Week 5 - Sunday, Eddie

[killtheanimals]

[He's hiding somewhat less by the time Sunday rolls around, which is to say at least he isn't hanging out in a tree at this exact moment. Instead, he's... around, wearing subdued clothes, face drawn from exhaustion. Perhaps unsurprising, given the week as well as, well, yesterday.

He's also unsurprisingly being even less social than normal. Eddie's going to have to approach him first, since he's currently just kind of staring out at the lake from the shade of the canoe-shack, staff in his lap even as he spins the Ragnaruk in his hand.]

Comments

[itsagazebo]

[Eddie looks just as exhausted... partly from the stress of the trial and partly because he slept outside by the fire last night. He has his hands stuffed in his pockets as he approaches. Unsure if Mitsuru would even want to talk to him, he hesitates for a moment. But... the amount of people he can trust is dwindling and, even if he hadn't been particularly close to Mitsuru before, Boa had... and that counts for something.

He takes a deep breath and steps forward, clearing his throat softly]

Hey Mitsuru.

[killtheanimals]

[He glances up at Eddie. Normally, there's a look of determination in him, a steely coldness that comes with being prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.

Today, that look is gone. He's just... tired. And though he made a promise to Boa he fully intends to keep, he just doesn't have the energy to keep pushing ahead, not right now.]

...Hey.

[He's still very small, all things considered. The fact that he's hunched up the way he is right now doesn't help.]

[itsagazebo]

[Well... that's something. He looks down at his feet]

You... [Shit. He scoffs and scuffs his foot in the dirt] fuck, I was just gonna ask if you were okay. Of course you're not okay. I... I don't think any of us are.

[killtheanimals]

[He won't meet Eddie's gaze, eyes returning to the sand. Clenching his hand around the beyblade.

His voice is rough from the tears of last night and toneless, too weary to interject much emotion at all.]

Makes you wonder what the point is, doesn't it? Even if we come up with plans to protect ourselves, she'll just ruin it all anyway.

[He's still furious at Red. But even those flames have died out; there's just not enough fuel to maintain it.]

[itsagazebo]

[Eddie nods, moving to sit down near Mitsuru.]

Yeah... What the fuck can we do? We can't all stick together, we can't hang out with the same people every week... how can we stay safe?! I mean... what if... what if she splits Richie and me up next week, too, and one of us...

[He swallows the lump in his throat. His voice is soft as he admits something that he's been too afraid to say out loud before now.]

what if one of us is next?

[killtheanimals]

...

The reason she gave was because you had spent too many times together. Boa...

[Why does it hurt to say this?]

...I'm still going to be working with Boa. With whatever he can find out over... there.

[Maybe they'll hate that, judging by their reactions to him yesterday. But it's the honest truth, and even like this, Mitsuru isn't going to hold that back.]

He's the one who wanted your safety. It'll be up to you, but... if one of you can find someone else you trust, someone you haven't spent time with yet who you think can protect you...

I'll protect the other, just as we planned before.

[He can honor that much, if they'll let him.]

[itsagazebo]

I'll... I'll help. With working with Boa, I mean... at least, I can try. I want to try.

[As much as he'd been against even talking to the undead campers, and as much as he argued with Nine about whether or not they were still in there... he'd made the decision to try to hope that they were. To hope that there was still some glimmer of a chance that they could be saved, somehow. That they weren't gone for good.]

Thank you, Mitsuru. I... I know we haven't really hung out much. Hell, I barely know you at all! But... I know that Boa trusted you... and that's enough for me.

[killtheanimals]

[...It's almost strange, how much help he keeps... (asking?) receiving from these two now. It's a very sudden shift from not only before, but his usual MO of trading what he can learn with others, more a business transaction than a sign of any friendliness.]

...Then I suppose it's about time I actually earned it.

[All his attempts to combat this system so far have ended in failure. He's tempering his hopes now, realized that even if they play by the "rules," the "rules" still allow the adults to manipulate circumstances as they please.

But through his weariness, some of that petty spite reignites just enough. Just enough to keep him going. He will win this stupid game, one way or another.]

Before... Red. I promised him I'd speak with him on Monday. The real him, of course.

[itsagazebo]

[That brings a ghost of a smile to Eddie's lips. He's spent most of the time here distrusting Mitsuru because he was so mysterious and cagey about his powers and didn't seem to like... anyone. But he's starting to see some of what Boa saw.]

And trust works two ways. I'll do what I can, too. [He pauses, thinking as he bites his lip] Do you really think you can still get through to him?

[killtheanimals]

[It wasn't really an inaccurate assessment.]

That probably depends more on him than me, unfortunately. I was able to get Lillith to speak with me, and I hardly talked to her when she was... with us.

But if she could do it... I have no doubt he'll fulfill his promise.

[itsagazebo]

[Eddie nods]

Yeah. Yeah, he's strong. And stubborn as hell. If anyone can do it, he can.