Wednesday 1.4

[pichi.livejournal.com]

As Aya left his room, Omi had to wonder why, exactly, she had decided to thank him.

He closed his door and put away his mission gear. Carefully he emptied and cleaned his darts, returning them to their storage compartment in a desk drawer he kept locked. He removed both disks from his pockets, storing the official one in a disk case and in the drawer with the darts and the phony back into his collection of blank disks. The headgear went on its hook in the closet. The jackets and gloves he brought with him to the furo, along with a robe and clean pajamas.

Shower water didn’t usually sting just from hitting the skin. The next few days weren’t going to be pleasant.

The bath felt nice after he’d found the right temperature-- one far cooler than usual. He spent his time sorting out what he was going to say in the mission report. In the end, he decided simplicity was probably best.

He redressed, started the washing machine with his load of mission gear, and headed down to the mission room for a brief report:

Mission report. Bombay 2200.

Problem with Siberian. Balinese on hiatus until further notice.

Success: 100%

With that sent, Omi quietly went back upstairs and checked Aya-chan’s room.

Comments

[pichi.livejournal.com]

Omi contemplated Aya's words in silence for a long time. It was not his nature to open up, not even to those he considered good friends. Not his nature for the sake of sharing, but if it would visibly serve a goal, a concession could be made to his natural preference.

"Isolation is one of the most painful feelings in the world, isn't it? I'd hoped you would never have to feel that here."

The way I did... And still do, in a way.

"I'm sorry to have not been able to help that more. I think you don't have to try at all. You're very likeable, just the way you are."

He paused. "And if trying too hard is part of who you are too, then I wouldn't call it a divergence or a flaw. Such passionate dedication to reaching your goals has to be an admirable quality... Doesn't it?"

[7bladed.livejournal.com]

Isolation is one of the most painful feelings in the world, isn't it? Aya pondered those words for a few seconds. It sounded as if he'd felt it at one time, but she didn't question it. There were still a lot of things she didn't know about the men she lived with, and she wasn't really sure if she would ever know them, or if she ever really even wanted to know...

She smiled at his compliment. "I suppose it could be..." For the first time that night, she let out a small, honest laugh. "Ran-niisan, I'm sure could argue otherwise. When we were little..." she trailed off; Omi didn't want to hear these sorts of childish stories, did he? "Well, I guess I was rather demanding back then..." and wasn't she still a little? Even now?

[pichi.livejournal.com]

Omi was just a little disappointed that Aya didn't continue with her anecdote. Oh, what he'd have given for a glimpse into Ran's childhood. It sounded like enough from what little Aya did give, though. She was a demanding sister, and if Omi's observations meant anything, her brother hadn't minded it a bit.

The idea brought simultaneously fond and painful memories to the forefront of his mind. If his own experiences meant anything either, of course her brother hadn't minded a demanding sister. Sisters were treasures that deserved everything.

He pushed back the reminders of loss and tipped a smile in Aya's direction. "Demanding? Mmmh. I prefer to think of it as fearlessly ambitious."

[7bladed.livejournal.com]

The atmosphere had changed drastically, and Aya intended on keeping it that way. "Fearlessly ambitious? I like the sound of that." Mentioning her childhood before somehow caused a flood of memories. Pleasant memories... she toyed for a moment with asking Omi to share a few of his, but decided in the end that if he wanted to, he would. In the mean time, it was best to keep the conversation light.

"I must have had an incredible ambition though... I remember, when I was very little, my parents bought me a new tea set to play with." The memory caused a small giggle to escape Aya's lips. "Oh, how beautiful Ran-niisan looked with a large bow tied in his hair, sitting in a little chair and pretending to drink tea. And the look on his face! If you thought the looks he gives his fangirls now are bad... He must've really loved me to have agreed to go through that much torture." She smiled fondly, continuing to lightly apply cream to Omi's back. "I guess some things never change..."

[pichi.livejournal.com]

The instant Aya said, 'tea set,' Omi politely turned forward again and covered his smile with his hand. The need to resist bursting into giggles only grew stronger as her tale continued. That gem, he knew, he would have to take with him to the grave, but he felt privileged enough to have it for his own amusement that he didn't mind.

It was one of the latter lines that took the smile from his face and reminded him once more just what life was like now for all of them. It was a depressing return to reality after such a heartwarming divulgence of nostalgia.

Yes, Aya, he really loved you and still does. He endures torture all the time for you, in the form of this life you were never supposed to find out about.

Some things, indeed, never changed.

"It's good that you have such precious memories; I appreciate the chance to hear them. I..." No. Not going to say that.

I often wonder how the other three of them were before they came here.

"I'm not sure Aya-kun would be as appreciative, but I don't plan on reminding him of it."

[7bladed.livejournal.com]

Aya was a little disappointed that Omi had trailed off, but she refrained from questioning. She made up her mind then and there that she wasn't going to push for answers. If they were ready and willing, they'd give her the full story. If not... well, she didn't really mind living in a world of ignorance.

The words 'Aya-Kun' darkened Aya's mood a little, but she pushed that away quickly with a bright smile. "I could tell you a bit about his past," she offered. From what she'd experienced in the house, the New Ran wanted nothing to do with his past self. But in a way, retelling these memories felt comforting. Aya was sure that, somewhere - perhaps incredibly deep inside - the past Ran still existed. "Not now, of course... I'd have to think up some more interesting stories." She paused, questioning the words she was about to say, but unable to contain them. "And... you could tell me about him now?"

[pichi.livejournal.com]

The temptation was there, but Omi didn't feel it would be right to go from listening to volunteered stories to inviting more of them. This was his teammate's childhood, and it was interesting but somewhat invasive of his privacy. Omi felt out of respect for him, he couldn't possibly take any initiative in calling forth more memories from Aya.

He opted to drop the topic for now and concentrate on her last statement. "Tell you about him now? Ah... I'm not sure what I can tell you that you don't already know. I'm not sure I even know him that well myself. He's very mysterious, but I think we're friends. What I know is... he has a lot of inner strength, and I think everything he does is fueled by how much he cares about you."