[Earnest people are all similar in a way - in a way that Kaoru quite hates, honestly, but a way that is easy to predict if nothing else. There's always a comfort in predictability, in familiarity, no matter how much it's disliked or how badly it feels like something sticky between his fingers that he can't rinse free.
So this is fine. This isn't a bad situation. Kaoru doesn't mind pretending when the tax isn't too high on the return, and for all of his prickliness, Elliot is not a very high-maintenance friend to keep on hand. It's not bad, and Kaoru watches impassively as he drinks the rest of his tea and starts to clear things away like he's trying to leave behind all of the emotions he had just allowed himself to hint at aloud. What a skittish child, like some sort of mountain hare afraid of the hunt.
There's a smile then, bigger than what's been offered so far in the conversation, more certain and pleasant. The softer topics are done and it's appropriate to return to some semblance of normalcy now.]
Thank you, regardless. You're a very sweet boy. [THE FIRST AND LAST TIME ELLIOT WILL EVER HEAR THIS, PROBABLY.]
I'll be quite fine, though. Please take care whenever you're heading, Elliot-san.
me staring into the sky over these nerds forever help elliot nightray
So this is fine. This isn't a bad situation. Kaoru doesn't mind pretending when the tax isn't too high on the return, and for all of his prickliness, Elliot is not a very high-maintenance friend to keep on hand. It's not bad, and Kaoru watches impassively as he drinks the rest of his tea and starts to clear things away like he's trying to leave behind all of the emotions he had just allowed himself to hint at aloud. What a skittish child, like some sort of mountain hare afraid of the hunt.
There's a smile then, bigger than what's been offered so far in the conversation, more certain and pleasant. The softer topics are done and it's appropriate to return to some semblance of normalcy now.]
Thank you, regardless. You're a very sweet boy. [THE FIRST AND LAST TIME ELLIOT WILL EVER HEAR THIS, PROBABLY.]
I'll be quite fine, though. Please take care whenever you're heading, Elliot-san.