[An accessory to a crime. There's something about that which feels so desperately ironic he almost wants to laugh. Waking up handcuffed would be more punishment than he's ever received for his role in things, and some part of him almost hopes for it. The offer, on the other hand, catches him off guard. Not because he's surprised Kitsuragi would be willing to offer, exactly; he knew if he admitted he has nowhere to go, it'd come. But he hadn't expected the older man to catch on quite so easily. Maybe he should've lied.
Now that the offer's on the table, though, he's -- conflicted. There's a young, wounded part of him that wants to accept the safety and comfort of not being alone with only the violence behind his eyelids, of having someone there that cares but doesn't pry. It's drowned out by the much larger part of him that says he doesn't deserve it. And besides, it's clear enough that Kitsuragi would have rather he gone elsewhere, and it's only being offered to him out of a sense of obligation. Shinjiro isn't offended by that; Kitsuragi is a good man. Plenty of others would never have invited him inside in the first place.
He sets the mug in its proper place in the dish rack to buy himself another moment to think. Eventually, he turns back to the older man, and asks:]
...Is that something you'd wanna know? If someone might come in?
[He's genuinely not looking for an excuse to stay, yet the point the older man had raised was an interesting one. He doesn't care what might happen to him, but possibly learning something about the way this town works might be worth the inconvenience of putting him up. He can be gone first thing in the morning, if it doesn't happen.]
[ It's a justification for them both. Kim would never invite someone to stay with him simply because he's worried about their mental state. That sort of thing erodes at boundaries he has carefully constructed, for his own safety and for the safety of those around him -- not that he has any dangerous enemies, or anything as outlandish as what you'd find in one of those pulpy noir novels, but because Kim himself is not equipped for caring for another person long-term. He's too cold, tires of others' company too easily, fails to share anything about himself; it's nothing he hasn't heard from his ex-partners, sparse as they may be. So, no. He is not eager to set a precedent.
Likewise, he can see that Aragaki is reluctant to stay for his own personal welfare. He's a cagey kid, probably having been let down and abused in the past if Kim could guess at it, and isn't particularly eager to have his life meddled with by a well-meaning adult. Practically a stranger. Even if it is clearly the best plan for him, even if nobody should be alone after witnessing such a frightful sight.
Then it benefits them both. And Kim isn't necessarily lying, either. There is the distinct possibility that someone will come to punish Shinji for his assumed crimes, and that he should have someone here to watch his back if they can catch the person in the act or, if not, to have someone around to help him navigate around if he gets cuffed.
Kim nods. ]
Of course I would. The more we know about this place and its laws, the better. And I don't relish the idea of you waking in handcuffs alone. It's not an appropriate way to conduct law enforcement. [ Kim sets his mug down in the sink and turns, leaning against his small fridge. ] If that sounds reasonable to you as well, you can stay. Just don't expect too much hospitality. I'm not used to having guests.
[He can't quite resist a faint scoff at the mention of an appropriate way to conduct law enforcement; his experience hasn't given him a particularly great amount of faith in the profession. He never did learn exactly how the Kirijou Group covered up what happened to Amada's mother, whether they actually came up with another corpse to pin as the "drunk driver", or if they simply bribed the cops not to go digging into the story that was provided, but none of the possibilities are encouraging. The state of things with less supernatural affairs hasn't been much better, either.
All of that is hardly relevant in a place where the starting condition has been a mass kidnapping, though, and Shinjiro lets the moment pass without further reaction. It's not like the point is an important one under the circumstances, anyway. He rolls a shoulder, a bit more casual of a gesture than he really feels.]
...S'fine. Ain't like I'm used to bein' one.
[This might actually be the first time, now that he thinks about it? Awkward.]
I can crash on your couch, if you got one. No need to worry about blankets or anything. And I'll be out by morning.
[He almost wants to offer to make breakfast, in something like recompense for being allowed to stay, but it's too personal of a thing. Sharing a meal together would be more like something friends would do, and that's not what they are.]
All right. The couch it is. Make yourself comfortable -- it isn't as though I have any personal possessions here. User the shower if you like.
[ He's cagier about his real home. Every item on every shelf says something different about him, something deeply personal, interests he has hidden away, secret loves he harbours, evidence of a life colourfully lived. Though the apartment he's living in now is objectively much nicer, it is devoid of anything that hints that someone with a personality lives here. Even if he had access to such things, he wouldn't use them. It would feel far too much like putting down roots.
And so Aragaki is the unwilling spectator of the rest of Kim's evening; he rustles himself together some shabby dinner (and offers Aragaki a plate, though doesn't argue if he doesn't want it), done without any real ineptitude but also without any skill, has a smoke, and mulls over some crosswords at the kitchen table before bed. Most people would consider this routine to be rather sad, the sort of thing relegated to a dreary montage in a film attempting to drive home just how lonely a bachelor is before he finds the girl of his dreams, but the entire effect of it all is rather cozy. This is a man who has settled enough in his life to know what he likes and what he doesn't, and what he likes is a good crossword every now and then.
Once he washes up and heads to bed, he stops in the doorway. ]
Let me know if you need anything. If you hear anything, feel anything. I don't expect anything terribly harsh, but I don't know what to expect at all. Hopefully you can get some sleep despite it all.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-08-31 10:53 pm (UTC)Now that the offer's on the table, though, he's -- conflicted. There's a young, wounded part of him that wants to accept the safety and comfort of not being alone with only the violence behind his eyelids, of having someone there that cares but doesn't pry. It's drowned out by the much larger part of him that says he doesn't deserve it. And besides, it's clear enough that Kitsuragi would have rather he gone elsewhere, and it's only being offered to him out of a sense of obligation. Shinjiro isn't offended by that; Kitsuragi is a good man. Plenty of others would never have invited him inside in the first place.
He sets the mug in its proper place in the dish rack to buy himself another moment to think. Eventually, he turns back to the older man, and asks:]
...Is that something you'd wanna know? If someone might come in?
[He's genuinely not looking for an excuse to stay, yet the point the older man had raised was an interesting one. He doesn't care what might happen to him, but possibly learning something about the way this town works might be worth the inconvenience of putting him up. He can be gone first thing in the morning, if it doesn't happen.]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-02 12:55 am (UTC)Likewise, he can see that Aragaki is reluctant to stay for his own personal welfare. He's a cagey kid, probably having been let down and abused in the past if Kim could guess at it, and isn't particularly eager to have his life meddled with by a well-meaning adult. Practically a stranger. Even if it is clearly the best plan for him, even if nobody should be alone after witnessing such a frightful sight.
Then it benefits them both. And Kim isn't necessarily lying, either. There is the distinct possibility that someone will come to punish Shinji for his assumed crimes, and that he should have someone here to watch his back if they can catch the person in the act or, if not, to have someone around to help him navigate around if he gets cuffed.
Kim nods. ]
Of course I would. The more we know about this place and its laws, the better. And I don't relish the idea of you waking in handcuffs alone. It's not an appropriate way to conduct law enforcement. [ Kim sets his mug down in the sink and turns, leaning against his small fridge. ] If that sounds reasonable to you as well, you can stay. Just don't expect too much hospitality. I'm not used to having guests.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-02 02:41 am (UTC)All of that is hardly relevant in a place where the starting condition has been a mass kidnapping, though, and Shinjiro lets the moment pass without further reaction. It's not like the point is an important one under the circumstances, anyway. He rolls a shoulder, a bit more casual of a gesture than he really feels.]
...S'fine. Ain't like I'm used to bein' one.
[This might actually be the first time, now that he thinks about it? Awkward.]
I can crash on your couch, if you got one. No need to worry about blankets or anything. And I'll be out by morning.
[He almost wants to offer to make breakfast, in something like recompense for being allowed to stay, but it's too personal of a thing. Sharing a meal together would be more like something friends would do, and that's not what they are.]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-07 09:50 am (UTC)[ He's cagier about his real home. Every item on every shelf says something different about him, something deeply personal, interests he has hidden away, secret loves he harbours, evidence of a life colourfully lived. Though the apartment he's living in now is objectively much nicer, it is devoid of anything that hints that someone with a personality lives here. Even if he had access to such things, he wouldn't use them. It would feel far too much like putting down roots.
And so Aragaki is the unwilling spectator of the rest of Kim's evening; he rustles himself together some shabby dinner (and offers Aragaki a plate, though doesn't argue if he doesn't want it), done without any real ineptitude but also without any skill, has a smoke, and mulls over some crosswords at the kitchen table before bed. Most people would consider this routine to be rather sad, the sort of thing relegated to a dreary montage in a film attempting to drive home just how lonely a bachelor is before he finds the girl of his dreams, but the entire effect of it all is rather cozy. This is a man who has settled enough in his life to know what he likes and what he doesn't, and what he likes is a good crossword every now and then.
Once he washes up and heads to bed, he stops in the doorway. ]
Let me know if you need anything. If you hear anything, feel anything. I don't expect anything terribly harsh, but I don't know what to expect at all. Hopefully you can get some sleep despite it all.