15 strangers r7 | Week 3, Late Thursday and Friday (Aoi)

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He had killed. Kaito didn't deserve what had happened, not at all - but he had left his plan up to the whims of fate, and fate had answered by bringing him someone who understood what the consequences would have been...and more importantly, he was fine with dying or standing trial.

The end of it had been...not what he was expecting, but in the end...well, such things happened, and he had made the death quick. The stinging pain in his torso where the chlorine irritated his wound was able to be ignored, as he made his way back to the Lounge.

Seeing his book there was one step - but the one thing he hadn't planned on was that Aoi was still in there, and had been there for the entire time. If it had been anyone else, then perhaps he would have just read and went back to his room, but...

Aoi was someone he had a good feeling for, and he had already once given his plans to luck. Why not chance it again?

After all, at worst, he would merely be found out at trial sooner, in a trial he had no intention of winning.

So after placing his book back in the bookshelf, he makes his way over to Aoi with a smile.]

I hadn't expected to see you still here, my boy! Everything has been quiet in here, I presume?

Comments

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[There's a pause at that, because good fucking god.

He takes a deep breath, letting it out as he rubs at the bridge of his nose.]

....Yes, I...suppose, by that metric. Yet, am I not attempting the same thing? Having a public death, for you all to see...

[...]

For the alternative would be the death of all of you, and I...will not allow that, even if...even if I appreciate what you tried to do.

[jinglebros]

[ Aoi pauses. It's clear the 'everyone dies' bit hadn't occurred to him.

And now he's panicking. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Boy, did he ever make a mistake last night.

Next time, don't tell someone who's clearly on low sleep that you killed someone.

He brings up his hands and claps loudly in Aoi's face, to break him out of any panic.]

As I said - I will not allow that to happen, no matter what. Trust me, Aoi.

[He puts his hands down, but one comes to land on his shoulder in a grounding manner.]

I will attempt to lead the trial to the proper conclusion, even with the misleading evidence. No matter what you did, there is one thing that, if found properly, will undoubtably point towards me as the killer.

[He points to his torso, right where the now extremely irritated wound is.]

Kaito injured me, you see. All they would have to do is demand I take my bandages off.

[jinglebros]

...


...


...

[ Aoi takes off his gloves, revealing pink stained fingertips and a cut on his left hand. ]

So you see.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He stares at the cut.

At the pink.

And at the cut again.

The urge to scream rises, but he manages to force it back just in time.]

...How, did you cut yourself?

[It comes out falteringly because AAAAAAAAAAA]

[jinglebros]

The sword.

I wanted to be blamed, you see.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

For the love of god, why?!

[That comes out before he can stop himself. Logically, he knows why - no sleep and panic over someone who had actually cared about him.

But, emotionally...]

Even if there was no mass execution, I would still protest at you attempting to take on my crime! Nor should you have to deal with the suspicion of being the Fabricator! Aoi - my god!

[He places his face in his hands for a moment, before speaking through his fingers.]

You are still young, and Akane would be alone in this world without you. I alone am enough as a sacrifice for the future.

[jinglebros]

Akane - she has her husband. I'm there until then. She's drifted away from me. She doesn't need me anymore.

It's okay. She's better off without me.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

No. No, she would not be.

[That's firm, at the very least.]

You have practically raised her, have you not? Alone as you were, within the world? Of course she would still love and need you, as a member of her family.

[He sounds so sure...and yet, here he was, planning his own death despite calling himself their father.]

Do not devalue yourself so thoroughly, Aoi. It doesn't suit you.

[jinglebros]

Then don't do the same to yourself!

[ Aoi raises his voice a little, but he doesn't intend to. It just... happens. He looks apologetic, but doesn't make effort to lower it. ]

You're important!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

...I am an older man than most of you, and injured besides.

[It's only logical, after all.]

As well as literally being only the 'castoff' of my 'true' self. If there is anyone that is expendable here, then it would be myself.

[And it's...just calm. It's fine. It's the truth.]

Besides, I cannot change the outcome now. I was the one who killed Kaito, therefore...the only ending to this equation is either my execution, or the death of all of you.

Someone must show all of you the way forward - how to properly find the killer, to learn that even the most cordial among you can truly kill without it being an accident. To learn what it is Delta hides with the uncharacteristic act of 'Mercy' he gives when he allows one of our number to execute the other. To truly impose upon all of you that the Game has begun, and if you are to survive it without giving into our Captor's intentions, you must be as one.

And so, Let it be me.

['Let me be the sacrifice.']

[jinglebros]

[ Aoi is silent for a period of time, before his shoulders sag. ]

So how do we fix this?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Keep your gloves on.

[That's practically automatic.]

Last trial they did not ask for those wearing gloves to remove them, so I've little doubt they'll ask again. If you truly want to make it seem as if you were injured extremely recently - in a public area - then you'll want to do something today to re-cut your hand.

[That should be enough, right?]

Otherwise, I will do as I planned - lead the trial to the correct conclusion.