[ It's only been a few hours, but it's long enough that Anthy expects the bodies will be gone by now.
So, naturally, it's time to go back to the greenhouse.
She pauses when she sees Hunter along the way, though. ...Well, a lot happened this morning, so he probably would have wanted to talk to her about it eventually anyway, right? She supposes she can initiate an interaction for a change. ]
[It's a simple way to put it, but it's not inaccurate, either. He looks around the area as he enters; it's not a place he frequents, but he imagined she might be here.]
[ More so than last week, anyway. Even if her feelings about Yoshi were extremely mixed, they were a lot stronger than anything she felt for any of last night's victims. ]
[ Entering the greenhouse properly, she motions vaguely toward the spider lilies. ]
It was right in here.
[ She picks up an empty watering can -- empty because of what they'd used it for earlier, though she doesn't say anything about it -- and goes to refill it so she can get back to taking care of the flowers. ]
I don't know. It's not really that surprising when we're expecting it, is it?
I wasn't very close to anyone who died this week anyway.
[ Iwai had seemed like a respectable person, and she didn't mind Shirou, but she hadn't interacted with either enough to feel anything. Inaba... Anthy hadn't really liked her at all, and liked her even less after reading the notes she left. ]
Right, but even if it's not surprising, or even if you weren't close to them, most people would still...
[Be less than fine, unless they were somehow hardened to something like this beforehand. That's what he thinks, at least.]
You can tell me to get lost if you want to, but... I don't know. I just wonder about you sometimes. We're supposed to be able to trust each other, you know?
[ It's not like faking that kind of thing would be new for her, but she hadn't felt much of an obligation to do so here, when she didn't have to comply with Utena's wish for her to be "normal".
She stands back up, brushing the dirt from her hands. ]
I don't think Inaba-san did either. The way she described her role in the note she left, she was able to ask about one person's private meetings each week, and the first one she mentioned learning about was ours.
[ There's a long silence wherein she just looks at him, turning the question of how much to say over in her head. Hunter has never been forceful in his inquiries about her, but he still hasn't let them go, either. It's a very different kind of persistence from Utena's.
She wonders, if Utena had ever asked her, or if she'd ever pressed her to finish the thought she'd started to voice on so many nights as they'd looked into each other's eyes... how much she really would have revealed to her.
Eventually, once she's settled on her analysis of how much anything is worth saying, she gives a succinct, carefully worded answer. ]
Once you've been pierced by the dozens of swords of an angry mob, you find that most other experiences lose their edge.
[A few things happen in rapid succession. His eyes widen and then narrow in sympathy. He takes a step towards her, raising a hand as if to put it on her shoulder for some form of comfort, and then thinks better of it. There's a long moment during which he hesitates, before he speaks.]
I... That's awful. Anthy, I'm so sorry, I... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but - why?
[ She's already refocused her attention on the plants by the time he asks, and she speaks calmly, still not betraying any emotion despite the content of her words. It's been a very long time, after all. ]
I was trying to protect someone important to me.
[ Technically, she did succeed, but...
She lightly traces a finger along the outline of a rose's petal. ]
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week 3 - post-investigation
So, naturally, it's time to go back to the greenhouse.
She pauses when she sees Hunter along the way, though. ...Well, a lot happened this morning, so he probably would have wanted to talk to her about it eventually anyway, right? She supposes she can initiate an interaction for a change. ]
How are you doing?
no subject
[It's a simple way to put it, but it's not inaccurate, either. He looks around the area as he enters; it's not a place he frequents, but he imagined she might be here.]
What about you?
no subject
[ More so than last week, anyway. Even if her feelings about Yoshi were extremely mixed, they were a lot stronger than anything she felt for any of last night's victims. ]
Did you see any of them?
no subject
[He shakes his head, sighing.]
I didn't. Did you?
no subject
[ Entering the greenhouse properly, she motions vaguely toward the spider lilies. ]
It was right in here.
[ She picks up an empty watering can -- empty because of what they'd used it for earlier, though she doesn't say anything about it -- and goes to refill it so she can get back to taking care of the flowers. ]
no subject
And... Being in here doesn't bother you?
no subject
I still need to water my flowers since I didn't this morning. I planted some seeds earlier this week.
no subject
Can I ask you something?
no subject
[ Kneeling down and touching the soil where she planted her rose seeds ]
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[And he doesn't doubt any of that, really.]
But you seem... A lot calmer about this than most people your age would be. Than most people would be, period.
[There isn't judgment in his voice, but there is curiosity and concern.]
no subject
[ It obviously isn't a compliment, but she doesn't really have anything to say to it. ]
no subject
no subject
I wasn't very close to anyone who died this week anyway.
[ Iwai had seemed like a respectable person, and she didn't mind Shirou, but she hadn't interacted with either enough to feel anything. Inaba... Anthy hadn't really liked her at all, and liked her even less after reading the notes she left. ]
no subject
[Be less than fine, unless they were somehow hardened to something like this beforehand. That's what he thinks, at least.]
You can tell me to get lost if you want to, but... I don't know. I just wonder about you sometimes. We're supposed to be able to trust each other, you know?
no subject
[ It's not like faking that kind of thing would be new for her, but she hadn't felt much of an obligation to do so here, when she didn't have to comply with Utena's wish for her to be "normal".
She stands back up, brushing the dirt from her hands. ]
I don't think Inaba-san did either. The way she described her role in the note she left, she was able to ask about one person's private meetings each week, and the first one she mentioned learning about was ours.
no subject
[He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling.]
It's not a bad thing. I just wish I understood why.
no subject
She wonders, if Utena had ever asked her, or if she'd ever pressed her to finish the thought she'd started to voice on so many nights as they'd looked into each other's eyes... how much she really would have revealed to her.
Eventually, once she's settled on her analysis of how much anything is worth saying, she gives a succinct, carefully worded answer. ]
Once you've been pierced by the dozens of swords of an angry mob, you find that most other experiences lose their edge.
no subject
I... That's awful. Anthy, I'm so sorry, I... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but - why?
no subject
I was trying to protect someone important to me.
[ Technically, she did succeed, but...
She lightly traces a finger along the outline of a rose's petal. ]
no subject
[It's not something he can think of, which speaks to the difference in their experiences more than anything else.]