week two ❧ saturday

[learnings]

[Nino waits until after the trial, but she does this before the execution--because she's not sure she'll be very good at seeming cheerful and taking care of someone once Austria's been killed. In truth, she has a ton to think about--the votes, the way Laura is--

But looking after Hiro is something she'd promised she would do, and she intends to.

So she's going to go find him, knocking on his hut or wandering the beach until she does.]

Hiro...?

Comments

[zerotohiro]

[She catches him just leaving his hut heading for the beach, still fire and anger and frustration from earlier. His expression lightens up a little upon seeing Nino and he slows down, but he doesn't quite stop.]

Hi. Need something? [Somehow Nino has worked her way into his good graces and has become a person he's more than happy to help. How'd that happen. Probably from being nice and also losing an eye. He's also forgotten that he said he'd speak to her after the trial though. After everything he lose his original plans.]

[learnings]

[It's amazing how that works, really... but she has to follow, because--]

Remember...? We were going to talk, right!

[She can't quite sound as spunky as she wants to, but she's trying.]

I wanted...to see if you're okay.

[zerotohiro]

[A for effort, Nino. He dredges up enough of a smile for her and he's at least slowing to a more leisurely pace.]

Yeah. I guess you're right. [But that's a loaded question.] I'm still alive. [It's an answer he'd given to her in the trial and one he's sticking with.] This trial was a huge mess and all we can do is figure out how to get better. And...[Shrug. So no, not really, but his reasoning sounds stupid to him so it's easier to just say "yes."] Are you? I saw what happened with the votes.

[learnings]

... I'm okay.

[She just shakes her head a little, offering a weak smile.]

It was an accident.

They didn't mean to. [... Most of them.]

[zerotohiro]

[Accidents happen, sure, but those are the worst kind.]

I know, but...what about if it happens again? The game gets a little harder every week. Haven't you noticed? [...what if he just leads them back to the water to sit down? He promises not to kick sand into her eye.]

[learnings]

[She is more than content to follow him over to the water, this is fine.]

... I know. But... I have to believe in everyone.

Because that's all I can do.

You know...? So I'll believe...extra!

[zerotohiro]

[...there's a deep breath before he just sorta flops in the sand near the edge of the water. Bye, Nino. Feel free to join him at a normal pace.]

Nino. Sometimes...believing in people can be really, really bad. I want to believe in everybody, too. I don't want to believe that one of our own just killed somebody but that's where we're at right now. The thing is that some people are going to be better liars than others.

[There's another long pause.] When Tadashi...I didn't know it at the time, but the fire was on purpose. And even though I thought I had all of the right clues and everything, when I found out who was responsible it was the last person I expected. It was somebody who my brother really believed in, and he didn't even care. He said it was Tadashi's own mistake for wanting to save him.

I...don't want something like that happening to you. Or any of the people here. Believing in people sometimes isn't enough if they have bigger goals in mind.

[learnings]

[What!! The fuck Hiro!!

She slowly sits next to him, frowning a little.]

... But...

[...Well, she can't argue what happened to his brother. That's horrible, and... it should never have happened. But--]

... We can't just give up on everyone either.

[zerotohiro]

[:')]

I know that. I'm not saying we can give up either but I don't want to give people the benefit of the doubt for too long. It just means someone's going to get hurt. [It's not like he's bitter or anything.] Did you believe in Austria when she basically said the rest of us weren't trying hard enough?

[learnings]

... I think... Frau Austria was suffering a lot.

It hurts, I think, to know that you're going to die.

[Says Nino, who definitely knew at one point she was going to die.

IT'S FINE.]

[zerotohiro]

[Why is Nino so tragic??? GOOD THING HIRO DOESN'T KNOW THAT. But also, his answer's nearly immediate.]

Not sure it hurts any more than not even getting a warning. At least Austria gets to say goodbye to everybody and knows what to expect. What about the people the killers are targeting?

[learnings]

[...]

It's sad for everyone who dies here. I don't think one is sadder than the others.

It's just... that's why she was acting that way, I think. That's all.

[zerotohiro]

I hope so. It'd be way easier to forgive that than to forgive someone who just didn't want to die alone out of spite. Spite's...not really a good look on anybody.