dinohouse | open to any Go-Busters players from any universe incl Mushverse, ogods what am I doing

"He's here. I think he trusts a little, on some level," I say quietly. I hope he does. "Ah, do you think Takosawa would cope? I don't want to upset him, but he's a good idea. He might reach Emi."

Nick's an excellent backup, but Takosawa has the history with Emi.

I shake my head and give him what's probably a pretty condescending look.

I'm worried about him. More so even than my brother, I think. I'd never tell him, of course, I doubt he'd take it well.

I'm worried what will happen to him if he fails in this quest of his.

"I can't guarantee Takosawa would be any more persuasive towards him than... say, I would. But at least you'd have back-up, if... Well, if he overreacts."

I nod. "Yes. I'll ask him, then."

I don't expect to 'reach' Emi. Not to that extent. But if being there will help, if he'll start to get it through his head that I'm not going away just because he snarls at me now and then, then I'm more than willing to do it.

"Bon chance," I say softly, rubbing both hands over my face wearily and then turning in the general direction of my room. "He's probably down with the engineers."

I pause, and look back at him. "Just be careful."

He doesn't think I can do it. Doesn't think I can reach Emi at all.

It's not easy, no, but it's also not simple. I know I won't get Emi to come out of there, suddenly untraumatised, unscarred, ready to return to us as soon as we rescue his body.

Any progress I can make will do. "I will," I say quietly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "You should go rest, okay?"

Of course I don't think he can succeed.

I can't think he can succeed. I can't think about trying to reverse years of mourning and pain, trying to adjust to having him around again, having him so drastically changed...

It's selfish, maybe, but I've been anything but for the better part of thirteen years.

"I'm going." I smirk at him and head off towards my room. For better or worse.

I give him an affectionate salute, and head off the other way in search of Takosawa. I'm not looking forward to the flailing when I explain this, but he has a right to know anyway.

It's been a while since they all left. I expected Hiromu to return sooner, but I suppose my brother put a stop to that.

Good.

Of course, it wasn't bound to last. I sit up on the bed, not wanting to be caught off guard if it should be Kuroki coming to interrogate me.

I go in first, though I've got no doubt whatsoever that Emi won't attack Takosawa.

"Brought a friend to say hi to you," I say casually to Emi.

"I have no friends, Hiromu, I have told you--"

Takosawa. I scowl at him, and I'm fairly certain he's scowling back at me, such as he can.

"What is your intent, Hiromu. We have already established I cannot leave."

"To speak with you a little more privately," I say calmly. Takosawa's not exactly as happy about this as he could be, but there's not a lot I can do about it.

"You mean without my brother here." I raise an eyebrow at Takosawa, who huffs spectacularly.

"You understand that he will relate any and everything we say to him at a later time, oui?"

I nod swiftly. "Oh, I do. And that's fine. I'm not about to say anything that I wouldn't want him to hear anyway. But he's finding this really... really hard, and I don't want him to have to be here every time we talk."

"And you do not find it hard?"

I doubt that. But he is quite foolish.

"You say that as if any talk we have will not follow the same lines over and over again."

I shrug. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but I'm still not going to leave you alone."

Ah. "Easier for me than for him," I say quietly. "I lost a friend. A really good friend. He lost a brother."

I roll my eyes and turn away from him. "Of course you are not. No matter what I ask."

I raise an eyebrow at that, though. "You admit then, that a loss has occurred."

"That's right," I say, casting a look at Takosawa. I wish I knew if he supported this. He's incredibly easy to read sometimes, when he's sobbing on my carpet about Eti. Other times he's so... so internal.

I lay a hand very gently, very lightly on Emi's shoulder from behind. "I do. We lost you that day, and you lost us."

"That was a terribly long time ago, Hiromu. Things have changed. People do not stay friends after thirteen years of no contact, you know."

I scoff when he touches me, but I don't bother shrugging his hand off my shoulder.

He makes a noise, but doesn't move my hand, so I keep it there.

"You're my friend. Or I'm yours," I say after a pause. "Whichever one means that I see you like that whether or not you see me the same way."

I sigh and shake my head. "Fine. Keep deluding yourself. See if I care. Eventually I will figure out what is wrong with me and escape this place."

"I'm sure you will," I say peacefully. "And then we'll meet again, Emeric. You won't get rid of me so easily."

"You will never understand the meaning of the world futility, will you, Hiromu?"

Takosawa grumbles again and I glance over at him. I wonder what's going on in that mechanized head of his. Guilt? Doubtful. Worry for my brother, much more probable. Something else entirely? Who knows.

"No, I don't suppose I will, since if it were easy I would have succeeded in disposing of you already."

"I don't think this is futile," I say after a pause.

I grin at his second comment. "I'm not that easy to get rid of, no. Emi? If you didn't have any restraints on you, if you could do what you wanted, what would that be?"

"But it is, I have told you countless times and for an excess of reasons why your actions are futile and yet. You. Persist."

He's asking questions now, and I frown at him and spread my arms, wagging my fingers. "I am not restrained, Hiromu, you made sure of that. Though if you are implying a theoretical scenario in which I was allowed free reign to do as I pleased, I am quite sure I would leave."

"You're smart, but you're not always right," I say cheerfully. "Yes, I do mean that. Not physical restraints. But I mean what if you didn't have an obligation to Messiah, what if you had your own body? What would you want to do? Where would you stay, how would you spend your days?"

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