[Aibouverse, circa ep34 canon: open to AU Go-Busters, particularly seeking Masato and/or 'iromu~]

[silverpleather]

If it had been my decision, I probably wouldn't have told the others about Masato's... not entirely helpful coping mechanism. I've seen it before, of course, his tendency to make a joke out of anything that upsets him.

I've been the subject more than not in the past thirteen years, but this is something different entirely.

I had every intention of going after him on my own and dealing with him and the stupid Puppetroid, but Jueki put paid to that by telling the entire group what was going on before I got a chance.

Hopefully I'll still get a chance to talk to him alone. Even if I have to drag him to the subdimension to do it.

Comments

(DORK okay idk either though)

[silverpleather]

"I know that, 'iromu." I chuckle weakly at him and shake my head. "I am hardly the only one who cares about him. And I understand, we are a team, not just he and I, but all of us."

I sigh a little. "I am sorry to have worried you."

(dammit!)

[red_pleather]

"Yes, he's annoying sometimes, but he's actually really smart," I say thoughtfully. "And I could never hate him anyway, even if he was annoying all the time, because he took care of you."

I shake my head. "It's okay. I just want you to come see me if you need someone to relax with, or talk to, or eat with, or anything. Please?"

[silverpleather]

I chuckle at his assessment of Masato. Not entirely unfair, but then again, he's generally seen Masato at his limit. Goofing off, joking, hiding all of his negative reactions under a veneer of teasing and jokes and lightheartedness.

That is his habit.

He continues, and I laugh weakly at the idea of being able to tell him any of the things that weigh on me most heavily. "Si vous saviez." I'm safe enough hiding in French with Hiromu. Masato has picked too much of it up by now. "I'll keep it in mind."

[red_pleather]

I'm going to have to start writing down what he says in French so I can look it up later.

I sigh. I don't think it's helped at all. "You can't just let things build up like Jin-san does," I say softly. "It's not just the two of you any more. We'll help you."

I know we haven't been through what they went through together, but if he doesn't start trusting us more, doesn't start leaning on us more, then what's the point? I want to stop Vaglass as a team, sure, but I also want to look after him.

[silverpleather]

"I hardly let things build up as Masato does." I frown at him. I like to think I'm a little more well adjusted than all of that.

"You have to forgive me, it is a reflex. Not to distrust you, but to feel obligated to protect him in whatever way I can."

[red_pleather]

"I know, but you go... you go inwards, too," I say softly. "Ryuu-san and Yoko-chan are a little easier to help."

Took me a while to get to a point where I knew how to help them at all, though. And I'm sure I still miss times when they need it.

"I understand." He'd have to be horrible to not want to protect someone who's done so much for him. And he's not horrible at all. I like him quite a lot, in fact.

[silverpleather]

I smirk weakly at that. He's probably right, but that's no fault of his, nor really of mine. One of the many flaws and pitfalls of a partially real experience.

I shrug and shake my head to clear it. I don't need to be having those thoughts right now.

"I will try to stop assuming that I am the only one that can help him, though."

[red_pleather]

"Thank you," I say with relief. He's a good person.

I pause for a moment. "Must've been scary to see him controlled like that." In the moment, it mostly just pissed me off, because Jin-san didn't deserve that, and I hate it when Vaglass tries to use our own people against us. But I can see how it would've been scary, too.

[silverpleather]

"Scary." I agree softly, then shrug one shoulder, trying not to let it bother me as much as it obviously does. "I don't think I realized that was something that... could happen. Because we're not... Because we're avatars, I mean."