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[discard]

"I am not interested in speaking with you. Stop pestering me."

[ Wow, what a friendly person you're trying to contact on this fine day!! ]

[ Voice | Video | Text | Action ]

Comments

[mombastic]

You must have had some amount of trust in him to go to him, though. I'm glad you're making friends, Leon.

[discard]

Wha--

[?????]

[discard]

I do not trust him!

[discard]

And he is not my friend!

[AAAAAA]

[mombastic]

You don't trust him at all?

[ YOU WENT TO HIM FOR HELP, SON. ]

[discard]

No, I do not.

[Flatly and immediately.]

But... I know that you seem to be somewhat fond of him, and so...

[He doesn't trust anyone, ok. The fact that he trusts Otome now is honestly a Big Deal.]

[mombastic]

... I see. So you went to him for my sake.

[ ... ]

I'm sorry for worrying you.

[discard]

... It is not as though... ["I was worried"--no.]

... I want your apologies.

So keep them to yourself.

[mombastic]

Mm... well then, you can have my gratitude instead!

[ resiliency of a rubber band. ]

[discard]

I-- I do not want or need that either!

[Now he's flustered, though.]

It was simply... something that I felt needed to be done. Leave it at that.

[mombastic]

Simple or not... it was still something that meant a lot to me.

[ You can't avoid that, Leon! ]

[discard]

[UGHHH....

LEAVE HIM ALONE... this is embarrassing and uncomfortable.]

Don't...act as though I did some great deed. I did practically nothing--so leave it at that.

[mombastic]

... Then let's just say I'm happy to have you.

[ He'll get used to it. ]

And I brought a little something.

[discard]

[... Oh no.

He hesitates.]

...What is it?

[It's probably something nice, Leon, stop acting like it'll be a snake in a box.]

[mombastic]

[ She wouldn't stick a snake in a box, that's just asking for trouble. But she will pull out a a small white styrofoam box from her pocket and hold it out to him.

Inside is cake. ]

One of the cafes had this... I already had a slice, but I thought you might want to try it.

[discard]

[Holy shit.

That sure is a cake.

Damn........ Leon hesitates for a moment, before he pouts a little, glancing away (and taking the cake anyway).]

Do not act as though I can be placated with something like this--it isn't as though I particularly enjoy such things.

[mombastic]

I'm not trying to placate you. It just made me think of you, that's all.

[ Not a lie. ]

[discard]

[Quite honestly? It makes him feel warm to know that Otome was thinking of him.

But ultimately he just huffs a little, setting the cake aside.]

...Was there anything else? [That Otome needed, that is. Since he royally messed up her attempts at an apology.]

[mombastic]

... No, that's all. I'm sorry for interrupting.

[ She'll just go home and think about Hiro and what to-- ]

Oh, actually, there's one more thing.

[discard]

[He didn't mean to drive her away...sorry, Otome.]

...What is it?

[mombastic]

With all the talk about being able to return home, about it being more than a possibility...

[ ... ]

Ideally, you'd be able to return to your own world. But if that's not an option...

Then, definitely, please come home with me.

[ she's sure she's said it before. But it's become a heavier thought now, as things continue to change. ]

[discard]

[Otome has definitely said it before.

But back then... it hadn't been something he'd taken seriously. It hadn't really seemed like something that could actually happen, and it'd been a throwaway comment amidst so much more happening.

But now...

She says it flat out and plainly, and Leon doesn't really know how to take it. Go...home with Otome? Instead of going home to his death--]

I-- you... you must be joking, that is not--

[... Not something that should even remotely be possible. Not for someone like him.]

[mombastic]

I wouldn't joke about it.

[ She'd never joke about something like that. ]

Leon, someone like you... deserves every possible chance to be happy, whether you believe that or not.

[ And she doubts he does, but she certainly believes in it. ]

[discard]

[He shakes his head when she starts speaking, and doesn't stop shaking it throughout her words. It isn't necessarily even that he's saying no.

He just...doesn't know how to comprehend it.]

I...

[But...]

With you?

[Would Otome even...want him around that much? Why would she offer something like that to him? She has her own life, doesn't she?]

[mombastic]

Well, if you'd rather not, I'm sure I can help you get set up, but...

[ All the head shaking has her smile turning rueful. She's probably overwhelming him, isn't she? And yet-- ]

I'd like to be a part of your life, as family.