stakesthesame | IMEEJI INBOX

What up, dorks! You know who it is. Leave a message!

... hey. You busy?

Nope. What's up?

... I, uh... been thinking, and-- I just...

[ quiet for a long moment. ]

... know I'm being dumb.

It's okay. I think I kinda get how you feel.

... you do?

Well, I might. Could be I'm totally on the wrong track.

But... you were really upset about Ruby coming in and going all "mine, mine", right? Like she was staking a claim on your home and family and no one was contesting it?

[ oh. ]

Yeah... um, and some other stuff, but that's more...

...

More stupid. I mean, it's all stupid, but.

Do you wanna talk about it?

Yeah, if... if that's okay. With you. Um.

I talked about it a little with Sabre but she hasn't... been here as long. So it's a little difficult to explain to her, I guess.

I wanna hear it. Can't help unless I fully get what's going on, right?

I mean-- what you said before is, um. The big thing, yeah. And I don't have a problem with the new guy, either-- obviously... it's weird and kind of uh, worrying, having someone from another unit that was loyal to them on ours now, and Zraels are supposed to be Zraels. ... but...

It's... not really fair, is it? People keep getting... their old people back, from before, even if they're on different units. Wild City and Baritones has people back, and Wataru came from that guest unit... and he said-- that how Ruby was acting was "relatable" so her reaction was totally fine, or whatever.

But it's not. None of ours ever come back, not even on other units. It's not like-- like I want them on somewhere other than Zrael, either, but I just-- even if they did, so long's we could see 'em again...

[ quiet for a long moment before speaking again, voice wobbly. ]

... you guys're the only thing I got. Why do some-- some randos get to take that away from me? Why ain't their groups good enough? S'bad enough that if-- if you have to leave I'll never get you back, but they can just decide on their own that they're the real family or whatever now so what they want is more important? I know I'm-- not that important, to you all, but you're the most important things in the world to me. So I just-- ...

[ she starts and stops a moment more before trailing off into uneasy silence. ]

[listening quietly, but as soon as she stops talking-]

What makes you think you're not important to us? To me?

[ ... awkwardly; ]

I-- I mean, I'm not... really, like... anyone's first choice for anything, y'know? I'm not dumb enough to think that. And it doesn't really bother me, or anything... cuz I know everyone got their own stuff to worry about, whether it's you all in Zrael or Nemesis or anyone else.

Saying stuff like that out loud isn't... y'know, it's weird and uncomfy so it's not like I'm gonna make anyone talk about it or admit it, either?

What does that even mean, first choice? You know I'd protect you before Ruler, right?

[ ????????????? ]

... why?

Because you're important to me, dumbass.

[ ... weh ]

I-I mean, it's not-- I wasn't thinking of Lucifel, or anything specifically, I just...

[ sort of helplessly, a little weak: ]

... generally.

Well, you matter to me, and the rest of the unit. We'd all be devastated if you left.

And, y'know, it's not like I think Ruby or anyone else has any claim on our house or our people. She's an idiot dragon who thinks she's the moon and that she owns everything and everyone. It's all bullshit. She might think Marnie is hers, or BARiTONES', but he's ours now.

[ quiet again for a long moment. ]

I mean-- Dia... clearly believes it. Marnie probably does too, an' I can't... blame him too much, or anything. Wataru's got... that dude on Baritones, too. The guy who apparently tried to throw th' rest of 'em under the bus for him.