Or maybe he just fell asleep and woke up later and only felt like he's been down here for a while. Where is 'here' even? He's not entirely sure. Not a lot of things make sense in Shirou's world. Just a few things. Mostly he knows that 1) Makoto is not here and 2) that is bad, and he should get back. Leaving her worried would be bad - he doesn't want that at all.
And so he's been trying to find his way out. The going isn't as fast as he'd like it to be, but he sure has found a lot of shiny things on his way -- there's loot shoved haphazardly into his pockets, and draped over his shoulders, mostly because he recalls girls like shiny things and it would be nice to get them to the girls he knows. That's good, right? Giving people things that aren't injuries is helpful and nice and he needs to get more practice in that department.
He hasn't seen someone down here in what feels like days (or is the word 'hours' - either way, maybe), so hearing that hello causes him to stop cold in his tracks and stare]
[Oh. He's seen this guy before. The one who talked funny about villainy and hurting people...
It looks like he's been down here awhile. He's got a lot of stuff, anyway. It won't hurt to be friendly, but that kind of introduction's kind of weird. Then again, he's just weird in general, isn't he?]
I'd hope not. That'd be pretty rude, wouldn't it?
[But in case he tries... Well, Kida's got himself a crowbar. It's not a real "weapon", but blunt force is his expertise.]
[Surprisingly, he remembers this person - Ryuugamine-kun's friend, right? It's getting much easier to remember things. Especially ones that have happened here. Maybe it's because nothing too terrible has happened -- he'd like to think that's the case, at least.
Regardless, Ryuugamine-kun is OK, so his friend should be, too. That's how this tends to work, so he gives the crowbar only an appraising glance before waving in a very nice and friendly manner]
I guess so!
I didn't think anyone was down here. It's kinda nice to see someone.
[His first instinct is to grab Kida's wrist and snap it -- he tenses when he feels fingers in his pocket and clenches his fists. There's no reason to break anything. Stay calm. G o s h.]
On the other: Friendly-type person asked. Make him happy? Happy is good. Let's go with happy. Shirou looks a bit uncertain with his own decision, but still, he nods slowly]
[If he was less built like a fucking tank, the sudden slap on the back might have sent him off balance. He wasn't quite expecting it, and honestly he's still not horribly used to displays of...friendliness like that.
So he flinches slightly and gives Kida a startled sort of look]
Oh, good! Then I guess I could say... I'm not totally reformed yet.
[He's trying, of course - but it's easy to forget himself, and he still can't forget the sort of rush he feels when he slips back into old habits. Even now, Kida's expression, something like guarded suspicion, seemed to get his blood pumping.]
[It's subtle, the shift in his posture when he hears that. He tightens his grip on his crowbar, and slides his feet his a little further apart.
He can read the change in Shirou's mood well enough. He's been around a long time. He's seen a lot of dangerous people, and his worst enemy is someone who can smile easily and with complete malice. He doesn't trust that kind of behavior. He doesn't trust people in general, and his own friendly facade is slipping in response to the cracks in Shirou's.]
You should work on that, then. I can't have Mikado hanging around with villains, y'know.
[He can't help but laugh - that's a threat! That's definitely a threat! And it's funny because he's certain he'd do exactly the same thing if someone seemed dangerous near Shinji. He knows exactly how this works. If he just pushes a bit more, he'll have a fight on his hands, and wouldn't that be fun?
Shirou knows that he should resist. He always knows, he stubbornly reminds himself, but as a creature of habit, well--]
You don't need to know too much! Just that I like hurting people -- I've tried to stop before, but nothing else gets me excited like this! It would be fun to cut up your friend and watch him bleed, or see what would happen if he did the same thing to someone else! Do you think he'd cry when he saw the blood? Or is he crazier than that?
[It doesn't matter what Shirou's motivations are, either. That's he's tried to stop. That's he reforming... he doesn't seem like he's trying very hard. All that really matters is that Mikado is being threatened, and that Shirou is obviously baiting him right now.
He knows it's stupid to provoke it. It's stupid to push. So far, he's had zero luck defending Mikado by starting shit. But... But this kind of thing pisses him off. It's really tempting to just take a swing. He can barely swallow the urge.]
I wouldn't let you touch him. If you try, I'll stop you, even if it means killing you.
Then kill me! Why not just stop me right now? I'm dangerous, right?
[In a way, he's baiting Kida. Right now he wants a fight, and he's been programmed to instigate.
In the back of his mind, though, he wants to know -- how far are you allowed to go to protect someone? Does keeping people safe and being a hero mean eliminating all possible threats? And how soon is too soon to do that?]
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Or maybe he just fell asleep and woke up later and only felt like he's been down here for a while. Where is 'here' even? He's not entirely sure. Not a lot of things make sense in Shirou's world. Just a few things. Mostly he knows that 1) Makoto is not here and 2) that is bad, and he should get back. Leaving her worried would be bad - he doesn't want that at all.
And so he's been trying to find his way out. The going isn't as fast as he'd like it to be, but he sure has found a lot of shiny things on his way -- there's loot shoved haphazardly into his pockets, and draped over his shoulders, mostly because he recalls girls like shiny things and it would be nice to get them to the girls he knows. That's good, right? Giving people things that aren't injuries is helpful and nice and he needs to get more practice in that department.
He hasn't seen someone down here in what feels like days (or is the word 'hours' - either way, maybe), so hearing that hello causes him to stop cold in his tracks and stare]
...Hi! It's okay, I won't kill you!
[Just don't make any sudden movements]
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It looks like he's been down here awhile. He's got a lot of stuff, anyway. It won't hurt to be friendly, but that kind of introduction's kind of weird. Then again, he's just weird in general, isn't he?]
I'd hope not. That'd be pretty rude, wouldn't it?
[But in case he tries... Well, Kida's got himself a crowbar. It's not a real "weapon", but blunt force is his expertise.]
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Regardless, Ryuugamine-kun is OK, so his friend should be, too. That's how this tends to work, so he gives the crowbar only an appraising glance before waving in a very nice and friendly manner]
I guess so!
I didn't think anyone was down here. It's kinda nice to see someone.
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[In his mind, it makes perfect sense. Sure, he forgot to explain the middle part of "people might worry" but it seems like a given]
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[Don't mind him, he's just going to take something right out of your pocket. Some dangly necklace or something.]
You're really going all out! They must be the type to get reeeally mad.
1/2
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Maybe a little. I just wanted to say sorry for being gone, and I thought girls would like stuff like that...
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Hey, you mind if I keep this one? I'm treasure hunting myself, so it'd be a big help.
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On the other: Friendly-type person asked. Make him happy? Happy is good. Let's go with happy. Shirou looks a bit uncertain with his own decision, but still, he nods slowly]
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[He has no problem being rude. He'll just slap Shirou on the back like a real friend.]
Thanks!
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So he flinches slightly and gives Kida a startled sort of look]
You're welcome?
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[What a reaction. He kind of wonders where this guy came from.]
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[He heard it from Byakuya. It makes more sense to him than any other explanations for his life right now.]
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[watching him a little more carefully now]
You say that pretty easily.
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...Yeah?
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[He's trying, of course - but it's easy to forget himself, and he still can't forget the sort of rush he feels when he slips back into old habits. Even now, Kida's expression, something like guarded suspicion, seemed to get his blood pumping.]
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He can read the change in Shirou's mood well enough. He's been around a long time. He's seen a lot of dangerous people, and his worst enemy is someone who can smile easily and with complete malice. He doesn't trust that kind of behavior. He doesn't trust people in general, and his own friendly facade is slipping in response to the cracks in Shirou's.]
You should work on that, then. I can't have Mikado hanging around with villains, y'know.
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[Oh... are you scared? Defensive? He can't understand why, but you shouldn't be getting him excited like this.]
Maybe it is a good idea to keep him away from me.
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[His tone is chatty, but it's definitely not friendly. He doesn't take threats to Mikado's safety well.]
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Shirou knows that he should resist. He always knows, he stubbornly reminds himself, but as a creature of habit, well--]
You don't need to know too much! Just that I like hurting people -- I've tried to stop before, but nothing else gets me excited like this! It would be fun to cut up your friend and watch him bleed, or see what would happen if he did the same thing to someone else! Do you think he'd cry when he saw the blood? Or is he crazier than that?
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[It doesn't matter what Shirou's motivations are, either. That's he's tried to stop. That's he reforming... he doesn't seem like he's trying very hard. All that really matters is that Mikado is being threatened, and that Shirou is obviously baiting him right now.
He knows it's stupid to provoke it. It's stupid to push. So far, he's had zero luck defending Mikado by starting shit. But... But this kind of thing pisses him off. It's really tempting to just take a swing. He can barely swallow the urge.]
I wouldn't let you touch him. If you try, I'll stop you, even if it means killing you.
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[In a way, he's baiting Kida. Right now he wants a fight, and he's been programmed to instigate.
In the back of his mind, though, he wants to know -- how far are you allowed to go to protect someone? Does keeping people safe and being a hero mean eliminating all possible threats? And how soon is too soon to do that?]
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