Catch-All for Minato

[specialdog]

Comments

[specialdog]

... You're so silly.

[ But as with every conversation that starts to skim the top of Akane's Issues, she's quick to disengage from it... ]

I'll try talking to him about it some. I want to make sure we find out who killed Kazuaki-kun and tried to frame you and Four.

[compendiem]

[ Silly is different from the usual "stupid" that he's used to, and it makes him smile a little, fond. ]

If you need me there, I can come with you. I'm sure Hisoka will be able to help... but I don't think I was framed. Four, though, was targeted. Shirasu too. I want to help them.

[specialdog]

[ Akane shakes her head. ] I can talk to him by myself. Unless you want to come...?

[ Hrm... ]

You think someone else really was limping like that?

[compendiem]

I think it'll be more productive if it's just the two of you, actually. As for the limp... it doesn't line up with everything out. The clues. There shouldn't be footprints under the water. Most of us would float.

[ Minato would immediately get eaten by a shark if he went into the ocean? ]

[specialdog]

But the only person who wouldn't float would be Cinnabar, right? Everyone else has a relatively normal weight.

[compendiem]

Yeah. But that doesn't explain the footprints.

[ It doesn't explain anything; it's too complicated. Why can't people just shoot somebody with a gun and be done with it? There's not much evidence a gun can leave, either. ]

[specialdog]

... Maybe moonbeam, and manipulating the water so it doesn't wash them away...? I was able to make my own footprints, so it's not like there was anything weird about the sand... I would have noticed.

[ Somehow, chatting about this is pretty relaxing? Nicer than delving into insecurities, anyway. ]

[compendiem]

[ For Minato, chatting about this just digs at his insecurities, about how he can't figure anything out, can't do much to help and can't be enough for people. He isn't somebody to put heads together to solve things or do anything serious; he can sit there in silence, he can be good company, he can support from the shadows and be very passive about his existence in other people's lives, and doing any more than that just makes him anxious.

He doesn't like not having answers, he doesn't like not understanding, and he doesn't like that he cares so much about being able to know things, that he can't just put it off to the side anymore and say it isn't his problem.

Under the guise of thinking, Minato doesn't answer; he pushes a little away from the side of the pool and tries to get himself to do a dead man's float. Like napping but it's warm. ]

[specialdog]

[ She didn't expect him to weigh in with much. She doesn't have very high expectations of him for this kind of thing.

It's hard to know if she would change the subject if she knew it was upsetting him. Or if she would just keep talking about it. She relaxes back and watches him... Float. Okay. You do you. She'll just keep basically talking to herself. ]

But there's no reason that the killer would protect evidence, unless it was part of framing someone...

[compendiem]

[ Thanks for not having high expectations. She really shouldn't have high expectations for him about anything, tbh, staring up at the high ceiling of the bath house. ]

...What about Four and Shirasu? Normally, you don't suspect the victim. But there's no reason to bring up any of the evidence, either. The sweets, and the glove.

[specialdog]

And then there's that the sweets were some sort of cosmic universe clue, right? Not something that anyone told us or presented us like Four's glove.

I could imagine all the fighting those two did about it being to cover up what they'd done, but... I don't want to think that Kinjou-san would do thaaaat...

[compendiem]

Yeah, I want to believe in Shirasu too. [ Maybe for different reasons from Akane, but it doesn't matter. ]

I can't tell whether the universe is supporting use or hindering us. A clue like that... It's obvious, but it also causes dissent. Maybe we would be better ignoring it?

[specialdog]

Ignoring evidence would be bad... More like, maybe we should pay more attention to it, since the apples and apple-flavors turned out to be a hint...?

[ But, hey. ]

Are you friends with Kinjou-san too?

[compendiem]

[ He has trouble discerning whether that "too" means friends with her or himself, but there's also some hesitation in declaring it outright that they're friends. It really isn't the case, is it? ]

He cares for me, and has been teaching me, and I'm grateful towards him. But I don't know if I can say we're friends. I don't think it really matters...

[ He lets himself sink, dunking his head under the water before resurfacing again, pushing his hair out of his face and tucking his bangs behind his ear. ]

Either way, I won't let him down. Especially not Monday.

[specialdog]

[ It wasn't a trick question, Minato!! ]

You mean with the cooking contest? You still wanna do it?

[ She would understand if he backed out... Like a coward someone grieving a friend... ]

[compendiem]

[ Is somebody his friend?? That's one of the most difficult questions in the world, because it's not something he can ever answer on his own- friendship takes both sides, after all. ]

Yeah. I made Shirasu go through a lot of trouble teaching me. Besides... I really do want to do something nice for everyone here. Small things, like charms, and food that reminds them of home.

[specialdog]

I think it'll help cheer everyone up. Your headbands and charms did a good job, too. [ aggressively ignores how many people didn't want them or scolded him for it. ]

You think you're ready?

[compendiem]

[ He smiles at that, because of course he believes it. Happiness will prevail, despite being torn up and thrown to the ground. ]

I'm ready. I'm going to give it my all. I'm looking forward to eating your cooking, too.

[specialdog]

I'm a little nervous about whatever you learned to make from Kinjou-san, but... We'll see how it goes!