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[imusntrunaway]

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[Beeeeeeeeeeeep.]

Comments

[substitutable]

[Shintaro's hand stops as he's taking the spoon out of his mouth, and he stares ahead for a second, frozen, before he resumes moving, poking at the ice cream.]

Yeah.

We went.

[imusntrunaway]

[Shinji isn't the sort to pry into another's business, especially not on that sort of subject. He drops his gaze.]

... some of my friends fought, too. But I didn't. [He stayed behind, because he was useless.] I ran supplies.

[substitutable]

... That's smart. Maybe we should've done that too.

[He finally stops murdering his ice cream and takes a bite.]

[imusntrunaway]

It wasn't as bad. [He's muttering now.] But seeing the patients come in...

[He leaves his spoon in the ice cream.] ... I thought we'd lose the Hold.

[substitutable]

... We might, eventually. It's war.

[imusntrunaway]

You don't think we'll win?

[substitutable]

I don't know. I've never been in a war before and this doesn't work like movies or video games. But they got pretty close in six hours...

Who knows?

[imusntrunaway]

[It isn't fair, he thinks. If he has to die somewhere, let him die at home. Even if home is gone, wouldn't it be better to spend your last minutes in a place you knew the best...?

He lapses into a gloomy silence.]

... it still doesn't make sense.

[substitutable]

Huh?

[He has a mouthful of ice cream.]

Waf woznt?

[imusntrunaway]

If you didn't know how to fight... why did you go?

[substitutable]

... [A moment as he swallows the ice cream.]

Because we thought we could. That's all.

[imusntrunaway]

... you and your friends are brave, then.

[substitutable]

Brave? You're kidding. More like stupid.

[imusntrunaway]

[Mumbled with his gaze averted and shoulders hunched:] I didn't say it wasn't stupid.

[substitutable]

Were you about to say it, then? I give you ice cream and this is what I get...

[imusntrunaway]

... sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude.

[substitutable]

You know... isn't this the part where you remind me that I barged in on you at midnight instead of apologize?

[imusntrunaway]

I already reminded you. I'm not sure you'd listen if I reminded you again.

[substitutable]

[He looks... almost amused.]

Sorry. I listen to music all the time so my ears are pretty shot. [bullshit]

[imusntrunaway]

[You're getting the flattest look Shintaro as he puts down his spoon.]

Why did you go through the trouble of visiting anyway? Is... [Hesitance, because this involves asking a somewhat personal question.]... everything all right at your apartment?

[substitutable]

Because I wanted to. The apartment's fine. Nagisa-san's doing his own thing as usual and my sister's asleep for once. When I texted you, you were awake, so I came here.

[imusntrunaway]

We don't even know each other that well...

[It's mumbled again.]

[substitutable]

I don't dislike you, though.

[imusntrunaway]

... you don't have a reason to at this point. We're acquaintances.

[substitutable]

[Well, Shinji is right. But Shintaro just shrugs.]

I came here because I wanted to.