Voice-testing prior to reservations.

[pinnedandbroken]

Who are you? [We've been over this.]

Seimei will not abandon me, you heard him say that much so don't talk pointlessly about it happening. I abandoned Ritsuka, so he most likely wouldn't speak to me again even if I were to look for him anyways. I don't want to see him, I'm no good for Ritsuka.

Call Kio instead.

Comments

[in_loveless_memory]

Don't decide things on your own.

[pinnedandbroken]

Ritsuka. I'm sorry. I didn't want to...

[in_loveless_memory]

But you did, Soubi. You chose Seimei over me.

[As much as Ritsuka loves his brother, he is very much aware that is always been Seimei vs. Ritsuka in Soubi's eyes.

And Ritsuka lost.]

You didn't even look back.

[pinnedandbroken]

[Seimei's words were absolute, there was no choice for Soubi when given a command by his sacrifice. Looking back would have caused more pain for Ritsuka. Soubi was a traitor, he was a liar, he was trash.] I don't want to.

[in_loveless_memory]

Then what do you want?

[pinnedandbroken]

It doesn't matter. [What he wanted was something that would never be important. All that mattered were orders when it came to Seimei, he knew that what he wanted would never happen so long as he was with Seimei. He wanted Ritsuka to take him away, for Ritsuka to write over the name Beloved and mark Soubi as his.] I warned Ritsuka I would become a despicable person.

[in_loveless_memory]

It doesn't matter. I chose Soubi, that is all there is to it.

[pinnedandbroken]

Ritsuka. . . [Why would he chose someone as broken as Soubi? Even after he had left, Ritsuka still was willing to choose him.] Forgive me.

[in_loveless_memory]

It isn't about me forgiving you, Soubi. You have to forgive yourself. I already do.

I told you. I chose Soubi.

[pinnedandbroken]

Then I want to be with Ritsuka.

[in_loveless_memory]

Then be with me, Soubi. [Even as he says it, he knows it's not that easy. It never is. Nothing can ever be simple, where he and Soubi are concerned.]

[pinnedandbroken]

[Soubi had wished that Seimei would have allowed it to be that easy.] Where?

[in_loveless_memory]

There's... the game I'm in... Seimei isn't there...

[pinnedandbroken]

So I could be Ritsuka's there.

[in_loveless_memory]

If you came... but... you'd have to come to somarium.

[pinnedandbroken]

If I can be with Ritsuka, I'll go.

[in_loveless_memory]

Youji and Natsuo are there too.

[pinnedandbroken]

So they've been there with you? [At least Ritsuka hadn't been alone then.]

[in_loveless_memory]

Natsuo just showed up this month, so it's been mostly me and Youji. [They share a bed and Youji likes to kiss him... often.]

[pinnedandbroken]

I see. How was Youji without Natsuo? [But Soubi can provide more warmth and has better kisses.]

[in_loveless_memory]

We sleep in the same bed because of how much he needs to cuddle. [How much they both need to cuddle.]

[pinnedandbroken]

We should get him a stuffed bear then. [Does that mean Soubi can have cuddles when he comes?]

[in_loveless_memory]

He has Natsuo and me. He doesn't need a stuffed bear... well, not another one.

[pinnedandbroken]

One bed might be a little crowded for everyone. I'm glad Ritsuka has friends with him.

[in_loveless_memory]

Oh, we have other rooms. We just don't use them.

[pinnedandbroken]

Can I stay it Ritsuka's room too then?

[in_loveless_memory]

Oh um... [He blushes.]

We'll see...

[pinnedandbroken]

[Soubi smiles a bit. Ritsuka was precious and who Soubi would always serve he if had the choice.] Ritsuka would always be able to find me there.

[in_loveless_memory]

Would you stray far again?

[pinnedandbroken]

Only if Ritsuka told me to.

[in_loveless_memory]

[The words "You wouldn't even if I did" almost came from his tongue but he merely bows his head.]

Then you need to be there.

[bloody_spy]

Ha. I'm sure there are plenty of situations where Kio would make a good substitute for you. But somehow, I don't see a mun buying that.

You know what else? If your mun gives up on you and puts a Kio in this space, I will torture him.

[Mun feels compelled to point out that Nisei hasn't actually done this to any Kio. He's baiting Soubi hard because smaller provocations have not worked, since Seimei returned with his despondent blank in tow.]

[pinnedandbroken]

[Soubi just shoots a cold glare at the other. He had no reason to talk to Nisei, and doing anything further to him would just anger Seimei.]

He can be rather noisy and annoying, but if you like Kio that much you should ask him out properly.

[bloody_spy]

[Meets your glare with a poisonous smile. He's not allowed to attack you, either. So instead, his voice is as soft as a caress.]

I don't have to like someone at all to hurt them.

[pinnedandbroken]

Oh is that it? You seem to spend a lot of time talking about him if that's all you want to do. [Besides Seimei hadn't told you to do anything like that yet, so as long as Soubi was obedient then Kio was safe.]

[bloody_spy]

As if.

[Tinkers idly with his phone, giving you a good view of his by-now-healed hand, with BELOVED still emblazoned on it.]

[pinnedandbroken]

[Such a tiny name and bond, something like that would not have suited Soubi at all. Though once the others goes to playing with his phone, Soubi simply goes back to the book he was reading. Why did Seimei need both of them, hadn't he said that he brought Soubi back for fighting. Then what was Nisei's purpose.]

[bloody_spy]

[Pff. A bond reaches deeper into what you are than your body. The external representation is always unobtrusive, when it's natural. Only a blank would sport an extensive, mutilated cut like yours. And it still isn't enough, is it? You cling to Seimei's every word like you're starving for them. Nisei thinks, privately, that such a pathetic creature deserved to have that name printed on its forehead. If you were to have the honor of carrying it at all.

He puts the casing of his phone back on with a click, and watches you.]

Do you even have permission to leave the house, at this point?

[It just occurred to him that you might not. It's hard to tell what's lethargy and what's compliance, when he doesn't hear Seimei giving you direct orders.]

[pinnedandbroken]

[Soubi didn't respond for a few seconds, instead continuing reading and slowly turning the page.]

Why not ask Seimei?

[bloody_spy]

Because he's not here, and you are.

[Nisei actually manages to make that sound only minimally patronizing.]

[pinnedandbroken]

Why does it matter what I've been allowed to do by Seimei? [Either way he would likely not move from where he was until Seimei commanded him to do something. No orders were as good as telling Soubi to stay and wait.]

[bloody_spy]

Don't get all existential on me. I just want to know if you're this ... inert on your own, or your leash only lets you lift your head two inches off the floor.

[If it does? He's definitely going to tease Seimei about that.]

[pinnedandbroken]

I haven't been told I have stay inside. [Though he had only recently been permitted to speak again. Otherwise this entire conversation would have consisted of that single cold stare.]

[bloody_spy]

Then - why haven't you set foot outside this house since you got here?

[Nisei figured out that Seimei had told you not to speak. Watching you slice open your hand when you were trying to chop vegetables, and then open your mouth only for nothing to come out was kind of a dead giveaway. Even you aren't that weird without orders.]

[pinnedandbroken]

I've had no reason to. Why are you here?

[He couldn't exactly go to class at the moment, and it would have only provoked Seimei and hurt Ritsuka to visit him. Plus he couldn't go back to his apartment since that was where the zero brats were staying. Going anywhere would have been a conflict, it was easier to simply wait. Here at least he didn't have to decide what to do, he only had to wait to be told.]

[bloody_spy]

[Nisei shrugs. He wants you gone and will look for opportunities to convince Seimei that he doesn't need you. But as long as he doesn't have permission to attack you directly, he's going to learn what he can. You're, however temporarily, Seimei's other fighter. And as a fighter, you reputation precedes you.]

There's nowhere in particular I need to be right now.

[He's been spending more time out of the house than in it, tailing people, sifting through stolen data, keeping track of his wiretaps ... he's sort of coming to terms with your living here, though.]

[pinnedandbroken]

[Soubi would leave if he could, and yet he's stuck here and now someone annoying was here that could go if they wanted. That made Nisei even more troubling. Soubi closed his book before grabbing a cigarette and moving to go outside without another word.]

[bloody_spy]

[Nisei makes no move to follow, but there's a perfectly audible snicker behind you.]