damned_institute | Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

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Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

After the couple glasses of water Leon managed to gulp down during breakfast, the mage felt immensely better. He was still a bit tired, but that was nothing a little lounging on one of the sofas wouldn't cure. Stretching his arms above his head, he couldn't help but wish he'd had the chance to grab one of his new doctor's coats before leaving his room that morning. Maybe they would have let him get away with wearing it. Maybe.

He grabbed an empty sofa, pulling out the journal he tried to keep on him at all times. It was nearly complete now. Just a couple more pages to go. It might not improve his spellcasting that much, but any improvement was better than none. It was getting to where it might be too dangerous for him to use spells at all, if it left him so worn out without even finishing a monster off.

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Well, talk of the devil... Although Schuldig's appearance probably had less to do with demonic summoning and everything to do with telepathy. Or possibly Yohji was just that predictable. "Indoctrination? You know, that isn't meant to be a simile for seduction," he said, smiling in amusement at the other man.

He waiting until Schuldig was settled, before shifting closer to him. Not quite leaning against him because he remembered the state of the telepath's ribs and didn't want to hurt him, but close.

The topic of the conversation was less comfortable, but he supposed it had to be faced sooner or later. His expression twisted into one of hurt when he heard about Aya, making his chest feel tight. Damn it, and he'd tried and he'd really thought Aya might... heh, who was he kidding? "I'll try not to get in the way anymore then," he said apologetically.

Schuldig smirked back at Yohji. "Oh, I know. But with looks like mine, how much seduction is really necessary?" He made a slight crooking motion with his finger, indicating that the blond could come closer if he wanted; his chest was still sore, but getting better - the accelerated healing in this place really was impressive - and in any case, there wasn't much wrong with his shoulder, which was the most likely thing for Yohji to lean on anyway.

"And don't brood," he added, shooting Yohji a look. "It's got nothing to do with you, as far as I can tell; he's not writing you off because of any perceived betrayals, or anything you did that I can tell. From what I can see, he's just doing it because he's a selfish asshole." He grinned sidelong at Yohji. "Although I wouldn't turn down an offer for you to stop moping around and make yourself better company. As lucky as you are, it's rather aggravating to hear you whine."

That crooked finger was an offer that Yohji was quite happy to accept. He moved closer to Schuldig, sliding down on the couch so that he could lean comfortable against the telepath's side, resting his head against his shoulder. It was entirely too comfortable a position and he could get used to it far too easily but at the moment he didn't care. "Mmmm, good point," he agreed amiably. Schuldig was very attractive, it was undeniable.

That made things maybe a little better but it still hurt to hear that Aya just didn't care enough to bother. He'd thought... Aya had seemed so concerned back at home, so much concern when he'd leant Yohji his katana. He'd really thought he gave a damn. Guess not. Yohji smiled weakly and nodded. "I'll try my best, I promise," he said.

Schuldig lazily slid fingers into Yohji's hair. It wasn't as nice as the hair on the Yohji from his timeframe, but it was better than nothing. And growing out, too, he noted - maybe eventually it would return to its former glory.

"Don't ask me what's wrong with him," Schuldig said after a moment, yawning. "Honestly, his reaction was so unexpected even I didn't see it coming. He seems willing enough to protect you from outside dangers, but it's possible he's just too idiotic to realize that the danger you pose to yourself won't leave you any less dead if he doesn't do anything about him. He's pretty, but not that bright." Smirking, he rested his head on the back of the couch. "Anyway, I appreciate the offer. No one who's got me has such a bad life."

Mmmmm, that felt good. He'd always liked having his hair stroked, even if it was much shorter now than it had been. He just hadn't been able to stand the sight of it after killing Ayame. He'd needed a fresh start, appearance and all.

"He's smart about some things," Yohji replied. "Just crap at interpersonal relationships." How many times had they fought while Aya was in Weiss? How many times had Aya failed to understand the basic concepts of human interaction? How many times had he chased some of the schoolgirls off? But he could understand what Schuldig was saying. Aya hadn't seemed to realise that sometimes they were their own worst enemies. "Glad you never seem to change."

"Really? You'd never guess." It was closer to being a joke than being sarcasm, as Schuldig sounded amused as he said it, and they both knew full well that Aya tended to have two settings - aggressively attack or callously ignore - one or both of which he used to respond to any given situation, heedless of whether either was socially or logically appropriate. "Still, it's irritating that he's completely blind to the fact that when a sadistic, misanthropic telepath is doing a better job of looking after his friend and teammate than he is, he's clearly doing something wrong. And he had the nerve to tell me he couldn't do anything to help you - to claim he was giving up because he was powerless." The German snorted. "I may have more power than any of you in Weiss could dream of, but I haven't really used any of it to help you out. The most I've done is snap you out of your own idiocy and misery a few times, or sit and drink and smoke with you, and that's been working better than anything Aya or the rest of Weiss has done. Am I supposed to believe Aya can't do as much, or is he just not really making any bloody effort? The answer seems obvious enough to me." He bared his teeth. "And yet Aya had the audacity to tell me - me - that clearly I don't know anything. He'll pay for that, Kudoh, and he deserves to."

With the hand that wasn't in Yohji's hair, he reached up to rub his neck, which was getting sore. "And why would I ever change? People never really do. You can put a new coat of paint on a house but it doesn't change the shape of the building."

Yohji snorted in amusement at that, feeling a little guilty for finding it funny, but also knowing it to be the truth. Aya tended to suck with people. It was kind of sad really, hearing Schuldig talk and knowing that he was right and had managed more than any of Weiss had done in a long time. Especially here. Omi was having a hard time seeing his team in such a messed up state and Aya was Aya and Ken was probably holding up better than all of them but he was still close to the edge. "Ken punched me for being stupid, after we got attack by that thing which sucked all the happiness out of us," Yohji pointed out, feeling like he should stick up for his friend, because Ken had been helping as best he could. He probably had a better grasp of Yohji than the others after their time in Germany.

He looked up sharply when Schuldig made the threat, a little wary. He knew what Schuldig was capable of and no matter what Aya had done, he was still Yohji's friend and part of Weiss. "Don't hurt him. He's just not good with people. And I can't blame him for giving up on me after I tried to kill him."

He stretched slightly, his legs starting to cramp up a bit, but he didn't feel up to moving. Didn't want to move. This was too comfortable. "I guess no-one ever learns."

"I find it amusing and indicative of everything that's wrong with Weiss that the one time they actually help you stop feeling sorry for yourself, it's in a situation where for once it wasn't your fault you were depressed," Schuldig replied with a roll of his eyes. "Whereas every other time you've needed dragged out of that rut, they've been nowhere to be found - or the direct causes of it - and I've been the only one around to pull your fat out of the fire. Do you think Crawford only looks after me when it's convenient to him, or that I only patch up those injuries of Farfarello's when it's not his fault he acquired them? We'd all be dead by now. Aya claimed he wasn't giving up on you, but that's only because he's incapable of recognizing that leaving you to your own devices when you'll quite likely kill yourself as a result - aggressively or passively, it doesn't matter - will end the exact same way as if he did. If his choices are intervene or watch you self-destruct, and he does nothing, it doesn't matter what his reasons are because they don't change the outcome at all."

He glanced down at Yohji. "I don't see why it should matter to you at all if I hurt him, given how ready he seems to be to watch you die. And he'd keep me away from you, too, if he could - he told me so himself. Apparently, his ideal world is one where you're left completely to your own devices, to kill yourself recklessly or go insane as you see fit. But I wasn't planning on attacking him, if it eases your mind at all. I've got enough problems without compromising whatever gratitude you feel towards me over the likes of him." He closed his eyes again. "But there are plenty of ways to make a man suffer, and I'll find one that's suitable, don't you worry. I can blame Aya for anything I damned well like."

He had a point. It sucked, but it was a definite point. He really hadn't been able to help how he'd felt after that creature had attacked and it had just affected him worse than the others. Probably because of his depression. Maybe he should just give up and ask the nurses to drug him up on Prozac. It was something he'd resisted strenuously for some reason, not wanting to admit that he really couldn't deal with everything on his own, but after the other night... he really had to face it. "He just doesn't understand. I always wanted to deal with my stuff on my own," he said, although it sounded weak even to his own ears. Aya had been the one prepared to leave him on his own instead of letting him back in Weiss, even knowing that Yohji couldn't survive with Weiss. Not that rejoining them had been any better admittedly. "I should talk to him..." he added under his breath, although the thought made him feel kind of sick.

He met Schuldig's eyes reluctantly and gave a little shrug. "Because he's still Weiss. We went through a lot together and I still owe him." Even if it didn't look like he'd be able to return that katana is what Ken said was true. He made a face at the mention of Aya wanting to keep Schuldig away from him. That actually sounded a lot like him. He was sure Aya would much rather have kept him away from everyone not Weiss back in the shop. "I didn't think you'd do anything so crude as just attacking him," he continued dryly.

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Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

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