An apology… something quite unexpected, particularly from the Mechanic. Gundham had always been of the opinion that the other man loathed his presence, or at the very least barely tolerated him -
Still, he would take the sliver of kindness with grace. Even if he was not sure what his neon-clad comrade was on about. The tamer gave a slow nod, head turning so mismatched irises could study Souda’s body language.
Really, it was no wonder the Mechanic had caught his eye. Personal…tastes aside, Kazuichi Souda was remarkably honest in his body language. It made him easy to gauge, easy to manipulate if one so desired. He didn’t, of course; as a child, he had had no interest in the machinations of those around them. His power to hurt had remained carefully uncultivated in favour of keeping humans at bay - isolation.
After all they had been through, Gundham knew that could not stay as his norm. Not anymore. And in truth, he didn’t want it to.
The breeder’s lip quirked up in a small smile, his voice still scratchy with disuse. So long he had spent simply not talking, either in the throes of despair or the hold of the pods and program that had restored them all.
“Yes. Hinata granted me a boon, gave me knowledge of the game’s continuation and upheaval.” Gundham spoke quietly, his tone almost gentle as opposed to the grandeur he would usually employ.
“You and Sonia were survivors. This has quelled the storm in my heart - though I find myself wishing there had been more.” The breeder took a quiet breath, closing his eyes briefly as he faced the waves once more. “I would have thought you to be relieved, tamer of automatons. Your ‘romantic rival’ was struck down indefinitely.”
The way that Gundham smiled at him brought forth a sense of relief that washed over him more than any wave could have in that moment. Despite the anxiety that was eating him alive from the inside out, Kazuichi allowed himself to idulge in the hope that was filling his chest, blossoming more beautifully than any flower could hope to be.
Having woken up directly after the simulation, being one of the few survivors that made it out without being forcefully removed from it (although he knew he didn’t deserve to be one of them); because of this, he retained everything that happened within it. A very elaborate dream sequence, but with an extremely heightened retention of memory. He could remember the way Teru’s food tasted at the party, or the way the his tools felt in his hands when he found something to tinker with, or the way he felt at home when Miss Sonia and Gundham were by his side.
Hajime had stated that there was no telling when - or if - Gundham would remember everything that happened. It made his initial outburst of excitement pertaining to Tanaka’s awakening that much more shameful on his part. He should have had his head on better, he should have been more in control of the things he was feeling, he.. He should have been-
I would have thought you to be relieved, tamer of automatons.
I would have thought you to be relieved, tamer of automatons. Your ‘romantic rival’ was struck down indefinitely.
“I-” He cut himself off, the knot in his stomach growing tighter by the second. The sheer honesty in Gundham’s tone caught him severely off guard, the way that the tamer had seemingly expected hatred. For reasons unbeknownst to Souda, his heart was pounding against his ribs, and he suddenly felt it incredibly hard to refrain from moving closer in a hasty leap. Instead, he took in a deep breath, puffing out his chest in preparation of his pitiful attempt at conveying the things he felt with his words. Luckily, his body was useful in showing them more than his verbal language was.
“I never.. I shouldn’t of-”
Kazuichi could hear the words of his father, beating him down time and time again. Having feelings for another man was unacceptable, it was shameful, it was a degradation of the family name- of everything he had worked for. Souda mustered up everything he had within him to push through the lump in his throat that cut into his flesh like glass.
“Miss Sonia’s great.” He blurted out, walking closer to Tanaka in order to stand next to him. He turned, facing the shore and watching the distant waves, an orange sunset glittering atop the water; it was.. Beautiful. The sea air was warm and comforting, but..
Souda, without looking at Gundham out of fear of what he might see, slowly reached his hand out and wrapped his fingers around the other’s, grasping it loosely and with the utmost of care. The mechanic’s face was heavily flushed and his body was stiff with fear and anticipation, though the joy of physical contact also made it intensely comforting.
