rokubro | [ inbox ] empatheias

[ Delivered to one daemon by means that shall be handwaved and left vague is a slightly crumpled envelope with the daemon's name scribbled across the front of it. Inside, the daemon shall find a letter on unlined paper with the following written in pencil: ]

It's me, Trunks.
I don't really know how to start this letter because I don't really
write many anyways but since I don't know what will happen to you
or if I'll be allowed to see you anytime soon, I thought I would write this.
You know
I thought we were friends.
Friends tell each other things, especially when they need help.
And even if I wasn't able to help you because I don't agree with it
or think that it's right, you still could have told me.
I wouldn't have helped you because I don't think it was right to do.
But maybe I could have listened to you or tried to tell you that it was stupid to do.
I heard that people died because of this.
What if one of them was my mom or my friends?
What if one of them was you?
Don't you care about that?
You'll probably say "no because I'm a daemon and I'm bad."
But I think that's stupid.
~~I think you care~~ I know you care.
You know why?
Because someone who doesn't care doesn't buy a person their very first sword
or take them to lunch or spend time with them if they really don't like them
or are a really bad person or don't care.
That's not how people who don't care are.
And also you didn't try to kill me.
So I want to know why you did that.
I'm a little mad but I don't hate you or never want to be your friend again
because friends can get mad at each other and still be friends even if they
don't agree all the time.
But I just don't understand and I think that sometimes adults just
complicate things and make them more difficult than they should be.
I hope you'll be ok and I hope people can forgive you for this
but a lot of people were hurt and some died and so I don't know
if that can really be possible for a lot of people.
I don't know if saying sorry can really help.
People say that actions speak louder than words
and I guess that happens here, right?
I wish you didn't do this because I don't want people to hate you
when I know that you can be a pretty good guy.
I'll still be your friend.
Just say you're sorry, ok?

(( ooc: you can have rokurou receive this letter whenever and wherever. o/ ))

[For better or worse, given his injuries his incarceration is currently at the hospital, laid up in bandages and unable to move much. Well, he could but it probably wouldn't be the smartest thing to do. With one arm broken, he has to use his other (mostly) usable hand and teeth to open the envelope before he manages to pull out the letter. And when he reads it...

Ah ha ha...damn.]

This kid... [There's just a rueful grin before he stares up at the ceiling.] Say "sorry," huh?

[It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel a little bad about what went down, but it would also be a lie to say that he felt real guilt or regret over it. He had known the consequences and had accepted it all before going in. So rather than feel guilt about helping Velvet, the only thing he actually felt bad about was making Trunks, Emizel, and a few others feel this way. He knew it would happen, but as indifferent as he is about a lot of things, he's not completely heartless. And as it apparently turns out, he's not as wholly indifferent about what people thought about him as he thought he was—or at least used to be.

Funny how living in a world that didn't care at all about him being a daemon could do that.

So he just holds up the letter and stares at the words for several long moments, wondering what he should do or even respond. Although he could probably leave it and not say anything, the fact that Trunks wrote this... No, he should write something back. He owed the kid that much.

But what? And kind of more importantly, how. He may have the use of one arm still, but uh. Still tough to really write anything—

Wait, he still has his amulet. WELL THEN. Trunks may feel a small little nudge through the crystal brainwaves.]

Hey, Trunks. Got your letter. I'd write back, but kind of can't right now.

[ While Rokurou is laid up in a hospital bed, Trunks is sprawled across his own and carefully trying to wrap another leather cord around a small pebble before he feels a gentle nudge and then a voice to follow after.

For a moment, he blinks, fingers stopping their careful work as he looks up rather hopeful as if to see Rokurou himself there before he comes to realize that, no, the daemon isn't here and he frowns a little, looking back to his work then. ]

Yeah? Well, you better have got it. It took me a long time to write you know.

[There's just a light chuckle. Nice thing about telepathy is while his physical condition may be shit, his mental condition is fairly strong and he's not too tired to have it carried through. But it is just voice for now.]

I could tell. Should work on your penmanship, though, was hard to make out some of the words.

[ Are those words difficult to make out because tears might have been shed as he wrote them and thus, he had to keep rubbing at his eyes to continue? Truly a mystery and a tale that Trunks will never tell. ]

You didn't reach out like this to make fun of my writing so what do you want?

[ He might say that a little sharply but also due to his frustration of trying to wrap the leather cord around the pebble he holds between his fingers and just not being able to fit it quite right. Stupid pebble. Stupid leather cord. Stupid Rokurou getting himself hurt and in trouble. ]

[All the more reason why Rokurou isn't going to actually point that out. But now here's the....tough part. Kind of.

But there's a small moment of thoughtful silence since he's also having difficult trying to start this because damn. Where does he start?]

First of all, how are you? Didn't get too beat up back there, did you?

[ Going back to trying to work this leather cord around the pebble, Trunks makes a bit of an exasperated face. ]

No. I can always take care of myself.

[ And... a bit of a pause because- ]

I mean, I wasn't even really there anyway so yeah.

[ SWEATS. ]

[...Uh huh.]

Funny, your letter makes it sound like we fought against each other. Although I remember this Gotenks kid who said he knew you.

Heh, yeah. Gotenks is pretty cool.

[ STILL SWEATING. ]

But anyway. I'm fine so yeah.

All right, if you say so. [He's still suspicious. In fact, it might feel as if Rokurou is staring at him and there is definitely a, "Not sure if I believe you" vibe going on.

However, he's not going to push it. It's something he might poke at another time, but it's not important. So there's a small pause as if the daemon is gathering his thoughts as to how to......go about what's next.]

Still wanna know why I was there?

[ The gentle moment of playful uncertainty quietly disappears as the question is asked and Trunks finds himself sitting up on his bed then and crossing his legs, looking down to his pebble in hand as he does so. ]

I dunno. Are you actually gonna tell me?

[ Because he's used to adults just not telling him things to begin with and... yeah, it's a sore spot for him.

However, it's after a brief pause and the pad of his thumb brushing over the face of the pebble that he frowns and looks up as if speaking to Rokurou directly there in the room with him. ]

Why did you do it?

[Now that he's not in the middle of fighting and everything is done, he really has no reason to dodge it anymore. So he leans back in his hospital bed, feeling calm and relaxed—something that reflects in his voice.]

Simple reason, really. Velvet is someone I know from my world, and not only do I owe her, I had made a promise to help her through her journey. So I just followed my family's code of honor and duty to uphold it.

[A small pause.]

In this case, that's all it really was. I can't say I really agreed to her plan, but I also understood why she was doing it and what she hoped to achieve. And since this isn't really all too different from what we did in our own world... [A small mental shrug.]

But people died!

[ Trunks shouts that a little in frustration and he curls his small hand around the pebble into a fist. ]

What if my mom died? Or my friends or you? What if I died because of that?

[ The thing about Trunks and his future self is that they both share a similarity with wanting to protect people... and carrying that guilt or failure on their shoulders if they can't... especially those they love and care about. ]

You're my friend and I know you're a good person inside even if you don't think you are. You told me you haven't been a daemon forever and so, even if you say you're bad now because you're a daemon, you weren't always that way and that's why I know you're a good person inside. People care about you... don't you care about them?

[For a moment he just stares up at the ceiling of his room, the question turning in his head before he finally responds.]

I do.

[Which is...actually kind of strange to admit, oddly enough. At the very least, he didn't not care or dismissed everyone he's met.]

You're such a dummy.

[ Trunks comes to fall onto his stomach on his bed and buries his head under his pillow, pulling it down to keep around him even though it doesn't cause him to mumble or anything because, hello, telepathic communication and all. ]

What if killing Sosyne made everything worse? What if more people died because Sosyne died? You're better than that. I know you are.

True, that was all possible.

We're used to taking risks in hopes of a greater change, and it's crazy, I know. But... [His voice drifts as he once again tries to figure out how to word this, but in the end he just shrugs.] Once Velvet has her mind set on something, there's very little that will stop her.

You could stop her.

[ He says that as he pokes his head out from underneath his pillow. ]

You could say no. You're your own person.

[Ah ha ha ha.]

If I tried to stop her, she'd just go at it ten times worse. And besides, as much as I didn't really agree to the idea, I wasn't really against what she was trying to achieve or why she was doing it.

[ Why do adults make things so complicated?? He really wants to know. ]

So would you be fine if she got what she wanted and people died? If I died?

[Because life is crap when you're older.

Although speaking of complicated things, Trunks is definitely shooting some complicated questions. Like this one. Back in his world, he's let so many die and used people he's known to achieve his goals, including friends. Hell, he's wearing one as a sword (although it was more of a mutual agreement and he brooded a bit over it). But in the case of Trunks and a few others...and given the context and circumstances of everything so far...

There's a very pregnant pause before he finally answers.]

I wouldn't be happy if something happened to you, no.

[ That has Trunks toss his pillow across the room as he pushes himself to sit up on the bed, a rather frustrated expression on his face and pebble still held tightly in his small hand. ]

Then why? You didn't even tell me or come to me about any of that. Aren't we friends? Don't we talk about everything?

[ To be fair, it's more like Trunks is the one who talks about everything and, in turn, gets Rokurou to do the same but... you know. ]

[He can almost feel the frustration from the other end, but he remains his usual steadfast, calm self. Which could probably be just as annoying, but it is what it is.]

If I had told you, what would you have done?

[This isn't said harshly—it's more like a light curious question asking Trunks what he would have done if he heard about what was going on.]

[ Does wrapping himself around Rokurou's leg and never letting go until he finally gave in to his demands count? Because... that could have happened. Maybe. Still could, who knows. ]

I would have told you how stupid you are for even listening to that.

[That would have been very adorable at least.

But he just chuckles a little at the boy's response, one that he makes sure doesn't pass through the link.]

And if I still wanted to go through with it?

Edited 2018-08-28 07:37 (UTC)

But why?

[ Frustration growing... ]

You said you didn't really agree with it. Just because you promised to be by her side?

[ Trunks looks down to his hand and uncurls his fist to look down to the pebble that still sits within his palm. ]

Then promise me you won't do that again. If your word is so important and you live by it, then promise me that.

delivery; letter to rokurou WHEREVER HE IS after plot

punching you. gently. with my broken heart.

don't lie, i know you enjoyed this.

UHHHGHHHGHHGH

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