny how the main issue was Legato and Vash, but it was true—a few of those points where a little helpful in dampening his spirits. He's pretty unaffected by her sourness, anyway; used to those sorts of looks. Learned how to just smile and wave 'em off.

He shifts his cross on his shoulder—oh yeah, he always has that as an adult, in case it's been a while, miss. His kid self was a little lighter, weight-wise, eh?

And yet, his shoulders feel heavier than usual, even with the cross in mind.]

Ouch, you're ready for the rebuttals and everything, aren't you? Then again, you have a pretty good point.

...But—ah, well. I guess I'm finding myself more comforted by all this open green space, rather than a room.