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It's okay. I didn't want you to bother with it.

[ So much for that. ]

I'll see you soon. Bye.

[ She hangs up and stares at her phone, letting out another heavy sigh before she continues her trek home. She walks through the door a few minutes later, putting her backpack & books down next to the couch before heading to the kitchen. ]

I'm home, Dad!

[Kotetsu can't quite seem to give an answer, and only responds in a slight hum so she knows he's listening. After the conversation, Kotetsu just sort of wanders about aimlessly through the house, incapable of deciding on what he wants to do to make the time go by faster as he waits for Kaede to return home, yet nothing he does can get his mind off of thinking about Barnaby and what Stuco had bluntly told him about.

When Kaede gets home, Kotetsu is seated in a chair in the living room, a glass of water in one hand filled with ice, because he couldn't bring himself to pull out a beer since he knows it would just lead to another, and another, and Kaede wouldn't definitely not want to speak to him then. When he hears her voice, it startles him, because it feels somehow surreal, and he stands up from his chair and walks over to the entrance way of the kitchen into the living room, and he stops, mournful, hesitant eyes on Kaede as he gives her a lackluster smile.]

Welcome home. ...um, are you hungry?

[ There we go. She'd rather startle him from far away than up close and receive a Wild Tiger reflex of some sort as a result.

She has been trying to figure out how to explain the murder to him, attempting to predict what he might ask about. The location, the manner in which Barnaby was killed, how long he was dead for, where he woke up, who the killer was, why they did it — answers she has...mostly solid answers for. She pushed the image of a lifeless Barnaby out of her head so much...

The refrigerator door closes as she returns a small smile to Kotetsu, lifting up her yogurt cup in response to his question and then going for a granola bar pack. ]

Just a bit. This will tide me over until dinner. Um... [ Snack items in hand, she makes eye contact with her father, shifting around a bit. ] Do you want to speak in the office...?

[There is an inkling of disappointment of not being able to grab something for Kaede, or even make a makeshift sandwich, which would occupy his heavy feeling, numb limbs for a couple of minutes, but Kotetsu widens his smile a little more, moving aside so Kaede can move along side him to take a seat in the living room--]

--oh, yeah, that'd be good. Better. Petra's upstairs. [Kotetsu rubs at the back of his head.] Wouldn't want her stepping in and overhearing anything... y'know. That'd be best for her.

Mm.

[ She'll lead the way to the office, sitting on the couch inside it as Kotetsu enters after her. Her legs are tucked under her as she leans against the arm, her thoughts beginning to overwhelm her. She finds herself breaking up her granola bars into smaller pieces than usual, and makes herself stop, emptying the contents into her yogurt cup and stirring it all up. The hunger she usually had after school is slowly dissipating as she gears up to have this talk.

Before she gives the floor to her father, Kaede looks up at him, finishing her first spoon before speaking. ]

How did you find out...?

[He easily takes a seat next to her, not quite having the strength to start the conversation just yet and instead sits there and watches as she occupies herself with her snack. Kotetsu would find the awkward movements endearing and adorable if he wasn't dreading the conversation to come, and it's when she finally speaks up that he freezes, eyes widening before dropping down to the ground, and it's like his heart tumbles out of his chest.

So, it's true. He hadn't wanted it to be, and he still doesn't, and in fact he's still telling himself it's nothing but a terrible joke because the thought of it almost makes him want to throw up. Kotetsu licks his lips and tries to find his voice.]

You know how I told you I met a few friends of yours? I mentioned one that called you a Hostess? He asked me if I wanted to know some things, and I said yes. ...I probably should've said no, but... [Kotetsu's voice trails off as he laughs weakly, shaking his head as he runs a hand through his hair. Meddling has always been his forte. It just figured it would finally come around and bite him where it hurt most.]

I thought he was kidding. I mean, he was just a kid, and I never met him before, so I didn't think... that kind of joke, about Bunny... [His hands settle on his knees before he wrings them together, nervously fiddling around with his wedding band before he wraps a hand around his wrist, gripping the call band tightly, and his voice goes quiet.] It's not a joke, is it?

[ The Student Council President. Part of her wants to be furious at him for letting the cat out of the bag, but it wasn't like she had asked people to keep quiet about it. She settles for being a bit mad at him and eating several more spoonfuls of her granola & yogurt with a slight scowl on her face.

The scowl gives way to a taste of bitterness in her mouth. This talk could have been non-existent if the Landlord hadn't been bored the hell out of his mind and brainwashed two residents to do the murders. Add tho the fact that Kotetsu nor Barnaby will ever remember it outside of what they see on the network and hear from others......

Ugh, memory issues. Something else to be annoyed about another time.

She has some more of her snack as she shakes her head slowly. ]

It's not.

Edited 2014-02-25 13:45 (UTC)

[The air feels heavy, and there's a weight on Kotetsu's shoulders that could almost crush him. His hands curl into tight fists as he shuts his eyes, jaw tight and expression pained. So this is the true reality of Holly Heights. He hadn't expected anything like this at all. It just seemed like a bizarrely quaint little town, no one bothered enough to cause a scene or any ruckus. It all felt so normal and at-ease that it was hard to remember sometimes that you weren't supposed to belong there. It was almost perfect. Just... too perfect, and now, Kotetsu understood why. Because it had been a lie.

If it wasn't Kaede sitting there at his side, the anger and disgust bubbling up inside of Kotetsu would have burst forth and overflowed. Something needed to happen, someone needed to pay for what they had done to Barnaby. He needed answers, there needed to be consequences, he needed to do something, anything, because he was a hero, because Barnaby was his partner, because...

But it didn't matter, because there was nothing he could do.

Kotetsu's head hung low as his fists reached up to press against his closed eyes in order to fight against his tears.

Even if Barnaby was alive now, even if he was still with him, Kotetsu had let him down, had lost him, and there had been nothing he could do about it. Just like Tomoe. This was how it would always be, reminders that there were always things he couldn't fix, things he could do nothing about, things that were just facts etched into permanent stone.

You can't always save everyone.]

[ Kaede finishes up her snack as silence hangs in the air, not sure exactly what to do next. It is not as if she has experienced her dad's defenses being down like this many times, especially when she can be actively aware of it.

A glance is thrown his way, and her eyes soften as she realizes how hard he's trying not to be— not emotional, no. Her dad always shows emotion, but it is more how much he is blaming himself.

Again.

She closes any distance between them, kneeling on the couch and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. ]

Dad. [ Her voice is soft, but firm. ] Dad, don't beat yourself up over this, please.

[As soon as he feels her arms wrap around him, Kotetsu loops an arm across her waist, holding her just as close, if not closer, and he leans his head against her, inhaling the soft, warm scent of her hair. He knows she's only trying to reassure him, and it works to a degree, because for years she's always been his anchor, the one thing keeping him grounded whenever things went to hell, but still... reality is a hard thing to ignore, and it takes a while for Kotetsu to answer back.]

I don't know what happened, but I'm not gonna let it happen again. I'm going to stay right here, and I promise... I promise...

[Kotetsu swallows hard as he turns more to the side so he can wrap both his arms around Kaede, loosening his hold so he wouldn't end up crushing her or accidentally make their embrace painful. He lets out a deep breath, and for a moment, Kaede feels so small in his arms. So fragile and delicate, like anything could happen to her if she were all alone. But she's not, and neither is Barnaby.]

You and Bunny are going to be okay. I'll make sure of it. I promise.

[ She doesn't hold it against him that he does not respond back almost immediately. She would be just as shocked, if not more so, if she were told her dad had been murdered and she was not here for it, or she was here and didn't remember due to leaving & then coming back. The arm around her waist is response enough.

He cannot see her, but the smile on her face is one of bitterness, because she knows that promise won't be kept. Kotetsu might— no, would fight the Landlord himself to keep it, and just that thought warms Kaede's heart. She lifts her head up to place a kiss on his cheek, giving him a bright smile as she pulls away. ]

I know, and I have others looking out for me, too. We'll be okay, Dad. But, I don't want you losing sleep and your appetite over what is the past. As you said, let's make sure it doesn't happen again.

[All the tension in his body immediately melts away at the feeling of Kaede's lips against his cheek, and he can't fight back the wide, adoring grin that spreads over his face as he looks at her, reaching up a hand to rub at Kaede's head.]

Yeah, you're right. And I don't want you worrying about me either. I'll remember that. [Leaning in, he places a kiss on her forehead before trying to engulf her into his arms again, a much more affectionate hug than the desperate one he'd held her in a few seconds ago.]

You've grown up so much, I'm so proud of you. To think that some day you're going to be a big, strong, intelligent lady. I better be careful, since I'll get too old to say no to anything you tell me. I wouldn't even last a three count! [Ignoring the fact that she can already bend him to her will with just her pinkie finger alone.]

Good. [ The embrace this time is very different from his previous one; this one feels like Kotetsu: warm, secure, silly. The previous one was an embrace she rarely saw, let alone be on the receiving end of it. She lets the thought go and her hands grasp his shirt just a bit tighter.

A laugh emanates from her and she pulls away with a mischievous smile on her face. ]

Careful, I'll prove you wrong soon enough.

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