He'd never had said it aloud before, but Adela's expression turning from grim to something more relieved did wonders to lift some of the tension he was struggling with himself. Shisui's lips quiver, tugging at the ends to form a smile. And when she rests her hand on his shoulder, there is gratitude in those crimson eyes. Gratitude for taking the lead, for being calm for both of them, for saving both himself and Ami.
He'd tell her this in person one day.
Or perhaps he'd pen it down. Shisui didn't trust the words that came out of his mouth when he already struggled with how he felt.
He'd seen the blood; it was all over his arm and on his fingers, matted, congealed blood, dark-- almost black against blond hair. He can only bite his lip at what she says next, shaking his head when she cries as if he thinks she could see him, as if he's hoping she'd stop. But she doesn't and--
"I know you fought. I know. And you fought well, Ami. Trust me when I say that you fought well. For once please-- please believe me. Sometimes things don't always go as planned, but that doesn't make us not good enough. Ami--" He was speaking over the sound of her sobbing, holding her face with his free hand so she would look at him. "I'm proud of you, Ami. I'm so, so proud of you. It was you who was brave enough to provide us with a distraction in the first place. Had you not done that, just imagine where all these other people would be? And your ability to make use of everything you've learned even in the direst of circumstances, to leave behind a clue-- Had you not done that, we would have been too late, Ami. Adela and I would have been too late. So don't you dare say you're not good enough, do you hear me?! Don't you dare. I'm proud of you."
He hadn't done it in years, but-- Today he wasn't thinking. He wasn't thinking about holding back in the present moment.
He refused to hold back when he leaned in to press his lips to her forehead.
"Oyama Ami. Sensei is proud of you." That-- that was murmured.
He was grabbing Adela's hand the next moment-- the one on his shoulder. "We could round them all up in one of the carts and slash the pipeline pumping the vapor in. They should be high on it by the time back-up arrives, and compliant. What do you think?" Yeah. They still had work to do...
no subject
He'd tell her this in person one day.
Or perhaps he'd pen it down. Shisui didn't trust the words that came out of his mouth when he already struggled with how he felt.
He'd seen the blood; it was all over his arm and on his fingers, matted, congealed blood, dark-- almost black against blond hair. He can only bite his lip at what she says next, shaking his head when she cries as if he thinks she could see him, as if he's hoping she'd stop. But she doesn't and--
"I know you fought. I know. And you fought well, Ami. Trust me when I say that you fought well. For once please-- please believe me. Sometimes things don't always go as planned, but that doesn't make us not good enough. Ami--" He was speaking over the sound of her sobbing, holding her face with his free hand so she would look at him. "I'm proud of you, Ami. I'm so, so proud of you. It was you who was brave enough to provide us with a distraction in the first place. Had you not done that, just imagine where all these other people would be? And your ability to make use of everything you've learned even in the direst of circumstances, to leave behind a clue-- Had you not done that, we would have been too late, Ami. Adela and I would have been too late. So don't you dare say you're not good enough, do you hear me?! Don't you dare. I'm proud of you."
He hadn't done it in years, but-- Today he wasn't thinking. He wasn't thinking about holding back in the present moment.
He refused to hold back when he leaned in to press his lips to her forehead.
"Oyama Ami. Sensei is proud of you." That-- that was murmured.
He was grabbing Adela's hand the next moment-- the one on his shoulder. "We could round them all up in one of the carts and slash the pipeline pumping the vapor in. They should be high on it by the time back-up arrives, and compliant. What do you think?" Yeah. They still had work to do...