[He cringes a little at that grip, popsicle stick falling out of his mouth to clatter on the floor. It's less because of the tightness and more out of guilt.]
He asked me not to tell!
[It's insistent. He didn't want Dazai to get hurt, and there's a torn look in his eyes that says he's worried.]
[ Her expression is still dark but she does write down words onto his hand because she is not risking saying it aloud in spite of her being angry about it.
But they're written a lot faster now. ]
If you know something, you have to tell me! This might be really important to all of us! Or don't you trust me?!
[He trusts her, he does, but Dazai had asked him outright, and--
Dazai's trust was important, too. He tries to slide off the stall behind him to further back away, but he's too focused on Inaba in front of him to realize the next stall is the open one, with the running shower... and very wet tile.
One second he's holding Inaba's hand, the next his shoes are slipping and he's flying backwards into the shower spray, back colliding with the wet floor with a surprised and pained yelp.]
Yeah, she knows. And even more so that she wants to answer him with exactly that, but that happens and since she's gripped onto him really tightly and just also slips and gets completely soaked in the process. ]
[He pushes himself up to his knees before accepting her hand up with a grimace. Anyone else would probably bruise a bit, but Atsushi wasn't anyone else.]
[ She frowns a little bit worriedly but just grabs his hand with both of hers for a moment before letting go, quietly and extending her pinky finger out for him.
[There's a look of understanding when she holds out her pinky, and Atsushi offers his own pinky over for the promise. He trusted Inaba. She was smart, and passionate, and kind, and she saw something in the other him worth loving. It made him want to trust her.
But trusting her with this... it was a lot to ask, and he needed this reassurance.]
[ Seeing that expression on his face, in his eyes-- it's warm. She doesn't want to betray it. So she hooks her pinky with his own for a moment before offering her other palm to him to tell her. ]
[He hugs her tightly, and some of the tension there can probably be felt in his hold. He's scared. He's worried for Dazai, scared he'll get hurt badly or worse before he can manage to finish what he's trying to do.]
The water is cold, and the wetness isn't exactly comfortable, but in spite of it all Atsushi finds himself blushing just a little at Inaba's words, gaping in surprise.]
...They are?
But they're weird, aren't they?
[He'd always been the 'weird looking kid' at the orphanage. The freak.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Why do you ask?
[He has. But Dazai had told him not to share.]
no subject
I want to see his 'real self'.
no subject
...But Dazai had said--]
What do you mean by 'real self'?
[He's trying to play it off as surprise at her statement alone, rather than awareness.]
no subject
You know something, don't you?
no subject
He asked me not to tell!
[It's insistent. He didn't want Dazai to get hurt, and there's a torn look in his eyes that says he's worried.]
no subject
When she speaks up, it's one of anger, frustration. Her words will express more feeling aloud then it ever would silent. ]
Don't make me use this, Atsushi.
no subject
Use what exactly? Her expression was a bit scary.]
no subject
But they're written a lot faster now. ]
If you know something, you have to tell me! This might be really important to all of us! Or don't you trust me?!
no subject
[He trusts her, he does, but Dazai had asked him outright, and--
Dazai's trust was important, too. He tries to slide off the stall behind him to further back away, but he's too focused on Inaba in front of him to realize the next stall is the open one, with the running shower... and very wet tile.
One second he's holding Inaba's hand, the next his shoes are slipping and he's flying backwards into the shower spray, back colliding with the wet floor with a surprised and pained yelp.]
no subject
Yeah, she knows. And even more so that she wants to answer him with exactly that, but that happens and since she's gripped onto him really tightly and just also slips and gets completely soaked in the process. ]
Owww. . .
no subject
Nevermind this probably doesn't help his own predicament any, but--]
Nngh... Ow...
no subject
Geez. . . are you okay?
[ saying that worriedly as she's already getting up on her feet, reaching out for his hand. ]
no subject
[He pushes himself up to his knees before accepting her hand up with a grimace. Anyone else would probably bruise a bit, but Atsushi wasn't anyone else.]
Weretigers are sturdy, you know.
no subject
[ She's not as mad, but she does write words on his hand if he'll let her: ]
He told me as well.
That he might die if things went to shit. But if you don't tell me, I can't help him.
no subject
[He's trying to distract them both from their earlier conversation, but it isn't working, from the way she takes his hand up again.]
Promise me you won't tell anyone. Promise me.
[He writes 'Promise me' twice, insistent.]
no subject
Pinky promise. ]
no subject
But trusting her with this... it was a lot to ask, and he needed this reassurance.]
no subject
no subject
But he does accept her palm, tracing careful letters there, and if his fingers shake a little, well...]
He wears contacts.
His eyes are blue.
He says he's a different Dazai, but the differences are small.
no subject
It takes a few seconds for it to set in. But once he's done, her eyes stare at him in still shock. ]
Are you sure about this, Atsushi? Really, really sure?!
no subject
He's been keeping this close to his chest since Friday, confused and a mess. He wants to trust Dazai, though.
He made him feel safe.]
He took one out and showed me.
They're pretty.
[And oh, that probably isn't a good thing for other reasons entirely, isn't it?]
no subject
And even though they're both soaking wet, she decides to pull him into a hug regardless, speaking up in Japanese: ]
Thank you, Atsushi.
no subject
Just remember, ok?
no subject
[ . . . but speaking of which, since they did bring it up: ]
You know, your eyes are really nice to look at, too. They remind me of the color of the sunset.
no subject
The water is cold, and the wetness isn't exactly comfortable, but in spite of it all Atsushi finds himself blushing just a little at Inaba's words, gaping in surprise.]
...They are?
But they're weird, aren't they?
[He'd always been the 'weird looking kid' at the orphanage. The freak.]
(no subject)