[ Mizuki watches the little sea monkeys in the tide pools. Despite the obstacles, they still found they're way over to their colony. They're all eating together and evenly distributing the food among them, even when the algae is favored. A perfect unity of creatures that will always work together and never truly divide.
If only people were that simple.
Mizuki leans against Wolfwood, his stingers floating behind them to create a bit of a barrier. He'd been in a more isolated part of the beach, anyway, but now he's making absolute sure that there's no prying eyes on him while he's vulnerable. ]
...In a relationship, communication is important, Wolfwood. But so are boundaries. If you conveyed to him that you didn't want to talk to him about it because of how he may react, then you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't "fuck up". Actually, the fact that you were open about how you felt about it instead of lying is fantastic, Wolfwood.
Wolfwood isn't paying all that much attention to the little creatures anymore. He's instead focused on staring at his hand now carefully being held by Mizuki's, his head bowed forward as he tries to keep the tears he can feel welling up in his eyes from falling. He's not sure if they're from anger, or sadness, or something else he can't place. Maybe gratitude that Mizuki is willing to hear him out, even if he still thinks that this is his own fault somehow. His vision blurs, their surroundings getting all wobbly and hazy, yet Mizuki's voice manages to cut through the haze regardless.]
If...if you knew somethin' that would alter someone's future...would you tell them? Is it wrong to keep that secret, when we ain't...even supposed t'know the future?
[He felt so sure. Like, if Vash never knew, it still wouldn't change things. How could it?]
[ ...is probably what he'd say if he didn't have a million secrets he'd been told the keep. Alas, he gets it. Sort of. He doesn't like keeping things from people or lying at all, and perhaps Wolfwood had picked up on that from him by now. Regardless, Mizuki shakes his head. ]
I do know things that would alter the future if I told people. [ Far, far too many things that would have devasting consequences if anyone found out. ] And you saw one of them spill before. How Irene acted -- that's what I'm to expect if the things I know go out to other people.
And for you, it's the same thing. There are some secrets that aren't fair to keep, of course. Hiding things from your partner maliciously or selfishly is where it starts to become an issue, but that's not what this sounds like it was? If it's something like that... then it's Vash who needs to get this sorted out, not you.
[He remembers. Mizuki's status as a Seaborn was revealed, and Irene stabbed him, no questions asked. He knows the kind of gravity of revealing things like this. Things you shouldn't know, things you were never meant to know. And Wolfwood...perhaps he was just thinking about protecting Vash in that moment. Perhaps he wasn't thinking about JuLai at large.
But he had no reason to think a future like that could be changed. What else could happen, exactly? Back home, Wolfwood is still tasked with bringing Vash to JuLai. It's in his contract, he can't just not do that even though Vash knows, because otherwise the orphanage will be in danger. And on top of that, he knows damn well Vash isn't just going to not go to Nai, no matter what he might say to the contrary.
And JuLai is Nai's next target. Nai cannot be swayed, by the future or anyone else. There are no alternatives.]
It ain't malicious. ...but it was prolly selfish.
[He does admit to that much, his eyes hidden by his shades.]
I just. I knew this would happen. I knew it would. Vash...is no better off knowin' than he would have been not knowin'.
It's not selfish to not want to hurt your partner like that.
But I think this is also something that's important to talk about with him, too, you know? Maybe not now, while this is all still fresh, but when both of you have a clearer headspace? Maybe I could help you figure out what you want to say...
Then, maybe that's something we can start with. Instead of telling him that that's something you don't want him to do, we can figure out why he's doing it and what we can do to make him feel... safe, if scared is genuinely what he's feeling?
I know this doesn't help the immediate problem at hand, but... if stuff like this keeps happening, Wolfwood, I fear things won't mend between the two of you one of these times.
[ Mizuki gives a little nod. Things are still fresh, and he understands this much. He supposes for now all he can ask is that Wolfwood understands that this isn't his fault, and he didn't do anything wrong. With situations like this, there's not really a "right" answer, Mizuki supposes. They can talk about what to do going forward when Wolfwood doesn't feel so helpless.
So, for now, Mizuki adjusts himself so that he can give his friend a comforting, proper hug. ]
You don't have to say anything. It's alright. Things might not feel good right now, but it's not always going to be like that. I promise, this'll get fixed.
Mizuki hugs him, and in that moment, Wolfwood realizes he had no idea just how much he needed to be hugged. The emotion swells in his chest and surges through him almost immediately simultaneously grounding and untethering him all at the same time.
How much he believes Mizuki's words or not doesn't matter as much as his support does. And as Mizuki hugs him, Wolfwood...sinks against Mizuki and slowly hugs him back, his head bowed over Mizuki's shoulder.
And he takes Mizuki's words to heart. He doesn't speak. He just holds him, and sits there.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mooninthewater) wrote2023-08-16 12:10 pm
no subject
If only people were that simple.
Mizuki leans against Wolfwood, his stingers floating behind them to create a bit of a barrier. He'd been in a more isolated part of the beach, anyway, but now he's making absolute sure that there's no prying eyes on him while he's vulnerable. ]
...In a relationship, communication is important, Wolfwood. But so are boundaries. If you conveyed to him that you didn't want to talk to him about it because of how he may react, then you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't "fuck up". Actually, the fact that you were open about how you felt about it instead of lying is fantastic, Wolfwood.
no subject
Wolfwood isn't paying all that much attention to the little creatures anymore. He's instead focused on staring at his hand now carefully being held by Mizuki's, his head bowed forward as he tries to keep the tears he can feel welling up in his eyes from falling. He's not sure if they're from anger, or sadness, or something else he can't place. Maybe gratitude that Mizuki is willing to hear him out, even if he still thinks that this is his own fault somehow. His vision blurs, their surroundings getting all wobbly and hazy, yet Mizuki's voice manages to cut through the haze regardless.]
If...if you knew somethin' that would alter someone's future...would you tell them? Is it wrong to keep that secret, when we ain't...even supposed t'know the future?
[He felt so sure. Like, if Vash never knew, it still wouldn't change things. How could it?]
1/2
2/2
I do know things that would alter the future if I told people. [ Far, far too many things that would have devasting consequences if anyone found out. ] And you saw one of them spill before. How Irene acted -- that's what I'm to expect if the things I know go out to other people.
And for you, it's the same thing. There are some secrets that aren't fair to keep, of course. Hiding things from your partner maliciously or selfishly is where it starts to become an issue, but that's not what this sounds like it was? If it's something like that... then it's Vash who needs to get this sorted out, not you.
no subject
But he had no reason to think a future like that could be changed. What else could happen, exactly? Back home, Wolfwood is still tasked with bringing Vash to JuLai. It's in his contract, he can't just not do that even though Vash knows, because otherwise the orphanage will be in danger. And on top of that, he knows damn well Vash isn't just going to not go to Nai, no matter what he might say to the contrary.
And JuLai is Nai's next target. Nai cannot be swayed, by the future or anyone else. There are no alternatives.]
It ain't malicious. ...but it was prolly selfish.
[He does admit to that much, his eyes hidden by his shades.]
I just. I knew this would happen. I knew it would. Vash...is no better off knowin' than he would have been not knowin'.
no subject
But I think this is also something that's important to talk about with him, too, you know? Maybe not now, while this is all still fresh, but when both of you have a clearer headspace? Maybe I could help you figure out what you want to say...
no subject
M'just. Sick and tired of him doin' this to me. Every time shit gets hard, he runs away. He didn't even give me a chance to talk.
[And Wolfwood has talked to Vash about this, he knows. So he's not sure what the solution is from there, if there is one.]
no subject
no subject
I dunno. Maybe...he's scared? Or overwhelmed, or somethin'...just doesn't want to have to deal with it, so he bolts.
no subject
I know this doesn't help the immediate problem at hand, but... if stuff like this keeps happening, Wolfwood, I fear things won't mend between the two of you one of these times.
no subject
[He's afraid of that too. He really is. And he's arguably going to be worse about figuring out how to fix things than most other people would be.]
M'sorry I don't. I dunno. Have much else to say...it's just bad right now.
["Bad" is the story of his life, though.]
no subject
So, for now, Mizuki adjusts himself so that he can give his friend a comforting, proper hug. ]
You don't have to say anything. It's alright. Things might not feel good right now, but it's not always going to be like that. I promise, this'll get fixed.
no subject
Mizuki hugs him, and in that moment, Wolfwood realizes he had no idea just how much he needed to be hugged. The emotion swells in his chest and surges through him almost immediately simultaneously grounding and untethering him all at the same time.
How much he believes Mizuki's words or not doesn't matter as much as his support does. And as Mizuki hugs him, Wolfwood...sinks against Mizuki and slowly hugs him back, his head bowed over Mizuki's shoulder.
And he takes Mizuki's words to heart. He doesn't speak. He just holds him, and sits there.
Maybe that's what he needed most.]