Week 9 | Tuesday 12pm

[okuri]

[ For a while Yoite debated whether to say or do anything at all. He never liked when people tried to help him-- for the simple reason that he felt like he couldn't do anything in return. He was only good at one thing and...Even though he felt like he shouldn't, he had decided to try to do something after all.

And so he finds himself in front of Poland's door, with two cans of lemonade. It was the only gesture of appreciation he really knew, and before he can stop himself he knocks on her door.]

Comments

[sobowtor]

[Poland opens her door, not expecting Yoite to be on the other side of it.

But you know what. This is even better than anyone else she might have thought it would be.]

Yoite!

Come in come in! [She opens the door wider for him to come in!]

[okuri]

[ Well she invited him in, so he walks forward into her room without even really thinking about it.]

Good afternoon. [ ....he really hadn't thought this through much (it was a miracle he had even got this far).]

I wanted to say... thank you for Sunday. [ With that he offers her a can of lemonade.]

[sobowtor]

[Poland tilts her head at the can of lemonade briefly, before looking back to Yoite.]

That's for me?

[He's giving her something that isn't an organ? This seems big. Somehow.]

[okuri]

[It is!]

Ah- yeah. [ He's clearly very flustered.]

I don't...know how else to thank you. [ Well he could think of one other way, but it probably wasn't a good idea for multiple reasons.]

[sobowtor]

No no this is good! Thank you!

[She'll take it! Holding on to it like it's some kind of precious heirloom as opposed to a can of lemonade.]

What'd I do that was so great though?

[okuri]

You helped me. [ He'd prefer not to say what exactly, as he's doing his level best to avoid thinking about what happened at the trial.]

I brought two in case you wanted to share with Lithuania. [ Offering her the other one now, because even though he doesn't know Lithuania well at all, he knew they were close.]

[sobowtor]

[Wait. Wait-- a lot happened Sunday but she's pretty sure she knows what he's talking about now.]

You're welcome. I mean. I didn't want to do that thing either. So. I'm glad something I could say or do made it easier for you.

But yeah I'll give that to her for you if you want! She likes lemonade too.

[okuri]

[He nods.]

I still don't think you should be kind to me. [ It was so confusing for him here, as the people in Nabari understood. If he did his job in the mission, that was good enough. Things were simpler back home, and he knew his place.]

[sobowtor]

You know.

[Poland sets the lemonades down on her dresser looking thoughtful.]

I get told a lot that I'm not such a nice person? [Not that she cares because the only opinion she gives a crap about is her own. So.]

So assuming that's true, which. I'm not saying it is, but. That means you're a worthwhile enough person that even someone as "selfish" as me wants to be kind to you.

[okuri]

You are a nice person. [ He thought so, anyway.]

It's not... like that. [ Well maybe it was a bit, but that wasn't his main issue with it.] I can't offer anything in return, so people shouldn't be nice to me.

[sobowtor]

You have lots to offer!

You helped me find organs and you defended Szarlotka when everyone thought I was totally crazy and you got me lemonade and you accepted my ring...

That's more than some people have done for me.

[Cough. Rhys. Cough.]

We're friends!

[okuri]

[ Weeks ago he would have immediately pushed away if someone said anything like that. But now the idea of someone calling him a friend was almost normal to him, as frightening a prospect as it was.

Still, he sighs.]

Poland, you don't know who I am or what I've done. [ It's not said too harshly, but rather somberly.]

[sobowtor]

Hey you don't know the things I've done either. [She's done some shit Yoite. It's practically guaranteed when you've lived as long as she has.]

I know who you are right now.

I know the stuff you do right now.

And I like both.

[okuri]

[ Again he's met with that argument, and he can't really refute such a thing without saying more than he wants to say at the moment. He's silent for a few moments, as he thinks about everything she just said. Her words remind him of something:]

It doesn't matter to me that Charlotte killed two people. I'll defend her anyway, I don't care what anyone else says.

You defended her too. Is it because of what you just said? [ That she liked her, and that was enough.]

[sobowtor]

I defended her because... yes. I like her. She's my friend.

I wish that she hadn't killed Alisha and Gilbert... because I liked them too. But I don't blame her for it like other people do I guess. It was wrong but. I don't blame her for it, not really.

I think... if she'd had a nicer family who cared. Or she wasn't terrorized by some creepy murderer at home and then thrown into a hotel where people murder and die every week... if she hadn't been so scared that she was going to be a victim-- it would have been different.

So I'll always defend her to anyone. No one belongs here or a place like she used to be. No one deserves to live all alone and in fear and suffer like she did.

[okuri]

[ Yoite was speechless often, but this time was different. They had talked a lot (by his standards), but never about things like that. Mostly simple things, though they had talked about identity and names frequently.

He grimaces and looks away.]

...I didn't know. [ His bond with her was more primal, a familiarity he couldn't describe but that he felt the more and more they spoke.]

I still want to help her, even if she's dead.

[sobowtor]

[If you asked her to be honest, Poland thinks all that stuff is irrelevant besides. It just helps as a justification over Sadie's murders because they were Gilbert and Alisha-- and Poland wants to be prepared in case she's ever asked to justify saving Sadie from a group that almost uniformly despises her.

She liked Sadie. Sadie was her friend and much like Yoite that reason is all she actually needs to want to save her.]

I think... if Undyne's heroics taught us anything, it might not be impossible to beat the things that have captured us here.

I think we really can save her. [Save everyone.]

[okuri]

[ He nods at that-- it was impossible for him to understand someone like Undyne, someone who screamed about justice and honor for all. But on this point he agreed with her, even if their motivations were different.]

I told Charlotte I would try. [ And that's what he intends to do, no matter how unlikely it may be that he succeeds.]