>>Week 9; Monday, after motive; Hajime Hinata

[symbologic]

[One unnecessary breakfast reference and a quick trip upstairs later, Hinata and Faize are, once again, closed off inside Faize's room to talk about a motive that struck a little too closely. Faize is having the weirdest sense of reverse deja vu right now.]

[...he still really doesn't want to talk about it though. Even though he's accepted the inevitable and agreed to come upstairs, he doesn't immediately tell Hinata what he saw in the crystal ball. He fidgets with his sleeve a little as he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. His room is much the same as it always is, though Hinata will notice an open jar of origami stars on his bedside table that's definitely a new addition. For some reason, there's a single star sitting on the table itself, next to Alisha's paper flower.]

Before I...answer your question, can I ask you one of my own?

[Is he trying to delay? Yes. Yes, he is.]

Comments

[symbologic]

Hajime, I'm afraid you are missing my poi--mmpph!

[Faize had actually begun to turn to look at Hinata. To tell him that that isn't at all what he meant by "weak". Caring about others isn't a weakness at all. He's said that so many times these past few months, and that's something he'll never change his mind about.]

[He's weak because 1) there's nothing he can do to help. Not significantly. Not in the capacity he wishes he could. Sure, he made Hinata feel better about his lack of talent. And, clearly, he did some things right with Alisha, for her to have trusted him as much as she did. But...that's really it. And it's not nearly enough, he's come to find. He's also weak because 2) for the briefest of moments, he was actually tempted to murder for something like this. And it's shameful. He's gone all this time without even being remotely tempted by Katerina's motives, and now...]

[But he doesn't get to say any of this, because apparently it's hug time now. Again. Once he's gotten over the surprise of being so suddenly being pulled into Hinata's arms, he just gives a defeated sigh and shakes his head a little, hugging him back.]

I am beginning to wonder if perhaps the true purpose of these hugs you are all so fond of is to dissuade from argument. The action certainly does make doing so somewhat difficult.

[hopefragment]

[Okay but Faize, no one has the capability to do what you want. It's not like "wow Faize is so incompetent and weak, he can't protect the entire universe at once," it's like "wow, Faize is doing his best and wants to protect as many people as possible, but he's only one teenager."

It wouldn't be a motive if it weren't tempting. But when Faize hugs him back, Hinata doesn't bother to present his points, just laughing quietly.]

Hey, whatever works, right?

[Maybe he should just go to Eldar and implement a course on platonic affection as a means of comfort. Surely there are lots of people who would benefit from that.]

[symbologic]

[NO HE'S INCOMPETENT. EDGE HAD A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. ALISHA IS DEAD. THEY'RE BOTH BEING MANIPULATED BY KATERINA. The list of even small things that he hasn't been able to do anything about goes on and on. It's not even about the whole universe at once, at this point.]

There's no harm in polite, well-meaning argument, Hajime.

[Pr...obably. Start with the government-raised future nuclei like Faize. They're honestly probably the worst off.]