realpolitik | Murasaki | Nice

[There were two things on his mind at the moment: Art's actions and the sounds of the beeping of the machines that he was hooked up to. The irritation of which he felt to those two things fluctuated depending on the moment, and how well he was coping with the situation that one of his ~~boyfriends~~ best friends had shot him twice.

That probably hurt worse than the bullets themselves. He'd thought Art was dead -- didn't have time to grieve over it, even, before he was back and shooting at him. Why? What could have possibly happened between the last two times he'd seen him that would make him react in this way?

He had barely acknowledged the others' decision when they said they were going to have him lie low and announce that he was dead. While he knows that as soon he can walk again without stumbling around, he was going to put his full efforts (somehow) into researching what's going on with Art. So he doesn't have a whole lot to do for now, other than patch up any emotional wounds that he's dealing with.

Honestly, he forgets that Murasaki was the one visiting currently until he says something. It's then that he's brought in the here and now (and not thinking about what had happened in slow motion, which was all he was doing since he'd regained consciousness anyway), and realizes he still has a finger in the manga that Three had brought for him. He takes his finger out and puts it on his lap, with a little more frustration than he probably meant to have. It's not directed at Murasaki -- just the whole situation.]

What else do I keep you around for?

[What normally would be said with a more playful tone sounds more distracted, like his heart wasn't in it. And it wasn't. He knows he owes his life to Murasaki -- because if he hadn't come in when he did, there was no way of knowing how that encounter would've ended up. Would Art have really been able to kill him? He'd given it his best shot, this time.

Would he do it again?]

[In a way, he knows that Nice is overthinking this. He wouldn't be so quiet otherwise (but honestly, who wouldn't be quiet in a situation like this?) and maybe that was why he'd thought to break the ice. Or maybe he really just couldn't handle the silence anymore, broken by nothing more than that beeping.

It at least is proof that Nice is alive, even if just in beeps--but it's also nerve-wracking, because he shouldn't be here. He's not the sort of person who should ever be put in a hospital.

He sees the frustration, but what is he supposed to do about it? He's never really been one to comfort Nice. Nice has never really been the sort to need it. And in the wake of Moral (and it's a blessing that his own injuries are all taken care of and practically impossible to be seen under his coat) and Art, anything said about it would honestly be trite.

They're all reeling, but Nice is the one who's dealing with the most. And isn't that just useless pity anyway? Honestly, what is he thinking?]

You'd be dead if you didn't. [It'd usually be wry, the sort of banter that's pretty average by now, but here in this atmosphere, it falls flat. He can't follow it up with scolding, either, because it's not Nice's fault at all, and isn't that the biggest joke of all?

...He'll try again:] I'm not about to have my dependability called into question, though.

[He'll always be there, in other ~~weakly tsun~~ words.]

[Yes for once, that was completely nothing of his doing. He hadn't asked for Moral or Art to do what they'd done, and (to his knowledge) had done nothing to provoke it. Of course, he'd made Art mad at some point, but...mad enough to do this to him?

He's kind of glad that even though there'd been pitiful looks cast his way, it'd been put at a minimal and the amount of attempts at comfort had been too. He didn't really know what he'd do with that sort of treatment, especially coming from someone who usually was able to just pick up and keep going. Except now, these circumstances had come that far out of left field that he's dwelling on them way more than he should.]

Probably. [Him? Dying? That wasn't something that he'd thought a whole lot about in the past, but that is something he's dealing with as well. Though he gets himself into some dumb situations, death wasn't typically at the forefront of his mind. His trust in himself, in his Minimum, and Murasaki negated any fear he had of dying.

Is that what it felt when people said their lives flashed before their eyes? Because in those agonizing seconds it took for Murasaki to come for him, he felt like that happened.] The day I call your dependability into question is the day I look for a new partner.

[translation: I know.]

Just be glad you're not stuck in here.

[No, Nice. No. No amount of provocation is enough for random shootings!!

But Murasaki doesn't know where Nice's thoughts are going, honestly, and so he is completely oblivious to how dumb he is currently being about Art's actions. It's a blessing. But honestly, he's not looking for gratitude from Nice, so he just leaves that where it lies. It's not a very good topic in a hospital anyway. Even if Nice is looking much better now, there's still something sobering about the setting they're in.

The response is enough for him anyway. Murasaki will always be there for Nice, after all. It's what it means to be partners.]

What, are you getting bored already? [A snort-- he is glad that his injuries weren't so terrible that he had to be hospitalized like Nice, but...if it were a matter of him in that hospital bed or Nice, he really does wonder if he's so glad in the end.] Don't get any ideas.

[STAY IN BED.]

[Well he doesn't know what Art's thinking!! Unless someone put him up to it...but who?

But that's probably a pretty dumb question, Murasaki, and you know it. There's only so much he can do in here, and while he likes being lazy, there's a difference here. It's a difference in being lazy and having the freedom to do something and...not having much freedom at all. If he wasn't driven crazy already, it wasn't going to take him long at all to go insane.]

I'm not. [Liar. But then it dawns on him:] It's not like I'll have a whole lot to do once I get out of here, either. Apparently I'm dead.

[That whole playing dead thing was going to be really troublesome. Glad they talked to him before he woke back up. Thanks guys.]

[It was rhetorical okay!!!

But honestly, some things are split second decisions, like deciding to make sure Nice is "dead" instead of having to worry about leaving him in the hospital (though honestly, they're still kind of worried ~~or maybe that's Professional Worrier Murasaki~~). So he fails to look even the slightest shred of guilty in response to that.]

It's not exactly easy on the others either. [Though Birthday seems to be enjoying himself, so maybe it's just Murasaki again-- (And Hajime, she definitely misses Nice and doesn't like the show they're putting on).]

You have to consider the situation.

[And somehow it always comes back to scolding anyway, but that's easier than thinking about anything else.]

[He didn't really expect for Murasaki to feel guilty about it (hell, he might've been the driving force behind it for all he knows), but that doesn't mean that he can't gripe about it anyway. And he will gripe about it. A lot. So be ready for that.]

I don't know that Art's desperate enough to come looking for me in a hospital. [There...he goes...] Do you guys really think you fooled him with it?

[He's just asking. But he's definitely probably putting more Worry on Murasaki's plate without completely meaning to.]

[Gripe away, he can handle Nice griping. It's normal. Nice gripes a lot when things don't go his way. Of course, Murasaki's still going to be exasperated about it, but still. Normal.]

We don't know anything about what Art's thinking right now. [That's a bit sharper, along with a glance at Nice, complete with furrowed brows. Art?? Tried to kill you?? They can't really depend on anything they used to know about him wasn't that obvious.

... also wow don't do that. He's already got plenty of worry. Especially because Murasaki just has to sigh.]

...Hard to say. [unlike some people, Murasaki's not interested in stalking your ex-bae] But he hasn't made any moves so far, so it seems like it.

[So long as you don't ruin it.]

Edited 2014-08-10 08:26 (UTC)

[That's probably what bugs him the most about everything. He would've liked to have thought that Art was easy to read for him in the past, despite his attempts at covering his thoughts up sometimes. He didn't even seem any different when they met again, either, which was probably the thing that bugged him the most. For once, he wasn't able to tell what he was thinking when he held the gun up to his head, but he didn't seem any different.

He doesn't look at Murasaki (though he can feel the look), and instead he picks the manga and flips through it absently. Nice isn't even looking at that either; he's more or less fiddling with something to keep his hands busy currently.]

...Hm.

[That doesn't tell him anything either way, but then he didn't really expect to get any answers immediately.

There was an unintentional wince as he moves his shoulders, and he puts his head back against the bed and looks at the ceiling. He didn't like thinking this hard; and especially coming from someone that generally had all the answers, this was especially frustrating.]

[He really, really doesn't like this at all. It's a completely different atmosphere from the usual. And that's only to be expected after such a close call, maybe, but... that's not really all it is, is it? If he hadn't already wanted to smack Art around a little for shooting his partner full of holes, this would do it too--

It's weird for Nice to be this uncertain about things, and it's all Art's fault.

The wince and the frustration don't escape Murasaki's notice at all, but...he just sighs silently. This entire situation is so troublesome.]

...Don't overthink it. There's no need to act unlike yourself.

[Don't be thoughtful Nice it's weird

It's echoes of the same advice, though, and...did it help them in the end before, too? It did, until Art waltzed into the picture.

...Ha.]

[Murasaki had said that before, hadn't he? When he was fighting Moral...and when he couldn't keep his mouth shut. It'd been easier to push aside then, because there were other and more important things he was supposed to be thinking about. When guided by no emotions but his own...his head was clearer.

He's quiet for a really long time, eyes not straying from the ceiling.]

Hey, Murasaki.

[It's not like he doesn't see the logic behind Murasaki's words, because he does. What he should be focusing on is getting better and getting back to what little life he could have right now, but there's nothing he could physically do about his wounds. He couldn't make himself heal faster, or even fix himself up. He had to wait on his body to fix itself, and had to have other people do these things for him.

Sigh.]

If I did this to you...what would you do?

[It's a little bit of a genuine curiosity and a little bit of putting it into perspective for him. While they hadn't known each other for as long, they still trusted each other with their lives. It wasn't the best illustration because they hadn't known each other that long (in comparison), but it was the best he could do.

And don't you dare answer with a "you wouldn't, Nice", because he knows that. At the same time, Art never should've had it in him to do it, either.]

Edited (clarifies things) 2014-08-11 21:51 (UTC)

[He looks up when Nice says his name, but there's no way to get an indication of what's to come, not with Nice's eyes still on the ceiling. So honestly, the question blindsides him. If Nice had...]

What the hell do you think you're doing, asking something like that--

[But it's more grumbling than seriously irritated; he can't seem to work up the energy for more than that, and...in a way, he knows why Nice is asking. That's why he can't exactly say that he wouldn't. Nobody would've thought that Art would either. And while Murasaki knows exactly what he would do if he were to see Art like this...

If it were Nice, what would he do?]

[...Sigh. "What the hell" indeed. If Nice tried to kill him, what would he do...? It's a thought process that's almost impossible to follow, but...it's in large part because he knows the inevitable answer.

If Nice had done something like this to him, he'd...be trying to deny it just as much, wouldn't he? He wouldn't want to believe it either. Maybe something had gone wrong. Maybe that was why--

Murasaki's shoulders just slump a little, because he knows it's not the right answer to give Nice at a time like this, but it's the only honest one he's got. So more than anything, his expression is a little wry, but mostly, he's tired--they all are, aren't they?]

I wouldn't be much of a partner if I gave up on you just like that.

[So... perhaps it's something like that, in the end. If Nice can't deal with Art like this, maybe he has to protect him from Art for him. He wouldn't be much of a partner if he couldn't do that much either, after all.]

...Besides, we don't leave jobs unfinished. [So...he wouldn't just be able to leave Nice alone, and he's sure that Nice won't be able to leave Art alone either. Haa...he really has his work cut out for him.]

[He waits for Murasaki to respond -- not that he would answer anyway with the initial response.

And his answer makes him close his eyes, and take in a deep breath. He holds it for a moment before exhaling slowly. Nice opens his eyes after that, and finally looks over at Murasaki.]

I figured that would be your answer.

[He looks away after a minute, back to staring off into space. Sentiment wasn't really either of their strong points, but Nice almost prefers it that way. Really, he wouldn't know if he would be able to deal with anyone trying to give him pity or words of comfort other than this right now. It isn't really often that he even goes to Murasaki for what's on his mind...but it'll probably be talked about eventually through his stay in here.]

...So you understand.

[Except replace "partner" with "friend", and that's essentially it. Murasaki can't even get angry with him or tell him he's irrational, either, because he had just said he'd do or think the same things.

It might not be like him, but this situation wasn't exactly like one he'd handled around Murasaki before.]

[He doesn't really want to agree. He does understand, sure--but that's him and Nice. That's different from Nice and Art. Somehow, it's different. It has to be, because otherwise he doesn't know what to do about it either.

(He hates to admit that it might be different in ways that only make it worse. Art is so important to Nice, and Art has always done so much to protect Nice, so how could that possibly have changed?

Maybe the fact that it's so different isn't a positive thing after all.)

So the huff that escapes him isn't near so exasperated as it would usually be--for once, why couldn't he really not have understood?]

I wouldn't go that far. [It's different. It's different. It's different.] Besides, that doesn't mean we completely let down our guard. We just have to get to the bottom of this. And for that to happen, you have to lie low.

[Easy as pie....if only, really. He knows it won't be that easy. But... well. Maybe that's another way it's different. Nice has him, despite everything happening with Art. So if Nice is going to try to understand why this is happening...then Murasaki will protect him until they get to the bottom of things.]

[Well, there was no real way to actually make Murasaki see his side, but it was better than nothing.]

I know. [It's his turn to huff, though.] It doesn't mean I have to be happy about it, though.

[Lie low, lie low, lie low. He can't even fight it too hard because as much as he hates it, it makes sense. But even though he realizes it makes sense, he'll never outwardly say that it's a good idea.

Just saying.]

[This is easier, more solid ground. He doesn't have any troubles with fussy Nice. That's familiar, at least, and so he huffs.]

As if you're ever happy about any plans but yours.

[You're basically impossible, Nice.]

[Yeah that's his only Hard Question for...right now, anyway. There are no more promises to be made, though, because who knows what'll cross his mind next.]

Well yeah, because other people's plans aren't usually that great.

[THIS ONE, FOR EXAMPLE.]

[Wow excuse you. REALLY.]

We work with what we've got, especially on such short notice.

[oKAY...it kind of just happened, nobody predicted it. He knows you're talking about this one. Your annoyance is obvious.]

This one will work just fine so long as you follow it.

[don't stalk your bae]

[He is pretty obvious in a lot of things, isn't he...

He'll follow it if he wants to follow it. If he really wants to, he'll figure out a way to get out and around.

But whatever. He's going to change the subject, again. He's wondering about too much and thinking about too much trying not to think about Art.]

How is Hajime?

[he totally will]

[That's a bit more of an expected question. He doesn't know precisely what they are to each other, but Murasaki does know that Hajime is the most natural person for Nice to be worrying about. At least it's not out of the ordinary. That's somewhat reassuring.]

She's hanging in there. [obviously, she misses Nice--it's Hajime.] Everyone is.

[So don't worry and do something stupid.

(All thought processes return to this.)]

[It's only a matter of time before he does...but at least he'll be knocked down for a few weeks, anyway. Maybe. It depends on if stubbornness will beat out his physical limit or not.

Well it was a relief, at least. He wasn't particularly worried about her in a physical sense; in that way, she'd be okay. Everyone would take care of her, and if there was trouble, of course she could defend herself. But after what had happened to Takahiro, he'd been mildly worried.

Great. Something else he remembered he was worried about. He rubs his forehead, and groans loudly.]

I'm gonna drive myself crazy...

[...er.]

[That's what Murasaki's afraid of...that stubbornness will override his body's complaints, and he'll end up hurting himself all over again. There's no reason for him to do so. They've all worked so hard to make sure that he'll stay safe, at least for a little while.

And yet...

Murasaki wouldn't put it past Nice, and honestly, it's frustrating. The last thing he ever wants is to see his partner half-dead on the floor again, looking so much worse than that even. So in response to that, he simply sighs, adjusting his glasses, looking unsympathetic to the extreme.]

You'll live. [Thank god--] So stay put and keep your head down.

[Nice mutters a little bit under his breath and tries to make himself as comfortable as he can. Though moving still...kind of hurt...

WHINE WHINE WHINE he is going to be the whiniest hospital patient ever you haven't seen anything yet.]

You can at least ask when I can have food again...

[Looks like he's letting most of it go. For now. He'll still look like a big, grumpy, pouty baby here in the bed.]

Edited (that was NOT the icon i wanted) 2014-08-13 03:44 (UTC)

[Whine whine whine... that just gets a Look out of Murasaki though, because--]

Huh?

[YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT FOOD..... ... ... well. If ever there was a demonstration that Nice was getting a bit back to normal, that would be it.

So while Murasaki makes a show of sighing, he'll at least admit:]

I'll ask when I leave. [Which should probably be pretty soon so Nice can rest and recover, but that requires him...actually resting. Somehow Murasaki's a bit reluctant.

]

[Well he's gotta whine about something else. Complaining about Art and the inability to do anything was going to get old after a little while. Everything was okay with the others, so...

Really, this isn't a very illogical jump, in Nice's mind.]

And tell Three to get some new material, too. [YOU PEASANTS ARE GOING TO REGRET BEING HAPPY THE GOD DIDN'T KILL THE KING] His tastes aren't all that great.

[He can make a list for stuff to get for him, Murasaki. Nice is just now realizing...that he can make people get things for him and then use their own plan back on them if they complain.

....

Amazing.]

[Murasaki doesn't even miss a beat with that, instead simply weaving his fingers together and resting his chin on them as if in a great deal of thought.]

Sometimes I think that...what is perception is untrustworthy. If you think about it, there are hundreds of thousands of different perceptions and understandings of the world around us at any moment.

[mmhm mmhm. And as calmly as ever:]

With so many different ways of viewing the world, maybe there isn't a right perception to come to.

[in other words, read the fucking manga--that's totally what he just said yeah.]

[Well okay you got his attention again, even though he's side eyeing the fuck out of you right now. Why did you get so philosophical over a manga of all things??

It's. His turn to huff.]

It's still boring... [It's more or less mumbled under his breath, but he knows that Murasaki's not probably going to listen to him.

In a more normal tone:] I'm going to need more than one anyway. Unless you want me to memorize this or something.

[Not that it'd take him long. And if you try to reply to him with more vague philosophical stuff, he...he doesn't know what he'll do, but he'll do something.]

[Whatever, whatever, his philosophical bullshit is important.

Or something.

But yeah no he won't respond with more of the same. Instead he just shrugs, pushing himself to his feet. He supposes visiting time is almost over and done with anyway, and honestly--]

I'll ask Three to bring by some more.

[Honestly, you deserve this, Nice.]

[Nice fights back another sigh when he sees that cue that Murasaki's on his way out. It's not that he normally cared whether he was alone or not, but he doesn't know who he'll ~~whine at~~ talk to now if he's by himself. The walls?

Or he'll just drive himself crazy about the reason why he's here in the first place.

But he doesn't show whatever he's thinking this time, because he doesn't!! care!! that much or anything!!!]

You better. I'm gonna die of boredom in here if you guys don't think of something to bring me.

[Instead he'll just keep acting like a huffy brat.]

[Wow Nice, tsun harder. He's rather not alienate the hospital staff by going way over the visiting limit when they (hope) want to have Nice in there for awhile longer.

So he just waves a hand over his shoulder as he heads to the door. Huff away, of course he'll be back.]

If you get too bored, try counting the cracks in the ceiling.

[Don't be a dick, Murasaki.

At least he'll remember to tell the nurse that he's hungry, though. And to tell Three to bring his most Shoujo manga possible.

But that might just be him being a dick again.]

[He'll take that as a challenge, Murasaki. He'll tell you just how many cracks there are the next time you come in here.

But as Murasaki heads to the door, and his back is turned to him, Nice's expression falls and he shifts in the bed as best as he could. He bites his lower lip in an effort not to make a noise and bring Murasaki back, and when the pain passes (somewhat), he exhales quietly. Back to his thoughts, he supposes...

...This really wasn't going to be easy to deal with, was it?]

Murasaki | Nice | 057

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