40th: The Frogs of Haruhi Suzmiya

[godbent]

[Okay so her not!date a few days ago ended up a disaster all things considered. She's really not sure how to handle facing Kyon or Minato even four days later hence my need to have a second post such a short time later. She's sort of hunt out in the Brigade's front room or at her house -- it's too cold to really sit on the roof of her house, like she might otherwise do. She meant to just be introspective and avoid people other than housemates or people who came to call, even having a silent period in Brigade Meetings.

But well, now there's elves. She ignored the elf for the first day, but it's still here and honestly, the first few requests about hanging up decorations or fixing up that tree Minato and her still got despite the failure of that day. So she does those. Then, its fourth request is... to go caroling all over town for two hours.

Silly.

It's silly, but it's just silly enough for her to want to do it. Honestly, it didn't even tell her what she had to sing. So--- Haruhi will be going all over town, to knock on the front doors of various houses and then sing songs ranging from: Eye of the Tiger to God Knows to Lost My Music, and maybe even a little Pillows. Basically, anything she can recall how to sing off hand. The blatant defiance of the elf's no doubt intended edict of doing Christmas songs feels good. She'll do more things by the book for the elf later, sure, but right now, this level of defiance feels very good.

Feel free to encounter her whole she's "caroling," between houses (with her getting increasingly happy the closer to the end of her run she is), or during her avoidance period. PS: If you're in the Brigade, see here for New Years discussion.]

Comments

[godbent]

[They'll walk quietly for a while, but after a smell of that, Haruhi starts to mutter to herself and have a small fireball orbit her head] So, what even are your problems? I'm your chief, so you can tell me.

[menial]

['She said, right after lighting a fireball. Put it away, there's no need for that!']

...Well. I guess it really is just that I--won't know what to be doing with myself. After all this.

['After the asshole takes "my" spot, and no Asahina-san, and since I'm pretty used to the crazy stuff... isn't this the point at which my mission should be done? Go back home?']

[godbent]

What are you talking about?

[Genuinely, she's confused about what he means. Frankly, it doesn't make sense to her]

[menial]

... There's always been this balance between us, right? A yin-yang thing? I don't know what it is exactly, but...

Well, that's two totally normal people you've been with now. I never thought I'd see it but here it is. I'm like that guy at the end of the movie. "My presence is no longer needed here." ['A thing that John Smith surely would be entitled to say...']

Sure, I can be your friend, but it was my thing to be not just that, but...

[godbent]

[Minato, normal? Please.

...]

I don't know what you're getting at, still, but I can tell you one thing: You're not allowed to leave me.

1/2

[menial]

...

['There's a lot I could think here. But why bother.']

2/2

[menial]

...All right.

I won't.

[godbent]

Good. Because I won't let you.

[Not that she can control if he vanishes from this world. She should follow that up with a dismissive statement about why or something, but really, looking around at what's frankly pretty exterior decorations, she doesn't have it in her. She needs to think of a new followup topic therefore, but...]

[menial]

I know you won't, Haruhi. I'm... thanks for that.

[...

Yeah, he doesn't have it in him either.]

[godbent]

[silence reigns for a while, and while it's not an uncomfortable silence, it's hardly a comfortable one either. Instead,she looks around a spell more before, finally, she trails back into the conversation at hand]

Minato's not normal, you know- ["And that won't last" "I don't trust him as much,"] and Winry didn't work out. [She bites her lip, considering going further, to the heart of it, and then she just sighs]

[menial]

['Not normal? Yeah, I guess I know that. On the other hand, there's something I find deeply irritating about the guy. Well, now there is, anyway. Before it was just something that was mildly annoying, but I could get over it because he's a good enough guy and not a moron and smart and willing to deal with Haruhi. Now that it promises to bother me like this, it's become a lot more prominent...

Still. It's not about those two specifically, is it?']

Yeah, maybe. I've talked to him, I know he's not exactly normal. On the other hand, he barely talks back, so who can tell?

...But that's not really the point, is it.

[godbent]

If that was the point I'd just agree with you that he's shady and annoying and pretentious and talks way to little. It's like him and Keiichi are made to compliment each other.

[Huff. That rant felt good.]

[menial]

True. Exactly true.

['Which begs other questions, doesn't it?!']

...But it's not the point. So... what is it?

[godbent]

The point is that you're being ridiculous and thinking you're replaced.

[menial]

I... guess I can't really help that feeling.

[godbent]

Stupid.

[With a light huff, even]

[menial]

What am I supposed to do about it, Haruhi?

['Is that the "stupid" stupid, or the "you're right" stupid, or the - what, I mean, it can literally mean anything, right?']

[godbent]

Stop feeling it, because it's stupid. Look, I get that humans have entirely unnecessary feelings sometimes, because I experience them to, but this one's not only stupid, it's insulting.

[menial]

Insulting?

...Yeah. Right, well - I'll give it a shot, okay? You could probably help too.

[godbent]

What am I doing?

[Wrong. She doesn't say wrong. But if Kyon's being a butt, maybe there is something to it. Maybe.]

[menial]

Well, it's not -- I guess you've already started stopping. ['Oxymorons, that'll help.']

Just try to keep me in the loop. Tell me more about what's going on with you. Why you're doing what you're doing. How you're... feeling.

1/2

[godbent]

[...Huh. Inhale, exhale...]

What, you're my therapist now? Don't get cocky, Kyon.

[godbent]

[But then she turns. She tries to keep a neutral expression her face an a simple tone in her voice. He's the only person she'll remember here if the worst comes to worst, huh? Well, worst aside from being sacrificed. She falters just a moment and then, lightly-]

Minato and I have a long history in Luceti. Sure, most of it's bad, but it's something that goes back years... and I decided I'd give him a shot. As soon as he pisses me off too bad I'll dump him, for sure. But for the time being, like I've said before - love's a mental illness, but human beings can't help but have needs.

[A beat]

Your and my situation is entirely different than that, but I guess it's still your business.

[menial]

['...I'm not sure that made it make any more sense, but it's something.']

So it's another one of your famous five-minute-to-one-week things, is that it?

['...And yes, our situation is different, I guess. Does that mean she's going to go on?']

...Yeah. So?

[godbent]

So... [She inhales. She really, truly, completely does not want to utter her next words. She's really content to keep up anonymity about it, and not burden Kyon with these expectations and -- well, let's face it, not burden herself with him knowing. It's the big secret as to why she's played more distant, and she doesn't even know if he has figured it out or heard it from other people or what...

She hangs her head a moment and then she shakes it and blurts out, quietly-]

I've dated you before.