Catch-All for Minato

[specialdog]

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[specialdog]

[ We'll just say that Milla isn't back yet because that's easiest. And thankfully there hasn't been much of an opportunity for Akane's room to get as disgustingly messy as it is back home, so it's. Just a basic house.

Akane immediately makes a beeline for the bed, just so she can plop down and sit on the edge of it. ]

... If you're upset about it, don't do it again. You don't have to do a lot. Just get enough rest, at least.

[compendiem]

[ It's so tempting to just flop down face first on the bed and never get up, but Minato lingers by the door after he shuts it behind him, thinking over her words. ]

I would sleep and sleep and never wake up, but that doesn't help anybody. I tried... this week. I'd finally won the jackpot. All I did was put me and Shess in danger, though, so it wasn't any good at all.

[ His best efforts are no good. Him doing nothing is no good. It's really difficult, navigating the day to day. ]

[specialdog]

... I think it's fine to do the things you want to do. If you just want to play and gamble all week, then fine.

As long as you take care of yourself, too.

[ and Shess, or whatever, who cares. ]

[compendiem]

...Just do what I want, huh? What should I do if what I want is to change?

[ To be practical and useful and all the things he isn't? ]

[specialdog]

[ She flops back to lay down, her knees still hanging off the edge of the bed. ]

Why do you want to change?

[compendiem]

Because that's what people do, isn't it? They change. Otherwise, it feels like I've been stuck for the past ten years of my life.

[ Just sort of ghosting in and out, doing what he wants but what he wanted to do was nothing. And then he turned out like this, letting himself sink down to sit on the floor, back against the wall. ]

[specialdog]

[ Akane lets out a small puff of laughter. ]

Even when you change, other people are still the problem.

[compendiem]

[ He looks up at her when she laughs, wishing he'd chosen to sit by her side so he can see her face. ]

...People get tougher the older we are, huh? But if I stay the same, it'll be even harder to catch up to them.

[specialdog]

What do you think is so good about them that you need to catch up?

They need to change, too.

[compendiem]

[ What's so good about them? Nothing much comes to mind, just that they're so different than how he is, how he thinks. If he's the outlier, then clearly the problem must be him. ]

It's hard to change so many people. Even one person is hard. But if it's myself, I can at least make the effort.

[ He sits up a little straighter, though he still remains seated on the floor. ]

Are you dissatisfied with people, Akane?

[specialdog]

Dissatisfied--I don't know if I'd say that... I'm just not good with people, so it can be tough sometimes...

[ They're variables she can't control, here. Just like before. But she isn't the problem! Other people are the problem. ]

[compendiem]

[ Just like him. Except Minato likes the fact that they're all so different and unpredictable; it makes them interesting, if inexplicable. ]

I wouldn't have imagined, if you haven't told me before. You seem to get along well with everyone.

[ But mostly because they get along, sort of, and with everybody else during the trial Minato was asleep so he doesn't see any of it. Rose colored glasses, if you will. ]

[specialdog]

[ She sighs, mostly because she's not willing to explain the details to him, and it's... Complicated. It's always hard to decide whether she's telling him about the world she ran from or the world she ran to. ]

... There's a lot of people here who don't like me so much.

[ Minato, look at the cr chart. No one likes Akane! ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato is dumb and blind. Everybody loves Akane. ]

What is there to dislike?

[specialdog]

You shouldn't ask a girl to list her flaws, you know?

That's meeaaan.

[ She sounds more playful than she does upset about it. ]

[compendiem]

I can be mean.

[specialdog]

Mm... I guess I'll allow it. Since I like you so much.

[compendiem]

Yeah? I'm looking forward to hearing all your weak points.

[ He should feel more embarrassed about that than he is, but Minato just leans forward, leaning his elbows on his knees. ]

Maybe I can help think of ways to cover for them.

[specialdog]

[ She almost says it out loud: But then you'll be changing into what I need you to be, and not changing for yourself.

... But she's fine with that. That's what she wants from people. Minato just needs to be what she wants him to be, it's not like she really needs to worry about his personal growth. Who cares about that...? ]

Thanks very much. [ Playfully, despite the, uh, morbidness of it: ] I think first things first, we need to learn how to cook.

[ Wait, shouldn't that have been 'you' and not 'we'? Uh, don't read into it. ]

[compendiem]

[ When did this turn around to be Minato's flaws........... ]

I can cook. Did you try my pudding last week?

[ The fish blood tofu. ]

[specialdog]

[ Brightly: ] It looked gross, so I didn't try any.

[compendiem]

Appearance can be deceiving, right?

[ gestures at Akane ]

I could make it again for you, if you want.

[specialdog]

[ ... you need a lot more charm than you have to unlock that. ]

No. Don't you want to learn to make more and more new things?

[compendiem]

[ He's a bit disappointed about that decisive "no" but what can he do? ]

Hm... I guess it's best if I do. I said I'd teach others, so I have to be able to know how to cook myself, first.

[ It's too bad about Nana, who seems like she would be very happy teaching people how to cook. There's also Kara, but Minato is 97.8% convinced that Kara hates him, so that leaves... ]

Maybe Shirasu could teach us?

[specialdog]

[ The reason Akane needs someone to feed her now is because that was basically Nana's job. So now... ]

Kinjou-san...? He could teach us to make sweets, but real food is a little...

... Don't tell him I said that.