[ The screen showing the map closes when Komaeda begins his response, allowing Maple to be seen on the screen once more. Was that against the law? Certainly, patient information was to be kept confidential, but she was a part of his work computer. But she doesn't know those statues very well, so perhaps just having this conversation was indeed against the law. She accepts the premise for now.
Maple watches as he rummages, listens to the sound of his voice, the loud rattle of a single item bouncing against the metal inside the tin, but she chooses to say nothing. If the words hurt her heart, then the voice that he uses to speak them with are enough to shatter it to pieces. But she listens, quiet and impassive, allowing him to all those feelings that were buried inside of his own fragile heart.
That's what she's here for, because she could offer an unconditional love that no human could. No matter how much it hurt, she would never despair. She would never feel anything but this sadness, this desire for them to be happy, this unfaltering belief that they can be. ]
... And what did you say, Komaeda-kun? [ She asks in that gentle tone from before, like a mother soothing a child. ] Did you clearly tell him, "Hiyori-san, I don't love you. I don't want to be with you, and I don't need you in my life to find happiness?" Did you tell him to move on?
[ She watches him carefully, searching to see how he'll react as she goes on. ]
Or did you tell him, "loving me is a mistake?" Did you tell him that you're not a person who should be loved, or one who wants to be loved, because you can only hurt the people around you?
[ She shakes her head. ]
That's a painful thing for people to hear, Komaeda-kun. If you have a drop of love for someone, you can recover from them not loving you. But it's harder when they reject themselves... Even for me, it's painful to hear you speak.
[ ... ]
But if you think he's using you, or if you don't share his feelings, then just refuse him clearly. I don't know what he'll do, because you haven't done that yet. But I think he'll accept it... And if he doesn't, you'll know that you were right.
Edited 2021-11-24 03:57 (UTC)
(deleted comment)
no!!!!! they're going to be together until death does them part (when midori dies in the death game)
[ It really is a sad situation, and it only gets sadder as she continues to listen to him. What she sees before her is a person who wants to accept the love of another person, but who feels guilty even for wanting that much. She considers his question carefully, not wanting to give him the wrong answer now. Hiyori was a careless person who often forget to think of others, and she doesn't want to see the fragile child before hurt by him.
Even so, she loves him for all of his flaws. Does frown a little at the sight of the tin, and it's easy to see that she recognizes it. The tin still has the faint scent of the chocolates that it once contained, and Komaeda will find a simple object inside - something wrapped up in what seems to be a repurposed candy wrapper, the ends twisted tight around the oblong object within it. If he chooses to unwrap it, he'll find the spare key for the office hidden within it. ]
I don't know if Sou-kun would be a good person for you or not, Komaeda-kun, and only you can decide that. Your heart is fragile, and you should protect it.
[ Maple says that first, believing it to be more important than the answer which follows it, ]
But Sou-kun isn't lying to you. He's can be selfish and irresponsible, but if he wanted to lie and use somebody, he could. He was born into a rich family, and he's a prestigious doctor, so he has many admirers. But he grew tired of them quickly... So I believe that if he wasn't, then he would have grown tired of you by now too.
[ Perhaps there was a benefit to somebody who couldn't remember, somebody who would forget every transgression over and over. But so, too, was there a benefit to using a person who you could slowly build up and use every single memory against. Every touch, every gift, every kind word you gave, every cruel action and word they returned it with. Those memories were powerful.
There was no reason for him not to go for an easier mark, really. She gives him a moment to digest that before she continues on. ]
... It's normal for you to want to be held by somebody. It's normal to want them to be kind to you. It doesn't matter if you think you deserve it. The fact that you want to give and take those things is what makes you human.
[ Silently, just to herself, she hopes that one day he can find somebody who can help him to accept just how human he is. ]
Edited (key) 2021-11-24 05:54 (UTC)
(deleted comment)
tbh he could just get a new doll body plus there's a lot of downtime so they can have romance
[ ( between all of the deaths. Use that time the right way. )
Maple really is like her creator. No matter how much Komaeda denies his own existence, no matter how dramatic his shifts, she only offers that pained smile in return. It hurts her to see him like this. It's painful to hear a human talk about themselves so, but she can't hate him, and she can't feel angry with him. So she can only curse her existence, confined to a screen, when she wants to do so much more for him. She would like to set him down with black or green tea and have a proper discussion with him at a table, and to be able to take his hand and lean in and tell him how important he really was. Maple wants to be able to do this and so much more, but from her current position she can always watch.
There's a touch of relief when he slips the tin away, and she completely misses that the item inside was dropped, but it's overshadowed completely by the sight of this pitiful child disparaging himself. It's a disturbing sight, and Maple all at once understands Hiyori's obsession with this boy. It was a project, and it was the best and worst of humanity all rolled into one neat little package. It was a person whom he could both fix and shower with all of his adoration. It was a person who needed both. ]
... Yes, Sou-kun designed me to love humans. That's why I love Komaeda-kun so much, even though we just met. Sou-kun also believes in human potential.
[ So perhaps it really is only natural that she would reflect that. ]
That's why... Sou-kun and I both want more of you. I want you to be something that you say you say that you can't possibly be. That's my hope... Will you stomp on that, too, in hopes of snuffing it out?
[ Perhaps that's why he hated the doctor so much for keeping him alive. How painful it must be to be forced to continue to exist when you wanted to die, how miserable it must be to be brought back from the brink just to be told you needed to be more. And perhaps the hopes and wishes of an AI don't matter.
But her wishes and hopes are Hiyori's as well, because she was created in his image. ]
(deleted comment)
HE IS... god that's such a pure romance, gimmie, and basically i've had to give so much thought to
[ ( this specific issue and doll biology because this asshole can't keep it in his pants i hate it )
There's a slight relief when he doesn't make an immediate effort to crush that hope of hers. Her hope isn't so fragile that a human could snuff it out, but that doesn't mean a person who loves hope so much couldn't inflict wounds by dismissing it out of hand. Maple, just strings of code and only half of a person, is nonetheless human enough to hurt. There's no tension for her to ease up, because she wanted to believe he would listen to her, but her expression brightens. ]
I'll always be cheering for both of you, Komaeda-kun.
[ Without a doubt, she would. Has he calmed down a little? It seems that he has. If this conversation managed to alleviate even a fraction of the weight in his heart, then it's served it's purpose. Komaeda, she thinks, is the kind of human that she was meant to support - a person who's heart is so frail that any single person might crush it in their hand. It was so much easier to speak with a program that was incapable of all of those cruel things.
She shouldn't think it, since Hiyori doesn't seem to have agreed to it, but she's glad that he came in. Maple flags the data as protected, ready to delete it as promised; she'll protect the fractured pieces of him that were shared with her. ]
I know you'll make the right decision. [ Whatever that may be, so long as it's one he can commit to. ] ... I'm glad that you came to talk to me, Komaeda-kun.
(deleted comment)
all of the above, lord they're both such thirsty fucks i can't deal w/ it but it gotta happen now
[ Whatever satisfaction she gets from hearing that he'll come back is short lived, as there's a little squeak from Maple as he falls, and her hands come up to her chest. ]
Komaeda-kun! ... Are you okay, Komaeda-kun? Be careful...
[ She's worried.
Elsewhere, Hiyori has finally made his way back to the apartment. As Maple had predicted, he had offered to compensate for the trouble he'd caused by taking her out. That had not been enough for her, and he had been volunteered to buy for both her and Namida, and was hardly in a position to refuse. His wallet is lighter for it, and he's far later in getting back than anticipated, but in the end it had proven to be fortunate. Their outings tended to be strained, with Harai only lightening up after two or three rounds, but wit the three of them together it had almost felt like their high school days.
Almost, if not for that ever present distance between them.
But he's back now, and the apartment door is locked. He digs around in his pocket with a frown, remembering that his key is in somebody else's care. Did that mean Komaeda was here? Or perhaps he had simply locked it on his way out. That would be regrettable.
...
It's just intuition, but he thinks that he should slip in quietly. So rather than ring the doorbell or try calling his home line, he walks to the next apartment over. He takes out the keychain with his office key, and pops the door open. He rented out both, finding that he had the funds to and finding it to convenient for his needs. It was a place that was warm, personalized, and that seemed to be lived in.
he'd paid somebody to do it, and he'd let somebody on hard times live there for free while he set them up. It had proven to be convenient, as they'd added their own charm to it, and they had repaid him the favor tenfold by now. It gave him a place to take those one night stands and short lived relationships, people who had no place knowing who he was, and for those guests and relationships that he wanted to build up in earnest but might think him cold if they saw the monochrome colors and sparse conditions of his apartment.
Ah, in retrospect, he should have sent Komaeda here. But it might have been too obvious.
Regardless, he's quick to retrieve the key to the adjacent apartment and lock it up tight. Then he walks into the only apartment that he'd denote as his, and pushes the door open, slipping in quietly before shutting it behind him and locking that behind him. He walks through the apartment quietly, keeping his steps light - he had always excelled at slipping in and out of places undetected.
Is anyone here? ]
(deleted comment)
THEY REALLY ARE???? rich people smh please shoot him, put me out of my misery here
[ She gives a little wave in return. The had been talking for quite some time, and if Hiyori wasn't home yet, he would be. After he exits, Komaeda will find that luck favors him now - the window will shut with, though it seems likely that it wasn't intended to. He's free to act as he will with it.
Hiyori pads his way through the house. He pays a glance in the kitchen, and he has the distinct sense that something is off in his apartment. He's always been sensitive to slight changes. This place is always left exactly the same way due to how rarely he's here for very long, and so it's easy for him to pick up on slight differences. He frowns, looking here and there, but he's not able to pin down the reason for his unease. Was he being paranoid...?
He makes a note to look more thoroughly later. For now, he needs to see if there's anyone here. It would be worse to miss that, and worse yet if they found something they weren't supposed to. Into the main room he goes, finding that things to be largely in place. The keys on the table (grabbed on his way in) had told him that somebody had been here, but that didn't mean they still were.
He doesn't hear the shuffling or voices in the office; it's fairly well soundproofed, which is a disadvantage in this case. He takes out his phone, checking again for any missed calls or text messages. There's nothing. He moves to replace it, but fumbles, and it falls to the floor with a loud clatter. He curses under his breath - he wasn't normally this clumsy, but he was running on empty these last few days, and Harai had managed to get him to have a couple rounds. Not enough to be of any concern, but certainly enough to add to his exhaustion. He thinks idly that he should make some coffee as he shakes his head and reaches to pick it up.
Where next...? Well, the answer to that is obvious. He steps in the direction of the hallway. There's only a few more places that he needs to check. ]
(deleted comment)
GODDD I'M NOT SURE HE CAN COME BACK ANY HORNIER, HE'S ALREADY SOOOO BAD
[ Hiyori hears the sound of flushing, followed by running water. That answered his question. He tests the door to his office, and is satisfied to find it locked. He completes the rest of his check. He doesn't see anything immediately out of the ordinary, though a part of him wonders if he should be leaving him alone in any part of his house. He really doesn't want to have a medical emergency on his hands, but nor does he want to have a police investigation. It wouldn't lead to anything, but it was nonetheless a nuisance to have to go through all the formalities.
He accepts it in the end as he completes his check, deciding it to be a bit too invasive to be bothering an invited guest. He was free to use the bath and guest room as he pleased, after all. He leaves well enough alone and returns to his kitchen, removing a keurig out and a coffee pod out of a cabinet, along with a mug. He goes through all the motions of making a cup of coffee, adding far too much cream and sugar to it, putting everything back again, and then he's back into his main room. He sits on the sofa and sips at it slowly, trying wash away the disgusting taste of liquor that's stuck to his tongue. Harai really did have a stronger tolerance than him.
Hm... He wonders why something feels off, though. He can normally pinpoint it easily. He supposes if his guest isn't done by the time he finishes his coffee, he'll see if he can't figure it out. He should be more awake by then. It's the same way he spends most mornings spent here, and it's a variation of how he spends most evenings. He would have to remember to check on Maple when he could; Hiyori avoids stepping into his office while there's company.
But for now, he waits, and uses this time to try and organize his thoughts now that he finally has a moment to. ]
(deleted comment)
i mean i'd let him smash me ngl it's a very anatomically correct horny doll so it's fine it's fine
[ Hiyori chugs down his coffee faster than he should. It's gone and the empty mug set in the sink before he knows it, and then he's in the master bathroom scrubbing his teeth and using mouthwash. It's terrible for one's gums by brushing so close to consuming sugars, but he supposes that it doesn't hurt to do so every once in awhile. It would eliminate the sickly sweet scent on his breath, at least. He'd already cleaned up before going into his meeting. But having heard a bit of Komaeda's voice along his way - just enough to recognize the song - he takes a moment to go into his closet.
When he was younger, Hiyori had learned multiple instruments, but only truly focused on two. The piano was learned as was tradition for a genius child from a wealthy family, and the violin was learned for his passion and its elegance. There's a keyboard in the adjacent apartment. He should have one installed here, he thinks, for those times when he feels like playing it. He still practices, ensuring that his fingers can always deftly navigate the keys, but it's not his passion.
Ahh, there's so much that he's lost to his pursuits...
But while his guest is occupied, he takes the violin out and nudges the closet closed before returning to the main room. His fatigue hasn't faded in the least, even with the coffee, so he thinks that perhaps this will wake him up. A bittersweet and romantic song, he thinks, befitting of what he heard, while he whittles away the time and forces himself out of this drowsy, tipsy state.
Ahh, he should just drag that child in. He shouldn't play games of love. He should force him under the knife and under the machines and toy with his brain and his skin and his body and see where the dice land. He would die under his care and be a stepping stone for their pursuits, or he would survive and lead to the salvation of so many others... He would become hope in either case, a happy outcome for both of them...
He settles back down on the couch, thinking of how irrational love is. He'd invited a stranger back to his apartment, given in the wrong key, the wrong address. How irrational he was. How tired. How he wished the drown the world, as in Christian tales, so that it might be reborn as something greater. He could create a world with no Ultimates. How lovely that would be, for how few of them were needed. He'd killed them, and the world had lost nothing, for he had filled each and every gap they'd left. In the end, after a few practice motions, Hiyori settles on a romantic melody, adding just a touch of melancholy to the notes so that he it suits his heart. It's as flawless as everything else that he so chooses to do.
Ahhh... Komaeda preaches so much about hope, and yet, he has no hope and no despair. Would hope not be to kill them all, so that the world might find a happiness of its own?
He wishes he had a piano player with him. This score was so much more beautiful with the accompaniment. Such a shame. Yet, that is ever how it is.
His drowsy limbs and mind are finally starting to awaken themselves, stimulated by the caffeine and movement. Good. He trusts no one, and so he would never trust Komaeda not to mean him ill will. So by now he has no issue with alerting him to his presence, not now that he's confirmed that the threat would come after he's woken himself from his stupor.
[ It's been awhile since he played, and Hiyori is glad to find that the rust hasn't yet settled in. He would need to find time to practice, and to pick up the piano again as well. He sets the instrument down on the table for now, resting the bow next to it. Hiyori rubs his temples, finding that even after all of it he's still tired. It's eased a little, but it's days of fatigue finally catching up with him now that he's taken a moment to settle back in at home. There was no real cure for that than rest, but he couldn't afford that now.
He leans over all the same, folding his arms on the armrest and using them as a makeshift pillow. He keeps his gaze toward the hallway, eyelids lowering despite himself, until the sound of the door opening snaps him back to awareness. He gives it a moment more before pushing himself up with a sigh, allowing himself a small yawn before he wipes away the tired look in his usual practiced manner, letting his hands rest on his lap as he waits. It's strange to hear such sounds. He normally doesn't have anyone over here.
The door closes, and he glances in the direction of the hallway once more. Hiyori realizes too late that he should have taken out the first aid kit as well. It would do him well to redress Komaeda's stitches. He considers going back for it, but after a moment instead decides to continue waiting, allowing his guest relative freedom for the moment... It would be uncomfortable to have a host pounce you immediately after coming out of a bath, after all, and there was a spare bedroom there if he so chose to use that.
So far, so good. What next? ]
(deleted comment)
MAJORITY JAILBREAK, WE GONNA GET HIM OUT AND THEN HE CAN RE-KILL MIDORI
[ They are, in fact, Hiyori's clothes. But they're as comfortable as they are expensive, and the pair are close enough in size that they should be comfortable enough for him. Nonetheless, if he's bothered by it, it doesn't show on his face as Komaeda comes out. That gentle smile is already plastered on his face, and it only widens a touch as he's finally noticed by his company.
He offers a soft laugh, waving his hand as though to clear the air of the title offered to him. ]
Ah, no, I am no longer qualified that. Why, I'm certain they've found somebody else to take the mantle by now! [ They haven't, and he knows it. ] I am only Sou Hiyori now, a doctor, who... Hm, who I believe has a patient who I see is once again picking at their stitches?
[ Honestly, there was a reason he'd wrapped that arm up so tightly to begin with... No matter, though. Hiyori lets out a small, tired sigh, but offers no further complaints. He instead places his hands on his thighs now, already starting to stand up. However much may change, he is a doctor first and foremost. ]
It's alright. I can redress it. Let me just get my first aid kit.
[ Really, he should have thought of it before. ]
(deleted comment)
we'll just hide the body this time, it's fine, it's fine, nobody will find out
[ It comes out as an exasperated breath, and it's all the more clear that he is tired; he's exhausted and worn down from days and weeks of not caring for himself properly. It wasn't healthy to live off sweet jars and sleep in your office. It wasn't healthy to chug down sickly sweet coffee with extra shots of espresso to prop yourself up through paperwork. None of it was, and anytime he did come back here, Hiyori would collapse quickly. He's surprised there's no indention on the couch for how often he'd passed out on it. But then, even that was brief, and then it was off to something else.
He wants to replace all of the human parts of him quickly, so that he never has to worry about such frivolous matters again. As it is, he shakes his head and offers an apologetic smile to compensate for the harsh tone - one that wasn't harsh at all, and yet, for him was, and speaks in a gentler voice, ]
You know I can't just leave that alone... Come now, must you really destroy everything I do?
[ But he does sit back down, clearly debating whether or not it might not be better to simply ignore him altogether. Even so, he would prefer that any patient be amenable to the treatment they're receiving. Then, as though Hiyori himself was nothing more than an afterthought, he adds - ]
You don't need to worry about me. I'm alright... Ah, if as you say that I truly am the only one befitting of that, then this nothing, hm?
[ Because in the end, Komaeda is right. He truly is the only one befitting of being called the Ultimate Surgeon. There were titles that were passed on like mantles, but his was not one of them. Were they just afraid to fill that role because of him...? No, he thinks it was probably that difficult. They would be all too happy to completely wash away his stain otherwise.
It has nothing to do with being an ultimate. Hiyori can't falter. He can't be tired. Perhaps he should get another cup of coffee. He think she has some instant espresso - perhaps that would fare better. ]
(deleted comment)
it's not fucking if it's a doll that he made to replace him js, it's just fucking him
[ That condescending attitude gets a little twitch that it wouldn't normally, and it's not hard to see that he's pushed himself well beyond his limits by now. If he had come straight back, even with that meeting, it might have been tolerable. But it had been one more exhausting social activity that stretched out late, one in which was profitable and therefore he shouldn't be upset at all. But so long as his shell is human, so would be his consciousness.
He keeps his breathing steady, and his smile doesn't falter. That's right. He's Sou Hiyori. He's a patient and loving doctor who can handle even the most difficult cases. No matter how tired, no matter how difficult, he would handle it with ease and precision. Besides, he was on call tonight, which almost certainly meant that sleep beyond an hour or two was little more than a faraway dream. ]
Ahaha, you truly needn't worry... I'm on call tonight, so I'm happy to assist any who need it!
[ That period was sucked up by his latest social outing. He manages to bite back the comment about how Komaeda ever tests his patience, and so he should be able to deal with him as he pleases. It's just barely, though. He's grateful for it. Even so, he can't help the shiver that runs down his spine and the audible gasp when Komaeda whispers in his ear. He barely seemed to register that he was being sneaked up on until it happens, really, and his voice shakes, making it all the more clear that he's past his limits, ]
C-Come now, Komaeda-kun...! You're my guest. I'm just overseeing you for the night. It would be terribly inefficient to try and dress you while you were bathing...
[ Ugh. That did it's job though. His face is flushed, his breath just a touch unsteady - ah, he really is tired, he'd usually hide this better... ]
K-Komaeda-kun, aren't you tired? You've had a far longer day than I have...
[ It's a sensible suggestion even considering his own circumstances, given that his patient had been bleeding out in his office and required a transfusion only hours ago. ]
[ Hiyori would lean forward, but the hand on his chest stops him, and he eases back into the couch instead. His heart races in his chest despite his willing it to steady, chin tilting back so he can look up at Komaeda with tired eyes. It's impossible to miss how worn down he is. His eyelids try to droop and he forces them to keep open, and the smile twitches and falters as he tries to keep it painted on. Even his limbs seem to be little more than added weight to him now. There's a mark on his neck where the bite mark remains, red and bruised. It's the look of somebody who reached their natural limits and kept going.
Power? Yes, he does. He hates being looked down on like this, so takes such care to avoid winding up in a situation as unfortunate situation such as this one. Even so, he can't seem to figure out why it had hit him all at once like this - even compared to most days, it seems as though his body were preparing to collapse whether he liked it or not. But he can't think straight enough to organize those thoughts, much less make a plan, and that situation isn't improving.
He bites back each and every word that comes to mind now, though there's a disapproving frown at the accusation, and his fingers curl as the irritation sinks in. Komaeda licks his lips, which part slightly in an instinctive response, tasting the sweetened coffee that couldn't quite be brushed away, and it seems as though his mind might start to melt from the poisonous combination of want and desire and exhaustion. Hiyori wants to pull him down and kiss him. He wants to put his hands all over him, and he can feel the heat on his face now. Even his words are unfair. He swallows thickly. ]
... Ahaha, I'm sorry, Komaeda-kun. I just can't drink my coffee black. It's far too bitter.
[ He adjusts his position so he can look at Komaeda, suddenly a little light headed. It was nothing he couldn't fix. Hiyori really does hate being looked down on like this, and so he starts to try and stand up again - he could figure out the rest from there. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no he's his husband so he doesn't have to
Maple watches as he rummages, listens to the sound of his voice, the loud rattle of a single item bouncing against the metal inside the tin, but she chooses to say nothing. If the words hurt her heart, then the voice that he uses to speak them with are enough to shatter it to pieces. But she listens, quiet and impassive, allowing him to all those feelings that were buried inside of his own fragile heart.
That's what she's here for, because she could offer an unconditional love that no human could. No matter how much it hurt, she would never despair. She would never feel anything but this sadness, this desire for them to be happy, this unfaltering belief that they can be. ]
... And what did you say, Komaeda-kun? [ She asks in that gentle tone from before, like a mother soothing a child. ] Did you clearly tell him, "Hiyori-san, I don't love you. I don't want to be with you, and I don't need you in my life to find happiness?" Did you tell him to move on?
[ She watches him carefully, searching to see how he'll react as she goes on. ]
Or did you tell him, "loving me is a mistake?" Did you tell him that you're not a person who should be loved, or one who wants to be loved, because you can only hurt the people around you?
[ She shakes her head. ]
That's a painful thing for people to hear, Komaeda-kun. If you have a drop of love for someone, you can recover from them not loving you. But it's harder when they reject themselves... Even for me, it's painful to hear you speak.
[ ... ]
But if you think he's using you, or if you don't share his feelings, then just refuse him clearly. I don't know what he'll do, because you haven't done that yet. But I think he'll accept it... And if he doesn't, you'll know that you were right.
no!!!!! they're going to be together until death does them part (when midori dies in the death game)
Even so, she loves him for all of his flaws. Does frown a little at the sight of the tin, and it's easy to see that she recognizes it. The tin still has the faint scent of the chocolates that it once contained, and Komaeda will find a simple object inside - something wrapped up in what seems to be a repurposed candy wrapper, the ends twisted tight around the oblong object within it. If he chooses to unwrap it, he'll find the spare key for the office hidden within it. ]
I don't know if Sou-kun would be a good person for you or not, Komaeda-kun, and only you can decide that. Your heart is fragile, and you should protect it.
[ Maple says that first, believing it to be more important than the answer which follows it, ]
But Sou-kun isn't lying to you. He's can be selfish and irresponsible, but if he wanted to lie and use somebody, he could. He was born into a rich family, and he's a prestigious doctor, so he has many admirers. But he grew tired of them quickly... So I believe that if he wasn't, then he would have grown tired of you by now too.
[ Perhaps there was a benefit to somebody who couldn't remember, somebody who would forget every transgression over and over. But so, too, was there a benefit to using a person who you could slowly build up and use every single memory against. Every touch, every gift, every kind word you gave, every cruel action and word they returned it with. Those memories were powerful.
There was no reason for him not to go for an easier mark, really. She gives him a moment to digest that before she continues on. ]
... It's normal for you to want to be held by somebody. It's normal to want them to be kind to you. It doesn't matter if you think you deserve it. The fact that you want to give and take those things is what makes you human.
[ Silently, just to herself, she hopes that one day he can find somebody who can help him to accept just how human he is. ]
tbh he could just get a new doll body plus there's a lot of downtime so they can have romance
Maple really is like her creator. No matter how much Komaeda denies his own existence, no matter how dramatic his shifts, she only offers that pained smile in return. It hurts her to see him like this. It's painful to hear a human talk about themselves so, but she can't hate him, and she can't feel angry with him. So she can only curse her existence, confined to a screen, when she wants to do so much more for him. She would like to set him down with black or green tea and have a proper discussion with him at a table, and to be able to take his hand and lean in and tell him how important he really was. Maple wants to be able to do this and so much more, but from her current position she can always watch.
There's a touch of relief when he slips the tin away, and she completely misses that the item inside was dropped, but it's overshadowed completely by the sight of this pitiful child disparaging himself. It's a disturbing sight, and Maple all at once understands Hiyori's obsession with this boy. It was a project, and it was the best and worst of humanity all rolled into one neat little package. It was a person whom he could both fix and shower with all of his adoration. It was a person who needed both. ]
... Yes, Sou-kun designed me to love humans. That's why I love Komaeda-kun so much, even though we just met. Sou-kun also believes in human potential.
[ So perhaps it really is only natural that she would reflect that. ]
That's why... Sou-kun and I both want more of you. I want you to be something that you say you say that you can't possibly be. That's my hope... Will you stomp on that, too, in hopes of snuffing it out?
[ Perhaps that's why he hated the doctor so much for keeping him alive. How painful it must be to be forced to continue to exist when you wanted to die, how miserable it must be to be brought back from the brink just to be told you needed to be more. And perhaps the hopes and wishes of an AI don't matter.
But her wishes and hopes are Hiyori's as well, because she was created in his image. ]
HE IS... god that's such a pure romance, gimmie, and basically i've had to give so much thought to
There's a slight relief when he doesn't make an immediate effort to crush that hope of hers. Her hope isn't so fragile that a human could snuff it out, but that doesn't mean a person who loves hope so much couldn't inflict wounds by dismissing it out of hand. Maple, just strings of code and only half of a person, is nonetheless human enough to hurt. There's no tension for her to ease up, because she wanted to believe he would listen to her, but her expression brightens. ]
I'll always be cheering for both of you, Komaeda-kun.
[ Without a doubt, she would. Has he calmed down a little? It seems that he has. If this conversation managed to alleviate even a fraction of the weight in his heart, then it's served it's purpose. Komaeda, she thinks, is the kind of human that she was meant to support - a person who's heart is so frail that any single person might crush it in their hand. It was so much easier to speak with a program that was incapable of all of those cruel things.
She shouldn't think it, since Hiyori doesn't seem to have agreed to it, but she's glad that he came in. Maple flags the data as protected, ready to delete it as promised; she'll protect the fractured pieces of him that were shared with her. ]
I know you'll make the right decision. [ Whatever that may be, so long as it's one he can commit to. ] ... I'm glad that you came to talk to me, Komaeda-kun.
all of the above, lord they're both such thirsty fucks i can't deal w/ it but it gotta happen now
Komaeda-kun! ... Are you okay, Komaeda-kun? Be careful...
[ She's worried.
Elsewhere, Hiyori has finally made his way back to the apartment. As Maple had predicted, he had offered to compensate for the trouble he'd caused by taking her out. That had not been enough for her, and he had been volunteered to buy for both her and Namida, and was hardly in a position to refuse. His wallet is lighter for it, and he's far later in getting back than anticipated, but in the end it had proven to be fortunate. Their outings tended to be strained, with Harai only lightening up after two or three rounds, but wit the three of them together it had almost felt like their high school days.
Almost, if not for that ever present distance between them.
But he's back now, and the apartment door is locked. He digs around in his pocket with a frown, remembering that his key is in somebody else's care. Did that mean Komaeda was here? Or perhaps he had simply locked it on his way out. That would be regrettable.
...
It's just intuition, but he thinks that he should slip in quietly. So rather than ring the doorbell or try calling his home line, he walks to the next apartment over. He takes out the keychain with his office key, and pops the door open. He rented out both, finding that he had the funds to and finding it to convenient for his needs. It was a place that was warm, personalized, and that seemed to be lived in.
he'd paid somebody to do it, and he'd let somebody on hard times live there for free while he set them up. It had proven to be convenient, as they'd added their own charm to it, and they had repaid him the favor tenfold by now. It gave him a place to take those one night stands and short lived relationships, people who had no place knowing who he was, and for those guests and relationships that he wanted to build up in earnest but might think him cold if they saw the monochrome colors and sparse conditions of his apartment.
Ah, in retrospect, he should have sent Komaeda here. But it might have been too obvious.
Regardless, he's quick to retrieve the key to the adjacent apartment and lock it up tight. Then he walks into the only apartment that he'd denote as his, and pushes the door open, slipping in quietly before shutting it behind him and locking that behind him. He walks through the apartment quietly, keeping his steps light - he had always excelled at slipping in and out of places undetected.
Is anyone here? ]
THEY REALLY ARE???? rich people smh please shoot him, put me out of my misery here
[ She gives a little wave in return. The had been talking for quite some time, and if Hiyori wasn't home yet, he would be. After he exits, Komaeda will find that luck favors him now - the window will shut with, though it seems likely that it wasn't intended to. He's free to act as he will with it.
Hiyori pads his way through the house. He pays a glance in the kitchen, and he has the distinct sense that something is off in his apartment. He's always been sensitive to slight changes. This place is always left exactly the same way due to how rarely he's here for very long, and so it's easy for him to pick up on slight differences. He frowns, looking here and there, but he's not able to pin down the reason for his unease. Was he being paranoid...?
He makes a note to look more thoroughly later. For now, he needs to see if there's anyone here. It would be worse to miss that, and worse yet if they found something they weren't supposed to. Into the main room he goes, finding that things to be largely in place. The keys on the table (grabbed on his way in) had told him that somebody had been here, but that didn't mean they still were.
He doesn't hear the shuffling or voices in the office; it's fairly well soundproofed, which is a disadvantage in this case. He takes out his phone, checking again for any missed calls or text messages. There's nothing. He moves to replace it, but fumbles, and it falls to the floor with a loud clatter. He curses under his breath - he wasn't normally this clumsy, but he was running on empty these last few days, and Harai had managed to get him to have a couple rounds. Not enough to be of any concern, but certainly enough to add to his exhaustion. He thinks idly that he should make some coffee as he shakes his head and reaches to pick it up.
Where next...? Well, the answer to that is obvious. He steps in the direction of the hallway. There's only a few more places that he needs to check. ]
GODDD I'M NOT SURE HE CAN COME BACK ANY HORNIER, HE'S ALREADY SOOOO BAD
He accepts it in the end as he completes his check, deciding it to be a bit too invasive to be bothering an invited guest. He was free to use the bath and guest room as he pleased, after all. He leaves well enough alone and returns to his kitchen, removing a keurig out and a coffee pod out of a cabinet, along with a mug. He goes through all the motions of making a cup of coffee, adding far too much cream and sugar to it, putting everything back again, and then he's back into his main room. He sits on the sofa and sips at it slowly, trying wash away the disgusting taste of liquor that's stuck to his tongue. Harai really did have a stronger tolerance than him.
Hm... He wonders why something feels off, though. He can normally pinpoint it easily. He supposes if his guest isn't done by the time he finishes his coffee, he'll see if he can't figure it out. He should be more awake by then. It's the same way he spends most mornings spent here, and it's a variation of how he spends most evenings. He would have to remember to check on Maple when he could; Hiyori avoids stepping into his office while there's company.
But for now, he waits, and uses this time to try and organize his thoughts now that he finally has a moment to. ]
i mean i'd let him smash me ngl it's a very anatomically correct horny doll so it's fine it's fine
When he was younger, Hiyori had learned multiple instruments, but only truly focused on two. The piano was learned as was tradition for a genius child from a wealthy family, and the violin was learned for his passion and its elegance. There's a keyboard in the adjacent apartment. He should have one installed here, he thinks, for those times when he feels like playing it. He still practices, ensuring that his fingers can always deftly navigate the keys, but it's not his passion.
Ahh, there's so much that he's lost to his pursuits...
But while his guest is occupied, he takes the violin out and nudges the closet closed before returning to the main room. His fatigue hasn't faded in the least, even with the coffee, so he thinks that perhaps this will wake him up. A bittersweet and romantic song, he thinks, befitting of what he heard, while he whittles away the time and forces himself out of this drowsy, tipsy state.
Ahh, he should just drag that child in. He shouldn't play games of love. He should force him under the knife and under the machines and toy with his brain and his skin and his body and see where the dice land. He would die under his care and be a stepping stone for their pursuits, or he would survive and lead to the salvation of so many others... He would become hope in either case, a happy outcome for both of them...
He settles back down on the couch, thinking of how irrational love is. He'd invited a stranger back to his apartment, given in the wrong key, the wrong address. How irrational he was. How tired. How he wished the drown the world, as in Christian tales, so that it might be reborn as something greater. He could create a world with no Ultimates. How lovely that would be, for how few of them were needed. He'd killed them, and the world had lost nothing, for he had filled each and every gap they'd left. In the end, after a few practice motions, Hiyori settles on a romantic melody, adding just a touch of melancholy to the notes so that he it suits his heart. It's as flawless as everything else that he so chooses to do.
Ahhh... Komaeda preaches so much about hope, and yet, he has no hope and no despair. Would hope not be to kill them all, so that the world might find a happiness of its own?
He wishes he had a piano player with him. This score was so much more beautiful with the accompaniment. Such a shame. Yet, that is ever how it is.
His drowsy limbs and mind are finally starting to awaken themselves, stimulated by the caffeine and movement. Good. He trusts no one, and so he would never trust Komaeda not to mean him ill will. So by now he has no issue with alerting him to his presence, not now that he's confirmed that the threat would come after he's woken himself from his stupor.
Ahh, how tragic love is... ]
HE'S IN PRISON WE GOTTA BREAK HIM OUT
He leans over all the same, folding his arms on the armrest and using them as a makeshift pillow. He keeps his gaze toward the hallway, eyelids lowering despite himself, until the sound of the door opening snaps him back to awareness. He gives it a moment more before pushing himself up with a sigh, allowing himself a small yawn before he wipes away the tired look in his usual practiced manner, letting his hands rest on his lap as he waits. It's strange to hear such sounds. He normally doesn't have anyone over here.
The door closes, and he glances in the direction of the hallway once more. Hiyori realizes too late that he should have taken out the first aid kit as well. It would do him well to redress Komaeda's stitches. He considers going back for it, but after a moment instead decides to continue waiting, allowing his guest relative freedom for the moment... It would be uncomfortable to have a host pounce you immediately after coming out of a bath, after all, and there was a spare bedroom there if he so chose to use that.
So far, so good. What next? ]
MAJORITY JAILBREAK, WE GONNA GET HIM OUT AND THEN HE CAN RE-KILL MIDORI
He offers a soft laugh, waving his hand as though to clear the air of the title offered to him. ]
Ah, no, I am no longer qualified that. Why, I'm certain they've found somebody else to take the mantle by now! [ They haven't, and he knows it. ] I am only Sou Hiyori now, a doctor, who... Hm, who I believe has a patient who I see is once again picking at their stitches?
[ Honestly, there was a reason he'd wrapped that arm up so tightly to begin with... No matter, though. Hiyori lets out a small, tired sigh, but offers no further complaints. He instead places his hands on his thighs now, already starting to stand up. However much may change, he is a doctor first and foremost. ]
It's alright. I can redress it. Let me just get my first aid kit.
[ Really, he should have thought of it before. ]
we'll just hide the body this time, it's fine, it's fine, nobody will find out
[ It comes out as an exasperated breath, and it's all the more clear that he is tired; he's exhausted and worn down from days and weeks of not caring for himself properly. It wasn't healthy to live off sweet jars and sleep in your office. It wasn't healthy to chug down sickly sweet coffee with extra shots of espresso to prop yourself up through paperwork. None of it was, and anytime he did come back here, Hiyori would collapse quickly. He's surprised there's no indention on the couch for how often he'd passed out on it. But then, even that was brief, and then it was off to something else.
He wants to replace all of the human parts of him quickly, so that he never has to worry about such frivolous matters again. As it is, he shakes his head and offers an apologetic smile to compensate for the harsh tone - one that wasn't harsh at all, and yet, for him was, and speaks in a gentler voice, ]
You know I can't just leave that alone... Come now, must you really destroy everything I do?
[ But he does sit back down, clearly debating whether or not it might not be better to simply ignore him altogether. Even so, he would prefer that any patient be amenable to the treatment they're receiving. Then, as though Hiyori himself was nothing more than an afterthought, he adds - ]
You don't need to worry about me. I'm alright... Ah, if as you say that I truly am the only one befitting of that, then this nothing, hm?
[ Because in the end, Komaeda is right. He truly is the only one befitting of being called the Ultimate Surgeon. There were titles that were passed on like mantles, but his was not one of them. Were they just afraid to fill that role because of him...? No, he thinks it was probably that difficult. They would be all too happy to completely wash away his stain otherwise.
It has nothing to do with being an ultimate. Hiyori can't falter. He can't be tired. Perhaps he should get another cup of coffee. He think she has some instant espresso - perhaps that would fare better. ]
it's not fucking if it's a doll that he made to replace him js, it's just fucking him
He keeps his breathing steady, and his smile doesn't falter. That's right. He's Sou Hiyori. He's a patient and loving doctor who can handle even the most difficult cases. No matter how tired, no matter how difficult, he would handle it with ease and precision. Besides, he was on call tonight, which almost certainly meant that sleep beyond an hour or two was little more than a faraway dream. ]
Ahaha, you truly needn't worry... I'm on call tonight, so I'm happy to assist any who need it!
[ That period was sucked up by his latest social outing. He manages to bite back the comment about how Komaeda ever tests his patience, and so he should be able to deal with him as he pleases. It's just barely, though. He's grateful for it. Even so, he can't help the shiver that runs down his spine and the audible gasp when Komaeda whispers in his ear. He barely seemed to register that he was being sneaked up on until it happens, really, and his voice shakes, making it all the more clear that he's past his limits, ]
C-Come now, Komaeda-kun...! You're my guest. I'm just overseeing you for the night. It would be terribly inefficient to try and dress you while you were bathing...
[ Ugh. That did it's job though. His face is flushed, his breath just a touch unsteady - ah, he really is tired, he'd usually hide this better... ]
K-Komaeda-kun, aren't you tired? You've had a far longer day than I have...
[ It's a sensible suggestion even considering his own circumstances, given that his patient had been bleeding out in his office and required a transfusion only hours ago. ]
that's true that part of him is not needed
Power? Yes, he does. He hates being looked down on like this, so takes such care to avoid winding up in a situation as unfortunate situation such as this one. Even so, he can't seem to figure out why it had hit him all at once like this - even compared to most days, it seems as though his body were preparing to collapse whether he liked it or not. But he can't think straight enough to organize those thoughts, much less make a plan, and that situation isn't improving.
He bites back each and every word that comes to mind now, though there's a disapproving frown at the accusation, and his fingers curl as the irritation sinks in. Komaeda licks his lips, which part slightly in an instinctive response, tasting the sweetened coffee that couldn't quite be brushed away, and it seems as though his mind might start to melt from the poisonous combination of want and desire and exhaustion. Hiyori wants to pull him down and kiss him. He wants to put his hands all over him, and he can feel the heat on his face now. Even his words are unfair. He swallows thickly. ]
... Ahaha, I'm sorry, Komaeda-kun. I just can't drink my coffee black. It's far too bitter.
[ He adjusts his position so he can look at Komaeda, suddenly a little light headed. It was nothing he couldn't fix. Hiyori really does hate being looked down on like this, and so he starts to try and stand up again - he could figure out the rest from there. ]
i mean he is sou hiyori now so that would be fitting
they really do but then like shin would finally get to be tall
that's right, he'll be able to reach the top shelf and everything
can we not find ways to victimize him while he's tall??
that's true....... it's fine it's fine we'll make it happen
HE'S SO DISGUSTING, I HATE HIM please kill him quickly
OKAY BUT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DESERVES I'M JUST SAYING
he's just begging for attention here, hiyori's neglecting him so he has to
THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S NEVER HOME SO HE DOESN'T DO MUCH GROCERY SHOPPING
PLEASSEEEE can't they just get chinese take out delivered
BUT CHINESE FOOD IS SALTY AS HELL SO IT'S PERFECT okay fine he can do it
IT'S SO CURSED but he doesn't he just gets smth sweet n salty like orange chicken
so it's settled, they'll get the fanciest and most expensive chinese take out in town
it's fine he had coffee and a 15 minute nap, what more could he possibly need
IT'S FINE I'M SURE HE'LL GET PLENTY OF BOTH SOON
I KIND OF AM TOO, THAT'S KIND OF ROUGH, I THINK IT'S BC KOMAEDA RIGGED THE DICE
HE NEEDS SO MUCH HELP??? HE'S HAVING A BAD TIME RN
i mean they did but somebody had to take responsibility for him??? his hands were tied
he'd better, i trust him to make sure that his husband only gets the best care
ohhh komaeda honey... gold heart for your efforts...
it's a really scribbly gold heart but it's there kind of
he'll thank him for giving him the motivation he needs to go full scorched earth it's true
just pump him full of blood and drugs and ivs he'll be fine
it's so insane but you know what sometimes u just gotta get forced to take a vacation
his vacation is just going to be sleeping on the couch but that's okay that's what he needs
he really did... are we sure that komaeda's actual goal here wasn't just to force him to use his pto
he's taken like one day off so probably a lot
he's going to have soooooo much work to do when he gets back i'm crying
he's great at both his jobs, that's why they keep him around, and also his patients love him
NOOO HE'S NOT LOSING ANY PATIENTS... PERMANENTLY...