[Date: Friday, April 22nd. Time: 11:00 p.m.] [Weather: Snowing! Yes, we've all already gone over how freaky that is. Deal with it.] [It's late at night and Kaede can't sleep! Though he tried to sleep for a little bit. So with everyone in the hotel, he wanders down the hall and ends up outside Katie and Kyon's room! Because he, you know, has mad perambulatory skills.] [Mini start!] * Kaede hesitates for a moment as he comes to the door, but eventually takes a deep breath. She probably heard him coming already but he knocks on the door anyways. It's a common courtesy. He does it fairly lightly too. * Katie partially opens the door only half a second after Kaede knocks! Likely because she was already *by* the door. She peers through the crack she allows and checks the boy's eyes. * Kaede glances at Katie. "Yes, they're hazel. I've never really liked the color. You think I should get contacts?" No. I think hazel's pretty. * Kaede blinks, then looks about. "Is Kyon in?" ( He isn't? I guess I'll be going then.) (Pfft. No, he's checking to see if this is an opportunity to kill Katie or not. Duh.) No. (Haha, I just realized, Katie wouldn't open the door the rest of the way yet.) * Kaede lets out a deep breath. "Good. I don't think I could talk to you while he was here anyway..." * Katie tilts her head. "You want to talk to me?" * Kaede gestures out with his hand. "Well, yeah. You know. We used to do that, didn't we?" * Kaede shrinks as soon as he says it. "I'm sorry..." * Katie smiles a little. "It's okay. It's just the truth." * Kaede rubs the back of his neck. "You know I've never been the best at talking to people. May I come in for a bit?" Sure. * Katie opens the door the rest of the way, and Kaede can see into the room. One of Kyon's bags is on the bed nearer the door, and Katie's satchel and overcoat are dumped on the mini sofa thing. The Sword isn't in view, if it's there at all. On the table is a closed sketchbook. (The Sword is hanging from the ceiling above the table by a single hair.) * Kaede half-bows his head. "Thanks." He goes over and takes a seat. He's fiddling with his hands and looking at the foot of the bed for a second, then glances up at Katie. "So, um...how are you?" (On a chair, on a bed, where?) (Where's available? Bed if it is.) (Both beds are available! One has Kyon's bag on it, and the other doesn't. ;P) (Kyon's bed. Looking at the foot of Katie's bed.) * Katie closes the door gently and heads over; now Kaede can clearly see that, yes, she was holding a knife in her right hand. She sits on her bed and puts it down next to her. I'm all right. It's been a busy day, and now it's a busy night. * Kaede keeps an eye on Katie and lets out a long breath. "And Taki?" * Katie shakes her head. Taki's not okay. She's so hurt she can't hurt anymore. * Katie looks directly at Kaede. "You know what I mean." * Kaede frowns. "She was pretty bad last I saw her. We...um...I hate to sound callous, but we can't afford that." She'll be fine. For what value of fine? Are any of us "fine"? Fine enough. She'll get through this. She's spent so much time being weak that she has to be strong now. Yeah. I'm just worried she won't be strong enough in time. I mean Sho... * Kaede clenches his fist and grits his teeth. "What the hell was he thinking? I mean, this can't be the only way, is it?" * Katie sighs. "No." I don't think so. And it doesn't matter. Even if we do believe what Sho said, it's not as if he was going to save us. So we were doomed from the start. Pretty much. I'd rather take him down with me. * Kaede snerks. "Last minute satisfaction?" * Katie stretches a little and folds her hands. "Why not?" she asks with a grin and a scuff to the carpet. "It's what he gets for being stupid." * Kaede takes a deep breath and sighs. "Yeah. Only..." * Kaede looks up. "How long has it been, Katie Andrews? Since we last had a chance to talk like this?" * Katie stops focusing on Kaede, looking past him. "I don't know." It feels like a long time. Maybe less than a month. Maybe more? I don't know. * Kaede snorts. "If you said that to anyone else, they'd think you were crazy. 'What are you talking about? A month is barely any time at all!'" * Katie nods. * Kaede rubs his head. "I have to be honest, Katie, I'm not even sure I'll remember what I was like..." * Katie chuckles. * Kaede looks up. "What?" People change. But it's okay, Kaede. I'll remember for you. * Kaede frowns. "You shouldn't have to remember." You mean "this shouldn't be happening"? * Kaede snorts. "If I said that, I'd sound like Satoshi. Or maybe Taki. * Katie laughs. Or any one of us except Kyon. It doesn't matter if it should or shouldn't be happening. It is. Saying it shouldn't doesn't make it go away. * Kaede tilts his head. "Are you saying I'm turning into Kyon? He'd kill you if he heard you say that." * Katie grins. "He would not. He'd laugh." A short little laugh, kind of like a bark. ...Kyon laughs? Yeah, you never noticed? I...think I've been too busy. You're probably right though. He'd probably think it was a good thing. We should all be little Kyon copies, hopping around smirking. * Kaede gets a serious look to his face. "He probably has the right idea." * Katie smirks. "Think I'm getting close?" She drops it. He pretty much does, yeah. I'm more like him now than I ever wanted to be. * Kaede doesn't look at Katie, or even close to her. "I don't want you to be Kyon." Why not? * Kaede closes his eyes. "I'm pathetic. All that speech about what should and shouldn't be not mattering, and here I'm talking about what I want you to be. Like it'll change anything." * Katie blinks. "What?" She sounds genuinely confused. If you're changing into Kyon, you're going to be Kyon. It's not like I can do anything about it, right?" Well, I think I'll be shorter. * Katie jumps up to her feet and stands on her toes, raising her hand way above her head. "It'd take a lot of growing." And I'd have to dye my hair orange. * Kaede turns and looks hard at Katie sternly. Though he's welling up again. "Don't... Just....don't." * Katie grins. "And then I'd have to start smirking and twitching..." And I'd have to get all new clothes. Can you think of what that'd cost? * Kaede looks at her and whispers hoarsely. "I said don't." * Katie looks down and is silent for a moment, then she says, "Nine inches of stilts." * Kaede looks off to the side, and is silent through it. * Katie looks back at Kaede. What's wrong? * Kaede bites his lip and looks at her, tears welling up in his eyes. "Is it...my god, Katie, are we even human anymore?" Even a trace? * Katie sighs and drops her hands. "You are." * Kaede laughs. "Am I?" You wouldn't be asking me this question if you weren't. I wanted to smash his head in too for what he'd done. I didn't even know him... * Katie picks up her knife and stares at it. "Who? The Chariot?" No. I don't even know if I'd stop at *that* with him. * Katie nods and says, quietly, "Makes sense." But...I didn't even think the Goth would survive. And that guy who held a gun up to Eriko's head. She shouldn't even be... * Kaede blinks at himself and laughs. Hysterically. * Katie looks at Kaede, then back at the knife. She walks to the table and puts it down on top of her sketchpad. * Kaede holds his head and hangs it a little. "Why am I even trying?" Because you don't like it. It's okay. Do any of us? * Katie sets her hand over the knife for a moment, then moves, walking slowly to the bed. "I don't know." I can't tell if I don't anymore. * Kaede looks up at her. "That's a lie." No. You just *want* it to be a lie. Maybe. Did you get any pleasure from tonight? Not relief. Pleasure. * Katie sits next to Kaede. "No." Then it's a lie. * Katie blinks. * Kaede looks up. "Isn't it?" * Katie looks back at Kaede. "I'm not hurting. I'm not sorry, and I'm not sad." I didn't like it, but it had to be done. You see? You shouldn't be. * Kaede rubs his head again. "I don't know. It's not like we have any right either. But...after seeing those machines..." Haruko spent almost half an hour trying to tell me that killing's bad. Oh, it is. Did you ask her what *they* were doing? * Katie chuckles and looks out the window. "No. I asked her for a better idea." If...rabbits somehow ganged up on a wolf...and killed it...would they be wrong? If my food jumped off my plate and attacked me, I'd be pretty angry. But I guess they'd have the right to try for revenge. * Kaede nods. Didn't Sho seem a little like a wolf who was shocked that the rabbits had blood on their paws? Did he ever. Like I said, he's stupid. He didn't wait for the rabbits to be dead before eating them. Right... Now if a rabbit kills another rabbit... * Katie shrugs a little starts playing with her sleeve. "Yeah, I know. But people argue about what makes wolves." * Kaede takes a deep breath. "Yeah..." * Kaede looks between his feet, silently, for a while. We...don't have time to regret what we've done. If we're going to get through this... No. But you don't have to worry about me. I don't regret it at all, and I'd do it again in a moment. * Kaede bites his lip and chokes a bit. * Katie looks at Kaede, and her gaze softens. "I'm sorry. I really am... not for what I did, but because I'm hurting you so much." * Kaede chuckles and takes off his glasses, wiping his eyes with the back of his arm. "Why?" Because I still love you, stupid. * Kaede looks up. * Katie just looks back, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. * Kaede looks back down. "You were never supposed to be like me or Kyon." (Aww, so cute! So... poorly timed. So the main char in a date-sim.) (Heh.) I've always been a little like both of you. That's why we get along and you two hate each other. It's one of those life things. Yeah. I guess. And why we both hate Haruko with an undying passion. * Katie laughs a little. "Sometimes." She reaches over and ruffles Kaede's hair. * Kaede doesn't react to that, just droning out. "Yeah..." Oh, don't do this to me. I hate to admit when she has a good idea. Fortunately, I don't have to do it too much. * Kaede blinks and looks up at her. "Do what?" Hold it in. You keep holding things in. Crying doesn't make you weak, and you wanted to let things out for a month that's forever. * Kaede looks at her and laughs nervously. "*THIS* is holding it in? My god, Katie Andrews, how long have you *been* around me?" Long enough to know that you always hold it in, even when you think you don't. * Kaede gives her a faint smirk but it only lasts a second. "I'll only let it out if you do." * Katie looks vaguely amused, and this time she really *does* seem amused. "There's nothing to let out." * Kaede looks down. "That's what I'm afraid of..." * Kaede shakes his head. "For the longest time, I wasn't either..." * Katie tilts her head and waits for clarification. Though this is Kaede, so who knows if it's forthcoming. * Kaede looks at her and notes the confusion on her face, then looks back down. "Holding it in. There...really wasn't anything there." * Katie scoots over and gives Kaede a hug. * Kaede doesn't react to it. He doesn't even budge from his position. * Katie keeps hugging Kaede, pressing her forehead against his ear. "You do know I'm afraid of you," she says, quietly. * Kaede looks at her, incredulously. "What?" * Katie tilts her gaze up so she can look at him and still hug him. "I am. I have been for the month that's forever." * Kaede looks her in the eyes. "But--but..." He lets out a breath. "Yeah. I guess I've known." I...never knew why. It's been like you've been avoiding me... * Katie nods, and she lets go, putting her hands against the bed and looking out the window again. "Yeah, well..." Being afraid of you hurts. * Kaede looks up at her. "Does it?" Of course. * Kaede looks back down again. "Being afraid of you hurts too." I'm sorry. I give a lot of reason, but I- * Kaede stands up and walks over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Don't." * Katie immediately looks *down*, away from Kaede. She's trembling. (Quick, kill her now!) (While there's still time!) (Ha.) * Kaede bites his lip again and pulls his hand away as if it's been stung. "I should go..." * Katie twists her hands together. "I'm not- I mean, I am-" * Kaede looks down at the carpet. "Not what?" Who I used to be. I can't bring her back. I know you miss her, and- and- * Kaede clenches his fist and unclenches it but doesn't say anything. * Katie sobs. "I'm just *me*." (AND YOU HATE ME! Admit it!) (Poor Katie.) (*Taki hugs her and then gets stabbed.) * Kaede whirls around and looks like he wants to kill something for a second, then unclenches his fist and softens again. "Katie, I..." * Katie sobs again, and she hugs herself. Her voice turns harsh: "The knife's on the table. If you don't like me the way I am, maybe *you* can cut it out." * Kaede looks down at her feet and whispers, quietly. "Shut up." * Katie jerks her attention to the left and still downward. Now she's looking at a different part of the floor. * Kaede clenches his fist again. He starts to move like he's going to punch the wall, but stops himself before he swings, shutting his eyes tight. "Just!..." He takes a step towards her and hugs her this time if she doesn't resist. "Shut up, okay? No one wants that." * Kaede says the second much softer. (He's all stoopy to hug her, then.) (Not necessarily. She's not kneeling, right?) (Oh wait. Thought she got off the bed.) (So yeah, he's stoopy.) * Katie squeaks, then she hugs back as best she can, clearly crying and not bothering with the coherency thing anymore. * Kaede just lets her go through with it. He's not crying so much himself anymore at least. (Too busy plotting!) (What? She'll see me if I try to grab the knife now.) (That's why you have to plot.) (ANd the other knife.) (You think Kaede only has one? He has katanaspace, remember.) (Pfft. If Kaede wanted to kill her, he wouldn't need a knife.) (Shock therapy!) * Katie chokes and tries to say something, then... utterly fails at it. (Fsking Taki taking all the coherency.) (What? I was due some after all this time.) * Kaede chuckles a bit, shaking his head. "Thought you didn't have any left..." He slowly releases her and sits on the other bed. * Katie looks up and watches Kaede do that. She is just as much of a mess as she sounded like, but she does manage, "What?" Tears. For a second there, I was wondering if you had any left too... * Katie sniffs noisily and rubs at her eyes with the palm of her right hand. "Dumb. I feel." Yeah. Now you've got to convince the rest of us that. * Katie shrugs and rubs at her other eye. * Kaede looks at her more fully. "Would you like me to stay a bit longer? I think it's going to be a restless night for the both of us. Not that you're any stranger to that..." If you want to. * Katie sniffs again, then looks for some sort of tissues. She frowns a little before getting up and walking to the bathroom. There's toilet paper there! * Kaede shrugs. "What kind of person would I be if I make a high school girl cry and just walk out?" (Uh... you?) (Somebody who needs to load from the last save file.) (* Kaede takes Katie's knife and stabs Taki.) * Katie says from the bathroom, "I bet it wouldn't be the first time." She turns on the faucet and starts to wash up. * Kaede looks off to the side. "Probably not...." He looks at the bathroom. "Did you know I was going to call Remi tonight?" No. Why? Don't know. * Katie turns off the water. "That's kind of silly." It is. It's probably a 'waste of valuable time, too' isn't it? * Kaede really forces the last part in a standard Kaede-esque voice. * Katie checks herself in the mirror. "Yeah, probably. She's a little crazy." Is she? * Katie peeks out of the bathroom at Kaede. She looks about normal now. "Clingy, at least." Since when did we become the best judges on crazy? I'll give you clingy. Since we tried all thirty-one flavors. Which one tastes like strawberry? * Katie flips the light in the bathroom off and wanders back, sitting at the table now. She moves the knife aside and flips her book open. "Um..." I think half of Taki's. Strangely enough, it's the blue half. (*snerks) Yeah, it's a candy coating. * Katie keeps flipping through her sketches. Anything I haven't seen yet? A lot. * Kaede holds out his hand. "May I see?" * Katie shrugs and closes the book, handing it over. Her arm doesn't extend far enough, so Kaede's going to have to move to get it! (*turns to the page where he's in a noose* ...well. That's interesting.) * Kaede reaches out for the book and opens it up, starting to flip through. [Kaede sees pictures. An entire semester's worth of pictures, starting from before he even met Katie. Some sheets have been torn out, but for the most part, they're there, even a remake of the zombie getting Kaede's brains picture. A lot of sketches are only half done, and they do get a little more disturbing as time goes on, but every once in a while there's another standard bird sketch and it's brought back to the norm.] * Kaede looks without much comment, even at the disturbing ones. They're to be expected really. * Kaede looks up and hands it back. "What are you going to do with it when you get out of school?" * Katie shrugs and takes it. "I don't know. Keep some and give others to friends. What I've always done." But I mean, are you going to continue or just make it a hobby? * Katie blinks. I don't... know. I'm going to take art in college. And some other things. I always figured I'd sort it out then. You're good at it, Katie. You could make a career out of it. * Kaede looks at her and laughs sharply. That...seems so unlike you. * Katie tilts her head. "Why? You think I have my whole life figured out?" Why stop there? Haven't you figured out everyone's life u ntil the end of time? * Katie chuckles and looks out the window. "No." * Kaede tsk tsks. "You're slacking." He looks out the window. "Any birds out there?" * Katie points. "A whole flock. See?" She points. "Probably confused, with the snow." They've got to be cold. Shall we let them in? I don't think they'd come in, or I would. Mmm. Pity. * Kaede looks at the window and walks up to it. * Katie turns her attention from the window to watching Kaede go to said window. * Kaede unlocks the window and opens it, leaning his head outside and looking around. Don't fall out. * Kaede turns around, taking his head back in. "Who knows? Maybe I'd get a lesson from the birds and learn how to fly." He rubs his arms and cheeks. "Oi, it's cold out there..." * Kaede gestures to her. "Come on. Get a better look." * Katie sighs and stands up, walking over to the window. Just a few steps away and she shivers. "It is cold." (This is not part of a plot to push her out the window. At all.) * Kaede steps away as she approaches and laughs to himself. Loudly. * Katie stares at Kaede. And stops. * Kaede snickers and wipes his eyes. "Sorry. Sorry. It's just funny." What? You humoring me like this. Heck, I wanted to see if you'd do it. It...means a lot to me, actually. * Katie stares at him, and she takes a step backwards and away. "It... does?" Yeah. To just pretend for a moment that you can't see just as well back there as you can at the window. And that I can't dim lights and talk to computers on a whim. * Kaede closes his eyes slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm ruining it again, aren't I?" * Katie stops again, blinks, and then shakes her head. She tries to relax. "No." You sure? * Katie nods. * Kaede walks a little closer, but cautiously. He's ready to stop if she gets jittery. "I was...just remembering too." * Katie watches Kaede approach. "Remembering?" * Kaede stops anyways. "Do you mind if I watch with you?" You're not making sense, Kaede. Watch what? The snow. Oh. * Katie thinks about that briefly, then she shakes her head. "No, I don't mind." * Kaede looks out the window. "You remember when it snowed at the school, right?" Yeah, I remember that. There was a snowball fight so people could stay sane. Mmhmm. I think we need another one. Kyon threw snow from the roof, but after I talked to him, because Taki... was... But...I don't think it'll work this time. * Katie trails off, then says, "I don't know. I have bad clothes for it now." Yeah. Me too. Who expects snow in April? You'd think it was the end of the world or something... * Katie shrugs. She looks at the window, then Kaede, then back at the window, and walks over to it. * Kaede watches her closely, not moving an inch. * Katie leans over, putting her hands on the bottom rim and peering out. * Kaede walks over, carefully, but not trying to be quiet. it'd probably be more suspicious if he were trying to be sneaky. * Katie comments as Kaede approaches, "It is a little silly. If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't need anything but you." * Kaede stops and looks at her. "I..." He hesitates. "I guess I never thought about it like that." Oh. That's good. * Kaede sighs and puts his hand on her shoulder, speaking quietly. "Thanks for trying to trust me again. But...I can see how hard it is for you...so..." * Katie doesn't twitch or shy away. "You really can see more from here." * Kaede looks out the window with her. "Yeah..." * Kaede gives a squeeze to her shoulder. "Enjoy the view. I should really try to get some rest. I might have some weird dreams again..." Normal weird or Arcana weird? * Kaede stops. "I think...Arcana weird. I'll tell you in the morning." * Katie nods. "Okay." Try to get some sleep, Katie Andrews. I will. * Kaede goes out the door, closing it behind him. [The End!] [And how!]