when you hear me calling out to you, saying, "i'll always believe in you"

[ratherdoweddings]

[It occurs to Yurika that she has no idea what either of the men they'd lost just now had with regards to religious beliefs. She doesn't know who they wanted to leave their things to. She doesn't miss the detailed funeral requests, and at least neither wanted their ashes scattered over a lake on a planet that might not even exist here while the mall radio blasted "Stairway to Heaven," but having nothing...

It's actually kind of fitting. They don't have much to begin with.

Arianna strongly insisted on handling the food, so don't worry, your afterparty food today does not consist of disgusting burnt lumps and will not send you all back into the courtroom should somebody eat one. Candles are lit on another table and Yurika's standing at the front with a hand on her shoulder.]

In my last group... our last group, for some of us, the only cases we've remembered so far had culprits who were either cruel or just that determined to escape. Here, it seems different. We're all survivors, so it seems, and we're all friends who are doing our best -- even when the motives make it seem like we should give up. Even when people die anyway.

Maybe Togami-san was right that it'll just keep going from now, but he was also right that it can't keep going forever. I'm going to make sure to keep trying for all of you, and I know you will, too.

Comments

[induality]

[Again, she's quiet for a long moment.]

...I'm not going to do anything.

Even if I died now, it wouldn't change anything.

[desperateprayer]

Good. ...Good.

[ ...She's not leaving, though. Not yet. She... Gently places a hand on the door. ]

...When you moved to attack Varric, I... I thought I'd lost someone else. I was so scared, Touko.

[ ...She's trying not to cry. If she does, she won't stop. ]

I'm... I'm sorry that I couldn't do more to stop you.

[induality]

...all I could think about was how betrayed I felt. Reason... I didn't see it at all. Logic... I didn't bother.

I was barely thinking at all.

...just like everything else I've done.

[She spent all her days spitting out hateful words back then, when she wasn't wrapped up in some fantasy in her head. Why... why now does it kill her just to try and act indifferent?

...the idea of hurting her or a number of others even just a little... it's horrid.]

It's not your fault.

[desperateprayer]

...I wanted to be strong for you. I wanted to be someone you could lean on in times like this. But I... I couldn't.

[ She's breaking. Slowly but surely, she's breaking. ]

[induality]

...why do you sound like you're apologizing.

[This is killing her.]

You... can't do something someone won't let you do.

[desperateprayer]

...I was so scared, Touko.

[ ...She can't keep it together. She can't. ]

I was... I thought I'd lost someone else.

[induality]

...

[Fukawa sits on Togami's bed with her legs pulled up to her chest, head between her legs.

For a long time, silence.]

...well I'm still here.

[...it doesn't exactly sound like the happy words they should be. It's bitter and sad and tired.]

[desperateprayer]

...I'm glad. I'm so glad, Touko. That you're still here, with me.

[ She slides down to her knees, hand still on the door. She's... She's so scared. ]