Yawning quietly, Laika sighed. Standing up, computer shutting itself down. Glancing over at the other figure in the room, he found the brown haired, brown eyed, Hikari boy asleep at his computer, report and homework unfinished. That day's battle had been gruesome and tiring. Long, and very hard. But they had overcome it. And now, they were left with the afteraffects. Paperwork had to be done, and reports had to be filed. Sighing, he made his way over to the boy. Moving the boy so he was standing upright, he didn't stir. Lifting the boy up, he carefully typed one-handedly the code to link Rockman's regenerating stasis form to Netto's dorm computer. With that done, he turned and slowly walked out of the room. It would have been awkward had anyone saw him, since he normally showed no care or compassion for the boy. He sighed again and opened the door to Netto's dorm and went into the back room and after laying the boy down, covering him, he left, proceeding down the hall silently again. When he passed Enzan's office, he stopped, listening. Where he should have heard typing and soft curses, he did not. Curiously, he silently opened the door, sticking his head in.
The lights were dim and the computer monitor's light shone a bit brighter. And there he saw Enzan sitting infront of his computer, slouched over, appearing to be reading something. He was about to shut the door, but something seemed off. Opening the door wider, he stepped inside and walked over. He finally saw what was off.
Enzan had fallen asleep.
Looking at the computer screen, he saw he had barely began his report. The rest of his work had been all paperwork from IPC. Looking at the boy, he saw the boy's face tightly knitted into a frown of concentration, even in sleep. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he was very pale. Laika shook his head. "You overwork yourself, Ijuuin." He said softly. Gently and quietly, he maneouvered the teen so he was standing up and was leaning against him. He was extremely surprised to find him so light. He frowned, eyes softening and brows furrowing. "You overwork yourself, hardly sleep, barely find time for things you want, and now you're not eating much, either. Jesus, Ijuuin, you're going to kill yourself if you keep going like this." The teenager said softly. Enzan's face seemed to frown, as if he had recognized the voice and its owner's scrutiny. Laika sighed. "But I can't blame you for who you are. Nor can I blame you for trying to live up to what people want you to be. You're nothing like I first thought you to be." He said. And with that, he slowly picked the boy up. It was harder, since the dual-haired boy was taller then Netto, but he managed, and after linking Blues' stasis form to Enzan's computer like he had done with Rockman, he walked out of the room, Enzan in his arms.
After reaching Enzan's room and deposited him on the bed, he found the boy was a clinger. It didn't bother him much, since he could pretty much figure the reasons why. He sighed and gently pried the teenager's hands off of him and brushed his hand lightly against the sleeping figure's cheek in a gesture of comfort. The teen sighed and turned a bit, burrying themself deeper into the covers. Laika smiled lightly. The teen prodigy seemed to be more at ease, losing their concentrated face, and became blank, seemingly more at rest and peaceful. Still, the dark circles under the boy's eyes worried him. He had gotten a beating in the fight, and had already been running on four hours of sleep. He didn't blame the boy one bit for passing out. Brushing a hand across the boy's face once more, he stood up and exited the room without a word.
Making his way back to the office, he sat down in the chair the prodigy Net Battler had formerly occupied, he cracked his knuckles and his face hardened with focus as he bagan to type. Two cups of coffee, and an espresso later, he had finished. Standing up and stretching, the computer shut down. Exiting the room and turning the lights off, he headed down the hall once again, only to enter another room. Sitting down at the desk, he looked down into the book that was laid open, problems half completed, and some not, scribbles and equations jumbled, trying to find the answer. Shaking his head, he pulled out a spare piece of paper, and carefully numbered the same problems and wrote the numbered equations down in a simpler, more easier form to understand and slipped the papers into the book and closed it, setting the mechanical pencil down by it. Looking at the computer screen, he saw the report was half-finished. More then Enzan's had been. Saying nothing, he slowly started to work.
The next morning, both Enzan and Netto woke up wondering how they had gotten from one room to another. Same with Rockman and Blues. Having gotten up and walking towards the office, they met halfway and exchanged greetings, and when they got to the office and saw Laika was not there. They did, however see Meijin there, and he turned to them with a frown. "What are you doing here? You already turned in your reports, there's nothing more to be done." He waved his hand dismissively. Confused and surprised, they left the office. Netto walking back to the office he had been in, and got his Math book, opening it and looking in there, he saw the problems written down, and they were much easier to understand. Still, he didn't know who had put them there and why. But he was grateful to whoever it was.
Enzan, however, was different. He had marched down to Laika's room and had snuck in quietly and was standing in the door way to the teenager's room. He walked over and kneeled down by the boy, who was asleep, face in a grimace, looking like he wasn't getting very much rest. Having put two and two together as he found out why they didn't see the teenager, he was very surprised. The boy had 'saved their asses', so to speak. He ran a hand through the aqua-haired locks of the teenager and smiled lightly. "You didn't have to do that, you were just as tired as all of us. I'm grateful to you. I was wrong when I assumed about you." He said quietly. The sleeping form slowly turned and faced towards him more, though still asleep. Enzan's smile widened a bit as he ran a his knuckles softly against the boy's cheek, noticing how the boy's face seemed more at ease, the signs of restlessness - gone. Standing up, the dual-haired teen left the room and stepped out into the hall, face determined as he set off to do what he planned next.
When Laika woke up, he noticed it was late afternoon. Cursing, he wondered why no one had woken him up. Yawning he looked around. He saw Searchman had not come out of stasis yet. He went over to his computer and turned it on. He saw he had an email and opened it, eyes widening when he finished reading it. He had been given a two week, complete assurance that he would not be bothered, vacation. Another email popped up. He opened it and his eyes widened even more. The screen read:
Laika, You didn't have to. But you did, and I am grateful. I hope you enjoy your vacation, since you have deserved it more than ever. You have my gratitude and thanks. Ijuuin Enzan.
He sat there gaping. And remained so even when Searchman had come online two minutes later. Surprised, and bewildered at his operator's expression, he logged into the computer, and soon found out why. "That's rather nice of Ijuuin, even for him." He stated with amusement. Laika nodded, beginning to recover. "He has sides to him that no one sees, there's more to him then people think." He said. Searchman arched a brow. "You mean he's not just an arrogant, annoying, emotionless prick?" He asked. And he was really surprised when his operator broke out laughing loudly. He hadn't expected that. It wasn't very often his operator laughed like that. Or laughed hardly at all. "You've been hanging around Netto too long." Laika said with one last laugh as he calmed down, a giddy smile still there on his face, though. "No, he's not an emotionless, annoying, arrogant prick. There's more to him. He just lets people think whatever they want about him. He overworks himself, he barely sleeps, he hardly even eats, and it's going to kill him. And what's even more saddening is that he never has time for anything he wants to do. It all goes to IPC or his job as a NetSavior. Paperwork, meetings, or missions, he never has time beyond that. It's sad, because even we could find time for things we wanted to do.." He said, a frown replacing his smile.
Searchman seemed to think about it. His operator was right. How he was, he didn't know. Laika was always an observer, hardly ever a talker. He observed and saw alot more then people thought. It made him wonder... Still, he had not time to really ponder it. "I think you're right." He agreed. Laika nodded and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Why don't you go on and do something you like today. I mean, we're on vacation, you don't need to spend it around me all the time. You need some time for yourself, too." He said. Searchman was surprised. Vacations came few and far between, and even then, he never really had one, he was always doing something for Laika then. "If you say so." He finally replied when he realized the teenager was serious. Linking himself out, he disappeared.
Sighing, Laika got up, showered, and got dressed in a pair of light khaki cargo capri's, a white tank, with a light blue shirt over it. He managed to dig up a pair of sandals he barely wore (Coming from Sharo, he didn't need them) and slipped them on. He slipped out the door and strode down the hall, getting many looks and shocked stares of disbelief as to seeing him in regular clothes instead of his normal uniform. Smirking smugly, he walked out of the building, and set off for another, a goal in his mind.
----
Searchman linked into a computer and looked around, seeing the Navi was there and walked over. The Navi stiffened and turned, sensing his presance. "Searchman." The Navi greeted. He nodded his head. "Blues." The white-haired Navi arched a brow. "What are you doing here. You're on vacation. I thought'd you be somewhere in NetCity." He said. Search shrugged and looked at him. "I came to talk, and ask a few questions. Nothing really." He said. Blues nodded. Search sighed. "Laika's always been an observer, even when he was little. He watched, he noticed things, though. Things people never saw or caught onto. He could see things that no one else could." He stated. Blues arched a brow. "What do you mean?" He asked. Search sighed, and shrugged. "I don't know. Today, Laika said something that had me wondering. He said Enzan "had sides to him that no one ever saw or caught onto, that he let people believe what they wanted" and that he has no time for things that he wants to do." He said.
Blues' eyes widened behind his visor and he inhaled sharply, which Searchman noticed. Blues nodded. "Your operator has very keen observation. Enzan-sama does have sides to him no one else sees. And they rarely come out, either. Enzan-sama hardly has time for anything he wants. Meetings, and paperwork, and then being a NetSavior, his job always comes first, he says. And I don't think he'd actually know what to do if he suddenly did have time to do what he wanted." Blues sad a bit sadly. Searchman made an understanding noise and sighed. "Was Enzan always like this?" He asked quietly. Blues shook his head. "No, he wasn't. When I first met him, he was very... Genki, so to speak. He was thrilled when he first met me. And although he had no friends, and no one talked to him besides his tutors, he was happy. I asked him why one day, and he said it was because he had me, and nothing else mattered. He said I made him happy. And so, I did my best to keep him so. But, as he got older, not even I could keep him happy when his father began getting stricter and more harsher. He eventually became like he was now, and was really bad when we became official Net Battlers. Until he met Netto and Rockman. Netto got him to be more expressive. He annoyed him, got under his skin, and at the same time, pried him out from his walls of isolation. Something I couldn't do. But it didn't matter, because I understood him. He was fine the way he was, it didn't matter how we were." He said, wincing slightly as the memories came back to him.
Searchman nodded, understanding completely. Blues arched a brow and watched the other Navi. His movements seemed a bit more childish, more hesitant, unsure, unlike they normally were. He smirked. "What about you and Laika?" He said, startling the other Navi. "You never really seemed the type to be like you are: cold, refined, obeying every order with complete devotion. It always seemed off to me. Was Laika always like he is now?" He asked. Search couldn't find his voice for a minute, a fine dusty blush forming on his face. He shook his head hastily, looking embarrassed. "N-na... Laika and I weren't always like this." He confirmed. "Laika was always an observer, and quiet. But he was open more, he loved the snowball fights with the other kids. But even then, he was always calculating, he loved to net battle, as did I. I was very different, too." He said, sighing, eyes going glossy as he remembered.
"I didn't look like this either, but I was always childish, I suppose. I loved to play pranks on the other kid's Navi's and I loved to Net Battle. I was full of childish pride and the like. Things were really different. In a way, I was kind of like Netto, naive, childish, but I wasn't reckless. Laika was always a bit refined, but that didn't stop him from trying to have fun. But," He sighed, looking back over towards the stoic, red-clad Navi and smiled grimly. "when it came time to choose a career, Laika started becoming more and more distant, less open, beginning to surpress his emotions. I guess, I started to as well. I suppose I wanted to be something 'worthy' in his sight. So, I became less and less childish, and more like I am. I never really noticed. When we became Net Saviors, Laika was so serious it was scary almost. He did, however, become a bit lighter as the years passed. But, it was Netto who managed to bring him to how he is now. I guess he envies Netto in his own way. He was everything he wanted to be, but somehow, never could be. I respect Netto and I owe him alot for bringing a little of the old Laika back. I miss those times. But, it's not very often I think on them" He said, scuffing his foot a bit shyly.
Blues found that action... 'cute', for lack of a better term. Smirking, he made a non-commental noise, mulling over the information. And Searchman was right, Blues mused. Now that he said, it was a bit more easier to see. The childish features still there, how he acted now that he didn't have to be restricted, and able to do anything he wanted. He could tell the Navi didn't quite know what to do with the free time, or with himself though. Probably that's why he had come in the first place, to be close to something he knew, but in a different way, perhaps. Still, Blues didn't blame the Navi. His smirk widened as he stepped over to the other. "So, you said you looked different from what you do now. What did you look like, then?" He said teasingly. The other navi stepped back, a fine red hue on their face, evidently very embarrassed. "N-nani? W-well... I looked really different. I didn't have armor like this.. And my hair was... Weird, to say the least. Spikes everywhere. I think I may still have the style, let me check..." The Navi closed their eyes, proccessing and sorting through data that must have been untouched for a long time.
Searchman's frame flickered for a moment, before he dissolved into pixels, before being reformatted and reappeared. Dressed in black armor, with red lines going down the arms, legs, and on the chest, a large blue jewel was in the center of it all. He had bits of yellow, too. His hair was wild and spiked in odd ways, almost unnatural, helmet was black with red, and with white things on the side kind of looking like wings, almost. He also had a jewel in the front of his helmet. At his sides and down the sides of his legs, he had an assortment of energy and plasma pistols, each varying in variety and type. Opening his eyes, Blues was shocked that they had changed too. Where they had once been a brown colour, they were a 'spring green' colour, also on his face was a scar in the shape of an "X". Blues nodded approvingly to the navi. "You're right. It does look a bit childish. But it suits you. For who you used to be, that is. It still reflects how you are, in a way. You look...cute." He murmured, walking over to stand infront of the other Navi.
Search's face heated up and his cheeks turned a fine red colour. "A-ah... T-thanks. I haven't even thought about this for a long time.." The Navi admitted. Smirking at the other's embarrassment, he shrugged. "It's good to remember who you are and who you used to be. It shows how much you've grown... Or how much you've fallen. Looking like and being like who you used to be is two different things, but sometimes, even acting like yourself is more of an escape then anything else." He said. The other Navi stared at him in shock, which caused his lips to quirk up into another smirk. His eyes landed on the X-shaped scar on the Navi's face and reached up to run a hand lightly across it. "How did you get this?" He asked softly.
Search took a small step back, obviously not used to being so close to someone and blushed furiously. "W-well... As I said, I was childish and full of pride.. I uh... Was a bit careless in a Net Battle and got slashed with two swords as I blocked, and I kept them, as I thought it was a honorific thing." At the look of, or rather twitch of the other Navi's cheek, he let off a small chuckle inbetween a giggle and a snort "And I wanted to show off, too, I guess." He added, knowing that's what the other Navi was implying. Blues smirked. "That sounds about right for how I first figured you to be, nothing like you are now. Still, you are who you have to be, not letting things get in the way of the mission or anything." He said. Search's face frowned for a minute. "Well... I did disobey Laika a few times.. Twice when Rockman was in danger. But, Aside from that, I don't let anything else get in my way." He stated. Blues nodded. "When it comes to Rockman, anything's possible. Hell, even Forte helped him out a few times." Blues stated. Searchman looked at the other in shock. "Are you serious?" He said, eyes wide. Blues nodded. "Yes. When the Undernet was getting destroyed, Forte, Rock, Serenade, and I, with the help of Gospel, had gone to stop whatever it was. Serenade and I took one part of the Undernet while Forte, Rock, and Gospel took the other. Rockman never told me details, but he said Forte and he came to an understanding--but they were still rivals." He said
Searchman contemplated the words before nodding eagerly. Blues smirked. The change in the smaller Navi's personality was almost amazing, and how childish he seemed again. A smile almost made itself known, but he stopped it just in time. Moving to stand infront of the other he smirked down at him, visor sliding back so he could properly look into the other's eyes. His smirk widened into a grin when the other Navi muffled a gasp of surprise, eyes widened in shock surprise, and... Delight? Arching a long silvery brow in amusement he continued staring down at the other. Search stared with amazement. "Your eyes... They remind me of those stones they put in jewlery. What're they called? Oh, Sapphires. Except, more beautiful, because yours aren't fake, and they aren't some material posession... And your eyes shine with something that a stupid stone never could." He said, smiling softly. Blues looked quite speechless at the former army-type Navi and a small trace of pink could be seen on his pale cheeks. "Really? What do they shine of then?" He asked, brow arching even higher. Searchman smiled widely, and for the first time in years, he felt that childish pride come back as he proudly said what he thought. "Life."
----
Laika strode out of the elevator he was in, passed the secretary at the desk without even a moment's glance and strode to the office door and opened it lightly, leaned against the door frame and spoke out loud. "I really must thank you, Ijuuin." He stated, smirking when the white-and-black haired teen jumped, spinning his chair around with wide eyes to face him. He made a sound and stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Getting sloppy, Enzan. Are you losing your touch?" He teased. Enzan scowled for a moment before turning back to his work. "You're supposed to be on vacation, Laika, not hanging around me." He said, ignoring the other's statement. Laika grinned slightly. Oh, he couldn't pass up the oportunity to tease the other. Perhaps he had been hanging around Netto too long. Leaning against the other's desk he shrugged. "And I came all this way over here just to thank you. And besides," He said, staring down at the other who had turned his eyes up to him, brows raised. "It's much more easier just to annoy you then rather try to find something else to do now that I'm here." He said with a wide grin.
Enzan found himself gaping in shock. Not only was Laika's personality a complete 180 degree turn around, but he also found it strangely...amusing. "You sound like Netto." He commented dryly. Laika snorted. "Probably, but does it matter? We are who we are. And I'm not a reckless child like Hikari." He said a bit defensively. Enzan's brow quirked. Yep, still Laika. Just with a different attitude when he wasn't working. How odd. Still, it wasn't too bad. He could probably get used to and enjoy this new Laika, but maybe not. "So, since you've decided to grace me with your presence, I assume you're bored out of your mind or absolutely don't know what to do with yourself and your free time." He drawled, eyes focusing back on the computer, typing meaningless words and sentences about things he really wasn't keeping his mind on.
Laika shrugged and sat himself ontop of Enzan's desk, smirking amusedly at the look at other gave him. "There's things called chairs that you sit in, you know." The dual-haired teen said saucily. The blue eyed, aqua haired teen's smirk turned into a grin. "Yeah, but what's the fun in that? I'm comfortable right here, why should I move?" Enzan gave him an annoyed look and Laika sighed. "Fine, fine. Have it your way." He said, slipping off of the desk. But instead of sitting in a chair, he promptly sat himself on Enzan who squeaked in surprise. "I said in a chair not on me!" He said, voice a pitch higher, a fine red tint on his face. Laika laughed a bit and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you're far more comfortable than a chair. And since I'm on vacation, I'm too lazy to walk and get a chair and drag it all the way over here." He said with a long suffering look, which was only spoiled by his lazy grin. Enzan looked humiliated, had turned even more red. "Please get off..." He said quietly.
Laika felt a bit sorry and stood up without hesitation. "Sorry." He murmured. Enzan shrugged lightly. "No you aren't." He said. Laika sighed and leaned against the desk again. "Come on, Enzan. Do something more productive with your life. You have the same habits day after day, you're working yourself into the ground, You hardly sleep, you hardly eat, and you never have time to do hardly anything." He said. Enzan's face and eyes flashed with something, but he couldn't tell what. "I didn't ask for you to come all this way over here just to patronize me and tell me what I should do with my life, thank you very much." He said bitterly. Laika looked away, out the window of the office, stepping away from the desk to walk over to the window and put his hand on it. "I know," He said softly, almost too quiet for the other to hear. "You're nothing like what everyone expects you to be. You let people believe what they want about you, not giving them any clear show of who you really are." He said. He knew he had either touched a soft spot, or hit it dead on from the sharp inhalation of air from Enzan. "You never let anyone near you, because you can't trust them. You're afraid they'll walk all over you, and leave you with nothing, you don't want to be seen as weak, you don't want to be taken advantage of, so you shut everyone out, you make yourself the one that walks over people, make yourself strong so you make others weak..." He said, turning back to face the other, who's face was paler then he had ever saw, a glossy look in his eyes. "Am I right?" He inquired, staring calmly at the teen.
Enzan was speechless. He had never felt so...open, before. He never felt like anyone could see through him, could pierce those shells that he had taken years to build and make. And there they were, just shattered into pieces by the other. He had never felt so exposed. Netto could break through some of his barriers, but never to this extent. Every word the other had said cracked and tore down everything piece by piece, leaving him exposed for who he really was.
Ijuuin Enzan - a scared, vulnerable, hurt, and broken child.
Taking in a shaky breath, he felt himself slumping back against his chair heavily, his emotional barriers overpowered and he found himself struggling not to just cry right there. Laika knew he had hit a very sore spot and saw how vulnerable the other was. It wasn't his goal to break the other, or even cause him pain, he simply wanted to understand why the other was so reclusive at times. Walking back over he bent down right next to the other and hesitantly touched the other's arm. "Enzan?" He questioned softly. The other teen jerked and shuddered, wanting to curl up into a ball and hide. "Go away..." He whispered. Laika shook his head. "I'm not leaving you like this. There's no way in hell." He said. Enzan flinched a bit. "Please... Leave me alone, I d-don't want to be hurt anymore." He said, clenching his eyes shut. Laika sighed softly. "Enzan..." He said, unsure what to say. Instead, he decided to let his actions do the talking. He easily picked the other up into a standing poisition and held him gently. "When have I ever hurt you, Enzan?" He questioned quietly. "Furthermore, I wouldn't hurt you even if I was controlled by something." He said. Enzan stiffened at the word 'controlled' and that was the last straw. He broke out into hysterics and began sobbing uncontrollably, slumping against Laika, and clenching his eyes shut, haunting memories of Blues and the darkchip incident, and previous memories before that, his childhood, his whole life, everything was just running a mile a minute. He couldn't grasp ahold of anything.
Turning, Laika sat in the chair he had pulled Enzan from and took the other with him and put him on his lap, holding him gently. Sure he wasn't used to being so close to someone, but right now, he didn't care. It was his fault he caused this, and he was going to make sure everything was put right. Running a hand through the dual-coloured hair and couldn't help but feel awful himself. He grimaced and chewed on his lip, pulling the other closer to him. "Enzan," He said quietly. "Make it stop..." He got a whimper in reply. "Make what stop?" He asked gently. Enzan sobbed harder, hands suddenly grabbing Laika's shoulders and he looked up at him, eyes wild, frantic, scared, and unfocused. "Everything! The memories, the pain, I don't want this! Make it stop, please... I can't take my life anymore..." His yelling had turned into a soft whimper by the time he finished. Laika blinked softly. "Tell me," He urged gently. "The pain will lessen if you do." Enzan's eyes closed again and his grip was like a vice.
The aqua-haired teen pulled the other to him again and hugged him gently, one arm wrapped around the teen's waist while the other gently ran itself along the other's spine. "You don't have to tell me anything, but I'm not going to let you fall, you're not going to hurt alone." He whispered softly. Enzan's hysteric sobbing had lessened and his grip became slackened and he just laid there limply. "You'll only hurt me. I can't trust you..." He whimpered. Laika's eyes closed. "Have I ever lied to you? Have I ever hurt you intentionally? Have I ever really done anything to make you think I would walk all over you?" He questioned, bringing a hand up to tip the other's face upwards to meet his eyes. "I've never lied to you, I never will, and if you think I'd ever consider hurting you, think again. I'm not some greedy advasary of yours who'd sell you out the moment they got information like this. I'm not looking to hurt you, I'm looking to understand. I want to help you, I want to take all of your pain away, but I can't unless you let me in, unless you tell me."
A few more tears escaped Enzan's eyes and he sighed, letting his head fall forward to rest againt the other teen's shoulder. "I'm afraid..." He murmured. The other's hand was rubbing his back again. "I know," Came the reply. "Will you ever hurt me?" He asked.
"Never."
"Would you ever tell anyone if I told you?"
There was a small silence as the other thought. "If it was important to your health, and in dire situations such as you dieing or such, possibly. Otherwise, I'd never tell." He said quietly. Enzan's hands had tightened again. "Never tell, please, even in situations like those. Please..." He said urgently. The hand on his back stilled as Laika sighed for a moment. "...Alright." He agreed. "One more thing..." The dual haired male said. "What?" The taller one questioned. "Never, ever, EVER mention any of this to any one." He said. Laika smiled lightly. "Of course." He agreed. Enzan sighed, nodding his head against the shoulder, closing his eyes. This was going to be a long, hard road for him.
----
Blues had been shocked out of his wits when he heard his NetOp's crying. He had pulled the screen open to see everything, with Searchman standing beside him, worry etched on his face. "Enzan-sama..." He said softly. Search put a hesitant hand on the other's arm. "We should let them be, I'm sure Laika-san can help him." He said. Blues looked at the other, looking hesitant, but nodded, pulling the pages back up on the computer and muting the sound. "I only know parts of it all, even Enzan-sama's never told me everything. I never thought it was this bad..." He said, shoulders slumping. "Don't blame yourself." Search started. "It's not your fault at what he's been through. Like you said, he was the happiest person in the world when he had you. And I know that if you hadn't been there and did your best to keep him happy, he would have gone off the edge a lot sooner. You've been his best friend, and I know he doesn't blame you. But the thing I know he does think is that you hate him for the darkchip incedent." He said. Blues' eyes widened. "What? I could never- That's... I couldn't hate Enzan-sama! Never! No matter what he's done!" He said. Search put a small white gloved finger on the other lips. "Shh. I know. You couldn't ever hate Enzan. He's your operator and best friend. You've known him for a long time. You've been his guardian for so long... But humans are different from us, they worry and think differently. And they doubt." He said.
Blues took the other's hand from his mouth and sighed, looking away, almost sadly letting go of the other's hand. "I know." He said. "But I don't see why Enzan-sama thinks I hate him." He said. Search shrugged. "Well... You have been distant alot lately, a bit more then usual. And you know Enzan's always been an observer and is keen on pointing things out like that. He probably thought it was because of that." He said. Blues looked at the smaller Navi and sighed heavily, shoulders slumping defeatedly. "I've been lost in my thoughts alot lately, thinking about alot of things, but It wasn't about that... Enzan-sama means so much to me, he's been the only person I've ever know that really understands." He said. Searchman smiled a bit. "Of course he does. He's your operator. A NetOp and Navi are supposed to have bonds like that. You've known Enzan since he was a child, you've watched him grow, you stuck with him through everything, so of course you're so deeply attached and connected. He knows you inside out just as much as you know him." He said.
Blues looked at the other and smiled, although it was weary. "I guess your right." He said. "But it's amazing at times how you and Rock understand me almost as much as Enzan-sama does." He murmured. Search blushed brightly and shrugged. "I'm a sniper, It's my job to observe. I'm always alone, but I'm always watching. Finding things out about everyone, keeping my distance, but still knowing things." He said. Blues stepped a bit closer, reaching out to tip the other navi's face up. "Being alone is one of the worsest feelings to ever experiance. I get tired of it, and it hurts, but I live with it because I know it's one of my only choices. But you..." He trailed off, letting his hand brush against the other's cheek. "You shouldn't know loneliness, but you do. You shouldn't be what you are now, but you are. You can observe and not be alone, but you wouldn't be a sniper." He said. Search blushed brightly, but didn't pull away from the other's touch. He had somewhat been expecting it, even though he didn't know why. It was odd, his emotional functions were going weird, he had fluttery feelings about him, and his cheek tingled slightly where the other's hand was. "I want to be alone, though... No one could ever connect to me, so why should things only be one-sided? If I'm alone, I don't have to worry." He said. Blues' lips quirked up slightly. "Who says no one can connect with you? It seems to me I have. You understand me alot better then Rock, and I seem to know about you a bit more then most. I wouldn't exactly call that one-sided." He said, his hand dropping away from the other's face before he turned away, closing his eyes. "But then, what do I know about connection? I can't connect to anyone, either."
Searchman.EXE bit his lip. For a second in his life, he truely didn't know what to do. Being overly emotional and open was not one of his special points, and when it came to socializing to this degree... He didn't have a clue how to go about it. But he wanted to do something to help Blues, he just didn't know how. It had been far too long since he had ever talked to anyone like this, and he wasn't exactly sure of himself right now. With a soft sigh, he walked over and put his hand on the red navi's shoulder and turned him around and looked up at him. "You've always known lonliness, Blues. I didn't. I chose this life. I couldn't ever connect to anyone. No one ever knew how I was, no one understood. You do. Laika's a genius, in his own way. Enzan's a genius. It effected us, because we were made to fit their level of intellegence. No normal Navi understands that."
Blues stared down at him, blinking once as he listened. "But what about Rock? He understands and his NetOp isn't exactly a genius." He said. Search shrugged. "Have you ever observed Netto, though?" He asked. Blues shook his head. He never bothered to. Netto was only an associate of Enzan's, never his. Even though he was directly involved. Search shrugged again. "Netto's actions in normal everyday life may not be that smart or anything special. But once you get him in a programming or battling state... It's like he's a totally different person. Netto's smart. Smarter then most when it comes to that. He's a brilliant stratigist, and he's a good programmer, but you don't see that on the outside. You see a childish teenager. And Rock is just the same way. He doesn't look like much, and he may be laid back, but once he starts thinking and battling, he is different."
Blues started realizing the things the other Navi said to be true. He never realized or gave any thought to it. It was almost as if his eyes had been opened. "There's something else about Netto and Rock that make them special." Search said softly. Blues looked down at him, brow arching in question. "They're empathetics. It's something very rare in people. They can relate and understand people without having gone through the same thing." Search stated. "Empathetics, huh?" Blues asked with a small smirk. Search nodded. "Pathetic, all right." Blues added on, with a small smile. Search giggled, before he clamped a hand over his mouth, face turning red in embarrassment.
Blues' brows raised up high as he stared rather amused at the other. "Ehehehe... It slipped?" The other Navi offered innocently. Blues smirked. "Riight," He snorted sarcastically. "And I'm part of the Neo WWW." He said, rolling his eyes. Search laughed. "I don't see your honkey-tonk operator anywhere, then." He said. Blues' brow arched with a small grin. "Honkey tonk?" He questioned Search's face heated up again and he shook his head furiously. "It's what I call the other Neo WWW's Navi's. They act all... weird. And if you noticed, Desertman makes a honking sound when he gets hit sometimes." He said. Blues found this too amusing and he started snickering. "You have to be one of the oddest persons i've ever met." He said. "Really?" Search asked. He nodded. "Yes." He answered. "Gee, I feel loved." He sad sarcastically.
Blues frowned slightly. "You should." He said seriously. Search blinked, looking over at the other. "Why?" He asked, brows furrowing slightly. "Because you are." The other answered simply. The orangy-haired Navi arched a brow. "I doubt it." He answered. Blues sighed. "Your operator does, Rock does, I think even Netto does, and on some level I think even Enzan does." He answered. Search looked up at the other. "What about you?" He asked quietly. Blues looked surprised. "What?" He asked. "You. Do you love me?" Search stared at the other, eyes reading, trying to find any answer. But, Blues was too hard to read, and the expression the Navi wore told nothing. Wait... The silver-haired Navi's face shadowed a bit, and his cheeks turned slightly pinkish and he started to act a bit more embarrassed, like a kid caught with their hand caught in a cookie jar. That gave it all away to the childish looking Navi. Their green eyes lit up and he grinned. "You do, don't you? You care, I knew it." He said, voice showing his happiness and contentment.
Blues' face turned a bit more red and he looked away. "Maybe," He said. Search's smile widened. "Well, at least you do. I'm glad to know you do." He said honestly. Blues looked at him with a questioning gaze. "Why?" He asked. Searchman's face heated up and he sighed slightly, giving a one shouldered shrug. "Well, You said everyone else cared about me. I was just wondering. It's nice to know I'm cared about and supported by everyone. But you don't have to say it outloud to me. I know you do. Otherwise we probably wouldn't have ever had any of this conversation at all." He pointed out.
Blues nodded slightly. "I guess so." He admitted. Search walked over to stand next to the other and took his hand hesitantly. "Don't be afraid to say you care, to anyone. I learned that hiding feelings leads to a break down. As we have seen with Enzan-san..." He said softly. Blues winced a bit, but Search shook his head. "Even though I hardly ever express my feelings, when I'm troubled or in need of help, I always talk to Laika-san... Perhaps it's not the same with Enzan-san and you, but you can always come talk to me, I will listen." He said quietly. Blues sighed, not knowing what to say. And Blues being at a loss for words was a rare sight. Finally, a small, very hard to see smile came onto his face. It was small, just a light curl of the lips. "Thank you..." He murmured quietly.
Search's eyes seemed to light up at those words and he smiled too. "You're welcome." He answered. Silence then settled in, however it wasn't awkward or anything. It was comfortable for the both of them. Since they both liked the silence, it was nothing. And being in the other's company, added to the comfortable atmosphere.
----
Laika had never thought, or even dreamed that he'd be sitting in Ijuuin Enzan's office with said person in his lap, crying and telling him every painful detail in the teen's life. From the time he was a child, til the present time. The boy's life was dramatic, and perhaps even tramatic. And it was a wonder how said person could have gone through it all and hadn't broken down sooner. It amazed the light-haired teen greatly. He would never have guessed what really lied behind the cold exterior of the other boy. And frankly, he didn't quite know how to take in all of this information. It would store itself into his mind. But he himself, couldn't hardly grasp and take in everything. Afterall, he was only human. And his concious self could only handle so much trama before he became numb, unable to take anymore.
Even if it wasn't his own pain, and he hadn't gone through it all; it felt like it. Every detail the dual-haired Ijuuin boy provided was sharp and not dulled the least by time. It was almost as if he was living it himself. And some of the things he rather wished he didn't know. But, he asked to know - and he recieved it. And he also knew that if the other didn't tell him, there would still be things that could possibly cause the younger teen more pain. So, here he was, sitting there, taking everything in and doing his best to keep the camo-clad genius from breaking down again.
There were times when he had thought the boy would lose it completely, and then some. But he was amazed at the other's control, even if he was breaking down. He managed not to lose it, and even though he would stop in his sentences to cry harder or couldn't handle it at that moment, he would always start up again. It was aweing and heartbreaking at the same time for Laika. Fifteen minutes had past since Enzan had finished his whole tale, and it had been a good three hours since he had first stepped inside his office. The fast, quiet breathing of the other was there, and the pressure on his shoulder brought him back to earth. There had been some questioning and some conversation after Enzan had finished; but Laika thought it was better just to sit there and take everything in.
"Are you alright now, Enzan?" He asked softly. He got a soft sigh and a quiet reply of 'Yes' in return. The position they were in would have been quite odd had anyone walked in. Laika sitting in the chair with Enzan in his lap, legs off to his left side, head resting on his right shoulder and the other's right hand loosely hanging onto his left. It was fairly comfortable, he had to admit. And being taller then the other had it's advantages. A small, slightly smug smirk graced his face for a moment before slipping back down to it's neutral state. Time mattered not to the two of them at the moment. The silence wasn't heavy and they were enjoying the other's warmth and comfort.
Enzan sighed, shifting a bit, eyes closing a bit tightly, the pain he relived was still there and each breath he took still stung, but it was lessening and it was receeding and leaving him. The heavy-ness he had always carried and felt had seemed lighter, now that he had shared it and knew that Laika wouldn't ever tell anyone. Some part of him still warned him that the aqua-haired boy would betray him someday, but he knew better then to believe that. Laika had honor, and when he gave his word, he was honor-bound, come hell or high water. And Enzan now had a safety net. Someone he could always go to. Laika was safe, he could tell him anything, he could rely on him. He could be who he really was, and not worry. He was safe, he wasn't going to fall...
DHC: Woohoo! There may or may not be more of this, but yeah. I had started this long time ago when Intervals of Frozen Time by Summing up the Stars came out. I had wrote half of it but my computer crashed and had to start iver from scratch. And I dunno how it happened, but it did. I somehow managed to fit Blues/Search hints in. And if you couldn't guess by the description, Searech's armor and look is based off of Axl's. OH COME ON! Blues Rock and Search look UNCANNILY like Zero X and Axl. And Search's hair reminds me of Axl's XD;; and The "Honkey-tonk" thing I found funny. Don't ask how it came along, it just did. And I really do think Desertman honks at times when he's hit... And I was too lazy to tell you all what happened to Enzan. You can come up with your own conclusion. This is for my friends Lori, Chole, and Rin. This is also to Summing up the Stars for inspiring me with her fiction. And this is actually the prequel to "Complications at work" As it does explain some things (I.E. sitting on the person's lap, laika being worried about enzan, and whatnot.) and yeah. I hope you all enjoyed this and will review me and tell me if it was good or bad. And if I should write the part that I left out, too. Anyways, thanks for reading!