thesettingsun | Week 7, Saturday, post-trial: Ion.

[ ... his head tilts, but Ion's demeanour seems open and receptive to the attempt, at least. ]

What for?

[ You'll have to be specific, Dazai. ]

Choking Varian.

[What else would he apologize for?]

I already apologized to him. Steph and Veronica too.

[ He blinks just a little at that.

The fingers of one of his hands drums along the length of his staff for a moment, but: ]

... You are either incredibly overhonest, or simply hoping that a lack of guile would merit less harsh of a judgment upon your character.

Most likely it is the former, isn't it? [ ... ] You will have to explain your reasoning, and how it happened.

[Overhonest. He couldn't lie to save his life.]

...I would, but not much reasoning went into it. [Ion thinks too highly of him, apparently.] Evan said I was like a father to him. He wasn't just a partner to me, he was family. So when he was killed - and his body burned so horribly - I was angry.

I don't know what else there is to explain.

[ He was giving him a chance to explain himself, but apparently... ]

Fine. Fine. That all is explanation enough, I suppose. Lorelei knows plenty of us have been angry throughout the course of this ridiculous game, but.

[ 'Plenty of us have been angry and we haven't strangled anyone over it,' but. Do you ever get the feeling that you're standing before judge, jury, and executioner, Dazai? It might not be the same as this, but regardless Ion's eyeing Dazai like he's some strange object of curiosity. ]

What do you gain from apologizing? My forgiveness? A clear conscience?

[Plenty of people are much better-adjusted than Dazai, but that's not an excuse.]

Neither. Or at least, I don't have the right to assume your forgiveness. [Not even with a sincere apology.] I just thought you had the right to hear it.

[His conscience won't be clear - it never has. That's no reason not to apologize.]

[ Muttered: ] I can't believe I ever considered that you could have been faking that fit of hysterics...

[ Unless Dazai was playing the longest con ever and somehow managed to fool the entire lot of them. His head tilts appraisingly for a long moment, and when he sighs, long and quiet, it's practically bleeding magnanimity. ]

I'm not unfamiliar with the concept of protecting those close to oneself, even when taken to such drastic lengths. Normally, I'd respect or even applaud it. [ Tap. Tap. ] Well. You'll face no retribution from me for this instance.

I'd ask if that's what you came for, but you just answered that.

[Dazai's grateful, and he bows his head in thanks, but...]

Why would anyone consider that? I've cried over people saying rude things about my writing, ruining a good kimono, dogs barking too loudly... If I didn't cry, that would be when you knew something was wrong.

[At least he's self-aware?]

To either deflect or garner attention, of course. To express such an excess of remorse that we couldn't possibly hold you responsible for not having found Miss Reyna, or, to draw so much suspicion to yourself to keep it away from another.

[ Waver. ]

It's a reasonable assumption to make when among strangers. "A cynical self-serving person expects others to be self-serving even if he's surrounded by self-sacrificing idealists." Is this trait of yours something those who actually know of your history would be aware of?

[ He is a little bit of a ye olde fantasie here and all. Should he have tried to find some sort of biography about Dazai in the library?

... A small, short sigh. ]

Or, perhaps it is something more apparent only to friends.

Anyone who lived in my country, even if they hadn't read any of my books or studied me specifically, would know. Never hearing my name would be impossible, and knowing of me without knowing how many of my books are about self-loathing and mental breakdowns would be like knowing of you and not knowing what a Fon Master is.

[Or if you'd had a decent number of conversations with him you'd know.]

[ He barks a short laugh. It's not high like his usual, a more genuinely amused sound to it even if it's strangely harsh coming from his features. ]

Fair enough! I'm not so foolish so as to be above admitting that I'm quite blind when it comes to the personal histories of the others here. And perhaps not attempting more to remedy that was a mistake.

Ah, but it is my counterpart who is better equipped for such a thing. For whatever reason, he didn't inherit my cynicism, it seems.

Maybe it's for the best he didn't.

[Eon seems a lot happier, even to Shuji, who is an idiot.]

...Well, that's all I had to say, I think.

Of course. Between the two of us, he was always the one who was supposed to survive, after all.

[ His features twist, then, his smile remaining but flattening itself out into something thin and edged. ]

Even if he is quite an idiot about it.

[ One wonders if this is all Dazai would have to say, knowing that Ion and Nico are responsible for Waver... Well, if Dazai isn't bringing it up, Ion won't. ]

[If Dazai doesn't think about it, he won't be stupid enough to do something after they've gotten their happy ending. And Waver would be sad.]

Give him time. I think he's going to visit Waver and I now and then, so - I'll make sure he's taking care of himself.

... I will hold you to that, then.

[ GUESS WHO'S GETTING ADDED TO THE LIST OF 'MAYBE RANDOMLY VISIT' NOW when he figures out what he's doing with his ink tomorrow anyway ]

I'll keep that promise!

[and he'll keep Waver's apartment clean so it's not a disaster area when someone drops by-]

Mmm, yes, they did both write back to say you'd passed on my regards... It's only fair to expect you'd keep to your word on this matter too.

If that's all, though, then you may go. I'm sure there are others who wish to see you tonight.

[ For some reason I mean what. ]

Week 7, Saturday, post-trial: Ion.

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thread wrapup?

yes i think we're good for that!