(no subject)

[psychedelica]

Hey. Are you all right?

[ guaranteed that Hikage doesn't normally greet Ion this way - but tonight, he seems a little tired. It's hard to tell if he's annoyed, as usual, or... just simply exhausted. Either way, he had to track Ion down after seeing all those new injuries on him in the trial.

And that's not even mentioning the fact that his partner is about to die. ]

Comments

[psychedelica]

In other words, you're martyring yourself. [ very noble, but he doesn't seem impressed. ] Do you need to heal a certain number of people to meet your objective?

[fragileprophet]

[He shakes his head.]

No. My objective is to die from my injuries.

[And that's precisely why it seemed like he hadn't been listening. Why he'd been so cagey.]

[psychedelica]

...

[ he narrows his eyes, looking at Ion seriously. ]

And you're all right with that. [ a beat. ] I bet you haven't told Stephanie this, either.

[fragileprophet]

[He shakes his head.]

I've told some people, when it's come up...but I know how most people will react.

[His expression is serene for a moment, but his eyes flash, his mouth turning downward.]

I...tried to convince myself that I was alright with it. And I suppose in some ways, I prefer it to what the alternative could be. I'd rather be killed than be a killer. But, that said...

[His hands curl into fists.]

No. I'm not.

[Things have changed. After what Sandalphon did...if he survives the execution, how can he throw that all away?]

[psychedelica]

[ If Hikage had been given such an objective, he would have rejected it from the start, he's sure. Perhaps it was foolish for him to continue his existence when he's already died once; he'd be lying if he said he hadn't considered ending things before. But there was always something pushing him forward, even if he doesn't remember what it was. That hasn't changed. ]

You shouldn't be. Death isn't something you should welcome.

[ he would know!! although he doesn't think Ion actually knows his story, come to think of it. ]