[Ryou, of course, listens. It all hurts to hear, that he was being stupid. It hurts him deep down, to know that in the end, he'd been underestimating Atem. It wasn't that he wanted to keep it inside forever, but...he just didn't want to hurt Atem further, to put more weight on him.
And in doing so, he understands now, that he's caused much of the issue here. He was still scared of death, he always would be, but if they'd just spoken...
Atem doesn't have to think the same. He just has to feel sympathy. Ryou had denied him that by his omission. And...he's right, there were many more people who were understanding on the network, even if it took them a while to come around. Ryou had seen some that, after speaking to Atem, felt less aggressive about things. Dr. McGucket though, he hadn't known...
It was hard to remember those kinds of things in great detail, when he had been upset himself.
Ryou doesn't respond to what Atem says while he's explaining, but the light is starting to dissipate, his feathers are starting to smooth out...maybe this was what he needed to be told, and even though it's being yelled, it's still getting through, right?
He knows he's stubborn. He thinks he has to resolve to be better, and...he has to mak Atem understand, he will be better.
It almost works--
--but then, seven little words catch in Ryou's brain.
"I can't tell you the whole truth"
The words before don't matter. Something about those words has them replaying in his head, replicating, filling it, Atem's voice screaming in his ears until all he can think about is that Atem lied.
The light is back, it's unbearable, Ryou's eyes are nothing but bright voids, gold-white and lifeless, and his halo casts such a brightness that he's sure it's painful
(he hopes it's painful)
while each and every spire locks onto Atem pointing as if in accusation. He'll regret this later, of course. He's not himself right now. So he will regret it. But Atem will regret it now.
The monster inside makes sure of it, pressing in hard with the ability that's made to tear regret out of the heart of others. Maybe it won't bother Atem after all, since now he's being honest, and because hey, it's a crapshoot if it ever works against a monster.
But the Nephilim is going to do it anyway.]
How unfortunate, that you'd do something like that. It's not nice to lie, is it? Don't you feel bad for it?
[It must be offputting, seeing what it's like from the other side. Ryou might wonder that later, when his mind isn't overflowing with the need to make things RIGHT. But for now, he simply hisses venomously--]
no subject
And in doing so, he understands now, that he's caused much of the issue here. He was still scared of death, he always would be, but if they'd just spoken...
Atem doesn't have to think the same. He just has to feel sympathy. Ryou had denied him that by his omission. And...he's right, there were many more people who were understanding on the network, even if it took them a while to come around. Ryou had seen some that, after speaking to Atem, felt less aggressive about things. Dr. McGucket though, he hadn't known...
It was hard to remember those kinds of things in great detail, when he had been upset himself.
Ryou doesn't respond to what Atem says while he's explaining, but the light is starting to dissipate, his feathers are starting to smooth out...maybe this was what he needed to be told, and even though it's being yelled, it's still getting through, right?
He knows he's stubborn. He thinks he has to resolve to be better, and...he has to mak Atem understand, he will be better.
It almost works--
--but then, seven little words catch in Ryou's brain.
"I can't tell you the whole truth"
The words before don't matter. Something about those words has them replaying in his head, replicating, filling it, Atem's voice screaming in his ears until all he can think about is that Atem lied.
He lied. HE LIED HE LIED HE LIED HE
LIED. LIED. L̴̪͂Į̸̗̺̾̽E̸͔̥̺̊̈́̾Ḍ̵͎͇́́̄L̶̠͈̿͑Ĭ̶͈̯È̴͖̻D̵͍̟͛̈́́L̴̬̆̕͝Ì̴͈̼͋Ė̶͚͚͗D̵͇̊̒͘
The light is back, it's unbearable, Ryou's eyes are nothing but bright voids, gold-white and lifeless, and his halo casts such a brightness that he's sure it's painful
(he hopes it's painful)
while each and every spire locks onto Atem pointing as if in accusation. He'll regret this later, of course. He's not himself right now. So he will regret it. But Atem will regret it now.
The monster inside makes sure of it, pressing in hard with the ability that's made to tear regret out of the heart of others. Maybe it won't bother Atem after all, since now he's being honest, and because hey, it's a crapshoot if it ever works against a monster.
But the Nephilim is going to do it anyway.]
How unfortunate, that you'd do something like that. It's not nice to lie, is it? Don't you feel bad for it?
[It must be offputting, seeing what it's like from the other side. Ryou might wonder that later, when his mind isn't overflowing with the need to make things RIGHT. But for now, he simply hisses venomously--]
ARE YOU SORRY?