2022-12-12: Tireless

• Cast: Yuta Hibiki, Kaworu Nagisa
• Where: Tsutsujidai
• Date: U.C. 0096 12 12
• Summary: Yuta Hibiki sleeps still. The boy he confessed to comes calling, too late to give his answer.

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<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Thanks to the tireless efforts of GGG and other first aid responders, it's been decided that daily rations will be distributed each day at 8 AM. Kaworu is not accepting rations for himself, but he is helping with handing them out. Before heading over to the distribution point, he comes to Aya. After all, he heard yesterday from Renais about what had happened here at Aya to Yuta.
        
        He stops just before the doorway of the junk shop, gazing up at the sign. This is the exact spot where he'd spied Akane the day the Venora died, just before she'd stumbled into the shop. He'd thought of reaching out to her, but knowing ("knowing") that she didn't like him after all, he'd thought it best that he leave her be.
        
        And then she'd stabbed Yuta. She'd tried to kill Gridman, as she'd said all along she would do.
        
        She'd said all along that she didn't want help. She'd said all along that she was beyond helping. Had Kaworu simply ignored her for his own convenience, out of a selfish desire to help someone who reminded him of Shinji...?
        
        It probably matters little now. He isn't going to stop trying to help because of this. He simply needs to rethink his approach. And before that...
        
        He walks into the Aya. He needs to confirm what Renais told him--to find out where Yuta is.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Aya, usually bright and noisy, is quiet. Rikka and Orie are busy preparing for Rikka's rescue team, and the various members of the Neon Genesis Junior High Students have dispersed to take care of their various dutires. All of them save one -- Sky Vitter, somehow looking suave despite the harrowing night he's endured.

There's a pretty large blood stain in the junk section of Aya. It's still damp, glimmering in the dim morning light. Vit kneels next to it, his slumped form staring at the destroyed remnants of a clunky old computer. In his hands are a collection of fractured pieces and parts. They litter the floor. It looks impossible to tell which goes where... Can a computer destroyed this badly even be repaired?

Footsteps draw Vit from his thoughts. "Hey, shop's closed -- oh." He recognizes this one -- Kaworu. The boy Yuta likes. Standing, Vit can't help but feel a pang of guilt, looking down at the young man. "Kaworu. I'm guessing you heard what happened. That Shinjo girl went off the deep end."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        The first thing Kaworu sees when he steps inside is the pool of blood, so broad that it still glistens with wetness. Is the wetness from the blood? Or from attempts to clean it up?
        
        The second thing he sees is Vit, and the third, the shattered remains of Junk. Neither of them look to be in good condition.
        
        When Vit stands, Kaworu meets his eyes. "Yes," he says quietly. "Renais Cardiff-Shishioh told me--told many of us. Akane stabbed Yuta, and Yuta was taken to the hospital, where he's been stabilized but remains comatose." He looks down at the broken computer. "...She didn't mention that, but I suppose she wouldn't in mixed company."
        
        He looks back at Vit. He looks as sober as he did when he walked in, no trace of his usual smile. "Where is everyone?"

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"Yeah, that's about the whole thing." Vit says, running a hand through his hair. There's a bit of blood soaked into his pant leg, he doesn't seem to notice. "Akane stabbed the kid and trashed Junk. None of us can feel Gridman anymore. As long as this thing is out of commission, we're pretty much out of luck."

Vit leans back against the counter. "You need a drink or anything, Kaworu? May as well eat the rest of the good stuff while we can. Rikka and mama are putting together some kind of rescue team. Max's staying with Yuta. Borr's with Rikka's crew, and Calibur's helping the Shuffles."

There's a bit of tension in his voice as he says this. "Our duty is to Gridman. Nothing's more important, and they're still running all over town. We should be focused on fixing Junk."

"But it's not your fault." The tall, handsome man falls back into his persona, a little embarrassed he let it slip around a... well, Kaworu doesn't feel like a kid, not like the others. But he looks like a kid, so whatever. "You probably wanna see Yuta, yeah? The hospital's slammed with patients, they've just got him set up in a corner somewhere. Third floor, one of those wide open rooms. Didn't pay attention to the number."

"There's not any security to worry about now. Calibur stood and watched them stabalize the kid without any fuss, so I'd imagine you can just walk in."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        "So she finally did kill Gridman," Kaworu remarks, expressionless. He shakes his head at the offer of a drink. "No thank you."
        
        He listens to Vit's rundown of where everyone is. The mention of a rescue team gets his interest in particular--especially since it's something Rikka's organizing. "When might Rikka Takarada be back? I'm interested in talking to her about that."
        
        He falls silent when Vit tells him it isn't his fault. The fact that he reassures him it's not his fault means there's cause to think it might be his fault in the first place. He looks down again at the shattered remains of the computer. "...I have some skill in electronic repair, if you'd accept my assistance."
        
        He looks up at the suggestion of seeing Yuta, though. "I do," he confirms. Third floor of the hospital, a wide open room... He nods once. Once Vit's told him about Rikka, he replies, "Thank you. I'll be back later, Vit."
        
        And with that, he turns to leave for Inoue Hospital.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Vit flinches at Kaworu's words, but for once, he doesn't have a retort, looking down at the shattered remains of Junk.

"Hey, yeah. You're one of those hyper-smart types, aren't you? Yuta's always going on about how good at stuff you are." Vit leans forward, running a hand through his bangs. "Joined that dance club half for the chance to get to see you more. Anyway. Any help would be welcome. There's just too much here for one of us to do, even if it was clear-cut. Rikka should be back around here for dinner. Mama's always firm about meal times."

As Kaworu leaves, Vit nods. "Be safe out there, Kaworu."

The hospital is, as Vit described, crowded beyond belief. After the destruction of the battle, injured people arrived in droves. As more are found in the rubble, they're taken to the hospital. No one challenges Kaworu -- there's no one manning the front desk at all, in fact.

Walking up to the third floor is easy. Finding the right section of the curtain-filled room... perhaps a little less so. As Kaworu approaches the back wall, he might hear a familiar song.

...remember, darling... don't look for me...

It seems to be coming from the curtained-off 'room' in the very furthest corner of the room.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        It's something to flinch at, to be sure. Kaworu's not any happier about it either. A suggestion of a smile does reach the corners of his eyes and the edges of his lips when Vit accepts his offer of help, though it strains when he adds that Yuta joined the dance club at least partially to see him more.
        
        Still, he says nothing about that for now, instead nodding about the report about when Rikka will be back. It's useful beyond that; if 'Mama' is firm about meal times, that means she'll always be present for dinner. Perhaps he'll return tomorrow for her, then. For now: "Very well. And you also."
        
        The hospital is indeed crowded well beyond its capacity. Even from the outside, he can see how Rei could have been here and never realized Yuta had been admitted. It would be difficult at best to find anyone in here, especially if you didn't know for sure they were present.
        
        He'll come by again to assist as he can. For now, he walks in, deftly navigating the crowds with uncanny ease, until he reaches the correct area of the third floor.
        
        There's a song there. He recognizes it; it's the song Yuta had danced to. He turns his gaze that way, then walks over to the corner, slipping in past the curtain with one smooth motion of his hand.

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Yuta lays in a simple hospital bed. There are no monitors or machines attached to him -- something odd, perhaps? Surely a young man in a coma would warrant more care...

Sitting close to his bedside is the enormous form of Max. He's leaning in close, watching Yuta's face, as the whimsical song plays from a speaker set beside Yuta's pillow. It takes Max a moment to notice Kaworu, and he seems almost startled when he does.

"Oh -- Kaworu Nagisa." Max rumbles, sitting back. "Have you come to see Yuta? I was..." He clears his throat, the sound muffled behind his enormous mask. "I thought, perhaps, hearing a meaningful song may wake him. The young kajiu girl always goes on about her 'Song Spirits', after all."

Though his mouth is covered, there's a strained smile in Max's voice. He's trying to be welcoming to Kaworu, though he's clearly in a bad way himself. "But your presence will be just as powerful. I admit, I did not expect to see you here. You were not in the battle."

Max reaches to the speaker and switches it off, his hand dwarfing the little piece of electronics. There doesn't seem to be any visible change to Yuta's condition. Next to his bedside is a tidy, if cheap, bedside table, and atop it... The red scarf Yuta has taken to wearing, lately. The red yarn is off-color and the tassles are stuck together. Yuta must've been wearing it when Akane stabbed him.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        For a moment, Kaworu simply watches Yuta's comatose form in the bed. It is strange that he's not affixed to anything, but then, if Yuta's condition has been determined stable, it would be unsurprising that the doctors decided that such equipment is better used on patients in more precarious positions.
        
        "Max," he replies to the masked man once he acknowledges his presence. "Yes." He smiles faintly. It's not strained as Max's is, but it's certainly subdued, even more so than usual. "It's a good idea."
        
        That smile fades when Max says he hadn't been in the battle. "I was not. Even so, I was there," he said quietly. "I've decided I no longer wish to enable Akane Shinjo's desire for self-harm."
        
        He looks again at Yuta, at the scarf he'd adored so much, as Max turns off the music. He does seem stable. But his consciousness...
        
        "I've offered to help repair Junk," he remarks. Despite his continued calm, there's a certain gloom to his demeanor, like a light mist over a graveyard. "Vit informed me of the situation, and accepted my offer."

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

"I see." Max replies, quietly. "I do not blame you for such an action. It seems our chosen course was the wrong one... Perhaps we should have done the same. But sacrificing Tsutsujidai would have been unacceptable to Yuta."

Max follows Kaworu's gaze to the scarf, but chooses not to comment.

"Thank you. We are... at a bit of a disagreement, between outselves, as to the best way to continue. None of us ever thought we would be without Gridman's leadership and guidance." Max stands and pulls up another chair, leaving it near the bed. It's an invitation, should Kaworu choose to take it. He sits down in his own chair heavily, leaning forward with his eyes on the sleeping young man. "...repairing Junk /is/ a top priority. Your aid will surely be invaluable."

With effort, Max looks from Yuta to Kaworu. "Is your own faction in need of aid? While we are sworn to the Shuffle Alliance, we certainly are not limited to supporting them alone. And you, yourself, Kaworu. Are you well? Do you need care?"

He's already going against his comrades for the sake of one young man, after all. One more, especially one Yuta considers so precious, certainly wouldn't harm anything.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Kaworu shakes his head slowly. "I no longer wish to participate in Akane's self-harm, but there were many enemies there that night. As you say, Tsutsujidai should not be sacrificed, either."
        
        Max pulls up a chair, and Kaworu accepts the unspoken invitation, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. Max accepting his offer is also reassuring--especially if there's dissention among the Neon Genesis Junior High Students. He lets that be, however.
        
        "NERV came with a pair of ships and the supplies they had with them, so we're in better shape than most. One of our sub-groups, GGG, is handling the lion's share of crisis management, it being their purview. That said, in a situation like this, I think it best that we all cooperate with one another regardless of faction. For as long as we're all trapped here, that sort of thing is meaningless."
        
        He, himself, though... For a moment, he's quiet. Then he admits, "I'm not well. But I'm not so unwell that I can't cope." He turns his gaze around, as if he could see all the other patients through the veil, before settling on Max. "There are too many here in far greater need."

<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.

Kaworu sits with Max. The two have never spent much time together, but they're hardly strangers -- when he fuses with Gridman, he gets rushes of Yuta's thoughts and feelings. It's a level of familiarity Kaworu wouldn't share with him, and it makes Max a little uncertain of how to procede.

The news of NERV's ships and GGG's crisis management seems to take a weight of the large man's shoulders, and he sighs. "I am truly grateful to hear that. You have certainly noticed, but the death of the Venora has brought the wakening of the populace. They must be considered truly sentient, now, and certainly worthy of care. It is... difficult, to know how to move forward, while isolated. We will lend our strength wherever it is needed."

Max speaks firmly. It seems, even if there's disagreement between the NGJHS, he's still willing to put his foot down about this.

Blue eyes -- so similar to Yuta's, if a bit darker -- seem to widen in surprise as Kaworu admits he isn't well. Max hesitates. What was it Yuta was always saying, now? Never to turn a blind eye to a friend's suffering? If the young man isn't here to uphold his convictions himself, Max will serve in his place.

"Kaworu," he begins, trying to sound like a reliable, protective adult. Max shoves away the thought that he's only existed a few months. "My own comrades taught me that 'pushing through' a difficulty is far from optimal. I would urge you to consider the same wisdom. If you neglect your own well-being until it reaches a crisis point, you will simply add to the burden of those around you. Far better to take small steps now."

Another hesitation. Max reaches out, and puts an arm around Kaworu's shoulders. Their difference in size is nearly comical, and Max tries to keep the weight of his arm off Kaworu while still providing a comforting touch.

"Yuta considers you a true friend and ally. While my comrades and I are not inexhaustable, we are far less bound to material needs than the humans or repli-compoids. And I swear to you, all of us will be here, should you need, or want, anything. You do not have to be a pillar of strength. It is enough that you are here, and doing what you can."

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        While Max speaks, both of the people's awakening and his gentle reminder that one must tend to oneself before one can tend to others, Kaworu is silent. He listens; this is made clear when he smiles, faint but sincere, at his concern. He accepts Max's arm around his shoulders without tension.
        
        "What you say is true and reasonable," he replies. "But the reason I'm unwell lies before us." He looks back down at Yuta. "...He told me he liked me. That he wished to date me. I hadn't noticed the true nature of his feelings at all."
        
        For a moment, he's silent. Then he stirs, rising to his feet whether Max's arm is still on him or not. From his pocket, he pulls his smartphone. As a communication device, it's useless, but it still has music on it. Even moreso, it has a dangling charm in the shape of a pair of gilded musical notes. He sets it down on the bedside table, face up.
        
        "Use this to play for him, if you like," he says. "I can't stay. But I'd like him to know, as soon as he awakens, that I was here."
        
        He takes a step back towards the curtain, hands slipping back into his pockets, and nods once to the masked man. "I'll come by again, Max. Until then..."
        
        If he isn't stopped, he'll be on his way.