Kotetsu didn't have the heart to refute the blond's outburst. It would turn into the one thing he didn't want to broach yet, not until he had heard everything, just like Barnaby wanted. Only then would he allow his partner to break down.
Instead, he moved on with his story as he rubbed his palms together back and forth restlessly. "Well, she was killed for that picture, and they... blamed it on me. God, it all looks so obvious now, the set up--I had my finger prints all over her place, her stuff, and no one to know the difference. I even went back to Apollon as if nothing was wrong--Well, except you were missing--but they wouldn't let me in. The same damn security guard I passed every day into the building didn't recognize me! None of my security badges worked and all of a sudden I'm the most wanted man in Stern Bild!
"No one recognized me--Well, except as a homicidal NEXT. Everyone was after me, the police, the Heroes, Antonio--That cow almost broke my damn ribs trying to arrest me!--And all I could think is what the hell went wrong..." He grew silent for a moment, remembering how hopeless he had felt. His entire life had been obliterated, wiped away like a ink smudge out of the history books. It still made his stomach hurt when he thought too long about that day.
"But then I saw you on the big screen when I was trying to lay low, and--" he sighed. "I was so relieved to see you were okay. You were with Maverick, though, who just happened to tell me the day before he had no idea where you were. And suddenly you're hell-bent on arresting me? Your own partner? You didn't even remember me!" He hadn't meant his words to be accusatory. Wanting nothing to do with that day, the older man had never explored it with more than a flippant laugh and wave of his hand. Now that he had to rehash it to the one person who was supposed to already understand implicitly without words was harder than he had anticipated.
Re: M39
Instead, he moved on with his story as he rubbed his palms together back and forth restlessly. "Well, she was killed for that picture, and they... blamed it on me. God, it all looks so obvious now, the set up--I had my finger prints all over her place, her stuff, and no one to know the difference. I even went back to Apollon as if nothing was wrong--Well, except you were missing--but they wouldn't let me in. The same damn security guard I passed every day into the building didn't recognize me! None of my security badges worked and all of a sudden I'm the most wanted man in Stern Bild!
"No one recognized me--Well, except as a homicidal NEXT. Everyone was after me, the police, the Heroes, Antonio--That cow almost broke my damn ribs trying to arrest me!--And all I could think is what the hell went wrong..." He grew silent for a moment, remembering how hopeless he had felt. His entire life had been obliterated, wiped away like a ink smudge out of the history books. It still made his stomach hurt when he thought too long about that day.
"But then I saw you on the big screen when I was trying to lay low, and--" he sighed. "I was so relieved to see you were okay. You were with Maverick, though, who just happened to tell me the day before he had no idea where you were. And suddenly you're hell-bent on arresting me? Your own partner? You didn't even remember me!" He hadn't meant his words to be accusatory. Wanting nothing to do with that day, the older man had never explored it with more than a flippant laugh and wave of his hand. Now that he had to rehash it to the one person who was supposed to already understand implicitly without words was harder than he had anticipated.