[Ryou would have been perfectly happy to stay just like this as well. But that's not what happens. Instead, Atem asks something of Ryou that makes him stiffen, just a little. His ears slick back, and his tail, which had been twitching about in happiness, completely stills.
He doesn't pull away, he just listens and stays where he's at, giving no indication at the moment of how he feels, other than taken aback. Again...Atem is trying to help him cope with his problems. Again, Atem is not prioritizing himself.
It is frustrating...but Ryou's mostly only frustrated with himself.]
Everyone had a part to play in what happened during that time.
[It's said in a voice that's not quite curt, but also isn't completely even either.]
I want to be strong, and that comes with great personal sacrifice. You deal with things much better than I do, but that doesn't mean that I'd walk it back. I made the choice to join the Fog. I made the choice to scare humans, and feed in a manner consistent with the Fog's wishes.
[He pulls back, so that Atem can see his face, if he adjusts his eye a bit.]
I made the choice to do research against the company and kill their CEO. I chose to come with you to see things through, and I chose to devour those men to scare humans. But even so...I still made you feel bad, didn't I? Because of the things I said and did afterwards.
...I'm sorry, Atem. But no. I wouldn't change it. What needs to change is...how I react to things.
[He needs to be harder, less reactive to the city. Colder. He can do it.
(i can't)
He has to do it. Atem can't keep on carrying dead weight, not after what they'd done. Ryou has seen the threats levied against them, and he would not become Atem's exploitable weakness.]
no subject
He doesn't pull away, he just listens and stays where he's at, giving no indication at the moment of how he feels, other than taken aback. Again...Atem is trying to help him cope with his problems. Again, Atem is not prioritizing himself.
It is frustrating...but Ryou's mostly only frustrated with himself.]
Everyone had a part to play in what happened during that time.
[It's said in a voice that's not quite curt, but also isn't completely even either.]
I want to be strong, and that comes with great personal sacrifice. You deal with things much better than I do, but that doesn't mean that I'd walk it back. I made the choice to join the Fog. I made the choice to scare humans, and feed in a manner consistent with the Fog's wishes.
[He pulls back, so that Atem can see his face, if he adjusts his eye a bit.]
I made the choice to do research against the company and kill their CEO. I chose to come with you to see things through, and I chose to devour those men to scare humans. But even so...I still made you feel bad, didn't I? Because of the things I said and did afterwards.
...I'm sorry, Atem. But no. I wouldn't change it. What needs to change is...how I react to things.
[He needs to be harder, less reactive to the city. Colder. He can do it.
(i can't)
He has to do it. Atem can't keep on carrying dead weight, not after what they'd done. Ryou has seen the threats levied against them, and he would not become Atem's exploitable weakness.]