Vincent carried on with his work as usual. Lots of paperwork to be done as always. He's got his shoes back and things seem to be settling down again for the time being.
What's left is the aftermath. The aftermath of woe. And life ending embarrassment. Idly he looks down at Nanaki.
"If I did, you'd just come back. And feeling the death toll on top of everything else."
The gunman doesn't imply that shooting isn't an option. Just that it wouldn't do much good to spare the sentient beast this predicament he finds himself in.
"Besides, I like having you around." Didn't Vincent once say that too much of Nanaki is annoying that he'd only agree to meet up once a year? "...Occasionally."
He was still feeling childish. He wanted to hide forever. At least at the moment that was his attitude. It couldn't possibly last beyond a few days. Nanaki had too much else to do, to see, to learn before his end of days. His spirits would return to their normal levels of curiosity and excitement soon enough.
Until then, Vincent had a moping feline to deal with hiding in his space.
Nanaki snorted in wry amusement at the gunman's dry humor. "Too bad you're stuck with me here more than you'd like," he replied sarcastically.
He shifted and his head was now held aloft as he peered up at Vincent. "I'm sorry for the stupid things I said as that... that hellhound. I didn't mean them. I mean, I would never say anything like that."
Before Nanaki shifts, he'll receive a gentle nudge with the side of Vincent's boot. Buck up, kiddo. It's followed with a sigh.
"Enjoy it while it lasts." Vincent puts on an aggrieved tone that is faked. Mostly. They're both well aware of his reclusive nature.
But now Nanaki is looking up.
"That was a you. But not the you I know. So it's not something you need to apologize for. But... I'll accept it anyway." Because doing so means that Nanaki can move on and have closure.
Logically, Nanaki knew that to be true. But he still felt a little relief whenever Vincent accepted his apology. "Thanks."
He shifted until eventually he flopped onto his side. "Aren't you glad that you're stuck with me and not that hellhound?" Said with as cheeky a look as his beastly face could get.
Vincent knows when he pushes too far. And seeing a contrite Vincent means just that. He's taking the reaction seriously.
And that Nanaki is a dear friend whose opinion matters to him enough that he'd show such vulnerability. Rising from his seat, he crouches down to be more evenly face to face with the sitting feline and regards Nanaki with grave ruby eyes.
"I'd never replace a friend. I might become friends with someone like the hellhound Nanaki. But he wouldn't be you. The Floods, the Breach. They might bring other versions of us or cause us to interact in different ways, but that won't ever change my friendship with you. Do you understand?"
Nanaki sat back up as Vincent came down to him. His expression cleared as Vincent explained. Nanaki hadn't meant to express that much offense at the joke. But it was still nice to be reassured.
He nodded solemnly. "I do." He butted his head against Vincent's knee for added emphasis.
He lets out a soft chuckle. At this time Vincent will allow himself to lift a hand and ruffle it a few times across the tuft between Nanaki's ears. Not too dissimilar to an adult mussing the hairstyle of a young individual.
It got about the same reaction, too, though only after Vincent ceased the motion. He didn't mean to discourage it. It was exciting to get a physical reaction out of Vincent and he was secretly pleased to get the closest thing to petting from the dark haired human.
Maybe one day Vincent will find what Nanaki's boundary about pets is. Then all the feline needs to do is conquer the barrier that is Vincent's reluctance for physical expressions.
But this is certainly progress. Vincent rises to his feet.
"You'd better not. Hate to have to repeat myself."
...But there's a bit of a smile. Maybe the collar of the cloak's folded down just enough at that moment to glimpse it. Or maybe it was already happening when he'd started to rise.
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momijizukamori
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-02-24 10:36 pm (UTC)What's left is the aftermath. The aftermath of woe. And life ending embarrassment. Idly he looks down at Nanaki.
"If I did, you'd just come back. And feeling the death toll on top of everything else."
The gunman doesn't imply that shooting isn't an option. Just that it wouldn't do much good to spare the sentient beast this predicament he finds himself in.
"Besides, I like having you around." Didn't Vincent once say that too much of Nanaki is annoying that he'd only agree to meet up once a year? "...Occasionally."
Oh. There it is.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-02-24 11:01 pm (UTC)He was still feeling childish. He wanted to hide forever. At least at the moment that was his attitude. It couldn't possibly last beyond a few days. Nanaki had too much else to do, to see, to learn before his end of days. His spirits would return to their normal levels of curiosity and excitement soon enough.
Until then, Vincent had a moping feline to deal with hiding in his space.
Nanaki snorted in wry amusement at the gunman's dry humor. "Too bad you're stuck with me here more than you'd like," he replied sarcastically.
He shifted and his head was now held aloft as he peered up at Vincent. "I'm sorry for the stupid things I said as that... that hellhound. I didn't mean them. I mean, I would never say anything like that."
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-06 04:46 am (UTC)Before Nanaki shifts, he'll receive a gentle nudge with the side of Vincent's boot. Buck up, kiddo. It's followed with a sigh.
"Enjoy it while it lasts." Vincent puts on an aggrieved tone that is faked. Mostly. They're both well aware of his reclusive nature.
But now Nanaki is looking up.
"That was a you. But not the you I know. So it's not something you need to apologize for. But... I'll accept it anyway." Because doing so means that Nanaki can move on and have closure.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-09 07:43 pm (UTC)He shifted until eventually he flopped onto his side. "Aren't you glad that you're stuck with me and not that hellhound?" Said with as cheeky a look as his beastly face could get.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-13 11:37 pm (UTC)"Hmm. Well, dude." He raises his right hand up, pinching the fingers close together. "Maybe about that much?"
Vincent doesn't have a smug expression or anything. He's very good at a serious face; to the point where one day it might just get stuck like that.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-16 11:09 pm (UTC)"That's not funny, you know."
He absolutely was not whining. He maybe was pouting just a little.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-16 11:23 pm (UTC)And that Nanaki is a dear friend whose opinion matters to him enough that he'd show such vulnerability. Rising from his seat, he crouches down to be more evenly face to face with the sitting feline and regards Nanaki with grave ruby eyes.
"I'd never replace a friend. I might become friends with someone like the hellhound Nanaki. But he wouldn't be you. The Floods, the Breach. They might bring other versions of us or cause us to interact in different ways, but that won't ever change my friendship with you. Do you understand?"
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-16 11:41 pm (UTC)He nodded solemnly. "I do." He butted his head against Vincent's knee for added emphasis.
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-16 11:47 pm (UTC)"Good. Don't forget it."
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-17 12:01 am (UTC)"I won't."
Re: after the shoe flood
Date: 2025-03-17 05:04 am (UTC)But this is certainly progress. Vincent rises to his feet.
"You'd better not. Hate to have to repeat myself."
...But there's a bit of a smile. Maybe the collar of the cloak's folded down just enough at that moment to glimpse it. Or maybe it was already happening when he'd started to rise.
...Perhaps it's just in his voice.