audience: emma perkins

[cyclists]

Comments

[foodbin]

[She doesn't seem like she minds, but all the same:]

...Is there a reason you want him to know?

[cyclists]

You guys are supposed to be building bonds. Doesn't this count? [A wave of a hand.] If he gets mad at you or something you can blame me.

[Read as: other people get mad, so it's fine.]

[foodbin]

...Why would he get angry at me?

[cyclists]

Maybe not angry but...if you're worried about whatever reaction he might have, I mean. [Hm.]

[foodbin]

I'm not worried about his reaction. I'm just worried about him.

[But anyways.]

...I'll tell him.

[cyclists]

Okay. [There's a little nod following.]

Then you can worry about each other and look after each other.

[foodbin]

...I'll try my best to, at least. He's - ugh, I don't want to get all gross and sappy, but he's important to me.

[cyclists]

A little late because that's pretty gross and sappy. [Teasing.]

...but I don't think there's anything wrong with having people that are important to you. Especially in situations like this. Sometimes they make the whole thing worth it.

[foodbin]

[She looks up at the ceiling. It's overdramatic enough that it's clear she's joking.]

I can't believe a teenager is calling me out like this.

[cyclists]

[There's a laugh.]

Hey, you kinda made it easy. [This is an Emma he prefers, thank you.] But I'm right, aren't I?

[foodbin]

...Maybe. It's hard to remember we haven't known each other for too long, you know? It seems like too much has happened for it to only have been two and a half weeks.

[cyclists]

I think that's the kind of thing that brings people together though. [There's a thoughtful tone.] ...when I had another job to do, I started training with two other people. We only knew each other for a little bit, but they became my best friends.

I think what I mean is don't worry so much about the time. If it's too little or too much. Just because your worlds are frozen doesn't mean this one is.

[So don't waste it.]

[foodbin]

Right. Bonds forged through fire or whatever the saying is, huh?

[After a moment:]

Either way... I think for now, we both just want to wait and see what happens naturally.

[cyclists]

Yeah, something like that. [And now he just sounds amused for some reason.]

I've never been great at the waiting part. [He's getting there, though.] Maybe you'll have better luck than I did. But...whatever it is will probably be the way it's supposed to work out.

[That aside:] I think that should also be enough to get a replacement hand.

[foodbin]

[She nods, but:]

What tier of replacement hand are we talking? Like, a wooden one that I have to tape on, or do I get a cool cyborg hand if I tell him?

[cyclists]

I am not asking for a cyborg hand for you. [...] ...probably not, anyway.

[He's still...a teenage boy, mostly.] But it'll be functional and at last look like a hand instead of a block of wood. How's that sound?

[foodbin]

I don't know what you have against the cyborg hand.

[But anyways.]

That works, depending on how we're defining functional.

[cyclists]

I have nothing against it! It's just not what I expected from you. And also I don't trust certain people not to get weird about it. It'll work like a regular hand.

[foodbin]

[She can't help but laugh.]

What? Certain people? Who?

[cyclists]

I like Minato a lot but I feel like that's something he'd fixate on.

[foodbin]

[closes eyes]

He remains an enigma to me.

[cyclists]

He was one of the first people who was really nice. Questionable decisions, but he's nice.

[foodbin]

He tried to drink cyanide in the middle of a trial.

[cyclists]

I never said he was smart.

[foodbin]

I don't think anyone would say that.

[...]

Thank you, by the way. I know the whole idea was to talk about stuff I ordinarily wouldn't have, and I did, but it felt less miserable than I though it would.