tiir rumibul; oo1

[contemptibility]

Who: Tiir and vatheon!
When: Early afternoon?
Where: In the forest, near the lake.
Style: [I'm lazy okay]
Status: NEVER MIND this suddenly became open thanks to Cal—

[It might sound a bit odd, coming from someone who tries to be honest, but Tiir hates this curse.

... Granted, he hates most of them, but still.

It might've been fine another time, or under different circumstances. Half the time, Tiir wouldn't care if others could see his thoughts, as he'd already be saying them out loud.

With Guriko to look after, however, it's a different story. He can't afford to let her see.

... And he's not as confident as he was months ago.

Thus, his thought bubble blank as he forces himself to think about nothing, he escapes to his usual hiding place: the forest. That is, the one place he can usually count on to be unoccupied.

... Except for right now, apparently—]

Comments

[contemptibility]

[...]

You'll have to forgive me if you haven't done much to prove why I should.

[tsundyne]

Don't dodge the question just because you can't think of anything.

[Not angry, not angry. Maybe she is at first, her thought bubble turning a deep red for a moment--but it fades as she takes some deep breaths.]

We've tried to make it easier for you here. Even after seeing what you do--

(Maybe because we saw what you do

without magic)

I bet that's more than your humans back home ever did.

[contemptibility]

(Not wrong I've known this all my life can't be wrong—)

Perhaps. But as I said, you'll tire of it eventually, once you realize there's no benefit towards yourself.

[tsundyne]

(He thinks I give up so easily. He thinks Minato gives up so easily.

No. We're not like the others. He can be and is wrong.)

We don't need any benefit to do what's right. We never have before--and we're not gonna start now.

(When has SEES ever needed validation to continue fighting as they have been? When have they ever asked for thanks?

Thanks for saving the world! Thanks for risking your lives! Thanks for sacrificing yourself...

When has he ever asked for thanks?

...When has he ever received it?)

[contemptibility]

(What?)

Do you honestly expect me to believe that?

[tsundyne]

(...Right. Gotta stay calm.)

[Seeing that word makes her realize how jumbled her thoughts must be. She shakes her head, and then stares back at him.]

...Don't you want to?

Just what is it going to take, and how long are you going to be so stubborn about it?

[contemptibility]

Nothing. There isn't anything you can do to change my mind.

(can't take that risk, can't afford to make that kind of mistake—)

[tsundyne]

...Fine.

[It sounds like she's giving up, but she's not, really. 'Least he knows he's stubborn.]

But you can't keep us from trying. I'm proud to be a human, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.

[contemptibility]

Feel free to be proud. That is no concern of mine.

[tsundyne]

[A pause, because she doesn't know quite what to say to that. 'No concern'--

A vague image of Tiir with his back turned appears in her mind, though it may be hard to tell that it's actually him. And she sighs.]

If that's true, then...maybe I should leave.

(I don't want another fight.)

Were you avoiding someone?

[contemptibility]

[... He looks away.

—Just as an image of Minato appears in his bubble.]

[tsundyne]

...Right.

[The same image appears in her bubble, and Tiir appears, too. But they both fade away into something else, as she tries to clear her thoughts.]

I should've known.

[contemptibility]

[He lets out a mirthless laugh.]

How many annoyingly persistent people like him do you know?

[tsundyne]

[Laughter is a bit contagious, don't you know.

Either way, Yukari's laughing too, though it isn't anything quite malicious like his.]

Too many. But you don't get much more persistent than him.

[contemptibility]

... Unfortunately, that seems to be the case.

(Glad for it—wish he weren't—)

[tsundyne]

[...She looks a bit amused at this. It shows in her thought bubble, but it's pretty obvious by her demeanor, too.]

Ha! Seems like you're a bit conflicted.

[contemptibility]

[He scowls.]

If you're here to mock me, then you can leave now.

[tsundyne]

[--suddenly she looks a little more serious.]

I already told you why I'm here, and it isn't to mock you.

...But me being here's only gonna increase your chances, so maybe I should do you the favor.

[...They're friends, after all. He might come if he knew she were here...

But in any case, she's probably overstayed her welcome as it is.]

[contemptibility]

[...]

Do whatever you please.

[tsundyne]

(I'm not abandoning you.)

[The words appear in her thought bubble before she turns to leave, still keeping her eyes fixed on him for the moment. She firmly believes the words, too, no matter what the circumstances dictate, because as long as Minato considers him worth it, so does she.

She lets out a sigh, feeling almost tired from speaking with him--]

Just take care of yourself.

[And then begins to walk away.]