tarotcards | ♔ IC CONTACT 『 CROSSCHECK 』

[ It doesn't take long for Souji to reply back. He has his own things, yes, but if he's not with someone (such as now, luckily), then he will always make time for someone contacting him, especially for Minato. He takes note of the quiet tone and immediately sets down whatever he's doing to reply back. ]

Minato-san? What can I help you with?

[ There's definitely some relief when Souji answers. A small sigh is emitted on his end, but he's quiet for a moment. Should he just get to the point? He's usually pretty direct. And Souji is too nice. ]

Do you have any friends who aren't Social Links?

[ Well, that's certainly not a question Souji expected to get. Where did this come from? Hm, there's a bit of silence from his side for about a second as he thinks about it. ]

Just one or two, yes, but they were more of a friend of a friend or a good acquaintance, I would say. [ He's referring to Daisuke, since he was friends with him, but he was always more of Kou's friend. If he has gotten to know Daisuke a little more, maybe he would have formed a social link with him... ] So really, no, not particularly.

[ He's before Arena/Ultimax and Dancing All Night. He also doesn't remember anything from Persona Q, so all the stuff in P4G? Just social links. ]

[ Hm. He figured that if anyone did, it would be Souji. He's nice, people are drawn to him. For as well as they seem to get along, Minato can point out plenty of differences. Souji's a little louder, more accommodating, more social, more...empathetic. When he thinks about it, he has to wonder if he's done something wrong this whole time. They both have social links, but how much it a distance exists between Minato and the people he knows? How well does he really understand them?

He knows what they want, but what about how do they feel?

Mm. ]

...Then why can we form social links here when we can't fuse Persona?

[ These are some really serious questions, aren't they? Souji has to wonder what happened for Minato to bring up this line of questioning. They don't have such heavy-handed conversations like this, not really, so it's new and different. He's still going to answer, of course, but he can't help but be slightly concerned as well. Did something bad happen? ]

[ There's another silent pause as he thinks. It can't be seen, not when the feed is just audio, but he holds one hand into the other, fingers running over each other as he says this next part slow and thoughtfully. ]

I've been wondering about that too. It wouldn't make much sense since social links are so heavily linked to the growth of our Personas, but... I've never seen them as just a means to strengthen myself. I've persuaded my social links because I wanted to learn more about the person and form a bond with them. To me, the ranks signified how stronger our friendship was. Even if the social links didn't affect my Personas whatsoever, I still would have done them regardless because I always perceived them as my friends and not just as a way to stronger fusions.

I think maybe that's why we are still able to form social links here in this world, even if we don't have access to the Velvet Room anymore. It's more about the bonds themselves than just the Personas.

Those are my thoughts anyway...

[ Now maybe it's his turn to ask a question. ]

... Is there any reason why you ask, though, Minato-san?

Edited (icon change aaaa) 2016-06-06 22:39 (UTC)

[ He's silent as he listens. He doesn't have to see Souji to imagine the expression that he's making, growing a little more somber as he really thinks. He just tends to give that full attention to anyone who seems to need it, doesn't he? What made him such a nice person?

I've never seen them as just a means to strengthen myself.

It's more about the bonds themselves than just the Personas.

That's...that's what he thought. Or, what he'd come to think. In the beginning it had been entirely motivated by the Personas, but after a while, he found that he was willing to rank up Social Links even if there weren't any Persona that he was trying to fuse or gain. That...that should be what mattered, right? ]

Mm...

[ There's definitely a reason. But, instead, he asks another question. ]

...Are you busy?

[ Hm, when Minato replies with a question instead, Souji doesn't push it. He figures that he'd get his answer eventually, with how this is going. ]

No, I'm free.

[ Not anymore, at least. Whatever he was doing (shopping, most likely) isn't as important as Minato. He'll also just answer with this. He'll let Minato decide what he wants to do, whether it's meeting up or to talk some more over the feed. ]

[ He's relieved to hear that. Though, a part of him figures that Souji might just stop whatever he was doing anyway. ]

Where are you?

[ His intent is clearly to talk further in person. Or, at least, just exist in person. Sometimes that's enough for him. But is that enough for everyone else? ]

[ Minato's absolutely right about that. Souji's the kind of guy to drop everything if someone needs him, especially for a friend. ]

Kabe Market, but I can come meet you somewhere closer and more private.

[ The market is definitely not a secluded area. They'd probably have to yell to just talk there and he has a feeling that Minato doesn't want that. ]

[ Does Minato sound that needy? Hm. Setsuna had picked up on him being off pretty quickly. He likes to think he keeps it under wraps for the most part, but maybe his friends really have rubbed off on him. ]

It doesn't matter to me.

[ Really, Souji's the one being inconvenienced, right? ]

Are you coming back?

[ Hm, maybe not needy, but he does sound like he has something on his mind. To be honest, however, even if Minato wanted to chill and just enjoy each other's company, Souji still would have come over. Maybe he wouldn't have dropped everything immediately but he certainly would have freed up his schedule. He has time for his friends. ]

I am. I have a few things to drop off in my room anyway, so I can meet you in yours, if that's okay.

[ It works out for him. It'd be awkward to just meet with Minato when he has a bag or two full of stuff so it's better if he puts it away first. ]

[ Not that Minato minds going for a walk. It might help clear his head a bit, but he just feels more comfortable in the hall. Kind of like coming back to the dorm and holing himself up in his room if he needs it. Probably not the best thing to do, and it is a little more difficult when you have to share a room with others, but... ]

Yeah. That's fine.

[ His room is kind of quiet in general. He's thankful for that. ]

[ It's times like these that Souji is grateful that he only has one roommate and that he's decently fine. It certainly frees up his room more. ]

I'll be there in twenty then.

[ Give or take a few minutes. He'll walk a bit faster than normal so he doesn't keep Minato waiting for too long. ]

Okay.

[ He leaves it there. Souji's fairly punctual.

It just leaves him with his thoughts for another twenty minutes. He spends it mostly laying down on his bed petting Shirosaba, whose decided that his chest is a good place to sleep. Dealing with Setsuna before had helped clear his mind a bit, but there's really no better person to talk to than Souji. Sometimes he still wonders what exactly were the odds that they'd meet up like this.

For the first time, too, he wonders if he should have asked more about what Souji's group of Persona users were like. He didn't offer much on his own since Yukari and Aigis are already there, but...did it make him seem callous not to ask? He just kind of assumed they were roughly the same. In retrospect, that's silly. Minato and Souji have plenty of differences and their circumstances for using their Persona aren't exactly the same either. They've talked on their perspective Wild Card abilities. But..

Yeah...he decides he'll ask. Maybe it will help him understand more about Souji's dynamic with his Social Links too.

He actually dozes a bit. It's better than thinking about some of the stuff Yukari had said to him. ]

[ Souji was right about being there in twenty minutes. He's been to the market enough times to properly guess how long it'd take to get back to the Hall from his current spot. Combined with his rush to get back, he arrives to his room in no time. ]

[ He drops off his bags but decides to being Cream-san with him. He figures that maybe she can distract Shirosaba and give the two some space to talk. Worse comes to worse, they can always let the two walk around outside. ]

[ After making sure that the room is properly locked behind him, he heads on over to Minato's and knocks on the door three times. He has a small feeling that Minato has fallen asleep since that guy seems to have a habit of doing that, so he knocks a bit louder than usual. Wakey wakey, buddy. ]

[ Minato isn't actually sleeping for once, although someone might not realize if they'd just walked by. He's laying down on his bed with Shirosaba on his chest, but as soon as there's a knock at the door, he turns his head to look at it. Shirosaba doesn't seem to notice or she just doesn't want to move. Probably the latter. ]

It's open.

[ Ah, so he's actually awake. Well, that's good, Souji supposes. He lets himself in and Cream-san follows behind him. She jumps up onto the bed, not walking onto Minato but sits next to him, leaning her head in to bump noses with Shirosaba. Souji doesn't take a seat on the bed like Cream-san but he does take a chair from the centre of the room and places it beside the bed, sitting down with his hands on his lap. This way, Minato doesn't have to sit up to look at him while they talk or anything. ]

Minato-san.

[ That's all he says. He won't ask or anything. He'll let the other boy speak first, direct the flow of conversation and dictate the topic. He'll be patient. Minato can take his time starting too. ]

[ Shirosaba stretches as soon as the door is opened, ready and happy to greet the other carrier. She gets along fine with others, of course, but another cat is really where she feels most comfortable. Minato only turns his head as Souji finds a spot for himself. He looks so serious sitting like that.

Minato wonders if he's made a big deal out of something he shouldn't have. Something he should already know how to deal with. Is that what his problem is?

Souji is waiting for something, he knows. Much like with Setsuna, there is some level of nonverbal communication that can pass between them. Minato exhales quietly as he turns his head to look back up at the ceiling. What does he even need to say... ]

...I messed up.

[ A few things run through Souji's head as he patiently waits. Based on the kind of questions Minato asked him, he has a slight idea on what this conversation might be about. A person doesn't just bring up questions about friends and social links out of nowhere, of course, but he wouldn't know what they might talk about without actually hearing it from Minato himself. ]

[ There's no change of expression when Minato speaks. "Messed up"? ]

Can I ask what happened?

[ He wants to be polite. If Minato wants to keep this vague and just ask the questions instead, then that's fine with him. Regardless if there is context or not, Souji will still offer his advice and an ear. ]

[ How to even begin...

Souji knows part of the story, at least. At how they'd made that little faux pas with the novels and upset a few people, namely Yukari. Her Social Link is still reversed and he knows he needs to give her space, but he had to check on her at the hot spring. A part of him is still glad he did, but...did it really have to go like that?

There's a long pause as he tries to piece his thoughts together. He's never been very verbose and usually chooses the simplest way to put something. When speaking takes energy, when he's like this, that's really how he prefers it. ]

I saw Yukari. [ She died, she said. Should he share that? Maybe not all the details. Not the way she wasn't acting like herself and walked around naked, either. She wouldn't want anyone to know about that, so he respects her privacy, at least, and gets to the heart of the matter for this particular crisis. ]

She said I'm empty.

[ He sighs again. It feels so...needlessly dramatic to say it like that. ]

...I don't think she's wrong.

[ Ah, that is... a more concerning topic than he thought, actually. He knows that Yukari is still mad at them. He hasn't approached her yet. He doesn't know her as well as Minato apparently does and if it's a good time to really see her until she thinks he has apologized for the book incident enough. He does have to do it eventually, yes, he's not going to avoid it, but to say that someone's empty... That hurts. ]

[ Souji doesn't know how much he's allowed to dig into this without delving into things that Minato may not be comfortable speaking about. He's quiet at first, thoughtful, with his hands still on his knees and his right thumb rubbing back and forth. ]

Do you know why she said that?

[ Yes...yes he does. But how much should he say? He does feel like Yukari wouldn't want him sharing all the details. Upset and disconnected as she is, he does want to respect that for once.

He's quiet for a long moment, contemplating. ]

...She's...not in a good place right now. [ Which is probably the most nondescript way to put it. ] ...She said she understands how I feel all the time: nothing.

[ Hm, vague, huh? Well, Souji won't dig deeper into that topic then, but... this is concerning. Minato really believes this too? That he's "empty"? That he feels "nothing"? ]

And you agree with her?

[ The fact that he hadn't found it in himself to disagree on the spot spoke more than he probably ever would. Minato is, once again, silence for a moment, before he shrugs. ]

...I don't think she's wrong.

[ It feels so pathetic to say it. He really doesn't want to make a big deal of things, but he was the one who reached out to Souji in the first place. ]

...Not entirely.

[ It speaks volumes about how Minato perceives himself. Souji finds that rather... concerning. Yukari definitely has known him much longer than Souji has, so maybe he's wrong about this, but he doesn't exactly know if he could agree with it. ]

Is it all right if I ask why?

[ He really wants to make sure that he's not overstepping his boundaries here but... it might help if they talk about it. He's giving Minato a window to escape though, if he doesn't. ]

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burnmydread - 2016-07-13 04:57 (UTC) - Expand