Zenkichi had settled back in the IT room, leaning against a wall while observing the workings of the mechanical turnings of each machine here. His insides buzzed with the remnants of the stabilisers flowing through his blood vessels and the electrodes pumping through.
There was Takuto, setting Kuon's mug on her table with a small thermos in his hand. There was a stupid cartoon tiger printed on it. What fun.
He hadn't spoken a word even when Takuto greeted him, only nodding lightly but really- he doesn't know if he could look him in the eye again. Especially when his shadows had surrounded him and Kuon like that. Terrifying. They were both terrifying.
He knew he could fight them off. He knew he could still put a bullet in Kuon's skull if push came to shove, but it was completely unsettling when Takuto still smiled at him like that. Like his Maruki did.
When Zenkichi didn't respond to his words, Takuto had chuckled lightly and decided to stay close to Kuon's desk. Tch. Whatever. Soon enough, Ichinose came to the room, announcing her presence with the slightest wave of her hair trailing behind her in the air.
Akane's words echoed in his head.
"She touched your arm, Wolf. That's not war crime territory. You think I didn’t see what happened? You grabbed her like she was a damn enemy combatant. You need to stop looking at her like she is her. Distrust her, sure. Don't provoke her to do shit which will make you regret everything!"
"I get it. You’re angry. You’re broken. We all are. But if you’re gonna fly off the handle every time someone brushes past your trauma, then you shouldn’t be on the field."
A silence follows that hangs like static in the air. Zenkichi’s jaw tightens. Akane watches him, unmoving.
Then softly, she continues, "I don’t want you to get hurt."
That sentence—barely a whisper—slips out before she can stop it. It sounds... childish. Human. Too raw. She instantly frowns and looks away, arms crossing.
"—Not because I care or anything. Just... I need you functional. So stop being a pathetic wreck and take your meds on time. I shouldn’t have to track your heartbeat just to know you’re spiralling."
She...always said words that cut him deep.
Once Takuto was happy with Kuon's approval, he walked up to him with the thermos.
"Oh, here we go," Wolf muttered. "Stop pitying me, damn it."
Takuto held out the thermos.
"..."
"It's not poisoned."
"Oh yeah?" He tilted his head at him before glancing at Ichinose. Just sitting there, innocently. That bitch. "Well, even if it was, I am immune to it, so sorry about that."
"Oh-kay, I will just-" Takuto backed up with one raised hand. "You said you wanted coffee earlier, so I got some for you, but if you don't want it, I will just keep it aside, alright?"
"Just be her goddamn guard dog, will you?" He sharply murmurs those words at his face, raising his head to look at him but keeping his voice lowered so only Maruki can hear him. "I already warned you about her. I told you what happened with the Maruki in my world, so quit. The. Niceties. I don't need it from you."
Takuto sighed as he set the thermos on one of the centre tables. Still in close proximity to Zenkichi which makes him roll his eyes.
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There was Takuto, setting Kuon's mug on her table with a small thermos in his hand. There was a stupid cartoon tiger printed on it. What fun.
He hadn't spoken a word even when Takuto greeted him, only nodding lightly but really- he doesn't know if he could look him in the eye again. Especially when his shadows had surrounded him and Kuon like that.
Terrifying. They were both terrifying.He knew he could fight them off. He knew he could still put a bullet in Kuon's skull if push came to shove, but it was completely unsettling when Takuto still smiled at him like that. Like his Maruki did.
When Zenkichi didn't respond to his words, Takuto had chuckled lightly and decided to stay close to Kuon's desk. Tch. Whatever. Soon enough, Ichinose came to the room, announcing her presence with the slightest wave of her hair trailing behind her in the air.
Akane's words echoed in his head.
"She touched your arm, Wolf. That's not war crime territory. You think I didn’t see what happened? You grabbed her like she was a damn enemy combatant. You need to stop looking at her like she is her. Distrust her, sure. Don't provoke her to do shit which will make you regret everything!"
"I get it. You’re angry. You’re broken. We all are. But if you’re gonna fly off the handle every time someone brushes past your trauma, then you shouldn’t be on the field."
A silence follows that hangs like static in the air. Zenkichi’s jaw tightens. Akane watches him, unmoving.
Then softly, she continues, "I don’t want you to get hurt."
That sentence—barely a whisper—slips out before she can stop it. It sounds... childish. Human. Too raw. She instantly frowns and looks away, arms crossing.
"—Not because I care or anything. Just... I need you functional. So stop being a pathetic wreck and take your meds on time. I shouldn’t have to track your heartbeat just to know you’re spiralling."
She...always said words that cut him deep.
Once Takuto was happy with Kuon's approval, he walked up to him with the thermos.
"Oh, here we go," Wolf muttered. "Stop pitying me, damn it."
Takuto held out the thermos.
"..."
"It's not poisoned."
"Oh yeah?" He tilted his head at him before glancing at Ichinose. Just sitting there, innocently. That bitch. "Well, even if it was, I am immune to it, so sorry about that."
"Oh-kay, I will just-" Takuto backed up with one raised hand. "You said you wanted coffee earlier, so I got some for you, but if you don't want it, I will just keep it aside, alright?"
"Just be her goddamn guard dog, will you?" He sharply murmurs those words at his face, raising his head to look at him but keeping his voice lowered so only Maruki can hear him. "I already warned you about her. I told you what happened with the Maruki in my world, so quit. The. Niceties. I don't need it from you."
Takuto sighed as he set the thermos on one of the centre tables. Still in close proximity to Zenkichi which makes him roll his eyes.