geophile | cerealia

[ so that's his name... it occurs to him that while it was awful to see him die in the first place, it was even worse to not know his name and mourn him properly. in steven's eyes, no one should have to have their life end without at least that much acknowledgement.

he remains silent until neji rises back up and he can look him in the eye... or lack thereof. steven is a perceptive person; he notices it right away. the absence of pupils is unsettling, but still not the strangest thing he's seen in his past forty-eight hours of being conscious. ]

Steven Stone.

[ if neji is expecting an outburst, scolding, or something else of that nature, he won't receive it. instead, he's offered a leather glove-clad hand to shake. ]

There won't be any need for that.

[It's confusing, but he can't show it. He still knows nothing of this man and in the end that's what the mission failure laid on- the fucking poor thought put behind the assembled team. In extension, the poor thought and action of said team, of the ones who could have done better, of the one who had trained and known and just. Hadn't. But despite appearances. the boy's no senseless masochist.

His eyes drift from Steven's own to quickly read what he can of the man's body language.

None of it told him he was feigning sincerity. It was confusing, and Neji didn't grip the outstretched hand until his own final warning,] You had every right, Mr. Steven.

['Had'. Neji isn't sure he does right by taking the gloved hand and giving a short but firm shake. He does it anyway. Gods, he didn't know a damn thing anymore but that didn't mean he had to broadcast himself as the fool.

Alright. Well. Pax. What followed? He didn't even have the right to ask for the fates of the others and he wouldn't intrude on Steven's.] My apologies can't suffice for the risk I put the team through and so I won't apologize. I could excuse my actions but it would likewise do no good. [To hell with this--] Are you well?

Just Steven, please.

[ when it comes to names, steven has never been one for formalities in regards to himself. especially now that they have the event of their deaths hanging over them, keeping that sort of distance would only be facilitating further isolation and bad blood.

he feels guilty for not being able to do more and for making hasty decisions. the least he can do at this point is be somewhat amicable. ]

Don't shoulder all of the responsibility yourself. We all had a hand in what transpired. [ at least let him take on some of that burden. ] Relatively speaking, I'm fine. And yourself?

Edited 2016-06-07 19:02 (UTC)

[He nods. To hell with formalities as well, then. He'd hate to admit it'd have felt better to fall back on obligations of politeness. That this was going so... smoothly, he supposes, is exhausting.

It was a good man he was facing, he guesses. But there had to be more, and he wasn't seeing it. He wasn't seeing it, and it was gnawing at him and making his stomach churn in violent, repressed frustration.

Being so blind was so new to him; it didn't make his new life seem worth the breaths he took.] Likewise. I'm fine.

[He'd died, and he won't ever see his home again. That was fine. He'd died here before-- a week ago, tops. Death was cheap, but that time it'd had a reason and-] And your summons? [And Neji didn't come here to talk about himself, or dawdle.]

[ steven is usually one for formalities, but right now just doesn't seem appropriate to use them. they aren't friends, but they certainly aren't strangers - what kind of relationship do you have with someone that you watched die? ]

I'm glad to hear that. [ he really is, but his second questions makes him raise an eyebrow. ] If you're referring to my Pokémon, they're all fine. Carbink has some recovering to do, but it should be back to full health soon.

[Carbink is the name Neji knows, and he represses the urge to let the chill wash over him in a shudder at the memory of the thing. --it'd been possessed after all, so. He nods. Alright. Pokemon, then.] In my world they'd be referred to as summons, I suppose. However the summons work through a contract between the ninja and the animal not--

[Rocks??] the creatures your Pokemon are. [It's dawning on him... and he's looking confused... samurai frogs were tolerable but rocks with cute or angry faces were just. Weird.

Stone's a weird guy and with a name like that Neji wonders if he should even be surprised.

Moving on! Again. Job's done, so with a small pause Neji will bow again. Slightly, this time, just 'politely' this time. He can't help the freeze the other must be feeling if he's so covered in the summer heat.] If that's all then I should take my leave, Steven. [And he's sorry but they knew that meant jack shit.]

Then the difference is clear already. No contract between my Pokémon and I exists.

[ just good ol' fashioned bonds of friendship here! but that's a story for another day - right now, his focus is on neji and his well-being. they had all met the same fate, but the young man facing him had reached it in a particularly violent way. ]

Very well. But before you do... I feel as though I owe you an apology of my own.

[ there's a pause. ]

I feel as though I am at least in part to blame for what happened to us. I should have used my position to a more practical degree, and I regret not being able to do more.

[That is not comforting. There's a flash in his eyes that implies as much and then it's extinguished- sure, then. A conversation for another day.

Neji's expression remains blank as the man continues. He feels as if he ought to be offended (and he tells himself he's been feeling that a lot. _{chill, goddamn})- as if he's somehow being treated like a child just by virtue of being younger than Steven. He wouldn't allow an apology of his but he'd issue his own?

...

Neji figures, of all times to pass poor judgement on a man, now wasn't the best.] It's no longer about what we could have done [versus should have, because that's a haunt for the ages.] but about what we do next. [So.] I suspect you know that, so I doubt I have anything else that's appropriate to say. Heal well, Mister Steven.

[He'll see Steven around later so he'll quit while he's ahead. That means he's gone in a puff of smoke the next instant. Nothing personal- the kid just wants to get back to his damn room.]

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