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Entry tags:
o1.
WHO: Geto Suguru & Zen'in Maki.
WHAT: The world's worst apology.
WHERE: Shady bar alleyway.
WHEN: Post-Korea
WARNINGS: Potential genocide mentions, the use of "monkey" as a slur, possible threats of violence. Will update if needed.
( It takes him far longer than it should in the end. Truthfully he's not even sure he's going to until the night is upon him, a bar loud in his periphery and Geto Suguru smoking too many cigarettes down to the filter, loitering and littering all in one. Several times in the minutes leading up to midnight he thinks about retreating. He could simply ignore everything about this whole situation and move on. What did he need from a decades done friendship? From a boy's care? Nothing.
And yet -.
Zen'in Maki is a thorn in Geto's side. She is a stain he should have washed clear. She is a girl important to the people Geto has come to care for. Even if he still believes he is right in his beliefs, there is still that. He cannot kill her. Apparently he can't even ignore her. And so the dreaded third option. He flicks another cigarette into the gutter, drags a new one into his mouth, hidden in the open wound of an alleyway. A door swings open and a familiar scarred girl steps out into the dark. He still thinks about leaving. Or unleashing a curse. Something violent. Anything.
Instead follows on quiet feet, lighter clicking as he brings it to the new cigarette. It makes her name muffled when he calls out. )
Zen'in. We need to talk.
( The whole thing is insufferable. )
WHAT: The world's worst apology.
WHERE: Shady bar alleyway.
WHEN: Post-Korea
WARNINGS: Potential genocide mentions, the use of "monkey" as a slur, possible threats of violence. Will update if needed.
( It takes him far longer than it should in the end. Truthfully he's not even sure he's going to until the night is upon him, a bar loud in his periphery and Geto Suguru smoking too many cigarettes down to the filter, loitering and littering all in one. Several times in the minutes leading up to midnight he thinks about retreating. He could simply ignore everything about this whole situation and move on. What did he need from a decades done friendship? From a boy's care? Nothing.
And yet -.
Zen'in Maki is a thorn in Geto's side. She is a stain he should have washed clear. She is a girl important to the people Geto has come to care for. Even if he still believes he is right in his beliefs, there is still that. He cannot kill her. Apparently he can't even ignore her. And so the dreaded third option. He flicks another cigarette into the gutter, drags a new one into his mouth, hidden in the open wound of an alleyway. A door swings open and a familiar scarred girl steps out into the dark. He still thinks about leaving. Or unleashing a curse. Something violent. Anything.
Instead follows on quiet feet, lighter clicking as he brings it to the new cigarette. It makes her name muffled when he calls out. )
Zen'in. We need to talk.
( The whole thing is insufferable. )
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Her name is also Mai to them. It still feels weird to hear them call her by her name.
She's pulling the bandages off her arms and face, part of the act, when she approaches the backdoor that leads into the alley. There's a thick air of smoke from outside that her nose picks up on, but plenty of employees use it for their breaks. She thinks nothing of it when she opens the door and immediately turns toward the streets, ready to call it a night.
Then she hears the click of a lighter and the drawl of her family name. Maki hitches her breath and turns sharp, already knowing who she'll see. ]
What are you doing here? [ This isn't like if Gojo or Yuji or Nanami or anyone else she knows was here. Her face is cold and her tone is sharp. ] Did you follow me?
[ When she gives it a second of thought, it makes sense. He wouldn't have to try very hard to find out she was at this bar tonight. There are advertisements with her face on them if one knows where to look, even if its obscured by bandages that make her look like a recovering burn victim. He knows her silhouette, it wouldn't be hard to realize it was her. ]
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( There's an ever present hint of annoyance in his voice, but his expression remains unreadable in the dim. He's very clearly on the wrongfoot, lacking the usual air of disdainful confidence he usually treats her with, irritable as he steps even further into the splash of streetlight. He's tired, brows knitted together, shoulders slumped, and without the robes to give him an imposing aura he just looks worn. Exasperated, but not murderous. )
You're making quite a name for yourself, and I'm not stupid. It was easy enough tracking you down. ( Holding the cigarette in his teeth he draws his hands up so she can see they're empty, words muffled. ) And I'm not here to fight you, so relax. Like I said, we need to talk.
( Going back to holding his cigarette again, the end lighting up. His words come out slow, reluctant. )
I want to propose a truce.
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Only, he doesn't seem to be as snide as typical of their conversations. Maybe it's just because she's tired from an evening of wrestling, and mentally exhausted from the results of their disastrous mission in South Korea, but after a few moments of regarding him she relents. ]
Fine. You have my attention.
[ She reaches to the side pocket of her backpack, light and only carrying a few essentials, and pulls out her water bottle. The thick air of smoke always makes her thirsty. It doesn't bother her, she grew up around chainsmokers like the old head at the compound, but it doesn't endear her to him either. ]
Go on, say your piece.
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He is so tired of all of this. )
You and I will never see eye to eye. ( A good ... start ...? ) And I most certainly will not regret my actions from before. ( Immediately tanking it. ) I was doing what I believed to be right when I came to the school, the only direction that could have been taken to save any of us. And I still don't care about non-shamans, I certainly don't intend to start. But -.
( A pause. )
But you're capable. You've learnt. You're at least a little less annoying now that you've stopped giving a shit. ( She's certainly more mouthy than he remembers, but he was beating her to a pulp. And then, deeply exasperated. ) And people care about you. Like it or not, we have common connections. We can't get away from that.
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Gojo talked to you, didn't he? [ He told her he would, but she was kind of hoping with everything going on in between that he would forget. Damn him. ] It's my fault. I thought he knew about it.
[ She says it's her fault, but in the vein of saying something she should have been smarter about keeping quiet on. Not a secret, more akin to gossip. It annoys her he did it and that's why it's her fault. In truth, Geto deserved whatever mouthing off Gojo did. ]
Ok, so what? You want a truce because it'll get Gojo off your back?
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( Not only, anyway. It would be a lie to suggest Geto doesn't care about what Gojo thinks of him. A vast part of his decision to walk away all those years ago was simply so the image could not tarnish further. He hadn't wanted to drag anyone else into the pit of his misery, had known the steps he'd have to take were ones ill-suited for the strongest sorcerer, had chosen instead a clean break. One that's apparently still festering even now. )
What good will it do, hating you? ( He takes the cigarette from his mouth, flicks the ash off. ) We're not in our world anymore, and I won't ever get to go back. I'll never see my family again. The path that I set out on led nowhere. The things I'd hoped to change stay the same way. I can't do anything here. There's no point to it, no meaning. But there are people that I care for, and they care about you.
( He can see why. He might have liked her too, if things had been different. )
Besides, LILITH has made it impossible for the ideal to continue here. We might have to work together, and even if we don't we have those common interests. I don't want them being hurt because we can't be trusted together.
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You said it won't do any good hating me, but you still do. And I'm not going to waste my time changing your mind. [ it'd be wasted words for her and a headache for him. she doesn't care if he hates her. maki is accustomed to hatred far more than love. ] We can work together if we need to, but you can't ask for my trust. You have to earn it.
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( He certainly appreciates how little room she gives him, suspicious and rightly so. He can appreciate that at least, dull gaze sweeping over her. It isn't exactly what he wanted either, but it's as close as he can get and so he shrugs one shoulder. )
Fine. Then I'll give you my terms. I won't actively aim to harm you, nor will I do anything to actively put you at risk. Neither will I - ( A pause, irritated before he starts again. ) Neither will I call you any names bar your own.
( This is the worst. This is the worst and he hates it. )
I'll be courteous.
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Wow, you won't call me a monkey anymore? How generous. [ a small laugh, humorless but impressed at the audacity of him. ] Maybe I should give Gojo a pat on the back if he's got your number this bad. Or was it Yuji? Maybe Nanami?
[ this is great. he's promising courtesy and pleasant behavior all because the people he likes might get mad at him if he doesn't. that was obvious from the start but it really starts hitting her now. what a pathetic loser. she debates calling him that aloud, but he might just give up the act if she does. oh, she kind of wants to test it. no, no, let's not give into reckless impulse. ]
So what do you want in return? A promise that I won't stab you without due cause?
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Does it matter? And I'd rather you didn't mention this to anyone, actually. It's not important to anyone else, it doesn't have to involve anyone else. ( It's not for anything, no forgiveness, no brownie points. He'd prefer it if Gojo never knew he'd done this, feels unsettled and irritated by the thought. ) I am trying to do something different, that's all.
( He drops his cigarette, stamps the flame out with his boot. )
And I don't expect anything in return. Keep your friends and your loved ones safe, trust me to hold to my word or don't. I'd prefer a little animosity but -. ( Shrugging, a sigh. ) - Well, you can't win them all.
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I won't trust you with anything. [ there's no way he deserves it, even if he's coming to her open hand. ] But -- I'm interested to see how this goes. If you can really stomach my presence, and for how long.
[ she hopes it never stops twisting. it must be even worse now that she's at a complete zero with cursed energy. he won't even be able to see her coming. ]
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( It's too late to take it back now anyway, and he's done everything he came here to do. She could have outright refused him, and he isn't sure what he would have done had that been the case. At least there is some semblance of an agreement.
And then, seemingly apropos of nothing, head tipped to the side slightly. )
Did you win tonight's fight?
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( Cheerfully. )
I'll be sure to spend the money wisely. Well, I won't keep you, Zenin. I'm sure it's been a long night. I've done what I came to do.
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[ what an asshole! all his shit talking and he bets on her?! ]
Don't make money off my hard work! No good bastard.
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Ah? A man has to eat, Miss Zenin.
( A shrug. )
But if it makes you feel better you can lose the next one.
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( A shrug, something of a flickering grin. It is ground hastily wrested back. )
I'm truly glad we had this talk.