Ichigo's talked to a lot of people too, while Akira was away for a few hours. It all generally just made him feel worse, culminating with talking to Rin - and afterwards, he'd just returned to his beanbag, practically curling up in it, lying on his side and staring out blankly at a wall.
He hears the dragging, the sitting down - and he can't think of who it would be before Akira's voice rings out.
...Why so soon? He'd thought that his response would have scared him off, made him not want to see Ichigo anymore -
No. No, he can do this. All he has to do...is do what he's always done.
It takes him a second, not even giving any indication that he's heard - before turning around with a smile that would never be on his face in any other situation, a fake smile that doesn't reach his eyes even though he's trying so hard to act like nothing is wrong.
Slamming his mask firmly back into place, rolling up into a ball and protecting his already injured softness.]
Ah, no. I'll see if they recorded it so I can watch it later.
[His voice is even cheery and fake, none of any of the genuine warmth contained inside of it - just emptiness.]
I'm glad they don't have to deal with that thing anymore, though - it was bad enough when it was just following me around. I'm bet they're glad to be rid of it, right?
[There's a laugh, but just like the rest of his act - it's so very, very fake.]
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Ichigo's talked to a lot of people too, while Akira was away for a few hours. It all generally just made him feel worse, culminating with talking to Rin - and afterwards, he'd just returned to his beanbag, practically curling up in it, lying on his side and staring out blankly at a wall.
He hears the dragging, the sitting down - and he can't think of who it would be before Akira's voice rings out.
...Why so soon? He'd thought that his response would have scared him off, made him not want to see Ichigo anymore -
No. No, he can do this. All he has to do...is do what he's always done.
It takes him a second, not even giving any indication that he's heard - before turning around with a smile that would never be on his face in any other situation, a fake smile that doesn't reach his eyes even though he's trying so hard to act like nothing is wrong.
Slamming his mask firmly back into place, rolling up into a ball and protecting his already injured softness.]
Ah, no. I'll see if they recorded it so I can watch it later.
[His voice is even cheery and fake, none of any of the genuine warmth contained inside of it - just emptiness.]
I'm glad they don't have to deal with that thing anymore, though - it was bad enough when it was just following me around. I'm bet they're glad to be rid of it, right?
[There's a laugh, but just like the rest of his act - it's so very, very fake.]