coastal | overflow.

[Yeah, sorry, it's not going to get better.]

... Of course not.

[Oops. What else were you expecting though....]

I don't have interest in things like this.

[It's not better at all and she's just going to frown because... even grumps like Hijikata came because he heard that she'd worked on it?!

Ah, that moment when Leon is colder than the Demon Vice Commander.]

Well, even still I'd thought-

[Maybe.... Since he'd worked on it when she asked him too....

ugh no that's shameful, why did she think that?]

Nevermind.

[He can be rather cold, it's true... he glances at her at that, before shaking his head, and continuing:]

It was enough to see that all of our efforts did not end in a failure. That was all I had intended to accomplish by coming here.

[So he's satisfied with that, and he's ready to go--if. He hadn't promised Stahn he wouldn't immediately leave.

The struggle.]

[To which Lili's just going to frown a little bit and honestly:]

You won't even allow yourself the opportunity to find something you might find acceptable?

[Because you're just standing here being a grump, Leon!]

[Yeah basically.]

Do not mistake me for a child who needs to be entertained.

[Okay. Only children need entertainment and things like this, and he's definitely not a child.]

I have more important things to do with my time than that. [Than trying to find something he'd enjoy.... ok leon]

It's not childish, you're just being difficult for no reason. [Honestly!]

You're obviously not preoccupied with anything at the moment.

[RUDE.....]

You are the one who is unnecessarily fixated on this! Leave me be!

It's not unnecessary!

[An irritated huff and it's because she's already aggravated that her tongue gets a little bit looser, particularly as she shakes her head-]

It's important to me that you enjoy yourself, but I don't see how leaving you alone will accomplish that at all...! Even if you say that this festival isn't something you'd enjoy, I think it's important to have more pleasant experiences overall - not that you're making it easier!

[AGGRESSIVELY

tsun??deres????]

[Why is it important to him that he enjoys himself, though... he pauses, blinking, expression more bemused than anything.]

That doesn't matter. [Whether or not he enjoys himself at a festival is so inconsequential he almost doesn't have the words for it.] You are being utterly ridiculous now.

[Lili just shakes her head at that rather stubbornly-]

You're the only one here who thinks it doesn't matter if you enjoy yourself, you know! Of course it matters!

[She's so stubborn... but he doesn't look particularly impressed by this.]

Hardly. Ask any of the people here. They do not know who I am, nor do they care if I enjoy myself or not here. They are wrapped up in their own lives, just as they should be.

Keep your ridiculous, hyperbolic comparisons to yourself.

[Sheesh, Leon, chill.]

[There is no chill to be found but Lili's just as stubborn as ever, huffing.]

You realize that people here may actually want to see another's enjoyment just for the sake of it, don't you? Why are you so determined to fight happiness over even the smallest of issues?

[A huff.]

The entire purpose of today was for just that, you know.

[Because he doesn't deserve happiness, and he doesn't know how to handle it--

But he doesn't argue that. It's pretty obvious it'd be worthless, honestly. Instead, he sighs softly, shaking his head.]

Very well then--that purpose has been embraced by the others here.

[That much is clear.]

But as for myself, I am not interested in it. [In that sort of enjoyment, even.]

[There's still something fundamental that she's not understanding here and really, she should keep on keeping on with whatever task she had at hand but.

She really doesn't want to leave him.]

And you still haven't told me why not - and don't say that it's a waste of time because you actually helped me put it together for everyone else....

I don't understand!

You do not need to understand.

[He snaps that out immediately in return, crossing his arms and looking away. He grew up this way--festivals, spending time doing things other than studying or his swordplay...that was all expressly forbidden, and even now, he doesn't find it easy to embrace them at all.

Really, it makes him uncomfortable to even feel this out of his element.]

Now leave me alone. Go deal with your festival--I am certain you have your share of problems to fix. That has nothing to do with me.

But I want to understand.

[And even though he says to leave him alone, she's not going to do that either because she promised that she wouldn't. It's hard to admit that she wants to see him happy out loud but... she does.]

[He...hesitates.

Her constant persistence is so strange to him, honestly. He has no idea why she's so set on this, but... in the end, it's difficult for him to even figure out a way to make her understand.

But on the other hand...]

If you understand, then will you leave me be?

[ . . . . Well. It's obvious what he wants the answer to be and she frowns before shaking her head. Lili's always painfully honest after all.]

I don't want to have to do that. You know I can't promise that I will.

I will only explain myself if it means you will stop pestering me.

[TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.]

I won't repeat myself again.

[ . . . . ]

You can't tell me what to do but-

I will deeply contemplate your recommendation?

[DON'T MAKE HER LEAVE.]

[He looks...deeply skeptical at that, but at this point, he's tired of bickering with her. He wants to find Stahn and leave--or maybe leave without Stahn, it depends.]

This sort of situation has never interested me. [It's not strictly true, but if there was a time when he wanted to play around as a child, it's been lost to time now.] I held a position of some renown, and to earn that position, I was constantly training from a young age. I did not have time for anything else.

[He doesn't seem to think this was a bad thing, at least.]

You may say that you believe I should be able to enjoy myself now, but it is not so simple in practice to change how I feel about situations like this.

[To him, they've always been a distraction and a waste of time; honestly, he doesn't remember how to have fun very easily at this point.]

[ . . . . well. To a certain extent, Lili understands. To be so focused on work, except she never actually got that work thanks to the protectiveness of her father. So there's always been an interest in how festivals work and how commoners truly manage to spend their time.

But she sees now that it doesn't quite apply to Leon that way. So she's shuffling uncertainly for a moment and then honestly questioning:]

And you completely lack interest in changing how you feel?

[Not quite asking him to change, not yet. She's not interested in telling him what to do with his life, after all. But to think that he's completely removed this venue of fun entirely...]

I do.

[That answer comes easily. To have an interest in this sort of fun...it feels foreign to him. So even if...maybe he could grow to enjoy it, or find enjoyable aspects to it, it's not something he'll be pursuing on his own. He's lived his life perfectly fine without it, and he sees no reason why that shouldn't continue.]

I have no need of it.

[He's the No Fun Police.]

[ . . . hm. There's definitely a frustrated look at that - but also she has a feeling that she'd just make his day worse if she tried any harder to get him to change his mind. Especially considering the fact that she understands. Learning how to enjoy things that were previously bad...

Well, that's easier to accomplish when with someone that you actually like the company of.

So she's just going to sigh.]

... Fine. I don't like it - but I understand.

I did not ask for your opinion on the situation.

[Just saying!!!

He's not interested in whether Lili likes it or not; all he wants is for her to leave him alone so he can leave.

Which he's hoping he can do now that she understands.]

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coastal - 2016-04-29 07:47 (UTC) - Expand