Choices (Rei no Kaado)

[mugenginga]

The sleeping arrangements hadn't changed in Atem and Yuugi's apartment. Well, from what they'd fallen back into recently. Yuugi had fallen into a light and restless sleep on the bed. Atem was finding sleep hard to come by on the couch. He would have liked to blame it on the Ring, but it wasn't working much.

Yuugi had run down what had happened after Malik left. Odds were that Bakura was with Malik now. That didn't bother Atem. Malik would be honest from the beginning with the teenager, and despite Malik's actions in the past he felt more comfortable with Malik helping Bakura than Adachi.

Atem let out a sigh and got up. He'd gotten maybe two hours of sleep. He knew Yuugi would chew him out if he realized it. This was not how he preferred to fight. Just sitting and waiting for someone to do something, for something to happen. His Partner was right about one thing. If they ever got back to their world (Atem knew it was possible they wouldn't, no matter how much his Partner tried to avoid that realization), he needed to enroll in school. Just for something hands on to do, if nothing else.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato hadn't slept at all. While Atem had at least managed a couple hours, Minato hadn't managed to sleep. Well, how could he, after what he'd seen. He'd watched Ryoji turn into that... thing. Ryoji had been right about one thing. It would have been better to not follow him.

He hadn't been able to stop Ryoji. Even running as fast as he could, he hadn't been able to make it down to where Ryoji was before he finally started changing. He'd tried to make it to Ryoji's side, but some force field had repelled him. All he could do was watch helplessly.

He should have tried harder to convince Ryoji. He'd given in to the inevitability of the Fall too. And now this was what it was.

Minato had his face half-hidden in the scarf much like Ryoji used to. He looked just about as broken as he felt right now, and the scarf--Ryoji's scarf--was just the final thing that proved it. He hadn't taken it off since he'd come back to their apartment. This old, frayed scarf was the only proof that Ryoji had existed. Minato hadn't found the clothes that Ryoji had tucked under the couch yet. He hadn't actually moved from the position he was sitting in on the couch in the hours that had passed since that Dark Hour. He didn't feel any motivation to do so. For all he cared, he could sit there until the Fall finally came. He'd failed to find a way to convince Ryoji not to leave, and now he was dead, his body and memories being used by that thing that wore his face and spoke with his voice.

[mugenginga]

Teddie had slept, but that wasn't saying much. The bear could fall asleep in the middle of a tornado and sleep through a hurricane. He had, however, woken up pretty early. He didn't think Sensei was awake yet. He sat up and just hung there for a few moments. He was in human form, merely because his mascot form apparently bothered people with the way it squeaked when he walked. He thought for a few moments before standing up.

He'd go talk to Minato. Sensei would probably try to stop him if he knew. He didn't quite understand why, but the subtleties of human emotions sometimes went over his head. When someone was depressed, wasn't it normal to try and make them feel better? He didn't think about leaving a note due to his concern for Minato as he walked over to the door and turned the handle. If Souji or Izanagi were going to catch him, they'd have to do so quickly.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji had managed to get some sleep, but it had been a troubled sleep. The knowledge of what had happened with Ryoji was the main thing that was bothering him. He'd just let Ryoji go. If he'd held Ryoji up somehow, this probably wouldn't have happened. He sat up in bed. It was his fault this had happened. Minato may have gotten to Ryoji in time if he hadn't had that arguement with him. Ryoji might not have left if he had just held his ground.

Do you really believe that? Izanagi asked. Souji sat up and looked in the general direction Izanagi was. By now, he'd managed to start being able to percieve the god's form. It was almost like looking into some sort of creepy mirror when he could get a clear image of Izanagi. He looked a lot like the Persona he really was, just without the mask. Which of course made things a tad bit creepier, because Izanagi had his face and hair.

I don't know. Maybe I should have stopped him. It doesn't change the fact that Ryoji's gone now. Souji replied. He looked toward the door as he heard what sounded like Teddie getting up and heading toward the door.

Are you going to try to stop him? Izanagi asked. Souji shook his head. Your choice. He paused. Stop beating yourself up so much about Ryoji.

I'm the one who let him go, Souji said back. He put his head in his hands. Minato probably hates me. I don't blame him.

[mugenginga]

Teddie let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind him. If Sensei had told him to stop, he would have. He thought about that for a moment and shook his head before anything could settle. Minato was more important right now. The hall was quiet. Well, it was pretty early. He walked down the hall and knocked cautiously on Minato's door. He found himself wondering if this was such a good idea... and told himself he was. Minato needed someone to talk to.

"Minato-kun...?" He said in a quiet voice after a moment.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

It took a moment for Minato to realize someone was knocking on his door. He looked up, and wondered if it was really worth it to answer it. It was when Teddie called his name that he finally stood up. His hand hovered on the doorknob for a moment before he finally pulled it open.

He looked toward Teddie, but he didn't say anything. He'd let Teddie speak first. He wasn't really sure why Teddie was here. No, he probably was here to cheer him up. Teddie had seen how he'd looked after coming back up those stairs. Minato found himself lowering his head so that the scarf partially shielded his face once again. It was almost funny how much he was copying Ryoji's own habits with that scarf.

[mugenginga]

Teddie was the poster child for sympathetic when he saw Minato's face. He hung in the door for a minute, just looking at Minato's concealed lower face and averted eyes. He took in a deep breath and put on a bit of a smile. It was far better than most of the group was at that kind of thing. He kept the smile as he spoke.

"Hey, Ryoji-kun wouldn't want you to be depressed!" he said, almost cheerfully. Almost cheerfully and completely ignorant of how not helpful that would likely be.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato almost looked shocked when Teddie spoke. Teddie had certainly managed to get an expression besides "broken and needs a kernel reinstall ASAP", but it wasn't positive. Minato slammed the door on the bear, but he didn't lock it. He just walked away from it and sat back down on the couch.

Just... go away, Teddie, Minato thought to himself.

[mugenginga]

Teddie winced at Minato's expression. He still seemed depressed, but now he also seemed angry. Teddie's eyes widened as the door began to fly at his face. He didn't react fast enough to avoid the second door in two days getting slammed in his face. He was in the process of trying to avoid that fate when it happened, and the surprise caused him to trip over his own foot and land on the ground rather hard. Man, it really hurt to fall in this form.

He rubbed his nose with one hand after making sure it wasn't bleeding. He rubbed his bottom with the other. He stared at the door with a depressed look for a moment. Then his expression changed to determined. Souji had probably heard the door slam, but if he hadn't he'd hear Teddie now hammering on the door.

"Minato-kun! You can't just hide in there forever!" His voice sounded a bit whiny, but there was a definite level of determination there as well.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"Go away, Teddie..." Minato finally said. It was quiet, and his voice was very pained. He didn't want to talk to the bear if all he was going to do was say things like that. He didn't even know why he'd even bothered opening the door in the first place if he'd known something like that was coming. It had been a stupid thing to do.

-----------------

Souji had left his apartment when he heard the door slam. Things obviously weren't going well, and with how loudly Teddie was talking and knocking, it was entirely likely he'd wake up the whole floor, if not the whole building.

He walked up behind Teddie and put a hand on his shoulder. "I think he might need some time to himself, Teddie."

Actually, that was probably the last thing Minato needed. Souji realized that, but he certainly wasn't saying that.

[mugenginga]

Teddie showed no signs of stopping his hammering. Maybe he was being rude. If he took the time to think about it, he'd convince himself he was. The threat of those thoughts to formulate were pushed away by the look Minato had been wearing.

He opened his mouth to say something again when Souji put his hand on his shoulder. His eyes got wide and he jumped. The only reason he didn't literally jump was that Souji increased the weight on his shoulder. He turned to the silver haired teenager as he spoke.

"I don't think that's gonna do any good, Sensei..." Teddie mumbled. He looked at Minato's door again for a moment before turning back to Souji. He looked determined again, "What about our other friends? Would we just leave them alone after they lost someone, too? Moping won't bring Ryoji-kun back, and there might still be something we can do, right?"

It was a surprisingly clear way of thinking. For anyone. It was a case where Teddie's race may have done more good than not, the way a child could often see things clearer than an adult. It was overly optimistic... but it was Teddie. He did seem to be weighing his thoughts based on what Souji said next.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji was quiet after Teddie spoke. He seemed to be going over things in his head. He couldn't seem to decide what to do here. He was worried about how Minato would treat him, most of all. The guy probably wouldn't forgive him for what had happened. He said that they couldn't have done anything. But Minato had to have blamed him for what had happened.

So you're not going to help cheer him up? Izanagi asked.

I... I just... It's still my fault everything happened. How can I face him after that? Souji asked.

You can at least try to cheer him up. He just lost someone special to him. You nearly lost someone special to you before, remember? Everyone did their best to cheer you up then. You need to do the same for Minato. And besides...

Souji didn't hear anything else Izanagi might have said because he'd turned back toward Teddie. "...Yeah. We've got to at least try to cheer him up, you're right." And besides, Souji couldn't believe that Ryoji was totally gone. He just couldn't believe that Ryoji had been totally wiped out like that. He walked past Teddie and knocked lightly on the door.

"Minato," Souji said. There was no response from inside the apartment. He repeated Minato's name, and still got no response.

"Minato, Ryoji didn't leave like that just for you to wallow in your own self-pity," Souji said. When that got no response, Souji spoke up again. "You said Ryoji had been lost once before. He should have disappeared. But he came back, Minato. Once to talk to your friends after you sealed Nyx. And once again in a human form. He could have come back as some random person, or just as plain Death. But he came back as Ryoji, the friend you knew. What does that mean, Minato?"

There wasn't a response from Minato, but Souji got the feeling he was listening now.

[mugenginga]

Teddie was relieved as Souji confirmed that he'd been doing the right thing. He watched Souji walk past him and tap on the door. After his own hammering had been responsed with a weak plea to go away, Teddie wasn't sure Minato would respond at all. However, Souji kept trying. Teddie looked unsure about what to do for a moment, but Souji had started looking as determined as he felt.

"Sensei is right, Minato-kun! If you just give up, of course it'll be over! You..." Teddie hesitated, but shook his head, "I mean, how will Ryoji-kun know things can be faced if you can't face it yourself! I'm sure he thinks you're stronger than him, Minato-kun!"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

There was still silence from inside the apartment. Souji had been about to speak up again when Minato's weak voice came through the door again.

"Stronger than him...? Yeah, right," Minato said. He still sounded pained. "I couldn't stop him from leaving; how is that stronger than him?"

"Because you are trying to fight. Ryoji's just giving into what he thinks he has to do. But you're fighting back," Souji said. "You're doing the one thing he's not."

There was a pause before Minato opened the door. He still looked like hell, and he was still wearing the scarf. He didn't look very inclined to talk still, too. He looked from Souji to Teddie and held up the loose end of the scarf with one hand.

"I... want to give this back to him myself. Can't really do that if it's not Ryoji, huh?" Minato said. He still looked horribly pained as he spoke. "I'm sorry. I just really wanted some time to myself." He gave a chuckle. "I probably look like hell right now... I'm even wearing his scarf." He tugged the scarf's end he was holding and it pulled a little closer around his neck.

[mugenginga]

Teddie smiled. It had worked, he'd been really worried it hadn't. He nodded quickly, his hair moving with what fell just short of headbanging. He grabbed Minato's left hand with both of his own and gave him a smile honest enough to come from a little kid.

"You look fine! It's beary natural," Teddie had to pause to snirk. Souji probably facepalmed, "that you're depressed, but you can't let it stop you from trying! I said so, didn't I? Giving up is the only way to really lose!"

One had to wonder if his time with Yuugi and Atem wasn't rubbing off. It was the kind of thing the two would say, after all. Atem especially, he was pretty adamant in that regard.