Guren Ichinose (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
swordfucker) wrote2018-03-10 06:49 pm
swordfucker) wrote2018-03-10 06:49 pm
IC Inbox
Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F
Text | Action
Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F
Text | Action
[ Color because it's atrocious ]
Guren, do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss these newcomers, as well as how best to address them.
...However, as a side note, I hope you're aware that continuing to allow these children to run a town is only asking for trouble. In response to what should by all accounts be considered an emergency, you have invitations for snacks and games, as if we're simply on a long-winded picnic and will return home at sundown. Is this how we should expect future crises to be handled?
Guren, do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss these newcomers, as well as how best to address them.
...However, as a side note, I hope you're aware that continuing to allow these children to run a town is only asking for trouble. In response to what should by all accounts be considered an emergency, you have invitations for snacks and games, as if we're simply on a long-winded picnic and will return home at sundown. Is this how we should expect future crises to be handled?
I'll check this between running out and helping people. Right now, I'm just trying to make sure no one gets hypothermia.
But this town is children, for the most part. Don't think their age or a few of them speaks for all of them. Akira's post is a good example, and the two you're talking about mean well. I don't think it's a bad thing.
What are you hoping for?
But this town is children, for the most part. Don't think their age or a few of them speaks for all of them. Akira's post is a good example, and the two you're talking about mean well. I don't think it's a bad thing.
What are you hoping for?
You make like some of my superiors look like bags of emotions, for one.
[Because... Ryo shows none? It's wild.] It's okay to feel more than the obvious. I'm not even sure if you're capable of it.
[Because... Ryo shows none? It's wild.] It's okay to feel more than the obvious. I'm not even sure if you're capable of it.
Good intentions are all well and good, but without some form of order surrounding them, that's all they'll ever be.
Right now, all I'm asking is that you consider the fact that no matter how fun and exciting children make their sandcastles, they'll still be washed away with the tide. I think, if you intend to allow such sandcastles to be built, we should invest in some form of structure to protect the fantasies they seem so keen on investing themselves in. Regardless of what they've been through in their own time, would you deny that they're still kids?
But, that isn't my primary focus, of course! The fact of the matter is that we have several new faces among us, none of whom are at all adjusted to this world. We should get in touch with Kei and arrange an emergency town meeting to address everyone all at once as soon as possible, rather than trust that word of mouth will reach everyone.
I would also suggest keeping a count of everyone, although I'm aware the idea has been tossed around before. With disappearances and appearances alike becoming more and more common, it's our responsibility to maintain those that we have as best we can.
Naturally, these are all just suggestions. Should you have input of your own, I'm hardly in any place to force a decision on you.
Right now, all I'm asking is that you consider the fact that no matter how fun and exciting children make their sandcastles, they'll still be washed away with the tide. I think, if you intend to allow such sandcastles to be built, we should invest in some form of structure to protect the fantasies they seem so keen on investing themselves in. Regardless of what they've been through in their own time, would you deny that they're still kids?
But, that isn't my primary focus, of course! The fact of the matter is that we have several new faces among us, none of whom are at all adjusted to this world. We should get in touch with Kei and arrange an emergency town meeting to address everyone all at once as soon as possible, rather than trust that word of mouth will reach everyone.
I would also suggest keeping a count of everyone, although I'm aware the idea has been tossed around before. With disappearances and appearances alike becoming more and more common, it's our responsibility to maintain those that we have as best we can.
Naturally, these are all just suggestions. Should you have input of your own, I'm hardly in any place to force a decision on you.
I veer toward logic and rationality. I'm not a naturally emotive person. [ EMOTIONS ARE JUST NEUROCHEMISTRY etc. ]
I've never had any strong feelings about food, and I don't care about eating or culinary experiences; I only eat because my body requires sustenance.
I've never had any strong feelings about food, and I don't care about eating or culinary experiences; I only eat because my body requires sustenance.
[As Guren warned, his answer comes a little delayed. He's in and out between drying people off, checking on them, looking into areas.]
Order is why I agreed to run the defense force in the first place. I've been checking on them, and they're handling it fairly well.
As for the rest of them, the civilians... If Nanjo took that over, then he can keep going with it. If people agree to having one, then I'll show up. But I'll tell you this now: I don't think the people who just showed up are going to be willing to listen right now. They're still thinking they can get out of here, that they're the exception, the hero, the one who will find a way.
It's a normal way of thinking for the people who end up here.
Anyway, if it helps, I'm keeping notes on everyone I see, whether I talk to them or not. It's as good of a list as I can manage right now.
Order is why I agreed to run the defense force in the first place. I've been checking on them, and they're handling it fairly well.
As for the rest of them, the civilians... If Nanjo took that over, then he can keep going with it. If people agree to having one, then I'll show up. But I'll tell you this now: I don't think the people who just showed up are going to be willing to listen right now. They're still thinking they can get out of here, that they're the exception, the hero, the one who will find a way.
It's a normal way of thinking for the people who end up here.
Anyway, if it helps, I'm keeping notes on everyone I see, whether I talk to them or not. It's as good of a list as I can manage right now.
You remind me of someone I know.
[He says it out of nowhere, focusing on Ryo closely as he does.] A few people, actually. They're all part of the same twisted family, and none of them can really afford to behave like a normal human.
Do you ever have fun with anything? [God, even Shinoa has fun. Even the Hiiragis have fun... He's concerned.]
[He says it out of nowhere, focusing on Ryo closely as he does.] A few people, actually. They're all part of the same twisted family, and none of them can really afford to behave like a normal human.
Do you ever have fun with anything? [God, even Shinoa has fun. Even the Hiiragis have fun... He's concerned.]
[ For Ryo Asuka, it's never really been about not being able to afford behaving like a human. It's that he despite what believes himself to be, he fundamentally isn't human; humanity does not truly come naturally to him and he can only ever mimic it. He's the uncanny valley in living form, because no matter what he does there's always going to be something missing, an imperfect act.
He knows he's never been like other people; as a child he preferred scientific texts meant for adults over the brightly colored cartoons normal children adored. He was an outsider, feared and reviled by his peers. ]
Of course I have fun. I enjoy reading about the sciences, and spending time with my best friend.
He knows he's never been like other people; as a child he preferred scientific texts meant for adults over the brightly colored cartoons normal children adored. He was an outsider, feared and reviled by his peers. ]
Of course I have fun. I enjoy reading about the sciences, and spending time with my best friend.
You've never really told me about your best friend.
[So it's interesting to hear those words fall from his mouth.] It's gotta be lonely here without them, right? So why don't you share a little, to help with that?
[So it's interesting to hear those words fall from his mouth.] It's gotta be lonely here without them, right? So why don't you share a little, to help with that?
[ And then you have Kyrie, who's just casually in his cottage while all the chaos goes down. He's provided refuge like once, he's helping.
At least it means he's still around by the time Guren replies. ]
Don't you think it at all irresponsible to allow them to continue thinking that way?
[ Any other time, he'd be glad to see the despair on their faces as their apparent invincibility fails them... But this is serious. ]
If you intend to take place as a leader, you'll need to be far more diligent than this. You ought to make an attempt to gather them. If they don't come, that's surely their own fault--but you will have made the attempt all the same.
It's a leader's job to ensure that those they intend to protect are as prepared as they can be in these sorts of situations. They can't afford only what can be managed; they must give their all, and still further.
You've assembled this group, haven't you? Perhaps you ought to use it to your advantage. If each group gathers information and spreads the word of an imminent meeting, it will be far more effective than going one by one. But the orders must come from you.
At least it means he's still around by the time Guren replies. ]
Don't you think it at all irresponsible to allow them to continue thinking that way?
[ Any other time, he'd be glad to see the despair on their faces as their apparent invincibility fails them... But this is serious. ]
If you intend to take place as a leader, you'll need to be far more diligent than this. You ought to make an attempt to gather them. If they don't come, that's surely their own fault--but you will have made the attempt all the same.
It's a leader's job to ensure that those they intend to protect are as prepared as they can be in these sorts of situations. They can't afford only what can be managed; they must give their all, and still further.
You've assembled this group, haven't you? Perhaps you ought to use it to your advantage. If each group gathers information and spreads the word of an imminent meeting, it will be far more effective than going one by one. But the orders must come from you.
I am preparing them. The three patrol teams are helping people out as we speak. Everyone is lending a hand.
[EXCEPT KYRIE, HE GUESSES!!! No, he doesn't know what he's been doing to help, so he has no call out here for his casual chilling.]
I'm leading the defense force, not the whole town. My patrols and I are informing everyone that we can about how to live here. The dangers, the color, how to communicate. I don't have a problem with a meeting, but I think it should wait a couple of weeks, at least. Let them settle down, first.
[EXCEPT KYRIE, HE GUESSES!!! No, he doesn't know what he's been doing to help, so he has no call out here for his casual chilling.]
I'm leading the defense force, not the whole town. My patrols and I are informing everyone that we can about how to live here. The dangers, the color, how to communicate. I don't have a problem with a meeting, but I think it should wait a couple of weeks, at least. Let them settle down, first.
[ LOOK, GUREN, IT'S RAINING! YOU WANT HIM TO GO OUT IN THE RAIN? Hell nah. If they come to his door, he might offer shelter, but he's not about to go and get himself soaked trying to help a bunch of idiots. ]
Regardless of your intent, the people here see you as a sort of authority figure. Do you intend to back someone else up, should they rise to a position similar to your own? As of yet, everyone seems far too unwilling to listen to any other attempts at organization that aren't for something so trivial as games and sleepovers. You're the exception to that, for the time being.
In a couple of weeks, any number of things could have happened... At the very least, the tournament the children are holding would be a good opportunity to make some sort of announcement. I highly suggest you consider making something of it.
Regardless of your intent, the people here see you as a sort of authority figure. Do you intend to back someone else up, should they rise to a position similar to your own? As of yet, everyone seems far too unwilling to listen to any other attempts at organization that aren't for something so trivial as games and sleepovers. You're the exception to that, for the time being.
In a couple of weeks, any number of things could have happened... At the very least, the tournament the children are holding would be a good opportunity to make some sort of announcement. I highly suggest you consider making something of it.
I'm not lonely. [ He says in a flat tone but there's a subtle undercurrent running through it, breaking through the surface of his composed exterior. This isn't the first time they've been separated, but this is the first time they've been apart without any means of contact; after Ryo moved to the states, they still stayed in touch. Frequent letters (and emails after Ryo walked his technologically incompetent friend through making a gmail account) and phone calls became their means of staying connected across an ocean and several time zones. ]
I've known Akira Fudo since we were little. [ Unlike before, there's now a distinct note of fondness to his voice. ] He's the opposite of me in many ways. He's very soft-hearted and cries easily and often.
I've known Akira Fudo since we were little. [ Unlike before, there's now a distinct note of fondness to his voice. ] He's the opposite of me in many ways. He's very soft-hearted and cries easily and often.
Guren,
I hope this message isn’t unwelcome, in the midst of everything that’s been going on in town. How have you been?
Izuku brought me your potion. It was delicious. You’re lucky.
I’m sorry for all the silence. It’s nothing you did, and I think waiting only made it stranger for the both of us to say something. There is something I’d like to tell you about, so I hope we can catch up soon.
Please let me know, or feel free to come over.
Thank you,
Dextera
I hope this message isn’t unwelcome, in the midst of everything that’s been going on in town. How have you been?
Izuku brought me your potion. It was delicious. You’re lucky.
I’m sorry for all the silence. It’s nothing you did, and I think waiting only made it stranger for the both of us to say something. There is something I’d like to tell you about, so I hope we can catch up soon.
Please let me know, or feel free to come over.
Thank you,
Dextera
[What... the heck is this!! Guren is busy, indeed, so it takes a few hours to notice that he's received this message, let alone reply. He'd laugh if he weren't so sad reading it. Imagining the discomfort Dextera must feel to be typing like this, instead of his usual.
Izuku... Even if he was worried the kid had made things feel worse for Dextera, it looks like it actually worked to make him contact him. Is that okay...?]
I don't feel very lucky.
Anyway... Don't apologize when I'm the one who ran off. Didn't you need the space? You can say it's nothing I did all you want, but I know I'm the one who triggered you feeling that way.
But I want to come over, anyway. Are you there right now? I got to this a little late.
Izuku... Even if he was worried the kid had made things feel worse for Dextera, it looks like it actually worked to make him contact him. Is that okay...?]
I don't feel very lucky.
Anyway... Don't apologize when I'm the one who ran off. Didn't you need the space? You can say it's nothing I did all you want, but I know I'm the one who triggered you feeling that way.
But I want to come over, anyway. Are you there right now? I got to this a little late.
[This time, Guren takes a while to reply even when he's not running back out immediately. He's thinking, bothered that he's the authority figure here but also glad to step into that responsibility all the same. If he doesn't take it, someone worse could? Is that what it is? It's what he's thinking, now, and that sure is irritating. But he does appreciate being spoken to, regardless of what he decides on...
His message is a little short, but that's because he rarely shares everything he's thinking.]
I'll think about it a little bit longer and see how things look.
His message is a little short, but that's because he rarely shares everything he's thinking.]
I'll think about it a little bit longer and see how things look.
[Akira Fudo, a name filed away. Guren's not sure he believes that Ryo isn't lonely... But then, he's not sure how to believe that he has a best friend, either.]
That's probably the hardest thing to imagine that you've ever said. [He says it with a bit of a laugh.] You get along like that?
That's probably the hardest thing to imagine that you've ever said. [He says it with a bit of a laugh.] You get along like that?
[ dextera supposes that guren did trigger it, but it’s not—that’s not the whole story. they have a lot to talk about, considering the town and everything that happened between them, too. he hopes that after today, even if things aren’t solved for dextera, they’ll be able to move past this comfortably enough. ]
I’m home. I want to see you.
[ stupidly earnest... but better than awkward, right? ]
I’m home. I want to see you.
[ stupidly earnest... but better than awkward, right? ]
[That makes his heart hurt even more, so is it better? Well, it's better in that he can go see him. At least he's not being held back by anything else. Normally, he'd leave and head over without saying anything, but this time, he wants to make sure he's not going to worry.]
I'm coming.
[So, he does. He's in his sewn up uniform, even with as humid as it is, and like usual, he doesn't stop to knock at the front door. He enters, peering inside to see if Dextera is waiting close by. If he's not, he'll just head to his room. Either way, the moment he sees him, he looks him over to see how he's doing, hands in his pockets.]
...Hey.
I'm coming.
[So, he does. He's in his sewn up uniform, even with as humid as it is, and like usual, he doesn't stop to knock at the front door. He enters, peering inside to see if Dextera is waiting close by. If he's not, he'll just head to his room. Either way, the moment he sees him, he looks him over to see how he's doing, hands in his pockets.]
...Hey.
[ dextera looks at the message for a long time, until the sound of guren entering his room reaches his ears. as soon as guren says hey, he stands from his laptop and—pretty shamelessly, throws his arms around guren’s neck in an embarrassingly sincere hug.
guren is okay, after this time, and so is dextera. he is wet, though, after spending the day out in the rain like a fool. ]
...!
guren is okay, after this time, and so is dextera. he is wet, though, after spending the day out in the rain like a fool. ]
...!
[That's... not what he was expecting at all. There's no awkward staring from afar, no struggling to cross the room, there's just Dextera, close and wet against his own soaked body, hugging him. Guren is frozen in spot from his surprise, but it only takes a second for him to wrap his arms around him, hands resting at his back.
He realizes, now, that he was an idiot. Rather than giving Dextera space that he needed, he had left him alone, hadn't he? He's so stupid, and the realization has him frowning sadly down at Dextera as he holds him.]
I'm sorry, Dex.
He realizes, now, that he was an idiot. Rather than giving Dextera space that he needed, he had left him alone, hadn't he? He's so stupid, and the realization has him frowning sadly down at Dextera as he holds him.]
I'm sorry, Dex.
[ dextera inhales deeply, burying his face against guren’s shoulder, squeezing him tightly.
guren had left him alone, but he thought he was doing the right thing. that’s what izuku made him realize—it wasn’t anger, just guren’s form of care, but dextera doesn’t do well with being alone.
it was a mistake, maybe, but one they’ve learned from. ]
...
[ he doesn’t want to let go, but he pulls back enough to look at guren’s face, and he nods quickly—he’s okay, he’s sorry, too. whatever guren wants to take from that. ]
guren had left him alone, but he thought he was doing the right thing. that’s what izuku made him realize—it wasn’t anger, just guren’s form of care, but dextera doesn’t do well with being alone.
it was a mistake, maybe, but one they’ve learned from. ]
...
[ he doesn’t want to let go, but he pulls back enough to look at guren’s face, and he nods quickly—he’s okay, he’s sorry, too. whatever guren wants to take from that. ]
[He takes pretty much all of that from it, because that's the type of person Dextera is and he knows that now. Still, pulled away just this much, looking that small bit down at him, he feels like this isn't enough.
He pushes those thoughts aside, for now, because they're in the way. Right now, Dextera seems satisfied by this, and Guren is realizing that they're both wet, but Dextera is wet in that huge coat of his. He shifts apart further only to smooth his fingers from the sides of his chest to his shoulders, slipping the coat off him and urging him to turn around so he can get it off the rest of the way.]
You'll catch a cold if you're wet like this. It's better to take it off and let it dry. [Didn't they go over this when he fell in the water? Gosh.]
Anyway... You had something you wanted to tell me?
He pushes those thoughts aside, for now, because they're in the way. Right now, Dextera seems satisfied by this, and Guren is realizing that they're both wet, but Dextera is wet in that huge coat of his. He shifts apart further only to smooth his fingers from the sides of his chest to his shoulders, slipping the coat off him and urging him to turn around so he can get it off the rest of the way.]
You'll catch a cold if you're wet like this. It's better to take it off and let it dry. [Didn't they go over this when he fell in the water? Gosh.]
Anyway... You had something you wanted to tell me?
...?
[ dextera doesn’t realize what guren is doing until the coat is down past his elbows, and he watches guren’s hand as he guides the fabric away from his body. it’s still dripping wet, and so he folds it over his arm with nowhere else to put it.
then—there are a lot of things he wants to say, actually. so he looks over to his laptop, and exhales, guiding guren to the screen. it’ll be easier this way. ]
Are you busy? [ a beat. ] I want to explain things.
[ dextera doesn’t realize what guren is doing until the coat is down past his elbows, and he watches guren’s hand as he guides the fabric away from his body. it’s still dripping wet, and so he folds it over his arm with nowhere else to put it.
then—there are a lot of things he wants to say, actually. so he looks over to his laptop, and exhales, guiding guren to the screen. it’ll be easier this way. ]
Are you busy? [ a beat. ] I want to explain things.
[ Both ominous and promising? Guren runs his hand through his hair when a few strands hang out of place from being wet, and he looks to Dex seriously. ]
I’m not going anywhere. Don’t worry about my time. [ If he’s here, then it’s Dextera’s time. ] Go ahead.
I’m not going anywhere. Don’t worry about my time. [ If he’s here, then it’s Dextera’s time. ] Go ahead.
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